Last November, the Chapel Hill Town Council committed $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to a “Streetscape Enhancement Mobility Plan,” that would focus on how people move around downtown. In February, the town selected Toole Design, a national streetscape design firm that has offices in Raleigh, to conduct a study of downtown streets. […]
Posted inOrange County, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Housing, Triangle Region
The power and under-reported achievements of Justice United
More than 300 people attended the Orange County Justice United (JU) “Accountability Assembly” on Tuesday, May 16. To say that it was well attended is to understate the size and importance of the crowd. I helped put out the signs that identified the many organizations represented: there were Anglicans, Methodists, Episcopalians, AME, UCC, Baptists and […]
Posted inAnimals
Exclusive: Interview with @ChapelHillBear
Every few years, a black bear or two is spotted in Chapel Hill. This is so normal that Orange County’s Animal Services has multiple guides for what to do if black bears are spotted. Each time a bear is spotted, the one-bit Twitter account @ChapelHillBear awakens from hibernation to muse on being in the (very) […]
Posted inAnimals
Coyotes, bears and bats: The definitive guide to wildlife scaring the shit out of us right now
In the past week, two bears were spotted in Chapel Hill. Also, Orange County released a guide for how to haze coyotes which are apparently roaming around our area. And also, it’s pup-rearing season for bats, which devour their own body weight in insects on a nightly basis. (You’re not allowed to remove bats from […]
Posted inChapel Hill, Housing
Deeply offensive rhetoric harms Chapel Hill
Last month, the Booker Creek Working Group held its 13th and final meeting after two years of study. The group, made up of primarily retired homeowners, were given staff support and resources to solve Chapel Hill’s ongoing flooding issues. They were charged with detailing the extent of flooding in Chapel Hill and identifying potential solutions […]
Posted inGreenway, Parks and Rec
In honor of National Trails Day: What trails have meant to me
Today, June 3rd, is National Trails day. The Town of Chapel Hill celebrated by holding a 5k excursion on the Fan Branch Trail. I feel lucky to live just a block away from the Fan Branch Trail. It has provided me and my family countless hours of recreation and connectivity to other parts of the […]