Jeff Davis photo

A vehicle travels down a hill on the bypass around Pittsboro as a Saucer Magnolia blooms. The tree is a hybrid of two Chinese magnolias, the Yulan Magnolia and Lily Magnolia, and its blooms are bright pink. The trees dot the Chatham County landscape this time of year, but sometimes a cold snap will turn the petals an ugly brownish pink. Our up and down temperatures continue this week with a high of 82 on Wednesday and 65 on Thursday.

During a regular meeting at Pittsboro Elementary Monday night, members of the Chatham County Board of Education aired facility concerns regarding local schools.

Board member Gerald Totten told those in attendance that several issues need to be addressed at Northwood High School.

Totten, along with fellow member Kathie Russell, visited the school last Wednesday.

"[We visited] in response to complaints about the condition of the POD, the condition of the stage floor and auditorium lighting system, and media furniture needs," Totten said.

"The system has been aware of a number of the concerns and will look into the remaining," said Beth McCullough, Public Information Officer of Chatham County Schools during an interview on Tuesday morning.

Concerns regarding the communication available to teachers in Northwood’s POD were addressed.

"Noted was the absence of communication means despite comments earlier that teachers had been furnished walkie-talkie radios for that purpose," Totten said. "If there is a lockdown, they have to rely on someone in the front office."

The POD currently has four walkie-talkie radios per eight classrooms, said McCullough.

The long road continues for opponents of the proposed ISP Minerals mining operation in Siler City’s extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction.

Although Judge Kenneth Titus heard the opposing counsel’s case in lawsuits against the Town of Siler City related to the mining operation on Monday, March 19, he did not hear from lawyers for ISP Minerals and Siler City’s town attorney William Morgan because of time constraints.

The case was tentatively scheduled to resume last Friday in Orange County, but because the judge is presiding over a trial by jury, the ISP matter won’t resume until April 16 at 2 p.m. in Pittsboro.

Separate lawsuits filed by Friends of Mount Vernon Springs, Horizon Cellars and adjacent landowners David A. Watts, Steven T. Landing and Bobby A. Branch against the town will be heard.

Each of the parties in their suits listed several potential health concerns, alleged environmental violations and property value concerns.

Many people opposing the proposed operation reside in the Mount Vernon Springs community near the proposed quarry site. Some have adjoining property.

The Town of Siler City approved the controversial ISP Minerals quarry last July 3.

The operation, which is proposed to be built off Old US 421, will cover 86.2 acres and the final pit will be expected to be 520 feet below surface.

more- See Thursday, March 29 paper: Vol 87, No.17

A Staff Report

A rabid fox bit a pet dog in east Pittsboro before being captured behind a grocery store, according to Chatham County Animal Control manager John Sauls.

The fox was sent to the state lab, where it tested positive for rabies, Sauls said. The bitten dog was euthanized.

The attack occurred on Thursday, March 15, on the east side of town. The attack and the bite were witnessed by the owner, Sauls said..

"The man was working at his computer in his house about 1:30 p.m. when he heard what sounded like a dog fight outside," Sauls said. "He looked out his window to see his five-six month old pit-lab mix, which was chained, fighting with a fox. The man said he saw the fox biting the dog’s right foreleg while the dog was biting at the head of the fox."

Sauls recounted that the dog’s owner grabbed a baseball bat and swung at the fox as he approached it but the fox was running away.

Animal control officers searched the area, talked to area residents and waited until the school children were off their buses and in their homes before leaving the scene, said Sauls.

The dog was not vaccinated for rabies and animal control impounded it.

Shortly after, Animal Control received a call that a fox was seen on another residential street north of East Street, about a quarter mile away from where the first attack occurred.

Animal control officers responded again but were unable to locate the fox.