THE CHAPEL HILL INSIDER
FROM THE INSIDE
Inside This Issue: Election Day is Tuesday and early voting ends Saturday at 3 p.m., so we've laid out everything on the Orange County ballot, the hours, and what to bring. Halloween night brings no road closures to downtown Chapel Hill but does bring a 7:30 p.m. home game against Miami, and the Town Council has named a future park on Legion Road for former Mayor Howard Lee and educator Lillian Lee. Plus a verdict in the Faith Hedgepeth case, a new interim leader at Visit Chapel Hill, the start of winter shelter season, and two weeks of music, theater, and Tar Heel games.
LET'S STEP INSIDE →
Community Update
Your Election Day Guide
What's on the Orange County ballot, and how to vote
Illustration
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. If you'd rather not wait, early voting runs through Saturday, Oct. 31, and you can use any of the county's six early voting sites. Thursday and Friday hours are 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Saturday closes at 3 p.m. You can still register and vote on the same day during early voting if you bring a document that shows your name and current address.
Early voting sites. Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive; Chapel of the Cross, 304 E. Franklin St.; Seymour Center, 2551 Homestead Road; Drakeford Library Complex, 203 S. Greensboro St., Carrboro; Orange Works at Hillsborough Commons, 113 Mayo St., Hillsborough; and Efland-Cheeks Community Center, 117 Richmond Road, Efland.
What's on the ballot. Voters will choose a U.S. senator and a representative for the 4th Congressional District. There are four judicial races decided statewide, one seat on the N.C. Supreme Court and three on the N.C. Court of Appeals, along with state Senate District 23 and state House District 50 or 56, depending on where you live. Closer to home, the ballot includes a district court judge, the district attorney, three seats on the Orange County Board of Commissioners, sheriff, clerk of superior court, register of deeds, and two soil and water conservation district supervisors. There are no school board races or local bond questions this year.
Three constitutional amendments. After the candidate races, you'll vote for or against three proposed amendments to the state constitution. Here is how each one reads on the ballot:
"Constitutional amendment to require all voters, not just those presenting to vote in person, to present photo identification before voting."
"Constitutional amendment to keep the State income tax rate from being raised higher than three and one-half percent (3.5%)."
"Constitutional amendment requiring limits on property tax increases by local governments."
The state constitution currently caps the income tax rate at 7%.
On Tuesday. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. On Election Day you vote at your assigned precinct, and if you're in line by 7:30, you can vote. Same-day registration isn't available on Election Day for most voters, so if you still need to register, do it at an early voting site by Saturday. Poll workers will ask for a photo ID. If you don't have one, you can still vote by filling out an ID exception form and casting a provisional ballot. The Orange County Board of Elections issues free voter photo IDs at 208 S. Cameron St. in Hillsborough, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mail ballots must be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
Questions? Call the Orange County Board of Elections at 919-245-2350.
Upcoming Events
OCT. 29 – NOV. 12
Halloween is Saturday, and the community celebrations are Friday night. Find them under Halloween Weekend.
HEADS UP
Thu, Oct 29–Sat, Oct 31 Early Voting, Final Days | All six Orange County sites, listed in our Election Day guide above | Thursday and Friday 8 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.–3 p.m. | Same-day registration is available during early voting. | ncsbe.gov
Sat, Oct 31 UNC Football vs. No. 1 Miami on Halloween | Kenan Stadium | 7:30 p.m., on ABC | It's Rams Club Day. Plan for game traffic downtown on top of trick-or-treaters. | goheels.com
Sun, Nov 1 Clocks Fall Back | Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Set your clocks back an hour Saturday night.
Tue, Nov 3 Election Day | Your assigned precinct | 6:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. | If you're in line by 7:30, you can vote. | ncsbe.gov
Wed, Nov 11 Veterans Day | Most Town of Chapel Hill offices are closed. | chapelhillnc.gov
HALLOWEEN WEEKEND
Fri, Oct 30 Haunted Hill Trunk-or-Treat | Chapel Hill Community Center Park, 120 S. Estes Drive | 5:30–7:30 p.m. | Free, no registration. Manifest Skate Shop and art teacher Paul Estrada run a skateboarding session on the basketball courts, with boards and helmets provided. Park at University Place and ride the shuttle. | chapelhillnc.gov
Fri, Oct 30 Halloween Carnival | Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St. | 5:30–8 p.m. | Free, no registration. Carnival games for all ages and a prize bag for every child who plays, with popcorn, hot chocolate, and cider for sale. | carrboronc.gov
Fri, Oct 30 Halloween in Downtown Hillsborough | Trick-or-treat at downtown shops from 3 to 5 p.m., starting at 101 S. Churton St. The Hillsborough Police Department's trunk-or-treat runs 4 to 6 p.m. in the lot behind the department, 127 N. Churton St., and The Haunted Forest runs 5 to 9 p.m. at 128 W. Margaret Lane. Last Fridays is 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the Old Orange County Courthouse lawn, 104 E. King St., with The Shoaldiggers from 6 to 8 and a Witches Flash Mob broom dance at 7. | visithillsboroughnc.com
Fri, Oct 30 The Haunting Hour | Hillsborough Visitors Center, 150 E. King St., with the show in the historic Hughes Academy | Shows at 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 p.m. | An hour of Hillsborough's ghost stories and legends, performed all around you. The 5 and 6 p.m. shows start before sunset and are the gentler choice for kids. $20, or $10 for children. | historichillsborough.org
Fri, Oct 30 BLACK LODGE and BARDO | Memorial Hall, UNC | BARDO from 7 p.m. (last entry 8:30), BLACK LODGE at 9 p.m. | A walk-through of installations in parts of Memorial Hall the public rarely sees, then a seated goth-rock opera by David T. Little. Costumes encouraged, but no weapons, real or fake. Mature content, with haze and strobes. Students $11. | carolinaperformingarts.org
Fri, Oct 30 and Sat, Oct 31 The Witch's Haunted Barn & Pumpkin Patch | Firefly Farm, 4911 Hunt Road, Hillsborough | Friday noon–5 p.m. is a "no actor" day, gentler for younger kids. Saturday noon–7 p.m. | $13, free for ages 2 and under. Children must come with an adult. | fireflyfarmnc.com
Thu, Oct 29 and Sat, Oct 31 Halloween at Local 506 | 506 W. Franklin St. | The GrrrlBands Halloween Showcase is Thursday (doors 6:30 p.m., show 7). Nightmare on Franklin Street II, with Wolf Summons Baby, Brainsludge, Deepest Red, Emperious, and Mary Anna, is Saturday (doors 6 p.m., show 7). Both are all ages. | local506.com
Fri, Oct 30 and Sat, Oct 31 The Improvised Horror Movie | My Muses, 201-A E. Main St., Carrboro, on Friday; The ArtsCenter, 400 Roberson St., on Halloween night | 8:30 p.m. | Black Sheep Comedy makes up a horror movie on the spot from audience suggestions. | blacksheepcomedy.com
Sat, Oct 31 Saxsquatch | Cat's Cradle, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro | Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m. | The saxophone-playing Sasquatch spends Halloween night in Carrboro, with Dougish and Garbleghoul. | catscradle.com
Sat, Oct 31 Costumes at the Carrboro Farmers' Market | 301 W. Main St. | 7 a.m.–noon | Vendors and staff come in costume, and $1 vote tickets for your favorite costume support the market's Double Bucks program. It's also the last 7 a.m. Saturday of the year. | carrborofarmersmarket.com
LIVE MUSIC
Thu, Oct 29 Carter Minor and Grant Osborne, with Tim Duffy | FRANK Gallery, 370 E. Main St. #130, Carrboro | 6–8 p.m. | Free. Tim Duffy of the Music Maker Foundation talks about his tintype portraits, then a voice-and-piano set. | frankisart.com
Fri, Oct 30 Fridays on the Front Porch | The Carolina Inn, 211 Pittsboro St. | 5–8 p.m. | Sunday Night Rice plays the last date on this season's schedule. | carolinainn.com
Tue, Nov 3 Built to Spill with Quasi | Cat's Cradle Presents at 107 Brewer Lane, Carrboro | Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m. | The first public show at Cat's Cradle's new second venue. | catscradle.com
Sat, Nov 7 The Afghan Whigs | Cat's Cradle, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro | Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m. | Greg Dulli's band tours its tenth album, Soft Control, with Night Moves opening. | catscradle.com
Sat, Nov 7 Let the People Sing! Dolly Parton Tribute Singalong | The ArtsCenter, 400 Roberson St., Carrboro | 7 p.m. | A family-friendly singalong with a live band, from "9 to 5" to "Coat of Many Colors." All skill levels welcome. $15 adults, $5 kids. | artscenterlive.org
Full schedules at catscradle.com and local506.com.
THEATER & ARTS
Through Sun, Nov 1 Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous | PlayMakers Repertory Company, 120 Country Club Road | The final weekend for Pearl Cleage's comedy. | playmakersrep.org
Through Sat, Nov 14 FRANK Gallery Featured Artists and FRANK:inFocus | 370 E. Main St. #130, Carrboro | New work from Donna Stubbs, Shelly Hehenberger, Mary Lee Kerr, and Polina Vee, plus the gallery's photography show for the Click! festival. | frankisart.com
Through Sun, Nov 15 Orange County Artists Guild Preview Show and Open Studio Tour | Hillsborough Gallery of Arts, 121 N. Churton St., plus studios across the county | The opening reception is Fri, Oct 30, 6–9 p.m., with the Lars Barbary Trio. The free studio tour is Sat, Nov 7, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sun, Nov 8, noon–5 p.m., and repeats Nov. 14–15, with 106 artists at 85 studios. | ocagnc.org
Sat, Nov 7 Festifall Arts Market | The plaza at 100 E. Rosemary St. | Noon–5 p.m. | Free. The 53rd Festifall moves to a new home with more than 50 vendors, steamroller printing by UNC students, woodturning demos, and music all afternoon from Andrew Ragsdale, Mondo Guitaro, Miles Hoyle, Story Charlemagne, and Huzzah The Band. There's no parking at the plaza, so the Rosemary Street deck is your closest bet. | chapelhillarts.org
Sat, Nov 7 Toshi Reagon: EcoTones | Memorial Hall, UNC | 7 p.m. | A world premiere that weaves together music, storytelling, and research, made with Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Danielle Spurlock, and Danielle Purifoy. Students $11. | carolinaperformingarts.org
FOOD & DRINK
Sun, Nov 1; Fri, Nov 6; Sun, Nov 8 Weaver Street Market Holiday Tasting Pop-Ups | Southern Village, 716 Market St., Sunday, Nov. 1, 3–5 p.m.; Carrboro, 101 E. Weaver St., Friday, Nov. 6, 4–6 p.m.; Hillsborough, 228 S. Churton St., Sunday, Nov. 8, starting at 3 p.m. | Free samples of holiday meats, sides, and desserts, and a drawing for a free holiday meal for four. | weaverstreetmarket.coop
Sat, Nov 7 Root Fest at the Carrboro Farmers' Market | 301 W. Main St. | 9 a.m.–noon | Winter hours start with root vegetable specials, recipe samples, a root trivia raffle, and a potato-stamping craft. Wednesday markets run 3–5 p.m. in November. | carrborofarmersmarket.com
FAMILY & KIDS
Sat, Nov 7 Fall Nature Fun Day on the Eno | Confluence Natural Area, 4214 Highland Farm Road, Hillsborough | Noon–4 p.m. | Free drop-in from the Eno River Association. Search the creek for aquatic critters, make a fall craft, and meet the river's spookier species. | visithillsboroughnc.com
Sat, Nov 7 Service Dog Teams Public Graduation | Whitted Building, 300 W. Tryon St., Hillsborough | 11 a.m.–1 p.m. | Free. Hillsborough nonprofit Eyes Ears Nose and Paws celebrates three new service dog partnerships, bringing its total to 108 since 2010. | visithillsboroughnc.com
COMEDY
Fri, Oct 30 Black Sheep Comedy Night | My Muses, 201-A E. Main St., Carrboro | 7 p.m. | Sketch troupe Two Green Hats does an autumn revue, plus "Book Club," improv inspired by a guest's latest read. $10 | blacksheepcomedy.com
Fri, Nov 6 and Sat, Nov 7 Won't You Be My Neighbor? | My Muses, 201-A E. Main St., Carrboro | 8:30 p.m. | A character monologue show about the Triangle's eccentrics, from a neighborhood do-gooder to a femme fatale with a grudge against tow trucks. $15 | blacksheepcomedy.com
TRIVIA & SOCIAL NIGHTS
Weekly schedules below come from venue sites and local listings; check each venue's social media before you go.
Tuesdays Trivia at Goodfellows | 149½ E. Franklin St. | 9 p.m. | goodfellowschapelhill.com
Tuesdays Trivia Night at Steel String Brewery | 106-A S. Greensboro St., Carrboro | 8–10 p.m. | steelstringbrewery.com
Tuesdays Free Line Dancing | Snow Approach Foundation, 133 E. King St., Hillsborough | 6–7 p.m. | KatMoves Travelling Studio teaches all skill levels. Free, with a tip jar for the foundation. | visithillsboroughnc.com
Wednesdays Trivia Night at The Baxter Bar & Arcade | 108 N. Graham St. | baxterarcade.com
Wednesdays Trivia Night at Haw River Tap & Table | 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, next to Cat's Cradle | 7–9 p.m., with Hammered Trivia
Wednesdays Trivia at Might As Well Bar & Grill | 206 W. Franklin St. | 8–10 p.m. | mightaswellbarandgrill.com
Thursdays Trivia Thursdays at Lanza's Café | 601 W. Main St., Carrboro | Check their Facebook for times
Thursdays Music Bingo at Steel String Brewery | 106-A S. Greensboro St., Carrboro | 7:30 p.m.
Thursdays Music Bingo at Haw River Tap & Table | 300 E. Main St., Carrboro | 7–9 p.m.
TALKS & LEARNING
Sun, Nov 1 Jenny Elder Fitch Memorial Lecture | North Carolina Botanical Garden, 100 Old Mason Farm Road | 4–5:15 p.m. | Free; preregistration required. Uli Lorimer of Native Plant Trust puts common assumptions about native plants and ecological gardening to the test. | ncbg.unc.edu
Tue, Nov 3 Max Brallier: The Last Kids on Earth and the Zombie Parade | Flyleaf Books, 752 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | 5 p.m. | The author of the kids' series that became a Netflix show presents his new graphic novel. | flyleafbooks.com
Tue, Nov 3 Carolina Science Café: Relationships in Congress | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro | 6–7 p.m. | Free, with light appetizers. On Election Day night, UNC political scientist Jason Roberts talks about how friendships form in Congress and what they mean for working across the aisle. | moreheadplanetarium.org
Wed, Nov 4 Public Debate: Surveillance Cameras | Carolina Union, Room 3411, UNC | 4–5:30 p.m. | Open to the community. UNC's School of Civic Life and Leadership hosts a public forum on Flock cameras and similar technology. | studentaffairs.unc.edu
Wed, Nov 4 Porcelains and Power | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia St. | 5:30–7 p.m. | Free; tickets required. Ian Shin of the University of Michigan on how American collectors built their Chinese art collections from the Gilded Age through World War II. | ackland.org
Thu, Nov 5 Bryant Simon: For Customers Only | Flyleaf Books | 5:30 p.m. | A history of America's public bathrooms as a window into inequality and civil rights, with Jacquelyn Dowd Hall. | flyleafbooks.com
SPORTS
Fri, Oct 30 and Sun, Nov 1 UNC Volleyball | Carmichael Arena | Syracuse on Friday at 7 p.m., Boston College on Sunday at 2 p.m. | goheels.com
Mon, Nov 2; Fri, Nov 6; Tue, Nov 10 UNC Men's Basketball | Smith Center | 7 p.m. each night | The regular season opens with Western Carolina, then Wofford and Wyoming. | goheels.com
Tue, Nov 3–Fri, Nov 6 ACC Field Hockey Championship | Karen Shelton Stadium | Chapel Hill hosts for the first time since 2020. Times TBA. | goheels.com
Wed, Nov 11 UNC Women's Basketball vs. NC Central | Carmichael Arena | 7 p.m. | The first home game of the season. | goheels.com
COMMUNITY & CIVIC
Thu, Oct 29 Carrboro Police Proposal: Community Conversation | Drakeford Library Complex Performance Space, 203 S. Greensboro St., Carrboro | 5:30–6:30 p.m. | An overview of the proposal for the Chapel Hill Police Department to serve Carrboro, with open Q&A. It will be recorded. The Town Council gets a staff presentation at its Tuesday, Nov. 10, meeting, 6 p.m., at Town Hall. FAQ and feedback: engage.carrboronc.gov | carrboronc.gov
Mon, Nov 2 Public Information Meeting: 611 MLK Multifamily | 5:15–6:15 p.m., online | A proposed mixed-use building with up to 310 units and a small amount of ground-floor retail. Register through the Town's meeting page. | chapelhillnc.gov
Thu, Nov 5 and Tue, Nov 10 Orange County Board of Commissioners | Business meeting Thursday at 7 p.m., Whitted Building, 300 W. Tryon St., Hillsborough. Work session Tuesday at 7 p.m., Southern Human Services Center, 2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill. | orangecountync.gov
Sun, Nov 8 Carrboro CD and Record Show | Carrboro Century Center, Century Hall (second floor), 100 N. Greensboro St. | Noon–6 p.m. | Free and all ages. The 39th edition has 42 tables of new and used CDs, vinyl, and music memorabilia. | carrboronc.gov
The Chapel Hill Town Council's next regular meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 18.
GIVE BACK
Sat, Nov 7 Hillsborough Harvest Festival | Elizabeth Keckley Center at the Burwell School, 319 N. Churton St., Hillsborough | Noon–4 p.m. | Bluegrass on the front porch from Pickard Mountain Bluegrass Band and Sugaree String Society, plus food trucks, kids' crafts, and arts vendors. Bring a chair or blanket. $25, with proceeds to WHUP and the Keckley Center. | visithillsboroughnc.com
SAVE THE DATE
Fri, Nov 13 Talk of the Town: Mixtape Release and Poet Laureate Send-Off | Epilogue Books & Chocolate Brews, 109 E. Franklin St. | 6–8 p.m. | Free. The release of Talk of the Town: A Chapel Hill Mixtape, poetry by community members curated by Donovan Livingston, closes his term as the town's third Poet Laureate. It's the same night as the 2nd Friday Art Walk. | chapelhillnc.gov
Local News
FROM AROUND TOWN
Halloween Night Downtown: No Road Closures, Plus a Home Game
Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, and the Town of Chapel Hill says the night no longer brings the parking restrictions and road closures of celebrations many years ago. You can expect to see more police officers downtown that evening.
The bigger traffic story is Kenan Stadium, where UNC hosts top-ranked Miami at 7:30 p.m., so plan for game-day crowds around Franklin Street on top of trick-or-treaters. Police are asking drivers to slow down in neighborhoods and turn on their headlights around dusk, and asking walkers to use crosswalks, keep their phones put away, and stick to familiar, well-lit streets. If your night includes a drink or two, plan your ride home before you head out.
The community trunk-or-treats in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough are all Friday night. You'll find them under Halloween Weekend in our events.
A Park Named for Howard and Lillian Lee
The future town park on Legion Road has a name. On Oct. 21, the Chapel Hill Town Council named it the Howard N. & Lillian W. Lee Park, and the road leading into it will be Howard N. Lee Street. The site will also be home to a new affordable housing neighborhood.
Howard Lee was elected mayor of Chapel Hill in May 1969, the first African American elected mayor of a predominantly white Southern city since Reconstruction. He served six years as mayor, later led the state Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources, and was elected to two terms in the N.C. Senate. Lillian Lee established the UNC Hospital School, the state's first accredited K-12 hospital school, taught and served as an administrator in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, and was the first person of color to serve on the Orange County Board of Elections.
"They exemplify the very best of our community, and naming this park for them is a fitting way to celebrate their legacy," Mayor Jess Anderson said.
A Verdict in the Faith Hedgepeth Case
Fourteen years after UNC student Faith Hedgepeth was killed in her apartment, a Durham County jury has found Miguel Salguero-Olivares, 33, guilty of first-degree murder, rape, sexual offense, and burglary. On Oct. 23, Superior Court Judge Keith Gregory sentenced him to life in prison without parole, plus consecutive sentences on the other charges.
Salguero-Olivares had never been a person of interest in the case until 2021, when a DNA sample taken after a drunk-driving arrest matched evidence from the scene. He has told the court he wants to appeal.
"Faith Hedgepeth was just 19 years old when her life was taken," Durham District Attorney Satana Deberry said, calling the verdict "an important moment of accountability."
Visit Chapel Hill Gets a Familiar Interim Leader
After more than 21 years leading the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau, better known as Visit Chapel Hill, Executive Director Laurie Paolicelli retires Monday, Nov. 2. She joined the bureau in 2005, and annual visitor spending in Orange County reached $280 million in 2024 under her leadership.
Stepping in as interim leader is Shelly Green, the bureau's first executive director after it was founded in 1992. She'll run day-to-day operations and lead an assessment of the bureau's marketing and structure through mid-February, with a second phase tentatively running through mid-May. What she finds will guide the search for a permanent director.
"Orange County is fortunate to welcome Shelly Green back to an organization she helped build," said County Manager Travis Myren.
Winter Shelter Season Starts, and It Needs a Hand
Orange County's Cold Weather Cots program runs November through March. IFC's Community House for men, 1315 MLK Jr. Blvd., and HomeStart for women and families, 2505 Homestead Road, are open every night. On White Flag Nights, when temperatures hit 32 degrees or below, the county also opens its shelter at 828 MLK Jr. Blvd., where walk-ins are welcome. Last winter, the program activated on 56 nights and sheltered 217 people.
The county is asking for donations: breakfast bars, instant hot cereal, coffee and cocoa, disposable dishes, hygiene supplies, trash bags, laundry detergent, and quarters. Drop them off weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Orange County Housing Department, 2501 Homestead Road. Two paid seasonal jobs are open, too: an overnight coordinator and support staff.
Comings and Goings
Tikka Tequila, serving Mexican-Indian food, opened Oct. 10 at 504 W. Franklin St.
Gray Squirrel Coffee opened the Acorn Room, a 1,600-square-foot addition to its roastery cafe at 360 E. Main St. in Carrboro, with about 30 seats, a slow bar for manual brewing, and longer hours. A grand opening celebration is planned for later this year.
Begin Again Yoga hopes to open by early November at 118 W. King St. in downtown Hillsborough, the longtime home of Lloyd's Pharmacy. Owners Chris and Kimberly Paolucci plan hot yoga, stretching and mobility classes, and yoga designed to support people in addiction recovery.
A Final Note
INsight from THE INSIDER
A republic, if you can keep it.
THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK
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