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ForestHer workshops set for November

Women landowners and natural resource professionals interested in learning more about management and conservation of private lands are invited to attend one of three ForestHer NC workshops to be held across the state in November. This is the second in a series of workshops. The workshops will run from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. and cost $25 per person. Pre-registration is required.

Registration includes lunch and handouts. Note to natural resource professionals: this workshop has been approved for continuing education credits (CFE, EE, and TWS). For details contact foresthernc@gmail.com or call 919-917-8646.

A local workshop will be held on November 7 at Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center in Pittsboro.

To register by mail, contact us at foresthernc@gmail.com or call 919-917-8646.

ForestHer NC is a new initiative created by conservation organizations in North Carolina to provide women who are forest landowners with tools and training to help them manage their lands and become more engaged in forest stewardship.

According to the Women Owning Woodlands network and data published in the National Woodland Owners Survey, “the percentage of family forest ownerships where a woman is the primary decision maker doubled from 2006 to 2013. These women make decisions for 44 million acres of America’s family forest land.” In North Carolina, 65 percent of private forestland is jointly owned by women, yet statistics indicate that women are significantly less likely to attend conventional landowner programs and participate in management activities.

“Research shows women are starting to have a greater influence on private lands management, which reinforces the need for us to develop a program specifically designed to appeal to women and engage them in conservation practices” said Kelly Douglass, a technical assistance biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “We hope this program will foster a sense of community among participants, provide them with an opportunity to learn from others in a positive, encouraging environment, and ultimately help them reach their conservation goals.”

ForestHer NC is sponsored by conservation organizations including the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, U.S Forest Service, N.C. Tree Farm Program, N.C. Forest Service, Audubon North Carolina, Wild Turkey Federation, N.C. Cooperative Extension, and the Sustainable Forestry and Land Retention Project.

Columbus Lodge Day set for Nov. 2

Columbus Lodge No 102 (across from Hardee’s) will be holding its 8th annual Columbus Lodge Day Nov. 2, and will include a car show and a spare rib lunch.

The show will take place at 121 East St. in Pittsboro, at the corner of Masonic Street and East Street across from Hardee’s.

Registration is from 8-10 a.m., judging from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with awards announced at 2 p.m. The donation to show your car is $25.

Funds raised help maintain Columbus Lodge #102, the oldest continuous use building in Pittsboro, possibly in Chatham County, and helps support North Carolina Masonic Charities.

All makes and models are welcome and eligible for very unique trophies and prizes. Categories judged are Best of Show, Chairman’s Award, Best Ford, Best GM, Best Mopar, Best Foreign Car, Best Orphan (Non-Big 3), Best Truck, Best Paint, Best Convertible, Best Survivor, Best interior, Best Engine Bay, Best 4 Door, Best Non-Automobile, Best Masonic Owned, Best Themed and the American Graffiti Award, along with top 20 show participants.

Please contact Brian Glover for more information at 919-265-4081.

Nericcio’s Family Restaurant opens Oct. 29

Nericcio’s Family Restaurant is celebrating the opening of their business on Oct. 29.

Loal residents are invited to join them and the Chatham Chamber of Commerce at 1 p.m. for a Ribbon Cutting Celebration. Refreshments will be available after the Ribbon Cutting. Nericcio’s Family Restaurant is located at 1110 N. Second Ave. in Siler City. The restaurant offers all day breakfast, Italian food, subs, burgers and more.

Siler City voting districts discrepancy discovered

The Town of Siler City discovered a potential error in the district voting maps early in 2019 and brought it to the attention of the Chatham County Board of Elections, according to town officials.

After review, the Chatham County Board of Elections confirmed the discrepancy in the voting districts of Siler City. The even-numbered addresses on South Third Avenue should have been identified as being in District 4, not District 5. On May 6, Pandora Paschal, director of Chatham County Board of Elections, wrote the Town of Siler City and nine property owners (18 voters) stating that the Board of Elections was making corrections to place the voters in the correct district.

It was determined that Commissioner Lewis Fadely is a de facto member of the Town of Siler City Board of Commissioners having been duly qualified to run for District 5 by the Chatham County Board of Elections in both 2013 and 2017.

The consensus of the Town of Siler City Board of Commissioners is to allow Commissioner Fadely to serve until the election of District 5 in 2021.

After receipt of the 2020 census the intent of the Town of Siler City Board of Commissioners is to redraw the districts.

Chatham County Shooting Sports 4-H Club achieves success at shooting tournaments

PITTSBORO — On Aug. 17th, members of the Chatham County Shooting Sports 4-H Club travelled to Ellerbe to compete in the Central Regional 4-H Shooting Sports Tournament. The club had three senior teams and two junior teams competing in shotgun, rifle and archery competitions. The “On Point” junior team, consisting of Carissa Gaines, Eli Bryson, Jayce Puckett and Laura Ann Walters, received third place in Junior Archery Compound and third place in Junior Rifle T-Class. Laura Ann Walters placed second in Junior Rifle T-Class Overall Individual. Senior Carter Phillips placed seventh in Senior Rifle O-Class Individual, and Gillian Ness placed eighth in Senior CMP Rifle T-Class Overall Individual. The “On Point” junior team, including Laura Ann Walters, as well as Carter Phillips and Gillian Ness qualified for the state competition. In addition, many of the other club competitors posted their best scores yet.

On Sept. 21st, at the State 4-H Shooting Sports Tournament, the “On Point” junior team placed second in Junior Rifle T-Class, and Walters finished second in Junior Rifle T-Class Overall Individual. In addition, Ness placed fourth in Senior Rifle T-Class Individual and sixth overall. Chatham County 4-H is very proud of the 4-H Club for their dedication and success. The Central Regional 4-H Shooting Sports Tournament was the first competition for the 4-H Club.

Chatham Community Players present ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’

PITTSBORO —The Chatham Community Players will perform eight shows of “Arsenic and Old Lace” in the Sweet Bee Theater. The Halloween comedy centers around one sane man’s shaky aim to comprehend and keep his murderously funny family under control one farciful evening. The show will take place from Oct. 26-Nov. 3 with Saturday performances at 4 and 7 p.m., and Sunday performances at 2 and 6 p.m. Arsenic and Old Lace is written by American playwright Joseph Kesselring.

The play is a farcical black comedy revolving around the Brewster family, descended from the Mayflower settlers, but now composed of insane homicidal maniacs. The hero, Mortimer Brewster, is a drama critic who must deal with his homicidal family and local police in Brooklyn, New York, as he debates whether to go through with his recent promise to marry the woman he loves, Elaine Harper, who lives next door and is the daughter of the local minister.

His family includes two spinster aunts who have taken to murdering lonely old men by poisoning them with a glass of home-made elderberry wine laced with arsenic, strychnine, and “just a pinch” of cyanide; a brother who believes he is Theodore Roosevelt and digs locks for the Panama Canal in the cellar of the Brewster home (which then serve as graves for the aunts’ victims; he thinks that they died of yellow fever); and a murderous brother who has received plastic surgery performed by an alcoholic accomplice, Dr. Einstein (a character based on real-life gangland surgeon Joseph Moran) to conceal his identity, and now looks like horror-film actor Boris Karloff (a self-referential joke, as the part was originally played on Broadway by Karloff).

Tickets are available now at pittsboroyouththeater.com and at Sweet Bee Caffe.’

Chatham Community Players is a circulating group of talented local volunteer adult actors and actresses who rehearse and perform plays in Sweet Bee Theater. All proceeds from shows go toward supporting community theater in Pittsboro and improving Sweet Bee Theater, the one and only live performance theater in Chatham County.

Annual Clean Jordan Lake event set for Saturday

More than 150 volunteers, both on foot and in watercraft, will converge on a section of the Jordan Lake shoreline to participate in the decade-old organization’s MEGA Trash Cleanup Fall cleanup event from 9 a.m. to noon this Saturday.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive before 8:45 a.m. at 2797 Pea Ridge Road in New Hill. Volunteers ages 11 and older are welcome.

Jordan Lake supplies water for parts of the town of Cary, Apex, Morrisville, RTP, RDU Airport and Chatham County. The man-made lake, completed in 1982, is fed by approximately 200 streams, many of which deposit debris into the lake and on its shoreline, especially after large rain events.

Register at https://www.meetup.com/HelpCleanJordanLake/

More information about the group is available at https://www.cleanjordanlake.org

Galloway Ridge wins Beacon Award for ‘Best in Wellness’

PITTSBORO — Galloway Ridge has won the 2019 ICAA NuStep Beacon Award, which recognizes and honors the Top 25 “Best in Wellness” senior living communities in North America.

Galloway Ridge is among those recognized as best-in-class for successfully fostering a wellness-centered environment to benefit all who live and work in their community. The award was created as a joint effort between International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) and NuStep, LLC, a major manufacturer of recumbent cross-trainers used in healthcare, senior living and fitness, already mentioned above. The ICAA is responsible for leading, connecting and defining the active-aging industry. CEO and founder Colin Milner says, “Senior living communities have long been aware of how important wellness is for the health and well-being of their residents, but in recent years, wellness has evolved from being a programming option to becoming a way of life” This evolution, says Milner, is also reflected in a survey recently conducted by the ICAA. The survey found that 59 percent of senior living communities state their business model will be wellness-centered with care services by 2023.

Galloway Ridge has successively partnered with its residents and staff to create relevant, meaningful opportunities and inspire participants to improve their quality of life. Wellness is typically defined by seven key dimensions: emotional, physical, intellectual, social, spiritual, vocational and environmental. When each of these dimensions is equally nurtured and prioritized, it can enhance a sense of well-being among residents. It is this commitment and acknowledgement of how important wellness is for older adults that elevates resident health to new heights.

“At Galloway Ridge we believe that there is wellness in everything that we do,” said Bob Zimmer, Executive Director at Galloway Ridge. “Through the relationships built between residents and staff, the services and programs offered, and the environment in and around our community, it is clear that wellness is at our very core. Our goal is to provide opportunities for each resident and staff member of our community to live their best life and to continue thriving as the unique individual that they are.”

Chatham County Outstanding Volunteers Awards nomination forms available

United Way of Chatham County is accepting nominations for the Chatham County Outstanding Volunteer Awards.

If you know a volunteer who selflessly gives their time, talent and expertise to benefit Chatham residents, please consider nominating them for this special recognition. Nomination forms must be submitted online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NFYQLHX by 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Individuals may be nominated for volunteer service in the following categories: Verteran/Military Families, Youth, Disaster, Animals, N.C. Preservation, Environment and Health & Human Services.

Every day in Chatham County hundreds of volunteers donate their time and talent through nonprofit organizations, churches and schools.

“The amount of hours served by volunteers of United Way and its member agencies totaled an astonishing 81,179 last year,” said Alane Coore, United Way Volunteer Center Coordinator. “This results in over 2 million dollars saved in salaries. It is important to recognize volunteers for their efforts because they help nonprofit agencies to provide a level of service that they otherwise may not be able to provide.”

Chatham County community members make up the local advisory committee that reviews the nomination forms, selects the honorees and plans local recognition activities. All nominees selected by the advisory committee will be recognized at the 2020 Chatham County Outstanding Volunteer Awards Ceremony, which is scheduled for May 7, 2020.

The local advisory committee will also select Chatham County nominees to be considered for recognition on the state level. The United Way of Chatham County Volunteer Center coordinates this effort with the N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service. Those selected will receive recognition from the Governor, in addition to being considered for the Governor’s Medallion Award. The Governor’s Office honors only twenty volunteers with the Medallion Award statewide and selects from nominees submitted by 100 counties. A minimum of one year of volunteer service is required to be eligible to receive the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award.

For more information about the Volunteer Recognition Program, please contact United Way Volunteer Center Coordinator Alane Coore by phone at 542-1110, or by email at: alane@unitedwayofchathamcounty.

Deer season safety promoted

RALEIGH — As the daylight hours get shorter and deer become more active, the N.C. Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to stay alert and pay extra attention.

Last year, there were nearly 19,000 animal related crashes across the state. Over the past three years, those collisions have killed nine people, injured about 3,000 and caused more than $146 million in damages.

To keep you and your family safe, remember to:

• Slow down in posted deer crossing areas and heavily wooded areas, especially during the late afternoon or early evening;

• Don’t swerve to avoid a collision. This could cause you to lose control or veer into oncoming traffic; and

• Deer often travel in groups, so assume if one crosses the road in front of you there may be others following.

Chatham Community Library to host program on Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe

The Chatham Community Library will host a free event on Nov. 2 in recognition of Native American Heritage Month, celebrating the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, histories and important contributions of 3 million Native people representing nearly 570 tribes. It is an opportune time to chronicle the challenges that Native Americans have faced both historically and in the present and to increase awareness regarding the ways in which Tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.

The event begins at 1 p.m. in the Holmes Meeting Room.

The event features Dr. Marty Richardson, a citizen of the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe who has shared his vast knowledge of tribal language, customs, history, and singing for Native and non-Native audiences alike at workshops, presentations, and festivals throughout North America. Dr. Richardson is the Project Director for the Haliwa-Saponi Historic Legacy Project, which strives to continue the legacy of Haliwa-Saponi ancestors and elders to maintain traditional Native values, preserve history, and gain federal acknowledgement. His work centers on Haliwa-Saponi cultural revitalization, including the Tutelo-Saponi language.

Dr. Richardson will be joined by other members of the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Nation who will give a demonstration of Native American singing. Light refreshments will be served.

On August 3, 1990, President George H. W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month, thereafter commonly referred to as Native American Heritage Month. First sponsor of “American Indian Heritage Month” was through the American Indian Heritage Foundation by the founder Pale Moon Rose, of Cherokee-Seneca descent and an adopted Ojibwa, whose Indian name Win-yan-sa-han-wi “Princess of the Pale Moon” was given to her by Alfred Michael “Chief” Venne.

This commemorative month aims to provide a platform for Native people in the United States of America to share their culture, traditions, music, crafts, dance, and ways and concepts of life. This gives Native people the opportunity to express to their community, both city, county and state officials their concerns and solutions for building bridges of understanding and friendship in their local area. Federal Agencies are encouraged to provide educational programs for their employees regarding Native American history, rights, culture and contemporary issues, to better assist them in their jobs and for overall awareness.

This event is free and open to the public. Funding is made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Chatham Community.

Cinderella and friends host ‘Fairytale Character Breakfast’ Nov. 2 at Jordan-Matthews

SILER CITY — Cinderella, Snow White and their friends from “Into the Woods” will host a family breakfast at Jordan-Matthews High School early next month to entertain children and raise money to help high school artists excel.

“Fairytale Character Breakfast” is scheduled for 10 a.m. until noon on Saturday, Nov. 2. It features cast members from JM’s musical theater production, which holds three performances on November 14-16. Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf, Rapunzel, Prince Charming, Sleeping Beauty are also planning to attend.

The menu includes pancakes, sausage and juice. But the real attraction will be a chance to meet characters, hear them sing an occasional song and take plenty of photos with beloved characters from children’s stories. Several large puppets designed by JM art students for the musical also will be on display.

Breakfast admission is $10 per person and seating will be staggered from 10 a.m. to noon. Because this is a family event, all children under age 12 must be accompanied by at least one adult.

JMArts President Rose Pate, who is organizing the character breakfast, says families should plan to spend about 30 minutes at the event. “A character breakfast is a wonderful chance for young children to have a theater experience in a familiar setting,” she said. “And our student actors really enjoy bringing these familiar characters to life.”

Reservations are now being accepted and may be requested by email at info@jmarts.org or online for anyone with a Google e-mail account through the “Fairytale Character breakfast” event page at JMArts.org. Once parties are scheduled, they will receive a confirmation with the reservation time and options to pay by cash, check or credit card.

All proceeds from the breakfast will be used by JMArts to help high school artists excel. That includes providing scholarships for summer study on university campuses, producing “Into the Woods,” purchasing art supplies and reducing the cost to students traveling this spring to explore the arts in New York City.

More information about JMArts, including how to become a member, is available online at JMArts.org. Tickets to “Into the Woods” are now on sale at JMArtsTickets.com.

Fall family safety tips for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists

RALEIGH — As nights grow longer and days get shorter, the N.C. Department of Transportation is offering important safety tips to keep your family safe as the seasons change. Remember to:

• Always watch for children

• Pay special attention to children near bus stops

• Look out for trick-or-treaters on Halloween

• Remind children about how to safely cross the street and watch for cars

• Look out for bicyclists and pedestrians

• Remember to always wear reflective gear while biking or running

• Drivers should share the road with bicyclists and pedestrians

• Be aware of deer and wildlife

• Pay attention when driving near wood-lined areas

• Stay alert as wildlife are most active at dusk and dawn

• Use your headlights during morning and evening hours

• If you are in doubt, keep your headlights on

• Remember to turn on your headlights when using your windshield wipers

Follow simple photo safety rules. For your safety and others, never take pictures while driving. And while often inviting, never take pictures on train tracks or bridges.

For more information on all these programs and initiatives, visit the safety page on NCDOT.gov/.

Applications available for Innovative Young Farmer Award

STATESVILLE — The Farm Credit Associations of N.C. are now accepting applications for the 2019 Innovative Young Farmer of the Year Award given by the Tobacco Farm Life Museum and sponsored by the Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina.

Eligible nominees must be between the ages of 18 and 40 as of January 1, 2020. Nominees are to either be in school for agriculture/agribusiness or have worked in the agriculture industry for less than ten years. The application process, open until December 6, 2019, enables nominees to discuss means by which they are positively impacting their operation, as well as the greater agricultural community in North Carolina.

The Innovative Young Farmer of the Year Award is presented annually at the Breakfast with the Commissioner held in conjunction with the Southern Farm Show at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Visit the Tobacco Farm Life Museum website at tobaccofarmlifemuseum.org/innovative-young-farmer-of-the-year to apply for this award. Applications must be submitted electronically through the link above.

“Agriculture is the number one industry in North Carolina,” said Vance Dalton, CEO of Carolina Farm Credit. “It is imperative to reward young farmers who have a commitment to continuing the great legacy of farmers and rural communities throughout the state. The Farm Credit Associations of NC are proud to support innovative-minded farmers in North Carolina.”

Council on Aging now has incontinent supplies

Through a new partnership with the Diaper Bank of North Carolina and the support of Carolina Meadows, the Pleasant Hill United Methodist Women and others, the Chatham County Council on Aging now maintains incontinence supplies including pull ups, diapers with tabs, bed pads, wipes, gloves, and personal pads.

“Incontinent supplies can be vital to helping persons remain active in the community and live with dignity at home,” noted Wynne Fields, the Council’s program specialist who coordinates this service.

Incontinent supplies can be a major expense for seniors and their families. “We are glad that we can offer this service to help our growing older population in Chatham,” Fields said.

While donations are always welcomed, these supplies are provided at no expense to the consumer.

For more information, contact the Council’s Eastern Center at 919-542-4512 or its Western Center at 919-742-3975.

Medicare beneficiaries reminded to compare plans

RALEIGH ­­­— Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey reminds Medicare beneficiaries to compare and evaluate their current plans and make necessary changes during the annual Open Enrollment Period. Medicare plans and prices change. It is important for Medicare beneficiaries to take advantage of the Open Enrollment Period by contacting local Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) counselors to save money, improve your coverage or both.

The Open Enrollment Period began Oct. 15 and runs for eight weeks to give you enough time to review and make changes to your Medicare coverage. Changes must be made by Dec. 7, 2019, to guarantee your coverage will begin without interruption on Jan. 1, 2020.

It’s important to contact your local SHIIP counselor before making a decision about coverage because you may be able to receive more affordable and better Medicare health and/or drug plan options in your area. For example, even if you are satisfied with your current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, there may be another plan in your area that covers your health care and/or drugs at a better price.

SHIIP is a division of the North Carolina Department of Insurance and offers free, unbiased information about Medicare, Medicare prescription drug coverage, Medicare Advantage, long-term care insurance and other health insurance issues. In addition to helping Medicare beneficiaries compare and enroll in plans during the Open Enrollment Period, SHIIP counselors can help people find out if they are eligible for Medicare cost savings programs.

Get one-on-one help from SHIIP, the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program, by calling 1-855-408-1212, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also request in-person assistance in your home county.

Visit www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan to compare your current coverage with all of the options that are available in your area, and enroll in a new plan if you decide to make a change.

Review the Medicare & You handbook. It was mailed to people with Medicare in September.

Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) 24-hours a day, seven days a week, to find out more about your coverage options. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

READvolution reboots for more strong literacy outcomes

RALEIGH — The puck dropped Sept. 30 on the second season of READvolution in Chatham County Schools. The Carolina Hurricanes introduced the program during the 2017-18 school year to assist school systems with boosting literacy among students in elementary schools.

READvolution requires 20 minutes of reading every day after school for eight weeks. From Sept. 30 through Nov. 22, students may log in online to track both the books they’re reading and the amount of time they’re spending in those titles. Students putting in at least 800 minutes of reading will receive two free tickets to a Hurricanes home game. Schools where students combine to read 2,020 books qualify for the Cool School Field Trip that includes watching the Hurricanes workout on the ice at PNC Arena.

“Reading 20 minutes every day is so important for students,” said Chris Poston, the executive director of elementary and middle grades for Chatham County Schools (CCS). “READvolution incentivizes our students. They enjoy the competition, and they look forward to attending Hurricanes games with their family and friends.”

“We’re looking forward to continuing the partnership with the Carolina Hurricanes,” CCS Superintendent Dr. Derrick D. Jordan said. “READvolution challenged our students to read even more.”

Students in Durham Public Schools and the Wake County Public School System are participating, as well.

“Literacy is key to success in the classroom, and we’re excited to continue promoting reading in our community,” Hurricanes President and General Manager Don Waddell said.

Last season, students participating in READvolution netted some 10 million minutes of reading, working through nearly 270,000 books. In CCS specifically, 3,959 CCS students in kindergarten through fifth grade read 19,646 books, a collective engagement of 683,220 minutes of reading.