 It's 919, not 9-1-1. Dial Carefully
Ten-digit dialing has arrived and callers are asked to please proceed
carefully.
Careless dialing is causing some problems with the Raleigh-Wake
Emergency Communications Center. Misdials and hang-up calls related to the new
dialing requirements are slowing 9-1-1 dispatchers’ response time and overtaxing
operators receiving calls. On Saturday alone, Raleigh Police were dispatched to
103 incidents where callers erroneously dialed 9-1-1 and hung up. Other agencies
dispatched by the facility also saw increases in volume.
The problem worsened
with the beginning of the business week. On April 2, the 9-1-1 center received
erroneous 195 calls. That is almost five times more erroneous calls than it
would have normally received. On Tuesday, 168 of the time-wasting calls required
dispatching a police officer. These totals do not take into account instances
where callers remained on the line or who answered verification call-back
efforts from dispatchers.
Residents are
reminded that if they dial 9-1-1
accidentally, they should stay on the line and talk to the 9-1-1
dispatchers. Misdials and hang-up calls divert resources away from
actual emergencies since
dispatchers must dial back on hang-ups to assure that an emergency is
not taking
place. If no response is received from the call-back, dispatchers will
send a
police officer to the source of the call to make certain that no
assistance is
needed.
The new 10-digit dialing system is intended to accommodate the
growing need for telephone numbers in the area served by the 919 area code. In
order to meet the need for new numbers, the new 984 area code applies to the
same geographical area as the 919 area code. All customers within the 919/984
geographical area will need to dial the appropriate three-digit Area Code
followed by the seven-digit telephone number when dialing a 919 or a 984
number.
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City Council Selects Consultant for West Street Extension
The Raleigh City Council voted unanimously today to select Michael Baker Engineering Inc. of Cary to conduct an environmental study for the proposed West Street extension project. City staff was authorized to negotiate a contract with the firm.
Completion of the study is required before any federal funds can be used on either the West Street extension or Phase 1 of the planned Union Station project.
In February, the City Council authorized City staff to issue a request for qualifications from consultant firms for the West Street extension environmental study. City staff reviewed submitted proposals and recommended Michael Baker Engineering.
The City is considering an extension of South West Street between West Cabarrus Street and West Martin Street in Downtown Raleigh as part of the proposed Union Station project. Union Station would be a hub connecting Raleigh’s multiple transportation modes, including Capital Area Transit bus service; Triangle Transit’s regional bus service; long-distance bus service (Greyhound); Amtrak rail service; the Silver Star, Carolinian and Piedmont rail services; and future local and regional rail transit; including high-speed rail services.
The existing Amtrak Station on Cabarrus Street no longer can adequately serve an increasing number of rail passengers and must be replaced with a larger facility. The North Carolina Department of Transportation is leading a study to determine the feasibility of using a warehouse built in the 1940s to accommodate Union Station. The vacant warehouse, owned by the Triangle Transit Authority, is located on the west end of Martin Street near railroad tracks. If it is deemed feasible, the renovated warehouse would be first-phase development of the Union Station facility, which is expected to further enhance economic development on Downtown’s west end.
Last October, Raleigh voters approved a $40 million transportation bond issue that included $3 million in improvements for the planned Union Station project.
For more
information, contact Eric Lamb, Manager, Office of Transportation Planning, 919-516-2161
Hearing Continued for Proposed Stanhope Center II Site Plan
The Raleigh City Council has continued an evidentiary hearing on a proposed preliminary site plan for the Stanhope Center II project on Hillsborough Street. Council members agreed Tuesday night to continue the hearing until their next regular meeting on April 17 at 1 p.m. in the council chamber at the Avery C. Upchurch Government Complex, 222 W. Hargett St.
The proposed Stanhope Center II mixed-use project would be located on the south side of Hillsborough Street between Concord Street and Friendly Drive. The 4.5-acre site would include:
- 156 multi-family dwelling units;
- 36,914 square feet of retail space;
- 12,630 square feet of restaurant uses;
- 43,090 square feet of office space; and,
- A parking deck with 1,037 spaces.
For more
information, contact Mitchell Silver, Chief Planning and Development Officer,
919-516-2625
 City Council Votes to Move Forward With Bonds
The Raleigh City Council voted unanimously today to approve the issuance of two sets of authorized bonds.
The
proposal consists of the issuance of up to $138.6 million in general
obligation bonds (Series 2012B) and up to $9 million in two-thirds
general obligation bonds (Series 2012A).
The
$138.6 million in general obligations bonds were approved by Raleigh
voters in past referendums to finance various public improvements. They
include:
- $30 million in street improvement bonds approved in 2005;
- $88.6 million in parks and recreation facilities bonds approved in 2007; and,
- $20 million in transportation bonds approved last October.
The
$9 million in two-thirds general obligation bonds consist of $7.5
million for parks and recreational facilities bonds and $1.5 million for
land acquisition bonds. The City administration has proposed to use the
two-thirds general obligation bonds for the following special projects:
Second-phase
development of the Annie Louise Wilkerson, M.D. Nature Preserve Park in
north Raleigh. This would include converting the Wilkerson residence
into an education center for the City’s first nature preserve;
A
new tennis complex next to Barwell Road Community Center in southeast
Raleigh. The complex would consist of 18 regular courts, eight smaller
“quick start” courts and a clubhouse;
Upgrades to the City’s Dix soccer fields off of Western Boulevard and to the WRAL Soccer Center on Perry Creek Road; and,
An
urban agricultural center just south of Downtown off of Garner Road.
The center would offer crop sales, research, education, community
outreach and job training programs.
The
City Council will determine if these projects or other qualified
projects are funded by the two-thirds general obligation bonds.
Two-thirds
general obligation bonds are a long-term financing option available to
local governments in North Carolina under state law. The bond total can
be up to two-thirds of the amount by which the municipality reduced its
outstanding general obligation indebtedness in the preceding fiscal
year.
In past
years, the City of Raleigh has issued two-thirds general obligation
bonds to finance capital projects. These include City Plaza and the
Raleigh Amphitheater, both Downtown, and roundabouts on Hillsborough
Street.
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Council Approves Plan to Build Reclaimed Water Service to Centennial Campus, LLC
The Raleigh City Council April 3 approved a recommendation from the Water Utility Transition Advisory Taskforce that construction of a reclaimed water extension to the North Carolina State University Centennial Campus, LLC be completed as originally planned. The reclaimed water will be used to irrigate the Lonnie Poole Golf Course and will serve as a connection point for future projects at Centennial Campus.
The Lonnie Poole Golf Course serves as the venue for the men's and women's varsity golf teams. The course also serves as a teaching and training facility for the Professional Golf Management Program in the College of Natural Resources and is the site for turf-grass and stormwater research conducted by the North Carolina State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
This phase of the reclaimed water distribution system represents a critical segment of the infrastructure needed to support future direct or indirect potable water reuse opportunities. Construction cost is budgeted at $4.87 million. A zero-interest loan from the North Carolina Clean Water State Revolving Fund will finance this project.
The City Council also approved a recommendation that the City of Raleigh seek and support legislation with the North Carolina General Assembly that would facilitate and support construction of reclaimed water distribution systems and promote opportunities to use reclaimed water to supplement potable water-supply sources such as reservoirs and rivers.
City Council also approved a new reclaimed water irrigation rate to be equal to half of the potable water irrigation rate or $2.54 per 100 cubic feet for customers located inside the City and $5.08 per 100 cubic feet for customers located outside City. The rate will be implemented July 1, along with any other rate modifications approved by City Council during the budget process.
The rates for reclaimed water use not associated with irrigation will remain unchanged until such time as the Council adopts new rates for water and sewer volumetric charges. The new reclaimed water irrigation rate provides a more accurate reflection of full cost recovery, which is the long-term goal described in the Water Utility Transition Advisory Taskforce Guiding Principles document.
City Council Approves Land Acquisition for Fire Station 29
The Raleigh City Council, on April 3, approved the acquisition of two parcels for the construction of Fire Station 29.
The City of Raleigh Fire Department has been working with Williard Ferm Architects, P.A. for the development of the Fire Station 29 site located at 12113 Leesville Road. As a part of the design process it became apparent that the assemblage of additional property would greatly reduce the construction cost of the facility.
The Council approved the condemnation of a .09 acre property on Leesville Road adjacent to property acquired in 2009 for Fire Station 29. Negotiations with the property owners have been complicated by potential title issues.
In addition, the City Council also approved a land swap between the City of Raleigh and The Angus Barn Properties, LLC for land located at 12191 Leesville Road. The value of the 3.89 acres of property owned by the City is approximately $200,000. The 2.48 acres of property owned by The Angus Barn Properties, LLC is valued at approximately $200,000. The Angus Barn property is divided by a stream that land locks the rear acreage and abuts property the City acquired for a future park. The exchange will allow the Angus Barn property access to a future road that will tie in to Leesville Road.
Blount Street and Person Street Corridor Plan Study Moving Forward
The Raleigh City Council, on April 3, approved the selection of AECOM to assist the City with the Blount Street and Person Street Corridor Plan Study. The AECOM team includes Alta/Greenways and Susan Hatchell Landscape Architecture, PLLC.
The study will cover the entire Blount Street and Person Street corridor, from a point 400 feet north of the intersection of Wake Forest Road at Old Louisburg Road to a point 800 feet south of the intersection of Hammond Rd at I-40. The project will feature at least four subareas for transportation analysis, streetscape design and community outreach. The selected team will perform analysis at the subarea scale and full project corridor scale, with acknowledgement of potential impacts to the broader transportation system.
The study will provide detailed multi-modal transportation and streetscape recommendations based upon stakeholder input and a thorough understanding of community values, history, and future development scenarios. Blount Street and Person Street Corridor Plan Study study will include detailed transportation scenario models, streetscape plans, and analysis of the potential impacts to community character and economic development potential, as well as recommendations, cost estimates and strategies for project implementation. The study also will provide implementable strategies for improving the multi-modal functionality of the corridors as well as the communities and districts the corridors encompass.
The study will provide multiple opportunities for public input from stakeholders in the area. It is anticipated that the study will begin this summer with completion by mid-2013.
For more information, contact Elizabeth Alley at the City of Raleigh Urban Design Center at 919- 807-8477
Approval Given to Lease
Purchase Agreement for Parking Spaces in Blount Street
Deck
The
Raleigh City Council voted unanimously on April 3 to approve a lease purchase
agreement involving 396 parking spaces in the City’s Blount Street Deck. Edison
Land LLC, a development company, wants to use the parking spaces to support a
planned nearby 320-unit apartment project with ground-level retail
space.
The lease purchase agreement was approved subject to the
upset bid process. The City has a similar lease purchase agreement with Edison
Land for 300 additional parking spaces in the Blount Street Deck to support a
239-unit apartment and ground-level retail planned for the deck’s south side.
The parking deck is located at 314 S. Blount St. in Downtown Raleigh.
The lease purchase agreement approved for the 396 parking
spaces covers a 20-year period starting in 2015. Payments would total $10.9
million over the 20 years, or $27,620 per space. At the end of the 20-year
agreement, Edison Land would own the 396 parking spaces. At anytime during the
lease, Edison can exercise its option to purchase the spaces at a cost equaling
the total of the remaining lease payments. The City will retain the right to
lease the spaces during daytime hours whenever residents of the apartment
project are not using them.
Construction of the 320-unit apartment that will be
served by the 396 parking spaces is scheduled to begin by Oct. 1, 2013, with
completion in March 2015. If construction does not start by Oct. 1, 2013, either
the City or Edison Land can terminate the lease purchase agreement
City Council Approves South Person/South Blount Historic Overlay District
On April 3, the Raleigh City Council approved Z- 21-11 South Person Street/South Blount Historic Overlay District by a vote of 5-3.
The South Person/South Blount Historic Overlay District is comprised of 23.39 acres and is located in the general vicinity of South Person and South Blount streets between East Davie and East South streets. The underlying zoning on these properties is a mix of Residential Business, Neighborhood Business and Business districts.
The district is historically mixed-use and walkable to Downtown. The district is historically, architecturally and culturally significant, possessing a mix of residential, commercial, institutional, and community landmark resources representative of African American life in Raleigh from the late nineteenth century through the beginning of the era of integration.
Although the South Person/South Blount District’s houses were generally small, many possessed stylish exteriors, as demonstrated by surviving examples. The mixed residential-commercial character was acquired by mid-century. In the 1950s, the project area’s non-domestic architecture began to show the influence of modernism. The mid-twentieth century reached the high water mark of residential, commercial, and institutional development in the project area.
Building types within the district
include:
- Shotgun houses;
-
“Triple-A” houses;
- two-story Victorian-style houses;
- Craftsman-style bungalows;
- vernacular houses;
- foursquare-form house;
- Gothic-inspired architecture
(churches); and,
- industrial/commercial form
buildings from the early twentieth century.
Within the Historic Overlay District is the site of the Deluxe Hotel, formerly the Lewis Hotel. The hotel was located at 220 East Cabarrus Street. The Deluxe Hotel and Lightner Arcade were the only hotel accommodations for African Americans in Raleigh during the Jim Crow era. Famous guests included the bands of Nat King Cole, Cab Calloway, and Louis Armstrong. The Deluxe, built in 1923 and renamed in 1948, was destroyed by fire in 1992.
A Historic Overlay District is intended to preserve and protect areas, structures and buildings that are considered to be a valued and important asset, and have special significance in terms of one or more of the following: history, prehistory, archaeology, architecture and culture. The buildings also possess integrity of design, setting, materials, feeling and association.
For more information, contact Martha Lauer, Planning and
Development Department, 919- 516-2649
4th Annual Run for Our Heroes to Be
April 28
Register by April
14 to Guarantee a Race T-shirt
The Raleigh Police Memorial Foundation will hold the
Fourth Annual Run for Our Heroes 5K race on Saturday, April 28. Participants
are urged to register by April 14 to receive a Run for Our Heroes T-shirt.
Last year more than 1300
participated in the event. All proceeds from the race will go to the
foundation’s fund to build a memorial to the eight Raleigh Police Officers who
lost their lives in the line of duty. A ceremonial wreath-laying to honor the
sacrifice and lives of the fallen officers will be held at 8:30 a.m. in Nash
Square, across Hargett Street from the Avery C. Upchurch Government Complex and
the former Raleigh Police Department’s headquarters. The presenting sponsors of
the fourth annual Run for Our Heroes are the City of Raleigh, CARQUEST, IBM,
Local Government Federal Credit Union and the Wake County New Vehicle Dealer's
Association.
The 5K race/walk
follows a certified course in hip/historic Downtown Raleigh. The race starts at
9 a.m. on Dawson Street and circles Downtown, past the state Capitol, north to
William Peace University, south past the Governor’s Mansion and back west to
Nash Square. The course is mostly flat.
Everyone is invited to participate in the 4th Annual
Run for Our Heroes – runners, walkers, adults, kids and supporters. The entry
fee is $25 before April 16 and $30 after that date. For registration
information, visit www.runforourheroes.org or contact Kim Swinson at
919-996-1233. To register online and pay by credit card, visit
www.SPORToften.com
At 10 a.m., the
McGruff Crime Dog 100-Yard Kids Dash will be held at Nash Square. The dash is
for children ages 10 and younger. The entry fee is $5.
A free social for event participants will follow the
race at Napper Tandy’s Restaurant 126 North West Street.
The Raleigh Police Memorial Foundation is dedicated to
honoring the lives and memories of police officers who made the ultimate
sacrifice in the performance of their duty while serving the City of Raleigh.
The foundation is a charitable, non-profit, private organization and is separate
from the City of Raleigh Police Department. For more information visit the
Raleigh Police Memorial Foundation website at
http://rpdmemorial.org/.
The eight
fallen offices and the dates of there deaths are: Tom Crabtree, Sept. 1, 1922;
Robert Sparks, March 8, 1968; James Lee, Dec. 5, 1968; James Allen, Dec. 5,
1968; D.D. Adams, Feb. 3, 1980; Denise Holden, Aug. 4, 1995; Paul Hale, July 11,
1997; and Charles Paul, Sept. 10, 2002.
New Appointees Made To City Boards
Joanne Casey was appointed to the City of Raleigh Arts
Commission. Larry Larson was appointed to the City of Raleigh Environmental
Advisory Board. Shaheda F. Maroof was appointed to the Human Relations
Commission. Lorenzo Jackson was appointed to the City of Raleigh Parks,
Recreation, and Greenway Advisory Board. Shelia Jones was reappointed to the
Human Relations Commission.
Raleigh residents have the
opportunity to volunteer their services to the City to serve without pay on
various boards, commissions and committees. Some of these groups are established
in the City Charter. Others are created by the Mayor or City Council to perform
special, limited functions.
Where not specified by law, it is the City’s
policy to appoint citizens to serve two-year terms with a maximum of six
consecutive years of service on any specific board or commission. Citizens may
serve on no more than two commissions, boards or committees concurrently.
For
more information, visit the City’s website at
www.raleighnc.gov and enter
“boards, commissions and committees” in the search box.
Council Approves Offer on Berkshire Downs West Property
The Raleigh City Council today agreed to submit a back-up offer of $78,500 for
the acquisition of property at 8341 McGuire Drive. If the offer is not accepted,
the committee recommended that staff submit offers for other properties in the
Berkshire Downs West Community.
The City is currently looking to acquire
property in the community to provide after-school programming and a quasi-police
sub station. The City of Raleigh’s Parks and Recreation Department, Raleigh
Police Department, and City of Raleigh Community Development Department are
planning to be joint partners in the process. City staff has examined a number
of available properties in the community but have not found one that is
sufficient. The property at 8341 McGuire Drive has a pending contract for its
purchase. However, two previous offers on the property were not accepted.
Council Reaches Agreement With NCDOT on Bridge at Auburn-Knightdale Road
The Raleigh City Council today approved an agreement with the North Carolina
Department of Transportation that will keep the Neuse River Greenway Trail open
during the replacement of the Neuse River Bridge on Auburn Knightdale Road. The
City is building the Neuse River Greenway Trail, which will be completed before
the bridge replacement begins.
Under the terms of the agreement, the bridge
will include two 12-foot lanes, four-foot offsets for bicycle accommodations,
and a sidewalk more than five-feet wide on the northwest side. During the
construction of the bridge, greenway access will not be restricted and the State
will repair any damage caused to the trail by the construction. There will
be no costs for the City.
Public Hearing Set for May 1 to Consider Lake Wheeler Road Improvements
The Raleigh City Council will hold a public hearing on May 1 to consider the
final authorization of improvements scheduled for
Lake Wheeler Road. The project
consists of adding left-turn lanes at the Carolina Pines and Sierra Drive
intersections, and installing pedestrian accommodations along the west side of
Lake Wheeler Road from Centennial Parkway to Tryon Road. An asphalt path will be
installed along existing shoulder sections where there is available right of
way. Sidewalk will be added in areas of existing curb and gutter, as well as
areas of proposed curb and gutter where there is limited right of way.
For more information, contact Sylvester Percival, Public Works Department, 919-996-3030
Justice Theater Begins Seventh Year with New Piece
Raleigh’s Justice Theater Project defines itself as an advocacy, activist
theater group. The mission of The Justice Theater Project goes beyond the
conventions of story-telling and aims to use drama and fiction as tools to
garner attention for the needs of the poor, the marginalized, and the
oppressed.
“We use the performing arts as a lens aimed towards issues of
social concern,” said Deb Royals Mizerk, the theater’s artistic director. “We
have never been about trying to hit people over the head on how they should feel
or think. But if the performance can shift opinions on social concerns or if we
can get our audience into a conversation with the people around them, then we
have certainly accomplished our mission.”
Mrs. Royals-Mizerk said that there
is a misconception that the theater sometimes carries a political agenda. She
hopes that performances will make audience members feel a sense of
responsibility or ownership for the social concerns that surround all of
us.
“The only way to think about those things and provide a just response is
to shift,” she said. “It’s not about change. It’s just a shift, even if it’s a
shift towards fear or confusion. The experience of the performance can put you
in an emotional place. We are all responding internally to what we see and hear.
Our performances hone in on one issue and we hope to draw a reaction from them
that has multiple layers.”
Currently, the Justice Theater Project is working
on a play penned by Mrs. Royals-Mizerk. The play, “Light on the Horizon” is
based on a series of interview conducted by Royals-Mizerk with residents of the
Gulf of Mexico that were impacted by the British Petroleum oil spill. The
interviews and the play portray the tremendous sorrow, anger, and desperation of
the residents who already were suffering from the lingering effects of Hurricane
Katrina.
“While we aren’t telling people how to feel, vote or
think, we do have talk-backs and talk-forwards,” she said. “We bring people in
that are doing work with an issue of social concern and ask them to engage the
audience in a discussion. This isn’t something that we do for every performance.
But we make sure that we do it at least once during the run of every single
work.”
The Justice Theater Project, now celebrating its seventh year,
receives $25,000 from the City of Raleigh through the arts grant program
administered by the City of Raleigh Arts Commission. The City provided $24,000
in direct financial contributions to the theater company. The funds are used for
the production of its annual schedule.
“Light on the Horizon”
will debut on June 8 and run through June 24 at the Clare Hall at St. Francis of
Assisi Church, 11401 Leesville Road.
Approval Given to Capital
Boulevard Property Acquisition
The
City of Raleigh is acquiring property on Capital Boulevard for a stormwater
project.
The City Council voted Tuesday to acquire 2.67 acres and
a one-story commercial building at 1827 Capital Blvd. for $1.085 million. The
City’s
Stormwater Utility Division plans to use the property for a possible
stormwater best practices project, such as a wetland or rain garden.
Piedmont Laureate to Read at “Imprint” Art Exhibition
Opening
Dramatist Ian Finley will make his debut appearance as
the 2012 Piedmont Laureate at the opening day reception for the art exhibition
“Imprint” on Thursday, April 12. The reception will be held from 5 to 7
p.m. at the Miriam Preston Block Art Gallery in the
Avery C. Upchurch Government Complex, 222 West Hargett St. Mr. Finley
will give his reading at 6:15 p.m.
“Imprint” explores the intrinsic bond between time,
place and the indelible mark of the past upon the present. Featured
at the Block Art Gallery are paintings by
Susan Brabeau, and photographs by Ron Flory. In the gallery’s cases will be the
accompanying display, “Here and Now – There and Then,” guest-curated by Janine
LeBlanc.
Mr. Finley will read from his
upcoming play, “Jude the Obscure, Part 1” and discuss the theme of
place as it relates to “Jude” and the works in “Imprint.”
“All art is connected to place, both the site of creation
as well as the site of observation,” he said. “This double context, the tension
between the author's location and time and the audience's, gives additional
layers of meaning to any work.”
Mr. Finley received a master’s
of fine arts degree in dramatic writing from New York University’s Tisch School
of Performing Arts. In 2004, he moved permanently to Raleigh to serve as
director of education at Burning Coal Theatre Company. In this position he has
taught playwriting, Shakespeare and theatre arts to school children and at
universities and organizations throughout the Triangle. Mr. Finley’s next
script, “Jude the Obscure, Parts 1 & 2,” adapted from the novel
by Thomas Hardy, runs April 12 to May 5 at Burning Coal’s Murphey School
Theatre, 224 Polk St. Music will be provided by Bruce Benedict and Jonathan
Fitts.
The Piedmont Laureate program is
co-sponsored by the Alamance County Arts Council, City of Raleigh Arts
Commission, Durham Arts Council, Orange County Arts Commission, and United Arts
Council of Raleigh & Wake County. The program’s primary goal is “to
promote awareness and heighten appreciation for excellence in the literary arts
in the Piedmont region.” The program is dedicated to building a literary
bridge for residents to come together and celebrate the art of writing,
enriching the lives of all our citizens.
For more information, contact
the City of Raleigh Arts Commission at 919-996-3610 or email Belva
Parker, arts program coordinator, at
belva.parker@raleighnc.gov. Interested persons can also visit the Piedmont Laureate
website at
www.piedmontlaureate.com.
Council Paves Way For Nairobi/Raleigh
Bonding
Kenyan Capital To Be Raleigh’s Fifth Sister
City
The Raleigh City Council today approved the
bonding of the City of Oaks and the capital of Kenya as Sister
Cities.
The Board of Directors of the
Raleigh Sister Cities Association
presented its recommendation to the City Council that the Capital City enter
into an agreement with Nairobi to make it Raleigh’s fifth such
“sibling.”
Efforts are underway to make the Sister City relationship
official. Raleigh Sister Cites members are working with Nairobi officials on
arrangements for the mayor of Nairobi, the Honorable George Omwera, to be in
Raleigh for the bonding ceremony.
On Jan. 12, Mayor Omwera appointed a
committee in Nairobi to lead its effort in establishing a successful partnership
with Raleigh. Captain George Njue of Raleigh has lead the effort locally for
more than two years.
Both groups were excited by the similarities of the
two cities. Both are capitals – Nairobi of the nation of Kenya and Raleigh of
the state of North Carolina.
Like Raleigh, Nairobi is home to several
institutions of high learning. As Raleigh is hailed for its leadership in
sustainability, Nairobi is home of the United Nations’ Environmental Program.
Nairobi is renowned in East and Central Africa for its dense tree-cover,
plethora of green spaces and plentiful parks. Of course one of the more
noticeable characteristics of Raleigh’s physical profile are its more than 6000
acres of park land and 69-mile, 3700 acres greenway system.
Both cities
are attractive to 21st century corporations, with Cisco, Airtel and Google all
having regional headquarters in Nairobi. The Kenyan capital has long been a
focus of the textile industry in Africa. Raleigh is world headquarters of Red
Hat and home of North Carolina State University’s Centennial Campus, a fertile
enclave of innovation and research.
The relationship between the people
of Nairobi and Raleigh has been growing in recent years. Over the past decade,
many Americans of Kenyan decent have made their home in Raleigh and the
Triangle. In 2009, Nobel Prize winner and Nairobi resident, Professor Wangari
Mathaai spoke to the student and faculty of Meredith College in a tree planting
on their campus, symbolizing the lasting important of environmental stewardship
worldwide.
Nairobi also is a Sister City with
Denver.
Raleigh Sister Cities
Sister Cities
was created in 1956 by President Dwight David Eisenhower as the “main cog” for
international citizen diplomacy.
Raleigh Sister Cities is an affiliate
of International Sister Cities, Inc. It was initiated in Raleigh in 1983 with
the establishment of Kingston-Upon Hull, United Kingdom, as Raleigh’s first
Sister City. Raleigh now has active relationships with Kingston-Upon-Hull and:
Compiegne, France; Rostock, Germany and Xiangyang, China.
For further
information, contact Gretchen Chapman, president, Raleigh Sister Cities at
919-828-2276 or Capt. George Njue, chair, Nairobi Committee at 919-593-4975.
 New Ordinance Designates Parking Spaces for Electric Vehicles
An
ordinance that allows the City of Raleigh to designate parking spaces
on City streets solely for plug-in electric vehicles was unanimously
approved by the City Council April 3.
The
ordinance states the City may reserve certain parking spaces at or near
charging stations for use by electric vehicles only. These designated
parking spaces will be clearly marked and non-electric vehicles will not
be allowed to park in them. Violation of the ordinance is a $50 civil
fine or removal of the non-electric vehicle from the designated parking
space at the owner's expense.
The
ordinance requires that electric vehicles parked in the designated
spaces must be attached to a charging station. Otherwise, the owner
would be found in violation of the ordinance and face a $50 fine.
The new ordinance takes effect in seven days.
The
City of Raleigh has installed 18 public charging stations for plug-in
electric vehicles across the city. Additional stations are planned.
Users must pay to park at the public charging stations but the electric
charge is free. Raleigh is nationally recognized for being prepared for
plug-in electric vehicles.
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Council Approves Design and Construction Administration Contract Amendment for Mordecai Historic Park Interpretive Center
The Raleigh City Council has approved a contract amendment for design and construction administration services for the
Mordecai Historic Park Interpretive Center to Clearscapes, P.A. The amendment brings the total for the contract with Clearscapes to $176,400. The Council awarded the original contract to Clearscapes on September 7, 2010.
The new interpretive center will be located near Downtown Raleigh in the historic Mordecai neighborhood, at 1101 Wake Forest Road. The nearly half-acre site is adjacent to the existing Mordecai Historic Park site.
The building plan includes a vestibule, lobby, reception area, open floor exhibit space to accommodate a wall display and moveable modular cases, gift shop, multipurpose room, offices, library/archive, a break room, restrooms, storage and accessory spaces. The total project budget is $1,500,000. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2013.
For more information, visit
www.raleighnc.gov, or contact the City of Raleigh Design/Development Division at parkplan@raleighnc.gov or 919-996-4776.
Resources for Seniors Helps Seniors and Those with Disabilities Remain Independent
More than 35,800 seniors and adults with disabilities in Wake County, credit their independence to services received from Resources for Seniors.
Resources for Seniors, which received $25,000 in financial support in fiscal year 2011-12 from a City of Raleigh Human Service Agency grant, serves senior adults and adults with disabilities in Wake County with community-based services and information designed to help maximize their choices for independence, comfort, safety, security and well-being. Direct services include home care, adult day care and home repair.
Since its inception in 1973, with an initial annual operating budget of $44,000, Resources for Seniors has greatly expanded the services offered. In recent years it has enhanced, refined and consolidated its efforts, resulting in a comprehensive service delivery system. Clients receiving services:
- 93 percent are 65 years of age or older;
- 23 percent are 85 years of age or older;
- 52 percent are moderately impaired or frail;
- 80 percent are female;
- 54 percent are minorities; and,
- 60 percent have incomes at or below the Federal Poverty Level.
Senior centers operated by Resources for Seniors provide a wide range of services. They operate full-service, community-focal-point senior centers at the Whitaker Mill Center in Raleigh, Northern Wake in Wake Forest, and the East Wake Senior Center in Wendell. Activities at these three centers include socialization, recreation, education, wellness and health promotions as well as access to information and other services.
Resources for Seniors provides comprehensive on-site human services at the Garner and Cary Senior Centers. The recreation departments of each municipality provide the recreational and socialization components. Resources for Seniors will have a similar role with the new Five Points Senior Center when it is opened by the City of Raleigh later this year.
Resources for Seniors started the first:
- In-Home Aide program in Wake County, in 1975;
- Adult Day Care program in Wake County, in 1978; and,
- Senior Center in Wake County, in 1980.
Services currently provided by Resources for Seniors include:
- Friendly Visitor and Telephone Reassurance - volunteers visit or call homebound elderly persons on a daily or weekly basis;
- Housing Information – Resources for Seniors is a Housing and Urban Development Approved Housing Counseling Agency;
- Caregiver
Assistance Service - offers confidential and objective assistance in
identifying care-giving options and resources, clarifying personal and
family needs, and managing stress and difficult behaviors;
- Companion
Plus/Sitters - provides care and companionship for older adults.
Companions and sitters receive training in the areas of home safety,
entertaining one-on-one activities, communication and CPR;
- Adult
Day Care Centers – two centers in Raleigh, two in Cary, one in Garner
and one in Wendell offer supervised activities and care for older
adults, allowing them to remain part of the community and providing
respite for families who have older adults in their homes. Over half of
the families have indicated that without adult day care their parents or
spouse would have to be placed in a nursing home;
- Respite
Care - available to individuals or families responsible for the routine
daily care of an older adult that requires constant assistance and
supervision;
- In-Home Aide Service - provides
personal care and housekeeping to frail older adults. Physician-ordered
medical care is provided under supervision of Registered Nurses in
clients homes;
- Care Management - a
multi-phase service designed to assist a caregiver and older adult in
designing and coordinating personal care, skilled care, and long-term
care services;
- Housing and Home Improvement -
offers skilled staff and volunteers to provide minor home repairs such
as leaking plumbing, installing locks, replacing broken windows and
screens, installing wheelchair ramps and assistive bathroom devices;
- Community
Alternatives Program - a Medicaid waiver, home-based program that
offers eligible adults the opportunity to remain in the community and
avoid institutional services, mainly through use of adult day-care and
in-home aides;
- Medication Education for Drug
Safety - assists older adults reduce medication-related problems and in
acquiring free medication through various pharmaceutical assistance
programs;
- Information, Referral and Case
Assistance - assists older adults in gaining access to needed services
and resources. Services are provided by telephone, on-line or through a
consultation visit. Resources for Seniors distributes approximately
18,000 copies of their Directory of Resources for Older Adults in Wake
County annually; and,
- Transportation Services –
- 0perates My Meals on Wheels of Wake County;
- Transports the residents of elderly housing complexes to buy groceries on a weekly or bi-monthly basis; and,
- Provides regular transportation to medical appointments to the rural elderly who are in the greatest need.
The
Resources for Seniors web site,
www.resourcesforseniors.com, offers
information about all the services it provides in Wake County.
Information about Resources for Seniors services is also available at
919-872-7933.
City of Raleigh Human Services Agency Funding
The
City of Raleigh awards grants annually to nonprofit organizations that
provide services to City of Raleigh residents who are elderly, are
youth, who have a disability, abuse substances, or are homeless
individuals.
Applications
for a human service agency grant are accepted from private nonprofit
organizations with headquarters in the City of Raleigh. An applicant
must have at least one year of recent experience in the delivery of
services, maintain 501(c) (3) tax-exempt status and demonstrate
sensitivity to the special needs of its clientele.
Grants
are awarded on a fiscal-year basis. The Raleigh Human Relations
Commission makes recommendations on the applying agencies to the Raleigh
City Council. The City Council votes on which grant proposals to fund.
Grant Application and Approval Process
- Nonprofits submit grant applications to the Volunteer and Human
Services Division of the City of Raleigh Community Services Department
each fall. (The application period for fiscal year 2012-13 ended on Dec.
5, 2011);
- Applications are reviewed by a
subcommittee consisting of five members of the Human Relations
Commission and one representative each from the City of Raleigh
Substance Abuse Advisory Commission, Wake County Human Services, the
nonprofit community and United Way of the Greater Triangle;
- The subcommittee submits its recommendations to the full Human
Relations Commission. The commission considers and discusses the
subcommittee's recommendations, then forwards its recommendations to the
city manager;
- The city manager submits
the commission's recommendations to the City Council for final action as
part of its budget approval. Grant applicants receive notification of
the City Council's decision; and,
- The Volunteer and Human Services Division ensures that grant recipients perform the services for which they received funding.
The
City of Raleigh provided $776,500 in financial support to nonprofit
service agencies in fiscal year 2011-12, and more than $9 million since
the program began in fiscal year 1996-97.
For
more information on the City of Raleigh Human Services Agency Grant
process, visit www.raleighnc.gov or contact Marionna Poke-Stewart,
Division Supervisor, Community Services Department,
marionna.poke-stewart@raleighnc.gov, or 919-996-6100.
Raleigh’s Chief Information
and Community Relations Officer Serves on Governor’s
Commission
Gail M. Roper, the City of Raleigh’s chief information
and community relations officer, has been appointed to the Governor’s Education
Transformation Commission. Ms. Roper’s term began last month and runs until
Sept. 30, 2014.
“I am honored personally and professionally to be asked
to serve as a member of the Governor’s Education Transformation Commission,” Ms.
Roper said. “Participation in this commission supports the City of Raleigh’s
mission to work with our regional partners to make Raleigh an innovative 21st
century city. Sustainable innovation really does begin with the education of our
youth.”
In January 2010, Gov. Beverly Perdue introduced a vision
for education called Career and College: Ready, Set, Go! The goal of the
initiative is to drive the state toward ensuring that every student graduates
from high school prepared for success in a career, two- or four-year college, or
technical training program. In September 2010, Gov. Perdue established the
Governor's Education Transformation Commission to provide oversight and guidance
to the Race to the Top leadership team.
\
Through the Governor’s Education Transformation
Commission, stakeholders play a key role in the implementation and oversight of
North Carolina’s Race to the Top programs. The commission’s 26 members include
educational representatives, business entities, and state and local government
personnel. The commission’s four subcommittees are each assigned a key area of
Race to the Top --- standards and assessments, data systems, great teachers and
leaders, and school turnaround. Ms. Roper serves on the data systems
subcommittee.
Construction Begins on Chavis Park Carousel House Project
The entrance and parking lot to Chavis Park from Martin Luther King Jr.
Boulevard are closed to vehicles to accommodate first-phase construction of
the
park’s carousel house project. Chavis Park and the nearby Chavis Community
Center are located at 505 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
First-phase
construction of the carousel house project began this week and is expected to
take two months to complete. The work includes installing a new water line,
connecting the parking lot off of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to a small
lot off of Chavis Way (formerly Holmes Street) and rebuilding the front steps of
the community center. The second phase, expected to begin in May, will be
construction of the carousel house building.
Chavis Park and Chavis
Community Center will remain open to the public throughout construction of the
carousel house project, which is expected to be complete by the end of the
year.
During the first-phase construction, the pedestrian entrance to the
community center will move to the eastern end of the building, which was the
original front door. Parking will continue to be available in the northern lot
by the playground, pool and historic carousel house and in the small lot by the
community center. Both parking lots are accessible from Chavis Way.
This
week, Resolute Building Company has erected construction fencing around the
perimeter of the site. Pedestrian directional signs have been posted throughout
Chavis Park to help patrons maneuver around the construction site and between
park amenities. Resolute Building Company was awarded the $1.8 million contract
from the City of Raleigh for the Chavis Park carousel house project.
For
more information about the construction at Chavis Park, contact City of Raleigh
Park Planner Cassie Schumacher-Georgopoulos at 919-996-4797 or email
parkplan@raleighnc.gov.
City to
Observe Good Friday Holiday;
No Changes in
Household Waste Collection Schedule
The City of Raleigh will observe Good
Friday on April 6. While most administrative offices will be closed, same-day
collection service of garbage, recycling and yard waste will follow the regular
schedule on Good Friday.
The City’s Yard Waste
Center also will be open on
Good Friday.
Furthermore, Capital Area Transit
will provide regular bus service on the holiday, and emergency police, fire and
rescue services may be reached by calling 9-1-1 on Good
Friday
City of
Raleigh Offers
Scholarships for Students with Disabilities
The City of Raleigh Mayor's Committee
for Persons with Disabilities is offering two $1,000 scholarships to assist
persons with documented disabilities pursue their
education.
One scholarship is for a person with
a disability who is pursuing an educational goal. This scholarship is designed
to assist with tuition, books, fees, and special equipment for undergraduate
course work.
The second scholarship is reserved
for an individual with a disability to pursue vocational education. The funds
may be used for items such as tools, work shoes or special equipment, and
tuition and fees to enhance and sustain employment opportunities.
Applicants must be residents of the
City of Raleigh
and must be enrolled or have been accepted by an accredited undergraduate,
postsecondary school, college, trade school or other institution of higher
learning.
Members of the Mayor’s Committee for
Persons with Disabilities are volunteers working to help people with
disabilities participate in the economic and social life of the community. The
City of Raleigh Community Services Department coordinates the work of the
committee. For more information, contact Cathey Ector, City of Raleigh Community
Services Department at 919 996-6100 or cathey.ector@raleighnc.gov.
 City to Host Meeting on Blue Ridge Road District Study Design Options April 12
The
City of Raleigh will receive public input on the Blue Ridge Road
District Study Design Options on Thursday, April 12, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00
p.m. at the Gov. James G. Martin Building, North Carolina State
Fairgrounds. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m.
The
purpose of the Blue Ridge Road District Study is to develop a blueprint
for collaborative, integrated systematic planning and development along
the Blue Ridge Road corridor. Design theme developed over the course of
the study and previous public meetings include:
Providing local connections to improve safety and circulation while providing a framework for future development;
Transforming Blue Ridge Road’s character while improving its function;
Connecting natural resources and existing attractions with an improved network of sidewalks and multi-use trails; and,
Targeting uses and development patterns to reinforce the idea of distinct districts and character areas.
The
study seeks to leverage state and local policies and investments to
support growth and guide development in the corridor, while conserving
natural systems and landscapes.
For
more information, visit the City of Raleigh’s website at
www.raleighnc.gov/urbandesign and click on Blue Ridge Road Corridor
Study. Information also can be obtained from Trisha Hasch at the City’s
Urban Design Center at 919-807-8480 or trisha.hasch@raleighnc.gov.
|
Public
Comment Period Begins for Capital
Boulevard Corridor
Study
The City of Raleigh will have a public
comment period on the final draft of the Capital Boulevard Corridor Study until
April 13. The draft report is now available for public
review.
There are three ways to submit
comments on the corridor study:
-
Comment electronically using adobe
acrobat tools. Go to the City’s website at www.raleighnc.gov
and search for “Capital Boulevard Corridor Study” for additional instructions
and to access the study;
-
View the study on the City’s website
at www.raleighnc.gov
by searching for “Capital Boulevard Corridor Study.” Email comments to trisha.hasch@raleighnc.gov;
or,
-
Visit the City’s Urban Design Center at 133 Fayetteville St., Suite
100 to view a printed copy of the study. Submit
comments by mail to: Raleigh Department of City Planning, P.O. Box 590, Raleigh, N.C.,
27602, Attn: Trisha
Hasch.
The draft Capital Boulevard Corridor
Study outlines recommendations for transforming the most travelled gateway into
Downtown Raleigh into a showcase for multimodal transportation and green
infrastructure. The final report focuses on capital projects, in recognition
that significant changes to the physical infrastructure of the corridor, not
just new land-use policies, are necessary to achieve meaningful change. It is
also a vision plan, in that these project ideas, while tested for feasibility,
will require future design and engineering studies to nail down the
details.
The proposed plan for Capital Boulevard is
organized around seven vision themes. Each specific recommendation and project
in the plan implements one or more of these themes. The seven themes are: happy
motoring, transitioning to transit; moving without fossil fuels; greening the
infrastructure; at home on Capital
Boulevard; business and industry; and a gateway
transformed.
Once all the public comments have
been collected and reviewed by City staff, the Capital Boulevard Corridor Study
report will be updated to include noteworthy suggestions. The study is scheduled
to be presented for consideration by the City Council at 1 p.m. on May
1.
For more information, contact Urban
Planner Trisha Hasch with the City of Raleigh Urban Design Center at
919-807-8480 or Trisha.Hasch@raleighnc.gov
Follow the City
of Raleigh on
Twitter
Looking for the most up-to-date
information from the City of Raleigh? Follow your local government via
Twitter!
Twitter is a free service that
allows you to “follow” people or subjects via short, frequent updates. The City
of Raleigh now
offers
Twitter users the opportunity to
stay informed about the latest news and breaking events. To join in, visit www.twitter.com
and get started with a few simple steps. Once you have an active account, you
can elect to “follow” any of the City’s Twitter accounts.
Currently, the City maintains the
following accounts:
RaleighGov -
This feed features links to any news releases and alerts issued by the City of
Raleigh;
RaleighBPAC
– This feed features information from the City of Raleigh Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
RaleighParks
– This feed features any news and information related to the City of Raleigh
Parks and Recreation Department;
RW911
– this feed features traffic accidents reported to the Emergency Communications Center.
RaleighGoGreen
- this feed features news and information from the City of Raleigh Solid Waste Services Department
Recycling program
To follow any of these, simply
choose “Find People” from your Twitter home page and type in the account name
you are interested in and then click “follow.” It’s that
easy.
|
CITY OF RALEIGH ON
FACEBOOK
City
of Raleigh - The main City of Raleigh Facebook page
keeps you informed about events, holidays and other news
items.
City of Raleigh
Planning and Development - The Raleigh
Planning and Development page provides guidance for the growth, preservation and
development of the City of Raleigh in order to maintain a community of lasting
value.
Community
Services Department - The Community
Services Department Facebook page posts a variety of community and neighborhood
news, stories, awards, classes and Citizen Advisory Council
information.
Emergency
Communications - The Raleigh-Wake County 911
Facebook page posts information on job openings, public engagements and other
911 related happenings.
Like Raleigh Wake County 911 on
Facebook
Raleigh
Police Department - The Raleigh
Police Department Facebook page focuses on public safety. Posts concerning crime
alerts, missing people, requests for citizen assistance and more
|
TRAFFIC ALERTS
FOR MORE CITY OF RALEIGH NEWS AND UPDATES ON ROAD CLOSURES, PARADES AND ROAD RACES,
VISIT THE CITY’S WEBSITE AT WWW.RALEIGHNC.GOV
Section of Anderson
Drive to Close for Sewer, Water Line
Work
Beginning Monday, April 9,
at 7 a.m., the City of Raleigh will close the 2600 to 2900 blocks of Anderson
Drive for a sewer and water line replacement project. The work is expected to be
complete by no later than 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 14.
Motorists should use the
following alternative routes to access the area:
-
Inbound Anderson Drive
toward downtown from Six Forks Road --- Traffic will be detoured left to travel
south along Oxford Road and Hazelwood Drive back to Anderson Drive to continue
inbound; and,
-
Outbound Anderson
Drive f
Customers along Anderson
Drive should not experience any interruption of services.
ROAD RACES
April 21 Traffic will be affected downtown from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. for a road race.
Click here for a map of the race.
Traffic also will be affected for a road race near Quail Corners Shopping Center from 2 p.m. until 3:30 p.m.
April 28 Traffic will be affected downtown for a road race from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Click here for a map.
May 12 Traffic will be affected downtown for a road race from 6 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Click here for a map of the race.
May 13 Traffic will be affected from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. near Wakefield for a roadrace. Runners will enter Sycamore Grove Lane at 8 a.m. and travel north onto Kelway Drive, north to Wakefield Plantation Drive, and return to the YMCA.
May 19 Traffic will be affected near St. Francis Catholic Church for a road race from 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. The group will assemble on the grounds of St. Francis Catholic Church. The runners will exit the rear parking lot and enter onto Cape Charles Dr and will turn right on Cape Charles and proceed to Dominion Blvd., left on Dominion to a second of Cape Charles Dr. and turn left on Cape Charles and go to the 2 roundabout where they will turn left again and will continue on this section of Cape Charles to Bells Valley Dr. where they will turn left and proceed back to Cape Charles to turn right on Cape Charles back to Dominion Blvd., and turn right on Dominion and proceed to the first section of Cape Charles. The runners will turn right on Cape Charles and return to the St. Francis Catholic parking lot.
May 12 Traffic will be affected downtown for a road race from 6 a.m. until 11 a.m. Click here for a map of the race.
May 13 Traffic will be affected from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. near Wakefield for a roadrace. Runners will enter Sycamore Grove Lane at 8 a.m. and travel north onto Kelway Drive, north to Wakefield Plantation Drive, and return to the YMCA.
May 19 Traffic will be affected near St. Francis Catholic Church for a road race from 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. The group will assemble on the grounds of St. Francis Catholic Church. The runners will exit the rear parking lot and enter onto Cape Charles Dr and will turn right on Cape Charles and proceed to Dominion Blvd., left on Dominion to a second of Cape Charles Dr. and turn left on Cape Charles and go to the 2 roundabout where they will turn left again and will continue on this section of Cape Charles to Bells Valley Dr. where they will turn left and proceed back to Cape Charles to turn right on Cape Charles back to Dominion Blvd., and turn right on Dominion and proceed to the first section of Cape Charles. The runners will turn right on Cape Charles and return to the St. Francis Catholic parking lot.
STREET
CLOSINGS
April 6
The 00 block of Hargett Street
between Fayetteville
Street and Wilmington Street will be closed from 6
p.m. until 1 a.m.
April 13
The 200 and 300 blocks of
E. Martin
Street will be closed from 9 a.m. on April 13 until 5
p.m. on April 15. The 200 block of S. Person Street will be closed from 2 p.m.
on April 13 until 5 p.m. on April 15. The 300 block of S. Person Street
will be closed from 12 p.m. on April 13 until 5 p.m. on April
15.
April 20
The 00 and 100 blocks of W. Jones Street and
the 100 and 200 blocks of N.
Salisbury Street will be closed from 5 p.m. on April
20 until 5 p.m. on April 21.
April 21
Traffic will be affected by a street
closure fom 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 1100 block of the South Saunders
Street service road between Grissom Street and
Hamel
Street will be
closed.
Traffic will be affected by a street
closure from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The 900 block of S. Bloodworth Street
will be closed between Bledsoe
Avenue and Lee
Street
Also, the 200 block of E. Hargett Street
will be closed from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m
PARADES
March 31
Traffic will be impacted on March 31
from 9:30 am until 12:30 for a fundraising walk. The start/finish and assembly
area will be on the property of the RBC Center. The walk begins at 9:30 a.m. and
participants will begin on RBC Center property. They will exit the
property onto Westchase
Road, turn right onto Blue Ridge Road,
right onto Trinity
Road, and proceed on Trinity back to the RBC
property. Walkers will utilize only one lane on each of the roadways which will
allow traffic to flow in all directions.
April 21 Traffic
will be affected from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. near Moore Square for a
fundraising walk. The group will enter onto Hargett Street and travel west, turn
right on Fayetteville Street, turn right on Morgan Street, merge on New Bern
Avenue, right on Swain Street, right on Hargett Street and return to Moore
Square
