Recent Comments
Re: “Workin' at the car wash...”
This just in: Durham does not have a stormwater system that "sends [water] directly into rivers and streams" as your article states. Durham has a stormwater system, consisting of curb grates and culverts, that sends water directly into open ditches. You can readily see these open ditches running parallel along Durham's streets. The city of Durham claims to "maintain the drainage system in the city right-of-way." Where does all that water collected in grates and ditches go? Often it is channeled into other open ditches coursing through vacant lots and back- and side-yards, depositing pollutants (as well as abundant litter) along the way. So you see, Ms Sorg, it makes little difference to the health of rivers and streams where you wash your car in the city of Durham when you take the reality of the conditions into account.
Re: “Workin' at the car wash...”
I have a question for Ms Sorg and for the city of Durham. If washing your car over a gravel driveway presents little or no danger to streams and rivers, why does the city of Durham count gravel as an impervious surface when calculating your stormwater bill? For example: My gravel driveway (with grass growing in it) is, according to the city, just over 800 square feet. This added to the approximately 1200 square feet of my roof puts my property just over the second tier's 2000 square feet of impervious surface threshold for billing purposes (2043 square feet exactly, according to the city). Is gravel an impervious surface? The city seems to say yes with its stormwater billing and no with its recommendations for car-washing. If I wash my car over the grass growing in my gravel driveway while keeping the gravel dry am I helping to protect streams and rivers from pollution or am I just playing along while the city pretends to have a handle on its affairs?
Re: “2008 Readers' Choice winners”
ceceliam's comment about Whole Foods winning best outdoor dining is right on; it is indeed shocking. The theory, however, that Independent readers confused Whole Foods in Durham (or Chapel Hill) with Weaver Street Market in Carrboro bestows upon said readers a measure of undeserved stupidity. A more likely explanation for Whole Foods' shocking win is a severe case of old-fashioned ballot-box stuffing. If this the case, SHAME ON YOU! Whole Foods.
Re: “City of Durham and Erick Daniels could reach settlement in wrongful conviction case”
DPD manager of property and evidence is robbed in her home of $6,000 cash. hmmm...