Five weeks after asking the Chatham County Board of Education to change the school calendar so students don't have to walk from spring break directly into Advanced Placement exams, I finally received a response from school board chair Deb McManus. Given the board's failure, you can imagine the convoluted reply. It began with a laborious description of the calendar process, which has no bearing on whether spring break could have been shifted one week earlier. The centerpiece of this paragraph was how the board considered an "electronic survey" that included responses from many who had no knowledge about the AP exam schedule or any stake in the scheduling conflict.

I live in Chatham and work in Cary so this Route 64 Interstate project will affect me superficially for my commute. However, it affects me most deeply in what could be lost for Chatham County. This will affect you too. How will EMT/Fire gain access to your house quickly? Where will travelers spend money in Chatham County if they can't easily pull into your business? How it will impact Jordan Lake, your drinking water and the wildlife?

In an effort to reduce the number of alcohol and other drug offenses by students, the Chatham County Board of Education has enacted more strict consequences for students who violate the Drugs and Alcohol Policy. The Drugs and Alcohol Policy was first enacted in 1998 and has been revised three times prior to the current version. While opportunity for students to receive help with their alcohol and other drug concerns remains the cornerstone of the policy, additional consequences have been added to help students more carefully consider their choices.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction announced the 2010-11 United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) policy on free and reduced-price meals for children enrolled in the state’s public schools. The USDA’s National School Lunch Program helps ensure all students have access to a nutritious diet by offering students an affordable, high quality, nutritious breakfast, lunch and after school snack.

The State Board of Education released results from its ABCs testing and accountability model on Thursday, August 5. The ABCs of Public Education is the state school improvement program. It began in the 1996-1997 school year and has three primary goals: 1) strengthen local school accountability; 2) emphasize mastery of basic subjects; and 3) provide as much local decision-making as possible.

Related:
Chatham Results

A team of teachers from Virginia Cross Elementary School traveled to Charlottesville, Virginia to become “SMARTer” users of their interactive white boards. Recipients of a grant from Chatham Education Foundation, the team spent a day on Tuesday, August 3, with teachers and technology instructional specialists who have been using the technology for nearly a decade.

Debbie Roos, Agriculture Agent with the Chatham County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, will be Extension's local foods coordinator supporting the 10% Campaign. The campaign is an effort to encourage North Carolina consumers to spend at least 10 percent of their food dollars on foods from local sources.

The annual Duke Football Fan Day has been scheduled for Saturday, August 21 at Wallace Wade Stadium. The event, which is free of charge and open to the public, features an open practice from 4-6 p.m., followed by an autograph and photo session with coaches and players from 6-7 p.m.

Within the next few days, Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) and the Chatham County Public Library expect to receive the “all clear” to begin moving into new facilities on the Pittsboro campus of CCCC. As a result, the Pittsboro Memorial Library will be closed from August 30 through September 12, with the new library opening on September 13.

The Northwood High School Athletic Booster Club is excited about the 2010-2011 school year and anticipate another successful year for all of our players and teams. It has already been a busy summer for our school. The fall sports have been practicing hard and some will start playing games this week. If you have been on campus recently, you may have noticed significant work being done on the Soccer field. The Booster Club has been successful in securing funding to correct some major drainage issues, and expand the playing surface to a regulation size field. We will then begin working on securing grant money to add lights, bleachers and restrooms so we can hold games and the field can become a facility our kids can be proud of.

The Mazda5 microvan posted an “Excellent” score in Consumer Reports’ ratings, as part of a test in the September issue that featured three different types of family movers. Although smaller than a standard minivan, it is ideal for families on a budget. Also included was the Ford Flex EcoBoost three-row SUV and the redesigned Toyota Sienna minivan which posted “Excellent” and “Very Good” test scores, respectively. Prices for the vehicles in this test group ranged from $23,805 for the Mazda5 to $46,720 for the Flex.

Dear Chatham citizens, and especially, John Hammond, Jan Nichols, Jefferey Starkweather, Sally Kost, and Mark Barroso. What I am about to say isn't going to be easy. I've been asking myself for days, is this the right thing to do? In the end, I believe it is. Why? Because if this county is to be led by individuals stating they will hold others accountable, then they themselves must ultimately face being held accountable.

Jeffrey C. Reid, senior geologist for the NC Geological Survey, provided an overview of the shale natural gas deposits that may be located under parts of Chatham County during the August 16 meeting of the Chatham County Board of Commissioners. Reid also noted potential environmental impacts of drilling for the gas. They discussed that the Deep River shale deposit is a somewhat narrow strip in a rift about 150 miles long, starting north of Raleigh and heading southwest to Anson and Montgomery counties along the South Carolina border.

I do not think George Lucier, Tom Vanderbeck, or Carl Thompson can necessarily ask for John Hammond and Jan Nichols resignation, but the other steering committee members of the Chatham Coalition can, and should. It is not that the Coalition endorsed commissioners are actual members of the coalition. If you read commandment seven, it states only actual steering committee members can make official statements. It's a nifty little loophole, but it's done so that the Chatham Coalition can't be held accountable for what others say. Basically, you, the individual, can volunteer, and they darn sure want your money, but keep your mouth shut.

A recent poll of 350 voters in NC House District 54 revealed some interesting trends. The seat has been a Democratic stronghold for thirty years by one individual, Rep. Joe Hackney. There was little concern regarding the seat in 2008 as Mr. Hackney enjoyed a 70% approval rating as well as a budget surplus. However, times have significantly changed. Mr. Hackney, along with Governor Beverly Perdue and Senator Marc Basnight, have rubberstamped the largest deficit in North Carolina history. This has caused Mr. Hackney’s approval rating to drop 19 points. The other difference this time is the emergence of a serious and legitimate contender for his seat in Republican candidate, Cathy Wright.

On August 16, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners received an update from Camp Dresser & McKee, a contract consulting firm, identifying possible sites that meet initial screening criteria for a potential landfill if the county opts to dispose of its solid waste inside the county.

I do not think George Lucier, Tom Vanderbeck, or Carl Thompson can necessarily ask for John Hammond and Jan Nichols resignation, but the other steering committee members of the Chatham Coalition can, and should. It is not that the Coalition endorsed commissioners are actual members of the coalition. If you read commandment seven, it states only actual steering committee members can make official statements. It's a nifty little loophole, but it's done so that the Chatham Coalition can't be held accountable for what others say. Basically, you, the individual, can volunteer, and they darn sure want your money, but keep your mouth shut.

A recently adopted Construction and Demolition (C&D) Recycling Ordinance aims to reduce the amount of C&D debris headed to North Carolina landfills from Chatham County. The ordinance applies to any C&D projects 1,000 square feet or greater within the county’s unincorporated areas. Projects include construction, demolition, deconstruction, repairs, remodels, additions, or any other related activity requiring a building permit.

With the fall semester just around the corner, Consumer Reports offers its best choices for parents and teens out shopping for a car to bring back to school. When looking for the right car for teens, including used models, Consumer Reports recommends picking cars with safety features such as electronic stability control and curtain air bags and good crash-test results.

The commissioners and their Chatham Coalition friends keep saying the funds were not available to honor the employee pay increases promised on the PFP Agreements for the FY2008/2009 work period. Our first question should be: did the county have enough funds to meet these obligations in the recently budget process and the two prior budgets?