Local writer and theologian L.D. Russell explores his devotion to NASCAR.

By Taylor Sisk
Staff Writer

One of L.D. Russell’s earliest memories is of the smell of grease on his granddad’s coveralls. A mechanic by trade and Fireball Roberts fan by inclination, it was Russell’s grandfather who took him, at age 8, to his very first stock car race.

A Hillsborough resident, freelance writer and instructor of religious studies at Elon University, Russell has written a very fine new book called Godspeed: Racing is My Religion, in which he explores NASCAR’s place in the South and, now, in the nation at large, and his own complicated history with the sport. Russell is a believer, but certainly not an unquestioning one.   More »

Emily Kaplan and Francesca Dell’Ova work on a mural at the Town Commons. Photos by Kirk Ross

Photos and story by Kirk Ross

It was standing room only in the misting tent — a welcome place for young and old who made the trek to the Town Commons for the Carrboro Fourth of July Celebration.

Most arrived en masse in one of the Triangle’s shortest but well-attended parades. Hundreds wheeled and walked from Weaver Street Market to the commons in Carrboro’s annual and colorful plunge into summer. More »

All three Orange Co. mayors say they’ll seek re-election 

By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton said he intends to seek another term, joining Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy and Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens in bids for re-election.

In an interview Tuesday, Chilton said he will likely file around noon on Friday, the opening of this year’s shorter-than-usual filing period.

Anyone interested in running in this year’s municipal and school board races has from noon on Friday, July 6 till noon on Friday, July 20. More »

Joe Flowers, a researcher at North Carolina State University, describes the inside of a hive at a recent demonstation at Weaver Street Market. Photo by Kirk Ross

By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

As the number of honeybee hives around the world steadily declines, farmers, beekeepers and scientists are trying to spread the word about the importance of bees and pollination.

Last week was National Pollinator Week, and local beekeepers and experts hosted educational events throughout the area.

At Weaver Street Market on Thursday, onlookers viewed a bee cage and talked with experts from N.C. State University, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension and the Orange County Beekeepers’ Association.    More »

Distinctive white leaf underside of pink-flowered Himalaya-berry.  Photo by Ken Moore

By Ken Moore 

The Fourth of July is here, traditional blackberry-picking time. I enjoyed seeing a Dad and two youngsters out on bikes picking berries along one of Carrboro’s inner-city country lanes during the past weekend. The huge briery berry patch in my wild yard is heavy with fruit, though sadly not as large as hoped for. Our little climatic dry spot on the western edge of Carrboro simply has not been blessed with the recent rains falling all around us.   More »

Potluck in Chatham
The third “Potluck in a Pasture” summer supper will be held Sunday, July 15 from 6-8 p.m. at Pugh’s Cedarbrake Sheep Farm near Silk Hope.

ChathamArts sponsors the series of suppers, which take place every third Sunday of each month this summer. Participants can tour the hosting farm and meet local artists.

Featured artists include Lisa and Karl Janson, creators or handmade birch knitting needles, crochet hooks and tools; Suzy Szary, a spinner who owns cashmere goats and Icelandic sheep; weaver Pat Randorf; Celtic harpist Dora Owens; and metal artist Roger Lamana.    More »

Tree-protection fencing is in place at Southern Community Park. Work on the park is scheduled to begin Monday, July 9. Photo by Kirk Ross

Bright orange tree-protection fences have been strung throughout the 72-acre site of Southern Community Park near U.S. 15-501 and Dogwood Acres Drive — an indication that clearing and grading for the park is ready to begin.

But that work is on hold as per the town’s agreement to allow for a plant rescue in the areas to be cleared. Those interested have until Monday, July 9, when grading work is set to begin. More »

Chavious to retire
Orange County Finance Director Ken Chavious has announced that he will retire December 1.

Chavious has worked with the county since 1978, when he started as county accounting clerk. He advanced to finance director in 1989.

The county has received the U.S. Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting – the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting – during each of Chavious’ 18 years as finance director.    More »

The lead vehicles in a caravan of 86 Chapel Hill Transit buses headed north on Martin Luther King Boulevard last Saturday on their way to the town’s new bus garage at the recently opened Town Operations Center on Millhouse Road. Photo Courtesy of the Town of Chapel Hill.

Editor’s note: this photo was appropriated by another web site and was renamed.

North Castle Partners, a private equity firm based in Greenwich, Conn. has acquired a controlling interest in Performance, Inc.

Chapel Hill-based Bitech, which does business as Performance, Inc., is the largest retailer of bicycle gear in the United States. Founded in 1982 by Garry and Sharon Snook in the basement of the couple’s Chapel Hill home, the company now operates 74 retail stores in 14 states, along with catalog and Web sales.  More »

Tomorrow, today
As noted previously on our opinion page, this has not been a particularly swell couple of years for efforts to secure a vote on land and water conservation bonds.

Last session, concerns about the level of state indebtedness caused legislators to back away from the bond plan, which would fund a comprehensive effort to save the “goodliest lands.”
Unless, there is a turnaround — and, perhaps, an epiphany or two — the same reasoning will win out this year even though there’s a growing state surplus and plenty of lust for bond debt for legislators’ pet projects.   More »

By Kirk Ross 

North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler is a bit perplexed these days.

The North Carolina Senate wants to move 165 of the department’s employees and roughly 15,000 acres of state-managed research farmland to the university system, then slash the budget that funds the program.

So far, the way it’s played out in the media is that Senate Dems were inclined to take a poke at the Republican Ag commissioner.   More »

By Grady McCallie

In the forty-first chapter of Genesis, it is written that, as Joseph languished in jail, Pharaoh dreamt. In his vision, seven fat cows were devoured by seven gaunt cows that emerged from the Nile. Ushered into Pharaoh’s presence, Joseph interpreted the dream: seven years of plenty would give way to seven years of famine. Scripture isn’t clear whether the famine was caused by a drought, but, forewarned and forearmed, Pharaoh appointed Joseph to build silos to store up grain from the fat years, guarding the people of Egypt against the lean years.   More »

Land for Tomorrow needed

While legislators in the state House and Senate have been dickering over the budget this month, I’ve become increasingly worried that they’re taking their eyes off the future.

This state is booming, adding new people and businesses faster than ever and we’ve all seen evidence of runaway development. Where will it lead?   More »

Lisa Garmon

Lisa Garmon, decades-long Carrboro/Chapel Hill resident, active community volunteer and organizer, champion/activist for the rights of women, LBGT/queer rights, the rights of Latin American leftist farmers and immigrants, defender of the environment, and a devoted, connected, supportive friend to countless numbers of us, passed away July 3rd, 2007 from a rare thyroid cancer.    More »