Election That Matt Czajkowski Replace Him
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This Weekend FRIDAY Partly Cloudy 90/70 SA TURDAY Students Gear Up 30% chance of rain 92/72 SUNDAY Partly Cloudy 94/72 See page 7 carrborocitizen.com AUGUST 6, 2009 u LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED u VOLUME III NO. XXI FREE Kids put on a hot show RECENTLY . They performed in English, BY Valarie SchwartZ Spanish, French, Chinese and In- ternational Sign Language, each The outdoor conditions fluctuated stepping to the front of the platform between steamy and stifling while par- when taking the lead (which they ents and guests waited unaware through volunteered to do), each child pro- several delay-producing calamities be- viding expressions that dissolved the fore the children processed onto the crowd of adults into elated giggles. stage erected on the brick patio. Children at this age are just pre- This was the 2009 Mundo Peque- cious as well as being so very reten- ño Early Childhood Bilingual School tive, a fact that founding school di- graduation ceremony, during which rector Claudia McLaughlin knows children from ages 2 to 5 performed. very well. Even before the delayed start, the “We are all products of our par- list of 25 songs and poems (picked ents,” McLaughlin said as she faced by the children) may have daunted the audience at the onset. For the some audience members. But the chil- past few months, she has pushed her- dren proved so entertaining, the time self harder than usual while battling photo by Valarie SchwartZ quickly passed as they showed time Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Performance of Pinpon at the Mundo Pequeño School graduation ceremony. From left and again how very much they had to right, Ori Moore, Mena Boggs, Caroline Allen, Jacob Kirshner, Anjali Kshirsagar, Ian learned at such tender ages. SEE RECENTLY PAGE 4 O’Fallon, Alexander Kwok and Lillian Harper. Pollitt receives Long Life Pine award BY TAYloR SISK Staff Writer PHOTO BY KEN MOORE A close look at the composite flower head of Gov. Beverly Perdue has awarded Polymnia reveals that only the outer circle of ray UNC Kenan Professor Emeritus flowers produces seed. and longtime civil-liberties and civil-rights advocate Dan Pollitt the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of BY KEN MOORE the state’s highest honors. flora Pollitt was nominated for the award by state Sen. Floyd McKis- By whatever name, sick Jr., whose father, Floyd McK- issick Sr., worked with Pollitt on a Polymnia makes number of civil-rights issues. But it was presented to Pollitt by Sen. El- a show lie Kinnaird – with whom he was great place to see Polym- wed on April 26, at Chapel of the Cross in Chapel Hill – as she was nia, commonly called introducing him for a talk he gave bearsfoot or leafcup, is at Carol Woods Retirement Center along Bolin Creek Trail on July 10. between the Chapel The award was bestowed for a life- AHill Police Department and time of “integrity, learning and zeal,” the community center. Walking and it came to Pollitt as somewhat of along that trail last week, I was a surprise. He said that after receiving the award, he had his secretary look impressed with the multitude of it up online and learned of the illus- miniature sunflower-like flow- trious list of past winners, including ers of this wildflower, common Maya Angelou, Michael Jordan, Billy everywhere along roadsides and Graham and Bill Friday – “All good forest edges, standing six feet tall people who have done their thing or more along the length of the very well,” said Pollitt, “but none of greenway. them were anti-establishment.” Dan Pollitt at his Chapel Hill home. photo by taylor sisk Most trail frequenters jog, Which Pollitt very decidedly has been. walk dogs or simply walk and He served as defense council in a In 1955, Pollitt took a position at Frank Porter Graham was presi- and chair of the UNC faculty, he’s talk too intently to take “a closer number of historic civil-liberty trials, the University of Arkansas, which he dent of the university at the time and continued to stand against what he’s look” at the natural world about including those of Lillian Hellman held until being told that in order to was a champion of liberal causes. perceived to be injustices within the them. However, it is hard for and Arthur Miller before the House keep his job he’d have to sign a dis- “I came to Carolina for its record university and the broader commu- even the most unobservant to Un-American Activities Committee claimer stating that he was not, and of academic freedom,” Pollitt said. “I nity. He vocally opposed the 1963 miss the giant leaf images on the in the ‘50s, and has been active with never had been, a member of any thought this would be a good place speaker ban and helped lead a suc- above-ground sewer manholes. numerous organizations associated subversive organization, including to be.” The university administration cessful protest to integrate a down- These images, painted by lo- with the left, including the ACLU, the NAACP, with which he’d been seemed “receptive to my positions.” town Chapel Hill theater. the National Sharecroppers Fund and active. He refused, and accepted a In the half century since, in addi- cal artist Michael Brown, iden- Southerners for Economic Justice. position at UNC. tion to serving as a professor of law SEE POLLITT PAGE 5 tify some of the most common trees, and there are some really big ones, growing along the edge. H H H H H H H H H H H H C ELE TION: Chapel Hill at a Crossroads For the renewed botanical diversity along the trail, we can thank Bill Bracey and his crew Candidates for Chapel Hill mayor prepare for marathon of dedicated Bolin Creek volun- teers, who for years, on the third BY KIRk RoSS fected the town council, with two of THE CANDIDATES That, he said, means relying on the Saturday mornings of September Staff Writer its members — Mark Kleinschmidt (in order of filing) Internet “instead of phone calls and through May, have been remov- and Matt Czajkowski – running for Augustus Cho unsolicited emails.” He said he also ing invasive exotic plants like ChapEL Hill — When Chapel Hill mayor. Kleinschmidt’s council term plans to get out and campaign and privet, silverberry, bittersweet Mayor Kevin Foy opted not to seek is up this cycle, and his decision to Augustus Cho was the first to sign “press the flesh” as well. another term, he set off a predictable run for mayor creates an open seat on to the mayor’s race. The 50-year- and Japanese honeysuckle. As old writer and tae kwon do instruc- a result, Polymnia, as well as a wave of speculation about who would in the council race, an election that Matt Czajkowski replace him. features eight candidates — includ- tor said he is running because he be- Two years ago Matt Czajkowski number of other native plants, Since mayors run every two years, ing three incumbents — running for lieves it’s the obligation of citizens to mounted a successful and well-funded like spicebush, Lindera benzoin, there are more opportunities for con- four seats. get involved. campaign for town council and edged host plant of spicebush swal- tested elections, but unlike elections Should Czajkowski win, a fifth “Public service is an integral part out incumbent Cam Hill in the vote to- lowtails, are making a dramatic for the eight-member town council, council member would of living in a community,” he tals. Given that in two years on the coun- comeback. there are fewer chances of there being have to be appointed to said in a recent interview. cil he has often challenged his colleagues an open seat. fill out the remain- “If the opportunity over past decisions and reasoning, his run SEE FLORA PAGE 8 This year is one of those rare open- ing two years of his presents itself, we for mayor was not unexpected. seat years, and, as a result, a highly term. should all dedicate Czajkowski, 60, said he decided to competitive race has started early Changes in some time for our make the move this year in part because and with a record four candidates leadership are not fellow citizens.” of Foy’s decision, but also because he vying for the job. just in store be- Cho has been feels the time is right for a change. Foy’s announcement, which came cause of the elec- in the public eye He said he ran two years ago be- in late May, is one reason interest in tions. Bill Strom’s as a recent chair of cause he was concerned about the way INSIDE Vote!the Orange County the campaign started early, but that resignation from the town was growing, the state of announcement also combined with the council last week, GOP, a columnist downtown and rising taxes. No such thing as fifth place other factors – including new rules which came too late for for The Chapel Hill “Here we are two years later,” he See opinion for public financing, the conclusion his seat to be included on News and as a member said, “and we are close to a property of a long negotiation over Carolina this year’s ballot, means his for- of the town’s Transportation tax revolt.” Page 6 North and a newly launched initia- mer colleagues will have to nominate Board, on which he serves as chair. His elderly neighbors and others tive to review growth and the future and select his replacement, who will Cho expects the election to be im- he’s met who “are the very people who INDEX direction of the town – to elevate in- serve out the remaining two years of portant in deciding the direction of gave their all to Chapel Hill” now find terest that much more.