James Russ

News

Council Doubts Expansion

By James Russ | April 26

Some Chapel Hill Town Council members have doubts that a plan to widen Weaver Dairy Road, which they approved and sent to the N.C. Department of Transportation this week, will be accepted. The council voted 6-3 Monday to approve a plan that would expand parts of Weaver Dairy Road, a two-lane road, to three lanes. The earliest the plan would be approved by NCDOT is next week. The council had approved a similar measure Jan. 22, 2001, but NCDOT did not approve that plan. NCDOT instead had recommended a four-lane road.

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Local Officials Respond to College Alcoholism Survey

By James Russ | April 16

In response to a recent study, local officials say that while it's hard to pinpoint binge drinkers, they're working to stamp out the broader problem of alcoholism on UNC's campus. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism conducted a study, released April 9, that states that about 40 percent of college students are classified as binge drinkers -- a finding that parallels last year's information. The study defined binge drinking as five or more drinks in a row for men and four or more in a row for women.

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Winmore May Be Too Expensive for Employees

By James Russ | April 5

Officials have expressed concerns that the Winmore mixed-use development might not be affordable to all the University employees and Carrboro residents in need of inexpensive housing. Winmore is a 62-acre satellite tract of the Horace Williams tract that the UNC Board of Trustees voted March 28 to sell to Winmore developers. The project will combine residential and retail space for residents. Although the mixed-use project is expected to include houses and apartments, only the apartments are designed to be affordable for employees of the town of Carrboro, UNC and UNC Hospitals.

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School Board OKs Funding for IB Fee

By James Russ | March 20

The Orange County School Board voted Monday to fund a $2,500 application fee for the International Baccalaureate program despite its tight budget. The program, which board members hope would allow Orange County Schools to better compete with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, would be hosted at Cedar Ridge High School. The program would be shared with Orange High School, though transfers from other schools and districts may be considered.

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Town-University Fiscal Relationship Unchanged by Budget Crisis

By James Russ | March 19

Although the Chapel Hill Town Council is considering several avenues to fend off a budget crisis, officials say fiscal equity agreements between the town and the University most likely will remain unaffected. The town has a cost-sharing agreement with the University to cover certain services used by UNC, such as fire coverage and clean up after events like Halloween and basketball games.

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Asian Restaurant Enjoys Successful Start

By James Russ | March 1

The word is getting out about Lantern, a new Asian restaurant located at 423 W. Franklin St.

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Town Might Change Rules on Affordable Housing

By James Russ | February 19

The Chapel Hill Town Council is considering amending its existing Development Ordinance to allow developers the right to fund affordable housing without actually building the structures on their properties. The council decided Monday night to refer two proposed amendments to its existing Development Ordinance to staff for clarification. Changes to the existing ordinance might be used a guideline for establishing a new ordinance -- something the council plans to do by Sept. 18.

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Tracking System Aims To Save Children's Lives

By James Russ | February 5

Orange County law enforcement has a new tool for tracking down and saving missing children. The emergency broadcast system, known as the N.C. Child Alert Network, broadcasts information about missing children in life-threatening situations to television and radio stations that have agreed to be part of the network.

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Council Meeting

By James Russ | January 29

The Chapel Hill Town Council took steps to streamline the town's policy goals for the next year during a Monday night work session. The goals, which council members brainstormed during their retreat last weekend, are geared toward prioritizing which issues the council will address in the coming year. Council members narrowed down a list of about 100 goals to 11 main categories, which were created to encompass similar interests.

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Local Cable Gains Hispanic Channels

By James Russ | January 24

Despite communication problems between the Carrboro Board of Aldermen and Time Warner Cable officials earlier this year, new Hispanic cable channels will be offered to the town. Time Warner launched a new Spanish language tier Jan. 16 called Sabor Latino de Time Warner Cable. Although officials still are waiting for Time Warner's approval, the channels already are available to Carrboro residents.