Two baby grand pianos and audience participation take center stage at Rum Runners, the newest addition to Chapel Hill's bar scene. Rum Runners is a national chain of dueling piano bars based in Raleigh. The Chapel Hill location, in the back of the Bank of America building on Rosemary Street, is the company's second site in North Carolina and fifth nationwide.
The Chapel Hill Town Council voted unanimously Monday to loan Habitat for Humanity of Orange County $50,000 to help the group purchase a tract of land for affordable housing units. The money either will be used to extend the closing date on the property to allow further discussion of the development plans or go directly toward the land's purchase. Habitat requested a $300,000 grant to help purchase the lot, located on Sunrise Road. Habitat's original proposal included 95 units, a number both camps say might change.
A preliminary development plan that would add up to 100 units of low-income housing in northeast Chapel Hill already has sparked opposition from some area residents. Chapel Hill staff will present a report at Monday's Town Council meeting regarding a request from Habitat for Humanity of Orange County for funding to buy a tract of land for the development of affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity is petitioning for $300,000 to help purchase 16.5 acres of land on Sunrise Road off Weaver Dairy Road.
In the wake of a resolution mandating that Animal Protection Society members no longer elect the board of directors, seven of the 11 candidates running for the board briefly presented their goals and experience at a meeting Monday. Five directors will be completing their terms, allowing four incumbents, two board nominees and five at-large individuals to contend for the openings. The board consists of 15 people. Candidates had to have petitions signed by at least 10 APS members to run.
At a special Orange Water and Sewer Authority board of directors meeting scheduled for Thursday, board members are likely to relax water use restrictions, if not lift them entirely. OWASA Executive Director Ed Kerwin said the meeting is being held specifically to discuss the area's water supply.
Residents living within a 10-mile radius of the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant can receive free potassium iodide pills to help protect them from the release of radioactive iodide in case of a plant emergency. Distribution of the pills, provided by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, has been organized by state and local health departments. Parts of Wake, Chatham, Harnett and Lee counties are affected by the new program.
This weekend's Greek Festival transformed an ordinary school cafeteria into a small piece of Athens by filling it with the aroma of fresh-baked pastries, festive dance music and artist booths. Greek Festival 2002, sponsored by the St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church of Durham and Chapel Hill, was held Friday, Saturday and Sunday at East Chapel Hill High School. Both attendees and festival organizers said the biggest draw for most festivalgoers was the food. "All of our stuff is made from scratch," said Father Andrew Koufopoulos of St. Barbara's.
Orange County will decide in February where to allocate the revenue from its additional half-cent sales tax following the completion of the first quarter of the implementation of the tax, county officials say. Orange County commissioners say they prefer to wait and determine how much revenue is generated and what programs and facilities show the most need. "We are not going to take action based on a projection," said Commissioner Barry Jacobs. "We'll have a better idea in February."
The Chapel Hill Police Department is one step closer to receiving a new grant designed to improve crime-fighting technology. The Chapel Hill Town Council held a public hearing Monday to allow residents to comment on the expenditure proposal for the $44,510 2002 Law Enforcement Block Grant. No residents chose to speak at the hearing. The final requirement is acceptance by the Town Council of the grant, which will be presented to the council Oct. 21. The hearing was the second of three prerequisites the police department must meet before it receives the grant from the U.S.
Parents pushing strollers, couples holding hands and individuals carrying newly purchased artwork filled West Franklin Street during Sunday's 30th annual Festifall, sponsored by the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Department. From 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., people of all ages and backgrounds listened to music, browsed the booths and sampled a wide variety of foods. Ceramics, jewelry, photographs, paintings and other arts and crafts were available for purchase at many of the booths. This year was the first time commercial photographer Steve Exum displayed his art at Festifall.
