Blogs
As many of you know, I have had harsh words for the inter-city visits organized by the Community Leadership Council (an arm of the Chamber of Commerce). I still believe what I said on July 11th:
I'd be willing to go under certain
circumstances, but I would not pay my own money for a junket that
promotes someone else's agenda. (Plus I couldn't afford it, even I
wanted to pay.) If I did go, it would mostly be as a blogger so that I
could get better informed and tell others what actually goes on, what
is learned, etc.
It seems like one of the main benefits of these
trips is better relations between the participants, who are already the
connected power brokers in town from the university, government,
business, and nonprofit worlds. They could certainly save money and
include more people by having a conference or retreat here in NC and
bringing in experts from other places.
Down here in the tiny town of Pittsboro, we have the Chatham Market Place, CM, which is in its 2nd year of operation. WSM helped with their expertise to get CM started and they still cooperate. While certainly a smaller operation it is a most pleasant and friendly place to shop. Clientele diversity seems to match WSM.
But one place where it really shines is the Hot Bar. While smaller than WSM and much smaller than Whole Foods, the quality beats both hands down. The folks at CM can cook. With breakfast every day, an outstanding brunch on Sundays (omelets and shrimp & grits made to order) with entertainment, very tasty selections for every lunch and diner, hot sandwiches, and special restaurant style menu on Friday evenings, the cuisine is always really tasty. One note of warning: it is not necessarily good on the waistline.
If you are passing through you might want to give it a try.
I am a member but have no other connection to CM.
Every year the Town of Chapel Hill gears up for the enormous crowds that come to Franklin Street on Halloween, whether we want them to or not. I've been participating in this ritual on and off since I was an undergrad at UNC (in other words, a long time) and I think it has value for the community. While some individuals will always take it too far, most people are engaging in a healthy type of creative expression that is rare for adults.
I think the Town has done a good job of prohibiting alcohol and trying to control traffic. I also applaud the police department for understanding that this is event is a force of nature that can be controlled (somewhat) but not stopped. I'd like to suggest that we charge admission to the area. I think this would help keep the worst elements out of the mix and help pay for the enormous cost of hosting a Halloween party for revellers from across central North Carolina.
Just got the following announcement from the Town of Chapel Hill:
![[sharrow]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a8/Sharedlanemarking.png)
The Town of Chapel Hill is installing a pilot sharrow project today (Tuesday, Aug. 19) through the week on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from Estes Drive to North Street.
The sharrow, or shared-use pavement markings, is an experimental road treatment being evaluated as an accommodation for bicyclists under certain roadway conditions. A sharrow is a road marking to identify the shared use of a travel lane by bicyclists and passing motorists, indicating the legal and appropriate bicyclist line of travel; it cues motorists to pass bicyclists with sufficient clearance.
Didn't find the Town's press release very explanatory, so I looked it up and found the photo above.
Some might revel in their underage drinking exploits, but I suspect UNC-Chapel Hill tennis player Chris Kearney never expected his life to take the detour it looks like it will take.
Pages
About Us
OrangePolitics is a not-for-profit website for discussing progressive perspectives on politics, planning, and public policy in Orange County, NC. Opinions are those of their authors. Learn more.
Community Guidelines
By using this site, you agree to our community guidelines. Inappropriate or disruptive behavior will result in moderation or eviction.
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by
WeebPal.
