JAKE POTTER

News

Town allows dome

By JAKE POTTER | January 18

Though the University will celebrate the Smith Center's 20th birthday Wednesday, few people - even the building's namesake himself - are aware of the town-gown clash it took to bring the arena to fruition. Microfilm documents at Chapel Hill Town Hall show that plans for the arena stretch back to July 1978, when the University first submitted a request to rezone a 35-acre tract. Administrators later acknowledged that the land would be used for a privately funded student athletics center.

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Kleinschmidt pumps town-gown relations

By JAKE POTTER | October 11

Mark Kleinschmidt is no stranger to the spotlight. A Chapel Hill Town Council incumbent running for re-election, Kleinschmidt - one of five openly gay elected officials in state history - made headlines earlier this year thanks to his efforts to reach out to the area's gay and lesbian communities by asking the town to oppose the Defense of Marriage Act. Kleinschmidt's stance on gay rights recently won him the endorsement of Equality N.C.

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Residents toss around idea of conservation district

By JAKE POTTER | September 30

The third of four neighborhoods looking for status with the town of Chapel Hill as a preserved historic district voiced its concerns Thursday night to a town consultant charged with heading up the conservation district process. Residents of the Morgan Creek-Kings Mill area spoke with former town planning director Roger Waldon, now representing Chapel Hill-based private firm Clarion Associates LLC, about issues ranging from university growth to walkability that could affect the neighborhood's personality.

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Candidates dial into blog scene

By JAKE POTTER | September 26

Some of the candidates vying for municipal office this year are taking a progressive approach to winning over an evolving constituency - they're modernizing their communication methods. The practice of blogging emerged from the "What's New" sections of various Web sites and has transformed into a major trend toward average-citizen journalism - hundreds of sites such as LiveJournal and Xanga boast easy-to-start blog hosting.

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Straley, 90, council member, activist

By JAKE POTTER | September 23

A man who left a lasting impression on both the town and the University passed away Wednesday. Joe W. Straley, a peace and justice activist, former Chapel Hill Town Council member and University professor, died at approximately 2 p.m. Wednesday at UNC Hospitals. He was 90. Straley is survived by his wife, Lucy, sons, David and Joe Jr., and daughter, Lesley. Also surviving are his sister, Miriam Smith, and his brother, Huston.

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Town, ex-planner launch into talks

By JAKE POTTER | September 21

A series of meetings with residents of Chapel Hill neighborhoods trying to preserve their character is giving town planners a plethora of ideas, project leaders say. Former Planning Director Roger Waldon, now a private consultant for the initiative, told the town's planning board at its meeting that the first discussion, held Sunday, was a success. "I'm very pleased about the progress we're making," he said. "I think the issues are coming out pretty good."

News

Council reviews project designs

By JAKE POTTER | September 20

The development company charged with designing two multimillion-dollar mixed-use developments that could reshape the downtown's face now are completing their final project drawings. The Chapel Hill Town Council got a chance Monday night to review a few possible designs for mixed-use developments slated to be built on lot 5 and the Wallace Deck area with Florida-based design consultant Ram Development Company. Lot 5 is at the corner of Franklin and Church streets and the Wallace Deck sits on East Rosemary Street.

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Endorsements fuel campaigns

By JAKE POTTER | September 19

As municipal campaigns inch closer to Election Day, some candidates are finding friends with benefits - political groups eager to endorse candidates for office. The first endorsements of the campaign trail are already in: Campus-based Students for a Progressive Chapel Hill announced last week they are throwing their weight behind Jason Baker, Will Raymond, Laurin Easthom and incumbents Mark Kleinschmidt and Mayor Kevin Foy for Chapel Hill seats.

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Town gauges housing choices

By JAKE POTTER | September 14

Chapel Hill officials took another step toward stiffer affordable housing regulations Monday - a move that could force stricter regulations on developments in a town where the average cost of a single-family home is about $400,000. Town Council members established the Inclusionary Zoning Task Force to look into mandatory affordable housing by surveying statistics and future need for more housing. Between 15 and 18 people could sit on the task force, which is charged with determining the necessity of affordable housing within town limits.

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Downtown wireless network slow to start

By JAKE POTTER | August 31

A downtown wireless Internet initiative that has sat idle for several months is slowly booting up. The Downtown Economic Development Corporation and the town’s Technology Committee are discussing the possibility of bringing wireless Internet access to the downtown sector. After the corporation proposed the idea earlier this year, the Chapel Hill Town Council formally referred the issue to Town Manager Cal Horton and the committee on June 27.