September 2011

Eubanks Road Park-and-Ride Expansion Public Information Meeting

Submitted by Del Snow on September 1, 2011 - 3:21pm

 http://www.townofchapelhill.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=10362

First, read this letter.

League of Women Voters and NC Center for Voter Education Chapel Hill Town Council and Mayor Forum

Submitted by leestorrow on September 3, 2011 - 8:53am
The League of Women Voters and the NC Center for Voter Education inviteyou to participate in a Meet the Candidates Forum at 7:30 on Monday,October 3, in the Council Chambers of the Chapel Hill Town Hall.The Forum will follow the traditional League format of allowing eachcandidate to make an opening and closing statement with questions from amoderator in between.  The forum will cover the Chapel Hill  mayor andtown council races.The forum will be broadcast live over Channel 18 and will bere-broadcast in the following weeks as time allows.  The forum will alsobe videotaped and placed on the web site of NC Voters for CleanElections and the League of Women Voters.

Date: 

Monday, October 3, 2011 - 7:30pm

Location: 

Chapel Hill Town Hall Council Chambers

Sierra Club/Chamber of Commerce Carrboro Candidate Forum

Submitted by Molly De Marco on September 3, 2011 - 11:14am

Date: 

Friday, September 23, 2011 - 7:00pm

Location: 

Carrboro Town Hall Boardroom

WCHL's 2011 Carrboro Election Forum

Submitted by Molly De Marco on September 3, 2011 - 11:23am

Date: 

Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 7:00pm

Location: 

McDougle Middle School – Café Area

Sierra Club/Chamber of Commerce Chapel Hill Candidate Forum

Submitted by Molly De Marco on September 3, 2011 - 11:45am

Date: 

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 - 7:00pm

Location: 

Hargraves Community Center

Public Information Meeting on 123 W. Franklin (University Square) Mixed Use Development

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 4, 2011 - 10:38am

From the Town of Chapel Hill's press release:

The Town of Chapel Hill has received an application from Cousins Properties Inc.for a Zoning Atlas Amendment and Special Use Permit for the 123 West Franklin Mixed Use Development (File No. 9788-26-8572).

A public information meeting will be held at 5:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, in the Council Chamber of Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

The applications propose the following:

  • Rezone University Square, a 6.15-acre part of an 11.9-acre parcel, from Town Center-2 to Town Center-3; 
  • Construction in 2 phases to include: 275,000 s.f. of office space, 90,000 s.f. of flexible use space, 40,000 s.f. of retail and restaurant space, 150 apartments, and 38,000 s.f. of green space; and 
  • Parking for 1,000 vehicles above and below grade.

For more information call the Planning Department at 919-968-2728 or visit gis.townofchapelhill.org/developments/report/

 

Date: 

Thursday, September 8, 2011 - 5:15pm to 7:00pm

OP 'Early-and-Often' Happy Hour

Submitted by Damon Seils on September 4, 2011 - 11:56am
Meet the candidates and get your early vote on at the next OP Happy Hour. We'll be at the West End Wine Bar on Franklin Street.

Date: 

Friday, October 21, 2011 - 5:30pm to 8:00pm

Location: 

West End Wine Bar (450 W. Franklin Street in Chapel Hill)

Carolina North Public Information Meeting

Submitted by svaraj on September 4, 2011 - 2:44pm
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/4729/68/

Date: 

Tuesday, September 13, 2011 - 5:15pm

Location: 

Chapel Hill Town Hall

Other guides

Submitted by Ruby Sinreich on September 5, 2011 - 9:22pm

Links to candidate and election guides published on other sites:

Candidate map

Submitted by OP Editors on September 6, 2011 - 10:32pm

Candidate info

Submitted by OP Editors on September 7, 2011 - 10:35am

The OP Editors will be adding data to this spreadsheet as we find it. See something missing? Let us know!

Haiku Contest for International Car Free Day!

Submitted by SarahBruce on September 7, 2011 - 1:31pm
To celebrate Car Free Day, The Village Project wants to hear about your experiences with cars and their ills or your thoughts on ways to go car-lite. But, we want it in a haiku!

Have you ever been in a town where walking, biking, or public transit is a viable way to get around on a regular basis? Do you miss that freedom?
Have you ever gone a day, week, month, or year without driving a car, but were still able to get around?
Does it strike you as silly that the Triangle doesn’t yet have a commuter rail system?

County Tries Again, Hires Local for Economic Development

Submitted by Ruby Sinreich on September 7, 2011 - 4:10pm

And for the second time this year we have an announcement about the County's hire of a new economic development director. Knowing nothing else about him, here's my favorite part so far: "[Steve] Brantley, who has lived in Orange County for the last 25 years..."

Brantley Named Director of Economic Development for Orange County

HILLSBOROUGH, NC – Frank Clifton, Orange County Manager, announced the appointment of Mark Steven (Steve) Brantley as Economic Development Director for Orange County starting September 19, 2011.

OP Announces First-Ever Online Candidate Forums in Orange County

Submitted by OP Editors on September 8, 2011 - 2:16pm

The editors of OrangePolitics are excited to announce our first-ever online candidate forums for the upcoming Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board, Carrboro Board of Aldermen, and Chapel Hill Town Council elections. Orange County journalist Kirk Ross, former editor of the Carrboro Citizen and a columnist for both the Citizen and the Independent Weekly among others, will serve as the moderator of all three forums.

Each forum will consist of real-time written conversations between the candidates and the moderator. Questions will be solicited from OP readers before and during the forum. The moderator will have final say in question selection. The events will take place online at orangepolitics.org, with one evening dedicated to each race covered.

What question would you like asked? Post it in the comments below!

OP Editors Monthly Open Meeting

Submitted by Ruby Sinreich on September 9, 2011 - 11:46am

Join us for our monthly gathering and see how the sausage is made!

Standing agenda: ideas and assignments for the next month of content on OP, technical how-to, site policy issues.

Special topics: election coverage, happy hour planning, candidate forum! 

Date: 

Sunday, September 18, 2011 - 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Location: 

Foster's Market, 750 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill

Live Online Candidate Forum: Carrboro Board of Aldermen

Submitted by OP Editors on September 9, 2011 - 11:49am

The editors of OrangePolitics are excited to announce our first-ever online candidate forums for the upcoming Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board, Carrboro Board of Aldermen, and Chapel Hill Town Council elections. Orange County journalist Kirk Ross, former editor of the Carrboro Citizen and a columnist for both the Citizen and the Independent Weekly among others, will serve as the moderator of all three forums.

Each forum will consist of real-time written conversations between the candidates and the moderator. Questions will be solicited from OP readers before and during the forum. The moderator will have final say in question selection. The events will take place online at orangepolitics.org, with one evening dedicated to each race covered.

Learn more and suggest questions at http://orangepolitics.org/2011/09/op-announces-first-ever-online  

Date: 

Monday, October 17, 2011 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Location: 

http://orangepolitics.org

More Information: 

http://orangepolitics.org/2011/09/op-announces-first-ever-online

Live Online Candidate Forum: Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education

Submitted by OP Editors on September 9, 2011 - 11:52am

The editors of OrangePolitics are excited to announce our first-ever online candidate forums for the upcoming Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board, Carrboro Board of Aldermen, and Chapel Hill Town Council elections. Orange County journalist Kirk Ross, former editor of the Carrboro Citizen and a columnist for both the Citizen and the Independent Weekly among others, will serve as the moderator of all three forums.

Each forum will consist of real-time written conversations between the candidates and the moderator. Questions will be solicited from OP readers before and during the forum. The moderator will have final say in question selection. The events will take place online at orangepolitics.org, with one evening dedicated to each race covered.

Learn more and suggest questions at http://orangepolitics.org/2011/09/op-announces-first-ever-online  

Date: 

Sunday, October 9, 2011 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Location: 

http://orangepolitics.org

More Information: 

http://orangepolitics.org/2011/09/op-announces-first-ever-online

Live Online Candidate Forum: Chapel Hill Town Council

Submitted by OP Editors on September 9, 2011 - 11:54am

The editors of OrangePolitics are excited to announce our first-ever online candidate forums for the upcoming Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board, Carrboro Board of Aldermen, and Chapel Hill Town Council elections. Orange County journalist Kirk Ross, former editor of the Carrboro Citizen and a columnist for both the Citizen and the Independent Weekly among others, will serve as the moderator of all three forums.

Each forum will consist of real-time written conversations between the candidates and the moderator. Questions will be solicited from OP readers before and during the forum. The moderator will have final say in question selection. The events will take place online at orangepolitics.org, with one evening dedicated to each race covered.

Learn more and suggest questions at http://orangepolitics.org/2011/09/op-announces-first-ever-online  

Date: 

Sunday, October 23, 2011 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Location: 

http://orangepolitics.org

More Information: 

http://orangepolitics.org/2011/09/op-announces-first-ever-online

Neighborhood Night Out and Good Neighbor Initiative Block Party

Submitted by Ruby Sinreich on September 9, 2011 - 3:58pm

From a Town of Chapel Hill e-mail. I love this logo!

Neighborhood Night Out

Good Neighbor InitiativeJoin your neighbors for a walk around the Northside neighborhood, proclaiming the pride you have in your community, at the Neighborhood Night Out and Good Neighbor Initiative Block Party, Tuesday, Sept. 13, a joint effort of the Town of Chapel Hill and UNC-Chapel Hill. 

Registration begins at 5 p.m., and the walk will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Hargraves Community Center, 216 N. Roberson St. Stay for the block party from 6 to 8:30 p.m., for an evening of friendship, delicious free food, live music, games, raffle prizes and more. 
Now in its eighth year, the year-round Good Neighbor Initiative encourages students who live off campus to meet their neighbors and work with them to build community and keep neighborhoods clean and safe. 

For more information, contact Aaron at bachenhe@email.unc.edu or visitdeanofstudents.unc.edu/index.php/offcampus/152-good-neighbor.html. 

 

Date: 

Tuesday, September 13, 2011 - 5:30pm to 8:30pm

Location: 

Hargraves Community Center, 216 N. Roberson St., Chapel Hill

Campaign Season 2011

Submitted by bfoushee on September 9, 2011 - 8:39pm
I would like to wish all candidates the best of luck during this campaign season.  

Opposition to House Bill 777 Senate Bill 106

Submitted by penny rich on September 11, 2011 - 3:07pm

Please show your support Monday night at the Town Council meeting for this resolution opposing NC's proposed anti-gay-marriage consituional amendment. This resolution will be introduced by Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt and myself. Tell the NCGA we want to stop moving backwards. 

A Resolution in Opposition to Senate Bill 106 and House Bill 777 in the North Carolina General Assembly

WHEREAS, Same-sex marriage is currently a right in ten countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina and six U.S. States including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, and the District of Columbia; and

NC Big Sweep opportunities in Orange County

Submitted by Ruby Sinreich on September 11, 2011 - 8:40pm

Via the Town via my neighborhood listserve:

 

Chapel Hill Fake News

Submitted by zabouti@gmail.com on September 11, 2011 - 10:35pm
Today's Chapel Hill News published a letter by someone named Yelena Francis equating the people who protested at the Silent Sam statue on Sept 1 with Russian Communists who destroyed Tsarist statues.  The newspaper gave this letter the title "Leftist déjà vu" and place it just below an amateurish cartoon showing Silent Sam being carted away and replaced by a statue of Dean Smith.

This pisses me off for one simple reason:

The students did not call for the removal of Silent Sam, and the Chapel Hill News should know this.

They called for a plaque to be placed on the side of the statue explaining when and why the statue had been erected and what it represented and still represents.  They were wise enough to realize that we need to keep Silent Sam and learn from it over and over.

Chapel Hill vs Carrboro

Submitted by user on September 13, 2011 - 6:19pm

Chapel Hill and Carrboro are related but they have significant differences. I love them both like family. I feel like their little brother constantly annoyed with one or the other but will remain steadfastly in love with them both 'til the day I die. Many of my fellow Chapel Hillians do not understand these differences. They see Franklin Street and Main Street in Carrboro as one long business thoroughfare. It's not. I don't mean to pick on Chapel Hill residents, both students and townies, but if you don't spend a lot of time in Carrboro you wouldn't know. The Towns have very unique histories that contain deep seated differences forged in race, class, and ideology. All fueled by the money and intellectual power of the University of North Carolina.   Yesterday I had a great conversation with several Chapel Hillians. They were a retired Town of Chapel Hill employee, a downtown business leader, a few University employees, and others who I do not know well.

EmPOWERment / NRG / CURB / NAACP Chapel Hill Candidate Forum

Submitted by OP Editors on September 16, 2011 - 11:27am

Info receive via e-mail from Julie McClintock:

Greetings Candidates!


As a candidate for the Chapel Hill Town Council, you are invited to participate in a Community Forum sponsored by organizations who value community participation in Town decisions. Organizers for this event are Empowerment, NRG (Neighbors for Responsible Growth), CURB (Citizens United for Responsive Building), and the NAACP.


When and where?  Tuesday,October 11th, 6:30 - 8:30pm, Hargraves Center St. Joseph's Church  .

6:30 - 7 pm   Candidates meet and greet neighbors and community members, light refreshments 
7 - 8:30 pm  Candidates answer questions gathered from our neighborhoods and organizations. (Questions will be sent to candidates in advance.)

Kindly return by email this invitation to confirm your attendance.  We look forward to a fun and informative evening.

Thank you for your participation in ourTown elections!

Sincerely, 

Community Forum Organizing Committee:  Dolores Bailey, Julie McClintock, Del Snow, Al McSurely

 

Date: 

Tuesday, October 11, 2011 - 6:30pm to 8:30pm

Location: 

St. Joseph's Church (NOTE CHANGE IN LOCATION)

All Carrboro Precincts of the Orange County Democratic Party Candidates Forum

Submitted by Molly De Marco on September 18, 2011 - 12:51pm

Date: 

Monday, October 10, 2011 - 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Location: 

Room 110, Carrboro Town Hall

What We Can Learn From Durham

Submitted by Ruby Sinreich on September 19, 2011 - 9:54pm

[Mr. Bull]Apparently I was quoted in the News & Observer after last week's information session about UNC's proposed redevelopment of University Square. I didn't notice that story, but today a colleague said something to me about a cartoon in the Independent Weekly. Wha? After some hunting I found this V.C Rogers illustration "Mr. Bull" which features my statement that "Durham has been kicking our ass, Chapel Hill has to catch up."

While I'm not especially proud of how articulate that one (out of context) quotation was, I do stand behind it. Seeing the way the Indy cartoon twisted my point made me want to expand or at least explain a little more.

What You Can Do, As Advertised

Submitted by Jeff Miles on September 21, 2011 - 6:40pm

As many of you know, the Chapel Hill 2020  planning process is getting underway. This new Comprehensive Plan for Chapel Hill will affect you—the roads you drive on, the places you work, the parks you visit, etc. so it’s important that you share your perspective to help the town craft the best vision possible. The more perspectives included in the plan, the more accurately the plan will reflect our community’s diversity, so be sure to contribute!

The town has already publicized seven different ways to get involved. You shouldn’t feel limited by this list, but it serves as a great jumping off point:

Live Blog: Sierra Club-Chamber Forum for Chapel Hill Candidates

Submitted by Molly De Marco on September 21, 2011 - 7:24pm

Two of the 3 mayoral candidates and all 9 council candidates are in attendance. The live blogging starts now...

Live Blog: OC Democratic Women Municipal Candidates Forum

Submitted by OP Editors on September 22, 2011 - 7:30pm

The Orange County Democratic Women are hosting the Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough candidates this evening in the OWASA Community Room. OP editors Molly De Marco and Erin Crouse live-blog.

What Exactly Is the Leadership Committee Anyway?

Submitted by Jeff Miles on September 22, 2011 - 11:05pm

Earlier this evening the first meeting of Chapel Hill 2020’s leadership team was held. So far there seems to have been much confusion on how the whole planning process will work, so I’m going to try to clear that muddiness up with all my newfound knowledge.

OCDW's Municipal Candidate Forum Brings Affordable Housing to Forefront

Submitted by Burton Peebles on September 23, 2011 - 2:16pm

Thursday, September 22, 2011, members of the Orange County Democratic Women (OCDW) gathered together, along with the UNC Young Democrats, concern citizens, members of the press and Democratic candidates for both the Carrboro Board of Aldermen and the Chapel Hill Town Council to have a conversation about their communities. The OCDW forum at the OWASA Meeting Room in Carrboro, co-sponsored by the UNC Young Democrats, gave both the Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities the opportunity to press their respective candidates on the issues they feel matter most during this election cycle including affordable housing and the recnet budget cut-backs.

However, candidates differed in discussing their tangible platform points relating to the topics. Moreover, over the course of the evening, candidates highlighted their various personal strengths and unique perspectives on a wide range social justice issues, ranging from environmental degregation to living-wages for all UNC employees.

Welcome to student bloggers Jeff and Burton

Submitted by Ruby Sinreich on September 23, 2011 - 4:03pm

I just wanted to extend a quick official welcome to two UNC students that are working with OrangePolitics this semester for the service-learning component of a class they are taking: Sociology 273 - Social and Economic Justice with Professor Neal Caren. Jeff Miles will be covering public participation in the Comprehensive Plan revision process (a.k.a. Chapel Hill 2020), and Burton Peebles will be exploring how social justice issues are (or are not) talked about in local municipal and school board campaigns.

Each will be writing about 10 blog entries between September and December. All of their posts will be tagged SOCI 273. I hope you will all welcome them with some supportive comments and constructive feedback. 

Live Blog: Sierra Club-Chamber of Commerce Carrboro Candidate Forum

Submitted by Damon Seils on September 23, 2011 - 6:58pm

The Orange-Chatham Group of the Sierra Club and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce are jointly hosting a Carrboro candidate forum this evening at Carrboro Town Hall. Sleep-deprived OP editor Damon Seils attempts to live-blog.

NC Pride 2011 Photo Blog

Submitted by Jake Gellar-Goad on September 25, 2011 - 12:00am

The annual North Carolina Pride Parade happened today as it has now for many, many years.  In addition to the celebration of the diverse community that Pride always represents, there was also a special urgency created by the recent passage of a bill to put the marriage discrimination amendment on the ballot this coming May.  This was a moment to both enjoy how far we've come, and organize for the challenges ahead.  It was great to see Orange County and UNC so well represented at Pride.

 

 

Lloyd Property Comes to Carrboro Advisory Boards

Submitted by Damon Seils on September 25, 2011 - 9:18am

Carrboro's joint advisory board on September 1 reviewed a concept plan for a large commercial development on 40 acres at the intersection of NC Highway 54 and Old Fayetteville Road. Residents of southern Orange County know the property as the Lloyd farm. Cows still roam what is one of the last large parcels of relatively undeveloped land in the town. What people may not know is that the southeastern portion of the property, across from Carrboro Plaza, is also the last remaining property in Carrboro zoned for large-scale commercial development.

Chapel Hill 2020- Second Stakeholder Meeting

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 2:40pm

Date: 

Thursday, October 6, 2011 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Location: 

East Chapel Hill High School

Chapel Hill 2020- Community Open House

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 2:43pm

Date: 

Saturday, October 22, 2011 - 11:00am to 3:00pm

Location: 

University Mall, Estes Dr.

Chapel Hill 2020- First Key Theme Working Session

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 2:45pm

Date: 

Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 4:30pm to 6:30pm

Location: 

Ephesus Elementary School, 1495 Ephesus Church Road

Chapel Hill 2020- Second Key Theme Working Session

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 2:48pm

Date: 

Saturday, November 19, 2011 - 10:30am to 12:30pm

Location: 

Chapel Hill High School, 1709 High School Road

Chapel Hill 2020- Third Key Theme Working Session

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 2:50pm

Date: 

Thursday, December 1, 2011 - 4:30pm to 6:30pm

Location: 

Frank Porter Graham Elementary School, 101 Smith Level Road

Chapel Hill 2020- Fourth Key Theme Working Session

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 2:52pm

Date: 

Thursday, December 15, 2011 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Location: 

East Chapel Hill High School, 500 Weaver Dairy Road

Chapel Hill 2020- Fifth Key Theme Working Session

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 3:12pm

Date: 

Thursday, January 12, 2012 - 4:30pm to 6:30pm

Location: 

Glenwood Elementary School, 750 S. Merritt Mill Road

Chapel Hill 2020- An Innovation UnConference

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 3:15pm
Innovate 2020 is a free event which will provide current, and new, participants in the Chapel Hill 2020 process the open space to discuss the Chapel Hill 2020 Themes and bring new ideas to the table.

The great thing about the Innovate 2020 Unconference is that its content is almost entirely participant driven. Aside from the Key Note Address which will be given by Chancellor Holden Thorp, the agenda will be set on the day by those in attendance and only those sessions that are chosen through the "power of two feet" will take place.

Kaliya Hamlin from Unconference.net gives a great list of the types of sessions that might take place at an unconference on her blog (http://www.unconference.net/unconferencing-how-to-prepare-to-attend-an-unconference/ ). According to Hamlin, sessions may include:
  • A short presentation to get things started
    5-15 minutes of prepared material/comments by the session leader followed by an interactive discussion
  • Group discussion
    Someone identifies a topic they are interested in, others come to join the conversation and an interesting discussion happens
  • My Big (or Little) Question
    You have a question you want to know the answer to, and you think others in the group could help you answer it. This format could also just be the seed of a conversation.

You can learn more about the Innovate 2020 Unconference by visiting http://innovate2020.pbworks.com/w/page/48204616/FrontPage

Please RSVP for the Innovate 2020 Unconference on the Facebook event page https://www.facebook.com/events/344594695557580/  

We hope to see you there!

Date: 

Saturday, January 21, 2012 - 9:30am to 5:00pm

Location: 

Hamilton Hall RM 100, UNC Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill 2020- Sixth Key Theme Working Session

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 3:17pm

Date: 

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Location: 

Chapel Hill High School, 1709 High School Road

Chapel Hill 2020- Seventh Key Theme Working Session

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 3:19pm

Date: 

Thursday, February 23, 2012 - 4:30pm to 6:30pm

Location: 

Estes Hills Elementary School, 500 Estes Drive

Chapel Hill 2020- Eighth Key Theme Working Session

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 3:22pm

Date: 

Tuesday, March 20, 2012 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Location: 

East Chapel Hill High School, 500 Weaver Dairy Road

Chapel Hill 2020- Ninth Key Theme Working Session

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 3:24pm

Date: 

Thursday, April 12, 2012 - 4:30pm to 6:30pm

Location: 

Rashkis Elementary School, 601 Meadowmont Lane

Chapel Hill 2020- Tenth Key Theme Working Session

Submitted by Erin Crouse on September 25, 2011 - 3:26pm

Date: 

Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Location: 

Chapel Hill High School, 1709 High School Road

Correcting the Record on the IFC Good Neighbor Plan

Submitted by Guest Author on September 26, 2011 - 7:37am

An e-mail from Eleanor Howe to the Chapel Hill Town Council:

Dear Mayor Kleinschmidt and members of the Town Council,

I am a member of the committee working to create a Good Neighbor Plan (GNP) for the IFC’s new Community House at 1515 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. As such, I’m writing in response to a “guest column” in today’s Chapel Hill News by Mark Peters, and because a status report on the committee’s work to date is on the Council agenda for Sept. 26.

I take great exception to Mr. Peters’ characteristics of the GNP committee as a “biased committee that lacks transparency.”

Quarter-Cent Sales Tax Referendum Gets a Second Chance

Submitted by Molly De Marco on September 27, 2011 - 9:33am

A committee to help pass the sales tax referendum has been created with representatives of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, the Chapel Hill Town Council, the Carrboro Board of Alderspersons, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools Board of Education, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, The Partnership for Children, the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce, the Orange County Schools Board of Education, the Greater Chapel Hill Association of Realtor, and Orange County Justice United. 

I am serving on the Campaign for Jobs and Schools committee as a representative from Orange County Justice United. Justice United discussed the referendum at one of it’s full meetings and voted to endorse it. We are supporting the sales tax because funds raised in this way will reduce the exorbitant sewer and water rates for our lower income neighbors in the north of the county and will also reduce the tax burden on county homeowners, while supporting our schools.

OP Editors Monthly Open Meeting

Submitted by OP Editors on September 27, 2011 - 3:44pm

Location is not confirmed, check back here for updates.

Standing agenda:

  • Upcoming blog topics & calendar events.
  • Debrief any policy issues that arose in the past month.
  • Technical/administrative how-to's.
  • Upcoming events.

 

Date: 

Saturday, October 29, 2011 - 4:00pm to 5:30pm

Location: 

The Looking Glass in Carrboro

Kicking Off Chapel Hill 2020

Submitted by Jeff Miles on September 27, 2011 - 4:04pm

In just a few short hours the Chapel Hill 2020 process will officially kick off with a community meeting at East Chapel Hill High School. After an open house that introduces what the process will actually be, attendees will split off into small groups to try to develop a vision for the plan and to identify key themes that the plan should focus on. Each of these small groups will be led a facilitator from the Leadership Team (see my previous post What Exactly Is The Leadership Committee Anyway?). The discussion that emerges in each group will be also be recorded by a staff person. You can check out an agenda here. And keep in mind that childcare for children over the age of five will be provided for free by the YMCA and food will available for purchase from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro PTA. 

Live Blog: PTA-NAACP-PAGE School Board Candidate Forum

Submitted by Damon Seils on September 28, 2011 - 6:52pm

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district PTA Council, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro chapter of the NAACP Education Committee, and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro chapter of Partners for the Advancement of Gifted Education (PAGE) are jointly hosting a school board candidate forum this evening at Chapel Hill Town Hall. OP editor Damon Seils live-blogs.

Nancy Oates

Submitted by penny rich on September 29, 2011 - 8:38pm

Sad to hear about Nancy Oates's mother who passed away this week. My mom lives with me and I know I would be at a great loss if she were to die. My thoughts go out to Nancy and her family.

 

The only Carolina basketball calendar you'll ever need

Submitted by Ruby Sinreich on September 30, 2011 - 12:23pm

Every year I put the men's and women's basketball teams schedules into a calendar that I share publicly so tha other don't have to go through this laborious task. Since I use the same calendar every year, once you are subscribed, you will automatically get the new schedule in following years.

Use this URL to subscribe (ICAL format, works with Outlook, Google, iCal, etc.) or just browse the calendar below.

 

 

About Us

OrangePolitics is a not-for-profit website for discussing progressive perspectives on politics, planning, and public policy in Orange County, NC. Opinions are those of their authors. Learn more.

 

Community Guidelines

By using this site, you agree to our community guidelines. Inappropriate or disruptive behavior will result in moderation or eviction.

 

Content license

By contributing to OrangePolitics, you agree to license your contributions under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.

Creative Commons License

 
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by WeebPal.