The tall flower-covered Northern Catalpa behind Weaver Street Market. Photo by Ken Moore.

As usual, Mother’s Day and the university’s commencement have been accompanied by the typical cool stormy weather of “blackberry winter,” signaled by the flowering of wild blackberries along roadsides and woodland edges.

This past weekend’s blackberry winter weather was particularly stormy, as it delivered more needed rainfall, hopefully not the last before a harsh drought, as occurred last year.

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Manager calls for 3.23 cent tax increase

by Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

The town is cutting expenditures by close to 6 percent, but taxes are headed up under a budget proposal detailed for the Carrboro Board of Aldermen at Town Hall Tuesday night.

Town Manager Steve Stewart outlined a $18,476,375 budget that delays vehicle purchases and uses part of the town’s fund balance to help make up for increased costs and lackluster revenue projects.
Stewart is recommending that the town raise property taxes 3.23 cents, putting the total tax rate at 68.60 cents per $100 of assessed value. For the owner of a $200,000 home, the increase would be about $65. More »

A Carolina Family: The Allred family includes Meredith (rising junior in Class of 2010), Stephen (Class of 1974), James (Class of 2007) and Julia (Class of 1975). Photo courtesy of the Allred family

Last Friday, Stephen Allred looked comfortable and relieved in his office on the west side of South Building, where he has been executive associate provost since March 2004. The day before, it had been announced that colleague, friend and fellow Equinox band member Holden Thorp would begin occupying the offices on the east side of South Building starting in July.

But when Thorp becomes chancellor of the University of North Carolina, Allred begins his new job as provost — of the University of Richmond.

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by Rich Fowler
Staff Writer

The Inter-Faith Council finally has the land it needs to build a new men’s residential facility, thanks to an agreement between UNC and the Town of Chapel Hill. The university is buying 13 acres of land on Homestead Road from Duke Energy and will lease about one and a half acres to the town for the next 99 years for $1 per year. The town will donate the land to the IFC so it can replace the Community House men’s shelter on Rosemary Street with one that can better meet the needs of homeless people.

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