March 2010
Dan Pollitt was a dedicated activist and leader in our community for decades. He passed away this morning after a lifetime dedicated to peace and justice. My heart goes out to his wife Senator Ellie Kinnaird and the rest of his family. But the loss is all of ours. Pollitt was a beacon, lighting the way forward from just a little ahead of the rest of us.
Here's the Independent's profile of him from 10 years ago:
Chapel Hill attorney Bill Massengill nails it: "He's the
aggressive-liberal gentleman. Dan can aggressively press his ideas
without offending people." Even when those ideas are quite hopelessly
out of fashion--as they so very often are.
Take, for example, Pollitt's defense of free association amid Red Scare
panic. Or integration in the Jim Crow South. It took the times some
time to catch up with Pollitt on those two.
Or what about advocating labor unions in a "right-to-work" state? How very
un-20th century. And Pollitt's predilection for the abolishment of
state-sanctioned executions? Next season, maybe, or perhaps the one
after that.
[...]
http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/
http://www.facebook.com/coffeeparty
MISSION: The Coffee Party Movement gives voice to
Americans who want to see cooperation in government. We recognize that
the federal government is not the enemy of the people, but the
expression of our collective will, and that we must participate in the
democratic process in order to address the challenges that we face as
Americans. As voters and grassroots volunteers, we will support leaders
who work toward positive solutions, and hold accountable those who
obstruct them.
An introduction (length of video 4:34):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO_5HvnFEv0&feature=player_embedded
***Mar 13 2010 12:00 PM***
Coffee Party USA/Chapel Hill Join
us to help launch the Coffee Party Movement. We will be meeting at That
Coffee Place, corner ...
We will be meeting at That Coffee Place,
corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard at Homestead. (919) 960-6247
2805 Homestead Rd Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Contact me at 1 919 741 5113
Let's get moving! Lloyd
Date:
Saturday, March 13, 2010 - 7:00am
Location:
That Coffee Place, 805 Homestead Rd, Chapel Hill
This Wednesday, March 10, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Flyleaf Books, Transition Carrboro-Chapel Hill will present two episodes of The Powerdown Show, which examines local responses to peak oil and climate change.
Teen Health Now is a group of young people across the state of North Carolina working towards eliminating federally abstinence-only programs in NC, adopting a comprehensive sex education policy in the state's health curricula, and changing local policy to support comprehensive sex education in communities. We also work t o raise awareness for many other teen reproductive health issues. Part of our goal for this year is to train and mobilize other young people across the state. We are doing this by hosting free trainings and events for young people! This spring
Shelby Knox is coming to Chapel Hill, NC, to speak at a community forum about sex education. We are also hosting a free, day long training on the topic of online organizing and advocacy at UNC Chapel Hill. This training is on Saturday, March 27 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Any youth can attend (you can
RSVP to the Facebook event here).
Speak Out Against Paving Bolin Creek!
On Monday, March 15th at 6:30 p.m. in room 110 of the Carrboro Town Hall the Carrboro Greenways Commission is meeting to decide if they are going to accept the Greenways, Inc. proposal for paving the Bolin Creek Greenway. Please come and show that you do not agree with their plan!
There is a good opinion piece here
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2010/03/14/55677/reject-greenway-consultan...
But I also want to point out that "Greenways for Wildlife" at NC State found that
# Percent coverage of managed area within the greenway, such as trail and other mowed or maintained surfaces, was a predictor for all but total bird abundance. Abundance and richness of development-sensitive species (neotropical migrant, insectivore, and forest-interior birds) were lowest in greenways containing more managed area.
As some of you may have noticed I am out of town for a 9-day trip to Austin, TX where I am visiting family and attending South by Southwest Interactive. I am still checking in here periodically, but don't have time for new posts. That means it's a great time to write that blog entry you've been thinking about, you don't have to compete with many other posts to get on the front page!
Soon after I get back, we should start seeing some of the work of the five students in a UNC class on Public Affairs Reporting for New Media, who will be focusing on the upcoming Primary election in Orange County.
Meanwhile, we haven't had an open thread in a while, so... how the hell are y'all?
That may seem like an obvious statement but what it means in reality is that a few of the members of the Carrboro Greenway Commision think that the goal of the commission is to implement a greenway regardless of whether or not it will harm the environment.
If anyone wants to join in helping me form a protest at UNC's Bingham Facility or on UNC's campus (probably better) reply to this posting!
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/orangechat/state-cites-2nd-violation-at-uncs-bingham-facility
State regulators have hit UNC with another violation notice for a
treated wastewater spill at its animal holding and research facility in
rural Orange County.
The March 3 notice comes after broken pipes spilled 1,800 gallons of
treated wastewater onto the ground of the Bingham Facility in late February.
And more:
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/orangechat/state-may-require-uncs-bingham-facility-to-get-a-permit
http://www.preserveruralorange.org/UNC_Research_Facility.html
http://fpcfeed.facilities.unc.edu/ConstructionProjectDetails.aspx?projectId=104
Date:
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 - 3:00pm to 5:00pm
The Supreme Court
Decision
A Disaster for Democracy
A Public Forum
April 11, 2010
4:00 – 5:30 pm, Carrboro
Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro Street, Carrboro
Speakers
Gene Nichol:
Professor of Law and Director of the Center
on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at UNC-CH
Chase
Foster:
Director, North
Carolina Voters for Clean Elections
Learn about the Citizens
United decision and its implications
Review legislative
remedies
Fight Back – join the
campaign to neutralize the decision
| Democracy
North Caroliona |
Progressive Democrats of North
Carolina* |
| Orange
County Democratic Party |
Womens International League for Peace
and Freedom |
| |
|
| |
|
For more
information
contact Jack Sanders (919) 967-5155 • jacksanders@nc.rr.com
Date:
Sunday, April 11, 2010 - 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Location:
Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro Street, Carrboro
The primary election will be on May 4, 2010, and it's time to do the
work that will make a difference this year! We need significant voter
registration to KEEP NC BLUE in 2010!
On Saturday, March 20th, the Orange County Democratic Party (OCDP) is
hosting a voter registration drive in partnership with our friends at
Organizing for America. The OCDP will be at the Carrboro Century Center
from 12:30 - 5:00pm. We have two 90 minute shifts (1pm and 3pm) - we
hope you'll sign up to work one or both of them!
Show up at the Carrboro Century Center a few minute before your shift
begins. If you are not trained in voter registration, we'll take a few
minutes to do that. It's EASY and FUN! Then we'll send you out to hit
the pavement at local hot spots to find those folks who need to
register or update their registration. When you're finished, you'll
bring the completed registration forms back to the Century Center.
We hope to see you there!
Click here to sign up for the 1pm – 2:30pm shift:
http://www.suretomeet.com/exec/gt/event.h,event=3b0b2e02bd63
Click here to sign up for the 3pm - 4:30pm shift:
http://www.suretomeet.com/exec/gt/event.h,event=4b2b4e22de84
Date:
Saturday, March 20, 2010 - 8:30am to 1:00pm
Location:
Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro Street, Carrboro
Triangle Transit, along with its local partners Chapel Hill Transit and the Durham Area Transit Authority, is currently in the process of considering service changes along the 15-501 corridor. These changes present the opportunity for some much-needed improvements in the service between these areas, and as a Chapel Hill resident, I'm looking forward to greater connectivity to Durham. But I think it is equally important to remember our friends in Carrboro who could greatly benefit from direct service to Durham (and of course, Durhamites deserve the opportunity to visit Carrboro in turn!). I'm proud to be a supporter of a local effort called Connect Carrboro. They recently formed a Facebook Page to help supporters who want to learn more.
NORTHERN ORANGE
BLACK VOTERS
ALLIANCE
Presents
MEET THE CANDIDATE
NIGHT
At
THE OLD ORANGE COUNTY
COURTHOUSE
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C.
Wednesday, April
7, 2010
Schedule
6:00 PM to 7:00 PM: Orange County
Sheriff Candidates.
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM:
Orange County Commissioner Candidates.
8:00 PM to 9:15 PM: Orange County
School Board Candidates.
Come and hear our candidates tell
why they are running for office and answer questions on how they stand
on community issues affecting your lives. Doors open
at 5:30 pm.
Contact Leo Allison, 919-563-9110,
or John Ferguson, 919-732-8332 for more information.
Date:
Wednesday, April 7, 2010 - 2:00pm to 5:15pm
Orange County Democratic Women present a forum for...
County Commissioner and Sheriff Candidates
March 25, 7:30pm
OWASA Building, 400 Jones Ferry Road, Carrboro
Date:
Thursday, March 25, 2010 - 3:30pm to 5:00pm
The candidates are known, and the races are starting to get under way. Campaign signs are starting to spring up around the county faster than the daffodils. And I know of at least three (edit: five) forums which are currently scheduled which I have added to the OP Calendar (a disclosure, I'm moderating the first one on the list). What else is going on in the local primary races so far this year, and what else are you doing to find out about the candidates?
The 2010 Orange County Democratic Party Convention will take place at the Senior Center in Hillsborough. Come out and meet fellow Democrats, as well as the candidates for local and statewide office this May, enjoy a fantastic lunch, and conduct party business including a full slate of resolutions.
More information will be posted at the OCDP website.
Date:
Saturday, April 10, 2010 - 7:00am to 12:00pm
Congratulations to the C H News winning awards from the NC Press Association: Editorial page: first place; use of photographs, second place, and in investigative reporting, Mark Schultz won 3rd place -- but Mark is to be congratulated for all three awards.
Date:
Thursday, March 25, 2010 - 3:00pm
Location:
Southern Human Services Center, 2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516
Date:
Saturday, March 27, 2010 - 6:00am to 10:00am
Location:
Hargraves Community Center, 216 N. Roberson St. Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516
Date:
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 - 3:00pm
Location:
Town Barn, 101 East Orange Street, Hillsborough
Date:
Tuesday, March 23, 2010 - 3:30pm
Location:
Carrboro Town Hall, 301 West Main Street Carrboro, NC 27510-2029, Room 110
Date:
Thursday, March 25, 2010 - 3:30pm
Location:
Carrboro Town Hall, 301 West Main Street Carrboro, NC 27510-2029, Room 109
I don't have any more to report besides the contents of the press release below, which was released by the Town of Hillsborough this morning. I wonder if something changed since he filed for office over a month ago, or if the campaign is just now getting going.
Hillsborough Police Chief Clarence Birkhead will step down as the Police
Department’s head on April 2.“As you know, I am a candidate for sheriff of Orange County,”
the police chief stated in his resignation letter. “I feel that I
should devote all of my energies to my campaign. Under the circumstances, I
feel it is best for the Town of Hillsborough and my campaign to step
down.”
For those of you that won't be able to make it to tonight's County Commissioner Candidate forum, I will be liveblogging the event here on OP!
The forum starts at 7pm and it is being held at Chapel Hill's Town Hall on MLK Blvd.
Important Dates for 2010 Primary and General ElectionAccording to http://www.co.orange.nc.us/elect/2010ElectionInformation.asp Filing period - February 8th Noon - February 26th Noon - closedPrimary Election - May 4th - Polls are open 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.Absentee Ballots available for Primary - March 15thRegistration Books Close for the Primary Election - April 9th.One-Stop Early Voting Begins - April 15th.link to information on locations.
Includes candidates for state and federal legislative office districts that include, but are not limited to, Orange County.
This content will be updated regularly as more information becomes available.
The Orange County Democratic Women is sponsoring a forum for County Commissioners and Sheriff candidates. The event is tonight, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. It will be held at the OWASA community room at 400 Jones Ferry Road. If you can't make the forum, tune in to OP's live blog for real time coverage.
Via e-mail...
Please Join Us for a Follow-up Workshop!
Topic: Campus to Campus Connector
When: April 15, 2010 5:30-7:00 PM
Where: Magnolia Conference Room
This meeting will be an opportunity to show the data, photographs and information collected on the routes that were suggested at our December 1, 2009 workshop. The materials from that meeting are on the website.
We are evaluating potential locations for a greenway and bike path connection between the Carolina North campus and the Main UNC Campus. We are seeking a pathway that is not located within the Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. roadway and that avoids steep grades where feasible. It may include existing or planned greenways for a portion of the route.
There will be a brief introduction by Town and University staff to share the data collected to date.
The majority of the workshop will be spent in an open session, getting feedback from the attendees.
You are welcome to use the maps & checklists we used and to bring your own photographs and information to the session. We want to hear what you think!
If you have a question for the Town, call The Town of Chapel Hill Planning Department at: (919) 968-2728
If you have a question for the University, contact Jill Coleman at jcoleman@fac.unc.edu
You may also send comments to
Check the
Date:
Thursday, April 15, 2010 - 1:30pm
Location:
Magnolia Conference Room, 103 Airport Drive, Chapel Hill
Via e-mail...
On Saturday March 27 at noon at Caribou Coffee downtown Chapel Hill, the Campus to Campus Bike Connector group will lead a walk of a potential bike route to connect UNC campus with Carolina North. For more information, see http://ccbconnector.wordpress.com
Please note that there is a walk of the middle route(connection through Northsdie) planned for this Saturday, March 27. All folks interested in walking the route with CCBC and gaining insight on route conditions are welcome.
Meet us at NOON (12pm)at Caribou Coffee on Franklin (near Columbia)...or as the old-timers know it, Hagen-Daaz/He's Not Here courtyard across from the Baptist Church downtown.
Walk time is estimated to be about 1 hour.
Date:
Saturday, March 27, 2010 - 8:00am
Location:
Caribou Coffee, West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill
Via e-mail...
Downtown Public Forum
Please join the Town of Chapel Hill and the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership in providing input into the planning process for the future of Downtown Chapel Hill. The sessions are open to property owners, businesses, residents and anyone interested in Downtown's future to meet with the consultants and share ideas and suggestions for Downtown Chapel Hill.
Thursday, April 8
8:30 to 10:00 AM and 4:30 to 6:00 PM
Both sessions will be held in the second floor Great Room at the Top of the Hill Restaurant. The entrance is on the south side of East Franklin St., between Walgreens and Game Stop.
The Town and Partnership have hired the Raleigh based consultant Kling-Stubbins to help craft a Development Framework and Action Plan Document which will help guide the Town and the development community five to eight years into the future. Kling-Stubbins has partnered with Stewart Engineering and Strategy 5 economic development consulting to assist with the Plan. The documents' primary thrust will be to identify strategic properties in downtown, suggest potential uses for the property and, with the approval of current or future owners, present a means to achieve the jointly developed plan for these strategic parcels.
Date:
Thursday, April 8, 2010 - 4:30am
Location:
Great Room at the Top of the Hill Restaurant
Date:
Tuesday, May 4, 2010 - 2:30am to 3:30pm
One-stop, no-excuse-needed early voting with same-day registration.
There are 2 sites available for early voting for the May 4, 2010 Primary Election.
The Orange County Board of Elections
208 South Cameron Street
Hillsborough
and
The Morehead Planetarium
250 East Franklin Street
Chapel Hill
*Days and hours are the same at both sites*
Thursday, April 15th – Friday, April 16th – 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday, April 19th – Friday, April 23rd – 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday, April 26th – Friday, April 30th – 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 1st – 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Date:
Thursday, April 15, 2010 - 4:00am to Saturday, May 1, 2010 - 9:00am
Good Folks of Chapel Hill and Orange County,
Candidates for Orange County Schools Board of Education will debate issues Thursday, April 22, at 6 p.m. at Hillsborough Elementary School in a forum sponsored by the Special Education PTA. All are welcome. The event will be moderated by News of Orange County education reporter Vanessa C. Shortley.
Date:
Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 2:00pm
Location:
Hillsborough Elementary School
NAACP to Sponsor Orange County Candidates Forum in Chapel Hill
[March 17, 2010-Chapel Hill, NC] The Chapel Hill-Carrboro branch of the NAACP will sponsor an open forum for Orange County candidates running in the May 4 primary election for Commissioner and Sheriff. The forum will be held in Chapel Hill on Thursday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. at Town Hall.
All candidates are invited to share their views on a variety of quality of life issues from education and economicdevelopment to law enforcement initiatives.
Carrboro Alderman Joal Hall Broun and former Hillsborough Mayor Joe Phelps will challenge incumbent Barry Jacobs for an at-large County Commissioner seat. Hillsborough Police Chief Clarence Birkhead will challenge incumbent Lindy Pendergrass for Sheriff.
The Forum is free and open to the public.
Date:
Thursday, April 1, 2010 - 3:00pm
Location:
Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FORUM
APRIL 14, 2010
CHAPEL HILL TOWN HALL
The PTA Council and League of Women Voters will sponsor a forum for candidates for the Orange County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, April 14, 2010, from 7 to 9 p.m. The forum will be held in the council chambers of Chapel Hill's Town Hall, and will be televised live on government access Time Warner channel 18. The forum will also be taped and available for viewing here.
Six of the seven candidates have agreed to attend: Joal Hall Broun, Alice Gordon, Barry Jacobs, Earl McKee, Joe Phelps and Renee Price.
In another difficult budget year, parents are especially concerned about the impact on schools. This forum, coming the night before early voting begins, will thus be especially timely, given that almost half of the schools' money is allocated by the county commissioners.
Date:
Wednesday, April 14, 2010 - 3:00pm
Location:
Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill
Raising awareness of the Period of Purple Crying and Sudden Infant Death.
Date:
Saturday, April 24, 2010 - 5:00am
Location:
Hillsborough, North Carolina (Wal-Mart)
Organized by and with UNC students! A special opportunity to welcome young people who want to learn more about local issues. All candidates will be invited once the venue is confirmed.
UPDATE: The venue is set for R&R Grill, and the candidates have been invited. Y'all come!
Date:
Friday, April 16, 2010 - 2:00pm
Location:
R&R Grill, Nationsbank Plaza, East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill
Date:
Tuesday, April 6, 2010 - 3:00pm
Location:
New Hope Community Center on Whitfield Road
Date:
Monday, April 12, 2010 - 3:00pm
Date:
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 - 11:00am
Location:
Carol Woods Assembly Hall, Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill
Date:
Thursday, April 15, 2010 - 3:00pm
Location:
Leland Little’s Auction House, Cornerstone Court, Hillsborough.
Well, if anyone was wondering why there is a noticeable void of good reporting on campaign finances in local elections… I have the answer.
The answer is pretty simple, but horribly boring.
The answer is a lack of uniformity in campaign finance report rules, a lack of money to throw around and a lack of technological advancement in local governments. More notably, the office-holder hopefuls who are filling out these forms (or are having their buddy/treasurer fill them out) are also fairly technologically challenged.
The IFC held the first of three scheduled community discussions tonight. These discussions are designed to facilitate better communications with the community. The meeting began with three short presentations to update everyone on the current status of the planning process and to provide a brief synopsis of the expectations IFC has for the new facility.
The new facility is being designed to serve 52 men on a full-time basis with room for 17 emergency cots on white-flag nights. As Chris Moran said, the Community House will serve as transitional housing for homeless men. Emergency housing will need to be provided through the efforts of the 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness group.
The facility is laid out with the first floor devoted to counseling, health and dental services, and other resources to help the residents transition out of homelessness. The second floor provides sleeping/living rooms. The men will start off living in a dormitory-type room with around 10 occupants per room. There are two of the large dorm rooms. As the men progress toward their goals they will step down to a 4-occupant room and finally to a 2-occupant room.
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