OrangePolitics blogs

Transition Carrboro -Chapel Hill ~ "Power Down" Video and Discussion TONIGHT!

Croatoan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:29:23 -0600

This Wednesday, March 10, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Flyleaf Books, Transition Carrboro-Chapel Hill will present two episodes of The Powerdown Show, which examines local responses to peak oil and climate change.

Coffee Party - The Lefts Answer to the Tea Party

Jake Gellar-Goad — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:12:59 -0600

http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/

http://www.facebook.com/coffeeparty

MISSION: The Coffee Party Movement gives voice to Americans who want to see cooperation in government. We recognize that the federal government is not the enemy of the people, but the expression of our collective will, and that we must participate in the democratic process in order to address the challenges that we face as Americans. As voters and grassroots volunteers, we will support leaders who work toward positive solutions, and hold accountable those who obstruct them.
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Daniel Pollitt rests at last

Ruby Sinreich — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:06:20 -0600

Dan Pollitt was a dedicated activist and leader in our community for decades. He passed away this morning after a lifetime dedicated to peace and justice. My heart goes out to his wife Senator Ellie Kinnaird and the rest of his family. But the loss is all of ours. Pollitt was a beacon, lighting the way forward from just a little ahead of the rest of us.

Here's the Independent's profile of him from 10 years ago:

Chapel Hill attorney Bill Massengill nails it: "He's the aggressive-liberal gentleman. Dan can aggressively press his ideas without offending people." Even when those ideas are quite hopelessly out of fashion--as they so very often are.
Take, for example, Pollitt's defense of free association amid Red Scare panic. Or integration in the Jim Crow South. It took the times some time to catch up with Pollitt on those two.
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NAACP: "Don't Resegregate Our Schools"

Ruby Sinreich — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:01:47 -0600

Right about now, the Chapel-Hill Carrboro NAACP is holding a press conference/rally at Lincoln Center, the administrative home of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School System (CHCCSS). I'm pasting their entire (long!) announcement below as it has a lot of interesting information, including a history of segregation in the school system.

NC 54 Choices Tonight - anyone going to the meeting?

Rickie White — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:42:25 -0600

I'm hoping some folks are planning on attending tonight's second meeting of the NC 54/I40 corridor study group at the Friday Center between 5 and 8PM (2-25-10).

Basically, it looks like they are going to ask folks to choose between three possible scenarios, one in which they assume less growth along the corridor and no light rail or rapid bus transit, one in which they assume more growth along the corridor and no light rail or rapid bus transit, and one in which they assume a lot of growth along the corridor, with light rail and rapid bus transit occurring and the current park and ride lots moved adjacent to I-40.

Trees

Barbara Crockett — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:18:40 -0600

What do you think of the proposed tree ordinance? Personally, I value Chapel Hill's canopy and wooded neighborhoods, including my family's own heavily wooded lot. That said, I see this as good intentions gone way, way awry. If adopted, the town and its citizens will face increased regulatory costs (more staff to review proposals and police tree removal) and more delay, uncertainty and cost for citizens who need or just seek to remove trees on their own property. What about clearing space for solar panels, culling saplings to better support larger growth trees, or removing diseased trees? Even if the ordinance allows for those activities (and admittedly, it might, I just don't know for sure), the added time and expense necessary for completing paperwork, then waiting for inspections, or, more likely, relying on neighbors to police each other, seems the wrong tack to take. Is this really a problem?

Orange County Consolidating Boards and Commissions

mbo123go — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:41:20 -0600

The Orange County Commissioners are apparently considering a proposal from the County Manager to reduce the number of citizen advisory boards and commissions. This may not be a bad idea since the county has over 70 such advisory groups.

Until last week I was a member of the Human Services Advisory Commission (HSAC) which I think is likely to be disappear - transferring its responsibilities to various existing boards, such as, the OPC mental health board, the DSS board, etc. I think eliminating HSAC will not have a detrimental effect because the advice of this group was not taken very seriously, anyway.

However, I do wonder if the elimination of some of the other boards and commissions might cause problems.

Moses Carey appointed to perdue's cabinet as Sec'y of Admin.

gercohen — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 10:01:18 -0600

After a year heading up the Employment Security Commission, former Orange County Commission chair Mosey Carey was appointed this week as Secretary of Administration in Governor Perdue's cabinet

Prior to his appointment to the ESC, Moses Carey worked for NCCU Department of Health Education under contract for the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund. He worked in local and state departments of health in Florida and served as executive director of Piedmont Health Services, Inc. in North Carolina for 18 years. Carey is a native of Tampa and currently lives in Chapel Hill. He earned his B.S. in Health and Physical Education at Fort Valley State College and a Masters in Public Health Administration at the University of North Carolina’s School of Public Health. He holds a law degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law.
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Greenbridge protesters doing more harm than good (updated)

Ruby Sinreich — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:11:45 -0600

This morning, the west end of downtown Chapel Hill was immobilized when someone called in a bomb threat against the rising Greenbridge development. I understand that some people have issues with tall buildings in Chapel Hill, although I don't especially. But I do share the concerns that many have about the gentrification of Northside. However, the fact is that Greenbridge didn't create either of those problems, and stopping it isn't going to help solve them either.

Bolin Creek Solutions

jmcclint — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:54:26 -0600

Why stop a consultant’s recommendation to spend $3 million of taxpayers’ funds to put cement next to Bolin Creek?

This portion of Bolin Creek between Estes and Homestead is unique because it encompasses 400+ acres of assets that include a natural creek, wildflowers such as the coneflower, and wildlife such as coyotes, salamanders, heron and woodpeckers. The Adams Tract was acquired by Carrboro and the County for preservation four years ago. Next to this gorgeous forest sits the P.H. Craig tract, as yet unprotected, and finally the 300 acres of UNC property that will be protected by contract under the recently signed Development Agreement.

All together these intact woods are of immense beauty and significance, as noted by the Inventory of Significant Natural Areas of Orange County. A scientific baseline, moreover, was established by the Eco System Enhancement Program Local Watershed Plan for Little Creek (which includes Bolin Creek).