Showing posts in the “North Carolina” category
Samiha Khanna ·
18 Mar 2010, 1:32 PM ·
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Supporters of Durham's application for Google's high-speed Internet project spell out the company's name. Photo by Jeremy M. Lange
Supporters of Durham’s application for the national Google Fiber project gathered at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park this afternoon to spell out the company’s name on the baseball outfield.
A photographer in a plane was schedule to fly over the field around noon to take a photo of the assembly. According to Sam Poley of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau, more than 700 people turned out for the event. There weren’t quite enough people to spell “We want Google,” he said. Just the word “Google.” The “We want” part will be added as text, said Poley, who is part of a committee working on Durham’s bid for the Google Fiber project. He hopes to release a photo shortly.
Durham is among hundreds of towns and cities nationwide who are vying for Google’s attention and hoping to lure the company to install fiber-optic networks that would allow for Internet connections at extremely high speeds.
See the Indy’s recent cover story and Durham’s Web site for the project for more information.
Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, national, news broadband, City of Durham, DBAP, Durham, Durham Bulls, Google, Google Fiber, Internet
Samiha Khanna ·
15 Mar 2010, 10:49 AM ·
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In a follow-up to our cover March 10 cover story, “Gaga for Google’s fiber,” we’d like to update metrics of the involvement of the Triangle’s top three participants.
Durham’s still ahead in Facebook presence, with 2,180 fans on its “Bring Google Fiber to Durham N.C.,” page, while 935 people have signed up for “Bring Google Fiber to Raleigh!”. The western part of the Triangle is not far behind: the Facebook group “Bring Google Fiber to Chapel Hill & Carrboro N.C.” boasts 906 members.
The towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and UNC-Chapel Hill, will hold a public forum at 7 p.m. today at Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., to receive public comment regarding community interest in the fiber optic trial and how residents would use an ultra-high speed Internet network.
On Thursday, Durhamites hope to make a splash by corralling thousands of locals into the Durham Bulls Athletic Park at 11 a.m. Thursday to spell out “We want Google” on the field, to pose for an aerial photograph. More here >>
Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, Raleigh, Wake County, business, media, national, news Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, Google, Google Fiber, Internet, Raleigh, Triangle
Bob Geary ·
8 Mar 2010, 10:26 AM ·
1 Comment
Isn’t it amazing that the the U.S. Supreme Court decision equating free speech with corporate money, the one that allows corporations to spend unlimited sums on candidates and causes they like (or, more often, dislike), came in a case known as “Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission.”
That’s “Citizens” as in “Corporations Hiding Behind a Made-Up Name that Makes Us Look Like We’re Just Folks.”
The ramifications of this, and what we in North Carolina should do about it, will be discussed at a forum, “The Future of Campaign Financing in North Carolina,” on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Beyu Caffe in Durham.
From the Facebook listing:
Panelists:
Damon Circosta, Executive Director of N.C. Center for Voter Education.
Chase Foster, Director of NC Voters for Clean Elections
Representative Henry M. Michaux, Jr., North Carolina House of Representatives – District 31
Moderated by: Laura Leslie, WUNC’s Capitol Bureau Chief
Beyu Caffé is located at 335 W. Main St., Durham, NC 27701
In the January 21st 5-4 ruling of United v. FEC, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned restrictions against corporate spending in American elections. Corporations are no longer viewed separately from individuals and are not limited to spending through Political Action Committees. They can now directly support or not support their choice of candidates.
So what does this mean for North Carolina, cities and counties in the Triangle, and you? Will we see corporations spending more on candidates or is public financing of campaigns in our future?
Durham, North Carolina, politics Citizens United
Samiha Khanna ·
5 Mar 2010, 1:52 PM ·
1 Comment
Folks, this is even bigger than the “We Want Oprah!” sign that used to occupy the windows of a converted motel on Corcoran Street downtown.
Durham wants Google. Specifically, Durham residents, businesses, elected leaders and creatives are hoping to lure Google Fiber, an project that Google is embarking on to bring broadband fiber and high-speed Internet access to one or more lucky cities in the U.S. Google has opened the application process to the entire country, and like many cities across the country have demonstrated in recent days, Durham wants in.
To demonstrate Durham’s engagement, a committee has organized an effort to spell the words “We want Google” on the field of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Thursday, March 18, said Sam Poley, a spokesman on Durham’s application for Google Fiber. An aerial photographer will take photos of the display that day and submit them to Google when the application is due, March 26. Continue reading »
Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, business, national, news City of Durham, DBAP, Durham Bulls, Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau, Google Fiber, Internet, technology
Joe Schwartz ·
5 Mar 2010, 12:09 PM ·
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Dan Pollitt, who dedicated his life to fighting for civil rights in courts and academia, died this morning at age 88, according to the Carrboro Citizen, which first reported the story.
Dan Pollitt and his wife, N.C. Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, with President Barack Obama at a campaign event.
Pollitt, who married State Sen. Ellie Kinnaird in 2009, is a past chairman of the faculty at UNC and helped lead the charge against the speaker ban in 1963.
He will be remembered as a champion for equality and justice, especially in liberal circles.
Rob Schofield, director of research at the progressive think tank N.C. Policy Watch, called Pollitt a “brilliant attorney who used his intellect and commitment to fight for the underdog.
“Throughout the last half decade, there was scarcely an important civil rights or social justice cause in our state that Dan didn’t impact for the better,” Schofield wrote at the N.C. Policy Watch blog. “He will be missed tremendously.”
Pollitt was also an occasional contributor to the Indy. You can read his work here.
North Carolina, Orange County, politics Carrboro Citizen, civil rights, Dan Pollitt, Ellie Kinnaird, NC Policy Watch, speaker ban
Samiha Khanna ·
3 Mar 2010, 4:43 PM ·
1 Comment
After a meeting of city and county elected officials, it doesn’t appear that the City Council or County Commissioners will be reconsidering the Durham’s 26-page ordinance on signage any time soon. When asked by Durham’s planning department whether it’s time to revisit the ordinance, Durham leaders vehemently answered, “No.”
“I personally am not in favor of opening the sign ordinance,” said City Councilwoman Diane Catotti, at Wednesday’s meeting of Durham’s Joint City-County Planning Committee, for which she is chairwoman. “I think it’s a lot cleaner in terms of litigation to support the sign ordinance in place. I do fear litigation. It’s a lengthy and costly process and I don’t think I have to remind any of you that the city has significant litigation still pending. I’ll just say ‘lacrosse.’”
Catotti commented that sign litigation is a prominent form of action taken against governments, and that Durham itself went through a nearly 10-year battle over a signage lawsuit from the 1980s and 1990s that cost the city nearly $1.5 million. Continue reading »
Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, news, politics campaign contributions, City of Durham, Diane Catotti, Durham City Council, Durham County Commissioners, Durham JCCPC, Durham Planning Commission, Durham planning department, Durham politics, electronic billboards, Ellen Reckhow, Fairway, litigation, Patrick Byker, Steve Medlin, Unified Development Ordinance
Samiha Khanna ·
26 Feb 2010, 3:57 PM ·
Comment
Several local politicos waited until the last minute to throw their names into the hat in Durham’s local and state elections. Candidates had until noon today to declare their intentions to run.
Several previously uncontested races now boast challengers, and in three offices—Durham District Attorney, Clerk of Court and N.C. House District 29—incumbent Democrats Tracey Cline, Archie Smith and Rep. Larry Hall face no challengers.
The rundown of today’s filings:
- Republican Laney Funderburk, of Glenmore Drive, has filed for N.C. Senate District 20, challenging incumbent Democrat Sen. Floyd McKissick. Funderburk ran for Durham City Council in 2007.
- Republican Patricia Ladd of Shaw Road has filed against incumbent Democrat Rep. H.M. Mickey Michaux.
- Republican Larry Yarbrough of Duck Pointe Drive in Roxboro has filed for N.C. House District 55, facing incumbent Democrat Rep. Winkie Wilkins. Two other Democrats are also vying for Wilkins’ seat.
- Democrat Tony Butler of North Willowhaven Drive will face incumbent Durham County Sheriff Worth Hill in a Democratic primary. Roy Taylor, a Republican, also has filed for this office.
- In the Durham school board election, Regina Stanley-King of Wayne Circle has entered the race against Pastor Fredrick Davis for the District 2 seat. Stanley-King first ran for office in 2005, in an unsuccessful bid against veteran Howard Clement for a City Council seat.
For the full list, visit the Durham Board of Elections Web site.
Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, education, news, politics 2010 elections, Archie Smith, Durham Board of Elections, Durham City Council, Durham County Sheriff, Durham politics, Durham school board, Howard Clement, Laney Funderburk, N.C. House, N.C. legislature, NC Senate, Pastor Fredrick Davis, Patricia Ladd, Regina Stanley-King, Rep. Larry Hall, Rep. Mickey Michaux, Rep. Winkie Wilkins, Sen. Floyd McKissick, Tony Butler, Tracey Cline, Worth Hill
Samiha Khanna ·
26 Feb 2010, 11:10 AM ·
Comment
Michael Vick, the NFL player convicted in 2007 for running an illegal dogfighting ring in Virginia, is speaking to a group of Durham students this morning at New Horizons Academy of Excellence on Hunt Street.
Vick, who now plays for the Philadelphia Eagles, was sentenced to 23 months in prison for fighting and inhumanely killing pit bulls in the dogfighting ring. He has held other speaking events and made public apologies for his treatment of animals. He was scheduled to begin an assembly at New Horizons at 10 a.m. today.
New Horizons Academy of Excellence is an independent school that provides ongoing education and job training to middle and high school age students who have been long-term suspended, expelled, or have dropped out of Durham Public Schools.
Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, national, news dogfighting, Durham, Michael Vick, New Horizons, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles
Samiha Khanna ·
25 Feb 2010, 4:58 PM ·
Comment
A Republican candidate filed Thursday afternoon to challenge state Rep. Paul Luebke in the race for N.C. House District 30, which represents Durham County. Luebke, a Democrat, has served 10 terms in the state legislature.
Jason Chambers, of 7705 Guess Road in Hillsborough, entered the race just before 5 p.m. His address, which is in Durham County, appears to be affiliated with a tax-exempt fraternal organization known as Woodmen of the World Life Insurance. UPDATE - Chambers called to let us know he has lived in Durham County his whole life and has been an avid political follower for several years. He is in his mid-20s.
Candidate filings are open until noon tomorrow.
Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, news, politics 2010 elections, Jason Chambers, N.C. House, N.C. legislature, NC House District 30, Paul Luebke, politics
Bob Geary ·
23 Feb 2010, 4:08 PM ·
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The U.S. Department of Energy is out with an inspector general’s report today on the “progress” of the Obama Administration’s program for weatherizing low-income homes — and creating much-needed jobs in the bargain. The New York Times‘ summary: It has “borne little fruit” after a year.
So little, in fact, that the IG called it “alarming,” the Times says:
New York State, for example, had a goal of weatherizing 45,400 units over three years but by December had accomplished only 280, a completion rate of 0.62 percent, the report found. One reason was a hiring freeze in New York City.
Progress in Pennsylvania, which weatherized 1.28 percent of the houses and apartments it had intended to, was slowed by a deadlock over the state budget, the report said. Illinois wanted to hire 21 workers to oversee nearly work on 27,000 homes; it hired none because of a spending freeze, and completed only 331, or 1.23 percent of its three-year target.
Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Texas and Wyoming had not weatherized any units by Feb. 16, the report said.
But what about North Carolina, you ask? The answer is on page 3 of the report. North Carolina planned to weatherize 22,203 units. So far, it’s done 197 — or less than 1 percent.
But in North Carolina’s defense, the report continues:
Although North Carolina’s original state plan had been approved by the Department in June 2009, the State had to submit an amended plan, including budget information, through its Department of Commerce. The amended state plan was ultimately not approved by the Department of Energy until November 2009. Accordingly, North Carolina did not have access to its allocation for the Weatherization Program until that time.
***
Wasn’t this supposed to be the simplest of programs for the new Administration — a program that would pay its way both in energy savings and job skills learned by the workers — that it was cinch to be successful?
Oh, my.
North Carolina, national, news Barack Obama, jobs, weatherization
