By Chris Fitzsimon

The fierce behind-the-scenes battle continues over legislation to protect people from deadly second-hand smoke at workplaces, restaurants and bars. Despite his best efforts, House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman has been unable to convince a majority of House members to support his comprehensive plan to protect the public health.

The opposition has coalesced around a soundbite in this case masquerading as a philosophy, that somehow protecting workers on their jobs is an infringement of private-property rights. Holliman points out that he owns a small business that complies with all sorts of government regulations, including fire safety inspections every year.

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Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis). Photo by Ken Moore

By Ken Moore

It’s spring again in the Carolina Piedmont. That means another round of predictably unpredictable weather that sets serious and not-so-serious gardeners into an annual frenzy.

Over the years I’ve come to anticipate that when the exotic Star magnolias and the Bradford pears come into flower it’s time for the typical Carolina Piedmont killing frost. That didn’t occur this year. Global warming, hmmm? The killing frosts came later this year. I have also observed that our native species are generally not significantly bothered by these “regular, irregular” cold spells following really warm periods in early spring. Only once during my time (a sorta long time), back in the early 1980s, do I recall that native plants have been harmed by a late spring freeze.

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Article fell short

The Town has annexed the streets in the Highlands per the same procedure that municipalities use all over North Carolina, which is a phased transition from NCDOT to Town maintenance. The Town is also moving ahead full speed with the design of the station and construction will begin as soon as is feasible.

While some folks are seeking to make the facts fit their opinion, the truth is that Carrboro has been working hard to bring as-good (or better) municipal services to northeast Carrboro as we have anywhere else in town.

Shared-ride feeder bus service began last year and we will soon have a regular bus route on Rogers Road. The town has dropped plans for numerous other sidewalks in favor of building sidewalks leading to the Highlands neighborhood.

The Citizen owes it to its readers to seek out more than one point of view on a topic of this kind. No one at the Town of Carrboro was given any opportunity to respond to the assertions contained in your article (”De-annexation bill underlines concerns,” April 4, 2007).

Mark Chilton
Mayor, Town of Carrboro

Lessie Young Riggsbee, 95, died Saturday in the Carolina Health System in Charlotte. She was a native of Chatham County, a member of Lystra Baptist Church and was retired as the office manager for utilities from UNC.

A funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 Wednesday at Lystra Baptist Church by Rev. Everett Smith and Rev. Virginia Taylor. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Mrs. Riggsbee is survived by a daughter, Lou Merritt of Chapel Hill; a son, James B. Riggsbee, and his wife, Lynn, of Charlotte; two sisters, Ruby Ball of Virginia Beach and Allene Clark of Gibsonville; one brother, C.T. Young, of Gibsonville; three grandchildren, Fran Loftin and Jon and Adam Riggsbee and numerous grandchildren.

The family will greet friends after the service in the church.

Arrangements are with Walker Funeral Home, Chapel Hill.

On Tuesday Cat’s Cradle hosts a benefit show in honor of Jason Ray, a member of the UNC cheerleading squad who performed as Rameses. Ray, a senior at the university from Concord, was struck by an SUV in Fort Lee, N.J., on March 23 before the Tar Heels played in the East Regional of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament. He died the following morning.

Thousands attended memorial services in Concord last week and Ray’s family has set up a fund in his honor.

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The Board of County Commissioners meets for a work session April 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Link Government Services Center on South Cameron Street in Hillsborough. Here’s the agenda:

(7:30-8:00) 1. Economic Development Commission FY 2007-08 Goals Update

(8:00-8:25) 2. Landfill Gas Opportunities Update

(8:25-8:50) 3. Equal Opportunity Policy And Affirmative Action Plan For Qualified Individuals With Disabilities And Qualified Veterans

(8:50-9:40) 4. Establishing an Assessment for County Water and Sewer Projects: Decision Points and Policy Options

(9:40-10:00) 5. Follow-up from the BOCC Retreat