CHAPEL HILL – Opponents of Progress Energy rate hikes will literally hand over their shoes to the North Carolina Utilities Commission Members to ask them to walk in their shoes.

Late last year, Progress Energy proposed a rate increase that would raise the average home’s annual electric bill more than $175.

Those against the proposed rate hikes will pile their shoes in front of the Dobbs Building in Raleigh on Wednesday before the public hearing of the Commission. The hearing begins at 6:00 p.m.

Companies in attendance that are publicly opposing the increase include AARP, Greenpeace, the NC Justice Center, NC WARN, the North Carolina Housing Coalition, and North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light.

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Renowned economist and William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of economics at NC State, Dr. Michael Walden will give the keynote address at Wednesday morning’s Economic Outlook Briefing.

The 2013 edition of this address will describe to Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber members the latest economic issues and trends facing our area. Those in attendance will also hear the results of the Chamber’s annual Economic Conditions Survey.

The event takes place from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Governors Club in Chapel Hill.

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Chapel Hill High School will host Racial Justice Awareness Day Thursday for tenth-grade students to point out how issues of racial justice impact the ever-growing school-to-prison pipeline.

County Commissioner Mark Dorosin, members of the Duke Innocence Project, UNC Law Professor Barbara Fedders, wrongly convicted Daryl Hunt, members of the Sacrificial Poets, and more will be in attendance to speak to the students.

The idea for this event was organized and lead by Sunny Osment, a Chapel Hill High student. It will take place at Chapel Hill High from 10:45 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. on Thursday.