Brrrh!

Here's a look at today's local headlines:

JAGUARS MAKE FINAL: With Douglas Parrish scoring two touchdowns and the Jaguars’ defense shutting down the Monarchs’ strong running game, Carrboro came away with a 21-14 victory to advance to the NCHSAA 2AA state championship game. The team, in just its sixth year, is 15-0. Read the story here.

FIVE NOW WANT COUNCIL SEAT: We reported last week how former member Sally Greene wants to finish outgoing Chapel Hill Town Council member Penny Rich's term. Today, staff writer Tammy Grubb reports there are four other contenders, with more possible until the council deadline. Find out who they are here.  And tell us, is it important for the now 6-2 male-female council to appoint a woman to the seat? (Send your comments to editor@newsobserver.com)

BROWN BACK AT IT. : He's the face of downtown, or at least down Chapel Hill's buildings. Hometown artist Michael Brown (left) is back on the ladder, which it where associate editor Dave Hart found him last week painting his latest mural. See it here.

You love your Harris Teeter, the University Mall store anyway. In today's letters, two readers respond to columnist Carol Henderson's recent remarks about the supermarket. The Carrboro aldermen have recommended three sites for the county's new southwest branch library.  Builder Chad Collins is thankful for his home.

And a whole lot more. All in today's Chapel Hill News, reaching 38,000 homes between Fearrington Village and Hillsborough.

Thanks for reading,

Mark

Planning Board member and book editor Amy Ryan thinks she has the expertise and skills to replace Penny Rich on the Chapel Hill Town Council.

She is one of five people who have expressed interest in serving out the remainder of Rich's four-year term, which ends in December 2013. Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt is expected to set a deadline for applications at the council's Dec. 3 meeting.

Ryan, who also has served on the Community Design Commission, participated in the 2020 planning process and most recently led the Central West small area focus group, said development will be the council's biggest issue next year.

"I'm really concerned about some of the ways we're going about it," she said. "It's really important to get substantive (community) input" before a project reaches the council.

Another potential applicant, Planning Board member Jason Baker, said Wednesday that he will back former Council member Sally Greene for Rich's seat.
 

Lots of news in the pre-holiday crunch:

NO SMOKING: Last night the Orange County Board of Commissioners banned all public smoking. It's not like the public nudity ban the BBC reported on my way into work. But is it an overreach? The ban prohibits smoking in all public places including sidewalks. Find out who voted against it in Tammy Grubb's online story here.

The smoking ban came to  late for today's CHN, but here are some of the stories we have there:

HIGH MARKS FOR BLUE RIBBON: The city schools mentoring program has received high praise from a UNC report. 'Extremely effective' at helping at-risk kids graduate and even attend college. But, Tom Hartwell, reports, there is one area the program does not seem to improve. Find out what it is in his story here.

LANDFILL NEIGHBORS' HEALTH: Sure, we know the Rogers-Eubanks neighbors have put up with noise, smell and vermin from living next door to the Orange County Landfill. But could that have also caused actual health problems. Sarah Mansur reports some UNC researchers are trying to find out. Read her story here. 

A NIGHT TO NEVER FORGET: The shelling in Gaza, the bus ads on Chapel Hill Transit. In today's My View column, retired teacher Ariana Mangum (left) remembers Kristellnacht, the night of broken glass. Ariana has written several columns over the years; agree or disagree, I think this is one of her best. (Read it here.)

Duncan Shaw says don't compare college presidential resignations. Michael Jacobs says our local elected leaders are pricing out the middle class, and Patrick O'Neill remembers ACC sportswriter, former CHN sports editor and his one-time boss Eddy Landreth on today's opinion pages. 

From the staff of The Chapel Hill News, our best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving. And thanks for reading,

Mark

Library advocate and medical researcher George Cianciolo passed on a run for Penny Rich’s vacated Town Council seat this week.

Cianciolo said former Council member Sally Greene talked with him last week, but he didn’t want to say anything until she made her announcement. It’s important that Rich’s replacement be a woman and also have the experience to hit the ground running, and there’s no one more suitable for the job, he said.

“It’s going to be a very important year,” Cianciolo said. “It helps that Sally is so experienced, because there is less of a learning curve.”

Greene served on the council from 2003 to 2011 and has been a strong advocate for social justice, affordable housing and the homeless.

She said Rich’s departure “leaves a great void on the council."

Other potential applicants include pastor and former teacher Maria Palmer, mortgage lender Jon DeHart and Southern Village resident and council watcher Gary Kahn.

By correspondent Sarah Mansur

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen voted unanimously Tuesday to affirm a bus policy that supports the use of bus advertisements as a public forum, including religious and political ads.

This discussion was prompted by an ad by the Church of Reconciliation on Chapel Hill Transit buses calling for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel. Alderman Dan Coleman, a member of the Transit Partners Committee, presented the resolution. Alderman Sammy Slade proposed an amendment to the resolution that would differentiate between commercial and non-commercial advertising, but the board voted against his amendment

The board agreed on the importance of a public forum, even if controversial issues are involved.

"The enemy is those who believe in justice, but don't stand up for what they believe in," said Mayor Mark Chilton, citing a speech from Martin Luther King, Jr. "There is a lot of value to being confronted with things we don't agree with."

Here's a look at today's local headlines:

AGAPE's DAYS NUMBERED? The Christian boarding school (left) has helped some 400 young people since the 1980s. But it's been living off proceeeds from a 2009 property sale and now the money's running out. Virginia Bridges has our story here.

MY LITTLE TOWN: Remember that Simon and Garfunkel comback tune? It appeared on both "Still Crazy After All Those Years" and "Breakaway" back in the '70s (the best decade for music and movies). But I digress. ... Read Jim Wise's story for the latest on a new 1,300-home community not proposed for N.C. 751 here.    

Former City Councilman Frank Hyman (left) wants Durham to keep an energy savings program going. Steven Sager wants you to come hear him and Frank Stasio talk religion this Sunday. And Outsiders Art & Gallery on Iredell Street celebrates an anniversary.

Thanks for reading, and tell us what's on your mind, including about the late-inning contribution to county commissioner Omar Beasley, at editor@newsobserver.com.

Mark 

Here's a look at today's local headlines:

But first, in today's N&O we report how neighbors of UNC's Bingham Facility lost a bid Monday night for greater pubic scrutiny over the animal research complex west of Carrboro. You can read my story here.

In today's CHN:

CARRBORO FILM FESTIVAL: Glenn McDonald writes the best movie reviews. S we asked him to talk with Nic Beery about this weekend's Carrboro Film Festival (that's a still from one of the flicks on the left). And you can't beat the price -- 33 shorts for 7 bucks. Read the interview here.

SPRING FOR SALES TAX: There's still a lot of work to be done before Orange County levies that half-cent salex tax that voters approved last week for light rail and better bus service. Tammy Grubb has our story here.    

ARE COUNTY ELECTIONS UNFAIR?  Chris Weaver thinks so. The District 2 candidate, who lost to Renee Price last week, says he won a majority of votes cast for county commissioner in the rural district on Election Day. But was the symbolic victory sign he hoisted along the roadside last week premature? Read Tammy Grubb's story here.

Will Hendrick says the town of Chapel Hill's Justice in Action Committee needs members (and invites you to join), Sybil Skakle is moved by the latest chapter in Viv Taylor's transgender journey and former Chapel Hill Town Council Art Werner says Chapel Hill is abandoning its community values by banning political and religious advertisements on buses. Read his letter here.

Thanks for reading, and tell us what's on your mind at editor@newsobserver.com

Mark   

Here's a look at today's local headlines:

GROWTH TALKS: The Glen Lennox redevelopment is being touted as an example of cooperation between the derveloper and area residents. Find out why the Town Council will set up a development agreement with Grubb Properties but wants more discussion before doing the same for Obey Creek. Tammy Grubb has the story.

UFO IN CARRBORO: Blog readers read it here first. Still waiting to hear your idea thoughts on what Roy Mars saw last weekend in the sky over Carrboro. Read my story here.

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE: When the Chapel Hill High drama department got back its new script from a New York playwright they realized they couldn't stage it and they were out $4,000. Read what they came up with instead in Dave Hart's story. 

Also today, for non N&O subscribers, we recap two other big stories of the week: a girl bringing a loaded .45 to a local elementary school and a Carrboro woman who had a baby in a campus bus shelter. 

All that plus your letters, local sports and the sad news this week of ACC writer and former CHN sports editor Eddy Landreth's passing at age 54.

Thanks for reading,

Mark 

Here's a look at today's local headlines:

First in today's N&O read how Housing for New Hope is offering to matc $5,000 in private donations to help relocate people being forced out of Lincoln Apartments. Jeanne Smialek has the story.

EYES ON THE PRIZE: In Today's DN, Jim Wise has more on that $5 million prize Bloomberg Philnathropies is offering th ecity with the best innovative idea for solving some of today's thorniest urban challenges. Read the story here. 

THE $20 FIX: Read how a new program is helping save cats and dogs in Durham County. Jamie Kennedy Jones reports the county has joined a state remibursement program that provides low cost sterilization for the pets of low-income county residents. Read the story here.

WOODARD'S SEAT: Read who's already lining up for consideration to finish City Councilman Mike Woodard's term now that he's been elected to the state Senate. Jim Wise has the story.  

Bob Wilson says hopes in East Duham are riding high on hot dogs. Tracie Fellers says she is Durham grit, at least on her good days. And lots more. Tell us what's on your mind at editor@newsobserver.com

And thanks for reading,

Mark

In Sunday's Chapel Hill News, we will have a story about a UFO sighting over Carrboro.

At least it's a UFO until one of you identifies what this moving triangle framed by three bright lights was that furniture maker Roy Mars saw last Saturday night as he peed into his backyard compost bin. (And yes, it's good for the compost. And yes, Roy wanted that fact in there. We asked him, twice.)

Mars sent this image he found on the Internet to a UFO organization that we called for the story. The director could not tell what it was. An educator at the Morehead planetarium was also stumped.

So what do you think? Stealth aircraft? Something more mundane? Read our story and tell us what you think Roy saw at editor@newsobserver.com. We'll print your best guesses  next week.