Here's a look at our local headlines:

GYMNASTICS TAKE A TUMBLE: Orange County Gymnastics in University Mall may close this week, but not for a lack of business. Find out why in Katelyn Ferral's story.

NEW OWNER FOR CLUB NOVA: Meet Kurt O'Briant in our story on the Club Nova apartments. The Carrboro efficiencies are some of the only affordable housing for people with disabilities in our area. Now they're under new ownership.

CHARTER SCHOOL DECISION DAYS AWAY: The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and NAACP oppose it. The backers of the proposed Howard and Lillian Lee Scholars Charter School say the district has had long enough to close the achievement gap. Katelyn Ferral talked with some local African-American parents to find out what they think.

Dave Hart checks out the new exhibit at the FRANK. Catherine Wright says some Orange County folks are forming support circles to help the homeless. And we recap a big decision on the county landfill and the Town Council's first look at the Trinitas student housing project.

Lots more, including a guest column on the state's marriage amendment ... and JFK, by Carrboro Alderwoman Lydia Lavelle.

Thanks for reading,

Mark

Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton is the latest Orange County leader opposing a merger of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA with the YMCA of the Triangle over the latter’s policies on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

In a post on his Facebook page, Chilton concedes the local YMCA could benefit from the Triangle Y’s financial support but says that’s not worth aligning with an agency that does not treat gay members and employees the same as everyone else.

“You need to hear this: You are poised to make a really big mistake,” he writes.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA voted Dec. 14 to form a committee to discuss how and if the two organizations could share resources. One option is a management services agreement in which the YMCA of the Triangle would run the local one. Another is merging into one organization.

If the two merge, a decision board members say is still a long way off, the local YMCA would have to adopt the YMCA of the Triangle’s anti-discrimination policies which do not specifically protect members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

From correspondent Tammy Grubb

Lydia Lavelle

1. What do you see as the town’s major issues over the next 10 years? What are your ideas for dealing with those issues?

Development downtown will continue to be a major issue over the next ten years.  Projects we have approved will finally get off the ground, and our first hotel will be open.  More projects will come (and have come) that are challenging our vision of how the downtown area will expand.  Our need to increase our commercial tax base will drive decisions we make in the ensuing years, but we may need a community conversation at some point to revisit and refine the BOA’s mandate from Vision 2020 to urge constructive growth downtown.

A related issue is the overall need for the Town to decrease the tax burden on the residents of Carrboro.  As stated above and in my answer to later question, one way to address this is by adding more commercial development to the Town.  This results in higher property tax revenue and can also result in higher sales tax revenue.   We regularly address the question of how to get visitors to spend their money in Carrboro during my service on the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitor’s Bureau Board of Directors.

A final major issue will be improving transportation – this will continue to be a priority for the town, whether it be sidewalks, greenways, bike lanes or transit.  In particular, a big issue that is looming is Carolina North.  When development is imminent at Carolina North, we will have to definitively address our transportation issues at Estes Drive Extension.  We have discussed this in the abstract and in conjunction with short term immediate solutions for pedestrians and bikers, but a heavy influx of traffic will necessitate road improvements and possibly a roundabout at the intersection of Estes Drive and Greensboro Street.

The first bus advertisements on Chapel Hill Transit could be seen in Chapel Hill and Carrboro this week.

A few months ago, Wells Fargo ordered two full bus wraps and about 12 smaller signs for one month of advertisement. The ads cost $1,500 a month for each of the full-wraps and between $160 to $220 for each of the other signs on the sides and rear, according to Chapel Hill Transit.

While the new revenue may help prevent further cuts to the free service, some local leaders see the Wells Fargo ads as contrary to their goal of encouraging people to shop locally.

“It’s unfortunate that the first advertisement is going to be a big, corporate giant that’s not local,” said Carrboro Alderwoman Lydia Lavelle.

“It is disappointing to the extent that we were really hoping that this advertising program would primarily support local businesses in Chapel Hill and Carrboro and certainly this doesn’t mean it’s not going to do that, but...out of the gate (this is) a step in the direction that we don’t want to emphasize,” said Alderman Dan Coleman.

Look for more on this story and a photo of the Wells Fargo ad coming Sunday in The Chapel Hill News.

Carrboro Alderwoman Joal Hall Broun will not seek re-election. She released this statement this morning: 

"Thank you to all of my supporters, the voters and the people of Carrboro.  I enjoyed serving the citizens of Carrboro for the past twelve years.  I will continue to be engaged and involved in my community in Carrboro and Orange County.  However, I will not be seeking re-election to the Board of Aldermen at this time."

Three seats on the board, plus the mayor, are up this fall. Mayor Mark Chilton, Alderman Dan Coleman and Alderwoman Lydia Lavelle filed Friday, along with newcomer Michelle Johnson. The filing period ends July 15.

Lydia Lavelle announced today that she will file to run for a second term on the Carrboro Board of Aldermen.  Lavelle was first elected in November 2007. Here is her release:

During her first term, Lavelle has not only been a steady presence on the Board, but has also been actively representing Carrboro’s interests in several other capacities.

This year, she is serving as the chair of the regional Transportation Advisory Committee of the Durham/Chapel Hill/Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (TAC-MPO), a group composed of elected officials from Orange, Durham and Chatham counties responsible for addressing and planning for transportation needs for the region.  In addition, she sits on the Transit Partners Committee, a work group of elected officials and staff that discusses issues related to Chapel Hill Transit.  She also represents Carrboro on the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitor’s Bureau Board of Directors, and is the BOA liaison to the Planning Board. 

Lavelle has lived in the Triangle area for 28 years, and at her current address for seven years.  She became a member of the Town’s Planning Board and chaired its New Horizons Task Force after her neighborhood became a part of the town in January 2006.  An attorney, Lavelle is employed as an Assistant Professor at the North Carolina Central University School of Law in Durham.