The Chapel Hill Town Council on Monday voted not to increase taxes for the 2007-08 fiscal year. The municipal property tax rate will remain at 52.2 cents per $100 property valuation. This is the third year in a row that Chapel Hill has not increased the tax rate. Orange County has proposed a tax rate…
Pesticide use by schools under review
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district is reviewing the use of herbicides on playgrounds and athletic fields after potentially harmful chemicals were spread on competition fields at Smith Middle School in May. Steve Scroggs, assistant superintendent for support services, sent an email to parents of Smith Middle students over the weekend notifying them of the…
Shelter move to Homestead Road has some seniors worried
About 100 people gathered on Friday to debate proposed plans to relocate the men’s homeless shelter to the county’s Southern Human Services campus on Homestead Road. Chris Moran, executive director of the Inter-Faith Council, said the proposed plans are “at a standstill,†pending negotiations between the town of Chapel Hill and Orange County. The Orange…
School board decides against First School
By Susan Dickson Staff Writer The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education last week voted unanimously to drop plans for a pre-kindergarten through third-grade facility at Seawell Elementary School. S chool board members said plans for the project were dropped because estimated costs – about $28 million – were too high considering the number of students…
Obituary: Linda Norwood Kitchens
Linda Norwood Kitchens passed peacefully at her home in Hillsborough on Saturday, June 9, 2007. Linda was a native of Chapel Hill but moved to Hillsborough in 2005 to her home she affectionately referred to as her “earthly promised land.†Linda enjoyed many beautiful days bird watching from her sunroom and telling stories of her…
Obituary: Richard Whitehead Sparrow
Richard Whitehead Sparrow of Chapel Hill died Wednesday, June 6, 2007. A graduate of Chapel Hill High School, Mr. Sparrow attended the University of North Carolina and was a World War II veteran having served in the Pacific theater. He was retired from the US Postal Service. A memorial was held at 2:00 pm Saturday,…
High school days come to an end in style
By Susan Dickson Staff Writer Amid a sea of parents, friends, teachers and mentors, more than 750 graduates from Chapel Hill and East Chapel Hill high schools made their way across a stage and out into the world on Saturday. “We made it, baby,†East Chapel Hill High graduate Antonio Sales told members of his…
Artisan featured in film
By Taylor Sisk Staff Writer “I really think that as a culture, we’re ready for a major overhaul,†says Carrboro’s Tim Peck. Peck is the subject of a new short video produced by Linda DiLorenzo of DiLorenzo Studios, titled “Peck and Artisans.†The video focuses on Peck’s work as a general contractor and the philosophy…
Board approves new rules for downtown
By Kirk Ross Staff Writer The Carrboro Board of Aldermen gave final approval to a new set of rules for downtown, clearing the way for several mixed-use projects to move forward. The projects had been stalled because meeting the town’s requirements for open space in residential developments would have been next to impossible given the…
County approves shelter plan
The Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved plans to build a full-service animal services facility on Eubanks Road adjacent to the Orange County landfill. The facility, which is estimated to cost $6.5 million, will house the animal shelter, Orange County Animal Control and the administrative division of the Animal Services Department. The divisions…
County Commissioners June 14 Budget Work Session Agenda
The Board of County Commissioners meets for a budget work session Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center on Homestead Road. Here’s the agenda: 1. Opening Comments 2. Review recommended fee changes 3. Review county department budgets, by exception 4. Sanitation transition 5. Reserve for planning initiatives 6. Review of potential budget…
Horace Williams hearings
A joint session of the House and Senate Appropriations Health and Humans Services subcommittee is going to hold the long-awaited hearing on the closing of Horace Williams Airport on Thursday morning. Look for, perhaps, some real surprises. From the calendar: APPROPRIATIONS 643 8:30 am H.B. 73 Improve State Construction Process. S.B. 1119 State Budget Act/Technical…
County Commissioners June 12 Agenda
The Board of County Commissioners meets Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the F. Gordon Battle Courtroom on East Margaret Lane in Hillsborough. Here’s the agenda: 1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda 2. Public Comments 3. Proclamations/Resolutions/Special Presentations a.     Steinbeck Award for Tom Konsler The Board will consider recognizing the accomplishments of one of the…
She’s got game
Rec league’s only girl is a force to be reckoned with By Susan Dickson Staff Writer Out on the baseball diamonds of the Carrboro Recreation and Parks league, amid a sea of teenage boys, perhaps it will surprise you to see a blonde ponytail poking out of a pitcher’s cap. What certainly will surprise you…
Officials, residents question rush on Carolina North
By Kirk Ross Staff Writer A perceived shift in the university’s mission at Carolina North along with concerns about housing at the new campus and its impact on regional transportation has officials and residents now asking why the rush to finish a plan this fall. At a Monday night forum sponsored by several environmental and…