Arts & Culture

With all the discussion of the strange management decisions at Carr Mill Mall and Weaver Street Market, and the recent announcement that WSM will move its offices and most of its kitchen to Hillsborough to make way for expansion in downtown Carrboro, it seems like a good time to mention that the annual election of WSM board members is coming up, and there is a board meeting tonight.

I couldn't find anything about it on their website, but there's a bunch of information in the latest "Owner News" which I don't care to transcribe. Short version:
Candidate info is now available at the service desk in WSM
Board applications due - 9/19/06, 9pm
Annual meeting with election of board members - 11/5/06, noon
Open board meetings - 8/16/06 (TODAY!) & 9/21/06, no time given :-(

Readers, writers and lovers of the written word, please join us at the 2nd Annual Carrboro Book Fair! Participating organizations include AK Press, Mineshaft Magazine, Parcell Press, Garrett County Press, Feral House, Daniel 13, Carolina Wren Press, John F. Blair, Crimethinc, SURGE, The People's Channel and others.

Readers will include:

11 AM: Bill Powers, author of the new novel "Love Is Strong As Death" and father of William Powers, below.

12 PM: Hannah Gill, author of "Going to Carolina del Norte: Narrating Mexican Migrant Experiences"

1 PM: Kim Arrington, founder of Greased Scalp Press and author of "The Lapis Dwellers"

2 PM: William Powers, author of the new book "Whispering in the Giant's Ear: A Frontline Chronicle from Bolivia's War on Globalization." Long the obscure “Tibet of South America,” Bolivia emerged as a world flashpoint during the four years William Powers lived there as an aid
worker.

3 PM: Ebony Golden, of Betty's Daughter Literary Press

4 PM David Carr

Storytelling sessions and child care for young ones from 11am to 2pm.

In response to the After Chill shooting, the Town Manager is proposing that ALL downtown gatherings be cancelled, moved, or severely curtailed with the exception of NCAA championships. This seems like a really bad idea to me. Not only are these festivals and parties great community-building events for the town, many of them can't be stopped even if we want to.

When over 70,000 people come downtown for an event that no-one has organized or even planned, you can't just tell them to go away. They are individual adults with their own decision-making authority. Just like you don't get to tell me what do on my Saturday nights, you don't get to tell them where to celebrate Halloween.

Franklin Street's days as party central might be numbered. Town staff members are floating proposals that could eliminate all but one of the main drag's main events.

The unofficial Halloween celebration might be killed by a 10 p.m. curfew. Wins over Duke and in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament might move to campus. Festifall could go to Chapel Hill High School.