"Citrus is bright spot in neighborhood" - newsobserver.com

Pazzo! "Corks for Kids" - 11 Sep

From an e-mail from Pazzo!:

"Corks for Kids Fundraising Dinner
Join Pazzo! for Corks for Kids
Corks for Kids is a two-day dinner and wine-tasting event featuring nineteen Australian winemakers to raise money for the North Carolina Children’s Hospital in Chapel Hill. Last year, the event raised over $50,000. We hope you will join us this year to help raise even more.
Pazzo's dinner will take place on Thursday, September 11 at 7pm. The cost is $100per person not including tax and gratuity with the proceeds going to theNorth Carolina Children's Hospital. Each table will have its own winemaker to discuss the wines with guests. You can peek at the menu by clicking here. And you can find more information at www.corksforkidsnc.com. (You will notice that our date is different from the one shown on the Corks for Kids website, and that we are charging less than the listed price.)
Seating is limited, so please call the restaurant and reserve your place now!"

Parking lot plans - 9 September event

D.R. BRYAN and others are supposed to share with us their current plans for the parking lot in front of Weaver Street Market. This provides a little background, but it is poorly written and does not make clear that the filing with the Town will include both options - an hotel and condos. Rosemary WALDORF, the former Chapel Hill mayor who now does public relations for D.R. and company, told me this in response to an e-mail question. They seem to be preserving most all of their options.

Although I doubt I will be there, here are a few things I would like to see discussed and posted afterwards for those who cannot attend:

+ What is the current economic health of the businesses in Southern Village? How does their current situation compare with the past, and what are the projections for the future? What have "we" learned from those businesses that have closed? What are "we" learning from those who continue?

+ Why is the building out on the other side of 15-501 at the south entrance to Southern Village still vacant? Does that tell "us" something that we need to know in reaction to the BRYAN et al proposal?

+ What specific businesses have said they will consider locating in the new structure - hotels and other businesses? If unable to do that with specificity, then what are the data that would convince businesses - by type of business - that they ought to consider locating in Southern Village.

Unless we know this, our uninformed advice on hot topic issues like security and convenience -- as was the case at the last meeting on this subject - is of limited value to us or to the developers.

I urge BRYAN & company to share answers to these questions in advance of the meeting. If for some unimaginable reason, that cannot be done - even superficially - then do it at the 9 September meeting and post it on the SouthernVillage.org site.

"Kamikatsu, Japan’s zero-waste village' - guardian.co.uk

Why not Southern Village too?

"Funny Thing Happened at the Dog Run" - NYTimes.com

What a great opportunity for Southern Village now that the new dog romping area is about to open in the Southern Community Park. Imagine the meetups that will occur there!

"The scale of 'me'" - chapelhillnews.com

Nice to see Pazzo! mentioned.....

Welcome to TownHallGrill.com

This - the Village Voice program - appears to be mostly a joke. My efforts to clarify the program plan have been unsuccessful, both to the Grill and their agency. Although the Independent continues to make this an "IndyPick", it just does not seem to be happening. It's a real shame, because with some creative effort, it could be very successful for all.

Village Center

Here is the Design Commission to which this link refers.

"Southern Park" - Town of Chapel Hill Official Website

The town uses this page to collect most of the documents and links related to the development of the Park.

"Southern Community Park" - YouTube

This makes for a good historical record.

"Proposal to Install Wells at the Southern Community Park"

Further research is needed - at least for me! - to know if this was adopted. The answer, surprisingly, does not seem to appear here.

"Get Your Walk Score - A Walkability Score For Any Address"

Type in your address and see the results..... This is really very interesting. From my home in Southern Village, I got a 51 out of 100 walkability rating. I still need to study more about how they do the rankings.

"A night to remember" - Chapel Hill News

Wouldn't it be a good idea to think creatively about some joint Southern Village and Northside projects? Maybe it is just arranging transportation for thoese in Northside who might want to come to one of our free concerts on the Green? What other ideas? We live in the same town separated by a huge distance. It reminds me of a classic book about US-Mexico relations; it is titled "Distant Neighbors". So, too, we are when it comes to Northside.

Walking routes....

Google has just added a new functionality in its Google Maps application. Once on that page, use the drop down menu that is higlighted to the left in blue with the word "walking". Once you've done that, simply type in where you want to start walking and where you want to go. The results that I have tested are not perfect - they leave out our long trail in Southern Village, for example - but they are not bad.

In an effort to get everyone walking as much as possible, this is a nice addition.

Now they need to do one for the bus as well, although the Triangle Transit site does a pretty good job of this already for Chapel Hill and the rest of the Triangle. Here's what that query looks like on their site:

In response to the good comment added here by someone calling himself "Jack", I am adding a little picture of how you get to that Google Maps function for all of the Chapel Hill Transit routes. Go to this page and when you get there, simply enter the route that's of interest and then click on the right where there is the little icon for "Google Map". In this case, I have entered the NS route that also serves Southern Village:

"Park prep continues" - Carrboro Citizen

Full service bus schedules in Southern Village

"Full service schedule", which affects some of the buses serving Southern Village, goes into effect 18 August and continues until some point in December, I was just told on the phone. I suggested that Chapel Hill Transit add those dates to their website.

"Eco-towns: a design for life" - Times Online

Southern Community Park

I took a walk around the Park this morning. It struck me that it would be very interesting to get a tour organized soon for all of us in the area. I bet there are lots of construction stories to tell plus some explanation of how the various segments of the Park are going to function. Anyone interested?

Path/trail around Scroggs

For anyone interested, the path/trail that now runs from Aberdeen around the back of the playing fields at Scroggs to the new Southern Community Park will be reopened in Sep or Oct whenever the Park itself opens. I checked with Bill WEBSTER at the Town of Chapel Hill, who oversees this project, and he explained that the path will remain closed for contractor liability reasons until the entire project is turned over to the Town.

Subway to Southern Village

Isn't this exciting? Southern Village - and ZIP 27516 - will get its very own Subway in coming weeks/months. It will be the 29,610th Subway in its 87 countries, according to its website. Or maybe it is the 29,611th. That's not clear. Sandwiches offer up to 750 calories! Read before eating.

Meet D.R. Bryan — North Carolina Public Radio WUNC

Green Chapel

Sidewalks to nowhere: Port City fills gaps for better 'walk-ability' | StarNewsOnline.com | Star-News | Wilmington, NC

Aren't we lucky in Southern Village?

heraldsun.com: Response to graffiti incident criticized

"Third Annual National Dump the Pump Day to be Held June 19 -- Take Public Transportation and Beat the High Cost of Gas" - APTA

Why not try this in Southern Village for a day?

"Merlion" - Eclectic Glob of Tangential Verbosity

"Why the juniper thrives" - News & Observer

Utility poles on 15-501

I was struck today, as I have been often in the past, by just how ugly the utility poles are out on 15-501 generally, and especially the stretch between the two Southern Village entrances.

At one point, I called Duke Power to ask about this and was told the economics did not justify burying them and that outages would occur more frequently and be more difficult to repair if they buried the lines. That's their view in any case, or was.....

Weaver Street senior discount

I don't recall at what age senior discounts at Weaver Street Market begin, but I know it is at least 60 and "better"!

At some point, I recall learning how the discount works, but I had forgotten. It is 10% - for members - but only on Tuesday and Wednesday each week.

Safe bike and pedestrian routes

Do we - does anyone - have a master plan that will generate safe walking and pedaling routes from Southern Village to a) downtown Chapel Hill, b) the Eastgate area of Chapel Hill, c) Carrboro, and d) the Cole Park Plaza area in Chatham County on 15-501?

Edsel 500: Rockabilly Band: 50's and 60's Rock 'n Roll (Chapel Hill, NC)

The band that is to perform on the Green tomorrow, Sunday at 7 PM.

Sidewalks in Southern Village

It struck me yesterday as I walked to Market Street that many of the sidewalks in Southern Village require you to make what might otherwise seem to be an unnecessary square turn at an intersection. In other words, why were the sidewalks not laid out to anticipate how people were likely to walk if they go down one side of the street and intend to cross over to the other side at a crosswalk or intersection? I guess the answer is simply that the designers did not put themselves in walker shoes when they laid it out. That's too bad and I hope other developers have learned from this and so many other similar places.

We all seem to tolerate this so much more than we do something that takes our cars where we don't want them to go. Imagine if you were a small car instead of a person on our sidewalks!

"Merlion Restaurant Supports Public Schools" - Southern Village HOA

Bicycles and stop signs...

I watched two young girls ride their bicycles down Brookgreen today and race through the intersection with Edgewater without stopping.

What traffic rules apply to bicycles in that situation? This appears to be pretty clear that bicyclists most obey all traffic rules.

In any case, if I were the parent, I'd take away the bicycles until the girls really understood the importance of stopping where there is a stop sign.

A day later, I saw a couple of young kids on bicycles cross a street at a crosswalk --- but mounted on their bicycles and without stopping before crossing. Didn't there used to be rules that children should cross streets walking their bikes? Riding them without stopping strikes me as unacceptably dangerous.

Sidewalk grinding service

I understand that the Town of Chapel Hill will come out and grind down any sidewalks that have popped up due to the tree roots.

Benches on the trail?

There are some nice new benches freshly installed on the trail extension that runs behind Scroggs. What are the chances of getting more of them on the existing trail?

The Magnolia Klezmer Band - Home

Tonight's music on the Green.....

Market Street Books at Arts & Letters Community Center

This is the link to the events page for Market Street Books. There are many of them - the events!

The Lumina Theatre

This is a link to the outdoor movie schedule, starting 23 May.

Concerts on the Green

I think the merchants association for Southern Village pays for all of the concerts on the Green. We should know more about that, and do a better job of thanking them!

Jaluka Juice

They have reopened on Market Street. Owners appear to have Brazilian roots!

Only open during the week, for now.

The Doc Branch Band

The band performing tomorrow - 18 May - on the Green at 7 PM.

"It's boom times for bus service" - News & Observer

Over 600,000 people riding Chapel Hill Transit in April! Look at the increase and think about how much higher we can push that number?

Farmers' Market

I made my third trip up the hill today to the Southern Village Farmers' Market this season. It is disappointing to see so few vendors; we can only hope the number - and the business for them - increases as the summer approaches.

In order to help those who may not have gone up on a Thursday late afternoon, here is what I wound up buying today:

Basil - $2/bag
Arugala - 2.50/bag
Eggs - $4/dozen
Strawberries - $4/quart (I think that's one of those little containers?)
Peas - $2/pound(don't hold me to that)

This is a great resource to have here in Southern Village and whether you go up to complain about prices or tell them what you don't see, it's in everyone's interest for us all to go.

You may find, like me, that there are always at least a few good things well worth buying!

"Woman, hit by bus in Chapel Hill, dies" - WRAL

Orange County Master Plan

Here is the the text of some brief comments on the proposed Orange County Master Plan that I have submitted:

"I have reviewed the updated version of the Orange County master plan andoffer these brief comments in making three recommendations.

The first is that I do not believe that transportation other thanautomobilies ought to be considered "alternative". Rather, I think thatalltransportation modes ought to be considered on the same basis. Anautomobile is one, a bus another, trains, feet, bicycles, etc. None ismore"equal" than any other.

The second is that I believe we should commit ourselves to having asfullyfunctional a sidewalk network in Orange County as we do one forautomobiles. In other words, if we are going to consider comprehensiveplans for how our automobiles and other vehicles get around the county,weshould do the same for people who choose to walk. The current sidewalkroute throughout the county is abysmal and demands and deserve the samelevel of attention as that given to the road system.

The third is that I do not recall seeing in the document a comprehensivediscussion of energy production and use in the county. Perhaps I justmissed it, but I think any master plan today ought to containinformationon energy consumption and on local energy production. Again, I would notuse the term "alternative". Solar energy production, for example,deservesto be treated in exactly the same way as any other energy we producehere.

Thanks for considering these views."

Town of Chapel Hill Official Website - 2007 Crime Statistics

This is interesting because it shows crimes committed in Southern Village rental apartments compare to other apartment complexes in Chapel Hill.

1360 WCHL - Chapel Hill-Carrboro's News, Talk, and Tar Heels Station

Dinner at Pazzo! 20 May

V bus in Southern Village

I stood at Edgwater and Brookgreen the other day waiting for the V bus to stop about 2 PM. I looked up Brookgreen at about that time and saw it turning up toward Market St. I walked very fast up to the Park and Ride lot next to the church and the bus was just leaving. He stopped and let me on.

When I asked if the route had changed, he said, no, that he goes all the way to Highgrove every hour and middle of the day there is never anyone there. So he skipped it for once and sure enough, I appeared!

The NextBus function on the Chapel Hill Transit website worked pretty well; it, of course, is not responsible for the driver! I wonder if I had been at the stop whether the GPS system they use to track buses would have detected that the bus indeed was not coming where I was waiting?

Weekend America: Klezmer Funk Hip-Hop? Abraham Inc.

See 25 May on the Green at Southern Village for another Klezmer group....Magnolia Klezmer Band.

Children and screens

When I was walking to the Farmer's Market yesterday, I passed a window in which a young girl was sitting on the window sill inside, seemingly resting against the screen on that window.

On morning television, I saw a piece about a woman whose very young child had fallen out of such a window, and fortunately was unharmed.

None of the screens of which I am aware on Southern Village dwellings is designed to support any weight whatsoever and it sure seems prudent to remind young kids of this!

Woods next to soccer field

I've noticed at least one scooter/motorcycle on the path that runs from the corner of the soccer field through the woods to Dogwood Acres.

No motorized vehicles are allowed on the path through Southern Village and I don't think any ought to be permitted on this more "rustic" path.

It also would be a good idea for more adults to walk back there regularly to make sure nothing is happening there that should not....

Trail from Aberdeen to new park....

I walked down the trail today from Aberdeen hoping to check on progress at the end of it - for the new park. Two things caught my attention.

One was the fact that they have redone the drain for the overflow from the pond in front of Scroggs, but there is still a lot of standing water there. I could imagine a lot of mosquitoes coveting that as home in a short time. It looks to me as though they will have to redo it again, or deal with whatever problem prevented them from getting it right the first time.

Second was the barrier, once again in place, that shuts off the path at the bottom of the Scroggs walkway. Why couldn't they let people walk up the path to the point of the construction instead of closing off the whole thing?

Anxious to get a feel for how the new park is shaping up.....

Southern Village "Club"

This is the site, apparently, for the Southern Village pool and tennis club, now under new ownership. The site was not working when I tried to access it on 27 April 2008.

chapelhillnews.com | Use every room

OWASA - Supply and Demand Graphs

It is really impressive to see how much we have reduced water consumption. What is not clear is how this was accomplished. Who reduced use and by how much? Across the board? Key players?

Area Tap Water Has Traces of Medicines - washingtonpost.com

Is OWASA planning to do similar tests here?

"Police release photo of suspect in ...." - Herald-Sun

The linked story includes a photo of a suspect in the death of Eve CARSON, the UNC student body president. Police contact information is also included.

"Grow a business" - newsobserver.com

"If your love for plants has ever left you dreaming of owning a plant shop, this could be your opportunity to turn pleasure into a business. Bloom -- Where You Are Planted, a garden, gift and home shop in Southern Village in Chapel Hill, is for sale. After five years in business, owner Rena Earnhardt is looking for someone to take over Bloom. Said Earnhardt in an e-mail: 'My lease is up and they wanted me to renew but I don't have the energy for five more years. I have one little girl and she is 12, and I feel like it is an important time to be around.' For more information, contact Earnhardt at 708 Market St. in Southern Village. Or call 942-9880. To visit Bloom online, mosey over to www.BloomNC.com."

6.976 million gallons yesterday

This is only at the average level of the last 30 days. We must do a lot better than that!

More water numbers....

Here are the latest numbers:

(March 02, 2008):
6.459 million gallons

(March 01, 2008):
6.439 million gallons

(February 29, 2008):
6.673 million gallons

These last two numbers are especially encouraging. I guess we really do not know if this is the result of the Stage 3 rules or just the result of people focusing more on water usage as a result of the added publicity given to the subject in connection with imposing those new restrictions.

6.969 million gallons yesterday

We need to understand what the different demands were between yesterday and the day before.

Another big picture item is to understand what are the largest pieces of the "pie" that make up about 7 million gallons/day. How much does UNC use? How much at UNC Hospitals? In what other ways, can the use be broken down into smaller pieces and how can we all watch their day-by-day consumption?

6.912 million gallons yesterday

Who used so much more water two days ago than yesterday (7.203 million gallons two days ago)?

Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight

Interesting statistics released today that view overall North Carolina real estate values and trends from a national perspective. See pages 25-26.

Comparing us with Raleigh.....

This from Dale Crisp, DirectorPublic Utilities Department, One Exchange Plaza, Suite 620Raleigh, NC 27602 919-857-4540 today, by e-mail:"We do not publish these numbers, rather we utilize the media to get this information to the public. Since going to mandatory restrictions that totally eliminated lawn irrigation in October, the demand has averaged 40.3 MGD. This past weekend (Fri, Sat and Sun) the average customer demand was 37.3 .MGD - 3 MGD less."

Last weekend, we were above our average demand for the same period. Why? What explains this?

7.203 million gallons

Surely, there must be an explanation from which we can learn a lot as to why this number was so much higher yesterday? Is the consumption being measured accurately?

Last three days, starting yesterday 7.061, 6.833, 6.689 million gallons

That's not the right trendline. Why does this seem to rise each Sunday? What happens in the OWASA service areas on Sunday?

Cannot we mount a concerted effort to reduce this number, starting with Southern Village?

Downtown Chapel Hill

Above is a map of what the Downtown Chapel Hill business organization says is "downtown".

Town Hall Grill

Is this all there is to the Town Hall Grill website? Perhaps with this announcement something more will emerge? Here are two more earlier announcements - ownership change and new manager.

7.015 million gallons on Thursday

Why are we going up?

6.902 million gallons yesterday

There is a need to make this go in the other direction. We used more yesterday than the previous day.....

6.830 million gallons yesterday

I hope OWASA can explain why it thinks there are these daily fluctuations. Who used so much more water two days ago than yesterday?

7.294 million gallons yesterday

That's about 1,000,000 gallons more than 14 February. WHY??????? What was different about 14 Feb than 18 Feb?

SV ponds.....

Our largest Southern Village pond - the one opposite the soccer field - shows the signs of the drought. It is down a considerable distance from its normal level.

The pond in front of Scroggs School, however, seems to be at its normal level.

Why is this so in the midst of th drought? From where does the Scroggs pond water come?

6.733 million gallons

That's yesterday's number. On 14 February - note below - the number was 6.342 million gallons. Yes, yesterday was a Sunday, but surely, we need to be heading down, not up.....!

Water reduction success stories?

Are there not some stories in Southern Village of individuals, families, businesses......who have significantly reduced water consumption in the last few weeks, months or years? Wouldn't relating those stories help inspire others to do more?

Would this be worth raising among students at Scroggs? Get them monitoring water consumption at home every day? Start first with the school itself?

6.342 million gallons

That's how much water we OWASA customers consumed yesterday. Why can't we consume even less today?

Conserving water

Why cannot we reduce our water consumption voluntarily even more than we have already? Each of us can do something to use less water in the course of our day.

If we could reduce consumption by 15-20%, we may be able to avoid more restrictive rules at the end of the month. That, it seems to me, is in everyone's best interest.

We should be working as family units, within our workplaces, and between and among neighbors to gently, but firmly, force all of us to use less.

Surely, we can do this!

"SVHOA Annual General Meeting Summary"

Here are the results from the Annual General Meeting last night.

OWASA may move to Stage Three on 1 March

Here is the latest from OWASA regarging probable imposition of Stage Three water rules on 1 March.

Citrus to open for dinner

This is good news; another business expanding in Southern Village. Bravo!

Regional Transit Infrastructure Blueprint

Here is where you can call the recomendation for a light rail service that would allow us to walk or take the bus from Southern Village to UNC Hospitals and from there be able to take the rail service to Durham, RTP, the airport, Cary and Raleigh. Wouldn't that be amazing?

Southern Community Park

Here is the latest from the Town on the Southern Community Park:

"9. SOUTHERN COMMUNITY PARK
Current Status: Under Construction
Design Firm: OBS Landscape Architects
Construction Firm: Hy Tech Construction
Contract Price: $4,708,000
Anticipated Completion: July 2008
Anticipated Completion Athletic/Soccer Fields: August 2009
The Southern Community Park will be a 72 acre park located south of Southern Village and west of 15-501. The concept plan indicates that the site will be over 50% natural. Most of the developed portions of the site are anticipated to be located adjacent to highway 15-501.

The following has occurred or is ongoing:

The Town Council approved bids for the park that includes the following first phase:
Ø All season Restrooms
Ø 3 complete athletic/soccer fields including fencing and irrigation (but without lights)
Ø Trails, including the extension of the paved Fan Branch Greenway to Dogwood Acres Drive and natural surface trails
Ø 2 picnic shelters
Ø 2 basketball courts
Ø 1 inline hockey court
Ø Play area
Ø Dog park
Ø Site furnishings
Ø Sidewalks
Ø 2 parking lots (162 total spaces)

Construction started in June 2007.
Plant rescue was held the week of July 2-8, 2007.
Clearing and grading complete except for selective areas.
Inline hockey and basketball courts are poured and fenced.
Slabs for picnic shelters poured.
Footings for restroom are under construction
Athletic fields are graded and irrigation systems installed.
Utilities installed.
Installation of curb and gutter 90% complete.
Parking lots 90% paved
Sidewalks 70% complete
Art project is underway
Landscape installation is underway
Fan Branch greenway trail extended past Scroggs School into park site. Trail access to school has been restored. All other trails still closed until construction is complete.

A major issue is how and when to sod or sprig athletic fields during a major drought. We are exploring options for finishing the fields.

Plans for the project can be reviewed in my office. Please make an appointment (919) 968-2787 ext. 214) or email at bwebster@townofchapelhill.org and I will be happy to show you the plans."

Morgan Creek Trail

Here is the latest from the Town of Chapel Hill on this project adjoining Southern Village:

"7. MORGAN CREEK TRAIL AND MERRITT PASTURE ACCESS
Current Status: Detailed design
Design Firm: Coulter Jewell Thames
The Morgan Creek Trail will be an extension of the existing Fan Branch Trail that currently serves Southern Village. The trail will continue from the intersection of Culbreth Road and Highway 15-501 to Smith Level Road at the Carrboro Town line near Frank Porter Graham School. This trail will likely require several bridges and underpasses. The project will also include access to the Merritt Pasture.

The following has occurred or is ongoing:
· The Council adopted a concept plan on October 9, 2006.
· Hillsong Church has decided not to lease its parking lot to the Town. This will require that we design a stand-alone parking lot for the project.
· A .2 acre parcel of property was purchased from Duke Energy in September 2007. This will allow us to build a bridge for access to Merritt Pasture.
· Work on detailed design is almost complete."

OWASA manhole covers

Why do so many of these stick so far up in the air? Whatever happened to the idea of building them flush to the ground? The new ones next to the path from Aberdeen past Scroggs to the new Southern Community Park have several prime examples of this. Why?

Holding pond?

Why is there a "holding pond" next to the trail between Aberdeen and Scroggs? It is filled with blue/green muck at this stage as well as many mosquito larvae awaiting warmer weather. Who is responsible for fixing this?

"Town Hall Grill Hires Mike Monaco as New General Manager" - CarolinaNewswire.com

We'll all want to watch for changes in food, service and offerings. There is a big OBAMA event tonight at Tyler's in Carrboro to follow returns of Super Tuesday. Why not - on a day such as this - organize a non-partisan event at the Town Hall Grill to follow results of both parties and all candidates? That would really take us back to the neighborhood bar idea, wouldn't it?

CVS by bus

There is no easy way to use the Chapel Hill Transit bus system to get to a CVS in the area. Each of the nearest either has no bus (15-501) or one or more transfers - Carrboro and Ram's Plaza.

Open Burning Ban Applies To Luminaries - News- msnbc.com

newsobserver.com |Orange Chat - OWASA rain barrel deal all wet?

Gaudiest holiday decorations award

It seems to me that we already have plenty of homes from which to choose the 2007 gaudiest holiday display in Southern Village. I am hoping that we can come up with an appropriate prize! Feel free to suggest any homes you think are especially dserving of this distinction this year.

Seedlings for 15-501?

The NC Department of Forestry has a great offer on young tree seedlings. Why don't we all get together and buy some for planting in the center strip of 15-501 in front of Southern Village? Crape Myrtle? Dogwoods? Other ideas. Here are just some of what they offer.....

The Associated Press: Exercisers Stuck in Unwalkable Settings

Jazz Vocalist Susan Reeves: Dynamic, Bluesy, Soulful, Classy, Scintillating swing.

Her concert last night on the Green was marvelous! The only sad part was the small size of the audience.

V Route, Weekday Schedule | Chapel Hill Transit

This makes it easier to go to Meadowmont, for example, with fewer twists and turns on the UNC campus.

Sunday strolling

In walking around our Graylyn block today, it was nice to see a neighbor with his kids ejoying the play equipment that's recently been upgraded. It was a surprise to see the signs on the construction "fence" - the orange plastic type - around the work being done to extend the paved path to the now-under-construction Southern Community Park. One says "CONSTRUCTION AREA - DO NOT ENTER", but it was the other that got my attention, "AREA UNDER 24 HOUR VIDEO SURVEILLANCE - VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED". Who knows if that's true, but it sure was enough to cause me not to cross the "line"! I also noted that the sale of one of the Graylyn houses has resulted in the removal of (for me) a big eye sore - one of those portable basketball backstops that never seems to move! It will take the grass a while to return, but it sure looks nice to be backstop-less. Another of our neighbors was playing the piano providing a lovely interlude as I walked by his house!

"Fish can fight malaria mosquitoes" - BBC News

Should we consider stocking our two ponds in Southern Village with these fish - not to combat malaria, but simply to combat the mosquitoes?

"WNYC Radio crowdsourcing project" - CyberJournalist.net

What a great idea to deploy in Southern Village where SUVs seem to outnumber people most of the time in most places.

Best walking routes FROM Southern Village

What are the most interesting walking routes from Southern Village? Suppose you want to walk for an hour or two hours......what are the most interesting hikes from a base in Southern Village?