Fourth of July Fire Works at DBAP

The Durham Bulls return home to the DBAP in Durham on Saturday, June 29 to begin a stretch of six home games in seven days, featuring visits from the Columbus Clippers and Norfolk Tides. The Bulls’ annual Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganza, two other fireworks shows and Swing for the Cure Night highlight the event calendar.

The Bulls kick off the homestand with the first of four games against the Columbus Clippers, Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, on Saturday, June 29 at 7:05pm.  Sport Durst Automotive Group presents the annual Swing for the Cure Night, where the Bulls will wear special pink jerseys that will be available in an in-game auction to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  Fans can also support the cause by purchasing a special $12 package that includes a game ticket, pink hat, pink bracelet and a $2 donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  The package can be purchased online here using the offer code KOMEN or at the DBAP box office. Immediately following the game will be the first Saturday night fireworks show of the season.

On both Saturday and Sunday, young Bulls fans will be t
reated to a visit from Foofa of Nick Jr.’s wildly popular children’s show “Yo Gabba Gabba!” thanks to the Goddard School.  Foofa will be available for photos during both of the weekend games.  Sunday’s 5:05pm game, presented by Big Green Egg, will also feature Pepsi Kids Run the Bases postgame.

The series with Cleveland’s top affiliate continues on Monday with a 7:05pm start. Tuesday’s 7:05pm game is another AAA Membership Card Night. At every Tuesday home game in 2013, fans who show their AAA Membership Card can buy one Terrace Reserved ticket and get one, courtesy of AAA Carolinas.  The Bulls then travel to Fort Mill, SC for a one-game road trip against the Charlotte Knights.

On Thursday, July 4, the Bulls welcome the division rival Norfolk Tides for a two game series.  Immediately following the 6:05pm game on the 4th of July presented by PNC, the Bulls will host the City of Durham’s official Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganza, the most dazzling pyrotechnics spectacular in the region.

The Bulls close out Independence Week with a 7:05pm game, presented by Carolina Packers, against the Baltimore Orioles’ top affiliate on Friday, July 5.  Another huge patriotic fireworks display will follow that game, with the Carolina Packers annual Hot Dog Eating Contest preceding fireworks.

The Durham Bulls return home to the DBAP on Saturday, June 29 to begin a stretch of six home games in seven days, featuring visits from the Columbus Clippers and Norfolk Tides. Tickets for all home games are available at online, by phone at 919.956.BULL, or at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park box office.

Learn about all the fun to be had in Durham online with the Durham Event Calendar.

Hillandale Tees Off Families on Fridays This Summer

In Durham, getting out and about to enjoy the community is a pretty accessible thing to do.  There are dozens of public parks and low- and no-cost options.  Now one of Durham's public golf courses is making the game of golf more accessible from a financial point of view, too.

Starting tomorrow, and the last Friday evening of each Summer month, families of up to five people can come out and play golf at Hillandale Golf Course for just $35. The offer includes 2 golf carts, and tee times starting at 6 PM.

“We want to have families get outside, talk and laugh together, and enjoy some great golf,” said Donna Kimball of Hillandale. “There’s no pressure to play in a hurry. You can play as many holes as you can get in before dark, and the kids don’t even have to whisper when someone is putting!”

Friday Family Fun Days are June 28th, July 26th and August 30th.  To book a tee time, call the Hillandale Pro Shop at 919-286-4211.

Learn more about all the golfing opportunities in Durham online.

Durham Tech Receives $100,000 Grant for software to help students stay on track

A commitment to learning is pervasive in Durham.  Aside from the well known universities in Durham, Durham Technical Community College is also here, and it is both a gateway for some on the path to a four year degree, as well as a destination for those seeking certificates and a less traditional secondary education path.  The latter just got a big leg up.

Dr. Bill Ingram, president of Durham Technical Community College, announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded the college a $100,000 grant through its Market Acceleration for Integrated Planning and Advising Services (IPAS) initiative, to help students get – and stay – on track. The grant will provide a student success plan (SSP) software system and implementation funds to support the college’s continuing efforts aimed at student retention, persistence, and goal completion.

According to Ingram, “As a result of the college’s long-standing involvement with and work in Achieving the Dream, Durham Tech has made significant progress in student success, involving numerous campus stakeholders in supporting at-risk student populations, including low-income, minority, and first-generation college students. The IPAS grant will help us expand academic planning, counseling, and coaching, as well as facilitate risk targeting and intervention.”

Dr. Thomas Gould, dean and department head of Arts, Sciences, and University Transfer, adds, “The new software will give students direct access to the planning system, which will enable them to chart, develop, and assess comprehensive and accurate individual academic plans – a personal road map – as they navigate from registering for their first classes all the way to graduation. IPAS will also provide Durham Tech faculty and staff with access to new data sources to facilitate the advising and registration processes and provide more timely support interventions.”

“The SSP software will provide an organized, centralized, and accessible means to manage student educational pathways. IPAS will be our GPS for student success,” explains Ingram. “This is a college-wide collaborative effort aimed at student success and completion.”

Learn about all of Durham's educational institutions online.

Most City of Durham Offices Closed for Independence Day

Most City of Durham offices will be closed Thursday, July 4, 2013, in observance of Independence Day. Police, fire, and rescue services for life-threatening or in-progress emergencies may be reached by calling 9-1-1. Non-emergency problems or concerns may be directed to (919) 560-4600. The City will operate under normal business hours on Friday, July 5. Residents are asked to take note of the following changes in City services and programs.

Solid Waste, Recycling, Yard Waste, and Bulky Item Curbside Collections
The City’s Solid Waste Management Department will be closed on Thursday, July 4. Collection for all services, including solid waste, recycling, yard waste, and bulky items, will be delayed until Friday, July 5. Collections for yard waste and bulky items on Friday, July 5 will instead occur on Monday, July 8. For more information, visit online.

Waste Disposal and Recycling Center
The City's Waste Disposal and Recycling Center (Transfer Station) will be closed on Thursday, July 4. It will reopen under its normal schedule on Friday, July 5. For more information, visit online.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center
The City's Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center will be closed on Thursday, July 4. It will reopen under its normal schedule on Friday, July 5. For more information, visit online.  

Durham Parks and Recreation
Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR) will close its administrative office and all recreation centers on Thursday, July 4. DPR’s recreation centers will operate under normal schedules on the Friday, July 5. City lakes and outdoor pools will operate under normal schedules. The administrative office will reopen under its normal schedule on Friday, July 5. For more information, visit online, “like” on Facebook, or call (919) 560-4355.

Durham Area Transit Authority
On Thursday, July 4, Durham Area Transit Authority (DATA) and DATA ACCESS will operate on its Sunday service schedule in which hourly service is provided from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Bull City Connector will operate on its Holiday schedule in which service is provided every 20 minutes from 7:20 a.m. to 10 p.m. DATA’s administration office will be closed on Thursday, July 4 and will reopen under its normal schedule on Friday, July 5. For more information on DATA and DATA ACCESS, visit online, “like” on Facebook or call (919) 485-RIDE. For more information on the Bull City Connector, visit online, “like” on Facebook, or “follow” on Twitter.

Durham One Call
Durham One Call will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3 and will be closed on Thursday, July 4. The Center will reopen under its normal schedule on Friday, July 5. Residents may complete an online service request by visiting the City’s website online, or by leaving a message at (919) 560-1200. Durham One Call will forward all requests for City services to the appropriate department on the next business day. For information about the City’s holiday schedule and the services that may be affected, residents should contact Durham One Call at (919) 560-1200 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, visit online,“like” on Facebook, or “follow” on Twitter.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MARKET...
Happy Solstice! Happy Summertime!

With the arrival of summertime, come summertime storms. For most of us, we only think about the storms when they are coming toward us and storming on us. Sometimes, there is a little bit of cleanup to do afterwards. Then they are quickly forgotten.

This week, I got an email from Ken Dawson, the owner of Maple Spring Gardens, about the storm that quickly swept through the area last Thursday. When I opened the email, I had all but forgotten about the storm. He included these pictures of the damage that his farm sustained, including snapped limbs on tomato, basil and squash plants, hail damaged zucchini, and plastic ripped off of their high tunnel greenhouses. His message was short. It said that the damage from that storm will result in a reduced yield for the next few months.

It is amazing how one weather event can have an impact on our dinner plates months down the road. For example, this year, blackberries were no-where to be seen until last week which was unusual. I asked Matt from Wild Scallions about the blackberry crop. He told me that the cold weather in spring delayed the flowers from blooming on cane crops (blackberries, raspberries). He said that he was happy that his blackberries didn't bloom before the cold and then get killed in a frost. So, the yield is still good, it is just later than normal. Another example, the extremely wet weather that we experienced in the spring right at the time that was best for farmers to plant peas. The soggy weather kept farmers out of their fields and some folks that usually have peas in the spring had few or none.

There are lots of conditions on a farm that farmers can control to protect against some risks including crop failures or disease. Farmers do things such as planting a diverse array of crops, taking pest control measures, increasing the health of their soil, or just plain planting a little extra. But, there isn't much a farmer can do to protect thier crops when violent or unusual weather sweeps through their farm. Unlike massive mega-farms, small diversified farms are not eligible for crop insurance, so they always have to try to be ahead of the game by planning, saving, and have contingency plans in place.

All of this supports my general thesis that farming is a risky business. But, all of the farmers that sell at the Durham Farmers' Market (and other markets around the country) do it because they love it! And for that, we love them.

See you at the Market, bright and early!!
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow DFM on Facebook and Twitter

Upcoming Events and Spring Schedule
Saturday June 22nd: Durham County Beekeepers 8am-Noon Celebrate National Pollinators week with the Durham County Beekeepers! They will be at Market this Saturday from 8-Noon with their demostration hive and information about beekeeping and the honey harvest.

Wednesday June 26th: Quick Dinners from the Market Demo with Anne Everitt from Triangle Food Fight, 4-6pm. Anne will be cooking a healthy, gluten free, quick recipes using cucumbers the week!

Saturday June 29th: Chef in the Market, Shane Ingram, Four Square, 10am Chef Shane Ingram will be back cooking up tasty, local food!

Saturday June 29th: CANNING DEMONSTRATION! Shanna Bierman, DFM's Assistant Manager will demonstrate how to make and can Kosher Dill Pickles! 9-11am in the Pavilion.

Fresh this Week....
FRUITS: BLACKBERRIES & DEWBERRIES, BLACK RASPBERRIES, CANTALOUPES, Blueberries, Raspberries, Peaches, and the very last few Strawberries of the season.
VEGETABLES:  PADRON PEPPERS, OKRA, TOMATILLOS, CORN, FIELD TOMATOES, Artichokes, Asian Greens (Bok Choi, Mizuna, Tat Soi), Arugula, Beans (Green, Yellow and Purple), Beets, Beet Greens, Broccoli Raab, Cabbage, Carrots, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Cucumbers, Dandelion Greens, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Basil, Cilantro, Catnip, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Parsley), Eggplant, Fava Beans, Fennel, Frisee, Green Onions, Green Garlic and Garlic Scapes, Gourds, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Onions, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Radishes,  Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms,  Spinach, Swiss Chard, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Zucchini, and more
MEATS AND EGGS:  Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit
Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
FLOWERS & PLANTS: Vegetable and Herb Seedlings, Bedding, House, and Flower Plants, GLADIOLUS, Echinacea, Sunflower, Dahlia, Lily, Godedia, Campanula, Calendula, Zinnia,
SPECIALTY ITEMS: RAW HONEY, creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Pastas, Perogies, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...
Produce availability depends on weather conditions 

This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

The South Durham Farmers' Market is Open Saturdays 8 am until Noon in Greenwood Commons 5410 Hwy 55 Durham, NC 2713.

SDFM Supports Urban Farmers in Durham
This week, we've got another fantastic article from 17-year old Almira Stirrup, who is covering SDFM vendors as part of her year-long writing project.  This article, concentrating on our Cooperative Vendors, will be broken into multiple segments over the coming weeks.

There and Back Again...a New Farmers' Tale.
As veteran shoppers stroll down Vendor Lane at our little market, feasting their eyes on the sudden presence of colorful and luscious vegetables on the tables, they may consider that each new Market season not only brings an abundance of flowers, greens, fruits (oh my) but also that special mix of nervous and excited energy that characterizes so many new farmers during their first venture into farmers’ market sales.  Yet, this is one of the things that make the South Durham Farmers’ Market so special – SDFM organizers actively work to encourage  urban farmers and new farmers in our community by giving them lower risk market opportunities that allow them to grow their fledgling businesses - and thus far SDFM is the only farmers' market in the area to do so.

As an explanation, SDFM offers Cooperative Memberships to small farmers, which allows multiple growers to band together and sell while simultaneously sharing the cost and responsibility of managing a single stall space.  This is good for urban farmers because they have smaller parcels of land on which to grow produce - and for younger rural farmers who are yet unsure of how much produce each crop will yield each season.

Last year, SDFM’s first Cooperative Vendors were Mamasprings and Ladybug Farm.  This season, SDFM welcomed the Durham Grown Cooperative, which is a combination of three Durham-based urban farms: Angier Avenue Neighborhood Farm, Homegrown City Farms and Commonplace Cooperative.  Durham Grown’s farmers knew each other prior to entering the SDFM, and made the strategic decision that it would be mutually beneficial work together to expand their separate businesses.  Over my next few articles, beginning with the Angier Avenue Neighborhood Farm, I’ll highlight each of these three farms, so you can get to know each farmer’s journey a little better.

Lights!  Camera!  Again!
 The great folks at All In 4 Health recently released their second commercial - this one encourages kids to shop at farmers' markets.  The 30-second spot, filmed at SDFM, has convinced us all that a plushie lion suit is really the most awesome outfit to wear to market ever.  Click to view the video.... 

Angier Avenue Neighborhood Farm
As the name suggests, Angier Ave. is a community based urban farm located in an older neighborhood in East Durham. Farm organizers, members of the Bountiful Backyards Cooperative, purchased the lot and funded start up costs through a successful 2012 Kickstarter Campaign as a way to promote summer youth programs for local teens looking to gain work experience, environmental education, and hands on gardening skills. And yet, as a farm kid myself, seeing the word ‘neighborhood’ in a name is very different from going to that place and seeing that, yes indeed, they’re growing produce in a big open lot in the middle of the city of Durham! This garden reminds me of a great machine - the brick, wood. Read More...

Sarah Schroth Named Director of Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University

Durham's esteemed Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University has appointed a museum director.

Sarah Schroth, the Nancy Hanks Senior Curator at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, has been named the museum’s new director, Duke President Richard H. Brodhead announced Thursday.

Schroth has been serving as its interim director since November. She succeeds Kimerly Rorschach as the Mary D.B.T. and James H. Semans Director of the museum. Rorschach left Duke to become president of the Seattle Art Museum.

“Sarah is one of the most respected and admired curators in the country. With her appointment as director, we can be certain of the Nasher’s continued rise as an arts force on campus, in the region, and nationally,” Brodhead said. “Her talent and imagination fueled the museum's initial success, and her plans for further integrating the Nasher with other creative activity across the campus, and in the community, will create a new level of excellence for the arts at Duke.”

An expert on Spanish art of the 17^th century, Schroth, 62, joined the Duke University Museum of Art -- as it was then known -- in 1995. In her new role, she will serve as the Nasher’s chief executive, with responsibility for its artistic excellence and intellectual direction. She reports to Provost Peter Lange, the university’s senior academic officer.

“I am thrilled with the selection of Sarah as director of the Nasher,” Lange said. “She has been a superb curator, bringing wonderful shows and working closely with Trevor Schoonmaker and the visiting and faculty curators to give the Nasher its outstanding and distinctive artistic profile during its founding years.

“In addition, she has worked with me three times as interim director, on each occasion providing excellent leadership while doing two jobs. Now that she will be the director, I am anticipating continued outstanding and innovative programming in this next phase of the Nasher's development into one of the pre-eminent university museums in the country and the world.”

While at Duke, Schroth has organized numerous shows ranging from old masters to contemporary art, including the award-winning 2008 exhibition, “El Greco to Velázquez: Art during the Reign of Philip III.” As a result of that exhibition, which she organized with the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Schroth was named knight-commander in the Order of Isabel la Católica by King Juan Carlos I of Spain. She also has collaborated on major exhibitions with the Museo del Prado, the Seattle Art Museum and others, and has published widely.

Schroth has worked closely with Duke faculty in shaping their scholarship into exhibitions, such as by working as co-curator with Kristine Stiles on “Rauschenberg’s Legacy” and with Patricia Leighten on “Light Sensitive: Photographic Work from North Carolina Collections.” She also has been a coordinating curator with faculty guest curators, such as Mark Antliff on “The Vorticists.” Her teaching interests are patronage studies in the field of Spanish art, and museum studies with an emphasis on exhibition planning, connoisseurship and conservation.

Before coming to Duke, Schroth worked at the Kimbell Museum in Fort Worth, Texas; the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.; and the Ackland Art Museum at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She majored in art history at Mary Washington College and, after working at the Atlanta College of Art and living in Spain, earned her Ph.D. from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. She went on to receive the David E. Finley Fellowship at the National Gallery of Art’s Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts.

“I’m delighted to have this opportunity to lead the Nasher in what promises to be a very exciting time in its history, as we approach its 10th anniversary celebration in 2015, undertake new initiatives in undergraduate education and expand the scope of our exhibitions,” Schroth said. “It’s been my privilege to have served under a great director in Kim Rorschach, whose model I am honored to follow; to have worked closely with Raymond Nasher, the museum’s founding patron, whose legacy of connoisseurship and patronage I hold dear; to have supervised a relentlessly hard-working and uncomplaining staff as interim director; and to have enjoyed the support and guidance of Dick Brodhead and Peter Lange throughout my time at Duke. Having been present at the creation of the Nasher, I welcome the opportunity to continue and expand on the work of so many.”

Richard Powell, John Spencer Bassett Professor of Art, Art History & Visual Studies and a member of the Nasher’s board of advisors and faculty advisory committee, chaired an 11-person committee that conducted an international search for the position.

The Nasher Museum opened in 2005 as a major center for the arts on Duke’s campus and in the surrounding Research Triangle area. It promotes engagement with the visual arts among a broad community, including Duke students, faculty and staff, the greater Durham community, the Triangle region, and the national and international art community. The museum presents an ambitious schedule of exhibitions, many of which travel to major institutions around the world, and has a growing collection of international contemporary art. Each year, more than 100,000 people visit the 65,000-square-foot museum, which was designed by architect Rafael Viñoly. Additional information is available on the museum’s website.

Learn more about art in Durham online.

Our State magazine celebrates “Best of Our State” at Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club

Celebrate North Carolina food, music, art and more in Durham!

Join Our State magazine August 9 – 11, 2013, at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club in Durham for "The Best of Our State." Celebrate North Carolina music, history, storytelling, food, art, and humor amid the luxury and tradition of Durham’s only four-diamond hotel that also features a four-diamond restaurant. 

The Best of Our State event is sponsored by Croasdaile Village and Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring back The Best of Our State to the Washington Duke and Durham,” says marketing development director Amy Jo Wood Pasquini. “There’s no better place to celebrate the very best of life in North Carolina. From food to literature to music, The Best of Our State event is bound to be a weekend of pure entertainment.”

The Best of Our State includes performances and presentations by Clyde Edgerton, author of the new Papadaddy’s Book for New Fathers; Glenis Redmond, award-winning performance poet; actor and composer Grenoldo Frazier; Daniel Ackermann, associate curator of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts; Bob Garner, television personality and author of Bob Garner’s Book of Barbecue; award-winning author and storyteller Randell Jones; singer/songwriter Aaron Burdett; and the Sweet Potato Pie Band. A full itinerary can be found here.

The weekend package includes the following:

• North Carolina seminars
• Evening entertainment
• Accommodations for Friday and Saturday night
• Sweet potato pie reception Friday
• Locally-sourced dinner Saturday night
• Two breakfast buffets

For reservations to this exclusive event, please call the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club at (800) 443-3853. Please let the reservationists know you are calling about the Best of Our State weekend. It is not necessary to place your reservation with the Our State office. The cost is $775, including tax, for double occupancy.

About Our State

Since 1933, Our State magazine has been North Carolina’s premier travel, food, and culture publication, celebrating the best of life in the state. Published by Mann Media, Inc., the award-winning magazine reaches more than 850,000 readers each month, with subscribers in every state and nearly 30 foreign countries. Learn more online.

Learn more about what makes Durham a great place to live, work, and play.

Durham County Library Presents a History of Prohibition Cocktails

Everyone knows that prohibition didn't work out too well. From smugglers to bootleggers to speakeasies, people found a way to enjoy their drink of choice. But what exactly did they drink?

Durham County Library will present "A History of Prohibition Cocktails" on Thursday, June 27 at 7 p.m. at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St. The event is free and open to the public.

Durham County Library will host Scott Richie, former co-owner of Whiskey and multiple winner of the Independent Weekly’s Best Bartender award, for a program on the cocktails of the Prohibition era. Richie will take participants back to the roaring 20s, the era of Al Capone and speakeasies and discuss drinks like the Mary Pickford, the sidecar and the French 75. During Prohibition, bartenders had to get creative because the alcohol was of varied quality and often in limited quantity. Richie will discuss some of the era’s notable concoctions, as well as modern cocktails that were influenced by them. The program will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation. For more information, contact John W. Davis at 919-560-0125.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit durhamcountylibrary.org

Learn more about cool things to do and see in Durham.

Durham County Library Hosts Civil Rights in Durham, 1963 Stories and Pop-Up Museum

1963 was a pivotal year for the civil rights movement, both in Durham and across the United States.

Durham County Library will host Eddie Davis as he explores the history of Durham in 1963, a year during which many critically important events changed the local civil rights landscape. Davis will moderate a multi-racial panel of citizens who played vital roles in the quest for the integration of some of Durham’s most cherished educational institutions, restaurants and theaters. A community conversation about the broadening and the evolution of human and civil rights will follow the panel discussion. Participants are encouraged to join the conversation by bringing an old photo or family treasure for the Durham Civil Rights "Pop-Up Museum" happening alongside the program. The event will take place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 23, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St..

Davis worked as a high school English teacher in North Carolina for more than 30 years and is a former president of the N.C. Association of Educators. He has worked with students and with the community to bring attention to Durham’s often-overlooked civil rights history and educational issues.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation and co-sponsored by the Museum of Durham History. For more information, contact Joanne Abel at 919-560-0268 or visit durhamcountylibrary.org.
Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit durhamcountylibrary.org.

Discover more about Durham's history online.

Durham 9-1-1 Access Unavailable - Repair Underway But No Timeframe Available

Most calls placed to 9-1-1 are not getting through to the Durham Emergency Communications Center. Residents and businesses in need of emergency assistance should call the non-emergency number at (919) 560-4600 if a recording is received when dialing 9-1-1.

According to James Soukup, director of the Durham Emergency Communications Center, service providers Frontier and Intrado are now working to find and repair the problem as soon as possible.

As soon as the repair is completed, another notification will be issued to alert the community that the entire 9-1-1 network is operational.

About the Durham Emergency Communications Center
The Durham Emergency Communications Center is the primary public safety answering point for the City and County of Durham. Guided by the City’s Strategic Plan, the Center helps to ensure that Durham is a safe and secure community by providing around-the-clock 911 access and services to the residents and user agencies in and around Durham County. Services include, but are not limited to, emergency and non-emergency requests for assistance; dispatch of police, fire, and emergency medical services; other city/county support agencies; and other duties as required. The geographic service area encompasses 296 square miles with approximately 250,000 residents. The Center has earned the internationally recognized APCO Project 33 Certification from the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International, Inc.; Emergency Medical Dispatch Accreditation by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch; and accreditation by the Commission for Accreditation of Law Enforcement  Agencies. The Center was the first, and currently, one of only two centers in the world to hold these three accreditations simultaneously. To learn more, visit http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/op/911/Pages/Home.aspx or “like” them on Facebook.

USA Baseball to Host Cuba in International collegiate Friendship Series Game at DBAP

USA and Cuban baseball teams will meet on American soil for the first time since 1996 in Durham.

USA Baseball and the Cuban Baseball Federation announced today that their Collegiate National Team programs will compete for the second consecutive year in an international friendship series. Last year, the two countries resumed friendship series play at the collegiate level after a 16-year hiatus, with Team USA traveling to Havana for a five-game series – the host nation won the series, 3-2. The 2013 edition will see the Cuban National Team travel to the United States for five games across three states, culminating with a showdown at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Tuesday, July 23.

“We are extremely excited to host the Cuban National Team this year,” said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO, Paul Seiler. “Renewing our friendship series last year was a historic step for two countries that share an extremely rich baseball history. We hope with the success last year in Havana and this year’s series in the United States, we will build the foundation to continue this series for the foreseeable future.”

“Hosting the United States in 2012 was the culmination of hard work by both the U.S. and Cuba,” said International Baseball Federation Vice President, Antonio Castro. “The games in Havana were an incredibly positive experience for the players and fans, and we look forward to the same kind of atmosphere this year in the United States.”

The series will be the first in the U.S., between the two baseball-rich countries since Cuba won a five-game series, 3-2, in 1996, held in Minor League ballparks across four southern U.S. states.

In 2013, the teams will take the field for the first time on July 18 in Des Moines, IA at Principal Park, home of the Iowa Cubs. On July 19 and 20, the Omaha Storm Chasers and the Omaha Sports Commission will host games two and three of the international friendship series at Werner Park in Omaha, NE.

The following day, the two teams will travel to the Triangle-area of North Carolina to play the final two games of the international friendship series, with the fifth and final game being played at 7:05pm on July 23 at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

"Playing in Cuba was one of the best experiences of my playing career," said 2012 Collegiate National Team pitcher, Carlos Rodon (North Carolina State), who will return in 2013. "I flew straight down from the Golden Spikes Award ceremony in New York, there was no way I was going to miss that trip. It meant a lot for me and my family to visit Cuba, and the opportunity to play against that competition while representing my country made the experience even better."

USA Baseball records show that the U.S. and Cuba’s National Teams (U.S. professional teams did not begin competition until 1999) competed consistently each year from 1987-1996, with various friendship games played as early as the late 1970s.  The series is among those with the richest history for USA Baseball, with its collegiate All-Star games against Japan serving as the longest-running friendship series, having just completed its 38th installment in 2011.

The 2013 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will be led by Texas Christian skipper Jim Schlossnagle.  Players will be invited over the course of the college baseball season, and the final 24-man roster will be announced on June 30.  The team will first gather in Cary, NC, for training on June 21.

Tickets for the USA vs. Cuba game at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on July 23 will go on sale Wednesday, June 19 at 9:00am.  Once on sale, tickets can be purchased online at durhambulls.com, by phone at 919.956.BULL, or at the DBAP box office.

Learn more about great events occurring in Durham at www.durhameventcalendar.com.

Nasher Museum Celebrates Summer with Art, Dance, Music, Food

This summer, the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University will present four new exhibitions and a series of free programs, including gallery talks, craft and drawing sessions, contemporary dance, guest chefs in the café, live music, book discussions and more.

“Our summer exhibitions, from old masters to young emerging artists, offer something exciting for every visitor,” said Sarah Schroth, interim director and Nancy Hanks Senior Curator of the Nasher Museum. “We are proud to present programs -- our widest variety ever -- that encourage people with many interests to come visit us.”

The museum’s original traveling exhibition, “Wangechi Mutu: A Fantastic Journey,” is on view through July 21. The accompanying catalogue is now available at the Nasher Museum Store. The 176-page book includes many images that highlight the most important and iconic works Mutu has created since the mid-1990s. It also portrays the installation at the Nasher Museum, which includes new collages, a monumental wall drawing, videos and selections from the artist’s sketchbooks. The catalogue includes scholarly essays by Trevor Schoonmaker, Patsy R. and Raymond D. Nasher Curator of Contemporary Art at the Nasher Museum, art historian Kristine Stiles and critic and musician Greg Tate, paired with an illustrated chronology of Mutu’s work.

For the first time, the American Dance Festival (ADF) brings a 2013 season performance to the Nasher Museum with “This Land Is Your Land” by Seattle choreographer and ADF faculty member Mark Haim on June 25 and 26.  The work, which debuted in Paris in January, is set to a country music score and is based on a simple, continuously mutating walking pattern with 14 performers. Tickets are $15 and available from Duke University Box Office online or by phone, 919-684-4444.

More than 70 works of art spanning six centuries are featured in “The Human Position: Old Master Works from the Collection,” opening June 20. The exhibition includes paintings, sculptures and works on paper from the 14th through the 19th centuries, all from the Nasher Museum’s collection and rarely on view. Artists include European old masters, including Italian Renaissance and baroque painters such as Titian’s contemporary Bonifacio de’Pitati, Spanish court painters Vicente Carducho and Francisco Rizi, French neoclassical artists François Gerard and Merry-Joseph Blondel, master printmakers Dürer, Callot and Rembrandt, and many more. “The Human Position” is on view through August 26.

A contemporary installation, “The Cinematic Impulse,” explores the relationships between cinema, visual art and culture. Artists use a variety of visual strategies to recognize the effects of Hollywood, from photography and video art to film. “The Cinematic Impulse” includes works by Isaac Julien, Christian Marclay, Robin Rhode, Cindy Sherman, Xaviera Simmons, Eve Sussman and more, drawn from the museum’s collections. The show opens June 29 and will be on view through Sept. 8.

An intimate group show featuring works by Pedro Lasch, Susan Harbage Page and Yinka Shonibare focuses on the human consequences of the creation and regulation of borders. The show complements the upcoming exhibition “Lines of Control: Partition as a Productive Space” (Sept. 19-Feb. 2, 2014). Page and Lasch examine the experience of crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, documenting in visual terms the effect such journeys have on material objects and, by extension, their human carriers. Shonibare’s installation, “Scramble for Africa,” assembles 14 mannequins around a table with a map of Africa at its center. The work reimagines the Berlin Conference (1884-85) that resulted in a continent separated and parceled out among European powers, creating divisions that led to conflict and bloodshed.

“Summer Days Nasher Nights” continues every Thursday night and some Wednesdays and Sundays with guest chefs in the café, live music, wine tastings, free films and book discussions. Visitors can explore exhibitions through “Summer Make and Take,” hands-on activities on Tuesday mornings and early Thursday evenings.

The Nasher Museum, at 2001 Campus Drive at Anderson Street on the Duke campus, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday; and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The museum is closed Mondays. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and members of the Duke Alumni Association, $3 for non-Duke students with identification and free for children 15 and younger. Admission is free to all on Thursday nights. Admission is free to Duke students, faculty and staff with Duke Cards. Admission is also free to Nasher Museum members. 

Learn more about Durham, NC at www.durham-nc.com.

This Week at the Durham Farmers' Market Wednesday Market

THIS WEEK AT MARKET
A few weeks ago, I told you that DFM received a grant from the Farmers' Market Coalition and Jarden Home Brands (makers of Ball Jars) to participate in the Discover You Can - Learn, Make, Share canning education program. We kicked off our canning education program at the end of May with demonstration of how to make Strawberry Freezer Jam. Since then, we have been organizing a great series of demonstrations and hands-on canning workshops that start today with a demonstration of how to make and can Dilly Beans by Nekeidra Morrison, our Durham County Extension Agent! The demonstration starts at 3:30 this afternoon.

At each demonstration, the instructor will go through the process of making the recipe that will be canned and then talk through the process of water bath canning it. Some instructor will even can the items on site! Recipes and information on canning will be provided at the demos.

Here is the current DEMONSTRATION schedule:
• TODAY at 3:30pm! Dilly Beans with Nekeidra Morrison
• Saturday June 29, 9am - Kosher Dill Pickles with Shanna Bierman (DFM's Assistant Manager)
• Saturday July 13, 9am - Blueberry Jam with Shanna
• Wednesday July 24, 3:30pm - Peach Jam with Nekeidra
• Wednesday August 14, 3:30pm - Zesty Salsa with Nekeidra
• Saturday August 31, 9am - Tomato Salsa with Shanna
Along with the demonstrations, we are also working on a series of small group, hands-on workshops led by Market vendors. At the workshops, participants will go through the process of preparing and cooking the recipe to be canned. Then either talk through or actually can the recipe using the water bath canning method. The workshops cost $5 and each participant will go home with a jar of canned goods made by the instructor as well as what you worked on in the class.

Small Group CANNING WORKSHOPS
The first of these workshops will be taught by APRIL MCGREGER, the owner of Farmer's Daughter Pickles and Preserves! April will teach the group the Basics of Pickle Making! The workshop is next Wednesday, June 26th from 4-5pm. There are a few spots that are still open. If you would like to register, please email me (Erin) at info@durhamfarmersmarket.com

There are several other workshops in the works, if you would like to be added to the email list to receive more information about the workshops, please email info@durhamfarmersmarket.com

* * * * * * * * * *

With the grant, we received lots of great things to give away to you. Most week's at the information table or next to the demonstrations, you will find information about canning, coupons for canning supplies, packets of pectin for no cook freezer jam, cooked jam, and low sugar jam, and spice packets to make Kosher Dill Pickles and Tomato Salsa!

And there are raffles (free ones!)! This week, during the demonstration, we will be raffling off a Ball Canning Discovery Kit! The kit contains a rack, 3 pint jars and a recipe book. To enter, put your name and email address in the big glass jar!

See you at the market!
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Follow the Market on Facebook and Twitter

Available Wednesday! 
Fruits:  BLUEBERRIES, RASPBERRIES, PEACHES, first few Blackberries!
Vegetables:  EGGPLANT, OKRA, BEANS - Green, Purple & Yellow, CHERRY TOMATOES, Artichokes, Asian Greens (Bok Choi, Tat Soi, Mizuna), Arugula, Beet Greens, Beets, Broccoli, Broccoli Raab, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Cauliflower, Cherry Tomatoes, Corn, Cucumbers, Collards, Fennel, Frisee, Fresh Garlic and Garlic Scapes, Green Onions, Herbs (including Holy Basil, Cilantro, Thyme, Oregano, and Greek Oregano, Marjoram, Dill, Holy Basil, Bergamot, Chammomille, Bay, Lemon Balm), Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Onions, Napa Cabbage, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Radicchio, Radishes, Salad Mix, Swiss Chard, Sugar Snap Peas, Summer Squash, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Zucchini
Meats: Beef, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon, Pork
Eggs: Chicken and Duck  Eggs
Flowers: DAHLIA, Statice, Lilly, Calendula, Peonies,  Sunflower, Godetia, Snapdragons and mixed Bouquets
Plants:  Vegetable and Herb Seedlings, House Plants, Landscaping Plants
Specialty Items:  RAW HONEY!, Tempeh, Mustards, Flour, Yellow & White Cornmeal, Grits,  Goat and Cow Milk Cheeses, Baked Goods - Breads, Pastries, & Pies, Preserves, Gluten Free Baked Goods, Fermented Items, Nut Butters, Pasta, Herbal Teas, Herbal Salves,
Crafts:  Wood Crafts, Pottery, Goats Milk Soaps

Durham County Library Hosts Panel Discussion on Jews and Durham in Transition & Jewish Life “Pop-Up Museum”

When people think about Jewish history in America, images of New York at the turn of the century spring to mind. However, what many don't know is that Durham has generations of Jewish History.

Durham County Library will host a panel discussion on the history of Jews in Durham with historians Leonard Rogoff and Karin Shapiro and with Lynne Grossman and Robert Rosenstein. Both Grossman and Rosenstein’s families have lived in Durham for many generations.  The program will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 16, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro Street.

From 2:30 to 3 p.m. the library and Museum of Durham History invite members of the community to bring in artifacts about Jewish life in Durham for a temporary display, and to share the personal stories that make those objects come alive. Display space will be provided. Durham klezmer band, Freylach Time, will play traditional Yiddish music during this portion of the program.

A discussion exploring Durham’s rich Jewish history will begin at 3 p.m. Jewish merchants and cigar rollers first arrived in Durham in the 1870s and soon thereafter began to establish religious institutions, such as the Jewish cemetery and a house of prayer. The first major synagogue built by this community stood in the parking lot area of the current Durham Public Library. Jews also played a role in Durham’s civil rights struggle. The mayor during the Civil Rights era was a Jewish merchant, “Mutt” Evans.

Leonard Rogoff is a research historian for the Jewish Heritage Foundation of North Carolina, and Karin Shapiro is a visiting associate professor of history at Duke University.  Both have researched the Jewish South extensively.  Shapiro’s exhibit, “Beth El Synagogue – the first 125 years” will be on exhibit at the library from June 14 to July 15.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation and co-sponsored by the Museum of Durham History. For more information visit durhamcountylibrary.org or contact Joanne Abel at 919-560-0268.
Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit durhamcountylibrary.org.

Learn more about Durham history at www.durham-nc.com.

Durham County Library and Durham County Department of Public Health

Bookish types aren't usually fanatical fitness types... or are they?

Durham County Library and the Department of Public Health are daring residents to take the ChallengeWave – a four-week, community-wide fitness program that will pit library patrons against each other as they compete to cross the United States in a virtual race from June 15 through July 15.

“We are always looking for innovative ways to get our community moving toward a healthier lifestyle,” said Willa Robinson Allen, Health Promotion & Wellness, Program Manager for the Department of Public Health. “Earlier this year we had our county departments compete against each other using ChallengeWave. The program was such a success that we decided to open it up to the public. This is the first time this interactive online tool will be used in a community, and we expect that residents will have as much fun and increase their fitness as much as staff did.”

A maximum of 25 competitors per library can sign up for each team. Participating libraries are: Main, East Regional, North Regional, South Regional and Southwest Regional. Competitors will track and record any type of fitness activity online – either by distance or time – as they represent their favorite library. The team that travels the most virtual miles will win a trophy.

“ChallengeWave is part of our Summer Reading Program for adults,” Tammy Baggett, library director, said. “We’re challenging patrons to dig into reading and fitness – to train their brains by reading, and then train their bodies by participating in ChallengeWave. Competitors who sign up for Summer Reading as well can win additional prizes for attending library fitness programs like Zumba, yoga and line dancing.”

Those interested in participating can get more information about ChallengeWave by calling Willa Robinson Allen at 919-560-7771, by visiting online or by signing up directly at the ChallengeWave website using the invite code: DCLibrary13.

Discover more about the great community of Durham, NC.

Durham County Library Hosts Meet the Author: Dr. Larry Burk

It's shaping up to be a busy summer at the Durham County Library!

Durham County Library will host Dr. Larry Burk as he reads from his book: Let Magic Happen: Adventures in Healing with a Holistic Radiologist. The book chronicles his journey from his professional training in conventional radiology to his alternative path into the world of holistic medicine. The program will be held at 7 p.m. on June 18, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.

“Many of these stories stem from mind-body-spirit techniques that I learned from numerous generous teachers,” said Burk. “I look forward to sharing the magic with sincere seekers everywhere.”

 A book signing will follow the reading.

Burk received his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh, where he also completed a residency in radiology.  In the 1980s, his father’s battle with renal cancer and Burk’s own experience with the National MRI Safety Committee led to his interest in alternative medicine. Since then, Burk has studied and become licensed in numerous alternative treatments, including acupuncture, parapsychology, hypnosis and energy healing.  Burk co-founded the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine in 1998, and served as the Center’s Education Director. He currently works for Oriental Health Solutions, LLC in Durham, where he uses techniques such as hypnosis, medical acupuncture and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to treat a wide variety of conditions.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation. For more information, contact Joanne Abel at 919-560-0268.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit durhamcountylibrary.org.

Find out about more great events in Durham at the Durham Event Calendar.

"Making it Happen" Gallery Show and Sculpture Announcement at Liberty Arts at 3rd Friday Art Walk

Liberty Arts will be hosting a bevy of events during the Third Friday Art Walk Friday, June 21st  2013.  There will be a Gallery Show, "Making it Happen" and a reception from 6pm-9pm along with a historic sculpture announcement.

There will also be the first public unveiling of Artist Leigh Hayes, “Rings of Fire,” at 7.30 pm. Imagine glass rings rising from a molten bath. Steel drummer, Wilton Dubois, of Resounding Steel, will be on hand both playing his instruments and giving a demonstration of steel drum construction techniques. This event will also provide an opportunity to view the new installed bar by Liberty Arts artists Mike Lupa and Jackie MacLeod.

Liberty Arts is a collaborative nonprofit arts community that reflects the dynamic and diverse personality of Durham, NC. Liberty Arts believes in community outreach and encourages visionary thinking. Liberty Arts Sculpture Studio & Foundry is located at 923 Franklin Street, Durham, 27701 in the Cordoba Center for the Arts (adjacent to Scrap Exchange).

For more information on arts in Durham visit www.durham-nc.com.

Dishcrawl Makes its Durham Debut

Dishcrawl, a national startup founded on the premise that communities can be brought together through good food and good company, is debuting in Durham, this July! It's just another way that Durham is delivering on it's title of Tastiest Town in the South.

On Wednesday July 10, at 7pm dishcrawlers can embark on an exclusive edible tour of downtown Durham’s trendy Five Points neighborhood. For just $45, food fanatics can hobnob and sample an exciting array of dishes from four of the area’s most buzzworthy restaurants. Tickets must be reserved in advance and can be purchased online.

Dishcrawl lends an exciting opportunity for local restaurants to showcase their talent and gain recognition, and for food lovers to make connections while exploring what their city has to offer. Part of the fun is the allure of where the night will lead. Participating restaurants are kept secret until two days before the event, at which time the first location is revealed to ticket holders. For more information about Durham’s upcoming Dishcrawls, check them out on Facebook, or follow them on twitter.

Discover more about great dining options in Durham, the Tastiest Town in the South.

Indy Week to Celebrate Best of the Triangle 2013 Winners With June 15 Party

Durham knows a thing or two about long and drawn out voting battles involving its residents and local businesses. It also knows a thing or two about winning.

The Durham-based Indy Week has announced its "Best of the Triangle 2013" Readers Choice Winners and will celebrate with a free party open to the public on June 15 from 4-10pm at the Durham Athletic Park.

The annual "Best of the Triangle" list is voted on by Triangle residents who want to ensure that their favorite local businesses were represented on the poll that included categories like Goods, Media, Out & About, Services and Wine & Dine. From best "bead store" to best "bloody mary," Triangle residents cast their votes. More than 10,000 took the poll this year and tallying the ballots took 10 interns two weeks.

Durham made a strong showing in the reader-chosen awards this year.  There were 327 Durham finalists and 108 Durham winners. Elmo's Diner was the winner of three different categories including best "Breakfast," Kid's Menu at a Local Restaurant" and "Wait Staff in Durham County." Mateo bar de Tapas also won three categories, taking home best "Innovative Menu," "New Restaurant in Durham County," and "Chef in Durham County." The Blue Note Grill also emerged as a local favorite with three winning categories under its belt all having to do with music. The Grill won best "Place to Hear Country or Bluegrass," "Place to Hear Jazz or Blues' and "Place to See Music Before 10 p.m."

See all the winners and finalists here.

The event at Durham Athletic Park will feature food, drinks, live music, crafts and more. Restaurants will be offering samples of their cuisine, while retail and service businesses will be showcasing their talents. Enjoy live music by The Old Ceremony, Morning Brigade, La Bete Magique and Baron Von Rumblebuss. Proceeds from the event will go to Girls Rock NC. Lawn chairs are not allowed at the Durham Athletic Park. However, feel free to bring a blanket. RSVP to the Facebook event.

Learn more about why Durham is such a great place at www.durham-nc.com.

Updated: 6/13/13 4:19 PM

Toni Braxton Coming to DPAC on Aug. 18

DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, welcomes the incomparable Toni Braxton to Durham, NC on Sunday, August 18, 2013. Her distinctive sultry vocal blend of R&B, Pop, Jazz and Gospel became an instantaneous international sensation when she came forth with her first solo recording in 1992. Today, with more than 40 million albums sold worldwide and six Grammy® Awards, Toni Braxton is recognized as one of the most outstanding voices of her generation. DPAC presents this concert in partnership with The DOME Group, Inc.

Tickets go on sale Friday, June 21 at 12 p.m. online and at the box office at 123 Vivian Street. Friends of DPAC members may place their orders on June 20.

The concert is a milestone for promoter Sulaiman Mausi, president of The DOME Group, Inc. "We're so excited to present fans with this rare opportunity to experience Toni Braxton on the DPAC stage for the first time. Her voice, her performance and her courageous story are one-of-a-kind. This is a show that music lovers have been waiting for, and there's not a doubt that tickets will go fast," said Sulaiman Mausi of The DOME Group, Inc.

Born a preacher’s child and raised in a strict religious household, Braxton’s first professional experience was singing in the church choir. She went on to perform in a group with her four sisters (Traci, Trina, Towanda and Tamar) that was signed to Arista Records. Her talent was recognized by Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and soon her solo recording career was launched. Her music first came to widespread popularity on the soundtrack of the Eddie Murphy film Boomerang. The resulting Toni Braxton album sold ten million copies worldwide. The album also won her first two Grammys® in 1993 as Best New Artist and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “Another Sad Love Long”, and another Grammy® in the same category in 1994 for “Breathe Again.”

The acclaim for her second album Secrets continued her mega success, selling over thirteen million copies in the U.S. and abroad following its July 1996 release. “You’re Makin’ Me High” became Braxton's first across-the-board #1 Billboard Pop and R&B hit single and garnered another Grammy® for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Her release of “Un-Break My Heart” followed in the fall of 1996 and was recognized with the coveted Grammy® for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. It has become her signature song, and ranks as the second top-selling single of all time by a female artist. The next album, The Heat, sold 2 million copies and brought her another million-selling single and the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy® with “He Wasn’t Man Enough.”

Toni Braxton had successful runs on Broadway starring in Beauty and the Beast and Aida. In 2006, she headlined her own show, Toni Braxton Revealed at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. The show, which ran through April 2008, was a smash, but in the middle of the extended run she was diagnosed with microvascular angina causing her to cancel the remaining dates. After a recovery period, she took time in 2008 to fulfill her dream of appearing on the top-rated ABC television series Dancing with the Stars. Currently, Braxton is enjoying huge success with her Braxton Family Values reality show on the WE network. Braxton Family Values ranked #1 telecast for women during primetime among all ad-supported cable.

Durham is a hot spot for arts and culture. Learn more at www.durham-nc.com.

Durham Professional Placement Network Academy Hosts Entrepreneurship Workshop

Career minded and job-seeking professionals now have an opportunity to participate in the expansion of one of Durham’s best-opportunities for job search success.

The Professional Placement Network Academy (PPNA) is hosting a series of interactive workshops on topics designed to help every jobseeker. The next event will focus on entrepreneurship and will be held Thursday, June 20 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Hilton Durham, located at 3800 Hillsborough Rd., Durham (near Duke University).

Events occur the third Thursday of every month and other topics for later this year will include how to a financial plan in today’s economy. New for this year, participants who attend four classes will also gain entrance to a unique, invitation-only employment networking event.

The PPNA is designed to provide opportunities for mid-to-upper level professionals who have earned at least $30,000 per year or have received higher education credentials or professional certifications. PPNA provides a place for professionals to come together to share ideas, employment leads, and current job market information.

Participants interested in learning more about the PPNA or attending these Thursday evening events should visit the website or RSVP.

For more information, contact Jason Wimmer, adult employment program coordinator with the City's Office of Economic and Workforce Development, by email or by calling (919) 560-4965, ext. 15218.

About the Office of Economic & Workforce Development
Guided by the City’s Strategic Plan, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development helps ensure that Durham has a strong and diverse economy by increasing the city’s tax base through several revitalization initiatives, including new development efforts in the central city area. The department also plans and promotes cultural awareness and events, identifies and recruits target industries as well as assesses and trains Durham residents to fill new jobs. For more information, visit online, “like” on Facebook, or “follow” on Twitter.

Discover more about Durham's entrepreneurs by clicking here.

Charlie Wilson Will Perform at DPAC on Sept. 20

R&B legend and Grammy® nominee Charlie Wilson returns to DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, on Friday, September 20, 2013 following a sold out performance on the same stage in October 2011. DPAC presents this concert in partnership with The DOME Group, Inc.

"It's always a pleasure to bring one of the greatest singers and performers in music history to DPAC,” states Sulaiman Mausi of The DOME Group, Inc. "Charlie Wilson's catalog spans decades and he brings his catalog with his passion for performing to all of his performances. It's truly an amazing experience. This will be a phenomenal show.”

Tickets go on sale Friday, June 14 at 12 p.m. online or at the box office at 123 Vivian Street. Friends of DPAC members may place their orders on June 13.

"The last time we hosted Charlie Wilson was in 2011. I remember the moment clearly. He had just come off stage and was already asking when he could come back to DPAC. We know fans of DPAC love the energy, the acoustics, the great views of the stage, but more and more we know the stars love being on stage at DPAC just as much as we love having them. There's a magic that happens at DPAC and we cannot wait to see Charlie Wilson cast his spell again for Triangle R&B fans," said Bob Klaus, GM of DPAC.

The Natural. This simple phrase eloquently captures the essence of Charlie Wilson. That essence is currently commanding center stage with the sparkling ballad “My Love Is All I Have.” No one slam-dunks a ballad like Wilson, the Grammy®-nominated multi-talent behind the 15-week Billboard Urban Adult Contemporary chart-topper “You Are.” And that truth remains undisputed with “My Love Is All I Have.”

In the early 1990s, Wilson became a friend and regular collaborator with Snoop Dogg. Their relationship provided Wilson with access to many artists who idolized him as well as fresh, emerging talent who have inspired him to continue pushing the limits of his own material. Wilson has since collaborated with a diverse array of artists including Kanye West, R. Kelly, Will.i.am, Jamie Foxx, T-Pain, Fantasia, Justin Timberlake and, most recently, 2Chainz on the 2012 Soul Train Awards.

Initially signed to MCA and then Interscope as a solo artist, Wilson has come a long way from the highs of his The Gap Band heyday to the lows of his alcohol and drug addictions. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native formed the pivotal R&B funk trio with brothers Ronnie and Robert. The siblings hit the charts in the late ‘70s and ‘80s with a string of hits. These included “Outstanding,” “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” “Yearning For Your Love,” “Early in the Morning,” “Party Train,” “Wednesday Lover” and “All of My Love.” The group retired in 2010.

Working past his addictions, Wilson—sober now for 18 years—signed with Jive in 2004 after landing his first No. 1 Billboard Urban AC hit in 2000, “Without You.” Still burning rubber on stage as well, the energetic Wilson averages 75-100 shows a year between concert tours, festivals and private events. He also finds time to give back. Wilson remains committed to promoting awareness and educating the male community about prostate cancer. A survivor of a disease that afflicts one in six American men—and one in three African-American men Wilson became a spokesperson for the Prostate Cancer Foundation in 2008. In April 2012 he announced his partnership with Janssen Biotech to launch the company’s Making Awareness A Priority (M.A.P.) campaign. The program brings together leading voices in advocacy and health education through live events in select cities across the country (www.myprostatecancerroadmap.com).

There more to do in Durham. Discover more.

Durham’s Next Generation 9-1-1 Installation Complete

Durham residents now have a new sophisticated way to report emergencies to the 9-1-1 center.

The Durham Emergency Communications Center is now one of the few next generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) systems in the country, laying the groundwork to enable it to accept text, images, and video once mobile carriers make this an available option to their customers.

The Center is now fully transitioned to NG9-1-1, which uses the latest call-handling technology in a cloud-based solution, and is now capable of making further advancements in its 9-1-1 capabilities in response to the needs of a wireless, mobile society. According to James Soukup, director of the Durham Emergency Communications Center, in today's 9-1-1 environment, people can primarily make only emergency voice calls and teletype calls from the hearing impaired. Only minimal data is delivered with these calls, such as automatic number identification, subscriber name, and automatic location identification, when available. With NG9-1-1, people will be able to make voice, text, or video emergency "calls" from any communication devices that use the Internet.

“The nation's current 9-1-1 system is not capable of handling the text, data, images, and video that are increasingly common in personal communications. That’s why Durham upgraded to NG9-1-1 so we would be ready to move forward with the industry,” said Soukup. “The completed installation of Durham’s system paves the way for future advancements, such as being able to accept videos and photos. Now that we have this technology installed at the Center, we are ready to accept this type of data as soon as mobile carriers make it possible for their customers to send it to us.”

Since August 2011, Durham residents and visitors who are also Verizon Wireless customers have been able to send text messages to 911. The “text to 9-1-1” technology was part of a collaboration between the City of Durham, Verizon Wireless, and Intrado. Intrado, an emergency communications technology provider, installed the NG9-1-1 system at the Durham Emergency Communications Center, which will save the Center approximately $200,000 per year in surcharge funds.

The Durham Emergency Communication Center remains the first 9-1-1 center in North Carolina, as well as the one of the first 9-1-1 centers in the United States, to enable texting technology using 9-1-1 digits and live-call takers.

To learn more about the Durham Emergency Communications Center or Durham’s new NG9-1-1 system, contact Soukup at (919) 560-4191 or by email.

For more information about the nation’s transition to NG9-1-1, visit the National Emergency Number Association’s website.

Learn more about the progressive city and county of Durham.

Bull Durham 25th Anniversary Celebration June 13

Combine baseball, Durham, and a great night out and what do you get?  An evening of baseball at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park celebrating the movie Bull Durham, of course!

The Durham Bulls return home to the DBAP on Thursday, June 13 to begin an eight game homestand featuring visits from the Indianapolis Indians and Louisville Bats. A Bull Durham 25th Anniversary Celebration, Bark in the Park, and ‘90s Night highlight the promotional slate, while on the diamond the Bulls face off against Minor League Baseball’s single-season stolen base record holder in Louisville’s Billy Hamilton.

The homestand gets underway on Thursday, June 13 at 7:05pm as the Bulls host the Indianapolis Indians, Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the first of a four game series.  Thursday home games at the DBAP (with the exception of July 4) feature $1 Bright Leaf hot dogs, popcorn and fries. Thursday is also College Night, where students can get a Terrace Reserved ticket and $5 in Bulls Bucks for just $10 or an Outfield Reserved ticket for only $4.99 by entering the promo code COLLEGE (and using a valid .edu email address) when purchasing tickets online at durhambulls.com.

On Friday, June 14, Wilson Law P.A. presents the 7:05pm ballgame and the Friday Night Fireworks show immediately following the contest between the Bulls and Indians. The Diamond Cutters, the Bulls’ world famous dancing grounds crew, will also perform.

Saturday night’s 7:05pm game is presented by Chevrolet. Following the game, Great Outdoor Provision Co. presents the first of three Camp Out Nights during the 2013 season, where scout groups from across the Triangle will spend the night in the DBAP outfield. For Camp Out Night group information, call 919.956.BULL.

Coinciding with the same weekend it was released 25 years ago, fans can take part in the Bull Durham 25th Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, June 16.  Throughout the 5:05pm game, the Bulls will honor the movie that made them internationally famous. The team will wear Bull Durham era throwback jerseys on the field, while all game entertainment will focus on memorable moments and little known facts from the movie. Fans will have a chance to take photos with the new Bull Durham Racers, unveiled this season as a tribute to the anniversary, and also with the original Bull mascot from the movie. In the Ballpark Corner Store, themed Bull Durham merchandise will be available for the first time this season. Following the game, Kids Run the Bases thanks to Pepsi.

On Monday, June 17 at 7:05pm, the Cincinnati Red’s top affiliate begins their only visit of the year. Louisville is led by the exciting Billy Hamilton, who set a Minor League record in 2012 by stealing an astonishing 155 bases. Tuesday’s 7:05pm game is another AAA Membership Card Night. At every Tuesday home game in 2013, fans who show their AAA Membership Card can buy one Terrace Reserved ticket and get one, courtesy of AAA Carolinas.

Wells Fargo presents the 7:05pm game on Wednesday, June 19. Man’s best friend gets run of the DBAP that night during the second Bark in the Park event this season. Four-legged Bulls fans and their owners can get tickets for $10.99 in a special pet section of the Outfield Reserved, or $25 tickets that include a 2-hour all-you-can-eat buffet. $5 of each Bark in the Park ticket purchase goes to benefit Second Chance Pet Adoptions. Tickets for the pet section at Bark in the Park can be ordered online at durhambulls.com using the promo code BARK. New for 2013, both human and canine fans will be treated to several in-game performances by the K9 Crew Frisbee Dogs.

The homestand and series with Louisville concludes with a fun-filled 7:05pm game on Thursday, June 20, presented by the North Carolina Education Lottery.  Thursday’s finale is ‘90s Night at the DBAP, featuring an all-out tribute to the decade that brought us grunge, the spread of mainstream hip hop, The Simpsons and Beverly Hills, 90210. Once again, $1 concession items and College Night specials will be available.

The Durham Bulls return home to the DBAP on Thursday, June 13 to begin an eight game homestand featuring visits from the Indianapolis Indians and Louisville Bats. Tickets for all home games are available at durhambulls.com, by phone at 919.956.BULL, or at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park box office.

Durham is a great place to catch a baseball game. Discover more about Durham.

Find Waldo in Durham to Support Durham’s Shop Local Movement

Where's Waldo? In Durham, of course!

The famous children’s book character in the striped shirt and black-rimmed specs is visiting over twenty-five different local businesses throughout our community this July. Those who spot him can win prizes, including stickers, book coupons, gift certificates to local businesses, t-shirts, and more. Waldo figurines will be hidden in local establishments all over town – from Bean Traders to Durham Garden Center to One World Market to Cocoa Cinnamon to Duke Homestead to the Durham Arts Council to the Durham Public Libraries and beyond. Co-presented by the Regulator Bookshop and Sustain-a-Bull, Find Waldo Local is a great summer vacation activity, and a wonderful way for residents to support local business and Durham’s Shop Local movement.

Anyone who wishes to participate can pick up a “Find Waldo Local in Durham!” passport at the Regulator Bookshop from June 25 on, with the names of all the participating sites. Then, starting on July 1, visit participating businesses and get your passport stamped or signed for each Waldo you spot! The first 100 Waldo-seekers to get their passports stamped or signed at ten or more sites can bring their passports back to the Regulator Bookshop to collect prizes. Collecting store stamps or signatures at twenty or more businesses will entitle diligent seekers to entry in prize drawings at our wrap party on July 31, where they could win Waldo books, gift certificates to local stores, t-shirts, or our grand prize – a $100 Visa Gift Card courtesy of the Durham News.

Where’s Waldo is the creation of Martin Handford, whose entertaining drawings of crowd scenes swept the world in 1987. Since then, the Where’s Waldo books have held a cherished spot on bookstore shelves the world over. There are now over 58 million Waldo books in print worldwide and they’ve been translated into eighteen languages. An entire generation has grown up searching for Waldo and his cast of wandering companions.

In celebration of Waldo's longevity and popularity, his American publisher, Candlewick Press, is once again teaming up with the American Booksellers Association and 265 independent bookstores all across the country, including the Regulator here in Durham, for some hide and seek fun as well as to encourage communities to patronize their local businesses.  There is no charge to participate, and the hunt lasts for the entire month of July. For more information about hunting for Waldo in Durham, visit the Sustain-a-Bull website.

Learn more about local businesses in Durham.