Eno River State Park acquires 6.4 acres of land

The Eno River Association acquired 6.4 acres of land that straddles the Durham/Orange county line off Sparger Road to add to Eno River State Park.The nonprofit land trust purchased the property from landowner Curtis Crosby using funds donated to the Association’s Margaret C. Nygard Land Acquisition Fund.

City buys Duke Diet & Fitness Center

Duke University has sold the Duke Diet & Fitness Center on Trinity Avenue to the city, which has plans to convert the property into a retrofit wetland area designed to filter harmful levels of nitrogen and phosphorus flowing from about 485 acres of densely developed property in and around downtown Durham before the runoff reaches Falls Lake.

Triangle Seafood Market fully open

Triangle Seafood Market located at at 905 W. Main St., in Brightleaf Square, completed the market portion of their restaurant and market combo location. Additions include a raw bar offering and a selection of fresh fish and shellfish to cook at home. 

Taxi Taxi begins serving Durham in 2016

Starting in January, Durham residents will be able to book Taxi Taxi, the hybrid concept taxi fleet. Local officials approved the expansion from Raleigh and will begin staging vehicles in Durham, and Chapel Hill in January. Customers will be able to book their rides through Taxi Taxi Mobile, the company’s booking app that operates on both Android and iPhone platforms. Customers preferring a more traditional method can reach a customer service agent 24/7 by calling (919) 333-3333.

Chuck Davis to be honored by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters

Dr. Charles "Chuck" Davis, founder and director of the African American Dance Ensemble and DanceAfrica America, will be awarded the Award of Merit for Achievement in Performing Arts by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters at the 59th annual APAP Awards luncheon in New York January 18, 2016. Awards are chosen based on esteemed artists, visionaries and advocates who have had a significant impact on the industry and communities worldwide. 

Landmark Howerton and Bryan Funeral Home and property to go on the market

The Howerton and Bryan Funeral Home was founded five years after the City of Durham received its charter, and has continued to operate as an independent business from its location at 1005 W. Main St. for the past 141 years. The funeral home will close on New Years Eve, and the building and property will go on the market for sale. 

Durham had record tourism and visitor spending numbers for 2014

The city of Durham has reported record tourism and visitor spending numbers for 2014. In 2014, Durham hosted 9.31 million visitors who spent a total of $830.8 million – an average of about $2.3 million per day. The bulk of the visitors, 92 percent, were domestic. The total spending represents an 8.5 percent increase over 2012’s total. The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau released the figures. The report tracks data every two years.

Researchers at Duke University develop new therapy for Pompe disease

Five years ago, researchers at Duke University developed the first ever treatment for Pompe disease. Recently, Duke University researchers have developed another therapy for Pompe disease that includes a regular regimen of respiratory muscle workouts using small devices. According to a study of patients who took part in Jones' treatment plan, patients inspiratory muscle strength increased 20 percent during a 12-week period, and their expiratory muscles strengthened 16 percent during that time.

Uber & Lyft drivers now approved to service RDU passengers

The Raleigh-Durham International Airport now allows Uber and Lyft drivers to drop off and pick up their fares in pre-arranged services zones of the commercial curb in front of both terminals. Individual drivers are no longer required to register individually with the Airport Authority and will instead, display a 7×7-inch company identification sticker, such as the Uber “U,” on the passenger side of the front windshield.

Duke alum appointed new COO of Apple

Apple recently announced that Jeff Williams will be their new COO. Williams earned his MBA from Duke University.

Durham recognized as one of three counties in NC to exceed national average in weekly wage growth

The latest statistics from the Bureau of Labor show the average worker in North Carolina earned a smaller weekly wage than the national average except three counties;  Durham, Wake, and Mecklenburg, which took home weekly wages higher than the national average.

Carolina Soul record store now open

Carolina Soul, previously an online record retailer, has opened a physical location at 117 E. Main St. The shop is open seven days a week from 11 a.m to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 7 p.m. on Sundays. 

2015 was a success for American Underground and our economy

2015 was a successful year for The American Underground Companies. Triangle locations created more than 400 jobs, generated 40 percent more investment capital than a year earlier, and helped drive diversity with 30 percent of its tenants run by women and 22 percent led by minorities. Both figures are far above national averages.

Durham developer buys two South Durham buildings

Durham developer Dilweg has purchased the three-story South Square I and South Square II office buildings at University Drive and Mayfair Street. The buildings total 120,301 square feet and were 47 percent occupied at the time of the sale. Major tenants include Yadkin Bank, aWhere and Shift NC.

Mati Energy invests in a manufacturing facility

Mati Energy has invested $750,000 in a 30,000 square foot manufacturing facility. Mati expects to be producing the drink in the facility by mid-February.

NC Idea awards Durham startup grant

NC Idea awarded six N.C. startups grants for the Fall 2015 cycle. Of those six, Brim, created in Durham, is the world’s first productivity network, connecting people in remote locations to collaborate on files, hold online video conferences and webinars, manage tasks, share and organize data. 

Vert & Vogue launches two product collaborations with Raleigh Denim Workshop

Vert & Vogue has launched two product collaborations with Raleigh Denim Workshop. First, The Durham, is a women’s high rise skinny jean made of raw Cone Mills denim, second, the Bull City Jones Organic, is a men’s jean that is “made from the first crop of certified organic cotton denim in North Carolina. Only 26 pairs of The Durham and 35 pairs of Bull City Jones will be available for purchase.

New tarot themed bar Arcana opens

Arcana, a new bar with a tarot card theme, has opened and is located at 331 W Main Street. The entrance is in the back next to Beyu Cafe. Hours of operation are Wednesday-Sunday, 5pm-12am, and you must be 21 or older to enter. 

Stops changed for GoDurham's Route 11

The GoDurham Route 11 will not serve Green Street inbound or outbound until further notice. Instead,  Route 11 will continue down Markham Avenue and on to the Duke University Hospital campus via Douglas Avenue then continue to Hillsborough Road via South LaSalle Street and end at Sparger Road before turning around.

DBAP to install new netting system for improved safety

The Durham Bulls announced plans to install a new netting system that will extend the length of each dugout down the first- and third-base lines. Previously, the nets protected fans sitting directly behind home plate but did not extend to the dugouts.

Google confirms locations in the Triangle

Google has confirmed the Google Fiber team is moving into two new offices in Raleigh and Durham.The buildings are at 309 E. Chapel Hill St. in Durham and 518 N. West St. in Raleigh.

Durham's property values increase after property reappraisals

Results from the state's  property reappraisals have been released and Durham's residential property values increased, on average 11.9 percent, commercial property values increased 27.1 percent and industrial property values increased 10.4 percent.

Sarah Foster's mashed potatoes recipe featured in Oprah's magazine

Sarah Foster, the owner of Foster's Market, was featured in the Oprah magazine for her mashed potatoes recipe. Also mentioned her new book, Foster's Market Favorites, covers 150 classics including the mashed potatoes recipe.

NCCU permanently fills the position of police chief and director of public safety.

Odetta Johnson has been chosen by NCCU to fill the police chief and director of public safety position after a national search. The new chief is a retired reservist in the U.S. Army with 24 years of service and has experience in field Operations, Economic Crimes, Organized Crimes, Forensics, Youth & Family Crime, Internal Affairs, Disciplinary Review Office and held the position of major and chief of staff at the Richmond, Virginia police department.

Incubator for entrepreneurial veterans launches at RTP

Bunker Labs, launched Tuesday at Research Triangle Park’s The Frontier. Bunker Labs has locations across the country to help existing veteran-owned technology startups grow, plans to capitalize on being in a state where nearly 10 percent of the population is comprised of veterans. 

Animated signs approved for Durham Bulls Athletic Park

Approval for two animated signs to occupy the entrance to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park,was granted by the City’s Board of Adjustment earlier this week. The two 139-square-foot signs will change images six times an hour — or about once every 10 minutes. And only 25 percent of the sign at any one time will be animated.The signs would also not be able to advertise anything not related to the Durham Bulls or the DBAP.

Durham couple creates candy that is good and good for you

Dr. Jenny, Dr. Sindhura Citineni, who owns the Dr. Gary Hill dentist office, and husband Tommy Thekkekandam created Tom and Jenny’s Vanilla and Chocolate Caramels. The candy is safe for the mouth and body so it does not cause cavities and actually fights mouth bacteria up to 50 to 70 percent.  The main ingredient is xylitol, an all-natural sugar derived from Birchwood trees.

Moogefest announces lineup

Moogefest has announced the lineup for the 2016 festival. More than 100 musical acts will play the festival, which is devoted to music, art and technology, on May 19-22 at 17 walkable venues throughout the downtown Durham. Venues include intimate galleries to theatres and will include a free outdoor stage, with music, workshops and participatory, all-ages programming.

County Commissioners help raise pay for school employees

Durham County Commissioners decided to fund $1.1 million towards the 2.2 million school district leaders are seeking for employee raises.The county asked for $2.2 million to give 3 percent pay raises for classified employees which would include low-paid employees who aren't teachers. 

East Durham resident launches baking business out of her home

Ali Rudel launched East Durham Pie Company out of her house a few months ago. The company offers a variety of pies, from maple sweet potato to honey bourbon pecan, and focuses on about four flavors per season.The business delivers directly to consumers, and also offers mini pies that are sold in Cocoa Cinnamon and Respite Café. On Monday, downtown ice cream shop The Parlour will take Rudel’s pies and incorporate them into ice cream flavors for a “flight night,” where customers can try all the varieties with a $12 ticket.

Luxury apartment community planned for Pavilion East complex

Ram Realty Services recently purchased the Pavilion East complex for $41M which included the land for a 263- unit luxury apartment community, the 700-space parking deck and the four-story office, retail and condominium building at 2608 Erwin Road . Plans to break ground  on the new luxury apartment community are expected to begin in spring 2016 with the first units open in summer 2017.

Moogefest presents workshops and a festival preview

Moogefest will present Dial-Tones Saturday December 5, at The Shed, 807 E. Main St. in Golden Belt. Featured activities include interactive synthesizer building workshops by day, followed by an ambient drone performance at night, Dial-Tones offers a preview of the Moogfest 2016 festival, to be held May 19-22, 2016, in venues in downtown Durham. 

DPS urges parents to sign up for winter weather text alerts

Parents can sign up for winter weather alerts that will include school closures, after school activities and other instances parents would need to be aware of due to winter weather. To sign up for the district’s text message and email alerts, got to: Alerts sign up page.

Holiday run will cause partial closures to Northern Durham roads

A holiday-themed half marathon, Race 13.1, will take place Dec. 12 and will force the partial closure of several roads in the northern part of the city from 8 to 11:30 a.m.

City offers small business technology seminar

The City of Durham Equal Opportunity and Equity Assurance Department will offer a free Use of Technology to Enhance Small Business Management Seminar Thursday, December 17, 2015, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the  City Hall Council Chambers located at 101 City Hall Plaza, 1st Floor. Registration is required. 

  



 

Hope Valley Point sells for $2M

A real estate investment firm founded by energy trader and startup investor Tom Hahn has bought a collection of commercial condos in the Hope Valley Pointe retail complex in south Durham for $1.9 million.The tenant mix at Hope Valley Pointe at the intersection of N.C. 751 and N.C. 54 in south Durham includes the popular City Beverage restaurant and bar, Wine and Design, and Growler Girlz.

Beer Durham now open seven days a week with new hours

Beer Durham, a specialized craft beer store, is now open seven days a week and changed their hours to Monday - Friday 12pm-8pm, Saturdays 10am-8pm and Sundays Noon to 7pm. They are located at 404 Hunt St.

 

 

Premier Research to expand Durham operations adding 260 new jobs

Contract research organization Premier Research is expanding its Durham operation with 260 new jobs over the next five years. The new positions will span operations, such as project managers and clinical monitors, and hold an average salary of $73,296. Premier, headquartered in Philadelphia, currently employs 62 people in Durham and has 1,000 employees worldwide.

County Solid Waste Convenience Sites temporarily close December 4

Durham County’s General Services Department will temporarily close all four Durham County Solid Waste Convenience Sites Thursday from 10:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. for departmental training.

Topps to release baseball cards of Bull Durham characters

Topps has announced that limited edition signed cards for Kevin Costner with the actual photo of Costner in his Durham Bulls uniform will appear in 2016 Topps Archives Baseball.

Deputy Chief Larry Smilth to serve as interim police chief

City Manager Tom Bonfield announced  Police Department Deputy Chief Larry Smith will serve as interim police chief following the retirement of Chief Jose Lopez who is stepping down December 31, 2015.

Heavenly Smoke food truck opens shop at Northgate Mall

Heavenly Smoke food truck is opening a shop Tuesday Dec. 1 in Northgate Mall.  The truck has had a regular presence at Durham's Farmers Market and  features smoked beef brisket, pork and turkey. 

Windsor Circle to hold open house

Windsor Circle is one of the first new tenants moving to the recently revitalized historic Trust Building located at 212 West Main Street.  They will hold an open house on Tuesday December 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The event is open to the public, and will be held in their new space. Reservations are accepted in advance.The other future tenants will be The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau and American Underground.

United Way to expand health program

United Way of the Greater Triangle will expand their Durham program, Premium Help,  to include Orange County. The program assists low-income families and individuals whose annual income is between 100 percent and 175 percent of the federal poverty level or between $24,250 and $42,437 for a family of four.

Residents input sought in search for future police chief

Durham residents interested in providing feedback about the future police chief  may now do so at the website, http://bit.ly/durhampolicechiefsearch. This website is part of the first phase of the national search process to allow the public to provide input directly to Developmental Associates, the search agency hired to help the city.

Bull City Burger and Brewery launches new style of beer

 Bull City Burger and Brewery has created a new kind of beer called the “Durhamer.” The ale uses North Carolina ingredients, is a deep chestnut brown, 5.2 percent ABV and features biscuit and toasty qualities of brown malt with a hint of sweetness.

Bagel Bar to open downtown

The Bagel Bar's new location will be 104 City Hall Plaza across from City Hall. The store is scheduled to open late in the first quarter or early in the second quarter of 2016.

Thanksgiving changes for Duke University's transit and parking

 Duke Parking and Transportation Services will adjust its transit schedule and parking lot availability during Thanksgiving Break. Reduced bus service will operate on Nov. 25 and Nov. 27 and no Duke University transit services, including vans, will operate on Thanksgiving day.

Bronto Software Wins New Media/Digital Marketing Company of the Year at 2015 NC Tech Awards

Bronto Software has been named the 2015 New Media/Digital Marketing Company of the Year by the NC Tech Awards (NCTA) for the second year in a row. The NC Tech Awards is North Carolina's only statewide technology awards program, recognizing companies and individuals who have demonstrated excellence, innovation and leadership in 25 categories.

Two Duke seniors named as Rhodes Scholars

Duke University seniors Laura Roberts and John “Jay” Ruckelshaus  were among the 32 recipients selected this weekend for prestigious Rhodes Scholarships.They were chosen from among 869 applicants at 316 colleges and universities throughout the country, and are the 44th and 45th students in Duke's history to receive a Rhodes Scholarship. The scholarships provide all expenses for two or three years of study at the University of Oxford in England.

WillowTree officially picks Durham for expansion

Charlottesville app developer WillowTree officially announced that it’s bringing 98 jobs to Durham over three years and investing $245,000. New staff hired in Durham will include software developers, mobile designers and project managers. Compensation will vary by position, but the new jobs will average $83,333 per year in pay.

NCCU settles race discrimination lawsuit for $175K

N.C. Central University Chancellor Debra Saunders-White, the university, and the UNC system Board of Governors have settled a race discrimination lawsuit for $175,000.The claims filed by Kimberly Luse, who was terminated by NCCU in early 2014, allege university employees unlawfully lost their jobs at NCCU because they were not African-American.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article45401883.html#storylink=cpy

Manning Fulton & Skinner opening new law office at American Tobacco

Raleigh-based Manning Fulton & Skinner is opening a new law office at Durham’s American Tobacco Campus located at 406 Blackwell St. across from the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The law firm specializes in mergers and acquisitions, commercial real estate and health care law, among other areas.

Durham County Library welcomes a new bookmobile

Durham County Library will welcome and introduce its new bookmobile “Destination Literacy” on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Northgate Mall, 1058 W. Club Blvd.
The celebration will include music from DJ Piddipat, craft activities, a family story time with Willa Brigham at 1 p.m., library card sign ups and a chance to meet an author.

City of Durham announces closures for Thanksgiving holiday

Most City of Durham offices, including City Hall and other non-emergency City operations, will be closed Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Frontier Communictions expands in Durham

Frontier Communications is expanding in Durham, investing $4.3 million and adding 200 new jobs.
Frontier is the nation's fourth-largest provider of telecommunications, has almost 19,000 employees in the United States and employs 250 in North Carolina.The new jobs will be added during the next five years.

Zaxby's opens third Durham restaurant

A new Zaxby's opened today at 930 Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. This is the third Durham location for the chicken-fingers-and-wings restaurant franchise. 

Senior PharmAssist offers assistance

There are significant changes to several Medicare health and drug plans for 2016, and the deadline for most individuals to review their coverage options is Dec. 7. Senior PharmAssist offers to help any Medicare beneficiary living in the Durham community, regardless of income or age, sort through dozens of plans and find the most beneficial plan for them.

Downtown water main construction aims for completion by June 2016

The city is  replacing  more than 12,000 feet of water mains throughout the downtown loop, which it expects to complete in June 2016. The project will replace nearly 2.3 miles of waterlines and cost between $6 million and $8 million.

Sky Zone hosts donation drives

Sky Zone Trampoline Park is hosting donation drives to benefit the Durham Literacy Center and the Durham Genesis home, a nonprofit organization which provides housing and support services to the local homeless.

Harris Beverage to build new headquarters in East Durham

Durham County Commissioners approved a public-private partnership agreement that will give Harris Beverage $2.65 million to help develop a new headquarters in East Durham. The agreement provides $1.3 million in county money for infrastructure costs, and a $1.35 million loan for other development costs to be paid over six years.

Two added to American Dance Festival's board of directors

The American Dance Festival (ADF) announced that Jenny Blackwelder Grant and Dave Hurlbert have joined the ADF Board of Directors.

Renovation and rebranding in the future for the Brookwood Inn Hotel

The independent-owned Brookwood Inn hotel near the Durham VA Medical Center in Durham has been bought by a hotel development firm, Concord Hospitality Enterprises. The group paid $10.2 million for the 148-room hotel property and are planning a $6 million renovation and rebranding of the property in 2016.

 

Spoonflower hires first CFO

Durham fabric printer Spoonflower has hired its first chief financial officer, Jennifer Turnage, former CFO of Consolidated Asset Recovery Systems.

American Airlines offers new seasonal flights to Cancun from RDU

American Airlines has confirmed it is preparing to begin weekly service between RDU and Cancun, starting March 5. Flights will leave RDU each Saturday at 7:05 a.m. Return flights will also be on Saturdays and will leave Cancun International Airport at 10:25 a.m.

American Meltdown now open at Southpoint Mall

American Meltdown has opened its first brick-and-mortar location at the Streets of Southpoint Mall.

Durham's new seafood restaurant opens

Triangle Seafood Market, located at 905 W. Main St. in Brightleaf Square , features a seafood-based menu and Italian entrees. They are open for lunch and dinner and their menu can be found on their Facebook page. 

Chesterfield signs two tenants

The Chesterfield project, former  Liggett & Myers building at 701 W. Main St, announced that they have leased half of the development, expected to open in 2017, to two tenants: Duke University and Biolab NC.

Durham PD unveiled five new patrol cars with MADD slogans

Durham PD unveiled five new patrol cars featuring different colors and the  MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, slogan; "Get MADD about drunk driving."

Monuts online ordering now available

You can now order Monuts online for pick up. Food will be ready within 15 minutes, and the menu includes donuts, sweets, drinks, coffee, sandwiches, salads and sides.

 

Third Track recognized for game release

Durham based game development studio Third Track announced the release of its local cooperative multiplayer dungeon adventure, Couch Heroes vs. The Dungeon for the App Store on Apple’s new Apple TV and tvOS .

Chet Miller opens downtown

The owners of Parker and Otis have opened a new shop, Chet Miller, located at 118 Parrish Street. Chet Miller offers a variety of items, from curated gifts to décor and artifacts from brands including Rifle Paper Co., Vietri, Collared Greens and Izola. Current hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Uber warns of price surges over Halloween weekend

Uber has issued a statement acknowledging there will be price surges on Halloween in accordance with their policy. A price multiplier is applied and revealed at times of peak service in order to encourage more drivers to pick up fares.

Durham County unemployment rates decrease

The Department of Commerce recently reported  Durham County’s unemployment rate fell from 5.5 percent to 4.8 percent between August and September.

Durty Bull Brewing Co. to open brewery and tasting room

Durham’s Durty Bull Brewing Co. plans on opening a 15-barrel craft brewery and tasting room at  206 Broadway St. by April. Durty Bull will specialize in barrel-aged and sour beers.

Two Communities recognized for Excellence in Affordable Housing

The City of Durham Bungalows at Southside and CASA’s Denson Apartments for Veterans earned the 2015 Housing North Carolina Awards from the North Carolina Housing Agency, which honored these two projects for their affordability, design, sustainability, community contribution, resident services, and creative partnerships.

Durham recognized for job growth

The N.C. Department of Commerce recognized the Durham-Chapel Hill metro for adding more jobs than the Raleigh-Cary metro for the second month in a row.

Bull City Ciderworks secures new location

Bull City Ciderworks has secured a new location at 305 S. Roxboro St., an 11,000-square-foot warehouse building. The move is scheduled for the first quarter of next year .

Fidelity Investments to add 600 new Triangle jobs

Fidelity Investments will add 600 new high-paying jobs and invest $8 million in its Durham and Cary facilities through the end of 2018, bringing its total Triangle employee count to more than 4,000.

 

Duke University's Enviornment Hall recieves LEED certification

Environment Hall has received LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council . The building marks the first large building on Duke’s campus to be awarded LEED Platinum certification.

Smashing Boxes recognized as on of the “Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America”

Smashing Boxes, a digital product agency headquartered in the American Tobacco Campus, was recently recognized as one of the “Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America” by Entrepreneur magazine’s Entrepreneur360™ Performance Index, a premier study delivering the most comprehensive analysis of private companies in America.

Bottle 501 now open

Bottle 501, located at 3219 Watkins Road, Suite 200, is now open to the public and will host
a  grand opening event Saturday, Nov. 7 from noon to 10 p.m.

Durham ID earns prestigious award

The Durham Innovation District (Durham.ID) earned a prestigious J.W. Willie York award in the “Idea Award” category, from the Triangle chapter of Urban Land Institute (ULI).

 

Mati Energy secures distribution contract with Anheuser-Busch

Mati Energy has secured a distribution contract with Harris Beverages, an Anheuser-Busch distributor and beverage wholesaler in the Triangle. Harris Beverages has about 1,200 outlets and expects to place Mati on 50 percent of those shelves.

Moogefest seeks $150K form city, county

Moogfest, scheduled to be held in Durham May 19-22, 2016, has raised more than $750,000 for the project, and are working to continue to raise money from the private sector. They are asking for cash contributions of a total of $125,000 as well as $25,000 in in kind contributions — for a total of $150,000 in investments from the city and county. Estimates for the festivals economic impact, done by Shelly Green , CEO of DCVB, include direct and indirect visitor spending to be about $5.6 million, with about $130,000 coming in tax values. Green noted her economic impact estimates were “conservative.”

Durham homes for sale spend less time on-the market

According to Triangle Multiple Listing Services, the average days of Durham homes on market dropped to 46 days in September compared to 64 days the year prior. Total home sales in Durham County was up 11 percent with an average home price of $213,922.

Aloft now open

Aloft Durham Downtown, located between Durham Performing Arts Center and Durham Bulls Athletic Park, is now open to the public. Features include 134 rooms, a bar, a food and beverage area, and 1,600 square feet of meeting space. The hotel will also have restaurant, NanaSteak, scheduled to open in 2016.

SHIFT NC awarded $3.25M

SHIFT NC (Sexual Health Initiatives For Teens) has been awarded a five-year, $3.25 million grant from the federal Office of Adolescent Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The grant will help Durham health centers improve services for teens and launch a new initiative called All Together Now: Making Health and Referral Systems Work for Young People.

Alley Twenty Six gains Chef Carrie Schleiffer

Chef Carrie Schleiffer  has joined Shannon Healy at Alley Twenty Six located at 320 E Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701.

First LGBTQ Center in Durham opens

Wednesday October 7, marked the grand opening of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Center of Durham, the first center of its kind in the city. The center is located 401 W. Geer Street Durham NC 27701.

Two Durham Public Schools recognized for perfect graduation rates

New Tech and Early College were among the state’s 53 high schools that achieved a 100 percent graduation rate for the 2014-15 school year They were honored by state education officials Tuesday for having one of the highest four-year cohort graduation rates in the state.

Counter Culture Coffee to move corporate headquarters to East Durham

Counter Culture Coffee is moving its corporate headquarters to a new facility in East Durham which plans to open in spring 2016.

E-cigaretts banned in Durham starting January 1

E-cigaretts will be banned in Durham beginning January 1.and include areas within 100 feet of bus stops, in public parks, enclosed shopping malls, elevators, some sidewalks and city and county property. Violators will be fined $50.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article37796619.html#storylink=cpy

Duke Medicine to provide free depression screening

Duke Medicine will participate in National Depression Screening Day, with a free screening for the public and separately, for Duke University students. No appointment is necessary.From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Duke patients, staff, and other members of the public can visit the Atrium Café on the first floor of Duke University Hospital, 2301 Erwin Road.

Duke Medicine Establishes First Hand Transplant Program in North Carolina.

Duke Medicine has launched the first hand transplant program in North Carolina, becoming one of a small number of transplant centers in the country to offer the life-altering procedure.

NC School of Science & Math recieves grant

Employees from the Monsanto site in Research Triangle Park selected NCSSM, to receive a $13,500 grant from the Monsanto Fund’s 2015 site grant initiative. Representatives from the organization and the fund celebrated the grant with a check presentation Sept. 24.

 

Durham recieves gas tax funds from NCDOT

The N.C. Department of Transportation has begun distributing more than $147.7M in gas tax funds to local municipalities that applied to receive them. Durham will receive $6.2M which will go towards projects such as street widening, construction efforts, and bikeways, greenways or sidewalks.

NCCU to renovate Baynes Hall dorm

N.C. Central University trustees voted to spend $2.8 million on renovations to Baynes Hall. Renovations are scheduled to begin over the upcoming Christmas break.

Duke University adds new master's degree program

Duke University’s Board of Trustees approved a new master’s degree program in analytical political economy, where students will gain economic and mathematical modeling skills along with deep training in political science.

Duke University baseball team to playhome games at DBAP

The Duke baseball team signed a seven year agreement which allows the team to play up to 36 exhibition and home games at the DBAP each year beginning the 2016 season.. The agreement also includes a limited number of Duke practices at the DBAP as well as a new permanent Duke locker room and clubhouse at the facility.

Carolina Soul to open on Main Street

Carolina Soul, a record store, will open at 117 E. Main Street by the end of December.

Fox 50 Family Fest cancelled

The Fox 50 Family Fest at the American Tobacco Campus scheduled for this Saturday, October 3, has been cancelled due to the weather.

 

Triangle jobs increased in August

The Triangle experienced a total increase of 10,000 jobs in August. The Durham/Chapel Hill metro added 5,700 jobs while Raleigh/ Cary metro added 4,000.

RDU to Seattle daily non-stop flights begin today

Alaska Airlines began offering non-stop flights from RDU to Seattle today, October 1, 2015.The outbound flight from RDU to Seattle leaves at 5:50 p.m. and arrives at Seattle at 9 p.m. The inbound flight from Seattle leaves Sea-Tac airport at 8:40 a.m.; it arrives at RDU at 4:50 p.m.

Ponysaurus now open

Ponysauraus Brewing Company, located at 219 Hood Street,opened their doors on September 29. The bar will open every afternoon at 4 p.m., except Mondays, and plans to expand its hours in coming weeks.

Pizza Toro to open restaurant on Parrish Street

Pizzeria Toro, have announced plans to open a small, dinner only restaurant at 110 East Parrish St., formerly home to Monuts.  The opening is projected for winter 2016.

 

Duke University Physicians Assistant Program to celebrate 50th anniversary

The Duke Physicians Assistant program will celebrate it's 50^th anniversary in October, marking the milestone of being the first physician assistant (PA) program in the nation and the birthplace of the PA profession.

City Hall & Annex Project Complete

The year long, $6.5M City Hall & Annex Project consisted of three major sub-projects: repair to the exterior of City Hall and Council Chambers; repair of the City Hall Annex Plaza deck; and replacement of the failing chillers with energy-efficient modular chillers. The project also created a new outdoor seating area on Mangum Street Plaza for use by both residents and employees.

Durham Performing Arts Center to recieve marquee

The Durham Performing Arts Center is getting a marquee that will be lighted on Dec. 1, the opening night of “The Sound of Music.”

DPAC had a record 2014-2015 season

The Durham Performance Arts Center generated a net income of $5.3 million this past 2014-2015 season of which the city will earn $1.6 million . DPAC also set new records in total events, 224; total sellouts, 112; and number of season seat members for the theater’s signature series SunTrust Broadway at DPAC, 15,167.

Durham Public Schools will resume driver's ed classes in November

The Durham Public Schools will resume offering driver’s education in November.

Duke Forest Divisions Close for Hunting Season

The Durham, Korstian and Blackwood divisions of the Duke Forest will be closed to all public access Monday to Friday from Sept. 28 to Dec. 18. for fall hunting.

Carpe Diem Cleaners recognized for community impact

Financial administration company Deluxe Corporation selected 100 businesses to document for a Small Business Revolution project. Carpe Diem was selected as one of  the 100 businesses from around the country to be recognized for their community impact.

Millennium Hotel to undergo major renovations

The Millennium Hotel is scheduled to begin it's $10.8M renovation in the Winter of 2015 and is expected to be completed by Spring 2016.

Delta to offer direct flight from RDU to Paris

Delta Air Lines will offer daily, nonstop flights to Paris from Raleigh-Durham International Airport beginning May 12, 2016. The flight will depart Paris at 10:45 a.m. and arrive at RDU at 2 p.m. A 6:15 p.m. departure from RDU will arrive in Paris at 8:35 a.m. the following day. Read more here.

Longfellow paid $118M for 11 buildings on Davis Drive

Boston-based Longfellow real-estate investment firm has purchased 11 single-story office buildings for $118M at Keystone Technology Park on Davis Drive.

Durham schools vaccination deadline September 22

September 22 is the deadline to have kids vaccinated for new shot requirements that went into effect in July.

Bull City Craft to open two locations

Bull City Craft will open two new locations: Bull City Craft Annex, which will focus on drawing, painting and printmaking supplies in the Golden Belt, 807 E.  Main St. in Durham and will be open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The second location, will open in late fall at Homestead Market Shopping Center,105 West NC Highway 54 in Durham, and will host Bull City favorites, including the preschool playcraft, birthday parties, paint and pour and an arts and crafts shop.

Durham County Veterans Services office closed Sept. 22 - 25

The Durham County Department of Veterans Services office will be closed from Tuesday, Sept. 22 through Friday, Sept. 25, in order to train staff and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 28.

Northpoint Crossing apartment community renamed

The 400-unit apartment community Northpoint Crossing, located at 901Chalk Level Rd. will be renamed 901 Center Station, and receive approximately $2.5 million in upgrades. Miami-based Monument Capital Management recently purchased the property.

Spoonflower releases a DIY handbook

Textile producer Spoonflower has released “The Spoonflower Handbook,” which serves as a textbook for DIYers who want to create their own fabric, wallpaper and gift wrap.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/fashion/article35428602.html#storylink=cpy

Streets at Southpoint Mall closes play area for updates

The indoor play area at Streets at Southpoint Mall closes Monday, September 14 for renovations and will reopen in a couple of weeks.

Durham startup Teamworks signs deal with Adidas

A Durham-based startup, Teamworks, founded by Blue Devils offensive lineman Zach Maurides, has signed a deal with Adidas that will result in 2,500 Adidas sales representatives across the United States using the company's software.

Durham city, county collection efficiency nears 100 percent

Durham County was able to collect 99.6 percent of city and county taxes during the fiscal year that ended June 30.Over the past five years, the city and county have seen collection rates improve. In 2011, the collection rate was 98.75 percent for the city and 98.88 for the county.

Durham Distillery announces Oct.1 opening date

Durham’s distillery, located at 711 Washington St.,will officially open its doors for public tours and tastings Oct. 1.Tours cost will $10 and be offered most Thursdays and Fridays starting at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Duke University's West Union vendors announced

Duke Dining has announced eight vendors that will operate the thirteen restaurants coming to the new West Union. The vendors include Devil’s Krafthouse, Ginger  + Soy and Gyotaku, Il Forno Italian Kitchen, The Farmstead and Sprout Café, Skillet Southern Cookery, JB’S Roast & Chops, The Chef’s Kitchen, The Commons and Au Bon Pain. The menus will be unique and differ from the vendors current restaurants.

Bull City Cool Food Hub Opens

The Bull City Cool Food Hub opened its doors on September 10 at 902 N. Mangum St. Durham non-profit Reinvestment Partners, with backing from several organizations including the city and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are behind the project.

Durham Bulls break all time attendance record

The Durham Bulls have again broken their all-time, single-season paid attendance record during its 2014-2015, 20th Anniversary season, surpassing the previous mark of 533,033 with more than 536,000 attendees.

Genband signs ten year lease in Durham

Genband US LLC, a Texas-based communications company, signed a 10- year lease to use 71,253 square feet of office and flex space at the Berrington Center building, located at 5927 S. Miami Blvd. in the Imperial Center business park in Durham.

Duke University's Infection Control Outreach Network teams up with NFL

Dr. Deverick Anderson, the director of the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network and his research team, have developed a comprehensive reference manual for infections that has been distributed to all 32 NFL teams.

Durham public transportation has highest number of cross-county commuters in the state

Durham leads the state in using public transportation to get to work, according to a recent report by the Carolina Population Center at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Museum of Life and Science Treehouse exhibit to open Sept.29

The Museum of Life and Science will open a new exhibit Hideaway Woods, that features a network of eight interconnected tree houses that reach up to 20 feet in the air at the highest point. The permanent exhibit will be free with general museum admission.

Geer Street Garden to open Devils Krafthouse on Duke University campus.

Andy Magaver, owner of Geer Street Garden will open The Devil's Krafthouse in February, 2016 in Duke University's West Campus Union building.

American Tobacco launces free bus pass program

The American Tobacco Campus launched a free bus pass program in partnership with GoTriangle. 200 passes have been issued and they are good through June 30, 2016. 

New City Government Website

The city of Durham has launched a new website: http://DurhamNC.gov. The website makeover was performed to make finding information more user-friendly, engaging and mobile friendly and is loaded with new features.

Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas opens on Main Street

Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas is now open on Main Street and offers "South American and American South" cuisine for lunch and dinner.

School board votes on school start times

Durham County School Board voted unanimously to push back start times for most high schools from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. ending the school day at 4 p.m. Most middle schools’ days will run from 7:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. an elementary schools will be tiered, with schools running from 7:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.; 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and 9:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Holt School Road Park recieves Improvements

Holt School Road Park, one of 15 projects nationwide selected to receive a $20,000 grant through the Build Community Campaign, has received improvements by volunteers that includes an overhauled playground and an expansion of the interpretive trail.

Duke University professor earns award

Duke professor Mark Anthony Neal, a professor of African and African-American Studies, will receive the Richard Yarborough award for mentoring, in October in Toronto by the American Studies Association.

Duke University opens "The Bullpen" in downtown

Duke University’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship initiative has moved to the second floor of the Imperial Building, a 1916 structure on Morris Street. Officials call it the "Bullpen" and are hoping it becomes a go-to destination where people with an idea or invention can get help in figuring out how to bring it to the marketplace.

Durham's Spoonflower to expand, create new jobs

After a $25 million equity infusion Spoonflower, a custom fabric maker, will expand creating 50 new jobs in Durham.

FTA releases DEIS for Durham light-rail route

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Durham light-rail route. The report includes a summary of the environmental, social and economic impacts of the 17-mile project, as well as those of other proposed transportation alternatives.

Grocers on Wheels works with The Partnership for a Healthier Durham

The Partnership for a Healthy Durham is working with Grocers on Wheels, to launch a service that will deliver food to three housing centers; Forest Hills Heights, J. J. Henderson Housing Center and JFK towers, starting September 3.

Wilson Pavillion re-opens August 27

Wilson Pavilion, the largest of the Nasher's galleries, is scheduled to re-open August 27.

NCWorks Mobile Unit will be in East Durham

Over the next two months, residents of East Durham will be able to utilize the services NCWorks Career Center offers from their own neighborhood with the NCWorks Mobile Unit. 

Durham Distellery to sell product in ABC stores

Durham Distillery will begin selling two lines of gin under the brand Conniption, one an American dry and one a Navy strength. The company will also offer a line of flavored liqueurs under the name Damn Fine.

Durham's real estate market continues to increase in sales, listings and value

Home sales have increased by 12.4 percent according to Triangle MLS. Listings for the county increased 29.8 percent according to Triangle Multiple Listing Services and home values increased from a median of $159,000 to $164,000, about a 3 percent increase according to Zillow.

Northgate Mall adds two kids' spots

Northgate Mall has added two new kids' spots; The Pampered Prince-ss,  a full-service hair salon specializing in children’s hair care and specialty birthday parties for children age 0 to 14 and a new kids' ride named Zoo Rides that features large-scale electric furry animals that kids can ride.

City Council approves a $101,000 consultant contract to explore rental assistance programs

The City Council has approved a $101,000 consultant contract with Enterprise Community Partners to explore affordable housing policy options across the city.

Vegan Flava Cafe to open

Vegan Flava Café is scheduled to open Aug. 29 in the former Blue Note Grill space at 4125 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd.

Lisa Sorg will contribute stories to Bull City Rising

Lisa Sorg will begin contributing stories to the Bull City Rising blog.

New 'Que restaurant, Picnic, will open this fall

The Barbecue Man (Wyatt Dickson) the Chef (Ben Adam) and the Farmer (Ryan Butler) will open Picnic, a barbecue restaurant in North Durham later this fall.

Hairizon relocates to Northgate Mall

Hairizon Beauty Bar and Boutique has relocated from their downtown location to Northgate Mall in suite 852.

Dame's Chicken & Waffles opens on Duke's campus

 Dame’s Chicken and Waffles will open a new restaurant called “Dame’s Express” on Central Campus this fall.

Wetrock Farm recieved overwhelming approval

Durham County's board of commissioners  gave its overwhelming approval to build Wetrock Farm,  a 230-acre site along N.C. 501 in north Durham. The property, a 230-acre site along N.C. 501 will have 141 homes alongside 130 acres of preserved forestland  and  will be the region's first housing community with its own organic fruit and vegetable farm.

Notasium will open August 24th

Notasium, the music-based play space, will open Aug. 24 and is located at 3750 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.

'Durm' fashion will open store in downtown

'Durm' fashion entrepreneurs Justin Laidlaw and Gabe Eng-Goetz will be subleasing space in the historic Trust Building, located at 212 W. Main St., from American Underground.

Durham shows increase in tourist spending

According to a new study commissioned by Visit North Carolina and conducted by the U.S. Travel Association, Durham saw visitor spending increase to $700 million in 2014 from $657.17 million in 2013.

Rise Buscuits & Donuts will open new shops

Rise will be taking the street-level space at 401A Foster St. that is currently occupied by  DaisyCakes pastry shop. This location will be the first corporate store under the new Rise High LLC partnership between Rise Franchising and Dustin and Susan Gross.

Ginsburg named director of School of Medicine-Pratt School partnership

Geoffrey Ginsburg, MD, PhD, has been named director of MEDx (Medicine and Engineering at Duke).

Daisy Cakes is Closing

Daisy Cakes will close Aug. 21, the owner announced Monday. Rise Biscuit and Donut will be taking over the location.

Historic Trust Building to house DCVB, Windsor Circle, and AU

The Trust Building, Located at 212 W. Main St., beside the 21c Museum Hotel, is under development and will house the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau, American Underground and Windsor Circle offices upon completion.

Beyu Caffe is moving

Beyu Caffe will be moving two doors down from its current space and will be located at 341 W. Main St. in January 2016.

Bull City Connector adds Duke stops

Durham’s Bull City Connector will add new routes starting August 15 along Duke’s campuses and will include West Campus and  Duke Hospital.

Police partner with social network Nextdoor

The Durham Police Department have partnered with Nextdoor (www.nextdoor.com), a free and private social network for neighborhoods. 

Starbucks, AT&T, and Mattress Firm building to open in November

A three-tenant building housing Starbucks, AT&T and Mattress Firm located at 4010 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd is expected to open in early November.

Washington Duke appoints managers

The Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club has added Emily Garcia and Sarah Casella as guest reception managers.

Ex-Durham mayor moves into NCDOT top slot

Former Durham mayor Nick Tennyson has been named acting secretary of the N.C. Department of Transportation .

Makus Empanadas to open restaurant in Durham

Makus Empanadas plans to open a new location in Durham's Hope Valley shopping center at 1125 W. N.C. Highway 54 this coming fall.

Durham startup Baebies completes $13M financing round

A Durham startup calling itself Baebies has completed a $13 million round in equity financing to develop its neonatal screening technology. Financial backers include Rex Health Ventures, Duke Angel Network,  DUMAC, and the N.C. Biotechnology Center also provided a $500,000 loan.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article28910089.html#storylink=cpy

Durham Chamber of Commerce Announces Resignation of Chamber President

Casey Steinbacher, who has served as president and CEO of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce since 2007, will step down on August 31 to pursue independent consulting work in urban innovation projects and strategy development.

First Flight Venture Center adds new board member

First Flight Venture Center has added Jean Davis, CEO of technology nonprofit MCNC, to its board of directors.

DCVB to host PR seminars

The Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau will hold two hour-long PR seminars on Thursday, July 30 at the Visitor Information Center, 101 E. Morgan St. Social Media Marketing.

Two new projects could reshape Durham skyline

Two Charlotte-based developers, CitiSculpt and Northwood Raven are now fleshing out their plans for two recently purchased sites near the American Tobacco District.The plans include buildings that would be anywhere from 12 to 18 stories and could create the largest urban district in Triangle.

FDA gives Biogen approval for MS drug

Biogen, the state’s largest biotechnology company, received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to manufacture multiple sclerosis drug Tecfidera .

The Salvation Army of Durham introduces new leading officers

The Salvation Army of Durham, Orange & Person Counties formally introduced Captains Robert and Glenis Viera the new officers leading the local office.

RTF to construct new facility for AgBiome

Research Triangle Foundation will construct a new 30,000 square-foot facility that will be occupied by biotechnology company AgBiome.The Lab, is expected to be completed in December of this year and will include office space, laboratories and a greenhouse complex.

Engineering, fine arts programs coming to Durham Tech

The N.C. State Board of Community Colleges has approved Durham Tech’s request to offer the associate in engineering degree program this fall allowing Durham Tech to be among the first community colleges in the state to offer the new program.

Inbound Calls to Duke Not Connecting

Inbound phone calls to Duke are not currently connecting due to a carrier issue. Campus landline phones are working fully for internal and outbound external calls.

Adwerx Launches Mobile App Advertising Product For Real Estate Industry

Adwerx announced the release of a new advertising product that places agent advertisements within mobile apps. The new mobile advertisements will run in the Facebook Mobile NewsFeed and other popular mobile apps. 

NC Biotech Center awards $1.8M in loans, grants across state

​The North Carolina Biotechnology Center awarded 27 loans and grants totaling about $1.8 million to companies and universities across the state during the final quarter of its 2014-2015 fiscal year ending June 30. The awards support life science entrepreneurship, technology commercialization and research statewide

New Durham startup program helps working professionals

Groundwork Labs, located in the American Tobacco District, will offer a new night time program specifically for working professionals starting in August 2015.

Residence Inn opens

The 143-room Residence Inn hotel, located at 1180 W. Main St, opened Tuesday July 21st.

AT&T Gigapower Fiber Network Launches In Durham, NC Ahead Of Local Google Fiber Rollout

AT&T and business representatives from Durham, cut the ribbon on its ultra-fast GigaPower Fiber Internet service which will cover the Bull City and Durham County, providing residents with access to broadband Internet service of up to 1Gbps.

Huang named new chair of Duke's Department of Pathology

Jiaoti Huang, MD, PhD, has been named the new chair of the Duke Department of Pathology, effective January 1, 2016.

Atlanta company buys gated Durham apartments for $36M

Wood Partners of Atlanta bought the North Pointe Commons apartment community located at 2335 Broad St. in Northern Durham for $36.4 million and rebranded the community as Altera North Pointe.

 

NCSSM student honored at White House

Sharon Chen, a junior at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, was recently honored during a ceremony at the White House for outstanding contributions to environmental education and stewardship

Duke, UNC entrepreneurs team up to combat sweaty hands

Duke University junior Kasper Kubica , UNC undergraduate David Spratte and UNC chemistry major Chris Jenks,  have created Carpe Lotion, a product that combats sweaty palms.The team has enlisted the help of its backer, Bootstrap Advisors, who launched Thundershirt and has contracted out the manufacturing to Hatch Beauty.

O'Leary joins NC IDEA board

Sean O’Leary has joined the board of NC IDEA, which is revamping into a private foundation. The organizational shift will allow the group to participate in supporting more organizations – not just issue grants to entrepreneurs.

Divinity Dean Richard Hays Stepping Down Aug. 1

Richard B. Hays, dean of the Duke Divinity School, will step down on August 1 to begin treatment for pancreatic cancer.

A new contemporary women’s boutique to open fall 2016

Owner and operator Whitney Sandor will open Mynt, a contemporary women’s boutique, in the Rockwood Shopping Center this fall.

Triangle travel management company opens new Durham office

Maupin Travel has opened a new location in downtown Durham, located at 404 Hunt St. in Durham’s Innovation District.

Google provides its Fiber Internet network to Durham public housing residents free of charge

Google announced it will open up its Fiber Internet network to Durham public housing residents free of charge. Service will be offered in Atlanta, Durham, N.C., Nashville and Kansas City before expanding to all current and future cities that host Google Fiber.

Durham selected for ConnectHome program

Durham is one of 27 cities the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development selected for ConnectHome , a program to bring faster Internet connections to more low-income households.

Kimbrell's to open in old Kmart building

Kimbrell’s furniture will be opening Aug. 1 in its new location in the old Kmart building on Avondale Drive.

Moogfest coming to Durham in 2016

Moogfest, a combination music, technology and art festival, will be held in downtown Durham May 2016.

Gates Foundation Gives Duke Global Health Institute $20M Grant

A $20 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was given to the Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI). 

Durham medical campus sells for $53M

The physician owners of Triangle Orthopedics have sold their ownership in the buildings at the North Carolina Specialty Hospital in north Durham in a deal valued at $53.1 million. Both buildings have been sold to an affiliate of CNL Healthcare Properties of Orlando, Florida.

Durham Park Gets A Facelift

Solite Park, at 4704 Fayetteville Road, has had a facelift. New features include a brand-new starting line/entrance, new drainage system, newly paved parking lot, a group pavilion with picnic tables, an outdoor grill, a kid’s playground, a basketball court, a water fountain and a restroom facility.

City of Durham Recognized for Performance Management Focus

The International City/County Management Association has recognized the City of Durham for its performance management success with a Certificate of Excellence, which is the highest level awarded. This is the third consecutive year that the City has won in this category.

Triangle commercial property sales outpacing last year's record

Commercial real estate investors in the Triangle spent a combined $183 million putting the market on track to outsell 2014 when there was a record $3.6 billion in investment property sales in the region.

Durham defense contractor snags $15M in equity round

Nuvotronics, the Durham defense contractor has raised $15 million in equity financing. According to the filing, NewCap Partners helped solicit the raise and gets $750,000 in commission.

Developer buys downtown 12-acre site for $5 million

CitiSculpt, a Charlotte developer, has paid $5 million for a 12.1-acre site adjacent to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in downtown Durham, the site of a former car dealership, from Hendrick Automotive Group. The company plans to invest as much as $400 million in a project that would include a mix of office, retail, one or more hotels and apartments.

Cree acquires Arkansas Power Electronics, Inc.

Durham-based LED maker Cree, Inc. announced that it has acquired Arkansas Power Electronics, Inc., based out of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Duke University hires new sciences advisor

Duke University has hired Nyote Calixte as the first director of academic engagement for natural and quantitative sciences in the Academic Advising Center.

NC IDEA hires interim CEO

NC IDEA, a grant program for entrepreneurs, has hired former StrikeIron CEO Sean O'leary as its interim director.

Board of Education elects Carter and Lee

On Tuesday July 7th , the Durham School Board elected  Mike Lee to serve as vice chairman and reelected Heidi Carter board chairwoman in what is expected to be her final year of service.

Mayor announces the 2015 election will be his last

 Mayor Bill Bell announced Tuesday that the upcoming election would be his last.

Joe’s Diner to open commercial kitchen, close diner

Joe’s Diner located at 2100 Angier Avenue has closed and plans to reopen on July 15 as Joe’s Commissary and Commercial Kitchen II.

Hendrick sells site in downtown Durham

Charlotte developer Charles "Lindsey" McAlpine,  confirmed the purchase of the former 12.1-acre  Hendrick Automotive site for $5 million. Plans include 1 million square feet in new commercial buildings as part of the mixed- use project.

Mesa Latin Kitchen Opening Mid July

Mesa Latin Kitchen, located at 2701 Hillsborough Road, will officially open to the public Friday, July 17 at 5 p.m.

Durham entrepreneurs dominate state-federal innovation grants

North Carolina’s state-funded innovation grant recipients were recently chosen. Of the eleven recipients, seven are located in the Triangle and six of the seven are located in Durham.

Duke University Names Eight New Trustees

Duke University has named eight new trustees which include Coca-Cola Foundation Chairwoman Lisa Borders, Apple CEO Tim Cook, PRM Advisors founder Patricia Morton, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and ValueAct Capital CEO Jeff Ubben. They will each serve six-year terms. Additionally , three observing members also joined the board -- Jack Boyd, Trinity ’85; recent Duke graduate Anna Knight and Ben Shellhorn, a JD/MBA candidate at Duke.

Four candidates file for city of Durham election

Durham Mayor Bill Bell was the only mayoral candidate to file by the end of the business day Monday. Candidates who filed for the three at-large City Council seats include: Charlie Reece, Juan Alva, and Ricky L. Hart.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article26604799.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article26604799.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article26604799.html#storylink=cpy

School board to pick at least 1 new leader

The Durham school board will meet on Tuesday, July 7 to elect its leadership for the upcoming school year.

Crescent sells Durham apartment project

Crescent Communities has completed construction of its Crescent Main Street apartment complex in Durham and has closed on the sale of the 208-unit property. The complex was sold to affiliates of the Berkshire Group for $54.65 million.

Winners of Marvels Ant-Man Micro-Tech Challenge include a 17-year-old from Durham

Elizabeth Almasy, a 17-year-old from Durham, North Carolina, made an octopus-shaped automated bubble blower as her entry in the Marvels Ant-Man Micro-Tech Challenge. The challenge required girls between the ages  of 14-18 to use at least one inexpensive, easy to buy micro-tech component in a do-it-yourself project.

National Merit Scholars named

The National Merit Scholarship Corp. announced the winners of its $2,500 scholarships, chosen from a pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the 2015 program. The Durham winners are : Erin R. Hazlett-Norman, Carolina Friends School ; Zachary D. Balleisen and Emily S. Korest , Riverside High School ; Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler, and Caroline S.Wechsler, Durham Academy;William T.Winslow,

NCCU adds tight ends coach

N.C. Central hired Carl Funderburk as the Eagles' tight ends coach, the school announced Thursday.

XRpro Sciences acquires Icagen assets

XRpro Sciences has acquired the assets of Icagen, a drug firm from parent company Pfizer. XRpro is paying Pfizer $500,000 up front for the Icagen name, technology and employees plus "earn outs" for as much as $10.5 million.

CPO and Owner of LimBionics recognized with awards

Brittney Stresing, CPO and  owner of LimBionics of Durham Inc. won Triangle Business Journals Healthcare Hero Rising Star Award for 2015. Also in March 2015 she was recognized in Durham Magazine as one of their Women of Achievement for 2015.

Raleigh real estate investors buy Durham office property for $8.75M

Raleigh joint venture partners Dominion Realty Partners and Medical Mutual Insurance Co. have acquired an office building in Durham's Meridian corporate park for $8.75 million.

Quintiles, Quest Diagnostics launch joint venture

On July 2nd 2015 Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics announced that they have launched their new global clinical trials lab services organization, Q² Solutions. It’s U.S. headquarters will be based in the Bradford Building at 5827 South Miami Blvd. in Durham.

The Durham Hotel Opens July 10th

The Durham Hotel will open July 10th and is located at 315 E Chapel Hill St, Downtown Durham. The building will house 53 rooms, meeting and event space, a restaurant and rooftop bar , a fitness studio, rooftop yoga, and bicycle rentals.

School board chair to seek commissioner’s seat

Durham school board Chairwoman Heidi Carter,who was first elected to the Consolidated District B seat in 2004, will seek election to the Durham County Board of Commissioners in 2016.

Durham enveils SmARTvision plan

 Durham's SmART vision plan , designed by Architect Mikyoung Kim, was revealed  at the Durham Arts Council June 30th. The plan offers design concepts to better connect physically and visually the American Tobacco area, the center of downtown, and Durham Central Park.

Bernard, Trask Reappointed to New Five-Year Terms at Duke

Two senior Duke administrators Pamela Bernard, vice president and general counsel, and Tallman Trask III, executive vice president,  have been reappointed to new five-year terms.

iNVICTUS Office Center to Open

 The iNVICTUS office center located at 601 Fayetteville St. suite 300, will have their grand opening, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Tuesday June 30th. 

Sanchez named principal at Spring Valley

Sarah Sanchez, the assistant principal at Lucas Middle School, has been appointed principal of Spring Valley Elementary. 

Owners of Pulcinella's Italian Restaurant in Durham expanding to Chapel Hill

The owners of Pulcinella's Italian Restaurant in Durham are expanding to Chapel with

Magone Italian Grill & Pizza and will open in the Timberlyne Shopping Center at 1129 Weaver Dairy Rd. in the space formerly occupied by Pizza Vito. The new restaurant will open in July or August, according to its Facebook page.

New food truck also re-entry program for ex-cons

2econd Helpings food truck will employ only those Durhamites returning to the community after serving time in prison. Employees will make around $12 an hour, the certified Durham living wage.

Music-based playspace coming together in Durham

Notasium, a music-based play space, is scheduled to open in Durham off of Chapel Hill Boulevard in July. Notasium, won full funding in a Kickstarter online fundraiser earlier this year and also has secured additional funding from local investors.

Duke has a new muscular dystrophy clinic

 Duke Medicine's new clinic for muscular dystrophy patients recently opened  at Lenox Baker Children's Hospital on Erwin Road.

Avalara opens in Durham

Avalara a company who provides cloud-based solutions for businesses, opened Thursday at 512 S. Mangum St. in the Diamond View I building at the American Tobacco Campus.

A Durham Startup Called First Delivers Realtors the Best Leads

 The Durham startup company First, created by Mike Schneider and Jess Martin , delivers Realtors around the nation bunches of solid leads by sending targeted emails to people.

Duke Diet and Fitness Center names new program director

The Duke Diet and Fitness Center has named Will Yancy, MD, MHS, associate professor of medicine (General Internal Medicine), the new program director beginning July 1.

Cree to consolidate Durham factories

Cree, a Durham-based LED manufacturer will consolidate its two Durham LED factories one in segment restructuring.

Google Fiber construction begins

Construction on Google Fiber has begun in the Triangle, including Durham. Google will notify residents via doorhangers if it is installing cables on their street.

New Bottle Shop Opens on Fuller St.

Ramblers, a new bottle shop and tasting bar, has opened at 115 Fuller St.

Duke University names Director of B.N. Duke Scholarship Program

Duke University has named Michael Gustafson the faculty director of the B.N. Duke Scholarship program,

Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church to build parking lot

Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church plans to purchase several properties at 714, 715 and 716 Iredell St. to build a parking lot for the church.

The Duke Eye Center to open new building June 29

The Duke Eye Center will open a new, four-story clinical pavilion on Monday, June 29, that will add 116,000 square feet of clinical and administrative space to serve eye patients and others.

Summer lane closures announced around Duke University

From June 29 to Sept. 4, all pedestrian traffic will be moved to the south side of Towerview Road. About 400 feet of sidewalk on the north side of the road from Union Drive to the edge of the construction area will be closed on July. The eastbound lane of Towerview will be closed from Union-Towerview intersection about 400 feet northwest on Towerview. Temporary traffic signals will be installed to help maintain traffic flow.

Wexford Science + Technology to Redevelop former Chesterfield Factory

Wexford Science + Technology plans to redevelop the former Chesterfield factory into a life sciences office space that would include a glass atrium in the center of the building and construction of a new parking deck.

NCCU to add women's golf program

North Carolina Central University is dropping its women’s bowling program and adding women’s golf for the 2016-17 season,

Homewood Suites Hotel Sold

Homewood Suites by Hilton Durham-Chapel Hill, a 96-room hotel located at 3600 Mt. Moriah Road, has been sold for an undisclosed amount to Huntersville-based Narsi Properties from PHG-AREP II Durham MT Moriah LLC.

Duke neuroscientist wins $4 million grant to study Parkinson’s disease

Duke University neuroscientist and biomedical engineer Warren Grill has been awarded a $4 million grant from the Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award to study deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Catotti says she won’t run again for Durham council

City Councilwoman Diane Catotti said Wednesday that she will not seek re-election this fall.She follows her colleague Eugene Brown, who announced June 5 that he is leaving the council, also after three terms. Their announcements leave two vacancies among three at-large council seats to be filled in this fall’s election, along with the mayor’s chair.

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Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article25448842.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article25448842.html#storylink=cpy

Gregoria's Cuban Steak House closing to reopen as Mesa Latin Kitchen

On July 3, Gregoria’s Cuban Steakhouse located on Hillsborough Road, will close for renovations and reopen July 17th as Mesa Latin Kitchen. Fares Hanna, who owned and operated Gregoria’s Kitchen and Gregoria’s Cuban Steakhouse and has partnered with James Beard award-winning Chef Douglas Rodriguez in this new venture.

NCCU and N.C. State create dual degree program

N.C. Central University and N.C. State University signed a Memorandum of Understanding Monday that creates a joint, dual-degree program in physics and engineering. The “Three + Two Physic-Engineering Dual Degree Program” will allow students to enroll in NCCU to study physics for three years and then transfer to N.C. State for two years to study electrical engineering en route to degrees in both disciplines in five years.

Durham Food Truck Inducted Into Hall of Fame

Two Durham based food trucks returned home with honors after competing against 50 other food trucks in the 2nd Annual NC State Food Truck Championship. Soom Soom Pita Pockets won Sandwich Truck State Champion while Will & Pop's  came home with the unique honor of being inducted in the Hall of Fame.

Scrap Exchange launches new preschool program

The Scrap Exchange in Durham has a new program for preschoolers, Preschool Artplay. The program runs monthly and is designed for kids ages 2 to 6 and their parents. The program is offered on June 24 and July 22 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and the cost is $15 per participant.

Durham Wins National Awards for Technology Use

The City of Durham has brought home five awards for its technology use.The Public Technology Institute (PTI) has recognized the City’s Technology Solutions Department for its use of technology to improve service delivery through its 2015 PTI Technology Solutions Awards.

Durham Launches New Open Data Portal

The City of Durham and Durham County governments have launched a new open data portal, Open Data. Users are able to explore, visualize, and download city and county data as well as data sets from state and federal sources. The catalog is organized into 10 categories including transportation, social services, government administration and finance, economic development, education, health, public safety, sports and leisure, civic planning and environment.

Durham Awarded EPA Rain Catcher Award

City of Durham Public Works Department was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency with the regional 2015 EPA Rain Catcher Award in the Municipal Category. The EPA Region 4 Rain Catcher Award recognizes excellence in the implementation of stormwater green infrastructure practices.

Duke East Campus dorms to get air conditioning

Duke University is installing air-conditioning in all dormitories on East Campus as the next step in its plan to install central air-conditioning for all freshmen residence halls.

Duke University Names former Rhodes Scholar Faculty Director

Alex Hartemink, a professor of computer science, statistical science and biology, has been appointed faculty director of the Duke University Office of Undergraduate Scholars and Fellows, beginning July 1.

Entrepreneur launches co-working space/daycare space

Nido, a new combination co-working and daycare space has opened on 902 Broad St and is owned by Tiffany Frye.

Northern Durham Apartment Community Purchased for $13.5M

Chicago-based real estate investment firm 29th Street Capital has bought Seven Oaks, a 272-unit townhouse-style apartment community in north Durham, paying $13.5 million for the property.

The Durham Hotel sets July opening date

The Durham Hotel, located at 315 E. Chapel Hill St., will open in July. The Durham has 53 hotel rooms, a  new restaurant concept and rooftop bar from chef Andrea Reusing, and meeting spaces. The Durham plans to take room reservations beginning July 10.

School board member declines to seek reelection in 2016

Leigh Bordley has confirmed, after serving on the school board since 2008, she will not seek reelection in 2016. Three of the seven seats of the board will be up for election in the 2016 school board election.

Construction Projects Begin on Duke Campus

Construction has begun on Duke's campus along the West Campus Quad. Duke is planning a  multi-year project that focuses on landscape and includes upgraded irrigation, drainage, walkways and plantings. Construction will only take place during the summer months and is expected to take three years to complete.

$53M renovation planned for Cree production facility

Two permits for renovations to Durham's Cree campus, located at 4300 Silicon Drive, were recently filed with the city.Cree is planning a two part renovation in which MHA Works is listed as the architect. The project will focus on updating electrical, mechanical, and plumbing with the expected total cost listed as $53M.

Durham Students' Art to Decorate US Capitol

Jordan High School student Rachel Geoffrion and Durham School of the Arts senior, Zeke Seamans, both won a nationwide competition of student artwork to have their pieces displayed in  in the U.S. Capitol building for one year. Both  received two round trip tickets to Washington, D.C., for a recognition ceremony.

Duke Dedicates New Hudson Building at the Eye Center

On June 11, 2015 The new Hudson Building at Duke Eye Center was named in honor of William Hudson, CEO of Durham-based LC Industries and chairman of the Duke Eye Center Advisory Board. The building will open to patients on June 29.

Former Duke coach Gail Goestenkors inducted into Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

Goestenkors, now an assistant coach with the WNBA's Indiana Fever,was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Saturday night in Knoxville, Tenn. Goestenkors coached at Duke from 1992-2007 and won 396 games at Duke, taking the Blue Devils to four Final Fours and two national title games.

Duke’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative to move by early August

The Power House building in the Innovation District will be the new home to Duke's I&E Initiative. Duke now has more than 2,700 employees downtown and occupies more than one
million square feet of space in downtown Durham

New Buildings Go Up in RTP

Liberty Property Trust, a Pennsylvania real estate investment trust, has broken ground on two speculative industrial and flex buildings at Liberty Ridge near Research Triangle Park. The buildings include a 58,500-square-foot building at 1951 T.W. Alexander Dr. and a 126,000-square-foot building at 1953 T.W. Alexander Dr.. Both buildings are expected to be completed in December and both will be LEED-certified.

Food Hub to open in June

Reinvestment Partners, an advocacy and community development nonprofit will open Bull City Cool in June, a building that will house two tenants in a 4,200-square-foot building at 902 N. Mangum St. The two tenants will be Bella Bean Organics, a business that buys local food and products and makes home deliveries, and Farmer Foodshare, a nonprofit that helps get fresh food from local farmers to local agencies that serve “food-insecure” individuals.

RDU Plans for Runway Replacement in 2020

A 10-year NC transportation improvement plan would include a $100 million runway reconstruction at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, scheduled for 2020.

Duke Performances Announces 2015-16 Season

Duke Performances has announced the lineup for its 2015-16 season, which will include more than 60 acts between September 10, 2015 and April 15, 2016.

Frontier Airlines begins nonstop RDU to Denver service

Frontier Airlines has begun offering nonstop service from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Denver International Airport.

Erwin Rd. and Emergency Dr. to get traffic light

A new traffic light and pedestrian crosswalk are being installed at the intersection of Erwin Road and Emergency Drive to promote the safety of pedestrians.

Duke Lemur Center welcomes two baby lemurs

The Duke Lemur Center recently welcomed the addition of two baby ring-tailed lemurs who are both named Princess Julian.

Cupcake Remake Set to Expand

Cupcake remake, a company that sells mason jars filled with layers of cake and icing, is set to expand through a partnership with Ninth Street Bakery, who will sell the cups.

American Meltdown to Open Location in Southpoint Mall

American Meltdown, a popular Durham food truck serving gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches will open a counter service location in the food court at the Streets of Southpoint in the Fall.

Bull City Craft to Move

Bull City Craft is moving out of Rockwood Shopping Center on University Drive by the end of June. An online fundraising campaign to support its move to a bigger home, through Kickstarter.com, will  expand the store's most popular programs. New location TBD.

North Carolina is partnering with a Durham investment group

State Treasurer Janet Cowell announced Wednesday that the state has inked a new “strategic partnership” with Durham-based Piedmont Investment Advisors.
Piedmont will assist North Carolina Retirement Systems’ staff with training and technical skills.

NCCU trustees appointed

Locally, system leaders gave second terms to N.C. Central University trustees Chairman George Hamilton and Vice Chairman John Barbee were appointed to a second term. They will be joined by  new appointees Darrell Allison and Michael Johnson. Who will serve a four year term.

Mateo's Matt Kelly chef and restauranteur to open Italian Trattoria

Mateo restaurateurs  Matt Kelly and Josh Decarolis plan to open an Italian Trattoria named
Mothers and Sons, which is set to open downtown this fall at 107 W. Chapel Hill St. The restaurant will be adjacent to Mateo.

Venezuelan restaurant opens

EpaChamo Venezuelan Arepas Bar & Grill has opened at 730 Ninth St. in Durham located in the former Mitch’s Bar & Grille space .

Duke health systems former leader recognized with award

Victor Dzau, M.D.,former Duke health system leader, has been recognized by Project HOPE with the Global Health Partner Award for his work with global health education and humanitarian assistance.

Part of Miami Blvd. to be closed for six weeks

Miami Boulevard between NC 98 and US 70 will be closed fro six weeks as part of the East End Connector project - which will link Highway 70 to Highway 147 in Durham.The detour will re-route drivers using N.C. 98 and U.S. 70. Local traffic can travel along Miami Boulevard on either side of the railroad crossing in that area.

Durham's RTP COO to retire at the end of 2015

Elizabeth Rooks, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Research Triangle Foundation, will retire after twenty-five years with the organization.

Durham's Page Rd. DoubleTree hotel sells $33M

Durham DoubleTree on  Page Rd. was recently sold to Southwest Value Partners of San Diego for $33M.

Durham Central Park names new director

Durham Central Park has hired longtime Durham Farmers’ Market manager Erin Kauffman as its new executive director.

Durham's Parion inks deal that could exceed $1 billion

Durham drug developer Parion Sciences reached a licensing deal with Boston-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals, for a possible cystic fibrosis treatment. Licensing could bring the company upwards of $1 billion.

Durham Marriott hotel sells for $16M

The Durham Courtyard Marriott at  1815 Front Street, a recently renovated 146-room select-service hotel in Durham has been sold to Lightstone REIT for $16 million.

Six female-led companies tapped for startup program in Durham

Soar Triangle, a Durham entrepreneurship initiative trying to even the score between female and male entrepreneurs, has selected its second class of female-led companies.

Duke MRI Technology Reveals Deep Brain Pathways in Unprecedented Detail

Scientists at Duke Medicine have produced a 3-D map of the human brain stem at an unprecedented level of detail using MRI technology. Researchers unveiled an ultra high-resolution brain stem model that could better guide brain surgeons treating conditions such as tremors and Parkinson’s disease.

Duke Starts Camping Equipment Rental Program

Duke University faculty, staff and students are now able to rent camping and hiking equipment through a service called The Outpost, a service managed by Outdoor Adventures, a program under Duke Recreation and Physical Education,

Duke University to Offer Free Online Energy and Environment Course

Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment will soon offer a free, team-taught online course on the oil and gas industry and electric power industry through Coursera.

Company Expands Durham Warehouse Space

Armstrong Relocation, a long-distance moving company, has renewed and expanded its leased warehouse space by 33 percent at Imperial Center in Durham for a total 65,245 square feet in two buildings.

Durham's Rogers-Herr Middle School gets new principal

Durham Public Schools has announced Kecia Rogers as the new principal of Rogers-Herr Middle School.

Durham Tech receives $20,000 grant

Durham Technical Community College has received a $20,000 grant from Bank of America Charitable Foundation to expand one of its campuses and the Nursing Assistant program.

Parking Fees Coming to Downtown

The City of Durham will plan to add paid street parking to accommodate the demand for downtown parking.

Piedmont announces Gregory Gettles as Executive Chef

Piedmont has announced that it has welcomed a new Executive Chef Gregory Gettles.

Developer to tear down, rebuild bigger downtown Durham warehouse

A vacant, brick warehouse on Seminary Avenue in downtown Durham has been sold to a New York private equity group with plans to tear down the building and redevelop the site with a new three-story building.

Durham Developers Secure $36M in Financing

East West Partners of Chapel Hill have secured the debt and equity financing to move forward with the construction phase of a modern apartment building on Rigsbee Ave.

Durham Nonprofits Merging

Genesis Home, founded in 1989, and the InterFaith Hospitality Network (IHN), founded in 1993, are merging into a single as-yet-unnamed nonprofit by the end of this year to improve services to the homeless.

Durham's Quintiles Expands

Durham's Quintiles has expanded, opening an office in Shanghai, China.

Downtown Durham apartments sold for $35.6M

Tribridge Residential LLC, an Atlanta-based investor, has acquired the $35.6 million Whetstone Apartments at 501 Willard St. in downtown Durham from Virginia-based Armada Hoffler Properties.

Duke Rowing Coach to Retire

After growing the rowing program from its start in 1998, head coach Robyn Horner is retiring,

Black Girls Code Chapter Launches at American Underground

Durham entrepreneurship co-working space American Underground launched its own chapter Wednesday of Black Girls Code – a California nonprofit that focuses on inspiring a technology interest in girls ages seven to 17.

Ramblers Bottle Shop To Open in Downtown

Ramblers Bottle Shop, a tasting bar and growler filling station will open at 115 Fuller St. The shop will be cycling and dog friendly.

Healthy Start Academy names principal

Healthy Start Academy, a Durham public charter school, has named Anthony Rivera-Chalmers principal and superintendent.

Bright View Technologies Expanding

Bright View Technologies, which designs and manufactures components for LED and fluorescent lights, has added a half-dozen workers over the past year and is continuing to hire.

Durham's Partnership for Children Receives $1.77M Grant

Durham's Partnership for Children Receives has received a $1.77M Early Head Start Child Care partnership grant from the U.s. Department of Health and Human Services.

Plans call for 15-501 Business Roadway Revision

Plans call for 15-501 business which runs through the Rockwood district to shrink from five lanes to three and to add bike lanes and roadside parking spaces.

Durham intersection at 54 and Church to Close

The N.C. Department of Transportation is set to permanently close the intersection of Church Street and N.C. 54 in Durham. Drivers will no longer be able to access the intersection as of June 8.

Implus Corp. Acquires Balega Socks

Durham athletic and training gear manufacturer Implus Corporation has inked a partnership by acquiring sock maker Balega Socks.

Triangle Curling Club is Now Open

The Triangle Curling Club has opened its new ice house facility at 2310 So Hi Dr.

NCCU Receives $1M HHS Grant

The N.C. Central University Department of Nursing will receive almost $1 million over the next three years from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for programs assisting veterans seeking Bachelor of Nursing degrees.

Duke Divinity Names CLAS Director

Maria Doerfler, assistant professor of the history of Christianity in Late Antiquity, has been named the director of the Duke/UNC Center for Late Ancient Studies (CLAS).

Bull Durham Beer Co. Begins Serving Beer

Bull Durham Beer Co. the only brewery located inside a minor league ballpark, has started serving its beer, the Lollygagger and Water Tower Wheat.

Gussy's Place Opens on Miami Blvd.

Gussy's Greek Street Food has opened a brick and mortar location called Gussy's Place 2945 S. Miami Blvd. in Durham.

Graduate Hotel Coming to Durham

AJ Capital Partners, a Chicago developer, plans to renovate a shuttered 150-room hotel at 600 Willard Street near downtown Durham and convert the 3.7-acre into a Graduate Hotel.

SnowBull's Opens on West Main St.

SnoBull's a New Orleans-style shaved ice parlour has opend at 630 W. Main St.

Cree Launches Subsidiary Company

Durham LED-maker Cree Inc. plans to spin out its Power and RF subsidiary, and has filed the paperwork to initiate the public offering process for the new company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Modular building company Opens Southeast Branch in Durham

Ares Building Systems, A Texas company that builds large- and small-scale modular building projects for schools, businesses and multifamily housing, is expanding its reach in the Southeast by starting out with a team of three to four people in Durham

Researchers Find Brain Area That Integrates Speech’s Rhythms

Duke and MIT scientists have discovered an area of the brain that is sensitive to the timing of speech, a crucial element of spoken language.

Chapel Drive Closed Until August

Chapel Drive, the road leading through Duke University to Duke Chapel will be closed until mid-August so that it can be re-paved.

City of Durham Recognizes Young People for Service, Advocacy

The City of Durham recognized 10 young people for their contributions to the community with the Youth on Fire Awards.

Duke Junior Selected as Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellow

Duke University junior Jamal Edwards is one of only 10 undergraduates nationwide selected to be a 2015 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellow by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.

Duke University Appoints Dean of Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

Valerie Sheares Ashby, a professor and chair of the chemistry department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will be the next dean of Trinity College of Arts & Sciences at Duke University beginning July 1.

Aloft Durham to Open July 23

The Aloft Durham, at 345 Blackwell St. near the American Tobacco campus, will open July 23, 2015.

Bulls games to air on national television

Time Warner Cable SportsChannel and Me-TV will televise 55 Bulls home games in 2015, all in high definition.

Duke Students raise nearly $16,000 for childhood cancer research

Students from the Duke Physician Assistant Program recently raised nearly $16,000 for childhood cancer research.

Hendrick Automotive Moves to south Durham

Hendrick Automotive Group has closed its two General Motors franchise dealerships in downtown and east Durham and officially reopened them Tuesday at its new mega-dealership facility next to The Streets at Southpoint mall in south Durham.

Durham office building sells for $14.75M

Rubenstein Partners and Grubb Properties have sold the Newcastle South building in Durham’s Imperial Center to Drawbridge Realty for $14.75 million.

Mechanics and Farmers Changing Name to M&F Bank

Mechanics and Farmers Bank, one of the nation's oldest and largest African-American-owned financial institutions, is rebranding itself as M&F Bank on June 2, although it will take 90 to 120 days to change the interior and exterior signage at its seven branches.

Common Ground Theatre Names New Executive Director

Common Ground Theatre has named Devra Thomas the new Executive Director of the theatre.

Duke Researcher to Host TV Series

Brian Hare, Associate professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke University and founder of the Duke University canine cognition lab and Dognition.com will host a three-part series on Nat Geo WILD at 10 p.m. EST that will feature what dogs think and understand.

Guasaca Venezuelan Restaurant to Open at Erwin Square Plaza

Guasaca, a Venezuelan style restaurant that specializes in scratch-made arepas and salsas, is making plans to open its second location in a 2,300 square foot space at the Erwin Square Plaza campus at 2200 W. Main St. in Durham.

BrewMoo Cafe to Open

BrewMoo Cafe, a shop that will feature hot and cold coffee drinks made with fresh dairy products and handmade mix-ins, will open at 5420 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., formerly Straw Valley Cafe.

DPS has 3rd Gates scholarship winner

Northern High School senior Ming Lin has been awarded the prestigious Gates Millennium scholarship, joining two seniors from Hillside High School with the honor. The scholarship is designed to reduce financial barriers and increase minority representation in computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health and the sciences.

DPS Names Three New School Principals

Durham Public Schools Superintendent Bert L’Homme announced the appointment of three new principal hires, filling vacancies at Club Boulevard Elementary School (Terry Phillips), Neal Middle School (Michael Fuga)and Jordan High School (Kerry Chisnall).

Artisan gift shop now open in Durham's Brightleaf Square

Indio, a new shop featuring home goods, gifts and artisan jewelry, is now open in Durham's Brightleaf Square.