Raleigh Signs Up First Greenway Volunteers

In serving a growing metropolis, the City of Raleigh Police Department cannot possibly be in all places at all times. Residents in community watch programs are counted upon to be the eyes and ears of the Police Department. Now, a new type of citizens volunteer program has been launched --- this one for the many miles of greenway trails in Raleigh.

The City has signed up the first six members of its Greenway Volunteer Program. These volunteers had to pass a criminal background check and meet other qualifications before they could be enrolled in the program. They will undergo three hours of training, planned for September, before they begin their duties.

Additional residents are expected to become volunteers in the program, a joint project of the City’s Police and Parks and Recreation departments. The City began accepting applications from potential volunteers on Aug. 1.

Greenway volunteers will help monitor conditions on City-owned greenways as well as report criminal or suspicious activity. They will promote greenway courtesy and safety, provide information to the public and, when needed, summon aid for greenway users. Volunteers will not directly intervene in an emergency situation but will contact the Police Department for assistance.

In addition to serving the community, a key benefit of being a greenway volunteer is that they can perform their duties while still doing their regular leisure activities on the trials, be it walking, jogging , bicycling, bird watching or whatever.

To be eligible for the Greenway Volunteer Program, participants must be at least 18 years old without any felony or Class A misdemeanor convictions, donate at least eight hours a month to patrolling trails, and contact the Police Department at the beginning and end of their shift. Though volunteers will be given a shirt and vest with a logo identifying them as a greenway volunteer, they will use their own equipment and are asked to carry their own cellphone to contact the Police Department.

The short training session required of all volunteers essentially covers “what is expected of them in terms of what to do and what not to do,” said Bruce Embry, volunteer coordinator for the Police Department. Legal issues relating to the program also are discussed in the training, which is provided by the Police Department.

The idea of having regular greenway users conduct volunteer patrols on trails was borne out of a meeting that included City Council Member Randall Stagner, Police Chief Harry Dolan and Mr. Embry. The proposal was presented to staff in the City’s Parks and Recreation and Community Services departments and the Raleigh-Wake Emergency Communications Center, as well as to members of the bicycling community. The City Council received a report about the new program at its July 17 meeting.

To promote the Greenway Volunteer Program, announcements have been made on the City’s Raleigh Television Network and the City’s website, fliers were distributed to the City’s Citizens Advisory Councils, and posters were put up at City parks and recreation facilities and at some local bicycle and sporting goods stores. The City also is using social media to inform citizens about the program, including Facebook and Twitter.

To learn more about the City of Raleigh Greenway Volunteer Program, contact Mr. Embry at 919-996-1118 or email rpdvolunteer@raleighnc.gov. Information also is available on the City of Raleigh’s website.

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International/Local Entrepreneurial Co-Work Space Is Coming To Raleigh

HUB Raleigh Opening on Hillsborough Sept. 15

Triangle leaders on Aug. 9 announced the opening of HUB Raleigh, a first-of-its kind, co-working space in North Carolina that features a local and international network of resources to inspire, connect and mentor entrepreneurs.

HUB Raleigh is part of a global network of creative co-working spaces located across five continents called the HUB (www.the-hub.net). The HUB is located in 27 cities and connects more than 10,000 entrepreneurs. HUB Raleigh, located at 711 Hillsborough St., is the first affiliate in North Carolina. Other North American cities in the network include San Francisco, Seattle, New Orleans, Miami, Boulder, Colo. and Atlanta.

Michael Cox with HUB North America said, “We are thrilled to be working with HUB Raleigh to catalyze the growing entrepreneurial community in the Triangle and across North Carolina. This is a great addition to the HUB family.”

HUB Raleigh is the brainchild of Brooks Bell, founder of Brooks Bell, a 24-person optimization conversion firm focused on A/B split testing, and Christopher Gergen, founder of Bull City Forward in Durham and Queen City Forward in Charlotte. Jason Widen, an entrepreneurial veteran and real estate professional, joined the team as a partner and is responsible for HUB Raleigh’s day-to-day management. Jesse Lipson, founder of ShareFile (which was recently purchased by Citrix) also is a partner in the venture.

Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane and Raleigh City Council Member Mary-Ann Baldwin joined Ms. Bell and Mr. Gergen at a news conference today to announce the formation of HUB Raleigh, an outgrowth of the Raleigh Innovation Summit, which was held in January. A top priority resulting from the summit was a center focused on entrepreneurs and innovation.

“As a co-chair of the task force on the innovation center, I was inspired to move forward with an option that I knew was needed and would bring value,” Ms. Bell said. She and Mr. Gergen said they chose the HUB concept because its centers are designed for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs.

Ms. Baldwin, who headed the Raleigh Innovation Summit, said the creation of a physical storefront for entrepreneurial activity was a top priority of those who attended the summit.

“Brooks was an integral part of the success of the summit and now she’s taken it a step further by investing her time, money and collaborative energy in giving back to the entrepreneurial community,” Ms. Baldwin said. “We hope this is just the beginning.”

Mr. Gergen identified HUB Raleigh’s goal as increasing the number of high-impact ventures that produce long-term job growth and positive social impact.

“HUB Raleigh really addresses two challenges that entrepreneurs face: building a trusted support community and gaining access to flexible, affordable and cool office space,” he said.

Mayor McFarlane praised the efforts, saying that it puts Raleigh in excellent company with such hot beds of innovation as San Francisco and Seattle.

“We love that the private sector has embraced the opportunity to help small businesses thrive and create jobs that will be the future of our economy,” Mayor McFarlane said. “It builds on Raleigh’s brand as a center of innovation and complements the activity of other co-working spaces such as Wilmoore Lofts and LocalSense.”

The Physical Space

HUB Raleigh is located on the second floor of the former Capitol Broadcasting Company building. It features six private suites for growing teams, co-working space with 18 desks, two conference rooms, a community area with informal meeting space and a business center. Adjoining HUB Raleigh is a 4,000 square foot event space with an outdoor terrace and Click Café, a private coffee shop/bar.       

Ms. Bell said the center will add value for entrepreneurs through frequent learning and networking events. She said that Bob Creeden, director of the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network, will hold office hours at the site and will be available to local entrepreneurs for advice and assistance.

“Having someone on site, who knows about funding and access to funding will be invaluable,” she said.

Members of HUB Raleigh can work from any HUB space around the world, as well as plug into a global network of resources. HUB members also have membership privileges at Bull City Forward and Queen City Forward, which will connect the state entrepreneurial community, Mr. Gergen said.

HUB Raleigh’s website soon will be launched at www.hubraleigh.com. HUB Raleigh will be open to entrepreneurs and their hard work and bright ideas Sept. 15.

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City of Raleigh to Observe Labor Day on Sept. 3

The City of Raleigh's administrative offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 3 in observance of Labor Day. Emergency police, fire and rescue services may be reached by calling 9-1-1.

Because no collections are scheduled on Mondays, the regular schedule for garbage, recycling and yard waste will not be affected. The City’s Yard Waste Center will be closed on Labor Day, but will operate on a regular schedule the remainder of the week.

Capital Area Transit will not operate on Labor Day. Regular bus service resumes on Sept. 4.

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Applications Sought for Mini-Grants to Benefit Youth Groups

The N.C. Youth Advisory Council of the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office in the Department of Administration is accepting applications for mini-grants available to youth groups associated with nonprofits or governmental agencies to conduct community projects. The application deadline is 5 p.m. Oct. 5.
 
Up to $6,292 is available to North Carolina organizations composed of young people, ages 13 to 18, which implement programs to benefit their peers. The mini-grants will range from $100 to up to $500 each.
 
Examples of projects that have received funding since the program started in 1977 include after-school tutorial programs, purchases of recreational equipment and orchestral music, an alcohol-free graduation celebration and books for children in a hospital critical care unit. Requests for cost of food, entertainment, travel and salaries will not qualify for funding.
 
The State Youth Council and the Youth Advisory Council will meet in November to review applications for awards and will announce recipients in December.
 
For regulations or to download an application, visit http://www.doa.state.nc.us/yaio/councils-minigrant.aspx or contact Cynthia Giles of the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office at 919-807-4400.

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Ninth Annual Raleigh Neighborhood Exchange Set for Sept. 15

The City of Raleigh Community Services Department will hold the 2012 Neighborhood Exchange from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, at the McKimmon Center, 1101 Gorman St.
 
The City of Raleigh holds the Neighborhood Exchange each September during neighborhoods month to bring together residents from across the Capital City to talk about neighborhood issues. The Neighborhood Exchange provides an opportunity for Raleigh residents to connect with each other and share ideas for making their neighborhoods better places to live. Each year a committee of residents plans the exchange and choose topics.

City of Raleigh departments and other organizations sponsor information booths information about their services and programs. For more information, contact Kevin Smith, Community Services Department, 996-6100.

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Ten-Digit Misdials Continue to Plague 9-1-1 Center

More than four months after its introduction, ten-digit dialing continues to cause significant problems for the Raleigh-Wake Emergency Communications Center. Instead of dialing the area code 919, callers are mistakenly dialing 9-1-1 and hanging up.

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 send a police officer to the source of the call to make certain that no assistance is needed. During the second quarter of this year, emergency operators answered nearly 25 percent more 9-1-1 calls, and made almost 60 percent more outgoing calls than they did during April, May, and June of last year.  

The bulk of these numbers are a direct result of the requirement to dial 10 digits within our area code. As a result, real emergencies can’t be answered as quickly as they used to be because 9-1-1 staff is engaged in dealing with these erroneous calls.

During July, 5,655 dispatches were made to check on the welfare of hang-up callers, a rate of 7.6 per hour which is the highest number recorded since the problems began with the introduction of 10-digit dialing. Nearly 3,2000 of these dispatches were within the City of Raleigh. While some calls were verified and cleared prior to an officer’s arrival, Raleigh Police still spent more than 300 hours last month responding to 9-1-1 hang-ups.

“If you dial 9-1-1 incorrectly, it is imperative that you stay on the line,” said Emergency Communications Director.

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Raleigh Police Memorial Foundation To Hold 3rd Annual Five-O Memorial Bicycle Ride Aug. 25

The public is invited to participate in the third annual Raleigh Police Memorial Foundation’s Five-O 50K and 100K Memorial Rides to be held Saturday, Aug. 25 starting at Trek Raleigh, 10911 Raven Ridge Road.  Both courses will take participants over beautiful open roads in north Raleigh with a few hills for fun.

Rest stops and support vehicles will be stationed along the route. The inaugural event brought out more than 200 riders and last year’s event attracted more than 300. This year’s goal is to involve more than 500 cyclists.  On-line registration is available by visiting SportOften.com or at Raleigh Police Memorial Foundation’s website, www.RPDmemorial.org. Advanced registration is $35 per cyclist and increases to $40 the day of the ride. The fees may be tax deductable. Proceeds will benefit the Raleigh Police Memorial Foundation.

Registration and gift pick-up for the 100K bicycle ride will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 25, with the start at 8:00 a.m. Registration and gift pick-up for the 50K ride will begin at 8:30 a.m., with the start at 9:00 a.m. Lunch will be provided at the conclusion of the rides.

For more information, contact Dennis Lane at 919-369-7491 or email dennis@rpdmemorial.org. 

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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 services 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;

RaleighPlanning - This feed features any news and information related to the City of Raleigh Planning and Development Department;

RalCommServices - This feed features any news and information related to the City of Raleigh Community Services 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.  

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Follow the 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 engagement and other 911 related happenings.

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

Downtown Farmers Market 

The Downtown Farmers Market will be held each Wednesday through October 31. City Plaza will be closed from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. on these days.

For more City of Raleigh News and Updates on Road Closures, Parades and Road Races, visit the City's website at www.raleighnc.gov.

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ROAD RACES

August 25 Traffic will be affected near Celebration at Six Forks Shopping Center from 7:25 a.m. until 9 a.m. for a road race. The runners will line up on Six Forks Road and proceed south, turn right on Long Street, left on the greenway and loop around Shelly Lake and return using the same route

August 26 Traffic will be affected near Lead Mine Road from 7:30 to 11 a.m. for a road race. The participants will leave the parking lot of the YMCA and turn right on Lead Mine Road. They will turn right on Baileywick Road, proceed west and then return to the entrance of the YMCA.

September 2 Traffic will be affected downtown for a road race from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. Runners will travel south on Blount Street, right on Martin Luther King Boulevard, u-turn at Boylan Avenue, right on Fayetteville Street, right on Water Works, u-turn at Penmarc Drive, left on Fayetteville Street, right on Martin Luther King Boulevard, left on Blount Street and return to the starting area.

September 3 Traffic will be affected from 11:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. for a road race. Runners will gather 11200 Galleria Drive. They will turn right on Common Oaks Drive, left on Green Elm Lane, left on Forest Pines Drive, and right on Common Oaks Drive. They will proceed to the one-mile marker and return. 

 September 8 Traffic will be affected near North Hills for a road race. A map of the race can be found here.

STREET CLOSINGS

September 7 The 00 block of Hargett Street will be closed from Fayetteville Street to Wilmington Street from 6 p.m. until midnight.

September 8 The 00 block of Hargett Street will be closed from Fayetteville Street to Wilmington Street from 12 p.m. until 11 p.m. 

PARADES

August 25 Traffic will be affected downtown for a parade from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. The 00 block of Salisbury and the 100 block of Hillsborough Streets will be closed. At 1 p.m., the parade will travel south on Salisbury and turn left on Morgan Street, right on Fayetteville Street and disassemble at the 400 block of Fayeteville Street. A street festival will be held from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. on the 400 block of Fayetteville Street from Davie Street to the south end of City Plaza.

October 6 Traffic will be affected for a walk from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The walkers will turn right on Dartmouth, left on Camelot, right on Rowan, left on Lakemonth, right on Pinecroft, left on Sweetbriar, right on Duke, right on Latimer, left on Rowan, left on Camelot, right on Dartmouth, and left to the finish line.

October 13  Traffic will be affected downtown by a fundraising walk from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. The group will gather on the Halifax Mall. The will enter Wilmington Street, travel north around the Archdale Building and proceed south on Salisbury Street. They will turn left on Davie Street, left on Fayetteville Street, right on Morgan Street, left on Wilmington Street, and return to the Halifax Mall.

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