This Just In – Shove all that bad news off your desktop. The Med Deli’s pita bread machine is fired up and ready to go. Two years after a devastating fire, the irreplaceable Franklin Street institution will re-open its dining room for dinner service next Tuesday, September 9th. Read Brighton McConnell’s story about the new dining room and get ready to return in person!
The community came together quickly and effectively to support this wonderful restaurant in its time of need following that fire. It could fill anyone’s heart with pride to see the collective love and appreciation repaid to Med Deli.
In my volunteer efforts with local nonprofits, we were supported by Med Deli countless times with free or discounted catering in support of fundraisers. I know there are hundreds of stories like ours, because that’s the character of the people who make the pita bread what it is – the greatest on the planet.
I also see that the town council has approved some funding to support the folks who were flooded out of their homes from Chantal. Although that’s good news, it’s a bit like welcoming the shipment of new band-aids. It’s not enough and it’s not sustainable.
The affordable housing shortage in Orange County is nothing less than an emergency. I hope that elected officials can bring forth some big ideas for a long-term strategy while also dealing with the immediate needs of the situation. It’s a lot, but the Camelot Village problem could scarcely have been more predictable.
In early September, I needn’t really remind anyone that we’re in the heart of hurricane season – the part that historically has kicked our behinds pretty good. We have a nice stretch of weather coming next week. I’ll be patronizing Eastgate businesses while simultaneously hoping that they have battle plans ready for future flash flood occurrences because they’re coming, for sure.
Speaking of getting our rear ends handed to us, I’m sure everyone enjoyed the launch of the NFL’s newest addition (according to Belichick fans). Setting aside the football (that’s easy – we didn’t see much), it said a lot to me that the coach’s girlfriend showed up on the field to talk to him before kickoff.
Belichick’s 50-years-younger girlfriend Jordon Hudson looked about as out of place as possible on that sideline. But hey, what if that was his wife of 40 years? Any different reaction? Not really, no. It’s bad enough that he looked like a confused old man coming out onto the field with his gruff expression. Having this young woman who could be his granddaughter tagging along on the sideline should put an end to his legendary reputation for discipline as the path to victory.
His insight after the game also suggested that the glory days are long past. “They (TCU) did more things right,” he said. UNC had too many “self-inflicted wounds.”
Yeah, I think I can tell you what the biggest one was … expecting Belichick to be a successful college coach and bring the team to NFL-like status while trotting around a paramour who no doubt gets carded when ordering alcohol. I try to imagine a female coach in any sport doing anything even remotely similar. Puhlease.
I know that sportswriters are notorious for stating the obvious to fill airtime with gems like “I think that the team that scores more will do well tonight” or “If you turn over the ball too much, you’re going to lose,” but I do kind of expect something substantial from a coach and some leadership about your team taking a pounding in their first outing.
In this saying that your opponent did more things right than you did is a bit like noticing the sun came up again today. Talking about self-inflicted wounds sounds an awful lot like blaming the players. Carolina plays Charlotte this Saturday. They are strongly favored to win. It will be sunny and hot. We have the lemons … I’ll make lemonade.
Jean Bolduc is a freelance writer and the host of the Weekend Watercooler on 97.9 The Hill. She is the author of “African Americans of Durham & Orange Counties: An Oral History” (History Press, 2016) and has served on Orange County’s Human Relations Commission, The Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina, the Orange County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, and the Orange County Schools’ Equity Task Force. She was a featured columnist and reporter for the Chapel Hill Herald and the News & Observer.
Readers can reach Jean via email – jean@penandinc.com and via Twitter @JeanBolduc
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