News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC (March 7, 2023) 

See the exciting progress via drone footage of the new library/civic building under construction, save the date for a poetry reading and open mic night, get ready for the Carrboro Kite Fly, and learn all about the exciting Creek Week events. 

203 Project Update

Construction continues to progress on The 203 S. Greensboro Street Project in Carrboro. 

Duke Energy will be performing utility work around the construction site on March 16-17 which will have traffic impacts between the hours of 9a.m. and 4 p.m.  Roberson Street traffic will be detoured to use the Main Street intersection instead of S. Greensboro Street. Maple Avenue Extension residents will continue to use E. Carr Street and Maple Avenue. Flaggers and temporary signs will be used to direct traffic.  

On March 14, an early morning concrete pour is scheduled for the first floor slab.  The pour will begin around 3 a.m. with concrete deliveries continuing through-out the morning.

In other updates, the site foundations and footings are nearly complete with more construction trades beginning to mobilize onsite. Watch the latest drone video of construction progress at https://youtu.be/pZwTqxnHBwc 

Background 

The $42 million development will be the future home of the Carrboro Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department and the Orange County Southern Branch Library. The facility will also provide a permanent home for the Orange County Skills Development Center, WCOM Radio and performance/multipurpose uses. The 203 Project will provide opportunities for education, art and community connection.

More information:

• The Town of Carrboro posts regular updates to the community on the Town website and through social media. Sign up to receive Carrboro Town News updates at www.carrboronc.gov/signup
•  If you would like to be included on a neighborhood email distribution list, which includes residents living in the adjacent neighborhood and the local business community, please notify the203project@carrboronc.gov
• More information is available at https://www.carrboronc.gov/1151/The-203-Project  

Carrboro Poets Council Reading and Open Mic

Come hear members of the Carrboro Poets’ Council read their poetry and sign up to read at the community open mic at Flyleaf Books on Wednesday, March 15  from  6:00 - 7:30 p.m. at Flyleaf Books, 752 M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC. Featured poets: Jay Bryan, Paul Jones, Susan Spalt, Alex Benedict, Davis Lensch, Giddeon Young, and Carrboro Poet Laureate Liza Wolff-Francis. 

The Poets Council is a volunteer-based group that organizes poetry in Carrboro, including the West End Poetry Festival and poetry for Carrboro Day and informs the Town of Carrboro of poetry needs, and it is also comprised of published poets. 

Please come enjoy their poetry and sign up to read a poem of your own. 

In April, look for announcements of live workshops out in nature!

No Parking on E. Winmore Avenue 

To improve public safety, “No Parking” signs have been installed along E. Winmore Avenue from Jewel Drive east to Homestead Road. 

The Carrboro Police Department reminds residents to not block neighborhood streets adjacent to schools.  This creates an issue within the neighborhoods and also can put students in harm’s way when attempting to cross busier streets without crossing guards and other safety equipment being present.

Somewhere in Carrboro

Neighbors gathered outside in a quiet neighborhood somewhere in Carrboro on Saturday, March 4 to watch the Carolina vs. Duke basketball game. While Tar Heels were sadly disappointed with the outcome of the game, the spirit in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community to support the Tar Heels is a beautiful sight! 

Orange County’s Creek Week is March 17-26

Show your love for Orange County’s streams, lakes, and rivers during Orange County Creek Week, scheduled for March 17-26. The annual event is part of the Clean Water and Education Partnership’s (CWEP) third annual Regional Creek Week. This year’s theme is “Water Connects Us.” The initiative will engage the public on the importance of clean and healthy waterways.

“We had so much fun during last year’s events,” said Heather Holley, Stormwater Specialist with Town of Carrboro Stormwater Division. “We've been working with staff and our partners to plan some exciting events and activities to celebrate our creeks and promote waterway stewardship. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone out there!”  

Visit our Creek Week webpage to learn more about all the great events coming your way this month.

Sign Up for Creek Week Kid's Buffer Ball Activity

Join Town staff on Saturday, March 25 for this fun, kid friendly hands on activity at Martin Luther King Jr Park.

Kids will learn about wetlands and vegetative water quality buffers while making seed balls with wetland buffer seed mixes. We will be launching the Buffer Balls into the  wetland buffer in the park to help add diversity and habitat to the parks natural wetland. 

• When: March 25, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
• Where: Dr. MLK Jr Park Amphitheater, 1120 Hillsborough Road, Carrboro, NC 27516
• Who: Kids K-5^th Grade

This activity is free and RSVP only, space is limited to 20 kids, so please sign up early. 

Parents must be present. Suitable for Kindergarten through 5th grade age group. 

To sign up use this form or contact Heather Holley at  hholley@CarrboroNC.gov or 919-918-7426.

Music Maker Foundation's Ninth Annual "Freight Train Blues" Coming to Carrboro

The Town of Carrboro, N.C., proudly presents the Music Maker Foundation’s Freight Train Blues series of live concerts every Friday evening between May 5 and June 23, 2023, at the Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St. The series is a collaboration among  Music Maker Foundation; the Town of Carrboro; WUNC 91.5 FM; and The Forests at Duke.

An annual event, the concert series honors GRAMMY-winning folk and blues artist and North Carolina Music Hall of Famer Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten, born in Carrboro, N.C. in 1893. Cotten’s soulful voice and unique guitar style have rendered her a legend in the world of blues, leading her to receive National Heritage Fellowship in 1984 and a GRAMMY award in 1985. She lived to be 104 years old and died in 1987. Her songs, like the iconic “Freight Train,” have been reimagined by artists like The Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan. In 2022, she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Music Maker Foundation honors Cotten’s legacy in the world of roots music by emphasizing the cultural diversity, complexity, and vitality of her music and the music of many other artists local to her community and all over the country. 

Bring your picnic, lawn chairs and blankets for an evening of live music on the lawn. Public parking is available and free in downtown Carrboro.

Find more information in our Freight Train Blues Concert Series 2023 news flash.

Seeking Views about Local Government Communications

Do you follow Town of Carrboro news and information? 

Please take a few minutes to share your views about local government communications at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3CD9788 

Through this survey, the Town seeks to measure the community’s satisfaction with its public communications whether the topic is public safety, solid waste, recreation and parks, Town Council, public works or another Town of Carrboro program. We'll use your feedback to guide communication and engagement improvement efforts and will share survey results on the Town website at https://www.carrboronc.gov/2553/Communication-and-Engagement 

Communication is core to municipal government. Engaging with the Carrboro community allows for a more inclusive and collaborative approach to government in which every voice has the opportunity to be heard.

Thank you in advance for your time! The survey will be open through March 13. 

For more information, contact Catherine Lazorko, Town of Carrboro Communication & Engagement Director, at clazorko@carrboronc.gov

All in a day's work 

This week's reconstruction of the walkway at the 303 W. Weaver St. public parking lot was completed in response to feedback from a resident noting safety issues. It's all in a day's work for our Carrboro Public Works team! (L-R Chance Hilliard, Raid Wahibe and Floyd Alston). 

Do You Want to Appeal Your Tax Valuation?

If you disagree with your tax value, you can appeal it. To submit an appeal: 

• Online www.orangecountync.gov/appeal
• In-person 228 S. Churton St., Hillsborough
• Email: reval@orangecountync.gov

Mail: PO Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278

Uproar Festival Call for Artists: Deadline Extended

Artists have until March 15 to apply to the first-ever Uproar Festival of Public Art – happening July 14-Aug. 12 – by going to uproarfestnc.com.

Don’t miss out on:

• The opportunity to win $27,500 in prize money.
• A $500 honorarium for each selected applicant.
• Four nights complimentary lodging for artists living further than 60 miles from Chapel Hill, NC, at one of our partner hotels.
• A mileage stipend for up to 200 miles based on artist’s location.
• The opportunity to sell your work featured at Uproar.

For additional information on submission guidelines, the selection process, and how to apply, visit the Uproar Festival of Public Art webpage.

Town Council Update

Meeting agendas and updates are issued from the Town Clerk’s Office. To receive these by email or text, sign up for Carrboro Town News at https://www.carrboronc.gov/SIGNUP

Civic involvement is a valued tradition in our community. Reach the Town Council with your ideas, views, and questions at Council@carrboronc.gov

Town Council Update

Meeting agendas and updates are issued from the Town Clerk’s Office. To receive these by email or text, sign up for Carrboro Town News at https://www.carrboronc.gov/SIGNUP

Civic involvement is a valued tradition in our community. Reach the Town Council with your ideas, views, and questions at Council@carrboronc.gov

Coming Up

The Carrboro Town Council will hold a Council Meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, 2023. The agenda is available at https://bit.ly/3Jk5tPi and at https://carrboro.legistar.com/  

This meeting will be held at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or can view the livestream at https://carrboro.legistar.com/   OR YouTube.com/CarrboroNC OR Cable TV 18 (in Carrboro). 

To download a copy of the full meeting calendar visit https://www.carrboronc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/12313

Past Meeting 

The Carrboro Town Council met Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, to consider the agenda available at https://bit.ly/3IVxDyG 

• Received a presentation and provided feedback on implementation efforts for the Energy and Climate Protection Plan and Community Climate Action Plan. Both plans pursue goals to reduce 2010 levels of municipal and per capita community greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2030. Town staff are examining and pursuing several initiatives to reach the emissions reductions goals.
• Received a presentation on a state law change requiring specific wording to punish certain offenses (including noise, discharge of firearms, public urination, begging and public consumption of beer or wine) as misdemeanors in the Town Code. 
• Received an update on Town of Carrboro Equity Tools which are used to assist with embedding equity in Town governance and inform decision making.  The tools include The REAL – (Racial Equity Assessment Lens), Decision Making for Racial Equity (DRE tool), and Pocket Questions, which provide a preliminary view of whether racial equity is included in a project, grant consideration, and other time sensitive proposals in the absence of a racial equity assessment lens evaluation. Learn more about advancing race and equity in Carrboro at https://www.carrboronc.gov/2535/Race-and-Equity 

Town Council 

The Town Council, which is the legislative and policy-making body for Carrboro, comprises Mayor Damon Seils, Mayor Pro Tempore Susan Romaine, Council Member Barbara Foushee, Council Member Randee Haven-O’Donnell, Council Member Danny Nowell, Council Member Eliazar Posada, and Council Member Sammy Slade. More information is available at https://www.carrboronc.gov/248/Town-Council

Registration Opens for the 2023 Orange County Senior Games

Orange County Senior Games is one of 53 sanctioned programs of North Carolina Senior Games, Inc.  They are pleased to announce registration for the 2023 Games is now open through March 24, 2023.

Orange County Senior Games will be held April 13 – May 10.   Anyone interested in participating in the Senior Games Sports or SilverArts activities please visit www.ncseniorgames.org/orange or contact Local Coordinator, Dana Hughes at 919-918-7372 for more information. The deadline for registration is Friday, March 24, 2023.

North Carolina Senior Games is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing year-round health promotion and education for adults 50 years of age and better.  NCSG is sponsored statewide by the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services. For more information visit www.ncseniorgames.org.

The coordinating agencies for Orange County Senior Games include the Carrboro Recreation, Parks & Cultural Resources Department, Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Department, Orange County Department on Aging, and the Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation.

Sporting Events

Archery, Badminton, Basketball Throw, 3 on 3 Basketball, Billiards, Bocce, Bowling, Cornhole, Croquet, Cycling, Golf, Horseshoes, Pickleball, Shuffleboard, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis and Track and Field

SilverArts

Heritage: Basket Weaving, Crocheting, Knitting, Jewelry, Needlework, Quilting (hand-stitched), Pottery (hand-built and thrown), Stained glass, Tole/Decorative Painting, Wood Carving, Woodturning, Woodworking

Performing: Cheerleading, Comedy, Drama, Dance, Instrumental, Line Dance, Vocals

Visual: Acrylics, Drawing, Mixed Media, Oil Painting, Pastels, Photography (Digital and Film), Sculpture, Watercolor

Carrboro Seeks Volunteers to Serve Community

Consider applying for a Town of Carrboro Advisory Board or Commission. We need your voice at the table!

Please especially consider volunteering if you represent any of the following underrepresented groups: Black/African-American, Hispanic/Latinx, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, and Subcontinent Asian Americans, Senior Residents, Ages 20-34, Differently Abled, LGBTQ+ , and Families of Incomes of $50,000 or Less.

Learn more and apply: https://www.carrboronc.gov/228/Advisory-Boards-Commissions