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(02/25/10 5:16am)
Seated in front a chic Victorian-inspired set, the director of the upcoming “The Importance of Being Earnest,” discussed his vision for the approaching show.The public had the opportunity to converse with director Matthew Arbour through PlayMakers Repertory Company’s Vision Series event.Oscar Wilde famously said, “The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast.”Arbour, however, boasts an optimistic outlook about his cast presenting the playwright’s infamously witty script.“‘It is full of enthusiasm for love, scrapes, things going wrong, getting in and out of trouble. The characters live in the world where the air is full of possibilities,” Arbour said about the play.Though emphasis was placed on deep tones of layered meanings, Arbour made clear his intention to promote Wilde’s unavoidable humor.“This play is about how scary girls are,” Arbour said.“Oscar Wilde gets more delicious information into a scene than some get into a play.”Further staying true to Wilde’s style and times, performers will be garmented in traditional English Victorian-era costumes, and Ray Dooley, a male actor, will be undertaking the role of Lady Bracknell, a woman.“My notion about it is that it is a part of the English-speaking theater tradition,” Arbour said about the switching of gender roles.Many questions posed by Vision Series attendees related to Arbour’s previous experience with “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Arbour directed the show eight years ago but still showed eagerness and expressed an artistic growth since his last stab.“I have a more emotional response to the play than I did,” Arbour said of his current work compared to years ago.The Vision Series audience, raising a plethora of shrewd questions, also seemed eager about the upcoming experience.Allison De Marco, a long-time PlayMakers subscriber but first-time Vision Series attendee said of the play, “I listened to it on a book on tape years ago. I’m excited about this production.”The show opens on Wednesday and runs through March 21.The PlayMakers fans at Vision Series and the director alike appreciated the task of creating a show with numerous components, delicate staging and a well-established, rich history.“We worked quickly and in broad strokes. We are chasing our way into performance,” Arbour said.“I don’t think it’s all that importance to be earnest. But having said that, I think it’s important to be earnest about this play.”Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(02/15/10 5:23am)
Correction (Feb. 15 3:00 a.m.): Due to a reporting error, an earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the cast member playing each role. David Hutcheson plays White, and Anthony McClenny plays Black. The story has been changed to reflect the correction. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.
(02/12/10 5:26am)
CORRECTION 3 p.m. Feb. 12: An earlier version of this story misquoted professor Jennifer Ho. The incorrect quote has been removed. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the erorr.
(11/26/07 5:00am)
'Tis the season for giving, but the Chapel Hill Police Department is urging residents to be wary of to whom they give.
Every year before and during the holiday season the Chapel Hill and other local police departments receive an increased number of complaints about charity scams.
This year many Chapel Hill residents have received phone calls from people claiming to be Chapel Hill police officials asking for donations to the department.
"We don't have officers that solicit," said Lt. Kevin Gunter, spokesman for the Chapel Hill Police Department.
"Don't take solicitors at face value, especially when they claim to be the police. People need to take precautions to ensure that organizations are legitimate."
Scammers try to fool people into donating money to fake organizations. While phony charities attempt to steal money from givers year-round, they are much more prevalent during the holidays.
"They are preying on the fact that it is the giving season," Gunter said.
Gunter said that before the holiday season began, the Chapel Hill Police Department received reports about a utility company calling residents and asking them to verify personal information such as Social Security numbers.
"The request to verify personal information should be the first clue that it is not a legitimate organization," Gunter said.
The main way holiday swindlers deceive the public is through e-mail campaigns. Often the illegal group will pose as a well-known charity.
One fake charity set up a Web site calling itself the National Heart Association, in order to confuse donors into mistaking it for the American Heart Association.
Beverly Baskin, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Eastern North Carolina, said one easy way to distinguish between a real and a fake charity is by its e-mail address. Real charitable organizations don't use free e-mail providers such as Hotmail, AOL or Yahoo, she said.
"One of the downsides of technology is that anybody can hide behind a Web site," Baskin said.
The best way to give money is to check out the charity before giving. This can be done at givenow.org, Baskin said.
According to a Chapel Hill Police Department news release, residents should take the following precautions against scammers:
n?Check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure charities you're considering giving to are legitimate.
n?If you receive solicitations from charities, contact them directly from their Web sites or by phone.
n?Request that information about a charity be sent directly through the mail before you contribute.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(11/12/07 5:00am)
RSVVP Day gives Chapel Hill residents an excuse to visit their favorite restaurants Tuesday and pig out.
Organizer Irene Briggaman said students should cease worrying about the freshman 15 for a day and Weight Watchers should take a day off to benefit a good cause.
"Calories don't count on RSVVP Day," Briggaman said. "It gives people a chance to splurge."
RSVVP, Restaurants Sharing V (5) plus V (5) Percent Day is a program organized by the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service that was designed to raise awareness and money for the growing problem of hunger in the local community.
(10/29/07 4:00am)
Chapel Hill's Hillsong Church hosted its annual Family Fall Festival on Saturday, drawing families for a day of activities and refreshments.
"It's always good to see the kids have fun," said Phil Baker, a church member who frequents the festival.
Festival attendees had the option of dressing up in their Halloween costumes, and the event had many activities for its guests, which included a few Alices in Wonderland, Spidermen and monsters.
Other children dressed up as ghosts and ghouls.
"A lot of visitors come as an opportunity to have a safe and fun time," church member James Hollingsworth said.
"We the members of the church want to support the kids of the community."
Activities at the Hillsong Church included a moon walk, a maze and a football throw.
There were also more Halloween-oriented activities, such as pumpkin painting, face painting and a competitive tricycle race.
The event primarily was organized and advertised by Hillsong Church's Children's Minister Faye Hilger, who said the church hosts a number of annual events for the children of the community, including Bethlehem Village in December and another event in the spring.
Hillsong's Family Fall Festival is one of many Halloween-associated events taking place this week in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area.
Area organists will present spooky music at Pipes Screams, an event held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the University United Methodist Church on Franklin Street. Proceeds from the event will go to Habitat for Humanity.
On Halloween day on campus, students are invited to attend Pirate/Zombie Day at the Bull's Head Bookshop.
Blend Bistro also is hosting a Halloween Bash on Wednesday, which will feature 3 Dollar Hostage and other bands.
Tonight Fearrington Village kicks off its Pumpkin Fest, which features 45 to 55 lavishly decorated pumpkins displayed throughout the village.
Many of the events this week have become traditions. Theresa Chiettini, general manager of the Fearrington House Country Inn, said she enjoys the history that goes along with the pumpkin festival.
"It is something we started years ago and has become tradition."
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(10/22/07 4:00am)
Orange County has seen more job growth in the past five years than much of the Triangle area.
The Board of Commissioners heard about economic development in the county at a Thursday meeting.
According to graphs distributed at the meeting, between 2001 and 2006, Orange County experienced a 4.5 percent increase in job growth.
Compared to the other 13 counties that make up the Triangle region, that statistic puts Orange County in third place for job growth in the past five years, topped by Chatham and Wake counties.
In 2006 Wake County's employment increase far surpassed all other counties in the Triangle region, creating more than 20,000 new jobs. Durham County also experienced an expansion in its employment with slightly more than 5,000 new jobs.
"We're not Granville where there aren't jobs or Wake where growth is unbelievable," County Manager Laura Blackmon said during the meeting.
Although not the leader in growth, Orange County does hold the lowest rate of unemployment in the region, with unemployment at slightly more than 3 percent.
"Orange County has lower unemployment because many of the jobs are public within the University," Blackmon said. "It is a good thing."
A report from the county's Economic Development Commission's five-year plan listed several challenges the county faces, including a small commercial tax base, high housing costs and a heavy reliance on the public sector for jobs.
Some commissioners said the county could do more to encourage economic development.
"Economic development is crucial for long-term development of a community," Commissioner Mike Nelson said.
"I think we have suffered because we have not done enough."
The five-year plan aims for the creation of 5,000 new private-sector jobs and an additional $125 million in commercial property by 2010.
The commissioners also discussed the hiring of an economic development officer to help guide the county's growth.
The board also heard a preliminary report outlining the budget challenges for the next fiscal year.
The budget process doesn't usually begin until the board's annual planning retreat in January, but the commissioners will hear preliminary reports before then to help speed the process.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(10/17/07 4:00am)
It took Kerry Hagner a year to learn how to ride a bike.
Last week Hagner, an Orange County resident, brought home both a silver and a gold medal for cycling at the 2007 Special Olympics, held in Shanghai, China.
"I love going down hills - the wind on my face," Hagner said. "I feel alive and free. There isn't a care in the world."
Hagner's father, Ron, said Kerry trained by riding her bike two to three kilometers six days a week up and down hills in her neighborhood. Sundays, she participates in a group ride with 15 other cyclists.
Kerry, who has Down syndrome, was one of more than 7,000 athletes competing in the event and one of 11 representing North Carolina. Team USA carried away eight gold, 11 silver and five bronze medals from this year's games.
"(North Carolina athletes) generally do very well at state and international competition," said Keith Fishburne, CEO and president of Special Olympics North Carolina. "We are proud that Kerry carried on that tradition."
North Carolina is given a quota for how many athletes it can bring to Team USA. Fishburne said participants are chosen from gold medal winners of state and local competitions. Special Olympic officials interview the athletes and their families to ensure that they are up to the challenge.
"There was no hesitation from Kerry," Fishburne said.
Although Ron Hagner coached his daughter during her state and local competitions, Kerry trained with Cindi Hart's team after she officially became affiliated with Team USA.
Hart, who coaches the team, said she always pushed Kerry to compete to the top of her ability, by any means possible.
When Kerry, whose favorite actor is Zac Efron from "High School Musical," was at the starting line of the race, Hart shouted, "Zac is waiting for you at the finish line."
"I have never seen her ride so fast," Hart said.
Once Kerry and Team USA reached China, Kerry said they were greeted by very friendly and enthusiastic hosts.
"We were treated like celebrities," she said.
Kerry's first four days were spent in Shanghai adjusting to the time difference and culture. The athletes were asked to pose for pictures with babies, learned traditional Chinese dances and were taught how to cook foreign cuisine, such as dumplings.
The days between Oct. 2 and Oct. 11 were spent competing in the games.
Although Kerry won the silver and gold medals in the 1K and 5K cycling races, her dad said she took home much more than just pieces of precious medals.
Ron Hagner said this was Kerry's time to shine. He said she always has supported her sister, Meredith, an actress who will be featured in an upcoming movie starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.
"This was (Kerry's) chance to be in the spotlight," Ron Hagner said.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(10/10/07 4:00am)
Barry Garner, director of the Orange County Board of Elections, is going to Miami.
Garner, who said he has held the position of director of elections in Orange County for 14 months, recently accepted an offer for deputy director of elections in Florida's Miami-Dade County.
Preceding his move to the Sunshine State immediately after November's upcoming election, Garner has had a long history of electoral management in the Triangle.
He worked for seven years on the state election board in Raleigh and spent five years with the Durham Board of Elections before becoming the director in Chapel Hill.
"I have a love for the elections," Garner said.
He originally applied for the directorial position in Miami-Dade County in 2005 but came in second in the hiring process.
When regulations in the Miami-Dade County area changed, requiring additional positions on the Board of Elections, county representatives first contacted Garner in 2006 and asked if he still was interested in a management position.
Garner refused to go.
"No way would I leave Orange County before the upcoming election," he said. "It's wrong to leave my post this close to an election."
This year Garner decided he was ready to make the move - but only after the end of the current races in November.
While acting as director of elections in Orange County, Garner has made many improvements, particularly in the technological arena.
"With how progressive the Research Triangle Park area is, it was amazing how far behind we were technologically," Garner said.
He said he relishes the idea of working in a metropolitan area, as well as restoring the trust of Florida voters. After the 2000 and 2002 election seasons, Garner was appalled by Florida's electoral policy.
"The events of 2000 and 2002 shook the confidence of the voters," Garner said. "Hopefully I can help improve (the elections) and conduct free and fair elections. If you're going to criticize it, you should help fix it."
The biggest challenge Garner will endure after his move will be the increased numbers of residents in Miami-Dade County than in Orange County. He will be responsible for the electoral processes in 998 precincts rather than the 44 he currently oversees.
Whereas in Hillsborough he has a staff of four, in Miami Garner's staff will total 58.
"It is a huge task, but people that know me will tell you I love challenges," Garner said.
The Orange County Board of Elections, composed of Chairman Billie Cox, Secretary Henry Elkins Jr. and member John Felten, is responsible for finding a new director.
The process for finding a new director will consist of advertising for the position, accepting resumes, deciding whom to interview and coming to a conclusion based on those interviews, Cox said.
Elkins said the director search soon will begin but added that Garner's shoes "will be hard to fill."
There should be someone in place before the next election, Felten said.
"We hope to announce a new director by the first of the year."
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.