City & County - The Daily Tar Heel

Mauricio Solano, the economic development manager at El Centro Hispano, poses in the nonprofit's new ToolBank on Friday, Feb. 18.

El Centro Hispano announces program to increase job opportunities for Latinx workers

By Maggie McIntyre | Feb. 20

Announced on Feb. 12, the new ToolBank program allows for workers who are a part of the nonprofit's Casa for Employment & Leadership program to rent tools at a low cost in Carrboro. Mauricio Solano, El Centro Hispano’s economic development manager, said access to tools is necessary for improving workers' abilities to take on new jobs. "The first goal is to increase or improve the income and the economic condition for the Latin community," Solano said.

Two of the wolf dogs once held at the Orange County Animal Shelter enjoy their new home in Colorado.Photo courtesy of WolfWood Refuge.

Orange County Animal Services finds homes for all eight wolfdogs taken in last summer

By Sarah Choi | Feb. 20

Since taking in eight wolfdogs last summer, Orange County Animal Services has recently found homes for all of them. Three of the wolfdogs are now in Wisconsin, two are in Colorado and the last three were taken last week by a nonprofit group specializing in the placement of at-risk animals.

The 'Blue Room' is one of several classrooms at the Chapel Hill Cooperative Preschool where teaches and staff work to aid students in their development and prepare them for entry into the secondary school system. The Cooperative Preschool system also finalized plans to consolidate their two Chapel Hill sites into a single facility on Monday, April 1, 2019.

N.C. Child Care Stabilization Grant distributes over $335 million

By Madelyn Van Meter | Feb. 20

Since the program's launch, nearly $336 million of the total $805 million has been distributed to 3,961 child care centers across North Carolina. With the funding, employers aim to bring in new staff and provide better opportunities for those currently employed.

Voting signs guide voters to the East Franklin precinct  on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021.

'An unequivocal win': Advocacy groups react to Supreme Court gerrymandering decision

By Waverly McIver | Feb. 20

The advocacy groups and residents who spoke at the press conference Tuesday called for fairness and equity in North Carolina's redistricting process.

Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger speaks Aug. 26, 2021, while masked during a press conference at Pizzeria Mercato in Carrboro.

Orange County leaders will keep mask mandate in place

By Susie Webb | Feb. 18

The decision comes after Gov. Roy Cooper encouraged schools and local governments to end mask mandates at a press conference yesterday afternoon. He recommended ending mandates as of March 7.

The Chapel Hill Affordable Housing office, located in Town Hall, is helping to coordinate with NCDHHS to provideocal households with max Food and Nutrition Services through February.

'Everyone just needs a second chance': COVID-19 food stamps benefits extend through February

By Grant Alexander | Feb. 17

“The extra food stamps are a good first step,” ClubNova Executive Director Karen Dunn said. “But fixing food insecurity requires a significant shift in our culture and society and policy."

A GO Triangle bus stops at a bus stop on West Franklin Street in Chapel Hill on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022.

Orange County seeking feedback in development of new transit plan

By Simon Tan | Feb. 17

To meet increasing peak frequencies and needs during evenings and weekends, the survey asked for feedback on proposed service improvements for several Chapel Hill Transit routes.

Gov. Roy Cooper speaks Thursday at Pizzeria Mercato in Carrboro, which recently implemented a vaccination requirement to dine there.

Gov. Roy Cooper encourages schools to end mask mandates

By Lauren McCarthy | Feb. 17

"Today, I'm encouraging them to end mask requirements," Gov. Roy Cooper said in a press conference Thursday.

Kendrick Boulware, the owner of Kendrick's Kave Barbershop in Durham, NC, cuts a client's hair on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022.

'Do what I love': Black-owned barber shops give back to community

By Caroline Wills | Feb. 16

Across the Triangle, Black-owned barbershops like Masterworks Barbershop and Kendrick's Kave Barbershop provide not only a much-needed service to people, but a community space as well. “Being able to make people happy, make people smile and make people feel good is what makes me happy,” Masterworks Barbershop owner Kevin Bowick.

Justin Seifts, the recipient of the 2022 Reckford Teaching Prize Reckford teaching, teaches Spanish at East Chapel Hill High School on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022.

'Maybe it opens the door to new possibilities': CHCCS alumnus wins teaching award

By Samuel Long | Feb. 15

Seifts said a significant population of the students at East Chapel Hill High School are Asian, but many of them have never had an Asian teacher before.

Sharon Hilton and Britney Shalloway, the owners of Yumphoria, pose for a portrait on Feb. 10, 2022. Yumphoria is a pop-up boutique sweets shop located on Franklin Street.

Chapel Hill and Durham Black-owned businesses help meet various community needs

By Ian Walniuk | Feb. 15

From college preparation to vegan food options, Black-owned businesses have been offering unique services and filling community needs for years.

The interior of the new 1922 Coffee Shop is pictured on Feb. 14, 2022.

Carolina Coffee Shop opens new café, 1922, next door

By Jenna Rupp | Feb. 14

1922 is a new grab-and-go style café that sells coffee locally sourced from Carrboro Coffee Roasters and items provided by other businesses in the community.

Fourth grader Kaiya Cassidy Lee Duhart tests her motor during International Day of Women and Girls in Science, an event that Pink STREAM held on Franklin Street on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022.

From girls in stem to chicken wings: UNC students keep pace with booming business startups

By Ethan Horton | Feb. 14

As business applications nationally have soared over the past year, student entrepreneurs at the University have been keeping pace. UNC had 538 active startups founded by students, faculty or recent alumni as of July 2021.

Bikes are parked along the bike racks outside of Lenoir Dining Hall on Feb. 12, 2022.

Chapel Hill ups safety enforcement in response to recent pedestrian, bike crashes

By Katie MacKinnon | Feb. 13

In recent weeks, Chapel Hill has seen an increase in bicycle and pedestrian accidents, and many community members have expressed concerns about safety in the Town. At last week's Town Council meeting, staff described different programs and initiatives Chapel Hill is employing to increase biker and pedestrian safety. “The goal that we have is to make the infrastructure and policy changes so that crashes, when they do happen, don't result in serious injury or death," Chapel Hill Transportation Planning Manager Bergen Watterson said.

Power lines are pictured in Hillsborough on Feb. 12, 2022.

Orange County Broadband Task Force seeks to address internet inequality

By Harrison Gummel | Feb. 13

The Orange County Broadband Task Force has planned to provide better internet connection in Orange County.

UNC alumni Camila Coronado and Jaime Guerra pet a goat at Spring Haven Farm on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022.

Here's how to celebrate Valentine's Day in Chapel Hill

By Sarah Choi | Feb. 13

There are lots of events happening in Chapel Hill to help celebrate love, including LAB! Theatre live readings at Linda's, ice cream at Maple View Farm and dinner at La Residence.

OWASA employees work on East Rosemary St. in Carrboro on Feb. 10, 2022.

Orange Water and Sewer Authority project set to replace Carrboro sewer lines

By Waverly McIver | Feb. 13

The East Main Street Sewer Rehabilitation Project is beginning on Friday. Construction will occur on weekends in order to minimize the length of the project.

UNC receives energy from the Cogeneration Plant on its campus as well as from Duke Energy.

Duke Energy reports widespread power outage across Chapel Hill

By Lauren McCarthy | Feb. 11

As of 9:10 a.m., traffic lights on East Franklin Street, Fordham Boulevard and parts of Raleigh Road are out, according to a statement from The Town of Chapel Hill.

Carrboro Town Hall pictured on Sunday, August 15th, 2021.

Carrboro Town Council approves using Town-owned land for affordable housing

By David Richman | Feb. 10

The draft comprehensive plan identified a housing gap of 1,079 units in Carrboro.

An electric car charges at one of Carrboro's new EV charging stations on Feb. 8, 2022. The charging station, located at the Carrboro Plaza, was installed in 2021 as part of the town's Community Climate Action Plan initiatives.

Carrboro Town Council discusses updates to climate plans

By David Richman | Feb. 10

The main issues discussed in the presentation were the implementations of the two plans, including a draft fleet study scope and a draft dietary greenhouse gas emissions inventory.