By Kirk Ross
Columnist

Sickus
World over, if there is any consistent symptom of a sick society, it’s the infant mortality rate.

Don’t take my word for it. Here’s what state health director Dr. Leah Devlin said when she announced a rise in the numbers a couple years back:

“But this is about much more than babies. It is an important warning sign that our population as a whole is not healthy.”

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Weaver Street Market’s move to Hillsborough
Our economy is, by design, dynamic. There is no such thing as stasis for a business; it is either growing or shrinking. Shrink too much and you are gone; likewise, grow too fast. Weaver Street Market exists because of the vision and acumen of Ruffin Slater. It is because of his social conscience and commitment to community that we have come to consider it a cultural institution. It is not. It is a business, and must make decisions and moves based upon maintaining its long-term health. The move to Hillsborough is somewhat disruptive, but growth is always disruptive. My understanding is that Weaver Street Market is working to provide or subsidize transportation to Hillsborough for the affected workers. How many other businesses would go that far? We should be incredibly thankful that we have Weaver Street Market in our community, and support it in the ongoing and increasingly difficult struggle to thrive in which all small businesses find themselves.

Berkeley Grimball
Carrboro

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By Rebekah L. Cowell 

I know I’m a Carolina gal when I’ve braved mosquitoes, spiders, snakes and large spiky thorns to reach the much-coveted gems – blackberries. The brilliance of an onyx stone winks at me from behind green leaves, its beacon message, “pick-me,” belying the nest of thorns that awaits my fingers as I probe around looking for the big ones, the ripe ones.

I’m not a brave woman. I’m scared of spiders, and snakes make me shriek and run.

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By Adam Searing

Hidden away in the depths of the Legislative Office Building in Raleigh, a small part of the large-scale societal debate over health care transpired recently. It took place under harsh fluorescent lights in a cramped, windowless meeting room filled well past the fire code limits, almost entirely by professional lobbyists and legislators. At issue was whether to create a sliding-scale premium, affordable health plan for at least some of the 87,000 kids without health insurance in North Carolina. Such a move would not have been unique or unprecedented – at least 12 states have already moved towards covering all children with affordable health care — and in Washington, expanding children’s coverage is one of the only major health reforms given a good chance of passage.

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By Wayne Goodwin

Back in the 1700s, fear of king-picked chief executives and their great powers helped sow strong sentiments against strong state executives. Those seeds sprouted into many revisions of our state constitution, guaranteeing a weak governor and a state government with decentralized executive authority.

As our state grew, responsibility for important policy areas such as agriculture, education, labor and the regulation of insurance was divided among independently elected constitutional offices, together called the Council of State.

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By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education last week considered proposed middle school redistricting that could move more than 200 students to different middle schools.

School officials are redistricting in order to prevent “orphan” segments – small segments of students who are assigned to different middle schools than the rest of their elementary school classmates – that were created during redistricting for the new elementary school that will open in the fall of 2008.

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 UNC News Services

Children in families with low incomes who attend schools where the minority population exceeds 75 percent of the student enrollment under-perform in reading, even after accounting for the quality of the literacy instruction, literary experiences at home, gender, race and other variables, according to a new study.

The majority of black and Hispanic children in the United States attend such “minority segregated” schools, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

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Tom McCarthy, Chapel Hill’s newly appointed police chief, will not be able to take over the duties of the job due to health issues,  town officials announced late Wednesday.

“As you know, I have worked hard to keep myself in shape and be ready for this great opportunity. I am very disappointed that I was unable to meet the standard (of the physical exam required by North Carolina Criminal Justice Training and Standards).

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Moratorium approved
The Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday voted 4-1 to approve a four-month moratorium on residential development in the Joint Planning Transition Area portion of the Carrboro Northern Study Area.

In February, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen approved a six-month moratorium in the Northern Study Area, to begin April 26. However, because 2,800 of the 3,800 acres in the Northern Study Area are considered the Joint Planning Transition Area, the moratorium required the approval of the board of commissioners.

Commissioner Alice Gordon voted against the moratorium.

The commissioners voted to impose the moratorium for four months instead of six because the moratorium was initially anticipated to end October 26 and the Carrboro Northern Study Area groups have already started studying the area as planned.

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The Town of Chapel Hill is sponsoring a plant rescue from July 2–8 at Southern Community Park on Highway 15-501. Clearing of the Southern Community Park site is scheduled to begin on July 9. The public is invited to rescue any plants currently growing within the clearing limits at the park site.

Anyone interested in participating should contact Bill Webster, Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Department. He will provide additional information including directions to the site.  He can be reached Monday–Friday at 968-2787 ext. 214, or by email at bwebster@townofchapelhill.org

Please note that plants cannot be removed from portions of the site that are outside the clearing limits.

Candice Elisha Taylor, 29, passed away at her residence in Indianapolis, IN on June 16, 2007.

A funeral service was conducted at 4:00 pm Friday, June 22, 2007 at Walker’s Funeral Home in Chapel Hill, NC.

Surviving are husband, Leonard Taylor of the home; daughter, Bria Anita Linger of Chapel Hill, NC; son, Jalen Taylor of Indianapolis, IN; father, Elijah Stevens of Syracuse, NY; mother and stepfather, Rita Anita and Karl A. Linger of Chcapel Hill, NC.
Walker’s Funeral Home is serving the Taylor family.

Delacy Cornelius Corbett Crisp, age 52, born January 6, 1955 in Orange County to the late Claude and Massey Poole Corbett, died in her home on June 22, 2007.

The funeral was conducted Tuesday at 2:00 pm in Lee’s Chapel Baptist Church. Burial was in Church cemetery.

She was employed by UNC Hospital in Environmental Services and was a member of Lee’s Chapel Baptist Church.

Survivors are one son, Trevor Corbett, and fiancée and caretaker, Rolland Walton, both of the home; sisters, Lillian Corbett and Fannie Crisp (Melvin) of Hillsborough; brothers, Earnest Corbett (Anna) of Mebane and Claude Bruce Corbett of Burlington.

Visitation was Monday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in Chavis-Parker Funeral Home.

Dietrich von Haugwitz, 79, of Durham died on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at his home after a short bout with stomach cancer.  Mr. Haugwitz retired from Duke University in 1992 as a Health Systems Engineer who wrote computer software for the medical center.  He was active as a board member for the NC Network for Animals.

Mr. Haugwitz is survived by his only child, Joanne Erznoznik of Chapel Hill. Memorial services are incomplete.

Arrangements by the Cremation Society of the Carolinas. Online condolences can be made at www.cremnc.com.

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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Art & Museums
POTTERY BY COURTNEY TOMCHIK - Jun 1-30. NC Crafts Gallery. 942-4048, www.nccraftsgallery.com

PAINTINGS BY AMY RICHARDS - Through Jun 30. Carrboro Town Hall. 942-8541, www.nccraftsgallery.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIC BOGART - Through Jun 30. Open Eye Cafe, 968-9410, www.openeyecafe.com

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