City & County - The Daily Tar Heel

Event highlights connection between plants and Indigenous communities in N.C.

By Eliza Benbow | Feb. 28

During a virtual Feb. 24 "Lunchbox Talk", Randi Byrd, a professional affiliate of the University of Vermont's leadership for sustainability master's program, discussed the importance of the connection between plants and North Carolina Indigenous communities.

People gather outside of the North Carolina State Capitol building in Raleigh, N.C. for a march in support of Ukraine on Feb. 26, 2022.

'Peace for Ukraine': Groups around NC show support for Ukraine

By Eliza Benbow | Feb. 28

Despite the uncertainty for the foreseeable future, seeds of hope for peace are being planted. "The fact that we are together is a ray of hope in the middle of all this horror," Shvabrin said. "I dare to hope that Ukraine, let's hope sooner rather than later, will emerge triumphant from this conflict.”

Members and advisors of the Chapel Hill Carrboro Youth Council pose with their signs that convey anti-racist messages on Feb. 26, 2022 beside Highway 15-501, the highway next to Binkley Baptist Church. They have shown up for vigils regularly since May of 2020.

Church holds monthly BLM vigils to honor those killed by police brutality

By Maggie McIntyre | Feb. 28

Since George Floyd's murder in May 2020, Binkley Baptist Church and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP Youth Council has held vigils as a way to build community and maintain an ongoing conversation about anti-racism.

Judge Inman, who is currently on the N.C. Court of Appeals, is a candidate for the N.C. Supreme Court. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina Judicial Branch Communications Office.

N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Lucy Inman running for state Supreme Court

By Harrison Gummel | Feb. 27

Judge Lucy Inman recently declared her candidacy for the Democratic N.C. Supreme Court primary scheduled for May 17.

A former ACME worker speaks out on past experiences with the owner of ACME during the strike on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022.

Acme workers end strike, many leave restaurant after three months of protests

By Caroline Wills | Feb. 27

After three months of striking, the Acme Food & Beverage Company workers ended their strike on Feb. 18. The strikers achieved certain goals through negotiations with Acme, but are now redirecting their efforts with a new coalition for workers in Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

An initiative by Chapel Hill Community Arts and Culture plans for artists to paint bike racks in the area, such as this bike rack in front of the Homestead Aquatic Center pictured on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022.

'Artwork can inspire change': Chapel Hill calls for artists to paint bike racks

By Jenna Rupp | Feb. 27

Selected artists will paint either a set of four U-shaped bike racks or a set of eight. The stipend for the artists will be $1,150 for the four racks and $2,300 for the eight racks.

Orange County Schools Superintendent Monique Felder speaks at the beginning of a OCS Board of Education meeting on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.

Orange County Board of Education discusses masks, equity and school improvements

By Ira Wilder | Feb. 24

During Monday's meeting, the board unanimously voted to lift school mask mandates and make its COVID-19 testing program optional for unvaccinated student-athletes. The board also heard findings from an equity and culture assessment, and discussed updates about the annual Capital Investment Plan.

DTH Screenshot. Screenshot of the Carrboro Town Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022.

Carrboro Town Council discusses future of racial equity and sustainability

By Caroline Wills | Feb. 24

The Carrboro Town Council continued the discussion about Carrboro Connects, a 20-year plan for the future of Carrboro centered around racial equity and climate action.

A fire hydrant is pictured on West Rosemary St. in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. The Orange Water and Sewer Authority is in charge of maintaining all fire Hydrants in Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

Your water may taste funny come Sunday after OWASA's disinfection process changes

By Madelyn Van Meter | Feb. 24

Starting at midnight on Sunday, the agency will switch from its typical chlorine and ammonia, or chloramine, treatment mixture to chlorine only. Throughout the treatment process, all water will remain safe and drinkable.

DTH File. As AT&T dismantles its 3G service network, bus service predictions provided by Transloc and Nextbus will be affected.

Chapel Hill bus tracking services on pause following AT&T 3G network deactivation

By Zoe Werner | Feb. 24

Chapel Hill Transit recommended that transit customers utilize the online bus schedules posted on the Town of Chapel Hill website to estimate bus times in lieu of Transloc or Nextbus services.

"The best tool at our disposal is the vaccine," says Carrboro mayor Damon Seils. Seils poses for a portrait in Carrboro on Thursday, Feb. 17, hours after a press conference where NC Governor Roy Cooper encouraged local schools and governors to end mask mandates.

Orange County leaders making no mask mandate changes, will reevaluate in March

By Ian Walniuk | Feb. 23

CHCCS will provide an update on COVID-19 protocols at its March 3 Board of Education meeting, Chief Communications Officer Andy Jenks said in an email.

Owner Joshua Goodsell works at The Gathering Place on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022.

'Nerds, misfits, gamers': New bar and game store opens in Chapel Hill

By Sarah Choi | Feb. 23

The Gathering Place has a weekly game schedule, including board game night and Magic: The Gathering tournaments on Wednesdays, Dungeons and Dragons and other tabletop roleplaying games on Thursdays and Flesh and Blood on Saturday mornings

Paige Henderson is the dispensary director at the Cannabliss Dispensary in Chapel Hill.

Education is dope. Cannabliss seeks to destigmatize hemp

By Katie MacKinnon | Feb. 22

“Our goal is to destigmatize cannabis and normalize its medicinal use,” Cannabliss Dispensary Director Paige Henderson said.

Tanya Durand owns The Hemp Store, the first woman- and minority-owned cannabis dispensary in North Carolina.

Woman- and minority-owned hemp store thrives despite racial gaps in marijuana policing

By Ethan E. Horton | Feb. 22

In Raleigh, 77 percent of those arrested for marijuana possession in 2020 were Black, according to the federal data.

DTH Photo Illustration. The NCDHHS now offers a mental health resource to anyone in N.C. known as the Hope4NC Helpline. The Hope4NC number is 1-855-587-3463.

NCDHHS announces Hope4NC helpline to provide mental health support

By Eliza Benbow | Feb. 22

The helpline connects individuals to various mental health services, including referrals to therapists, substance use services and community resources. It also provides Spanish-language assistance and options for individuals without insurance.

The Art Therapy Institute of North Carolina opened a free virtual community art show called “I HeART Connections” on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022.

'I HeART Connections': Carrboro-based virtual art exhibition features global artists

By Meagan Bergstrom | Feb. 21

The Art Institute of North Carolina's 12th annual show goes virtual for the second consecutive year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kalini Allen, an administrative support associate at DEAPR and a coordinator for the Nature of Orange Photo Contest, poses for a portrait outside the Bonnie B. Davis Environment and Agricultural Center in Hillsborough, N.C., on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.

Farms, Parks and Trails: 2022 Nature of Orange Photo Contest underway

By Morgan Taylor | Feb. 21

The Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation is hosting its annual Nature of Orange County Photo Contest this spring. The theme will be Farms, Parks and Trails in Orange County. The department encourage individuals to submit photos depicting the natural beauty of Orange County. Photos must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 29.