January 2010
The 25th Annual University/Community Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Banquet will be at 6 p.m. at the Friday Center, 100 Friday Center
Drive. This year's keynote speaker will be Rev. Mitchell Simpson of
University Baptist Church. For ticket information and availability,
call (919) 962-6962 or go to www.unc.edu/diversity/mlk/.
Date:
Sunday, January 17, 2010 - 1:00pm
Location:
Friday Center, 100 Friday Center Dr., Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Branch of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People will sponsor its annual Martin L. King,
Jr. Day Rally, March and Worship Service at 9 a.m. Everyone is welcome
to join them for a peaceful rally, followed with a march down Franklin
Street starting at the Post Office at 179 E. Franklin St. that starts
at 10:15 a.m. The march will end at First Baptist Church, where the
worship service will start at 10:30 am.
Date:
Monday, January 18, 2010 - 4:00am
Location:
Post Office at 179 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
Anyone who ever tries to get to and from businesses on the east side of Estes Dr. south of Franklin St. knows that it's a treacherous errand, no matter where you're coming from. I've become better than a FedEx driver when it comes to planning right-turn-only routes. While I'm sorry to see Walker's BP station go and have mixed feelings about the possibility of a Walgreens there (esp. since Kerr has left the mall), this does present an opportunity to think hard about the miserable traffic patterns in the area.
Given a few recent political developments this week on the national scale I think it is important to draw attention to them before we start seeing negative local implications. With Scott Brown winning Ted Kennedy's old seat and ensuring unending threats of filibusters, with Air America radio declaring bankruptcy we are losing their progressive voice in a media medium that was already dominated by the right, and most especially with the conservative majority on SCOTUS siding on the side of corporate personhood and unlimited corporate financial influence on elections which the republican leadership is already openly cheering... we have to act now before the next elections. Start by signing this: http://www.savedemocracy.net
http://airamerica.com/
If they put half as much effort into the design, safety and impact of this development as they have put into the legal battle, perhaps we would not be so opposed to it. Article from the good folks at the Carrboro Citizen:
Northwest Property Group, which wants to build a shopping
center at the intersection of Jones Ferry Road and Barnes Street, has
won an appeal in its case against the Town of Carrboro.
In September 2007, the developer sued after the town approved its
development but limited access to Barnes Street to emergency vehicles
due to concerns about safety at the intersection. In a suit heard in
April 2009, Northwest argued that the town’s condition, which
effectively killed the project, was not backed up by a finding of fact
on the traffic and safety concerns.
The board of aldermen had sided with residents on Barnes Street and
the adjacent neighborhood who said the intersection was already unsafe
and a store entrance and exit would make it even more so.
It's been interesting to see the increasing heat in the debate about the proposed Carrboro section of the Bolin Creek Greenway. It seems to have created a public rift in the group Friends of Bolin Creek, leading to the apparent self-demotion of one of it's co-chairs. Dave Otto was still a co-chair when he wrote "A case for a concrete greenway" in the Chapel Hill News on January 10th, but Julie McClintock was the sole leader by the time her response "The case for keeping Bolin Creek natural" was published on January 17th.
"I do not think it is in the best interest of the Friends of Bolin
Creek for the leadership to be split in this way," Otto said in his
announcement. "I am therefore stepping back to permit the group to
speak with a more unified voice." He will serve instead as vice-chair.
- Chapel Hill News: To pave or not to pave?, 1/24/09
At last night's Chapel Hill Town Council meeting a decision was put off regarding the Town Manager's recommendation to move forward and issue the voter-approved bond for the Library expansion. There were two major issues. First, the anticipated operating expenses for the expanded Library would result in a tax rate increase of $0.0113. This would add about $34 to the tax bill of a homeowner with an appraised house value of $300,000. Second, several Council members were concerned about moving forward until Orange County commits to a more equitable funding of the Library since 40% of the users and 40% of the circulation is by Orange County, non-CH residents.
Tonight at 9pm President Obama will give his first State of the Union address where I imagine he'll both look back at what has happened in the past year, as well as where we are heading in the years to come. I'll be listening on NPR for the first part since I'll be driving home from Raleigh to Chapel Hill at 9 (I checked with the WUNC Interim Program Director and they will be broadcasting it). Since many local elections are the country will be affected the general mood towards Democrats, and President Obama is the captain of that ship, I think it is a good time to look at what he has accomplished, and what he still needs to do.
At the Town Council meeting on January 25, 2010, I petitioned the council to open discussions about prohibiting hand held cell phone usage while driving in Chapel Hill. I also proposed that the town hold a public forum on this topic where concerned citizens can express their opinions about this issue. Since the election I have heard from many citizens who feel that it is becoming increasingly dangerous to drive in Chapel Hill because people are not paying attention to the road. The problem is particularly bad on campus.
FYI.
2010 Candidate Filing Period
The 2010 candidate filing period begins at noon on Monday, February 8
and ends at noon on Friday, February 26 at the Orange County Board of
Elections located at 208 South Cameron Street in Hillsborough.
All Notices of Candidacy, together with the proper filing fee, must
be in the possession of the Orange County Board of Elections by noon on
Friday, February 26. Filing will be open for the following offices:
State Senate, State House of Representatives, County Commissioner,
Sheriff, Register of Deeds, Clerk of Court and Orange County Board of
Education. Notices arriving after that time cannot be accepted. Filing
fees exceeding $50.00 must be paid with individual check or money
order, payable to the "Orange County Board of Elections". Business or
corporate checks are not acceptable.
Information on the 2010 election, including filing fees, can be found on the Board of Elections website http://www.co.orange.nc.us/elect/ or by contacting the Orange County Board of Elections at 245-2350.
Date:
Monday, February 8, 2010 - 7:00am to Friday, February 26, 2010 - 7:00am
Location:
208 South Cameron Street, Hillsborough
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