News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC 

(Oct. 22, 2025) 

Start your weekend early this Friday with a special book reading and a celebration of Carrboro history with longtime resident and author, Frances Shetley! Then hang out downtown for an evening of music and stories at Weaver Street Lawn. Put on your best costume for the annual costume contest, bring a blanket or a low chair, and snuggle up for these stellar shows! Please note that the Carrboro early voting location has moved. The Drakeford Library Complex, 203 S. Greensboro St. will be an early voting site starting Thursday, Oct. 23. Friendly reminder that leaves should not be piled into traffic lanes, bike lanes or sidewalks, as they become a dangerous public safety hazard. 

Carrboro Halloween Events Start This Week

Gather your pumpkins for carving or decorating and put on your favorite costumes! The Carrboro Recreation, Parks, & Cultural Resources Department invites you to participate in the 2025 Carrboro Halloween Events and Activities.

Music and Stories Under the Stars

Join us on Friday, Oct. 24 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. for an evening of music and stories at Weaver Street Lawn, 101 E Weaver St. Put on your best costume for the annual costume contest, bring a blanket or a low chair, and snuggle up for these stellar shows!

• Music will begin at 5 p.m. 
• Costume contest, registration will be held from 5 to 5:50 p.m. 
• Winners of the costume contest will be announced before the storyteller. 
• Appropriate for all ages.

Halloween Carnival

Come enjoy the Carrboro Halloween Carnival on Friday, Oct. 31 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W Main St.  We boast a host of carnival style activities for all ages that reward the children’s participation with a wickedly good prize bag. Popcorn, water, hot chocolate, apple cider and coffee will be sold at the concession booth. No registration required.

Virtual Pumpkin Carving/Decorating Contest

Submit a photo of your carved or decorated pumpkin by 5 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 28. Photos will be posted on Carrboro Recreation, Parks & Cultural Recourses Department’s Facebook page and "The Best of Show” winner will be announced on Friday, Oct. 31. 

• Send photos to dhughes@carrboronc.gov. 
• Please include a sign that says “Carrboro 2024” in your picture. 
• Only one pumpkin in a photo. 
• Please remember that this is a kid-friendly event and CRPCRD reserves the rights to deny entries deemed inappropriate.

Author Event: Frances Shetley's New Book "Vignettes"

Join us for a special book reading and a celebration of Carrboro history with longtime resident and author, Frances Shetley! 

On Friday, Oct. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Frances will read from her new book, "Vignettes." The book is a collection of true stories from her life, starting on her father's farm in Calvander and continuing through her years living in and around Carrboro. 

At 98 years old, Frances has seen Carrboro grow and transform. A former alderwoman and the namesake of the Frances Shetley bike path, her stories capture the town's history through lively accounts of farming, family, technology, and civic engagement. As she writes in the story "Frances and the Pink Bulldozer," "I know how to make my mark." 

This is a unique opportunity to hear a master storyteller share her personal history and the history of our community. 

The event will be held on the third floor of the Drakeford Library Complex at 203 S. Greensboro Street in Carrboro. Light refreshments will be served. 

Leaf Collection in Carrboro

Have you noticed leaf piles around town? It’s certainly that time of year. The Town of Carrboro would like to remind everyone that leaves should not be piled into traffic lanes, bike lanes or sidewalks, as they become a dangerous public safety hazard.

Residents should also check collection schedules for yard waste and leaves, so that piles do not remain at the curb longer than necessary.

Typically, residents receive yard waste and loose-leaf collection twice per month, either on the first and third Mondays of the month or the second and fourth Mondays of the month. It’s important to note that although the collection day is Monday, depending on the volume of material placed at the curb, the routes may take more than one day to complete.  

• Check your solid waste collection schedule at http://www.carrboronc.gov/2581/Find-Your-Collection-Day
• Note the holiday schedule at http://www.carrboronc.gov/2556/Holiday-Collection-Schedule

Requirements for Leaf Pickup

• Don’t put leaves in the street or block sidewalks, bike lanes or storm drains.
• Optional use of a roll-out cart which is collected with an automated side loader refuse truck.
• No plastic bags allowed. 
• Keep the gutter clear. Allow at least 1 foot between the curb and the leaves.
• Don't block stormwater grates.
• Loose leaves waste must be free of all debris.  No dirt, sod, rock, or concrete.
• Separate loose leaves and brush. Piles that contain limbs, brush or other yard waste will not be picked up.
• Place your leaf piles away from trees that have overhanging branches less than 14 feet from the ground, or lower branches that protrude into the lane of travel. These branches pose hazards to our equipment.
• Park vehicles at least 10 feet away from piles.
• Do not place leaves in lanes of travel (bike lanes/travel lanes).

Help keep your neighborhood safe for people walking, biking, and driving by placing your trash, recycling and yard waste carts where they don't block the sidewalk, bike lane, or traffic flow.

Learn more here.

New Carrboro Early Voting Location

News from Orange County Board of Elections

The Carrboro early voting location has moved! The Drakeford Library Complex, 203 S. Greensboro St. will be an early voting site from Thursday, Oct. 23 - Saturday, Nov. 1.

• Early voting is now open in Hillsborough at Orange Works, located in Hillsborough Commons at 113 Mayo St.  All Orange County residents can vote early at this location now until Saturday, Nov. 1
• Early voting is also at the Chapel Hill Public Library, Seymour Center, Chapel of the Cross beginning on Thursday, Oct. 23. 

Remember to bring your photo ID when you go to vote.

Early voting ends Saturday, Nov. 1, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Voters may request an absentee ballot by mail through Oct. 21. Don’t wait—submit your request today to ensure plenty of time to vote by mail!

For more information:  https://orangecountync.gov/1116/Early-Voting 

Carrboro's WCOM marks 20 years and counting  

Town Manager Patrice Toney visited WCOM  Radio on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Our local station is located at the Drakeford Library Complex, 203 S. Greensboro St. 

WCOM has been broadcasting over the local airwaves on 103.5 FM since Sept. 29, 2004 at 11:27 PM. Our 100-watt station operates under the umbrella of our 501(c)3 non-profit parent organization, Public Gallery of Carrboro. Learn more at https://wcomfm.org/

Leave the Leaves

Fallen leaves are more than just seasonal color — they are shelter. 

 Leaving your leaves is one of the easiest ways to help insects and soil health in your yard. Piles of fallen leaves create homes for all sorts of beneficial critters, from butterflies and beetles to worms and fireflies. It’s also a great way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Instead of using a gas-powered leaf blower, leave those leaves where they fall.  

Pledge to Leave Your Leaves, and you can pick up one of these yard signs, while supplies last. 

Pick up your sign in Carrboro at the Orange County Southern Branch Library, 203 S. Greensboro St. Other pick-up locations include the Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill Town Hall, Orange County Main Library and the Bonnie B. Davis Ag Center in Hillsborough. Yard signs measure 18 x 24 inches, are made of sturdy, weather-resistant materials, and are printed with low-VOC vegetable-based inks. There is a limit of one free yard sign per household per year.  

How to Leave Your Leaves:  

• Leave them where they fall - Fallen leaves offer shelter for creatures like fireflies, beetles, and butterflies, and save you time on yard maintenance! 
• Rake leaves under trees, around shrubs, and into perennial beds – Leaves can act as a natural mulch that suppresses weeds and retains moisture 
• Compost your leaves – Add valuable nutrients to your soil for even more beautiful plants in the Spring  

The Town of Carrboro thanks our partners, towns of Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, Orange County, the New Hope Bird Alliance, and Keep Durham Beautiful, for helping us encourage community members to Leave Your Leaves, support biodiversity, improve water quality, and reduce climate and air pollution. 

Learn more here.

Town of Carrboro seeking applications for poet laureate position

The Town of Carrboro seeks applications for the position of Poet Laureate of Carrboro, a two-year term that will begin Jan. 1, 2026, and expire Dec. 31, 2027. 

Apply online here. All application materials must be received by 11 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2025.

Established in 2002, the central duty of the poet laureate is to engage in activities that enhance the presence of poetry in the social and civic life of Carrboro. These activities include, but are not limited to, working with the Town of Carrboro Recreation, Parks, & Cultural Resources Department staff for the planning of and participation in the West End Poetry Festival (held annually in October), Carrboro Day, outreach to local schools, and weekly readings at Carrboro Town Council meetings. The Poet Laureate will work in conjunction with the Carrboro Poets Council (a subcommittee of the Recreation, Parks & Cultural Resources Advisory Boards). Residency in Carrboro is preferable but not required. The Poet Laureate receives an annual honorarium in the amount of $3,000.  

Carrboro Poet Laureate Liza Wolff-Francis will continue to serve in the role through Dec. 31, 2025. Learn more about Liza and her work via https://www.lizawolff.com/

If you have questions regarding the Poet Laureate program, please contact arts@carrboronc.gov or 919-918-7376.

Coffee and commuting!

GoPerks & Carrboro Coffee Roasters have partnered to make your commute a little more exciting. Log your sustainable trips in Share the Ride NC (STRNC) for a chance to win a bag of locally roasted coffee!

Here’s how it works:

• Create a free account at ShareTheRideNC.org
• Log your sustainable commutes — whether you take the bus, bike, carpool, or walk
• Each trip earns points you can use to enter prize drawings through GoPerks
• Choose a smarter, greener commute and you might just win your next cup of coffee.

Property tax assistance available to eligible Carrboro residents

In response to the steep rise of Orange County property tax valuations, the Town of Carrboro has allocated $45,000 to provide property tax assistance to eligible Carrboro residents facing difficulty paying their tax bill.  

The Town had partnered with Orange County to provide this assistance through the County’s Longtime Homeowners Assistance (LHA) program. Carrboro residents must meet the following eligibility requirements:

•  Own home for five (5) or more years
•  Require financial assistance to pay the property tax 
• Meet income and other eligibility requirements. 

For more information, visit Orange County’s LHA webpage: Longtime Homeowners Assistance (LHA) Program | Orange County, NC . The application closes on Nov. 3, 2025. If you have questions about the program, please contact Tyler Haugle at (919) 918-7438 or thaugle@carrboronc.gov. 

Orange County Trails Plan

Are you interested in the future of trails and trail connections in Orange County? A draft Trails Plan is underway!

Learn about the ongoing draft plan here:  https://www.orangecountync.gov/3625/Orange-County-Trails-Plan

Did you miss the September community vision workshops? Take a survey version of them here: https://gensler.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9pJqqPB8DQqCr1I

Town Council Update

The Carrboro Town Council will meet next for a work session at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2025.

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 www.YouTube.com/CarrboroNC  OR at https://carrboro.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

The agenda will be available at  https://carrboro.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Access the livestream direct link to view the meeting at https://youtube.com/live/wULf1PdaC2k?feature=share

Past Meeting Recap 

The Carrboro Town Council met on Tuesday, Oct. 21, and took the following actions: 

• Received proclamations for the Mayor's Monarch Pledge and Operation Green Light for Veterans; and approved the Veterans Day and Reproductive Rights are Human Rights resolutions
• Held a Public Hearing on the Carrboro Downtown Area Plan
• Held a Second Public Hearing on CDBG-NR Grant Application for Emergency Housing Repairs and Park Improvements
• Received the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and audit for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, as presented by Maudlin & Jenkins, PLLC.

Watch the meeting livestream at https://youtube.com/live/gqX61EQi920

ABOUT CARRBORO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: Civic involvement is a valued tradition in our community. You can reach the Town Council with your ideas, views and questions anytime at Council@carrboronc.gov  Meetings are open to the public to join in person at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. OR via Livestreaming at YouTube.com/CarrboroNC      

• Regular business meetings are generally held the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Work sessions are generally held the second Tuesdays of the month. Public comment is not accepted during work sessions, and votes are not taken.
• Agendas (and meeting videos) are posted at https://carrboro.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx 
• The Town of Carrboro offers free language translation and interpretation services to residents. Information: 919-918-7391 or info@carrboronc.gov 
• Sign up to receive Council Updates with meeting agendas and post-meeting recaps at www.carrboronc.gov/signup (choose Carrboro Town News)
• Learn more about your Town Council at https://www.carrboronc.gov/248/Town-Council 
• Questions? Reach Town Clerk Lamar Joyner at 919-918-7309 or townclerk@carrboronc.gov

Celebrating Carrboro's Veterans

Mayor Barbara Foushee has proclaimed Veterans Day on Tuesday, Nov. 11, as a day to remember the invaluable contribution of Carrboro's veterans and urges all residents to take every opportunity to honor the service and sacrifice of individuals in uniform transitioning from active service. 

Please read the entire proclamation at  https://www.carrboronc.gov/2630/Proclamations-and-Resolutions

Town of Carrboro Employee Veterans

Police Department

• Retired Captain Tony Frye (Army)
• Lieutenant Joe Thomas (Marine Corps)

Fire-Rescue Department

• Deputy Chief David LaPlante (Air Force)
• Edwin Renegar (Marine Corps)

Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Resources Department

• Svetlana Decker (Army Reserves) 
• Steve Harward (Navy)
• Felton Page (Army)
• Clarence Potter (Army) 
• Anthony Stout (Army)

Public Works Department

• John Garland (Army)

Orange County Veterans Memorial Ceremony

If you are looking to honor the veterans in your life, a special ceremony commemorating Veterans Day will be held at the Orange County Veterans Memorial on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. The event will be held at the Orange County Veterans Memorial at 2501 Homestead Drive, Chapel Hill, NC. This year's ceremony will feature Brigadier General Vivek Kshetrapal, Deputy Commanding General of 81st Readiness Division of the US Army Reserve., as the distinguished guest speaker. Mayor Foushee will provide the invocation for the event. 

General Kshetrapal brings decades of leadership experience in logistics, readiness, and operational sustainment. He has served in multiple overseas deployments and has been instrumental in leading Army Reserve forces that support global missions. His remarks will reflect on the evolving role of the Armed Forces in defending freedom while highlighting the enduring sacrifices of America’s veterans and their families.

The Orange County Veterans Day Celebration is free and open to the public. Families, friends, and all members of the community are encouraged to attend as a way to show support and gratitude to our veterans. This annual ceremony aims to celebrate the contributions of veterans from all branches of the armed services and to pay tribute to the values they represent.

Learn more about the Veterans Memorial at ocveteransmemorial.com

Veterans Day is a time to reflect on those who have courageously served our nation in the armed forces. Thank you to our veterans, past and present, for your service and sacrifice. 

Carrboro Town Council passes resolution in support of Operation Green Light for Veterans

The Carrboro Town Council has passed a resolution for Nov. 4-12 to be a time to honor the service and sacrifice of individuals in uniform transitioning from active service.

The people of Carrboro respect, admire and appreciate the individuals who selflessly have served the United States of America in the Armed Forces by placing themselves in challenging or perilous situations. The contributions and sacrifices of those individuals who served in the Armed Forces are vital in maintaining the freedoms and ways of life that we enjoy in our local communities.

Operation Green Light is a nationwide initiative to support veterans and raise awareness about the challenges many veterans face in accessing benefits and services.

In observance of Operation Green Light, the Town of Carrboro, will display green lights on Carrboro Town Hall. The Town Council encourages residents to participate by displaying a green light in a window of their place of business or residence from Nov. 4-12.

The Town of Carrboro seeks to join other communities through Operation Green Light for Veterans to shine a light on the plight of veterans across the country who are having a hard time connecting with benefits after serving their country.

Read the full resolution here: https://www.carrboronc.gov/2630/Proclamations-and-Resolutions

Mayor Barbara Foushee Signs Monarch Pledge

Mayor Barbara Foushee has signed the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge and the Town has officially committed to taking meaningful action to protect the monarch butterfly.

Cities, towns and counties have a critical role to play to help save the monarch butterfly, a species whose eastern populations have seen significant decline since the 1990s.

The Town of Carrboro recognizes that human health ultimately depends on well-functioning ecosystems. Biodiverse regions can better support food production, healthy soil and air quality, and can foster healthy connections between humans and wildlife.

Town of Carrboro has done the following to encourage all residents to learn about and celebrate monarch conservation:

• education and outreach to residents
• native seed giveaways
• planting native milkweed and pollinator-friendly species on Town properties
• updating the Town Code to allow managed natural landscapes.

Read the full proclamation here: https://www.carrboronc.gov/2630/Proclamations-and-Resolutions

Photo Caption: Xilong Zhao, local advocate for monarch conservation, received the proclamation at the Oct. 21, 2025 Town Council meeting. For many years, Xilong has cultivated milkweed, a favorite food of the monarch butterfly, in his garden to share with friends and family.

Save the Date: Abolition Day 2025 Events

The Fire of Freedom, Performed by Mike Wiley

• Dec. 5, 2025
• 6 p.m. at Kenan Theatre, UNC
• Registration Required

Gather at Carrboro’s Century Center for a symposium featuring a multiracial lineup of distinguished professors of law and history. Through varying perspectives, they will emphasize the generations of work and sacrifice that enslaved Black people endured in fighting for freedom.

Beyond the Thirteenth Amendment: Reclaiming the Promise of Freedom

• Dec. 6, 2025
• 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at Carrboro Century Center
• Registration Encouraged

West End Poetry - The Power of Poetry 

With gratitude to Poet Laureate Liza Wolff-Francis and the Carrboro Poets Council for another wonderful West End Poetry Festival this October 2025. 

Longtime member of the Poets Council, Susan Spalt, was honored for her contributions to the West End Poetry Festival. Spalt has lived in Carrboro since 1984 and is now retired after a long career in School Health. Her love of poetry led her to join the Poets Council and she has worked with the Council for many years and with many people—always with the goal of making poetry something everyone can enjoy. She is the co-author of Finding Hope, a book on mental illness and the author of a memoir, Back When We Were Italian. Her first chapbook was Longer if Its raining and her second chapbook, Naked Ladies Bloom in Autumn, was just published in late 2022 by Plan B Press. 

More photos from the festival will be posted soon to Town of Carrboro social media. 

The West End Poetry Festival is sponsored by the Town of Carrboro and is planned by the Carrboro Poets Council with the assistance of the staff of Carrboro’s Recreation, Parks & Cultural Resources Department and the support of the Carrboro Arts Committee and the Carrboro Tourism Development Authority.

2025 Carrboro-Chapel Hill Community Holiday Parade Participant Application Now Open

Walk, dance, bike, and scoot your way through the 2025 Carrboro-Chapel Hill Community Holiday Parade on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.!

We’re looking for local organizations with diverse cultural, faith, and community traditions to participate. We hope you’ll consider joining. A few things to keep in mind:

• Get festive. Decorate your parade unit with a winter theme and add entertainment value. Be a spectacle!
• Get creative. Describe how your unit will entertain/engage spectators. Show us what you got!
• Get ready. This year’s parade will be non-vehicular. Stay on foot, bike, or scooter.
• Please, no ads. No entries for strictly advertising, fundraising, or recruitment activities. No political campaigning or electioneering.

Apply online today to participate in the 2025 Carrboro-Chapel Hill Community Holiday Parade. 

Check out our Monthly Events Newsletter to discover all the exciting programs and special events that are coming up!  

2025 Fall Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Program Guide 

The Carrboro Recreation, Parks, & Cultural Resources Department’s Fall program brochure is now available! This includes registration for the 2025-2026 Youth Basketball Leagues.

Learn more about the Program Guide and How to Register.

To all who are celebrating...

The Town of Carrboro recognizes our diverse community and the many observances meaningful to our residents this month.