Last week I rounded the corner of McCauley and Merrit Mill as I have a million times before. But this time my mouth gaped open in suprise. It wasn't just the radical clearcut of what used to be Cam Hill's funky little nest. I think it was the crane that seemed to be hungrily eating the last bit of the structure left on the property. Even though I knew it was coming for at least a year, I was shocked to see this acre of mud replace what was once an attractive corner of town. It's all the more tragic because I know what's coming: a parking lot.

I strongly suggest that you take a drive by that corner now and see what's there. This is an object lesson in town-gown relations for two reasons:

1. It demonstrates University priorities. They pressured local homeowners until they gave up their property, then UNC demolished this block of modest homes and nice shade trees to lay out a slab of concrete for parking. Houses like these on the west end of Cameron Street are exactly what the town needs more of to meet the needs of the increasing number of students and young families joining our community.

Will Joe Buckner not have to wait until Wade Barbour retires before getting a seat on the Superior Court bench? Conventional wisdom has been that Buckner, our local Chief District Court Judge, would be a strong candidate to replace Barbour sometime in the future; but the General Assembly might have given him an early chance at it if Easley is willing to appoint him to the newly-created seat in the Orange-Chatham Judicial District.

Adam Stein, Steve Bernholz, and Jill Cheek have other ideas.

This fall, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen will appoint a committee to make recommendations on ways to make daycares and preschools more numerous and more affordable in Carrboro. If you would like to join the Childcare Study Committee, please email Carrboro Town Clerk Sarah Williamson at SWilliamson@ci.carrboro.nc.us - she can send you an application.

The Board is looking at this issue because of the squeeze that inadequate (and inadequately affordable) childcare puts on working families in our community. Single parents in particular have a had time being able to afford childcare. In our lower income neighborhood this means that some single parents must stay home and be dependent on governmental programs. While these are the people for whom such programs exist, the entire family might be better off if their toddlers were able to be in preschool while their mother/father is at work.

The committee will look at how zoning rules limit childcare and whether there are ways for the town to make childcare more accessible for its employees and for Carrboro residents in general.