Steve Peha & Margot Carmichael Lester What gets tested, gets taught. That’s a guiding principle of education reform. And it appears to be working. But is it working the way we want it to in reading? In a New York Times article (“Mission: Making a Love of Reading Happen,†October 14, 2007), a parent wrote…
Author: Staff
New news
Chris Fitzsimon There were a few stories that didn’t make it into the year-end stories, news that you might have missed during the holiday break. One of them involves North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole, who is also up for re-election in November. Dole is among a group of senators who recently signed a letter to…
As hate crimes rise, NC must act
Ian Palmquist Earlier this fall, I met an incredible woman. Elke Kennedy approached me at an event. She was friendly, but I could see a sadness in her eyes. Elke’s son Sean Kennedy was murdered on May 17 in Greenville, South Carolina. He was targeted because he was gay.Â
Community Calendar: 01/03/08
Kids Preschool Story Time – At the Carrboro Branch Library. Every Saturday at 10:30am. Miz Moon will start off a new year of Toddler Times with an Anansi story and The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett at the Carrboro Branch Library on Thursday, Jan 3. All preschoolers are invited to this free program. For more info,…
Community Brief: Volunteers needed for new ESL classes
The Orange County Literacy Council will hold an English as a Second Language training Tuesday, January 8, 2008 from 9:00 a.m to noon at the Seymour Center at 2551 Homestead Rd. in Chapel Hill. Attendees will learn how to help non-native English speakers improve their conversational, reading and writing skills in order to become better…
Community Brief: Wish granted
The Make-A-Wish foundation of Eastern North Carolina is granting the wish of 18-year-old Katherine Somerville to see a Tar Heel basketball game in person. Katherine, a triplet born at UNC Hospitals, uses a wheelchair and has cerebral palsy. She lives with her family in Michigan and is a huge Carolina basketball fan. She went to…
Community Brief: Blood drives
The American Red Cross will be holding several Blood Drives in the month of January at the following locations and times: Sunday, January 6 at Berrys Grove Baptist Church in Timberlake from 1-5 p.m. Call 336-364-8158. Wednesday, January 9 at Piedmont Electric in Hillsborough from 1-5:30 p.m. Call 732-2123.
In 2007, drought, elections and the makings of a building boom
By Kirk Ross Staff Writer The sands are about run out on 2007, a pivotal year in the town’s history mainly due to the coming to fruition of a downtown strategy set in motion years before. At least five major downtown projects have surfaced since the town decided to double residential space downtown and increase…
Recently: One meal at a time over 29 years
By Valarie Schwartz The Meals on Wheels office at Binkley Baptist Church will seem a little less bright next year. Jeanie Arnel, who for the last 29 years has been director of the locally supported nonprofit, serves in that position for the last time on Dec. 31. It only took a spark for Arnel to…
Hug a tree on New Year’s Day
Rachel and Alex Beck hugging a big tree near the Adams Tract trailhead kiosk in Carrboro’s Wilson Park. Photo by Ken Moore. By Ken Moore Years ago, a tradition was begun by the Eno River Association: Volunteers led New Year’s Day walks along the river that flows through Hillsborough and north through Durham to Falls…
Rain helps lakes, but drought still very much with us
From 7 a.m. Tuesday to 7 a.m. Wednesday, nearly one and a half inches of cold rain fell over a wide swath of Orange County adding to lakes surrounded by new grasslands and streams that have long been dry or barely trickles. But don’t expect any declarations of victory over the drought. According to Wednesday…
News Brief: Recycling, garbage collection, bus schedules
In Orange County, recycling that would have been collected on Christmas Day will be collected the following Saturday at 7 a.m. Curbside recycling scheduled for New Year’s Day will be picked up on Saturday, January 5. The Orange County Landfill and all associated services will be closed New Year’s Day and will reopen on Wednesday….
News Brief: “Three Girls and Their Buddy†at UNC
Mary Chapin Carpenter, who was scheduled to perform a sold-out concert on Feb. 15 at UNC, has cancelled her 2007-08 tour and will be unable to keep the date. In her place, Carolina Performing Arts will present four noteworthy artists to cap off its American Roots series at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 14 in…
News Brief: ArtsCenter open house for African Americans
The ArtsCenter will host an interactive open house for the African American community on Sunday, Jan. 13 from 2:00 to 5 p.m. The open house will feature a community-led roundtable, refreshments, local entertainment and tours of the facility.
News Brief: University Mall, Rams Plaza sold
University Mall and nearby Rams Plaza have been sold to a Washington D.C.-based property group. Citing Orange County land records, the Triangle Business Journal reported that University Mall sold for $40 million and Rams Plaza for $14 million to Madison Marquette, which specializes in redeveloping older shopping centers.