Weekly Update, September 25

It's fall, Carrboro! After what was the hottest summer on record, didn't it feel enlivening this week to feel chilly enough to reach for a hoodie and cup of hot tea? Here's another sweet thing to consider: today, 9/25 ("nine-two-five"), is being dubbed "Dolly Parton Day!"

With a gorgeous weekend ahead of us, Carrboro is readying to roll out the welcome mat to the estimated 5,000-7,000 people expected to come out for the Carrboro Music Festival. On Sunday there will be 100 bands or groups performing around town, and it's all for free. For those who would enjoy sitting and audience participation, check out the Find Your Own Voice Singers-led Sing Along from 2-3 pm at the Drakeford Library Complex. We previewed their CMF performance last year.

But the fun begins Saturday at the first-ever Music Market hosted by The ArtsCenter! Come by to meet bands, eat, drink, and generally have a good time. We previewed the event this week.

Yesterday kicked off a three-night quarter-century celebration for the Orange County Social Club: the OCSCQC. Thank you to founder Tricia Mesigian for supplying Carrboro with a hangout for the local music and arts communities and for all the dance parties. Read WUNC's story. And see the exhibit at Peel Gallery, highlighting the work of artists who also worked at OCSC over the past 25 years.

Get ready for this: Beginning July 1, Orange County residents residing outside of the Town of Chapel Hill, including Carrboro residents, will be charged $65 to get a library card for Chapel Hill Public Library. The Chapel Hill Town Council approved the plan Wednesday night, making an exception for all Chapel Hill residents and for students in the CHCCS system.

Got broken things ready for some attention? From 2 to 5 pm Saturday in the Youth Center room of The ArtsCenter (400 Roberson Street), the Mutual Aid Triangle Community Hub (MATCH) will bring tools and volunteers with fix-it skills to help folks fix, stitch, repair, and reboot clothes, jewelry, toys, appliances, computers, furniture, or anything else, for free. Walk-ins are welcome, but sending a message to matchlocal@proton.me or a message to IG to @matchlocal is appreciated. They encourage mask-wearing.

Last week, someone placed a lithium-ion battery in their trash, and then a Carrboro refuse truck caught fire. Such fires can be sparked without warning and endanger lives and equipment. The Town of Carrboro strongly urges everyone to properly dispose of such batteries and not to place them in either the trash or the recycling bins. Lithium-ion batteries are the ones found in re-chargeable devices, such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, power tools, e-bikes, e-cigarettes, and vaping devices. The Orange County Solid Waste Recycling Center (1518 Eubanks Road) is open all days except Wednesdays and will take them.

Online this week

Wrapping up our Carrboro Music Festival previews, Jason Wares wrote about The Unsustainables and T. Gold, both of which will perform Sunday. And we have a special essay about our Haw River watershed from Althea Clayton.

On The Carrborean Radio Hour

This week, John Rees sat down with William Vizuete, the bassist for The Unsustainables, the 8-piece traditional ska reggae group that will be performing on Sunday as part of the Carrboro Music Festival. Dr. Vizuete is an environmental engineer and professor of air quality, atmospheric chemistry, and its connections to public health.

Also this week, Whitney Fry of Flame Tree Story interviewed her niece Caroline Fry about how our upbringings shape us and how storytelling brings us together.

Coming up on Monday: John Rees sits down with the organizers of Le Tour de Carrboro, who are getting ready for the next run on October 3. Tune into WCOM-LP FM 103.5 at 4pm or listen live at wcomfm.org.

After each radio show, join us at a pop-up newsroom to discuss all things Carrboro and stories you'd like to read, hear, or write. In September, you'll find us at Weaver Street Market on Mondays from 5 to 6 pm.

News from CHCCS, Town, and County

The CHCCS Board met Thursday to interview three finalists for an open seat and weighed contrasting views on the Glenwood closure, long-term bond investments, equity and achievement, and the next strategic plan before voting to appoint a new member: Tongde Wu. Find our highlights reel here.

At their meeting Wednesday, the Board reviewed 53 applications for a vacant seat, settled on a voting process to narrow the field, and reached consensus on three finalists before shaping detailed interview questions about district priorities, enrollment, academics, finances, and the strategic plan.

Carrboro Public Works has added ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps and pedestrian improvements at Roberson Street and S. Greensboro Street. No more jaywalking to The Drakeford Library Complex! We tested it--works great! See our photo at the beginning of the newsletter.

Make plans now for how you might participate in the upcoming national Week without Driving challenge (once called "Car Free Week"), Oct. 1-8. If you're not familiar with how to take advantage of the free bus system, this is the perfect time. Try planning a bus trip within Carrboro or anywhere within the Triangle using the Go Triangle bus planner.

Next Saturday morning, October 3, the 22nd Annual Le Tour de Carrboro continues with the Carrboro 10K and 5K road races. Runners will begin at McDougle Middle School and will make their way through downtown Carrboro and surrounding neighborhoods. To learn more, visit https://runsignup.com/w/LeTourdeCarrboro

Two weeks from today, on Friday, Oct. 9, the Town of Carrboro will be coordinating a volunteer event at Wilson Park (101 Williams Street) for the removal of invasive plants. Tools, gloves, water, and protective eyewear will be provided for those who need it, but it's recommended that volunteers wear long sleeves, long pants, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, and insect repellent. This work will help restore wildlife habitat and improve the health and resilience of our local forests. To register, go to http://monkeylink.co/82bb25.

Job seekers, heads up! A hiring event co-sponsored by Event Partners, Inc., NCWorks, and the Orange County Department of Social Services, will take place from 10 am to 1 pm next Wednesday at the Drakeford Library Complex (203 S. Greensboro Street). The $18-$20/hr jobs are for Event Staff Members to help with parking and guest services at major events across the Triangle. To register, go to https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/gLuncV4EWm.

Orange County encourages everyone to consider how we distribute and consume food during Food Waste Prevention Week, Sept. 28 - Oct. 4. For those facing food insecurity, this website offers a clearinghouse of local resources, with flyers in the languages spoken by county residents.

Other Interesting Things

Carrboro's waterways flow into the Jordan Lake reservoir, which is formed by the Haw River. That makes Carrboro part of the Haw River Watershed. Fourth graders from elementary schools in the watershed will be participating in the 37th annual Haw River Learning Celebration, which will take place the next three weeks. Volunteers are needed. Read more from 14-year-old volunteer Althea Clayton, whose family hosts one of the weeks on their land.

Students of Lisa French's AP Human Geography class at Carrboro High School have made maps of Carrboro. Their work gives us a novel way to look at our town.

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.

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Poetry Moment

In celebration of the Music Festival this weekend, let's recall English poet Arthur O'Shaunessy's 1873 poem "Ode":