Showing posts in the “Pittsboro” category
Lisa Sorg ·
21 Dec 2009, 9:57 AM ·
9 Comments
By Rebekah Cowell
After 32 years of business, the owner of Beggars & Choosers, Pittsboro’s eclectic vintage shop has decided to take a hiatus after an Oct. 24 robbery during the town’s Street Fair wiped out the store’s jewelry case, cash register and ultimately owner Pam Smith’s faith in her customers.
“I’ve always loved what I do, and right now I don’t,” said Smith.
The final day of business is Jan. 2.
The robber took Smith’s gold and silver jewelry, priceless cameos, watches, amber and cash. “They had cased the store and they knew right where the valuable items were.” Smith did not have insurance on her vintage merchandise, and she doubts she will ever see the stolen jewelry again. “I’m sure they’ll melt it down.”
For now, Smith’s lack of joy in working the store has diminished to the point of where she doesn’t trust her customers.
She needs a break, but at 62, she said she’s not ready to retire and may not close for good.
“I wish I could get a grip,” Smith said. “Part of me says it was just stuff and no one got hurt, but the other part of me doesn’t trust anyone, and you can’t run a business if you don’t love your customers.”
Since announcing the closing over the weekend, Smith has been warmed by the community’s response. As one customer mentioned, the downtown Pittsboro community will not be the same without Smith’s creative corner window displays and decked-out mannequins.
On Smith’s last day of business, Smith will hold a storewide sale with merchandise discounted as much as 50 to 75 percent. “This is our way of giving back to all of you who have made our lives rich in love and laughter,” wrote Smith in her store closing announcement.
“I know it was just stuff, but my faith was robbed and until I can work through that, I need to take some time.”
Pittsboro, news Beggars & Choosers, robbery, store closing
Lisa Sorg ·
11 Dec 2009, 12:49 PM ·
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ProPublica, the investigative nonprofit based in New York City, has compiled an exhaustive accounting of the federal stimulus money for every county in the U.S.
Of the $7.4 billion allocated to North Carolina, Chatham County received $4.9 million in grants, loans and contracts, or an average of $79 for each of the county’s 63,077 residents.
Here are some of the beneficiaries. Click here for a complete list. We’ll be updating other Triangle counties throughout the day.
FlyLeaf Books which has opened in Chapel Hill on Airport Boulevard: $126,000 Small Business Administration loan
Starrlight Mead, a honey winery opening in Saxapahaw in nearby Alamance County: $55,000 SBA loan
Town of Pittsboro: $607,500 to build a fire station
Chatham County Sheriff’s Office: $44,746 K9 Field Team Supervisor
Silk Hope Ruritan Club: $950,000 for rural housing
Chatham County, North Carolina, Pittsboro, economy Chatham County Sheriff, federal stimulus dollars, Flyleaf Books, ProPublica, Silk Hope Ruritan Club, Starrlight Mead
Lisa Sorg ·
3 Nov 2009, 10:06 PM ·
2 Comments
It’s closer than most political observers imagined: Just 64 votes separated Pittsboro Mayor Randy Voller from his under-the-radar challenger, Republican Bill Crawford, giving Voller the win, but hardly a commanding one, especially for a well-known incumbent. With both town precincts reporting, Voller tallied 392 votes to Crawford’s 328, according to the Chatham County Board of Elections.
And in the Town Commissioner’s race, Pamela Baldwin won one of two seats with 461 votes. However, the second-place finish was decided by just eight votes, giving Michael Fiocco a 345-337 edge over Andrew Allden, who could ask for a recount or a runoff.
Chatham County, Pittsboro, politics Andrew Allden, Bill Crawford, Michael Fiocco, Pamela Baldwin, Randy Voller
Lisa Sorg ·
3 Nov 2009, 9:36 PM ·
Comment
Absentee votes are the only ballots that have been counted in the Pittsboro mayoral and town commissioner races, but incumbent Mayor Randy Voller has a 60-39 lead with the town’s two precincts yet to have reported, according to the Chatham County Board of Elections.
In a three-way race for two seats on the Pittsboro Town Commission, incumbent Pamela Baldwin has 43 percent of the vote, floowed by Andrew Allden with 31 percent and Michael Fiocco with 23. 5 percent.
Chatham County, Pittsboro, politics Andrew Allden, Michael Fiocco, Pamela Baldwin, Randy Voller
Lisa Sorg ·
27 Oct 2009, 4:28 PM ·
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No major bombshells in Randy Voller’s latest campaign finance report, filed Oct. 26.
The mayoral incumbent collected $2,453 in the last month for a total of $7,841 for the election cycle. He has spent most of his campaign cash since late September: $3,958 of the total $4,058. See the report here (pdf, 924 KB): vollercampaignfinance
Voller’s contributors include Pittsboro General Store restaurateur Vance Remick, Jill Ehrenfeld of the Bean And Barrel, who gave $100 each. Chatham Coalition vice-chair John Hammond contributed $64 in the form of an in-kind donation, while the committee to Elect Peter Rubinas ponied up $201 and change. Rubinas unsuccessfully ran for Chatham County school board last fall and received the Chatham Coalition’s endorsement.
Voller faces Republican Bill Crawford in the Nov. 3 election. Early voting continues through Oct. 31.
Pittsboro, politics Chatham Coalition, JillEhrenfeld, Peter Rubinas, Randy Voller, Vance Remick
Samiha Khanna ·
13 Oct 2009, 12:06 AM ·
5 Comments
Durham’s Board of County Commissioners voted 3 to 2 Monday night to move a protected area around Jordan Lake on county maps, opening the door for a dense development being drafted for 164 acres in the southwest part of the county. Commissioners Ellen Reckhow and Becky Heron cast the opposing votes.
Though the vote approved just the zoning of Jordan Lake’s protective buffer — not an actual development plan — the change cleared a major hurdle for the much-contested development, 751 Assemblage, which would contain 1,300 residences and 600,000 square feet of office and retail space. (Read more about the proposed development and its history here.) Monday night’s change takes the land to be developed from protected and virtually unable to be developed to a less-protected designation that allows for the mixed-use vision of the developer, Southern Durham Development.
More than 70 people signed up to speak on the proposed shift of the critical and protected buffers around Jordan Lake, which is a drinking water reservoir for Cary and Chatham County, and could soon provide water to Durham’s residents, too. Most who spoke opposed the rezoning, saying it would allow development too close to the water source and would further pollute already tainted waters. Opposers included members of the Haw River Assembly, who attempted to petition the change (read more here) and residents of neighboring developments.
Supporters of the zoning change mostly were also supporters of 751 Assemblage who wanted this obstacle, which has loomed for three years, out of the way. They said the new development could bring jobs, possibly a land donation for new schools and a larger tax base for the county. Supporters included members of the developer’s cadre of lawyers and architects, city council candidate Donald Hughes and Lavonia Allison of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People.
Continue reading »
Durham, Durham County, Pittsboro, news, politics 751 Assemblage, development, Durham County Commissioners, haw river assembly, jordan lake, protest petition, Southern Durham Development
Lisa Sorg ·
7 Oct 2009, 9:16 AM ·
3 Comments
Rebekah Cowell reports that Pittsboro mayoral challenger Bill Crawford will not attend tonight’s candidates’ forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters. Crawford, who is challenging incumbent Randy Voller, informed Joyce Colaiace, president of the LWV’s Chatham County Unit, by email yesterday.
The forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Superior Court House in Pittsboro.
LWV sent its candidates’ invitations more than a month ago, and received a confirmation from Crawford that he would attend.
Colaiace says it is shocking to have a candidate in a two-person race withdraw shortly before a candidates’ forum.
“Since there are only two candidates, it’s really too bad that there can’t be debate on their opposing opinions for the voters who attend the forum,” said Colaiace.
Crawford has not returned the Indy’s calls seeking comment.
The forum will continue with Voller answering prepared questions from the LWV, followed by questions from the audience. The forum will also include commissioner candidates Andrew Allden, Pamela Baldwin and Michael Fiocco, vying for two open seats on the Town Board.
Pittsboro, politics Andrew Allden, Bill Crawford, candidate forum, League of Women Voters, Michael Fiocco, Pamela Baldwin, Randy Voller
Jennifer Strom ·
3 Oct 2009, 7:26 PM ·
1 Comment
Long-time Chatham County progressive activist and 2006 Independent Citizen Award winner Margie Ellison died of a heart attack last night.
Ellison, a Chatham native who fought tirelessly on multiple fronts advocating for populations who couldn’t stand up for themselves, will be sorely missed in the grassroots citizen landscape.
Read our 2006 profile here.
Chatham County, Pittsboro, politics
Lisa Sorg ·
22 Sep 2009, 4:06 PM ·
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Rebekah L. Cowell reports for the Indy on possible new impact fees for Chatham County residents:
A big house with a lot of bedrooms could cost Chatham County residents extra money in impact fees.
Last night, Chatham County residents discussed possible increased impact fees and their economic ramifications for new homeowners or homeowners adding onto their houses.
Currently, every homeowner pays the county a one-time impact fee of $3,500. The money is earmarked for school construction.
However, if impact fees become based on the number of bedrooms in a home—the current option being discussed—the costs could increase significantly. The fee also would include additions and improvements made to an existing home.
A three-bedroom home would carry an impact fee of $8,000. A four-bedroom home would rack up a $14,000 impact fee.
William Crawford, a Pittsboro mayoral candidate, did not attend last night’s meeting, but he says impact fees are really just taxes, and should be avoided unless there is no alternative.
“I’d want to discuss all available options first,” he said.
County Commissioner George Lucier argues that the county needs to find a way to pay for construction of schools. He says there is no immediate need for the impact fees, but one year from now there must be “some mechanism in place to pay our debt.”
Lucier attempted to appease residents by saying that the impact fee hike had not been proposed as the final solution at this point.
Pittsboro Mayor Randy Voller, who seeking reelection for a third-term, did not attend the meeting. He told the Indy that “The commissioners are moving forward on the impact discussion, because they have had studies done that show the fees we already have are too low to actually cover the costs of our schools.”
Voller added that the Homebuilder’s Association, National Association of Realtors, political leadership and citizens need to come together and discuss ways to create a “collaborative rational process” to fund long term investments like good schools.
Chatham County, Pittsboro, economy, politics George Lucier, impact fees, Randy Voller, William Crawford
Jennifer Strom ·
6 May 2009, 2:51 PM ·
Comment
Chatham County voters just said yes to mixed drinks this week.
With 19 percent turnout, a referendum that was the only issue in a special countywide election passed 65 percent to 35 percent, according to complete but unofficial results from the Chatham County Board of Election. The change, which takes effect immediately, means that restaurants and bars in Pittsboro, Siler City and throughout the county can serve hard liquor by the drink. Previously, only beer and wine were permitted.
PACs led by local elected officials and supported by business groups including the chamber of commerce raised funds in support of the measure, arguing that the change would provide new revenue for the county and help draw more restaurants.
Chatham County, Pittsboro, business, food elections
