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(02/25/09 5:00am)
Proposed changes to Chapel Hill and Carrboro's water conservation rules met limited opposition Wednesday.Officials from the Orange Water and Sewer Authority and local elected bodies met Wednesday to gauge public reaction to proposed changes in water conservation rules as part of a renewed effort to stay in touch with residents.The opposition to the new proposed changes came in the form of a need for clarification rather than outright rejection. There were few dissenters to the new propositions.Chapel Hill Mayor Pro Tem Jim Ward said the use of drip water on trees one of the new proposed rules" was useless when watering trees.""You have to recognize the increased value and importance of continuing to irrigate vegetation that are in heavy competition for drip water"" he said.Most discussion came in the form of new ideas to reinvigorate public awareness for water conservation.Water regulators across the state impose a numerical rating system identifying the severity of water shortages and restrictions. But the levels between counties often can have very different meanings.One idea proposed by Ed Holland, director of planning for OWASA, would attempt to homogenize the water emergency levels in the area to make informing the public easier.It will have a great impact when it comes to how you communicate with your customers — it's not gonna be ‘Durham's in stage seven while OWASA's in three""'"" he said.Alan Rimer" chairman of OWASA's Natural Resources and Technical Systems Committee" said keeping the public informed was a reinvigorated priority in the upcoming drought season.""We're going to look at how to inform the public as to why and how we act" and see how they react" he said.Public opinion on the difference between personal and public water usage also has an impact, Rimer said.The potential revised conservation laws include public water facilities like pools.We're going to let them water large areas where the public uses them on a constant basis — It's significantly different from someone's back yard"" Rimer said.In addition to the notification system, OWASA employed a ranked water rate system that charged prolific water consumers in Orange County heavily for increased water usage during drought conditions.The most effective water conservation came from the rate structuring, Rimer said.They've responded more than likely to a pricing signal as opposed to a conservation ordinance"" he said.Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(02/13/09 5:00am)
Orange County Commissioners said Thursday they're committed to donating more than $1 million to charities in the coming fiscal year.At least so long as it's possible. Meager revenue projections from sales and property taxes have slimmed down next year's budget.The county might have to reallocate funds and staff to maintain core services at the expense of others. And donations to nonprofits aren't exempt.Commissioners allocated $1568"413 to a number of charities this fiscal year.""It's important that we not promise"" Commissioner Alice Gordon said. We don't know how bad it's going to get.""Commissioners do have a sense of how bad things are now" though.Staff have asked all departments to prepare preliminary 10 percent budget cuts" which could mean optional programs like Veteran's Services and job training at the Skills Development Center could go.But most commissioners seem committed to keeping up donations to charity even as they make cuts in other areas.The board has made it clear that ""safety net"" programs that provide food"" shelter and housing are a priority.Many of the nonprofits the county funds are organizations that offer those services.""I don't care how bad it gets in other departments"" Vice Chairman Mike Nelson said. I want to protect that one million. That same dollar amount from last year will be stuck to.""Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(02/13/09 5:00am)
Orange County Commissioners said Thursday they're committed to donating more than $1 million to charities in the coming fiscal year.At least so long as it's possible. Meager revenue projections from sales and property taxes have slimmed down next year's budget.The county might have to reallocate funds and staff to maintain core services at the expense of others. And donations to nonprofits aren't exempt.Commissioners allocated $1568"413 to a number of charities this fiscal year.""It's important that we not promise"" Commissioner Alice Gordon said. We don't know how bad it's going to get.""Commissioners do have a sense of how bad things are now" though.Staff have asked all departments to prepare preliminary 10 percent budget cuts" which could mean optional programs like Veteran's Services and job training at the Skills Development Center could go.But most commissioners seem committed to keeping up donations to charity even as they make cuts in other areas.The board has made it clear that ""safety net"" programs that provide food"" shelter and housing are a priority.Many of the nonprofits the county funds are organizations that offer those services.""I don't care how bad it gets in other departments"" Vice Chairman Mike Nelson said. I want to protect that one million. That same dollar amount from last year will be stuck to.""Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(02/06/09 5:00am)
More students dropped out of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools last year despite a statewide decrease.CHCCS still had the lowest dropout rate in North Carolina" according to numbers released Thursday. But the districtwide dropout rate of 1.53 percent is up from 1.12 percent in a year before.""We were a little surprised and a little disappointed"" said Jamezetta Bedford, a member of the Board of Education.Statewide, the high school dropout rate was 4.97 percent, a decrease from the 5.24 percent rate for 2006-07. More than 57 percent of school districts reported reductions.The reduction in the dropout rate is good news for our schools" our students and our state and we must all continue to work together to keep students in school" Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton said in a statement. I believe this reduction is a result of innovative programs at the state and school level that provide students with new opportunities.""Dropout rates also decreased across ethnic lines statewide. Black" white and multiracial students reversed a two-year trend of increasing dropouts. Rates for American-Indian" Asian and Hispanic students fell to their lowest levels in the last four years.Attendance problems and the desire to attend a community college program were the most common reasons students in the district and North Carolina cited for why they decided to drop out.Bedford said the city schools are working to assess students and intervene at each grade level to prevent dropouts.""It's a lot more work to constantly be assessing"" Bedford said. But we would rather intervene sooner than later.""Denise Bowling" instructional services division superintendent" has talked with all three district high school principals about dropout efforts.""Our schools are really paying attention and stepping up"" Bowling said.Bowling said students who are new to the school, have few credit hours or are old for their grade are put on a list and monitored.If a student does drop out" we go back and get them" Bowling said.Fifty-seven students dropped out of district schools. Eleven students left Carrboro High, 14 left East Chapel Hill High and 31 left Chapel Hill High and one left a middle school. Despite the increase in the school system's dropouts, Bedford said the schools are on the way up.It's still a very good rate"" Bedford said. We wish it were zero.""State & National Editor Brian Austin contributed reporting.Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(02/04/09 5:00am)
Due to a reporting error this story misstated the price of constructing a waste transfer station. It will cost $5 to $7 million. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.Orange County commissioners finalized an agreement with UNC on Tuesday to capture gas from the county landfill and convert it into energy.The $5.5 million project will benefit both the University which will gain a clean electricity source and the county to which UNC will pay a monthly fee for the gas.UNC will fund the entire project.County revenues from the deal will be used to cover the millions of dollars involved in constructing a waste transfer station to replace the county landfill set to close in 2011.UNC will use electricity generated from the captured gas to power Carolina North its proposed research campus.The environmentally friendly energy source will also help offset the environmental footprint of the campus.Some residents are also asking commissioners to use revenues to improve infrastructure in the Rogers-Eubanks Road community" which is next to the landfill.""We have full faith that this is a desirable project" Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey said. It will be beneficial to the community" to the environment and … to UNC's goal to be carbon neutral.""The deal — more than one year in the making — grants UNC full rights to the landfill's naturally generated gas.Recent disagreements about the project's timeline between the county and the University delayed the process.County staff said they are afraid the deal would transfer rights to the landfill gas to UNC without guaranteeing a final completion date.UNC officials said they are worried the University would not be able to get permits from local municipalities to build the gas-capturing system in the county's suggested five-year limit.UNC plans to build a 2.2 mile underground pipeline to a facility where the landfill gas can be converted into fuel. That pipeline will require extensive permitting.""We don't want to make a bunch of investments and all of sudden we can't get a permit and five years comes and boom" we're thrown out of a deal" said Carolyn Elfland, associate vice chancellor for campus services.But commissioners said Tuesday that negotiations have gone on long enough.We've lost a year's worth of revenue"" commissioner Mike Nelson said. Continuing negotiations for me just isn't an option.""The county will receive up to $140"000 annually with an additional $40000 annually at most from the sale of renewable energy credits. The county's planned waste transfer station will cost about $4.7 million.Landfill gas occurs naturally from the decomposition of solid waste.Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(02/04/09 5:00am)
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has declared that the local government is not discriminating against its black residents.The department rejected a complaint from the Rogers Road community that officials with Carrboro Chapel Hill the Orange County government and the Orange Water and Sewer Authority are discriminating by restricting water and sewage services to the community.Robert Campbell co-chairman of the Roger-Eubanks Coalition to End Environmental Racism filed the complaint for members of the community" located about five miles north of the UNC main campus and next to the Orange County Landfill.""If you look at the last 37 years" the basic amenities have been denied from this community — but (Orange County) has allowed development to come all the way around this community" Campbell said.The neighborhood mostly lies outside of both the Chapel Hill and Carrboro town lines. As a result, neither town is responsible for supplying sewage and water services to its residents, the investigation concluded.Campbell wrote in the complaint that residents, who currently use mostly well water, were being denied coverage because of their race.The department determined that Carrboro is not in a position to incorporate the Rogers Road community.And the Town of Chapel Hill said that it would be willing to annex the community if a petition were submitted — no such petition has been submitted yet.Campbell and other activists in the Rogers Road community have claimed for some time that the well water in the area is potentially dangerous. But an Orange County Health Department investigation did not dictate a need for public water because the results were similar to other parts of the county, according to a copy of the report.Residents have also said that the county promised water and sewer authorities in exchange for placing a landfill in 1972.The Orange Water and Sewer Authority provides services for Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Ed Holland, planning director for OWASA, said its services are available to anyone willing to pay for them.It doesn't make a difference between race" sex gender … the rules apply to everyone —the property owners that benefit from the extension have to pay for the extension" Holland said.Providing a sewer system would cost anywhere between $3 and $3.5 million for the community, Holland said.On top of that" each resident would have to pay about $7000 for individual connections to the already existing water system and the sewage system he said.The department determined that it was the responsibility of the Rogers Road community to petition for expanding coverage of sewage and water services. But the middle class neighborhood would likely have a tough time affording the services.OWASA officials said that they had not received a request to extend sewage coverage.So it's not really discrimination" somebody's gotta come up with the $3 million-plus to get the pipes out there.""Campbell said that the community would appeal the department's decision after reviewing its findings.Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(01/31/09 5:00am)
Last updated 3:30 p.m. SATURDAY" JAN. 31 -- Some of the most outlandish musicians on campus will perform tonight for a crowd and a panel of celebrity judges. Only one thing will be missing: instruments.This year's UNC Air Guitar Competition will include author Chuck Klosterman — famous for his book ""Sex" Drugs" and Cocoa Puffs"" — on the panel of judges" adding to the excitement.Following his 7 p.m. lecture in Memorial Hall" Klosterman will join The Daily Tar Heel Diversions Editor Jamie Williams and music professor Mark Katz on the panel.
(01/30/09 5:00am)
Orange County's goals to protect programs that provide shelter food and medical care might fall short given the county's budget woes.Officials from Orange County Social Services asked commissioners in a meeting Thursday for $702000 to maintain their programs in the coming financial year including $300000 to extend service hours at two health care centers.The demand for health services exceeds what the county can provide in its two centers during normal hours said Orange County health director Rosemary Summers. The extra money would fund hours later at night or during the weekend.But with a projected $9.5 million countywide budget shortfall — about 6 percent of a typical operating budget — social services might have trouble finding the funding they need.County Manger Laura Blackmon has asked departments to prepare for a reduction in temporary staff and not to plan on new equipment or vehicles.Social services would have to hire temporary workers to staff its health care centers' extra hours.All of the money social services needs might not come from commissioners.Officials expect help from anticipated federal aid" though it's too soon to tell how much.""The stimulus package is only in the third inning"" said commissioner Barry Jacobs, who is also a sports writer. So don't get alarmed.""Officials from social services estimate that the proposed stimulus would provide medical insurance to up to 1"000 county children.But aid from Washington can have a drawback officials said. The county would need an estimated $100000 for administrative costs of managing the additional insurance cases.Stress on social services has been building as the recession continues. Officials estimated that 150 more families are receiving food stamps from the county each month. And 30 percent fewer residents who come to county health services have health insurance.Library plansCommissioners discussed plans to improve the county's public library system. Staff are suggesting opening a Southwest Regional Library that would cost an estimated $3885000 before 2013.Orange County currently spends $17 per capita on libraries $7 less than the state average and $18 less than Chapel Hill's.Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(01/28/09 5:00am)
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce has initiated a flurry of programs aimed at promoting local businesses.Aaron Nelson president and CEO of the chamber and other chamber members met with roughly 360 local business leaders Tuesday to present three programs aimed at consolidating and stimulating local businesses.Bill Bunch chairman of the chamber's Board of Directors" said that innovation would keep businesses healthy in the Triangle area.""We cannot wait for the bricks and mortar to build the innovation center"" Bunch said.We should immediately start a virtual innovation center and help people bring their ideas to the marketplace.""The chamber presented three pilot programs that had been in development in 2008.Health careBrian Toomey" CEO of Piedmont Health Services presented a plan to provide health services for employees of businesses which are members of the chamber.The health care plan would allow chamber members to pay for doctor visits in the form of a flat fee of $60 with an additional $20 for lab results.In addition prescriptions would cost roughly $10 Toomey said.He also said that while the plan was not a form of health insurance" he expected that it would help bring about new membership.""The chamber gets something that can actually help them recruit and retain members because they can offer access to health care"" he said.SustainabilityChris Carmody, director for the Sustainable Business Initiative, presented a program which offers consulting advice for businesses that pursue environmentally friendly standards.The Green Plus program rewards businesses for pursuing sustainable practices with a series of tools, Carmody said.Businesses can get diagnostic tools, consultation with UNC and Duke University graduate students and work closely with chamber members, he said.Buy localJoanne Fiore, member of American Institute for Certified Public Accountants, presented a new Web site intended to encourage consumers to buy from local businesses.The Web site — webuylocal.org, launched Tuesday — helps consumers find local businesses that carry the things they need.Fiore said if residents in the area shop locally, the income from sales tax would help the state economically.It has a real trickle-down effect when we do that" so members of the chamber should do their part to promote local businesses she said.Nelson stressed that both innovation and cooperation are key in promoting a healthy business economy and attracting new businesses.In today's economic climate we need to cooperate as well as bring new ideas to the floor — something that small businesses do best Nelson said.Small businesses are seeing the chamber as a venue to do that" so they choose to invest with us.""Business AwardsThe chamber also presented awards to local businesses at its annual meeting Tuesday.Small Business of the YearMarket Street Books at Arts & Letter Community CenterMid-size Business of the YearThe Daily Tar HeelLarge Business of the YearHarrington BankNewcomer Business of the YearTown Planner Community CalendarContact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(01/23/09 5:00am)
Development of the 11th elementary school in the Chapel Hill- Carrboro City Schools is a month behind schedule.The two things that have delayed the project are concerns from the Chapel Hill Town Council and the unfinished traffic report said Steve Triggiano senior associate for Moseley Architects the designers of the project.Triggiano said he is not concerned about the delay because there is time built into the schedule. He said he is aiming to submit the permit application to the council by Feb. 2.From there it will take about eight months before the plans can enter the third phase of development" Triggiano told the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education at its meeting Thursday.""There is quite a lot of back and forth between our design team and the boards"" said Jennifer Sisak, project manager at Moseley.Sisak said the town staff and resident advisory committees will make suggestions and the design team will make the necessary revisions.Preliminary concept plans were presented to the board in October and to the town in December.The school is slated to be built in Chapel Hill's Northside community between Caldwell and McMasters streets.Pre-K tuition uppedThe school board also increased the tuition rates for pre-kindergarten for the 2009-10 school year.Parents will pay $25 more a month for Pre-K starting next school year. The school board approved the increase, which brings monthly tuition to $925.Margaret Blackwell, executive director for exceptional children/student services , said the increase was the smallest amount that would allow the program to break even.That's the lowest we could go and still be fine" Blackwell said. Our goal is not to make a profit" she said. Our goal is to provide high quality programming for kids.""Pre-K tuition increased by $25 for 2007-08 and $50 for the 2008-09 year.Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Superintendent Neil Pedersen said the school district could not keep tuition too low because the district would be undercutting private providers to get a larger market share.""Some years we have heard from private preschools that we are taking their potential students"" he said in the meeting.Pre-K classes are offered at nine of the 10 elementary schools in the Chapel Hill–Carrboro City Schools. Some schools have as many as three Pre-K classes, Blackwell said.She said they will work with parents to design payment plans.We'll work with them any way we can.""Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(01/14/09 5:00am)
Someone broke into six cars parked close together early Monday morning and made off with radios from two of them. The criminals dealt $1200 in damages to the cars police estimate. The radios worth $100 each were the only properties stolen.All the cars were parked on Bolinwood Drive near Hillsborough Street. They were close to the Town House Apartments complex a popular housing choice among students.UNC junior Peter Petrochenko said his friend's car was broken into first.Someone then used a rock wrapped in a shirt from his friend's car to break into Petrochenko's car" he said.""My car just got the window broken in"" he said. Someone stole the radio from his friend's car, destroying the dashboard in the process.Although Chapel Hill police couldn't be reached for comment, reports indicate that no arrest has been made in the case. Reports also state that the case was closed after all leads were exhausted.Each car had its front passenger window broken with a blunt instrument.Four of the cars were heavy-duty SUVs and all six were registered in North Carolina.Much of the parking along Bolinwood Drive is public. Petrochenko said the area where he parked his car is unusually dark.There's no street lights"" he said. There are tons of people walking through the dark there.""Petrochenko is the only college-aged owner of a damaged vehicle.Someone also stole $800 in CDs on Monday from another car that was parked on McCauley Street.The incidents do not appear to be related.Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(01/13/09 5:00am)
Residents made their point: if UNC or any other body pursues development in rural Orange County they'll have to work with people ready to challenge their authority.UNC's now-abandoned plans to replace Horace Williams Airport were met by community resistance that steadily gained momentum until Chancellor Holden Thorp decided to opt out.The local reaction came as a surprise to many officials including Thorp" and ultimately pushed UNC toward forgoing another runway.""There was a lot of community dialogue"" said N.C. Sen. Richard Stevens (R-Wake), one of the sponsors of the August bill that gave UNC the power to take land for an airport by eminent domain.He said he thinks the issue shows that the university would need to spend more time with the community on a development like an airport.The August legislation, passed at the university's behest, was seen as a sneaky attempt to make room for UNC expansion.We ended up surprising people with the legislation far more than we should have"" Thorp said Friday.Residents formed a number of advocacy groups, such as Preserve Rural Orange and Orange County Voice, which lobbied both county government and the university to reconsider the plans. Many of the advocates wanted to keep parts of the county devoted to agriculture.Some picketed meetings between Chapel Hill government and UNC Trustees while others displayed no airport"" signs in their lawn. More still researched airport laws and regulations and wrote letters to University officials.Residents also pressured county commissioners" who expressed their concerns to UNC in turn.Many spoke at regular county commissioner meetings asking officials to protect their land.Brad Broadwell the county economic development director" was sharply criticized for saying an airport could be an economic boon.""By and large I think the public has made it known that a lot of people were unhappy about it"" he said. I in no way want to minimize their story.""And officials should not expect residents to ease their scrutiny of development in the county. Residents are building on their momentum and moving on to other challenges. The troubled search for a waste transfer station to replace the county landfill has faced growing community resistance during its more than year-long history. More than 250 residents attended a public information session on the transfer station siting in November. ""We're not just vacant land waiting to be developed"" said Marilee McTigue of Orange County Voice. Certainly we think our voice was heard on this.""Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(01/12/09 5:00am)
Click here to listen to the audio interview with Rebecca Clark from the Southern Oral History Program Collection.
(01/12/09 5:00am)
A decision to call off a search for a new airport in Orange County was met with applause from many residents but might not spell the end for a local runway.Chancellor Holden Thorp announced in a press conference Friday that he would not seat an airport authority charged with replacing Horace Williams Airport.He said the operations of the N.C. Area Health Education Centers which fly doctors across the state will move from Horace Williams to a new hanger at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.Thorp's move was well received by many residents across the county who protested a new airport.Expansion at UNC's new 250-acre satellite research campus was driving the school's efforts to build another airport. The new UNC Law School building is slated for Horace Williams' runway. As UNC formed plans to build on the space Horace Williams occupies University officials sought and won legislation that allowed them to build a new larger airport anywhere in Orange County using the power of eminent domain to take land.But many are still in favor of an in-county airport and will continue to pursue building a new one or keeping Horace Williams.Jim Heavner who owns WCHL and helped then-Chancellor James Moeser fund a 2008 study on the economic benefit of a new airport" said Orange County needs its own runway. ""It is unfortunate that it appears that the protests of a group of citizens who live in a part of the county where" in my judgement the airport was not very to likely to be built — for that group to follow its fears and organize in such a way that it caused all discussions of issues relating to an airport to be clouded" said Heavner, who talked to Thorp before the announcement.Other supporters of local aviation said the prospect of a new airport has not been completely scratched. Thorp said Friday he will not seek to repeal the law that granted UNC the power to build a new airport.While we're disappointed that it's not proceeding at the moment" we're encouraged that he hasn't closed the door on it" said Chris Dancy, a spokesman for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.Dancy said the group, a long-time advocate of either preserving Horace Williams or replacing it, is seeking a meeting with UNC-systems President Erskine Bowles.N.C. Rep. Bill Faison (D-Orange) said Horace Williams could stay open for much longer than expected in the recession economy.I think it's a very low probability of it closing in the immediate future" he said. Faison supported the bill's language which required the airport authority to build the airport in Orange County.And Chris Hudson of the N.C. Friends of Horace Williams said his organization will pursue legislation to prevent UNC from closing the old airport.Thorp admitted there were mistakes in the way UNC went about the process of finding a replacement airport.He said the move to drop airport plans came after months of researching the ins and outs of siting a new airport — an initiative he inherited from his predecessor Moeser — and meeting with concerned residents.There's too much distrust" he said. I feared that that distrust would extend to the authority.""UNC's efforts to replace Horace Williams particularly stressed the relationship between Orange County commissioners and the University.Commissioners felt Thorp left them out of the loop on the process and gave them a disproportionate say on the authority.In response" county officials are strengthening the laws that govern where an airport could go said Commissioner Bernadette Pelissier.The board reaffirmed that goal in its retreat Saturday Pelissier said. Although UNC has the power to take land by eminent domain the county has the ability to regulate that land's use according to the airport legislation.Many residents were ecstatic about Thorp's decision to forgo the authority" while officials were supportive.""Perhaps the way this was done wasn't the best way"" Faison said. And I applaud the University's decision to step back and take look at this.""Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(01/12/09 5:00am)
Carolina North UNC's proposed research campus will bring new residents and traffic.Ahead of a goal of June for approval of a final agreement on a plan for the development of 630 acres of the campus the Chapel Hill Town Council met Saturday to discuss the town's goals for Carolina North.TransportationBuses every 10 minutes larger shelters at stops and priority bus lanes could all come to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard if all goes according to initial plans.The public transit changes on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard would come at an estimated $110 million from local and federal sources said David Bonk long range and transportation coordinator for Chapel Hill.Daily transit ridership is predicted to reach 101694 by 2035 up from the current 30"000. Carolina North traffic is expected to increase traffic along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The estimates count on the building of a Triangle-area light rail that would have stops in Chapel Hill. It isn't expected to be complete until 2023.The Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard changes are just some that the town is considering in an effort to accommodate increasing ridership.Council member Bill Strom expressed concern that the first drafts for the Carolina North agreements did not sufficiently use public transportation.""It looks to me like it's a suburban plan with transit overlaid"" he said.Any changes to the transit system would require public and council input.HousingCouncil members agreed that increasing undergraduate student housing needs must be addressed, but differed on whether those students should be housed on the eventual Carolina North campus.University officials have said that they would prefer to limit the initial 200,000 square feet of housing to graduate students and employees.But Council Member Matt Czajkowski said that as more expensive rental apartments replace affordable off-campus student housing, undergraduates will need more places to stay.As we reduce available student housing in Chapel Hill"" where do students go?"" Czajkowski said. ""The alternative is that students will be commuting from Pittsboro.""The Horace Williams citizens committee" which presented a report to the council in 2004 recommended that the planning for Carolina North address student housing shortages but did not specifically address undergraduates.Council members cited a greater need for housing for the poor in Chapel Hill.The council is scheduled to meet Wednesday with the Board of Trustees in a session on Carolina North that includes time for public comment.Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(01/11/09 5:00am)
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(12/19/08 5:00am)
8:35 P.M." FRIDAY DEC. 19 -- The man driving the vehicle which hit and killed a woman Dec. 11 will not face charges according to Chapel Hill police.
The driver was Durham resident Micah James Millis 17.
Chapel Hill Police Spokesman Lt. Kevin Gunter said seven people were attempting to cross N.C. 54 near the SouthColumbia Street bridge at about 10:30 p.m. Four made it to the median but the vehicle struck the others. Gloria Espinosa Balderas43 was pronounced dead at the scene he said.
(12/12/08 5:00am)
FRIDAY"" 5:30 P.M. -- One woman is dead after being hit by a car on N.C. 54 late Thursday.Police have identified the victim as 43-year-old Gloria Espinosa Balderas of Carrboro.Two others were transported to UNC Hospitals with serious but non-life threatening injuries after an eastbound 2000 Mitsubishi struck the three as they tried to cross the street.The driver of the car was Durham resident Micah James Millis"17" according to police.Gunter said seven people were attempting to cross N.C. 54 near the South Columbia Street bridge at about 10:30 p.m. Four made it to the median" but the vehicle struck the others. Balderas was pronounced dead at the scene" he said.It is not an incident of hit-and-run and Millis has not been charged with any crimes" said Lt. Kevin Gunter" Chapel Hill police spokesman. But Gunter said that the investigation is ongoing and could last more than a week.There are not crosswalks in the area where they were walking"" Gunter said.Balderas is the fourth person to die in Chapel Hill since May from a collision between a vehicle and pedestrian.Valerie Hughes" a radiology imaging specialist for UNC Health Care" died after being struck by a Chapel Hill Transit bus Oct. 27 while crossing South Columbia Street.In May"" a bus hit and fatally injured Scottish exchange student Lisa Carolyn Moran at the intersection of South Columbia and Manning Drive while she was jogging outside of a crosswalk.Two days later" Barbara Boone Sims a ChapelHill homeless woman was struck and killed by a vehicle at the corner of Weaver Dairy Road and Perkins Drive.
(12/12/08 5:00am)
FRIDAY"" 5:30 P.M. -- One woman is dead after being hit by a car on N.C. 54 late Thursday.Police have identified the victim as 43-year-old Gloria Espinosa Balderas of Carrboro.Two others were transported to UNC Hospitals with serious but non-life threatening injuries after an eastbound 2000 Mitsubishi struck the three as they tried to cross the street.The driver of the car was Durham resident Micah James Millis"17" according to police.Gunter said seven people were attempting to cross N.C. 54 near the South Columbia Street bridge at about 10:30 p.m. Four made it to the median" but the vehicle struck the others. Balderas was pronounced dead at the scene" he said.It is not an incident of hit-and-run and Millis has not been charged with any crimes" said Lt. Kevin Gunter" Chapel Hill police spokesman. But Gunter said that the investigation is ongoing and could last more than a week.There are not crosswalks in the area where they were walking"" Gunter said.Balderas is the fourth person to die in Chapel Hill since May from a collision between a vehicle and pedestrian.Valerie Hughes" a radiology imaging specialist for UNC Health Care" died after being struck by a Chapel Hill Transit bus Oct. 27 while crossing South Columbia Street.In May"" a bus hit and fatally injured Scottish exchange student Lisa Carolyn Moran at the intersection of South Columbia and Manning Drive while she was jogging outside of a crosswalk.Two days later" Barbara Boone Sims a ChapelHill homeless woman was struck and killed by a vehicle at the corner of Weaver Dairy Road and Perkins Drive.
(12/12/08 5:00am)
FRIDAY"" 5:30 P.M. -- One woman is dead after being hit by a car on N.C. 54 late Thursday.Police have identified the victim as 43-year-old Gloria Espinosa Balderas of Carrboro.Two others were transported to UNC Hospitals with serious but non-life threatening injuries after an eastbound 2000 Mitsubishi struck the three as they tried to cross the street.The driver of the car was Durham resident Micah James Millis"17" according to police.Gunter said seven people were attempting to cross N.C. 54 near the South Columbia Street bridge at about 10:30 p.m. Four made it to the median" but the vehicle struck the others. Balderas was pronounced dead at the scene" he said.It is not an incident of hit-and-run and Millis has not been charged with any crimes" said Lt. Kevin Gunter" Chapel Hill police spokesman. But Gunter said that the investigation is ongoing and could last more than a week.There are not crosswalks in the area where they were walking"" Gunter said.Balderas is the fourth person to die in Chapel Hill since May from a collision between a vehicle and pedestrian.Valerie Hughes" a radiology imaging specialist for UNC Health Care" died after being struck by a Chapel Hill Transit bus Oct. 27 while crossing South Columbia Street.In May"" a bus hit and fatally injured Scottish exchange student Lisa Carolyn Moran at the intersection of South Columbia and Manning Drive while she was jogging outside of a crosswalk.Two days later" Barbara Boone Sims a ChapelHill homeless woman was struck and killed by a vehicle at the corner of Weaver Dairy Road and Perkins Drive.