Articles by Karin Dryhurst, Staff Writer

Pa'lante show gets new space

The Peoples Channel, Chapel Hill's public access television station, and Radio Pa'lante have created a partnership to promote community media.

Pa'lante, a Spanish-language youth media program founded in 2003, produces a show that airs every Friday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on radio station WCOM in Carrboro.

Chad Johnston, executive director of The Peoples Channel, said the partnership is part of his plan to create a "big, little media army."

"There's so little community media," he said. "We should all be working together."

Forum held on plant's safety

Progress Energy has neglected compliance with federal fire safety standards at the Shearon Harris nuclear plant, said advocates pushing for action against the company from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission at a forum Thursday.

At the forum, sponsored by N.C. Sens. Ellie Kinnaird and Janet Cowell, leaders of N.C. Waste Awareness and Reduction Network urged citizens and officials to work to block approval of the company's application for a license renewal that would keep the plant operating through 2046.

The fourth anniversary of the day the war in Iraq began isn't going unnoticed by Chapel Hill community members or students.

Local anti-war groups are seeing the anniversary as an opportunity to make a public plea for peace.

About 50 people participated Monday night in a silent candlelight vigil outside the Chapel Hill Post Office on Franklin Street to observe the anniversary.

Claire Hermann, a second year master's student in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, said she organized the event after being unable to make it to a march in Washington, D.C., last weekend.

Chipotle on track for spring opening

CORRECTION: Due to a reporting error, this story incorrectly states that McDonald's Corp. owns Chipotle. McDonald's no longer owns Chipotle. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.

The skeleton of the former VisArt Video building is expected to beef up in less than six months as it takes on the appearance of a Chipotle restaurant.

Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold said the restaurant is still on pace to open in May or June.

Kay Tapp, senior technician for the Chapel Hill planning department, said the project has moved past the planning stages.

Carrboro stores stick together

As some vacancies on Franklin Street remain untouched, the downtown Carrboro business district is shuffling.

After four years at 210 W. Main St., Bryan's Guitars and Music moved out in March.

The store now is an online operation at www.bryansmusic.com.

Owner Bryan Gibson said everything else is staying the same, despite the location change.

The phone number remains 1-800-298-0676, available 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The move opened the door to Yarns Etc., a knitting supply store that moved earlier this month from across Main Street into the former music store.

Activist sheds light on rape, human rights

Pakistani human rights activist Mukhtar Bibi broke global silence surrounding women and oppression Thursday at the panel "Rape: A Human Rights Issue."

"In the light of dawn, mothers, sisters and daughters will be recognized," Bibi said in a poem translated by Amna Buttar, president of Asian-American Network Against Abuse of Human Rights.

The speech was held at The Church of Reconciliation on Elliott Road.

Buttar said the group's acronym, ANAA, means pride and honor in Pakistani. She said Mukhtar has found honor in the search for women's rights.

Habitat adapts plans to concerns

Habitat for Humanity of Orange County will take a second stab today at building a new community in Chapel Hill.

The group will present a revised proposal to the Chapel Hill Town Council for Sunrise Ridge, a multi-family development on Sunrise Road. The council will receive comments but is not expected to vote on the plans.

The proposal faced stiff criticism from neighbors in nearby Chandler's Green when it was brought before the council in 2002.

Orange County Habitat Executive Director Susan Levy said the new plan meets 17 principles the council specified for the project.

County IDs sexual assault as April focus

County and campus organizations alike want to use the month of April to educate the community about sexual violence.

The Orange County Board of Commissioners proclaimed April Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the county at the request of the Orange County Rape Crisis Center.

Krista Park, assistant director of the center, said the group has planned events to raise awareness and support sexual violence survivors. "I think our agency is doing that throughout the year, but (the month) can really encourage the public to take steps against sexual violence," she said.

Center helps make houses homes

The first applicant for the second phase of a program geared at promoting Orange County homeownership was accepted Wednesday by the Women's Center of Chapel Hill.

The center plans to help 22 Orange County families purchase their first homes in the next three years. During the first phase, the center helped 11 families through the process.

The Individual Development Account Homeownership Program administers funds from a federal block grant to applicants who make 80 percent or less of the county median income.

Curing what ails you

A Chapel Hill doctor is striving to change the way health care is administered to children and adolescents.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is spotlighting the work of Dr. Jennifer Lail of the Chapel Hill Pediatrics and Adolescents on its member Web site for her leadership in improving of child-care services.

Many doctors in the country look to the academy for models of how to structure their practices.

Lail said she focuses on combating the vast expense of medical care caused by specialization of treatment and unnecessary

hospital visits.

Articles by Karin Dryhurst, Staff Writer

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