Hats Off to You, Durham!
Comedian Amy Schumer sported some Durham Performing Arts Center swag on her Instagram account recently. She performed at DPAC in 2013.
“Today Show” hosts Savannah Guthrie and Willie Geist welcomed WRAL-TV to the NBC family in late February by donning Durham Bulls‘ caps.
And the Award Goes to…
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics humanities instructor Phillip Riggs received the 2016 GRAMMY Music Educator Award. Phillip, who was chosen from more than 4,500 nominations, received a $10,000 honorarium and was flown to Los Angeles to attend the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards.
Durham’s 21c Museum Hotel was recognized as one of the 100 Hottest New Hotel and Venue Openings by The Venue Report.
Fullsteam Brewery, Prodigal Farm, Farmer’s Daughter and Two Chicks Farm were among the finalists of the 2016 Good Food Awards. Chosen from nearly 2,000 entrants, 263 companies were recognized for both their delicious products and connection to their local communities.
Durham Performing Arts Center has again been named one of the top five U.S. venues in its size and type by industry-leading trade magazines Billboard, Venues Today and Pollstar.
Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club was named College Rank’s Best College Hotel for above-and-beyond services and accommodations, as well as close proximity to Duke University.
Rhiannon Giddens & The Carolina Chocolate Drops, the GRAMMY-winning old-time string band with Durham roots, is among eight acts that will be inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame this fall.
A cover for the book “12 Years A Slave,” designed by Rachel Alexis Storer (also known as Gemynii), was chosen from a Durham pop-up show to be included in an exhibition at the New York Public Library and become a permanent part of their digital collection.
Star Treatment
Award-winning actress Madeleine Stowe, whose daughter, May, attends Duke University, spoke to students Abhi Shah and Catherine White on “Artstigator Minute” about her role in ABC’s “Revenge,” in addition to sharing advice on media and arts.
Actress Amber Tamblyn, pictured above with husband, David Cross, was visiting Durham for a book signing at The Regulator Bookshop and performance at The Carolina Theatre, respectively, during our February tornado scare. On Instagram she wrote, “SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GIRL FREAKS OUT OVER TORNADO WARNING IN DURHAM AS SUPER CHILL #worsthusbandever JUST READS A BOOK.”
Business News
Healthy energy beverage company MATI Energy – founded in a Duke dorm room and headquartered in Durham – opened a 30,000 sq. ft. manufacturing and warehouse facility in Clayton in February.
Ngozi Design Collective, located on 321 W. Main St., officially opened its doors in November. The growing group of designers and artists focuses on selling handmade clothing, natural and organic beauty products, jewelry and art.
On the Move
Former UNC System president Thomas Ross will be Duke’s first Terry Sanford Distinguished Fellow at the Sanford School of Public Policy.
Beth Perry, formally of the John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute, has joined the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University as manager of special events.
Animal Planet
Two rescued green sea turtles were transported to Durham’s Triangle Veterinary Referral Hospital from Wilmington for donated care, which included a CT scan and flipper surgery.
Duke Lemur Center celebrated the birth of Hostilian – a male sifaka lemur and another grandchild of Jovian, who played the famous Zoboomafoo – was aptly named after being born during a hostile winter storm this January. A vet tech walked two miles in the snow after her car got stuck to check in on the mother, Gisela, found that the infant had already been born.
In Memoriam
Della Marie Cox Fulbright, known lovingly as ‘Mama Fulbright,’ passed away Jan. 23 at the age of 93. She was the founding director of Covenant Presbyterian Church‘s youth choir, served as a Sunday School teacher and was an active volunteer for Meals on Wheels of Durham for many years. Mama Fulbright was also dedicated to literacy, having served the Durham Public Schools and North Carolina Central University for many years. Her late husband, Dr. Stewart Fulbright, the first dean of N.C. Central’s School of Business, passed away in 2012. DM
