Town of Carrboro offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 17, for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.
Monday's yard waste will be collected on Tuesday, Jan. 18.
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Carrboro Prepares for Winter Storm
The Town of Carrboro is preparing for a winter storm forecast for this weekend. Brining of roads is underway, as Public Works crews prepare equipment and staff scheduling to be ready for whatever comes our way. Please access the following helpful links:
- A Winter Storm Watch is in effect with a wintry mix of snow and ice in the forecast for Sunday. For the latest, visit the National Weather Service in Raleigh at https://www.weather.gov/rah/
- Be Winter Weather Ready by making a family communications plan, restocking your emergency supplies kit, and bringing your pets inside. Gather flashlights, batteries, blankets and other supplies. Fuel vehicles. Charge phones and laptops. Learn more at https://www.readync.gov/stay-informed/north-carolina-hazards/winter-weather
- Customers can report an outage by texting OUT to 57801 or may also report an outage or view current outages on the Duke Energy app or at www.duke-energy.com/outages. Read this update from Duke Energy - https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/duke-energy-ready-for-carolinas-winter-storm-urges-customers-to-act-now
- Town of Carrboro Public Works is primarily responsible for responding and reducing winter weather related roadway hazards associated with accumulations of ice or snow on roadway surfaces of Town maintained streets, facilities, designated bike paths and sidewalks, and parking lots. Streets are prioritized based on high traffic volumes, Transit routes, essential services, and proximity to schools. Weeks before this storm advisory (on a sunny day in December), the Public Works team practiced their technical skills driving with snow plows. Watch the video at https://youtu.be/WrtSrUqr1wY
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
The Town of Carrboro invites the community to a virtual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15.
Register in advance at https://townofcarrboro.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Udd_gurXQher2iYknnQ3sg
This youth planned event strives to bring the community together to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Come celebrate Carrboro’s very own day of service with speakers and friends.
Please note the event change from in-person to virtual. Spread the word!
Town of Carrboro issues reminders of public health guidance to reduce spread of Omicron
As a reminder to the community, the Town of Carrboro requires all employees and visitors accessing Town facilities indoors to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status. Social distancing (maintaining a six-foot distance between individuals) is also required in all facilities.
The Town continues to follow public health guidance from Orange County and the NC Department of Health and Human Services in support of safe and responsible provision of in-person services. Out of an abundance of caution to prevent the possible spread of the virus, in particular the Omicron variant, Town of Carrboro employees are working remotely where possible.
Mayor Damon Seils has stated: "The message for all of us is clear: Get vaccinated and boosted. Wear a mask indoors. Avoid large gatherings. Get tested if you have symptoms or have been exposed. These simple steps will help protect the community and reduce strain on our health care system."
Health officials urge the community to take the following steps to protect against COVID-19, including variants like Omicron.
- Get vaccinated and if eligible get a booster. Boosters for all residents ages 16 and up are currently available throughout Orange County. To find a convenient location visit vaccines.gov.
- Wear well-fitting masks in indoor public settings and crowded outdoor settings. Orange County continues to have an indoor mask mandate. The mandate applies to anyone 2 years and older, regardless of vaccination status.
- Get tested if you have symptoms, have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, have traveled as per guidelines or have been in a setting where you may have been exposed.
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Wash hands frequently.
- Stay away from crowds.
- Improve ventilation in your home and workplace.
- Take extra care to avoid exposure to the virus if you have medical conditions or live with someone with medical conditions.
Town of Carrboro leadership will continue to monitor public health recommendations, evaluate procedures and make changes accordingly.
National Day of Racial Healing
CARRBORO, N.C. -- Mayor Damon Seils has proclaimed Jan. 18, 2022, the Tuesday following Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, as “National Day of Racial Healing” in Carrboro and encourages all residents to share ideas, knowledge, and points of view related to truth, racial healing, transformation, and racial equity.
As part of today's (Thursday, Jan. 13) announcement, Mayor Seils invites residents to attend the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration planned by the Town’s Youth Advisory Board, the Carrboro Youth Council, and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP Youth Council from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, via Zoom. Register in advance at https://bit.ly/3nq5buO
“National Day of Racial Healing” is an annual observance initiated as part of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation program and promoted by the program’s many community partners across the United States. It is a way to promote relationship-building, truth telling, and racial equity; healing and solidarity; and transformative action.
The Carrboro proclamation states: “We understand and recognize that we all must work earnestly and intentionally to heal the wounds created by racial, ethnic, and religious bias and build an equitable and just society in which all people can thrive and in which children have the opportunity to learn and grow in nurturing environments that safeguard their safety, dignity and humanity.”
Access Mayor Seils’ proclamation at https://townofcarrboro.org/DocumentCenter/View/10464/National-Day-of-Racial-Healing-2022. The proclamation lists several actions that the Town of Carrboro has taken in its commitment to advancing racial equity, including:
- joining the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) in 2018;
- establishing the Town’s first race and equity officer position in January 2019;
- unveiling “truth plaques” at Town Hall and the site of the former Freedmen’s School on East Main Street to acknowledge the ties of the Town’s namesake to racial segregation and other truths about Carrboro’s history;
- adopting a resolution on June 18, 2020, to advance racial equity in law enforcement and public safety in Carrboro;
- designating Juneteenth as a paid holiday for Town employees beginning in 2021;
- adopting the Town’s Inclusive Carrboro Communication and Engagement Plan in August 2020;
- adopting a resolution in support of reparations for Black Carrboro in October 2020;
- completing Carrboro’s first Black Lives Matter mural at the CommunityWorx building on West Main Street in December 2020 and a second Black Lives Matter mural at the Century Center in January 2021;
- providing racial equity training for Town employees beginning in January 2021 and for members of the Town’s advisory boards and commissions beginning in June 2021;
- establishing the Racial Equity Commission in January 2021;
- establishing the Community Safety Task Force in April 2021;
- organizing and scheduling special activities for Town employees to normalize, organize, and operationalize the work of advancing racial equity; and
- collaborating with the other jurisdictions in Orange County to develop the One Orange Racial Equity Framework.
Town Council Update
Meeting agendas and updates are issued from the Town Clerk’s Office. To receive these by email or text, sign up for Carrboro Town News at townofcarrboro.org/signup
Civic involvement is a valued tradition in our community. Reach the Town Council with your ideas, views, and questions at council@townofcarrboro.org
Coming Up
The Town Council will meet next virtually at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 18, to consider an agenda that will be posted at carrboro.legistar.com
About the Town Council
The Town Council is the legislative and policy-making body for Carrboro, consisting of the following: Mayor Damon Seils, Mayor Pro Tempore Susan Romaine, Council Member Barbara Foushee, Council Member Randee Haven-O’Donnell, Council Member Danny Nowell and Council Member Sammy Slade. More information is available at http://townofcarrboro.org/248/Town-Council
National Mentoring Month in Carrboro
The Carrboro Town Council passed a resolution on Tuesday, Jan. 11, recognizing National Mentoring Month in Carrboro and encouraging the recruitment of caring adult mentors throughout the community.
January 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of National Mentoring Month, an annual campaign to focus attention on the need for mentors and on how each of us can work to increase the number of mentors to help ensure positive outcomes for young people.
Mentoring programs like MENTOR North Carolina and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate program make our communities stronger by driving impactful relationships that increase social capital for young people and provide invaluable support networks.
“National Mentoring Month is a time of year to celebrate, elevate, and encourage mentoring across our state and recruit caring adult mentors in Carrboro,” states the proclamation.
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Happy Birthday, Elizabeth Cotten!
CARRBORO, N.C. – Legendary North Carolina musician Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten was celebrated on Wednesday, Jan. 5, by her hometown on her birthday anniversary.
Around the historical marker in downtown Carrboro to hear the proclamation for "Libba Cotten Day" by Mayor Damon Seils was a small group of bike riders, music lovers, history buffs and community members. Following the proclamation, the sun came out and there was a cheerful burst of applause. “Happy Birthday!”
Grammy-nominated singer and multi-instrumentalist Alice Gerrard received the proclamation on behalf of a family member who was unable to attend. Gerrard is recognized as one of the most influential old-time and bluegrass musicians. Moreover, she holds the distinction of having played and toured with Ms. Cotten, who was her friend.
Mayor Seils further announced that the Town of Carrboro will present the Freight Train Blues Festival with partner Music Maker Blues Foundation, from May 13 to June 10, 2022, at Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St. The annual concert series will include five evening concerts.
“Libba Cotten continues to inspire musicians around the world and occupies a special place in Carrboro’s history and our vibrant and enduring local music culture,” Mayor Seils said.
Attending the program was Ansley Herring Wegner of the North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program, NC Office of Archives and History. She said the site for the historical marker was selected because of its proximity to the train tracks near Ms. Cotten’s childhood home. Born on Jan. 5, 1893, Cotten wrote her signature song, “Freight Train,” about the train she could hear from her home on Lloyd Street in Carrboro.
Cotten's talents as guitarist and songwriter came to light while she was working in the home of the Seeger family, who encouraged her career as a professional musician. Cotten toured across the country, recording several albums and winning a Grammy Award and a National Heritage Fellowship before her death in 1987.
Cyclists on the Carrboro Libba Cotten Day Community Ride that began at the Elizabeth Cotten mural located at 111 Merritt Mill Road stopped to hear the proclamation before riding down Libba Cotten Bikeway. It was decorated for her birthday. Thanks to the ReCYCLEry for organizing the bike ride.
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COVID-19 Boosters Recommended for Children Ages 12 to 15
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. Jan. 7, 2022 ― The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday announced it recommends the Pfizer COVID-19 booster for children ages 12 to 15 to further protect them from COVID-19. The CDC also recommends a third dose of Pfizer https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s0105-Booster-Shot.html for children ages 5 to 11 who have compromised immune systems.
In addition, the wait time for boosters for anyone who received Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations has been reduced from six months to five months. People who received two doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine should receive their booster in six months. People who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should receive their booster two months after their vaccination.
"The new recommendations by the CDC reinforce the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters — and the urgency of getting vaccinated and boosted to prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death," said Kody H. Kinsley, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
These booster recommendations come during a surge in COVID-19 infections caused by the highly contagious Omicron variant and as early research shows booster doses increase a person’s ability to fight the new variant.
COVID-19 infections have skyrocketed to a seven-day daily average of more than 480,000 cases per day in the United States, and the number of children being hospitalized across the country is increasing. COVID-19 cases among children in the U.S. have reached their highest ever reported since the start of the pandemic — more than 325,000 child COVID-19 cases were reported nationally in the final week of December. North Carolina is experiencing a similar surge in COVID-19 infections. Hospitalizations are rising nationally and in North Carolina, with intensive care units in the state at 85% of capacity. Read more at https://www.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/children-and-covid-19-state-level-data-report/
COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are effective in reducing the severity of illness among those who become infected. People who are unvaccinated run the highest risk of infection, severe illness, hospitalization and death. Currently, 87% of the patients in the ICU are unvaccinated.
The CDC also updated its guidance for isolation and quarantine. People with COVID-19 should isolate for at least five full days and wear a mask for an additional five days. People exposed to COVID-19 should quarantine for five days and wear a mask for an additional five days. However, people who are exposed to COVID-19 do not need to quarantine if they are vaccinated — including a booster for adults — against COVID-19. Because North Carolina remains in the CDC’s red zone with high community transmission, all North Carolinians should wear a mask.
Prevention is the best treatment to protect against COVID-19. Get vaccinated, get boosted.
COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are widely available across North Carolina. Go to MySpot.nc.gov to find a vaccine location near you.
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Congratulations to Cadet Wallace
Congratulations to Carrboro Police Cadet Na’Quandra Wallace for receiving her Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) certificate on Wednesday, Jan. 12. She is pictured here with Carrboro Police Chief Chris Atack, Doug Thomas of Durham Tech Community College and Rick Clayton of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) prepares entry-level individuals with the cognitive and physical skills needed to become certified law enforcement officers in North Carolina.
The Police Department is currently recruiting! Learn more at https://townofcarrboro.org/845/Employment
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Come Work With Us!
We are hiring! The Town of #Carrboro offers competitive salaries and one of the richest benefits packages available in our region.
➡️ https://nc-carrboro.civicplushrms.com/careers/
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