Before he became a Muslim intent on killing students at UNC, he attended Baptist Sunday school as a child and Catholic school in ninth grade. Before he decided to attack, he'd wanted to go to graduate school to get his doctorate in clinical psychology. And before he drove an SUV through the Pit on March 3, he'd wanted to join the military so he could drop a nuclear bomb over Washington, D.C.
The UNC alumnus accused of attempting to kill people in the Pit to avenge the treatment of Muslims around the world was in court briefly Thursday. Mohammed Taheri-azar appeared before Orange County Judge M.P. DeVine, who set a probable cause hearing for March 24. Taheri-azar, 22, is charged with 18 felony counts after he drove a rented Jeep Grand Cherokee through the popular campus gathering site March 3, injuring nine people. Many of the varied media representatives assembled missed Thursday's hearing when court officials failed to give open notification of a change in courtrooms.
John Buoniconti's bookbag is adorned with collector's pins from 14 states and a weathered picture of his parents on their wedding day. The collage of souvenirs remind Buoniconti, 30, of the journey he is traveling - one that won't stop until his size 13s have made footprints in each of the 48 contiguous states. In three years, Buoniconti will have walked 16,000 miles to raise a goal of $5 million for uninsured and under-insured cancer patients.
Brotherhood and sisterhood aren't the only terms associated with UNC's Greek system. A column that ran Aug. 30 in The Daily Tar Heel brought forth stereotypes and negative claims against the recruitment process. Especially during recruitment, members of the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council strive to show others the meaning of their organizations. But leaders say they first have to dispel preconceived notions. "Fraternities and sororities have an elitist nature," says IFC President Tom Merrihew.
The houses are unmistakable: each one bears a series of Greek letters on the facade. And each fall, their doors open to hundreds of men and women searching for familial organizations that match their interests. It's not a new tradition. "We've been here since 1851," says Jenny Levering, assistant director of fraternity and sorority life. "It's been a lot of tradition." The Greek culture at UNC began after the Dialectic and Philanthropic societies formed in 1796.
Missy Julian-Fox, owner of Alexander Julian’s, has a panoramic view of Franklin Street from her storefront window — and it provides the perfect opportunity to people-watch. Julian-Fox, who grew up in Chapel Hill, has become accustomed to the physical changes of the area. But as the local atmosphere has changed, its vitality has remained the same. “You knew all the people in all the stores on Franklin Street,” Julian-Fox said.
Through the hundreds of dancers who will flood Fetzer Gym tonight, it might be hard to notice some of the details that blend into the room’s background. But on second look, one might catch a glimpse of walls adorned with banners bearing business names and logos, or students enjoying pizzas and fruit — just a few contributions from the sponsors that form the backbone of Dance Marathon. Jared Resnick, owner of West End Wine Bar, has been involved with the 24-hour fund-raiser since its start and serves on the advisory board.
After hearing arguments from neighbors, the Chapel Hill Town Council on Wednesday postponed discussion on an application for a planned development-mixed use permit for construction of a Marriott Residence Inn Hotel. The proposed development combines a total of 79,120 square feet for hotel, office and residential development space and would be located at the corner of Erwin Road and Dobbins Drive, in the Residential-3-Conditional zoning district.
Designed to open the pathways of communication between landlords, tenants and their neighbors, Chapel Hill's new Rental Licensing Ordinance quietly went into effect Jan. 1. But that was in stark contrast to the myriad of complaints from those parties that prompted the Town Council to create the program in April 2002. It is meant to ensure that licensed rental properties meet minimum housing standards and to make renters and landlords aware of the responsibilities of residing in a neighborhood.
In response to a resident's petition, town officials have agreed to urge UNC to reconsider the construction of a parking lot for employees or compromise with nearby residents. The University has contracted to purchase two parcels of land from Rebecca Clark adjacent to another already purchased on Cameron Avenue near the University Power Plant. Bruce Runberg, vice chancellor for facilities planning and construction, said the University's intent is to turn the property into parking for employees who are relocating from the main campus to work at maintenance shops near the lots. "Abou
