Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Durham Writer Earns NC Science Fiction Award

The North Carolina Speculative Fiction Foundation awarded the 2014 Wellman prize to Durham author Mur Lafferty for her book “The Shambling Guide to New York City.”

FDA Approves BioCryst Flu Treatment

Durham's biotech company BioCryst has had its flu treatment, RAPIVAB approved by the FDA.

Bar Virgile Now Open

Bar Virgile has opened on Main and Mangum Streets. There are 49 seats and a menu with upscale cocktails and French country food.

Kimbrell's Furniture will Relocate

After 70 years of being located in Downtown Durham, Kimbrell's Furniture will relocate from its 101 W. Chapel Hill St. location.

Pet Resort to Expand in Durham

Suite Paws Pet Resort will open a location in Durham at 4350 Garrett Rd.

RDU Terminal 1 Receives LEED Certification

RDU Terminal 1 has received LEED Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Durham's Phononic Raises $44.5 million

Phononic, a Durham company working to change the way refrigerators work, has secured $44.5 million in new financing.

Health Decisions names interim CEO

Durham pharmaceutical research company Health Decisions named Dr. G. Stephen DeCherney interim CEO one week after a tragic plane crash killed the company's founder and CEO.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Hillside has state’s No. 1 assistant principal

Jason Jowers, assistant principal at Hillside High School, has been named the 2015 North Carolina Assistant Principal of the Year by the N.C. Association of Principals and Assistant Principals.

$1.5M Gift Endows Professorship at Duke Divinity

Duke University alumni William McCutchen Jr. and his wife, Irene Lilly McCutchen, have committed $1.5 million to endow a professorship at Duke Divinity School.

French Corner Bakery Opens

The French Corner Bakery, a new bake shop from French master baker Benjamin Messaoui features artisan breads, cookies, muffins as well as a lunch menu, and is now open at 2005 North Pointe Drive, Suite B.

Museum of Life + Science gets two new red wolves

The Museum of Life and Science is now home to two new red wolves -- a breeding pair that museum officials hope will produce offspring.

NC NAACP president to deliver Duke’s MLK keynote

The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, president of the North Carolina NAACP and founder of the Forward Together Moral Movement, will deliver the keynote address for Duke University's annual Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration on Sunday, Jan. 18.

Duke Medicine faculty named to Cord Blood Association board

Duke Medicine’s Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg and Dr. Haywood Brown have been named members of the founding board of the newly formed Cord Blood Association.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Durham Health Care Firm Opens On-Site Employee Health Clinic

Weatherby, a Durham-based health care staffing firm has opened a health care clinic for its employees.

NCCU adds new major

N.C. Central University will offer a new major in environment and geographic sciences beginning in the fall of 2015.

The Parlour to Expand

The Parlour, a ice cream shop in downtown Durham, will expand its current location and add 1,000 square feet to its current location at 117 Market Street. Seating will grow to almost 60, an additional cash register will be added, and there will be a room for private events like birthday parties.

Friday, December 12, 2014

Business group pledges $500K to help RDU land international flight

A group of area businesses on Thursday pledged $500,000 to help attract more international flights to Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

Duke Accepts 815 Early Decision Applications

Duke has accepted 815 early decision applications from high school seniors out of 3,180.

Durham Bulls announce new pitching coach

The Durham Bulls have hired former University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pitcher Kyle Snyder as pitching coach for the Durham Bulls in 2015.

McDonald's pilots mobile app in Durham

McDonald's has launched a pilot of a mobile app to help customers find locations in Durham.

Ruth Dzau wins Duke Energy citizenship award

Civic leader Ruth Dzau was recognized with the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award, which pays tribute to individuals who have made a profound impact on the lives of citizens through exemplary service.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Intrepid Life Re-opens as Nonprofit

Intrepid Life, the former coffee shop on Parrish St. has re-opened as a membership-based nonprofit community work/study space at 904 Broad St.

Smith Breeden appoints new VP

Tim Cassidy has joined Smith Breeden Associates, an investment firm, as a Vice President in the firm's Investment Management Group.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Duke Adds Two New Master’s Programs

Duke University has added two new master's degree programs; one in in quantitative financial economics and another in biomedical science.

Rooms to Go to Carry Durham entrepreneur's "Nugget" foam couch

Durham entrepreneur David Baron's foam 'Nugget' couch will be carried at Rooms to Go stores in three North Carolina locations.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Bell and Howell Join Universal Postal Union Advisory Board

Bell and Howell has joined the Universal Postal Union’s Direct Marketing Advisory Board, an  intergovernmental organization that regulates mail exchanges among 192 member countries.

Two Durham Startups Recieve Funding from NCIDEA

Startups Mati Energy and RevBoss are the latest Durham-based recipients of grants worth as much as $50,000 from economic development group NC IDEA.

Durham Musician Nominated for Grammy Award

Durham’s Alice Gerrard, a longtime fixture of the local music community, received a Grammy nomination for best folk album at age 80 for her album “Follow the Music,” which features contributions from other local acts including Hiss Golden Messenger and Megafaun.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Duke Signs Exclusive Licensing Agreement with Leading Genome Editing Company

Duke University has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Editas Medicine, a leading genome editing company, for genetic engineering technologies developed in the lab of Charles Gersbach, assistant professor of biomedical engineering. The agreement focuses on Gersbach’s work with genome engineering technologies known as CRISPR/Cas9 and TALENs.

Law School alumnus gives $1.25 million for new entrepreneurship faculty chair

Karl and Fay Leo have donated $1.25 million to secure a new professorship in law and entrepreneurship at the Duke School of Law.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

R. David Thomas Conference Center to Close for Renovations

The R. David Thomas Executive Conference Center at Duke University will close in January, 2015 and undergo 18 months of renovations.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

New Trail to Open at Stagville's Horton Grove

Triangle Land Conservancy has completed work on three miles of new trails at the Horton Grove Nature Preserve adjoining the Stagville State Historic Site in Durham County and will host a grand opening celebration for the public on Dec. 6 from 1-4 p.m.

Durham Central Park to Open Playground

A Grand Opening of Mt. Merrill, a new playground at Durham Central Park will take place from 10 a.m. to Noon at 501 Foster St. The new playground will include slides, boulder outcroppings and protective surfacing.

New Italian Restaurant Now Open

The Boot, a new Italian-American restaurant has opened at 2501 University Drive in Durham. The proprietors are Andy Perno and Andy Magowan, owners of Geer Street Garden.

Gonza Tacos y Tequila Coming to Durham

Gonza Tacos y Tequila is opening a new restaurant and bar at 604 Fernway Avenue in Durham in early 2015.This is the third location for the Mexican eatery, which also has locations in Raleigh and Wake Forest.

Ponysaurus Brewing Co. expands to Hood Street

Ponysaurus Brewing Co., a nanobrewery, is moving its brewing facility to a 6,000 square foot warehouse on the corner of Hood and Ramseur Streets. The new facility will expand the company’s annual brewing capacity from 180 barrels a year to 2,000 barrels, Production from the new location is anticipated to begin in spring 2015 and  a taproom is slated to open in the summer.