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The Chapel Hill News is getting a makeover. (Fortunately this one is not "extreme" and "free.") They are asking for readers' input into the new look.

We'd like your feedback on our new design of The Chapel Hill News. We're launching a new version of Your Original Hometown Newspaper and we'd like to give you a sneak peek at our new design. Take a look at the three samples by clicking here and let us know! E-mail us here with your comments.

So far, I think it's pretty, but I don't get what's better about it...

Chapel Hill Herald, Saturday May 21, 2005

Like the three-headed dog of Greek mythology, town, gown and scrubs have put their heads together to move forward on a common initiative. Last week, Mayor Foy, Chancellor Moeser and UNC Healthcare CEO Roper all signed a letter to the N.C. Department of Transportation conveying their "agreement on a solution acceptable to all parties" on the long-delayed improvements to Chapel Hill's South Columbia Street.

Perhaps now, the turn lanes, bike lanes and sidewalks agreed to by the town and Chancellor Michael Hooker in 1998 will at last be built.

This was quite a turnaround from recent weeks when it was learned that the improvements were held up by the DOT and questions were raised as to the university's involvement.

Those who follow the issue are well aware that not long after Moeser's arrival, the university reneged on Hooker's agreement and the planned improvements were stalled.

This Monday (May 23) the Orange County Commission will be holding a public hearing on a proposal to downzone most or all of the land in its planning jurisdiction. The purpose of this initiative is to stop suburban sprawl from overtaking the rural areas of the County. And I think we should all be in support of that goal. Preserving the remaining farm land in our community is not merely an aesthetic issue, it is also a national and regional security issue. (What will happen to the availability of food as the price of shipping our food across the globe increases?)

However, the County is missing the boat on one important issue. While we do need to find more sustainable ways to grow, we also need to ensure that we will have areas where we can grow sustainably. Rather than eliminating the possibility of new residences in the unincorporated areas of the County, we could be transferring the presently allowed density into a few, well-chosen sites. That is, we should keep the dwellings, but have them be in appropriate locations (where there is potential sewer-access, low-impact on streams, potential access to public transportation etc.)