People's Durham Acknowledged for Social Justice Work

People's Durham, an organization that tackles affordable housing, social justice and educational issues facing underserved minority communities, has been awarded the 2013 Citizen Award by the Indy Weekly.

Durham Inns and Restaurant Keep AAA Four Diamond Rating

The King's Daughters Inn and the Washington Duke Inn and Golf Course along with the Fairview Dining Room all retained their status as AAA four diamond lodging and dining establishments.

Durham Reverend Set to Retire

After more than 33 years at the pulpit of First Presbyterian Church, the 72-year old Rev. Joe Harvard is retiring. His last Sunday will be May 5.

Kelly Brownell Named Dean of Sanford School

Kelly Brownell, the James Rowland Angell Professor of Psychology at Yale University and a leading authority on public policies to enhance nutrition and combat obesity, will become the next dean of Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy.

Durham Graduates 16 New Officers

The Durham Police Department will hold graduation ceremonies for the BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training) Academy 36 at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Duke Memorial United Methodist Church, 504 W. Chapel Hill St.

Major Construction on Syngenta Greenhouse Complete

Syngenta Biotechnology Inc. has received a certificate of occupancy for its new greenhouse in the Research Triangle Park.

BASF to Shift Focus to Fungal Resistant Corn

BASF Plant Science is stopping research into a genetically modified, nutritionally enhanced feed corn in the United States, and is discontinuing efforts to get approval for genetically modified potato products in Europe. The company plans to add corn as a target crop for its fungal resistance research.

M&F’s Saunders named to FDIC panel

Kim D. Saunders, CEO of Durham-based Mechanics & Farmers Bank, has been selected to serve on the group that advises the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on the latest issues facing the nation’s community bankers.

Duck Shop to Move

The Duck Shop, the Duke University apparel shop, is moving on Ninth to the renovated building that previously housed the restaurant George’s Garage.

Duke Textbook Store to Temporarily Close

Gothic Bookshop, Duke's textbook store, located in the Bryan Center will temporarily close starting Feb. 1 due to renovations.

Quintiles Looking to go Public

Quintiles, the Durham-based private company that provides contract services to pharmaceutical companies, is looking to go public later this year, Bloomberg News reported Friday.

CBS Sports to use Durham's SMT technology for Super Bowl

SMT, the Durham-based company that provides graphics and other services for televised sports and entertainment events, announced Monday its technology will be used in CBS’ Super Bowl XLVII programming.

Duke Medicine Names Chair of Orthopedic Surgery

Benjamin Alman, chair of orthopedics at the University of Toronto, will become chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Duke University Medical Center in June. David Attarian will serve as interim chair of the department until June

Durham's Yamazushi Recognized as Restaurant of the Year

The News & Observer has recognized Durham's Yamazushi as Restaurant of the Year. Twelve other Durham restaurants were included in the Triangle's Best Restaurants list  including Nana's, Fairview, Four Square, Revolution, Watts Grocery, Old Havana Sandwich Shop, Vin Rouge, Dos Perros, Pizzeria Toro, Blu Seafood & Bar, Mateo, and Los Comales.

New Duke Study Suggests Less Invasive Treatments for Breast Cancer

A lumpectomy and radiation may provide early-stage breast cancer patients with a better chance of survival than mastectomies, according to Duke Medicine Research.

RTI scientist elected to National Academy of Social Insurance

Leslie Greenwald, a chief scientist at RTI International, has been elected to the National Academy of Social Insurance for her work in Medicare program and payment system evaluation. Election to membership in the National Academy of Social Insurance is considered one of the highest honors that can be accorded a social insurance professional.

CED Unveils Triangle Startup Map

Durham-based Council for Entrepreneurial Development has developed an early version of an online map that tracks the location of more than 1,000 Triangle start-up technology and life science companies.

Stay and Play Snack Cafe Opens in Durham

Stay and Play Snack Cafe, a child friendly cafe, has opened in Durham at 405-A East Chapel Hill Street.

Duke Student Launches Online Food Ordering System

Duke student Sam Waters has launched Radoozle, a website that allows online food ordering using Duke Food Points. Students can make online orders at the Loop, Food Factory, Dragon Gate, TGI Friday’s, Chopped Greens and Bread-n-Kabob.

Durham Academy Reveals Renovated Gym

Durham Academy has unveiled its newly renovated gymnasium that includes air conditioning, a new floor, frosted glass windows, improved lighting, 300 additional seats, a trophy hallway, concession stand, public restrooms, a fitness center, locker rooms, offices and an improved training room.

Duke Receives $50 Million Gift to Create Bass Connections

A $50 million gift from Anne T. and Robert M. Bass of Fort Worth, Texas, will launch Bass Connections, an initiative to encourage Duke students and faculty to collaborate across traditional academic boundaries to develop the broad expertise and perspective needed to tackle complex societal problems.

Freelon Group Announces Awards

The National Organization of Minority Architects awarded The Freelon Group Architects two awards for design excellence at its 40th Annual Design Awards Presentation and Reception in Detroit, Mich.

Merge Records Releases Mobile App

Durham's Merge Records has released a mobile app in the Apple and Android stores that fans can use to access news articles, tour dates and multimedia.

The Loop to Move During Duke West Union Renovation

The Loop, a Duke University vendor that operates a American-style restaurant on Duke's West Campus in the West Union building will relocate to the space in the Bryan Center currently occupied by Armadillo Grill.

Duke Engineers Develop New Sensor

Duke University engineers have developed a novel “sensor” that is more efficient, versatile, and cheaper for potential use in such applications as airport security scanners, and collision avoidance systems for aircraft, cars or maritime vessels..

Durham’s M&F names new CFO

Durham-based M&F Bancorp, has a new CFO: Randall C. Hall, who succeeds Lynn Hittle.

Funcom Restructuring to Affect Durham

Some of the development team from the Montreal office of the Norway-based game development company Funcom will be moving to the company’s studio in Durham.

McKinney Expands to New York

Durham-based creative agency McKinney is expanding and opening an office on Madison Avenue in New York City.

Medicago Nets $15M Loan

Medicago, a Canadian vaccine maker, which has a plant in Durham, has netted a $15 million loan from an unnamed pharma partner. The agreement that could include co-promotion rights of Medicago vaccines in certain markets. If a licensing agreement can be made, the principal of the loan would be applied as up-front payments, and Medicago would not have to pay interest.

Duke Has Record Applicants

More than 31,750 high school seniors have applied to Duke University to fill one of the 950 available slots for the Class of 2017. This is up from last year's 31,619 applicants.

Durham's LipoScience Files for Public Offering

Durham-based LipoScience is filing to go public. The company, which last tried to go public in June 2011, hopes to raise more than $70 million.

Duke Appoints Director of Student Health

Dr. John Vaughn has been appointed as the new director of student health of Duke University.
Vaughn will be bringing experience gained from working Ohio State University’s Student Health Services and improving its health promotion activities and technologies.

Duke Lemur Center Expands to Madagascar

The Duke Lemur Center recently acquired office space in Sambava, Madagascar, to house their latest conservation project.

Duke Employee Giving Campaign Raises $600K

In just over a month, more than 1,000 donors contributed $614,212 to the Doing Good in the Neighborhood campaign, which benefits local organizations that improve the quality of life in Durham.

Durham Drug Being Tested in Late-Phase Clinical Trials

Argos Therapeutics Inc., a Durham company developing personalized treatments for cancer and infectious diseases, announced Tuesday that a late-phase clinical trial has launched that’s testing its most advanced product candidate in kidney cancer patients.

Duke Launching Homebuying Program

Duke University officials have begun rolling out a program that would supply $10,000 loans to at least 10 employees interested in buying a house in the city’s Southside redevelopment.

Duke University Golf Club Members Earn Awards

PGA Master Professional Ed Ibarguen and PGA Head Golf Professional Jessica Stewart—members of Duke University Golf Club staff located at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club—recently earned golf awards from several prestigious golf associations.

VA Center Names Associate Director

Sara Haigh has been named associate director of the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Nonprofit Opens Office in Durham

The nonprofit Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina has opened a satellite office in Durham to serve Durham and four other counties.

Durham Regional Becomes Duke Regional

Durham County commissioners voted Monday night to change the name of Durham Regional Hospital, to Duke Regional Hospital.

Durham Residential Construction Up

Building permits filed in the last six months with Durham City-County Inspections allow for 123 percent more residential units in the city and county compared to what was filed for in the same period last year.

RTI Fellow Promoted to Senior Fellow

Jeremy Bray, a health economist at RTI International, has been promoted from RTI fellow to senior fellow by President Wayne Holden.

A Helping Hand Chooses New Executive Director

A Helping Hand has chosen Marcia Nelson Wilson as its new executive director.

Triangle Learning Community to Open Aug 28

Steve Goldberg, a former Cary Academy history teacher, plans to open Triangle Learning Community, a private program for middle school students. He has acquired space for the fledgling education program next to the Beth El Synagogue on Watts Street near Duke University’s east campus.

BASF Moving Jobs to Durham

BASF is consolidating its U.S. non-crop herbicide, insecticide and fungicide businesses into a single department. About 30 jobs will be moving to the Research Triangle Park in Durham as part of the change.

Quintiles partners with South Korea’s BioCore

Durham's Quintiles has signed a two-year partnership agreement with South Korean firm BioCore to provide its services to Quintiles exclusively. Financial terms of the deal with BioCore were not disclosed.

For 20th year, IBM leads in patents

IBM Corp. busted another record for most patents received by a company in a year. IBM’s 6,478 patent total included 675 patents by employees in Durham's Research Triangle Park.

Durham Real Estate Offices Merge

The Century 21 Haywood Davis office has merged with the Coldwell Banker Advantage Team in the Durham office.

Durham's Digitalsmiths in deals with TWC, i.TV

Digitalsmiths, a Durham-based company announced deals Thursday with Time Warner Cable and i.TV to integrate Digitalsmiths’ Seamless Discovery search and discovery technology so subscribers can find TV shows and movies on TV, on-demand, and on their DVRs.

Duke Researchers Develop New Way to Attack Cancer Tumors

By harnessing the very qualities that make sickle cell disease a lethal blood disorder, a research team led by Duke Medicine and Jenomic, a private cancer research company in Carmel, Calif., has developed a way to deploy the misshapen red blood cells to fight cancer tumors.

Duke Researchers Use Genome Technology for Earlier, Accurate Diagnoses

Duke researchers are looking to genomic technologies – not the isolation of bacteria or viruses – to quickly detect and diagnose infectious diseases such as the flu and staph. Two studies appearing online Jan. 9, 2013, both in the journal PLOS ONE, show how a pattern of genomic information among infected individuals can be used to accurately pinpoint the cause of infection.

Alman to Chair Orthopaedic Surgery at Duke

Dr. Benjamin A. Alman, A.J. Latner Professor and chair of Orthopaedics at the University of Toronto, will become chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dr. Nancy Andrews, dean of the School of Medicine, announced this week. Alman will assume his new role in June.

Durham County to Resurface 21.9 Miles of State Roads

The N.C. Department of Transportation has awarded a $4.8 million contract to Carolina Sunrock LLC of Raleigh to improve 21.9 miles of Durham County roads.

Delta to Offer Nonstop Tampa to RDU and Double LAX to RDU Service

Delta Air Lines will launch nonstop service to Tampa from Raleigh-Durham International Airport and double its service to Los Angeles from RDU.

Work to begin on Old North Durham Park

Users of the City of Durham’s Old North Durham Park should take note that construction is set to begin next month. Then work will close the park until August and impact vehicle traffic around the park t 310 W. Geer St.

Zinburger Restaurant to replace Rockfish at Southpoint

A New Jersey-based restaurant and hotel franchise operator is planning to open a Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar at The Streets at Southpoint. The restaurant will go into the space that housed the mall’s Rockfish Seafood Grill, which closed Monday.

Durham Landscape Company Opens Office

After 25 years of business in Durham, DJS Lawn and Landscape has opened its first office, located at 3200 Croasdaile Drive, Ste. 104.

Durham CROP Walk Gets New Director

Mary Catherine Hinds has been named regional director of the Church World Service Resource (CROP) Development Program for Southeast USA and will oversee the annual Durham CROP walk.

Durham EMS Director to Retire

Michael W. Smith, Durham County’s Emergency Medical Service director, recently announced plans to retire effective June 30 after 37 years with the department.

Denny's to Open in Durham

A Denny’s restaurant location is planned to open in Durham in the Hope Valley Commons shopping center near the intersection of N.C. 54 and N.C. 751.

Durham Thrift Store Opens

A new Durham Rescue Mission Thrift Store has opened at 3900 Chapel Hill Blvd with 30,000 square feet of retail space.

Hatteras Raises $125 Million

Hatteras Venture Partners, a Durham-based life sciences investment firm, reached its $125 million fundraising goal for its fourth investment fund with the support of a federal capital investment program.

Hayti Heritage Center Gets New Director

Angela Lee has been named the new executive director of The St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, the organization that runs Hayti Heritage Center.

Moffitt Appointed to Ward 3 City Council Seat

City Council members on Monday picked former Durham Planning Commission Chairman Don Moffitt to serve out the remainder of Mike Woodard’s term in the Ward 3 seat.

Duke Nursing Faculty Inducted

Two faculty members at the Duke University School of Nursing, Paula Tanabe and Donald “Chip” Bailey Jr. have been inducted into the Fellowship of the American Academy of Nursing. Induction as a Fellow is one of the highest honors in the nation a nurse can receive.

Duke Nursing Professor Selected

Kirsten Corazzini, a professor at the Duke University School of Nursing, has been selected as a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging. Corazzini, a social gerontologist, was selected for the health sciences section.

Duke University Appoints Director of Geriatric Psychiatry and Vice Chair for Faculty Development

Musta Husain has been appointed as the director of the geriatric psychiatry division and vice chair for faculty development at the Duke University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Frontier Airlines to Return to RDU

Frontier Airlines will begin daily service Sunday-Friday between Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Trenton, N.J., April 8. The new service will mark Frontier’s re-entry into the Research Triangle Region market.

Contactology Moves to Downtown Durham

Contactology, a Durham-based email marketing software company, has moved into a larger office space downtown at at 501 Washington St. to accommodate growth.

Durham's Tryton raises $24 million

Durham-based Tryton Medical Inc. has closed on $24 million in financing. Tryton develops medical stents and the financing should see the company through the U.S. approval of its latest product, the TrytonSide Branch Stent.

Auto Dealership Planned for Southpoint

Plans have been filed to develop an automobile dealership near The Streets at Southpoint in the location off Fayetteville Road for a proposed approximately 170,000-square-foot development called Hendrick Southpoint. The plans are still under review with Durham City-County Planning.

Durham IT Company Recognized for Customer Service

Durham's WorkSmart, a managed IT services company, was recognized as one of four Finalists for the "Best Customer Service Company" at the 2012 NCTA 21 Awards.

Durham-tested Drug Approved by FDA

Apixaban, a drug aimed at preventing strokes, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. New York-based Bristol-Myers Squibb and New York-based Pfizer Inc. partnered to develop the drug, and tested it at Duke University in Durham.

The Original Q-Shack Raises 10K

The Original Q-Shack has raised $10,000 to support the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) after donating 100% of proceeds from business on Jan, 2, 2013.

Gulley Retiring from Triangle Transit

Former Durham Mayor Wib Gulley will step down as general counsel of Triangle Transit sometime this summer, opting to retire now that the agency has local funding lined up for a series of service expansions.

Quintiles' Pike Recognized as 10 People to Watch

Tom Pike, CEO of Quintiles, a Durham-based company, was named to Triangle Business Journal's "10 People to Watch" list for 2013.

Fullsteam and Cackalacky to Release New Brew Jan 27

Durham's Fullsteam Brewery and Chapel Hill's Cackalacky have teamed up to create a new ginger pale ale beer, named Cackalacky, which they hope to widely distribute. The launch party will occur on January 27.

Durham Apartment Complex sells for $11.4M

VTT Management, a Massachusetts investor, has purchased the Carver Pond apartment community, a 248-unit, garden-style apartment community that was built in 1998 and is located at 4001 Meriwether Drive off East Carver Street in north Durham for $11.4 million, according to Durham County records.

Christopher Martins to Deliver MLK Day Lecture at Duke

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Duke's first annual Martin Luther King Day lecture will be given on Jan. 21 by Christopher Martens, a multiple-Emmy-award-winning producer and documentarian  His address, "The Civil Rights Movement Through the Eyes of Jackie Robinson" will explore the life of the noted athlete and activist.

Cree Exceeds $1 Billion in Revenue for 2012

In 2012, Durham-based Cree passed the $1 billion mark in annual revenue for the first time in its history.

Memphis Group Buys JFK Towers in North Durham

The 177-unit JFK Towers affordable housing building in north Durham has been sold to Global Ministries Fellowship, a Memphis area faith-based relief agency for $8.1 million.

New Apartments Planned for Swift Ave.

A subsidiary of Faison Enterprises of Charlotte is tearing down the 1950s-era Washburn Court apartments on 300 Swift Avenue in Durham to make way for a $40 million apartment community opening in 2014. Faison development director Kris Fetter says demolition of the nine, white-brick buildings has begun and that the new apartments will feature a four-story, wood-framed building with 202 apartment units with structured parking underneath.

NCCU Approves Tuition Increase

North Carolina Central University Board of Trustees approved a 4.2% increase in tuition and fees for the 2013-14 academic year.

Cree Adds More Space in Durham

Cree, the Durham-based LED lighting company will expand its operations in Durham by signing a deal to lease more than 58,500 square feet at the Research Tri-Center industrial park near Research Triangle Park.

Hatteras Raises $75 Million

Durham-based Hatteras Venture Partners says some 47 investors have bought nearly $75 million worth of shares in its planned $125 million investment fund 4.

Suzuki Dealer Converted Into Toyota Truck Center

Following American Suzuki Motor Corp.’s reorganization bankruptcy filing and decision to discontinue new vehicle sales in the continental United States, Mark Jacobson Suzuki has been converted into a Toyota Truck Center.

Durham Arts Council Names Grant Recipients, Begins Fundraising

The Durham Arts Council has created an Indiegogo fundraising campaign to help support 16 local artists have been selected to receive Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists Grants in 2013. The Arts Council’s goal is to raise $7,500 by March 21, 2013 for the Emerging Artists program.

Duke Buys Last of West Village Buildings

The Powerhouse building at 300 Fuller St. in downtown Durham has been sold for $2.275 million to Durham Realty, which is a support corporation for Duke University, according to property records.

Durham Tech to Collaborate with NC Wesleyan College

NC Wesleyan College President James Gray III and Durham Tech Community College President Bill Ingram will meet at Durham Tech Jan. 3 to sign a memorandum of understanding that will formalize a transfer partnership between the two schools.The purpose of this transfer partnership is to promote completion of both the associate’s degree at Durham Tech and the baccalaureate degree at Wesleyan.

Duke Professor Receives Lifetime Achievement Award in Genetics

Thomas Petes, a professor of molecular genetics and microbiology at Duke University, has been named the 2013 recipient of the Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal for lifetime achievement in the field of genetics. Petes specializes in the study of yeast as a model for understanding genomic instability and chromosomal abnormalities commonly found in cancer cells.

Duke Law Dean Named Influential Figure in Legal Eucation

David Levi, the dean of the Duke University School of Law, has been named to a list of the most influential figures in legal education by the National Jurist. Twenty-four educators and one legal education public policy advocate were named to its 2012 list out of 85 nominations.

Durham Law Firm Recognized as "Best Law Firm"

Durham attorneys at Thomas, Ferguson & Mullins, L.L.P. have been notified that their firm has been included in the 2013 U.S. News Media Group Best Lawyers list of “Best Law Firms” for 2013.
Details of the honor were released with the U.S. News and World Report’s Money Issue.