Ruby Sinreich's blog

Last night the Chapel Hill Town Council appointed Mayor Kevin Foy to fill an open seat on the Chapel Hill Downtown Economic Development Corporation (CHDEDC). I have to admit, I think there is a real need for members with more political experience and community accountability on The Corporation, and the Mayor does have those assets.

However as a member of the elected body that appoints Corporation members, isn't this a potential conflict of interest? I'm afraid this step may only serve to muddy the waters, when we really need some clarity downtown.

Last night the Corporation's chair also petitioned the Council to condemn the Wicked Eyesore:

The [Wicked Burrito] building, at 214 W. Franklin St., vacant since January 2000, is owned by Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon Inc. of Wichita, Kan.

Corporation members cited the lack of upkeep on the building as one reason to consider condemning it. The petition refers to the building as “a major downtown eyesore.”

How often are you near a bus stop and trying to guess whether it's worth waiting for the next one or just hoofing it? This happens to me all the time. Partially because it's hard to tell if you have just missed the bus or if it's just about to come - but that's only if you are actually blessed with knowing the schedule.

More often I am already downtown, and in a bit of a hurry. Knowing when the next bus is will make me much more likely to ride. Probably even more than the fact that it's free. Which is why I was so excited to read about Chapel Hill Transit implementing a new system to display this information at bus stops.

Chapel Hill Transit is preparing to issue a request for bids on a new high-tech system that will give transit staff and riders a wealth of information about how the buses move through their routes.

Among other things, it will let riders at certain stops know whether their bus has just left or whether it will be along in three minutes.

Today is Eyes on the Screen, nationwide grassroots screenings of "Eyes on the Prize," a very important documentary on the civil rights movement of the mid-twentieth century. You can watch in Carrboro:

Community Realty
February 8, 2005 at 8:00pm
201 North Greensboro Street
Approx Capacity: 15. 13 people plan to attend.
Organized by: Scott Morningstar
Episode 1
Bring a folding chair if you can.

As an African-American Studies minor (OK, over 10 years ago), I can attest to both this film's importance and to it's watchability. It allows the individuals who collectively formed the grassroots of this critical movement to speak for themselves and document their own experiences. The result is compelling and educational.