By Susan Dickson Staff Writer With another budget season in full swing, the Board of County Commissioners, school officials and parents alike are calling for a better way to negotiate the annual school budgets. At two recent public hearings, more than 100 county residents spoke in support of raising taxes to fully fund the school…
Category: News
Aldermen settle on budget plan
By Kirk Ross Staff Writer The Carrboro Board of Aldermen sent its final set of budget recommendations to Town Manager Steve Stewart, adding a health care stipend for part-time workers and rejecting a compromise over fees for the Town Commons. fter lengthy discussions at Town Hall Tuesday night, the board agreed to add a $1,500…
Town readies park for construction
By Kirk Ross Staff Writer The gold-tinted official shovels turned a bit of dirt Monday, marking the beginning of construction for Southern Community Park. But as most speakers noted during opening ceremonies at the edge of the Southern Village park-and-ride lot, getting to this point took a while. “Sometimes, you have to stick around for…
Grant awarded to new Cedar Grove park
The North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund has awarded Orange County a $500,000 grant for the construction of a new community park in the Cedar Grove township. The county had applied for the grant in order to supplement county funds needed for the expansion of facilities behind the Northern Human Services Center on N.C….
Buckhorn building condemned
The Orange County Inspections Division on Friday condemned the Buckhorn Flea Market building because of serious building, electrical and fire code violations. In April 2006, the Inspections Division and the Orange County fire marshal conducted inspections at the building and found dangerous conditions, including overloaded and improperly installed electrical systems, extremely flammable finishes on walls…
Chapel Hill wins traffic system grant
Thanks to a grant from the NC Department of Transportation, Chapel Hill and Carrboro will get an upgrade to their traffic system. The Town of Chapel Hill will contribute $450,000 to the $5 million project. NCDOT and Chapel Hill will begin designing the project this fall. The upgrades will replace obsolete and aging equipment and…
Best named assistant county manager
County Manager Laura Blackmon has appointed Willie Best as assistant county manager. Best served as Guilford County manager for three years. In addition, he has served as acting city manager in Falls Church, Va., Robeson County manager and Wilson County assistant manager. According to county officials, Best’s immediate focus as assistant county manager will be…
Chatham sets development moratorium
The Chatham County Board of Commissioners voted on Monday to impose a temporary moratorium on certain types of residential development in Chatham County. The moratorium will last no longer than one year and applies to any new residential subdivisions with more than 25 lots or units. The moratorium will not affect commercial developments in the…
Town looks to save well
The Carrboro Board of Aldermen Tuesday night received an emergency petition from supports of the community garden at the new Martin Luther King Jr. Park on Hillsborough Road. The board asked Town Manager Steve Stewart to talk with contractors preparing to move a house and septic system on the site. Under terms of the contract…
Mental health care reductions take effect
By Taylor Sisk Staff Writer As planned cutbacks came down this week, the local provider for mental health services defended the move as the only course possible in the wake of lower state funding. On Monday, the Caring Family Network (CFN) put into effect changes to mental health services it offers in its Hillsborough offices….
County Commissioners June 5 Budget Work Session
The Board of County Commissioners will meet for a budget work session on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center on Homestead Road. Here’s the agenda: Schools Orange County Schools • Operating Budget • Capital Budget Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools • Operating Budget • Capital Budget
County Commissioners June 4 Public Hearing Agenda
The Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing regarding the county manager’s proposed budget at 7:30 tonight at the Sonja Hayes Stone Center on the UNC campus. Here’s the agenda: 1. Opening Comments — Chair Moses Carey 2. Presentation of County Manager’s Recommended FY 2007-08 Budget — Laura Blackmon 3. Public Hearing
Local leaders question new immigration bill
By Susan Dickson Staff Writer Local Latino leaders say an immigration reform bill under consideration in Congress is unlikely to benefit a majority of the local immigrant population. Under the bill, illegal immigrants who entered the United States before January 1 of this year would receive probationary legal status. To qualify for permanent residency, illegal…
Tax hikes coming
By Kirk Ross Staff Writer Counties and towns look at raising rates This isn’t likely to come as a shock, but it’s safe to assume your property taxes are going up. Even though county and town managers have crafted no-tax alternatives, elected officials throughout the region have not shown an inclination toward the idea and…
Early sun exposure linked to skin cancer gene mutation
UNC News Services Skin cancers often contain different gene mutations, but just how these mutations contribute to the cause of melanomas has been a mystery. A new clue comes from scientists at UNC’s Schools of Medicine and Public Health. Their research indicates that early-life sun exposure, from birth to 20 years old, may specifically increase…