January 2011

Local Histories exhibit - opening reception

This is a great temporary use for what some of you think of as The Old Chapel Hill Museum, although it's still The Old Chapel Hill Library to me.  It's an exhibit curated by UNC professor elin o'Hara slavick about the meaning of place.  The show opens January 28 and runs through April 28th with special events on February 11th, March 18th, and April 4th. 

Read on or visit their web site to learn more...

Local Histories: The Ground We Walk On”

an exhibition of over 50 artists from across the U.S. exploring Alfredo Jaar’s idea that “place can not be global,” curated by artist elin o’Hara slavick + art historian Carol Magee

January 28 – April 29, 2011

OPENING RECEPTION: February 11, 5-9pm

523 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 USA (the old Chapel Hill Museum)

Hours: Tuesday-Friday 2-7pm; Saturday 12-7pm; closed Sunday + Monday

Performances by Cathy McLaurin, Neill Prewitt and Lance Winn March 18, 7pm

Mildred’s Lane Goes Elsewhere: a collaboration between artist J. Morgan Puett and Elsewhere, a living museum in Greensboro, North Carolina, a conversation, April 4, 7pm

Artists: Alexis Bravos, Lauren F. Adams, Sophia Allison, Dave Alsobrooks, Patricia Bellan-Gillen, Erik Benjamins, Joshua Bienko, Lynn Bregman Blass, Molly Brewer, Ian Brownlee, Ann Chwatsky, María DeGuzmán, Lee Delegard, Travis Donovan, Jordan Essoe, Ashley Florence, Matthew Garcia, Gail Goers, Heather Gordon,  Michael Gurganus, Elizabeth Hull, Brett Hunter, Michelle Illuminato, Michael Itkoff, Andrew Ellis Johnson, Ann Pegelow Kaplan, Susan Alta Martin, Mario Marzan, Cathy McLaurin, Morgan Muhs, Shaw Osha, Lillian Outterbridge, Freddie Outterbridge, Allyson Packer, Jessica Almy-Pagán, John Douglas Powers, Neill Prewitt, Susanne Slavick, Leah Sobsey, Spectres of Liberty, Tracy Spencer, Cici Stevens, Mary Carter Taub, Julie Thomson, Montana Torrey, Paul Valadez, Jeff Waites, Michael Webster, Cathy Weiss, Amy White, Ripley Whiteside, Lance Winn, Denis Wood 

Date: 

Friday, February 11, 2011 - 12:00pm to 4:00pm

Location: 

523 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill

Talking about Race in Orange County - Undoing Racism training

I am midway through a two-day workshop called 'Undoing Racism', which is being held at and co-sponsored by the United Church of Chapel Hill. We have over 35 people attending the workshop including UNC grad students, staff, researchers, and community partners, a handful of Justice United members, a teacher from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School District, staff from Active Living By Design, and parishioners and clergy from the UCCH and it's sister church, Fisher Memorial (a Black church in Durham).

This workshop is providing a lot of food for thought about how racism was constructed and is perpetuated. Seems to me this might be a really good opportunity to get some much needed community discussisons about race started.

Below (More Information) is a link for more information on the workshop. 

What do you think? Would you attend? Should community groups, such as Justice United and/or Justice In Action co-sponsor something like this? Is it even needed? 

Martin Luther King Day March & Rally

Via e-mail from NAACP:  

The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday service will begin with a march and rally starting at Peace and Justice Plaza in Chapel Hill at 9:00 a.m.  The service at First Baptist Church is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m.  During the service two prestigious awards will be given—the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award and the Rebecca Clark Award for Voter Registration and Civic Engagement.    This year’s theme  is “Not One Step Back: Renewing Dr. King’s Call To Conscience.”


Date: 

Monday, January 17, 2011 - 4:00am

Location: 

Peace & Justice Plaza, Franklin Street, downtown Chapel Hill

Martin Luther King Day Service featuring Ben Chavis

Via e-mail from NAACP:

Dr. Ben Chavis To Keynote  The Chapel Hill—Carrboro  NAACP Annual Community Martin Luther King, Jr. Service at First Baptist Church

The  Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities will come together once again on Monday January 17, 2011 at the historic First Baptist Church on North Roberson Street,  to honor the legacy of slain Civil Rights hero and Nobel Peace Prize humanitarian, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  This year’s keynote speaker is Rev. Dr. Ben Chavis—long-time civil rights leader and one of the Wilmington 10  whose early-life story was masterfully woven together by Duke Professor, Dr. Tim Tyson, (a senior research scholar at the Center for Documentary Studies and visiting professor of American Christianity and Southern Culture at Duke’s Divinity School and last year’s speaker) and published in Tyson’s best-selling book turned movie, “Blood Done Signed My Name.”  Dr. Chavis--an author, educator and global business leader—is the President of Education Online Services Corporation (EOServe Corp.), the world’s leading provider of online higher education for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across America, as well as other academic institutions of higher learning throughout the world.  Dr. Chavis is also the President, CEO and Co-Founder with Russell Simmons, of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN), the world’s largest coalition of hip-hop artists and recording industry executives.  In 1993 and 1994 Dr. Chavis served as the Executive Director and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and remains a life-member of the NAACP.  In 1995, Dr. Chavis was the National Director and organizer of the Million Man March.  From 1995 to 1997 Chavis was the Executive Director and CEO of the National African American Leadership Summit (NAALS).  

The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday service will begin with a march and rally starting at Peace and Justice Plaza in Chapel Hill at 9:00 a.m.  The service at First Baptist Church is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m.  During the service two prestigious awards will be given—the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award and the Rebecca Clark Award for Voter Registration and Civic Engagement.    This year’s theme  is “Not One Step Back: Renewing Dr. King’s Call To Conscience.” 

Date: 

Monday, January 17, 2011 - 6:00am

Location: 

First Baptist Church, Roberson Street, Chapel Hill

UNC public forum on renewable energy

UNC press release via Sierra Club mailing list:

CHAPEL HILL -- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Solar Energy Research Center is holding a public forum and information session on renewable energy issues and needs. 

The free event, "Putting Solar Energy in [Its] Place," will be Jan. 14 at the William and Ida Friday Center in Chapel Hill. 

The event begins at 5 p.m. with interactive displays, videos and posters from university, government, non-profit and business representatives. 

From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., an open discussion with a panel of experts will consider the promise, problems and alternatives for solving the world's energy and climate problems. 

The forum will address the science, policy and economics of renewable energy. Both the displays and the discussion session offer attendees opportunities to learn and talk informally with experts about different forms of solar energy and other alternative power sources, such as wind, nuclear, natural gas, biofuels and clean coal. Other topics include public policy issues, investment, storage and smart grid technologies, conservation and energy efficiency.

Scheduled panel speakers include Thomas J. Meyer, center director and Arey Professor of Chemistry in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences; U.S. Rep. David Price, D-Chapel Hill; and Olee Joel Olsen, founder and managing director of O2 Energies, a North Carolina-based solar power plant development and consulting company.

This is a free event, and no registration is required. Refreshments will be provided. For more details, seehttp://www.serc.unc.edu/forum/index.html.

The public forum is part of the center's third annual scientific conference, "Solar Fuels: Catalysis and Photoconversion," which takes place Thursday, Jan. 13 and Friday, Jan. 14. The symposium is sponsored and organized by the UNC Energy Frontier Research Center, a U.S. Department of Energy-funded center that focuses on solar fuels and next generation photovoltaics. The conference's principal co-sponsor is the Research Triangle Solar Fuels Institute, with additional support provided by the UNC Institute for Advanced Materials, Nanoscience and Technology the UNC Institute for the Environment, Progress Energy, Duke Energy and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.

Read more: The Herald-Sun - The dollars and sense of energy  

Date: 

Friday, January 14, 2011 - 12:00pm

Location: 

Friday Center

NRG's Meeting of Neighborhoods

Via an e-mail from Julie McClintock:

A Meeting of Chapel Hill Neighborhoods

Sunday, January 23, 2011, 3 - 5 PM

Location: 523 East Franklin (former Chapel Hill Museum Bldg. downstairs meeting room)

Additional parking on South Boundary St. across from the UNC Press Building

 

Purpose of this meeting: To explore options for building upon inter-neighborhood

cooperation and participation in Town governance, especially as it relates to

growth in Chapel Hill.

 

Agenda

Welcome and Opening Remarks – Jan Smith, Neighbors for Responsible Growth,

Fred Stang, Facilitator

Neighborhood Speakers - 3 minute stories about organizing experiences in local

neighborhoods.

Introductions - Each person or neighborhood representative is invited to

introduce themselves, their neighborhood and issues or concerns that brought

them to this meeting

Bill Rohe – “The Power of Neighborhoods in Town Governance and Planning”

Bill is the Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Studies, UNC

Group Discussion facilitated by Fred Stang

Conclusion: What did we learn? Where do we go from here?

 

Meeting Organizers: Neighbors for Responsible Growth 

Date: 

Sunday, January 23, 2011 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Location: 

523 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill

Public input on CH Greenways map

From the Town of Chapel Hill web site:

Give Us Your Input on the New Greenways and Cycling Map
Posted Date: 
1/7/2011

Bike on Chapel Hill Greenway

Calling all bikers, hikers, and anyone who uses Chapel Hill’s trails and greenways. You’re invited to drop in and provide input for a new Greenways and Cycling Guide Map. A public meeting will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan.13, in the Chapel Hill Town Hall second floor training room.

The Town of Chapel Hill Planning and Parks and Recreation departments are working with Steve Spindler, a cartographer specializing in cycle facility and transit mapping for urban areas, to develop a community map aimed at facilitating and promoting bicycle and greenway usage. Spindler will give a short presentation at 6 p.m. about mapping projects he has worked on and how his work has been used and distributed in other cities.

During this event, Spindler and Town staff will be available to discuss the information that makes urban cycling and greenway trail maps most effective. The Town is seeking public input so this map will benefit visitors, cyclists, and trail users of all types for years to come.

For more information, contact Garrett Davis of the Chapel Hill Planning Department at gdavis2@townofchapelhill.orgor 919-969-5061. 

Date: 

Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 12:30pm

Location: 

Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd

Ice ice baby

So the 2-3 inches of snow never materialized, but we got just enough ice to slow things to a halt and shut down the schools.

This isn't the kind of snow day where there's much fun to be had outside. What are y'all making of it?

Tanger Outlets v. 140 West Franklin

This is a spin off from the current thread on economic development.  However, since I am addressing two specific items I thought new blog entry was warranted.

The useful life of a significant investment, be it an outlet mall or a residential/retail complex, has to range to at least 20-50 years for there to be an acceptable rate of return, particularly if governmental subsidies or tax incentives are included.  Therefore, a large investment like Tanger Outlets (just over the county line) or 140 West Franklin represents a bet on the future.  In the case of these two projects the bets on the future could not be more different.

The Tanger Outlet bet is that the future will be very much like the recent past in that low transporation costs will persist, allowing large volumes of goods to be transported long distances to a place where people get in their large personal vehicles and travel 10-100 miles to buy these goods.  In aligning themselves with this bet on the future Alamance County is arranging its infrastructure, tax base, and utility services to allow for car travel to shopping destinations along the highway.

Human Relations Month Kick-Off

From the Orange County Human Relations Commission: 

Sunday, January 30th, 2011 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm 

A panel discussion will cover the topic “A Community Conversation on Immigration: What are the Implications for Orange County and Its Residents”.   

Panelists for the discussion - 

Keenon James is the Director of Special Projects at the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (NCSA).  He oversees the Association’s law enforcement training and technical assistance projects as well as provides guidance on state and national criminal justice and law enforcement policies.

Cristina Marcela Rivera was born and raised in El Salvador and moved, with her family, to the United States when she was eleven years old.  She graduated from East Chapel Hill High School and now attending Meredith College on full scholarship.

Marty Rosenbluth is an immigration attorney and the Executive Director of the North Carolina Immigrant Rights Project.  He is a nationally recognized expert on Secure Communities and 287(g) and has attended meetings both at the White House and ICE headquarters to discuss these programs with government officials.

Zaragosa Vargas is a Kenan Distinguished Professor of History at UNC-Chapel Hill.  He has written extensively about the Mexican American labor history and the Mexican American civil rights movement, which focus on race relations, politics, and labor.

The event is free and open to the public.  For additional information, contact James Spivey, 245-2488. 

Date: 

Sunday, January 30, 2011 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Location: 

Carrboro Century Center, 100 North Greensboro Street in Carrboro.

Garrett Fitzgerald from the RNC 8 - To Speak on the Criminalization of Dissent

Garrett Fitzgerald of the RNC 8 to speak out on the criminalization of dissent!

Dinner catered by Vimala of Vimala's Curry Blossom Cafe!

Immediately before the 2008 Republican National Convention, police carried out dawn raids and snatched protest organizers off the street.

Eight of the arrestees, collectively known as the RNC 8, were charged under the Minnesota version of the US PATRIOT Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_PATRIOT_Act) with "conspiracy to riot in furtherance of terrorism" on account of public organizing activity. After a lengthy support campaign, the prosecutors were forced to drop the terrorism charges, eventually dismissing charges entirely against three of the defendants and accepting misdemeanor pleas with the remaining four.

Having spent two and a half years on the front lines of one of the most important civil liberties court cases in recent US history, Garrett will speak about how dissent is being criminalized in the US. Don't miss!

More information: www.rnc8.org

 

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Date: 

Wednesday, January 19, 2011 - 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Location: 

Internationalist Books and Community Center - 405 W. Franklin St Chapel Hill

Walls, Drums and Olive Trees: Apartheid in Isreal

Join us with Omer Sharir for a special discussion!

Omer has been a part of Anarchists Against the Wall for the past four years, as well as working for the Israeli Committee against House Demolitions, and participating in the Yasamba - the Jerusalem Rhythms of Resistance group. He will describe his part, and his thoughts about the part of Jewish-Israelis in general, in the current struggle against the apartheid system in Israel. The focus will be on a discussion, so be prepared to share your own wisdom and experience about privilege, paternalism and solidarity.

Date: 

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Location: 

Internationalist Books and Community Center, 405 W. Franklin St. Chapel Hill

"Dirty Oil" - Earth First! Movie Night at Internationalist Books

Come to this week's Internationalist weekly movie screenings to learn about the environmentally devastating Tar Sands, brought to you by local Croatan Earth First!.

Deep behind-the-scenes into the strip-mined world of Alberta, Canada, where the vast and toxic Tar Sands deposit supplies the U.S. with the majority of its oil. Through the eyes of scientists, 'big oil' officials, politicians, doctors, environmentalists, and aboriginal citizens directly impacted by 'the largest industrial project on the planet today,' the filmmakers journey to both sides of the border to see the emotional and irreversible toll this 'black gold rush' fueled by America's addiction to oil is taking on our planet.

Watch the trailer here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/video/2010/mar/18/dirty-oil-film-trailer

For more on the film visit http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1486642/

 

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Date: 

Thursday, January 20, 2011 - 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Location: 

Internationalist Books and Community Center, 405 W. Franklin St. Chapel Hill

"Fourth World War" - Movie Night at Internationalist Books

Come out and watch the documentary "The Fourth World War," a film about the struggle of poor and working-class people all over the globe who must battle both large corporations and oppressive governments in order to survive and win basic human rights. Filmed in the streets of Mexico, Korea, Argentina, Palestine, Quebec City, and other locations all over the world, this is an emotional and very politicized look at glaring injustice and the emerging movements that seek to combat it.

(Excerpt from the film)
We walked and these moments changed us. We saw the buildings burning and the pain in our neighbor’s eyes. We rushed bayonets in the mountain and lines of police in the city.

We were touched by too much death. We loved and felt alive. We heard the echo of our word in other voices. We watched the moon rise over the barricades.

We were wounded by the courage of small children. This is not the whole story or the only story.

It is an introduction to some of the people with whom we share this planet.

A much greater story remains to be told. A story that we will write together.

 

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Date: 

Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Location: 

Internationalist Books and Community Center, 405 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill

Documentary about the naming of Martin Luther King Boulevard

Zoiks, I only just learned about this and have apparently already missed one of today's two airings on The People's Channel.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the town of Chapel Hill will air a documentary about the renaming of Airport Rd.

Monday at noon and 7 p.m. Chapel Hillians can follow the process of how the town’s Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard came to be. The film includes the entire dedication as well as the various ceremonial activities associated with the event.

The film features speeches by former Mayor Kevin Foy, United Methodist Reverend Jill Edens, late Council Member Bill Thorpe and former president of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP president Fred Battle. Their powerful words are underscored by the music of the J.R. Manley Essence of God Youth Choir and the St. Joseph Male Chorus.

The 2005 spring day highlighted by the film marked Dr. King’s 45th anniversary visit to Chapel Hill. Monday, the town will celebrate Dr. King’s birthday for the 26th time. 

Chapel Hill was one of the first communities in North Carolina to declare Martin Luther King Jr. Day a municipal holiday. 

The film will air twice on Chapel Hill TV 18. 

- 1360wchl.com:  Chapel Hill To Air Film About MLK Jr. Boulevard, 01/17/11 

Date: 

Monday, January 17, 2011 - 2:00pm

Location: 

The Peoples Channel

Social Enterprise in Orange County?

The Executive Team of the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness is interested in ideas for possible social enterprises in the county that could provide sustainable, living wage jobs for our homeless and low-income neighbors.

One possible model is being tried in Cleveland, Ohio, which though a much more urbanized area, could provide an example for us:

The REAL story behind the "Sanitation 2"

Dozens of people are commenting in public at rallies, in newspapers, and in Town Council meetings about how two men, Kerry Bigelow and Clyde Clark, were fired from the Chapel Hill Public Works department last fall. However, almost none of those people have access to the private details of the personnel decision that was made by the Town. How is it that these folks have a better understanding of the Manager's decisions than the Manager? Why don't the two fired workers make these details public? As Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt pointed out tonight, they and they alone can speak publicly about their ongoing appeal process with the Town.

I am increasingly alarmed at the confidence of statements I hear from people who seem to know almost nothing about the situation. No-one likes to see people lose their jobs, but I haven't heard any evidence that the Town has done anything wrong, and I'm not willing to condemn any staff members nor elected officials - who are legally obligated not to comment on the matter, especially while the appeal is ongoing.

Do you know the truth? If so, please spill the beans. If not...

Orange County Democratic Party Annual Convention

Check the Orange County Democratic Party website for more information coming soon.

 

ORANGE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY COUNTY CONVENTION

AL STANBACK MIDDLE SCHOOL, April 9, 2011

AGENDA



12:15

Welcome and Call to Order


Jim White, OCDP Chair


Pledge of Allegiance



12:25

Address: Congressman David Price


Andrew Short


12:40

Recognition of elected officials


Cathy Chapman, 1st Vice Chair


12:50

Approval of Standing Rules


Jim White

1:00

Election of County Officers

Chair

First Vice Chair

Second Vice Chair

Third Vice Chair

Secretary

Treasurer



OCDP Chair

2:00

Election of SEC members

OCDP Chair

2:15

Election of District Convention delegates


OCDP Chair

2:30

Announcements



OCDP Chair

2:35

Consideration of Resolutions from the Precincts


Hank Elkins, Resolutions Chair

Mark Kleinschmidt, Parliamentarian


3:45

Other Party Business


OCDP Chair

4:00

Adjourn



 

Date: 

Saturday, April 9, 2011 - 12:00pm to 5:00pm

Location: 

Stanbeck Middle School, 3700 NC 86 S, Hillsborough

HKonJ

I would like to paste some information about the 5th annual HKonJ (Historic Thousands on Jones Street) here, but their web site has nothing but ugly graphics. Nothing that I can copy. You can go there to see them.

I can tell you that this will be the first time in 5 years that I have missed the event (I learned of the date too late and will be out of town).

You should go! 

Date: 

Saturday, February 12, 2011 - 4:30am

Location: 

Downtown Raleigh
 

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