"OWASA seeks comments on November 11th regarding draft Update of Long-Range Water Supply Plan"

"NEWS RELEASE November 5, 2009

OWASA invites all customers to participate in a Community Meeting on Wednesday night, November 11th regarding the draft Update of our Long-Range Water Supply Plan.

The meeting will begin at 7 PM; will be held in the Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard; and will be televised on local cable channel 18.

OWASA staff drafted the update in light of the severe droughts in 2001-02 and 2007-08 and significant reductions in water demand in recent years. Key items in the draft update include:

· OWASA’S existing Cane Creek/University Lake/Quarry Reservoir system can meet the community’s needs substantially further into the future than previously thought.

· Expansion of the Quarry Reservoir west of Carrboro continues to offer the most cost-effective increment of additional supply and will provide full control of a substantial amount of high quality water with minimal capital investment. An expanded Quarry Reservoir is expected to meet most anticipated water supply needs for the 50-year planning period.

· OWASA should develop agreements with neighboring utilities to secure the permanent ability to purchase or sell water under appropriate conditions of supply and demand. Except for the expanded Quarry Reservoir, temporary purchases offer the most cost-effective option evaluated, especially for the infrequent times and limited amounts of water that may be needed in the next 25 years or more. Purchase agreements also provide mutual support when critical facilities are out of service due to maintenance, equipment failure, severe weather, etc.

· All customer groups have significantly reduced their water consumption in recent years. OWASA also began operating a new reclaimed wastewater system serving the University, promoted conservation with seasonal and increasing block water rates and public information, and implemented “process” water recycling at the Jones Ferry Road Water Treatment Plant.

· Investing in an expansion of OWASA’s reclaimed water system or establishing financial incentive programs, such as plumbing fixture rebates, to promote additional conservation is substantially less cost-effective than other options evaluated.

“The Long-Range Water Supply Plan Update presents a positive future for the community we serve. Through aggressive, conservation-focused actions, future generations will be able to enjoy a reliable supply of high quality drinking water with far less capital investment than predicted nine years ago,” said Ed Holland, OWASA’s Planning Director.

The Draft Water Supply Plan Update and a summary of it are available on OWASA’s website, http://www.owasa.org/, and paper copies will be provided on request.

For more information:

Ed Holland, Planning Director, 537-4215; e-mail: eholland@owasa.org
400 JONES FERRY ROAD, CARRBORO, NC 27510
PHONE: (919) 968-4421; FAX: (919) 968-4464
WEB SITE: http://www.owasa.org;/ E-MAIL: WEBMASTER@OWASA.ORG"

"Halloween in Southern Village" - A Blog Around The Clock

"WakeWatch - From grease to fuel in Raleigh" - newsobserver.com blogs

Should we consider doing the same in Southern Village?

"Portland Establishes Climate Action Plan" - Green Inc. Blog - NYTimes.com

Why can't we set up our own community compostable collection plan? I could imagine a bicycle driven cart that could make the rounds with volunteers picking up compostable materials and dumping them in a place to be selected in Southern Village. Skip the not in my backyard argument; we've got plenty of places where we could pu this.

We should also run down the full list in this report and see what we could adapt to Southern Village and environs.

Frankly, I see no reason why we cannot act on most of them in our own way, in cooperation with the town of Chapel Hill and Orange County and North Caorlina, plus any federal government considerations.

"Driven to Distraction - Britain Sets Tough New Laws for Texting While Driving" - Series - NYTimes.com

Any driver driving around Southern Village, or anywhere else, using a hand held electronic device is both stupid and selfish. It's a combination that leads to people dying. If the state of North Caorlina is not going to do what it should in banning all such use, we should be telling these jerks (the only term that describes them well) - our neighbors - to stop it. It's not a matter for debate; it's something that we all have the power to change either one-by-one or, even better, by act of our legislature.

So if you see a driver pick up a phone while driving, just say no, and/or get out of the vehicle if you are a passenger.

Fortunately, more and more people are realizing that on this issue there is only one right way to approach it - ban all handheld use while operating a motor vehicle.

Cittaslow

I watched a program here in France about the relatively new Slow City movement as it is happening in one Turkish city. Is this something we should be considering for Southern Village and Chapel Hill? I don't mean joining this specific network necessarily or at all - but rather, adopting some of the ideas that are behind the movement, an offshoot of the Slow Food movement, also originating in Italy. Indeed, here is that piece and it happens to have been on the BBC, in English.

"Bringing Fresh Produce to the Corner Store" - NYTimes.com

"Report Argues for a Decentralized System of Renewable Power Generation" - Green Inc. Blog - NYTimes.com

Note the estimate here that NC could meet 28% of its energy needs with rooftop solar installations. The full report here says we can generate 8% of our need from ONshore windpower and 200% from offshore. It goes on to show land area required for the solar application (.49%) and then other figures for geothermal, etc.

"21st Annual RSVVP Day" - The Inter-Faith Council for Social Service

It's nice to see at least two - Merlion and Weaver Street Market - Southern Village eating spots participating in this program.

UNC library events

We are lucky to live within easy walking distance of UNC. Here are some upcoming events at the library there that might be of interest, and well worth the walk!

"Southern Historical Collection Book Series
Monday, November 2, 2009
Devin Fergus will speak about his book Liberalism, Black Power, and the Making of American Politics, 1965-1980.
5:00 pm Reception and exhibit viewing, Melba Remig Saltarelli Room, Wilson Library5:45 pm Talk, Pleasants Family Assembly Room
Gallery Talk - We Shall Not Be Moved
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
A gallery talk given by Holly Smith, lead curator of the exhibit We Shall Not Be Moved. Come hear more about the people, places, events, and themes represented in the exhibit.
2:00 pm Gallery talk, Melba Remig Saltarelli Room, Wilson Library
Ediciones Vigia, Handmade Books from Cuba
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
A talk by Linda S. Howe, Wake Forest University, as part of a month-long celebration of Cuba sponsored by the Institute for the Study of the Americas. For more information on the speaker and the event click here.
5:00-6:30 pm Lecture, Pleasants Family Assembly Room, Wilson Library
Archie Green Memorial Symposium
**Saturday, November 21, 2009 (please note date change)**
Symposium in honor of folklorist Archie Green. The event will include panel discussions, reminiscences, and performances. The Southern Folklife Collection is co-sponsoring this event with the American Studies Department. This event is free, but registration is required. For more information about the event and how to register click here.
9:00 am-5:00 pm Pleasants Family Assembly Room, Wilson Library
Comics and Graphic Novels
Saturday, November 21, 2009
A panel discussion hosted by the Rare Book Collection.
11:00 am-1:00 pm Rare Book Reading Room, Wilson Library
From the Living Writers course
Distinguished Visiting Writer - Andrea Barrett
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Andrea Barrett is the author of six novels, most recently The Air We Breathe, and two collections of short fiction, Ship Fever, which received the National Book Award, and Servants of the Map, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. A MacArthur Fellow, she has also been a Fellow at the Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library, and has received Guggenheim and NEA fellowships. 5:30 pm University Room, Hyde Hall"

How much more expensive is or is not Weaver Street Market?

I wonder if anyone has tried to calculate what a week's worth of groceries for a family of 1-4 people might be if bought entirely at Weaver Street Market v. driving to whatever one considers to be the lowest price option, perhaps Food Lion or even COSTCO. In other words, if you bought everything you need for a week at Weaver Street Market and bought the same things at a perceived lower price competitor, what would the price difference be?

"Got Milk? Yes, at My Doorstep" - Cranky Consumer - WSJ.com

Is it possible to get milk delivered in Southern Village? Sure, that means potentially one more vehicle on the streets, but there are offsetting considerations. In any case, we shoudl all know if this service is available and then we can make our individual choices.

What are our schools doing to drive sustainable initiatives at home and in the community?

We have (as far as I know - having no children in any of them) three excellent schools serving Southern Village and its environs. They are Scroggs elementary, Culbreth middle, and Carrboro high.

Since much change is often driven from the young people of commuinties, I wonder what sustainability programs and projects are part of the school curriculum - or just available there - that might have, or could have, an impact on the community starting with the homes of the students? In other words, are kids coming home with projects to do that involve energy conservation, exercise, nutrition, etc? And what has been the experience with such initiatives if they exist? What are the schools open to consider by way of new efforts to help drive a more sustainable community through the active involvement of teachers and students?

Op-Ed Columnist - Changing the World - NYTimes.com

This is an excellent column.

What Bob HERBERT says about politics and government in general applies specifically to environmental and sustainability issues related to life in and around Southern Village. It's worth reading it with that thought in mind.

"Obama putting $3.4B toward 'smart' power grid" - Future of Energy- msnbc.com

Here are the North Carolina projects on the list. It does not look like any will affect us in Southern Village, at least not directly?

"Duke Energy Carolinas LLC Charlotte, NC
Install 45 phasor measurement units in substations across the Carolinas and upgrade communications infrastructure and technology at the corporate control center.

Duke Energy Business Services LLC Charlotte, NC with addtl. benefits in IN and OHComprehensive grid modernization for Duke Energy’s Midwest electric system encompassing Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. Includes installing open, interoperable, two-way communications networks, deploying smart meters for 1.4 million customers, automating advanced distribution applications, developing dynamic pricing programs, and supporting the deployment of plug-in electric vehicles.

Progress Energy Service Company, Raleigh, NC with addtl. benefits in SCBuild a green Smart Grid virtual power plant through conservation, efficiency and advanced load shaping technologies, including installation of over 160,000 meters across its multi-state service area."

UNC's "energy use policy"

"Police Cite 7,500 Drivers for Cellphone Use" - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com

They surely ought to be equally illegal in NC, and in Southern Village especially.

"Rethinking Laundry in the 21st Century" - Room for Debate Blog - NYTimes.com

Now, here's an answer to Southern Village's energy challenges - set up clotheslines in our front yards!

Orange Water And Sewer Authority

This is the current state of our water supply - about 70%.

"CEOs for Cities :: New Study Shows More Walkable Homes Are Worth More"

Sidewalks are a lot cheaper than roads, and we are very lucky that D.R. BRYAN developed Southern Village to have many more yards, perhaps miles, of sidewalks than we have roads!

"Duke sets lofty goal on energy" - Local/State - News & Observer

What can Southern Village and its environs learn from the Duke plan, and how can we get a copy of the UNC plan and figure out how we could make ourselves part of that? Think for a moment about what a small amount of land separates Southern Village proper from UNC. Supppose we proposed to work with the people who live between us to make a much larger environmental improvement area?

"Will Smarter Roads Save Us More Money?" - Wheels Blog - NYTimes.com

We have a lot of people who work for IBM in Southern Village and nearby. Couldn't they tell us more about this program in the context of Southern Village and its environs? What are the possible ways in which traffic could be improved in our community that would reduce its impact on the environment, enhance pedestrian and vehicle safety, and generally improve people's lives? Since IBM is doing so much on this, shouldn't we expect our neighbors there to explain this in terms that relate to our community?

"When Members Run Afoul of the Park Slope Food Coop" - NYTimes.com

I wonder if all don't need to understand better the people who work at Weaver Street Market, both employees and volunteers?

"By Degrees - To Cut Global Warming, Swedes Study Their Plates" - NYTimes.com

Could we work together with Weaver Street Market and the restaurants of Southern Village to deal with some of this????

"Florida may become first bagless state in nation" - Home/Garden - News & Observer

Why don't we talk with all of the merchants in Southern Village and do this now? Maybe there is a place for Southern Village shopping bags - the permanent kind?

"California - Plastic, Now Paper?" - NYTimes.com

What more can we do to reduce the bags taken out of Southern Village stores by customers, and what we do to reduce the number of bags that Southern Village and environs customers bring home from stores elsewhere, or stuff that they get in the mail?

"Skin Deep - A Few Cookies a Day to Keep the Pounds Away?" - NYTimes.com

Note the views of Southern Village resident Sue HOBBS, toward the end of the story.

Weaver Street Market Annual Meeting with Michael SHUMAN

25 October 2009 in Carrboro.

"Duke Energy and Utility Commission reach settlement on rate increase" - newsobserver.com blogs

What a great opportunity this presents to people in Southern Village and environs to reduce their electricity consumption. Wouldn't a personal/household target of trying to reduce consumption enough to offset the price increase be a good one? For next year, that would be around a 4% decrease in electricity use and then a further decrease the following year of about the same. It seems reasonable and achievable to me. Who is willing to make their electric bills public for the past year and then continue to do so for next year?

"Business Travelers Take to Their Bikes" - NYTimes.com

A lot of people who live in Southern Village travel a lot. What are some of the interesting stories about what they do when they travel to reduce their impact on the environment?

In my own case, I spend a lot of time in France. For many years, I would rent a car each time I came. But now when I am here alone, I seldom rent a car, or do so only for special events as I am doing for three days at the end of my current trip. I walk everywhere I can and use the bus and tram system, and take taxis only a few times a year.

What do others do when they travel to another locaiton for personal or business reasons?

"A New Recycling Strategy Is Catching On" - NYTimes.com

It seems to me that there are a lot of things that we could do in Southern Village that would help us move in the same direction. For example, let's just take food waste that is compostable. My guess is that whatever that total amount is for Southern Village and its environs, including businesses, organizations and restaurants, that we are composting altogether perhaps 10% of the total - I bet it is closer to 5%.

If people do not want to compost at home, surely there is a portion of the community park or even one of our natural areas where we could set up compost containers for all to use, no?

"No Impact Week: Trash"

This is pretty neat. Anyone in Southern Village going to participate?

"The European Week for Waste Reduction" - ewwr.eu

It might be interesting to see what a week's focus could do for solid waste in Southern Village? Here is how France is addressing the matter (in French), noting that the per person waste in France is 390 kg or a little over 800 pounds. That includes everything that gets tossed; compostable garbage represents more than 275 pounds of the 800. What are the numbers in Southern Village?

"Powering a Nation"

This is a project at the journalism school at UNC, just up the street. Wouldn't it be nice to figure out some way that Southern Village and its environs could "plug in" - could not resist - to this undertaking?

"The Ridge at Chukker Creek: Equestrian Community with Green Homes and Homesites in Aiken, SC" - CarolinaLiving.com

How close to Net Zero could Southern Village homes become, and what would it take in renovation to ge there?

"10 Simple Steps to a Green Home: More Healthy, Energy Efficient & Environmentally Friendly" - CarolinaLiving.com

One can never slice this important pie in too many different pieces!

"Green Inc. Column - Local Assaults on the Global Climate Problem" - NYTimes.com

Wouldn't it be wonderful, as is said, if Southern Village and its environs could announce at the end of 2010 that we had all done X things that had resulted on our reducing our negative impact on the environment by Y amount? Whose willing to commit to try? What are you willing to do, specifically, that you are not now doing or what are you prepared to stop doing that you are?

"‘No Impact Man,’ by Colin Beavan" - First Chapter - NYTimes.com

I wonder if the Homeowners' Association "green" committee will get anyone to try this in Southern Village?

Scroggs information session?

There are some number of us who live in Southern Village and its environs who know about Scroggs school only through the children (of neighbors who attend) and their parents. I, for one, would love to attend a program at the school where the principal simply gives us non-parents of Scroggs kids a rundown on the current state of the school, issues, problems, accomplishments, profile, etc.

"Harrington Bank put on notice" - OCNC Housing & Commerce

Any developments in the last 2 months?

"Localism: Fewer Americans are Relocating" - Newsweek Personal Finance -- Retirement - Newsweek.com

This would be excellent background readin for a coffee chat in Southern Village sometime. As further background, it would be really interesting to to the research on how many homes in Southern Village and its environs have changed hand in recent years. One could separate out the new houses until they were sold, and then focus on the percentage of homes that turnover each year and see what those trends are.....

Orange Water And Sewer Authority

An update on our water supply.

"Reporter Resurrects Career - Buys His Own Paper" - NYTimes.com

If 2,600 people in New Mexico can support two newspapers, more or less, is there not some hope that the 3,000 plus people who live in and around Southern Village might be able to do the same?

"Market street Association at Southern Village petition to Council"

I don't think I recall reading this earlier in the year.

"Triangle fast-food restaurants go green" - WRAL.com

One of these is the Subway in Southern Village.

"Love Your Farmers Market Contest sponsored by Care2.com and LocalHarvest.org"

The Carrboro Farmers' Market finished 3rd.

"Mayoral Candidates Address Downtown Issues" - The Chapel Hill Magazine Blog - Chapel Hill Magazine

I sure am not impressed by what any of these candidates appear to have had to say. Where is the creativity? Where is the appreciation of how much taxes have increased? It strikes me that they are just touching hot buttons instead of getting inside the "machine" to fix what is wrong with downtown and with our tax bills.

"Kids Walk to School" - WCAX.COM

And in Southern Village?

List of countries that ban cellphone use while driving

I am in France, and I am struck, as I look at drivers in vehicles that they do not use any portable devices. The fine for doing so seems to do the trick? How can we be so stupid in the US as to allow people to risk the lives of others and their own by such idiotic behavior as trying to drive while holding a phone to one's ear????

The Weaver Street Market Annual Report - 2009

iBanknet - Harrington Bank, FSB

Another way to keep an eye on Harrington Bank.

"Chapel Hill Bubble Blog: Harrington Bank"

"Pavement to Parks" - Allison Arieff Blog - NYTimes.com

Temporary trail closing

"A section of the paved Fan Branch Trail through Southern Village will be closed for about 2 weeks to allow replacement of bridge decking on the 2 pedestrian bridges. The closure period may be longer if we experience poor weather. The section of trail that will be closed lies between Culbreth Road and Edgewater Drive. Attached is a photo of one of the bridges.

Because of the nature of the work (removal and replacement of bridge decking) we cannot reopen the trail after each day’s work.

For everyone’s safety please respect the closure until the work is completed. It is our goal to complete the project as quickly as possible.

If you have any questions please contact me.

William WebsterAssistant DirectorParks & RecreationTown of Chapel Hill200 Plant RoadChapel Hill, NC 27514
Phone: (919) 968-2819Cell: (919) 809-4721Fax: (919) 932-2923"

"Florida Town Tries Walking School Bus Project" - NPR

SpotCrime

"Thank you for contacting us about our syndicated SpotCrime.com content. We have been told that Chapel Hill is one of the next communities to be added to this service. The speed of integration depends largely on the availability of reliable and timely feeds from law enforcements agencies. Our SpotCrime contact is waiting on some information from the Chapel Hill Police Department before giving me a launch estimate. As soon as the data is available, we will add a link for Chapel Hill.

Best regards,

John Conway
Creative Services Director
WRAL.com / GOLO / WRALSportsFan.com / HighSchoolOT.com / Triangle411.com
O: 919.821.8849 / C: 919.614.6803 "

Garbage weight

I thought I would weigh our solid waste garbage today - 2 lbs. That's for two people for a week, composting and recycling the rest.

Siren test

"Next week, on Tuesday, September 22, the University will TEST its emergency sirens between noon and 1 p.m. as part of Alert Carolina, our campus safety awareness campaign. We test the sirens each semester to remind everyone what to do if they hear them go off for a real emergency and to make sure the equipment works properly. We just wanted to let you know about the test in case you hear the sirens. You don't need to take any action.
The sirens will only sound during a life-threatening emergency such as an armed and dangerous person on or near campus, a major chemical spill or hazard, or a tornado sighting. The sirens also broadcast brief public address announcements.
In a real emergency, the sirens will sound a second time with a different tone when authorities determine the situation is “All clear. Resume regular activities.” UNC police will use the “all clear” signal during Tuesday’s test.
People outside on or near campus, including downtown Chapel Hill, may hear the sirens. The sirens are at five locations: Hinton James Residence Hall off Manning Drive; the Gary R. Tomkins Chilled Water Operations Center behind the Dogwood Parking Deck; Winston Residence Hall at the corner of Raleigh Street and South Road; near Hill Hall behind University Methodist Church; and at the Giles Horney complex off Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.
The Alert Carolina web site, www.alertcarolina.unc.edu, is the best source of information during a campus emergency. You can learn more about the sirens and hear samples of the alert and “all clear” tones at the Alert Carolina site.
If you are the contact person for your neighborhood or community group, please forward this message to your members and others who may be interested."

"UNC alums pitch bike rental kiosks" - The Herald-Sun

Southern Village too?

Changing players

The real estate salesperson, Rhonda STULTS, and her partner Cindy GUDEMAN sent out new refrigerator magnets with Southern Village telephone numbers. I had an old one on the fridge and it is interesting to see what's changed.

Gone from the last one:

Bloom
Citrus
Cottage Shop
Market Street Books
Plum Spring
Pringles
SV Police Substation

New:

Atttorney, Tom Holt
Bilal Saib, DDS
Edible Arrangements
SV Pediatric Dentist

I am not sure if the real estate salespeople charge for the listing or not......

Then I found another, older one.....from Coldwell Banker. Listings on the older one that are not on the newest:

Homemade Suppers
Marrakesh
William H Bunch, CPA
Edwards Jones Investment
H2O Cleaners
Hatfield-Berrang Hearing Aid Center
Julie Mol, DDS
Ship On Site
State Farm Insurance
Travelink-American Express
UNC Dermatology
Coldwell Banker
Souther Village Apartments
Montgomery Carolina

I don't think it serves our interests well to be putting out lists without indicating that there are exclusions. Our businesses and organizations in Southern Village deserve our support and we need to be reminded frequently who they are and how to reach them!

"I.B.M. Sets Out to Make a City in Iowa ‘Smarter’" - Bits Blog - NYTimes.com

Why don't we do this in Southern Village?

"Ithaca’s Pioneers of Dog Waste Composting" - Green Inc. Blog - NYTimes.com

What an opportunity for Southern Community Park!

"Health Ills Abound as Farm Runoff Fouls Wells" - Series - NYTimes.com

How much do we know about which chemicals and other things are being washed into the drains of Southern Village from lawn treatments to other disposal? One would think that this could occasionally be tested? Does not everything that runs off ultimately pass into the stream that follows the trail to Culbreth? Does anyone ever test that water? How could we do that?

Diversity and sustainability

In thinking about the word "sustainable" and how one might apply it to Southern Village and its environs, I cannot help but think how important to sustainability is diversity. If there is one thing we could all do to promote a more sustainable environment here it would be to reach out when a house or condo is for sale and try to make sure that people of all colors know about the sale and, even more important, know that they would be welcome here. Anyone who walks around the neighborhood as I try to do cannot help but be struck by the lack of such diversity here today.

Strike a positive blow for diversity and help your neighbors by making sure that people of color consider a home here when properties are on the market!

"Following Trash on Its Journey Through the Waste Disposal System" - NYTimes.com

We may have a lot to learn from this in Southern Village.

"More Schools Encourage Commuting by Bike" - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com

What are the trends by people living in Southern Village or its environs to use bicycles to reach the schools that are eithere here or serving this area. At a minimum, that includes Scroggs, Culbreth and Carrboro schools. Any others? Much more important: what are the trends?

Weaver Street Market contest

Why not start a contest among us in Southern Village and environs for either or both - largest amount of purchases at Weaver Street Market each year and/or largest percentage increase from previous year? That sort of thing......

"USDA Urges Schools, Hospitals, Others To 'Buy Local'" - NPR

How can we make this work in Southern Village and environs? Where does Scroggs get its food? We know Pazzo! gets a little from the Scroggs school, but where does it get the rest? How about other food vendors in Southern Village? And how about all of us?

"UNC recycling effort keeps 300 pounds of plastic out of landfill" - Herald-Sun

How are we doing in Southern Village and environs? How could we measure this? A central plastic bag collection point in partnership with Weaver Street Market? What else?

Is there more than one place today - Weaver Street Market - where we can drop off plastic bags for recycling?

"Risk taking may be back for banks" - Herald-Sun

How do we get an update on the financial situation at Harrington Bank, following the Office of Thrift Supervision agreement? The Bank's newsletter seems to have died more than two years ago.

Google and Pazzo!

Two interesting short items in the new issue of Chapel Hill Magazine. One mentions that Google has a small office of technicians on Market Street and the other notes that Pazzo! is using some of what is being grown in the garden at Scroggs school. The magazine is not online.

Recycling day now Thursday

It appears as though they have changed our recycling pick up day to Thursday for all of Southern Village, effecting this week. Even with a full page ad in the Chapel Hill News, delivered to every home in Southern Village and with postcards mailed to every address, at least in principle, about 10% of the homes I passed today (9/15/09) still had their recycling out for pickup, today being Tuesday and not the new Thursday pickup day. As in the military, as one traditionally says, there is always the 10% that don't get the word!

"Bow and arrow hunt draws fire from PETA" - Herald-Sun

"The Walk-to-School Fight" - NYTimes.com

Water violations

This is how the area around us looks in this NYTimes interactive chart.

There are many fascinating numbers relating to North Carolina, such as 50% of the registered facilities in the state have violated the Clean Water Act!

Labor Day weekend at the Park

At 5 PM today, I saw 25 or so people -- mostly kids and adults in the play area.

A couple of guys were shooting baskets. I have yet to see anyone playing a game of basketball there.

The playing fields, once again, were empty except for a fellow training his dog, hopefully trained already in the art of not relieving itself on expensive grass!

Mid-week morning at the Park

Well, here are my sigthings at about 9:30 this morning:

• 3 joggers
• 1 biker
• 3 walkers
• 3 Town supervisors (or so they appeared)
• 1 child
• 3 adults

Not a soul on any of the playing fields.

Cleanup at the Park - bravo!

I am not sure whether volunteers or Town employees did the job, but it was impressive this morning to see all of the trash from the weekend collected and bagged at the Park, awaiting pick up. Bravo to those involved and I hope we can keep it looking that nice!

A crowd at the Park!

I started to count a few people in the Park today until I got up to the playing fields which - for the first time, I think - were filled with people! Maybe more than 100. I am not sure which teams were playing, and it would be nice to know how to follow who is playing when. How do we do that?

"Driven to Distraction - Multitasking Drivers in Utah Face Tough Law on Texting" - Series - NYTimes.com

We should all be encouraging anyone using any electronic device while driving a vehicle in Southern Village and environs to do one simple thing: stop it.

The Park again

This morning at about 9:

• 15 adults
• 6 kids
• 1 worker
• 2 joggers
• 1 dog

Enviornmental priorities for Southern Village and environs

Paul ROWE, of Southern Village, has told me that he is putting together some sort of a "Green Team" for Southern Village either as part of the Southern Village Homeowners Association or tied to it in some way. It's not clear to me yet what they hope to accomplish.

Here are some to the ideas that I intend to share with them (and I hope to edit this in coming days):

• Work with PSNC, Duke Energy and OWASA to see if we can learn the total energy consumption for Southern Village and environs going back several years and then let's work to reduce it.
• Ask Chape Hill Transit for ridership numbers (I am not sure how they do this) for the V and NS lines for the last several years, and I think there are one or two others that come to Southern Village, and then seek to increase those passenger numbers.
• Ask the relevant people in Orange County and maybe Chapel Hill for the total amount of non-recyclable garbage we produce, again going back several years. Let's set a target to reduce it.
• Find out the amount of recycling for the last several years, and then figure out if we want to set a target higher, the same or less. Recycling is good if it comes from necessary items that otherwise would have gone to the garbage, but it is bad if people are accumulating more "stuff" that comes in packaging that gets discarded.
• Do an area census of all homeowners to ask how many have and use composters; do we have a community compost bin for those in homes with no place to use the compost?

Can't we do better?

At 9 AM today:

• 13 walkers
• 4 dogs
• 6 kids

First day of school

I walked up to the Park this morning around 8:45 and I sense a change in turnout...

• 12 walkers
• 4 children
• 5 joggers
• 5 dogs

As I passed Scroggs, I noted how many bicycles were parked there. Kids set good example for their parents who ought to follow those examples.

"The future of solar power" - GlobalPost

It would be interesting to know the impact, if any, of these developments on Solar Tech, the company across 15-501 from Southern Village. I believe they sell German-made products, but I am not sure.

Sunday in the Park

At 10:30 AM today - Sunday, saw these creatures:

• 3 adult bikers
• 2 child bikers
• 1 adult and 2 children exploring the "pond"
• 40 adults and kids in the play area, about 50/50
• 1 skater on the basketball court
• 4 skaters on the "rink"
• 2 walkers
• 2 dogs

The best part, tho, were all of the people - 50-100 - who were at Scroggs for a soccer match. This is the second time I have seen teams playing there that appear to be made of Hispanics....and the second time I have been so impressed by the quality of the play. Where do we find the schedules for these matches?

Another Park "census"

This morning I was out in Southern Community Park again. Passed these people:

• 17 kids using the swings play equipment, having a good time
• 17 adults/parents with them
• 2 Chapel Hill workers
• 4 kids on bikes
• 1 adult biker
• 2 walkers

It was 10:30 AM.

"Pittsboro-Chapel Hill bus route launches Aug. 17" - News: Orange County

So far, this assumes that no one wants to go to Fearington or Pittsboro from Chapel Hill in the morning or to return from there in the late afternoon. Why not at least present the option as I assume the buses are operating on some sort of loop system???? And include a stop in Southern Village or at least on 15-501 at one of the Southern Village entrances?

Another morning walk to the Park

Today, a little after 9 AM, here is whom I encountered:

• 2 kids on bikes
• 1 adult biker
• 5 dogs
• 5 walkers
• 4 adults in the play area
• 4 kids in the play area
• 1 young person

TheTownHallGrill (TownHallGrill) on Twitter

I wonder how many people and organizations in the Southern Village area are on Twitter?

This morning at Southern Community Park

Today, I walked up to the park at 9 AM. Here's who I saw:

• 2 bikers
• 1 jogger
• 7 adults walking for the most part
• 3 adults with 3 kids in the play area
• 1 hockey player

I also noticed that the light in the men's room seems to always be on - at least from the outside. Unless they are using LED bulbs or some such think, I would think they could be turned off with a note on how to find the switch, or could be motion-activated, no?

Southern Community Park again

I walked to the park again today. This time about 4 PM on Sunday. Here's who I saw:

• Maybe 20 adults and children in the play area with the swings, etc.
• 2 people who looked like they had been palying disc frisbee or whatever it is called
• 9 people and 4 dogs in the dog area
• 15 or so people at the picnic tables under cover

What I did not see was a single person walking on the trail, no one at any of the basketball courts or the inline hockey rink or anywhere else.

Is this what one might call success?

I realized also that neither the park nor Southern Village is served by any buses on either Sat or Sun. Is that the way it should be?

Southern Community Park

Does anyone know where to find a schedule of games to be played at the Park? I can find nothing.

I walked up to the Park today about 1 PM - a bright, sunny day in August with temperatures in the low 80s. In the course of my circuit, starting and ending at Aberdeen on the trail, I saw

3 walkers

2 fellows playing the disc frisbee or whatever it is called

2 people walking 2 dogs in the dog park

That seems a tad underutilized to me.

Safety rules for landscape people

What are the rules we think people cutting grass or doing other landscape work in Southern Village and its environs ought to follow? Most grass cutters stop while we pass, and that is very thoughtful of them.

But I am asking more about safety. Should any piece of equipment ever be left running without an operator in control - from weedwackers to trucks? What chemicals do we think are ok to apply to areas bordering public rights away and which ones do we want to try to eliminate? There are many more.....

Cars and trucks on inclines

As I walk around Southern Village, I see many cars and some trucks parked on inclines. That's necessary, in some cases, because of the hills we enjoy here.

What's missing in almost every case, tho, is proper blocking of the wheels of a vehicle left on an incline of 20 degrees or more. Ok, if the vehicle is on the road and the driver turns the wheels such that the car would roll back against the curb, and if the wheels are indeed already close to the curb, that's fine. Otherwise, on the street or in a driveway, for the sake of the kids of the community, put a block of some sort behind at least one wheel.

If you don't, you risk lives and losing any lawsuit that results from your negligence. The legendary "reasonably prudent person" would know to put a block in place on a steep incline, and you should, too!

"Bank: We're in good shape" - Business - News & Observer

This is Harrington Bank again. Note that all the statements here by those close to the bank are from the bank itself. The story provides no comments by anyone who both knows the bank and is competent in this field. So, a reasonably intelligent person would read the Office of Thrift Supervision document and ask the bank lots of specific questions about compliance under that agreement, if that person really wanted to know what was happening. I surely would not rely on a bank that has not complied with federal law (see the agreement) to tell me what's happening.

Here is just a portion of the agreement, referring to Harrington as the Association:

"WHEREAS, based on its January 20,2009 examination of the Association (2009
Examination), the OTS finds that the Association has failed to comply with the requirements of
laws and regulations to which the Association is subject, failed to adopt and implement
appropriate and comprehensive operational and risk management practices and strategies, and
failed to identify and correct other deficiencies and weaknesses in its operations;...."

"Bank is told to shape up, or be seized" - Business - News & Observer

This is Harrington Bank with an office in Southern Village.

Trucks on steep driveways...

I passed a truck today on Aberdeen, parked on an inclined driveway that I bet is close to 30 degrees. The truck was facing the street and was set up for a work crew that must have been inside the house to load stuff on the flatbed from the rear with a kind of gangplank arrangement. That meant that people and/or equipment would be rolling/walking on and off the bed of the truck.

What was missing was any blocking at all of the truck's tires. Having seen a car roll out of one of these same Aberdeen driveways once before and across the street, I could imagine an awful accident.

I called the company whose name was on the side of the truck and got a voice mail.

So I called 911 and felt that the lieutenant with whom I spoke was going to send someone out to investigate.

Public safety, I think, is everyone's business.

Sidewalk north from Cole Park Plaza - Herald-Sun

Note the second item here - reporting that a sidewalk will be built from Cole Park Plaza one mile to the north to the Orange County line. Those of us who prefer to walk places, unlike those who drive gas guzzling "trucks" (aka, SUVs) with no passengers, now need to lobby the Orange County powers-that-be to add sidewalks to fill the gap between the one that ends by the Community Park and the Chatham line.

"Good Neighbors & Southern Village Trash" - Southern Village HOA

The economic crisis has suddenly become so much worse - some people stealing garbage can space and garbage losing so much of its value that you cannot even give it away anymore. Honestly, can it get any worse than this? Maybe producing a little less garbage would solve everyone's problem except for those who saw trash as the future and became today's private dumpster proprietors. We all get to make some choices in life!