Thorpe's Joins Forces with National Ground Transportation Company

After 22-years of operation, Durham-based ground transportation company Thorpe's Inc has joined forces with Harrison Global LLC, a national ground transportation company headquartered in Massachusetts. Thorpe's contact information and website will remain as is however, the company will now operate as Thorpe's Inc., a Harrison Global Company.

Duke Names New Director of Social Science Research Institute

Duke University professor of economics and public policy Thomas Nechyba has been named director of the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI).

FiveOneNine Games Releases "Political Rampage"

The Durham-based startup FiveOneNine games has released its first game, “Political Rampage,” for Apple Inc.’s iPhone and iPad. In this political game, players debate as if they're on the campaign trail.

NCCU Names New Law School Dean

N.C. Central University has named Phyliss Craig-Taylor its new law school dean. Craig-Taylor is only the University's second female law school deal in its 75-year history. Most recently serving as associate dean for academics at Charlotte School or Law, Craig-Taylor served on N.C. Central's law faculty as a professor from 2000 to 2006.

Durhamite Wins $11,000 on 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'

Durham's David Klionsky won $11,000 on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." The show was taped in October 2011 and aired June 27, 2012.

ADF Opens New Permanent Home

The American Dance Festival will their new space the Samuel H. Scripps Studios at 721 Broad St., Monday. The opening of the studios marks the first time in the festival’s 79-year history the organization will own real estate and be able to provide year-round programming at its own facilities.

Monuts Donuts to Open Shop in Downtown Durham

Mobile doughnut business Monuts Donuts will open a brick and mortar shop in Downtown Durham slated for mid-late July.

Durham Tech Receives $100K PRESS Grant

Durham Technical Community College received a $100,000 PRESS for Completion grant from the Walmart Foundation designed to help keep students in school and eventually, to graduate. Durham Tech was one of just 15 community colleges in the nation to receive the grant.

Brooks Brothers to Open at The Streets at Southpoint

Brooks Brothers is slated to open at The Streets at Southpoint later in the Fall, likely in October.

Wilson Named Durham County's New HR Director

Durham County has named Cora S. Wilson as its new Human Resources Director. Wilson previously held senior human resources positions at GlaxoSmithKline and holds a law degree from NC Central University.

DSS Hires Becketts as New Director

The Durham County Department of Social Services board has named Michael Becketts as its new director of DSS. Becketts most recently served as the deputy director of the Baltimore Department of Social Services.

Jenkins Steps Down as Duke Entrepreneurship Leader

Kimberly Jenkins will step down July 1 as Duke University's Entrepreneurship initiative leader to join a start-up venture. Robert Calderbank, dean of the natural sciences in the College of Arts and Science, will become interim director.

Taberna Tapas Now open at 325 W. Main St

New restaurant Taberna Tapas is now open in Downtown Durham at 325 W. Main St.

Enoch, Geth Join NCCU Women's Basketball Coaching Staff

Ronnie Enoch and Ed Geth have joined the N.C. Central women's basketball coaching staff under new head coach Vanessa Taylor. Enoch previously served under Taylor as an assistant coach at Johnson C. Smith University; Geth brings eight years of Division I coaching experience, most recently at Marshall University.

Jordan Joins Duke Baseball Coaching Staff

Josh Jordan has joined the Duke Blue Devil baseball coaching staff as an assistant coach, working with the team's catchers and outfielders while serving as the program's recruiting coordinator. Jordan served as an assistant coach under Pollard at Appalachian State for six seasons.

Durham Literacy Center Secures New Home

The Durham Literacy Center completed the purchase of its new permanent home at 1905 Chapel Hill Road with renovations beginning in late June. Tutor training begins in August, and classes begin in September.

Duke Diver Claims Spot on US Olympic Team

Duke University diver Abby Johnston claimed a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team after winning the 3-meter synchronized diving competition with partner Kelci Bryant at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Federal Way, Wash.

HTC Closing Durham Office

HTC Corp. is closing its office in Durham. The Taiwan-based smartphone maker leased 47,000 square feet of American Tobacco Campus office space in 2011.

Duke Lacrosse Assistant Coach Named as Providence Coach

Duke Lacrosse Assistant Coach Chris Gabrielli has been named as the Providence Friars' men's lacrosse coach. He has been with Duke lacrosse for six seasons.

Duke Junior Named Golfweek's Player of the Year

Golfweek named Duke University junior Lindy Duncan its 2012 Player of the Year. Duncan's season scoring average of 71.07 was second-best in Duke history.

NCCU Awarded $5.7M Grant

NC Central University's Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute received a $5.7 million National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities Exploratory Center of Excellence grant. The grant is a five-year competitive renewal of the longest-funded National Institutes of Health grant at BBRI.

The Refectory Café to Reopen on Chapel Hill Blvd

The Refectory Café, a sustainable cafe that won several campus environmental awards while located in Duke University's Divinity School, will reopen at 2726 Chapel Hill Boulevard in September.

Duke Students Invited to White House's LGBT Pride Month Reception

Duke students, Jacob Tobia, Elena Botella, and Adrienne Harreveld were invited to the White House's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month reception in recognition for their outstanding leadership of Duke Together Against Constitutional Discrimination.

Former App State Coach to Lead Duke Baseball Program

Duke University has named Chris Pollard as its new baseball coach. Pollard has headed up Appalachian State's conference leading baseball program since 2004.

Pulitzer Prize Winning Duke Professor to Return to Journalism

Professor Sarah Cohen will step down from her role at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy for a position at The New York Times. Cohen joined Duke's faculty as Knight Professor of the Practice of Journalism in 2009 after 15 years as a reporter and editor, most recently for The Washington Post where she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

Durham's Analytical Solutions Changes Name to Tergus Pharma

Durham-based Analytical Solutions has changed its named to Tergus Pharma. The company hopes to develop and commercialize its own drugs in addition to doing analytical testing for research and development.

Beck Named as General Manager of Duke's Chronicle

Chrissy Beck has been named as Duke University's new general manager of The Chronicle. She has been the student publication's advertising director since 2008.

Walker, Debnam Honored with Mechanics & Farmers Bank Founders Award

Former NC Central University Dean and US Olympics Committee chairman, LeRoy T. Walker Sr. and longtime physician George C. Debnam were honored with the fourth annual Mechanics and Farmers Bank Founders Award. The annual award recognizes individuals or entities that embody its founding principles based on hallmark values or attributes of the men who established the bank in 1907.

25th Bull Durham Blues Festival Headliners Announced

Headliners for the 25th Bull Durham Blues Festival have been announced as Marcia Ball, Lucky Peterson, The Wild Magnolias, Risse Band, Justin Johnson, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Otis Clay, Stanley Baird, E Train and the Rusted Rails and Bullfrog Willard McGhee. The festival will be held September 7 and 8 at the historic Durham Athletic Park.

Stir Crazy Mom Blogger Partners with Durham Magazine

Katy Davis, founding blogger of The Stir Crazy Mom's Guide to Durham, has partnered with Durham Magazine to write exclusive, kid-focused blog posts beginning in mid-June.

Durham Public Schools Names Five New Principals

Durham Public Schools named five new principals effective July 1: Gloria Woods-Weeks, J.D. Clement Early College High School; Danny Gilfort, the Holton Career and Resource Center; Rod Teal, Pearsontown Elementary School; Cornelius Redfearn, Glenn Elementary School; Tonya Williams, Githens Middle School.

Four Durham Start-ups Receive NC IDEA Grants

Four Durham start-ups, Motaavi, ArchiveSocial, Impulsonic and Gema Touch have been awarded NC IDEA grants. NC IDEA provides grants to early stage companies in North Carolina and has awarded $2.5 million in grants to 67 companies statewide.

NCCU Receives $1.4 Million Grant to Support Science Education

NC Central University received a $1.4 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to support Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) and boost student engagement in the sciences.

Parks & Rec to Launch Rock the Park Summer Concert Series

Durham Parks and Recreation will launch its Rock the Park movie and concert series on Saturday, June 9 at Durham Central Park. The series features a free movie or concert at various parks throughout the summer months.

DefyGravity Trampoline Arena to Open on Emperor Blvd

DefyGravity, a trampoline arena boasting 13,000 square feet of wall-to-wall, steel-frame trampolines, will open Thursday at 4300 Emperor Boulevard. The arena features a trampoline field, trampoline dodge ball, an Olympic foam pit and trampoline cross-fit exercise classes.

Lilly's Pizza Opens Durham Location

Lilly's Pizza is now open in its new Durham location at 810 W. Peabody St. around the corner from Morgan Imports, and across the street from Brightleaf Square.

Kid to Kid, Peek-A-Do to Open at Renaissance Village

Kid to Kid, a children’s apparel and gear resale store, and Peek-A-Do, a hair and nail salon for children and adults, will open this summer at Renaissance Village across from The Streets at Southpoint.

Hilton Raleigh-Durham Airport to Undergo Renovations

The 249-room Hilton Raleigh-Durham Airport at Research Triangle Park will undergo a $7.5 million renovation to include a re-design of the lobby, meeting spaces, guest rooms and a new restaurant. The hotel was acquired in April by a joint venture between Apollo Global Management and Driftwood Hospitality Management; renovations begin in July.

Rise Biscuit and Donuts to Open in Renaissance Village

Rise Biscuit and Donuts, Durham Catering Co./Only Burger founder Tom Ferguson's new venture, will open in southern Durham's Renaissance Village shopping center most likely in August 2012.

Blue Cross Purchases University Place One Building

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has bought University Place One in Durham. BCBS has tentative plans to renovate the 49,000 square foot building for additional office space or to lease commercially.

Duke's Stroman Drafted by Toronto Blue Jays in First Round

Duke University junior Marcus Stroman was selected in the 1st round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. The 5-foot-9, right-handed pitcher is the first Blue Devil ever to be selected in the 1st round of the draft.

Bryan Center Adds Au Bon Pain

National bakery and cafe chain Au Bon Pain will open in Fall 2012 in Duke University's Bryan Center.

Rella:Cowan Changes Name to Engine

Durham advertising agency Rella:Cowan has changed its name to Engine. The company is also celebrating its 10-year anniversary.

Duke Professor to Edit American Journal of Archaeology

Sheila Dillon, associate professor of art history at Duke University, has been named editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Archaeology, one of the world's most distinguished peer-reviewed archaeological journals. Dillon's appointment begins July 1, 2013.

Duke Faculty, Staff Honored for 50 Years of Service

Duke University staff and faculty were honored for 50 years of continuous service, they include: Donna Bergholz; head of the Serials Cataloging Section in the Electronic Resources and Serials Management Department of Perkins Library; Gordon Klintworth, Wadsworth Research Professor of Ophthalmology; Joseph Greenfield Jr., James B. Duke Professor of Medicine; Craufurd Goodwin, James B. Duke Professor of Economics; and Naomi Wagner, a housekeeper in the Searle Center.

Duke Head Baseball Coach Steps Down

Sean McNally will step down as Duke's Head Baseball Coach. A Duke graduate, McNally has lead his alma mater's baseball program since 2006.

Gurley's Medical Supply to Open at the Shops at Northgate

Gurley’s Medical Supply will open at the Shops at Northgate on June 1 by the founders of Gurley’s Pharmacy on Main Street.