News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC (May 31, 2023) 

Here's what's new in Carrboro This Week: June is a month for celebration: Pride Month, National Immigrant Heritage Month, and Juneteenth is the 19th! Don't forget to submit your applications to perform at the Carrboro Music Festival or for a Green Neighborhoods Grant. Come out to Coffee with a Cop and attend one of the Poetry in the Park sessions throughout the month. All this and more!

Celebrate Small Town Pride this June!

Carrboro and Chapel Hill are pleased to host Small Town Pride this June! Save the dates for special events and join in our local traditions to celebrate the Pride community. 

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+) Pride Month is celebrated nationally and locally each year in June. 

Through Small Town Pride, we affirm community values ensuring that all residents, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, are treated with respect and dignity. Local events in Carrboro and Chapel Hill will recognize local LGBTQ+ leaders, artists and activists, and highlight history, resources and businesses.  

Small Town Pride Events in June 2023

• Chapel Hill Pride! Promenade | Saturday, June 3 from 2-4 p.m. (downtown Chapel Hill)
• Poets Open Mic Night | Tuesday, June 6 from 7-9 p.m. (via Zoom)
• Drag Story Times | Dates to be Announced
• ORGULLO LATINX PRIDE | Saturday, June 10 from 5-9 p.m. (Carrboro Town Commons)
• Pride Piper Walk | Friday, June 30 at 4:30 p.m. (Carrboro Century Center)
• Pride Food Truck Rodeo & Dance Party | Friday, June 30 from 5-8 p.m. (Carrboro Town Commons)
• If you’re interested in participating as a vendor or by setting up a table, fill out the application form at https://www.carrboronc.gov/FormCenter/Communication-and-Engagement-Department-31/PRIDE-Events-at-Carrboro-Town-Commons-201

Read the full Small Town Pride News Flash to learn more about the events offered throughout June.

FREIGHT TRAIN BLUES CONCERT SERIES 
The Blue Ridge Opry hosted by Kelley Breiding

Enjoy Blue Ridge Opry hosted by Kelley Breiding at this week’s Freight Train Blues Concert, Friday, May 26, 2023. The concert starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main Street. Bring your picnic, lawn chairs, and blankets for an evening of live music on the lawn. 

The concert series runs every Friday night through June 23 and is a collaboration among Music Maker Foundation; the Town of Carrboro; WUNC 91.5 FM; and The Forests at Duke.

Public parking is available and free in downtown Carrboro.

The Blue Ridge Opry is a nostalgic country music variety show inspired by the early days of the Grand Old Opry and the heyday of classic country stars like Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Uncle Dave Macon, The Carter Family, Loretta Lynn, and the like. The program is hosted and produced by singer and multi-instrumentalist Kelley Breiding and features a variety of musical guest stars including Martha Bassett, Jim Lloyd, Larry Sigmon, Wayne Dye, Asa Nelson, and Kelley and The Cowboys as well as comedy and dancers from the Blue Ridge Mountains.

More information: www.freighttrainblues.com 

Celebrate Black Community & Culture 

Save the date for Chapel Hill-Carrboro’s Juneteenth celebration set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at Hargraves Community Center, 216 N. Roberson St. in Chapel Hill. 

Here are a few highlights:

• The day starts at 10 a.m. with a dedication ceremony for the new Hargraves Historical Marker, part of the NC Civil Rights Trail.
• The stage will feature live music all day long, with gospel singers, steel drums, rap artists, and R & B. A DJ will keep the party – and the dancing – going between sets.
•  Black businesses will be on display throughout the event, from the food truck zone to the small business fair.
• Local non-profits will be showcase their good works and spread the good word about all they do.
• The Kids Zone will keep the young ones happy with face painting, street performers, mural-making and the CHPL Circulator.

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. The Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro proclaimed the observance and commemoration of Juneteenth on June 19, 2020 and encourage residents and employers to recognize the holiday.

Thanks to our Public Works Crew for keeping Carrboro running

The Public Works Department is always on call ready to keep the Town of Carrboro running smoothly. Earlier this month the fountain in front of The Carrboro Century Center stopped working. Public Works came to the rescue, removing the heavy statue and fixing the pump and tubing. As you can see if you walk by in this beautiful spring weather, the fountain is flowing once again. Pictured above are Keith Berger (left), building maintenance supervisor, and Seth Berly (right),  building maintenance specialist. Keith is also pictured in lower photo. 

Chapel Hill Gun Violence Awareness Day Rally

On Friday, June 2 at 12:30 p.m., the Town of Chapel Hill will host its annual Gun Violence Awareness Day rally at Peace and Justice Plaza (179 E Franklin St.).  Members of the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, Carrboro Town Council, Moms Demand Action, and North Carolinians Against Gun Violence will participate.  

Also known as #WearOrange Day, National Gun Violence Awareness Day is observed across the nation to raise awareness of the toll that gun violence is taking on our nation each year. It also provides an opportunity for individuals and communities to advocate for common sense gun legislation at the state and national level.

“Every year gun violence claims more than 45,000 lives in our country,” said Mayor Pam Hemminger. “There are ways, through sensible gun legislation and safer gun storage, to prevent many of those deaths which is why it is important for us to show up and speak up on this topic.” 

This year’s event will include updates on state and federal legislation, a joint proclamation from the three jurisdictions, and a raising of the orange flag.  Additionally, the Town will illuminate the newly refurbished cupola of the Old Post Office. 

Additional information about Gun Violence Awareness Day, what changes we are working toward, and how you can get involved, can be found on the Moms Demand Action and North Carolinians Against Gun Violence webpages. 

Carrboro Music Festival accepting performer applications

The Carrboro Music Festival is accepting performer applications for the 2023 Carrboro Music Festival through Thursday, June 1. Apply at http://carrboromusicfestival.com/321/Application---Performers 

The 2023 festival is Sunday, October 1, 2023, with a kickoff show scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. Musical acts selected by the Music Festival Planning Committee to perform in the event will receive an honorarium in the amount of $250.

The Carrboro Music Festival is a free one-day event (plus a kickoff show) showcasing Triangle-area performers and their varied musical styles.  

The event is coordinated by the Carrboro Recreation, Parks & Cultural Resources Department and the Carrboro Music Festival Planning Committee. This program is supported by the Town of Carrboro and the Carrboro Tourism Development Authority.  Generous support is also provided by the local business community.

Learn more about the Carrboro Music Festival: http://carrboromusicfestival.com/311/Carrboro-Music-Festival

Carrboro observes Immigrant Heritage Month

Mayor Damon Seils has proclaimed June 2023 to be Immigrant Heritage Month in Carrboro.

According to American Community Survey estimates in 2020, more than 1 out of every 8 Carrboro residents was born outside the United States. Our town is home to nonprofit organizations like El Centro Hispano, the Refugee Community Partnership, and the Refugee Support Center that support immigrants, migrants, and refugees through community building and organizing, language access, legal assistance, after-school programs, job training, distribution of food and essential goods, and more.

Generations of immigrants, migrants, and refugees from around the world have built the nation’s economy and shaped the character of our communities. Immigrants have been leaders, not only in securing their own rights and access to equal opportunity, but also in creating a fairer and more just society for everyone.

“I encourage all residents to celebrate the many contributions that immigrants have made in Carrboro and across the country, to learn more about immigrant communities and histories, and to offer assistance to local organizations that support local immigrant, migrant, and refugee communities,” said Mayor Seils.

Read more in our news flash about Immigrant Heritage Month.

Driver Charged in Crash Death

At 8:20 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, the Carrboro Police Department responded to a motor vehicle collision at the intersection of NC 54 and Abbey Lane. 

An investigation determined that the driver of a passenger car, Coral Maxwell, 21, of Carrboro, failed to yield the right of way when turning and struck a motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle, Julius Stuart, 21, of Chapel Hill, was critically injured and transported to UNC Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Unfortunately, Stuart died due to his injuries. 

Maxwell was charged at the scene with failure to yield the right of way. Her charge has been upgraded to misdemeanor death by vehicle. Maxwell’s initial court date is June 12, 2023 in Hillsborough.

Link to misdemeanor death by motor vehicle statute: GS_20-141.4

Green Neighborhoods Grant Program

As part of its Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) implementation, the Town of Carrboro is pleased to announce the Green Neighborhoods Grant Program that offers grants for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance ecosystem resiliency or contribute to climate action awareness or engagement. The maximum grant award is $2,500.

Applications are due by June 9, 2023 at 3 p.m. 

Read more information on the Green Neighborhoods Grant Program.

For questions and additional information, contact Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Laura Janway at ljanway@carrboronc.gov or (919) 918-7326. 

Poetry in the Park with Carrboro Poet Laureate Liza Wolff-Francis

Come write poetry in the park with Carrboro Poet Laureate Liza Wolff-Francis this summer.

Free ecopoetry workshops are offered from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Mondays on June 5, July 10, and August 7 at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 1120 Hillsborough Road in Carrboro. The group will gather in the pavilion located inside the park (the pavilion furthest from the parking lot, located on the right-hand path).

Ecopoetry is poetry about the planet and our relationship to Earth. It supports ideas of conservation and sustainable living. Anyone can write ecopoetry and participants are welcome to write about whatever comes to them and whatever moves them. All are welcome. 

For more information, email lizawolff.francis@gmail.com

The 2023 Recreation, Parks & Cultural Resources

Summer Brochure is now available 

This session also includes registration for our youth Fall Baseball and Flag Football programs. 

View the full PDF Brochure to learn more

Town Council Update

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 at https://www.carrboronc.gov/SIGNUP

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 the next Council Meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 6, 2023. The agenda will be available at https://carrboro.legistar.com/   

This meeting will be held at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or can view the livestream YouTube.com/CarrboroNC OR at https://carrboro.legistar.com/  OR Cable TV 18 (in Carrboro). 

Past Meetings 

The Carrboro Town Council met Tuesday, May 23, 2023, for a Council Meeting and took the following actions on the agenda posted at https://carrboro.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1088373&GUID=64B42A7D-0932-4141-8174-42CB702EC7DC&Options=&Search= 

Watch the video at  https://www.youtube.com/live/ev97HlrGHiU?feature=share  

• Recognized a 2023 Immigrant Heritage Month Proclamation - https://www.carrboronc.gov/2630/Proclamations-and-Resolutions  
• Amended the 203 S. Greensboro Street Project Ordinance to include Orange County Sustainability Grant Funds and additional Stormwater Enterprise Funds.
• Amended the Land Use Ordinance to allow certain multi-family residential uses into the M-3 zoning district with a special use permit, subject to certain criteria. The change responded to a petition to amend the M-3-CZ district at South Green. 
• Held a quasi-judicial public hearing for consideration of a Special Use Permit-A request for property at 8522 Old NC 86. This public hearing will be continued on June 13. 
• Held a public hearing to consider amendments to the Land Use Ordinance to revise notification associated with attendance requirements.
• Authorized the Town Manager to enter into a comprehensive participation agreement with the Transit Governance Interlocal Agreement (ILA) Parties. Participation is necessary to continue to receive transit funding for town infrastructure projects.
• Considered amendments to the Advisory Board Recruitment and Appointment Policy document, and the Rules of Procedure for Town of Carrboro Boards and Commission Administrative Policy. Proposed amendments to these policies were identified at the March 14, 2023 Town Council work session. The Council requested additional information and that this matter be brought back for further consideration on a later agenda. 

Town Council 

The Town Council, which is the legislative and policy-making body for Carrboro, comprises Mayor Damon Seils, Mayor Pro Tempore Susan Romaine, Council Member Barbara Foushee, Council Member Randee Haven-O’Donnell, Council Member Danny Nowell, Council Member Eliazar Posada, and Council Member Sammy Slade. More information is available at https://www.carrboronc.gov/248/Town-Council

Attention Food Truck Operators!

We are accepting application for the 2023 Freight Train Blues Concert Series at Carrboro Town Commons. 

Contact Michelle Blume at mblume@carrboronc.gov or 919-918-7367