Ruby Sinreich, Orange County Blogger

Brooke Cochran

Welcome to OrangePolitics - the online home for progressive perspectives on Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, and the rest of beautiful Orange County. This statement is on the front page of a nationally recognized website on the politics, life, and community of Orange County, North Carolina. For Ruby Sinreich, OrangePolitics.org, is more than just a blog, it is a way of life.

“I have been involved in local issues for a long time,” said Sinreich. “As an undergrad at UNC I helped a friend get elected to a local office and joined the Chapel Hill Transportation Committee.”

Graduating in 1993, Sinreich remained in Chapel Hill to be active in the politics and progressive life of Orange County. Sinreich saw an opportunity to create a way for the citizens of Orange County to understand current issues and be active within their community. She saw a desire in the people to have a voice and, through her blog, she gave them that voice.

“Chapel Hill is a very progressive city, there is not a simple right-wing or left-wing mentality,” said Sinreich. “I started this blog in 2003 as a way for people to see the progressive issues. I wanted to create an activists and progressive blog so people can know the issues and be active with them.”

Initially, the entire blog was managed and authored solely by Sinreich. If any one wanted to post on the blog or make a comment on an existing blog, Sinreich had to first give permission. At the end of 2007 Sinreich switched to new blogging software that allowed OrangePolitics to have a community of authors. With the new software people have the ability to express their opinion on any issue they want. 

One of the biggest issues in Chapel Hill is new growth of the town and the relationship between the University of North Carolina and the town of Chapel Hill. As more students and people move into Chapel Hill, the housing prices continue to rise.

“Growth is the most challenging because so many people want to live here and the people who already live here, even if they have only been here a week, do not want it to grow,” said Sinreich.

The most pressing issue on the town and university relations is the possible development of Carolina North, a satellite campus of UNC.  Carolina North could potentially be 900 acres, which is bigger than UNC is now. This has caused a great deal of debate for years. Sinreich is very passionate on the issue but because she is UNC alum as well as an active member of the town, she sees the delicate issue from both sides.          

“It is now about how we build it not whether we build it...it will be built,” said Sinreich.  

A great deal of OrangePolitics blogs have been devoted to this topic. As UNC continued to develop plans for Carolina North, they created an advisory board with only a couple town members involved. “This caused major problems because the townspeople felt they had no say in this huge development,” said Sinreich. To help with this problem Sinreich continued to blog on the issue to give people a voice so they could share their opinions and feelings.

Recently the town and UNC entered into a “development agreement” and are actually working together well. UNC has promised to be open with the development plans and Chapel Hill’s Chancellor acts as a positive mediator between the two entities.

Sinreich initially thought that the audience of OrangePolitics would consist of progressives and activists. Interestingly, the main audiences are elected officials and reporters.

“The audience is why OrangePolitics has such great influence within the town,” said Sinreich. “Many reporters look to the blog to see the current issues in the city. The blog carries great weight over what issues are addressed within the town and town officials.”

As Sinreich continues to talk about the issues of Orange County her passion for her town is clear. Sinreich devotes a great deal of her life to raising awareness of the local politics and giving her townspeople a voice. Sinreich receives no pay for her work on OrangePolitics, she does not write for the pay, she writes for the people and her town.

“I do not get paid for this blog, there are no ads and I seldom get donations, said Sinreich. “If I do they do not even cover the hosting costs. I do not care though. This blog is for the people, so they know the issues around them.”

Students Give Back

Students Help Community

Town and Gown relations are bridged through the students of Colorado State University. 160 students from several campus organizations decided to join together and volunteer their time to help elderly residents with yard work. Yards, gutters, and windows were all cleaned at the homes of the many elderly who needed help. The residents were overjoyed with the help the students gave them.

Boone and Appalachian find peace

Boone vs. Appalachian

Finally, after two years of disputes and arguments over expansion to a proposed education building, and town and gown relations Boone and Applachian State University have reached an agreement. The town decided to re-zone the area and give a section of the zoning to the university to build. The university agreed to be open in their plans and discuss them with the town.

Residents Can Experience University for a Day, Scranton, PA

College for a Day

University of Scranton is welcoming local residents for a day of lectures and food. The participants get to enjoy a full breakfast and lunch on campus and listen to top professors give lectures on everything from best-sellers to DNA discovery.  This day gives residents a way to see the university and cultivate learning and thinking in their area.

Carolina North Committee Controversy

Carolina North Controversy

Carolina North is a massive development that is in the works for UNC. The satellite campus will potentially be 900 acres and is causing a great deal of dispute between Chapel Hill and the university. UNC has its own Carolina North Committee while the town has the Horace WIlliams Citizens Committee. A former mayor of Chapel Hill, Kenneth Broun, was recently appointed to be the chairman of a new "leadership advisory committee for UNC. The town wants more say and the school wants their campus.

Towards a Vision of a Vibrant Urban Campus Integrated with the Surrounding Neighborhood

Urban Campus and Local Neighborhoods

Harvard just announced plans of new construction over the next 30 years that will be nearly 10 million square feet. Harvard had purchased numerous buildings which sat vacant for years. Finally the plan for the new urban campus is beginning and the expansion of the town is in fact accepted by the townspeople. The town and the school are working together to develop  "a vibrant urban campus that integrates with the surrounding neighborhood and the creation of new housing, new jobs, and a variety of new attractions (stores, museums, parks, etc.) that will make the campus and community more liveable and interesting."

CSU students give back to their community

CSU serve Fort Collins Community

2000 students, 200 projects
April is national volunteer month and CSU used it as a perfect opportunity to serve its local community. It began with the idea of getting students out, in and around Fort Collins. More than 2000 students were involved this past April with over 200 project sites. The event was held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on the April 18. The projects ranged from social service and medical organizations, to city, county and state agencies and local neighbors.