By Shera Everette
Carrboro Commons Writer

If the Carrboro Film Festival were a plant, in a few months it would be getting ready to sprout legs and leap.

“There’s a plant metaphor for plant growth and development that says the first year, ‘steep;’ the second year, ‘creep;’ and the third year, ‘leap,’” said Selena Lauterer, chair of the Carrboro Film Festival. “For plants, their third year is when they’re most robust. In relationships and organizations, you’ll see that in the third year, things just magically grow.”

Committee members of the 2007 Carrboro Film Festival display the event’s fun spirit.
Photo courtesy of Carrboro Film Festival

The Carrboro Film Festival, which began showcasing local artists’ narratives and documentaries in November 2006, will have its third annual competition on Nov. 23, at the Carrboro Century Center.

“Can you believe the growth that we’ve seen?” asked Jackie Helvey, one of the festival’s founders. “Last year was a standing-room-only event and it was incredible. I can’t wait to see what happens this year.”

The deadline for submissions is Aug. 29, with late submissions being accepted until Sept. 22. Films can be no longer than 20 minutes, and the filmmaker has to have had a brush with Orange County at one time in life. They will be competing for one of the Kay Kyser Awards, which is named in honor of the 1940s Chapel Hill big band leader known as the “ol’ professor of swing.”

Lauterer said it is imperative to get the word out now, before students leave for summer vacations.

“We want as many student filmmakers as possible to be participants,” Lauterer said. “Who knows, maybe you will see the next big director.”
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By Allie Maupin
Carrboro Commons Writer

Come July, Chapel Hill may look like a ghost town, but just down the road in Carrboro local businesses say their sales remain relatively strong throughout the summer.

Hillary Vandewart prefers summers in Carrboro to Chapel Hill due to Carrboro’s diverse mix of restaurants and shopping.
Staff photo by Allie Maupin

In the summer months, the student population of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area shrinks from more than 27,000 to about 6,000.

While Chapel Hill businesses are significantly affected by the summer migration of students, local business in Carrboro remains mostly unaffected.

“We expect summer to be a great time for us,” said Kevin Murach, a Fleet Feet employee and UNC-CH student who plans on remaining in the area this summer. “The lack of students around really should not be much of an issue for us.”

Jenny McMillan, owner of Nested, a gift shop located on East Main Street, said her business comes in cycles but that summer is not particularly a slow period.

“I don’t have a huge student customer base,” McMillan said. “I think it’s probably like that for a lot of stores in Carrboro.”

Many businesses cited Carrboro’s settled, family-focused residents as a reason sales do not dip.

“I think more people permanently live around downtown Carrboro than in Chapel Hill,” said Murach. “Summer is not a down time because most our regular customers are still here.”

McMillan also attributes the seasonal differences in the two towns to the types of business each one attracts.

“Franklin Street is totally student-oriented,” she said. “There is not much to buy there besides cheap food and blue T-shirts.”

Hillary Vandewart, a UNC-CH student who spent last summer in Carrboro, agreed that downtown Carrboro has more to offer in the summer.
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By Kennedy Carruthers
Carrboro Commons Writer

A team of four Carrboro women initiated a community-wide art project in 2001 called “5,000 Flowers” to commemorate the lives lost on Sept. 11.

The project was so successful that Carrboro and Chapel Hill residents created more than 50,000 paper flowers and placed them in venues throughout the towns.

Committee members of the Community Art Project pose at Open Eye Café during the opening reception. Front row (from left to right): Maggi Grace, Barbara Ziff, Janice Tyler. Back row: Jackie Helvey and Andi Sobbe (co-chairs this year), Barbara Jessie-Black, Ann Kendall and Laura Casey.
Staff photo by Kennedy Carruthers

Today, a similar art project continues. In its fifth year, the Community Art Project introduces a theme to Chapel Hill and Carrboro residents and urges them to submit a personal creation inspired by that theme.

“It’s such a great way for us all to be creative,” said Jackie Helvy, co-chair of the Community Art Project and a member of the original team of women who initiated “5,000 Flowers.” “The truth is, we’re all artists, we just have to find it within us.”

This year, “Elements” was the theme. From photos of leaves doused in dew and ducks swimming into the sunset to a picture representation of the elements in the periodic table, the participants’ interpretations were limitless.

Andi Sobbe, co-chair of the Community Art Project with Helvey, said the project has matured every year. “There were so many ways to interpret one simple theme, ” Sobbe said. “It’s the evidence of the degree of creativity in this community.”

Former themes include “Self Portrait,” “Dream,” “Lost and Found” and “Why.”

On Thursday, April 17, these creations, in the form of mosaics, watercolor and oil paintings, collages, flower arrangements, pencil and crayon drawings and ceramics, were featured in a slide show at Open Eye Cafe as a commencement to the community-wide project.
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By Shera Everette
Carrboro Commons Writer

The Carrboro Citizen’s publisher, Robert “Bubba” Dickson (left), and editor, Kirk Ross, say the paper follows a community-centered approach to writing.
File photo by Justin Smith

Readers who picked up the March 27 edition of The Carrboro Citizen got a real surprise: a story about an aerial gondola coming to Carrboro.

Whether readers believed it or not, they saw what community journalism is about.

Especially the April Fools’ edition.

“I like humor,” said Kirk Ross, editor of The Carrboro Citizen. “I think newspapers ought to have a sense of humor. It was a good exercise in learning how different people read the newspaper.”

Catering to the community

Only a community newspaper could report a fictitious town development plan and avoid severe backlash from its readers. Ross said the relationship that The Citizen has built with its readers is the reason why the newspaper is still around after a year of publication.

“I think it’s really connected with a lot of people,” Ross said. “The great thing is that people are taking ownership of this paper. We tell our readers, ‘We’re a couple of folks who know how to make a newspaper, but we’re making it for you. Tell us what you want.’”
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By Sean Umstead
Carrboro Commons Writer

Carrboro High School Athletic Director April Ross sits at her desk preparing the necessary behind the scenes work that must be done for sporting events to go off without a hitch.
Staff photo by Sean Umstead

When the Charlotte Bobcats began their inaugural season in 2004 they won a modest 22 percent of their games. Setting up one team clearly has challenges; setting up 20 new teams could be overwhelming.

That is what April Ross, Carrboro High School’s athletic director, has on her plate after taking over for Steve Reinhart, who resigned in December.

Ross, originally from Bath, was an athletic administrator at Briggs High School in Columbus, Ohio, before returning to North Carolina.

“I had been looking to come back home, and to open a brand new building to start something great from the beginning, which was one of my career goals,” Ross said.

Ross said her responsibilities include managing coaches, monitoring athletes’ academic eligibility, ordering transportation, scheduling and everything else that’s required to make a program run smoothly.

Ross said the new student athletes are putting forth an extraordinary effort to get teams off to a good start.

“The student athletes try extremely hard,” Ross said. “They give it 100 percent.”

Ross said she understands the difficulty of a new school trying to compete with established and perennially successful teams.
“We don’t have that experience factor,” she said.

Ross said chemistry within each team is key to building strong foundations, which is even more important when competing with teams that have been together for many years. She said such as foundation can be established by athletes working with their teammates throughout the summer.
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Por Alexandra Mansbach
Carrboro Commons Reportera
Traducido por Leah Szarek

Algunos de los estudiantes en Carrboro High School están tomando el aprendizaje al próximo nivel — el nivel internacional.

La Academia de Estudios Internacionales, o AIS según la sigla en inglés, en Carrboro High School prepara a los estudiantes para vivir y trabajar en un mundo diverso. Los estudiantes aceptados en el programa aprenden de culturas diferentes, los idiomas y los asuntos y las prácticas necesarios para ser individuos más globalmente enterados y cultos.

Los estudiantes de la clase de asuntos globales de Sra. Kalleberg de 2007. Veinticinco estudiantes están participando en el programa.
Foto gracias a Judith Kalleberg

El programa incluye una serie de clases, seminarios, investigación, servicio comunitario y interlocutores visitantes para proveer a los estudiantes de una variedad de oportunidades para aprender.

“Hemos tenido un primer año bueno y repetiremos nuestra asociación el año próximo,” dijo Judith Kalleberg, una de las directoras de AIS. “Los estudiantes están muy emocionados por los cursos electivos ofrecidos, y la matrícula para las clases parece bueno.”

Más de 60 estudiantes toman uno o más clases de AIS, Kalleberg dijo, y acerca de 25 estudiantes son miembros del programa. El proceso de solicitar requiere que el estudiante descargue y rellene una solicitud del sitio Web del programa. La aceptación en AIS está basada en el interés del estudiante en estudios y culturas globales y en una recomendación del maestro. Los estudiantes pueden solicitar entre su primer y tercer año, y cuando están aceptado, los estudiantes deben conformarse con los requisitos de academia.
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By Allie Maupin
Carrboro Commons Writer

The morning of April 6 was cold and soggy, but the weather did not prevent more than 400 people from coming out to the Carrboro Classic Endurance Sports Festival held at McDougle Middle School.

The festival served as host to the USA Triathlon (USAT) Duathlon Regional Championships and was also selected as a World Championships Qualifier, one of only four such events in the country. Duathlons are similar to triathlons, but only involve two of the events, running and cycling.

The women’s long course dualthlon race gets off to a good start during the Carrboro Classic on Sunday, April 6.
Staff photo by Allie Maupin

“A lot of people here want a chance for the national team,” said Joan Hartis, a race course volunteer and Carrboro resident.

The Carrboro Classic is comprised of three events: a short-course duathlon, long-course duathlon and an 8-kilometer (5-mile) run. The long-course race was both the Regional Championship and Team USA qualifying event.

The top two finishers in each age group from the long-course competition are offered slots on Team USA.

The top runners from the women’s long course were Cari Soleo, of Cary, with a time of 3: 06 minutes, and Sonia Davis, from Chapel Hill, at 3:08.

Josh Beck, of Carlisle, Pa., won the men’s long-course race, clocking in at 2:18. He was followed by William Haas, from Greenville, at 2:22.

“This is such a great opportunity for serious runners,” said Tara Cristian, a long-course entrant from Alexandria, Va. “Team USA is a real honor.”

Members of Team USA will compete in the International Triathlon Union’s world championships. The long-course duathlon event will be held on Aug. 10, 2008, in Geel, Belgium.

Steve Lackey, founder of the Carrboro Classic and publisher of Endurance Magazine, is not surprised the Carrboro Classic was picked for the USAT regional championship.
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By Kate Searcy
Carrboro Commons Writer

Question: Where could one find the Rolling Stones, Joan Baez and Johnny Cash sitting together in perfect harmony?

Answer: The Carrboro Century Center on April 6th from noon to 6 p.m.

Gerry Williams showcases some of his records for sale at the sixth annual Carrboro CD, Record and Memorabilia Show. Vendors came to sell their music and talk about their passion for collecting vintage treasures.
Staff photo by Kate Searcy

These were just a few of the artists from various genres whose musical works were both on display and for sale at the sixth annual CD, Record and Memorabilia Show at the center over the weekend. Music lovers came by the dozens to browse, receive tips on buying and selling, or just to chat with fellow enthusiasts.

“This is a gold mine for me,” said Henry Hannon, a visitor to the event who said he has been collecting music for the past couple years.

Hannon said he was interested in the vinyl records for sale, and that he is currently into funk and soul music from the 1960s and early ‘70s.

Around 35 tables were purchased by vendors for the event, and the show was held in the center’s auditorium. It can fit around 40 vendors, according to Gerry Williams, the creator and director of the event. He is also the founder and coordinator of the Carrboro Music Festival.

Williams said that the show is sponsored by the town of Carrboro and its economic development staff.

Though the show was focused on vintage records and CDs, Williams said almost every musical format was available for sale. Cassettes, 8-Tracks and records of different sizes were just a few of the formats available for purchase. Music players, such as turntables, were also for sale.

Williams said rock ‘n roll was the most popular format for sale, but there was music from all genres to suit all musical interests.
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By Kennedy Carruthers
Carrboro Commons Writer

Whether it’s a concert, a poetry reading or an open gallery, Carrboro abounds with a creative flair. This is why author and frequent Carrboro visitor John Villani named it as one of America’s best art towns in his most recent book.

Villani, communications director for the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, N.M., and a former art critic with The Arizona Republic newspaper, recognized Carrboro in his book, “The 100 Best Art Towns in America: A Guide to Galleries, Museums, Festivals, Lodging and Dining.”

John Wilner, an arts advocate and executive director of the Arts Center in Carrboro, stands beside one of the gallery exhibits featuring the paintings and drawings by students enrolled in the center’s art classes. Wilner says that the center makes a special effort to reach out to the diverse communities within Carrboro.
Staff photo by Kennedy Carruthers

The book, published in 2005 by Countryman Press, highlights communities in which support for the arts is evident in their culture, according to the book review by the publisher.

For Doreen Ross, this honor came as no surprise. Ross, a Chapel Hill resident, has been going to Carrboro’s The ArtsCenter to take jewelry-making classes for more than 10 years now. “It’s really nice to have the ArtsCenter here that suits so many people’s outlets,” Ross said.

In addition to town-sponsored art events, the ArtsCenter, located at 300-G E. Main St., makes Carrboro an amicable place for artists to live, museums and galleries to thrive, and nearby residents, like Ross, to express their creative side.

“I think it’s the walkability of Carrboro,” Villani said of his rationale for including the town in his book.

“If you combine a friendly retail environment with friendly visitors from Carrboro and Chapel Hill, it makes for an ideal place for gallery owners to set up shop,” he said.

Villani initially came to Carrboro more than 20 years ago when his mother, Lolita Villani, moved to town. During his visits, he observed the beginning of a creative evolution.
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