Monday, September 26, 2016

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Museum of Life and Science shifts to winter hours

The Museum of Life and Science has shifted to its winter hours through March. The museum is now open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m., Sunday. It will be closed on Mondays.

Friday, September 9, 2016

Liberty Arts has a new home

Liberty Arts, the nonprofit metal-sculpture organization that created Major the Bull and sponsored the Bull City Sculpture Show, will be moving this month out of its space in the Cordoba Building to a 918 Pearl St., formerly home of Triangle Brewing Co. The Pearl Street building has 12,000 square feet allowing Liberty Arts the room to add a permanent space for glass blowing and rental space for artists who want to weld or use the glass-blowing equipment.

Thursday, September 1, 2016

West Durham's Hosiery Mills dye house to undergo transformation

Scott Bednaz, best known for the changes he’s already made to the Straw Valley Project properties in west Durham, wants to turn the old Durham Hosiery Mills dye house at 708 Gilbert St. into the next Durham hotspot. His idea includes fully renovating the interior, which could open it up for a mix of uses, including office space on the second floor, retail shops, restaurant space, storage and even room for a brewery or distillery operation.Plans to keep the heavy timber wood framing and steel trusses, which are original to the 1920s-era building, and other elements will allow it to maintain its status on the National Register of Historic Places. The estimated cost of the project is about $4 million. The project is pending city approval.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Multimedia Storytellers to Create New Interactive Conversations About Race

American Documentary, Inc., producer of the award-winning PBS documentary series POV (Point of View), and The New York Times announced the selection of three innovative digital producers for a new project; “Embedded Mediamaker.” Durham digital storyteller, Saleem Reshamwala was chosen as one of the three out of hundreds of applicants and will work with POV and The Times to create new forms of documentary and interactive content with a team of Times writers, editors and visual storytellers involved in Race/Related, a newsletter and reporting project exploring race as it is lived today.

New Disney movie "Queen of Katwe" has ties to Durham man

Troy Buder ,a Durham man, bought the rights to a story in 2009 and sold it to Disney. Buder got involved with an international soccer ministry and learned about a chess program in Uganda that changed children's lives. Then, local author Tim Crothers wrote an article in ESPN Magazine. That article became a book, published in 2012, and now the "Queen of Katwe" is coming to the big screen. Disney is scheduled to release the movie next month.

Labor Day closings and schedule changes for City of Durham

Most City of Durham offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 5 for Labor Day. The City will operate under normal business hours on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Police, fire, and rescue services for life-threatening or in-progress emergencies may be reached by calling 911. The Solid Waste Management Department will be closed Sept. 5. Collection for all services, including solid waste, recycling, yard waste and bulky items, will be delayed by one business day for the entire week.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Dimensions Family School,for homeschooled children, to open in September

Dimensions Family School will open in second-floor space above Francesca’s Dessert Caffe on Ninth Street this September. The school is the first of its kind in the Triangle, and will offer homeschooling families a wide range of electives and extracurricular activities such as classes in music, writing, filmmaking, foreign language, photography, cooking and art as well give students opportunities to participate in Science Olympiad.They will also provide professional development opportunities for adults.

Cocoa Cinnamon to open third location

Cocoa Cinnamon plans to open a micro-roastery and third retail location in Durham at 2013 Chapel Hill Road This location will supply Cocoa Cinnamon's three locations with coffee, in addition to the blends from guest roasters. The menu will also feature some new items like made-to-order churros with chocolate. There is no word on when the new location will open.

Duke Universities newest eating facility to open Saturday

The renovated West Union building on Duke's West Campus will reopen this Saturday, 8/27. The campus' newest eating facility houses 13 venues with 12 operated by local restaurateurs and include choices such as southern comfort food, Chinese dumplings, ramen, pizza, pasta, Indian cuisine, steak, sushi, and a wide array of vegetarian and vegan options throughout. 

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Bull City Craft consolidating locations, closes Golden Belt location

Durham-based art supply store and craft studio, Bull City Craft is consolidating its Golden Belt Annex with its location at the Homestead Market Shopping Center in South Durham. The Annex at Golden Belt has closed and all inventory is being moved to Bull City Craft’s main location on Highway 54 .

American Underground seeks African-American-led startups

American Underground wants to bring African-American-led startups from across the nation, and possibly the globe, to the Bull City to help them secure funding and explore the systemic biases and challenges they face. They recently announced a program that focuses on supporting black business founders seeking to raise a seed round of capital under $750,000. The Black Founders event is part of the Google for Entrepreneurs Exchange Program, an initiative that seeks to connect startup companies and hubs across the country to share expertise. Eight to 12 founders will be chosen to participate in the program, the deadline to apply is Aug. 23.



Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article96561377.html#storylink=cpy

Monday, August 22, 2016

Sibling Chefs Andrea and Brendan Reusing to be featured on food and travel series

Sibling restaurateurs Andrea and Brendan Reusing, will be featured on this season of Movable Feast with Fine Cooking.Viewers have the opportunity to learn about each chef, their distinctive culinary styles and gastronomic muses, and to experience their individual approach to innovating new recipes as well as cooking classic traditional dishes from different regions around the country.

Durham Crisis Response Center (DCRC) to expand services

The Durham Crisis Response Center (DCRC), Durham’s primary agency responsible for providing services to victims of domestic and sexual violence will be expanding and enhancing its services beginning in October. The new services include; The Justice Center, located at Durham County Courthouse which will provide legal advocates, case managers and counselors for direct services, The Human Trafficking project which includes grant funding for a case manager situated at DCRC and a new shelter specifically for human trafficking victims. This will be one of the first shelters of its kind in our area, and The Children's Assistance Program Services (CHAPS), assistance and support program for children who have been exposed to domestic violence. The program will allow DCRC to provide resources and assistance such as counseling, support groups, and case management.

RDU announced new restaurants for Terminal 2

RDU Airport announced the opening of four restaurants in terminal two. Starbucks, which will be the airport’s fifth location, at Gate D-14, the Tap Room, featuring a full bar and pub fare, at Gate D-15, Dale Jr.’s Whisky River, a full-service restaurant featuring a stage for live music, at Gate D-14 and Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen at Gate D-15. Two will open this fall and two will open in the fall of 2017.

Friday, August 19, 2016

The Bagel Bar set to open Monday

The Bagel Bar Durham is set to open Monday, 8/22.The Bagel Bar is located at 104 City Hall Plaza in downtown Durham and will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Windsor Circle Named to Inc. 500 List of Fastest Growing Companies

Windsor Circle, a predictive marketing solution that drives incremental sales to current customers, announced it has been named to the 35th annual, Inc. 500 – the top 10% of the Inc. 5000 - the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.

MATI Energy now the best-selling energy drink in stores throughout the Southeastern U.S.

Mati Energy has raised another $2.1 million for the privately held energy drink company, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Chief Executive Officer Tatiana Birgisson sold $2.1 million to 19 investors, with $61,767 remaining to be sold. It has now raised $4.3 million in the last two years. MATI is now the best-selling energy drink in stores throughout the Southeastern U.S. It is sold in Whole Foods, Kroger and Costco.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

DPAC celebrates 3M attendance milestone

Tuesday. August 16, DPAC celebrated their 3,000,000 guest milestone when Erin Andrews, a Durham native who now lives in Burlington, entered the center as the 3 millionth guest and received a $1,000 gift certificate to DPAC's 2016/2017 season. The venue has been open since 2008 and has hosted everything from Broadway blockbusters and top comedians to legendary concerts. For the past six years, DPAC has ranked among the top five most attended theaters in the country.

Alston Avenue, (N.C. 55) to undergo improvements

Alston Avenue is getting a makeover.The project, will widen more than a mile of the highway to accommodate a four-lane median-divided road between the Durham Freeway and just north of U.S. 70 Business/N.C. 98 (Holloway Street).In addition to the added lanes, the project will include a widened bridge over the Durham Freeway, sidewalks on both sides of the road and either wider outside lanes to accommodate bicycles or designated bike lanes. There will also be the addition of retaining walls, railroad track work and new railroad bridges.The project can get under way as early as Aug. 29, with the new road open by Nov. 1, 2019, and the rest of the work wrapped up by May 2020.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

New wine, charcuteria and cheese bar opening to open on Main Street

A new wine bar, Bar Brunello, will open in the former Bar Lusconi space at 117 E. Main St. Bar Brunello's main focus will be on wine, charcuterie and cheese and is expected to open this month, according to its social media page.

Mesa Latin Kitchen to temporarily close

Mesa Latin Kitchen which is located at 2701 Hillsborough Road in Durham, has temporarily closed its doors. Owners sent out an email citing the closure due to construction. "We will be temporarily closed until further notice due to construction work at the restaurant. We will notify you when we are able to open back up. We apologize for any inconvenience. Thanks for your patience."

Northgate Mall gets a new coffee shop

A new coffee shop has opened at Northgate Mall; Esmeralda’s CafĂ© . Located between the Sears and Macy’s department stores, across from Shoe Department Encore, offerings include drinks by Carrboro Coffee Roaster, tea selections, bagels, pastries and juices. The owners are partners Doris Ayala and Margarita Canuto Ugalde.

Jamba Juice coming to Solis Ninth Street

The Triangle's first Jamba Juice will make its home on Ninth St. The new restaurant offers juices, smoothies and bowls and plans to open this fall in the Solis Ninth Street mixed-use community. 

Friday, August 12, 2016

WUNC presents innovative public media project; Storymakers:Durham

WUNC is one of 15 stations across the country to be chosen to be a part of the innovative public media project called Localore: Finding America. "The project invites people in strikingly diverse cities to reflect on the forces that unite and divide us – race, class, inequality of opportunity – to look one another in the eye and converse, and to tell stories from their varying perspectives." Storymakers: Durham is produced by John Biewen, a producer with the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University and host of the Scene on Radio podcast.

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Duke University to increase minimum wage to $13 per hour

Duke University and Health System will increase its minimum wage to $13 per hour for all regular staff; those who work at least 20 hours per week and 36 weeks per year, effective Jan. 1, 2017,Duke’s current minimum wage of $12 was last adjusted in July 2015.

Duke University receives grant to expand career opportunities for Ph. D students

A $350,000, three-year grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has allowed Duke University to create a program that will enhance the curriculum and expand career opportunities for doctoral students in the humanities. The program will support skills training relevant for both academic and non-academic career paths, a wide array of new internship opportunities, and curricular innovations that incorporate collaborative research, computational humanities/media, and engagement with policy analysis.

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Beer Study bottle shop and Starpoint Brewing Co. to open joint location

Chapel Hill’s Beer Study bottle shop will team up with Carrboro’s StarPoint Brewing Company to open a new shop inside the Rockwood Shopping Center off University Drive. Beer Study will occupy space in the front of the shop, and will include an arcade, while StarPoint’s brewing facility will take up about 2,500 square feet of space in the back. They aim to open October/November 2016.

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

DCVB's Visitor Services & Special Projects Coordinator recognized by DMAI as a 30 under 30 nominee

Durham Convention & Visitor Bureau’s Visitor Services & Special Projects Coordinator, Evan Foote-Hudson, was recognized as one of Destination Marketing Association International's 30 under 30 honorees . Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) is the world’s largest and most reliable resource for official Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), also called convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) or tourism boards.The 30 individuals, 30 years of age and under, chosen from 95 applicants, will engage in professional development, volunteer and networking opportunities throughout 2016. Honorees originate from a variety of destinations and backgrounds.

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Durham Tech names new Special Assistant for Equity and Inclusion

Angela Davis, a longtime workforce development leader, will be Durham Tech's Special Assistant for Equity and Inclusion. This is a new position designed to ensure that policies, procedures, and practices are consistent with the college’s Strategic Plan for a welcoming, engaging, understanding, and unifying institution for the community.

RDU begins a massive five year improvements project

RDU will begin a massive, five year project, starting with paving the Economy 3 lot . The 3,820-space lot will be resurfaced in three sections, starting with 1,561 spots this week. In January, the airport will begin the portion of the project aimed squarely at its garage complex, its Premier and Central lots. The projects include concrete repair, waterproofing additions, canopy maintenance, elevator and moving sidewalk replacements, signage improvements, and more. The total cost of the project will be around $25 million dollars.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Financial Aid made available to residents afflicted by storms

The Disaster Loan Operation Center (DLOC) will be located at the Fayetteville Street Elementary School, 2905 Fayetteville Street. According to an assessment , residents of 12 housing units at Eagle Point Apartments, 412 Pilot Street, and 30 housing units at Econ Plaza, 3115 Fayetteville Street, were displaced in the short and long-term when their homes were flooded. Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

NCCU surpassed 2015-2016 fundraising goal

Local historically black colleges and universities are experiencing a spike in donations in 2016. In Durham, N.C. Central University has surpassed its fundraising goal and brought in $7 million dollars for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. The school was just named "HBCU of the Year" by the national publication HBCU Digest.

Two buildings and a parking deck to be constructed in the Durham Innovation District

The Durham Innovation District (Durham.ID) will soon include two new seven story mixed-use buildings named North and South. The buildings will include office and technology work space, but also including retail and restaurants. The buildings will be located on Morris Street between Hunt and Roney in what is currently a large parking lot. A new eight-story, parking deck will be constructed behind the buildings, accessible from the south and east sides of Roney Street, accommodating approximately 1,200 vehicles. The deck will offer supplemental public parking for community events and the neighboring downtown farmer’s market. Construction is slated to begin in Q3 2016 with completion expected in the spring of 2018.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Built Custom Burgers to open at Streets of Southpoint

Built, a new burger spin off of California-based The Counter Custom Built Burgers, has signed a lease to open the company’s first North Carolina location at The Streets at Southpoint mall in south Durham. Built Custom Burgers will be opening in early 2017 in the food court area.

Hillside High School product wins World Junior Championship Hurdles title

Durham's Marcus Krah won the Men’s 110m Hurdles at the IAAF World U20 Championships 2016 in Poland. The Hillside High School product earned a personal best of 13.25 seconds. He will be attending UNC- Chapel Hill.

East Durham Pie Company launches crowdfunding campaign

Owner of East Durham Pie Company Ali Rudel has launched a $20,000 crowdfunding campaign to open up a shop in Old East Durham.The storefront will enable customers to pick up whole pies and slices six days per week with flavor varieties such as apple elderberry, blueberry rosemary and ginger peach. Rudel plans to pay ‘living wages’ under Durham Living Wage certification and anticipates an opening date by the end of the year.

The Durham Sports Commission is officially established

The Durham Sports Commission has been officially established by the Durham City Council and the Durham Board of County Commissioners to recruit sporting events to Durham. It will be a new department within the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau, funded by the local hotel “bed tax,” and it will be under the direction of an appointed board. These are the newly appointed Durham Sports Commission members:City of Durham Appointees: Desmond Scott – Owner, Prime Athletic Training and Fitness Institute, Dan Hill – Founder of Hill Chesson & Woody benefits consulting firm, Omar Beasley – owner MC Bail Bonding. Durham County Appointees: Ingrid Wicker-McCree – Athletic Director of NCCU, Tommy Hunt – retired, Atlantic Coast Conference, Dwight Perry – Ophthalmologist/Partner at NC Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat. Durham Chamber Appointees:George Habel – Durham Bulls Baseball Club, Chris Kennedy – Senior Deputy Director, Duke Athletics, Terrence Holt – Holt Brothers Construction LLC.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Amazon has signed a lease to occupy Centerpoint I industrial building

Amazon.com has signed a lease to occupy the entire 324,838-square-foot Centerpoint I industrial building on T.W. Alexander Drive in Durham. Centerpoint I was the market’s single largest block of existing Class A industrial space for lease in the triangle.

Netflix premiers series created by Durhamites Matt and Ross Duffer

Netflix released "Stranger Things,” an eight-part supernatural series created by Matt and Ross Duffer, Durham natives.The 32-year-old twins grew up roaming through the aisles of the now-defunct VisArt Video looking for titles and attending showings at Carolina Theatre, where their dad would take them to catch the latest a releases.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/tv/article88426297.html#storylink=cpy
32-year-old twins (who refer to themselves professionally as The Duffer Brothers) grew up roaming through the aisles of the now-defunct VisArt Video looking for titles. They were also regulars at the Carolina Theatre, where their dad, a movie buff, would take them to catch the latest art house releases.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/tv/article88426297.html#storylink=cpy

Carolina Theatre partners with booking company NS2

Carolina Theater has announced a partnership with National Shows 2, a Nashville-based concert promotion company, that will bring at least 60 national touring acts to the historic theatre each year.

Longfellow announced plans to build two new seven story buildings in downtown Durham

Longfellow Real Estate will construct two seven-story buildings on what is now a Morris Street parking lot. The eight-story parking structure will be accessible from the south and east sides of Roney Street, and developers say that it will offer supplemental public parking for community events and for the Durham Farmers’ Market.The project is part of the 1.7 million square-foot Durham Innovation District and will bring nearly 350,000 square feet of primarily new office space downtown, along with a 1,200-vehicle parking deck.Duke Clinical Research Institute has signed a lease to occupy all of the office space in one building .The company plans to begin construction later this year, and the buildings have an anticipated completion date of spring 2018.

Bull Durham Beer Company to expand

Bull Durham Beer Company has announced plans for expansion. They will partner with a chicken wing restaurant and will open a bar and restaurant next to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park at 359 Blackwell St.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Lisa Sorg Leaves Bull City Rising

Lisa Sorg, former editor of IndyWeek, joined forces with Kevin Davis from the investigative news blog Bull City Rising nearly a year ago. This week she announced her departure for a full-time job with NC Policy Watch.

Friday, July 8, 2016

Tour de Fat Durham stop raised over $29k

Tour de Fat, New Belgium Brewing’s traveling festival of bikes, beer and hilarity in charity, raised $29,093 in Durham on June 25. About 4,000 bicycle and beer enthusiasts came to Diamond View Park downtown for the event, with 1,000 riding in the bike parade. Proceeds from beer and merchandise sales and donations at the Durham stop went to Bike Walk NC, Triangle Spokes Group, and Durham Bike Co-op. In total, Tour de Fat has raised more than $4 million for cycling nonprofits around the country.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article88203962.html#storylink=cpy

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Lucia restaurant to experience trasformation

Lucia restaurant owner Kevin Jennings has announced a major a transformation for the restaurant in the upcoming weeks. The restaurant has hired a new head Chef; James Huff, who hails from Washington, D.C., where he was previously executive chef at Pearl Dive Oyster Palace and a new general manager; Brandon Carr, former restaurant manager of Four Square. They will be closed for at least a week while they develop a new plan for the restaurant located at 605 W. Main St. at West Village.

Duke University to construct new alumni building

Duke University will begin construction on their new alumni building in the fall. The building, currently occupied by the Office of News and Communications, located at 615 Chapel Drive, will be renovated into administrative offices and meeting rooms, adding approximately 7,400 square feet. A new 16,900-square foot alumni office building will be constructed next to it. Also, a new events building and meeting pavilion will feature events spaces, restrooms, a catering kitchen, a reception area and a dedicated meeting space. The goal completion date is December 2017.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Durham residents open a local "Etsy type" store; The Makers Mercantile

The Makers Mercantile curates pieces from mostly Triangle-based makers and features their stories on its blog to personalize the shopping experience. The Makers Mercantile is the brainchild of Durham residents Maggie Meyer, who also owns calligraphy and design studio Lettered, and Maria Carroll-Holton, an N.C. State business school graduate and an avid buy-local consumer. Currently, there are more than a dozen local makers, including Durham's Evie Watts and Redden Goods.

Friday, July 1, 2016

Waffle House to open on Ninth Street

The former Charlie's Pub & Grille space at 758 Ninth St. on Ninth Street will be taken over by a Waffle House. The Waffle House will be keeping the same 4,000-square-foot building footprint and will tie into the existing water connection, so most of the changes to the property will be aesthetic. The opening date is TBD.

Durham Rescue Mission receives $25K grant from Walmart Foundation

The Durham Rescue Mission received a $25,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program. The Durham Rescue Mission relies heavily on support from the community and this gift will provide a quarter of the annual food budget needed for the year.

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Durham Co. unemployment rate dropped in May

The Durham County unemployment rate fell by .2 percent between April and May, the N.C. Department of Commerce reported Wednesday.May’s rate is 1.1 percent lower than it was a year ago, and the county had the 11th lowest rate in the state with 6,678 unemployed out of a 159,847-person labor force.

Pastor Shirley Ceasar recognized with star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Pastor Shirley Ceasar has been recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Caesar’s is the 2,583rd star on the Walk of Fame. She is celebrating 50 years as a recording artist and has garnered 11 Grammy Awards throughout her career.

Friday, June 24, 2016

Duke University to build a third Medical Sciences Research Building

Duke University has revealed plans to build a third Medical Sciences Research Building ,MSRB III. Preliminary site work began over Memorial Day weekend in anticipation of approval to construct the new $103 million, six floors above ground and one below, 155,000-square-foot building that will exclusively house bench lab research. MSRB III will be located on Research Drive between the Occupational & Environmental Safety Building and the Medical Sciences Research Building II. Construction is expected to begin immediately and completed in the late summer/fall of 2018.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Littler now open

The owners of Pizzeria Toro opened their new restaurant Littler, this past weekend. Located at 110 E. Parrish St. The restaurant is an intimate space, with a dozen tables and a small bar. The menu, which ranges in price from $12-$28, includes a few permanent items, like oysters and a lamb burger, and the rest will vary and change often. Littler is open for dinner only, six nights a week (closed Tuesdays).

Durham City Council approves $409.9M budget for 2016-17

The City Council has unanimously approved a $404.9 million budget for the fiscal year 2016-17, beginning July 1.The budget represents an increase of about 4 percent over last year and includes funding for 20 new Durham Police Department officers and a three-year phase-in for a take-home car program for officers, a three-year phase-in for a $15 minimum wage for all full-time city employees and the inclusion of Veterans Day as an official city holiday.

Durham's population has increased 12.8% since 2010

In a recent report, UNC’s Carolina Population Center released the state's fastest growing cities. Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Greensboro (in order) were the five cities with the highest population increases between 2010-2015. Durham has the third largest population increase gaining 29,218, 12.8% total population in the five years.

NCCU recieves a $1.1M grant from the Institute of Education

The N.C. Central University School of Education has received a $1.1 million grant from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in the scientific community. NCCU will create training programs to develop a more diverse field of top-quality education researchers. In partnership with Duke University and UNC-Wilmington, NCCU will launch the Research Institute for Scholars of Equity (RISE). The program will enroll 60 upper-level undergraduate students to study inequities in American education, especially those affecting African-American and Hispanic students.

Duke University professor produces manual of best practices for police departments

David Schanzer, associate professor at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy and director of the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security has produced a new manual designed for police departments that identify a set of promising practices for using community policing to prevent violent extremism. The manual is based on a research project led by Schanzer and funded by the National Institute of Justice, United States Department of Justice.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

TEDx event to be held July 9 at The Carolina Theatre

Durham’s first TEDx event will take place on July 9 at The Carolina Theatre from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 20 presenters (five in total are Duke University employees), will share their ideas during the event. TEDxDurham organizers received about 180 nominations for local speakers, which were then narrowed down to 21 people after an interview process. Talks will range from the arts to wearable, electronic textiles to social media.

Friday, June 17, 2016

Hope Valley Square sold for $10.6M

The Hope Valley Square retail center was sold in a deal valued at nearly $10.6 million, to an affiliate of Davidson-based Piedmont Land Development.The building at 3710 Shannon Road in Durham is anchored by the U.S. Postal Service and was 100 percent occupied at the time of the deal. Other tenants at Hope Valley Square include Durham restaurants Only Burger, Durham Catering Co., Bull Street Gourmet & Market, Pop’s Backdoor South, Rick’s Diner, Tutti Frutti and The Company Salon.

RDU released record traveler numbers for May 2016

RDU reported their highest ever number of enplanements for the month of May 2016. More than 500,000 travelers boarded commercial flights in May 2016, a 15.3 percent growth over May 2015.May was also the airport’s 27th consecutive month of year-over-year growth. And, Airline Weekly this week named RDU the 10th fastest growing airport in the U.S.

Bruster's Ice Cream shop opens in south Durham

Bruster’s Ice Cream shop is now open in in south Durham. The shop is located at 8200 Renaissance Parkway the space formerly occupied by the Moonberries Frozen Yogurt shop in the Renaissance Village shopping center.

RDU announces a new non-stop flight to LaGuardia Airport

RDU announced United Airlines will offer a non-stop flight to LaGuardia Airport. The flight will be a two-class service aboard an E170 aircraft, operating six days per week starting Oct. 30. With this addition, RDU will have three carriers serving LaGuardia. American and Delta already offer flights.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Black Wall Street Investments launches out of RTP

Black Wall Street Investments, a new crowdfunding investment firm aimed at supporting and investing in minority entrepreneurs and technology startups, has launched out of Research Triangle Park’s co-working space The Frontier. The firm has two funds: a $25 million micro-equity fund and a $5 million “tech disrupt” fund that will focus on mid to late stage tech startups. The firm's founder Chris Shella explained; "Black Wall Street Investments is not just for tech entrepreneurs but entrepreneurs across all sectors, including people in Durham, even if “you just want to start a bar or a restaurant.”

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

City workers will earn at least $15 an hour by July 1, 2018

Durham City Council approved a plan that calls for a 6 percent increase every July until pay reaches $15 an hour. In addition to the increase, city workers will also get Veteran’s Day as a paid holiday. By July 1, 2018, all city workers in Durham will be making at least $15 an hour.

Ten story office tower will be built on the former Chrysler dealership lot

The firm that purchased the former Elkins Chrysler dealership downtown has released plans for a 10-story office tower.Called 555 Mangum, the 240,000 square-foot building will contain office space, ground floor retail, a penthouse conference center and a rooftop lounge and terrace overlooking the American Tobacco Campus.The site encompasses an entire block at the intersection of Mangum Street, Jackie Robinson Drive, Dillard Street and Roxboro Road

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Duke Health Performs First Hand Transplant in State

A 54-year-old man, is the recipient of Duke Hospital’s first hand transplant.The 12-hour procedure was performed May 27, 2016, by a team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, operating room staff and technicians, and was led by Linda Cendales, M.D., associate professor of surgery at Duke University School of Medicine and director of Duke’s hand transplant program. Duke is one of just 10 hospitals in the United States that has performed a hand transplant.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Duke University unveiled the new name of their updated on-campus accommodations

Duke unveiled the new name of the updated on-campus accommodations, announcing the former R. David Thomas Center will reopen in January 2017 as the JB Duke Hotel.The space has been undergoing renovations since March 2015. Crews are making extensive upgrades to modernize the building, which will feature 198 guestrooms, including 11 unique suites, to be used by visitors to Duke and Durham. Duke’s Science Drive/Cameron Boulevard parking garage is also scheduled to be completed in January next year, and will accommodate 2,320 vehicles.

Mothers and Sons and Lucky's Deli scheduled to open this weekend

Mothers & Sons and Lucky’s Deli are a collaboration between the chef/owners of Mateo, Matt Kelly and Josh DeCarolis , and Drew Brown. Both restaurants, which are right next door to each other on W. Chapel Hill Street, are expected to hold their friends and family openings later this week and plan to be ready to open to the public by the weekend.

Snookball comes to Durham

“Snookball," a hybrid between snooker and soccer, will be coming to North Carolina via Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub.The snookball pool table, which will measure 10 feet by 20 feet in area and stands 26 inches tall, is twice the size of a regular pool table and played with feet rather than pool cues. It will be constructed of painted wood boards and outdoor-grade felt. There will be a fence enclosing the playing area. It will be located on the northwest quadrant of West Main and West Chapel Hill streets.

Four Square restaurant to close its doors on June 25

Four Square restaurant located at 2701 Chapel Hill Rd,will close its doors on June 25.

Piedmont restaurant welcomes chef John May starting August 1

John May, a former sous chef at The Chef & The Farmer in Kinston, will take over the kitchen at Piedmont restaurant in Durham, starting Aug. 1. Piedmont’s current chef, Greg Gettles, is moving to Charleston, S.C. He will finish out Triangle Restaurant Week at Piedmont, which ends June 12.




Tuesday, June 7, 2016

New burger franchise Built to open at the Streets at Southpoint.

Built Custom Burgers will be opening in early 2017 in the food court area of the Streets at Southpoint mall in south Durham. Built will feature a build-your-own burger line similar to how Chipotle makes burritos, and MOD Pizza assembles individual pizzas.

Durham's new police chief sworn in

Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis, Durham's new police chief, was sworn in Monday, June 6. She is the city’s first black female police chief and said she looks forward to working with people in the police department, community leaders and city administrators.


Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article82092747.html#storylink=cpy

Monday, June 6, 2016

NCCU School of Law Dean nominated to serve on the President’s Board of Advisors on (HBCUs)

N.C. Central University School of Law Dean Phyliss Craig Taylor has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve on the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

MakerLab now open at Durham County Library

The Durham County Library located at 300 N. Roxboro Street, has opened a new space: MakerLab @ Main. Patrons can enjoy 3-D printing, space to tinker and experiment with Lego robotics kits, a watercolor bot, sample circuits, basket weaving, woodworking and other crafts, as well as librarian, taught classes in specific crafts at designated times.The lab is on the second floor and has a cement floor, and a marking wall for brainstorming ideas. All events are free; some registration will be required because of limited slots. The lab will have open hours every third Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to allow independent exploration of the equipment.

Friday, June 3, 2016

New, 75 acre, Hollow Rock Nature Park opens Sunday

Hollow Rock Nature Park, a 75-acre nature preserve at the border of Orange and Durham counties, will hold its grand opening Sunday at 2 pm.The park is located at 692 Erwin Rd. in Durham.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Go Triangle extends transit to Carrboro

GoTriangle, the public transportation authority that provides regional bus transit to Wake, Durham and Orange counties, will soon go to Carrboro. Beginning in August, the 405 route, which runs through Durham and Chapel Hill, will extend its route to and from Carrboro.

NCCU Chosen as HBCU Awards Finalist

North Carolina Central University (NCCU) has been chosen as a finalist in eight categories of the 2016 Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Awards.Finalists were selected from more than 600 submissions from around the nation. Criteria included media exposure and impact on institutional progress made during the 2015-16 academic year. Winners will be announced during the HBCU Awards Ceremony July 15 at the University of District of Columbia.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Delta adds another new flight

Delta is adding three daily, year-round flights between RDU and Newark Liberty International Airport, starting Nov. 6. The flights will be operated by GoJet Airlines, a Delta Connection carrier, using two-class 65-seat CRJ-700 jets.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Beyu Caffe has reopened

Beyu Caffe reopened Thursday. moving from 335 W. Main St. to 341 W. Main St. Taking its former spot is an English-style pub, formed by the owners of downtown Durham’s Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub and the owner of the Tandrum food truck.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Construction starts on Duke's new softball stadium

Duke athletic officials broke ground on the new softball stadium construction project Monday. The future softball stadium is located at the corner of Broad and Markham streets.Duke is in the process of adding softball as a varsity, scholarship sport for the spring 2018 season.Construction is scheduled to last 12 months so the team should be able to use the facility next summer in advance of their first season in spring 2018.

Moogfest announces 2017 dates

Moogfest 2017 will run from Thursday morning, May 18, until 6 p.m. Sunday, May 21. General festival passes are $199, while VIP passes are $449.

Durham Farmers' Market has new Wednesday hours

The Durham Farmers' Market, 501 Foster St., will change its Wednesday market hours to 3-6 p.m. beginning June 1.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Durham is the state's fourth largest city

Durham has more residents than St. Petersburg, Fla. according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Durham’s population was an estimated 257,636 last July, making it the 79th largest city in the country just behind Buffalo NY. Durham solidified its position as the state’s fourth largest city, ahead of Winston-Salem but behind Greensboro.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article78491832.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article78491832.html#storylink=cpy

Triangle home sales continue to rise compared to last year

Triangle home sales surged 15 percent in April compared with the same period a year ago, as rising demand and a lack of inventory continues to push up prices. There were 2,613 homes sold last month in Durham, Johnston, Orange and Wake Counties. Home sales are now up 9 percent through the first four months of the year.



Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article78582302.html#storylink=cpy

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Moogfest partners with Durham-based Mammoth Data

Moogfest has partnered with Durham-based Mammoth Data to gather information through a “data lake” for the four-day festival beginning Thursday.The data lake is capable of housing and analyzing festival, transportation, social media and wireless data in real time.Over the past six months, Mammoth Data has utilized existing technologies like Hadoop, Google Cloud Dataflow, Apache Spark and Redis to build the infrastructure to provide analysis to both Moogfest and the City of Durham.

Durham Convention Center General Manager Jen Noble recognized with Elite Award

Jen Noble, General Manager of the Durham Convention Center, received the Elite Award from Facilities and Destinations Magazine. Noble is one of the 12 distinguished convention center executives from around the country that were recognized with this award.The award was created by Facilities and Destinations Magazine to recognize top professionals making a difference in the meetings and events industry. The award was given to 12 convention center executives from around the country, and was a featured section in the March issue of Facilities and Destinations Magazine.

Friday, May 13, 2016

RDU reports increased daily departures in March

RDU reported an average daily departure count increase of nearly 8 percent for the month of March. Daily departures increased to 191, a 7.8 percent uptick from the 177 reported in March of 2015, according to the latest report on year-over-year figures.

Delta adds direct flight to Washington National

Starting August 1, Delta will be flying a new non-stop route out of RDU: To Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National Airport.Delta announced their goal is to be the number one carrier in the Triangle market.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

NC DOT adds traffic signal as warning for Gregson Street bridge

Th NC DOT installed a new laser-guided traffic signal at Gregson and Peabody streets to tell you where to stop and,if you’re driving a truck more than 11 feet 8 inches high, it also tells you where to go.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article77046307.html#storylink=cpy

Durham’s Art Institute opens student-run restaurant for lunch

The Art Institute has opened its student-operated restaurant, The District at 410, for lunch from noon-2 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, except on May 12 when it will be closed for a private party.The District is located in the lobby of the Fowler Building at 410 Blackwell St. Reservations are recommended; drop-in patrons will be seated as space is available.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Demolition begins at RDU's Terminal 1

Demolition has officially begun on Terminal 1 at RDU.What the site will become is unclear, due to the in-development Vision2040 Master Planning project currently being developed by airport administrators. What is known is that the sites will be landscaped in March of 2017 to "provide sweeping new views of the airfield."

Monday, May 9, 2016

New condos in Central Park under construction

The new condominium complex, The Brannan, is located in the Central Park area on the corner of Hunt Street and Roney Street and will contain 35 condominiums in a variety of eight floor plans ranging from 842 to 1,767 square feet. Designers are Roger Ferris + Partners in collaboration with condominium architect JDavis, a condominium architect in North Carolina.

Home 2 Suites appoints GM and DOS

The new Home2 Suites, which is expected to open later this month, has appointed Kevin Walker, as general manager, and Cathy Shaffer as director of sales. The new 103-suite hotel is located at 3305 Watkins Road in Durham.

Two South Miami Boulevard office buildings sell for $46M

A California real estate investment group, an affiliate of Crown Realty & Development, has bought the recently re-stabilized Berrington Center and Bradford Center office buildings at Durham's Imperial Center for $46 million. Plans for the vacant lot have not been disclosed.

Friday, May 6, 2016

Bulldega market to open this weekend

Bulldega, a local market with a local focus, will offer staples like eggs and milk but will also offer items such as beer and wine, take-and-go lunch items prepared by Durham Catering Co. and Saledalia and will stock the shelves with environmentally-friendly products and goods from small businesses and farms.The official opening is this Saturday (May 7) from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Regular hours are planned to be 7-9 Mon.-Fri.; 8-9 Sat., and 9-6 Sun.) and is located across from city hall at 104 City Hall Plaza.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

New home construction to increase dramatically throughout the triangle

Triangle Home builders are up 17 percent production in 2016 compared to this time in 2015. Durham County permits for new single family homes are up 36 percent in the first quarter with 448 building permits issued.

Burt's Bees appoints new VP, GM

Burt’s Bees has named Jim Geikie as its new vice president and general manager. Geikie was most recently vice president of international capability development at the company, and will succeed Craig Stevenson, who has been appointed vice president and general manager of Renew Life and Global Burt’s Bees within The Clorox Company.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

"Don’t Be Mean to People: A Golden Rule Saison” to be released May 15

A collaborative brew/fundraiser from 30 local breweries began in early April as a response to the anti-LGBT law, commonly called HB2. The product of their response is "Don’t Be Mean to People: A Golden Rule Saison.” The brewers want the message itself as apolitical and encouraging as possible. The beer will finish brewing this week and should start going out to donors and the 30 breweries that contributed to its development on May 15.

Boheme to open end of May

Giorgios Bakatsias, triangle restaurateur, announced his newest restaurant Boheme, will open May 24. Boheme replaces the former Straw Valley Food + Drink space at 5420 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. The menu will be " ingredient driven and precise."

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Durham celebrates drinking water week

Mayor William V. “Bill” Bell issued a proclamation, declaring May 1-7 as Drinking Water Week.The proclamation acknowledges the contributions of water plant operators, lab technicians, and other water industry professionals for their roles in providing drinking water to residents.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Durham Nativity School to Expand

The Durham Nativity School plans to expand its program to include fifth grade students.

Duke Names New Assistant Director

Leslie Parkins has been named assistant director of the Duke Office of Civic Engagement, which serves as the campus hub for university collaborations with communities on pressing social challenges.

Generic drugmaker Aurobindo to build $37M facility

Generic drugmaker Aurobindo Pharma USA announced that it will invest $37.1 million for a new research and development headquarters in Durham, which is expected to create 275 jobs.

Durham Police Department Names New Police Chief

Atlanta Deputy Police Chief Cerelyn J. Davis has been named the new chief of the Durham Police Department.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Counter Culture Coffee's Lem Butler recognized as top barista in the nation

Counter Culture Coffee’s most decorated barista, Lem Butler, head of wholesale customer support, was recognized as the top barista in the nation at the U.S. Barista Championship competition in Atlanta.His next stop is the World Barista Championship in Dublin, Ireland in June.

New Websites Launched Listing All African American Events and Non-Profit Organizations

CEO Jimmy Davies of Durham recently revised his website; EveryBlackEvent.com and launched the EveryBlackNonprofit.com.Both websites are available to the general public.The “EveryBlack” family websites were created to enhance networking within various segments of the African American community. The sites display uplifting and inspiring images of African Americans to provide a positive and moving experience for visitors while educating and providing networking opportunities

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Alley Twenty Six to expand

Alley Twenty Six cocktail bar plans to expand into the space next door (formerly Area Modern Furniture) adding a full-size kitchen and space for events. Alley Twenty Six is located at 320 E. Chapel Hill St., Durham. They are open nightly from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. The new space is expected to be complete by fall 2016.

Happy + Hale opens

The new Happy + Hale has opened for business. Located at 703 Ninth St. in a former post office building.This is their second location and is nearly three times the size of the original Happy + Hale that opened in 2014 at Raleigh City Plaza.The Durham location will have extended hours adding dine-in seating with weekend brunch and dinner options, plus an extended menu that also includes a made-to-order juice bar, cold-pressed juice cocktails and local beer on tap.The opening event will be from noon to 4 p.m. on April 30 with live music from local band The Shakedown.

Monday, April 18, 2016

2016 Durham Golden Leaf Award Winners Honored

The Golden Leaf awards program, sponsored by the Durham City-County Appearance Commission, Keep Durham Beautiful, Inc., and the Durham City-County Environmental Affairs Board, honors excellence in design, preservation, and stewardship of the natural and built environment. The 2016 winners are as follows: Keep Durham Beautiful Award: Hub Farm – Touching Water Floating Lab,  Adaptive Reuse, Old Building – New Design Awards: Ponysaurus & Durham City Hall Exterior Renovation, Environmental Affairs Board Sustainable Design Award: Lucas Middle School, Small Development Award: Duke University Faculty Club Neighborhood, Garden & Landscape Award: Bee Downtown, Large Development Award: Crescent 9th Street, Hearth & Home Award: Oatley Residence,People’s Choice Awards: Montessori Farm School & Durham City Hall Exterior Renovation.

Friday, April 15, 2016

Self-Help merges with Greater Piedmont Credit Union

Self-Help Credit Union has merged with Greater Piedmont Credit Union.. Self-Help was founded in Durham 26 years ago, and has provided more than $6.9 billion in financing to individuals and businesses typically undeserved by traditional financial institutions.With the merger, Self-Help now has 20 branches in North Carolina and Virginia, which serve more than 65,000 people.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Moogfest unveils full schedule

Moogfest has announced its full schedule of 300 musical performances, daytime workshops, conversations, masterclasses, film screenings, live scores, durational sound installations, and multiple interactive art experiences.The full schedule can be found online at: https://moogfest.sched.org/

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Duke University appoints new Dean of Humanities

Duke University has appointed art historian Gennifer Weisenfeld as the Dean of Humanities. She has been a professor in the Department of Art, Art History & Visual Studies, and will now serve as dean through June 2019.

Duke University Chapel to reopen May 11

The Duke University Chapel is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, May 11, with a daylong celebration beginning at 10 a.m.

Joel McHale Donates Proceeds from North Carolina Show to the Durham LGBT Center

Joel McHale, who performed at the Durham Performing Arts Center on Friday, April 8, wore a homemade LGBTQ T-shirt and announced that all proceeds from the show would go to the LGBTQ Center of Durham.

New condo project in downtown to be complete by September 2017

The new downtown condo project, Mangum Flats, will consist of 14 flats, three studios, and five townhouses. The expected completion date is September 2017. The project at 515 N. Mangum St. is being designed by Center Studio Architecture and real estate developer Scott Harmon.

Friday, April 8, 2016

NCCU launches IP Law Institute with funding from SAS

North Carolina Central University is launching a Intellectual Property Law Institute with the help of funding from Cary-based software giant SAS. Charles Smith, an NCCU law professor, will be the IP Institute director. He previously worked for Xerox as a patent attorney and as a counsel at Bechtel Corporation.

Emergency street closure downtown, Main and Corcoran

The 100 block of W. Main St. is closed between Corcoran Street and Mangum Street as a 150-foot stretch of 8-inch sewage main that has concrete lodged in it is replaced The closure is expected to last into next week.

The DBAP offers new items for 2016

DBAP will offer several new items this season.The Bulls have taken over all food items, which includes the club level and picnic areas.There are new food vendors, such as Angus Barn and Makus Empanadas, as well as new food offerings like bacon on a stick. There will be staples like hot dogs but, the DBAp's goal is to have as many hot dogs and as many toppings as any ballpark in the country. There is also a new 35-foot net that stretches from first to third base to protect fans from errant baseballs or bats. The 2016 season opener was held Thursday, April 7.

City Council calls for repeal of HB2

The City Council  unanimously passed a resolution calling for the repeal of House Bill 2 and affirming its support of the LGBT community in Durham and the state.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Bull Durham Beer Co. to serve new brews this season

To kick-off Bull Durham Beer's’ second season, they are doubling their beer offerings. Bull Durham Beer Company is adding a White IPA style and Amber style beers to the returning Kolsch style and Wheat style brews.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

US Senator Cory Booker will be NCCU Undergraduate Commencement Speaker 2016

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker will serve as the keynote speaker for North Carolina Central University’s 127th Baccalaureate Ceremony on Saturday, May 14, 2016. The Commencement exercises will take place in O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium on the university’s campus.The Class of 2016 is anticipated to be one of the largest graduating classes in the university’s history .

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

RDU implements new parking operations effective April 4

RDU will now have three parking options to choose from; ParkRDU Premier includes 1,000 spaces on the ground level of the main parking garage between terminals one and two, ParkRDU Central offers 10,000 spots within walking distance to both terminals, and ParkRDU Economy which offers a park and ride service. ParkRDU Premier will cost you $3/hour and $18/day. ParkRDU Central runs $2/hour and $14/day and  ParkRDU Economy, the former Park and Ride, is $1/hour and $6-$7/day. Starting May 1st you can save on all of those prices by booking online, saving anywhere from 2 to 7 dollars. The new operations go into effect April 4.

Monday, March 28, 2016

New downtown retail shop opens

Everyday Magic, a new retail shop owned by Bakara Wintner has opened. Located at 125 E. Parrish St. downtown, the shop focuses on a variety of items including home goods, jewelry, clothes and body products. 

The Durham Craft Market reopens

 The Durham Craft Market will reopen on Saturday, April 2 for its 11th season. Located on the grassy side of the Durham Farmers’ Market, the DCM is an open-air market displaying one-of-a-kind, handmade, local arts and crafts. The Durham Craft Market is open every Saturday, April through November, from 8 a.m.-noon at 502 Foster St.

Smashing Boxes app enables audio track mixing on the Moogfest website

Durham-based Smashing Boxes is helping turn the Moogfest website into a real mixer.Dubbed "_substrate," allowing the site to really become an instrument. The responsive, interactive application allows users to control audio tracks by swiping and tapping on mobile devices or utilizing the arrow keys+mouse on a desktop device.There is also aYouTube tutorial on how to use "_substrate.." 

Monday, March 21, 2016

Hope Valley Brewing Company opens

Hope Valley Brewing Company opened March 17th. Located at 4810 Hope Valley Road, they are a kid friendly, pet-friendly, and fun friendly establishment with a low-key environment.

Bull City Craft opens new location

Bull City Craft has opened their new location in the Homestead Market Shopping Center in South Durham. Services include play craft ​art and exploration play for young children, drop-in craft-based activities for children and adults, birthday parties, painting and craft parties for all ages, summer camps for children and Paint and Pour canvas painting workshops for adults. The shop will be open weekdays from 10 a.m. to ­6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to ­5 p.m.

The Boot welcomes new executive chef Jon May

Chef Jon May, who worked at The Chef and The Farmer in Kinston, is now the executive chef at The Boot, an Italian-American restaurant with a focus less on American and more on Italian. May is using a lot of local artisan products with a more seasonal menu. Despite the changes, May said the prices will stay the same. The Boot is located at 2501 University Dr., Durham; Hours: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 5-9 p.m. Sunday-Saturday.

Durham-based Sports Media Technology goes global

Durham-based Sports Media Technology (SMT) was founded nearly 30 years ago. The real-time sports stats we see on TV come from SMT. Employees are on site at each tournament game and provide real-time statistics. From there the stats go to Durham and then on to the networks in New York and Atlanta and then promptly on to the air. SMT works for several different sports, most notably helping with graphics for NFL games and NASCAR races. The company has recently gone global providing live updates on every single cricket game going on in India.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

New Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau unveiled

The new Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau is having a press day today, March 16, where media gets a look at the new state of the art center on West Main Street located in the former Trust Building. Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau President and CEO Shelly Green will be on hand to discuss what the new space and location represent for the organization. DCVB will also host an open house, which will include tours of the facility. The public is encouraged to stop by anytime between 4-6 pm Tuesday, March 22.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Durham approves animal waste ordinance

Durham officials have approved a new ordinance that makes it an offense to leave dog waste on public property, public park property, public right-of-way or any private property without permission from the property owner. Dog owners must remove all of the waste immediately after it has been dropped, and it must then be thrown away. If a resident is found in violation of the ordinance, he or she will be fined $50 for the first offense and $100 for the second offense. Habitual offenders could be fined up to $150 for each subsequent offense.

Friday, March 11, 2016

MoDH installs new exhibit at Trust Building Gallery

The Trust Building became home to the Museum of Durham History’s newest “Museum Without Walls” exhibit, which consists of two sections: Anonymous Ancestors and Bull City Soundscape. The Gallery is located on the first floor of the Trust Building, 212 W. Main Street. and is available to experience Monday-Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday 10am-6pm.

Carolinas PGA Inducts Ed Ibarguen into 2015 Hall of Fame

The Carolinas PGA (CPGA) Section of The PGA of America inducted Ed Ibarguen, PGA of Duke University Golf Club into the Carolinas PGA Hall of Fame. The CPGA Section Awards and Honors are distributed annually by the Carolinas PGA Section, as selected by the Special Awards Committee.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Burt's Bees launches new social media campaign

Burt’s Bees has launched a social media campaign that encourages women to “Lose the Bs” in their social media post, then use a #BringBackTheBees hashtag. For every post, the brand will plant 1,000 wild flowers so the bees will have more places to get busy and pollinate. The goal is to plant 1 billion flowers as a result of the effort.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Duke DivinitySchool names new dean

Elaine A. Heath, a theologian, preacher, teacher, writer, and current McCreless Professor of Evangelism at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, will be the next dean of the Duke Divinity School.

Bulldega market to open spring 2016

Bulldega market will open later this spring in downtown Durham’s City Hall Plaza. They will focus on sourcing as many local and regional products as possible but also plan on carrying staples like toilet paper, cleaning products, bread, and milk. 

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Duke University launches new website to introduce potential newcomers to Durham

Duke University launched a new website in February called Duke in Durham. The website was developed by the Office of Public Affairs and Government Relations to introduce Durham to people who are considering coming to work or study at Duke. It provides information about housing, schools, safety, health care and transportation. In addition, it lists attractions and places worth visiting in the city.

Monday, March 7, 2016

Transloc launches app to connect ridesharing, public transit

Local transportation technology company Transloc has launched its Uber-integrated app, called Transloc Rider, which incorporates multiple modes of transportation in a user’s commute. The App integrates Uber ride sharing, public transit and walking to offer several options with both prices and travel times.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Delta to renovate RDU Sky Club

The Delta Sky Club at RDU, will unveil their upgraded space and amenities around September, four months after the Paris flights begin. Upgrades include a new full bar and two new food service stands.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Mama's Hot Chicken food truck to hit streets April 15

Longtime Durham restaurateur Fergus Bradley and several partners are planning to launch the Mama’s Hot Chicken food truck, which will serve Nashville-style hot chicken, on April 15. 

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/mouthful-blog/article63368022.html#storylink=cpy

Duke University names West Campus quad in honor of Julian Abele

Duke University has recently named the main quad on West Campus for the black architect Julian Abele, who designed most of the university’s most iconic buildings such as Duke Chapel, Cameron Indoor Stadium and the Allen Building.

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Rent will return to DPAC

The 20th anniversary tour of the Broadway show “Rent” will make a stop at the Durham Performing Arts Center this fall. 

Hope Valley Bewing Company to open in the former City Beverage spot

Andrew Christenbury, former head brewer at Durham’s G2B, has partnered with Peter Michaels and Brad Strode to overhaul the City Beverage space and open Hope Valley Brewing Co. by St. Patrick’s Day. The pub will feature a range of their own craft beers and carry a wide selection of craft beers from across North Carolina and the world.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/mouthful-blog/article63169667.html#storylink=cpy

Friday, February 26, 2016

Alley 26 to offer "Kitchen Lab" menu

Alley Twenty Six has launched a test menu they call “Kitchen Lab.” New dishes and snacks will be tested with nightly specials available Tuesday through Thursday in addition to the regular bar snack menu and weekend specials.The menu will change weekly and be based off customer feedback and seasonality of food. 
Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/mouthful-blog/article62485972.html#storylink=cpy


Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/mouthful-blog/article62485972.html#storylink=cpy

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Carolina Glazed Donuts now open

Carolina Glazed donuts offers yeast and cake donuts, fritters and an option for filled doughnuts, you can pick your donuts and the filling, and get it filled on the spot. The options include cream, raspberry, lemon, and blueberry. The store is located at 5400 South Miami Blvd. 

Competition Dining to hold battle in Durham

Competition Dining is a series that pits chefs against one another in "Iron Chef-style" battles. The audience and a set of celebrity judges dine and then vote on several rounds to determine the winner. This year’s competitions will be held in Durham, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Wilmington, Raleigh and Charlotte. The Durham competitions will be held at Bay 7 at American Tobacco Campus April 18, 19 and 21.

Monday, February 22, 2016

DCABP welcomes new chairman

The Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, DCABP, welcomed new chairman Omar Beasley at Community Baptist Church Sunday. Beasley, who was elected by the committee’s members earlier this month, was sworn in as the replacement for former state senator and retiring Chairman Ralph Hunt.

New startup, Dog Friendly Durham to start tours February 27

Jason Parker has created a business called Dog Friendly Durham. They organize dog friendly tours of local establishments; all while helping local shelters in the process. Participating businesses for the first tour include Bull City Burger and Brewery, Pompieri Pizza, Geer Street Garden, Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ninth Street Bakery and Beer Durham, though Parker said the list has not been finalized. The first tour is set for Saturday, Feb. 27.

DPAC announces 2016-17 season

DPAC has just announced its "DREAM BIG" Season. Seven of eight shows are currently or have recently played on Broadway and the eighth is a hit from London's West End.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Durham restaurants featured in national publication's 'Trending Tables'

For the first time the Triangle has been included among the "large cities of culinary influence" that Nation's Restaurant News' features in each quarterly summary. Andrea Reusing's Restaurant at The Durham Hotel and Scott Howell's Bar Virgile are featured among four Triangle restaurants.

Local chefs and restaurants names semi-finalist for James Beard Foundation awards

Phoebe Lawless of Scratch Bakery and Matt Kelly of Mateo Tapas have been named semi-finalist for the annual James Beard Foundation awards.

Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce announces new President & CEO

The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has named Geoff Durham as its new President and CEO. Durham succeeds Casey Steinbacher who resigned in August of 2015 after eight years as Chamber president to pursue independent consultant work. Durham’s first day with the Chamber will be April 1.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

British Indian gastropub to take over BeyĂş Caffe space

The owners of Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub are teaming up with an Indian food truck owner to open an English gastropub featuring British and south Asian cuisine in the current Beyu Caffe.The new restaurant, will offer a wide range of English, European and local craft beers and a selection of single-malt scotch. Patel will serve up South Asian flavors with such dishes as curried Shepherd’s pie, chicken tikka masala and kabobs, as well as such pub classics as fish and chips and Scotch eggs.

Monday, February 15, 2016

NCCU experienced a 23 percent increase in enrollment for 2014-15 academic year

Enrollment growth at the North Carolina Central University , NCCU,  School of Education expanded by 23.3 percent for the 2014-15 academic year. Enrollment in NCCU’s bachelor’s and master’s degree teaching programs grew by the largest percent of all Schools of Education at the University of North Carolina System.

84 percent of survey respondents said Durham is a good place to live and work

Results of the joint city-county resident survey, which included 479 survey respondents, found the city to be a pleasant place to live, with 84 percent of respondents rating it a good place to live and work and 81 percent were satisfied with the quality of life in neighborhoods.The survey also showed respondents believe the city needed to improve on matters of transportation, including traffic flow, quality of public transportation and overall street maintenance.

Friday, February 12, 2016

Change in water taste and color possible in March

Beginning Saturday, Feb. 27, through Thursday, March 31, the City of Durham’s Department of Water Management will temporarily stop adding ammonia as a part of the water treatment disinfection process to meet annual state and federal water requirements. Residents may notice a change in the taste and color of their water during this time. Most of the flushing will be conducted Sundays through Thursdays between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. to minimize the impact.

Visitor spending up 8.5 percent since 2012

More than nine million people visited Durham over the last year, spending approximately $831 million in the area, generating about $47 million in tax revenue for local government, according to the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau’s annual report. Of those visitors, approximately 5.4 million visited Durham for day leisure, 2.6 million for day business, 1 million for overnight leisure and 300,000 for overnight business.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Southbound Durham Freeway traffic to shift on Friday

Traffic on the southbound Durham Freeway near, Briggs Avenue (Exit 10) and just north of Ellis Road (Exit 8), will need to pay attention to the new pattern beginning Friday, February 12. Motorists should use extra caution while traveling through the work zone as the new traffic alignment will include having barrier rails on both sides of the roadway in some sections.


Duke will be first major tenant in the 27 story Durham tower

Duke University has signed on as the first tenant in the 27 story One City Center tower. The lease includes 55,000 square feet of the building's 130,000 square feet of office space. The building project has about a 27-month construction timeline and is now on track to open the street-level retail spaces and the office floors by late 2017. 

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Big Bundts to take over Hummingbird Bakery space

Big Bundts, a baked goods business, will be taking over the Hummingbird Bakery space at 721 Broad St.starting March 1. 

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/mouthful-blog/article59132318.html#storylink=cpy

Monday, February 8, 2016

Picnic now open

Picnic Durham, is now open. They specialize in whole hog barbecue, fried chicken, and classic southern sides, along with progressive Southern restaurant fare such as North Carolina Crab Beignets, and Braised Short Ribs. Picnic will be open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and is located at 1647 Cole Mill Road.

Lucky Chicken opens at Northgate Mall

Lucky Chicken, a Peruvian chicken restaurant, has opened its third location at Northgate Mall. Owner Esther Ortiz has been serving her Peruvian rotisserie chicken and other dishes in the Triangle since 2008. In 2011, Lucky Chicken was named as the best Peruvian restaurant in the Triangle.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Durham and The Durham Hotel featured on the Today Show

Jacqui Gifford of Travel & Leisure recognized Durham and The Durham Hotel as a best weekend getaway for Valentine's Day romance or family time, on the Today Show  this morning.

Durham Parks and Recreation offers free programs to city residents

Durham Parks and Recreation is offering free programs, activities, and events to city residents as part of a new pilot program designed to encourage residents to get out and recreate more.The fitness center, open gym and computer lab offered at the Holton Career and Resource Center, 401 N. Driver St., is now open free to city residents. 

Durham seeks 2016 Golden Leaf Award nominations

The Durham City-County Appearance Commission, Keep Durham Beautiful, and the Durham City-County Environmental Affairs Board are now seeking 2016 Golden Leaf Awards nominations, which recognize new developments, buildings, and landscaping in Durham County that provide positive attributes to the built environment. Nomination categories, criteria, and deadlines can be found on Golden Leaf Awards website

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Only Burger to start serving breakfast

Only Burger will start serving breakfast on weekdays from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Monday-Friday at the American Tobacco Campus location, 529 Blackwell St.

Monday, February 1, 2016

Cocoa Cinnamon II has opened

Cocoa Cinnamon II has opened using a “beta phase” approach; fewer hours and smaller menus. They are located at 2627 Hillsborough Road. Visit their website for current hours and updates.

Friday, January 29, 2016

Duke Athletics strengthen their security at events

Duke Athletics will implement new operational changes beginning  Feb. 6, at the men’s home game against N.C. State. Up to 20 detectors will be stationed inside and outside of entrances and all those in attendance will be required to pass through to enhance security at sporting events. Other changes include individual entrances and exits no longer being accessible and after the game, the court will no longer be available to the public. 

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Several Durham venues to host 2016 Powerade State Games

The Powerade State Games of North Carolina, the largest multi-sport, amateur athletic sporting event will be held in the Triangle, will host events in Raleigh, Cary and Durham from June 4 - June 26, 2016.  Over 12,000 athletes will participate in athletics ranging from table tennis to wrestling. Durham will have several venues that host events such as Duke University, Durham Parks and Recreation locations and new this year, the American Tobacco Campus, which will host a one-time-only “pop-up” disc golf course that will wind its way through campus, including the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Duke University names new Engineering Dean

Duke University has named their new Engineering Dean; Ravi Bellamkonda. Currently, he is Professor and chair of the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University.  He will begin his position at Duke University August 1.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Durham trash and recycling pickup schedule delayed

Durham residents regular trash and recycling collections will be delayed by two days for the entire week of January 25-29.  Monday customers will have collections on Wednesday, Tuesday collections on Thursday, Wednesday customers on Friday, and Thursday customers on Saturday. Normal schedules will resume the following week. 

Duke Lemur Center welcomes its newest member

The Duke Lemur Center is celebrating the birth of a male lemur born to a sifaka lemur named Gisela, the daughter of Zoboomafoo, the late lemur, and star of the PBS children’s show. The tiny lemur, yet to be named,  arrived during the winter storm this past weekend. 

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Duke University's new partnership increasees access for high-achieving, low-income students

Duke University is partnering with QuestBridge, a California-based nonprofit that helps connect high-achieving, low-income students with selective universities by providing a single, digital meeting point where prospective students can find member universities, scholarship providers, enrichment programs, and employers. Students who apply and are accepted to Duke through the QuestBridge application process will receive full scholarships.

Teamworks signs deal with Arizona Cardinals

Teamworks, founded by former Duke Football player Zach Maurides, announced that the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals have enlisted its services to enhance team communication. The company is a  leading provider of collaboration software and has helped athletic teams, departments, and organizations across the country improve the way they share information and communicate.