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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.