This Weekend Friday Partly Cloudy 92/70 Schools Saturday Isolated T-Storms Profiles of the 94/71 Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools |Pg. 4 Sunday Isolated T-Storms 92/69 carrborocitizen.com AUGUST 23, 2007 w CArrboro’s COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER w VOLUME I NO. XXIII FREE Special Section Jaguar time Inside Carrboro’s first high school set to open By SUSAN DICKSON ticipated, since 608 students able to roll with the changes. were signed up to attend the “It’s been a long process AND KIRK ROSS school last week, while school from start to finish,” Peder- Staff Writers officials had initially predicated sen said. “In general, in terms 563 Carrboro High students. of the staff and facility, we’re The much-anticipated Principal Jeff Thomas said about where we need to be.” opening of Carrboro High the last week has been a chal- Daniel Machtar, Carrboro School has finally arrived, and lenge. High’s student government PHOTO BY JOCK LAUTERER on Monday more than 600 “We’re bigger than we co-president, said students Carrboro High School Principal Jeff Thomas checks out one of the students will become Carr- thought we were going to be,” he’s talked to are excited about custom Jaguar clocks. boro’s first high school’s stu- he said, adding that adminis- school starting — something to enter the school. The con- their new school. dent body. trators and teachers are trying not all that typical. “It’s kind struction of a stoplight for the In addition to the dedica- The school officially opens to work through scheduling of amazing to see the morale turning lane at the entrance tion ceremony, there will be a its doors tonight (Thursday) for the last round of freshmen of the students so high. I wish to the school at the corner of number of clubs and school Learn about Carrboro’s first at 6 p.m. for a ribbon-cutting to make sure classes aren’t too I knew how the school year and dedication ceremony. On Smith Level and Rock Haven groups on hand at the school’s high school in our special packed due to the additions. will go,” he said. “But right roads had delayed the issuance commons to meet students 16-page section with pro- Friday, the football team takes Neil Pedersen, superinten- now, I have no idea.” the field for the first home of the certificate. and parents. Students will be files, academic and sports dent of Chapel Hill Carrboro School officials had ex- However, the school re- able to sign up for clubs and game for any Jaguar team. City Schools, said there’s al- pressed concern regarding schedules and other helpful ceived the go-ahead from the special programs and athletic Classes start Monday. ways a hitch or two in open- Carrboro High receiving its town of Carrboro Monday, boosters will be taking orders information for parents and Things might be a little ing a new school, but that he final certificate of occupancy, students. tighter at the school than an- expects Carrboro High to be which would allow students and students can now visit for Jaguar spiritware. County mulls transfer tax referendum By SUSAN DICKSON Commissioners have the option Staff Writer to present either or both taxes to voters on the November ballot or in The Board of County Commis- next May’s primary elections. Com- sioners said on Tuesday that they missioner Mike Nelson indicated he need more time before deciding to would support putting a referendum put a land transfer tax or a sales tax on the May ballot. increase on the ballot for this fall’s “My big concern with November election. is it’s a low turnout election overall,” In this year’s state budget, the Nelson said, adding that the older Legislature gave counties the option population has a strong turnout in of a 0.4 percent land transfer tax or municipal elections and tends to be a quarter-cent sales tax increase to more cautious. help compensate for money taken Commissioner Barry Jacobs away from counties in a deal to turn stressed the need for further dis- responsibility for paying for Medic- cussion before a decision could be PHOTO BY KIRK ROSS aid over to the state. made. Tim Grant in front of The Book Celler at Carr Mill. As part of a complex phase in “It seems to me that there are so the new system, counties lost state- many things going on here that it’s supplied school construction money difficult to have this conversation,” this year and will lose some sales tax he said. “My inclination is that we revenue in coming years as a result need to educate ourselves and the Book Cellar brings chapter to a close of the budget deal. public.” Orange County will lose about By KIRK ROSS time clientele still returned to the fueling purchases, the shop is starting According to County Manager shop to stock up on the paperbacks to empty out a bit. Still, the selections $500,000 this year through the Laura Blackmon, most North Caro- Staff Writer changes in funding, county budget that were its stock and trade for so on the shelves give you an indication lina counties have yet to make a de- many years. of the wide-ranging tastes of the director Donna Coffey said. Tim Grant hasn’t been behind Most of the commissioners have cision regarding the tax option. Be- But Grant, who confesses a par- patrons. There’s plenty of romance, fore giving voters either option, the the counter of The Book Cellar for ticular fondness for the Southern travel, mysteries and military histo- indicated support for the land trans- all of its 22 years of operation, but fer tax over the sales tax. Accord- county needs to provide residents authors of this region, says when he ries, of course, but also Best Dog Writ- with information, she said. he knows that as he prepares to close took the space over he tried to diver- ing and The Cluetrain Manifesto. I Sur- ing to Coffey, the land transfer tax the store, it’s the end of an era in his would yield a little more than $4 mil- “We will need to undertake an sify the shop. “I wanted to open it up vived Academia is shelved a few inches educational campaign to let the vot- little corner of Carr Mill. from The Scarlet Letter, and stacks of lion in revenue annually, while the a bit and have a space for readings,” ers know what the issues will be,” Grant has managed the shop for Grant said. old Norman Rockwell paintings, cus- sales tax increase would yield just Blackmon said. three years, taking over from long- And while there was some success, tom-made bookmarks and postcards over $3 million. time owner Pat Wall, who retired a the basics of business made keeping are on display near the checkout. Because Orange County’s sales If approved by voters on the few years back. The shop opened its the store open impossible. What he’ll miss most, Grant said, tax base is not as large as that of November ballot, the land transfer doors in 1985, and visitors for the “I’ve got a flea market inventory is that connection with the regulars. other counties, the revenue from a tax would go into effect January 1, past couple of decades may recall the and Madison Avenue rent,” Grant “He’s wonderful,” Trinna Vaughan sales tax increase is unlikely to grow 2008. The sales tax would not take stacks of romance and mystery nov- said. “I’ve had a good run with it. But said of Grant after she took a look as much as funds from the land effect until April 1, 2008. els packed to the rafters. I had to take a hard look at things.” transfer tax, Coffey said. The board will consider the tax “For years, it was what it was,” With plans to close the doors af- “Our sales tax base has been options again at a work session on pretty much stagnant since 9/11,” Grant said. And many of the long- ter September 1 and a half-price sale SEE CLOSING, PAGE 10 August 30. she said. INDEX INSIDE Of wildflowers and drought Arts & Music..........................................2 News.......................................................3 Hillsborough fever. I may feature ragweed, the true hay Schools..................................................4 FLORA fever plant, later on, but for now, trust me, Community...........................................5 Farmers’ Market Opinion..................................................6 By Ken Moore you won’t get hay fever from sniffing gold- Commentary........................................7 enrod. You may get a bee or some other Obituaries..............................................7 rift gets intense. Land & Table.........................................8 flying insect up your nose – for those col- Classifieds..............................................9 Goldenrods – particularly the Piney- orful critters, not the wind, are necessary Real Estate.............................................9 See Page 3 woods Goldenrod, Solidago pinetorum, a for transporting all that pollen from plant HOW TO REACH US welcome sign of approaching fall – have to plant! begun coloring up the roadsides in spite We’ll be seeing goldenrods now for an- Contact Us Online Edition of the drought. It was one of the first other two months. Of the more than 30 The Carrboro Citizen carrborocitizen.com/main plants carried over to England, where it P.O. Box 248 All stories are published online every species native to North Carolina, there are Carrboro, NC 27510 Thursday at our main site, and also on quickly became a standard flower of the two that represent the classic common Tall 919-942-2100 (phone) our thematic sites: famed perennial border and the English Goldenrod, standing 4–6 feet-plus, along [email protected] • carrborocitizen.com/ foodandfarm cottage garden.