She'll Meet You Where You Are + Your Double Whammy Survival Guide + Fire Claims a Life

One of Shante Webster's yoga students pulled her aside after class this week. "I just look at the people in your classes," the woman told her. "Every kind, every type, every body shape, every fitness level. And you just make them feel so comfortable and safe."

Shante didn't pause to take the compliment. She just nodded. "That is the goal. That is always the goal."

If you've ever taken one of her classes at Solstice Yoga nearby, you already know what that student was talking about. Walk into Shante's classroom, and you'll find the competitive runner next to the person who's never done a downward dog — both feeling like they belong. That's not an accident. That's by design.

Read the full story here.

If you've been feeling like the air in Chapel Hill just got about ten degrees more caffeinated and fifty percent more crowded, you aren't imagining it. We are officially entering the "Double Whammy" weekend.

This Saturday, May 9, is UNC Spring Commencement, and Sunday, May 10, is Mother's Day. It is the ultimate convergence of Carolina Blue caps and floral bouquets. It's a beautiful time, but let's be real: if you haven't made a dinner reservation yet, you might be eating a granola bar in your car while sitting in traffic on 15-501.

But don't panic! Whether you're hosting a graduate or just trying to take Mom out for a nice meal without a three-hour wait, we've got the insider track on how to survive and actually enjoy, this weekend in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, including a place where moms can get free mimosas and sangria (last day today). From the Brunch Bracket to the traffic cheat sheet to the "I'm staying home" strategy, it's all in the guide.

HERE ARE A FEW IDEAS —>

Fri, May 8 2nd Friday Art Walk | Downtown Chapel Hill & Carrboro | 6–9 pm | Galleries, studios, shops, and restaurants stay open with art, live music, spoken word, and street life across both downtowns. Ackland Art Museum extends its hours 5–9 pm. Free. | 2ndfridayartwalk.com

Through May 22 Every Brilliant Thing | PlayMakers Repertory Company, Gillings Center for Dramatic Art, UNC Campus | An immersive, one-person show blending comedy, improv, and audience interaction — about growing up in the shadow of a mother's depression and finding reasons to keep going. The Guardian called it one of the funniest plays about depression, full stop. Bring tissues and your sense of humor. | playmakersrep.org

Tonight Joan Shelley w/ Grace Rogers | The ArtsCenter (Cat's Cradle Presents), 300-G E. Main St., Carrboro | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | Kentucky folk at its most luminous. Worth rearranging your Thursday. | catscradle.com

Tonight Florence Dore w/ Davie Circle, Juniper | Cat's Cradle Back Room, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | UNC English professor, award-winning songwriter, and she just dropped a new album last week. One of ours. | catscradle.com

Fri, May 8 Cosmic Charlie – High Energy Grateful Dead | Cat's Cradle, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro | Doors 7:30pm, Show 8pm | If you know, you know. If you don't, you'll find out. | catscradle.com

Fri, May 8 Cole Chaney & Kyova w/ Brennan Edwards | Cat's Cradle Back Room | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | catscradle.com

Sat, May 9 Bahamas w/ Sister Ray | Haw River Ballroom, Saxapahaw | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | Silky indie folk in a room built for it. A graduation-night alternative worth the drive. | catscradle.com

Sat, May 9 Andrew Duhon | Cat's Cradle Back Room | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | catscradle.com

Sun, May 10 Failure w/ All Under Heaven | Cat's Cradle | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | 90s alternative legends. Mother's Day plans for the non-brunch crowd. | catscradle.com

Mon, May 11 Shawn Mullins (solo: songs & stories) w/ Cat Ridgeway | Cat's Cradle Back Room | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | The "Lullaby" guy, unplugged and personal. Intimate room, big voice. | catscradle.com

Tue, May 12 Bill Callahan w/ Noveller | Haw River Ballroom, Saxapahaw | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | One of indie music's quietest legends. Rewards your patience and your attention span. | catscradle.com

Fri, May 15 Lucinda Williams | Haw River Ballroom, Saxapahaw | SOLD OUT | catscradle.com

Sat, May 16 Andrew Marlin & Josh Oliver (seated show) | Cat's Cradle | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | The Watchhouse mastermind, right here at home. Seated show. Tickets still available. | catscradle.com

Sat–Sun, May 16–17 Iron & Wine w/ Improvement Movement | Haw River Ballroom (Sat) & Cat's Cradle (Sun) | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | Two nights. Both SOLD OUT. | catscradle.com

Mon–Wed, May 18–20 Future Islands | Cat's Cradle | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | Three nights. Monday is sold out. Tuesday and Wednesday still have tickets. The energy in that room will be unreal. | catscradle.com

Wed, May 20 The New Pornographers w/ Will Sheff (of Okkervil River) | Haw River Ballroom, Saxapahaw | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | Power pop perfection. If you haven't heard them live, fix that. | catscradle.com

Thu, May 21 Hiding Places w/ Verity Den, Supermutt | Cat's Cradle Back Room | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | catscradle.com

🎷 Music Festival

Thu–Sun, May 7–10 22nd Annual Spring Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance | Shakori Hills Community Arts Center, 1439 Henderson Tanyard Rd., Pittsboro | Four days of music, dance workshops, kids' activities, art, and great food. This year's lineup includes Donna the Buffalo (the festival's founders), Rising Appalachia, Lila Iké, Jim Lauderdale, Chatham Rabbits, Bella White, Ryan Montbleau Band, Preston Frank, and dozens more across multiple stages. Camping available; kids 12 and under free. | shakorihillsgrassroots.org

Sat, May 9 UNC Spring Commencement | Kenan Stadium | 7pm | Eric Church delivers the address. Over 7,100 graduates. Clear bag policy in effect. Arrive early — very early. | commencement.unc.edu

Sat mornings Carrboro Farmers' Market | 301 W. Main St., Carrboro | Peak strawberry season. The heartbeat of this community, every Saturday. | carrborofarmersmarket.com

Sat mornings & Tue afternoons Chapel Hill Farmers' Market | University Place, 201 S. Estes Dr., Chapel Hill | Sat 8am–12pm, Tue 3–6pm | All local, all the time — every farmer and artisan lives within 60 miles. | thechapelhillfarmersmarket.com

Wed, May 13 Orange County Land Summit | Bonnie B. Davis Environment & Agricultural Center, Hillsborough | 9 am – 4 pm | A working day on local land use, conservation, and farm policy — for landowners, farmers, and the curious. | orangecountync.gov

Through May 9 National Small Business Week | Walk Franklin Street, walk Main Street in Carrboro, walk Churton Street in Hillsborough. Spend local. This is the week to do it on purpose.

May 6–12 National Nurses Week | This year's theme is "The Power of Nurses." If you know one — and you do — tell them. And if you're reading the Shante Webster feature above, you'll meet one who traded the ICU for the yoga mat and still hasn't stopped taking care of people.

Sun, May 10 Mother's Day | All day | A few free, easy ideas: walk the North Carolina Botanical Garden (1,200 acres of native plants, no cost) or Coker Arboretum on the UNC campus. For brunch, The Carolina Inn's Crossroads does Sunday brunch from 8 am–1 pm — book early; Mother's Day fills up. Other local favorites — Lula's, Hawthorne & Wood, Lantern, Vimala's — typically book up a week out. | ncbg.unc.edu

📣 Graduation Weekend Traffic | Departmental ceremonies run Thursday through Sunday across campus, so expect congestion all weekend. The main ceremony is Saturday at 7pm at Kenan Stadium. Free parking is available in non-reserved campus lots, and Chapel Hill Transit runs a shuttle from the Friday Center Park and Ride starting at 5pm. Clear bag policy is in effect at all venues. Use Estes Drive or Weaver Dairy Road to cross town and give yourself extra time for everything. See the full survival guide above for the complete playbook.

Fatal Fire at Hillmont Apartments A two-alarm fire tore through Building A of the Hillmont Apartments at 124 Fidelity Street in Carrboro Monday afternoon, killing 53-year-old Carrboro resident Thomas Owens Jr. and displacing 20 residents. Carrboro Fire-Rescue arrived within two minutes of the 4 p.m. call and found heavy smoke and flames pouring from multiple units. Forty-one firefighters from six departments battled the blaze for an hour. Eight units were destroyed. The State Fire Marshal is assisting with the investigation. The Red Cross is providing temporary housing to displaced residents. If you want to help, contact the Red Cross or the Town of Carrboro.

School Board Meets Tonight on Elementary School Closures The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board meets tonight at Lincoln Center (750 S. Merritt Mill Rd.) to continue discussing the possible closure of Ephesus, Glenwood, and/or Seawell Elementary Schools. Closed session begins at 6 p.m., open session around 7. Staff will present additional data, and public comment is on the agenda. The meeting will also be livestreamed on the CHCCS website. If you're a parent in any of those zones, tonight matters. chccs.org/our-district/board-of-education/upcoming-meeting-links-details

CholaNad Temporarily Closed After Owner's Arrest CholaNad, the South Indian restaurant at 310 W. Franklin Street, is temporarily closed after owner Mathivanan Pothiyappan was arrested on charges including attempted first-degree murder. According to court documents, the charges stem from a domestic violence incident in early April at his Chatham County residence. Pothiyappan posted bond with conditions, including no family contact and surrender of his passport. CholaNad's satellite location inside UNC's Lenoir Dining Hall is also closed. The charges are allegations, and Pothiyappan is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Town Council Drops Proposal to Shrink Its Size It took one public hearing. After impassioned opposition from community members, the Town Council dropped its proposal to cut two council seats (from eight to six) and extend the mayor's term from two to four years. Opponents argued the move would reduce representation and diversity. Delores Bailey and Danita Mason-Hogans spoke to the impact on Black representation, while former mayor Mark Kleinschmidt, Chapel Hill's first openly gay mayor, recalled how the 1975 expansion opened doors for both minority and LGBTQ+ candidates for decades. The proposal is dead.

Chapel Hill Hires New Housing Director. The Town has hired Alicia Arnold as its next Director of Housing & Community Development. She starts on June 8.

It's Small Business Week. Chapel Hill is celebrating Small Business Week — and there's a new studio to know about: Silhouette Pilates just opened at 140 W. Franklin Street. A good excuse to walk Franklin and spend locally this week.

Eric Church at Kenan Saturday Night UNC's Spring Commencement is this Saturday, May 9, at 7 p.m. at Kenan Stadium. Country star Eric Church, a Granite Falls native, 11-time Grammy nominee, and self-proclaimed Tar Heel "born, bred, dead" (even though he went to App State), delivers the address to more than 7,100 graduates. He co-headlined the Concert for Carolina with Luke Combs, raising over $24 million for Hurricane Helene recovery.. Expect traffic, emotion, and a lot of Carolina Blue.

UNC Lacrosse Earns Top NCAA Seeds Both UNC lacrosse teams earned national seeds in the NCAA Tournament — the women are the No. 2 overall seed and the men are No. 3. Tournament play is underway.

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Until next time,

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