Categories
Miscellany

Welcome to The Mill again

Whether you’ve dropped by after seeing the story in the News about the Citizen and the Commons or you’ve wondered over via OP, PJ or some other citizen’s site, welcome to our humble blog.

We launched this thing back when discussions about the paper were just starting and have a few dozen things to read already. So, feel free to browse around.

A couple of things to note:

• Next week, we’ll start printing The Carrboro Citizen and when you direct your browser to carrborocitizen.com you’ll go to the main site. So, you might want to bookmark The Mill with its actual address, which is www.ibiblio.org/carrborocitizen/mill

• The paper will be available around Carrboro, north Chatham, White Cross, in the big city next door, on campus and, if you want, in your driveway. The paper is free, but if you want to have it delivered you’ll have to ask. (We’re not going to throw one in every driveway. It’s a waste of energy, trees and time.) To subscribe send us an email to delivery at carrborocitizen dot com.

Categories
Miscellany

Signs 2.0

OK, well, the signs are in for a retooling.

Via The Beet:

Carr Mill will be temporarily removing the signs on the lawn in front of the Carrboro store today to correct the wording. The signs were put up at the end of last week to state Carr Mill’s Policy regarding the use of the lawn. The signs mistakenly used an older version of Carr Mill’s Open Space Policy that didn’t reflect changes that resulted from negotiations last fall between Carr Mill, Weaver Street, and Carrboro Alderman Dan Coleman. The error resulted when the wrong file was sent to the sign maker. When the error was discovered, Carr Mill immediately arranged to take down the signs and have the wording changed. In addition to updating the wording of the Policy, the new signs will start with “Welcome to Carr Mill” to reflect the spirit of the negotiations last fall.

Carr Mill has also agreed to consider changing the location of the signs when they are put up again. It was Weaver Street Market’s understanding that the signs would be put up on the edge of the lawn, not in the middle, and we have requested that Carr Mill make that change. We expect that the signs will be put up again next week, and we hope that the location will be changed to the edge of the lawn.

New sign wording here.

Via Paul Jones: Back to the Weave!

Via OP: Some really amazing examples of public discourse in the ether.

Categories
Sports

Heels sked

Games and coverage so far for the first round.

Men
UNC vs. Eastern Kentucky
Thursday, March 15
Approx. 9:50 p.m. on CBS
Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Winston Salem

Stories
• Tar Heel Blue: East may be toughest regional in NCAA Field
• Tar Heel Daily: Eddy Landreth at Tar Heel Daily on the season and the future.

Women
UNC vs. Prairie View A&M
Sunday, March 18
2:00 p.m. on ESPN
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Stories
• Tar Heel Blue: Tar Heels earn NCAA no. 1 seed for third straight year
• ESPN: Tar Heels can’t afford solo act from Latta

Categories
Miscellany

Mysterious objects discovered

object.jpg

Carrboro residents awoke yesterday morning to find two mysterious objects on the lawn at Carr Mill. The tall, white obelisks–covered with characters–drew the curious.

Seriously, I don’t have a problem with the idea of a reminder of good neighbor rules. But the signs seem so strangely placed–like sentinels of neighborliness. From a design standpoint, the placement, especially of the one near the dining area, carves up the space and with it a nice vista east of downtown.

The fallout so far: Folks at OP are hopping mad about it. Photos and ongoing dialogue there. You can get an idea of the scale as well.

Here’s the text of the rules via Yesh:

Carr Mill Mall
Good Neighbor Rules

1. Carr Mill Mall buildings, lawn, and parking lots are only for the use of customers while shopping and dining, and for tenants and their invited guests.

2. Solicitation and distribution of literature or handbills is prohibited.

3. Loitering or sleeping on benches is prohibited.

4. Unauthorized performances and large or publicly advertised gatherings are prohibited.

5. Dogs must be well behaved, leashed, attended, promptly cleaned up after, and watered with disposable bowls.

6. Stay out of all trees, garden areas, and the pond. The edge of the pond can be used for seating, but not for walking or running. Do not throw anything in the pond.

7. Alcoholic beverages can be consumed only in eating areas, and not near the entrance to the offices or the edge of the lawn.

Thank you.

Categories
Arts & Music

New legislation would help ArtsCenter

Senator Ellie Kinnaird has filed a bill to help the ArtsCenter kickstart planning and design for its new facility. The bill (SB656) would direct $100,000 to help plan a major capital campaign and start the programing and schematics on the new center. You can track the progress here.

Here’s the text:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT TO appropriate funds to design and ORGANIZE a major Capital campaign to construct a new multiDisciplinary FACILITY TO REPLACE the artscenter in the town of CARRBORO.

Whereas, the ArtsCenter in Carrboro has been a valuable artistic resource for more than 25 years; and

Whereas, the ArtsCenter provides the surrounding community with art classes, concerts, theater, children and family programming, and art exhibits; and

Whereas, the ArtsCenter attracts more than 50,000 patrons each year, who visit local restaurants and businesses and thereby provide a significant contribution to the area’s economy; and

Whereas, the ArtsCenter is preparing for a capital campaign to raise funds to construct a new facility for its expanding programming and to play an integral part in the redevelopment plan for downtown Carrboro; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to The ArtsCenter, Inc., a nonprofit organization, the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year to lay the foundation for a successful capital campaign. The sum will be applied toward the following projects:

(1) Recruitment and hiring of professional development consultants to plan fund-raising efforts for a new facility.

(2) Program development and schematic design of a new facility.

SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.

Categories
Miscellany

Community Dinner

Justin Smith of the Carrboro Commons posts this story about the Community Dinner. Spent part of that afternoon in the cafetorium myself and it was a lovely time. There was more than enough food, plenty of folks to visit and some great music.

From Justin’s story, this shot of co-host Fred Black making the rounds:

fredblack.jpg

Categories
Miscellany

Sima comes home

Sima Fallahi is home in Carrboro.

Got an email last night from Bob Wright of the news and about the long days and drives back and forth as the bureaucracy lurched ahead ever so slowly. She’s happy, of course, and thankful of the support. But the ordeal is not over. From Bob’s note:

The legal hurdles (and legal expenses) are not over. Sima is under supervised release and must report periodically to the ICE office in Charlotte. Because the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not opposed Sima’s motion to reopen the proceedings on Sima’s deportation order, it is very likely that the motion will be granted. However, DHS reserves the right to challenge the merits of this case. It may take several months for the immigration court to make a decision. If the order is lifted, Sima must then reapply for political asylum. Sima will be able to stay in this country only if she gets political asylum.

We are thankful for the support that the community has provided to Sima and Leila. First, we appreciate the many messages that our elected officials and community members sent to Representative David Price, which encouraged him to ask ICE to keep Sima in Charlotte, rather than in Atlanta. This action allowed Leila to visit Sima weekly, which was important for the well-being of both mother and daughter. Second the community’s contributions to the legal defense fund has helped to pay for the excellent legal representation that Jorgelina Araneda and Randall Stroud have provided for Sima. Third, we are thankful for the families of Leila’s classmates who have helped Leila maintain normal social interactions in a very stressful time for her. We are also thankful for the many gifts that have been sent to Leila. Finally, we appreciate all the work that Jackie Helvey has done to create and maintain the web site about Sima and Leila (www.carrboro.com/sima). The web site has been and continues to be an important communications channel to generate community support. To keep up to date with information about Sima and Leila, please check www.carrboro.com/sima.

Also, woke up to this nicely done story in the DTH.

“I knew I had friends, but I didn’t know how many,” she said

Categories
Miscellany

Home delivery of the Citizen

If you tuned into WCHL this morning (that’s 1360 on your am dial) and heard Ron Stutts interviewing us about the paper, you might have heard that we’re offering free in-town home delivery for Carrboro (and the contiguous Northside neighborhood in the big city).

To sign up give us a call at 942-2100 or send an email to delivery at carrboro citizen dot com. We’ll need to know where you live, of course, and where you’d like the paper placed.

A couple of things to note:

• We plan on opening up delivery options throughout our coverage area as demand increases. If your neighborhood is outside the Carrboro limits and you’d like to be included, please let us know.

•  Since we’re a free publication, most apartment complexes do not allow delivery. If you’d like a rack in your complex, though, we’re happy to bring one over.

Categories
Miscellany

Rolling

mainmain-and-jones-ferrry.jpg

New office: 309 Weaver Street overlooking Mann & Son Body Shop, the corner of Main and Jones Ferry and beyond that the PTA Thrift Shop

New computer: Intel iMac refurb from Apple

New smells: The lure of Tempura wafting over from Akai Hana.

New camera: An Olympus Evolt E-500 kit, used, but in mint condition from Southeastern Camera

Old office furniture: All hail UNC surplus (more on this later).

Categories
Miscellany

Moonrise interrupted by planet’s shadow

Spent a good deal of the evening watching the lunar eclipse. We were lucky to have such clear night for the viewing. Click on the graphic to go to NASA’s lunar eclipse page. Also, if you haven’t bookmarked Astronomy Picture of the Day, you’re missing one of Earth’s coolest science blogs.

NASA lunar eclipse

Categories
Miscellany

Stories about The Carrboro Citizen

Apparently, Robert Dickson and I are starting a newspaper.

While I make some changes to the site, you can read all about The Carrboro Citizen here, here, here, here and in this wonderful, welcoming DTH editorial.

Look for an introduction and an open thread for ideas and suggestions this afternoon. If you can’t wait, feel free to comment here.

Thanks,

Kirk Ross, editor