Ever since conservatives won majorities in the North Carolina General Assembly and began reducing taxes, spending, and state regulation, liberals have predicted doom. Without sufficient government spending, they said, the North Carolina economy would suffer. Businesses don’t place as high a value on cost as they used to, liberals assured us, so efforts to promote growth with lower taxes and regulatory burdens will accomplish nothing. Instead, they counseled more spending on schools, infrastructure, and even public assistance as a stimulus.
Month: January 2015
N&O Editors: Deny WCPSS budget facts
“Do you have any interest in reporting the facts?” That’s the question I’d like to ask News & Observer editors after reading the recent editorial, “Time for Wake Schools to Build Back.” They cherry-picked data and cobbled together shallow or misleading arguments in order to claim the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) needs more money to recover from years of budget cuts by Republicans. The reality is far different: Despite a long-lasting recession and a dip in support from the federal government, Republicans in the legislature and the county commission generally bolstered education spending in the district.
Plant peas, please
Temperatures may still be brisk but it is already time to start planning and planting your spring vegetable garden. Garden peas and their relatives, snow peas and sugar snaps, are among the earliest vegetables gardeners can plant for spring harvest. Th…
Chatham Council on Aging offers program on avoiding falls staring February 11
The Chatham County Council on Aging has scheduled an eight-week program, A Matter of Balance, to help seniors address concerns about falling. According to the Council, people who develop this fear often limit their activities, which can result in physi…
Chatham County Animal Services Stakeholders meeting agenda for January 29
Here is the agenda for the January 29 meeting of the Chatham County Animal Services Stakeholders to be held Thursday, January 29, 2014 from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Chatham County Public Health Department Dunlap Classroom in Pittsboro.
Suicide rate for elderly men is alarming
The North Carolina Injury & Violence Prevention Branch, part of the State Division of Public Health, has just released the 2015 N.C Suicide Prevention Plan. A related report from this branch, “Elder Suicide in North Carolina,” presented some alarming data. From 2008 to 2011, 905 North Carolinians age 65 and older died as a result of violence, with 741 of them committing suicide. More than 80 percent of these elder suicides were men-mostly white men who used firearms.
Chatham County megasite gets new name
Chatham Economic Development Corporation and the property owners announced they are changing the name of the Chatham-Randolph Megasite to the Chatham-Siler City Advanced Manufacturing Site. The change reflects Siler City’s enthusiastic participation in the project since its inception.
Swang Brothers to perform at FVRC Valentine’s benefit dance on February 12
Dust off your dancing shoes and join Family Violence & Rape Crisis Services for an evening of friends, delicious food, drinks, and live music by the Swang Brothers. The benefit dance will be held Thursday, February 12 from 6 – 9 pm in the Bold Building, 50101 Governors Drive, Chapel Hill. Tickets are $20 in advance through February 11 (or $25 at the door) per person.
Haw River Christian Academy admissions open house on February 5 and 6
Admissions for 2015-16 has begun at Haw River Christian Academy! Prospective families and community supporters are invited to the upcoming Open House events on Thursday, February 5 (5:30-7:30 p.m.) and Friday, February 6 (8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) The even…
Fruit tree prunng demonstration on February 21
North Carolina Cooperative Extension will offer a fruit tree pruning demonstration on Saturday February 21 from 10:00 am – noon at Howard’s Farm a few miles west of Pittsboro on Hwy 64. Annual training and pruning are needed for fruit trees to develop …