Greeting cards at Post Office in pilot program

CHAPEL HILL -- Busy consumers can buy, address and mail a greeting card while conducting other Postal Service business under a year-long pilot program launched this month.

The Chapel Hill Post Office is one of 1,500 locations nationwide where greeting cards will be offered. Five hundred initial sites were chosen based on availability of display space, the number of customers visiting the location and convenience to customers. An additional 1,000 locations will begin offering cards after the first of the year.

Offering greeting cards on a limited basis serves as a market test to determine if customer interest is high enough to warrant expanding the program throughout the country according to Robert Bernstock, president, Mailing and Shipping Services.

More than half of the 7 billion greeting cards sold in the U.S. are sent through the mail.

"Cards are incredibly linked to the mail," Bernstock said. "What better place to sell them than at our Post Offices."

The assortment includes cards for birthdays, baby announcements, encouragement, sympathy and wedding anniversaries. Additional seasonal displays will offer cards appropriate to various holidays and times of the year, including Mother's Day.

Mt. Bright ministry sponsors coat drive

HILLSBOROUGH -- Mt. Bright Baptist Church Outreach Ministry is sponsoring a coat drive for Hills-borough and surrounding communities -- "Warm Hearts Warm Coats." New and gently used coats (clean and in good condition) will be accepted.

Coats can be brought to the church, 211 West Union St., on Sunday morning or from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Coats will be given to Orange Congregations in Mission and The Durham Rescue Mission.

The deadline for donations is Dec. 17 in order to have the coats delivered for Christmas. Anyone wishing to open their heart during this special time of the year is welcomed to donate and be assured that a warm coat will be going to a deserving person in need.

Public info sessions on transit plan scheduled

CHAPEL HILL -- The Town of Chapel Hill will hold a series of public information sessions to provide information and gather input on the final draft of the Chapel Hill-Carr-boro 2035 Long Range Transit Plan. Sessions will be held from 7-8 p.m. Tuesday and from 7-8 p.m. Jan. 12, in the Council Chamber of Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

The sessions will start with a short presentation from town staff, and then members of the public will be invited to share their opinions. An electronic version of the plan is available at www.townofchapelhill.org/index.aspx?page=1284.

Interested persons unable to attend the information sessions may submit comments by any of the following methods:

1.) E-mail to chtransit@townofchapelhill.org.

2.) Call (919) 969-4900.

3.) Fax to (919) 968-2840.

4.) Mail to Chapel Hill Transit -- Attention Long Range Transit Plan, 6900 Millhouse Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.

All comments received by 5 p.m. Jan. 12, 2010, will become part of the official public forum record and will be considered by the town.

Revenue office offers town merchandise

CHAPEL HILL -- The Town of Chapel Hill is making it easier to give someone a taste of home for the holidays with Chapel Hill merchandise.

New this year are mugs with the Chapel Hill logo handcrafted by North Carolina potter Pam Brodbeck ($20) and chocolates imprinted with the Chapel Hill logo, custom-made by Chocolaterie Stam ($5). Other merchandise is available, including tote bags ($15) and baseball caps ($20).

Purchase Chapel Hill merchandise at the Revenue Office on the first floor of Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Chapel Hill nation's best for family life

CHAPEL HILL -- Chapel Hill ranks best in the nation for its family life. Business Week voted Chapel Hill one of the "Best Places to Raise Your Kids."

The study, published in the November 2009 magazine, selected one town and two runners-up for each of the 50 states. Chapel Hill was chosen for North Carolina, with Cary and Jacksonville selected as runners-up.

Considered were factors such as school performance, number of schools, household expenditures, crime rates, air quality, job growth, family income, museums, parks, theaters, other amenities and diversity. The selections were limited to towns that have at least 45,000 residents and a median income of between $40,000 and $125,000.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools has three high schools, four middle schools and 10 elementary schools. The district has the state's highest average SAT score. More than 90 percent of students go on to college.

The article states about Chapel Hill: "It attracts residents who enjoy a healthy lifestyle, cultural and historic attractions, and an intellectual environment."

To read this article in full, visit images.businessweek.com/ss/09/11/1117_best_places_to_raise_kids/34.htm