By Rich Fowler Staff Writer He couldn’t let it go. When Charles Brown was stopped, handcuffed, searched and held for more than 40 minutes by Chapel Hill police in a case of mistaken identity, he didn’t let it slide. The town manager’s office is investigating the matter, while Brown and the local NAACP await a…
Author: Staff
Preparing for flu season
With this spring’s outbreak of H1N1 flu and dire warnings about its resurgence with the return of students, many local businesses are gearing up for the infectious disease season like never before. While the worry may be focused on the new strain that’s making headlines, the methods being employed — more frequent hand washing, hand-sanitizer…
Trail closing
A section of the paved Fan Branch Trail through Southern Village will be closed starting Monday, Sept. 28 for about two weeks to allow replacement of decking on two pedestrian bridges. The closure could be prolonged by poor weather. The section of trail that will be closed lies between Culbreth Road and Edgewater Drive. Because…
County environment report online
The Orange County Commission for the Environment has released its 2009 State of the Environment Report for Orange County. The report uses 23 environmental indicators to describe the current status of the county’s air, water and land-based natural resources. The report also highlights major environmental challenges facing the county and recommends actions to confront those…
Shred-a-thon
To help prevent identity theft and save space in the landfill, the Chapel Hill Police Department and Orange County’s Solid Waste Department are teaming up to sponsor two free shred-a-thons for confidential papers. Orange County residents are encouraged to bring confidential papers free of plastic, computer disks and other non-paper items for shredding from 10…
Tweets and creeks
Would you like to know more about birding, but don’t know where to start? Or do you know a lot about birding and want to observe the fall migration with fellow enthusiasts? Triangle Land Conservancy is offering an opportunity for both novice and experienced birders to enjoy this pastime. TLC’s Creeks and Tweets event focusing…
Meeting roundup
The bulk of last Thursday’s Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board of Education meeting was devoted to Superintendent Neil Pedersen presenting his evaluation of the district’s 2008-09 priorities. The first priority was to implement pyramids of intervention at each school. Pedersen highlighted tracking mechanisms being created, such as flags for monitoring such things as Ds and Fs…
PBS honors
Four schools in the district have been designated Positive Behavior Support (PBS) Banner Schools. Estes Hills Elementary, McDougle Middle School and Carrboro Elementary were among 65 PBS Model Banner Schools named in the state. The Positive Behavior Support is a program seeks to impact the learning environment in the schools to foster high student performance…
Teacher receives grant
Kelly Sears, a science teacher at Smith Middle School, received a $1,400 grant from Donors Choose to support a project called “Taking the Pulse of Our Local Waterways.†Sears requested the grant to support the purchase of an AP Environmental Workstation Bundle. The equipment will be used by students in Sears’ eighth-grade science classes.
Liu to represent U.S.
Caroline Liu, a seventh-grade student at Smith Middle School, has been selected as one of three team members to represent the U.S. in the World Chinese Culture Contest final. The event will be held in Chengdu, China, in October. During her stay in China, Liu also will attend a camp and the World Overseas Chinese…
Pittsboro candidates share common concerns
By Taylor Sisk Staff Writer In a word: water. Among the candidates running for mayor of Pittsboro and the Town of Pittsboro Board of Commissioners, the most frequently mentioned issue facing the town is water – clean drinking water and the capacity to treat waste water. In order to keep pace with growth and prosper,…
Biz Beat: Carrboro’s identity crisis?
By Margot C. Lester Columnist Sigh. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. Another big-time article has lumped Carrboro in with other (admittedly great) local food cities. This month’s Garden & Gunmagazine features a swell article on Chapel Hill. What’s better, albeit rather frustrating, is that much of what the writer asserts makes Chapel Hill great…
WCOM ponders move
By Beth Mechum Staff Writer From the beginning, volunteer-run WCOM-103.5, located in the heart of Carrboro, put the concept of community first. Its location on the corner of Weaver and North Greensboro streets fit that mantra perfectly. Now WCOM is being forced to move, and the community it’s become, and the one it’s been serving,…
Read. Write. Think. Speak.
The above words are the unofficial motto of this newspaper. To us, it is more than an encouragement to learn and offer considered views. It is an appeal for more individuals to engage in the debate and discussion of this community’s future, past and present.
A time for grace, kindness and resilience
By Vicky Dickson Columnist I’m still basking in the afterglow of the N.C. Literary Festival. What an opportunity it was, to be in the same room with a celebrity like John Grisham, listen to literary lions Allan Gurganus and Elizabeth Spencer, learn about the blues from Bill Ferris and Cuba from Lars Schoultz, and be…