The Quiet Season
When it's cold and damp outside, and sunset is only just beginning to outlast your commute from work, the Internet and a cup of hot coco sing an irresistible duet....
The County site, reflecting the high-tech population it serves, is a great place to explore locally and never leave your comfy chair. Browsing types may want to just read along, but the Web shines when you're searching for stuff.
Type "trash transfer station" into the text area of the County Commission search engine for a little recent history lesson. Get a dose of real reality programming with a few Orange County Board of Commissioners meeting videos.
Had enough reality? Look up a book at the Orange County Library site.
If you've not finished your chocolate, you can always turn to Google!
Above all, have a happy, healthy 2011... and stay involved. (1/2/2011) (Archived 4/18/2011)
Sheriff on Alert for Hunting Violations
Gun season has started and shots can be heard throughout rural Orange
County. It's not a problem unless hunters or dogs are illegally
trespassing or in the road with a loaded firearm. Also, hunters require written permission to hunt on another's property. If you're suspicious, ask for proof.
The Sheriff asks every citizen to report illegal hunting activity immediately by calling 911. (11/27/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
60 Minutes: "Rewards Obscure Risks of Fracking"
CBS's 60 Minutes issued an alarming
report on drilling for natural gas. Enticing financial rewards are
obscuring undisclosed risks to water quality. While not an issue in
Orange County, farmers and landowners in Chatham, Lee, and other
counties are being lured by unregulated gas exploration companies. Check
it out: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7054341n&tag=cbsnewsMainColumnArea.9. (11/27/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
When Research Turns to Sludge
Thank you to environmental health scientist
Steve Wing and to UNC for a revealing report on how bias is infiltrating
important research and reporting on the health affects of sludge
spreading. In a new report, Dr. Wing illustrates that, despite efforts
of UNC's attorneys and researchers to protect the integrity of their
science, the sludge industry and others interfered relentlessly.
"It’s not just corporate funding that
creates conflicts of interest. Even government and nonprofit funding can
have strings attached," Dr. Wing said. The full report is posted online. Feel free to thank Dr. Wing with a note of support steve_wing@unc.edu. (11/14/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Reception for Commissioners Nelson and McKee!
The Orange County Commissioners are hosting a
reception to thank Commissioner Mike Nelson for his service and to
welcome new commissioner Earl McKee to the board. The reception is
December 6 at 6:15 p.m. at the Orange County Senior Center at the
Meadowlands Sportsplex in Hillsborough.
Commissioner Nelson decided to step down
from the board last year. Mr. McKee, a farmer and lifetime resident of
rural Orange County, was elected in November by overwhelming majority.
Please come out and say thank you to our commissioners - old and new - for their service. (11/14/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Reality Bites: One Medicine against Ticks and Mosquitoes
North Carolina's eighth annual "One Medicine
Symposium" brings the best in human and veterinary medicine to bear on
the fight against vector-borne illnesses - the medical term for diseases
resulting from tick and mosquito bites. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever,
Ehrlichiosis, Lyme's disease, and West Nile Virus are among the
illnesses that these esteemed professionals will be discussing in Durham
on December 8.
For more information, or to register, go to the One Medicine website. (11/14/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
County Voters Reject Sales Tax
"No new taxes" were the order of the day (see All NC sales tax questions fail on Election Day
from Business Week) and Orange County joined 13 other counties in
rejecting a proposed 1/4-cent sales tax increase. Rural voters, who turned out at a high rate offset tepid approval for the tax from urban voters. Voting results by precinct are illustrated by this map.
The County Commission discussed their next steps in Thursday's regular meeting.
Click here for complete unofficial election results in a nifty bar-graph format. (11/7/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Artists Open Studios
Orange County is liberally supplied with artists of all stripes --
700-800 pepper the county and towns, by some counts -- and the
membership of the Orange County Artists Guild is a vibrant, active group.
This year, the Guild's 16th Annual Open Studio Tour again
offers an opportunity for regular folks to see the sites where over 80
creative persons make their magic with materials from fabrics to clay
and paints to sculpture. Artists outside the towns, like Melissa York,
Cathy Kiffney, and Bill McAllister, provide a good excuse for a drive in
the country this weekend. Open studio hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on
Saturday and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday.
Click here for the Tour brochure, which includes photographs of the artists' works and a map to the open studios. (11/7/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Outlets come to Mebane
The Tangers Outlet Mall held its grand opening this weekend, beginning Friday. The Outlet Mall
offers about 80 discount outlets, including an Off 5th store from Saks
Fifth Avenue, Banana Republic, Coach, and more. Expected economic impact
includes 800 jobs and taxes worth $7 million (sales) and $200,000
(property). Read more from the News and Observer. (11/7/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Orange County Commission Meeting
The Orange County Commissioners are meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, at the Department of Human Services offices in Hillsborough. Click here for the agenda, which includes the following items:
- Approve the sale of the Old ABC Store building on Highway 49 at
Cedar Grove for $3,500. The county received no upset bids during the
period set for that. More....
- Consider a $192,000 contract from Hobbs, Upchurch, and Associates,
P.A., of Southern Pines to design water and sewer utilities for the
Buckhorn-Mebane Economic Development District. More....
- Public hearing for issuing up to $9.9 million in school construction
bonds for the Chapel Hill - Carrboro City School and Orange County
School systems. More....
- Seek public comment on and authorize the submission of a $400,000
Housing Rehabilitation Program Application for scattered site housing
from the state Department of Commerce. More....
- Consider amendments to the 1985 Efland Sewer Resolution More....
- Discuss the 1/4-cent County Sales and Use Tax that citizens will approve or disapprove on Tuesday. More.... (10/31/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Wanted: Cedar Grove / Cheeks Planning Board Applicants
Are you interested in planning and development issues in the county? Orange County is looking for volunteers to serve on the County Planning Board, particularly to fill vacancies from Cedar Grove and Cheeks townships. To begin your application process, click here. The deadline for applicants is Monday, November 1. (10/24/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Commercial Kitchen Space for Rent/Hour
Are you feeding the world and want to go another step toward the
dining table? Opening in March, county-run commercial kitchen and
vegetable and fruit processing facilities could be available to you on
an hour-by-hour basis. Other amenities planned for the Piedmont Food & Agricultural Processing Center include offices, freezers, refrigerators, and food business training workshops.
The result of an Inter-local Cooperative Agreement between Alamance,
Chatham, Durham, and Orange Counties and backed by $1.2 from various
agencies, the operation is for use by farmers and food entrepreneurs
living no more than 75 miles from the Hillsborough facility. (More....)
A groundbreaking celebration (accompanied by light refreshments) is
scheduled for 10:30 a.m. this Wednesday in Hillsborough. To tell them
you're coming, email yscarlett@co.orange.nc.us or call 919-245-2325. (10/24/201) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Rogers Road Community Gets $25,000 Grant
The Rogers-Eubanks Neighborhood Association in Chapel Hill won one of
76 grants awarded this year by the Environmental Justice Small Grants
Program for community projects. The group took the grant for the purpose
of reducing waste inputs to landfills and repairing household energy
and water inefficiencies.
For more information, see the RENA blog. (10/16/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Residents Question Waste and Recycling Plan
At a public hearing in September, roughly 40
citizens offered comments on county solid waste plan. Representatives
from Orange County Voice, RENA/CEER, local church and community groups
suggested changes that better align the SW plan with resident priorities
and recycling goals, including:
- Restore convenience center schedules to 6 days per week, and defer muli-million dollar improvements
- Limit bi-weekly recycling to residents that
receive curbside trash services -- or change it to a voluntary program.
(The plan suggests expanding the mandatory program and fee to 90% of
rural residents)
- Delete references to waste franchises (and
franchising fees), a topic which was dropped by the SW Work Group. Rural
areas are adequately served already .(More....)
- Increase emphasis on education to improve recycling, especially at schools, multi-unit houses, and churches.
The county has issued a response which recommends expanding hours at the convenience centers (click here for memo).
Their response suggests that the county will continue to pursue
expanding curbside recycling and new fees for recycling and convenience
centers. Curbside trash services and fees are also still in the works.
Some residents fear that new services and fees are being used to
compensate for the $3.5 million revenue loss which will occur when the
landfill closes.
OCV leaders and other citizen groups will
continue to represent rural residents in the planning process -
including discussing issues with the county commissioners later this
month.
Comments or questions? Contact Trash@OrangeCountyVoice.org. (10/13/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
OWASA to Unveil Logging Plan for Watershed Land
OWASA will unveil its draft Forestry Management Plan at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 30, at the Maple View Agricultural Education Center, 3501 Dairyland Road. The plan covers 1900 acres of land in the Cane Creek protected watershed.
The draft plan, which is on OWASA's website (click here), describes a long-term program to clearcut and/or thin high value timber, apply herbicides and plant loblolly pines for future harvesting. Rural and town residents are concerned about the impact on runoff, wildlife habitats and water quality. While commonplace for commercial timbering operations, it is unclear how the plan aligns with OWASA's water quality goals.
OWASA is accepting public input on the plan through December 1. The OWASA board of directors will meet on December 9th to decide whether or not to pursue the plan. A community advocacy group has formed to inform citizens on how to voice concerns to OWASA leaders and elected officials. The community website is: www.ChapelHillWaterQuality.com.
Please join your neighbors, elected officials and others to hear OWASA's presentation at the Maple View Ag Center on Tuesday, November 30th.. (11/27/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Shout Out!
Cane Creek Farm Announces a Fall Open House
Bobby and Michael Kirk at Cane Creek Farm extend this invitation:
Hey Neighbor. Wanted to let you know and see if you would share with
others,that Cane Creek Farms is having another Open House at the farm
and a get to know your neighbor Sunday, November 14, from about 1 on and
eating about 4 until everyone is full.
We will be cooking one of our Mulefoot pigs and a chicken stew.
Please bring chairs, your favorite beverage and a cover dish.We will
have fun things for the young and young at heart. Anyone that plays
music, please bring your guitar etc. Please tell your neighbors and
friends. Hopefully our community can start getting to know each other.
All are welcome to the farm anytime.
We also are opening up our CSA memberships. Our CSA allows members to
pick and choose what they want and how much. It is based on pounds and
not a time frame.
Call, email, or come by with questions and thanks to all that support us here at Cane Creek Farms.
(11/7/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Locate your Park
The County has added an interactive Parks Amenities Locator map to its site. To view the Google-driven map, click here. (11/7/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Orange County Voice Welcomes New Directors
OCV
welcomes Stan Cheren of RENA/CEER and Steve Graf of Cedar Grove to our
Board of Directors. If you are interested in working with us or
linking us to your organization, please contact Bonnie (bonnie@OrangeCountyVoice.org). (11/7/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Sympathies to Maple View
OCV joins the community in mourning the passing of Muffin Nutter,
daughter of Bob Nutter and co-founder of Maple View Ice Cream. A
memorial service is scheduled for Sunday, October 31, at 2:00 p.m. at
the Maple View Agricultural Center. The family has asked that in lieu of
flowers, donations be made to the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center (http://www.unclineberger.org/). (10/24/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Beware of a Publishers Clearing House Scam
Deputy Butch Clark reports "several calls concerning The Publishers
Clearing House Sweepstakes saying you have won a prize. In most cases
they are saying you need to send them money to claim your prize. This is
a SCAM. Do not give them any information." The Deputy provided this link to help you figure out what to do if you get such a call.
"They [Publishers Clearing House] also said they will never call
someone on the phone to notify them that they have won a prize," Deputy
Clark said. (10/24/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Giving Back to Your Garden
Muriel Williman (Education and Outreach, Orange County Solid Waste
Management) says she will show you various methods of composting,
including how to build a "hot pile." The classes will be at the
Administration Office compost demonstration site, 1207 Eubanks Road,
Chapel Hill.
The inaugural compost class is November 6, 10-11:30 a.m. Free and no registration is necessary and it is free.
Ms. Williman also does composting classes for neighborhood
associations or community gardens, "where I can boot up a pile on site."
(For more information, read Watching our Wasteline, from The Herald-Sun.) (10/24/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Condolences
Sadly, local farmer Rob Hogan passed away following a bad reaction to a misstep off a tractor last month. Hogan's Magnolia View Farm,
the home of UNC mascot Ramses, has been a part of the Orange County
landscape since before the colonies revolted, and is an aggressive
entrant in the pasture-raised locavore movement. Our thoughts and
prayers are with his family. (10/8/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Ring, Ring... Really?
Just because a caller claims to be from your electric company and
needs your credit card information to keep your power from being
disconnected doesn't mean you have to provide it. It's a good practice
to avoid giving your credit card or banking information to anyone who's
called you; you can always call the company at its official number to
make sure the demand is legitimate. The Progress Energy number is
1-800-452-2777 - hang up and call it if you think there may be a problem
with your electrical bill.(10/3/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Plea to Drivers and Cyclists! Don't Buy That Farm!
Rural resident Gail Alberti, provides this heartfelt plea to drivers and cyclists.... (see full letter in the Chapel Hill News)
"Well, I almost bought the farm." That was the first comment my
husband made on returning home recently. He was on Dairyland Road. A car
came toward him in his lane and he barely had time to avoid a head-on
collision.
The woman driving had passed cyclists on a curve.
On three occasions, I have had to quickly veer onto the shoulder of
the road to avoid a head-on collision because someone coming in the
opposite direction evidently got frustrated waiting behind cyclists, and
passed on a hill or a curve. The frustration increases when there is a
large group of cyclists.
I was behind such a group (15 or so in a line) on Borland, and drove
two miles before I was able to pass. As I started to pass, the vehicle
behind me raced around me and the cyclists.
Because of where I live, I have no choice but to travel these roads. I
am not anti-cyclist. I am, however, anti-collision. We won't even
discuss adding deer to the mix...
This is not about 'right of way'. It is simply about safety.
Suggestions: Create dedicated bike lanes.
Cyclists: Break up groups into much smaller ones. It is very difficult to pass a large group, given the hills and curves on these roads.
Motorists: Exercise patience and pass only if and when it is truly safe.
We couldn't agree more. (10/3/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Third Fridays in Elfand?
The Efland Ruritan Club wants to add a fun night out for families and friends. See The Herald Sun for the full story: Efland gathering crosses generational lines. (9/9/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
OCV is a 501c3!
It's official - OCV is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit
organization under IRS Code 501(c)(3). We are now eligible for grant
funding and your donations to OCV, both large and small, are now
tax-deductible. Click here to donate. (8/10/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
Needed: Farmer with Some Time
The Piedmont Food Agricultural Processing Center is set to
open in March 2011 on Valley Forge Road in Hillsborough. The County
Agricultural Economic Development office wants an Orange County farmer
who is willing to serve on the facility Steering Committee. Interested?
Please complete the website application or call the County Clerk's office at 245-2125. Food processing center closer to reality (The Times News); Center flyer. (8/10/2010) (Archived 12/14/2010)
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