Ben Gullett

1st Trial Begins for Edwards

One of two trials set for a former UNC employee charged in connection with three separate sexual assaults in Chapel Hill and Carrboro is scheduled to begin this afternoon in Hillsborough. Dwayne Russell Edwards' trial, which will take place in Orange County District Court, will deal with 49 charges -- 45 of them felonies -- none of which specifically implicate him in the sexual assaults, according to the N.C.

Man Charged With Hit-and-Run, DWI

Chapel Hill police arrested a Carrboro man early Saturday morning after a drunken driving incident left one pedestrian with minor injuries. Michael Jason Crawford, 20, of 3500 Old Greensboro Highway was arrested just after midnight Saturday at a business in Carrboro. Crawford was charged with one felony count of hit-and-run, one count of misdemeanor driving while impaired and one misdemeanor provisional licensee count, police reports state. While leaving a parking space at 306 W. Franklin St.

UNC, Town Debate Cost-Sharing Plan

A proposed cost-sharing agreement between UNC and Chapel Hill was referred back to the town manager Monday night after residents and local officials voiced concern about the University's intentions. The proposal in front of the town, developed by Mayor Rosemary Waldorf and Chancellor James Moeser, negotiates the sharing of financial responsibilities regarding the University's development.

Shop Until You Drop in Chapel Hill

Families looking to deck themselves or their little Tar Heels out in Carolina Blue this Carolina Family Weekend should keep one place in mind for their shopping needs: Franklin Street. But most store owners said the weekend will just be business as usual when it comes to providing UNC-related merchandise and memorabilia.

Relief Effort Requires Blood Donors

Volunteers organizing aid to the victims of Tuesday's terrorist attacks have said one of the most valuable resource local residents can offer right now is blood. Casey Copp, director of blood services for the Orange County Red Cross, said members of the University community can provide a much-needed boost to blood supplies in Washington, D.C., and New York. "The National Red Cross is mobilizing 80,000 units to New York and Washington," Copp said. One unit is equal to one pint.

Fiesta Celebrates Cultural Diversity

Elena Peot stood on a seat in the shuttle bus, gazing out the window in amazement. The young girl and her parents, Lydia Chang and Mark Peot, were three people of an estimated 44,000 who attended La Fiesta del Pueblo on Saturday. The family spent their afternoon soaking in the sights and sounds of Latin American culture. The fiesta was held at Chapel Hill High School, and people from all backgrounds took part in the festivities.

CHHS to Host Fiesta This Weekend

Area Officials Resurrect Bus Advertising Debate

Chapel Hill and Carrboro officials have renewed discussion of placing advertisements on the exterior of transit buses, a move that some aldermen say could help Carrboro fund fare-free busing. Carrboro Alderman Joal Broun sparked discussion on the issue at Tuesday's Board of Aldermen meeting after Chapel Hill Town Council member Joyce Brown initially suggested the idea at last week's council meeting. Although the issue has been discussed in previous years, officials have never approved similar proposals.

Town Tough on Cell Towers

More students are toting wireless phones, increasing their use in Chapel Hill and giving rise to a number of complaints about the quality of service. The complaints about signal quality and inconsistency have brought the town's regulation policy and the providers' service to the forefront. "There are two streets in Chapel Hill where I don't get any service -- on Estes Drive and on Franklin Street near Estes," said Lindsay Bauer, a junior psychology major.

Board Weighs Funding Alternatives

Children are not a common sight at meetings of the Orange County Board of Commissioners. But at the board's public hearing Monday night, Poonam Pande brought her 3-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy, to persuade the board that they should build a family-friendly swimming pool with funds from their bond proposal. The board heard appeals like Pande's to gauge public opinion before it can announce the final components of the proposed $75 million bond referendum, which will go before Orange County voters Nov. 6.