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 Orange County Board of Commissioners chair Renee Price speaks with a reporter after the ceremony. Price conceived the idea to drop the charges for the men who were considered the original Freedom Riders. She reached out to Orange County Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour, whose office researched the incident and legal cases.
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Original Freedom Riders exonerated in special court ceremony
Four men arrested in Chapel Hill and convicted in 1947 after challenging Jim Crow era segregation laws had their names cleared June 17, 2022, in a special ceremony in Orange County Superior Court.
The Journey of Reconciliation, an interracial freedom ride organized by Civil rights leader Bayard Rustin and George Houser to protest Jim Crow bus segregation, came through Chapel Hill in April 1947.
As the riders attempted to board a bus to continue the journey to Greensboro, several were removed by force and were attacked by angry cab drivers. Four of the riders--Andrew Johnson, James Felmet, Bayard Rustin, and Igal Roodenko--were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for refusing to move from the front of the bus.
“Imagine the courage it took to quietly sit together at the front of the bus while people outside taunted them, ridiculed them, threatened them with violence," said Woodrena Baker-Harrell, the public defender for Orange-Chatham counties. "They were probably mortified, scared about what was going to happen to them. Yet through that agony, they continued to sit there quietly because these four men believed in what they were doing. We, as members of this community, should strive to have the courage displayed by these men.”
Following a May 1947 trial in Orange County, the four men were convicted and sentenced to 30 days on the chain gang. The convictions were later upheld by Orange County Superior Court and then the N.C. Supreme Court.
The idea was conceived a year earlier during ceremonies honoring the 60th anniversary of the 1961 Freedom Rides. Renee Price, chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, learned that the charges against the men arrested in Chapel Hill, in what many Civil Rights historians consider the first Freedom Ride, had never been dropped. She reached out to Orange County Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour, whose office researched the incident and legal cases.
Baddour decided that a Motion for Appropriate Relief would be the legal vehicle to drop the charges because the men were convicted under state statutes that violated the Constitution. The statutes (N.C.G.S. 60-135 and 60-136) weren't repealed until 1963.
"They were testing the Supreme Court ruling (Morgan v. State of Virginia), which at that time was the first step that allowed desegregated interstate bussing," said Baddour. "These men were convicted in Superior Court in this room on March 15, 1948." - Click here for more information, including photos and video of the ceremony.
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Animal Services receives Petco Love grant for
Working Barn Cat ProgramOrange County Animal Services is proud to announce that they have received a grant from Petco Love to sustain their Working Barn Cat Program. This grant will be used to support spay/neuter services for free-roaming cats belonging to Orange County residents, and thereby reduce pet overpopulation even further in Orange County. Orange County Animal Services is set to receive the $20,000 grant investment from national nonprofit Petco Love during a special celebration at Petco at 1800 East Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on June 28, 2022, at 11 a.m. in support of their lifesaving work for animals in Orange County. This grant will be used to support the Working Barn Cat Program, which helps to trap, sterilize and return free-roaming cats found at farms, stables and in other rural settings belonging to Orange County residents. These cats will be spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, and licensed. All of these services are provided at no cost to Orange County residents who have cats that qualify for the program. The Working Barn Cat Program is part of a broader effort to more humanely and proactively manage free-roaming cats in Orange County. Petco Love is a national nonprofit leading change for pets by harnessing the power of love to make communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since its founding in 1999, Petco Love has invested $330 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. And Petco Love helps find loving homes for pets in partnership with Petco and more than 4,000 organizations — like ours — across North America, with 6.5 million pets adopted and counting. Orange County residents interested in spay/neuter assistance can contact Tiani Schifano at 919.932.4966 or tschifano@orangecountync.gov. |
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Treatment of Invasive Plant in Eno River Begins Next Week
The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), in cooperation with the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, City of Durham, Durham County, Town of Hillsborough and Orange County will be treating the Eno River for hydrilla beginning next week through August 31, 2022.
Hydrilla is a submerged aquatic plant originally from Asia. The invasive species was first discovered in the Eno River Watershed’s Lake Orange in the early 1990s. It can create nearly impenetrable mats of stems and leaves in lakes, rivers, and other waterways, impeding recreational use. It also affects native vegetation and can harm fish and other aquatic and bird species.
The treatment area is located just below the Lake Ben Johnson dam along the river to U.S. Highway 501 crossing in Durham. The herbicide is applied using a two-injection system to meter the appropriate amount of herbicide throughout the treatment area. It is used at a concentration well within limits approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency – determined safe for swimmers and boaters and non-toxic to fish and wildlife. For additional information on water quality safety during the treatment period, contact the Department of Health and Human Services at (919) 707-5900.
The Eno River Hydrilla Management Task Force first introduced the herbicide fluridone in 2015 to a 16-mile treatment zone largely within Eno River State Park in Orange and Durham counties. It was the first time the herbicide was used successfully in a river in North Carolina to combat hydrilla, although it has been used for many years elsewhere in large lakes.
The Eno River Hydrilla Management Task Force comprises federal, state and local government representatives, including staff from North Carolina State Parks, the N.C. Division of Water Resources Aquatic Weed Control Program and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The group has been working since 2007 to evaluate and address the hydrilla threat in the Eno River.
For more information, visit the DEQ website’s Eno River Hydrilla Management Project page, or contact Drew Gay, Aquatic Weed Specialist, Division of Water Resources at 919 707-9020 or email andrew.gay@ncdenr.gov.
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OC Arts Commission offers many camps, classes for youth
We want ALL youth to be able enjoy the benefits of self expression, regardless of financial standing. Please complete our Youth Scholarship Application if you need financial assistance. Check back often, as more classes and camps are added. All camps take place in our classroom at the Eno Arts Mill. (NOTE: Vault Theater’s Musical Theater Camp will take place in our classroom and at the Expedition School next door).
Creative Writing Workshop for Aspiring Writers with Ruben Watson
Wednesdays, July 6-27
6-7 p.m.
Ages 8-14
$80
Guitar & Vox Rocks Songwriting Camp with James Easteppe & Mary DeFir
July 5-8 | Ages 6-10 | 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
August 1-5 | Ages 15-18 | 1:30-5:30 p.m.
$100 per person
Musical Theatre Summer Camp with Vault Theater
July 11-July 15
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Ages 7-15
$275 per person
World Music Drumming Camp with Greg Whitt of Drum for Change
July 25-29 | 9 a.m. - Noon
Ages 8-10
$200
Watercolor Camp with Ryann Carey
July 18-22 | 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
August 8-12 | 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Ages 12+
$100
Camp Crafty Diva: Fiber Arts for Kids with Michelle Spaulding
July 18-22
1:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Ages 8+
$100 - Click here for more information and to register.
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Orange County to host “Welcome to Medicare” seminars
The Orange County Department on Aging and the NC Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) has partnered with the Orange County Public Library to host free “Welcome to Medicare” seminars.
The seminar topics will introduce Medicare Parts A & B, Medicare Advantage, Part D Prescription Drug Coverage, Medicare Supplement Insurance, and programs to assist with Medicare costs.
The seminars are free and open to the public. However, space is limited so participants are encouraged to register in advance.
Seminar Dates and Times
Wednesday, June 29, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Orange County Public Library
137 W. Margaret Lane, Hillsborough NC
Register at 919-245-2015 by Tuesday, June 28
Wednesday, July 13, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Online Class using Zoom
Register at www.orangecountync.gov/Medicare101_july
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Monday, August 15, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Orange County Public Library
137 W. Margaret Lane, Hillsborough NC
Register at 919-245-2015 by Friday, August 12
In addition, certified counselors are available to meet with you individually, in-person or virtually via Zoom, to explain the basics of Medicare. Book an appointment online or call 919-245-4274.
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Notice of Public Meeting, 30-Day Public Comment Period and Public Hearing for ADA Paratransit PlanThe Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires Orange Public Transportation Services (OCTS) provide complementary ADA-accessible paratransit service to eligible persons within three-quarters of a mile of its fixed-route service at concurrent times and dates to the routes and hours of fixed-route operation. Presentation of the OCTS ADA Paratransit Plan and associated policies will be provided at a public meeting held by OCTS staff Thursday, June 30, 2022, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Orange County North Campus, Bonnie B Davis EAC Building located at 1020 US-70 West, Hillsborough, NC 27278. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the current adopted 2015 ADA Paratransit Plan. The revised plan will be available for review on the OCTS website ( https://www.orangecountync.gov/transportation); in the administrative office located at 600 Highway 86 N, Hillsborough, NC, 27278 during the 30-day public comment period starting Thursday, July 21, 2022, and ending Friday, Aug. 19, 2022. The Orange County Board of County Commissioners will conduct a public hearing on Sept. 6, 2022, at 7 p.m. at the Whitted Building located at 300 W. Tryon St, Hillsborough, NC 27278, at which time a presentation of the Updated ADA Paratransit Plan will be provided and the public will be given an opportunity to comment. For further information on the plan or to submit comments, please contact Nishith Trivedi, Orange County Transportation Services Interim Director at (919) 245-2007 or email at ntrivedi@orangecountync.gov. |
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Department on Aging accepting nominations for 2022 Direct Care Worker AwardsOrange County Department on Aging and the community group, Senior Health Advocacy and Resource Partners of Orange County (SHARP), will host the eighth annual SHARP Direct Care Worker Awards. Nominations will be accepted from June 15 – Sept. 15, 2022. A recognition ceremony will be held for award winners on Thursday, Nov. 3. This event is in honor of Direct Care Workers (nurse aides, personal care aides, companion caregivers, etc.) who affect their clients’ lives on a daily basis and make a difference in the Orange County community. “Direct care workers provide crucial hands-on care to our older adults. They are frontline heroes quietly meeting the daily needs of their clients,” said Janice Tyler, director of Orange County Department on Aging. “We want them to know that they are valued and essential to our community; deserving of our support and praise.” In recognition of the outstanding service provided by direct care workers, the Department on Aging and SHARP will present awards in the following categories: Client Impact, Longevity, Leadership, Going the Extra Mile, and Rising Star. One person will be chosen as the “Direct Care Worker of the Year.”To be eligible, direct care workers must have served clients in Orange County within the past year. Each person may be nominated in two categories. Nominees must have provided direct care to clients and have at least six consecutive months of service in the past year. For more information about the awards and to nominate a direct care worker, please complete the online or downloadable nomination form at: www.orangecountync.gov/SHARPAwards. |
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