Halfway there — well sorta.
The release of the House budget followed in quick succession by the crossover deadline (even though it was extended) marks a traditional midpoint in the legislative session. But this year, it’s more of a scene setter for the debates and battles ahead.

For after meeting for more than a month together, House and Senate budget writers parted company about a month ago and began meeting separately.

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By Robert Morgan

RALEIGH - This past week I traveled to Raleigh to reunite with some old friends and colleagues, such as former congressman Tim Valentine, former legislators Wib Gulley and Ronnie Smith and several North Carolina political leaders, both Democrats and Republicans.

They came to Raleigh to respond to a plea I made to campaign donors around the state: to stand up and say enough is enough and to demand the legislature begin the process of reforming our campaigns to reduce the corrosive influence of money over politics.

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Worried about move 

The scheduled move of Weaver Street Market’s food production facilities and offices to Hillsborough will result in a loss of around 80 jobs for Carrboro and have a detrimental effect on the town and the environment.

The environment impacts are the most obvious: 80 workers driving 24 miles each workday equals around 2,000 miles a day. That is a lot of carbon emission, and it doesn’t include the added distribution miles of having a non-centrally located production and office facility.

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By David Price

Rep. David Price submitted the following statement during debate of the Iraq War supplemental funding bill. Price voted against the bill, which he faulted for not including provisions to bring about an end to the war. He noted, however, that the bill includes important benchmarks for political progress in Iraq, and he pledged to continue applying pressure on the president to change his failed war policy. The bill passed the House by a vote of 280-142. The Senate also passed the bill and it now awaits the president’s signature in order to become law.

“Mr. Speaker, today we are asked to vote for a fourth time in two months on legislation to provide funding for the ongoing military mission in Iraq.

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By Rob Thompson

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are 700 chemical facilities in the United States that put more than 100,000 people at risk of death or serious injury.

Stephen Flynn with the Council on Foreign Relations recently described the chemical plant threat as “[t]he equivalent of weapons of mass destruction prepositioned in some of the most congested parts of our country.”

So, five and a half years after the September 11th attacks, what are we doing to improve chemical safety in North Carolina and across the country?
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Denial of service
You would think that here in the tenth largest state in the wealthiest country ever that cutting back on children’s’ health care to save money would be off the table.

Think again. Then count to ten, because it isn’t.

In fact, it’s one of the ways to “balance” the budget that our legislators are considering.

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By Kirk Ross

Thanks to the efforts of the redoubtable Herb Bresky, I have in my hand an edition of Nyle Frank’s Carrboro Centipede (“Of the Pedes, By the Pedes and for the Pedes) dated Jan 20, 1971.

Under the headline “Carrboro Chosen as Capitol of the Invisible Kingdom,” King Nyle I outlines an ambitious agenda for the town, saying it will one day house numerous parks, luxurious shops, ecological improvements, mammoth sports arenas, libraries, excellent railroad service, Eiful [sic] Tower, Seine River, day-care centers and theatre groups.

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Thursday May 31

The Cave: Early: Rose Verhoeven. Late: Fey, Erie Choir, Grammar Debate. $5
Local 506: Chest Pains, Blag’ard, Fighting Poseiden. 10pm
Weaver Street Market: The Tim Smith Band. 6pm

Friday June 1

Cat’s Cradle: Sage Francis, Buck 65, Alias. 9:30pm. $18
The Cave: Early: Nikki Meets The Hibachi. Late: Rift. $5
Local 506: Wannabeezer, Manic Tantrics. 10pm. $6
Open Eye Café: Heather Purdin. 8pm

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Art & Museums
CAROLINA FACES: The Photography of Don Sturkey. Through May 31. UNC Campus: Wilson Library.

HOW HIGH THE MOON - by Maggi Grace. Through May 31. Weaver Street Realty, 929-5658.

PAINTINGS by Amy White -Through May 31. Nested, 338-8023, www.nestedhome.com.

LANDSCAPES NEAR & FAR - works by Julie Eastman. Through May 31. East End Gallery, The ArtsCenter. 929-2787

PAINTINGS by David Sovero – Through May 31. NC Crafts Gallery, 942-4048, www.nccraftsgallery.com.

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Seniors/Wellness Program
ORANGE COUNTY SENIORSTRIDERS, a University Mall-walking program designed for all levels of walkers. 8:00am exercise warm-up, breakfast at Bear Rock, and health talk by local health experts on a variety of topics. Orange County residents age 55 and older. Free. 3rd Wed of every month. 968-2073.

Groups
MEDITATION Practices of Tibetan Buddhism: Shinay, Tonglen & Deity Practice. Everyone is welcome. Piedmont KTC Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center. www.piedmontktc.org. 933-2138.

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The day started around 4:30 a.m. That’s when Miguel Torres and Rudy Rodriguez of Lantern restaurant showed up at the Chapel Hill Creamery to dig a pit and start the coals for the goat and lamb that would be cooked Monterrey style.

By 7 a.m. the goat and lamb, wrapped in cactus, banana leaves and foil were in the ground and covered. Passing by, you wouldn’t know that beneath the two stone markers over the freshly disturbed earth something culinary was happening.

Bill Dow of Ayshire Farm serving up warm radicchio
and goat cheese and visiting with Lucy Harris of SEEDS.

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Audio: Carlo Petrini remarks at the Chapel Hill Creamery, May 23, 2007

While Slow Food USA’s executive director Erika Lesser translates, the international movement’s founder, Carlo Petrini, encourages the crowd to eat well, eat less and respect the earth. Photo by Kirk Ross

By Matthew Fiorentino
Correspondent

In the pasture of the Chapel Hill Creamery, filled with the smells of the finest local foods and the audible sighs of gastronomic pleasure, and surrounded by cows, Carlo Petrini, founder of the global Slow Food movement took in the moment.

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By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

After hearing from part-time employees who would like to see a health care stipend added to their benefits and a group of supporters of dropping the $100 fee for the Town Commons for some kinds of events, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen will take a couple of weeks to study their options for the fiscal 2007-2008 budget.

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By Taylor Sisk
Staff Writer

OWASA and UNC are testing drinking water after elevated lead levels were found in three new UNC buildings and one that was recently renovated. Testing began after reports that the water tasted unusual in Caudill Labs, Chapman Hall and ITS Manning and in the newly renovated Campus Y.

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Perry Harrison looks at Arlington through the bus window. Photo by Meghan Cooke

By Meghan Cooke
Courtesy of the Carrboro Commons

The memories are still here. Memories of battlefields scarred by the loss of friends, family and comrades years ago. Memories to honor their sacrifice. Memories of one soldier, out of many, remembered by comrades and family for his service and life.

Almost 40 members, family and friends of the American Legion Post 6 of Chapel Hill and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9100 boarded a bus Wednesday, April 25, for a day-long journey to Washington D.C., where they honored Carl L. Fritz and visited the World War II memorial.

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