Web Run

Chatham aid sought for Chapel Hill park
[May 9, 2007] Orange County Commissioners asked their Chatham County counterparts to kick in money for a park planned near the county line. Moses Carey, chairman of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, said Chapel Hill's Southern Community Park -- designed with soccer fields, basketball courts, picnic shelters and other amenities -- is expected to draw plenty of residents of Chatham County, and Orange would rather not have to keep them out. "We're appealing to our Chatham County neighbors to work with us on this so we won't even be thinking about putting up any barriers," Carey said. By WEB RUN - N&O

Chatham schools stuffed
[May 4, 2007] Chatham County's schools are growing by 110 to 120 new students a year, and, if nothing changes, high schools will be 700 students over capacity within five years, according to consultants. According to Jeff Tsai and Michael Miller of the N.C. State University's Operations Research Education Lab, the greatest growth is occurring in Pittsboro, Siler City and northeastern Chatham County By WEB RUN - N&O

Nonprofit urging public input on Jordan Lake watershed
[May 4, 2007] Local conservationists will soon start working on getting people motivated to attend public hearings on a plan devised by the state to improve the quality of the Jordan Lake watershed. By WEB RUN - Herald-Sun

Quarry opponents buy up land
[Apr. 17, 2007] Plans for a rock quarry in Chatham County's Mount Vernon Springs community may be crumbling after part of the site was sold to opponents of the project. Maryland-based ISP Minerals had plans to build a 1,076-acre quarry off Old U.S. 421 southeast of Siler City. The Siler City Board of Commissioners approved them in July. But locals unhappy with living near a quarry -- for the manufacture of roofing granules -- sued ISP, along with the town of Siler City and various Siler City officials who had a part in approving the plans. By WEB RUN - N&O

Lawyer: Sheriff not liable in death
[Apr. 17, 2007] Shennel McCrimon McKendall's family says Chatham County Sheriff Richard Webster didn't work hard enough to confiscate a gun belonging to her estranged husband or to protect her - despite deputies' promises that they would do so. In Chatham County Superior Court on Monday, Webster's attorney, Jim Secor, argued the wrongful death lawsuit filed by McKendall's family should be dismissed. Among other things, Secor said it was Randy McKendall's responsibility to turn over all weapons and ammunition after his wife secured a domestic violence protective order against him in November 2004. By WEB RUN - N&O

Second Carolina Brewery's taps will flow in August
[Apr. 9, 2007] The Carolina Brewery -- apparently the first mini brewery in Chatham County -- is coming to town and is scheduled to open in August. The restaurant and bar will be similar to the original Chapel Hill location on West Franklin Street. The new location, on the site of the Lowe's Home Improvement store at the U.S. 15-501 and U.S. 64 intersection just north of town, will start out with the same menu and beer will be brewed on site. The new brewery will have just under 200 seats, a separate bar and restaurant, and space available for private dining, from office functions to wedding parties. By WEB RUN - Herald-Sun

Chatlist gives Chatham a say
[Apr. 9, 2007] Politics, flying squirrels and manure don't have much in common, unless you subscribe to the Chatham Chatlist. The daily electronic mailing list is part gossip column, part 411 and part classifieds. And Chathamites are eating it up. Nearly 2,300 people make up this virtual community -- that's almost the entire population of Pittsboro. Gene Galin, 46, is the man behind the list. He created it in 1997 as a one-page Web post, hoping neighbors would talk over it like a back fence. By WEB RUN - N&O

Morgan called to testify in suit over project
[Apr. 5, 2007] The former chairman of the Chatham County Board of Commissioners has been called to testify in a lawsuit against the county over a shopping center he voted to approve. So Bunkey Morgan, who lost his re-election bid last year, asked the Chatham County Board of Commissioners to provide his legal representation. On Monday, board members agreed to pay for Morgan's defense. They also agreed to provide a lawyer for any past commissioner sued over county business. By WEB RUN - N&O

Chatham ponders slowdown for homes
[Apr. 3, 2007] The Chatham County Commissioners may consider a residential development moratorium sometime in the near future as they try to respond to expected rapid growth in the eastern part of the county. The commissioners discussed the possibility at their meeting Monday morning after a presentation by Paul Black, principal planner with the Triangle J Council of Governments. According to a recent Triangle J study that looked at growth trends, census data, approved subdivisions as well as undeveloped land in eastern Chatham, 117,131 people could be living in the area by 2035. Currently, about 34,000 people live in the eastern part of the county. By WEB RUN - Herald-Sun

Projects may go on hold
[Apr. 3, 2007] Nearly 15,000 new homes have been approved for construction in Chatham County. The Chatham County Board of Commissioners thinks that may be enough for now. Commissioners say the county may need at least a yearlong moratorium on new subdivisions. The county needs time to write ordinances covering issues such as lighting and development along its major highways, commissioners said Monday. It needs time to figure out where to get the new residents' water and where to send their treated wastewater. By WEB RUN - N&O

Chatham tax idea supported, derided
[Mar. 30, 2007] Chatham County's state representatives support letting Chatham levy a 1 percent land transfer tax to build schools and water and sewer systems in the growing county. But an influential lobbying group, the N.C. Realtors Association, is using highway signs, TV commercials and a Web site called itsabadidea.org to fight the tax. Local groups are also forming to oppose the proposal.

Chatham jail is outdated and all but outgrown
[Mar. 22, 2007] The cell doors in the Chatham County jail are so narrow that guards have to drag sick inmates out of their cells to lay them on a stretcher. At 51 beds, the jail is so small that officers can't separate adults from juvenile inmates, and those awaiting trial from those who've been convicted. It's time, Sheriff Richard Webster told the Chatham County Board of Commissioners this week, to expand the 25-year-old jail. By WEB RUN - N&O

Citizen activists' suit opened up records
[Mar. 16, 2007] Chatham County artist Gretchen Lothrop was a reluctant gadfly at first. But being denied public records repeatedly and then winning in court on behalf of openness in government has made Lothrop a proud sunshine warrior, even though she and other citizens shelled out $35,000 to get what was rightfully theirs -- and yours By WEB RUN - N&O

Chatham officials create Environmental Review Board
[Feb. 26, 2007] The Chatham County Commissioners hope a newly formed Environmental Review Board will help them become more environmentally conscious and protect the county's natural resources. The board voted unanimously recently to create the review board, naming 10 voting members to the panel -- two appointees by each commissioner -- and one ex-officio member, who may be appointed when needed for specific projects. Members will serve for four-year terms. By WEB RUN - Herald-Sun