City briefs

Orange County participants see success in tournament

The Special Olympics North Carolina Basketball Tournament in Greenville ended Sunday.

The tournament, part of the continuing events for the olympics, included about 1,000 athletes from 47 Special Olympics programs across the state. The tournament included five-on-five and three-on-three games, as well as an individual skills events. More than 200 games were played.

Orange County participants placed in all three categories. Bruce Chicquor scored first place and Cheryl Hamlett and Tyler C. Badgett scored second place in basketball skills. The Orange Eagles placed second in the five-on-five tournament, and the Orange Spongebobs and Orange Cheese Monkeys placed second in the three-on-three tournament.

 

Annexation hearing draws no residents with concerns

The Chapel Hill Town Council held a public hearing Monday night to solicit input from residents on annexing the Larkspur and Vineyard Square areas.

Gordon Sutherland, the town’s principal long range planner, made a presentation on the areas, together comprising 77.8 acres, reminding the council that they fulfill the state’s urban qualification criteria.

No residents showed up to speak on annexing the areas.

The council moved to discuss the annexation at its April 11 business meeting when it will consider the adoption of an annexation ordinance. If adopted, the areas will be officially annexed June 30.

 

Town Council to offer funds toward purchase of land

The Chapel Hill Town Council agreed to devote $100,000 toward a possible multi-jurisdictional purchase of 43 acres on Erwin Road that has been targeted for development.

Duke University — which owns the land, 32 acres of which is in Durham County — said it would sell the land to local governments and not would-be developer Crosland Properties for $1.5 million.

The council’s contribution comes from voter-approved open space bonds.

Durham County Commissioners halted the sale of the land until April 8 so that they could review the benefits of a purchase. The city of Durham, Durham and Orange county governments, and the council all were asked to help fund the purchase.

 

Orange County announces Teacher of the Year honorees

Orange County Schools announced the 11 recipients, one from each school, for Teacher of the Year for the 2005-06 school year.

The honorees were Mary Kathryn Panza of Cameron Park Elementary School, Jane McIver of Central Elementary School, Daniel Pelletier of Efland Cheeks Elementary School, Susan Tripp of Grady A. Brown Elementary School, Stacy Beneville of Hillsborough Elementary School, Sabrina Robinson of New Hope Elementary School, Philip Wickham of Pathways Elementary School, Claire Capps of A.L. Stanback Middle School, Robert MacLeod of C.W. Stanford Middle School, Jane Johnson of Cedar Ridge High School and Charles Watters of Orange High School.

The teachers were chosen by their peers and will be honored, along with the districtwide Teacher of the Year, at the Sun Trust Gold Star Awards Banquet on May 11.