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(08/21/08 4:00am)
Chapel Hill police handed down 30 criminal charges to a Durham man in connection with a string of break-ins Tuesday morning.
Johnny Gray, 38, was stopped Tuesday when police officers saw a man fitting the description of a suspect involved in a break-in.
When he was arrested near Telluride Trail at 3:43 a.m., police found belongings of several victims in Gray's car.
Lt. Kevin Gunter, spokesman for the Chapel Hill Police Department, said Gray had originally been arrested on three felony charges, including possession of stolen goods and possession of burglary tools.
Gray is being charged with 19 felony counts and 11 misdemeanor counts, ranging from misdemeanor larceny to first-degree burglary.
He was taken to the Orange County Jail on Tuesday following his arrest until he could appear before the magistrate, Gunter said.
Gunter said the department waited to announce Gray as the suspect in more than 15 incidents until proper warrants were issued.
Gray's bond was originally set at $30,000 but was changed to $130,000 Wednesday.
Gray, of 544 Liberty St. in Durham, had consumed drugs or alcohol before being apprehended by police, according to the report.
His arrest report states that he was armed with a knife, refused to be fingerprinted or photographed and would not give his name.
Gray has a scar from a chain saw, reports state.
Gunter said once Gray was taken into custody, officers were able to confirm his identity.
Tuesday's crimes were not the first time Gray was involved with Chapel Hill police, Gunter said.
"He was in our system, he was charged previously," Gunter said.
Gray was charged Wednesday with nine felony counts of breaking and entering into a vehicle, three felony counts each of financial card theft and possession of stolen goods, one felony count each of possession of burglary tools and larceny, two counts of first-degree burglary, three misdemeanor counts of possession of stolen goods, one misdemeanor count of receiving stolen goods and seven counts of misdemeanor larceny.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(08/20/08 4:00am)
Ty Lawson made a brief court appearance Tuesday to plead guilty and end the story which began with his June 6 arrest for driving after consuming alcohol underage.
"I don't think anybody will ever see Mr. Lawson again in a courtroom," said Ann Petersen, the attorney who represented Lawson.
Judge Alonzo B. Coleman granted Lawson a prayer for judgment continued.
This means that Lawson admitted guilt but that he will not be convicted for the charge, Assistant District Attorney Jeff Nieman said.
(08/19/08 4:00am)
Two recent Carrboro's housing developments, Claremont and Winmore, have a lot in common but not their histories.
UNC sold a 62-acre section of the Horace Williams tract in 2002 to Winmore with the stated goal of providing affordable housing for University and town employees.
Since that time, the development has been the subject of resident dissatisfaction and environmental concerns.
Claremont, on the other hand, ruffled few feathers as it passed quietly through the town's permitting process.
(08/18/08 4:00am)
Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons in Carrboro are a chance to see firsthand the changing face of farming.
(08/18/08 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>CLARIFICATION: Monday's story "Local transit could face gas-price woes" states that the BCX route runs from the UNC campus to Chapel Hill Bible Church. That route was discontinued this week. The Daily Tar Heel regrets the omission.
Chapel Hill Transit will switch to full services today despite predicting a deficit due to high gas prices.
Transit Director Steve Spade said that to trim costs, the town is streamlining its operation in as many places as possible without cutting services.
"We will try our best to save money in other areas like marketing programs and employee travel," Spade said. "The last thing we want to do is cut service."
Chapel Hill bus drivers have been required to turn off engines at stops that are longer than three minutes, said Peter Orr, who has driven for eight years.
Only one month into the fiscal year, Spade said it was "pretty scary" that the transit department has already predicted a deficit for the year.
Spade said his department estimated that at $4.25 per gallon for diesel fuel, they will have a deficit of $400,000 by the end of this fiscal year.
"It'll be an interesting year," he said.
With the increased gas price, the number of people using public transportation is growing steadily. Spade said ridership was at an all-time high last year.
Spade said they saw an increase of approximately 15 percent, from 5.8 million riders two years ago to 6.6 million riders last year.
There were 15 percent more riders in July 2008 than July 2007.
Kerry Ray II has, since 2006, used a Triangle Transit bus from a park-and-ride lot on Eubanks Road in Chapel Hill to downtown Raleigh.
He said the number of people he has seen on the bus has grown substantially in the past year.
"I was worried the rates would go up, but they didn't," Ray said.
Ray said riding the bus is less stressful than driving.
"I really like it; it's relaxing, you meet some good people," he said.
Spade said one of the ways they are trying to cut costs is by getting new software to reduce the cost of organizing labor required to coordinate bus routes.
"It's like putting together a jigsaw puzzle," he said. "But the software can do it much faster."
In fact, Chapel Hill actually expanded its bus service last year, adding the BCX route, which runs from the UNC campus to Chapel Hill Bible Church on Erwin Road.
Spade said he doesn't foresee the town or the University changing its policy and reinstituting Chapel Hill Transit bus fares, which were eliminated in 2002.
"I think it would take a crisis," Spade said.
Related articles
UNC on road to efficiency
Commuters driven to go 'green'
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(08/18/08 4:00am)
Correction: Due to a reporting error, this story states that Atlas Fraley was hospitalized last year for dehydration. Atlas was not hospitalized, he was treated by EMS at home.
(05/15/08 4:00am)
Chapel Hill might lose a few residents as a result of the Town Council's May 5 decision to install increased streetlights and emergency call boxes in residential areas.
The council voted to put street lights and call boxes at locations on Mallette Street and Colony Court, Church and Short streets and a third location yet to be determined.
The project drew sharp criticism from a small-but-vocal group of residents, two of whom threatened to move from the neighborhoods.
The addition of new lights has been a part of UNC's student government agenda for nearly three years and received additional attention following the March 5 murder of former Student Body President Eve Carson.
But the entire project might be stopped if it fails to get the approval of the Historic District Commission.
J.B. Culpepper, the town's planning director, explained to the council that the HDC takes aesthetics into consideration when approving new structures.
"If you want to play out hypotheticals, I think the proposal could be denied," Culpepper said.
Student Body President J.J. Raynor and members of previous SBP administrations addressed the council regarding student safety, the student government's desire to work with the town and its residents and the nearly $80,000 raised for the project by student fees.
"I know a number of us have been asking ourselves since March 5 if there was anything we could have done to prevent what happened on an individual or community level, and I hope that we will never have the opportunity to ask ourselves that question again," Raynor said in her speech to the council.
The council voted against the alternative installation option, which would have put lights at the intersection of McCauley and Ransom streets, as well.
But for McCauley Street resident Adrián Halpern, the council's decision to remove only his street from the list was not what he was hoping for.
"I want no lights," Halpern shouted from his seat when the council began weighing options, expressing his dislike for both options.
Earlier in the meeting, Halpern delivered a presentation that showed the present light levels on McCauley Street and argued that increased lights would ruin the aesthetics of a historic neighborhood.
"What happened to stars being part of our evening walks?" he said.
"A Thomas Wolfe could not find inspiration today perambulating Vance Street at night, though he might still encounter it along some parts of McCauley."
The council held an open meeting April 8 to hear resident concerns about not only the proposed lights and call boxes but the most useful locations for installation.
UNC alum Bret Dougherty said after the May 5 meeting that he feels this vote might be the last straw, and he threatened to move from the McCauley Street neighborhood.
"I'm tired of seeing drunk kids," he said, adding that he wishes the University would direct more effort toward keeping rambunctious students off the streets late at night.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(04/18/08 4:00am)
When told she'd been described as a "fireball," Neloa Barbee Jones laughed and said she's having the best time of her life.
Jones is one of three Democratic candidates on the May 6 primary ballot for the at-large Orange County commissioner seat.
A steady voice in the Rogers Road neighborhood debate about a waste-transfer station, Jones said she thinks the skills she has accrued from both her activism and her education career prepare her for the county commissioner position.
"I'm not a politician," Jones said in an interview last month as she waited for her hamburger.
Jones said she has been so busy campaigning lately that it's often been hard to find time for three meals a day.
She said she's glad to have a flexible work schedule so she can put as much energy as possible into advocating not just for her own neighborhood but for areas around the county that need someone who can help them work with government.
Jones spoke about the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro annexing county lands and the problems that sometimes result, such as dividing traditionally unified voting districts.
"If they're happening in my community, they're happening elsewhere," she said.
"It does not have to be the disenfranchised and impoverished who are affected."
Jones is honest about the issues she isn't as familiar with, and she said she thinks it's better to admit when you have something to learn.
"Knowing what questions to ask is a skill, and I'm not afraid to ask," she said.
In conversations with Jones, her ability to confront fear and difficulty comes across.
After moving to Chapel Hill in her early teens, Jones settled into the community as a fourth-generation member of the Rogers and Barbee families. She said one of her fondest memories is the dedication of the Barbee Chapel.
Her career in education had a bumpy start, but she said she doesn't regret taking a few years off before finishing college.
A UNC alumna and educational consultant, Jones said it's never a bad idea to get more education.
As the conversation turned to water use and the environment, Jones recalled the days she spent as a "flower-wearing hippie."
She said that the environment has been a hot issue since the 1960s but that relatively little has been done.
Jones said her work regarding the waste transfer station opened her eyes to the interrelationships between issues.
"The more I got involved, the more I began to see things," she said.
"I saw the issues get bigger."
In September she represented the neighborhood and spoke at the Assembly of Governments meeting between local governments to implore commissioners to look for a new site for a waste-transfer station.
Jones said her motivation stems from a desire to help those who don't have a political voice.
"Sometimes your lifestyle can't allow you to be politically active," she said.
For Jones, being active in the community sometimes requires alternative tactics, such as sending her husband to county commissioner meetings when she can't make them.
"I gave him a list of what to ask," she said and laughed.
She said the effects of development present specific issues that must be dealt with by all residents, not just those in government.
Jones said that the campaign is just a part of her advocacy and that she's here to stay.
"I can't imagine being anywhere else, landfill or no," she said. "I've come home now. Where else would I live?"
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(04/18/08 4:00am)
Bernadette Pelissier started a long way from here.
But the path that took her to Orange County has had a deep impact on her perspective, she said.
Pelissier is one of three candidates for the at-large county commissioner seat that is on the ballot for the May 6 primary.
After working until retirement in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Pelissier has spent time on the boards of the Orange Water and Sewer Authority and the Sierra Club, as well as several county planning commissions.
"I've always had this thing of wanting to work for the larger good of the community," she said.
In an interview Pelissier smiled frequently as she spoke of a range of topics. She spoke passionately and intensely about national incarceration rates; she giggled and reminisced about Carrboro Alderman Dan Coleman's novel.
The UNC alumna spoke at length about the ways her experiences have given her a unique perspective.
"People just want crime to be taken care of," Pelissier said. "We should take a step back and ask what causes crime."
Pelissier said she intends to implement what she's learned to offer a different but informed position on the board of county commissioners.
"I hope to bring more discussions to the table," Pelissier said.
Pelissier was born to French parents in Senegal; her father worked for the United Nations and her family moved often. The family moved to the U.S. when she was an infant, and she spent much of her childhood in New Jersey.
She said the several years she spent living in Syria as a young girl taught her to recognize differences between cultures and the importance of perspective.
"Issues are what motivate me," she said, adding that she sees Orange County as a good place to start addressing wider-reaching topics such as crime and climate change.
"A lot of the issues are not unique to Orange County," Pelissier said.
She said the time she spent growing up in other countries taught her the importance of water conservation, an issue she worked closely with during her time on the OWASA board.
She served as chairwoman of the board during the historic 2002 drought.
Former fellow OWASA board member Penny Rich has worked with Pelissier not only on water issues but in local politics, as well.
Rich said that she doesn't always agree with Pelissier but believes that she will work hard to finish what she starts.
"Overall I think she will look out for the community," Rich said. "I think she will be a good leader."
Today she lives with her husband on a 20-acre farm where she grows her own vegetables.
Pelissier said she hopes to focus on streamlining sustainability programs.
When explaining how she would implement sustainability, she gave the example of a three-legged stool with legs of energy, environment and ecology.
"You can't work on the three legs separately," she said.
Pelissier intends to achieve this through the board of county commissioners by creating a sustainability coordinator position. The coordinator would act as a liaison between different planning commissions.
"You can better meet the needs of one group when you meet the needs of another group as well," she said.
But Pelissier said that local government can only do so much in finding solutions and that the government must help the people do things for themselves.
"In the end it really will take all of us."
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(01/28/08 5:00am)
HILLSBOROUGH - Adam Sapikowski pleaded guilty Friday to the first of three charges against him for the slaying of his parents in 2005.
Ranks of reporters watched from the back rows of the courthouse as the next 40 to 50 years of the young defendant's life were decided.
Sapikowski stood, his head slightly bowed, as his sentence was told to him: between 40.4 and 50 years for all charges. He will not receive credit for the time he has spent incarcerated since May 2005.
(01/25/08 5:00am)
Local school districts delivered budget estimates to county commissioners earlier this week.
The Board of County Commissioners requested the budget estimates for the next fiscal year from the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City school districts last November.
The estimates are meant to give commissioners an idea of schools' likely needs for county money to maintain programs with normal growth taken into account.
"Hopefully people will feel they were heard and had the opportunity to plan further ahead," said Barry Jacobs, chairman of the board.
This is the first year the commissioners have requested to see the school budgets so early in the budget planning process, which is typically resolved by June. The board will look at the budgets at its upcoming retreat.
Neither school district's budget can be finalized until the state legislature makes its decisions regarding items such as teacher pay increases and how much it will allot for capital improvements.
Because of this, the school districts made their projections based on the increases of previous years.
"We don't have any way of knowing what the state legislature is going to do," said Pam Hemminger, chairwoman of city school board.
Ruby Pittman, executive director of finance for the city schools, said the preliminary budget will be very close to the finalized budget.
Pittman said that the district did growth projections and that increased enrollment is driving the budget increases.
She said the preliminary budget is the best projection the district can do at this point.
Patricia Harris, finance director for the Orange County Schools, said that specific numbers won't be available until February or March but that she is not worried about what the state will decide.
"We have no reason to believe it will be different from other years," she said.
Jacobs said he hopes the preliminary budgets will make it easier for the county to plan for how much money it will need to keep up with state requirements.
"The legislature tends to give us unfunded mandates," he said in regards to teacher pay increases, which the state requires but counties fund.
The schools only included requests for what they need to continue present operations. Money for capital improvements, such as the building of new schools, renovations and new programs, were not included in the requests.
Jacobs said the state cut the amount of money it will put into capital reimbursement programs and has not come through with projections from the education lottery.
"It reduces our flexibility on what we can spend," he said.
Stephanie Knott, city schools spokeswoman, said the district will continue to revise its estimates.
"We are glad to have the task of putting much of the budget together behind us," Knott said.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(11/14/07 5:00am)
The confiscation of an unloaded handgun last week at East Chapel Hill High School, as well as three firearms found in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools system, has brought the subject of weapons in schools once more to the surface of community discussion.
An April 2006 incident at East Chapel Hill, in which a student held a teacher and another student hostage prompted increases in security on campus, but a solution goes beyond metal detectors.
"I think things are back to normal," said Stephanie Knott, spokeswoman for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district.
Knott said she is always thankful when someone reports suspicious activity and danger can be avoided.
She said the hostage situation isn't easily forgotten.
"If nothing else (there's) a heightened sense of awareness among students and staff," she said.
Past incidents also help districts learn how to handle incidents involving students with weapons on campus.
Bud Cesena, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' director for school law enforcement, said he doesn't think the number of incidents has increased, but says the district is more transparent.
"Our reporting procedures are a lot better than they have been in the past," Cesena said.
Cesena said the district has become more open to the public in regards to infractions of school policy - something he thinks has helped to increase the trust between the community and the school.
Michael Gilbert, spokesman for Orange County Schools, said he believes the number of students with weapons has increased.
"I think there has been an upward trend with weapons in schools," Gilbert said. "Anytime a weapon was brought to school it was publicized, becoming more and more common, unfortunately."
Gilbert said he thinks weapons and violence in schools is a symptom of greater societal problems.
"We need to start looking at societal impacts - the same issues apply," he said.
Cesena and Gilbert both said the role of parents has a large effect in the lives of students.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, as well as Orange County's city and county school districts, have zero-tolerance policies for weapons on campus, with disciplinary actions ranging from immediate suspension to possible expulsion.
"Any weapon we find on campus is higher than we want," Cesena said.
In Charlotte, the district attorney personally is prosecuting several weapons charges involving students to send a message that weapons won't be tolerated in schools.
Cesena said many students are motivated to bring weapons to school because of peer relations.
"I think it seems that some are bringing them as protection from bullies or perceived threats, some just to be cool," he said.
Cesena said most of the incidents involving violence toward students in his experience occurred when students were in places they should not have been.
He said he worries the least when he knows his own children are where they are supposed to be.
"They're never more safe than when they're in a classroom."
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(09/12/07 4:00am)
The Orange County Jail's overpopulation problem has improved but isn't fully reconciled, according to a Department of Health and Human Services inspection report.
The semiannual DHHS inspection of the county jail in Hillsborough, conducted in June, was presented to the board of commissioners last week by Sheriff Lindy Pendergrass.
The jail received satisfactory marks in all but two categories - a floor in the shower is in need of repair and the inmate population of the jail, much of which is comprised of federal inmates, was higher than the structure is approved for.
The jail's overpopulation issue received reprimand from the DHHS approximately 18 months ago.
John Harkins, chief of jails and detention for the DHHS, said the jail in Hillsborough has improved the population issue since previous inspections.
"They were pretty well overcrowded," Harkins said of the earlier inspection, which found the jail to be holding 40 to 50 more inmates than the 129 it was meant to hold.
He said the most recent inspection found the jail to be housing only a few inmates beyond capacity.
"(The inspector) reminded the Orange County Jail that it's the county's responsibility to lessen the number of inmates," Harkins said.
Pendergrass said that because the number of federal inmates housed changes from day to day, the inspectors could have found fewer or more inmates than the 131 on the day of its last inspection.
"We're on the bus route that runs north and south on 85," he said. "They drop 'em off for a day or two."
Harkins said many county jails house federal prisoners, either because of contracts with the federal government for aid in building new jails or as a means of generating revenue for the county.
"They have some beds and make some money," Harkins said.
Harkins also said that sheriffs statewide control filling jail space.
"We've got counties swapping inmates across the state," he said.
Though Harkins said there is no state oversight or regulatory agency that deals with how inmates are "swapped" between counties, Pendergrass said he checks with the county commissioners before making deals involving federal inmates.
"Anything I do like that, I seek the approval of the county commissioners," he said. "I feel I get along better that way."
Harkins said the sheriffs understand how to keep the system working. He said that overcrowding leads to numerous problems within the jail but added that the alternative of more jails is not well-received.
"Unfortunately jails are not popular projects," said Harkins. "The best defense to all this is to plan ahead."
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(08/31/07 4:00am)
The candidates for Carrboro's Board of Aldermen will get a chance to let the music speak for them, thanks to 103.5 WCOM's musical debate.
Tom Arnel, a DJ on the Carrboro station, has invited all nine of the alderman candidates to be guest DJs on his show, which airs 5 p.m. Saturdays.
"It sounded like a way to get to know the candidates in a different way, to provide a look at another side," said candidate Lydia Lavelle on why she chose to accept the invitation.
Lavelle's reasons for participating were nearly identical to the other candidates', but that's where the similarities end.
The soon-to-be DJs hinted at playlists featuring artists from the world-renowned to the locally known.
"Limiting the playlist is the hardest thing of the campaign," said Katrina Ryan, adding that she believes she has an edge above the other candidates.
"The music of my youth is much cooler," she said. "I think Depeche Mode beats Van Morrison, hands down."
The layout of the weekly show, which will feature the first guests Saturday, will have two candidates sharing an hour's worth of airtime.
The candidates spoke with excitement about the opportunity. Many candidates said it will be a chance to have some fun in the campaign.
"I've been ready for this for 30 years," Chuck Morton said.
Morton said his musical selection will feature primarily local musicians, including his own band, Pole Barn Poets.
He said commercial radio often neglects to bring attention to the talented musicians living in the area.
Joal Broun, who will be appearing Sept. 15 with Sharon Cook, also said the music played on mainstream radio today doesn't have the same quality as the oldies.
"Looking at the '60s, a lot of great music at the time that people still like and respect even now," she said.
Ryan, who will join Morton this Saturday, said the musical debate will be noticeably different from other campaign events.
"I think it's a great, fun idea," she said. "A little more personable than the canned sound bites that tend to be expounded in the other forums."
Ryan said the playlists chosen by the candidates will be revealing of their personalities.
"I don't know how you have a personal playlist that's not personal," she said.
Mayor Mark Chilton said that he has been on an earlier show with Arnel and that the idea for the musical debate grew out of conversations.
Chilton joked that it might be hard to find songs about town government, but he said he thinks his selections will be somewhat political.
"I'll mostly try to focus on playing music I enjoy," he said."
"Some of the music is very political. I'll have to search for something that's not too out there."
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(08/28/07 4:00am)
Two co-workers and familiar faces in local government are vying for the same state senate seat.
The seat is held by N.C. Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, who was mayor of Carrboro from 1987 until 1995.
Moses Carey Jr., chairman of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, announced his plans to run in July.
The other contender is a man with political experience that is a blend of the two: Mike Nelson, who serves on the board with Carey, and was the mayor of Carrboro from 1995 until 2005. Nelson recently announced his plans to run for Kinnaird's seat.
A part of the discussion regarding the two new candidates is whether their competition for office will hinder the operations of the board during the campaigns.
Carey dismissed the likelihood of troubles.
"I don't think that's going to affect how I do business," he said before Monday's board meeting.
Nelson could not be reached for comment by press time, but other commissioners offered remarks along similar lines as Carey's.
"I expect them to be able to handle it," said Alice Gordon, an Orange County commissioner.
Gordon said that both men are experienced in political campaigns and that she does not foresee any difficulties resulting from campaigning and fulfilling their duties as commissioners at the same time.
The board's vice chairman, Barry Jacobs, said government is about teamwork.
"The better team player you are, the more effective," Jacobs said.
Kinnaird has not officially announced whether she will seek re-election.
On his blog, Nelson wrote that Kinnaird informed him she would not run again, which prompted him to place his bid.
Carey said his decision to run was not impacted by the plans of Nelson or Kinnaird.
"I'm running because I've prepared for this," Carey said.
While Nelson's campaign highlights his experience as a lobbyist during the past three years, Carey is drawing on his years of experience in local politics.
Kinnaird said she still has goals to accomplish before ending her tenure.
"I'm certainly contemplating what my next move will be," she said.
"I've built up a lot of seniority, and they don't have that," she said of Carey and Nelson.
Thad Beyle, a professor of political science at the University, said the benefits of Kinnaird's seniority should not be underestimated.
"There are some things that are not readily known to people who aren't familiar with the legislature," Beyle said.
Beyle said the only thing to do is to wait and see what the candidates do. Or in the case of Kinnaird's possible retirement - what they don't do.
"She may surprise everybody."
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(07/19/07 4:00am)
The numbers turn over too quickly to read, but they aren't the fractions of a cent displayed at the gas pump. The ticker on display at costofwar.com read $444,026,615,308 Tuesday evening, and at its current speed was likely to nearly reach $445 billion by press time.
In May, Congress passed a bill which gave President Bush funding for further military operations without having to meet a Congressional timeline for withdrawal. Since then, anti-war Democratic members of Congress have worked to win support for removing U.S. forces from Iraq.
Rep. David Price, D-N.C., speaking from the floor of the House this past Thursday, introduced the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq bill, which would begin the redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq within 120 days of its passage.
Paul Cox, press secretary for Price, said the bill's narrow victory of 223-201 signifies a shift in the political climate in the Capitol.
"The bill's passage yesterday reflects the overall sentiment ... that change is in order and should take place immediately," Cox said Friday.
Cox also said members of Congress have taken longer to catch up to the sentiments of the citizens they represent.
"While the president's approval continues to plummet, and public approval of Iraq policy continues to plummet, the public is also leaps and bounds ahead of their republican representatives in congress," he said.
That statement is reinforced by a Newsweek poll. Since January 2004, a majority of those surveyed have not approved of the way the president is handling the situation in Iraq.
A poll conducted by The Washington Post found that Iraqis felt similarly.
The Post poll stated that nearly 75 percent of Iraqis "would feel safer if US and other foreign forces left Iraq," and that 65 percent were in support of immediate troop withdrawal.
But the war's unpopularity has not lessened the President's efforts to gain support for it.
"Those who believe that the battle in Iraq is lost will likely point to the unsatisfactory performance on some of the political benchmarks," Bush said in a news conference July 12, during which he defended what he called progress in Iraq.
"Those of us who believe the battle in Iraq can and must be won see the satisfactory performance on several of the security benchmarks as a cause for optimism."
Bush drew attention to a list of 18 benchmarks concerning that progress - eight were progressing in a satisfactory way, two were neither good nor bad and of the remaining eight areas, Bush said "the Iraqis have much more work to do."
The president also said Congress was premature in its desire to judge the effects of the increased troop levels. He said that the troops had only been in place for a month and that a clearer picture of their impact would not be visible until September.
Cox said he felt the president had other reasons for wanting Congress to hold back.
"(Bush has) generally a cavalier attitude towards checks and balances," Cox said.
Another Newsweek poll stated, with a plus or minus 3 percent margin of error, that 66 percent of U.S. adults felt that the troop surge has been a failure.
Unavailable for comment were members of the UNC Students for a Democratic Society, who helped to organize a sit-in at Price's Chapel Hill office in February to protest his actions in Congress regarding the war in Iraq.
Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
(07/19/07 4:00am)
Bright sunshine, low humidity and a whisper of a breeze - the conditions for a great day at the beach are also just right for ozone pollution.
Eight years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency introduced a color-coded index to alert people to the amount of ozone in the atmosphere on a daily basis.
"Numbers wouldn't mean anything to most people," said Tom Mather, a spokesman for the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Air Quality.
Mather said the color system, which goes from green (healthy) to purple (very unhealthy), is a simple way to present the complex information gathered by air quality monitors.
In North Carolina, the air quality index (AQI) is implemented from May to September, when Mather said ozone levels can be most harmful.
"We do the forecast everyday because it's so tied to the weather," Mather said.
Alison Davis, a spokeswoman for the EPA, said the AQI forecast is meant as a tool for people to make decisions about their health.
Mather explained that because the state's particulate pollution levels are fairly constant throughout the year, weather conditions have such a substantial role in what a given day's ozone level will be and that comparisons from year-to-year can be misleading.
Davis said because of the inconsistency of weather, researchers have begun looking at three-year cycles, which she said give a truer picture. She also said this has led to "significant progress in reducing ozone."
"The biggest contributor to ozone pollution is nitrogen oxide," he said, adding that nitrogen oxide is released every time something is burned.
"Anything you can do to reduce energy consumption will reduce pollutants that lead to nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide," Mather said.
Jeff Fisher, a managing member of Unique Places, a conservation consulting firm, is doing just that.
Fisher drives a Toyota Prius "just to be a good steward of the Earth, basically."
Fisher said some alternative energy-fueled vehicles, such as those that run using compressed natural gas, didn't seem like viable options so he chose the hybrid, even though it wasn't perfect.
"Don't get me wrong, even the amount of emissions coming out of a Prius is unacceptable," he said.
He added that he thinks the country needs to have more dialogue about its environmental policies.
"Go see the pollution and say, 'Why is that?'" Fisher said and added,
"I think we've got a long ways to go."
Fisher said the tax credits he received from his hybrid weren't a large part of his decision.
"As a society we need to say, 'This is important.'"
Neither the EPA nor the U.S. Department of Energy places gas/electric hybrids as "alternative fuel vehicles," but they do point out that hybrids help reduce the nation's demand for oil.
Mather said the EPA had health on its mind more than oil dependence when it instituted the AQI.
"The big reason is for health, and also hopefully the public can take steps to reduce pollution," he said.
Davis said she was pleased with the success of the AQI.
"We've had tremendous response from places throughout the country."
She said the AQI forecast reflects not only the condition of the atmosphere, but helps people plan ahead. A tool on the Web site www.airnow.gov allows people to have their local ozone forecasts sent to their phone or e-mail.
Despite recent reports of the state's air quality improving - both the Triangle and the Triad were removed from the American Lung Association's list of 25 Most Ozone Polluted Cities in the past three years - there are still those who agree with Fisher, who wants to "go to the mountain and not see a big haze ball."
Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
(07/12/07 4:00am)
Doug Marlette, whose awards and commendations in the fields of cartooning and literature accompanied friendships with many members of the University's School of Journalism and Mass Communication, died Tuesday morning when a car he was riding in hydroplaned and crashed in Mississippi. He was 57.
"He was like somebody you had known all your life," Jo Bass, administrative assistant to the school's dean and close friend of Marlette, said as she held back tears.
Marlette was born in Greensboro, N.C. His comic strip "Kudzu" offered an insightful and reminiscent look into small town southern childhoods, Bass said.
"(Kudzu) was people you knew growing up," she said.
"He looked at things from a different point of view," Bass said of his cartoons.
"You could see that he got it," she said.
Perhaps best known for his editorial cartoons and his comic strip, Marlette's talent also spread into fiction, with his first novel "The Bridge," which sparked immediate comparisons to Tom Wolfe and is now being considered by Paramount Studios for motion picture adaptation.
Jan Yopp, senior associate dean at the school, had fond words for Marlette, calling him a "great plus to the school."
Yopp, who knew Marlette professionally for 30 years, said his death will be felt strongly at the school. She also said that during his short time as a visiting professor at UNC, he provided guidance to other faculty members.
"He was a thoughtful and thought-provoking person," Yopp said.
Marlette also worked with aspiring journalists through the N.C. Scholastic Media Association, said Director Monica Hall.
"He was always willing to speak to young journalists," Hall said of Marlette's regular appearances at the N.C. Scholastic Media Association Institute.
The journalism school is not the only University institution affected by Marlette's untimely death. His editorial cartoons were a staple of The Daily Tar Heel for the past five years.
It was those cartoons that came most readily to mind when those who knew him spoke of his professional career.
"He really made a statement with his cartooning," Yopp said.
She also said Marlette was someone who could not only express himself through his art, but was also able to stand by his work and take the heat his opinions sometimes generated.
"To lose someone who is ... right in their prime, especially with Doug, it makes you even sadder," Yopp said.
"He was our conscience," Bass said.
"I think what I'll miss most is his political cartoons," she said of the wide field his talents encompassed.
Bass said her childhood was very similar to Marlette's and that the two shared a connection from the moment they met.
His ability to explore the memories of his youth helped to make "Kudzu" such a success. The comic strip was translated into a musical in 1998.
"There wasn't much he couldn't do," said Evelyn Lloyd, a Hillsborough town commissioner and former neighbor of Marlette.
He is survived by his wife, Melinda; and his son, Jackson.
Hall recalled when Marlette took the time for a high school student who'd asked him to look at his art.
"Doug was very calmly and patiently looking at his portfolio. That's my memory of him."
Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
(07/12/07 4:00am)
It can be hard enough for parents to say "no" to a puppy, but what about when they say "yes" and no puppy arrives?
The N.C. Attorney General's office told consumers to be cautious and to research online pet sellers in a letter released last week.
"It sounds like he just took our buyer beware course," said Lisa Peterson, a spokeswoman for the American Kennel Club.
"Web sites can be deceiving. They have great pictures ... but couldn't be further from the truth," she said.
Peterson said the AKC recently finished working with the Better Business Bureau to develop a program to educate prospective buyers on the risks of purchasing a pet online.
"Responsible breeders are very up front and want to share information with you. If someone says they've got puppies ready to go right away, I'd be leery of that," she said, adding that communications are vital.
New dog-owner Rachael Levine, a senior at Washington and Lee University who is taking UNC summer classes, said she was thorough before sending a check.
Levine said she found Mason, her Cockapoo, four weeks ago through PuppyFind.com. After seeing a picture of him and falling in love, she said she contacted the seller and others who had gotten their dogs through the same person.
She said she had her doubts at first, but was convinced of the seller's validity after being sent a photo of her dog-to-be next to a card with Levine's name on it.
"I knew that they weren't recycling pictures," she said.
Peterson said that the process of getting a dog from a breeder is somewhat involved, but that the result is a rapport between breeder and buyer.
"You're getting twenty-four seven tech support for your puppy," Peterson said. She also said the AKC Web site offers links to groups of people who are familiar with at least one of the 157 kinds of dog recognized by the AKC.
"If it sounds too good to be true, it is. When it comes to purebred puppies, it's better to look for breeders in your area," she said.
Buyers aren't alone in their caution when dealing with online pet transactions.
Bob Marotto, director of the Orange County Animal Services department, said even though the county's shelters list available pets online, the pets won't be released without the purchaser first meeting both the animal and a shelter worker in person.
"We are here to serve the public, to help animals. We work with the community but we go through a process ... to make sure it's a good match," Marotto said.
For Levine, she said once she felt comfortable about the breeder, she sent her check and waited. Because Mason came from Oklahoma, Levine had to wait until he was eight weeks old before being transported.
A day after bringing her puppy home, Levine called the breeders and thanked them.
"I could definitely tell that he'd been taken care of."
Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
(06/28/07 4:00am)
The latest chapter in the saga of how far the protections of the First Amendment reach in public schools was written Monday.
The Supreme Court voted 5-4 in favor of the Juneau, Alaska, high-school principal who suspended a student in 2002 for displaying a banner which read "Bong hits 4 Jesus" at an Olympic Torch parade.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. cited the danger of promoting dangerous activities such as drug use and said the school was justified in its actions.
"The First Amendment does not require schools to tolerate at school events student expression that contributes to those dangers," Roberts said.
The Supreme Court's decision in Morse v. Frederick drew criticism from groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as reactions from those on campus.
"To me the bottom line is that the Supreme Court has shown an increased willingness to grant schools greater power to restrict student expression in order to maintain school operations," said Ruth Walden, associate dean for graduate studies at the University's School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
"And it's not terribly surprising to see the entire society crack down on and give school administrators greater power to control students."
Walden said she sees the reference made to drug use as a cover for other motives and said the public has been willing to accept restrictions on civil rights in order to be more secure.
Justices Samuel Alito and Anthony Kennedy wrote that the court's decision was targeted at only restricting speech in public schools when it promoted the use of illegal drugs.
Walden said the country is experiencing "an increasingly conservative federal judiciary that is less concerned with protecting civil rights than it is with maintaining order."
Walden also said University students had little chance of being restricted as a result of the ruling. She said the Supreme Court has always distinguished between high schools and colleges.
For those in high school however, the words of Justice Clarence Thomas are very significant.
"In light of the history of American public education, it cannot be seriously suggested that the First Amendment 'freedom of speech' encompasses a student's right to speak in public schools," Thomas said.
Justice John Paul Stevens wrote for the dissenting justices, which included himself along with Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David H. Souter, and Stephen G. Breyer.
"Carving out pro-drug speech for uniquely harsh treatment finds no support in our case law and is inimical to the values protected by the First Amendment," Stevens said in the dissenting opinion.
Monday's ruling seemed to lack some of the fallout generated by earlier cases.
Brooke Bitler, a communications major at UNC, said she prefers to research a subject before claiming an opinion on it.
"I can see both peoples' point of view on this issue," Bitler said. "I think it's very situational."
She said that if someone's speech harms or threatens others, then it could be restricted, but added that while the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banner could be considered offensive, it wasn't dangerous.
"You're entitled to your opinion," Bitler said. "I don't think it should be like 'my way or the highway.'"
Thang Tranh, a UNC student who recently completed his Ph.D. training, said free speech is like art.
"(It's) freedom of expressing yourself," Tranh said. "Restrict your feelings, and you're not yourself."
Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.