Weekly update, July 10

Hello! This week, we are introducing some new regular contributors. We are so happy to welcome Senior Editor and long-time Carrboro resident Emily Brewer, whose voice you'll hear in the weekly newsletter; local artist, writer, and actor Pamir Kiciman, who is our new Arts Editor; and, Elaine Ellis who reports on local government meeting highlights and other fun stories.

Heads up, mouths open! Tomorrow the Carrboro Farmers' Market reminds us of one delicious reward for enduring the heat of July: the bounty of tomatoes. Yes, it's Tomato Day tomorrow, 7-noon. A guest chef from Tandem will be serving up tomato-based treats, and along with samples and zines, there will be Tomato Day merch celebrating the more than 70 types of tomatoes expected at the Market, including Sun Gold, Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, and Big Beef, Black Krim, Pink Girl, Chef’s Choice, and Sun Peach.

Online this week

We posted Iris Eyster's summary and some fun photos from Carrboro's 4th of July celebration, along with a preview of 2nd Friday Art Walk (this evening from 6 - 9pm), a story from Pamir Kiciman about local artist and puppet maker, Jeghetto, and a thoughtful piece from Jodie Weiner, reflecting on the year since Tropical Storm Chantal devastated her home in Weatherhill Pointe.

On The Carrborean Radio Hour

This week, ctrl+alt+art returned with Niya Lovelace in conversation with Carrboro's Poet Laureate, Dr. Amanda Bennett and Omaria Sanchez Pratt about working and living as Black artists. Find the recording here.

Next week, Whitney Fry returns with Flame Tree Story to explore the art and power of storytelling. Whitney will be joined by Vianna Fornville, founder of G.L.O.W. Girls and student at Chapel Hill High School, for a conversation about storytelling in youth leadership and student-led advocacy. Tune in Monday at 4pm to listen live on WCOM-FM 103.5 or stream at wcomfm.org. Or find the recording here later in the week.

And after each radio show, join us at a pop-up newsroom to discuss all things Carrboro and stories you'd like to see, hear, or write. In June and July, you'll find us at Oasis in the Carr Mill Mall on Mondays from 5 to 6pm.

News from CHCCS, Town, and County

Emergency Roof and Fire Safety Work at East Chapel Hill High School: The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education met July 9 and heard an urgent request to expand roof and fireproofing work at East Chapel Hill High so the building can safely reopen before school starts. Board members pressed for plain-language safety assurances, weigh material and timeline options, and examined how nearly $900,000 in unplanned capital costs will affect other maintenance projects. Find meeting highlights here.

While last week's heatwave almost certainly dissuaded some would-be runners from participating in the Cardinal Track Club's annual Four on the Fourth race, there were still 640 folks who pounded the very not pavement to the finish line at the track at McDougal Middle School. Top finishers included Conor Lundy (20:04.41), Shane Fitzgerald (21:16.41), and Neal Duncan (21:31.21). The next of the three-series Le Tour de Carrboro won't be until October. See pictures here and more results from the July Fourth here.

Teens ages 13-17 can drop by for the first-ever Free Time at the Teen Center at the Drakeford Library Building today (and again on Friday, July 24) from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The required parental registration is here.

Orange County Weighs Changes to Homeowner Tax Relief: The Orange County Board of Commissioners met July 9 and debated tightening and retargeting its Long Time Homeowners Assistance tax relief program, weighing impacts on elders, low-income residents, and current participants under rising tax bills. Commissioners heard urgent public warnings about displacement, consider delaying an assistance cap change, address a vacancy appointment process, and question selling county property below market value. Find meeting highlights here.

With a Monday deadline looming, two candidates have already filed with the Orange County Democratic Party in hopes of getting appointed to fill the vacancy on the Orange County Board of Commissioners left by the passing of Jamezetta Bedford last month. Party leaders will meet on July 20 to consider the candidates, which so far include Rani Dasi and Maria Palmer. The new commissioner will be named at the board's 9 a.m. July 28 meeting.

Other Interesting Things

The arrival in April of a spirited male peacock, named Tico, to a small family farm on Main Street has created a local buzz, as John Rees narrates in his post on the Triangle Blog Blog.

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). Subscribers at the "Angel" tier get the first-ever Carrborean T-shirt, along with the knowledge that they're making it possible for us to keep bringing you grass-roots community news-telling. Thank you to The Merch for printing the shirts! Ask your favorite businesses if they advertise in The Carrborean.

Poetry Moment

In his Book of Delights, poet and mini-essayist Ross Gay tells the charming story of his experience carrying a tomato seedling on a plane and the kinds of reactions that unusual travel companion attracted. For this week's Poetry Moment, let's listen to the poetry of Ross Gay's words:

...the flight attendant asked about the

tomato at least five times, not an exaggeration, every

time calling it “my tomato”—Where’s my tomato?

How’s my tomato? You didn’t lose my tomato, did you?

She even directed me to an open seat in the exit row:

Why don’t you guys go sit there and stretch out? I gath-

ered my things and set the li’l guy in the window seat

so she could look out. When I got my water I poured

some into the li’l guy’s soil. When we got bumpy I put

my hand on the li’l guy’s container, careful not to snap

another arm off. And when we landed, and the pilot put

the brakes on hard, my arm reflexively went across the

seat, holding the li’l guy in place, the way my dad’s arm

would when he had to brake hard in that car without

seatbelts to speak of, in one of my very favorite gestures

in the encyclopedia of human gestures.

(For the full poetic essay, visit this page.)