The Raleigh Tribune

Beginning Friday, Feb. 26, the City of Raleigh temporarily will stop adding ammonia to its water treatment disinfecting process.

The change is required by the federal and state regulations governing the operation of the City’s water system.  The City will resume adding ammonia to the water treatment process on Friday, April 9.

Using ammonia in the treatment process helps reduce the amount of trihalomethanes, a byproduct formed when water is disinfected with chlorine. The six-week return to chlorine-only disinfecting is not expected to cause any significant increase in trihalomethanes. Trihalomethane levels are strictly regulated in drinking water, and the City of Raleigh has maintained compliance with all limits on trihalomethanes since regulations were put in place in 1981.

Some users of water may be affected by the temporary change in the treatment process. Water customers should be aware that residual traces of ammonia and chlorine must be removed from the water prior to use in fish aquariums and ponds, kidney dialysis and some commercial manufacturing of food and beverages.

The City also conducts flushing of the water distribution system during this period to hasten the change of chloramines to chlorine residual disinfectant. The flushing may cause some temporary minor discoloration in the water. The water is absolutely safe.  However, as a precaution, customers may check to see if their water is discolored before washing white clothes.

Water customers affected by this change include those who pay water bills to the City of Raleigh and to the towns of Rolesville, Garner, Knightdale, Wendell, Wake Forest and Zebulon.

Questions about this change in water treatment should be directed to Edward Buchan, environmental coordinator for the City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department, at 857-4540 or by mail at the City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department, P.O. Box 590, Raleigh, N.C. 27602.

Popularity: 14%

I was recently assigned to read the novel Huck Finn by Mark Twain, and to write an argumentative essay on the racial aspects of it, from my point of view.

During my research I found that teaching Huck Finn in American schools is as debatable today as it was fifty years ago. In other words, some people still object to the book and find it offensive.

We explored every possible avenue of why this was done, said, or not done. Why was Jim, the runaway slave, always left on the raft, and never went ashore? Why did he do most of the work? Was Huck racist? Why was Huck Racist? Why did Huck leave Jim on the raft for days on end?

But most of all, why did Huck seek to save Jim in the end? Why did he cry when Jim was sold back into slavery by the Duke?

I could go on and on with questions of why Huck did and said things … it is all very debatable.

But the main point we were asked in the end was: Did Huck change his attitude about slaves and slavery or did he only change his view of Jim?

So I pose two questions. If you have read Huck Finn cast a vote in this poll. I just want to see how many people have the same point of view about this quagmire as I do.

Popularity: 7%

The City of Raleigh is revamping its development code in the form of a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The UDO will support goals and policies in the City’s Comprehensive Plan, which was updated and approved by the City Council last fall.

The City is preparing a UDO that addresses contemporary development and zoning practices, and is easily understood by administrators, the public and the development community. The recently released Diagnostic & Approach Report identifies inconsistencies and gaps between the City’s current development code and the new Comprehensive Plan.

It proposes different approaches and potential solutions for the new code. The public is invited to review the report and participate in any of the three learning and review sessions the City of Raleigh is holding. Citizens and representatives of the development community will be able to ask questions and offer suggestions on preparing a UDO that facilitates quality development throughout Raleigh. Interested parties need to attend only one of the sessions as they will have the same format, though they will be held at different locations.

The learning and review sessions will be held: · Monday, March 15 from noon to 2 p.m. at All Saints Chapel, 110 S. East St.; · Monday, March 15 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Fletcher Opera Theater at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 East St.; and, · Tuesday, March 16 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Providence Baptist Church, 6339 Glenwood Ave.

To register to attend any of the learning and review sessions, email Newcode@ci.raleigh.nc.us. For more information, visit www.newraleighcode.com.

Check-in will be held 30 minutes prior to the start of each session. Light refreshments will be served. In compliance with the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Raleigh honors requests for accommodations at public meetings for individuals with disabilities. Requests can be served most effectively if notice is provided at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

To request special accommodations, call the City of Raleigh Public Affairs Department at 996-3000. To download a copy of the Diagnostic & Approach Report, go to www.newraleighcode.com. Citizens can offer written comment on the report through March 31 by visiting http://raleigh-consult.limehouse.com/portal. For more information about the UDO preparation process, including the three public learning and review sessions, contact Christine Darges in the City of Raleigh Department of City Planning at 516-2634 or Christine.darges@ci.raleigh.nc.us

Popularity: 11%

The second winningest team in college basketball history, coached by one of the top rated coaches in college basketball, plays a pitiful game against Florida State.

Nine first-half three pointers from Florida State, and turn over after turn over by UNC gives Florida State the edge to rally them to a 77-67 win over UNC.

What has become of this once great ACC basketball team … who can’t seem to buy a win?

Popularity: 8%

In a speech today to the Business Roundtable President Obama said there are challenges ahead and we cannot meet them by returning to business as usual.

Obama stepped on a few toes when he told Roundtable leaders, many planning to continue business as usual, we need to borrow less and produce more, generate more jobs here at home, and send more products overseas.

“As president of the United States, my interest is to reward leaders who have or are at least not disadvantage companies who are creating jobs and doing more business within the borders of this country,” Obama said. “That’s not anti business, it’s pro-American and I don’t apologize for it.”

He dismissed accusations that his current agenda would lead to socialism by reminding his audience that he is a president of the people with widely varying interest and needs, “We are all in this together,” he said.

Obama also congratulated Senate for coming together to pass a bill prior to his speech that will invest $15 billion to create more jobs in the United States through a series of tax incentives to businesses. Several Republicans broke party lines joining Democrats in a 70-28 vote.

Video of today’s speech below:

Popularity: 1%

Listen to Pat Buchanan and others speak on the “new world order,” what they believe is going on with “big money.”

Apparently it is not what the founding fathers intended.

I will comment on this in the near future, as soon as I get a break from school.

Bookmark this article and check back soon.

Popularity: 8%

The Raleigh City Council on Feb. 16 approved the minority and women owned (MWBE) business participation plan as presented by the construction manager-at-risk (CMAR), Clancy Theys/Archer Western, for the Clarence E. Lightner Public Safety Center.

The City of Raleigh goal for the project is to award of 15 percent of the total contract dollar value of all contracts, purchase orders, or other agreements to certified minority owned business enterprises and 15 percent to certified women owned business enterprises. The plan states that Clancy Theys/Archer Western will aggressively identify, recruit, and pre-qualify MWBE businesses.

One of the main considerations of the project team will be to “un-bundle” large scopes of work to the greatest practical extent to ensure that all solicitations are divided into small enough scopes to allow for bidding at a prime level by small and emerging minority-and-women-owned firms.

The MWBE business participation plan includes:

· Collaboration with the City of Raleigh Business Assistance Program to implement the plan and identity outreach strategies and prospective contractors and suppliers;

· The CMAR team will comply with the standards of achieving and documenting good faith efforts as outlined by the City of Raleigh and will expect the first-tier contractors to do so as well;

· Conduct a bidder’s interest campaign that provides intensive communication aimed at informing MWBEs and the minority business community about the project, including contracting opportunities;

· An aggressive outreach program to help identify, attract, and pre-qualify contractors, and build interest in and enthusiasm for the project;

· Clancy Theys/Archer Western will encourage first-tier subcontractors to meet the MWBE goal by forming alliances, joint ventures, or purchase agreements with MWBE contractors and/or awarding subcontracts to MWBE contractors. First-tier subs will adhere to or exceed the City of Raleigh’s standard for providing at least 10 days of notice to prospective second-tier bidders and suppliers;

· Continue to, conduct, attend and sponsor MWBE outreach and information sessions for other projects of our companies, and other organizations. These sessions help  identify and build relationships with as many MWBE contractors as possible;

· Develop and update a contractor database based upon the City’s database, that of the State of North Carolina Department of Administration’s uniform certification database, and MWBE databases of other jurisdictions and organizations. In addition, the CMAR will contact appropriate community and contractor organizations to build interest in the project and identify firms for participation;

· Verify MWBE certification by prospective contractors, and provide assistance, as needed, for prospective contractors to obtain MWBE certification, and;

· Make contact with contractors via advertising, networking, mail, fax, email, and  telephone for all of the projects activities.

CITY COUNCIL APPROVES MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS PLAN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER PROJECT

The MWBE Participation Plan will be monitored by the project management team and reviewed periodically by an officer of the joint venture. MWBE utilization reports will be submitted as required by the City.

The Clarence E. Lightner Public Safety Center is a proposed state-of-the-art facility of 16 stories and approximately 302,000 square feet on the corner of Hargett and McDowell streets. Sitting on the site of the 110 S McDowell Street Municipal Building, which currently houses City of Raleigh Police Department administrative functions, the proposed public safety center would consolidate the City’s public safety operations and other local government offices.

Popularity: 49%

Gallup-Healthways Poll Finds Area Tops in ‘Work Environment’

The Raleigh/Cary area has the highest well-being in the South and the nation’s top Work Environment Index. That is according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which placed the area third nationally among the nation’s most populous cities with an index of 68.6, just a smidgen behind Washington, D.C./Arlington/Alexandria, Va., at 69.1 and San Jose/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara, Calif., in first place with a composite score of 69.2.

The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index score measures for each area an average of six sub indexes which individually examine life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors and access to basic necessities. The overall composite score and each of the six sub indexes’ scores are calculated on a scale of 0 to 100.

Raleigh/Cary has the top score in the work environment index.  The report sated that: “citizens in Raleigh were much more likely than those in Cleveland to say they were satisfied with their jobs, they had a positive relationship with their supervisor, they were able to use their strengths at work, and they found their workplaces to be trusting environments.”

The Charlotte/Gastonia/Concord MSA placed 23^rd among the nation’s most populous areas.

The surveyors wrote of the findings: “Leaders should be mindful of the well-being of the residents in their respective cities, as it has potential ramifications for economic development, law and order, and a sense of shared pride and purpose. The results are based on telephone interviews with more than 353,000 American adults aged 18 and older. It was conducted Jan. 2 through Dec. 29, 2009.

The 52 areas referenced by the index in the “large cities” category are based on the Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget range from the New Orleans area with 969,000 persons to the New York City area with a population of 16,772.

Popularity: 6%

The global economic down turn is being felt in Raleigh. That is why the City needs to respond with action and courage.  That was the message delivered in Mayor Charles Meeker’s 2010 state-of-the-City address in the Raleigh Convention Center.

Now is the time to lead, he said, not stagnate in the sluggish wake of this recession. Now is the time to move on the $140 million Clarence Lightner Public Safety Center, he continued, to take advantage of lower interest rates and construction cost, while making certain that the Capital City has the public safety facilities it needs to maintain Raleigh’s status as a leading U.S. city well into the 21^st century.      A vote by the Raleigh City Council on the proposed public safety center at its Tuesday meeting is anticipated.

Mayor Meeker said that the current fiscal year’s operating budget reduced spending by nearly $2 million and cut 85 positions. Most importantly, he said, the budget does not reduce public safety spending and it maintains the City’s high standards of fiscal planning, management, control and reserves expected from the AAA quality credit rating Raleigh has.

The City’s current Capital Improvement Program is 18 percent less than the previous year’s program. However, the mayor pointed out, that reduction does not mean the City is standing still on necessary improvements.  He pointed to the May ground breaking for the Hillsborough Street Roundabouts Project. The $9.22 million is designed to revitalize the corridor and improve pedestrian access for the street that runs along North Carolina State University’s main campus. The improvements are on schedule to be completed in September. Mayor Meeker also referred to the $21 million transit operations center the City broke ground on in October.  The project is receiving $11.6 million from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act and will help to improve transit service throughout Raleigh for decades to come, he said.

Popularity: 8%

Approximately, 160 summer jobs will be made available for local youth through the City of Raleigh’s Summer Youth Employment Program.

The program, administered by the City’s Community Services Department, is designed for young people between the ages of 14 and 18 who live in the Raleigh City limits. The program seeks to develop good work habits and to stress both education and job experience as a prerequisite to a successful future. Youth selected for summer jobs will work between 20 and 35 hours each week. First and second-year participants in the program will earn $7.25 per hour.  Personal and career development workshops are conducted during the summer.

Interested youth can go to any one of 10 designated City locations to complete an application and prepare to be interviewed.  Applicants must have a clear photocopy of their Social Security card and any one of the following documents:

v North Carolina State-Issued Driver’s License (with photo)

v North Carolina State-Issued Learner’s Permit (with photo)

v Military Identification (with photo)

v North Carolina Identification Card (with photo)

Because of changes made by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles effective last Sept. 3, applicants should allow more time when obtaining original and renewed driver’s licenses, learner’s permits and identification cards. These documents are now produced at a central location and mailed to the applicant within 5 to 10 days. They are no longer issued to the applicant on the same day. Applicants who do not have the required documents will not be considered for summer employment with the City of Raleigh.

Applications for the City of Raleigh’s Summer Youth Program can be completed at the following locations during the listed dates and times:

Monday, March 1 Monday, March 15

3:30-5:30 p.m.                                                                           3:30-5:30 p.m.

Millbrook Exchange Park                                                           Chavis Community Center

Wednesday, March 3 Wednesday, March 17

3:30-5:30 p.m.                                                                           3:30-5:30 p.m.

Biltmore Hills Community Center                                                Tarboro Road Community Center

Friday, March 5 Friday, March 19

3:30-5:30 p.m.                                                                           3:30-5:30 p.m.

Lake Lynn Community Center                                                     Worthdale Community Center

Tuesday, March 9 Monday, March 22

3:30-5:30 p.m.                                                                           3:30-5:30 p.m.

Green Road Community Center                                                  Lions Park Community Center

Thursday, March 11 Thursday, March 25

3:30-5:30 p.m.                                                                           3:30-5:30 p.m.

Roberts Park Community Center                                                 Method Community Center

For more information, contact Linda G. Jones at the City of Raleigh Community Services Department, 996-5730, or email linda.jones@ci.raleigh.nc.us.

Popularity: 62%

The City of Raleigh is now offering its residents the opportunity to keep unwanted telephone directories out of the landfill.

Special containers for collecting telephone books are at five of the City’s seven drop-off recycling sites and at the North Carolina Department of Administration building. The telephone book collection boxes are labeled with bright yellow and blue banners and will be in place until May 1. Phone books are made of a low-quality grade of paper, and can not be deposited in the boxes designated for other materials or in the City-issued curbside recycling bins given to residents. The directories must be removed from plastic bags and placed in the box, not left on the ground. Do not leave any non-recyclable trash at the drop-off sites.

The six sites that are accepting old telephone books are:

· City of Raleigh Solid Waste Services Department, 400 W. Peace St. This site is accessible Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.;

· City of Raleigh Yard Waste Center, 900 N. New Hope Road. This site is accessible Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m.;

· Jaycee Park, 2405 Wade Ave.;

· North Boulevard Plaza at Mini City in the 4500 block of Capital Boulevard, adjacent to the Food Lion;

· EcoLube, 4901 Atlantic Ave. This site is accessible Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and,

· North Carolina Department of Administration building at 116 W. Jones St.

.

For more information, contact the City of Raleigh Solid Waste Services Department at 996-6890 or visit the City’s website at www.raleighnc.gov.

Raleigh residents may also recycle old telephone books year-round at all 11 Wake County Convenience Centers and the North Wake and South Wake Multi-Material Recycling Facilities.  Business owners may recycle phone directories only at the Multi-Material Recycling sites. For a list of Wake County recycling locations, call 856-6186 or visit www.wakegov.com.

Popularity: 100%

Video captures beating

A 15-year-old girl was accused of brutally beating another young girl in a Seattle bus tunnel as security guards stood by. KIRO-7’s Gary Horcher interviews the accused teen’s mother about the caught-on-tape attack.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Popularity: 13%

ACC 2010 Men’s Baseball Schedule

Popularity: 22%

Popularity: 4%

The Raleigh Historic Districts Commission (RHDC) is hosting a community forum to discuss the potential nomination of the Battery Heights subdivision to the National Register of Historic Places. The community forum will be held on Monday, Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. in the Roberts Park Community Center, 1300 E. Martin Street.

The event will include a brief presentation on the historic significance of Battery Heights and an opportunity for public comment on the National Register nomination draft. Citizens may visit RHDC’s website at www.rhdc.org to review and comment on the draft, which was recently submitted to the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office for its review and comment.

On Aug. 10, RHDC hosted a community forum to discuss the historic significance of four Raleigh subdivisions built between 1945 and 1965 and the benefits of designating these neighborhoods as National Register historic districts. In addition to Battery Heights, the subdivisions under study are Capitol Heights, Longview Gardens, and Madonna Acres.

For more information contact Martha Hobbs, Department of City Planning, martha.hobbs@ci.raleigh.nc.us or 516-2649.

Popularity: 65%

The Raleigh City Council, on Feb. 2, approved sponsorship participation for the second annual Run for Our Heroes 5K Race to be held Saturday April 24.

The run/walk is an event to honor the men and women who have lost their lives while serving the Capital City. The proceeds from the race will benefit the Raleigh Police Memorial Foundation and to assist officers participating in the Ride for Hope Bike Ride.

A memorial wreath laying ceremony in honor of the City of Raleigh Police Department’s fallen police officers starts the day off at 8:30 a.m.. The 5K Road Race kicks off at 9:00 a.m. and at 10:00 a.m. the McGruff “Crime Dog” Kids Dash will be held. For more information visit the Run for Our Heroes website at www.runforourheroes.org.

Raleigh Police Officers who lost their lives in the line of duty are:

Officer Thomas Crabtree            Officer Robert E. Sparks

Officer James G. Lee                Officer James W. Allen

Officer Delma D. Adams Officer Denise Holden

Detective Paul A. Hale   Officer Charles R. Paul

Information provided by the City of Raleigh

Popularity: 4%

Mayor Meeker

Mayor Charles Meeker will deliver his state-of-the-City address at noon on Monday, Feb. 15, in room 402 of the Raleigh Convention Center.

The public is invited to attend. Lunch is available for $13.

Popularity: 5%

Pack and Hee’l’s fans get ready!

North Carolina State University(NCSU) takes on the University of North Carolina (UNC) Saturday at 4:00 p.m. at Chapel Hill.

UNC stats so far this year are  13-11 overall and 2-7 in conference, and NCSU’s overall stats of 14-11 and in 2-8 in conference, neither to impressive.

Nonetheless, Saturday’s match should make for an exciting game for these two ACC legendary rivals.

Popularity: 2%

Reuse water treatment plant

On January 5, the Raleigh City Council received a report detailing proposed water conservation restrictions. Under the proposed rules, as a drought increases, tighter and tighter regulations are applied for activities such irrigation and other non-essential water use.

An exception is made for the application of reuse water. Reuse or reclaimed water is highly treated wastewater that is not suitable for human consumption but can be used for such non potable uses as irrigation, process cooling, dust control and soil compaction in construction, concrete production, decorative ponds and fountains, street sweeping and fire fighting.

The City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department offers high quality reuse water to the public for irrigation and other non-potable uses. The water is available in bulk quantities to customers Monday through Friday at the following locations:

• The Neuse River Wastewater Treatment Plant, located at 8500 Battle Bridge Road in Raleigh;
• The Smith Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant at 8505 Ligon Mill Road in Wake Forest;
• The Little Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant at 1419 N.C. 39 South in Zebulon; and,
• The E.M. Johnson Water Treatment Plant at 10301 Falls of Neuse Road in Raleigh.

Reuse water is made available for bulk pickup by individuals or companies at these specific locations following training in accordance with the City of Raleigh’s approved procedures and North Carolina Division of Water Quality permit requirements. Attendees must schedule training classes at least 48 hours in advance by contacting Marla Dalton, Environmental Coordinator for Public Utilities at 662-5700 or by email at Marla. Dalton@ci.raleigh.nc.us. After the driver training session, tanks used for transport are inspected by City staff for compliance and once the  equipment is approved, it is identified for use. The truck driver may then load the truck with reuse water.

Initial line segments of the southeastern Raleigh reuse distribution system which are part of the Reuse Water Master Plan which was approved by City Council on  March 20, 2007 has reached substantial completion and testing has begun. The City is proceeding with service connections with identified businesses and industries, and is working to identify others that may be interested in taking advantage of this opportunity to contribute to the preservation of potable water supply, recycle organic nutrients and reduced environmental impacts through the sustainable use of water resources.  The final project scope will also serve the City’s Walnut Creek Softball Complex, Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, Raleigh Country Club and River Ridge Golf Courses, North Carolina State University’s Centennial Campus, Cargill Incorporated, Wake County Schools and other City of Raleigh Parks.

Popularity: 5%

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The shots kept clanging off the rim – open look after open look – yet Mike Krzyzewski repeatedly told his Duke players not to get frustrated. Eventually, he told them, the shots would fall.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/2010/02/11/2010-02-11_scheyer_duke_pull_away_down_stretch_to_beat_archrival_north_carolina_6454.html#ixzz0fEfRKkkG

Popularity: 2%

Rough show to work on! While killing time last night waiting for their special guest, MVP Saints quarterback Drew Brees , to show up, David Letterman thought he would throw the pigskin around with his crew …

Read the rest of the story

Popularity: 2%

Game on tonight at 9:00 p.m. ESPN

Duke hasn’t been able to pull away for a big lead in the ACC. Shockingly, North Carolina isn’t one of its top competitors.

Holding on to a slim conference edge, the eighth-ranked Blue Devils seem to have an excellent chance to end their struggles against the floundering Tar Heels on Wednesday when the arch-rivals meet at Chapel Hill.

Duke (19-4, 7-2) has a half-game lead over Maryland and a one-game lead over Wake Forest atop the ACC heading into its final eight contests of the regular season. North Carolina (13-10, 2-6), which finished ahead of the Blue Devils the past two seasons, isn’t even in the picture.

View the rest of the story: http://new.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/schedules

Popularity: 3%