Ruby Sinreich's blog

It looks like we will be continuing our long tradition of the Martin Luther King Day March and Rally. For many years this event has brought together a coalition of progressives from all sectors of the campus and community. This year is expected to be especially significant in the wake of Chapel Hill's decision to rename Airport Road as Martin Luther King Boulevard.

In honor of King, the NAACP is organizing a rally at 9:30 a.m. Monday in front of the Franklin Street post office. The rally will be followed by a march down Franklin Street at 10:15 a.m.

The march will end at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. service. The keynote speaker at the event is the Rev. William J. Barber II.

Barber served as the executive director of the N.C. Human Relations Commission for many years and formed a community development corporation in Goldsboro that, among other things, works to revitalize the inner city.
- Daily Tarheel, 1/14/05

If you live in Chapel Hill or Carrboro you may want to check out one of these forums today:

The latest plans for redevelopment of East Main Street will be presented to the Carrboro Board of Aldermen tonight at 7:30:

A parking deck could hold 500 vehicles, and a parking lot under the ArtsCenter could hold about 100 cars.

Performance Bicycle Shop would be torn down and replaced with a five-story building.

The ArtsCenter would be visible from all sides of the street and space above the ArtsCenter would be used by artists for galleries and living spaces.

That's the newest 3-D vision for the rebuilding of the 300 E. Main St. business strip, a project that could transform downtown Carrboro.

- Chapel Hill Herald, 1/11/05

The News of Orange County reports that the Orange County Board of Commissioners will be holding eight "listening sessions" around the county throughout 2005.

Board Chairman Moses Carey initially proposed the idea in December, as an informal opportunity for citizens to sound off on topics of their choosing.

"My only expectation is that people will feel comfortable communicating with the commissioners," he said. "It's not to assume that we can fix everything that we hear - but we do need to hear them because we represent them."

The chairman said he hopes that those who don't feel comfortable speaking during a regular public meeting will come out to these sessions.

Carey, accompanied by one other commissioner, will attend each of the sessions. The commissioners will then report back to the entire board.