CHAPEL HILL PUBLIC LIBRARY (WCHL Commentary)

There’s an old saw that says that the devil is in the details. Most of us have had experiences that tend to prove that point, and I thought a lot about this in the last few days as I listened to the Chapel Hill Town Council and citizens on WCHL talk about whether or not we should build a branch library. On February 9th, the Council rejected suggestions to seek an alternative to the expansion to the current Chapel Hill Public Library and maybe consider going in the direction of a branch, maybe downtown.

Then, the other morning on the 'What You're Saying on the Street" segment on WCHL, I heard some citizens indicate that they thought having a branch might be a good idea. Well, the devil is in the details. We are fortunate that we have citizen volunteers who are willing to give their time and talents as members of the Library Board of Trustees. Over 10 years ago when I was one of the nine trustees, we examined this issue in depth as part of the process leading to the recommendation to expand the current facility.

We concluded, just as the current trustees have, that a branch was not cost effective for Chapel Hill and that we would be better served by having just one facility that was larger in space and had more staff. These tough economic times have meant a belt tightening and our library has had to cut its hours; others in our region have put their branches on the chopping block. We don’t need to follow that path, and when the bond market improves, I’m glad that Chapel Hill will proceed with the library expansion.

THE HISTORIC 2009 INAUGURATION

January 20, 2009 is a date that will be remembered for a long, long time. Getting to the scene in this picture is a real story and part of the experience that made this day so special.

We learned on January 6th that we had tickets when Congressman David Price (NC-4) sent us an email:

"Thank you for contacting my office to request tickets to the Inaugural Swearing-In Ceremony for President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. I am pleased to offer you two (2) standing tickets to attend this historic event.

"The enthusiasm surrounding the election of Barack Obama to be our nation's forty-fourth president has been overwhelming. I received requests for over 25,000 tickets - but had only 198 tickets to distribute."

The plan was to go to his DC office and pick up the two tickets on Monday. We received a second message saying that Congressman Price wanted to make it simpler and we could pick up our tickets on Friday at his Chapel Hill Office. We were also asked which way we would be coming into DC on the 20th so that we would have tickets that would make traveling easier. We ended up with "Blue" standing area tickets since we were staying with friends in Maryland. We thank Congressman Price for his thoughtfulness. Many in the crowd told of the long wait at the various congressional offices, so we were happy we didn't have to do that.

We left Chapel Hill on Monday at 1 AM and drove to Maryland. Traffic started picking up around Stafford, VA, but it was nothing like what it became later in the day and on Tuesday. After resting a little bit, we decided to do a dry run. Our friends lived near the Largo Metro station. Since the Blue Line starts there, it was a prime place to be. People actually drove out to Largo to start there because the Metro people said trains would not stop at stations if there were more people waiting than there was space.

Our dry run took a while as the Metro set its all-time rider record on Monday. Of course they would break it on Tuesday! Moving around with the crowds was an experience, and it was clear that the energy that you felt was widely shared. Our plan for Tuesday was shaped by what we saw on the dry run and knowing the location of our ticket gate in relation to the Metro stop was useful information.

Our host and good friend took us to the Largo station a 6 AM Tuesday morning. Those trying to park were backed up on the roads but we had no problem getting dropped off at the "kiss-and-ride" lane. We moved with the crowd and used the fare cards that we bought on Monday and got right on a waiting and empty car. That was easy!

Unlike other prior Metro experiences, we had a trainman who could be understood and he provided useful information the entire trip. We came above ground at RFK Stadium and the entire grounds were covered with the amazing sight of more buses than we had ever seen. As we neared our stop, the announcement came that the Federal Center station closed because of the crowds and we had to get off at the Capitol South station. It seemed like thousands got off the train and joined thousands more in the station, all trying to get up the stairs. At the top, there were signs directing people where to go. That was useful to us as we just followed the "Blue" signs. It's now a little after 7 AM and the temperature was about 17 degrees. We walked the several blocks to find our "Blue" gate line and it really wasn't a bad walk. When we found the line it already had several offshoots and it appeared that the plan for an orderly wait was breaking down fast. In spite of the confusion, people were very accommodating and seemed to have the patience of Job.

Waiting for the gates to open was a key element of the "experience." The tickets said opening was at 9 AM but people said it had changed to 8 AM. The wait was made easier because people were in a celebratory mood. We sang patriotic songs, TV theme songs, Gospel, Pop and whatever someone started. People talked about their trip and why they were so happy to be eyewitnesses. Some tried to call friends and share the mood with them but the cell service was spotty because of the high demand. The question of the morning was, "Where are you from?" We met people from all over who came by plane, train, bus car,and foot. We met students who had walked from Georgetown as well as the editor of the University of Pittsburgh student paper. She was impressed that we lived in Chapel Hill because she said that The Daily Tar Heel sets the standard for student journalism. We also saw friends by happenstance and even a celebrity. Coach Dungy, formerly of the Colts, was really good about letting people take his picture.

A little before 10 AM we were almost at the Blue Gate. The sun was shining and the mood of the crowd was even more energized. People who had working cell phones were getting reports from friends who had gotten through security. The word was that the TSA, yes, the same friendly people from the airports, were doing the screens and they were moving people pretty quickly.

When we got closer it seemed like we were in line with new people because there was a lot of merging going on. In the small world category, a friend who is an Episcopal priest ended up behind us and we chatted some more of the time away. Finally we negotiated the maze to the security machines and walked quickly to an area where we thought we might be able to see the ceremony. Tree limbs blocked the jumbotrons but with my small portable TV (that will be useless next month because it isn't digital) I could see the ceremony pretty well. If you have good eyes, look to the left of the tree limbs and just above the presidential seal and you can see President Obama delivering his speech.

People paid attention and listened to the words being spoken. They sang the National Anthem with gusto. They cheered the introductions. The only downer to me was when they booed President Bush, something I thought was unnecessary. But other than that, the joy of the day seemed to guide everyone's spirit. There were people shedding tears, people with wide grins, and the feelings seemed to make most unaware of how cold it was. This was my fourth inaugural but so unlike the other three.

Why did so many come to DC to be eyewitnesses? Much has already been written trying to answer this question. Pride is often cited for the reason. I also think it was because people wanted to be a part of what they believed would be a new beginning for America and they wanted to celebrated the hope for change that President Obama represents. The millions who came and carved out time from their normal routine did so because they cared. The dream of Martin Luther King that was celebrated on Monday may not have been fully realized, but most probably would say it was closer than it has ever been. Being there was the exclamation point on the hopes and dreams of so many. That's why I'm smiling!

THE TEN TRUTHS OF UNDOING THE HOLIDAY DECORATIONS

1. Nothing goes back in the storage containers the same way they came out.

2. Each year the decorations take up at least one more container than they did the year before, even if you did not get any more decorations.

3. Nothing goes back in the storage area the same way it came out.

4. There is always one more ornament on the tree, no matter how many times you think you got them all.

5. The containers are heavier going downstairs then they were going up.

6. You will always find that one thing you were looking for when you put up the decorations but was nowhere to be found.

7. In spite of saying you are going to “weed out” some of the ornaments before packing things up, it just never happens.

8. Something will break no matter how careful you think you are being.

9. It’s a good idea to be wearing shoes, especially when you drop that heavy thing on your foot.

10. You’re just not as jolly taking things down as you remember you were putting them up.

GOODBYE 2008, HELLO 2009!

One of the most often repeated comments in our Christmas cards and letters this year was, “Where did 2008 go?” It did seem to fly bye at a record pace, except towards the end when the those annoying and unhelpful campaign commercials at all levels made me think November 4th would never arrive!

But it was still a fast year, and we even had an extra day because like all presidential election years, it was a leap year. Now we are told that we even have to add an additional second to the year. As The Associated Press reports,

The custodians of time will ring in the New Year by tacking a "leap second" onto the clock Wednesday to account for the minute slowing of the Earth's rotation.
The leap second has been used sporadically at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich
since 1972, an adjustment that has kept Greenwich Mean Time the internationally
agreed time standard.

OK. It was a longer year because of the extra day and extra second, but it still flew by. Maybe the speed is related to all of the things that happened at the local, state and national levels. The elections, the wars and the economic crisis loomed large and it’s a certainty that 2009 will see more of the same. We will have our municipal elections in November and I suspect the "early" campaigning will begin shortly, meaning that we could see a longer than usual campaign season.

It will be interesting in Chapel Hill because for the first time we will have public financing. How this will shape the field or even the outcome is of course unknown, but it’s clear that this is big. In July, the General Assembly passed a bill that allowed Chapel Hill to do a pilot program for public financing in municipal elections. I personally believe this violates our First Amendment rights, even though there is a lot of disagreement on this. I guess we might see more court action on this in 2009.

Another major focus in 2009 will be on UNC --- breaking ground at Carolina North, closing Horace Williams Airport, and efforts to secure a new field somewhere in Orange County. Sometime in the first quarter, the authority for the airport will be appointed. According to the legislation enacted last summer by the North Carolina General Assembly, the panel will have four members each picked by the UNC Board of Trustees and the UNC Health Care system, two by the legislature, three by the county, one by Chapel Hill and one by Carrboro and Hillsborough on a rotating basis.

This process of appointing and then their studying and identifying potential sites will be interesting to say the least, but so will the Board of County Commissioners final selection of a site for the transfer station somewhere in Orange County. All of the growth, development and land use issues, as well as implementing the County’s newly approved Comprehensive Plan means that the plate is full, even before we add an extra second to bring 2008 to an end.

We can only hope that we will pull together to face all of these challenges. I can see no other way to resolve successfully the many issues that confront us in our area, the nation, and the world. Good luck to all of our leaders, elected and to be elected, and to those who work hard for the common good. With decreasing economic resources that will make their tasks even harder, they really do need a lot of help!

I guess in 12 months we can reflect on how that went. Go ahead, scratch off the days right here!

THAT INTERNET! (A WCHL Commentary)

Do you remember that old saw that says, “a lie is halfway round the world before the truth has got its boot on?” Well in this Internet age, I’m changing it to “Internet falsehoods are all over the World Wide Web before the truth can even boot up and login!”

What brought this home to me recently was that an acquaintance that always has something to say about Chapel Hill being so liberal called me to say that he heard that the University had banned Christmas trees. I asked him where he heard that and he said it was all over the Interned and he had heard a particular commentator on Fox News claim that the university was guilty of political correctness run amuck, fueling much Internet discussion.

I told my caller that the chancellor indicated that displaying Christmas trees was up to the various departments and not a university policy. I also told my caller that his grasp of this issue was another perfect example of how stuff gets manipulated on the Internet, and talk radio to satisfy their agenda. Accuracy and truth don’t count for much.

Then I asked him if he knew that two UNC students had just won Rhodes Scholarships, or that our Women’s Soccer Team had just won the NCAA Championship and our men’s team was in the playoffs for the national championship. Of course he hadn’t heard these things. Why is that? I guess the real truths just don’t get around much anymore.

GIVING - THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY! (A WCHL Commentary)

I think that it’s safe to say that the reason so many of us like Thanksgiving is because it gives us an opportunity to get together with family and friends and enjoy good food, good fellowship, and reflect on all that we have to be thankful for. One of the things that I included on my list this year was the tremendous work of our non-profits in Orange County.

Did you know that November was nonprofit awareness month? Our Board of County Commissioners issued a proclamation to call attention to the many ways that they serve us. We should know that we have more than 266 charitable nonprofit organizations providing diverse services to our community and these organizations spend more than $448 million annually serving the people of Orange County.

We also know that in these challenging economic times, things are getting tough for nonprofits. The same economic forces that affect us personally also affect these groups. Folks have fewer disposable dollars to share. The grant-giving organizations all have fewer dollars to share as the market’s decline has also reduced their holdings. As we struggle to get through this bad patch, what can we do?

Those of us who can still share monetary gifts should continue to do so, but those who can’t might consider donating their time to help one of our many organizations. They always appreciate and can use volunteer help, just ask them! And best of all, the time you donate can help our community in a very significant and powerful way!

A SIGNIFICANT GENERATIONAL EVENT

Today is a significant generational event for me. It still is as fresh in my mind as the day it happened back in 1963. Many of my friends and I thought August 28, 1963 was a really important day we would never forget because of the 250,000 participants at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom at which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his I Have A Dream speech.

But November 22d is at the top of my list because it ended the “era of innocence” for me and many of my classmates. I remember clearly that I was in French class at Detroit’s Mumford High School 45 years ago today. French was my last class of the day and as a senior, I really didn’t think that I should have had a class that late. Worse, because I had lived in France and had taken several years of it, I was forced into French 4, a literature course that I extremely disliked.

When the announcement came over the PA system that someone shot President John F. Kennedy in Dallas (we didn’t know he died), there was stunned silence, followed by the sniffling, the sobs, and then the crying. I often wonder why we had the spontaneous reactions that we did. At our various reunions over the years, the conversation invariably gets around to the question, “What class were you in when they made the announcement?” Just knowing what “the announcement” refers to says a lot about how deeply the event is embedded.

The school sent us home that Friday afternoon and some people missed the last two hours of the day. Taking the City bus home (we didn’t have school a yellow school bus!) was an eerie experience; silence all the way, except for the quiet sobbing and sniffling. Everyone knew. Everyone seemed lost in his or her own thoughts. No one ever seemed to be trying to make sense of what happened.

We all watched TV for the next few days — it was Walter Cronkite in our home who brought all of the news. Saturday the remains were at the White House and laid in state at the US Capitol on Sunday. Our new President, Lyndon Johnson, issued Presidential Proclamation 3561, declaring Monday to be a national day of mourning. As one source reported:

In the only public viewing, hundreds of thousands lined up in near-freezing temperatures to view the casket. Over the span of 18 hours, 250,000 people, some waiting for as long as 10 hours in a line that stretched 40 blocks up to 10 persons wide, personally paid their respects as Kennedy's body lay in state. Many of them were weeping when they viewed the bier. Capitol police officers politely reminded mourners to keep moving along in two lines that passed on either side of the casket and exited the building on the west side facing the National Mall.

That Monday was the first state funeral I had ever seen, and I guess the same applied to most folks. All of the pomp, ceremony, and precession had a lasting impact. And who can forget the image of John F. Kennedy, Jr. saluting his father’s casket while standing with his mother, uncle and sister?

I think we went back to school on Tuesday but I really don’t remember. I do remember that we followed the investigation, read all of the reports in the newspaper, discussed things in our classes even though it was off topic, and followed the coverage at home on TV. As the new year and second semester came, we turned our focus to college applications and preparing to graduate, but the shock never wore off.

Some things in our lives changed and there was a sadness that continued to prevail. With the firing of a bullet in Dallas, it was clear that superfluous stuff like a late afternoon French class became small potatoes. Life went on, but it was clear that Camelot died.