By Elaine Chiosso The Haw River Assembly (HRA) was founded in 1982, the year Jordan Lake was officially opened to the public. Citizens (many of whom had led the fight to stop the damming of the river) came together to form a non-profit organization dedicated to “protecting Jordan Lake and restor- ing the Haw River”. One hundred- ten miles long, the Haw River flows from northwest of Greensboro down to Chatham County to join the Deep River and begin the mighty Cape Fear River. Jordan Lake is a 14,000 acre reservoir on the Haw River. Much of the lake is fed by the big New Hope Creek and its tributaries that flow through Durham, Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Based in Bynum, HRA leaders knew from the beginning that the key to protecting the Haw River and Jordan Lake would to build a strong base of sup- port and partnerships with the upriver residents of cities, towns and counties in the watershed. Preserving fragile river areas, promoting parklands and trails where people can connect with the river; advocating clean water policies at the local state and federal level, and developing educational and volunteer projects to raise awareness and understanding have been HRA’s goals. The HRA has met great success in meeting these goals. With strong support from HRA, there is now a new Haw River State Park in the headwaters above Greensboro, and a nearly 1000 acre river corridor park – the Haw River State Natural Area- in Chatham County. They secured a grant to protect the headwater source springs in Forsyth County, helped Swepsonville create a town river park, and have worked with Pittsboro to restore water quality in Robeson Creek. By Deborah R. Meyer On May 16 at 6 p.m., a door to our histo- ry opens. During this Third Friday Art Walk in Siler City, the Chatham Camera Club will cele- brate its new photography show at its recent- ly remodeled Chatham Club Gallery, 117 N. Chatham Avenue. Only club members did not take these photographs. The 50-plus still images displayed, and the three movies that will also be running, show Siler City from the year 1895 through the 1960s. Duane Hall, one of the club members, has long had a love for historical photos. When he was on the board of the Chatham Historical Society he had an idea to gather old photos to share them with the communi- ty but finding them proved to be rather impossible. People would say they had some to share but then would not follow through on their good intentions. But like a pig who gets scent of a scrumptious truf- fle, this time Hall didn’t stop digging until he turned up treasures. This show is not to be missed. Just looking at the photos that accompany this arti- cle should whet anyone’s visual and aural appetite. “I put up notices and ads in stores around town and asked for old photos. A lot of them came from Jimmy Cranford. I got them out of attics and base- ments. I went over to Wilson Library and went through their historical collection,” Hall said. A member of the camera club, a doctor, put up the notices in his waiting room. People started to call, to share. Dan McMasters gave Hall a lot of photos, including one of his wife Linda in a gown. She was Miss Siler City. Coincidentally, another contributor gave Hall a pic- ture of Linda posing in a bathing suit. “Some of these no one has seen before. They were stored away in shoeboxes. I can identify 65 percent of them but the others, we don’t know who the people are in them. I am hoping people will come down and tell us whom they are. It will be fun, like a puzzle. I will put up a sheet so if you CHATHAM County L ine INSIDE: where all voices are heard www.chathamcountyline.org vol. 6, issue 4 FREE ~ GRATIS May 2008 PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CHAPEL HILL, NC PERMIT #251 *****ECRWSS***** Postal Customer Rural Route Boxholder Chill to the music in Bynum. Page 5 Teacher and more Page 3 What’s in your water? By Tim Keim While there is no doubt that modern water sanitation practices have nearly elimi- nated cholera, typhoid, dysentery and other waterborne diseases, it is equally without doubt that a significant number of the chemical by-products of these practices are highly toxic, carcinogenic and known to cause mutations of mammalian genes. The best-known local examples are tri- halomethanes, which are caused by mixing the disinfectant, chlorine, with organic compounds that occur naturally in the Haw River, the source for Pittsboro’s drinking water. A 2002 study by the UNC-Chapel Hill Dept. Of Public Health showed that merely taking a shower raised the THM blood lev- els of human subjects four times its normal concentration. Trihalomethanes (THMs)are found in Pittsboro’s water supply at almost two and a half times the federally recommended maximum concentration. 0.080 parts per billion are the recommended maximum set by the Environmental Protection Agency. For the past year, the Pittsboro THM water level has been .197ppb. Because of Pittsboro’s persistent non-compliance with SILER CITY continued on page 15. HAW continued on page 7. Protecting, respecting the Haw Siler City of old comes alive in photo exhibit WATER continued on page 16. Haw River Festival May 10 at the old Bynum Bridge Celebrate the Haw River With music, art, puppets, environ- mental displays and activities. You can go down to Bynum Beach and try some river monitoring and kids can take a short guided canoe ride on the river. Kids can also paint their own critter cut-out made by Bynum’s own Clyde Jones. A fabulous Old Town canoe will be raffled and there’s a silent art auction that includes works by Clyde Jones. There’s a “river of chalk” art project happening on the bridge, and much to learn from local organizations about the river, Jordan Lake and other environmental and community issues in our watershed. The great cooks at the Ruritan Club will have tasty food for sale all day. The festival is from 1-6 p.m. HRA Board member Lynn Featherstone gives a guided canoe ride on the Haw at the Festival. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HAW RIVER ASSEMBLY The Chatham Camera Club has put together a show featuring Siler City photos from 1895 through 1960s.
Transcript
By Elaine Chiosso
The Haw River Assembly (HRA)was founded in 1982, the year JordanLake was officially opened to thepublic. Citizens (many of whom hadled the fight to stop the damming ofthe river) came together to form anon-profit organization dedicated to“protecting Jordan Lake and restor-ing the Haw River”. One hundred-ten miles long, the Haw River flowsfrom northwest of Greensboro downto Chatham County to join the Deep River and beginthe mighty Cape Fear River. Jordan Lake is a 14,000 acrereservoir on the Haw River. Much of the lake is fed bythe big New Hope Creek and its tributaries that flowthrough Durham, Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
Based in Bynum, HRA leaders knew from thebeginning that the key to protecting the Haw Riverand Jordan Lake would to build a strong base of sup-port and partnerships with the upriver residents ofcities, towns and counties in the watershed. Preservingfragile river areas, promoting parklands and trailswhere people can connect with the river; advocatingclean water policies at the local state and federal level,and developing educational and volunteer projects toraise awareness and understanding have been HRA’sgoals.
The HRA has met great success in meeting thesegoals. With strong support from HRA, there is now anew Haw River State Park in the headwaters aboveGreensboro, and a nearly 1000 acre river corridor park– the Haw River State Natural Area- in ChathamCounty. They secured a grant to protect the headwatersource springs in Forsyth County, helped Swepsonvillecreate a town river park, and have worked withPittsboro to restore water quality in Robeson Creek.
By Deborah R. Meyer
On May 16 at 6 p.m., a door to our histo-ry opens.
During this Third Friday Art Walk in SilerCity, the Chatham Camera Club will cele-brate its new photography show at its recent-ly remodeled Chatham Club Gallery, 117 N.Chatham Avenue. Only club members didnot take these photographs. The 50-plus stillimages displayed, and the three movies thatwill also be running, show Siler City from theyear 1895 through the 1960s.
Duane Hall, one of the club members, haslong had a love for historical photos. Whenhe was on the board of the ChathamHistorical Society he had an idea to gatherold photos to share them with the communi-ty but finding them proved to be rather impossible.People would say they had some to share but thenwould not follow through on their good intentions.But like a pig who gets scent of a scrumptious truf-fle, this time Hall didn’t stop digging until heturned up treasures. This show is not to be missed.Just looking at the photos that accompany this arti-cle should whet anyone’s visual and aural appetite.
“I put up notices and ads in stores around townand asked for old photos. A lot of them came fromJimmy Cranford. I got them out of attics and base-
ments. I went over to Wilson Library and wentthrough their historical collection,” Hall said. Amember of the camera club, a doctor, put up thenotices in his waiting room.
People started to call, to share. Dan McMastersgave Hall a lot of photos, including one of his wifeLinda in a gown. She was Miss Siler City.Coincidentally, another contributor gave Hall a pic-ture of Linda posing in a bathing suit.
“Some of these no one has seen before. Theywere stored away in shoeboxes. I can identify 65percent of them but the others, we don’t know who
the people are in them. I am hoping people willcome down and tell us whom they are. It will befun, like a puzzle. I will put up a sheet so if you
C H A T H A M
County LineINSIDE:
where all voices are heard
www.chathamcountyline .org
vol. 6, issue 4 FREE ~ GRATIS May 2008
PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE
PAIDCHAPEL HILL, NCPERMIT #251
*****ECRWSS*****Postal Customer
Rural Route Boxholder
Chill to the music in Bynum. Page 5
Teacherand more
Page 3
What’s inyour water?By Tim Keim
While there is no doubt that modernwater sanitation practices have nearly elimi-nated cholera, typhoid, dysentery and otherwaterborne diseases, it is equally withoutdoubt that a significant number of thechemical by-products of these practices arehighly toxic, carcinogenic and known tocause mutations of mammalian genes. Thebest-known local examples are tri-halomethanes, which are caused by mixingthe disinfectant, chlorine, with organiccompounds that occur naturally in the HawRiver, the source for Pittsboro’s drinkingwater.
A 2002 study by the UNC-Chapel HillDept. Of Public Health showed that merelytaking a shower raised the THM blood lev-els of human subjects four times its normalconcentration.
Trihalomethanes (THMs)are found inPittsboro’s water supply at almost two anda half times the federally recommendedmaximum concentration. 0.080 parts perbillion are the recommended maximum setby the Environmental Protection Agency.For the past year, the Pittsboro THM waterlevel has been .197ppb. Because ofPittsboro’s persistent non-compliance with
SILER CITY continued on page 15.
HAW continued on page 7.
Protecting, respecting the Haw
Siler City of old comes alive in photo exhibitWATER continued on page 16.
Haw River FestivalMay 10 at the old Bynum Bridge
Celebrate the Haw River With music, art, puppets, environ-mental displays and activities. You can go down to BynumBeach and try some river monitoring and kids can take a shortguided canoe ride on the river. Kids can also paint their owncritter cut-out made by Bynum’s own Clyde Jones.
A fabulous Old Town canoe will be raffled and there’s asilent art auction that includes works by Clyde Jones. There’s a“river of chalk” art project happening on the bridge, and muchto learn from local organizations about the river, Jordan Lake andother environmental and community issues in our watershed.The great cooks at the Ruritan Club will have tasty food for saleall day. The festival is from 1-6 p.m.
HRA Board member Lynn Featherstone gives a guided canoe ride on the Haw at the Festival. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HAW RIVER ASSEMBLY
The Chatham Camera Club has put together a showfeaturing Siler City photos from 1895 through 1960s.
d i s p a t c h e sLogan named schoolsuperintendent
The Chatham County Board ofEducation has selected Robert Loganas its unanimous choice to be the nextSuperintendent of Chatham CountySchools. Loganwill begin workingin the district onMay 15.
Logan hasserved as theAssociateSuperintendent ofInnovation andSchoolTransformation with the NorthCarolina Department of PublicInstruction since July 2007. He wasSuperintendent of Asheville CitySchools from 2001 until mid-2007.Logan worked in Lee County Schoolsfrom 1994 until 2001, first as an assis-tant superintendent and later asSuperintendent for four years.
Logan’s career in education spansover 30 years and includes jobs as anexceptional children teacher, coach,five principalships and positions atthe central office level.
His wife, Sonia, is also a profes-sional educator. The couple has twochildren that will be students in thedistrict this fall.
b r i e f sArts Incubator hostsArt in the Garden
The NC Arts Incubator presentsan Art in the Garden show May 30-31 at the Walters residence at 6500Siler City-Glendon Road. A receptionis planned for 7-9 p.m., tickets are$30. The Saturday show, 10 a.m. to 5p.m., is free. The work of 30 artists,including sculpture, pottery, folk art,jewelry and paintings will be dis-played. Call 663.2072.
School hosts golf benefit
The Haw River ChristianAcademy is hosting its first annualgolf tournament May 9 at ThePreserve. Players can download abrochure and register on-line,www.hawriverchristian.org, or call919.533.4139 for more information.
Playhouse rafflehelps Relay for Life
Lonnie West, Broker/Realtor withRE MAX Southern Advantage andLisa Skumpija, Broker/Realtor withRealty World Carolina Properties per-suaded local homebuilders to build anddonate a playhouse as a raffle prize to
support Chatham Relay for Life. Lisa’s Playhouse is provided by
Absolute Construction and will be ondisplay at 777 Chapel Ridge Driveuntil the Relay event. Lonnie’s play-house is donated by Jerry GrowerConstruction along with John Odom,builder and will be at Harmony Hillssubdivision just West of Siler City.
Chatham Relay for Life is theNumber 1 Relay in the country forraising the most money for cancerresearch for the past 3 years. Formore information, click on www.pitts-bororelayforlife.org
Workshop to exploregreen transport
Learn about the energy balance ofall kinds of biofuels, some alternativesto biofuels, what fuels NASCAR, andmore. Dave Erb, an automotive engi-neer who has designed electric andhybrid electric vehicles, as well asvehicles using gasoline, diesel,biodiesel, alcohol, and natural gaspowered trains, will lead a workshopin the Multipurpose Room ofBuilding 2 at Central CarolinaCommunity College. Sustainable sus-tenance (i.e., organic refreshments)will be provided. May 14 at 7 p.m.
An active auto racer with engi-neering and business degrees, he willshare his excellent information andexperience, his deep commitment to
the environment, and his understand-ing of its impact on social justice. Co-sponsored by Chatham Alliance forSustainable Energy and the Orange-Chatham Group Sierra Club.
Chatham offers earlybird H2O discount
Property owners with facilitieslocated on roads that are in the firstphase of Chatham County’sSouthwest Water District need toapply for county water service soon totake advantage of the 90 percent dis-count on the tap fee and to ensurethat neighbors and businesses whoneed county water can get it.
“Residents in the SouthwestDistrict can get a great deal on the tapfee if they submit their application forservice in advance, but it is not neces-sary to pay the fee immediately. Wewill let you know when it’s time topay the fee, which will be shortlybefore the waterlines are coming tothe area,” said Roy Lowder, directorof Chatham County’s UtilitiesDepartment.
“The tap fee automatically jumpsfrom $500 to $4,500 once the water-lines have been installed beyond youraddress,” Lowder said.
To request a Southwest DistrictWater Service Application or to askquestions, call 542.8270.
Chatham County Line is a com-munity newspaper serving all ofChatham County as well as the south-ern part of Orange. Our mission is toinform our community by providing aforum “where all voices are heard.”We seek all views and ideas about ourcommunity, and we report on impor-tant matters — including our culturallife — comprehensively and in depth.Our commitment is to create the best-written, best-edited and most stylishcommunity newspaper anywhere.Chatham County Line is published tentimes a year.
Editor & PublisherJulian SerenoMarketing DirectorMary BastinDesignerKelly Prelipp LojkWeb site designUniqueOrn.comChatham County Line is wholly ownedby Avanti Media Consultants, LLC.
I was privileged to be invited byWendi McMillan, English as a SecondLanguage (ESL) teacher,to serve as poet-in-resi-dence for the thirdgraders at Chatham’s newVirginia Cross ElementarySchool in Siler City this past January.Wendi got the idea from a notice inthe paper about the ChathamArtsresidency program. A grant she sub-mitted to the Chatham EducationFoundation was successful.
Wendi worked well with me to pre-pare for the week, involve the teach-ers, and plan the lessons. She wasenthusiastic and reassuring no matterwhat concerns I had. At the end ofthe week I had learned so much. The
childrenwereresponsive,hard-work-ing, fun toteach.
Their English writing skills were waybeyond what I expected, since 75 per-cent of the school’s children areHispanic. Most ESL students wereborn in Chatham and are highly moti-vated to excel in English.
Wendi is one of two ESL teachersfor the third grade. I was amazed bythe skills level of both classroom andESL teachers. Wendi is always think-ing about new things to do, new waysto teach. “My mind is never at rest,”she says. She was aware that bringingan outside person into the classroomis helpful, and she wanted to encour-age the children to play with lan-guage.
Wendi was born in Ashtabula,Ohio, near Cleveland. She joined theArmy Reserve out of high school, fin-ished her B.A. in Linguistics at the
University of Toledo,and then served threeyears on active duty, firstin El Paso, Texas, later inSaudi Arabia with the
Army’s Air Defense Artillery, as aTactical Control Officer operating aPatriot Missile System.
Next she taught English as aForeign Language for several years inthe Czech Republic, in both privateand public schools, all grades. Sheloves languages and enjoys this kindof teaching because the students learnquickly and she can more easily seethem change and grow.
In 1999, after teaching in Dallasfor a year, she wanted to live else-where. When she received three joboffers from North Carolina, shepicked Siler City Elementary Schoolbecause it was in the middle of ourstate. Her husband is from Siler City,and they have a two-year-old son.
Her leisure time? “Running is mythinking time.” She’s preparing for ahalf-Marathon (13 miles) and runs anhour before leaving for school about7:15 a.m. Her school day usually endsat 4:30 p.m. Wendi also serves as avolunteer fireman, and she still findstime to read and write letters.
She enjoys living in Siler City. “If Ilived in a big city, I’d spend moremoney. Here it’s easier to focus onwhat’s important.” She also likesChatham’s rural character.
The biggest challenge of her teach-ing work is that she feels there is alwaysmore she can do. When children arrive
in a Chatham school with no English,they have only 24 months before theyhave to take the end of grade tests. Toleave the ESL program they mustachieve a “Superior” score on reading,writing, speaking, and listening tests.
I asked if she had any disciplineproblems with the students. “Nothingout of the ordinary.” She enjoys thefact that she never knows what toexpect with the children, who oftenbring her great ideas to help her teachthem. She works with them both in
and outside of the classroom duringthe time set aside for a literacy block.The current ESL focus is on maintain-ing the English content in the class-room, so these teachers work onvocabulary similar to words being usedin their regular lessons. As the childrenwrote poems, they often sought outMs. Wendi to ask questions, get ideas,or show her what they’d written, likeflowers raising their faces to the sun.
Her county issue of concern? “I hear too much closedminded-
ness.” She wishes more people actu-ally visited the Siler City schools tosee what they’re like. She worries forthe children because of the prejudicetheir parents encounter. “Of course,schools can always do more. Whenchildren have difficult lives, the moreadult intervention of teachers andcommunity volunteers, the better.”
Her advice to others? “Don’t pre-judge people. If all the adults in thecommunity take the responsibility toshow respect for others, however dif-ferent they are, it helps the children,who learn from everyone, in stores,on playgrounds, everywhere.”
Wendi wouldn’t trade her job. “Ilove what I do. I feel blessed. Life isgood.”
Judy Hogan, a poet and freelancewriter living in Moncure, is a regularcontributor to Chatham County Line.She can be reached [email protected]
With three jobs, what does WendyMcMillan do for leisure time? She runs.
In the NC Arts Incubator Building223 B N. Chatham Ave, SilerCity
Mon.–Tues. 7–noon • Wed.–Fri. 7–4 • Sat. 8:30–2Closed Sunday. Open late on 3rd Fridays.
919.200.1684 • www.downtowngroundscoffee.com
Great Coffee, Tea & Pastriesfeaturing Counter Culture Coffee
Free WIFI
Bulk coffee
for sale
Smoothies
Siler City Alive, 2008
On May 9th and 10th,come join in Siler City’ssecond annual Siler CityAlive Festival. OnFriday night, May 9th,
enjoy great gospel singing by VoicesUnited, Danny Spiney and local highschool gospel choirs from 7 p.m. to 10p.m. Food for this Friday night eventwill be catered by Best FoodsCafeteria.
Come back out on Saturdaystarting at 10 a.m. for great food, fun,arts and crafts and live music from
bands such as Coyote Ridge, Chadand Kristy Gaines, Centerline and thePart-time Party-time Band.
The Committee has been workinghard to have great music andtraditional dances, wonderful food,local art and crafts, kid’s games, and aclassic car and antique tractor show.There will also be a 5k Run and 1Mile Fun Run in the morning.
Last year, (photo at right) broughtout lots of people of all ages. Comeout and have some fun in Siler City!
Concerts in the Courtyard
Bluegrass byTommy Edwards and FriendsFriday May 16th, 6:30–8:30 pm
Siler City Rotary Club StageNC Arts Incubator Courtyard
223 N. Chatham Street, Siler CityThis free concert is sponsored by a
grassroots grant from ChathamArtsand the NC Arts Council.
Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the music!All galleries, restaurants, and many otherbusinesses will be open from 6–9 pmduring the Third Friday Art Walk.
Got Belly Fat?FREE SEMINAR–Call NOW!
• Learn why counting caloriesdoesn’t work for certain bodytypes.• Learn the the biggestmistake with exercise.• Learn about the hormoneconnection to belly fat.• Find out how sleep, stressand pain can affect fat burning.
Call Now: 919-663-0090
A. Lynn Williams D.C. • www.DrWilliamsChiro.com
Disclaimer: The information provided at the workshop is not designed to diagnose or treat any
medical condition. It is purely educational, based on the book, The 7 Principles of Fat Burning.
Do you wear bulky clothes to hide the bulge?Can’t get your cravings under control?Want help managing the stress?
Brad Brown, Bill Walden and MikeKennedy are heading up the Siler City
Alive Committee. Here, they areshowing off this year’s shirts.
www.silercityalive.com
SILER CITYUser Friendly
By Amy Barefoot
They say “once you get thatBynum mud between your toes, you’llalways come back” and that is exactlywhat the town of Bynum is bankingon for its upcoming Bynum FrontPorch Music Series. The series takesplace at the Bynum General Storeand runs every Friday night startingMay 2 through August 29, from 7 to9 p.m. It is open to the public andfeatures a variety of bands spanningmultiple musical genres includinggospel, folk, blues, rockabilly andbluegrass. The season opener is Kelleyand The Cowboys, a four-piece bandfrom Mount Airy that blends earlycountry, rockabilly, western swing andthe blues.
The Bynum Music Series began in2001 as an effort among Bynumneighbors to create an event thatwould bring people to Bynum thatcould help sustain the BynumGeneral Store and Post Office, one ofthe only remaining historical businesslandmarks and social centers in thecommunity. Unable to make a profit,the General Store’s operator eventu-ally closed the business in 2006.
To keep the community gatheringplace alive, Bynum neighbors bandedtogether and created a non-profitorganization called Bynum FrontPorch. The organization’s mission isto preserve the history, identity andsupportive atmosphere of Bynum byproviding the opportunity for peopleto gather in a central location thatvalues wholesome family communitiesand caring interactions.
One of the programs of the BynumFront Porch organization is the FridayNight Music Series, which is alsomade possible by the Chatham ArtsCouncil. Folks from all over theTriangle bring chairs and sit under an
open sky to enjoy fine music, foodfrom local vendors and each other’scompany on summer evenings.Tickets to the events are not neededbut a hat is passed to compensate theperformers. Inside the BynumGeneral Store local artists also displaytheir work and children can partici-pate in arts and crafts and storytelling.
Another program presented by theBynum Front Porch organization isthe Bynum Front Porch Pickin’ whichtakes place the fourth Saturday ofevery month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The pickin’ is a bluegrass jam sessionopen to musicians and singers of allskill levels and ages. This program isalso free and open to the public.
Bynum has a rich history that con-tinues to be vibrant. The efforts ofBynum residents have insured thecultural preservation of this rich his-tory and have built a community thatstill upholds the same values thatestablished the town in the 1800’s.For more information on the BynumFront Porch Music Series schedule,visit www.bynumfrontporch.org.
Amy Barefoot is a member of theBynum Front Porch PublicityCommittee.
MAY 2008 Chatham County Line 5
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General Store.PHOTOS BY DAVE HORNE
A lot of local history can sometimesbe learned in the serenity of a grave-yard. Gravestones call attention to earlysettlers, military heroes, prominentpoliticians, attorneys, pioneering farm-ers and businessmen. Less elaboratemarkers and sometimes uninscribedordinary field stones tell where thehardworking yeoman farmers andslaves, whose sweat and tears helped todevelop Chatham, now rest. Infantgraves all dated within a year or tworeflect epidemics. Many stones showingthe maiden names of spouses demon-strate the connections between somany local families. Sometimes a grave-stone will raise puzzling questions.
Many motorists speeding southwardon Highway 15/501 never noticed anunusual feature on the right shoulderjust a few hundred feet north ofHerndon Road. A solitary polishedblack granite gravestone marks the rest-ing place of Lizzie Cheek. She was bornon December 23, 1892 and died onJanuary 23, 1919, just a month beyondher 26th birthday.
When I first noticed this lonelygrave five or six years ago it seemedstrange to see a young woman namedCheek buried alone on the side of ahighway when there is a whole page of
people namedCheek in theChatham tele-phone directory.Nevertheless,except for using aweed-trimmer toremove weeds andpoison ivy fromaround the stone I didlittle to solve this mys-tery except to mentionit to my associates inthe HistoricalAssociation. A fewCheeks in the area werequestioned, but no oneseemed to know Lizzieor how she fit into thefamily.
The pace of ourinquiries picked up inMarch when BevWiggins, the coordina-tor of the ChathamHistorical Association’sCemetery SurveyProject, was notified that Lizzie Cheek’sgrave had been damaged. Apparently apiece of heavy equipment preparing theway to bring utility services into theadjacent site of the Briar Chapel devel-opment had run over the grave andpartially pushed over the stone.Fortunately the monument was notbroken. This incident was briefly men-tioned in the local newspaper andcaused several concerned citizens tovolunteer bits of information.
Hopefully their contri-butions will help us toeventually determinewhy Lizzie sleeps aloneon the roadside.
Census records for1900 and current datafrom the Jones BradyCopeland PerryAncestry World TreeProject show thatLizzie’s parents wereRobert David Cheekand Mary Frances D.Fannie Brewer. Mr.Cheek was born inOrange County in 1857and married Fannie in
September 1885.Property deeds indicate that the
land where Lizzie lies came to theCheek family via her mother, FannieBrewer Cheek. The deeds describe theland as near the Riggsbee Post Office,but do not mention a cemetery. Thatpostal facility was in Riggsbee’s storewhich an 1896 map shows on theChapel Hill-Pittsboro Road, but arealignment of the road well before therecent widening left the site of the storeoff to the east between SR1717 andSR1719.
Robert and Fannie had seven chil-dren: Lola G. (1885), Clarence (1886),Clifton (1888), Laura or Lina (about
1890), Lizzie (1892), Luna (about 1894)and Carl Lee Cheek (about 1891).Their home and farm was located nearthe Herndon Road going into land nowunder development as Briar Chapel.
Mrs. Rachel Parrish and EdwinRives Cheek (no relation) both recallthe family having a private graveyardsurrounded by an iron fence on theirproperty. Mrs. Parrish recalls that it hadmore gravestones within the fence butdoesn’t know if Lizzie’s was one ofthem. The iron fence seems to be thefeature that made the cemetery memo-rable. No one knows what happened tothe fence, gravestones, or the graves.
Fannie Cheek and one of herdaughters, Luna, attended somepreaching services at Lystra BaptistChurch, but Edwin Rives Cheek saysthat his family didn’t know them andnever had occasion to speak with them.He recalls Luna as having an artificialleg, but according to Mrs. Parrish shewas still able to drive her motheraround in a big black automobile. Someparishioners grumbled that Robert D.Cheek walked behind his plow onSunday instead of coming to church.
Lizzie died in Durham County butwas brought back to Chatham for bur-ial. One of her sisters, Lola Cheek,married Walter E. Riggsbee and isburied at Lystra Baptist Church. At thiswriting we have not discovered whathappened to Robert and Fannie andthe rest of their children. Are theyburied in unmarked graves at their for-mer home site, are they under the pres-ent highway, or are they buried else-where? What happened to the familycemetery? If graves were removed whywould Lizzie have been left behind?
Many old birth and death certifi-cates and census records suffer frompoor spelling and penmanship. Thefamily surname was transcribed inplaces as Cheek, Chick and Chuck.
We are very appreciative of contribu-tions and suggestions by RebeccaCockrum, Rachel Parrish, MargieBrooks, Edwin Rives Cheek, his brother,Leon C. Cheek Jr. and the coordinationand assistance of Bev. Wiggins.Hopefully some readers out there willcome up with other leads to solve themystery of Lonely Lizzie.
Fred J. Vatter is past President ofChatham County HistoricalAssociation and a Board Member.
6 www .Ch a th am Coun t y L i n e .0 rg MAY 2008
Chatham’sHistoricalHeritage
by Fred J. Vatter
184 US 64 East, Pittsboro • www.heartwoodrealty.com
She’s loved your parents every year of your marriage
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79 South Elliott Road, Chapel Hill • 919-929-2580 • grimballjewelers.com
This Anniversary, thank her for notsaving all of her love just for you.
Are You Drinking Too Much?The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is seeking volunteers for a study to evaluate the benefits of a medication for the treatment of heavy alcohol drinking. The study will involve a free evaluation interview and, if you qualify, free counseling sessions.
If you are between 25 and 60 years old and are interested in participating, please call Linda at (919) 966-5770 or e-mail her at [email protected]
A place for us allBy Rebekah L. Cowell
Standing at the head-water of theB. Everett Jordan Dam I am inexplica-bly content; a calm breeze ruffles thedark surface of the lake and greenpines and firs scallop the waters edgecasting deep shadows across the clayencrusted banks. From my vantagepoint at the top of the Dam - this bird-eyes view - I find myself reflecting onthe adventures of Lewis and Clark.What must it have been like to con-stantly see sights such as this - nature
unsullied and pristine - in their explo-rations of the western frontier as theytraversed East to West? Fortunately forus the Lake project was deemed neces-sary by Congress after a water needsresource study had been conducted bythe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers forthe Triangle area. Construction beganin 1967 under the name of New HopeLake. In 1973 the project was renamedto B. Everett Jordan in honor of theformer senator from North Carolina.The Lake did not finish completionuntil 1982 when it was determined“full”. In roughly thirty odd years thisman-made Lake has become a wildlifeconservation area, vital water sourcefor the Triangle and invaluable recre-ation spot.
If you’ve never been, the B. EverettJordan Dam is an unforgettable spotto go and hike, fish, kayak, bird-watch,play or sit and think. Situated on
Moncure/Pittsboro Rd. which is justoff of 15-501 South – the Park is beau-tifully maintained by the the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers and NCState Parks. At around 14,000 squareacres, the B. Everett Jordan Dam parkis considered to be the largest green-space in the Triangle!
The Park’s visitor center is openMonday through Friday from 8 a.m.to 4:30 p.m.
The Dam is roughly 4 miles abovethe mouth of the Haw River and 202miles above the mouth of the Cape
Fear River; from themouth of the Dam,where water spills out ofthe Lake and tumblesdown a stream-bed, youcan witness the journeyof Lake to River in all itsmutable translucency.My favorite place towatch hawks and heronsas they fly and fish.
Nestled in the valleybelow the Lake and past
the dam there is a five-star play-ground that is carefully kept-up.Renovated and recently mulched thisplayground boasts slides, swings, andjungle gyms in age appropriate sec-tions. It has become a favorite spotfor me and my toddler.
As Spring skips into Summer,enjoy basking in the warming sun,hunting for blossoming things anddiscover one of Chatham County’smany resplendent wonders.
Rebekah Cowell is a graduate of UNC.She is Assistant Fiction Editor of TheDead Mule School of SouthernLiterature. Her most recent works havebeen published in The Dead MuleSchool of Southern Literature, MudLuscious, Prick of the Spindle, TheBlotter Magazine, The 2nd Hand, TheIndependent Weekly, The CarrboroCitizen and The Maine Switch.
HRA’s advocacy work for cleanwater is well known, and the organi-zation has been on the forefront ofmany battles to stop poorly planneddevelopments, to enforce andimprove rules to stop the despoilingof streams by muddy water, and thelengthy effort to get new regulationspassed to reduce pollution in JordanLake from upstream wastewater andstormwater sources.
Some of the state’s most ambitiousvolunteer projects have their home atHRA. The Haw River LearningCelebration is an annual three-weekprogram in the fall that brings volun-teers and fourth-grade schoolchildrenout to the river to learn about thisspecial ecosystem. Over 33,000 stu-dents have taken part since 1990.
The Haw River Watch Projecttrains and equips volunteers to moni-tor water quality using simple buteffective methods on creeks and theriver. Begun in 1995 this project hasgrown to 50 teams, and their datahelps track pollution and find solu-tions to cleaning it up.
The annual Haw River Clean-up
has taken place each March for 18years. Thousands of volunteers haveremoved tons of trash from river-banks and around Jordan Lake. Themost recent clean-up on March 15was one of the biggest ever. Sixteenteams on foot and canoes hauled out586 bags of trash and 179 tires from60 miles of river, and around theshoreline at Jordan Lake.
Funding for HRA projects comesfrom many sources: membership dues,public and private grants, individualcontributions, fundraising events, andsales of t-shirts and maps. A riverorganization’s goal is always to bringin more members and volunteers fromthe people who live in the watershedand share the vision to protect theriver and lake. The HRA can onlyimagine what it could accomplish ifthe million people who lived in theHaw’s watershed all pitched in.
To find out more about the HawRiver Assembly, visit their website atwww.hawriver.org. or call 542.5790.Join them at their annual Haw RiverFestival on the river in Bynum onSaturday May 10, from 1 – 6 p.m.
Elaine Chiosso is executive director ofthe Haw River Assembly.
HAWcontinued from page 1.
The parade of puppets made by Paperhand Puppet Intervention at the Haw RiverFestival. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HAW RIVER ASSEMBLY
B. Everett Jordan Dam
8 www .Ch a th am Coun t y L i n e .0 rg MAY 2008
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IncredibleVariety!
Chatham marketplace celebrates second year
When Chatham’scooperative grocerystore turns two yearsold on May 18, Co-op
owners and other communitymembers will mark the store’ssuccess with live local music, kids’events, and a Picnic on the Lawn atChatham Mills.
And on that day, folks will becelebrating more than a flourishinggrocery store—they’ll honor a placededicated to the local economy, tothe health of Chatham’s citizens, andto the culinary culture of the county.
Local EconomySince opening in May, 2006,
Chatham Marketplace has spent 25
percent of their operating budget onlocal purchases of goods andservices—for a total of $676,000 inlocal goods, and $190,000 in servicesand local taxes. That doesn’tinclude the $1.24 million paid inwages for their three-dozenemployees.
Additionally, approximately 95percent of the Co-op’s retail meatpurchases have been from localfarmers who meet the store’s highstandard for production methods.That means shoppers can be certaintheir local meats are free ofhormones, antibiotics, andpreservatives, and come from freerange animals.
The selection of fruits and
vegetables available in the Co-ophas featured an average of 25percent local products over the lifeof the store—a chunk that outpacesmany area retailers.
Best of all, the store is owned bylocal citizens. Over 1,560 peoplehave purchased individual equityshares in the store to date, and thegoverning board is comprised ofdemocratically-elected owners.Anyone is welcome to become anowner of the store any time.Everyone is welcome to shop in thestore—but owners enjoy storesavings, dividends (in profitableyears), and support for localbusinesses.
HealthBoth for their expertise and for their
extensive selection of herbs, spices, teas,supplements, vitamins, andhomeopathic remedies, ChathamMarketplace has earned a reputationamong health care providers andresidents. Shoppers also enjoy freeconsultations on supplements and herbsevery other Saturday (May 10 and 24)by certified herbalist Kelly Shattuck.
While thousands of products inconventional grocery stores arepacked with high fructose corn syrupand preservatives, the Co-op’s grocerybuyer, Marian Wall, spends hoursresearching products to be sure theitems on the store’s shelves are free ofquestionable ingredients. That way,
FLYNTHILL FARM542.5308 2411 Hwy 64 West Pittsboro
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PROCEEDS BENEFIT FAMILY VIOLENCE AND RAPE CRISIS AND GARDEN PLACE SHELTER • OPERATED BY FAMILY VIOLENCE AND RAPE CRISIS SERVICE OF CHATHAM COUNTY
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MAY 2008 Chatham County Line 9
One-of-a-kind jewelry for the discerning soul
The Joyful Jewel
Gallery and Studio
45 West St. in historic downtown Pittsboro(919) 545-6836
Open Thurs 2–6pm
Fri–Sat10am–6pm
RosemaryHouseBed&Breakfast
in Historic Pittsboro, 76 West St.888.643.2017 • 919.542.5515
Featuring the work of area artists,coffee, and fine chocolates
One of Pittsboro’s oldest restaurants, the Scoreboard,is becoming Pittsboro’s newest: Virlie’s Grill
• Now smoke free
• Affordable familydining
• Breakfast and Lunchevery day
• Dinner: Tue – Sat
• Great new menufeaturing salads,homemade soups,and more!
• Really good burgersand sandwiches
• Kid’s menu
• Daily specials
• Private room available for meetings or parties
• Poker every Tue.and Wed. night inour game room
58 Hillsboro St. • 919-542-0376 • Parking in Rear
O P E N I N G M AY 5
shoppers can feel good about whatthey eat.
Dining
T he Co-op has made a culinarysplash in Chatham with theirdaily hot bar, house-baked
pastries, and deli sandwiches. The store’s new Friday Night
Dinner Series offers live music, winespecials, and an affordable menuwhose entrée choices rival thetriangle’s most celebrated restaurants.
Cooking classes and monthly WineTasting and Tapas events extend theculinary culture to the community byproviding the chance to learn moreabout the food and wine the storeoffers.
The Co-op kitchen also offerscatering for all occasions, and has fedclients such as UNC’s Kenan-FlaglerBusiness School, the NationalConference of the American LivestockBreeds Conservancy, the ChathamCounty Health Department, OrganicValley Cooperative, and the RuralAdvancement FoundationInternational (RAFI).
Chatham Marketplace is located at480 Hillsboro Street, one-half milenorth of the Pittsboro traffic circle.Store hours are 8-8 every day, and 8-9 on Fridays.
Reach them at 542.2643, or on theweb at www.chathammarketplace.coop.
ChathamArts Gallery • 115 Hillsboro Street
Pittsboro • Tues.–Sat. 11–5, First Sun. 12–4
919-542-0394 www.chathamarts.org
may
june4 1st Sunday at the Gallery
"Annual Student Show" works fromarea high school students.ChathamArts Gallery, 12–4pm
1 1st Sunday at the Gallery"Art in the Garden" works fromChatham County artists includingsculpture, whimsy, and interpretation.ChathamArts Gallery, 12–4pm
29 Potluck in the PastureSnipe's Farm
Think Global: Keep it Local
www.pittsboroshops.com
By Mitch Barron
Briar Chapel, a 1,589 acre mixed-use, master-planned community locat-ed in northeast Chatham, plans to pro-vide homeowners with sustainablehome options that are healthy for thewhole family. The community plans tohave more than 900 acres of openspace with the creation of parks, sportsfields and trails for the public to enjoy.
Briar Chapel will be the first
community in the Triangle thatrequires builders to comply with rigor-ous green-building standards. Thedevelopment will become the largestEnergy Star residential community inthe area. This program requiresbuilders to comply with high energyefficiency and quality standards.
Green-building criteria in BriarChapel includes the Energy Star forHomes program, Durham, Orangeand Chatham Counties Home
Builders Association’s (DOCHBA)Green Build Initiative program andthe NC HealthyBuilt Homes pro-gram. Newland, the developer,requires every home in Briar Chapelto be inspected and verified by thestate’s leading independent, third-party green-building consulting andverification company, SouthernEnergy Management.
Nationally, 16 percent of homes areEnergy Star certified, with less than 3percent in North Carolina. Othercounties incorporate sporadic green-building into new developments.Chatham will become unique in thefact that Briar Chapel will be the firstcommunity in the area to requireevery builder developing in the com-
munity to comply with the all of thegreen-building standards.
Every Newland-owned building inthe community is certified by theLeadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design’s (LEED)stringent third-party certification sys-tem, which was developed and imple-mented in partnership with SEM andits team of green-building experts. Allhomes will have improved insulation,improved air-quality, lower water billsand a reduction in indoor pollutants.Each house will also conserve naturalresources with the installation ofhigh-efficiency water heaters, appli-ances and high performance fixtures.The landscape design conserves waterby using indigenous plants and group-ing plants with similar water needs.
Briar Chapel will consist of 2,400single-family and multi-family homesto be phased in over a 7- to-10 yearperiod. Briar Chapel’s 900 acres ofopen space constitutes more than 55percent of the total development. Theopen space of Bennett Mountain anda 20-mile mountain bike trail systemwill help promote outdoor living.
Newland Communities is lookingforward to creating Briar Chapel andoffering a healthy environment andsustainable living for future residentsand following generations.
Mitch Barron is vice president of oper-ations for Newland Carolina
10 www .Ch a th am Coun t y L i n e .0 rg MAY 2008
Briar Chapel focuses on green building practices
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MAY 2008 Chatham County Line 11
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By Ginny Gregory
When I think about my environ-ment, I think about what is bloomingin my garden at that moment. Todaymy burgundy leafed cherry (Prunussubhirtella) is blooming as it graceful-ly grows next to my deck. It is provid-ing what I had hoped when I plantedit 8 years ago … form, color and a bitof shade. The fluffy grandfather’sbeard (Chionanthus virginicus) isshowier than ever before. It is thenative and is often not as floriferousas the hybridized variety. It is finallygetting tall enough to get the sun itneeds to really “show up” I suspect.
The cantaloupe and bright pinkdeciduous azaleas (Rhododendron aus-trinum ‘Millie Mac’ and Rhododendroncatawbiense) aren’t the least bit shy inmaking themselves known to all whogaze on the garden. The golden spiraea(Spiraea japonica ‘Gold Mound and‘Magic Carpet’) and barberry (Berberisthunbergii ‘Aurea’ are glowing through-out the garden. My snowball bush(Vibernum macrocephalum) stair steps
down the forest side of the garden withsuch a wonderful old timey look. Myvariegated red stem dogwood (Cornusalba ‘Elegantissima’) is unfurling its’green and white leaves just as thehostas are showing their magnificentleaves. Irises are preparing to bloomand on and on. The beech tree isnaked as the new leaves are sprouting.In the wink of an eye, it will be green.
When I think of my environment, I
think of the hummers who are justarriving delighted to be home again.The ridiculous Cardinal who battersour window each year has gotten apartner and their babies are snuggeddeep in the Arizona Cypress on theother side of the deck. The bluebirdbabies are being tended in their housein the greenhouse border. The pileatedwoodpeckers are making themselvesknown. Unbelievable giants of the sky!I find myself calling him Woody afterthe famous cartoon character.
The frogs are singing me to sleep atnight as they serenade in the creek thatis now flowing. Spring is humming tome; spring is luring me into the garden.Spring is sneaky, flamboyant, fragrantand seductive. The patter of rain in thebackground gives me goose bumps.That sound just thrills me.
When I think of my environment,I think of my daughter and grandson.I feel a huge responsibility to actthoughtfully as I move through thisplanet. As a gardener I can do muchto enhance or rob the earth. I hold inmy hands the soil of the earth. I want
my daughter to breathe clean air asshe plants her own peonies. I wantthat forth generation peony grower tohave a rich environment. I want herto age into gardening. I want there tobe fertile soil available for gardening. Iwant my grandson the have a clean,safe world to grow up in. I want thereto be millions of trees left to filter theair for him. I want wild flowers grow-ing seasonally in the forest, in thedesert, in the tundra for him to dis-cover. I want him to have pure waterto drink. I want him to run and runand run and see a vibrant world.
I hold in my hands the soil of theearth. I take my job seriously. Springcomes to bring us hope. I am hopefulthat we will all share this responsibili-ty towards this stupendous planet.Plant by plant, garden by garden wecan help save our world for the babiesyet to come. Happy Spring!
Ginny Gregory is the owner and cre-ative energy behind “Beyond ThePail...Creating Gardens and Beyond.”Her website is www.beyondthepail.net
Loving our living earth in springtimeChionanthusvirginicus
12 www .Ch a th am Coun t y L i n e .0 rg MAY 2008
Not your ordinary seafood restaurant
In many ways, Capt. John’sDockside, on 15/501 about halfway between Chapel Hill andPittsboro, is not ordinary. Ninety-
five percent of the fish Capt. Johncooks for you is wild caught. The onlyfarm raised items on the menu aresalmon,tilipia and catfish.
Capt. John opened Dockside 16years ago. He has found that peoplewho live far from the coast reallyappreciate good quality seafood. Hethinks people should pay attention to
what they are eating. What he servesis what he wants for himself — andthat is a healthy diet.
He specializes in Mediterraneandishes. Being Greek, he has a flare fordishes prepared with olive oil andfresh vegetables. Specialties of thehouse are Linguine ala Myloyos, BakedWhitefish Santorini, Original GreekVillage Salad, and Linguine Fra Diavolo.
Years ago he started frying hisseafood in Whole Harvest soy bean oilthat is produced in North Carolina. Itis a cholesterol-free, non-hydrogenated oil that retains naturalomega-3s as well as natural Vitamin E.So you get more nutritious value from
the fish you are eating.More than half the people who eat
at Dockside order seafood that isbaked, broiled, grilled or steamed.Here they find the largest selection ofcrabs in the area: Alaskan SnowCrabs, Dungeness Crabs, Soft ShellCrabs, King Crabs and Blue Crabs.
Caring about his customers andwanting them to take care ofthemselves led him to be involved inthe Chatham County Healthy DiningProgram. The Winner’s Circle Mealshe offers include eight deliciousentrees. In fact, at Dockside, Capt.John makes sure he takes care of you,too. He is happy for you to make up
your own custom dishes and he willprepare them to your individual taste.Every dish is prepared as it is ordered.Nothing is cooked ahead of time andkept in a warmer.
Probably the most popular itemordered is crab cakes. These are madeof all crab meat—no breading—justcrab meat, scallions, parsley and herbs.Many people want to share these withfriends and Capt. John ships them allover the United States.
If reading all this doesn’t make youhungry as a migrating seal, stop by andtake a look at the menu. While youare there, you will be amazed to seethe largest collection of Clyde Jonesfish paintings in the world. In fact,many paintings in the changingcollection Clyde hangs there, havebeen in museums in many othercountries. For an entertaining eveningout, come in on the first Thursday ofevery month to hear Bluegrass musicby Tommy Edwards and on the ThirdThursday, Jazz by Chris Reynolds.
Capt. Johns Dockside is not yourordinary seafood restaurant. Fact is— it’s extraordinary!
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Whose river is it anyway?By Mary Bastin
At the request of The Friends of theRocky River, the Division of WaterQuality of the North CarolinaDepartment of Environmentand Natural Resources, held apublic hearing to address con-cerns to be considered in the NPDESrepermiting of Siler City’s waste watertreatment plant. This meeting was held atthe Town Hall on Thursday, April 17 at 7p.m. The hearing was taped by the staffof DWQ. The department may placeconditions on the permit; the decision tobe made by the Director of the Divisionof Water Quality within 90 days.
Over a dozen speakers were heard. Ofthe experts organized by The Friends ofthe Rocky River to make presentations,Dr. John Fountain, a river water qualityspecialist and head of the Department ofEnvironmental Sciences at NorthCarolina State University urged DWQ toincrease monitoring on the river. Dr.Fountain acknowledged that data doesnot exist that would identify the source ofthe contaminants in the river. There arepoint sources and non-point sources thataffect the water quality of the river. Thepoint source in the discussion was thewaste water treatment plant. The non-point sources are agricultural practicesalong the riverbank, changes caused byindustry (which is also regulated by thestate of North Carolina) and develop-ment along the river. Dr. Fountainstressed the need for more monitoringalong the river. He did not suggest whoseresponsibility it would be to pay for it.
The members of The Friends of theRocky River spoke to their observationsof the changes in the river over the years.Their concerns included fewer fish, mus-
sels and wild life, increased algaeand unpleasant odors.
There was no disagreementover the fact that the water qual-
ity of the Rocky River and many rivers inNorth Carolina have declined to a pointthey can never be restored. Urging theDivision of Water Quality to provideleadership in the changes that need to bemade to remedy this situation is a step inthe right direction. However, the call forleadership does not stop there.
The mantra of the landholders alongthe river is “Siler City has no right topollute my river.”
These are the facts that were NOTmentioned by members of The Friendsof the Rocky River. The nearly 8,000people who live in Siler City can alsoclaim the Rocky River as theirs. Theyhave a right to have a reservoir and awater treatment plant. They have a rightto have the parents of hundreds of chil-dren employed by the chicken plants orany other industry that puts food on thetable and clothes on their backs. Thesepeople are the responsibility of the TownCouncil of Siler City.
The call for leadership would includethe Town Staff and Town Council of SilerCity. Siler City has the most to gain fromactively participating and investing in thebest water facilities and practices it canpossibly afford. The drought we experi-enced in 2007 would put clean water atthe top of the list of needs of the town.
Don Tarkington, who lives in SilerCity and was town manager from 1971-77, spoke to the central point. “Not allof the problems with regard to the waterquality of the river are the responsibilityof the town of Siler City.” He cited thatthe same problems occur above theplant. He urged that the permit for thewastewater treatment plant be renewedwith no further delay.
So whose river is this after all? Whodoes have responsibility for it in the longrun? The call for leadership includesFORR as well. Several members of TheFriends of the Rocky River mentionedthey own 600 feet along their river andhow they can see what’s there. SonnyKeisler and Kathleen Hundley, the lead-ership of The Friends of the RockyRiver, each own many acres on the river.They wouldn’t be able to see from oneend of their river frontage to the other.
If they or anyone in their group has aconcern for the wider community needsfor the river during extreme drought orindustry closings and loss of employmentit was barely mentioned. You wouldhave to conclude that Keisler’s andHundley’s vision, whatever it is, stopswhere their property meets the water. AsEd Spence of Siler City said in his pres-entation, “What we need here is somegood common sense.”
Mary Bastin is Director of Marketing forChatham County Line. After serving twoyears on the board of the Rocky RiverHeritage Foundation, she resigned citinga conflict of interest. She can be contact-ed at [email protected].
OPINION
TO THE EDITOR:In response to Mayor Randy
Voller’s editorial published in theMarch Chatham County Lineregarding the water quality andhousing needed for what heterms lower/middle income work-ers.
Mr. Voller identified lower andmiddle-income workers as “teach-ers, police, store clerks, nursesand administrative staff.” I wouldsuggest to Mr. Voller, that he lookclosely at Potterstone, PowellPlace and his own development ofChatham Forest. Many who pur-chased these homes are nurses,teachers and law enforcementprofessionals. Who knew that wewere considered low income?
Mr. Voller, please define whatis a low-wage earner? Because if itis nurses, policemen, and teach-ers, there are plenty of housesstill available in Potterstone,Powell Place and Chatham Forest.
While I do not pretend toknow the answer for the waterquality issue that needs to besolved quickly, I do know that itis the nurses, policemen andteachers paying taxes inPittsboro, that will be paying forit.
Kathleen Meredith RN, MHA499 Chatham Forest Dr.,
Pittsboro
letter to the editor
Well hush my mouth. A fewmonths ago I complained about howirrelevant and backwater the NorthCarolina presidential primary hadbecome. While it still may be irrele-vant, the waters are turgid.
Ads are all over the TV, and robo-callers are on overdrive, inundatinghapless voters with every kind ofannoying phone call, from opinion
polls to the recorded voice of theexalted office-seeker him- or herself.Once I vowed tonever vote for acandidate whowould hijack mytelephone. At this point there would-n’t be anyone I could vote for.
The contest between Barak Obamaand Hillary Clinton will playstrongly here until the May 6 pri-mary, then it will move on to thelast few primary skirmishes untilthe final denouement, presumablyat the Democratic NationalConvention in Denver. Obama haspicked up the endorsements ofmany influential democrats andappears to be leading by doubledigits in North Carolina.
Entering the fray are theRepublicans, attacking Obama andthe two Democratic Gubernatorialcandidates, Lt. Gov. BeverlyPerdue and Treasurer RichardMoore, by associating them withObama’s controversial pastor, theRev. Jeremiah Wright.
Tying Moore and Perdue toWright is quite a stretch. It is fair to linkObama with Wright’s words, whichhave horrified white America. But weshould at least hear his words and nottake the Republican spin on them.
The world-view that Wright hasexpressed is one he shares with morethan 1 million Chicago African-Americans, probably tens of millionsmore elsewhere. This view holds that
blacks have been enslaved andexploited and continue get the shortend of the stick, and that it is withgood reason they fear and mistrustthe U.S. government and Americansociety at large.
Sadly, those who see the world thisway have the historical record ontheir side. But embracing these beliefs
perpetuates them and they becomeself-fulfilling.
They color and ultimately distortreality. When Harold Washington,Chicago’s first black mayor, wonreelection, he started to gorge on fastfood. He worked constantly, nevertook a vacation, and had aides bringhim Big Macs by the dozen. Alreadyheavy, he ballooned by 65 pounds in amatter of months. He suffered a heartattack and was rushed to nearbyNorthwestern University MedicalCenter where he died. This is what
was reported in the mainstream press.But that is not what most black peo-
ple in Chicago believed. They believedhe went in for a regular checkup andwas murdered by white doctors.
I speak from the experience ofspending a large chunk of my earlyadulthood on Chicago’s South Side,living and working in Hyde Park, now
Obama’s home base. If Obamawere not intimately familiar withthis world-view, he would becompletely out of touch with hisconstituency and his community.
And that brings up the bigirony of this election, and ittouches all three presidentialcandidates, each of whom wouldbe a first. Obama, who would bethe first black president, facescriticism because of how closelyin touch he is with the thinkingof black America. Clinton, whowould be the first woman presi-dent, is suspect because of herrole as wife of the flamboyantphilandering former president.The Republican, John McCain,who would be the oldest presi-
dent to first take office, occasionallyshows signs of age-related forgetful-ness, possible early signs of dementia.A supporter of the Iraq war from theoutset and frequent visitor to Iraq, hestill confuses Shiite and Sunni; he justcan’t seem to keep them straight.
North Carolina’s Primary hasturned out to be quite a show. TarHeels have a chance to be heard, andto get some licks in too.
Julian Sereno is editor and publisher ofChatham County Line.
14 www .Ch a th am Coun t y L i n e .0 rg MAY 2008
Come to a new church…
Chapel Hill Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
Whether you’ve NEVER been,USED to go, or SEEK a church,
WE WANT YOU!
Worship begins 10:30 a.m.at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCAwww.ChapelHillChristianChurch.org
929-2558
New Hope Valley Railway Experience a bit of North Carolina history!
Ride the famous New Hope Valley Railway!FFor further information and directions:
TEL: 1-919-362-5416 WWEB: WWW.NHVRY.ORGNorth Carolina Railroad Museum
5121 Daisey StreetBonsal, NC 227562
Post Office Box 40New Hill, NC 27562
FFares: $9.00 Adults - $6.00 ChildrenThe New Hope Valley Railway is located off Old US1 in the
historic community of Bonsal, NC, on the border of Chathamand Wake Counties, just ten miles south of downtown Apex.
TTRAINS OPERATE THE FIRST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTHMAY THROUGH NOVEMBER
TRAINS AT: 11:00AM - 12:15PM - 1:30PM - 2:45PM - 4:00PMHALLOWEEN TRAINS OPERATE LAST SATURDAY OF OCTOBER
TRAINS AT: 4:00PM - 5:15PM - 6:30PM - 7:45PMSANTA TRAINS OPERATE BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY THE
FIRST TWO WEEKENDS OF DECEMBERTRAINS AT: 11:00AM - 12:15PM - 1:30PM - 2:45PM - 4:00PM
The situation with wastewater iscomplicated and should rise abovebumpers stickers. It is expensive totreat waste water and will requireregional cooperation. Typical estimatesfor a modern plant can be $8 to $20 agallon. It was wise to engage theWestern Wake partners as Patrick,George and others have and we havepreliminarily forced a concession, butat what cost?
In the beginning, a group of townsfrom Western Wake led by Cary weredriving for 38 million gallons of dis-charge into the Cape Fear River. Themove was being driven by governmentregulations and the large capacity wasbeing driven by a desire to annex intoChatham County and serve the landon their western frontier. Cary plan-ners estimated 400,000 people would
eventually inhabit the area contiguousto Chatham County and within the 10mile “horn” district of Shearon Harris.
No plans have been made for trans-portation, impact on Jordan Lake, howthis expansion would encourage oneand perhaps twomore reactors atShearon Harrisand contentiouswater rightsissues on JordanLake.Furthermore, theentire New Hillcommunity will most likely be elimi-nated.
Once Chatham entered the picturewe asked for half of the capacity andno further annexations, instead theCary group whips up a quick study andsuddenly the assembling capacity ofthe Cape Fear River is 57 million gal-
lons and through scientific wizardry weget our 19 million gallons.
So now we have the possibility ofreal Atlanta style sprawl with perhaps600,000 to 700,000 people eventuallyliving around Jordan Lake, the Cape
Fear, and Harris Lake.Where is the plan?
I believe we should bepushing harder for aregional Chatham waterand sewer authority
(CHWASA). Siler Cityshould have the alternative
of pumping reuse waterdown US-64 for distribution to farm-ers, businesses and homeowners. Thisshould tie directly into a Pittsboro“purple pipe” program used for muchof the same. We should be pushing forthe state to allow a more liberal use oftertiary treated wastewater. We couldbe growing canola and switch grass on
our land, crushing it in Siler City orPittsboro, selling the meal off to farm-ers and the virgin oil to biofuels. Thiskeeps money in our area and waste-water out of the Rocky River and CapeFear. A closed loop.
We need to be visionaries. Ourwater needs to be cleaned up and ourwastewater needs to planned. Becauseof these aforementioned plans Cary isnow emboldened to push for a lotmore water from Jordan Lake for the“Western Wake Partners.” (Please seethe recent resolution passed by theTown of Cary.) We should applaud ini-tiative, but realize it comes with a cost.
The “butterfly effect” is in fullforce and there will be a lot more toworry about than septic tanks in thenext 20 years. Freedom of choice. It isa gift and a burden. Choose wisely.
Randy Voller is Mayor of Pittsboro.
MAY 2008 Chatham OPINION Line 15
The time is now for a water plan
Cognitive fitnessBy Don Lein
“Mens Sana in Corpore Sano”
We find ourselves 20 centuries afterJuvenal penned his famous words vainly try-ing to achieve that ideal. We have accumulat-ed a great deal of knowledge andare quite proficient in developingand maintaining sound bodies. Weare in the paradoxical positionthrough modern medicine andpharmaceuticals of having soundbodies for far longer than we havesound minds – see the current andprojected pandemic of dementia.
Good News – we are learningmore and more about how thebrain operates and are gaininginsights on how to stay cognitively fit. Theidea of keeping the brain fit is not new andwas articulated in the Republic whenSocrates argued that a mind could be trainedin the same fashion as a gymnast trains theirbody. This idea was also embraced by Lockein the 17th century and Rousseau with hisconcept of “perfectabilite”.
Before we can train the brain we firstneed to understand how it operates andmuch of that knowledge has been developedin the last few decades. In the early 20th cen-tury it was thought that brain cells could die,but new brain cells could not be generated.Indeed Sigmund Freud and others thoughtthat brain development ceased during orshortly after adolescence. When in 1965 neu-ronal stem cells were discovered in rats thediscovery was disbelieved. It was not untilsometime later that it was understood thatneurogenesis – the process of generating newneurons, was accepted, and recognized that itcontinued until we die. Not only can we gen-erate new cells but we can also take steps toincrease the life of existing neurons, effective-ly growing the brain.
Another facet of brain knowledge thatopens new avenues is the concept of neuro-plasticity – the ability of the brain to reorgan-ize itself. Again, conventional wisdom wasthat certain functions were controlled by spe-cific sections of the brain and if that sectionwas injured or became diseased that functioncould no longer be performed.
How then do we keep the brain fit? It is
like the rest of the body and reacts well tophysical exercise, a proper diet, sleep, etc.Let’s look at its unique needs. Your brainbecomes more anatomically complex witheducation and experience, particularly novelexperience. Learn to play and use your imagi-nation. As Einstein stated “imagination is
more important thanknowledge.” Develop yourpattern recognition skills,which Nobel LaureateHerbert Simon consideredour most powerful cogni-tive tool. This allows youto view massive amountsof data and discern orderand meaning from them.Engage in novel activities– the more new things you
learn (languages, playing musical instru-ments, etc.) the easier it becomes.
WARNING LABEL Getting out of yourcomfort zone may have repercussions.Consider the case of David Mamet, PulitzerPrize winning playwright and considered bysome to be the patron saint of angst-riddencosmopolitan liberals. As a child of the sixtieshe readily accepted all the shibboleths andclichés of the left. Then he began to readSowell, Steele, Friedman, Johnson, etc. andshed his cognitive dissonance. When herevealed his epiphany in a Village Voice essayindicating he was no longer a “brain-dead lib-eral” his circle of friends diminished.
On the positive side is the case of RichardWetherill. This university lecturer was also achess player who could think 8 moves ahead.As he grew older his skills diminished and hecould only think 5 moves ahead. He was con-cerned but diagnostic tests proclaimed himfit. When he died they performed an autopsyand found that he had advanced-stageAlzheimers which would have rendered mostindividuals cognitively non-functional, yet heperformed normally.
Not all the benefits of cognitive fitness areas obvious as Wetherill’s case, but now thatwe are beginning to learn how to develop asound mind, each of us should make a con-scious effort to become more cognitively fit.
Don Lein, a Chatham resident, is a regularcontributor to Chatham County Line. He isactive in a number of civic organizations.
"I believe we should be pushing harder for a regional Chatham water
and sewer authority."
come in and know who they are, you can help us out,” Hall said.A few of the photos in the exhibit are by the famous documen-tary photographer and photojournalist Dorothea Lange whotraveled during the Depression era documenting places and peo-ple for the Farm Security Administration.
Several hundred photos have been amassed and those thatwill not be included in the primary exhibit will be shown in aslide show in the gallery. Also playing will be three films. One isby H. Lee Waters, who during the late Depression traveledaround filming people in towns with a 16mm camera. Hallexplained he would shoot hours and hours of film of people in atown, edit the film, rent a movie theater and show the films afteradvertising that people could come watch themselves in themovies. Milo Holt owns Waters’ film of Siler City. DVDs fromthe original film will be on sale at the gallery. Also showing willbe a 1953 film shot of Siler City by people from Washingtoninvolved in economic development and an old film of the firsthospital dedication in Siler City.
A glorious find came about when a family contacted Hall, notabout photos, but about some old equipment as they cleaned outa family member’s place. Going through boxes, Hall found oldtorn-up slides from the late 1930s. “I cleaned them all up, tookthe dirt off. No one even knew they were there.
The North Carolina Historical Review did an article on SilerCity and Hall has used some of the article photos. “They usedthem straight but I spent hours and hours enhancing them. Youcan see the faces,” Hall said.
Ninety percent of the photos Hall collected come from localpeople. I asked him what he learned as he put the show together?“I learned how hard it is to find photos. But this is good for preser-vation. Most of the photos had already turned grey, were broken,wrinkled, and getting destroyed. High scan brings them out reallyclearer. The history is there, you just have to dig it out,” Hall said.
The gallery is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. To gainentrance other than these times, contact Janis Warren at 542-1595. The gallery will also be open June 20, 6-9 p.m. as well.The show runs through July 17.
Deborah R. Meyer is a Chatham writer.
Chatham Camera Club member says the group was able to identifyabout 65 percent of the photos, and are hoping for help from thecommunity to provide more information on the rest.
SILER CITYcontinued from page 1.
C h a t h a m C o m u n i d a db i l i n g u a l n e w s ~ n o t i c i a s b i l i n g u e s
water quality standards, the town isfacing not only a $30,000 fine fromthe state, but a big decision on how todecontaminate its water.
According to Pittsboro TownManager, Bill Terry, the town is plan-ning to begin water treatment with thecommonly used, proven process ofchloramination. Chloramination is thecombination of ammonia and chlorine.But, by so doing we may well beexchanging one class of toxic chemicalsfor another.
First, chloramination, if not precise-ly administered, can cause lead to leachout of plumbing and contaminate ourwater supply. Pregnant women andchildren are at risk because lead causesbrain damage. A Duke Universitystudy showed the increase of lead inthe blood streams of children both inWayne County, NC and Goldsboro,NC after chloramination treatmentwas begun.
Also, in two highly publicized inci-dents in Washington, DC (Edwardsand Dudi 2004; Tiemann 2005), andin Greenville, North Carolina (Renner2005), tests of residential tap watershowed high levels of lead following
the introduction of chloramines fordisinfection purposes.
Other known by-products of chlo-ramination include unregulatednitrosodimethylamines (NDMAs)and iodinated acids. NDMA is foundto be carcinogenic in several animalspecies, and the iodo acids are provento mutate mammal genes. And that’sjust the tiniest tip of the iceberg. Thepotential interactions among the hun-dreds of disinfectant by-products inthe complex mixture of drinkingwater to which we are exposed by var-ious routes, is an almost totallyuncharted area of future scientificinvestigation. (online at: www.sci-encedirect.com
Mutation Research 636 (2007)178–242)
In a recent conversation withProfessor Michael Plewa of theUniversity of Illinois at Champagne,Plewa told me that science has identi-fied about 50 percent of the by-prod-ucts caused during chlorination. Of theby-products caused by chloramination,we might have identified 20 percent.So who’s going to do the detectivework to investigate this over abun-dance of unregulated chemical com-pounds in our water?
Funds for basic research of this
plethora of chemicals have been cut bythe federal government for years. TheEnvironmental Protection Agency isnow much less able to inform policymakers about how to safeguard waterquality. Additionally, lawyers and lob-byists make our laws, not scientists.Plewa described our regulatoryapproach to these chemicals as “hap-hazard.”
So, policy makers are flying blindas they address these issues, and ourgovernment has tied the hands of thescientific community whose researchis vital to the health of our nation.
And we’ve not even begun to dis-cuss the condition of our watersources: our rivers and lakes. ForPittsboro, it’s the Haw River. As I wasreminded recently by Professor PhilipSinger of UNC-Chapel Hill, the Hawis not a protected river. How can weprotect the quality of our drinkingwater and our health if we don’t pro-tect our rivers?
Chemistry has been a major guaran-tor of water safety for decades. Ourwillingness to use chemical solutionsand our ignorance of their interactionsis seen by some as prudent. ProfessorMichael Plewa considers it an “experi-ment” in that the variables are manyand their affects unknown. And guess
who the subjects of the experimentare?
It is true that the levels of these ofchemicals and exposure times for dis-ease to occur are based on many yearsof vulnerability. But unless you havelife-long access to a pristine watersource, it’s almost impossible to goanywhere in the U.S. without beingforced to drink and bathe in toxic dis-infectant by-products.
I am not a scientist, nor a policymaker, just a citizen concerned aboutour impact on one critical pillar our oflife-support system. I don’t have theanswers. The answers will spring onlyfrom the seeds of questions asked.
You and I have to ask tough ques-tions of our local, state and nationalleaders, and demand solutions thatfavor life and health. The governmentis the creature of the people! We can’tsimply assume that they’re going toautomatically do the right thing. Wehave to participate ... actively. Or, besatisfied with the results and decisionsof people who don’t necessarily haveyour best interests at heart.
Tim Keim, a Pittsboro resident, is theformer senior producer at KNPR, LasVegas where he won numerous awardsfor his documentary and news work.
WATERcontinued from page 1.
Online guide for“locavores”
Pittsboro’s Carolina FarmStewardship Association (CFSA) haslaunched a searchable food guide atwww.carolinalocalfood.org, wherewebsite visitors can locate over 300sustainable farms, markets, grocersand organizations in the Carolinas.Including North and South Carolina,the tool features the region’s mostextensive database of farms available
on the web. Farmers and other busi-nesses may add their listings at thewebsite, which is updated monthly.
“Locavore,” eating food from areafarms, is a growing trend. CarolinaFarm Stewardship Association has beenbuilding a network of locavores for over25 years and is now able to share thatnetwork with the world. To learn more,visit www.carolinafarmstewards.org.
Siler City highlights arts
On May 16, the Third FridayArtwalk, 6-9 p.m., will enliven
Historic Siler City. The Concert inthe Courtyard series continues withTommy Edwards & Friends playing6:30-8:30 in the courtyard next toDowntown Grounds Coffee Shop.
Horizon Cellars wine-tasting willbe at the Raleigh Street Gallery. Andof course, the Chatham Camera Clubfeatures historic photos of Siler City.
Pittsboro offers fun for families
On First Sunday, May 4, 12-4 p.m.,enjoy a celebration on HillsboroStreet in Pittsboro. Music is courtesy
of “Fine Whyne.” Arts and craftsvendors line the streets, local galleriesand shops are open.
The Fourth Friday Studio Stroll isMay 23. Six of Pittsboro’s artists willbe opening their doors 6-8 p.m.Look for the beautiful mermaid infront of the participating stores. FishyFourth Friday is also May 23. Take infree movie High Noon starting at duskin the Capital parking lot. Call919.260.9725 or go to www.pittsboroshops.com.
Got briefs? Fax your news to919.932.2602 or email us at [email protected]
BRIEFScontinued from page 2.
Una Poesia por un nino
Por Tariq Siler
Desearía que mi pez nuncahubiera muerto.
Ese pez era el único pez quehabía vivido 3 o 4semanas.
Y era el mejor amigo quetenía.
Yo estaba en el campamento,y cuando regresé a casa,
él estaba acostado de lado.
Tariq Siler es estudiante en ter-cero curso de Virginia CrossElementary School en Siler City.La maestra es Wendi McMillan.
A poem by a child
By Tariq Siler
I wish my fish never had died.That fish was the only fish
that had lived 3 or 4 weeks.And he was the only best
friend I had.I was at camp, and when I
came home, he was on his side.
Tariq Siler is a student in thethird grade at Virginia CrossElementary School in Siler City.The teacher is Wendi McMillan.
