by Susan Dickson Staff Writer Several county residents spoke against the proposed tax increase while others spoke in favor of funding programs and services at an unusually short public hearing on the proposed county budget Tuesday night. “I’m a little disappointed,†said Ben Lloyd, a longtime county resident and former county commissioner. “Last year there…
Category: News
OWASA ends water restrictions, adds year-round rules
The drought is officially over, but the Orange Water and Sewer Authority has implemented new year-round rules. OWASA directors voted last Thursday to end water-shortage restrictions and surcharges now that the reservoirs are approaching full. As of Wednesday, University Lake, the Cane Creek Reservoir and the Quarry Reservoir contain about three billion gallons of water,…
Town OKs new type of zoning on Center Street
by Kirk Ross Staff Writer The Carrboro Board of Aldermen approved a new type of zoning and shortly afterward approved the first property to receive it in a meeting Tuesday night at Town Hall. The town’s new conditional zoning rules were approved after a discussion about how the new rules would affect mainly downtown areas….
News Brief: Emergency prep fair
The N.C. Children’s Hospital will host an Emergency Preparedness fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 29 and Friday, May 30 in the lobby. The fair provides information on severe weather and other emergency preparedness from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Weather Service and other organizations. Two prizes will be…
News Brief: Dry dog wash
On Saturday, May 31 Whole Foods in Chapel Hill will host a dry dog wash with volunteers for the Animal Protection Society. For a donation, they will “dry bathe†your dog while you have a bite to eat for $5 per plate. The event includes raffles and contests and fun activities for dogs, including dog…
News Brief: Women’s workshops
The Women’s Center will hold a series of financial workshops in June. Workshops will be held four Thursdays, starting June 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Women’s Center and will focus on a different financial topic each week. Topics include budget management and credit repair, investing, bankruptcy and foreclosure prevention, and money management.
News Brief: Animal shelter benefit cookout
Orange County’s Animal Services Department will hold its first annual Spring Cookout on Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. at the Orange County Animal Shelter. The event will feature a scavenger hunt, adoptable animals and free hot dogs and drinks. In addition, local musicians will perform.
Pedestrian deaths have many concerned
By Susan Dickson Staff Writer Last week, a young woman died after she was hit by a bus while jogging on the UNC campus. Then on Saturday, another woman died after a car hit her while she was crossing Weaver Dairy Road. And in April, a man died after he was struck by a Town…
Transfer station site rules set
By Taylor Sisk Staff Writer At a work session held before Tuesday night’s Orange County Board of Commissioners meeting at the Southern Human Services Center, the board approved exclusionary criteria to guide it in its search for a site for a solid-waste transfer station. The board heard from Ed Shuffler and Bob Sallach of Olver…
County looks at 9-cent increase in tax rate
By Susan Dickson Staff Writer Orange County Manager Laura Blackmon recommended an 8.8-cent increase on the ad valorem tax rate at the board of county commissioners meeting on Tuesday. The increase would raise the ad valorem tax rate to $1.038 per $100 of property valuation, representing a 9 percent increase over the current 95-cent rate….
OWASA plans rate hike
By Kirk Ross Staff Writer The good news coming from the Orange Water and Sewer Authority is not only that the reservoirs are nearing capacity but that conservation practices among the utility’s customers continue even though the more stringent rules have been lifted. The bad news, though, is that less water use has opened up…
Hearing set for taco truck rules
By Kirk Ross Staff Writer At its meeting Tuesday night at Town Hall, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen set a public hearing for June 24 on a proposed amendment to the town’s land-use plan as a result of the controversy raised earlier this year over taco trucks downtown. After an anonymous complaint in January, the…
Public hearing on the budget Tuesday night
The Carrboro Board of Aldermen has scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday on the town’s 2008-2009 budget. The hearing begins at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall. The agenda is available on the town’s website. A copy of Town Manager Steve Stewarts’s proposed $18,476,375 budget is also available on the site at the town government link.
News Brief: Pet fees
Orange County Animal Control is raising the prices on several fees this July. Fees for mistreatment, failure to license a pet and failure to vaccinate against rabies have been increased to $200. Fees for public-nuisance violations have been doubled. The Animal Control Division says the fees only affect pet owners who violate county animal ordinances…
News Brief: Rabid animals
Two rabid raccoons and one rabid bat were found in Orange County. One raccoon was found Friday, May 16 near NC 54 and Dodson’s Crossroads in Chapel Hill. The bat was found Saturday, May 17 on NC 86 north of I-40. The second raccoon was found Sunday, May 18 near Burton Road and NC 86.