Raleigh’s elected officials voted 6-1 earlier this month to allow a charter school to build inside a natural resource buffer designed to protect the water quality of Falls Lake. The decision marks the city’s first-ever exemption to protections established in the 1980s to control stormwater flooding and protect the city’s drinking source. “This is not […]
Matt Saldaña
Posted inNews
751 Assemblage partners give additional $1,500 to Brenda Howerton
Alex Mitchell and Tyler Morris, majority partners in Southern Durham Development, the company seeking to develop the massive “751 Assemblage” project in the Jordan Lake watershed, contributed a combined $1,500 in November to Brenda Howerton’s 2008 campaign for election to the Durham County Board of Commissioners, according to fourth-quarter reports released Monday: brenda_howerton_12jan2009 Howerton reported […]
Posted inCulture
Duke defeats Stephen Curry, Davidson, begins ACC road trip
CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM/DURHAM – Thursday night, Duke kept a sleeping giant relatively subdued, holding the best college-basketball guard in the country to eight first-half points–and surviving a late run in the second half–to defeat Davidson, 79-67. All eyes were on Stephen Curry, the player who last year led his 23rd-ranked team to the Elite Eight, […]
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Raleigh approves exemption to Falls Lake protected buffer
In a 6-1 vote, with Thomas Crowder dissenting, Raleigh City Council approved a variance request on Tuesday allowing Quest Academy, a public charter school, to build a new facility within a 100-foot natural resource buffer zone surrounding in the Falls Lake watershed. Philip Isley was absent for the vote. The variance approval was the first […]
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Durham County, facing $14 M shortfall, eyes big construction
Durham County Manager Mike Ruffin told commissioners Monday night that they faced a $14.25 million budget shortfall, and needed to make an additional $5 million in budget cuts to balance the books. Ruffin’s most significant recommendation was to cut spending on Durham Public Schools by $3 million. He also recommend lowering spending on Durham Technical […]
Posted inCulture
Duke 69, VT 44; Blue Devils roll past Hokies, move up to No. 2
CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM/DURHAM – In their first game versus an ACC opponent this season, No. 2 Duke held Virginia Tech to 13 points in the second half, and came away with an impressive 25-point victory Sunday night. Today, the team advanced three spots in the national rankings, up from No. 5 last week. Kyle Singler […]
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DPAC naming rights: A gift that keeps on giving
Well, the opportunity for half-price entry to a “Grand Opening Gala” has come and gone. (Turns out, they held one for free.) But plenty of reasons remain to add your name or a loved one’s to a seat, door or concession stand at the Durham Performing Arts Center. For the modest sum of $8,000, for […]
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The N&O’s Wachovia interview: heavy on predictions, light on context
The News & Observer ran a one-source news story in today’s business section that reported on a meeting between “executives and journalists” at the paper and Mark Vitner, a Wachovia economist. The piece essentially consisted of Vitner’s prediction that the recession would last until mid-2009 (really?), and his admission that banks “fishtailed a little bit” […]
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The fog is lifting
For the past week, it’s felt like we were inhabiting Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic highway in “The Road” (and not just because of the canned pears). Now, it seems, the fog is lifting: the sun is showing signs of its existence, and the temperature may reach 70 today.
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N.C. Department of Correction shuns Durham
The News & Observer’s recent investigative series on North Carolina’s failed probation system reserved particular blame for the Division of Community Corrections, the state agency in charge of hiring local probation officers and overseeing probationers. Since 2000, 580 probationers under the watch of the Division were convicted of murder or manslaughter, the series found. Meanwhile, […]
