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(12/07/09 6:02am)
Two years and almost half a million dollars after the start of their search, the Orange County Board of Commissioners hopes to decide tonight where to route the county’s trash when the landfill reaches capacity in 2012.It’s a decision process that has aroused substantial public debate and citizen resistance.“I hope that we do make a decision,” said County Commissioner Alice Gordon. “We have been discussing this for a long time.”The plan at this point is to build a waste transfer station to collect trash to be moved to landfills outside the county, or to contract with Durham to use theirs.But neighbors of two of the site’s potential areas have been doing all they can to argue that it should be elsewhere. The board will choose from three options: a site on N.C. 54, recommended by consultants, the existing transfer station in Durham and land off of Millhouse Road in Chapel Hill, known as the Paydarfar site.The commissioners have heard arguments from residents at the N.C. 54 and Paydarfar sites at countless meetings, and activists in each of the communities will remind them tonight of their wish — for the commissioners to reconsider and pick somewhere else.The Paydarfar site is in a neighborhood already impacted by the current landfill. The N.C. 54 site is in a rural area and far from the current landfill.A deed may limit the Paydarfar site’s use to residential buildings, Gordon said.“If that comes up, there would be a profound difficulty in choosing that site,” Gordon said.Rev. Robert Campbell, who lives in the neighborhood where the landfill currently is, said picking the Paydarfar site is out of line with the criteria from consultants which the county paid $490,584 for.“I didn’t vote to investigate the site,” Gordon said. “To me there’s a concern with it because it is a part of a park.”Susan Walser with Orange County Voice, a nonprofit in favor of protecting the N.C. 54 land, is pushing for an eco-friendly alternative to the station.“We’re not confident,” of what the outcome tonight will be, she said. “You never know what seven people are going to do.”Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(12/01/09 5:42am)
Mark and Olga Otter were looking to move with their newborn child to Chapel Hill to be closer to their work. After searching for homes on the Internet, they found a house in the Winmore neighborhood that had a similar design to their 1930s arts and crafts style home in Durham. It wasn’t until after they learned that houses in the neighborhood were being built to strict environmental standards that they came to see how they could personally benefit.
(11/12/09 7:33am)
Bad weather on Tuesday night may have hurt a charity event that was already seeing fewer participants than last year.Irene Briggaman, the founder of Chapel Hill and Carrboro’s Restaurants Sharing 10 Percent program, said this was the first time she could remember stormy weather on the day of the event in its 21 years.The event raises money for hunger programs of the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service and has traditionally drawn customers for participating restaurants.But R&R Grill, a first-time participant, made less than they made last Tuesday.“The weather really killed us,” owner Rob Moll said. “It’s not as great as we thought it was going to be.”He said the restaurant made about $130 to give to the cause.Last year, 103 restaurants participated. This year, there were 95.Though Durham and Raleigh restaurants usually participate, this year they decided not to, said John Dorward, the associate director for the IFC, who said he went out to Provence in Carrboro for dinner.Chapel Hill normally has the highest total, he said.Exact contributions will not be released until early next year, after restaurants have paid the Inter-Faith Council.The general manager of Crook’s Corner Cafe & Bar, which has participated in the program since 1989, said the restaurant did not see any difference from usual Tuesday night business.“I mentioned it to a few customers, but they had no idea about it,” Shannon Healy said. “There used to be a very noticeable bump in business in past years.”Healy said the decrease in business for Crook’s Corner could be because more businesses are involved now, which gives participants more options.Panzanella, an Italian restaurant in Carrboro, has taken part in the event for a number of years.“The revenue compared to previous years was less than we normally do,” Panzanella manager Paola Cisarano said. “I have a feeling it had to do with the weather.” There were about 80 customers who came to Panzanella’s lunch on Tuesday, which was about the same as last year’s event, she said.The restaurant usually has about 65 lunch customers daily.“We usually have seated about 120 people for dinner in past years; we had about 90 people last night,” Cisarano said. “The weather was so horrible. I’m sure a lot of people chose to stay home.”Not all restaurants saw a decline.The Weathervane in Chapel Hill, which also has participated since 1989, saw many customers throughout the day, general manager and executive chef Patrick Cowden said.“I don’t know the exact number, but I do know it will be our best contribution to date,” he said.Briggaman said she ate out for all three meals yesterday.“I think it’s wonderful that 95 restaurants chose to help us out,” she said. “We are very fortunate at this time that so many restaurants still chose to support this project.” Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(11/05/09 5:29am)
The candidates finishing atop Tuesday’s Chapel Hill municipal elections are the only two that signed up for the voter-owned election program — an indicator of its success.Out of 12 candidates, only Penny Rich and Mark Kleinschmidt participated. Rich received top votes for Town Council, and Kleinschmidt was elected mayor.It was a stark contrast from the last time Rich ran in 2007, when she came in sixth place.“It’s positive that voters found it appealing that candidates would make a statement about not taking larger contributions,” said Bob Hall, executive director of Democracy North Carolina.Voter-owned elections is a pilot program enacted by the N.C. General Assembly for the 2009 and 2011 Chapel Hill elections that enables candidates to receive public funds after raising a minimum.A poll by Raleigh-based Democratic group Public Policy Polling showed 51 percent of Chapel Hill voters in support of the program after seeing Tuesday’s results, compared to 31 percent against.The program aimed to diversify candidates, but its success was questioned after low participation.“It’s not surprising that only two candidates took advantage of the program in its first year,” said Ruby Sinreich, manager of the left-leaning blog Orange Politics.But because voter-owned elections candidates were required to raise amounts in $5 to $20 to qualify, Rich said it allowed her to reach more people early in the campaign.Though finance reports show mayoral candidate Matt Czajkowski received more than four times as much money from private donors as Kleinschmidt, Kleinschmidt had nearly as many donors.Czajkowski raised $27,653 in this election cycle, according to the most recent campaign filings. Kleinschmidt raised about $5,000 and was eligible for $13,000 from the voter-owned election program.Matt Pohlman, who came in fifth in the council race for four seats, said he decided not to use public financing because he didn’t feel it was fair to take funds from taxpayers who may or may not support his views. “It appears there was a positive impact, but it’s too early to make that determination,” he said. With finances covered, Rich and Kleinschmidt said they were able to focus on connecting with voters.“Participating in the public financing program took the focus off of money and put it on issues,” Kleinschmidt said in a Common Cause news release.Rich said the program directly helped her win.“Penny was able to spend a lot more time going door to door,” said Brooks Rainey Pearson, Rich’s campaign manager.Rich said financing limits with the program were not a problem.“There’s no reason for a Town Council race to cost $20,000 in Chapel Hill,” Rich said.The program is in a pilot stage and must be renewed by the General Assembly with council member support after the 2011 election, Hall said.Other cities like Portland, Ore., use similar public finance programs, he said. Portland’s gradually grew more popular.Pearson said she predicts voter-owned elections will grow in Chapel Hill. Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(10/29/09 3:51am)
1 - Hillsborough Ghostly Walking Tour
(10/09/09 4:35am)
A 45-year-old woman went to the Hargraves Community Center on Thursday looking to take the next step in her life.“I have three weeks left,” Lesa Toomes said of her recovery plan while puffing on a cigarette. “It’s been a complete success, 60 days clean as of Friday.”Toomes, a recovering crack cocaine and alcohol addict, was one of about 205 people who went to Project Homeless Connect, an event hosted by Orange County to help the homeless and those at risk of becoming so.The event featured legal aid, employment and health services. Food was provided and live music played all day.Laurie Tucker, the residential services director for the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, said the accepting atmosphere of the event makes participants feel more comfortable.“It helps people be put at ease,” Tucker said. Toomes, who came to the event after her GED classes finished for the day, said she hoped to find housing after she leaves Freedom House, a recovery center for drug and alcohol abusers. She said she chose to enter the program at Freedom House voluntarily.“I was just tired of acting like a kid,” Toomes said.Toomes stopped attending school in seventh grade. She said after she met her second husband, things spun out of control, and she began abusing alcohol and crack cocaine.“About five years ago, it was really bad,” she said. “I was doing it day and night.”Toomes, who has developed a passion for cooking, said she now hopes to attend culinary school.Preparations for the event to help people like Toomes started a year ago. Tucker said the steering committee was finalizing vendors and stuffing gift bags until late last night.Debra Ankrum, 52, wanted to receive optical and dental work. She was unable to get dental work done at the event, but the providers gave her an alternate time for her to get the work done.“If you don’t share your information, how is someone else gonna get help?” she said. “The way to help yourself is to help others.”Ankrum said after struggling with substance abuse, she hopes to use her experiences to help others. “I was falling down drunk and an addict for eight years,” she said. “Now my goal is to help battered women and any woman who is willing to get clean.”In a week, the steering committee for the event will evaluate it and begin planning next year’s.“I think its been a real success this year,” Tucker said. “People make a lot of friends here that they wouldn’t have otherwise.”Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(10/08/09 2:45am)
More homeless people than ever are expected to show up for free services at the Hargraves Center today.From 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Project Homeless Connect will host an event to provide goods and services to people who are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless.The number of homeless attendees has risen in the past three years.Last year, 202 people came, compared to 133 two years ago. This year, organizers expect close to 300.Jamie Rohe, the homelessness program coordinator, said the rise in numbers could be a reflection of the current economic state.“You’ve got to see it to believe it,” she said. “We’re hoping it’s a real bonding experience.”There will be hundreds of volunteers and about 50 vendors providing free services such as haircuts, pediatric care and dental care.The event, which is open to the public, will have live music throughout the day with a drum circle in the afternoon.Donations to Project Homeless Connect have decreased to $7,000 this year, said Meg McGurk, assistant director of the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, who handles item and money donations for the event.She said Triangle United Way was able to give $5,000 in past years, but this year they were only able to give $2,000.But what the event is losing in money donations, it is partially recovering in donated items. The number of donated items like toiletries, underwear and umbrellas has risen drastically, McGurk said.“That has been unbelievable. People are being incredibly generous,” McGurk said. “We’ve had an incredible response from the community.”Rohe said that donations are usually enough to cover event expenses. The town of Chapel Hill allows Project Homeless Connect to use the Hargraves Center for free.UNC students help collect donations for the event, volunteer the day of and provide food for the attendees, Rohe said.“The students do an amazing job,” she said.Rohe said the planning process is highly organized, and each year the event grows stronger. “This is one strategy to help implement the goal of ending homelessness,” Rohe said, referring to the Orange County 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.Rohe said that each year the event is held, it becomes easier to find volunteers. “We had to close the volunteer sign-up a few days ago,” she said. “People just respond really generously to the issue of homelessness.”When guests arrive, they sign in with volunteers and identify the services they want. A volunteer then escorts them to the main room where all of the booths are set up. The homeless receive a free lunch, backpack, water bottle and a gift bag with donated toiletries, Rohe said.“It’s sort of like controlled chaos, but it all works — it really makes a difference in people’s lives.”Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(10/01/09 3:51am)
It was still dark outside when a 27-year-old Carrboro man was struck and killed by a car on his way to work.Eric Franklin Simpson died shortly after he was hit around 5:45 a.m. Tuesday morning, Durham police said. He was crossing the intersection of U.S. 15-501 and Mount Moriah Road in Durham.Vernon Chris Worley, 31, of Mebane, was driving through a green light in the far-left lane when he hit Simpson, police said. According to a Durham Police Department news release, Simpson was pronounced dead when officers arrived on the scene. Worley was not injured, the release states. Durham Police Department spokeswoman Kammie Michael said Worley has not been charged.“At this point they did not find any reason the driver was at fault,” Michael said. Simpson was going to work at the New Hope Commons Barnes and Noble, where he was the merchandise manager.Dave Brown, district manager for the bookstore, described Simpson as energetic, enthusiastic and fun-loving.“He never showed the stress of retail,” he said.Brown said Simpson, who had been with the company for seven years, always had a smile on his face.“He was a fabulous book seller,” Brown said.Simpson’s death has sparked a discussion regarding the need for pedestrian safety measures at the intersection.At the Mount Moriah intersection of U.S. 15-501, there is no pedestrian walkway or crosswalk signaling device, said Steve Abbott, spokesman for the N.C. Department of Transportation.Abbott said in cases involving a fatal accident, the department investigates to see if additional safety measures need to be taken.Since Jan. 2005, Abbott said there have been no pedestrian-vehicle accidents at or within 150 feet of the intersection. But, in light of Simpson’s death, the department plans to carry out an evaluation of the area.During their investigation, officials will consider the time the accident occurred, the weather, and the physical state of the driver, such as sobriety.Abbot said transportation officials will also consider traffic volume as a factor in determining the appropriate measures to be taken. There are eight lanes for traffic at the Mount Moriah intersection, and installing crosswalks would increase traffic pressure, Abbott said.Officials will also look to see if houses and shopping centers near the intersection justify the need for crossing methods, Abbott said. If changes are found to be necessary, the process will be complicated, as the highway is in Durham but the traffic lights are operated by Chapel Hill, he said.This means Durham’s transportation officials must confer with those of Chapel Hill, which could take weeks, Abbott said. If changes must be made, the two parties must also decide how to pay for the alterations, he said.“A lot of it will depend on the police report,” Abbott said. “Safety is the first concern.”Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu
(09/28/09 2:13am)
At the start of each service at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, the pastor places bottles of hand sanitizer at the end of each aisle.Members hand the bottles down rows to use before they pass around communion bread.Holy Trinity’s Mark Coulter is one pastor in the area taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of swine flu in his congregation.Churches around Chapel Hill are stocking up on sanitizer and encouraging members to not come to church if they are sick.Earlier last month, Coulter tried placing communion bread in each person’s mouth instead of having the congregation do it themselves.“But it was too awkward,” said senior Anna Gustaveson, Lutheran Campus Ministry president.Coulter said he switched to sanitizer because of the high risk of spreading swine flu.“We share coffee, meals and communion, though the students have been far more diligent about using the hand sanitizer,” he said.There have only been two cases of H1N1 in the student congregation of about 60.Gustaveson said in both instances, the sick students stayed away from the church until they recovered.University Presbyterian Church appointed a task force more than a year ago to set policies regarding pandemics. The idea came to the Rev. Bob Dunham after he had a conversation with UNC’s provost, who was creating an epidemic response plan for the University.Because of this, Dunham presented the idea to church members, who then hired a task force of health officials to create the plan. “The plan follows a phased approach so that as a pandemic is declared, we respond in an appropriate manner,” he said.In the event that the outbreak is so bad classes are canceled, the church will plan to cancel services for several weeks, Dunham said. If services are canceled, Dunham said members can visit the Web site, which includes up-to-date sermons to use for worship.For now, members are encouraged to wash their hands, use hand cleansers and stay home if they show any symptoms.But pandemic planning isn’t the answer for all churches.Associate pastor Suzanne Dornsmith at the University United Methodist Church said they believe taking serious prevention steps may interfere with the church’s sacred traditions. They have decided to wait until after the pandemic worsens to take serious action.“We don’t want to sanitize our worship,” Dornsmith said.She said actions like shaking hands and hugging are important to the worship process. It is the responsibility of the sick to avoid spreading the germs to others, Dornsmith said.“We have to remember that God’s presence is somehow working through this,” she said. Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
(09/24/09 5:19am)
At a forum Wednesday night, Chapel Hill Town Council candidates were asked questions about issues such as growing urbanization, affordable housing and final steps with Carolina North.The questions were put together by the Neighbors for Responsible Growth, a new political group whose members are focused on responsible growth for the town.Each question was answered with regard to keeping things “green” and preserving the feel of Chapel Hill.Jon DeHartJon DeHart is president of the Triangle Mortgage Brokers Association and is branch manager of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.He said: