Share Some Carrboro Love This Valentine's Day!
Looking for a creative, hyper-local sweet gift for your sweetums? Look no further! As part of the #CarrboroLove campaign, local businesses are making donations to local charities, offering "made in Carrboro" treats and other uniquely Carrboro gifts and experiences for your Valentine, and amplifying the #CarrboroLove on social media (Facebook and Instagram). For example:
1. Open Eye Café will donate proceeds from sales today (Valentine's Day) to the Street Outreach Harm Reduction and Deflection (SOHRAD) program, which is co-managed by the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness and is doing important and loving work to help our neighbors and community.
2. Neal’s Deli made adorable heart-shaped biscuits as take-out treats and Weaver Street Market has a case full of Valentine’s Day delectables, including heart-branded cheeses, wines, and chocolates as well as heart-shaped baguettes!
3. Carr Mill Mall offers a delightful, historic, local shopping experience for your Valentine, and you can find great second hand treasures just down the road at CommunityWorx, which now offers online shopping, too!
Check out the Carrboro Business Alliance directory at https://business.carolinachamber.org/carrboro-business-alliance-directory/ to find all sorts of local gift ideas and experiences.
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BIPOC Elected Officials of Orange County, N.C. Present “Let America Be America Again” for Black History Month
For Black History Month 2022, the BIPOC elected officials of Orange County, N.C., have released their video presentation of the Langston Hughes poem “Let America Be America Again.”
WATCH THE VIDEO on YouTube at https://youtu.be/iFscQ_oyMtA and consider its meaning and message this Black History Month. The poem highlights the discrepancy between the ideals of the American Dream and the realities of American life. Has the United States fulfilled its promised vision of freedom and equality for all people? Read the poem at https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/147907/let-america-be-america-again
“I chose this 1936 poem by Langston Hughes because of its correlation to Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech,” said NC Senator Valerie P. Foushee. “Although the references and images are different, the messages are inextricably linked; that the ‘ordered liberty’ experiment that George Washington spoke of remains a dream deferred for many. America is not perfect. It is not what it can be, but it is still a great nation. It is still the land of hope. We must ensure that it remains the land of opportunity.”
The elected officials representing the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) coalition who are featured in the video presentation are as follows:
- N.C. State Senate
Valerie P. Foushee - District Court for 15B Judicial District
Joal Hall Brown - Carrboro Town Council:
Barbara Middleton-Foushee - Chapel Hill Town Council
Camille Berry
Allen Buansi (former member)
Tai Huyn
Paris Miller-Foushee - Hillsborough Board of Commissioners
Robb English
Matt Hughes - Orange County Board of County Commissioners
Jean Hamilton
Renée Ann Price
Anna Richards - Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education
Rani Dasi
Riza Jenkins
Deon Temne - Orange County Schools Board of Education
Brenda Stephens
Black History Month
Since its beginnings as a weeklong recognition by historian Carter G. Woodson in 1926, Black History Month has grown to include opportunities for education, reflection, and celebration.
Everyone is invited to participate in Black History Month events this February and continue interest in the meaning and impacts of Black Americans throughout the year.
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Weekend Sewer Construction Begins -- All Businesses Remain Open
This past Friday, Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) began work to replace about 2,000 feet of sewer line along East Main Street in Carrboro.
To minimize traffic snarls, all work will be done on the weekends, and all businesses will remain open during the construction. The town asks for your patience as OWASA completes this necessary work to upgrade our infrastructure.
Work hours will begin at 8 p.m. on Fridays and will pause at 6 a.m. on Mondays until June, provided no changes from weather or other unpredictable circumstances.
Learn more at https://www.owasa.org/project/east-main-street-sewer-rehabilitation-project/
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Take the ARPA Survey
The Town continues to reach out to hear your views for the best uses of American Rescue Plan Act funds. Please take two minutes to share your ideas!
http://townofcarrboro.org/2583/American-Rescue-Plan
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Free Mask Giveaway!
The Town of Carrboro, the State and the Orange County Health Department are giving away FREE N95 masks.
Related Note from the Town of Carrboro: FREE N95 masks are available from the CVS at Carr Mill Mall while supplies last. Over the past two weeks, Carrboro Housing & Community Services and the Carrboro Fire-Rescue Department have coordinated with various entities to deliver 9,500 KN95 masks to Carrboro residents, prioritizing low income households and communities of color.
News from Orange County Health Department
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. Feb. 9, 2022 ― Starting Friday, Feb. 11, members of the public interested in receiving a free N95 mask provided by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) can pick them up at two convenient locations in Orange County.
Orange County Health Department will distribute masks at the following locations while supplies last:
- Hillsborough
The Orange County Public Library
137 W. Margaret Lane, Hillsborough
Monday - Thursday, 10 am to 7 pm
Friday - Saturday, 9 am to 6 pm
Inter-Faith Council for Social Service (IFC)
110 W. Main Street, Carrboro
Monday - Friday, 9 am to 5 pm
You may also request free masks from the NCDHHS at: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/RequestMasks
If community members have questions, they may reach the call center at (919) 913-8088 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Spanish and other languages available.
High Quality Masks
Use the best quality and best-fitting mask you can get, especially in higher risk situations and if you are at increased risk for severe illness. Scenarios that call for better protection can include being in close and prolonged contact with people whose vaccination status is unknown, being in crowded indoor settings, riding on public transportation (especially when you can’t keep distance), and working at a job where you interact with large numbers of people.
The highest quality masks, in order, are:
- N95, KN95 and KF94. These disposable masks are better at filtering the virus and are more widely available now for the public. Replacement depends on amount of wear. These masks can be more expensive. Beware of counterfeits.
- Surgical masks. These disposable masks should be tested to meet a national standard (ASTM 2/3).
- Cloth masks with at least two layers. A disposable mask also can be worn underneath a cloth mask. (Note: N95/KN95 masks should not be layered with other masks.)
Masks that are loose, with gaps around your face or nose, are not as helpful in protecting you or others. For visuals of these tips, visit the guidance for improved mask use from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
If you see someone without a face covering, assume they have a valid reason for not wearing one and increase your distance from that person.
Related Links
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Give Orange County a Piece of Your Mind!
Want to help improve public transit in Orange County? Take the Transit Survey! They need public feedback to help prioritize their proposed transit plan projects.
For more information about the Transit Plan Update, please visit the project website at www.octransit2020.com.
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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 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 Town Council will next meet virtually at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, to consider an agenda that will be posted at carrboro.legistar.com
Past Meeting
The Carrboro Town Council met virtually Tuesday, Feb. 8, and took the following actions on the agenda posted at https://bit.ly/3gucAoR
- Adopted a strategy to use Town-owned land to create affordable housing.
- Received an update on the Energy and Climate Protection Plan and Community Climate Action Plan.
About the Town Council
The Town Council is the legislative and policy-making body for Carrboro, consisting of the following: Mayor Damon Seils, Mayor Pro Tempore Susan Romaine, Council Member Barbara Foushee, Council Member Randee Haven-O’Donnell, Council Member Danny Nowell and Council Member Sammy Slade. More information is available at http://townofcarrboro.org/248/Town-Council
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Protect Your Beloved Pet(s) for Less at This Low-Cost Orange County Rabies Clinic
Save money on rabies shots and microchips at the discount clinic offered by Orange County Animal Services on February 26. Get more details at https://www.orangecountync.gov/308/Low-Cost-Clinics.
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We Are 150 Employees Strong and We're Hiring!
Join the Town of #Carrboro team! We're looking for diverse, energetic people who want to contribute to something meaningful. You'll also enjoy a competitive salary and one of the most generous benefits packages in our region.
➡️ https://nc-carrboro.civicplushrms.com/careers/