February 2011

Open House at IFC Community House

Come visit the downtown Men’s Shelter this Sunday and see why IFC has a tremendous need to build a new and better Community House. Our small staff, some volunteers, as well as some of our residents will show our guests the current facility, between lunch and dinner. Visitors will be amazed at how do so much with so little space! We want the community to fully understand why the IFC is striving to provide better accommodations for our homeless men, and to more fully appreciate why the move to 1315 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd is essential for our men and for our community.

http://www.facebook.com/isupportcommunityhouse

Date:

Sunday, February 6, 2011 - 8:30am to 10:30am

Location:

100 West Rosemary Street, downtown Chapel Hill

More Information:

http://www.ifcweb.org/

Racial & Economic Justice

The County's baby steps on technology

Last week The Carrboro Citizen reported on Orange County leaders congratulating themselves on making major technology improvements over the past two years. "“Today’s servers are tomorrow’s mainframes, and we do have to have that kind of continuous upgrade of systems,” board Vice Chair Steve Yuhasz said." He's right of course, but it sounds like many of the changes were to internal infrastructure, so it's hard for us average residents to tell the difference. I'm wondering what technology OP readers would like to see the County improve?

One improvement that I did notice was the update to the web-based GIS system. Mostly it caught my attention because the County's site was down and/or malfunctioning for a while following the upgrade. It is now easier to use than before, which I would characterize as a step up from requiring a graduate degree to use, to merely requiring a lot of patience and guesswork.

Carrboro to county ED leaders: "You just don't understand!"

I thought this was a very direct point about the philosophical divide on economic development (ED) from the Carrboro Board of Aldermen's recent annual retreat.

The aldermen agreed that some organizations just don't get Carrboro's vision, especially the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, and Orange County's Economic Development Commission, and they wondered aloud whether they should seek support from those two groups for the Think Local First Campaign.
- The Herald-Sun - Carrboro wants people to Think Local First, 2/2/2010

Brian has written about this divide before, but I've never seen it laid out quite so starkly. Can't we all just get along?

Chapel Hill's new Affordable Housing Technical Advisory Group

The Chapel Hill Town Council, in June 2010, adopted a goal of creating one-page strategies for Public Art, Communications, Sustainability, and Affordable Housing like the one-pager created for Economic Development. The Affordable Housing Technical Advisory Group was recently formed to aid town staff in developing a one-pager for Affordable Housing. The Technical Advisory is made up of representatives from The Community Home Trust, Habitat for Humanity, IFC, EmPOWERment, Inc., CASA, Justice United, East West Partners, Radway Design Associates, Orange County Housing, Human Rights, and Community Development, the Chapel Hill Public Housing Program, and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce.

Bob Sheldon Day

Please join the Internationalist Books and Community Center in remembering Bob Sheldon, the founder of the store, who was murdered 20 years ago.

Date:

Monday, February 21, 2011 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm

Location:

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

More Information:

http://www.internationalistbooks.org/

History

A Commemoration of the Life of Bob Sheldon

Internationalist Books and Community Center founder, Bob Sheldon, was fatally shot twenty
years ago on February 21. The current volunteers, managers, and members are having a
special celebration to celebrate his life and the impact he made and continues to make on
our community.

Please join us in celebrating this inspirational man's life and work! Monday, February
21, 2011 at 6:30pm, gather at Interationalist Books and Community Center at 405 W
Franklin St in Chapel Hill. Our program includes sharing of memories, food, music, a
march to the location of the old store (with friends from Cakalak Thunder) & a candle
light vigil. We will also present The Bob Sheldon Award, created to honor those who live
life as Bob did; in the pursuit of social equality & justice. This year we honor Reverend
Kerry Bigelow & Mr. Clyde Clark of the Sanitation 2.

Date:

Monday, February 21, 2011 - 1:30pm to 3:30pm

Location:

Internationalist Books and Community Center 405 W Franklin St

Civil Liberties

Stop FBI Repression - Southern Regional Conference at UNC School of Law, Feb. 19

Some of you are familiar with this issue from the Indy: http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/why-is-the-fbi-interested-in-the-anti-war-movement/Content?oid=1786829

Please come to this important conference against FBI and Grand Jury repression at the UNC School of Law. Visit the Committee to Stop FBI Repression website for the complete agenda: http://www.stopfbi.net/conference/north-carolina.

Date:

Sat, 2011-02-19 09:30 - 17:00

Organized by:

Triangle Committee to Stop FBI Repression

Location:

UNC School of Law

160 Ridge Rd Room 5052

Chapel Hill, NC

United States

See map: Google Maps

Southern regional organizing conference of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. Read the press release here.

The conference will be held Saturday Feb. 19 at the UNC Law School in Chapel Hill, NC, from 10:00AM to 5:00pm. Please register now.

You can make an online donation to support the conference - please put "FBI Conference" in the "designation" section of the donate form.

Directions and parking information are available on the UNC School of Law website.

Registration

Conference is free and open to the public, but we are asking for $5-20 sliding scale donation to help cover costs.
Lunch is $5, no one will be turned away.
Need childcare? Let us know the number of kids and their ages.
Need housing? Contact housing coordinator ncstopfbi@gmail.com

Follow this link to register for the conference

Agenda

9:30am - 10:00am Registration and breakfast

10:00am - 10:10am Welcome to the conference, opening remarks from conference organizers

10:10am - 10:30am

Keynote address from subpoenaed activists

Subpoeaned activists Meredith Aby (Twin Cities Anti-War Committee) and Steff Yorek (Freedom Road Socialist Organization) provide an overview of the September 24 FBI raids on antiwar and solidarity activists.

10:30am - 10:45am Call for donations to the legal support fund

11:00am - 12:15pm

Panel: History of FBI and Political Repression Against People's Movements

Moderated by Elena Everett from Raleigh FIST.
Lewis Pitts; Raleigh NC.
Efia Nwangaza, US Human Rights Network; Atlanta GA.
Theresa El-Amin, Southern Anti Racism Network; Columbus GA
Dianne Mathiowetz, International Action Center, Atlanta GA.

12:15 - 1:15pm Lunch (will be provided, please bring $5 donation if possible)

1:15pm - 2:45pm Panel

Panel: Grand Juries, Material Support of Terrorism, the Legal and Political Context of the September 24 Raids

Moderated by Kosta Harlan, Triangle Committee to Stop FBI Repression
Peter Gilbert, UNC Center for Civil Rights; Durham NC.
Lela Ali of In the Name of Humanity; Rocky Mount NC.
Khalilah Sabra, MAS Freedom; Raleigh NC.
Maureen Murphy, Palestine Solidarity Group; Chicago IL.
Meredith Aby, Twin Cities Anti-War Committee; Minneapolis MN.
Jennifer Rudinger, ACLU; Durham NC.

2:45pm - 3:00pm Break

3:00pm - 3:45pm

Discussion: Organizing reports from around the South

Opportunity for activists to discuss the protests that they have held, outreach to legislators, building community support.

3:45pm - 4:30pm Discussion of a plan from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression for future actions and protests

4:30pm - 5:00pm Summing up the conference, led by Steff Yorek

Sponsors of this conference include

ACLU of North Carolina
Asheville Committee to Stop FBI Repression
Atlanta International Action Center
Balance & Accuracy in Journalism (BAJ)
Blackwater Watch
Durham Bill of Rights Defense Committee
Durham County Libertarian Party
Freedom Road Socialist Organization
Freedom Road Socialist Organization/Organización Socialista del Camino para la Libertad (FRSO/OSCL)
Green Party of the United States
In the Name of Humanity
Internationalist Books
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD-USA)
Jews for a Just Peace
Libertarian Party of North Carolina
Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation
National Lawyers Guild at UNC Chapel Hill
NAACP--Chapel Hill/Carrboro Branch
NC Stop Torture Now
North Carolina Peace Action
Orange County Bill of Rights Defense Committee
Orange County Peace Coalition
Orange Chatham Progressive Democrats
Peace and Justice Committee, Community Church of Chapel Hill UU
Raleigh F.I.S.T.
Raleigh Fruitcakes
SDS - Asheville
SDS - Tuscaloosa
SDS - UNC Chapel Hill
Southern Anti-Racism Network
Triangle Committee to Stop FBI Repression
UE Local 150
US Human Rights Network
Veterans for Peace, Eisenhower Chapter
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom --Triangle Branch

Date:

Saturday, February 19, 2011 - 4:30am to 12:00pm

Location:

UNC School of Law 160, Ridge Rd Room 5052 Chapel Hill, NC

More Information:

http://www.stopfbi.net/conference/north-carolina

Civil Liberties

Piedmont Food Processing Center gets a Manager

One of the positive economic development efforts by Orange County in conjuction with Alamance, Chatham, and Durham Counties is the Piedmont Food Processing Center. As it's website says its "A business incubator for food entrepreneurs and farmers in the Piedmont Region to add value to local farm products and create new local food businesses." Today they announced that a manager for the Center has been hired. See the press release below for more information.

Food Trucks in Chapel Hill?

On Monday, Feb 28, the town of Chapel Hill will hold a public forum in response to Lex Alexander's petition to allow food trucks to operate on private property within town limits. Food trucks, such as Parlez-Vous Crepes and Only Burger, have a dedicated following in Durham and Carrboro, but are prohibited by zoning ordinances in Chapel Hill and Raleigh. These businesses are currently required to meet state health department regulations. At the local level, they pay for a variety of licenses, including a business license and an itinerant merchant permit. In Durham, they are required to be "tethered to a brick and mortor kitchen" and they also pay "rent" to the business whose private property they operate from (same as in Carrboro).

Orange-Chatham Sierra Club Monthly Meeting: The Duke Energy/Progress Energy proposed merger

The Duke Energy/Progress Energy proposed merger: What difference will it make for clean energy and climate change?

Hear from Pete MacDowell, program director of NC WARN.

Date:

Tuesday, March 15, 2011 - 3:00pm to 5:00pm

Location:

Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Dr.

Environment

Sierra Club

SOS Sustaining OurSelves (SOS) Community Meeting

An important, community-wide meeting to learn about and discuss the Chapel Hill Downtown Development Framework and especially its implications for Northside

Citizens of Chapel Hill have a right to opportunities to educate themselves about changes in their community and provide input in the development process

Co-sponsored by The Marian Cheek Jackson Center, Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP, EmPOWERment, Inc., St. Paul A.M.E. Church, St. Joseph C.M.E. Church, Justice United.

For further inquiries email jacksoncenter.info@gmail.com

or call (919) 929-6595.

Date:

Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Location:

St. Paul AME Church - 101 North Merritt Mill Road

Neighborhoods

Weaver Street Workers' Woes Continue ...

As an active worker-owner with Weaver Street Market Co-operative these past six years, I have worked hard not only to help WSM be successful as a business, but also as a model for democratic co-operation. It is with regret that I have to report that WSM continues to fail on both counts. It is time now to begin an active, community-wide conversation about the future financial and co-operative direction of WSM, and I invite OrangePolitics to take part in that conversation.

Bottom line: WSM has a crippling long-term debt of $8 million, incurred undemocratically in order to pay for the dubious expansion project of 2007/2008. That debt is costing our co-op millions in capital and interest repayments each year. Hence, the need for the 15% sales increase in 2011. With similar efforts required in the next four years.

It is WSM workers who are having to make those repayments by working ever harder, for less. We get longer opening hours. Less shift hours. Insufficient staff support. Paltry pay raises. And no dividend (haven't seen one for the past three years).

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign

Among the items the Chapel Hill Town Council will be reviewing at tonight's public hearing is a revision to the LUMO to loosen the regulations on ground signs at commercial developments outside of downtown, including:

Removing the limit on the amount of information that can be displayed on the sign;
Increasing the maximum information display area from 15 to 50-72 square feet;
Increasing the maximum overall signage area from 15 to 216 square feet; and
Increasing the maximum height from 8 feet to 10-12 feet, depending on the speed limit of the adjacent road.

16th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour

Date:

Saturday, April 16, 2011 - 1:00pm to Sunday, April 17, 2011 - 5:00pm

More Information:

http://carolinafarmstewards.org/

Environment

WCHL reports that there are 27 applicants for CHCCS Superintendent

Daily Tar Heel accepting applications (until 3/18) for students to serve on their editor selection committee.

Introducing Blurts

We're experimenting with a new type of content on OP, and we're calling them "blurts." The idea is to be similar to a tweet. It's limited to 129 characters plus a link. I will be doing some work on the site to theme the blurts so that they don't just look like blog posts that lost their body, although that's pretty much how they will function.

A few selected bloggers will be piloting blurts as an experiment and then I expect to open them up to everyone. You can see them on the Latest content page, and they might even show up on the front page once in a while.

I have some other changes planned for OP, but I'm starting with this as it's the easiest to get done. Let me know what you think.

Hard to believe: ArtsCenter says they're "not in trouble" despite eliminating the Executive Director's position.

OP Happy Hour

Date:

Friday, March 25, 2011 - 5:30pm

Location:

Jessee's Coffee & Bar, 401 E Main St, Carrboro

More Information:

http://www.jesseescoffee.com

About This Web Site

OP Happy Hour

Downtown framework presented to Northside residents

Yesterday there was a community meeting for Northside residents to learn about the evolving framework for downtown development. The Downtown Partnership, who is a partner with the Town of Chapel Hill in the development of the plan, live-tweeted the meeting at @CHDpartnership for folks who couldn't attend.

It sounds like it was a very good start, although residents will need to do more digesting and analysis before they have an informed response to the proposal. Here's what the Partnership tweeted...

Carrboro Northern Study Area Design Workshop

The purpose of this design workshop is to gather community input on land uses in Carrboro's Northern Study Area. Carrboro planning staff, representatives of Durham Area Designers, and members of the public will work in small groups to share information and consider design ideas for the area.

Links:

Date:

Saturday, February 26, 2011 - 8:30am to 4:30pm

Location:

Morris Grove Elementary School, 215 Eubanks Road, Carrboro

More Information:

http://townofcarrboro.org/NSAPLAN/DesignWorkshop.htm

Events

Carrboro

Town Personnel Committee denies appeal of Bigelow's firing

I just received this PDF of the Town of Chapel Hill's Personnel Appeals Committee from the attorney for the "Sanitation 2" Al McSurely, who writes: "Two out of five ain't bad. The decision for Ms. Rebecca Clark's nephew is due out this weekend, Sunday. We will be holding a Sanitation 2 Support Service next week, as this popular education process begins to move into its second phase. "

Three committee members voted against each of the points of Kerry Bigelow's appeal, and in most cases two voted for the appeal. A decision on Clyde Clark, the other half of the "2" is expected this weekend. The members are: Chair Anita Badrock, Delores Bailey, Asila Calhoun, Jim Curis, and Derek Hoar. The memo does not state which members voted in which ways.

Here's an excerpt from one of the findings...

Carrboro Centennial Celebration

Via e-mail from the Town of Carrboro:

Official Notice - TOC-OFFICIAL-L
Town of Carrboro, NC - Official Announcements
***NOTICE: You are cordially invited to attend the Carrboro Centennial Celebration!
You are cordially invited to attend the Carrboro Centennial Celebration!
When: March 3, 2011 at 7:30pm
Where: Carrboro Century Center
The event is free and open to the public. We look forward to seeing all of our friends and neighbors at this incredible, once in a lifetime event!
The Meetings, Events & Activities Calendar is available at the following location: http://www.townofcarrboro.org/docs.htm
The Town of Carrboro, NC Web Site is available at the following location: http://www.townofcarrboro.org
For more infomration please contact: Contact: Kim Andrews Phone: 919-918-7367

Date:

Thursday, March 3, 2011 - 7:30pm

Location:

Century Center, Carrboro

Government

Weaver Street reconstruction to begin in March

Congrats to the Carrboro Citizen on winning several awards from the NC Press Association

Carrboro Day

A bigger-than-usual celebration will be held in honor of the Town's 100th birthday.

Date:

Sunday, May 1, 2011 - 12:00pm

Government

Town of Carrboro

After weeks of messy controversy, UNC students choose their next Student Body President today.

Public forum on food trucks in Chapel Hill

Via Town of Chapel Hill e-mail:

Food Trucks in Chapel Hill?
Posted Date:
2/17/2011

The Town Council will hold a public forum on the issue of food trucks in Chapel Hill at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, in the Council Chamber of Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
The Town received a citizen's petition to consider permitting and regulating food trucks. The Council invites input into the questions of whether food trucks should be allowed to operate on private property in town and under what restrictions.
Town zoning regulations are silent on food trucks on private property. Under state regulations, a food truck must operate in conjunction with a permitted restaurant for daily cleaning and servicing, and for solid and liquid waste disposal.

Residents with an interest in this topic are encouraged to attend the Council meeting of Feb. 28. If you are unable to attend the meeting, ideas and comments about this issue may be sent to Kendal Brown, Town of Chapel Hill planner, at kbrown@townofchapelhill.org or 919-968-2728.

Date:

Monday, February 28, 2011 - 7:00pm

Location:

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

Government

foodtrucks

Mobilizing OP

I've created a simple, rough version of the site for mobile browsing. It should be delivered to your browser automatically if you are on a smart phone, but you can also force it to load by visiting the link below.

You can post and comment as on the full site, but might find it doesn't work well. Star ratings don't work in the mobile browser. Let me know what you think!

Do Students Have Such Short Memories...?

25th Annual Chapel Hill/Carrboro CROP Hunger Walk

4 miles. 90 minutes. 8000 steps.

Join us on March 27 to help end hunger in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and around the world.

The Chapel Hill/Carrboro CROP Hunger Walk is a four-mile stroll through Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and the UNC campus, beginning and ending at the Carrboro Town Commons. Over the past quarter century, the event has become a festive community tradition and has raised over $1 million dollars to fund hunger relief programs both locally and around the world. 25% of the money raised goes to support the IFC's food programs in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. The remainder is used by Church World Service for it's international hunger prevention efforts.

Registration begins at 1:30 at the Carrboro Town Commons. The walk begins at 2:30. Activities and entertainment will be provided prior to the walk and snacks will be available afterwards.

Bob Timberlake, North Carolina’s internationally acclaimed artist and a UNC grad, has graciously donated a special limited edition signed reproduction of one of his paintings. For every $100 walkers raise by walk day, they will be given an entry into a drawing to win the Timberlake reproduction. See the painting here:

http://www.bobtimberlake.com/catalog.cfm?prod=12240

http://www.cropwalkonline.org/chapelhillnc

Can't walk on the 27th? Sign up to be a "Spirit Walker".

Get more information and periodic updates at:

http://www.facebook.com/chapelhillCROPwalk

Questions? Contact Rex at 929-6380 ext. 20 or cropwalk@ifcmailbox.org.

Help end hunger one step at a time.

Date:

Sunday, March 27, 2011 - 1:30pm

Location:

Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St., Carrboro, NC

More Information:

http://ifcweb.org/cropwalk.html

Events

Triangle Regional Transit Program Public Workshop- Round 3

OUR TRANSIT FUTURE
The Triangle area continues to experience explosive growth — growth that requires increased mobility demands. Improvements must be made to the local transportation systems to maintain the area's quality of life and continue to attract new industry, jobs and residents.

It's time for the Triangle Regional Transit Program, a comprehensive study effort to look at regional transit rail opportunities and explore expanded regional busway networks. The program, spanning Orange, Durham and Wake counties, is an exciting move forward toward transit connectivity in the Triangle.

Seven public workshops have been scheduled for March 22 - 31 around the Triangle to present the corridors, alignments, and station locations for public feedback. The workshops will be run 'open house, drop in' style with information displays, staff to answer questions, and looping videos. There is no single presentation time. This is the third and final round of public workshops during the Alternatives Analysis period. Public comment will be taken at the workshops and online at www.ourtransitfuture.com or 800-816-7817.

Date:

Thursday, March 24, 2011 - 4:00pm to 7:00pm

Location:

The Friday Center- 100 Friday Center Drive, Chapel Hill

More Information:

http://www.ourtransitfuture.com

Planning & Transportation

GOP wasting $ in OC! Yippee!

According to http://orangencgop.org/, they are creating a permanent home in Daniel Boone Village. I'm sure Pat McCrory is happy they'll be able to add votes in all counties, but I seriously doubt this'll have an influence on individual races in OC.

Main menu

February 2011

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Agenda

Keynote address from subpoenaed activists

Panel: History of FBI and Political Repression Against People's Movements

Panel: Grand Juries, Material Support of Terrorism, the Legal and Political Context of the September 24 Raids

Discussion: Organizing reports from around the South

Sponsors of this conference include

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UNC students awakened during Chapel Hill break-ins

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