The Orange Water and Sewer Authority will hold a public forum tonight (Thursday) regarding “The State of Our Local Water Supply,†to provide information and receive customers’ questions and feedback. The forum will be held at 7 p.m. at the Chapel Hill Town Hall and will be televised live on local cable channel 18. The…
New downtown project said to be short on parking
By Kirk Ross Staff Writer A new five-story mixed-use development slated for the site of the old Andrews-Riggsbee hardware store won’t provide enough parking and will exacerbate a growing downtown parking crunch, residents and business owners told the Carrboro Board of Aldermen Tuesday night. The comments came as the board opened a public hearing on…
Leaders committed to providing the extra help needed
By Susan Dickson Staff Writer Ten years ago, Bishop Gene Hatley started thinking about a program run through the church to help educate the members of the African-American community. The program would reach out to children and adults who needed help with reading, math or other skills. Although Hatley – who serves as pastor of…
Robert Frost moments in the Adams Tract
By Ken Moore A small group of us were rewarded with some beautiful and dramatic surprises during our woods walk on the Adams Track this past Saturday afternoon. It was very cold, the rain began to fall, and it was two hours before the Tar Heel basketball game. It’s hard to believe that a small…
Recently: Friends hope to see a freestanding library in Carrboro
By Valarie Schwartz Having a library within walking distance of my childhood home fed my growing mind and kept me out of trouble. It even provided a safe place to break up with my first serious boyfriend. Throughout life, my local library was the place to go when bored or needing a lift — where…
Fight has high school looking for answers
By Susan Dickson Staff Writer Students and teachers were left saddened and bewildered after racially-charged comments led to a fight among three students at Carrboro High School last Thursday. According to Principal Jeff Thomas, the fight broke out after a white student made racially charged comments to a black student. After faculty members broke up…
County board reviews transfer site complaint
Rogers Road complaint to EPA alleges discrimination By Susan Dickson Staff Writer Orange County and the Board of County Commissioners are reviewing an administrative complaint against the county and others filed with the Environmental Protection Agency last summer. According to a letter from the EPA to the county dated January 8, the agency received an…
News Brief: New Chatham park
At its meeting on January 22, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners approved two major grant applications and an initial concept design plan to begin development of the new Northeast District Park on Big Woods Road. Chatham County operates ballfields in Bynum and recently completed the major phase of Southwest Park in Bear Creek, but…
News Brief: Carolina North public hearing held
At press time on Wednesday, the Chapel Hill Town Council held a public hearing at which UNC-Chapel Hill staff presented a Carolina North Master Use Plan to Mayor Kevin Foy, council members and Chapel Hill residents. Also on the agenda for the 7 p.m. public hearing: a presentation about the Concept Plan for the Innovation…
News Brief: Tax review board needs applicants
The Board of County Commissioners seeks applicants for the Orange County Board of Equalization and Review. The Board of Equalization and Review examines and reviews tax lists of the county for the current year with the intent that all taxable property shall be listed on the abstracts and tax records of Orange County and appraised…
News Brief: Dog rescued from pipe
Carrboro Police, Carrboro Fire-Rescue and Chapel Hill Fire Department officials rescued a dog trapped in a storm water drain pipe near Lake Hogan Farms on Friday. The Carrboro Police Department’s animal control officer was alerted to a dog trapped in the pipe Friday morning after the dog’s owner was unable to coax it out. Police…
For the Record: 01/24/08
Caution: heavy traffic It was a relief to hear that a strong emphasis will be placed on downtown parking during the board of aldermen retreat later this month. As the board will tell you and as anyone trying to place a vehicle within the confines of the town’s blocks during a busy evening, the parking…
Seeing the Achievement Gap for what it is and what can be done
 Steve Peha and Margot Carmichael Lester No matter what gains we make in education, the Achievement Gap haunts us. If the Gap seems intractable, it’s because of the way we perceive it as a single phenomenon applying broadly to large groups within our society. In reality, academic achievement is more meaningful in individual contexts, and…
Inauspicious campaign debut
Chris Fitzsimon The pundits and press are still weighing in about the latest gubernatorial debate: a discussion between the four Republican candidates moderated by WRAL-TV’s David Crabtree. The debate covered the usual ground, education, immigration, transportation, taxes, leadership and not much news was made with one notable exception. It was the first appearance of Charlotte…
Can we restore our creeks?
Randy Dodd This question is somewhat of a mantra for me these days. You see, I’ve been fortunate enough to land within the friendly confines of the Bolin Creek Watershed Restoration Team. The BCWRT has manifested at least in part because state and federal environmental agencies have confidence that we locals have the wherewithal to…