News Briefs

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Hours for Chatham County government offices through the holidays

PITTSBORO — Chatham County government follows the holiday schedule of the State of North Carolina. This means that most County offices, other than public safety and related essential functions, will be closed for the winter holidays December 24-26, 2019 and January 1, 2020.

Please note the following exceptions and special operations/instructions:

Animal Resources

Chatham County Animal Resources is closed December 24-26. For animal-related emergencies, please call 919-542-2911.

Council on Aging

The Chatham County Council on Aging is closed December 24-26. The Council’s Centers will be open on December 23 and December 27 but not providing meals or group activities. Individuals may come to use the fitness rooms or do other independent activities (puzzles, etc.). The Council already provided frozen/shelf-stable meals to those who need them.

Parks & Recreation

All Chatham County parks close at 3 p.m. on December 24 and will be closed on December 25. The parks are open on December 26 and January 1.

Solid Waste & Recycling

The Solid Waste & Recycling main office will be closed December 24-26. All 12 Collection Centers will close at 2 p.m. on December 24 and will be closed December 25. The centers will be open as usual December 26 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The main office will open at 7 a.m. December 27.

The Solid Waste & Recycling main office will be closed January 1. All 12 Collection Centers will be closed January 1. The main office and collection centers will open at 7 a.m. Jan. 2.

Live Christmas Tree Recycling

Solid Waste & Recycling will take live (or formerly living) Christmas trees during regular business hours at its main facility, 28 County Services Road, Pittsboro, free of charge from December 27, 2019 – January 10, 2020. After that, there will be the usual $2.00 minimum to dispose of the trees, just like regular yard waste.

Siler City government buildings, campuses to be tobacco-free in 2020

The Town of Siler City Board of Commissioners updated the Town Ordinance on Health and Sanitation to prohibit tobacco products on town property except in designated areas.

The updated tobacco-free ordinance defines tobacco products as any product containing or derived from tobacco that is intended for human consumption, whether chewed, smoked, absorbed, dissolved, inhaled, or ingested by any other means, including but not limited to cigarettes; e-cigarettes; cigars; little cigars; snuff; and chewing tobacco. A tobacco product excludes any product that has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for sale as a tobacco cessation product, as a tobacco dependence product, or for other medical purposes, and is being marketed and sold solely for such an approved purpose.

Beginning January 1, 2020, the use of tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes, will be prohibited on or inside property that is owned, leased, or maintained by the town. This includes any town vehicle, town buildings, and town property, including the Siler City parks.

The town manager shall have the authority to designate tobacco use areas for yown facilities, except for all Parks and Recreation buildings and grounds, which shall remain tobacco free.

To read the full Town Ordinance go to www.silercity.org

Chatham Community Library offering free computer classes in New Year

PITTSBORO — Learn a new skill in the new year at Chatham Community Library! The library is offering a series of free computer classes in January and February. You can find a description of each class, including topics covered and prerequisites for attending, by visiting www.chathamnc.org/ComputerClasses.

Drop-in Computer Assistance: 4-5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8

Getting Started with eBooks: 3, 3:30 or 4 p.m. on Wednesday, January 15 (30-minute, one-on-one sessions)

Microsoft PowerPoint Basics, Part 1: 3-4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 29

Microsoft PowerPoint Basics, Part 2: 3-4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 5

Drop-in Computer Assistance: 4-5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 12

Intro to Facebook: 3-4:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 20

The Drop-In Computer Assistance sessions (January 8 and February 12) do not require registration. For all other classes, space is limited and you must register in advance. Register online at the address above. For more information, call 919-545-8086 or email reference@chathamlibraries.org.

All classes take place in the computer lab at Chatham Community Library, 197 NC Hwy 87 N in Pittsboro, on the campus of Central Carolina Community College.

Durham, Orange and Chatham HBA announces awards, board of directors

DURHAM ­— Nicole Goolsby, Owner of Red Ladder Residential, was installed as the 59th President of the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Durham, Orange, & Chatham Counties in installation ceremonies on December 12th at Hope Valley Country Club in Durham. Phil Warrick, NCHBA 2019 President, formally installed Goolsby.

Other Officers installed during the evening were:

1st Vice President – Lee Bowman, The Legion Company

2nd Vice President – Ken Combs, CQC Home

Associate Vice President – Tom Proctor, Central Vacuum Experts

Secretary/Treasurer – Gordon Smith, Coastal Credit Union

Past President – Eric Chupp, Capkov Ventures, Inc.

Presidential Appointee – Vanessa Jenkins, Preston Development

Builder Director – Jaclyn Elek, Fuller Land & Development

Builder Director – Mark Marcoplos, Marcoplos Construction

Builder Director – Allison King, Clarity Design Build

Builder Director – Todd Lincoln, Lincoln & Associates

Builder Director – Paul Stern, Blue Heron Signature Homes

Builder Director – Eric Andrews, Saint Andrews Homes

Builder Director – Matt Lawing, Haven Developers

Associate Director – Garren Maynard, 84 Lumber

Associate Director – Chi Yiu, Raleigh Kitchens

Associate Director – Janice Ward, JW Distributors, Inc.

Associate Director – Vicki Whitemore, Signature Flooring

Associate Director – Dan Jewell, Coulter Jewell Thames

Associate Director – Steve Griffin, Insurance People of NC

Associate Director – Bill Snyder, Talbert Building Supply

Ex Officio – Tom DiBenedetto, Town of Chapel Hill

In addition to the Installation of Officers, the HBA also recognized several members with awards. The 2019 Annual Awards were presented to:

Rookies of the Year – Kim Stewart and Deanna Ovenden, The Appliance Center

Recruiter of the Year – Ken Combs, CQC Home

Affiliate of the Year – Clare Daniel, Sherwin Williams

Associate of the Year – Garren Maynard, 84 Lumber

Director of the Year – David Fitch, Fitch Lumber & Hardware Co.

HBA Service Award – Ashley Applewhite, The Jim Allen Group

Presidential Award – Debbi Nichols, Synergy in Print

Presidential Award – Henry Warren, BMC

Builder of the Year – Gian Hasbrock, Lennar

PBO Business Association hosting inter-faith winter traditions celebration

The Pittsboro Business Association in partnership with Chatham County residents invites you to the first Celebration of Lights to celebrate the last night of Chanukah and the week of Kwanzaa. Please join us for this inter-faith, inter-cultural celebration of winter traditions around light from 4-6:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 29, on the northwest corner of the courthouse circle by Pittsboro Toys.

The evening will include a Chanukah book reading, a presentation on the history and significance of Kwanzaa and jelly-filled doughnuts made by our own The Phoenix Bakery specially for this celebration.

We will end our celebration with a lighting at dusk. We invite everyone attending to bring your Menorah, Kinara, candle or whatever it is that symbolizes the light in your faith tradition or spiritual journey.

Check out the facebook event for more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/2560951987292948/

NCDOT: Expect heavy traffic through holiday season, plan ahead

RALEIGH – Construction work that would require lane closures along major highways will be suspended by the N.C. Department of Transportation from Friday, Dec. 20, to Thursday, Jan. 2, to accommodate travelers for Christmas and New Year’s Day.

There will be some locations where the type of project or construction conditions make it unsafe to open all lanes on interstates, U.S. and major N.C. highways. That includes where a bridge is being replaced, or where lanes are blocked off with concrete barriers so drivers must still be alert for any lane closure signs.

With traditional heavy traffic expected over the nearly two-week period, travelers need to plan ahead. Before starting their trip, drivers can check DriveNC.gov to see if there are any issues with their preferred route. Once underway, a passenger in the vehicle can check the same site for updates or call 511 for the information between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 24-26 and Jan. 1.

Ideally, drivers can leave early to get a head start and be on the road at non-peak hours. The weekends before Christmas and New Year’s Day, as well as Dec. 24, will see the heaviest traffic congestion periods for most of the state, especially on interstates such as I-95, I-77, I-85, I-40 and I-26. Drivers should anticipate needing extra time to reach their destination and consider using an alternative route if possible.

Because of the expected heavy volume, drivers need to avoid distracted driving situations such as texting or using a cellphone so they are paying close attention to the road. And all occupants of a vehicle must be wearing a seat belt.

Expect a heavy law enforcement presence on the roadways, as the Governor’s Highway Safety Program annual Holiday “Booze It & Lose It” campaign is already under way. Through January 5, law enforcement agencies in all 100 North Carolina counties will conduct enhanced patrols to assist travelers, catch drunk drivers and enforce other traffic laws.

For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.

CCCC, FSU partner on $10K Pathway Degree

SANFORD — Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) and Fayetteville State University (FSU) have signed an agreement that permits CCCC Associate Degree graduates to complete an online Bachelor’s Degree at FSU at a total cost of no more than $10,000 in out-of-pocket expenses, or approximately $5,000 at CCCC and $5,000 at FSU. Students eligible for federal and state grants will likely pay less than $10,000 out of pocket.

CCCC President Dr. Lisa M. Chapman and FSU Interim Chancellor Dr. Peggy Valentine signed the agreement.

“We are always interested in engaging with partners that support educational opportunities for quality career pathways,” said Dr. Chapman. “Many Central Carolina Community College graduates continue their education at Fayetteville State and improved affordability is critical to their success. This is exciting for our communities as well as our graduates.”

“We are excited to enter into this partnership with Central Carolina Community College,” said Dr. Valentine. “This agreement demonstrates both institutions’ commitment to make the cost of a college education attainable and affordable. The FSU family looks forward to serving and working with those students who seek a degree from our institution.”

The $10K Pathway Plan opens the door to affordable Bachelor’s degrees to CCCC graduates in these programs at FSU: Accounting, Birth through Kindergarten (non-teaching), Business Administration (General), Criminal Justice, Fire and Emergency Services Administration, Intelligence Studies, Nursing, Interdisciplinary Studies, Psychology, and Sociology.