“Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.” — Larry Wilde

Cary, N.C. – It’s funny that one of our more read CaryCitizen stories was the controversy over what the Town would call our Christmas/Holiday/Community tree.   The publisher insisted that I provide this update which I am doing dutifully.

But a common area of discourse and interest these days is what is and isn’t politically correct.   I think we go over the line when we start renaming things to be PC, when the original name isn’t subversive or mean.  Hence, my headline  Psssst! We KNOW It’s A CHRISTMAS Tree!

CaryCitizen also set the record straight about what the media was reporting inaccurately (IMAGINE THAT?) – that the Town Council had recently changed the name of the tree to a “Holiday/Community Tree”, or that they wanted to change the name to that.  Not true.

We saw this false report in blogs, local and national news.  As Town Councilman Don Frantz told us, the Town of Cary has “never officially” referred to the town’s trees as “Christmas trees.”   They have always been called either a “Holiday tree” or “Community tree”.

Jack Smith and Don Frantz of the Cary Town Council originally brought up the issue.  Later, Mr. Frantz expressed some remorse for even bringing it up with bigger issues to be resolved.

Anyway, we are obligated to inform those of you that hadn’t heard what happened with this firestorm just in case you were “under a rock” to quote one of the Cary Town Council members’ blogs.  After a month of debate the council voted 6-1 to call Cary’s tree lighting ceremony “Cary’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony”, and to refer to the Christmas Tree as ”Cary’s Community Christmas Tree”.

Crisis over. Common sense triumphs again.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Who told you?
Hermey the Elf, D.D.S: Everyone in Christmas town knows.

- From Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys 2001

Cary, NC – Today I had an “e-conversation” with Don Frantz (Cary Town Councilman District B) over the “controversy” about what we should call the coniferous green thing we cut down from the woods and put ornaments on and light up during the winter solstice.  Our own Cary Citizen Publisher told me he thought the whole thing was just a ”tempest in a teapot.”  Turns out it is.

I did a little sleuth work to see what the buzz was all about in the Cary social media and even in some of the local papers.  Seems a lot of people have the story wrong.  Contrary to what the press and the blogs are saying…this isn’t 21st century Cary political correctness run amok.  According to Don, the Town of Cary has “never officially” referred to the town’s trees as “Christmas trees.”   They have always been called either a “Holiday tree” or “Community tree”.

Don added that his ”request seeks to call Cary’s trees what they really are – ‘Christmas trees’.  Calling a Christmas tree a Holiday tree is like calling the Jewish Menorah a candelabra.  A Christmas tree is a Christmas tree.  In our efforts to not offend anyone we have succeeded at offending nearly everyone.”

He pointed out that even the the White House continues to refer to their trees as Christmas trees.

Don also told me that he wanted to get the word out to make sure folks knew he was sorry “for all the media attention this issue has received” and that it was not his intent. Don had suggested that the subject be discussed in January after the holidays so as not to “put a damper” on everyone’s Christmas and other holiday celebrations.  Don added,  that he  “maybe should have waited until May.”

I’m with Don, let’s call it what it is.  A “Christmas tree”.  Somehow,  I have confidence the council will make the right decision.  But let’s deal with it in May. For now – Merry Christmas!

Matt Young is Managing Editor of CaryCitizen.

As Matthew Eisley wrote in the News & Observer yesterday, Wake County’s weekly early release on Wednesdays is giving a lot of parents heartburn.

Turns out it’s giving student-athletes heartburn, too.

As noted in the N&O, students who play sports have to hang around for an hour until the teachers finish their meetings. At Green Hope, athletes are herded into study halls which function, for all intents and purposes, as a form of detention.

No talking. No cell phones. No trips to the bathroom or for a drink of water. Forgot your sneakers and want to call your Mom? Forget it.

Everybody knows teenagers just want to fool around. But there has to be a better solution that quasi-lockup.

Will anyone quit their team because of the inept application of early-release? Probably not.

A better question: Is it fair to student-athletes? What have the the students done to deserve this virtual punishment? Joined a team?

And, finally, what exactly are teachers doing with this extra hour? According to one report from a high school student who wishes to remain anonymous, the teachers “just mope around, grade papers and complain about having to stay.”

Add this to the N&O’s complaint about the stress it puts on families with two parents who work outside the home and early-release Wednesdays may need an early retirement.

What’s your experience been with early release? Do you have a high school athlete in your family? Leave us a comment.

~ The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all. ~ John F. Kennedy

We are all inundated with information about national elections. Pundits and reporters spout facts and opinions, and the candidates release soundbites every day.

Where it hits us close to home is often overlooked. The people of Cary walk into voting booths not sure where the candidates stand on issues that affect us – the citizens of Cary. We talk amongst ourselves about issues regarding our services, roads, greenways and parks, taxes, schools, and our environment. But do we really spend the time we should getting to know those who may represent us? Many don’t know the names of their district representative.

What a candidate stands for in our local elections is driven less by a “party platform” and more on the candidates’ personal views and experiences. It is vital now – more than ever – to know the candidates in our upcoming Cary election.

We will be rolling out a series of short, informal videos called “Coffee and Politics” over the next month. We ask the candidates questions about their background, their beliefs and the issues that face us in Cary in the upcoming years.

Vickie Maxwell, a former candidate for Town Council, will be conducting the interviews.  Vickie has been an active member of the Cary community for many years, lending her time to various charity, social and political events including InterAct.

As always, we look for your involvement. Send us your thoughts on what you would like to see. Send us any questions that you would like us to ask the candidates. Most importantly, watch for the Town Council Coffee & Politics interviews exclusively on CaryCitizen.

Together, we are going to put the “candid” back in “candidate”!

Matt Young is the Managing Editor of CaryCitizen. Staff photo by Hal Goodtree.

Hal Goodtree is Editor & Publisher of CaryCitizen

Welcome to the inauguration of CaryCitizen!

This is my first editorial. So it’s a good time to explain why I’m launching a news channel devoted to our town.

Cary is an interesting place.

Time and time again, our town is cited as one of the most desirable places to live in the U.S. Yet the undeserved reputation is that we exist solely as a suburb for the greater cities and towns that surround us. Our town is routinely ridiculed as a haven for minivan drivers, neatly trimmed shrubs, golfers and bunko players. (more…)