Anyone have any experiences yet serving jury duty at the new justice center?  Was wondering specifically about how difficult it is to find a parking spot there??  Seems like the lot there (and the one across the street) could fill up fairly quickly.

http://capitaltonight.news14.com/2013/05/16/strategist-calls-for-investigation-into-nc-dems-chairman/

Wow.

Picked up the paper today, and found it interesting that a project that was supposed to be finished in March continues to drag on. Have a friend that lives on Hillsborough Street, and when I had dinner at Oakleaf a few days ago, leaving around nine, I could not help but notice that it looked like a football game was going on, with all the lights.

Now, the project has gone over budget. Mayor Voller, who sparsly attends meetings these days (though he and George Lucier loved to rake others over the coals for not attending) due to his other job, stated, "We need to send a note to the county that they are going to have to cut a check."  This from an absentee Mayor.

Project, according to Commissioner Farrell, is already 5 months behind schedule. Glad Randy is there to oversee his projects. Now there is a chance that we may get Jeffrey Starkweather to be the Mayor, despite his job as Randy's Parliamentarian minion. I would say some change is needed indeed, just not the change they are offering.

Randy wants you to join himself and Rev. Barber to get arrested in downtown Raleigh. Is Randy gonna drop the soap so he can speak from experience? Stay tuned.

I love the line, that he uses all the time, about NC/Chatham/Pittsboro being a place where people WANT to live, not HAVE to live. I was gonna move, but the Republicans in the county/state put a gun to my head and told me I couldn't.  

Rollbacks of Jordan Lake Rules

By Laura Leslie

Posted: 3:21 p.m. yesterday
Updated: 4:19 p.m. yesterday
http://www.wral.com/jordan-lake-terminal-groin-rollbacks-on-deck/12445485/

Raleigh, N.C. � Two bills that would repeal major state environmental laws are headed for the Senate floor after passing the Senate Agriculture Committee Tuesday morning.

They could win Senate approval as soon as Wednesday.

Jordan Lake Rules repealed

Senate Bill 515 would repeal the Jordan Lake Rules, a regional water quality management plan that has long been a source of contention between environmentalists and local governments and developers.

The rules were put in place in 2004 to improve water quality in Jordan Lake, a major source of Triangle drinking water, by restricting upstream discharges and runoffs. 

Sponsor Rep. Rick Gunn, R-Alamance, said that, after eight years of study by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, there's no evidence that the rules have improved the water quality in Jordan Lake.

Gunn said the current rules "have been a tremendous burden on municipalities, a tremendous burden on developers � and we have got nothing to show for it, folks."

"There is simply no sense in us continuing upstream to do mitigation efforts that are not showing any results," he said. "Let�s stop throwing good money after bad." 

Republican leaders took action in 2011 and 2012 to stay major portions of the rules. The current bill would repeal all remaining state rules for Jordan Lake. Federal environmental rules would remain in effect.

In the meantime, a legislative research committee would be created to come up with a new approach that would use new technology, Gunn said, to improve the lake's water quality by focusing on the lake itself, not its sources.

Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, said that approach isn't likely to work. �It�s a law of nature. What happens upstream � what you put in the water � ends up downstream," she said.

Gunn said the Environmental Protection Agency had not signed off on the proposal.

"We�re going to repeal the rules,� he said. "We�ll have that dialog with them at that time."

Saw this on the Chatham Chatlist this morning. Whiny people not getting enough public monies.

If you create something people will want, they will buy, you will prosper.

Why do we need to support your self-indulgence?

Prove to me that you are generating the funds you claim you are in Chatham County.

The Arts Incubator has been a money pit.

Date: Tue, 14 May 2013 14:15:02 -0400
From: Cathy Holt
Subject: The arts in Chatham County has done so much

Is it really true that our County Commissioners voted to not fund ChathamArts at all this year?  Arts funding generated $119 million in state and local revenue in 2010.  How can Chatham County afford NOT to fund the arts?

Luckily there is a discresionary fund the Commissioners have and hopefully they will decide to take $5000 from that.
The arts in Chatham County has done so much over the years for economic development  in the county, because it helps this be a desirable place to live and visit!

Unfortunately I will be out of town and can't come, but I hope that you will attend the budget hearings on Monday, May 20th at 6pm at the Courthouse in Pittsboro, and Tues. the 21st,at 6 pm  at the Town Hall in Siler City.

Let our Commissioners know that the arts are important to you!
Cathy Holt

This topic has been moved to Noah's Ark - All Creatures Great & Small..

http://chatham-county-nc.com/bulletinboard/index.php?topic=29363.0

Chatham County Employee Team Seeks Feedback on Pet Licensing

PITTSBORO-- A group of Chatham County employees has developed a 10-question survey on the pros and cons of licensing household pets. The employees are enrolled in the county�s Leadership Academy and will present their findings to the Board of Commissioners, but county commissioners are not currently considering pet licensing.

The group seeks feedback from county residents until June 1, 2013.  The group requests that only one survey per household be submitted.

Licensing of pets is commonly done in many areas for various reasons, including vaccination promotion and quick identification of pets if they are lost.

The survey may be accessed online at: www.tinyurl.com/PetLicensing  Paper copies are also available at all three branches of Chatham County Public Libraries, Health Department clinics in Pittsboro and Siler City, County Animal Shelter, and Central Permitting Office. Surveys are also available at Woody�s Store in Silk Hope.

The survey allows you to provide general comments on the topic.  No personal information will be collected and the survey is completely anonymous.  Results will only be used for the class project. 

Here is an interesting article concerning the history of Siler City, immigration and race relations.

http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/immigration/c1.html