Duke University Grad Obama's Choice for Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, President Barack Obama's choice to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, holds a Masters Degree in English from Duke University in 1984.

Marvin G. Williams Appointed Durham's New Public Works Director

City Manager Tom Bonfield announced that Marvin G. Williams of Richmond, Va. has been appointed as the new director of the City’s Public Works Department. 

Ninth Street Bakery Opens Friday Produce Stand

The Ninth Street Bakery stand, open from 11:30am to 2:30pm on Fridays, will sell produce from four different farms, including items from the garden that's used to produce vegetables and other items for the bakery's salads and sandwiches.

Chef Todd Witney Joins Vin Rouge

Todd Whitney, the chef at J. Betski's in Raleigh, has joined the staff at Durham's Vin Rouge.

Read more: News & Observer - J. Betski's chef has joined Durham's Vin Rouge

Defending Champion Wins Durham Senior Amateur Golf Tournament

Defending champion Don Slater of Durham shot a 68 that included a double eagle on the par-5 14th hole and finished with a two-day, 6-under-par 136 to win the Senior Division and overall titles at the Durham Senior Amateur Golf Championship on Tuesday at Hillandale Golf Course.


Read more: News & Observer - Slater repeats as Durham Senior Amateur golf champion 

American Tobacco's Valerie Ward Receives NACE Award

Valerie Ward, American Tobacco's events and public relations manager, was recently awarded the annual Triangle National Association of Catering Executive's Merit Scholarship Award.

Read more: The Herald-Sun - Ward of American Tobacco receives NACE Award 

School House Ethical Fashion Moves Production Stateside

School House founder, Rachel Weeks has moved the manufacturing operations of her Downtown Durham-based ethical fashion company from Sri Lanka to Wake County. Before moving production stateside, Weeks secured a commitment from the manager of the factory that was producing the line in Sri Lanka that factory workers there will continue to be paid a livable wage.

Read more: The Herald-Sun - fashionable college apparel

Bronto Software to Grow Durham Employee Base

The e-mail marketing software company Bronto Software is planning to grow its employee base at its hub at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham. Bronto currently employs about 80 people in its offices and is looking to grow a size of about 130 employees in the office in the hopes of improving its technology and attracting more clients.


Read more: The Herald-Sun - Bronto born here will grow here

MPI Supplier of the Year Awarded to Corey Bizzell

Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau's Director of Sales, Corey Bizzell, has been named Meeting Professionals International Carolina Chapter's 2011 Supplier of the Year. Honorees are selected for the prestigious award based on MPI-CC service including International and Chapter participation, industry contributions and community service, and professional/career advancement.

Pelican's SnoBalls Opens on Roxboro

Pelican's SnoBalls, a snowball shop specializing in “New Orleans” style shaved ice, has opened at 3217 N Roxboro St.

American Cancer Society Honors Duke Nurse Ellen Parks

Ellen F. Parks, R.N., O.C.N., C.N.I.V., a nurse clinician at Duke University Medical Center, was one of 11 outstanding cancer care providers to receive the 2011 American Cancer Society (ACS) Lane Adams Quality of Life Award.

Bull City Burger and Brewery Introduces the Patty Wagon

Bull City Burger and Brewery will now offer delivery to neighbors within a two block radius by way of a hand cart called the Patty Wagon. The move comes in response to the limited time downtown workers have for lunch. Owner Seth Gross selected the wagon for its ability to travel where other modes of transportation aren't allowed.

Read more:  Independent Weekly - Bull City Burger and Brewery introduces the Patty Wagon

Shawn McCarthy Named Tryton Medical's New President and CEO

Shawn McCarthy, former general manager of AngioDynamics Inc., has taken the lead at Tryton Medical Inc. as the Durham medical device company’s new president and CEO. McCarthy previously was senior vice president heading AngioDynamics’ vascular and oncology surgery business units and the worldwide vice president of marketing for Cordis Corp., a Johnson & Johnson company.

Read more: Former Johnson & Johnson exec named Tryton CEO | Triangle Business Journal

Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2011

Congratulations to the 962 North Carolina Central University students, 660 Durham Tech Community College students and 4,521 Duke University students who make up the graduating class of 2011.

Duke Head Diving Coach Named Head Coach of USA World Championships Team

Duke head diving coach Drew Johansen was named the head coach of USA Diving's 2011 World Championships team on Wednesday. 

Accion Emprendedora USA Launched to Support Hispanic Entrepreneurs

Under the direction of Alejandro Sanchez, Durham will see the addition of Accion Emprendedora USA, a new organization that aims to help micro-businesses grow in the Hispanic community. They're focused on helping entrepreneurs who have started or are looking to start small operations employing one or two people that earn up to about $50,000 a year. Accion just finished the last of its first pilot classes for micro-entrepreneurs last week - they are planning to launch the next round of classes in September.

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/05/18/1205790/organization-gives-help-to-hispanic.html#storylink=misearch#ixzz1MjsRQsik

Bull City Arts Collaborative Celebrates Five Years

Bull City Arts Collaborative will celebrate its five-year anniversary with a Third Friday show on May 20.  Bull City Arts Collaborative is home to Kenny Dalsheimer and The Groove Productions, Revere La Noue and Light Rain Media and Dave Wofford and Horse & Buggy Press. For their anniversary, the artists have curated a show of their respective companies work in their space located at 401-B Foster Street.

Read more: Bull City Rising - Bull City Arts Collaborative, Horse & Buggy Press Celebrate Anniversaries with Third Friday Event

Scott, Bauman Join Spring Metrics

Former Google employees Shannon Bauman and Patrick Scott have joined the team at Durham start-up Spring Metrics.  Spring Metrics got its start with Launchbox Digital, the only Southeast accelerator to make a list of the top ten in the U.S.

Durham IMAX to Open May 20

Southpoint Cinemas' new IMAX auditorium is scheduled to open May 20 with the premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," to be shown in IMAX 3-D.

Read more: The Herald-Sun - Durham IMAX to open May 20

Habitat for Humanity of Durham Celebrates 25 Years

For the past 25 years Habitat for Humanity of Durham has worked to build, sell and repair simple, decent and affordable homes in partnership with people in need. Habitat has built more than 270 new homes in Durham, repaired 70 homes in Durham and built an additional 170 homes in Honduras.


Read more: The Herald-Sun - Habitat for Humanity celebrates 25 years here

South Durham Confection Co, Pairs Cookies with Beer

Jimmy VerVaecke and Alison Collins launched South Durham Confection Co., a business dedicated to the creation, baking and sale of savory cookies that can be paired with a range of different styles of craft beer. Since January, the company has created and sold four different types of cookies as well as several "special releases" they've made to pair with beers made in limited supply at Fullsteam. They sell their cookies online as well as by the bag at Fullsteam, at Aviator Brewing Co. in Fuquay-Varina, at the Old Havana Sandwich Shop downtown, and at Nofo @ the Pig in Raleigh.


Read more: The Herald-Sun - Beer cookies the perfect pairing

Former Duke Guard Jeff Capel Joins Krzyzewski's Coaching Staff

Former Duke guard Jeff Capel is returning to his alma mater and has joined head coach Mike Krzyzewski's staff as an assistant coach. Capel, a four-year starter for the Blue Devils from 1993-97, scored 1,601 points in his Duke career. He's been a head coach for the past nine years at Virginia Commonwealth and Oklahoma, compiling a 175-110 record.

Read more: The Herald-Sun - Capel hired as Duke assistant

Freelon Appointed to NC State University Board of Trustees

Phil Freelon, president of The Freelon Group of Durham, has been appointed to the N.C. State University Board of Trustees.

Szostak Design Wins AIA Award for Durham Performing Arts Center

On April 21, Szostak Design, Inc. received a 2011 American Institute of Architects Triangle Section Merit Award for the design of the Durham Performing Arts Center.

Read more: Stage Directions - Szostak Design Wins Award for Durham Performing Arts Center

Megafaun's Phil Cook Releases Solo Album

Durham resident, Phil Cook has released a new solo album of experimental folk. The free CD release show for Phil Cook & His Feat's Hungry Mother Blues will be at Motorco Friday, May 6, at 6 p.m.

Zenph moving to American Tobacco

Durham-based music technology company Zenph Sound Innovations Inc. has plans for a new office space in the American Tobacco Campus. Zenph's new headquarters will be the approximately 11,000-square-foot space in the campus's Power Plant building at 320 Blackwell St.

Read more: The Herald-Sun - Zenph moving to American Tobacco

Moe's Southwest Grill Opens New Location at Patterson Place

A new location of Moe's Southwest Grill opened its doors in late April at Patterson Place, the development across U.S.15-501 from the New Hope Commons shopping center that houses Walmart and Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

Read more: The Herald-Sun - Patterson Place to get new restaurants

Four Durham Students Named Morehead-Cain Scholars

Four students at Durham high schools have been awarded Morehead-Cain scholarships to attend UNC Chapel Hill. Local recipients are Camille Elyse Morgan, a student at the Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill; Cecilia Stefany Polanco of Northern High School; and Sagar Samir Shukla and Violette Liang Zhu, both of the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics. 

The scholarship, described as "the oldest, most prestigious merit scholarship program in the country," covers expenses for four years of undergraduate study at UNC and features four summer enrichment experiences. The award is valued at more than $90,000 for scholars from North Carolina and more than $170,000 for out-of-state students.



Read more: The Herald-Sun - Four students named Morehead Cain scholars

Jason Jowers Named 2011 Teacher of the Year

Jason Jowers, a history teacher at the Southern School of Engineering, has been named named Durham Public Schools 2011 Teacher of the Year. Jowers will now compete for the Central Region Teacher of the Year.


Read more: The Herald-Sun - DPS Teacher of the Year

Beck, Duncan Take Top Honors for ACC Women's Golf

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced its 2011 All-ACC Women’s Golf accolades on Monday with Duke University sophomore Lindy Duncan named ACC Player  of the Year. Freshman Laetitia Beck earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors by a vote of the league’s nine head coaches.

Read more: GoDuke.com - Beck, Duncan Take Top Honors for ACC Women's Golf

Giovanni Ellzey Earns the Rank of Eagle Scout

Giovanni Ellzey of Durham has earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement in Boy Scouting.
For his Eagle project, Giovanni built a covered drain trench around Cornerstone Bible Church.

Read more: News & Observer - Drainage help for church earns Scout his Eagle rank 

Durham Public Schools Names 4 News Principals

Durham Public Schools announced leadership appointments at three schools today: Kecia Rogers has been named Principal of C.C. Spaulding Elementary, Susan Well and Lynne Goodhand have been named co-Principals of W.G. Pearson Elementary and Melissa Hall will be Principal of Neal Middle School.

Read more: News & Observer - DPS names 4 principals 

Geer Street Garden to Open Wednesday

Downtown Durham's Geer Street Garden is slated to open Wednesday at 644 Foster St, the newly renovated building that once housed Fletcher's Gulf Gas Station. Andrew Magowman, the restaurateur behind the new restaurant and bar, said he'll be serving simple American food in the space, which will also have an outdoor, walled in seating area.

Read more: The Herald-Sun - Geer Street Garden to open

Sgt. Jeremiah Davis Retires

Sgt. Jeremiah Davis, an investigator with the Durham County Sheriff's Office has retired after 25 years with the sheriff and 40 years in law enforcement.

Read more: The Herald-Sun - Sheriff s Sgt Jeremiah Davis retires