Josh's Hope is an organization which was founded in memory of Joshua M. Bailey, a native of Chapel Hill who was shot and killed three years ago at the age of 20. The Josh's Hope Foundation works to help young adults with mental illnesses get assistance.

Giddens, a childhood friend of Bailey's, is on the board of Josh's Hope.

The Outer Banker Marathon will be held Nov. 13, starting in Kitty Hawk and ending in Manteo. Anyone interested in running with the Josh's Hope organization or sponsoring a runner for Josh's Hope can email giddens@email.unc.edu or visit www.joshshopefoundation.org.

Roses to UNC Hospitals, for opening a pioneering psychiatric unit dedicated to treating pre- and post-partum depression.

The unit, the first of its kind in the nation, offers women suffering from severe post-partum depression an environment in which they can receive the therapy and treatment essential to recovery.

Post-partum depression is not to be confused with the milder "baby blues" - feelings of sleeplessness, moodiness and irritability - that many mothers feel in the days and weeks after giving birth.

Post-partum depression is a serious condition that can cause significant impairment and interfere with a mother's ability to care for and bond with her newborn. An estimated 10 percent to 15 percent of mothers suffer some level of post-partum depression, UNC Hospitals reports, and about 5 percent require specialized inpatient care.

That's what the new unit provides. New moms in distress - and significantly, their babies - will be the better for it.

Raspberries to those businesses in Chapel Hill and Carrboro that are quick to call in the tow trucks.

There's been a jump in recent months in reports of people having their vehicles towed. It's been a high-visibility issue in Chapel Hill, especially on West Franklin Street, and recently a number of folks have told Carrboro officials that they've been the victim of trigger-happy towing practices.

Businesses have a right to protect their business by reserving their parking lots for their customers.

But there's a standard of reasonableness and neighborliness that ought to kick in; you do yourself no favors by alienating potential customers and building a reputation for punitive policies.

As Alderwoman Lydia Lavelle said, it's absurd "to want somebody to drive across the street and re-park in order to do business."

Precisely.