By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

The Century Center, about as filled as it ever gets, was the scene Tuesday night for an actual debate about the impeachment of the vice president and president of the United States.

From the outset, journalist Michael Tomasky (call him progressive or liberal) knew he faced a potentially unfriendly audience. In his opening statement, he said he was counting on the crowd’s Southern manners, for his role for the evening was to assert that impeaching Dick Cheney and George Bush is a disastrous idea. More »

By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

In their first meeting back after a winter break, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen reviewed plans by the county to replace worn turf at the two Smith Middle School soccer fields with Astroturf.
The project is expected to cost between $1.6 and $1.75 million. The new surface would allow the fields to be used more often and not require them to be taken out of action to allow restoration to damaged turf.
The project, initiated by Orange County, has drawn the interest of local soccer organizations that have agreed to help fund part of the effort, including Triangle United Soccer Association, Triangle Futbol Club and CHAC Soccer. More »

Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey recently received the Credentialed Manager designation from ICMA, a local government leadership and management organization.
To receive the designation, members must have significant experience as a senior management executive in local government, have earned a degree and demonstrated a commitment to high standards of integrity and to lifelong learning and professional development.
Harvey has served as Orange County assistant manager since 2002. Prior to coming to Orange County, Harvey served as assistant manager in Chatham County, Ga., and the City of Gresham, Ore.

Healthy Carolinians of Orange County and the Orange County Health Department have been awarded a $30,000 grant by the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust of Winston-Salem.
According to Healthy Carolinians of Orange County coordinator Bobbie Jo Munson, the funds will be used to enhance the organization’s partnership and to carry out activities to address the leading health concerns in the county.
Healthy Carolinians of Orange County was founded in 1966 to serve all county residents by partnering with agencies and citizens throughout the county to advocate, guide and assist in developing strategies to promote healthy lifestyles.

SUNDAY JAN 20
The 23rd Annual University-Community Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Banquet will be held at 6 p.m. at the William & Ida B. Friday Center for Continuing Education. The Rev. Chancy R. Edwards, pastor emeritus at First Baptist Church in Fayetteville and senior advisor to the governor of North Carolina, is the keynote speaker for the event. To purchase tickets, please contact 962-6962 or visit www.unc.edu/diversity/mlk/schedule.html. More »

by Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

After a flurry of news articles last weekend left things unclear on who all the players were in a massive retail and mixed use complex proposed near Mebane, the principles in the project issued a detailed statement Wednesday outlining their vision for a proposed 1.1 million square foot development.
In an interview Tuesday, John Fugo of Montgomery Capital Development Corp., which was part of the group that developed Southern Village, said he will be the project manager for Buckhorn Village, which is being developed by a partnership including Montgomery, Hillsborough’s Gateway developer George Horton of Tryon Investment Group and Meadowmont developers Roger and Ben Perry of East West Partners. More »

By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

The Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to enter into a 90-day agreement with UNC to explore the feasibility of a landfill gas-recovery project.
Commissioners and county officials have said they would like to launch a possible gas-recovery project at the landfill as a way of reducing greenhouse gases. County staff had recommended in November that the commissioners request proposals from private firms as well as the university, but university officials said they would not bid against private firms.
The board had agreed in December to consider a proposal by UNC to use county landfill gas to power the university’s Carolina North Development. More »