Call them backyard cottages, granny flats, or detached unitssmall, livable additions on the same lot as a first house, but unconnected. They’ve existed in some form or another in North Carolina since colonial times and were widespread by the 1800s. In zoning jargon, they’re known as accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. Some Raleigh residents have […]
Thomas Goldsmith
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Nancy McFarlane Cruises to Fourth Term as Raleigh Mayor
Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane scored a convincing victory to earn a fourth term Tuesday, despite an all-out challenge from political newcomer Charles Francis, a Democrat. Unofficial Wake County Board of Elections totals with all 108 precincts reporting gave McFarlane 58 percent of the vote, with 42 percent going to Francis. Her totals and lead were […]
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Wake Commissioners Vote for $23.4M Conversion of Crooked Creek Golf Course to County Park, With Conditions
Faced with an estimated cost of $23.4 million through 2022, a stack of legal questions, and an audience eager to convert the former Crooked Creek golf course, the Wake County Board of Commissioners voted Monday to turn the Fuquay-Varina course into a park. However, the move came with many conditions. That is, the measure the […]
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Downtown Raleigh Association Names Kristopher Larson as President and CEO
Kristopher Larson, the chief executive officer of Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., in Michigan, will return to Raleigh to become president and CEO of the nonprofit Downtown Raleigh Association. The DRA announced Thursday afternoon that Larson would take the position in January. Former News & Observer publisher Orage Quarles III has held the post on an […]
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The Last Week of the Raleigh Mayoral Campaign Has Been Defined by LGBTQ Issues
Gay rights have emerged as a contentious issue in the Raleigh mayoral race, creating some of the most heated rhetoric to date. Both Mayor Nancy McFarlane and Democratic challenger Charles Francis refer to themselves as strong supporters of LGBTQ rights. However, both have encountered sometimes-oblique criticism of their records. On October 23, Equality NC’s political […]
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Wake Commissioners and School Board Members Haven’t Gotten Over This Year’s Budget Fight
Sometimes wounds have to be ripped open before they can heal. That was the conclusion reached by leaders of Wake County’s government and school system Monday. The subject was smoothing the path to an agreement on how to pay for educating the 161,755 students projected to attend Wake schools next year. The Board of Education […]
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Meeting on Community Engagement Board Focuses on Talks from NCSU Profs
A Monday Raleigh City Council meeting aimed at starting to define Raleigh’s new Community Engagement Board relied on mostly general presentations from two N.C. State professors, with some Raleigh-specific discussion and response from members. The concept of a Community Engagement Board passed on a 5–3 vote during a May 2 council meeting, but many details […]
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Raleigh Mayoral Race Rhetoric Heats Up Over Candidates’ Dueling Views of LGBTQ Support
Gay rights have emerged as a contentious issue in the Raleigh mayoral race, creating some of the most heated rhetoric of the contest to date. Incumbent Mayor Nancy McFarlane and Democratic challenger Charles Francis both refer to themselves as strong supporters of LGBTQ rights and people. However, both have encountered sometimes oblique recent criticism of […]
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Raleigh Mayoral Candidate Francis Received $20,600 in Donations from Antigay Former Senator Fred J. Smith, Smith’s Wife, and Two of His Sons
Charles Francis, Democratic candidate for mayor in a November 7 runoff, has received a total of $20,600 in donations from former Republican state Senator Fred J. Smith, Smith’s wife and two of his sons, campaign records show. In an interview, Francis strongly disputed the relevance of the funds, which amounted to about 10 percent of […]