blue-ridge-fedders

There’s a lot going on this week and we’re trying to help in the aftermath of the hurricane, so we’re doing a roundup today.

Also: here’s a flyer that we made that anyone can print and distribute to UNC students to let them know about the new Voter ID rules and what they can use to vote. (Black and White, Color.) We’ll be distributing these on campus but if you know of a student or student group, please pass them along.

flyer-unc

Hurricane news

📻 Blue Ridge Public Radio has launched a text-only site, designed for low-bandwidth users. It’s at text.bpr.org and has a full stream of their news content.

🌀 Orange County Emergency Services says the best way to help Hurricane Helene recovery efforts is to donate funds to reputable disaster relief organizations. While the outpouring of generosity from unsolicited volunteers is deeply appreciated, the roads need to be kept clear to allow for first responder and critical commodity (fuel, water, and food) access.

WAYS TO HELP:

  • Businesses with donations or volunteers should connect with the State Business Emergency Operations Center ([email protected]).
  • Donate to the NC Disaster Relief Fund: https://governor.nc.gov/…/donate-nc-disaster-relief…
  • Donate to the NC Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster: https://www.ncvoad.org
  • Mail a donation to either:
    • NC Disaster Relief Fund, 20312 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-0312.
    • NC Disaster Relief Fund, c/o United Way of NC, 1130 Kildaire Farm Road, Suite 100, Cary NC 27511

Election news

🗳️ We recommend voting on the first day of early voting, October 17th. Early voting sites in Orange County are here.

🗳️Reader Lisa S. asked us to remind everyone that you need three stamps to mail in an absentee ballot. You can get stamps at the post office. You also need:

  • A photocopy of your ID.
  • Two people over 18 who sign your ballot
  • To place your ballot in the sealed envelope provided

Full instructions from the NCSBOE are here.

CHCCS news

✏️ School board member Barb Fedders put out a second newsletter – topics include screens and social media, as well as grading. Fedders joins School Board Chair George Griffin in writing a newsletter. (Griffin’s is here.)

✏️ On Tuesday, October 8, at 7 p.m. at Guy B. Phillips Middle School Auditorium, the district in conjunction with the PTA Council will host CHCCS Superintendent Dr. Nyah Hamlett presenting on “State of the Schools.” Livestreaming and Spanish translation services will be available.

Environmental news

🚂 On Tuesday, Great Britain shut down its last coal plant. An astute reader noted that this means Chapel Hill now has more coal-fired power plants than all of Great Britain.

Mel is a journalist and librarian. Outside of work, she volunteers as a reading tutor at Carrboro Elementary School, writes about journalism for a variety of publications, and serves as chair of the OWASA...