We are still seeking feedback on Chapel Hill 2020, the 2011-12 effort to set key priorities for the community and to update the comprehensive plan.

If you have already taken the survey, thank you! If you have not, would you please complete this 3-minute survey at bit.ly/LqUJaa?

Your thoughts are important for the Town Council and staff to help address:

Shorter-term decisions (such as land use and zoning actions)

• Longer-term decisions about economic development and strong, inclusive, diverse and respectful citizen engagement

Your privacy: No individually identifiable information will be reported. No further contact from the School of Government will occur unless you request it.

The compiled results of this survey, and feedback by the Theme Group leaders and town staff who worked on CH2020, will be posted to 2020buzz.wordpress.com/

For technical questions about the survey: contact John Stephens, School of Government UNC-CH (919-962-5190) or stephens@sog.unc.edu

For general questions about Chapel Hill 2020: compplan@townofchapelhill.org

Thanks in advance for your feedback,

Chapel Hill 2020 Team

As some of you may know from my guest column last year (http://bit.ly/Ovt39s), I graduated from Chapel Hill High School in 2011 and spent the last year living abroad in a small rural town in the Andes Mountains in Ecuador.

I worked with a gap year program called Global Citizen Year and volunteered teaching English and sex ed classes in a high school, doing art classes at a senior center, and caring for kids at a daycare. I lived with a wonderful host family, made amazing friends in my community, and became fluent in Spanish. To say that this year changed my life would be a vast understatement, and I am so thankful for all the meaningful experiences that I had and for all the cool things that I learned.

Now I’m asking you for help. Thanks to scholarships from Global Citizen Year, I was able to afford a year abroad. As a thank you to Global Citizen Year, I am raising money for the students who will be participating in GCY in the coming years. GCY wants the gap year experience to be available to all graduating high school students regardless of financial situation. I speak from experience when I say that a year spent immersing oneself in a new culture is worth far more than the price tag, and I want other young people to have access to such a transformative year.

I have a fundraising goal of $2,000 by July 15. I have already raised $1,760 so I only have $240 to go. I would be SO thankful if you would be willing to donate at least $1. Literally, I would be happy with just $1! All money donated will go directly to the scholarship fund for future GCY participants. Support adventure, maturity, patience, compassion, and a thirst for knowledge in future generations and donate to this incredible organization!

Please follow this link – bit.ly/JePXhT – if you wish to donate and be sure to put my name (Galen Burns-Fulkerson) in the spot where it asks if you are donating to a specific Fellows. Donations are tax deductible.

Thanks so much!

Galen Burns-Fulkerson

Chapel Hill

Veggie plagiarists?

On July 4, 2 letters from two different people appeared in local papers to promote a meat-free Fourth of July.

One titled “Soy Dogs Sizzlin’” appeared in the N&O, and the other, titled “Veggie-Lover’s Fourth,” was in the Chapel Hill News. Funny thing, the two letters were word-for-word identical.

I wonder, are vegetarians exempt from the ethical rules against plagiarism?

Peter Aitken

Chapel Hill

Hands off our money

What really needs to happen is to change the law so that Washington politicians and bureaucrats of both parties cannot get their hands on money that once was earmarked for only Social Security and health care.

President Lyndon Johnson “fixed” this back in the 1960s with his "Great Society" programs so that the money we pay into these funds went into the General Fund. When he did this, it allowed our political leaders in Washington to get their hands on it and spend, squander and give it away in any way they want to.

If our money were left alone to work for us, the Social Security and Health Care System would not be in the financial trouble it is. This is what needs to be fixed.. It seems both parties are guilty of abusing this policy. Maybe one party more than the other, and some individual politicians more than others. But, I am convinced that this is the crux of the problems with our Social Security and health care programs.

An additional tax to pay for Obamacare will only “sweeten the pot” for the political crooks in Washington to continue to fleece us of more money. And the problem will not be solved by adding a “tax” to pay for these programs. This money must be placed in a separate fund for this one sole purpose, and not be put into the General Fund where it will be wasted on other programs, etc.

Ramon Bell

Stokesdale, N.C.

No more Styrofoam

I absolutely think we should stop using Styrofoam trays and cups in the cafeteria and switch it with something reusable, like plastic.

One reason is it’s bad for the environment. For example, it takes a long time to decompose, so it will just sit around. It can take over 1 million years to decompose.

Another reason is cleaning the reusable item (like plastic) would open up a job. The reason a job is good is because many people don’t have jobs in the U.S., so they don’t get money for food or shelter. Thirty-eight out of 40 fifth graders said they saw people in the street asking for food or money often.

Lastly, Styrofoam breaks pretty easily. Sometimes people will get a cup of water and a hole will get in it so the water gets everywhere. Thirty-seven out of 4- said the Styrofoam in the cafeteria breaks too easily. Those are the reasons you should definitely not use Styrofoam trays or cups.

The solution to this is simple. Use something reusable (like plastic) instead. Have someone clean the reusable object as their job. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Teague Mitchell

Glenwood Elementary School

Sixth-grade sports

I strongly think that sixth graders should be able to play school sports. My first reason is that some parents don’t get off of work in time to pick up their kids from school. Also it gives kids active time after school. Sixteen of 19 fifth graders surveyed said their parents don’t get off until 3:31 or later.

My second reason is that playing an organized sport, especially a school one, (because you have to keep your grades up or you can’t play) teaches responsibility, humility, commitment, etc. Also if you get too many unexcused absences, you get kicked off or suspended. Livestrong.com says, when you play an organized sport, the most important thing is teamwork and responsibility.

My third and most important reason is, it’s just not fair. It’s not fair because seventh and eighth graders can, so why can’t sixth graders? Twenty out of 20 fifth graders surveyed said they think sixth graders should be able to play sports.

A solution to this problem would be letting sixth graders play sports so they can learn these valuable skills.

Noah Dinkins

Glenwood Elementary School