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It’s Monday, August 26.

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Good morning, readers. 

The City of Raleigh is one step closer to approving its plan to close a block of South Street to make way for a new Red Hat Amphitheater.

At last week’s city council meeting, the council approved a resolution that would close South Street to traffic, a move that has received some pushback from residents living in the nearby Boylan Heights and Heritage Park neighborhoods. The council also took steps to purchase an adjacent .19-acre parcel of land from N.C. DOT that will provide more space for the expansion. 

The Red Hat move has been controversial. While business owners say it’s crucial to their operations that Red Hat remain downtown, residents are concerned about the impacts of closing South Street to traffic. Broadly, residents have criticized the city’s process of engaging residents and informing them about the move. 

On Tuesday, Kerry Painter, the city’s executive director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, explained how the city came to its decision to move the amphitheater and why it chose the option involving the South Street closure. It’s part of a larger plan to expand the city’s convention center and build a nearby hotel. 

“Having the [amphitheater] expansion brings in more bodies, brings in more business, [fills] more hotel rooms, helps all boats rise,” Painter said. 

The city will hold one more community engagement event before it is scheduled to vote on the move on September 17. 

Read about the city’s plans here. 

Have a good Monday.

—Jane

Durham

The price tag for the newly approved Durham School of the Arts is much higher than its peer schools in other NC districts. 

Op-Ed: A hunger-free Durham could exist, but the city government needs to join the fight against food insecurity. 

ICYMI: Mayor Leo Williams spoke at the Democratic National Convention last week.

Wake

St. Augustine’s employees are receiving paychecks again.

Orange

Carrboro town council member Eliazar Posada is LGTBQ advocacy nonprofit Equality NC’s new executive director.

North Carolina

Former Democratic state auditor Beth Wood, who resigned after wrecking a state vehicle, endorsed GOP candidate David Boliek for auditor in this year’s election over Jessica Holmes, her Democratic successor whom Gov. Roy Cooper appointed to the position.

Today’s weather

Clear with a high of 92 degrees.

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