orangechat

Energy bill repeal rebuffed

mschultz — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:19:55 -0400

State Sen. Ellie Kinnaird writes to her constituents weekly. Here is an excerpt from her latest message.

A far-reaching environmental measure was passed several years ago. It was called the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) and required energy companies to purchase 7 to 14 percent of their energy from alternative sources by 2020. It has proved successful, providing a boost to our solar energy industry as well as preventing the need to build more coal or nuclear power plants.

This session, a bill was introduced that would have repealed this alternative energy requirements. In a victory in this grim legislative session, a House committee voted down the chair’s own bill to repeal the renewable energy requirement. Even Republicans joined to vote the bill down.

Interestingly, Duke and Progress Energy that have participated in the alternate energy production goals, and neither asked to have the requirement repealed. The bill was purely ideologically based on the idea that government shouldn’t force industry to meet such requirements. Solar is one of the fastest-growing industries in the state. And while there are complaints that the solar industry is subsidized, the oil and gas industry is much more heavily subsidized.

Tell us about your mom and win a free book

mschultz — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:55:45 -0400

What did you learn from your mom?

Or what did you learn from watching someone else be a mom?

The Chapel Hill News and The Durham News are seeking short reader essays about motherhood in time for Mother's Day. All the people who send us an essay will be entered in a random drawing for a free copy of Maya Angelou's new memoir "Mom & Me & Mom" or Richard Russo's "Elsewhere." (So you don't have to write the "best" essay, just send us one to be in the running.)

Try to keep your essay in the 200 to 400 word range. All entries must be received by 5 p.m. Monday, May 6, one week from today. Send them to editor@newsobserver.com with your photo and a photo of your mom if you like.

We'll pick two winners, and all the essays may get published in the newspaper.

Good luck, and Happy Mother's Day.

Maple View recalls 3 ice cream flavors

mschultz — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:25:12 -0400

Maple View Farm is voluntarily recalling pint containers of Cookies & Cream, Carolina Crunch and Cookie Dough ice cream because the products contain allergens that were not declared on package labels.

Some or all of the products contain wheat, soy, almonds and peanuts, which can cause serious allergic reactions in people who have an allergy or sensitivity to these ingredients, according to a news release.

The recall affects 2,650 pints of ice cream distributed between Sept. 5, 2012, and April 24, 2013. The products were distributed to a limited number of grocery stores and specialty shops in Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, Hillsborough, Mebane, Morehead City, Morrisville, Pittsboro, Snow Camp and Wilmington, the release said.

Hillsborough-based Maple View Farm initiated the recall after a label review during a routine inspection by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services determined the presence of allergens. The product was distributed in packaging that did not declare the presence of those allergens.

No complaints of allergic reactions to this product have been reported to date, according to the release.

Consumers who have allergies to these ingredients should return the product to the place of purchase or throw it away.

Maple View Farm is cooperating fully with the department and taking all steps necessary to ensure an effective recall, the release said.

Have Orange County/Chapel Hill driven out black residents?

mschultz — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:19:20 -0400

Two articles in today's Chapel Hill News highlight Chapel Hill's shrinking African American population.

In our lead story today, staff writer Tammy Grub reports on work of a new group trying to preserve the character of the historically black Northside community. In 1980, 1,159 black residents called the area home; by 2010, there were just 690.

We have long reported the trend and those who attribute it to student encroachment, gentrification and other causes. To be fair, many of the older residents have died and passed on property to multiple heirs who have chosen to sell. At the same time, some community leaders say black middle class homebuyers moving to the region have chosen to live in other areas, such as Durham, where there is a large, thriving black community and cultural scene.

But an essay by UNC business professor Michael Jacobs on today's editorial page points to another reason for black flight.

Of the 25 largest counties in North Carolina, only two saw declines in their black population in the past decade -- and Orange County saw the biggest drop. The professor, a former U.S. Treasury official, says high taxes, overreliance on property taxes, and high government expenditures have made Orange County unaffordable to people of moderate and less means.

The professor did not mention the rural buffer, the ring around the urban southern part of the county past which water and sewer lines may not go. Critics say the buffer, which has preserved Orange County's rural character, has also artificially constrained housing supply, further driving up costs.

And last night, Carrboro aldermen grappled with their own affordability dilemma as the renovations and new owners of Collins Crossing challenge one of that town's affordable rental communities. The aldermen have formed a task force to look for answers, though the mayor says it is too late to affect what happens at Collins Crossing, the former Abbey Court condominiums.

Orange County's cost of living is the story right now, and for years to come. Work is under way to course correct: infrastructure is coming to the county's economic development districts to lure industry. Chapel Hill and Carrboro are embracing mixed use to help shift the tax base. But it will take more to hold on to and grow Orange County's shrinking racial diversity. The question is whether our leaders and the public that elects them are willing to take it on.

Tell us what you think at editor@newsobserver.com. Let's keep the conversation going.

Chapel Hill council back UNC voting rights petition

tgrubb61 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:45:01 -0400

Chapel Hill’s Town Council joined UNC students Monday in support of early voting and student voting rights.

An N.C. House bill would shorten early voting periods, end same-day voter registration and require students to vote in their home county or by absentee ballot. A second, Senate bill would keep parents from claiming students as dependents on their taxes if they register to vote in another county or register their vehicles at a different address.

Shelby Hudspeth, director of state and external affairs for UNC’s Student Body, said the proposed legislation would negatively affect student voting rights and create a tax burden on parents. Similar resolutions have been sent to more than a hundred House and Senate members, news outlets and others, she said.

“UNC students consider the town of Chapel Hill their home. Many of us are active in the community, whether it’s through volunteering, having a job on Franklin Street or spending time on Franklin Street, so we feel that we should be able to participate actively through voting in elections here,” she said.

Before the council voted, Council member Matt Czajkowski pointed out that the town's support probably wouldn’t carry any authority with the state.

“Do you think that the town of Chapel Hill endorsing this will strengthen or weaken your position with (House) Speaker (Thom) Tillis and (Senate) President (Pro Tem Phil) Berger? If it were up to me, for what it’s worth, I wouldn’t start here,” he said.

Chapel Hillians win state award for community service

tgrubb61 — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:51:30 -0400

Two Chapel Hill 2020 leaders will be honored Wednesday at the Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh for their service to the community.

George Cianciolo and Rosemary Waldorf, who served as Chapel Hill 2020 co-chairs, are among five winners of this year’s Governor’s Medallion Award. They also won the Key Volunteer Award (group/team category) and the Governor’s Service Award (group/team category) at an April 15 ceremony hosted by the Volunteer Center of Durham. The volunteer center manages the program in Durham and Orange counties.

According to a news release, town officials nominated them “for their extraordinary commitment to making Chapel Hill 2020 a plan that unifies the community and reflects our collective needs.”

They led more than 10,000 people in a yearlong discussion of Chapel Hill’s future in dozens of community meetings, events and in newspaper articles.

“George and Rosemary are truly deserving of these awards,” Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt said. “Their commitment and leadership played a major role in Chapel Hill 2020’s success, and it is wonderful to see their service recognized.”

Waldorf is project manager for Bryan Properties and former mayor of Chapel Hill. Cianciolo is a Duke University associate professor of pathology and former chairman of the town Planning Board.

Chapel Hill focus group wants to hear from residents

tgrubb61 — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:54:26 -0400

Residents can comment Thursday on the goals for the Central West (Estes-MLK) planning process in a drop-by session at the Chapel Hill Public Library.

The event will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Meeting Room B. The Central West Focus Area Steering Committee has defined several important goals, including connectivity, pedestrian and bicycle safety, identity and sense of place, mixed uses, diversity, and environmental sustainability.

Steering Committee members and town staff will be at the event to answer questions and listen to concerns. The committee is drafting a small-area plan to guide development and potential rezonings.

For more information about the Central West Focus Area process, go online to www.townofchapelhill.org/centralwest.

Livability.com: Chapel Hill a top-shelf foodie town

tgrubb61 — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:39:13 -0400

When you're musing over the menu at your favorite spot this weekend, take a moment to reflect on the luxury of living in a “foodie” city.

Livability.com named Chapel Hill seventh among the nation’s Top 10 Foodie Cities and third in the South. You can read more about it at: http://bit.ly/153qlBl.

“Chapel Hill's culinary scene combines the staples of great Southern cuisine, the intricacy of Asian fusion and the simplicity of a sandwich,” Livability.com’s writers said.
“Residents strongly support local restaurants in Chapel Hill, where foodies don't just have favorite chefs but favorite farmers. A bounty of local farms – more than 100 within a 50-mile radius of Chapel Hill – supply restaurants with fresh ingredients from pork shanks and short ribs to lamb and cheese,” they said.

The rankings, released Thursday, were based on a high ratio of top-rated restaurants and chefs to the number of residents in cities with populations under 250,000. The rankings also looked at “signature indigenous foods that help define the culinary scene and the availability of fresh, quality ingredients.”

The top three cities: Decatur, Ga., Hoboken, N.J., and Bloomington, Ind.

Councilman's good work wins award

tgrubb61 — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:36:16 -0400

The American Heart Association named Chapel Hill Town Council member Lee Storrow the “Volunteer Advocate of the Year” this week.

The award was announced Tuesday during the association’s annual congressional Lobby Day – You’re the Cure on the Hill – in Washington, D.C.

“I’m honored to receive this award from the American Heart Association,” Storrow said. “After losing multiple family members to heart disease, I know how important good health policies are to make our state a healthier place.”

It is given each year to someone who makes a generous commitment of time, energy and talent in advocating for the association to key lawmakers, recruiting new advocates and serving as a grassroots organizer on American Heart Association issues.

Storrow is the managing director for the N.C. Alliance For Health Coalition. His work for the American Heart Association has helped to advance tobacco and obesity prevention goals. He also works on social media, lobbying and other education efforts.

Carrboro adds more library sites to the mix

mschultz — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:59:31 -0400

By Sarah Mansur

The Board of Aldermen added four new sites Tuesday night to the list of potential locations for Carrboro’s future library.

The Orange County commissioners will consider the former Butler Garage behind Cat’s Cradle, the 300 East Main Street project, the recently purchased public parking lot at 203 S. Greensboro St. across from the Open Eye Café, and the 201 N. Greensboro St. site targeted by CVS developers.

The board ended up not discussing eminent domain last night. The issue won't reach the board's agenda until April 23.

The four new sites are in addition to the three locations that the board recommended to county commissioners last November: 401 Fidelity St., 1128 Hillsborough St. and Carrboro Town Hall at 301 W. Main St.

Michael Harvey, who works for the county’s planning department, said Town Hall was not a suitable location because of the expensive renovation costs and limited room for expansion.

Harvey said both 401 Fidelity St. and 1128 Hillsborough St. are viable library locations given the sites’ sizable land area, access to public transportation and reasonable acquisition costs.

He said county staff recommended 1128 Hillsborough St. over Fidelity Street at its March 19 meeting, but none of the sites were eliminated.

Library Director Lucinda Munger said the Hillsborough site was recommended because it is located off a major thoroughfare, unlike Fidelity Street, and has access to nearby Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

Still, Harvey reminded the board members that the recommendation is tentative and could easily change.

“Right now, we are in the infancy of the initial phase,” Harvey said.

The aldermen also raised the question of defining a 21st century library.

“I am so concerned that we are building a 1980s library for 2030,” said Alderwoman Jacquie Gist. “To build a library for stacks of books, I find a little bit disconcerting…I would very much like to have a conversation about what a modern library is.”

Munger said staff will present the first draft of strategic plan, which focuses on library services rather than its location, to the county commissioners on May 14.

“I want to emphasize that this is not a cookie cutter library,” Munger said. “This is a library based on feedback from the community and will be one of most valuable public assets in town.”

Hillsborough may relax food truck rules

mschultz — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:34:59 -0400

The Chapel Hill Town Council isn't the only town rethinking food truck rules.

The council will get a report Wednesday night that recommends lowering fees to attract more trucks. More than the one that's taken out a permit, that is. Look for more on that in tomorrow's CHN.

The Hillsborough Town Board, is now considering allowing food trucks on private property within the Historic District on a regular basis rather than just for special events, according to a town news release.

The owners of Maggie’s Hot Tin Roof, a bar locating in the former Hillsborough Plumbing building on West Margaret Lane, requested that the town ordinance be changed to allow food trucks to operate in the Historic District provided they:

- Are located on private property.
- Do not use any additional signage beyond what is affixed to the truck.
- Provide waste disposal.
- Minimize noise via a quiet generator or an electrical plug-in to the adjacent building
- Pay all applicable fees and charges.

The bar’s owners explained that their location can easily fit a food truck and that their business model relies on provision of food from a variety of trucks in lieu of a kitchen.

The Town Board decided to research the issue, identify options and hold a public hearing on any proposed changes developed, according to the release The board also asked Alliance for Historic Hillsborough Executive Director Sarah DeGennaro, the town’s support staff to the Hillsborough Tourism Board, to coordinate obtaining feedback from downtown merchants. The issue likely will be a discussion item at the Tourism Board’s next meeting. Town planning staff also will begin drafting an ordinance amendment.

For more information, contact Hillsborough Planning Director Margaret Hauth by phone at 919-732-1270 Ext. 86 or by email. Or contact DeGennaro with the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough by phone at 919-732-7741 or by email at sarah@historichillsborough.org.

Carrboro aldermen to discuss eminent domain tonight

mschultz — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:45:19 -0400

By Sarah Mansur

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen will consider the question of using eminent domain tonight

Last week Alderman Sammy Slade requested information from town staff on the legal feasibility and the potential costs of eminent domain, which empowers local governments to take private property for public use. Mayor Mark Chilton said the topic is not listed as an agenda item for tonight, but residents should expect to hear a conversation about it. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St.

Former Alderman Dan Coleman first raised the possibility of using eminent domain to acquire the Collins Crossing apartment complex on Jones Ferry Road.

Collins Crossing has a large population of Hispanic day laborers and Burmese immigrants. Massachusetts-based management company Aspen Square Management purchased Collins Crossing, formerly known as Abbey Court, in June 2012. Since then, rent increases have forced some residents to find cheaper housing elsewhere.

Board members and community activists worry that the complex is the last affordable housing complex in town.

NOTE: If you'd like to reach Sarah Mansur regarding this story, please contact her at sarah.mansur91@gmail.com

Wednesday forum to look at current LGBT rights scene

mschultz — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:17:35 -0400

Journalists Frank Bruni of the New York Times and Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post and MSNBC will discuss the future of LGBT rights in America at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Nelson Mandela Auditorium at UNC's FedEx Global Education Center, at the corner of Pittsboro and McCauley streets.

Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt, Chapel Hill’s first and only openly gay mayor, will introduce Bruni and Capehart. They'll discuss marriage equality, homophobia in schools and workplaces, military service and actions taken by LGBT politicians and advocates, according to a news release. The conversation will be moderated by Janie Long, director of Duke’s Center for LGBT Life and an affiliated faculty member with the programs in women’s studies and sexuality studies.

Bruni, a UNC alumnus, joined the Times in 1995, holding his most recent position as op-ed columnist since June 2011. Before that, Bruni was the Times’ chief restaurant critic from June 2004 through August 2009 and Rome bureau chief from 2002 to 2004. He is also the author of the memoir “Born Round,” and “Ambling Into History,” a chronicle of George W. Bush's campaign for the presidency.

Capehart is a member of the Post editorial board and writes about politics and social issues for the PostPartisan blog. He is also an MSNBC contributor, appearing regularly on “Morning Joe” and other dayside programs. Before joining The Post in 2007, Capehart was the deputy editor of New York Daily News editorial page from 2002 to 2005. He worked as a policy adviser to Michael Bloomberg in his successful campaign for mayor of New York City.

Cat's Cradle to hold free concerts/block party in Carrboro May 5

mschultz — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:50:12 -0400

Cat’s Cradle will present Carrboro Block Party, a free concert in its parking lot at 300 East Main Street on Sunday, May 5, featuring Lost in the Trees, The Love Language, and Loamlands.

In addition to the main stage entertainment, the community festival will include additional live music inside Cat’s Cradle and The ArtsCenter, food trucks, beer and fun, according to a news release. The gates open at 4 p.m. and the music begins at 4:30 p.m.

While the event is free to the general public, vouchers guaranteeing entry will be available starting April 9 at www.carrboroblockparty.com. There is a limit of two vouchers per person and the voucher guarantees entry to its holder before 6 p.m.

"Carrboro Block Party features some of the areas most popular and critically acclaimed bands," the release says. "Lost in the Trees will conclude a short Northeast tour with the show and are soon heading into the studio to record their fourth album. The Love Language will release their second record on Merge in 2013 and the newly formed Loamlands features members of Midtown Dickens and Megafaun."

In addition to music on the main stage, Carrboro Block Party will feature a stage sponsored by ReverbNation inside Cat’s Cradle. Local artists are encouraged to submit their music for consideration on ReverbNation.com at http://bit.ly/YLSLII and two acts will be chosen to perform by Cat’s Cradle and Trekky Records representatives. The ArtsCenter will also feature music in its West End Theater during the festival.

Festival-goers will enjoy local beer from Carolina Brewery and food provided by local food trucks and area restaurants. Local non-profit Farmer Foodshare will be on-site celebrating their 4th Anniversary and selling a limited edition Lost in the Trees T-shirt with all proceeds going to their mission of connecting people at risk of hunger and malnutrition with fresh produce from local farms.

May 5 promises to be a busy day in Carrboro. The Town celebrates Carrboro Day throughout the afternoon, Carrboro Block Party continues the celebration into the evening and an incredible day in Carrboro will close with a free concert inside Cat’s Cradle featuring Stillhouse.

Carrboro Block Party is sponsored by Carolina Brewery, ReverbNation, Town of Carrboro, Fifth Season Gardening Co., Shuffle Magazine, The ArtsCenter, Milltown, The Splinter Group and Trekky Records. For more information, please visit www.carrboroblockparty.com.

Hey Boomers, what are you doing the rest of your life?

mschultz — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 15:41:14 -0400

“Don’t let me hear you say life’s taking you nowhere, angel”

If you’re looking at your golden years and feeling a little like Bowie in 1975 – heck, if you can ever remember 1975 – Bolton Anthony is ready to serve up some dessert.

The Chapel Hill resident and activist is organizing a workshop April 11-14 at the Friday Center that will ask older people to create a new vision for the next stage of their lives.
At a time when many begin thinking about slowing down, Anthony wants to put 60 Baby Boomers in a room for three days to reinvent how we look at “the second half of life.”

Anthony is the founder of Second Journey, which has put out “Aging the Community.” The book talks with people who are creating a new paradigm, or way of thinking, that keeps older people a vital part of society, rather than farming them out to golf courses and nursing homes.

Part of the book looks at new models like cohousing in which people live in cooperative communities with shared activities and facilities. A local group that recently broke ground on one such a project, the 24-unit Durham Central Park Cohousing Community, advertises “aging in place” and already has a waiting list.

But Anthony says the gathering will be about more than that. “What the Boomers are doing to housing is what they did to ice cream: The three flavors are now 1,000,” he says. “I’m as equally interested in a different vision of aging. It can be a transformative experience for individuals.”

Interested? Go to www.secondjourney.org/VC.htm for more information and to register.

G.I. Cho takes on new mission for USO-NC

tgrubb61 — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:25:07 -0400

The effect that “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” will have won’t end when the curtain falls or the box office banks its profits.

Chapel Hill actor Augustus Cho, who plays a North Korean leader in the movie, is spearheading a star-studded benefit Saturday for the USO of North Carolina and the U.S. Veterans Corps, a nonprofit community service group.

Cho also has released a public service announcement to raise awareness of the USO’s work and promote the fund-raising event - http://youtu.be/WZk39Ybr8mA.

“Paramount has really, really come through on this. They were very generous to give us this kind of support. This is highly unusual,” Cho said.

The Military Appreciation Day event will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Streets at Southpoint in Durham.

Connie Inggs, director of the USO-NC’s Raleigh-Durham International Airport Center, said she expects the event to have a major impact. The nonprofit organization relied on donations to serve 651,000 service members and families last year.

“There is a great burden on us right now to do operations, and we need community support,” she said.

Ministers to protest Durham panhandling regs

mschultz — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 18:14:52 -0400

A group of ministers and supporters plan to protest Durham' panhandling restrictions at 5 p.m. Monday at the intersection of U.S. 15-501 and Mt. Moriah Road near New Hope Commons.

“I am not willing to have my community transformed into a place where beggars are criminalized and pushed out of communal sight,” the Rev. Sarah Jobe of Watts Street Baptist Church says in a news release.

The new local rules outlaw public begging on roadsides and medians where panhandlers usually ask for help. Jobe is one of six local ministers who plan to publicly violate the new ordinance as an act of spiritual solidarity and public witness during Holy Week.

“Lent is the season when we call God’s people to pray, fast, and give to the poor. Giving has been difficult in Durham this year because it’s been illegal to beg,” says Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, an Associate Minister at St. Johns Missionary Baptist Church.

Wilson-Hartgrove helped to organize a public meeting at Duke Memorial United Methodist Church on Thursday evening this week, where nearly 200 community members heard stories of people who have been affected by the new ordinance.

Event organizers say two people have already gone to jail for begging in violation of the new ordinance.

The ministers and their supporters have asked the City Council to rescind the ordinance and reconsider how to address safety concerns for motorists without harming panhandlers. They have also encouraged the council to work closely with homelessness service providers and the faith community as they develop a new ordinance.

When asked why they have chosen to not only challenge the law, but also to break it, Matt Gates of the Rutba House community said, “Jesus was a beggar, and they ticketed him, too. If anything, I think the question should be, ‘Why have we waited this long?’”

Carrboro buys downtown parking lot for $600K

mschultz — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:10:20 -0400

Alderwoman Jacquie Gist says she never thought she's get so excited about parking.

But Gist is very excited now that the Town of Carrboro has bought the former Andrew-Riggsbee Hardware Store property at 203 S. Greensboro St. for $600,000. The town will continue using the 0.88-acre site for free parking. It has about 90, two-hour spaces.

The town has been leasing the gravel lot, which fell into foreclosure within the past six months, Mayor Mark Chilton saiys The town’s sealed bid was the highest of a handful of bidders, he says.

'The minute we started renting that parking lot, it filled," Gist told us Monday as the town prepared to close on the deal. "And the (nearby) businesses were really happy we were renting it."

The town's purchase wasn't unanimous. We'll have more on this story and hear from the dissenter in tomorrow's Chapel Hill News.

Read more in our full story, now online at http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2013/03/19/75538/carrboro-buys-former-hardware.html

DOT secretary Tata names former Durham mayor Tennyson a chief deputy

mschultz — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:17:39 -0400

N.C. Transportation Secretary Tony Tata today named former Durham Mayor Nick Tennyson Chief Deputy Secretary of Support.

“Nick has a proven ability to build close working relationships and manage large-scale initiatives,” Tata said in a news release. “These will be key attributes as we carry out Governor McCrory’s directive to establish a long-range plan for North Carolina that builds on the department’s previous efforts to leverage our infrastructure for greater economic investment and growth.”

One of Tennyson’s key responsibilities will be to lead the development and implementation of a 25-year transportation infrastructure plan. He will oversee five business functions: the Division of Motor Vehicles, strategic planning, information technology, fiscal, and intergovernmental affairs and budget coordination. Tennyson will collaborate closely with Chief Deputy Secretary of Operations Jim Trogdon.

Tennyson served four years as mayor of Durham, from 1997-2001 and co-founded the Metropolitan Coalition of Mayors with McCrory, then mayor of Charlotte and former Chapel Hill Mayor Rosemary Waldorf. He has also served as vice-president of government relations for the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, executive director of Triangle Advocates for Citizens of Tomorrow Inc. Before that, he was a home builder and developer and most recently executive vice-president for the Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange and Chatham counties.

Tennyson, who starts April 1, will earn $123,000. A previous position for deputy secretary for administration was repurposed to create this post to help the department run more efficiently, according to the news release.

Chapel Hill names new library director

tgrubb61 — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:30:08 -0400

A former Carrboro library branch manager will return to the area in May to lead the newly expanded Chapel Hill Public Library, town officials announced Monday.

Susan Brown will start her new job May 20. She currently is the marketing director for the Lawrence Public Library in Kansas, where she also worked as the adult services librarian. Previously, she managed the Carrboro Cybrary, was a reference librarian at the Cameron Village Regional Library in Raleigh, and a library assistant Virginia Commonwealth University's Cabell Library and the Library of Virginia in Richmond.

“We can expect to see a new library director who will be creating new connections and partnerships across the community for engagement as our library transforms for the digital age and as a center for civic communication,” Town Manager Roger Stancil said in a news release Monday.

Brown is a UNC aluma with a master's degree in library science. She also has a bachelor's degree in history from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

Interim Library Director Mark Bayles has led the library since September, when former library Director Kathy Thompson retired. He is now overseeing the library’s move back from University Mall to its renovated 63,000-square-foot space off Estes Drive. The $16.2 million library will open in a few weeks.