Yesterday I received a call from a woman who lives in a tent she assembled in the woods east of the railroad tracks near land that Chapel Hill purchased from the estate of Leo Merritt. I have known her for several years and she has been a part of the downtown Carrboro community for a long time. I had mixed emotions about what she had to say. She is moving next month to be with another member of her family in a nearby state. On the one hand, I am happy for her that she will (presumably) have more formal housing arrangements, but on the other hand I will miss seeing her around Carrboro.

On Chapelboro.com:

 Posted: Saturday, 14 January 2012 11:05AM

Carolina North Meeting To Provide Development Updates Thursday

CHAPEL HILL - UNC is inviting members of the public to attend a meeting this week to learn about the latest updates on the development of Carolina North.

The event will include the discussion of topics of construction of the utilities duct bank, inclusion of a methane gas pipeline and the design of a greenway. The design of a research building, which will be the first to be built at the site, will also be a focus of the meeting.

UNC staff members will also discuss a proposed modification of conservation areas near the development area.

While I have this semester break, I thought I'd take the time to follow-up on the last blog entry I wrote addressing mayoral candidate Kevin Wolff and his...allegations. I sent a copy of what I had written directly to the campaign of Kevin Wolff and was promptly told by him (or his staff) in so many words that "with age and understanding",  I would one day learn not to be judgmental and that if he becomes elected, he will implement a 2 year plan to get Chapel Hill's homeless of the streets by meeting with each and every individual to address their personal issues (in which he invited me to get involved). 

Urgent Action Needed! Pro Fracking PR Hack Descends Upon Chapel Hill: Tell Flyleaf Books to Cancel Event Immediately! (Please Forward Widely)

As advertised by UNC’s Humanities in Action program, they plan to bring the president of an oil and gas company that makes money off of hydraulic fracturing to speak in support of this dangerous natural gas extraction practice at a local independent bookstore called Flyleaf Books. There will be no one present to tell the other side of the story: that fracking has caused major disasters all over the country from well explosions, to methane leached in to water aquifers, poisoned families, carcinogens and hundreds of toxins leached into our rivers. The event is scheduled for December 7th from 3:30-5 p.m. and tickets cost $20.

In 1991, as a 20 year-old rising Senior at the University of North Carolina, I did the most outlandish and absurd thing I have ever done in my life.

UNC Student Government and Campus Y host candidate forum: What do candidates really think about town-and-gown relations?

As a student of social justice at Chapel Hill’s largest employer, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I am acutely aware of the impact my education plays on the economic and demographic make-up of our community. With the UNC Student Government and Campus Y (the center for social justice on campus) coming together on November 3, 2011, to host a candidate forum, I had hoped students would finally have their most salient concerns heard by potential council representatives. Even more, I was optimistic that students without cars or a thorough understanding of the intricate bus system would finally gain access to the campaign process, which has built to a climax over the past weeks.