Articles by Victoria Stilwell

Student government reaches out to town

Student government is hoping to reach out to the Chapel Hill community through a Homecoming parade, safe celebrations after games and student voices on a downtown decision-making board.

The Chapel Hill Town Council might not have enough support to move forward with a waste transfer station possibility at Millhouse Road when it discusses the proposal next month.

Minor blaze doused safely

A fire that could have resulted in major damage was contained to a kitchen because of the preventative measures of a local apartment complex and quick action.

An apartment fire broke out just before 5:53 p.m. Thursday on the first floor of the 900 building at The Pointe at Chapel Hill apartment homes, according to Orange County Emergency Services.

Fire crews arrived at the scene three minutes later.

The fire follows a blaze last week that displaced about 34 residents at SunStone Apartments, which did not have sprinklers.

Parents fear shelter move

Homeless shelter leaders trying to relocate are hearing again the argument they’ve heard for the last 24 years: Not in my neighborhood.

The Inter-Faith Council for Social Service would like to move its downtown Community House men’s shelter to a site at 1315 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

The move to Rosemary Street in 1985 was never a permanent one, and the council had the proposed site, at the intersection of Homestead Road, in mind before the University offered the land last year.

Local spending could rise

A key economic indicator could be signaling a recovery for local retailers and consumers.

A recently released U.S. Consumer Price Index summary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows overall prices have been fairly stable. The rate of inflation also slowed from August to September, according to the index.

This likely indicates that the cost of living is falling for people who are residents in Chapel Hill, said Ralph Byrns, a UNC economics professor, which means people can buy more groceries and other goods with the money they earn.

Civil rights activist dies of cancer

John Kenyon “Yonni” Chapman, a local social activist most known for his work on race relations at the University, died after a 29-year battle with cancer Thursday evening. He was 62.

Chapman died at 6:06 p.m., according to an e-mail sent out by his daughters, Sandi Chapman Osterkatz and Joyce Chapman.

“His struggle is over, but our struggle continues, and what he would want from all of us is to use his passing to renew our commitment to justice, equality and to each other as sisters and brothers,” the e-mail said.

A homeless shelter faced organized opposition at a Monday public hearing from residents who would be affected by its potential relocation to a site near Homestead Road.

The Chapel Hill Town Council challenged representatives from the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service and several neighborhoods in the area to increase direct communication between the two parties to facilitate negotiations.

Stacy Morgan said she loves living in Chapel Hill, but student life sometimes clashes with her life as a single parent.

“The biggest thing was the bong,” Morgan said while pushing her daughter Angelina, 1, in a stroller.

“They just left stuff out there and the kids are like, ‘Mommy, what’s that?’”

Morgan, who lives in SunStone Apartments on Conner Drive by University Mall, said that although there are occasional noise problems, most students are good neighbors.

Sharing the love

For Mama Dip, love is a family recipe.

Mildred Council, better known as Mama Dip, celebrated her 80th birthday with friends and family at a Sunday bash benefitting her “Share the Love Fund” for the Triangle Community Foundation.

Council is the owner of Mama Dip’s Traditional Country Cooking, a Rosemary Street restaurant. She turned 80 years old in April but asked her family to throw a party now so the community could benefit.

The fund, created in May, aims to build self-esteem and self-worth in community kids, especially those who face financial difficulties.

Rescue squad suing UNC

To get evidence for a federal lawsuit against the county, a local rescue squad is also suing UNC because of what they claim is a violation of state public records law.

Both lawsuits stem from the volunteer rescue squad’s worry that after being told they cannot work, emergency response times have slowed.

Jeremy Browner, attorney for the Orange County Rescue Squad, said he plans to argue in the federal lawsuit that the rescue squad’s due process was violated when it was placed on stand-down in June 2008 by Col. Frank Montes de Oca, director of Orange County EMS.

Articles by Victoria Stilwell

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