Broadband task force designing strategy to bring broadband to underserved areas

The Orange County Broadband Task Force began meeting in March 2021, to design a strategy for expanding reliable high-speed internet services throughout the underserved areas of the county.

In September, the Orange County Board of Commissioners committed $5 million in federal COVID-19 recovery funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to help implement the first phase of that strategy.

In November, the county published a Request for Proposals from interested Internet Service Providers to lay a fiber network and connect roughly 5,200 Orange County homes to that network with guaranteed speeds of 100 mps up and 100 mps down. These speeds are sufficient to support two children taking online classes from home while one or more parent works from home. Four companies submitted bids, which are being reviewed by the task force.

The task force intends to hold in-person sessions with the community to provide more details on these projects as soon as conditions allow for those meetings to be held safely. The Orange County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) recently announced it will continue meeting virtually through the end of February. When the BOCC resumes in-person meetings, the task force will schedule community information sessions as well.

Click here for more information.

OCAC announces grant recipients

The Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) is pleased to announce recipients of the 2021-22 Grassroots Arts Program and Artist Project Grants. The OCAC awarded thirty-four grants to twenty-two artists, fourteen nonprofit organizations, and two schools, totaling $53,207.26.

2021-22 Grassroots Art Program Grant Recipients

Ackland Art Museum: Closed captioning technology for digital programming
Art Therapy Institute of NC: Operations support
Bull City Performing Arts Conservatory: Operations support
Kidzu Children’s Museum: Feathering The Nest: The Colors Inside Us
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public Schools Foundation: NC Central University Vocal Jazz Ensemble for Fifth Graders
Chelsea Theater: Operating support
FRANK Gallery: Operational support
Historic Hillsborough Commission: Funding for Historic Biographies Comic Books
McDougle Elementary School PTA: Poetry Residence with Phillip Shabazz
North Carolina Arts in Action: NCAIA at Rashkis Elementary School
Orange High School Theatre: Support for Hillsborough Pop-up: An Artistic Adventure
Playmakers Repertory Company: Support for Stick Fly by Lydia R. Diamond
The Process Series at UNC-Chapel Hill: Support for Voices: A Walking Tour
Sisters’ Voices: Operations support

2021-22 Artist Project Grant Recipients

Jessica Alexander: Lockridge Dances Outdoor Dance Performance
Ian Bowater and Paul Deblinger: Off Nights and Odd Places Tour
Bill Brown and Sabine Gruffat: Cosmic Rays Film Festival
Emily Cantaneo: Free fiction writing class for Orange County residents
Jerstin Crosby: Artist-run video art gallery
Orvokki Crosby, Dylan Angell, and Attic 506: The Concern Reading Series
Meredith Haggerty and Erin McCluskey Wheeler: Drop-in participatory collage workshop
George Jenne: Mystery Meat rooftop film screenings
Cynthia D. Jones and Diali Keba Cissokho: Public drum circles and Dancewaves
Erika Libero: Free day party stage at Manifest Music Festival
David Lyles: Quilting Made Easy classes
John Paul Middlesworth, Sherry Appel, Pip Merrick, and Mary Turner: Performance of On the Banks of the Eno at the old Orange County Courthouse
Chieko Murasugi, Sarah Cornejo, and Laura Little: BASEMENT Art Space program support
Sol Ramirez: 123 Puppetry Spring Show
Marie Rossettie and BJ Warshaw: Visiting artist sTo Len at LEVEL Retreat
Soteria Shepperson: Support for I Am Soteria & Friends, Turning the Tables II
AhDream Smith: Support for Make it Make Sense
Annie Taft: Support for La Familia, An Anthology
Kristin Trangsrud and Alma Coefman: Musical Fairy Tale Performance of Luna’s Magic Flute
Barbara Tyroler: Garden Journeys; A Portrait Artist Explores the Landscape With Those Who Nurture It
Katharine Whalen: Certain Seas Sampler recording and performance
Sia Yazdanfar: Different Heavens exhibit

OCAC Arts Grants are annually funded by the North Carolina Arts Council, a department of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.

For more information about OCAC’s Arts Grants, visit www.artsorange.org/grants or contact Katie Murray, director of the Orange County Arts Commission, at 919.245-2335 o.

Photo of students getting tour of 911 center

County Government Academy returns in 2022

The Orange County Government Academy will return in 2022 after a two-year COVID hiatus. The academy educates citizens about the many services and programs Orange County Government provides its residents. The course is open to all county residents aged 16 and older and meets every other Tuesday in the winter/spring, beginning at 6 p.m.

The 2022 cohort will begin February 2022 in a combined virtual/physical format. Please visit the schedule page for the complete schedule of presentations.

Click here to register.

Faculty from the School of Government at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill will teach an overview class on the role of counties in the intergovernmental system. Orange County staff will discuss the services provided by their departments. Students also receive behind-the-scenes tours of county facilities, if circumstances allow.

Staff from the following departments will present and answer questions

Aging
Animal Services
Arts Commission
Board of Elections
DEAPR
Economic Development
Emergency Services
Health
Housing/Community Development
Register of Deeds
Social Services
Solid Waste

Coronavirus won’t stop the Orange County Ag Summit. The 24th annual event will be held virtually from February 15-17, 2022. Registration is now open. For those who don’t have access to the Internet, a limited number of seats are available for viewing the sessions at the Bonnie B. Davis Environment and Agricultural Center, located at 1020 US-70 West, Hillsborough, NC 27278. You must pre-register for each day and bring your ticket. Physical distancing and face masks will be required at all times within the building. No one will be admitted without a ticket or face mask.

Orange County Animal Services provides update on wolf dogs being held at shelter

Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) has found appropriate sanctuary placement for two of the wolfdogs housed at the shelter.

Two wolfdogs (Taalai and Taa, 11-month-old littermates) left for their new home in Colorado on Sunday, Jan. 30. OCAS worked directly with WolfWood Refuge for several months, which culminated in this successful transfer.

We are grateful to WolfWood Refuge for providing safe and appropriate placement for these wolfdogs. WolfWood is a licensed, non-profit refuge for wolves and wolfdogs.

OCAS continues to work on placement for the remaining six wolfdogs and is networking with licensed sanctuaries.

Learn a new language: All you need is a library card

A new year, a new language. Transparent Language Online offers a fun and engaging experience for anyone looking to develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in a foreign language. The service offers 110 languages to choose from, including English for speakers of more than 30 languages.

Un nuevo año, un nuevo idioma. Transparent Language Online ofrece una experiencia divertida y atractiva para cualquier persona que busque desarrollar sus habilidades de escucha, habla, lectura, y escritura en un idioma extranjero. El servicio ofrece 110 idiomas para elegir, incluyendo inglés para hablantes de más de 30 idiomas. ¡Inicie sesión.

The Orange County Recreation Division Summer Camp Guide 2022 is now available. Initial registration for 2022 is by lottery. Complete camp information including guide, lottery information, and registration forms are available on our Summer Camps page.

Photo of University Place recycling drop-off location

University Place recycling location to stay open through May 31

The closing of the University Place drop-off recycling site has been delayed from Jan. 31, 2022, until May 31, 2022.

The property management group has agreed to extend the availability of the site so as to allow the Solid Waste Department extra time to attempt to find another location for a replacement recycling drop-off site.

Reminder: Residents can use one of our other staffed recycling sites, including the Eubanks Road Waste and Recycling Center in Chapel Hill, for their recycling disposal needs now and after May 31, 2022. To find other 24-hr drop-off sites in the County, visit this page, and for full-service Waste & Recycling Centers, visit this page.

The Nature of Orange Photo Contest has returned for 2022 and is now underway. The theme for this year's contest is Farms, Parks and Trails in Orange County. Contestants are encouraged to visit Orange County Parks and submit photos taken there. Photos may be submitted until 5 p.m. May 29th. Click the graphic for more information.

Applicants Needed For Volunteer Boards, Commissions

One way residents can have a positive impact on the future of Orange County is to serve on a volunteer board or commission. The Orange County Board of Commissioners is currently recruiting applicants for the following boards and commissions:

Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee – There are currently five (5) At-Large vacancies.

Affordable Housing Advisory Board – There are currently three (3) At-Large vacancies.

Agricultural Preservation Board – There is currently one (1) position open for a representative of the Cedar Grove Voluntary Agricultural District.

Animal Services Advisory Board – There is currently one (1) position open for an individual that resides within the Town Limits of Chapel Hill, one (1) position open for an individual that resides within the Town Limits of Carrboro, and one (1) position open for an individual representing a for-profit business located in Orange County focused on companion or recreational animal welfare (e.g. pet supply stores, kennels, grooming salons, dog walking businesses, etc.).

Board of Equalization and Review – There are currently five (5) Alternate positions open.

Human Relations Commission – There is currently one (1) At-Large vacancy and one (1) vacancy for a person residing in the Town of Chapel Hill.

Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee – There are currently five (5) At-Large vacancies.

Orange Unified Transportation Board – There is currently one (1) vacancy for a resident of Little River Township, and one (1) vacancy for a resident of Cedar Grove Township.

To learn more about the roles and responsibilities for each board, click here.

If interested, apply at www.orangecountync.gov/Apply.

Orange County strives for authentically diverse representation on volunteer boards and commissions. Residents of all demographic backgrounds, identities, and perspectives are encouraged to apply. Applicants must reside in Orange County. Volunteers appointed by the Board of County Commissioners have the opportunity to directly influence the County’s decisions, policies, and priorities.

For additional information contact Tara May at 919-245-2125 or tmay@orangecountync.gov.

www.orangecountync.gov