Peace and Justice Plaza, East Franklin and Henderson Streets, Chapel Hill
Proclamations read by two mayors and county commissioner; 10 amendments read by participants; words spoken by NC Senator Ellie Kinnaird, remembering Joe Herzenberg for his dedication to civil rights
Orange County Bill of Rights Defense Committee Information: 942-2535
Date:
Monday, December 15, 2008 - 7:00am
Location:
Peace and Justice Plaza, East Franklin and Henderson Streets, Chapel Hill
A blog post over at the News and Observer site highlights the requests made by citizens in Carrboro and Pittsboro to allow bow hunting in the city limits to help control the deer population. Having lived for a bit in the Chicago area where deer started depleting the forest preserves of all sensitive plant species in the 1980's, I'm particularly sensitive to the effects of deer on sensitive ecosystems. I also know that the deer population, without natural predators, continues to put more and more pressure on plants as time goes by in our area. Bolin Creek spring wildflowers are particularly sensitive to deer overpopulation since they green up before other plants leaf on and they provide sustenance for the herds at their hungriest time. If the population was at a normal rate of 15-20 per square mile instead of ~80 per square mile then this would not be a problem.
With the newly-elected (and newly-districted) members of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) sworn in, they have followed their annual tradition of selecting a new chair and vice-chair of the group. This is a leadership structure that is quite different from other elected bodies in the county in that the chair has similar responsibilities as a Mayor would have in a municipality, but the seat rotates among the members in a very egalitarian fashion so that every commissioner in recent memory has served at least one year at the helm.
What I found especially interesting is that this year's chair will be Valerie Foushee (an African-American woman) and the vice-chair will be Mike Nelson (a gay man).
With the rollout of Raleigh's plan for future development and identification of areas for transit and denser development, this topic is as timely as ever for our communities. NRG is seeking to initiate a public discussion about a comprehensive vision for the future of Chapel Hill. We are hoping to engage citizens to learn more about this issue and to equip them to weigh in with their elected officials on how they want to see their community grow.
I hope OP readers will join us and lend their opinions, questions, and experience. While the forum addresses primarily Chapel Hill, this issue is not confined to one town - we hope to attract attendees from our wider community to bring their expertise and perspectives. For details on when and where, please see the invitation below.
Chapel
Hill 2020: A Forum on the Future of Density
and Growth in Chapel Hill
In speaking to the Friends of Pat Evans, err, I mean Friends of Downtown, Meadowmont developer and Board of Trustees Chair Roger Perry identified the same problems that I have been talking about in regards to Chapel Hill's downtown.
"You have to treat downtown with deference," Perry
said. "You've got to put more money into downtown than into outlying
areas." That means more and better lighting and, in the case of one
particular area, sidewalks.
"That we don't have sidewalks along Rosemary all the way is nuts," he said. "We're tying an arm behind our backs." [...]
Perry saved his most critical words for the
"irresponsible ownership" of some downtown buildings. Without
mentioning specific names, he riffed on "absentee owners" who don't act
as good stewards of the town or their properties, allowing buildings to
slip below fire code standards and otherwise exhibiting no sense of
urgency in filling vacancies in prime retail locations.
From OCOC press release as printed in News of Orange County:
County-wide grassroots effort will hold Dec. 7
meeting
On Sunday, Dec. 7, 300 leaders from 23 faith-based
institutions in Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough will gather at 5 p.m. at
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Chapel Hill to launch a new agenda called "One
County for All." The Church is located at 300 E. Rosemary Street in Chapel
Hill.
The event is viewed as a new model for multi-ethnic interfaith
collaboration in Orange County. The Orange County Organizing Committee (OCOC)
seeks to bring about change on affordable housing, living wages, environmental
justice, education, healthcare, and quality of life for immigrant families.
The hard work of holiday gift-buying now comes with the chance to do some local good! My new novel, Jesus Swept is available at the Internationalist Book Store in downtown Chapel Hill! One hundred percent of the price of each book sold is being donated to the store.
If you like the idea of fun with religion, Jesus Swept is just the work of fiction you need. It takes place right here in Chapel Hill, with a hefty dose of the North Carolina beachiness thrown in for cosmic communion.
And every dollar you spend will go to support my favorite bookstore.
Hello! You all may be aware that I host The West End Report (Wednesday edition; 6pm) onWCOM 103.5 LP FM -- Carrboro's all-volunteer, Community Radio station.
My wonderful News Director just gave me the popular segment, 'What You're Saying on the Street" to revamp in my own personal style.
WYSOS will feature opinions of Chapel Hill-Carrboro residents on hot-topic issues in our community. Recently, I produced the segment to find out your thoughts on Carrboro passing the same-sex marriage resolution and if Chapel Hill should follow suit.
I would like to know what topics you think we should be asking on the street. What issues matter most to you in our community? What locations do you think are best for me to go to get people's opinions? What topics are important to you but are not being addressed in other media outlets?
With macro-economic indicators getting worse by the day, scaling down to the local is looking saner and more attractive.
One example of many is local currencies. Though our local currency, the NCPlenty, is barely in existence, it may be time to re-vamp it. The global and national economic climate may provide the environment necessary for making a local currency adaptive and succesfull.
In November the nation's official unemployment reached 6.5%. This is a figure that would change to 12.5% if included were those who are too discouraged to look for work any longer or those working fewer hours than they would like.
12% may be a significant number; As pointed out in Beyond Greed and Scarcityby Bernard Lietaer: In France, years ago,..
This week after a lot of theatre by Democrats in Congress appearing to be tough on the big three, the automotive industry is likely to be bailed out. Congress rejected the initial proposal by the automakers and asked them to come back with a better proposal and not in Leer jets. They came back with their new proposals by car.
I think we are in about the 4th iteration of the Chapel Hill Public Library debate, but whatever the number, it's an important debate about an important issue. Four things stick out to me:
First, the Town Council has delayed moving forward with the addition. As much as I want to see it built, the current economic situation being what it is gave them little choice. When the situation is more favorable I'm sure that they will move forward.
My estimated valuation increased by about 33% over my current valuation and by about 62% over the 2004 valuation, yet it still remains slightly less than what I actually paid for my house three years ago.
Update: The county suggests using http://server2.co.orange.nc.us/Addresses/ for faster GIS searching.
Artists of all mediums are encouraged to share their creative expression and art for all to see! It's recommended that most arts and crafts be priced below $100 to make it accessible for folks to purchase. Some accepted submissions range from baked goods, collages, stuffed animals, pottery, screen printed posters and more!
There is a small fee for $35 per table which will help support future events at the Nightlight! Please submit a brief description of your work, any photos and/or links to your website by December 7th. Please direct all submissions/ questions to Alexis at nightlightinfo@gmail.com or 919.923.7910.
Date:
Sunday, December 21, 2008 - 9:00am to 1:00pm
Location:
Nightlight, 405 1/2 West Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill
Among other things on the County Commissioners agenda tonight the siting of the proposed waste transfer station. John Rees, an avid cyclist who lives in Dogwood Acres, is there and posting updates via Twitter. Here are his updated posts in reverse chronological order (newest to oldest):
Police statement published today by the Carrboro Citizen:
On Thursday, December 11th, the Chapel Hill Police responded to a
traffic crash on N.C. 54 west of the South Columbia Street Bridge.
Seven pedestrians were reportedly crossing the roadway at approximately
10:30 PM. Four of the pedestrians had made it to the median and three
were struck by an eastbound vehicle. One person, a female, was
pronounced dead at the scene and two others were transported to UNC
Hospital for treatment of their non-life threatening injuries.
Thursday, December 11, marks a dark moment in Orange County’s history. At the County Commissioners’ meeting that night, all the attending Commissioners, except one, voted to pursue the placement of a Waste Transfer Station in the heart of Orange County’s farming district and alongside the Cane Creek Reservoir.
An Evening of Jazz to Benefit the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service New Year's Eve 2008 United Church of Chapel Hill 1321 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
United Church of Chapel Hill will host an evening of jazz beginning at 7 pm on New Year's Eve as a benefit concert for the Inter-Faith Council. The Bradshaw Quartet will play and Christen Campbell will sing. A free-will offering will be taken. Last year's concert raised more than $3,000 for the Inter-Faith Council and great fun was had by all. It is early on New Year's Eve so people can start the evening at a benefit concert which concludes before 9 pm.
The Bradshaw Quartet began in 2003 as the rhythm section for the United Voices of Praise Gospel Choir. Charles Bradshaw (Keyboards), Matthew Busch (tenor and soprano saxophone), Brad Kintner (upright and fretless bass), and Odessa Shaw (drums) each bring more than 20 years of musical experience and training from a broad range of musical styles. The Quartet brings this diverse knowledge, from swing dance to R+B top 40, from classical to punk to gospel, to form a jazz ensemble capable of looking beyond the standards for inspiration. The quartet will be showcasing selected jazz standards, new interpretations of R+B and pop classics, and original compositions.
Christen Campbell comes to North Carolina by way of Boston, Massachusetts. Before her career as wife and mother, Christen traveled the world as a jazz singer. She has performed in dozens of major cities including New York, Rome, Athens, Tokyo and Cairo. Christen has performed with musical legends like Dave McKenna, The San Francisco Swing Experience and Marcus Miller. Clive Davis of the New York Daily Post said: "She is a jazz singer with a sense of humor and a good sense of the stage…an unbeatable combination."
From its beginning of seven women from area congregations responding to need in our community, the Inter-Faith Council has been responding to human needs for forty-five years. The number of households served by the Food Pantry continues to grow at an alarming rate. Last month 98 new households became members due to loss of income or rising expenses in their households. IFC volunteers now give monthly grocery allotments to a total of 1,697 families. As we go through this holiday season and enter a new year, you are invited to do so in the company of those who enjoy good jazz and in solidarity with those in need.
An Evening of Jazz, a benefit concert for the Inter-Faith Council, will be on New Year's Eve beginning at 7 pm at United Church of Chapel Hill, 1321 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC. For more information, www.unitedchurch.org or call 919-942-3540.
Richard Edens United Church of Chapel Hill 1321 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Chapel Hill, NC 27514 919-942-3540 Voice Mail Box # 60
Date:
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 - 2:00pm
Location:
United Church of Chapel Hill, 1321 MLK Blvd, Chapel Hill
As noted on the Endangered Pedestrians thread, Chapel Hill is testing an "exclusive pedestrian" traffic signal phase at the Columbia (NC 86) & Cameron intersection, a configuration of traffic signals and pedestrian "walk" displays that will allow those on foot to cross in all directions at once, including diagonally across the street. This video (also below) demonstrates such a crossing in Los Angeles.
The Weaver Street Market Board of Directors will meet Wednesday December 17 at 201 North Greensboro Street downtown Carrboro at 6:15pm. The Board will seek to answer the question posed in last month's meeting: "How bad can it get?" This is regarding the negative cash flow in the last fiscal quarter.
In the last fiscal quarter, the worker-owners did not receive a dividend. Consumer-owners receive a dividend as a point-of-sale discount. Is this fair?
Basically, if you own a share in the Co-Op, this is the one Board meeting you need to attend! Contact WSM BoD Chair J. Myers at coffee_bar@weaverstreetmarket.coop to inform him you will attend (meal provided by Panzanella Restaurant) and to receive an emailed copy of the meeting agenda.
I'll be going on a local radio station (WCHL) later this week to have this
commentary played. I think it illustrates exactly why we need to have
this event in North Carolina & events like it across the nation
this weekend, and
why unseen support is dangerously close to no support at all.
Orange County Voice, a citizens group organized against siting an
airport or a trash depot in southwest Orange County, will hold a
fundraiser Saturday at Harry's Market to help pay legal fees to fight
the county's plan to site a garbage transfer station on Highway 54 west
of White Cross.
The sale and raffle will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on
Saturday, Dec. 20 at Harry's Market, 3300 N.C. Highway 54. Art and
baked goods will be on sale, and musicians will be playing. $10 raffle
tickets will give a chance to win art, pottery, wood-working or gift
certificates from local businesses such as Harry's and Fiesta Grill.
The raffle drawing will happen at 2 p.m.
Twin stories in this morning's CH News from Mark Schultz on the front page: "UNC Pledges Cooperation on Airport" and inside: "UNC Gave State Airport Bill Language." Kudos (or the candy of choice) to Schultz for digging away at the behind-closed-doors stuff - e.g., just who from the Univ. was talking to the legislature, seeking the eminent domain provision, etc.; and kudos for going after some actual numbers. Would expect, however, that assurances of cooperation will be received by citizens with the usual and appropriate skepticism - keep those cards and letters coming...
Three irksome aspects of the stories, at least for me:
A. The attrition theme - the persistent suggestion that AHEC participants will opt out if they don't like airport location.
Here is an update on what is happening locally, post-Obama campaign, among the folks who want to keep the spirit alive and help make change happen!
Last Sunday, there were three "House Parties" held around the County. One in Carrboro, another in North Carrboro and a third in Hillsborough. (I don't know the total attendance, I was at N. Carrboro and we must have had two dozen or more people.)
When we started, before Thanksgiving, we were sort of groping in the dark for how we were going to organize. It has begun to galvanize, but we are still dealing with communication issues, like too many emails about too many subjects! It reminds me of the early days of the Primary, which is a good thing.
Here are the three major things that are happening right now:
I heard reference to http://freecycle.org on the radio yesterday, described as an organization to promote free exchange or donation of unwanted things that ought not to go to the landfill and still possibly useful. There is an Orange County group - is anyone here a member? How does it work?
APOLOGIES, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO A CONFLICT OF SCHEDULING BY THE STATION AT SOUTHERN RAIL
Today the President announced loans for bailing out the automotive industry. While it is important to save jobs, fuel efficiency improvements and safeguards for consumers and the environment
have not been a part of any of the failed legislation considered by
Congress up until now, and much less by the administration in today's
announcement. With this bail-out our government is demonstrating once again, as with the financial bail-out,
a catastrophic shortsightedness. We are missing a great opportunity
for retrofitting our highly carbon intensive infrastructure. We could
be dealing with global warming and peak oil while at the same time
priming the real economy.
CANCELLED: the Carrborogreenspace (The WITT in exile) will be
presenting 'Who Killed the Electric Car" at the Station at Southern
Rail (201-c East Main Street), Carrboro. The auto-industry has
actively continued to ignore all the signs that would have lead to a
saner predicament then the one that they find themselves in today.
This movie demonstrates the complicity that we are inheriting as our
govenment throws money away to an industry that could be made to do
better.... come out, inform yourself, and hold your Representative accountable to the highest standards. Discussion to follow after the movie.
Location:
The Station at The Southern Rail, 2201-c East Main St., Carrboro
Have you noticed the tree with the little paper bears hanging from it in Carr Mill Mall? That tree is usually almost empty of bears by now. I was thinking maybe it was just me being paranoid or sentimental, but the Carrboro Citizen affirmed what I suspected.
The families in need of assistance with Christmas gifts is increasing and the donations are not meeting the need.
The Orange County Department of Social Services Toy Chest is running low on toys and clothes. Families are participating who had no need in the past. The Citizen mentioned how sad it is for younger children to be bypassed because they can't understand, but a friend also said that the Toy Chest is particularly in need of things for teens.
To donate toys or checks can be taken to Southern Human Services on Homestead Road in Chapel Hill or Whitted Human Services in Hillsborough.
Why are more folks not talking about the bacteria in the water at Morris Grove Elementary? OWASA submits to test after test with the water bacteria free, so the bacteria is developing after the water leaves OWASA and is piped through the schools system. I cannot find information anywherethat states what is being done to correct this problem. Am I the only oneoutraged at this? These are our children, some getting sick from drinking tainted water.Is there a plan in place to correct this?
The N.C. Metropolitan Mayors Coalition has submitted its request for money from the federal and state governments for infrastructure projects. I’ve mapped the requests made for the town of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. No requests were made by Hillsborough.
See the raw Chapel Hill data here. See the full spreadsheet of requests here.
Some things you have to see for yourself to believe.
I recently took a tour of about a half dozen schools, mainly older facilities, in the Chapel Hill Carrboro school system. Because the County Commissioners fund the school systems' budgets, it's important for me to see first hand what the parents, teachers, and school administrators are complaining about. I took a similar tour of facilities in the Orange County School system a while back and wanted to assess the situation in the city schools.
Every afternoon I stop at the light at the intersection of 15-501 and I-40 and I talk to the men who panhandle there. It is usually the only interesting moment in my daily commute.
This week I asked one of the panhandlers if he and his friends needed anything. I said, “With the holiday coming up do you guys need anything for Christmas?” The man paused and tilted his head as people often do when considering a question.After a few seconds he smiled and said, “Nope. We’re good.”The light changed and I drove away thinking about the irony of panhandlers who do not need anything.
One of the panhandlers on 15-501 recently returned to our area following 12 month sabatical. He spent the time away in a federal prison in South Carolina for cashing a few bad checks and for resisting arrest. I asked him, "What was it like down there in prison?" He said, "It was really easier than livin' out here. I got medical treatment and they fixed one of my teeth and it wasn't so cold."
I have not asked him why he returned to our area but I am curious about it. What is so attractive about homelessness and panhandling in our community? What would motivate a person to travel back here to live in the woods and beg for money on the highway? I wonder if it is a positive or negative reflection on our community that this homeless man and so many others in similar circumstances want to make this place their home.
As was noted in the OP calendar, the site will be taking vacation for about a week, starting Saturday December 27th until Sunday January 4th. Users will be unable to post new content or comments, but everything will remain here for your historical browsing pleasure.
Have a nice week and we'll see you on January 5th!
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The hard work of holiday gift-buying now comes with the chance to do some local good! My new novel, 