ON THE MOVE
Durham Academy honored longtime teacher Marian Saffo-Cogswell’s retirement with a surprise celebration and fountain dedication.
The League of Women Voters of Orange-Durham-Chatham elected Pam Oxendine (right) and Eva Rogers as its 2016-17 President and Vice President, respectively.
Timothy A. Daniel was appointed head of school for Montessori Community School in May; his first day was July 1.
The Carrack Modern Art gallery moved to the Torus Building at 947 E. Main St. in July after five years at its former West Parrish Street location.
DOCTOR’S NOTE
Lindsey Lang, a Riverside High and UNC School of Nursing grad, returned home in June after nearly a year volunteering in Toamasina, Madagascar with Mercy Ships, a nonprofit delivering free surgical care to Africans. Upon her return, Lindsey, the daughter of Ron and Paula Lang of the Croasdaile Farm neighborhood, returned to her former position in the emergency department at UNC.
A team at Duke Health performed North Carolina’s first hand transplant in May on a 54-year-old man from Texas who lost his hand in a childhood accident. The procedure was 12 hours long and was led by Associate Professor of Surgery Dr. Linda Cendales.
Duke Children’s Hospital cancer patients participated in a special Make-Your-Own Headband Day with Raleigh-based Headbands of Hope and reusable water bottle company Bobble.
BUSINESS BRIEFS
North Carolina-based fitness brand Burn Boot Camp has opened a new location at 3702 Hillsborough Rd. Their fitness program is aimed at busy moms and offers short workouts paired with free childcare.
The Scarlet Rooster, a locally owned gift and home decor shop, is now open at 721 Broad St.
The Forest at Duke is the sponsor of LEGENDS Concert and Comedy Series coming to Durham Performing Arts Center this season, which includes highlights such as The Four Tops, The Temptations and Jay Leno.
Paul Clark of the Durham Police Department’s Community Resource Unit authored, illustrated and published a children’s book: “Nibbles the Squirrel Explores Durham.” Nibbles’ story can be found around town at local shops such as The Regulator Bookshop and Parker and Otis.
Pierce Freelon launched Blackspace, “a hub for Afrofuturism, digital media and social entrepreneurship,” for youth in Durham.
Instacart, a grocery delivery service, is now available in Durham for Whole Foods Market, Costco, Harris Teeter, Petco, Food Lion and Total Wine & More.
Lush Cosmetics opened its first Durham store at The Streets at Southpoint in June.
21c Museum Hotel now offers a Kid’s Exploration Package that includes a special “I Spy” guide of the museum/hotel, two tickets to the Museum of Life and Science and an in-room camping adventure complete with milk, cookies and a tent!
The Makers Mercantile, an online shop and blog featuring hand-picked local artists and artisans such as Evie Watts, Liz Kelly of Liz Kelly Pottery (below), and Lizzie Chadbourne of Lo and Behold Natural Body Care, launched in June.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
The Brannan, a new condominium complex that will overlook Durham Central Park, is currently under construction and will have 35 units available.
Wetrock Farm, an upcoming 230-acre development dedicated to sustainability, has secured preliminary plat approval and, in the coming months, will start pre-sales for the 140 homesites. The northern Durham neighborhood is slated to include more than 140 acres of conserved open space and a functioning farm.
CITY PLANNING
Durham Arts Council was recommended as one organization to receive a $100,000 award to support Phase 1 implementation of the Durham SmART Vision Plan presented by the National Endowment for the Arts. The SmART Vision Plan will utilize public art and urban design to create an Arts and Entertainment Corridor downtown.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Durham County’s population estimate is 300,952 and the city’s population is 257,636 as of July 2015.
Hillside Park was selected by the Parks Build Community – a national campaign that revitalizes local parks – to receive a $20,000 grant from the National Recreational Park Association and the Walt Disney Company. Renovations will include landscape, beautification and seating improvements, as well as resurfacing of the existing outdoor roller rink to a futsal court.
WHAT AN HONOR
In an article for tastingtable.com, Abby Reisner spotlighted Durham’s band of local breweries, highlighting favorites such as Fullsteam, Durty Bull Brewing Company and Bull Durham Beer Co.
Durham was listed as one of nonprofit KaBOOM!’s 2016 Playful City USA communities for making balanced and active play easily available and for pledging to integrate play as a solution to the challenges facing our city.
The website 24/7 Wall St. listed Durham-Chapel Hill as the No. 5 best city for single mothers, based on hours of work per week for a single mother to afford rent (49.6 hours), market rent for a two-bedroom apartment ($922), median income for a single-mother household ($26,132) and number of 3- to 4-year-olds enrolled in school (50.1%). They also factored in the numerous educational and occupational opportunities available in the Triangle and the fact that this area is above average in number of single mothers with college degrees and employment.
Durham Distillery’s Conniption Navy Strength and American Dry gins were awarded platinum and silver medals respectively by the Beverage Testing Institute, and American Dry received a double-gold medal from The Fifty Best, an online food and spirits guide.
Phyliss Craig-Taylor, dean at North Carolina Central University School of Law, was nominated to serve on President Obama’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Duke graduate Tatiana Birgisson of MATI Energy was featured by inc.com in their “30 Under 30” list of entrepreneurs.
Bikram Yoga Durham student Theo Reeves, 11, placed third in the Boy’s Division of USA Yoga’s national championship in Wyoming this year.
Durham native and gospel singer Shirley Caesar was honored with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star under the Recording category to commemorate her 50 years as a solo artist.
MUSIC FEST SUCCESS
Instead of remaining biannual, Moogfest will be back in Durham next year from May 18-21. About 7,000 people participated per day in the festival this year.
Art of Cool Festival’s third year in Durham drew more than 8,500 attendees and participants.
GRAD BRAG
Spanish teacher Ellen Holmes wanted to brag about the following Riverside High students: Axel Hererra is a QuestBridge finalist, Washington Duke Scholar and Golden Door Scholar headed to Duke University on a full scholarship this fall; Morgan Whithaus and Pamela Gonzalez will attend Meredith College on a collection of honorary scholarships. Naomi Van Horn and Meg Van Horn will attend UNC-Chapel Hill; Abigail Rivera will attend Appalachian State University; Ally Zilles will attend NC State University; and Austin Avery will attend Durham Tech. “All of these students have worked very hard and left their mark on Riverside and myself,” Ellen says, “I look forward to watching them grow, succeed and change the world!”
In order to earn his designation as Eagle Scout in Troop 405, Marcus Willoughby, also a recent Riverside grad, designed and constructed an exercise platform for Durham Technical Community College’s Basic Law Enforcement Training students, which is located at the college’s Northern Durham Center. The son of former collegiate athletes Marvin and Jacquline Willoughby, Marcus will be a member of the Elon University football team when he attends this fall.
Durham Academy alumni Alex Bassil and Naomi Lerner were players on UNC-Chapel Hill’s men’s and women’s lacrosse teams, which both won the national championships this year.
CELEBRITY SIGHTING
Sia and her husband, Erik Anders Lang, visited The Salvation Army Family Store in Durham on their way to a wedding up north. “They were both very down to earth, friendly and excited to spend a relaxing day ‘treasure hunting,’” Salvation Army Public Relations/ Outreach Coordinator Katherine Bellamy says. Sia asked the staff (including Emily Cervantes, pictured) to be part of a video she was doing for the friend’s wedding, and she left with a few thrifty treasures.
IN MEMORIAM
Civil rights activist Ann Atwater (pictured below in 1971) passed away June 20 at the age of 80. She is perhaps best known for her role assisting in the peaceful desegregation of Durham schools and is featured in the Durham Civil Rights History Mural downtown.
