After a solid decade of being focused mainly on our state legislature, I’m trying to re-engage with what’s going on here in Orange County and the surrounding area.
I’ve been here for 37 years and for most of that time I’ve been a journalist, covering schools, local government, the university and, well, it’s a long list. I’ve also run a business or two, including a storied copyshop on the corner of Columbia & Franklin, and, most importantly, continue to play and record music with a loud Chapel Hill rock band founded in the early-90s.
I’m still following legislation, but my major focus is climate change and what it means in North Carolina. Having spent much of the last decade covering the environment and our coast, I’ve witnessed the impacts up close, including the worst natural disasters in our state’s history. That’ll change the way a person looks at things.
I’ll try to contribute something positive to the local discussion, maybe add some history or perspective, but I’m mainly trying to come up with a way to keep track of key stories/news/events in our area. It’s all scattered about and that hasn’t been easy. There’s a lot of good local journalism being done and government docs and info that don’t get as widely distributed as they should.
We’ve got a lot of challenges here. Kind of feels like a crossroad. I’m just trying to figure it out like you are. So I did the thing that tends to help me get back into the rhythm and pay better attention.
Yep, started a blog. Here we go now.
Kirk Ross, Chapel Hill North Carolina, September 18, 2021