Weekly update, April 24

Happy Arbor Day! Here comes some rain after 20 dry days.

This morning, Town staff planted a Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) tree, "an underused native tree that's beautiful in the fall and provides food for wildlife" in Wilson Park. What does it take to maintain our "Tree City USA" status? The Town's newsletter reports we must: 1) maintain a dedicated tree board or department; 2) enforce a community tree ordinance; invest at least $2 per capita in urban forestry; and 4) host an annual Arbor Day celebration.

Online this week

Our community continues to process feelings about the gun violence incident near Carrboro High School on April 14. Two students, A.R. Honeycutt and Clare Stanelle, shared essays this week. We also posted coverage of Carrboro Earth Day, which was a big, fun event.

The Carrborean Radio Hour

Whitney Fry of Flame Tree Story spoke with Lorie Clark, Coordinator of Student Leadership and Engagement at Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocate at CHCCS. Lorie is also a community organizer and the Advisor for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP Youth Council and in 2013 founded the Hannah Ruth Foundation. Lorie shared stories from her family’s—the Strayhorn family’s—rich heritage here in Carrboro.

It's budget season! Next week (4/27), former mayor Damon Seils and Council Member Catherine Fray will join us to discuss how the Town's budget comes together in what promises to be an engaging and informative conversation. Tune in to WCOM 103.5 on Monday from 4-5pm or find the recording here later in the week.

News from Town and County

The Carrboro Music Festival will be September 27, 2026; deadline for performers to apply is April 30. 

Mayor Foushee proclaimed Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April and the Town provides resources here.

On Thursday, April 16 there was a fire at the Ashbrook Apartments at 601 Jones Ferry Road, displacing 18 residents. One resident and one firefighter had minor injuries. American Red Cross and property management are assisting displaced residents.

Carrboro Town Council met April 21 and we've posted highlights here. Summary: The Carrboro Town Council proclaims May 2026 as Bike Month and reviews an updated Safe Routes to School plan aimed at helping students walk, bike, and roll to class more safely. Council members weigh quick‑build safety fixes, greenway connections, slower town‑wide speeds, and long‑term projects along major roads like NC 54.

The Orange County Board of Commissioners also met April 21. Find the highlights video here. Summary: The Orange County Board of Commissioners hears environmental and farmland concerns before unanimously adopting a one-year moratorium on large data centers, then approves a $1.7 million loan for an Orange Grove fire substation despite calls for more transparency. Residents and the board also weigh in on disc golf at Blackwood Farm Park and how future listening sessions and budget Q&As should better involve the community.

The State of the County Health Report was released this week. In here you'll find updated main causes of death (cancer is #1, unchanged from the last report in 2024; COVID has moved down the list), infant mortality (higher than the last report), emerging issues, and initiatives, including the upcoming Screen Free Week, May 5-11.

🤝 Volunteers Needed – Mildred Council Community Dinner:
📅 April 26 | 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Give back and get involved! Scholars who volunteer will receive service hours—sign up and be part of the impact. 

And, here is coverage of CHCCS testimony about library books in the State House on Thursday.

Other Interesting Things

Have you heard of North Carolina Health News? That team publishes health news from around the state, which you can find on the website or in a weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox if you subscribe.

There's a best-selling epistolary novel called "The Correspondent" by NC resident Virginia Evans that's inspiring new handwritten letter habits. The New York Times reports research that shows writing by hand "lights up multiple parts of your brain" more than emailing. And writing makes you slow down and take care with what you're saying. Plus, it's so fun to receive a handwritten letter. Think of the joy you'll give someone. There are tips in this article to help you start a habit for yourself.

Final Notes

The Community Bulletin Board has announcements and opportunities for giving and civic engagement and is updated weekly.

There's so much going on in Carrboro! Check out The Events Calendar to see what's happening and help us keep it up to date.

Please consider a paid subscription to support community journalism (local news from the people living it) and ask your favorite businesses if they advertise in The Carrborean. Subscribers at the "Angel" tier get the first-ever Carrborean T-shirt among other benefits. Thank you! Big thanks to The Merch for printing the shirts! 

Poetry Moment

This poem comes from Nikko Sommer, 12th grade student at Carrboro High School.

4/14/26

This is America

The best country on earth

So why am I curled up on the floor

Shaking, and crying

Calling my mom 

Telling her I love her

Calling my girlfriend

Telling her I’m scared

Repeating that I want to go home

My knees are aching from running

My heart feels like it might explode

My ears are ringing

My legs are scraped

I run through the woods

As gunshots rang through the air

I counted five

But I can’t remember

There was one before the chaos

“Everybody run!” 

I hear,

So I do

On the way a van passes the group of girls I’m with

The guy in the passenger seat pulls something out

In the moment it looks like the gun

A day later I’m still not sure it wasn’t 

But a sophomore I know yells

“Everybody get down”

Gunshots again

This time I count two

I am crouched behind a dumpster with three other girls

We’re crying

Out of breath

Can’t say a word

Once the black van passes we run again

To an apartment complex

There are adults yelling at everyone to come inside,

So I do

The family I end up with is a young couple

Who had woken up to the shots

Their immediate reaction wasn’t to hide,

It was to save

As I write this I am also writing a thank you note

One that should never have to be written

But I blacked out while running

I can’t remember where I was

So this note will never be given

My mom tells me to stay where I am 

But by the time I’m done crying 

There's a knock at the door

There's a bunch of voices and someone looks through the peephole

Students are in the parking lot

Some with their belongings

Some with nothing

Police are telling us it’s okay

But it isn’t

We aren’t allowed to go back to school

So everyone starts setting up carpools

We’re merely strangers to each other

I know them, 

But not well

One of my friends picks me up two blocks away

I run into her arms as if it’s the last day of my life

Who knows, maybe it would've been

I have nothing except my phone

My lunch is sitting in the sun

Rotting away

I had packed it special today

My last apple

A new bag of veggie straws

I never got it back 

I saw it on the news

Through the helicopter

It was sitting there

With everyone else' s stuff,

Abandoned.

Welcome to America

The land of the free 

Where no injuries means no trauma

And I’m supposed to suck it up

Move on with my week

Being considered dramatic

Overexaggerating 

As I tell my tale

Only because nobody died

I thought that was supposed to be a good thing.

A relief.

But why do I find myself wishing

Someone was hurt

Just to validate my own feelings