Grant Alexander

20220724_Westra_city-northside-family-displacement-2.jpg

Calli Westra

City & State

Residents of University Gardens, affordable housing community, face eviction

By Grant Alexander | August 18

On June 30, The landlord and owner of University Gardens, a Chapel Hill affordable housing community, sent eviction notices to some tenants informing them that they needed to leave by the beginning of August. A coalition of local organizations reached an agreement with the owner to extend the residents' notices until the end of September if the coalition balanced the outstanding dues of residents being evicted, covered their rent and provided a $500-per-lease incentive.

City & State

With $41.17 million budget approved, Carrboro's 203 Project moves forward

By Grant Alexander | April 11

At their respective April 5 meetings, the Carrboro Town Council and the Orange County Board of County Commissioners approved the budget for the 203 Project in Carrboro. With a finalized budget of $41.17 million, the project plans to construct a library and cultural center that will host various community programs.

City & State

Healthy food initiative Good Bowls gains traction in Chapel Hill and beyond

By Grant Alexander | March 21

Good Bowls aims to increase accessibility to affordable, healthy and tasty food for community members. The organization uses flexible pricing that takes customers' income into consideration.

Screen Shot 2022-03-02 at 5.36.30 PM.png

City & State

HBCU representatives hold summit on pandemic's disparate effect on mental health

By Grant Alexander | March 2

On Feb. 23, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services partnered with historically Black colleges and universities to host a mental health summit. The summit, “Peeling Back the Layers on Minority Mental Health,” aimed to address the needs of minority students and faculty at HBCUs in North Carolina and the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I've seen a totally big jump on trauma with our students and, of course, grief,” Aishia Griffin, director of Counseling Services at Bennett College, said.

Katie Rains

City & State

'Everyone just needs a second chance': COVID-19 food stamps benefits extend through February

By Grant Alexander | February 17

“The extra food stamps are a good first step,” ClubNova Executive Director Karen Dunn said. “But fixing food insecurity requires a significant shift in our culture and society and policy."

Corinna Collins

City & State

Chapel Hill storm drain mural project aims to highlight waterways under threat

By Grant Alexander | January 26

Nearly all of Chapel Hill storm drains empty into the Jordan Lake Watershed, which provides drinking water for nearly 700,000 people.

Jerome Ibrahim

City & State

What are the purple streetlights around Chapel Hill?

By Grant Alexander | November 8

Some Chapel Hill residents are seeing a strange sight when they drive around town at night — purple street lights. The purple haze is caused be defective LED lighting produced Acuity, according to a Duke Energy spokesperson.

City & State

Film Festival brings critically acclaimed films to the silver screen in Chapel Hill

By Grant Alexander | October 24

Film Fest 919, a film festival focused on exposing the Chapel Hill community to critically acclaimed cinema, was held from Oct. 18-24.

Yates McConnell

City & State

Orange County Government announces new racial equity plan

By Grant Alexander | September 19

The racial equity plan abides by a framework of all-encompassing questions that include more data and focus on disparities among marginalized groups, meaning decisions are likely to be more representative of the entire population.