By Susan Dickson Staff Writer The recent resignation of Chapel Hill High School Principal Jackie Ellis has sparked concern and speculation among some community members that the demands of the job prevent the school from maintaining a single principal for more than a couple of years. Ellis announced her resignation in late January, and will…
SEPTA meeting
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Special Education Parent-Teacher Association will hold a meeting on Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the lower-level conference room of the Chapel Hill Public Library. Participants will view the program How Difficult Can It Be?, which explores the frustration, anxiety and tension faced by children with learning difficulties and disabilities. A…
CHS meeting
The second annual Carrboro High School Town Hall Meeting will be held on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Hargraves Center on North Roberson Street. For the event, Principal Kelly Batten will answer questions on a variety of topics regarding Carrboro High. The interactive session is hosted by the Carrboro High PTSA.
CHS student letter honored
Carrboro High School student Cynthia Enriquez was one of 10 high school students whose letters to President Barack Obama were selected for publication in the ePals’ Presidential Minute contest. Her letter is featured on the ePals’ website, www.epals.com, and was included on a DVD shared with the Obama transition team and shown at the Huffington…
Dropout rate increases
The dropout rate in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools slightly increased in 2007-08, but the district maintained the lowest dropout rate in the state, according to a report released last week by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Fifty-seven students dropped out of Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools, or 1.53 percent, in 2007-08. In 2006-07, 41 students…
Changing times for coffee achievers
By Margot C. Lester Staff Writer At the end of last month, global coffee conglomerate Starbucks announced it was cutting 6,700 employees, closing stores and slowing expansion plans in the wake of big declines in revenue. One factor cited in the announcement was customers’ changing buying patterns. During its first round of closings in July,…
The right attitude
There’s not a lot of good news out of Raleigh on the state budget. But we can report one bright spot here in this community — the attitude of many university employees in facing the reality of tougher times. As we note in this week’s issue, university employees via their Employee Forum is pushing for…
For the record: Resolution of Appreciation for Rebecca Clark
The following resolution was passed by the Orange County Board of Commissioners at its meeting last week. WHEREAS Rebecca Clark worked tirelessly to promote and provide social justice in the Orange County Community; WHEREAS Mrs. Clark ensured the democratic process by registering countless individuals to vote, helping the house-bound and disabled to cast ballots and…
Key issues in connector roads review
By Dan Coleman As recently reported, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen will soon be reviewing the town’s Connector Roads Policy. This policy, first adopted in 1986, has been a frequent source of contention over the past decade. This is in part because, as residents of Wexford and adjoining neighborhoods recently pointed out, the policy fails…
Missed opportunity
We’ll not linger too long on the issue of the Town of Carrboro’s failure to notify the media in the usual manner about last Monday’s retreat attended by the board of aldermen and senior staff. It is, in our opinion, likely true that human error and not a conspiracy caused email notices to not go…
The message behind the talk of furloughs
By Chris Fitzsimon UNC system President Erskine Bowles wants the General Assembly to give him the authority to furlough university employees, a proposal that sent shudders through state government circles last week, a stark reminder of how bad the state budget crisis could become. Gov. Beverly Perdue has so far avoided using the “f†word,…
Uncool
The late Jim Shumaker, longtime editor of the Chapel Hill Weekly, used to say that about every decade or so the paper had to run a major story proclaiming that “the village†is dead. We suppose that was the general point of the ruckus caused by notorious hipster and former economic-development director to the OC…
State workers worry about job cuts, health plan woes
By Kirk Ross Staff Writer As legislators gathered in Raleigh for a gloomy set of economic briefings, university employees continue to worry about possible furloughs and job cuts and are seeking more information on how individual departments will trim budgets. Last week, UNC system President Erskine Bowles said he is seeking authority to furlough workers…
Board focuses on recession at annual retreat
By Susan Dickson Staff Writer The Carrboro Board of Aldermen identified priorities for action throughout the recession on Monday at the board’s annual retreat at the Seymour Senior Center. The board also heard from town staff and several local groups regarding the recession’s impact on the town budget, the local population and various organizations. Due…
Historically black high school celebrates a storied past
Staff Writer HILLSBOROUGH — “The school was everything for the black community,†said Thomas Watson, an Orange County native and 1965 graduate of the historically black Central High School in Hillsborough. The hub of the school was the gym, of which Watson says, “We used it for everything. We’d go to dances there.†In fact,…