Categories
Miscellany

Wondering

I dunno, maybe a big story fell through and they had to think of something quick, but the front of today’s Life section of the N&O–The Seven Wonders of the Triangle–was l-a-m-é. Their picks: RTP, Cameron Indoor Stadium, that damn Acorn in Raleigh, Cameron Village (note obsession with things named Cameron) and a few others. (I kinda agree with Crook’s Corner Shrimp & Grits, but I’m not sure if it’s a classic wonder.)

Here’s some of the short descriptions of the wonders (wherein the paper of record does snark, I think):

The Acorn
Big and fun and metal and hoisted by a crane on New Year’s Eve. . .

RTP
. . .RTP is populated by all sorts of wonderfully smart people who tinker with test tubes and microbes and whatnot. . .

Feeling icky right about now is perfectly natural. Of course, this is all a part of a tie-in with the odd re-vote on the seven wonders project thing. So, the N&O wants to know what your list of seven wonders. Dean Dome anyone?
Jot yours down if you’d like. Here’s a few of mine off the top of my head:

• Cat’s Cradle (Original lineup Sebadoh’s coming)
• Clyde Jones’ yard
• Cameron Avenue around the Old Well and Polk Place (my Cameron vote).
• Eno River State Park
• Merritt’s Store Large BLT
• Maybe NC Botanical Garden, Duke Gardens, JC Raulston Arboretum

Categories
Miscellany

Noonalmost Report

Today in Raleigh at 1 p.m., the House Select Commitee on Captial Punishment is holding a public hearing on the Death Penalty. Chapel Hill council member Mark Kleinschmidt writes about it on his blog. The big question is whether Orange County Rep. Joe Hackney can finally muster up enough votes for a moratorium. Last session, there were plenty of people who said it was the right thing to do, but not enough votes to pass it.

Also, if you haven’t had a chance to read Alderman Dan Coleman’s essay on attending the ceremony in honor of Misael Martinez pay a visit to the Indy site.

The redesign of 300 East Main is in the news. Here’s the Herald article and the N&O‘s take
from this morning.

State & National
Meet the new boss—definitely not the same as the old boss.
WaPo: Click ticking on the One Hundred Hours.
• TPM on the GOP’s irony deafness.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch;
• What a feeling: Toyota coming to NC?
• Ag-Mart slips out of big fines
• Soft landing predicted for NC economy

And as far as the gavel in the NC House is concerned, it’s still up for grabs.
Today’s Insider notes that Rep. Jim Crawford held a get-together yesterday to try and build support, but that nothing’s settled.

One list being circulated showed as many as 15 House Democratic caucus members undecided. The House Democratic caucus is scheduled to meet Jan. 10 to elect its speaker nominee.

Categories
Sports

Heels vs. Quakers

Home game tonight starting at 8 p.m.
Hosting the Penn Quakers.
Links to previews via Tar Heel Daily

Categories
Miscellany

Noonish report

Sorry to be late, just wrapped up a long listen of the legislative hearings by the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging. The state is looking at a number of models for improving and streamlining services—a good idea since the population boom in retirees is accelerating. Some quick facts from UNC’s Institute on Aging (click on the link for the full list):

NC’s older population is projected to more than double from 2000 to 2030. The very old population (85+) is projected to much more than double, increasing 150%. [1]

North Carolina has a significantly higher percentage of black elderly (16%) than the overall U.S. (8%). In contrast, North Carolina has a much lower percentage of Hispanic elderly (0.6%) than the overall U.S. (5%) (2004). [6]

Older women significantly outnumber older men; they represent 61% of the 65+ population and 74% of the 85+ population in NC (2004). [6]

North Carolina women age 75+ are twice as likely to be poor as men the same age (2004). [6]

North Carolina will need more than 21,000 additional nurse aides and other paraprofessionals to meet the long term care needs of its older adults over the next 5 years (2001). [8]

Other news this noonish hour:
• OP takes a look at the Chapel Hill Police Chief search
• Teheri-Azar wants trial over ASAP
• H-S: Earth Fare leaving Eastgate
• Ernie Hood’s WCOM science show, Radio In Vivo, gets a write-up

Categories
Miscellany

Landfill’s open today

In case you’re wondering:

New Year’s Schedule for Landfill and Recycling Services

Curbside recycling will not be collected on Monday, January 1, New Year’s Day. Routes that would normally be collected on that day will be collected the Saturday before, on December 30.

Have your recycling bin to the curb by 7:00 a.m.or put it out the night before your normal recycling day to help ensure prompt service.

The Solid Waste Management Administration Office will be closed on January 1, 2007.

The Orange County Landfill and all associated services including the Household Hazardous Waste collection, electronics recycling and mulch sales will be closed Monday, January 1. Normal hours will resume on Tuesday, January 2, 2007.

Solid Waste Convenience Centers will be closed Monday, January 1. Regular hours will resume Tuesday, January 2, 7:00 am – 7:00 pm.

Categories
Miscellany

Noon report

Good afternoon,
One story that hasn’t gotten much attention in all the holiday hub-bub is the rise in the unemployment rate. The rate in Orange County for November rose from 3 percent to 3.4 percent—a pretty big jump— according the latest figures released last week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the state’s Employment Security Commission. We now have a workforce of 68,669 with 66,348 employed and 2,321 out of work. A look at the county’s top employers here.

Statewide, unemployment in North Carolina rose from 4.5 percent to 4.9 percent with 92 counties reporting an increase in claims. Full report (pdf) here.

Few other things to note:

• Herald on the state’s rejection of Chatham’s wastewater permit application.
• Orange Rescue squad wins grant
• The Environmental Advisory Board is meeting Jan 4. (Agenda)
• The Planning Board is also meeting on the 4th. (Agenda)
• The Recreation and Parks Commission meets Jan. 8 (Agenda)
• The Board of Aldermen hold their first meeting of the year on Jan. 9. No agenda yet.
Also, in case you’re wondering, the DTH starts back up on Jan. 10

Categories
Weather

Welcome to The Mill

For those of you just joining us, welcome to The Mill. Please feel free to have a look around.

Now let’s talk about the weather. Bolin Creek was running full tilt earlier today thanks to about about a half-inch of rain since midnight. And get ready to usher back in another cold front. This week, it’s headed for lows in the mid-30s (a low of 29 is predicted for Tuesday night) and highs clear down to the mid-50s. Still pretty warm for this time of year. A lot of people coming back from visiting up north are talking about how strange it is to have seen no snow. If this has your global-warming alarm bells ringing then jump over to Steve Gregory’s weather blog and check out Dreaming of a brown Christmas.

I had my collards—cooked for a solid three hours by Acme‘s Kevin Callaghan—at a get-together on the northwest side of town. Hoppin’ John and country ham and all that, too. A bit about New Year food lore of here and here and here. Always reminds me of the differing takes on the meaning of eating black-eyes peas. Coins or luck?

peas.jpeg

Categories
Miscellany

Edwards rally in Chapel Hill: Where is the America We All Believe in?

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Pretty big rally on the green tonight. A long wait (never known a political rally to start on time). Couple of quick notes on Edwards and his themes:
Get involved. He promised a “very different campaign” that takes action now. “Take action to change America. . .We’ve got to take it by the horns and bring the change America needs.”

Restore the country’s moral leadership.
“Where is the America we all believe in?”

Called for the country to lead again in respect for individual rights and liberties.
Here’s the clip.

On the war:
“I say to all of you, I reject categorically any escalation of this war.”
Says he rejects this “McCain Doctrine” of a surge in troops.
Says, we need to make it clear to the Iraqis that we are leaving.
“Best way to make that clear is start leaving.”

Spoke out on Darfur, Uganda and AIDS in Africa. On the lack of AIDS drugs to prevent mothers from passing it on to their children.
“How can the richest nation stand by and watch this happen.”

Called on the country to kick the foreign oil addiction, to change our habits, to do something about Global Warming on a personal level.

Called for moral leadership through universal health care, fighting poverty, by allowing workers to organize. “If anyone can join the Republican Party just by signing a card, they should be able to join a union the same way.”

Categories
Miscellany

Edwards rally

Weather looks a little clearer for the John Edwards rally on the green at Southern Village.
The 4 p.m. rally, with music by Del McCoury, wraps up Edwards’ announcement tour.

Categories
Miscellany

Dexter and Sara at the Cradle

Tip of the hat to Mann’s World for this video of Dexter and sister Sara at the Cradle.

Fire still there? Check.

Categories
Miscellany

Ford in Orange County

Gerald Ford may have had one of the best laugh lines in a State of the Union with “I’m a Ford and not a Lincoln.”
He also spent a good deal of time in Orange County, first taking law classes at UNC and then in pre-flight training for the Navy. He must have spent a lot of time out at Horace Williams.

Fom his official Navy bio:

Instead of waiting for the draft, Ford wanted to join the Navy. His background as a coach and trainer made him a good candidate for instructor in the Navy’s V-5 (aviation cadet) program. Ford received a commision as ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve on 13 April 1942. On 20 April, he reported for active duty to the V-5 instructor school at Annapolis, Maryland. After one month of training, he went to Navy Preflight School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he was one of 83 instructors and taught elementary seamanship, ordnance, gunnery, first aid, and military drill. In addition, he coached in all nine sports that were offered, but mostly in swimming, boxing and football. During the one year he was at the Preflight School, he was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade on 2 June 1942, and to Lieutenant on March 1943.

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Ford at a Navy ceremony at UNC.