News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC 
(February 21, 2024) 

Don't miss the Health and Wellness Fair or the last Black History Month Concert with Mary Williams this weekend. Read our recaps of the Manly McCauley Historical Marker Unveiling and a visit from the Triangle Native American Society. Remember early voting in Orange County has begun. All these and more in Carrboro This Week!

Community gathers to commemorate

the life and death of Manly McCauley

The Orange County Community Remembrance Coalition, the Equal Justice Initiative and the Town of Carrboro organized a commemoration of the life and tragic death of Manly McCauley, a Black man who suffered a white mob lynching in October 1898, just west of Carrboro, N.C.

The Historical Marker Unveiling for Manly McCauley occurred today (Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024) outside Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St., Carrboro, NC. 

With gratitude to all the community and family members who organized and attended this historic event.  A video recap of the event is forthcoming. Please read more at https://www.carrboronc.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2629

BLACK HISTORY MONTH in Carrboro

Check out all the community events planned and organized by the Carrboro Recreation, Parks & Cultural Resources Department for Black History Month! 

• Saturday, Feb. 24 – Health & Wellness Fair   
  10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St., Carrboro NC 27510
  Join us for the 2024 Health & Wellness Fair. All ages are welcome to this free community event. Gain knowledge and receive information about best practices for a healthy lifestyle. There will be health screenings, blood pressure checks, food and raffles.
• Sunday, Feb. 25 – Black History Month Concert featuring Mary Williams   
  3 p.m. at Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St., Carrboro NC 27510
  Celebrate local Black artists and their contribution to our area’s vibrant music scene. This concert is free and open to all. Families are welcome!
  When you listen to Mary D. Williams, you’re hearing the voice of a great singer; you’re also hearing the voices of the elders and the ancestors. Her knowledge of music and the culture from which it emerged is rooted in serious scholarly work.  
• Learn more about the Black History Month Proclamation.
• Learn more about all the Black History Month events in Carrboro. 
• Watch our special events and programs at Carrboro's YouTube Celebrating Black America playlist.

Early voting in Orange County runs through Saturday, March 2

Primary election day is Tuesday, March 5, but you can vote early at any early voting location if that is more convenient. 

The early voting period begins on Thursday, Feb. 15 and runs through Saturday, March 2. Orange County has six early voting sites. On election day voters must vote at their assigned precinct. Find out where you vote.

Early Voting Sites:

• Orange Works at Hillsborough Commons (in lieu of BOE office): 113 Mayo St, Hillsborough
• Carrboro Town Hall Complex: 108 Bim St, Carrboro
• Chapel Hill Library: 100 Library Dr, Chapel Hill
• Chapel of the Cross: 304 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill
•  Seymour Senior Center: 2551 Homestead Rd, Chapel Hill
•  *Efland – Cheeks Community Center: 117 Richmond Rd, Efland (new site)

Polls will be open:

• Weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 17, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 25, from noon to 4 p.m.
• Saturday, March 2, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Learn more at the Orange County Elections page.

Triangle Native American Society in Carrboro 

The Carrboro Town Council met with members of the Triangle Native American Society (TNAS) on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024.

The Triangle Native American Society endeavors to promote and protect the Native American identity across the Triangle area by increasing the public’s awareness of the cultural and economic contributions made by Native Americans and enhancing the public recognition of the needs of Native Americans.

The organization is the official governing body for the Native American population in the Triangle area, as recognized by the state of North Carolina and the NC Commission of Indian Affairs.

Learn more.

How many birds did you count?

Town of Carrboro staff members (left to right) Chukwuemeka Kanu-Oji, Laura Janway and Heather Holley met with members of the public interested in bird counting on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 16-17.  

Offering binoculars, guidance on identifying birds, and information about the Great Backyard Bird Count, bird watchers of all ages were invited to count birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations. 

In addition to meeting folks under the elm tree at Town Hall, staff reached out to residents at Martin Luther King Jr. Park to offer help on performing bird counts and identification. 

Check the bird sightings map as results continue to roll in from around the world. 

BIPOC Elected Officials of Orange County, N.C. Present Poetry Reading for Black History Month

For Black History Month 2024, the BIPOC elected officials of Orange County, N.C., have released their video presentation of the poetry reading of “Rosa Parks” by Nikki Giovanni. 

WATCH THE VIDEO at https://youtu.be/f2fzoCZ48xk

Giovanni is one of the foremost authors of the Black Arts Movement. She has published numerous collections of poetry -- including her first self-published volume, Black Feeling Black Talk (1968), and New York Times best-seller, Bicycles: Love Poems (2009). The poem "Rosa Parks" is from Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea, HarperCollins Publishers Inc. (2022). 

Poetry Workshops for Floraffiti

Carter Hubbard, Floraffiti founder, teams up with Carrboro Poet Laureate Liza Wolff-Francis and Chapel Hill Poet Laureate Cortland Gilliam to bring poetry workshops to Carrboro and Chapel Hill. 

Floraffiti, a community engagement and placemaking project, is a program that focuses on environmental justice (EJ), a movement of environmental concern and activism. The adverse consequences of climate change and its environmental crises will be explored in these upcoming poetry workshops. The workshops will address social-political challenges and inequities that are exacerbated by the climate crisis.

This upcoming workshop is open to all skill levels for teens and adults:

• Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024
  Floraffiti Poetry Workshop with Chapel Hill Poet Laureate Cortland Gilliam
  2-4 p.m.
  Chapel Hill Public Library, Room C

Learn more about Floraffiti!

Traffic Alert: Jones Ferry Road section to be closed Feb. 26 - March 1

Jones Ferry Road between Old Greensboro Road and Old Fayetteville Road will be closed for roadway repairs scheduled Monday, Feb. 26 to Friday, March 1. 

This is a NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) project. While a detour will be established, please consider alternative routes and be mindful of workers in the construction area. 

More information from NCDOT.

Join the 2024 Carrboro Kite Fly

Join us at Hank Anderson Park, located at 302 N Carolina Hwy 54 W, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, on Sunday, March 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. for the Annual Town of Carrboro, NC Kite Fly! 

Bring your kite and help fill the sky with beautiful spring colors! No kite? No worries! We will have a limited supply available on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

This is a free event for all ages! We hope to see you there!

Town Council Update

CARRBORO, N.C. -- 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.

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, Feb. 27.  You can find the agenda on legistar.

Please note that the Town Council meeting previously scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 20 has been canceled.

The Town Council meets at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or can view the livestream on YouTube OR at on Legistar OR Cable TV 18 (in Carrboro). 

Recap of Past Meeting  

The Council met for a work session on Tuesday, Feb. 13 to review the number and composition of the Town’s advisory boards and commissions for consideration of restructuring and consolidation. The Council meets for work sessions the second Tuesdays of most months. Public comment is generally not accepted during work sessions, and votes are not taken. 

Watch the livestream of the meeting.

Council Meeting Schedule 
The Carrboro Town Council has updated its 2024 Meeting Calendar to a schedule of two business meetings per month rather than three. This schedule takes effect in March 2024. The Council will continue holding work sessions in addition to business meetings most months. View the 2024 Council Calendar.

Town Council 
The Town Council, which is the legislative and policy-making body for Carrboro, comprises Mayor Barbara Foushee, Mayor Pro Tempore Danny Nowell, Council Member Catherine Fray, Council Member Randee Haven-O’Donnell, Council Member Jason Merrill, and Council Member Eliazar Posada. More information about our Town Council. 

Carr Street renamed Braxton Foushee Street

Carr Street is being renamed Braxton Foushee Street in honor of a local civil rights leader, a current Planning Board member, and the first Black member of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen (now the Town Council).  

The Council made its initial vote on the street name change on Nov. 29, 2023, approved financial assistance on Jan. 30, 2024, to qualifying residents for expenses related to changing addresses, and then on Feb. 6, 2024, it officially amended the Town Code to change all references of E. Carr Street and W. Carr Street to E. Braxton Foushee Street and W. Braxton Foushee Street. The change will take effect on March 27, 2024.

Carr Street is named for Julian Carr, a noted white supremacist. The namesake of Carrboro, he was an active and influential participant in Jim Crow era efforts to create a system of racial segregation. A Truth Plaque at Town Hall reads, in part: “Although the town continues to bear his name, the values and actions of Carr do not represent Carrboro today.”

The street renaming was proposed last fall on Oct. 17, 2023, when the Council heard a request from Dave Mason, president of the Lincoln High School Alumni Association, Pat Mason and Herman Murrell Foushee for a street to be named “Braxton Foushee Street.” 

Learn more about Braxton Foushee and the renaming process.

Disparity Study - Virtual Public Input Sessions

Public input sessions are set for this March for people doing business with the Town of Carrboro or wanting to do business with the Town. All are invited to provide input on their experiences with the Town of Carrboro.

The input sessions are scheduled as follows via zoom:

• Tuesday, March 5 –  5 to 6 p.m.  Join the March 5 Zoom meeting
• Thursday, March 7 –  1 to 2 p.m. Join the  March 7 Zoom meeting

The public input sessions are part of the engagement process to be incorporated in a Disparity Study of the Town’s contracting and procurement practices. The Town of Carrboro is working with Griffin & Strong PC, a nationally recognized law and public policy consulting firm, to conduct the study.

The study aims to provide insights into the Town's utilization of minority-owned and women-owned businesses compared to its availability to identify any potential disparities. The study's findings will inform the Town's decision-making process and enable it to develop policies and strategies to promote equitable access to contracting opportunities.

The Disparity Study is a critical step forward in advancing the Town's racial equity goals.

For more information, contact carrborodisparitystudy.com or visit carrborodisparitystudy.com 

Save the Date: Carrboro Open Streets

See what happens when the Town closes a street to cars and reclaims this public space with all sorts of other car-free activities! 

Come downtown to bike, dance and do your thing. Experience your street in a new way - fun for everyone with new activities every year! 

The event will be held Sunday, April 7 from noon to 4 p.m. along Weaver Street in downtown Carrboro.

Want to have a booth at Open Streets? Contact Jpoythress@carrboronc.gov .

Countywide Public Safety Hiring Event 

 Join us at the Countywide Public Safety Hiring Event on March 7, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Durham Technical Community College!

We're actively recruiting dedicated individuals to join our team of heroes! If you're passionate about making a difference and serving your community, this is your chance.

Positions available:

• Police Officers
• Firefighters
• Paramedics
• EMTs
• Telecommunicators
• and More!

Don't miss this opportunity to embark on a rewarding career in public safety. Bring your resume and be prepared for on-site interviews. We look forward to meeting you and building a safer community together!

Criminal Justice Debt Program

Orange County Residents are eligible for funding to pay court fees/costs in NC or other states, as well as NC DMV hearing and reinstatement fees required to restore a license. 

Funding is available through contributions from the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro and the Orange County Bail Bond Justice Project.

Eligibility 

• Applicants must live within Orange County, North Carolina 
• Costs and fees can be from other counties in North Carolina 
• Must meet court indigency standards (low-income) 
• Cannot be currently incarcerated 
• Must have already pursued other avenues for debt relief (e.g., driver’s license restoration program) 
• Must demonstrate that assistance will have an immediate impact on his or her stability or successful reentry into the community 
• Applicants who have received prior funds from CJDP within the last three years are not eligible
• Fines, Restitution, and Vehicle Registration Costs are not eligible

Interested in Applying? Contact:

• Carrboro Residents call Carrboro Program Administrator: 919-918-7397 
• All other Orange County residents call Chapel Hill Police Crisis Unit at 919-968-2806
• Fill out an application today

2024 Winter-Spring Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Program Guide Available

The 2024 Carrboro Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Winter-Spring Program Guide is now available!  This guide covers programs and events from January through April, including Spring Athletic Leagues, and registration for 2024 Summer Camps.

Registration for Carrboro residents will open at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 3.  Registration will open to all other participants on Thursday, Jan. 4. 

Registration will be accepted in the Carrboro Century Center during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.) and online via RecConnect.

If you are a new participant who wishes to register online, please be sure to set up an via our online registration site (linked below).  Please allow at least 3 business days for account review and approval.

If you have any questions, please contact the Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Department at 919-918-7364.

Important Information:

• Program Guide (PDF format)
• Online Registration Site
• Financial Assistance Program Information

Public parking available in downtown Carrboro

It’s easy to find free two-hour public parking in Carrboro, where you can access convenient parking at 10 public lots all over town.

Please remember that the Carr Mill Mall parking area is for mall customers and is not a public parking lot. Leaving the mall premises after parking risks towing. When in doubt, always park in public lots, and enjoy a hassle-free and relaxed shopping and dining experience.

Find more information including an interactive parking map on our Downtown Parking webpage.