Categories
Miscellany

Elizabeth Edwards opens Red Window

This from the OC Visitor’s Bureau. (note that on the latest check the store’s site was still under construction)

redwindow0809

Elizabeth Edwards Opens Red Window Furniture Store in downtown Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC—(August 7, 2009)—Elizabeth Edwards has opened Red Window furniture story, a 700- square foot dwelling, that sells unique items such as folk art paintings, lighting fixtures, furnishings, and accessories. The store was designed to appeal to all tastes and budgets and houses an eclectic combination of distinctive armoires, wardrobes, entertainment centers, tables, chairs and sofas and unique hand painted furniture, metal art and more. Red Window also features handmade sea shelled themed art designed by Edwards’s sister, Nancy Anania.

Red Window opened its doors in late-July to test summer hours and monitor foot- traffic through the town. The store will hold an official grand opening in late August, when students return to the college town. Chapel Hill is home of the University of North Carolina and also home to John and Elizabeth Edwards and their family. A grand opening is set for August 22.

Red Window is named in memory of the furniture store, Red Door, operated by Edwards’ mother, while the family resided in Japan.

“Elizabeth has a beautiful eye for art and creative furnishings,” says manager and family friend, Cameron Hughes. “A nearby warehouse is stacked with colorful, unique objects that we will continually add as inventory turns,” said Hughes.

“We are delighted to have Mrs. Edwards’ store in downtown Chapel Hill. Her creative eye and reputation for creativity and quality will only add to the allure of this famed area. We look forward to heralding in new stores such as Red Window as we continue to turn the spotlight on new additions to North Carolina’s main street,” said Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy.

Red Window is located at 400 W. Rosemary Street, Ste. 1004, Chapel Hill, NC 27516. 919.636.4563. Current hours are 10 am – 2 pm. The website is currently under construction but will be live in time for the grand opening. www.redwindow.net.

Categories
Weather

Monday weather

Hot, hot I tell ya. Hour by hour temps here.
But hey, it’s supposed to get own to 81 by 11 p.m. tonight.
The official heat advisory as follows:

HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING…

THE COMBINATION OF HIGH TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 98 TO 102 DEGREES AND SEASONABLE HUMIDITY LEVELS… WILL PRODUCE HEAT INDICES AROUND 105 DEGREES FOR SEVERAL HOURS THIS AFTERNOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT CONDITIONS… WHICH CAN LEAD TO HEAT ILLNESSES UNLESS PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN… IS EXPECTED. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS… STAY IN AN AIR CONDITIONED BUILDING… STAY OUT OF THE SUNSHINE… AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.

THE HEAT INDEX IS A MEASURE OF HOW HOT IT FEELS WHEN THE EFFECT OF HUMIDITY IS COMBINED WITH TEMPERATURE. A HEAT INDEX OF 105 DEGREES IS CONSIDERED THE LEVEL WHERE MANY PEOPLE BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE PHYSICAL STRESS… EVEN WITH LIMITED ACTIVITY.

ANYONE PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES SHOULD PREPARE TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF THE HEAT. LIMIT TIME SPENT OUTDOORS THIS AFTERNOON. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE… LIMIT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES TO THE MORNING OR EVENING HOURS… WHEN IT WILL BE COOLER.

Categories
Arts & Music

This Thing We Did Festival

Sanford rocks — at least one weekend a year. And this is that weekend. Food and Music. Music and Food. That is basically the theme. TTWD site with sked.
Bands include: Auxes, Caverns, White Tiger & The Bed Of Roses, Starmount, I WAS TOTALLY DESTROYING IT, Dr. Powerful, RENMINBI, Solar Powered Sun Destroyer, Vinny Vegas (on iTunes), Hymn All The Fires, fin fang foom, Hammer No More the Fingers, The Mitchells, Embarrassing Fruits.
ttwd

Categories
Miscellany

Recipe of the Week: Tomato Jam

Recipe Provided by April McGregor: Market Vendor and Owner of Farmers’ Daughter Brand.

Yields about 2 pints

This is a thick and glossy tomato preserve that is like a grown up, very sophisticated version of ketchup. It is delicious on bread, cheese, roasted chicken, meat, and fish, okra fritters, and beans or peas. This recipe is adapted from my great grandmother’s, who never served field peas (usually purple hull peas) and cornbread without it. You can make this jam with virtually any type of tomato, even green (unripe) tomatoes. The juicier heirloom and beefsteak type tomatoes will take longer to cook down than less watery tomatoes, like Romas or other paste tomatoes.

3 ½ pounds of tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 cup sugar (I have used unrefined sugar with good results)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seed
¼ teaspoon ground celery seed
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger, or ½ teaspoon of ground ginger
A big pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne, or to taste
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

I prefer my tomatoes peeled, but if you don’t mind a slightly more rustic preserve, feel free to skip the first step. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Score an “X” on the bottom of each tomato. When the water is at a steady boil, drop in the tomatoes, being careful not to overcrowd your pot, and cook for one minute. With a slotted spoon, transfer your tomatoes to a rimmed baking tray or other container. Let them cool slightly and then slip off the skins. Core them and crush them with your fingers as you transfer them to a wide saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer rapidly for about 10 minutes to reduce the excess juices. Add the salt, sugar, spices, and lemon juice. Cook the jam over medium low heat, watching carefully and gently stirring regularly, so that it does not scorch on the bottom, until thick and glossy. That should take about 1 hour depending on the variety of tomato that you’ve chosen. You can then transfer the jam to sterilized jars and water bath can them for longer keeping or simply refrigerate for several weeks.

Categories
Farms Food

August 8th: What’s at Market

Check out what’s at the Carrboro Year Round Farmers’ Market…
Saturdays: 7am – Noon
Wednesdays: 3:30pm – 6:30pm
Thursdays at Southern Village: 3:30pm – 6:30pm

New Item this Week: PEARS, butternut squash, concord grapes, apples, peaches, plums, eggplant, shiitake mushrooms, melons, corn, heirloom and various varieties of tomatoes, basil, beans, tomatillos, okra, peaches, blueberries, carrots, snow peas, parsley, bell peppers, zucchini, fava beans, cucumbers, summer squash, new potatoes, kohlrabi, lettuce, chard, onions, flour, onions, garlic, beets, cabbage, radishes, collards, fresh herbs, kale, mustard greens, salad greens, sweet potatoes, turnips, squashes, pecans, herb and vegetable starters, flowers such as zinnias, sunflowers, lilies, gladiolas, snap dragons, status, meats like goat, beef, pork, lamb, chicken, buffalo, and various specialty meats like liverwurst, bologna, hotdogs, etc, cow’s and goat’s milk cheeses, eggs, breads, doughnuts, tortes, pies, cakes, jams, and relishes .

Categories
Miscellany

Edwards’ former mistress at grand jury in Raleigh

This from TPM:

The former mistress of John Edwards arrived at a federal courthouse in Raleigh, N.C., this morning, reports the Associated Press. Rielle Hunter is presumably testifying to a grand jury.

Categories
Schools

Back to school health tips via UNC:

Five tips for back to school time

Back to school time can be problematic for both children and parents. Here UNC Health Care experts offer tips for dealing with five issues that might arise.

Tip No. 1: Know the signs of school phobia, separation anxiety and social phobia

Starting or returning to school can stir up a bevy of emotions with a range of effects, from bothersome to debilitating. Knowing a little bit about a few of these problems helps parents and children manage and overcome them.

School phobia – extreme anxiety from going to school or even talking about it. Causes could range from being bullied to grieving for a lost pet. Reassure the child that fear is normal, remind him of good things in school, and don’t give in to a desire to stay home.

Separation anxiety – afraid of being without mom or dad can be paralyzing and have long-term effects. Focus on fun things, provide rewards and be consistent about leaving your child or he won’t learn that anxiety is temporary.

Social phobia – extreme fear and avoidance of social situations or of being the center of attention can begin in elementary school as extreme shyness, difficulty making friends or not speaking up. See a mental health professional. The disorder can manifest in adulthood as trouble keeping a job or staying in a relationship.

Dr. Jonathan Abramowitz, professor and associate chair of psychology at UNC Chapel Hill, is available to discuss each of these problems.

Tip No. 2: How to help your student return to healthy sleep habits

“One thing is clear; everybody is not getting enough sleep,” says Dr. Leslie Boyce, director of the UNC Pediatric Sleep Center.

Many problems are related to poor “sleep hygiene,” but others can be attributed to more serious problems such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome. In teenagers, a normal shift in their biological clocks could be to blame.

Kids up to 12 need about 10 to 11 hours of sleep a night; they average seven to nine.
Teenagers need at least nine, and they get seven. In children, lack of sleep can manifest in poor attention and foul mood.

Boyce can break down sleep problems. Some tips include:
Tonsils may cause obstructive sleep apnea; have your doctor consider that cause.
Lights out – including computers and games – an hour before bedtime
Melatonin might help regulate your teenager’s sleep time

Tip No. 3: Common myths, and reality checks, about sexually transmitted diseases

Dr. Nicole Swiner of UNC Health Care’s Durham Family Practice clinic says she has seen an increase in teens and 20-somethings with sexually transmitted diseases this summer. Back to school time could add to the increase, and many of these patients put themselves at risk because of certain myths they believed, Dr. Swiner said, such as:

Myth: “I feel fine and don’t have any problems, so I don’t need to be tested for STDs.”

Reality check: STDs can linger in the body for years before you notice symptoms, and even if you don’t have symptoms, you could still infect your partner. If you are sexually active, then you need to be tested for STDs when you have your annual physical exam, Dr. Swiner says. This is true for both sexes, from teens to older adults, who are sexually active.

Tip No. 4: Prescription meds can make back-to-school time tricky, and risky, for kids. Here are tips for a smooth and safe transition.

For children taking prescription medications, schools often require documentation from the physician and a separate prescription that will stay at the school, says Mary W. Roederer, Pharm.D., from the UNC Department of Family Medicine. So, before the school year starts, parents need to get an extra prescription from their physician, fill out all required forms and coordinate with their child’s teachers and/or school nurses.

Back to school time can be very stressful, a trigger that causes some older children to rummage through their parents’ medicine cabinets, while younger children may mistake prescription drugs for candy. For these reasons, parents should keep prescription drugs out of their children’s’ reach, preferably under lock and key, Roederer says.

Tip. No. 5: Know your child’s heart risk

Heart disease starts early in life, with sedentary lifestyles and poor eating choices. Dr. Cam Patterson, director of the UNC McAllister Heart Institute, explains the physiology and provides tips to help kids chart a heart-healthy course.

With sudden cardiac death, however, there seems to be little anyone can do to prevent it. It’s rare – about one in 50,000 for kids 12 and older, but the topic arises each year as our kids start playing school sports. There are things people can do to help prevent a catastrophe:

Be sure your child has a physical every year before beginning sports; The American Heart Association recommends a 12-point screening exam before beginning participation in sports
Be aware of symptoms of heart problems, including shortness of breath, chest pain or fainting
Encourage your community to install AEDs – automatic external defibrillators – and teach people how to use them
Make your doctor aware of any cardiovascular problems in your family’s history

Categories
Miscellany

Indy story on Amanda Ashley

Solid reporting on court records and a good follow up interview for the Indy’s Joe Schwartz on Carrboro mayoral candidate Amanda Ashley. Schwartz writes that Ashley has had a court judgment against her over failure to pay child support.
In the interview, Ashey, who now identifies as a woman, is candid about the child support issue — the result, she said, of extended unemployment and a “depression-related breakdown.”
Link here.

Categories
Miscellany

Aldermen to hold special meeting

From the Carrboro Town Clerk’s office this morning:

NOTICE OF SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING OF THE
TOWN OF CARRBORO BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Please take notice that the Town of Carrboro Board of Aldermen will hold a special meeting on Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. in the Carrboro Town Hall in Room 100. The Board will be discussing ongoing litigation in closed session pursuant to G.S. § 143-318.11{a)(3).

Categories
Miscellany

MILL: Carrboro meeting calendar

Town of Carrboro’s official August 2009 calendar of meetings.
(click for larger version)
carrboro0809cal

Community page on the Town of Carrboro site (with pdf links).

Categories
Miscellany

August Mill

August is a month of contradiction. Summer is at its lazy, catfish-jumping peak, and by the beginning of the month we all have the hot-weather slows, as our bodies have learned again that the only way to stay cool is to move as little as possible. Then, somewhere around mid-month, that all comes to an abrupt end. The town fills back up, as families return from vacations and Carolina students start pouring back in. You can hear the roar of civilization build as the university gears back up (residence halls open on Aug. 22) and the local schools do likewise (first day of school is Aug. 25.) Old Sol doesn’t know that though, and as we get more crowded and congested he continues to beat down as hard as when we were all in mosey mode.

We invite you to not get too caught up in all the noise and haste of getting ready for the school year. As this issue of MILL indicates, there’s still plenty to do other than scurrying around with the rest of the herd.

This issue also offers a kind of meditation on Carrboro, this paper’s beloved hometown and a place that can sometimes be as confusing for longtime residents as it is for newcomers. We’ve included a few tips for getting around and making the most of life here that we hope will benefit both groups, as well those venturing into town for a visit. And there’s a tough little quiz with tidbits of town history woven through it. Pass it and you’re eligible to win a Carrboro Citizen coffee mug and T-shirt (details on page 5). Good luck and stay cool.

— Kirk Ross