The Daily Tarheel December 02, 2003 Plaintiffs get 1st look at APS files By Sarah Rabil and Dan Schwind Staff Writers Elliot Cramer speaks with Ron Merritt, attorney for the Orange County Animal Shelter, after a court order allowed Cramer to view documents in the facility for the first time since January. Almost 12 months after his last visit, Elliot Cramer returned to the Orange County Animal Shelter on Monday to meet with officials of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County. The meeting was the result of a Nov. 21 Orange County Superior Court ruling that required that APS grant Cramer and fellow plaintiff Judith Reitman access to APS' files. Cramer and Reitman requested access to the files in their joint lawsuit against the society. "We had a very satisfactory meeting with them," Cramer said. "I think we had a congenial and useful discussion." In particular, Cramer said, the pair was seeking access to accounting records, financial reports, personnel files and membership lists from the last several years. Cramer said he is very satisfied with his newly granted privilege, though the court order prevents him from revealing the contents of the personnel and financial records. "We certainly found information that supports the concerns we have raised over the last year," he said. Monday marked the first time Cramer was allowed in the shelter since APS officials accused him of trespassing on their property. "The last time I walked through these doors was January," Cramer said. "But I feel no animosity toward APS. ... I still am willing to renew my membership and do what I can." The suit began earlier this year when Cramer and Reitman tried to run for positions on the APS board of directors but were denied when board members changed the group's bylaws so only board members could vote in elections. APS countered, saying that it made the change legally according to its bylaws. Cramer and Reitman said APS officials violated these bylaws again when it denied their requests to renew their APS memberships. Cramer said the board's actions were an effort to prevent the two from running for high positions in the group. Both originally decided to run for the posts to launch reforms within the group, which they said was not managing the shelter properly. Cramer and Reitman then filed the lawsuit challenging the legality of the change in the bylaws and demanding access to the files they got access to Monday. The decision came after several months of delays and changes in hearing dates. The release of the records is one part of the APS debate, as Cramer and Reitman have fought to have control shifted away from APS. With access to the files, they now can look over APS' budget history, which Cramer and Reitman said they have overestimated. "We feel it is certain the county should take over by July 1," Cramer said. The Orange County Board of Commissioners also established a task force, which will provide recommendations on future operations of the shelter by March 16. Commissioner Moses Carey said there was a delay between receiving the animal shelter report from the Human Society of the United States and creating the task force. Commissioners also approved a set of major issues for the task force to tackle. The issues focus on shelter operations, management, the facility and animal control services. The task force will comprise one commissioner; one representative from the Board of Health; three town representatives, one each from Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough; one representative from the sheriff's office; and three at-large members. The final appointments to the task force are scheduled to be made at the Dec. 9 board meeting. Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald Thursday, December 04, 2003 (also Chapel Hill News December 14) Letters to the editor County needs to set date for takeover of animal shelter While the aps Board of Directors is occupying its time by unsuccessfully trying to silence its critics, violating court orders, defending its recently resigned executive director and proceeding with a SLAPP suit designed to send a threatening message to the community (to wit, an aps memo from its new president-elect: "If we do not fight back (aps) will be encouraging anyone who does not agree with us to go running to the county or to the press" ) conditions at the shelter have improved little since the HSUS's scathing assessment in September. The interim director's love of animals is certainly a relief, but love and promises are not enough. On a day to day basis the shelter continues to flounder. At last week's Board of Commissioners meeting, there was a good deal of heated banter but little resolution. The consensus was that county oversight of aps was required, but when and how was left hanging. Commissioner Halkiotis, who was clearly fed up with these antics, wanted at least one commissioner on aps's board to keep an eye on things, but no commissioner volunteered. There was talk of costs and logistics, and the need for time -- even as the point was made that county takeover has been routinely and successfully accomplished for other county services. Commissioner Brown demanded that the county take over immediately, but in the end she was voted down. No date was set for takeover. So where does that leave the county's shelter? With more money from the county and more time to make promises it does not keep. Indeed, the county is giving aps even more tax dollars to spend while a task force is convened. More talk, more time, more animals that will pay the price for human beings who won't walk their talk. The county needs to set a takeover date, no later than early spring, and move aggressively toward creating a functioning, safe and accountable animal shelter. Judith Reitman Chapel Hill The writer is involved in a legal dispute with the Animal Protection Society ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald Friday, December 05, 2003 Letters to the editor Animal shelter decision by county is 'shocking' On Oct. 21, the Orange County Board of Commissioners indignantly rejected the aps demand that the county pay an additional $10,686 per month for operation of the shelter until July 1, 2004. County Finance Director Ken Chavious stated that aps denied him access to records and that this increase was unjustified. The latest aps annual report to the county shows an annual county expenditure of $440,431 or $36,702 per month. The aps demand would have increased the cost to $47,389 per month. aps stated that it was unwilling to continue subsidization of the facility and that $47,389 was the full cost of operating the shelter. On Nov. 18, the BOCC accepted aps's high bid for interim shelter operation of $47,000, only $389 less than aps's previous rejected demand. The low bid of $42,366 by HSOC was rejected even though it met the bid requirements of an experienced director while aps's bid did not. aps submitted an alternative bid of $52,000 per month versus a lower HSOC bid of only $43,066, but the county would have retained whatever shelter income was received. Given the criticisms of the aps shelter operation by HSUS, I find the county decision both remarkable and shocking. Furthermore, the county appears to be agreeing to aps operation of the shelter until Feb. 1 without an experienced shelter director and with the continued lack of county oversight which has been apparent for the last two years. The only bright spot in this scenario is the apparent intent of the county to take over shelter operation on July 1. Even this could be in doubt because the only cost estimates for county operation have come from Rosie Summers, an aps supporter and apologist who has proposed a bloated bureaucracy and an operating budget which appears to be based on advice from former aps Executive Director Laura Walters and Animal Control Director John Sauls, another aps apologist. Since aps states that it is now covering the full costs of shelter operation, the county should be able to operate a first-rate shelter for a comparable cost. With promised community help, the county should be able to recruit a large volunteer base. In the meantime, the county should insist that oversight and other conditions agreed to by aps for Feb. 1 should start immediately, along with a negotiated transfer of shelter equipment by July 1. This equipment will be needed by the county for the new shelter to be built in a few years. Elliot M. Cramer Chapel Hill The writer is president of the Piedmont Animal Welfare Society and involved in legal action with the aps. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald Monday, December 08, 2003 Merger, shelter top agenda Commissioners plan long night for last meeting of the year CHAPEL HILL -- School merger and animal shelter issues will be front and center Tuesday on a busy agenda for the Orange County Commissioners' last meeting of the year. Because of the heavy workload, a special meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill. The regularly scheduled meeting follows at 7:30 p.m. "If we're not going to meet again for six weeks, it's important to make sure things are moving if there's movement to be made in this area, like in areas of review of animal shelter operations," Commissioners' Chairman Barry Jacobs said. "That's the ultimate purpose for many of the items on [Tuesday's] agenda, to make sure ships leave the harbor if they need to be making a journey." ... Passions have been equally as intense regarding the county's animal shelter, which is currently run by the Animal Protection Society of Orange County. aps critics convinced the county to hire an outside consultant to study shelter operations. The Humane Society of the United States' report was critical of the shelter and offered hundreds of recommended changes. The commissioners will appoint members to a task force to study those recommendations and make their own recommendations about animal shelter operations. The 12-member board will consist of three board-appointed at-large members; three board-appointed residents of Hillsborough, Carrboro and Chapel Hill, respectively; three appointees of those towns by the respective municipalities; and representatives from the Sheriff's Office, Board of Health and Board of County Commissioners. Many aps critics have submitted applications for the community task force. Among them are former aps Director Pat Sanford and former aps Assistant Director Dean Edwards, who unsuccessfully submitted an interim bid to run the shelter. The commissioners awarded an interim contract to aps to continue running the shelter through June 30, the end of the fiscal year, but commissioners have indicated that the county will resume responsibility for the shelter beyond that point. Jacobs said time was important, so the group should get to work as soon as possible. "We'd like to get some recommendations about management by the end of March, rather than lose six weeks, that's why it's important to get them started," Jacobs said. "There are other issues that could be resolved, that may have an impact on the 2004-05 budget, which has to be decided by the end of June." ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill Herald Wednesday, December 10, 2003 6 named to Orange animal shelter task force 12-member group to review operations, advise county CHAPEL HILL -- The Orange County Commissioners have appointed six people to a task force that will review operations at the much-maligned county animal shelter. The 12-member task force, to which the commissioners made half the appointments Tuesday, will study a series of recommendations from the Humane Society of the United States and make its own recommendations about animal-shelter operations. The Humane Society examined the shelter at the behest of the commissioners earlier this year. Its report was sharply critical of many aspects of the management of the shelter, which is run by the Animal Protection Society of Orange County. Humane Society inspectors triggered Tuesday's appointments by urging the county to name a task force to review the society's report and offer commissioners advice about implementing its hundreds of recommendations. A commissioner will serve on the task force, but the one has not yet been named. A few commissioners have suggested that Commissioner Barry Jacobs work with the group. The county health board and the towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough also have to make appointments. There will also be a representative from the Sheriff's Office on the 12-member group. Administrators like Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey and Assistant to the County Manager Greg Wilder also will also work with the task force, which is expected to report back by March. Commissioners received 28 applications for the six available positions. They named George Eberle Jr. as the group's Hillsborough representative, Linda Schmoldt as its Chapel Hill representative and Andrew Sleeth as its Carrboro representative. For their three at-large selections, the commissioners chose Bonnie Norwood of Chapel Hill, James Kramer of Efland and Dan Textoris of Chapel Hill. Eberle is an IT analyst with Orange County government. Norwood is a former aps employee and 17-year volunteer with the organization. She also serves on the county's Solid Waste Advisory Board. Schmoldt has worked for a year as administrative manager at aps. Before that, she worked as a health care technician at the animal shelter in Champaign-Urbana, Ill. She also has several years of part-time work experience as a kennel technician, veterinary technician and home health care technician for chronically ill and geriatric pets. Textoris is a retired UNC geology professor and past aps board member. Kramer was a seven-year aps volunteer and a past vice president of the organization. Sleeth has worked as the assistant public affairs officer for the N.C. National Guard office in Raleigh for the past two years and has volunteered at the Wake County animal shelter run by the SPCA. While the task force will make recommendations to the commissioners about shelter operations, aps has done its own evaluation of the Humane Society's recommendations and already implemented some suggested changes. The commissioners gave the aps an interim contract to continue running the shelter through June 30, the end of the fiscal year, but they have indicated that the county will assume responsibility for the shelter after that. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald Friday, December 12, 2003 Panel members: Animals come first Group to review shelter operations, make suggestions CHAPEL HILL -- Appointees to a committee charged with reviewing operations at Orange County's oft-criticized animal shelter said Thursday that the welfare of animals would be their top priority. The county's Animal Shelter Operations Task Force will study a series of recommendations from the Humane Society of the United States and make its own recommendations about shelter operations. The group eventually will have 12 members. Commissioners filled six of the seats earlier this week. "I've always taken a personal interest in assisting the cause of animal protection," said Hillsborough resident George Eberle, an appointee to the task force who works for Orange County's information technology department. The Humane Society examined the shelter at the behest of the commissioners earlier this year. Its report was sharply critical of many aspects of the management of the facility, which the Animal Protection Society of Orange County runs on the county's behalf. For the past year and a half aps has been involved in a running battle with critics who've accused the nonprofit group of mismanagement. The quarrel has produced one lawsuit and the resignation of the aps' senior management. Commissioners have indicated they want the county to take responsibility for shelter operations in the 2004-05 fiscal year. One task force member, James Kramer of Efland, is a former aps volunteer and board member. "I left aps because they were doing a bunch of stupid things and I told them they should be doing something else or exactly what happened would happen," Kramer said. "I want to avoid the problems in the past that the aps has had and yet be able to run an effective shelter." Kramer said the county's desire to run the most cost-effective shelter possible should be balanced with a humane viewpoint. He said he had visited other so-called animal shelters that were basically just cold cages next to a landfill. "I want to make real sure that doesn't happen in Orange County," he said. Carrboro resident Andrew Sleeth, a graduate student at UNC's School of Journalism and Mass Communication, said his interest in animals, animal welfare and animal protection would guide his work on the committee. Sleeth acknowledged having a professional interest as well. He has worked in public relations and followed the animal shelter controversy closely throughout the year, at one point presenting a case study on the subject to some UNC journalism classes. Sleeth said the committee would have a lot of data at its disposal as it works on its recommendations. "The good news is that there is so much information available now to help the task force and the commissioners make some good decisions," Sleeth said. "The [Humane Society's] assessment was very exhaustive ... and there's a lot of good information there. And there are many, many people in the community who have spoken out and shared important perspectives. Now it's just a matter of trying to bring that together and reach some consensus for the common good of the animals and the shelter." Kramer said the committee should also keep in mind that the animal shelter must relocate in a few years when the lease that allows the county the use of the Airport Road facility expires. The task force should "address the issues of the Humane Society report and put together some sort of plan for running the existing shelter building, and at the same time look to the future and put together a plan for a new shelter," Kramer said. Eberle added that he wants to make sure shelter staff members "know how to use the computer system they have in place down there." He installed the software the staff uses to track animals. In addition to being advocates for animals, the committee members are also pet owners. Eberle owns one dog, Sleeth owns a shelter-adopted cat and Kramer has six dogs and five cats. The task force has yet to meet. The county health board and the towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough still have to make appointments to the panel. A representative from the Sheriff's Office and a county commissioner also will serve on the panel. The task force is expected to report back to the commissioners in March ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald Monday, December 15, 2003 Editorial Shelter task force has sensitive job Slowly but surely, the pieces in the Orange County Commissioners' response to the problems at the local animal shelter are falling into place. To recap the progress made to date, commissioners responded to the fallout of the messy departure of former Animal Protection Society veterinarian Bobby Schopler by asking the Humane Society of the United States to conduct a review of the shelter's operations. The review confirmed the existence of many problems at the shelter, including the deficiencies in record-keeping and disease controls. Inspectors also urged the county to set up a citizen task force to look over the report and offer its advice on a strategy for pursuing improvements. Commissioners took their time in following that last bit of advice, but they've finally begun appointing people to the task force. Half the group's 12 members are now in place, and the other half will take their seats soon. Between receiving the Humane Society's report and making the appointments, the commissioners also began addressing the question of who will manage the shelter. For now, the aps has the job, but it appears the county is preparing for a takeover that will take effect when the new fiscal year starts next July. The task force will include people who have ties to the aps or its past management. This is, in all likelihood, unavoidable. Any pool of applicants for what will be a demanding assignment undoubtedly will include people who've demonstrated their passion for the cause of animal welfare in the past. But at this juncture, it's vital that everyone involved look to the future. The debate to come is about the future of the shelter, not its past. It's not about Schopler, or longtime aps director Pat Sanford, or about Sanford's now-departed successor, Laura Walters. There's no room at the table for score-settling. In this regard, the appointments to come -- a commissioner will join the panel, as will representatives from the Sheriff's Office, the county health board and the towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough -- are critical. Each group with an appointment to make has a stake in shelter's future, and each needs to name someone will who bring a fresh perspective to the problem -- and a keen sense of diplomacy. ________________________________________________________________ The News & Observer December 26, 2003 Condit lawsuit seeks $209 million from tabloids WASHINGTON -- Former congressman Gary Condit wants $209 million from the tabloid newspapers he says ruined his reputation. Odds are, he won't get it. In his latest lawsuit against three tabloid papers, Condit is asking for something far beyond what others have ever actually received for winning libel judgments. ... Filing a case is one thing. Winning money, especially big money, is something altogether different. Defense motions to dismiss defamation cases outright were granted 68 percent of the time over the past two decades, according to the Media Law Resource Center. "Very few [libel] cases actually go to trial," noted Eric Robinson, staff attorney with the New York-based group. "The vast majority of cases either get dismissed, or the parties settle right before trial." The major hurdle facing Condit, Dalglish noted, is that he is a public figure. That means he must prove that the tabloid papers published the stories and headlines knowing they were false, or with reckless disregard for whether they were true or false. _____________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald December 29, 2003 Top 10 stories of 2003 1. CHAPEL HILL -- From the beginning of the year to the end, from the depths of winter through the cycle of seasons, it seemed as if just one word was on everyone's lips: merger. ... 2. Roy rides to the rescue For the entire season -- in fact, for several seasons -- Tar Heel nation had been unhappy. The glory that had been Carolina basketball had foundered in unfathomable, never-before-seen depths. ... 3. Town, gown try to work together In UNC's long-term vision for the physical expansion of the university, building a parking deck and chilled-water plant behind Cobb dorm and the Paul Green Theater was an important but relatively small step. ... 4. No shelter for the APS Criticism of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County's operation of the county animal shelter continued throughout the year. The shelter controversy resulted in a largely negative outside evaluation, the resignations of top APS officials, court victories allowing access to records, greater county oversight and the planned assumption by the county for shelter operation next year. The county owns the animal shelter, but has relied on the APS to run the facility, paying the group about $429,000 in the past fiscal year. However, the APS has been through a bruising battle with critics, and still is in a legal tussle with two of its harshest opponents, Elliot Cramer and Judith Reitman. Cramer, a retired professor, began looking into the APS after then-Executive Director Laura Walters declined to renew the employment contract of the group's former wildlife veterinarian, Bobby Schopler. Reitman, an author and activist, began studying the shelter after its staff euthanized a dog she wanted to adopt that the APS deemed too vicious to release. The two sued the APS in February, claiming the group refused to hand over board minutes, membership lists and financial records, which as members they said they had a right to see. The APS filed a counterclaim, contending that Cramer and Reitman had slandered its officials and committed fraudulent acts. The matter is still winding its way through the courts, although the critics won conditional access to the documents and records. While the legal tussle continued, APS critics were simultaneously calling for new shelter management. The commissioners hired an outside agency, the Humane Society of the United States, to evaluate the operations of the shelter on Airport Road in Chapel Hill. A 156-page report released in the fall recommended hundreds of changes. While APS is working to make some of the suggested changes, the commissioners formed a 12-member Animal Shelter Operations Task Force to make recommendations on the report by March. The squabble and increased scrutiny also prompted the commissioners to alter the contract with the APS, allowing the group to operate the shelter only on a month-to-month basis. After putting out a request for bids for an interim shelter operator for the rest of the fiscal year, the commissioners did choose the APS to continue running the shelter. But a majority of the commissioners have agreed that the county should take over responsibility for the shelter when the fiscal year is over. How that would work will depend on a report by county staff that is due in March. -- Geoffrey Graybeal ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald December 29, 2003 Top 10 stories of 2003 1. CHAPEL HILL -- From the beginning of the year to the end, from the depths of winter through the cycle of seasons, it seemed as if just one word was on everyone's lips: merger. ... 2. Roy rides to the rescue For the entire season -- in fact, for several seasons -- Tar Heel nation had been unhappy. The glory that had been Carolina basketball had foundered in unfathomable, never-before-seen depths. ... 3. Town, gown try to work together In UNC's long-term vision for the physical expansion of the university, building a parking deck and chilled-water plant behind Cobb dorm and the Paul Green Theater was an important but relatively small step. ... 4. No shelter for the APS Criticism of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County's operation of the county animal shelter continued throughout the year. The shelter controversy resulted in a largely negative outside evaluation, the resignations of top APS officials, court victories allowing access to records, greater county oversight and the planned assumption by the county for shelter operation next year. The county owns the animal shelter, but has relied on the APS to run the facility, paying the group about $429,000 in the past fiscal year. However, the APS has been through a bruising battle with critics, and still is in a legal tussle with two of its harshest opponents, Elliot Cramer and Judith Reitman. Cramer, a retired professor, began looking into the APS after then-Executive Director Laura Walters declined to renew the employment contract of the group's former wildlife veterinarian, Bobby Schopler. Reitman, an author and activist, began studying the shelter after its staff euthanized a dog she wanted to adopt that the APS deemed too vicious to release. The two sued the APS in February, claiming the group refused to hand over board minutes, membership lists and financial records, which as members they said they had a right to see. The APS filed a counterclaim, contending that Cramer and Reitman had slandered its officials and committed fraudulent acts. The matter is still winding its way through the courts, although the critics won conditional access to the documents and records. While the legal tussle continued, APS critics were simultaneously calling for new shelter management. The commissioners hired an outside agency, the Humane Society of the United States, to evaluate the operations of the shelter on Airport Road in Chapel Hill. A 156-page report released in the fall recommended hundreds of changes. While APS is working to make some of the suggested changes, the commissioners formed a 12-member Animal Shelter Operations Task Force to make recommendations on the report by March. The squabble and increased scrutiny also prompted the commissioners to alter the contract with the APS, allowing the group to operate the shelter only on a month-to-month basis. After putting out a request for bids for an interim shelter operator for the rest of the fiscal year, the commissioners did choose the APS to continue running the shelter. But a majority of the commissioners have agreed that the county should take over responsibility for the shelter when the fiscal year is over. How that would work will depend on a report by county staff that is due in March. -- Geoffrey Graybeal _____________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News December 31, 2003 Newsmakers of 2003 are a diverse lot - Part 1 CHAPEL HILL -- Sure, the usual suspects made news this year. They always do. Mayors appointed task forces and launched initiatives. Council members, commissioners and aldermen adopted ordinances and passed budgets. University bigwigs announced major plans and hired the basketball coach everybody expects to lead us back to the promised land. And heaven knows there were plenty of Big Issues to grapple with during the past 12 months. People fussed and wrangled over important questions including school merger, downtown revitalization, a third high school, UNC-town relations, development projects and Carolina North. But 2003, perhaps more than most years, was also a year rich in the offbeat. Regular citizens who normally go about their lives in relative obscurity found themselves on -- or, in some cases, thrust onto -- the front page. Some of them entangled themselves in major issues; others rose to prominence on rather smaller stages. For some, fame lasted little longer than Andy Warhol's 15 minutes. Others, it seems safe to say, we will be hearing from again. In addition, a number of well-known citizens also became wrapped up in events that bordered on the bizarre. As we step boldly into 2004, we cast one last look over our shoulders at the year we leave behind. Here, then, is a subjective and thoroughly unscientific survey of some of the more unlikely newsmakers of 2003. ### Robert Glosson He was born and raised in Carrboro. He was registered to vote in Carrboro. The Board of Elections let him file as a candidate for mayor of Carrboro. ... ### Elliot Cramer and Jude Reitman Police escorts, suits and counter-suits, resignations under fire, charges of stalking and slander -- animal welfare just doesn't get any better than this. Key characters in this year's Animal Protection Society serial drama were Elliot Cramer, a retired UNC professor banned from the shelter in January, and Jude Reitman, a writer who last year unsuccessfully attempted to adopt a dog from APS. The pair were vocal -- very vocal -- in their criticism of APS management and leadership. And they were diligent -- very diligent -- in keeping emerging details before the public, members of the press and their elected officials. County Commissioner Steven Halkiotis at one point responded to the voluminous e-mails Cramer sent him by saying in a public meeting, "I give up, Elliot! If you're out there, I surrender." Early in the year, Cramer and Reitman filed a lawsuit alleging APS illegally refused to disclose records, removed members' voting rights and obstructed members' efforts to nominate candidates to the board of directors. Not to be outdone, APS shortly thereafter filed a counter-suit claiming its reputation was defamed. Executive Director Laura Walters joined in, claiming defamation, libel and slander. As the suits wound through the courts, the Humane Society of the United States investigated shelter practices, and APS and Orange County entered increasingly strained contract renewal negotiations. The county now has APS on a short leash until June. Who will run the shelter after that remains to be seen. Earlier this month, Cramer and Reitman finally got access to the APS financial and operational records they sued to see, including personnel records related to Walters. By then, Walters had resigned, as had the associate shelter director, Darra Das. The judge who told APS to open its records to Cramer and Reitman put restrictions on what the pair could say about what they found. And so this year's installments of "Shelter Stories" ended with a whimper -- or rather, unaccustomed silence -- from APS's most vociferous critics. _____________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News December 31, 2003 Newsmakers of 2003 are a diverse lot - Part 1 CHAPEL HILL -- Sure, the usual suspects made news this year. They always do. Mayors appointed task forces and launched initiatives. Council members, commissioners and aldermen adopted ordinances and passed budgets. University bigwigs announced major plans and hired the basketball coach everybody expects to lead us back to the promised land. And heaven knows there were plenty of Big Issues to grapple with during the past 12 months. People fussed and wrangled over important questions including school merger, downtown revitalization, a third high school, UNC-town relations, development projects and Carolina North. But 2003, perhaps more than most years, was also a year rich in the offbeat. Regular citizens who normally go about their lives in relative obscurity found themselves on -- or, in some cases, thrust onto -- the front page. Some of them entangled themselves in major issues; others rose to prominence on rather smaller stages. For some, fame lasted little longer than Andy Warhol's 15 minutes. Others, it seems safe to say, we will be hearing from again. In addition, a number of well-known citizens also became wrapped up in events that bordered on the bizarre. As we step boldly into 2004, we cast one last look over our shoulders at the year we leave behind. Here, then, is a subjective and thoroughly unscientific survey of some of the more unlikely newsmakers of 2003. ### Robert Glosson He was born and raised in Carrboro. He was registered to vote in Carrboro. The Board of Elections let him file as a candidate for mayor of Carrboro. ... ### Elliot Cramer and Jude Reitman Police escorts, suits and counter-suits, resignations under fire, charges of stalking and slander -- animal welfare just doesn't get any better than this. Key characters in this year's Animal Protection Society serial drama were Elliot Cramer, a retired UNC professor banned from the shelter in January, and Jude Reitman, a writer who last year unsuccessfully attempted to adopt a dog from APS. The pair were vocal -- very vocal -- in their criticism of APS management and leadership. And they were diligent -- very diligent -- in keeping emerging details before the public, members of the press and their elected officials. County Commissioner Steven Halkiotis at one point responded to the voluminous e-mails Cramer sent him by saying in a public meeting, "I give up, Elliot! If you're out there, I surrender." Early in the year, Cramer and Reitman filed a lawsuit alleging APS illegally refused to disclose records, removed members' voting rights and obstructed members' efforts to nominate candidates to the board of directors. Not to be outdone, APS shortly thereafter filed a counter-suit claiming its reputation was defamed. Executive Director Laura Walters joined in, claiming defamation, libel and slander. As the suits wound through the courts, the Humane Society of the United States investigated shelter practices, and APS and Orange County entered increasingly strained contract renewal negotiations. The county now has APS on a short leash until June. Who will run the shelter after that remains to be seen. Earlier this month, Cramer and Reitman finally got access to the APS financial and operational records they sued to see, including personnel records related to Walters. By then, Walters had resigned, as had the associate shelter director, Darra Das. The judge who told APS to open its records to Cramer and Reitman put restrictions on what the pair could say about what they found. And so this year's installments of "Shelter Stories" ended with a whimper -- or rather, unaccustomed silence -- from APS's most vociferous critics. ________________________________________________________________