Local Politics · Orange County
At a Sept. 29 joint meeting with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners outlined major budget pressures for fiscal years 2027-2028 and beyond, including construction of two elementary schools funded by the $300 million school bond referendum passed in 2024. A $3 million Pay-Go phase-in will supplement bond funding, following a June-approved property tax increase to 68.05 cents per $100 of assessed value projected to generate $14.24 million in additional revenue. The county also faces operational costs for the Jamezetta Bedford Crisis Care Center in Hillsborough and will begin paying bond interest in 2029. Board Chair Jean Hamilton said upcoming November ballot amendments—including a levy limit on local property tax collections and a cap on state income taxes—could constrain the board's ability to fund these commitments.
Nearby · Education · Chapel Hill, NC
UNC-Chapel Hill and the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education announced Monday a voluntary settlement ending 19 civil rights investigations into the university's admissions practices and antisemitism-response policies, with no monetary payment by UNC. The agreement, running through Dec. 31, 2028, ensures the university's eligibility for federal grants, contracts, and financial awards while requiring quarterly reporting on discrimination complaints to federal civil rights divisions. Associate Vice Chancellor Elizabeth Hall will serve as Merit & Civil Rights Administrator implementing the terms. The Justice Department launched its compliance review in April 2025; the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights closed 18 pending probes under the deal.
Nearby · Crime · Chapel Hill, NC
The Durham County trial over the September 7, 2012 murder of 19-year-old Faith Hedgepeth paused Tuesday after prosecutors rested their case Monday. The prosecution presented DNA and fingerprint evidence tying defendant Miguel Salguero-Olivares to the crime scene at the Hawthorne at the View apartment complex in Chapel Hill, where investigators say he broke into Hedgepeth's room. Chapel Hill Police and the State Bureau of Investigation had been unable to identify the suspect for nearly nine years until a 2021 drunk-driving arrest led to a fingerprint match. The defense, which shifted from arguing third-party guilt to questioning evidence handling, is expected to begin presenting its case Wednesday.
