by Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
After nearly five years, construction could begin this fall on a James Street sidewalk that residents say is long overdue.

George Seiz, director of Carrboro Public Works, said that despite delays and design challenges he hopes sidewalk construction will begin this fall, with completion of the project about six months later.

The James Street sidewalk is part of a sidewalk bond project approved by voters in 2003. The project includes 0.65 miles of sidewalks, from West Main Street to Hillsborough Road. The sidewalk is planned for the west side of James Street. More »

by Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
Carrboro High School teachers and parents say they don’t understand Superintendent Neil Pedersen’s recent decision to replace Principal Jeff Thomas and that district administrators owe them more of an explanation.
The district announced June 18 that Thomas has been reassigned to the district’s central office and that Rodney Trice, the district’s director of curriculum and instruction, would serve as interim principal. The release announcing the change did not indicate why Thomas was being replaced. More »

“Kidzoom: The Power of Creativity” will open on July 11 at Kidzu Children’s Museum. The exhibit uses creative work by local artists and crafters to teach children about the importance of creativity in everyday life. Admission is free on opening day and a grand opening takes place at 10 a.m. The exhibit includes three creation zones entitled the “Green Thumb,” teaching about garden produce and markets, the “Build-A-Dream” construction zone and the “Kidoodle Moodle” art studio. The exhibits are bilingual. Museum members are invited to a preview on July10 from 10 a.m. to noon. Kidzu Children’s Museum is a nonprofit organization working to teach children through play. See kidzuchildrensmuseum.org for details.

The General Store Café in Pittsboro will host the Claws & Hooves Burrito Bash on July 15. The bash benefits the Carnivore Preservation Trust and the Heads Up! Therapeutic Riding Program. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. A ticket gets you a burrito, chips and salsa, music by Regina Hexaphone and entrance to the silent auction of art, jewelry and more. The Carnivore Presentation Trust is a sanctuary for big cats and offers walking tours. The Heads Up! Program provides horse-assisted therapeutic services. Information at cptigers.org or headsuptrp.org.

The Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross will hold several blood drives throughout the month of July. Dates include:
• July 16, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at the UNC Student Union Great Hall;
• July 16, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., in a bus in the parking lot behind UNC Hospitals off Manning Drive;
• July 17, 1 p.m.-5:30 p.m., at the Piedmont Electric office at 2500 Hwy. 86;
• July 18, 3 p.m.-7:30 p.m., at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 400 Country Club Rd.; and
• July 26, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at the New Hope Volunteer Fire Department at 4102 Whitfield Rd.
For more information, visit www.ocncredcross.org.

UNC Hospitals is urgently seeking platelet donors. Because of two patients in critical condition, platelets are in high demand. Donation typically takes about two and a half hours. Donors are usually given snacks and shown a movie. The donated platelet supply is then administered to patients with cancer, liver disease and transplanted organs; premature babies; trauma and burn patients; and patients undergoing open-heart surgery. More »

The Carrboro Recreation and Parks Department will host the Hoop Jam with Julia Hartsell on July 20 at 3 p.m. at the Carrboro Branch Library (at McDougle Middle School). Hoop for fun and health with hoopstress Hartsell while Scott Crews provides live musical accompaniment. Call 918-7364.

by Kirk Ross
Staff Writer
A tight budget year has led to cutbacks in many county functions including local libraries. But Carrboro officials and library supporters are concerned that the Carrboro branch library at McDougle Middle School took a much bigger cut than its counterparts elsewhere in the county.
“It is absolutely shocking,” Nerys Levy said of the action announced last week by the county. Levy, who chairs the Library Art Committee and is an organizer with Friends of the Library, said that more than 30 patrons — students, parents and others — had to be turned away Tuesday when they showed up at the usual opening time. More »

by Valarie Schwartz
Staff Writer
Word came on Monday that shelves at local food pantries were bare. John Dorward, associate director of the Inter-Faith Council (IFC), gladly reported that its food pantry in Carrboro remains in good shape for this time of year. “I’m happy not to have to show you empty shelves,” he said as we walked into the pantry, which contains three long aisles stocked with non-perishable items.
The story was vastly different in Pittsboro, where Tina Gaines, director of the Salvation Army, said that donations were greatly needed. More »

Special Events
Computer classes — free computer classes: Internet, Email, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, NC Live. Registration required. Wednesdays, through Aug. 6, 7pm Century Center 918-7387 cybrary@co.orange.nc.us
The Music Man — Summer Youth Conservatory presents the musical. July 24-27. Thu-Sat 7pm, Sun 2pm. Tickets and information at 962-7529 or playmakersrep.org
More »

Ayuda en proteger nuestro río y aprende cuidar bien el medio ambiente. Música en vivo (5 escenarios). Puede traer su propia comida, pero no se permite nada del alcohol. 10a.m.-6p.m. viernes a domingo, 3-5 de julio. $15 adultos, niños gratis. Parqueadero en Durham County Stadium, 2700 N. Duke Street, Durham 27704 (salida de Duke Street de I-85; parqueo gratis, con transporte gratis al parque). También, Puede llegar al parque en el bus de DATA, Route 4. Para mas información visite www.enoriver.org/Festival llame al 620-9099 x207

Festeje el día de la independencia de los EEUU. Celebramos el aniversario 232 del país el viernes, 4 de julio. Celebración en Carrboro empieza a las 10.30a.m. en Carrboro Town Commons. Actividades preliminares en Weaver Street Market desde 9.30a.m. Premios para mejor disfraz, registración a las 10. Desfile al Town Commons a las 11a.m. Actividades para la familia. Fuegos artificiales y música en vivo en el estadio Kenan de UNC de 8-10p.m. Gratis.
Otras celebraciones en el Triángulo incluyen desfile para niños en el parque central de Durham, 10a.m.; la celebración en Durham Bulls Athletic Park (con costo); actividades, fuegos artificiales y música patriótica de la orquesta sinfónica del NC en Booth Ampitheater en Cary, desde las 3p.m. Todas celebraciones tendrán lugar el viernes, 4 de julio.

Each year, July 4th celebrations end with missing or injured pets throughout our County and others. The following tips, from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals may help keep Orange County’s pets safer this year. More »

by Rich Fowler
Staff Writer
Glen Lennox area residents are one step closer to getting a Neighborhood Conservation District. At its meeting last week, the Chapel Hill Town Council allowed residents to go forward with the NCD process, which allows the planning department to hold an informational meeting for area landowners.
The NCD petition was filed soon after Grubb Properties, the owner of the Glen Lennox apartments and shopping center, announced a plan to redevelop the area into a high-density neighborhood similar to Meadowmont.
But at the council meeting, Clay Grubb, president of Grubb Properties, said he didn’t think the plan was sensitive to the history of Glen Lennox.
“I apologize,” Grubb said. “We were not prepared to submit that plan, but we felt like we had no choice at the time. That was a plan that was done hastily.”
He said he’d be happy to halt plans while all parties involved talked it over.
Grubb said he didn’t feel the NCD process was fair, because his company owns the 440 apartment units and shopping center, which make up a little more than one-third of the area.
Mary Dexter, who filed the original petition, said the proposed Glen Lennox redevelopment plan wasn’t the only reason for an NCD. “We’re working on saving a neighborhood, not just apartments,” she said. Dexter said area residents were concerned about teardowns and “McMansions” in their neighborhood.
“We have common historical values, we have common architectural values,” she said. “We are a neighborhood, and you are part of it.”
The next step is that the planning board will schedule a meeting to tell landowners how the NCD process works, what it protects and what it doesn’t protect. Notices will be sent to all landowners within a 500-foot radius of the proposed NCD before the meeting.
There are currently six NCDs in Chapel Hill, including one in Northside and the most recent one in Coker Hills.
The council took no action on a proposed moratorium on development along NC 54 east of 15-501 up to the town limits. Projects already under construction as well as those still in the application phase would not be stopped by a moratorium.
Because of the way the development process is set up, the proposed redevelopment of Glen Lennox, along with any other future proposed projects along NC 54, would still be subject to a moratorium if the council chooses to pass one when it meets again in the fall.
Michael Collins, vice chair of the planning board, said the board unanimously supported the original petition for a moratorium on NC 54. “The applications seem to be coming fast and furious,” he said. Collins said that perhaps it was a good time to step back and discuss what the council and citizens want along the road.
Mayor Pro Tem Jim Ward said that passing the moratorium now wasn’t an either/or issue. He said that passing one right now wouldn’t be effective, because the town would wind up losing a lot of time under a moratorium when the council wasn’t in session.
“It has our attention, and it will gain more attention and thought over the next few months,” he said.

by Rich Fowler
Staff Writer
Jerry Neville is a Carrboro native, UNC graduate and has worked for the Town of Chapel Hill for over twenty years. For the last seven years, he has volunteered at the Hargraves Community Center, teaching tennis to local kids on Saturdays.

He works in the brand-new Town Operations Center in the Traffic Engineering department, and for the last two months, every time he’s gone to the men’s room, he’s had to look at racist graffiti targeting him and using the N-word. More »