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Debate Over Dixie Classic Fair Name Change Intensifies
Hundreds of people turned out to have their say on a proposed name change for the Dixie Classic Fair in Winston-Salem.
Some residents say “Dixie Classic” evokes images of slavery and the Confederacy.
Others who attended the meeting say the name is a part of Southern culture and has a different meaning. Some told council members they will boycott the fair if the name is changed.
Kathleen Garber, who chairs the fair planning committee, says a study is underway to find out how much it could cost to make the name change.
Garber says the city has also received more than 8,000 responses from an online survey about the proposal. City Council is expected to vote on the issue in August.
House OKs Cellphone Ban, Billboard Measure Before Deadline
One North Carolina legislative chamber has wrapped up its work before a deadline the General Assembly imposed on itself this week so that the universe of bills filed during this two-year session is narrowed.
The House approved nearly 30 bills on Tuesday, including measures designed to discourage hand-held cellphone use while driving and apartment renters abusing limits on emotional support pets. Another approved bill gives billboard companies the option to move signs when they're removed due to the construction of new roads.
Oil Drilling Risks North Carolina Coastal Economy, Mayors Worry
Mayors from along the North Carolina coast are discussing the costs of offshore oil drilling if something goes wrong.
About a dozen mayors from Duck to Topsail Beach are meeting Wednesday in Manteo to discuss their worries about offshore oil and gas exploration. Opponents say that one future oil spill could destroy the state's $4 billion fishing business and badly dent the state's $20 billion tourism industry.
The Trump administration is pushing to expand drilling off the U.S. coast, although court challenges and opposition from many coastal states have slowed those efforts.
Suspect In Shooting At UNC-Charlotte Indicted
A grand jury has indicted a 22-year-old man on murder and other charges in the shooting attack at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte that left two students dead and four others wounded.
The Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office says the indictments handed down Monday charged Trystan Andrew Terrell with murder, attempted murder and assault in last week's shooting. The indictments made public Tuesday offered no additional details.
The website of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office says bond has not been set on the murder charges.
Raleigh's Ashley Christensen Takes Top Honor At James Beard Awards
A Raleigh chef who grew up in Kernersville won top honors at Monday night's James Beard Awards ceremony.
Ashley Christensen is known for her comfort food at Poole's Diner in Raleigh. Now the James Beard Foundation has honored her work with a medal for Outstanding Chef in the country. She's been nominated in the category before, but this is her first win.
The News and Observer reports Christensen opened Poole's Diner in 2007, with a menu highlighting American diner fare. She has gone on to build a restaurant empire in Raleigh and won the award for Best Chef in the Southeast in 2014.
University Receives $5M Grant To Expand Duke Gardens
Duke University has received a $5 million grant to improve the 55-acre Sarah P. Duke Gardens on campus, which attracts about 400,000 visitors each year.
University President Vincent Price said in a news release that The Duke Endowment is providing the grant for the Garden Gateway Project, a fundraising campaign. The grant brings the total raised to $16 million of the $30 million goal for the project.
The project will revitalize the gardens' front entrance and fund new and improved facilities and classrooms. The plan also calls for a new performance lawn and expanded indoor event hall.
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