Sunday, January 22, 2012

7th period: Current Event due 1/27

Happy first current event for the 3rd Quarter!

This week, please find an article that is about the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area. It can cover any topic, so find something that interests you. If all 90 C&E students find out something about what it is going on locally, there should be a lot to discuss for our Community Service Projects. Remember that this week we should be narrowing in on a focus for the project. Hopefully this will start us off in the right direction. The article that you choose to focus on this week does not have to tie into your project topic (it can but does not have to); it might help one of your classmates find a topic of interest.

Happy Blogging! :)

21 comments:

  1. Peter Norwood
    News & Observer
    Tudor: Pack-Heels game seems special again
    http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/01/23/1800912/tudor-pack-heels-game-seems-special.html
    Summary: In this article, Caulton Tudor of the Raleigh News & Observer examines why Thursday night’s game between North Carolina and North Carolina State seems important for the first time in a long time. In the past few years NC State has been a non factor in basketball, finishing low in the ACC and not even coming close to making the NCAA tournament. At this point NC State is tied for first in the ACC standings. Perennial powerhouse UNC is 3-1 in the ACC and NC State is at 4-1. Before Duke became a national power with Mike Krzyzewski, the biggest rivalry in North Carolina was between UNC and NC State. Although NC State has no national attention and UNC certainly does, this game matters a significant amount in the ACC regular season.
    Response: I choose this article, because it relates to the topic this week. The game Thursday is in Chapel Hill. I agree with Tudor that this game is rather exciting because for once it has ACC implications. Also, UNC will be missing guard Dexter Strickland. This means sophomore guard Reggie Bullock will most likely take his place at shooting guard. That seems like no problem because Bullock is a good shooter, but when PG Kendall Marshall is fatigued; Strickland usually steps in and is able to play point guard. Bullock is a solid player but will not be able to be a solid point guard for the Heels. Roy Williams could risk it, and let Bullock play some point, or he could let Marshall play most of the game. There are obviously problems with both. If it comes down to a close game with the Pack and Marshall is fatigued from playing the whole game the Heels could be in serious trouble. This will be a very interesting game to watch, and a possible upset!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Juno Park
    News and Observer
    Wake Deputies arrest two men with 22 pounds of cocaine
    Staff writer 1/23/2012
    http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/01/23/1800676/wake-deputies-arrest-two-men-with.html

    Last Friday on the 20th of January, two men were arrested in Wake County for posession of cocaine. They were discovered and arrested during a routine traffic check that occurred at a time and place that has not been disclosed by the police. When their car was searched the cops found over 22 pounds of cocaine. The perpetrators are Elder Camahco and Angel Peralta who are residents of Dalton Georgia. They are each being held on a $1 million bond pending on a court date this monday. Camahco and Peralta were driving in a 2004 BMW 545i when they were caught. The two have been charged with posession and transportation of drugs.

    When i first heard about this arrest i was shocked at the amount of cocaine they were carrying. 22 pounds of pancake mix would make an enormous pancake. With so much cocaine it is pretty safe to infer that they were planning on distributing it around the area. This angers me because these two men were trying to bring drugs from Georgia to North Carolina and sell them. They were committing crimes in our state and wholly deserve to be punished.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jayson Williams
    News and Observer
    Chapel Hill council puzzles panel
    By:Mark Schultz
    http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/01/25/1804387/chapel-hill-council-puzzles-panel.html

    Chapel Hills town council is a little curious over their review over the Yates Motor Police raid. Even after their indication on Monday, that they would most likely oppose the committees decision. Retired Superior court judge Ron Bogle, said in an interview that there are no new facts about the police raid. The town manager said that the raid was appropriate. After the council decided to have an outside investigator come in and decide whether or not the decision was right, some of the council memebers rejected the idea. They decided that an investigator could not get witnesses to testify, and that there would be no sanctions for people who testified falsely.

    I think that maybe an outside force would really have helped their decision, on whether or not the raid was appropriate. It seems as though maybe they are all looking at the situation in a different way. I just hope that for the towns sake they can figure everyhting out calmly.

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  4. After spending about four months occupying the courthouse steps on Franklin Street, the protesters in Occupy Chapel Hill have finally decided to take the tents down and dissemble their group, once again vacating the front of the courthouse.
    Despite the fact that the 99 percent group has broken up, the Occupy movement is still not over. New occupy groups have decided to take a stand in several locations around Carrboro and Chapel Hill versus being in just one main area. Most recently, a group of people decided to camp out in front of the Carrboro Town Hall. Five or six tents now sit in front of the brick building. A large banner with the words Nomadic Occupy painted on acts a symbol of this new form of the Occupy movement, which Occupiers like to call “Occupy 2.0.”
    Occupy Chapel Hill supporters plan to maintain activity in the plaza by holding meetings and assemblies on a regular basis. Movement leaders such as Ashley, who has been with Occupy Chapel Hill since October 15th, claims that continuing to stay by the courthouse was becoming too much of a hassle. There are many reports of drunken students harassing the occupiers as well as an influx of people trying to join in on the new movement that could not be supported in such little space. Disbanding and relocating to several new areas may be viewed a setback to the public eye, but Occupiers believe that this is a whole new beginning.
    “Anyway,” Ashley comments to a local reporter, “we can always come back if we want to.”

    In all honesty, I am rather disappointed in the Occupy movements. Although I am detached from the situation when it comes to personal involvement, the whole idea seems like such a loose concept to me that it is bound to fall apart within the next few months. The first amendment gives U.S. citizens the right to protest, which I support entirely, but the means of protesting in our local area are unsettling to me. Recently, a camp was set up in front of my mothers’ workplace and the fact that these strangers had the audacity to barge in and make temporary homes there deeply angers me. In order to raise a just cause, you must use just actions. These Occupiers are invading a location that is set aside for a working class of people who want nothing more than to get their jobs done in peace and receive their well-deserved income. In more harsh words; stop invading and start creating. If being part of the “99” percent is so hard and unfair, go out and get a job and do something for yourself. Stop complaining about it and work harder! Do not spend more than you make, do not throw your money away on things you do not need, and do not let other people stomp all over your lives and your income. Make something of yourselves and leave everyone else alone! Acting like stubborn puppies will not get anyone to pet you and do nice things for you. You are all just biting the corporate hands that feed you.
    (You = in reference to the activists in the Occupy movement)

    Article: Occupy moves on
    Date: January 12, 2012
    Source: http://www.carrborocitizen.com/main/2012/01/12/occupy-moves-on/

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jack Kleissler
    Daily Tar Heel
    Strickland out for the rest of the 2011-2012 season
    Staff and wire reports, 1/24/12
    http://www.dailytarheel.com/index.php/article/2012/01/strickland_out_for_the_rest_of_the_201112_season
    Last Thursdays night in North Carolinas’ game against Virginia Tech starting shooting guard Dexter Strickland landed a jump stop awkwardly and went crashing down the floor. He was in an incredible amount of pain has he had to be helped off the Cassell Coliseum court. Dexter has had knee problems in the past but this one will change his basketball career forever. Dexter tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the 2011-2012 season. The Tar Heels are losing their key perimeter defender and Reggie Bullock will have to step up to fill the whole. Dexter lead the team with field goal percentage, steels, and averaged 7.5 points a game.
    As I watched the game at the Carolina Brewery last Thursday I knew it was all over for Strickland. Years ago I tore my ACL and seeing how his leg twisted and bent I could tell exactly what happened. It was hard watching him lying on the court in pain. His basketball career now in serious question. It is very hard to fully recover from this injury, especially after all his previous problems. The Heels first test will be tonight against NC State at home and we will see if Reggie has what it takes to step up and start for the Heels.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jason Cohn
    Daily Tar Heel
    UNC-system president Thomas Ross wants 9.9 percent tuition hike for UNC-CH By Isabella Cochrane
    1/26/12
    http://www.dailytarheel.com/index.php/article/2012/01/ross_proposal

    Today, UNC-system President Thomas Ross suggested that schools don't increase in-state tuition above 9.9 percent. UNC-CH proposed an increase of 11.4 percent recently. This would generate revenue of $70 million for the state-wide system. One-third of the revenues will be generated by graduate tuition rates. If passed on February 8th, this plan would $2.3 million less in-state revenue. Administrators don't think it will cover the losses from cuts in funding last year. Chancellor Holden Thorp also wants to increase the percentage of financial aid from 35 percent to 38 percent.
    I think this is smart by Ross to lower the increase in tuition. This will cover some of the losses from last year without getting ridiculous. I also think it is good that they are giving more to financial aid for the people who can't afford it.

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  7. Kabir Kumar-Hardy
    Daily Tarheel
    UNC's Reggie Bullock is Ready to Start
    Brandon Moree 1/26/12
    http://www.dailytarheel.com/index.php/article/2012/01/4f20a1b23672d
    Shoot guard Reggie Bullock hasn;t forgotten where he came from. His hometown of Kinston is constantly in his thoughts. Bullock will start for the first time tonight against North Carolina State in place of the injured Dexter Strickland. Bullock will replace Strickland in terms of shooting guard, but the role of backup point guard will be filled by other Tar Heels. It will be hard for Bullock to match Strickland's defensive intensity, but he has been making great strides towards becoming a better defenseive player. Bullock's height will also play a role in his new position. He stands a full 4 inches taller then Strickland. The team thinks they can use this to their advantage when matching up against the much smaller guards of NC State.

    I think Reggie Bullock will be a great addition to the starting lineup in tonight's game. His size and shooting prowess set him apart from other guards. Bullock needs to play consistently if he wants to keep the satrting job as P.J Hariston and Justin Watts wait in the wings for their chance.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Aaron Smith/7th
    UNC president proposes average 8.8 percent tuition hike to board
    1/25/12
    News 14 Carolina/Amy Thorpe
    http://triangle.news14.com/content/school_news/652917/unc-president-proposes-average-8-8-percent-tuition-hike-to-board

    The University of North Carolina is increasing there tuition by 8.8 percent, which is about 500 dollars. This has caused some students to try and graduate early so they can save money. Holly Stephens. a sophomore at UNC, is planning to graduate in 2013 so she doesn't have to take more student loans. UNC and other schools tried to keep the increase as low as possible. The schools have to increase tuition so they can have a reasonable budget for the upcoming school years.

    I think it is very unfortunate that the school has to increase the tuition as this may keep students from applying and it may effect many current students. I think the school definitely has legitimate reasons to increase the tuition so its not that big of a deal. Hopefully, things work out and the tuition doesn't increase anymore because it is already a very expensive school.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Eric Reinstein, period 7
    Easthom wants discussion on use of public spaces in Chapel Hill
    Mark Schultz, ChapelHillNews.com
    January 23, 2012
    http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2012/01/25/69642/easthom-wants-discussion-on-use.html

    A member of the Chapel Hill town council has noted plans to ramp up the enforcement of restrictions of public gatherings, which Chapel Hill has previously not enforced. The discussion on the limits of how long groups can stay in a public area were brought on by the recent Occupy Chapel Hill movement at the Franklin Street post office plaza. Laurin Easthom, the member of Council, and manager Roger Stancil agree that they should quickly determine the rules for the plaza, as well as policies for its usage. The Occupy movement, however, responded against this, citing the Constitutional right of peaceful assembly, especially to protest the economic injustice even at local levels.

    Personally, I’m surprised that the town has rules they’re not enforcing. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose? However, though I agree that the group can protest if they want to, the town also has the right to limit use of public places to a degree. If this was Congress, I would be skeptical, but I doubt volunteers in the Council are as corrupt as our representatives, and I think they can be trusted to be reasonable in the community. I’m also happy to see discussion, differing opinions, and debate on everyday issues, and hope we can get acceptable resolutions for them.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Chapel Hill News/ Luke Ciocca
    Tammy Grub/ Man charged in girlfriend’s slaying
    Jan 26, 2012/ http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2012/01/22/69496/man-charged-in-girlfriends-slaying.html

    This article describes an investigation of the murder of a thirty three year old woman. Custain Crisp was found dead after a reported shooting at around 11 o’clock. Christopher Rone, boyfriend of Crisp, was arrested by local authorities and is being held in jail without bail. They have allegedly found a handgun near the scene of the crime. The couple didn’t appear to have problem, but Rone was convicted of felony before as well as a DWI. The forty-one year old is awaiting his visit to court as soon as January 30, 2012.
    This article addresses a pressing problem not only exclusive to our community, but the world as a whole. This major problem is the crime rate in our community; it’s a pressing issue that there are still murders and crimes in Orange County. There is no way to eliminate the crime rate, but there are things we can do to help reduce them. Raising importance on educating every single student can help people get better jobs and in turn keep people off the streets. More police officers in general can help, but what can be a major help is stressing living above the influence. Under the clouded judgment of being drunk, people make bad choices and get angry more easily. Living above the influence and keeping drinks to a minimum an also help keeping down the crime rate. These are some of the many things we can do to bring the crime rate down.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Stefan Steiner 7th period
    Common Application leads to 23 percent increase in applications at UNC
    The Daily Tar Heel / Meredith Hamrick
    January 27, 2012

    http://www.dailytarheel.com/index.php/article/2012/01/common_application_leads_to_23_percent_increase_in_applications_at_unc

    UNC-Chapel Hill switched to the Common Application this year. This application process for admission into the university is used by many other schools across the country. The repetition of this application allows high school seniors to apply to more schools while also saving time. This change led to a 23 percent increase in the number of applicants this year. Despite attracting many more students from out-of-state, this process has also allowed students to apply without much thought or effort, which is obviously a drawback. Like many other schools, UNC has added a supplemental application to the Common Application to help solve this problem.

    I think that the increased popularity of UNC due to this change is a good thing. They will attract many high-caliber students from out-of-state that would not have applied otherwise. I hope that the Common Application hasn’t led students to apply without thinking simply because it is easy.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sam Dunson
    Chapel Hill News
    Tents remain after Occupy leaves
    http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2012/01/22/69501/tents-remain-after-occupy-leaves.html
    KATELYN FERRAL

    The Occupy movement ended a few weeks ago, but the town of chapel hill still has to deal with some leftover tents outside the post office. Three tents have been left outside on the corner where the occupy movement took place and nobody knew where they came from and who they belong to, although one belongs to the occupy leader. It is believed that homeless people are staying in the two other tents given that some of them stayed there during the occupy movement. The town of Chapel Hill now has to decide if they should take action because a permit its required to demonstrate in places such as in front of the post office.
    Personally, I believe that the town of Chapel Hill should do something about the tents given that the movement is over. Chances are that the tents belong to homeless people and they should have to go find somewhere else to stay. They are also an eye sore and remind people of the movement, which nobody really cares about anymore. The town should just kindly ask them to leave because they are infringing on public property.

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  13. Teen wants to document brain disorder test
    BY JOHN SHARPE, CORRESPONDENT
    January 25 2012
    http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2012/01/25/69570/teen-wants-to-document-brain-disorder.html

    One of Chapel Hill High School’s own, Kristen Powers, has lunched a fundraiser to make a documentary on Huntington’s. Kristen lost her mother to this brain disorder last year. Because her mom had it she has a 50% chance of inheriting the disease. Huntington’s destroys the ability to walk, talk and reason, eventually leading to premature death. Having known since she was 11 that she could face the same fate as her mom she now plans to embark on a journey to document her testing for the disease in hopes to shed some light on it. She needs 10,000 dollars to make this happen and lunched her fundraiser on www.indiegogo.com/twitchdoc. Powers has also met with Rep. David Price, who agreed to co-sponsor the Huntington's Disease Parity Act, which could eliminate a two-year waiting period for Medicare eligibility for those disabled by the disease.



    This is a heartbreaking inspiring thing Kristen is facing. I think it is quite brave to make the choice to know your death. And the fact that she wants to make it so public really shows her true colors. Kristen is taking what could ruin her life and turning it into a learning opportunity for all. The fundraiser, which I have donated to, is doing really well. The day after she set it all up Kristen had 1500 dollars. Seeing that she has so much support from her community makes me feel really lucky to live in Chapel Hill.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Brian Mack/ 7th Period
    Chapel Hill trash could be dumped in Durham as early as next year/ Elizabeth Straub
    The Daily Tar Heel/ January 25th
    http://www.dailytarheel.com/index.php/article/2012/01/recycling_0126

    The amount of trash accumulated from Chapel Hill is exceeding the limits of our landfill, and could reach capacity between 2013 and 2017. Their are contradicting opinions for our trash once the landfill is full such as: building a new waste transfer station in Chapel Hill, and to ship our waste to Durham. The two main issues with sending our waste to Durham are the cost which could be upwards of 700,000 dollars, and the standards set in the Orange County landfill are much higher than those of the Durham landfill, and the amount of pollution in the air would increase due to the transportation of our trash to Durham in large dump trucks. Even though the Durham landfill meets the standards for waste in North Carolina; the amount of waste recycled would be substantially lower because Durham doesn't require the same amount of materials to be separated as our current landfill. Durham also doesn't inspect the incoming waste as well for banned materials like corrugated cardboard and scrap metal from its landfill.

    I believe that Chapel Hill should build another landfill locally, so we don't have to waste 700,000 dollars on gas. I also think that it's extremely important to recycle as many materials as possible, so Durham should raise their standards for the future not only to meet those of North Carolina, but those of Orange County. The landfill in Chapel Hill is doing an amazing job by raising the standards for themselves, so why relocate, and waste the money?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Perla Sanchez
    Pr. 7th
    1/27/2012
    Chamber elects new officers for 2012
    http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2012/01/25/69631/chamber-elects-new-officers-for.html
    The chapel hill Carrboro chamber of Commerce just announced the election of their 35 members on Monday. Their new slate officers to be: Chair: Berry Leffler and managing partner at 1360 WCHL, Vice Chair: Paige Zinn is the chief operating officer at Jennings, Treasurer: Chris Barnes is the vice president at First Citizens Bank, General Counsel: Bob Saunders is the partner at Brooks Pierce and Immediate Past Chair: is Marc Pons, president at CH Tire Car Care Center. Also Margot Lester, Enterprise-Builder and Content Tycoon at The Word Factory. She owns the Word Factory it is a communications agency. Executive Vice President Geral Ramoin and General Manager performance AutoMall he is both vice president and executive general manager for Performance AutoMall in CH. The Chamber of Commerce had mare that 1,100 members who employ more than 80,00 people in triangle.
    I thought that this article was interesting because it tells us what is going on in our town and what type of people are running it. Plus is always good to know how our community is working.

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  16. Homeless remain at Chapel Hill Occupy site
    Katie Alexander
    News and Observer, Jan. 21
    BY KATELYN FERRAL
    http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/01/21/1793902/homeless-remain-at-chapel-hill.html

    A week after Occupy Chapel Hill-Carrboro took down its tents in downtown Chapel Hill, three new tents have sprouted. Rebecca Bogart, a member of the Occupy Chapel Hill-Carrboro movement said, homeless people, including at least one who participated in Occupy, are now living in the tents. During its three months on the plaza, the Occupy camp became a magnet for homeless people downtown, she also said. The Occupy members often fed them and gave them shelter. Now that the encampment is gone, they have nowhere else to go, so they are remaining in front of the post office.

    This article shows that there definite problem of over-crowding within the homeless population in Chapel Hill. I find it extremely disappointing that the town of Chapel Hill council members just kind of accepted the fact that homeless people are living tents, outside, rather in a shelter. It also concerns me that homeless people had to seek help from the Occupy members rather than a homeless shelter. Hopefully, the council members will realize how big of a problem this is and look for ways to solve it.

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  17. Police arrest 3 in Raleigh hotel homicide; 2 charged with murder
    News & Observer/1/27/2012/http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/01/27/1811533/police-arrest-two-in-raleigh-hotel.html
    Salomon Ariza/ 7th pd
    This article talks about two men Noureddine Oumous, and William Michael Estes who were charged for killing another man. The dead man, Stephen Curtis Hoyle was found in the Studio Plus Hotel in Raleigh. The suspects were not found at the scene of the crime. Intead Oumous was found in a house in Raleigh while Estes got arrested in at a motel in Cary. It is believed that a 9mm handgun was used to kill him. The police are still trying to find more information.
    I found this article to be quite interesting, sad, and disapointing at the same time. It is intersting since both of the suspects were managed to be found even though police are still not sure what their rehaznos for committing the crime would be. It is very sad since those were definately the sons of people as well as possibly the husbands, Brothers or even fathers of people in North Carolina. It is disapointing to see as well that someone would find it necesary to take the life of another individual. In my opinion killing somebody should never be the answer.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Lizzy Stompel
    Period 7
    Group collects 10,122 books for local children
    http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2012/01/22/69513/group-collects-10122-books-for.html

    This article is about how one local organization, Book Harvest, collects 10,122 in one day. All those books came from people donations on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. These books are fairly new and will be distributed to families with children that are less fortunate and can't afford to buy new books. Community members were invited to bring used books to Flyleaf Books, where 38 AmeriCorps volunteers were waiting to receive and sort the books. There were more than 300 people that attended this event, which was celebrating the 1 year anniversary of Book Harvest. In their first year Book Harvest distributed over 35,000 books. Minister Robert Campbell, president of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro chapter of the NAACP talked about how amazingly happy children are when they receive new books.

    I think it's an amazing thing to do. To be able to have people donate more than 10,000 books in just one day is just so fascinating to me. I think it's great that we have a program like that locally. I really wish we had more programs like this everywhere. All children deserve to learn how to read. They also all deserve to have interesting books with pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Colin Schenk 7th period
    Posted: 12:17 p.m. today
    Updated: 5:59 p.m. today
    Durham police: 4-year-old found gun, accidentally shot himself
    http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10654311/

    Early Friday morning someone called 911 to report that their child had fallen off of a counter and suffered a head injury. Police later determined that the child had found an unsecured gun and got hurt after accidently shooting it. “This tragic incident reinforces the need for gun safety and the proper securing of firearms,” Durham police officer Jose Lopez said in a statement. The child’s name and condition have not been released by the hospital and is being treated at Duke Hospital.
    I really hope that this child is okay and that the parents will learn from this accident. There is no problem with having a gun in your house but you should always have it secured in a hidden place especially if there are children are in the house. I do wonder why the parents originally lied to the police when they called 911 and said that the child had fallen off of a counter.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Kiara Luna
    7th period
    Homeless remain at Chapel Hill Occupy site
    KATELYN FERRAL / January 21
    http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/01/21/1793902/homeless-remain-at-chapel-hill.html

    A week after Occupy Chapel Hill-Carrboro took down its tents in downtown Chapel Hill, three new tents have sprouted. This has raised questions about how public spaces should be used. Homeless people, including at least one who participated in Occupy, are now living in the tents. He said that during its three months on the plaza, the Occupy camp became a magnet for homeless people downtown. Occupy members gave them food and shelter often. Now that the camp is gone, they have nowhere else to go. I chose this article because it shows how serious homelessness is in the area. It is a big problem that affects many people. It’s sad to see that someone doesn’t help these people to be in shelters or a more secure and safe place rather than tents.

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  21. Zun Aung /7th Period 1/25/11 Carrboro's Weaver Street opens to traffic again Tammy Grubb Chapel Hill News http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2012/01/25/69582/carrboros-weaver-street-open-to.html

    The final part of Weaver Street was reopened to traffic on Monday after completing a year long renovation for Main Street. The total cost for the renovation was $1.8 million which was used mainly to replace water lines, improve storm sewers and build new gutters. Part of Weaver Street was reopened in June because many customers had trouble navigating through the construction. It had many changes throughout the whole street and it was improved greatly. The final part of it was opened which allows everyone to drive through it now and have better safety.
    This will impact many people who use Weaver Street a lot. It will allow the buses to run through Weaver street again and shorter way to work or school. Also, the street has improved on the pipes and such therefore its
    a lot safer on Weaver street for cars, trucks
    and buses.

    ReplyDelete