By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

Before the fire that claimed her life, Gloria Ines Suarez had dedicated much of her life to educating others.
Suarez, 55, died in the fire that destroyed a 14-unit apartment building in Colonial Village at Highland Hills off BPW Club Road in Carrboro last week.

Suarez worked as a research assistant at the UNC Medical School’s Program for Integrative Medicine. Kim Faurot, a research coordinator with the program, said Suarez did everything “with such dedication and a cheerful attitude.

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By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

Accompanied by a group of dedicated volunteers, fourth graders from cities and towns up and down the Haw River headed out into the woods and down to the river this month.

The Haw River Assembly’s Learning Celebration brings fourth-grade students from Orange, Durham, Alamance, Chatham and Guilford counties riverside for a day.

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The West End Poets’ Weekend comes to the Carrboro Century Center this weekend. Organized by the town Recreation and Parks Department, the Century Center will host a series of local poets and related activities Saturday and Sunday.
Groups like Paperhand Puppet Intervention, UNC and Duke professors, creative writing students, various published poets, the NC Haiku Society and others will perform stories and poetry. Also happening: Carrboro names its newest poet laureate and holds a workshop for aspiring writers. For more information, call 918-7364 or visit westendpoetsweekend.com

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By Ken Moore

The second week of the three-week-long Haw River Assembly’s 18th Learning Celebration for area fourth graders was held on the Haw River near Saxapahaw, where spicebush, Lindera benzoin, was

showing off its crimson red berries throughout the flood plain.

In addition to learning about river ecology, pollution and local animals, the youngsters were introduced to lots of plant facts and lore, from poison ivy identification to the Native American heritage of spicebush. They had fun smelling the leaves and the stronger spicy-scented seed skins. The color and scent of a seed in hand kept the youngsters engaged long enough to hear that the leaves were used for medicinal teas and the skins were sun dried and crushed for spicy seasoning in primitive cooking. They took pride in helping nature plant by poking their seeds into the ground.

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By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

The Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday considered management guidelines for the farmers’ market that will be held at the county’s new Public Market House in Hillsborough.

The guidelines, presented by Fletcher Barber, director of the Orange County office of N.C. Cooperative Extension, specify that the market will have a board of directors made up of vendors, as well as a manager.

The county held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month for the Public Market House, which is set to open in March 2008.

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 By Valarie Schwartz

A call from Mel Rashkis in June was my first knowledge of Arthur Clark. The men had become acquainted at the Cedars of Chapel Hill, where each resides. Mel thought I’d want to know about his peer, soon to leave on another trip to the Arctic.

Clark, 85, has trekked through the Northwest Passage so many times he couldn’t count how many when we met upon his latest return in July. But he knows this about his 2007 trip: “We saw essentially no ice. I’ve seen a lot of ice at the same time of year,” previously. “I’ve seen a difference in the glaciers,” he said.

He doesn’t go to study the melting ice caps; he goes for the adventure and to observe the flora and (especially) fauna. Photos of polar bears, grizzlies, caribou, reindeer, whale, walrus and more provide proof of his sightings, along with stories that describe his adventures.

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Nothing like a brisk walk, and it looks like that might be a possibility on Friday around ArtWalk time. Daytime highs Friday are predicted to remain below 70 degrees and temps could plunge to below 60 by the time art wanderers complete their rounds at the 6 to 9 p.m. event. (The northernly acclimated may disagree, but after the summer we just went through, including the record-setting run of hot weather earlier this week, 60 degrees sure counts as brisk in our book.)

Ahandy guide to official Artwalk galleries and businesses is at 2ndfridayartwalk.com, and remember: Throughout town there are a dozen or so other galleries, spaces and places rolling out the welcome mat.
Time to explore the art-strewn streets of Carrboro again. Now in air-conditioned comfort.
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Carrboro

• 2nd Friday Artwalk – Come out and view a large variety of artwork while socializing with fellow art lovers. Free admission, live music and other art related entertainment. Next event is coming up on Fri, Oct 12, from 6-9pm. For more info, visit 2ndfridayartwalk.com.
• 4 More Years, 1.20.05-1.20.09, A Chronicle in Cranes – Installation by Hunter Levinsohn. East End Gallery at The ArtsCenter, 300-G E Main St, Carrboro. On display through the end of the month, opening reception in conjunction with the 2nd Friday Artwalk, Fri, Oct 12, 6-9pm. Gallery open Saturdays 3-6pm or by appt. 929-6728
• The Randomness of Vision – New and old works by Cat Moleski. 3 distinct bodies of work created over a 7-year period. Through Dec 2. Panzanella, corner of Weaver & Greensboro St, Carr Mill Mall, Carrboro. 929-6626, www.panzanella.coop
• The Mirror of the Noonday Sun - Paintings by Eduardo Lapetina. Through Oct 21. Panzanella, 200 N Greensboro St, Carr Mill Mall, Carrboro. 929-6626, www.panzanella.com More »

Thursday Oct 11

• Blue Horn Lounge: Blue Diablo. 9pm
• Cat’s Cradle: Dave Barnes and Matt Wertz, Gabe Dixon. 8pm. $16
• The Cave: Early: WCOM Acoustic Fest w/ Shannon O’Connor, Plan B, Grimball & Long. Late: The Walkers
• General Store Café: Jazz with Club Boheme. 8pm
• Local 506: Caribou, Born Ruffians. 9pm. $10
• Reservoir: Hallelujah the Hills, Casper & the Cookies, TBA

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The Nothing to Hide Mental Health Coalition will host the premiere showing of a new documentary, Brushes With Life: Art, Artists and Mental Illness, on Tuesday, October 11 at 7 p.m. at the Century Center in Carrboro. It’s the story of an art gallery that solely exhibits the work of those with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion. The event is free, but donations will be accepted.

The Board of County Commissioners indicated on Tuesday that they will create an advisory committee to educate the public regarding local tax option referendums that will be put on the May 2008 ballot.

In this year’s state budget, the Legislature gave counties the option of a 0.4 percent land transfer tax or a quarter-cent sales tax increase to help compensate for money taken away from counties in a deal to turn responsibility for paying for Medicaid over to the state.

The county has not yet decided whether to put the land transfer tax, the sales tax or both on the ballot in May. The board will appoint the advisory committee, which will provide the public with information regarding the tax options, in November.

The Carrboro Police Department has charged Aaron Michael Fricke, 20, with several counts of breaking and entering and larceny.

The incidents occurred between the end of July and the end of September, mostly to residences in northern Carrboro. Several property owners had recorded serial numbers for many of the stolen items, which assisted the investigation.

The investigation is continuing and additional charges are expected. Anyone with information is asked to call the Carrboro Police Department at 918-7397.

“How can we meet our growing energy needs and be good stewards of the environment?”

“How can individuals and institutions become more energy efficient?”

A public forum called “Your Energy Future in North Carolina” will discuss these questions at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, October 16 in the assembly hall at Carol Woods Retirement Community.

Director of the State Energy Office Larry Shirley and Duke University professor Dr. John Blackburn will speak.
The forum is intended to be a candid discussion of issues related to climate change, energy use and the changing economy. Sponsored by the NC Waste Awareness and Reduction Network.

For directions, visit www.carolwoods.org/pages/visit/directions.html.

Amy Rickard, principal of Glenwood Elementary and future principal of the new elementary school, has been named Principal of the Year for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.

Rickard will begin her work planning for the new elementary school on November 1. The school is under construction at the intersection of Dromoland and Eubanks roads and is scheduled to open in August 2008.

As principal of the year, Rickard will represent the district in a regional competition.

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The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Department of Transportation was named the district’s employee of the month last week.

The district’s transportation department was recently recognized as the best in the state when compared against 114 other districts in North Carolina. The department has the shortest bus routes in the state, with an average ride time of 14 minutes.

Mary Lin Truelove, director of transportation, and Lisa Edwards, head of the bus driver professional learning community, accepted the award on behalf of the department.