This past weekend, a long-serving and hugely popular co-worker at Weaver Street Market Co-operative died suddenly. This on a weekend we had already set aside to honor those in our armed forces who gave their lives to protect us. It got me thinking about the way I truly appreciate life. So. This morning, I consciously […]

Today I speak with you as an extremely disheartened FPG parent, but also as a concerned citizen. So much is in the news about budget cuts, teacher layoffs and barebones classrooms for our schools. Yet our experience to keep FPG a neighborhood school has been very different. As thoughtful board members Kelley, Streater and McElvenny […]

At last, the Chapel Hill 2020 Plan has been unveiled, and we have seen the future.  Or have we? Over the last year, many, many people have expended a great deal of precious time and effort in attempting to formulate a comprehensive plan to guide Chapel Hill’s future. The Chapel Hill 2020 Plan has been […]

Orange County voted against Amendment One. But it wasn’t enough. Even though a couple of weeks have passed, the pain still lingers. I know. I have friends who effectively have been told by the State of North Carolina they may not love in the way they find natural. Love should never be considered a privilege. […]

My name is Carroll Scott, and I am the mom of a 2nd grader at Frank Porter Graham Elementary.  My son started the year in 1st grade, but the outstanding teachers and staff at FPG recognized that he was not being challenged and needed more.  They created a plan to slowly and comfortably transition him […]

This is Andrew Davidson and I’m a member of the School Improvement Team at Frank Porter Graham Elementary School, where I have a second grader and a rising kindergartener. The revised Dual-Language proposal put before our school board doesn’t acknowledge the alternative proposals that have been presented by fellow parents like me who support dual […]

I am suspicious of towns that claim to be “truly democratic.” In my experience that means that the influential people get to negotiate how they’ll use everyone’s resources. Sure, there is “input” from the public, but it seldom changes the discussion, much less the outcome. Chapel Hill 2020 has helped me become a little less […]

Today, North Carolinians go to the polls to vote in a primary election.  You may never have voted in a primary before, or maybe never voted in any election, or maybe you don’t claim any political party.  But  today all North Carolinians need to go to the polls – Democrat, Republican, and unaffiliated – and […]

I’m a Chapel Hill resident, and I’ve got something to say.   Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham, and a number of other towns around the state offer domestic partnerships.  That ends next week.   Unmarried heterosexual couples, and their children, enjoy certain rights in North Carolina.  That ends next week.   Unmarried victims of domestic violence […]

County government matters, and many of us pay close attention to the decisions that impact schools, economic development and critical county services for public health and safety. In that context, we encourage District 1 voters (Chapel Hill and Carrboro) to please re-elect Pam Hemminger as County Commissioner District 1. Pam is a thoughtful and engaging […]