<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Beecoz - Garner, NC 27529</title><link>http://www.beecoz.com/posts/community/NC/Wake/Garner/27529/</link><description>Beecoz-Community Portal</description><language>en-us</language><pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:21:03 EST</pubDate><item><title>The &quot;choking game&quot;</title><description><![CDATA[
Are your children playing the &amp;quot;choking game?&amp;quot;


As noted in today\'s article by Sam Spies, it\'s believed to be how Enloe High student Kris Marceno died earlier this month. While Wake school officials say it\'s not &amp;quot;prevalent&amp;quot; in this area, the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention warns that 82 kids have died nationwide playing it since 1995.
This &amp;quot;game&amp;quot; involves strangling yourself to cut off the flow of oxygen to the brain. While it can produce a state of euphoria, it can lead to death if you pass out.
Marceno\'s death has created a lot of chatter online, including a tribute video on YouTube.
Enloe\'s PTSA plans to have a discussion on the choking game in January. The goal is to warn parents about the dangers of an activity that they may not know is being done by their kids.
&amp;quot;It was a wakeup call for teens to be aware and do something about it,&amp;quot; said Adrienne Lumpkin, Enloe\'s PTSA president. &amp;quot;If you have friends who are doing it, you need to go to their parents. This is something you need to make a stand on.&amp;quot;

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/the-choking-game</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/the-choking-game</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Asking for more resources for Eastern Wake</title><description><![CDATA[
Eastern Wake parents voiced their discontent with the reassignment proposal at Thursday\'s community engagement meeting.


As noted in today\'s article, several speakers argued that Eastern Wake schools need more resources. Knightdale High is the only Eastern Wake school whose F&amp;amp;R percentage is under 40 percent.
Assistant Superintendent Chuck Dulaney told speakers it was a question of resources. (Unlike the school board\'s hearings on reassignment, speakers at CEM meetings will get responses to questions.)
Dulaney said resources are based on what\'s provided by county commissioners. He urged parents to get more involved in the budget process.
Dulaney said it\'s easier, for instance, to offer an AP European History class at Green Hope High because there would be enough students interested in the course. 
Dulaney said it would be harder to find enough students at Knightdale High to offer that same AP course. It would mean having having to adjust the funding formulas to hire a teacher for the class.
Dulaney said the only ways to provide more resources at a school are to get an across-the-board funding increase or to take money from another school.
Robin Woodlief, the Eastern Wake parent who had led to Dulaney\'s AP example, had a simple response to him.
&amp;quot;Eastern Wake has rolled over and taken what it?s got for too long,? Woodlief said. &amp;quot;If President Obama is into redistribution of wealth, give that to me. Give me some of Green Hope\'s. You don\'t know whether my child would want to take that AP European History class.&amp;quot;
As for the crowd, there were around 150 people at Knightdale High. It was about half the crowd  that was at Leesville Road High on Monday.
There were more people in the gym for a basketball game than in the auditorium for the CEM meeting. That\'s even when you factor in the $6 admission charge for the game.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/asking-for-more-resources-for-eastern-wake</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/asking-for-more-resources-for-eastern-wake</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Roman Candle to release four EPs prior to new LP</title><description><![CDATA[Last month we brought you some info on Roman Candle\'s plans for future releases. At the time, we thought the band would release only one EP prior to their new full-length Oh Tall Tree in the Ear. Wrong. They will release four separate EPs prior to the album\'s release, the first of which is titled Eden Was a Garden. It will be released on December 2.

Each of the four EPs will feature a track from]]></description><link>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/roman-candle-to-release-four-eps-prior.html</link><guid>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/roman-candle-to-release-four-eps-prior.html</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:48:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Wake magnet options for 2009-10</title><description><![CDATA[
Parents can now find their magnet school options for next year.


Click here to plug in your address to see your available choices. The list reflects the changes in draw areas that staff presented on Tuesday for different magnet programs.
The magnet application period will run from Feb. 9-28. You can only apply online.
The calendar options for next year haven\'t been posted yet.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/wake-magnet-options-for-2009-10</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/wake-magnet-options-for-2009-10</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:15:55 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Tonight's meeting at Knightdale HS</title><description><![CDATA[
From the school system\'s perspective, tonight is the real start of the community engagement meeting process.


Here are some things to keep in mind if you go tonight to Knightdale High. It pays to be early since the sign-up sheet for speakers will be put out at 6 p.m., 30 minutes before the start of the meeting.
Don\'t think that because tonight\'s meeting is at Knightdale that it means it\'s only for Eastern Wake residents. If history repeats itself, tonight could actually be a good opportunity to have your say.
Turnout has tended to be smaller at meetings in Eastern Wake even though the area has become increasingly impacted by reassignment in recent years.&nbsp; If that\'s the case, someone can take advantage of the time before the meeting ends at 9 p.m. 
Asst Supt. Chuck Dulaney is telling people they don\'t have to speak at or attend all five meetings. He said repeating the same argument multiple times won\'t increase the chances that changes will be made to the plan.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/tonights-meeting-at-knightdale-hs</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/tonights-meeting-at-knightdale-hs</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:06:20 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Frantz on reassignment</title><description><![CDATA[
Cary Town Councilman Don Frantz is venturing back into the world of student reassignment.


Frantz sent this letter to the school district to object to the proposed reassignment of 84 students from Cary High to Apex High. He complains it\'s unfair to move the students, who are mostly from low-income families.
Administrators have proposed moving the students &amp;quot;to allow middle school students to move to high school with their peers.&amp;quot; It would also &amp;quot;increase the number of low-income students at Apex High to make Apex High more in line with the county average for low-income students.&amp;quot;
Frantz says the two nodes that would be moved are roughly a mile from Cary High. He stresses the challenges that families would have being involved at Apex High, which he says would be five miles away.
&amp;quot;It will become much more difficult for these families to remain involved in their children?s education if they are reassigned from Cary High School to Apex High School,&amp;quot; Frantz writes. &amp;quot;Since Apex High School is too far a distance for the children to walk to (Cary is not), it will also become much more difficult for these children to participate in extra-curricular activities or athletics. 
Frantz also says that moving these kids won\'t have much of an effect on changing the F&amp;amp;R percentages at both schools and will harm the stability of those students.
Frantz had gotten involved earlier this year as well, raising concerns about reassignments involving Davis Drive, Farmington Woods and Oak Grove elementary schools.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/frantz-on-reassignment</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/frantz-on-reassignment</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Uncertain grandfathering</title><description><![CDATA[
It\'s looking more likely that parents will have to lobby the school board to allow rising sophomores to be able to avoid being reassigned to another existing high school.


Asst. Supt. Chuck Dulaney told board members on Tuesday that he didn\'t want them to make a decision on high school grandfathering without knowing how it would impact the capacity at those schools. He went on to single out Panther Creek and Wakefield high schools.
Reading between the lines, it\'s not looking so good that grandfathering in high schools will be extended beyond rising seniors and juniors.
Grandfathering, as noted earlier this week, means that certain students who are reassigned can request a transfer to stay at their current school. The request is automatically approved, but it means no transportation will be provided.
The problem with allowing rising sophomores to grandfather is that it cuts into the number of students who\'d leave a school. This could have a negative impact on crowding.
But with thousands of high school students slated to be moved in the plan, grandfathering will likely be a major issue for the board.


Families being reassigned to the new high schools will probably also ask for grandfathering. They\'ve traditionally never gotten it as new schools only open with 9th- and 10th-graders.&nbsp;

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/uncertain-grandfathering</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/uncertain-grandfathering</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Wake County Schools Work to Welcome Families into Schools</title><description><![CDATA[
For students to succeed, it\'s important for families and schools to build a partnership that supports the child.

To try and further foster those partnerships, the Wake County School Board is embracing standards of the National PTA. The PTA\'s six standards for judging effective family-school partnerships are now included in Board Policy 2541. 

Sarah Martin, the Wake County PTA Council President, is visiting schools to talk with principals about the standards. Martin visited with Nolan Bryant, principal of Jeffreys Grove Elementary, to talk about Standard 1: Welcoming all families into the school community - Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff, and to what students are learning and doing in class.

Click here to listen to Wake County Schools Work to Welcome Families into Schools

This is an 18 minute mp3 file.

You can read more about the National PTA Family and Parent Involvement Standards here.

We would like to hear how your Wake County Public School is welcoming families into the school community. Please share your best practices identifying the school and the steps taken to welcome families.

]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/wake_county_sch.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/wake_county_sch.html</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:15:56 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Happy Christmas from The Films</title><description><![CDATA[Ever been having a rough day until an e-mail or IM pops up from a friend with something that, to be completely cheesy, makes your heart sing just a little bit? Welcome to my afternoon when a message from Kevin popped up with a link to the video below.

The Films, on of my very favorite bands, are back with a song just in time for the Christmas season. Watch the video for \&quot;It\'s Christmas (What\'s]]></description><link>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/happy-christmas-from-films.html</link><guid>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/happy-christmas-from-films.html</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:40:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Taxed by the Mile</title><description><![CDATA[Under the Dome reports that a group of state leaders may propose an &amp;#8220;odometer tax&amp;#8221; on drivers.
In short, the more you drive the more you pay.&nbsp; Essentially, the theory is to discourage driving and entourage using alternate modes of transportation.&nbsp; Sounds good, but what about the working families who live in remote parts of the [...]]]></description><link>http://www.growthmatters.org/?p=264</link><guid>http://www.growthmatters.org/?p=264</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:44:37 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Rallying against reassignment proposal</title><description><![CDATA[
Opposition is forming to the draft reassignment plan.


At least two groups will hold meetings on Sunday to rally parents and to help them lobby for changes to the plan. These parents are complaining about moves that would send students out of Panther Creek and Apex high schools.
Click here for a flier for the parents of 119 students who are upset about being reassigned from Panther Creek High to Athens Drive High. They want to go to Cary High, where they had previously attended.
The parents from the North Harrison part of Cary say they\'re tired of &amp;quot;being bounced around from one high school to another like a ping-pong ball.&amp;quot;&nbsp; 
The &amp;quot;PC to Cary&amp;quot; meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. at the Wessex clubhouse, 212 Bathgate Lane in Cary.
A little later that evening, parents will gather over the proposed reassignment of 136 Apex High students to Cary High. They\'ll meet at 7 p.m. at Peace Montessori School, which is located at 2190 N. Salem St. in Apex.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/rallying-against-reassignment-proposal</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/rallying-against-reassignment-proposal</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:35:42 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Learning Teams are a High Five Legacy</title><description><![CDATA[
The way we teach in the Wake County Public School System is undergoing a cultural change as educators work in learning teams to meet the needs of each student. A driving force behind learning teams, or professional learning communities, has been the work of High Five.

The Wake County Public School System is one of five school systems partnering with High Five which is funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield, Capitol Broadcasting, Progress Energy, The News and Observer, and SAS. 

Talking to the Board of Education at its Nov. 18 meeting, News and Observer Publisher Orage Quarles talked about the partners\' commitment to the goal of high school graduation for all students. High Five Executive Director Vann Langston talked about the work that has been accomplished and plans for the future. 

Click here to listen to Learning Teams are a High Five Legacy

This is a 6.5 minute mp3 file.

You can read more about High Five here.

]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/learning_teams_1.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/learning_teams_1.html</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:43:58 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Peace College Prepares New Generation of Teachers </title><description><![CDATA[
Peace College and the Wake County Public School System have worked together since the fall of 2004 to design a program to recruit and develop prospective teachers who will be equipped to become effective career teachers and teacher leaders. 

WCPSS Assistant Superintendent Maurice Boswell says this program offers both degree-seeking and licensure-only options for those who want to become teachers, preparing teacher candidates for licensure in both Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education: General Curriculum K-12. 

Peace College President Laura Bingham says the partnership between the college and the school system offers a high quality teacher education program that is meeting needs in critical areas.

WCPSS administrator Carolann Wade, who is on-loan to Peace College as liaison between the school system and college, teaches methods courses and supervises teacher candidates during field experiences.

Click here to listen to Peace College Prepares New Generation of Teachers

This is a 5.5 minute mp3 file.

You can read more about Peace College here.


]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/peace_college_p.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/peace_college_p.html</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:05:49 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Person Street Potential</title><description><![CDATA[
Geezer told me months ago that Conti's Italian Market, on Person Street, would be closing soon and apparently they are.  I really wish I could be sad about it.  I gave this place a second chance, over and over again and it always disappointed.  It wasn't the store that disappointed as much as the owner.  We love character here at RDUwtf but there IS a difference between being a character and being a dick.  I think that concept was sometimes missed at Conti's.  Initially there was the owner and his wife (now ex-wife) and i attributed most of the problems with the place to symptoms of being a new business but eventually the problems would become too inconvenient to tolerate.  Serving lunch one week and not the next can be forgiven but after it happens a few times, you make other plans.  Then, the owner started waging a war with an auto repair business down the street, ostensibly because he claimed it was an eyesore but with careful reading of the stories, it seemed evident that he wanted the location as a parking lot and felt some strange entitlement.  The auto repair shop was a black-owned business that had been in the neighborhood longer than Conti's, in a neighborhood that was being gentrified and I perceived the battle as somewhat racist.  Parking was never my problem with Conti's.
Last winter, I began patronizing the store again, they seemed to have some steady employees and the hot sandwiches in the deli were rocking.  I took my son in to shop one day and ordered a sandwich.&nbsp; The two workers in the deli were efficient and helpful but after a 15-minute wait, I asked why my sandwich was taking so long.  The owner had taken my sandwich off the panini grill and given it to two other customers to sample.  Those customers felt terrible and kept apologizing, while the owner kept assuring them it wasn't a problem.  I assured the customers there was a problem: it was with the owner.  I hope something great opens in that spot.  Might I suggest that Giacomo's open a deli there?

  
]]></description><link>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/458542927/</link><guid>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/458542927/</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:52:06 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Revising Wake's magnet assignments</title><description><![CDATA[
Some current magnet students might want to check the mail to see if they\'re being sent to a different magnet school next year.


Wake is revising the magnet draw areas for the International Baccalaureate elementary, middle and high schools, Academically Gifted middle schools, Gifted &amp;amp; Talented middle schools and Creative Arts elementary schools. 
Letters are supposed to go out today to current magnet students whose schools have shifted. Everyone else will eventually be able to see their magnet options online.
They\'re not officially considered reassignments, but tell it to those parents.
In Wake, you don\'t apply to a specific magnet school. You apply to a magnet program. This means that you can be moved if the draw area for that program is revised.
Magnet students at some grades will be able to stay at their current school with transportation.
As expected, the IB draw areas for the middle and high schools have shifted significantly.
Wake is hoping that western Wake families will go to the IB programs at East Garner Middle and Garner High. The northern and eastern areas would go to East Millbrook Middle and Broughton High.
No decision has been made yet on the kind of transportation that will be provided. This could mean traditional bus service or express busing in which parents drop their kids off at a common area such as a school to be transported to the magnet site.
Click here for a handout showing draw areas and an explanation of who is eligible for grandfathering.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/revising-wakes-magnet-assignments</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/revising-wakes-magnet-assignments</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:15:01 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Superintendent Burns: WCPSS Podcast</title><description><![CDATA[
Superintendent Del Burns told the Wake County Board of Education November 18 that the school system has been asked by the state and county to identify cuts in spending as a result of the downturn in the economy.

Click here to listen to Dr. Burns Reports

This is a 8:45 minute mp3 file.


]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/superintendent_10.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/superintendent_10.html</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:22:07 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>MiddlingTown</title><description><![CDATA[
The folks at New Raleigh covered this ages ago, and I agree with their take, but lets give it the wtf spin. The first time I heard &amp;#8220;Midtown Raleigh,&amp;#8221; I thought it was ridiculous. My only point of reference was Midtown Manhattan, and I knew that there was nothing resembling Midtown Manhattan here in the City of Oaks. Wikipedia lists eighteen cities with areas called Midtown, but I don't think it's a bad assumption to think of Manhattan when someone uses the word. Leebowitz hipped me to Midtown Atlanta, which is clearly what Uber-Developer Kane was shooting for with this designation. Many folks have already forgotten that he popularized the term, not the News and Observer. So, why &amp;#8220;Midtown&amp;#8221; instead of the perfectly good North Raleigh and ITB Raleigh? Well, Inside-The-Beltline, even if the real estate values are crazy there, includes some of those pesky students, working class and poor people. But shift your focus north, and voila, you've got a mostly rich and mostly white bunch of folks to advertise at. Pretending that Midtown is a real area that exists then makes it easier to call the entire center of Raleigh &amp;#8220;Downtown,&amp;#8221; even though it's obviously nonsensical to call Cameron Village &amp;#8220;Downtown Raleigh.&amp;#8221; Midtown Raleigh is an area made up to satisfy developers and the folks who hawk boutique clothes, day spas, and plastic surgery to the avid readers of Midtown Magazine.  An area that has nothing to do with the history or evolution of Raleigh. An area that ignores real neighborhoods and zones that do have a rich history &amp;#8230; Five Points, for instance. If you don't want to call it North Raleigh, or more specifically North Hills in the zone around the old North Hills Mall (RIP) then call it what it is: Kanetown.

  
]]></description><link>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/458328170/</link><guid>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/458328170/</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:14:48 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The State of Cameron Village</title><description><![CDATA[Back in June we detailed the impending demolition of much of Cameron Village's remaining mid-century modern character, to make room for this:

Since then, much has happened, many discussions carried and arguments waged.  So, where do we stand?  It seems the City Council panicked as we began tumbling down this economic rabbit hole and approved two projects that conflicted with the very planning guidelines created by the City, including this uninspired crap in Cameron Village.  We're not opposed to the height, or increased density of the building but the city needs to decide whether Planning has a place in Raleigh, or if it's just a barrier for those without enough money to hire the right real estate attorneys and architectural firms.
But the City isn't the only party to blame here.  The neighborhood opposition needs to develop plans that aren't all-or-nothing.  Have you checked www.SaveCameronVillage.com lately?  No need, they've taken their game and gone home because they weren't winning.  The neighborhood can still pressure the City and developers to make design choices that will lessen the qualities that make buildings feel oppressive and looming - but the opposition seems to have disappeared.  The &amp;#8220;No Towers&amp;#8221; slogan may no longer be appropriate, and we'll argue that it never was, but &amp;#8220;Save Historic Cameron Village&amp;#8221; might carry some weight and might generate some concern.  In our minds, this was always about preservation of character more than fighting density.  Cameron Village could use some more density and less EFIS crap.  There's your slogan:  SAVE OUR VILLAGE - FROM EFIS CRAP.

  
]]></description><link>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/458328171/</link><guid>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/458328171/</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:14:31 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Still wanting the conversion money</title><description><![CDATA[
School board members are not happy at the prospect of having to cut more than $11 million from its budget.


As noted in today\'s article, board members complained that having to make cuts so deep would hurt a &amp;quot;lean budget.&amp;quot; Board members said that might even lead to considering things such as cuts to the classroom and layoffs.
With potentially as much as $5.7 million being cut by the county, the year-round conversion tiff resurfaced.
Board members Lori Millberg and Patti Head said they wouldn\'t be in as bad a position if they had a larger fund balance. They said that getting the $4.7 million from county commissioners to pay for the year-round conversions would help.
As you may recall, commissioners declined to provide the $4.7 million last year after parents opposed to the conversions lobbied them for help. School board members argued they should have gotten the money because voters had approved the funding as part of the 2006 bond issue.
The school board wound up paying for the conversions by taking the money out of its fund balance. The amount needed was reduced to $2.9 million.
Millberg and Head said getting that money now would allow them to put it into fund balance to deal with new potential cuts.
Don\'t be surprised if the school board formally asks for the conversion money after the Democrats take over the board of commissioners next month.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/still-wanting-the-conversion-money</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/still-wanting-the-conversion-money</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>On To Be Free, Nina Simone&amp;#39;s voice tests time</title><description><![CDATA[\&quot;I want to shake people up so bad that when they leave a nightclub where I\'ve performed, I just want them to be to pieces.\&quot; By Stephen M. Deusner.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269220</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269220</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Bolt</title><description><![CDATA[As far as non-Pixar Disney Animation movies go, Bolt is a cut above the norm. By Neil Morris.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269218</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269218</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The Boy in the Striped Pajamas</title><description><![CDATA[From his upstairs bedroom, Bruno can spy in the distance what he calls \&quot;the farm\&quot; and its workers, who always wear what appear to him to be striped pajamas. By Neil Morris.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269217</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269217</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Charlie Kaufman&amp;#39;s directorial debut, Synecdoche, New York</title><description><![CDATA[This is a movie that doesn\'t need any help communicating. By Nathan Gelgud.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269216</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269216</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Dating on $30 a day</title><description><![CDATA[It\'s been said many a time that I resemble the staunchly cute Rachael Ray. OK, my 5-year-old said it, once, last Christmas, when my hair was longer and I spent an afternoon baking pies. But never let it be said... By Jane Hobson Snyder.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269215</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269215</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Come January</title><description><![CDATA[What\'s ahead is anything but a hibernation inauguration. By John Valentine.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269213</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269213</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>DPAC: High prices, hopes, anxiety, stakes</title><description><![CDATA[Can the Carolinas\' largest theater, the new Durham Performing Arts Center, rise to the times?]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269212</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269212</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>What&amp;#39;s cooking?</title><description><![CDATA[... By V.C. Rogers.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269210</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269210</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Surge, baby, surge</title><description><![CDATA[... By Jeremy M. Lange.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269209</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269209</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Queen of Sheba reopens</title><description><![CDATA[Plus: Compound butter from Headstart Gourmet; custom-order A Cupcake Bar By Claire Cusick.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269208</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269208</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>National Humanities Center hosts &amp;quot;What makes us human?&amp;quot; conference</title><description><![CDATA[Like Barack Obama at a presidential debate, Robert Sapolsky of Stanford ceded his opponent\'s best points and went beyond them. By Marc Maximov.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269231</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269231</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>David Dorfman challenges racialism in Disavowal</title><description><![CDATA[How can we conceivably get beyond the politics of divisiveness when our identities are based on those divisions? By Byron Woods.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269230</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269230</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Autobahn</title><description><![CDATA[Even if autobahn weren\'t very good, I would still have to give major props for presentation to the playbill, which is done in the style of a foldout road map. By Zack Smith.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269229</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269229</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The guide to the week&amp;#39;s concerts</title><description><![CDATA[Jedi Mind Tricks, Eagles of Death Metal, The Foreign Exchange, One (1) Babtist General, Fred Hersch &amp;amp; Christopher O\'Riley, The Radiators, Razpa, Mates of State, Neil Halstead, more]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269228</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269228</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Two decades in, Lud remains lean, mean and laid-back</title><description><![CDATA[V&amp;mdash;which encompasses vintage indie rock, classic rock, funk, punk, even Krautrock&amp;mdash;feels cozy, a little funky and very lived-in, too. By Brian Howe.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269227</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269227</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Protecting the poor from North Carolina&amp;#39;s budget crisis</title><description><![CDATA[Last year, the department listed 290 loopholes totaling $4.9 billion in lost revenue, annually. By Bob Geary.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269226</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269226</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Johnston County Airport: Stop what torture?</title><description><![CDATA[\&quot;I found [the information] interesting,\&quot; Airport Authority Chairman John Bullock said, smiling uncomfortably. \&quot;I\'m not in favor of torture.\&quot; By Bob Geary.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269225</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269225</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Film times and brief film reviews</title><description><![CDATA[Film times are good from Thursday, Nov. 20, through Friday, Nov. 28]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269224</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269224</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Loving the outcasts</title><description><![CDATA[\&quot;The fundamental principle of peace is a belief that each person is important,\&quot; Jean Vanier says. By Patrick O\'Neill.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269223</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269223</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Spread love, not H8</title><description><![CDATA[...]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269222</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269222</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Re: Energy and global warming</title><description><![CDATA[Calling upon President-elect Barack Obama]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269221</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269221</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>DPAC publicist Rachel Gragg answers our questions</title><description><![CDATA[\&quot;From Broadway to concerts to comedy, we hope to be a bright spot and give area audiences the chance to escape into the magic and lasting memories that only live entertainment can create.\&quot;]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271200</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271200</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>DPAC inspection reports</title><description><![CDATA[Detailing construction progress over two years&amp;mdash;including last-minute difficulties]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271199</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271199</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>DPAC: Transcript of Nov. 12, 2008, interview with Alan DeLisle</title><description><![CDATA[Alan DeLisle, assistant city manager for Economic Workforce and Development, answers questions about DPAC By Matt Salda&ntilde;a.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271198</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271198</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>How suitable is the DPAC business plan?</title><description><![CDATA[Perhaps we should have a stiff drink and look to the bravado of Kenny Rogers: \&quot;You never count your money, when you\'re sitting at the table/ There\'ll be time enough for counting, when the dealing\'s done.\&quot; By David Fellerath.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271197</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271197</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Wednesday 11.26</title><description><![CDATA[Pre-Turkey Day Jam]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271196</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271196</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Tuesday 11.25</title><description><![CDATA[Gang Gang Dance]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271195</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271195</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Monday 11.24</title><description><![CDATA[A.A. Bondy]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271194</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271194</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Sunday 11.23</title><description><![CDATA[Dirty Little Heaters; more]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271193</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271193</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>DPAC is big ... but is it loud enough?</title><description><![CDATA[Beginning Nov. 30, maybe you can hear the savings, too. By Grayson Currin.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271192</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271192</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Saturday 11.22</title><description><![CDATA[Christmas Parade; more]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A270635</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A270635</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>DPAC: The buck stops&amp;amp;mdash;where?</title><description><![CDATA[The center\'s oversight committee is impotent, charged only with monitoring the enforcement of the city\'s operating agreement with PFM/ Nederlander, not the wisdom of the agreement itself. And at the city, it\'s difficult to discern with whom the buck stops. By Matt Salda&ntilde;a.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269327</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269327</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Friday 11.21</title><description><![CDATA[Between a Ballad and a Blues; more]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269236</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269236</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Thursday 11.20</title><description><![CDATA[Chris Hillman &amp;amp; Herb Pederson; more]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269233</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269233</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Wednesday 11.19</title><description><![CDATA[Annie; more]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269232</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A269232</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Stella By Starlight&amp;#39;s My Electric Robot Friend</title><description><![CDATA[Despite collecting an MTVu Woodie Award for Best Music on Campus last year, the duo\'s somehow managed to fly under the local radar for the past two years. By Spencer Griffith.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271277</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271277</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The Physics of Meaning</title><description><![CDATA[Physics frontman Daniel Hart considers the seriousness of his own sound and how Ben Folds changed his life By Grayson Currin.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271273</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271273</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The Castanets&amp;#39; &amp;quot;Refuge 2&amp;quot;</title><description><![CDATA[Ray Raposa on Jana Hunter\'s gospel, his Dr. Dre and how Ybor City didn\'t almost kill him again By Grayson Currin.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271292</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A271292</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Snowflakes</title><description><![CDATA[Boylan Bridge. 1990?

  
]]></description><link>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/457974098/</link><guid>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/457974098/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:37:26 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Eagles of Death Metal to play Schoolkids?!!</title><description><![CDATA[That\'s right folks. Eagles of Death Metal will stop by Schoolkids Records in Raleigh this Friday, November 21 before their show at Lincoln Theatre later that night. The in-store will start at 6 PM and Schoolkids will most likely be packed.

The show at Lincoln Theatre the same night will start at 9 PM and tickets are still available via etix.com for $15 plus fees.

Eagles of Death Metal\'s latest ]]></description><link>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/eagles-of-death-metal-to-play.html</link><guid>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/eagles-of-death-metal-to-play.html</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:16:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Gainor's new job</title><description><![CDATA[
There are more than a few Ed Gainor fans on the blog so I thought you\'d be interested in the latest news on him.


Tonight, the school board appointed Gainor to be an interim assistant principal at Wakefield Elementary from Nov. 19 to Dec. 19. Gainor was the popular principal at Leesville Road Elementary from when it opened in 1992 until his retirement in 2007.
Since leaving Leesville, Gainor has joined the cadre of retired principals who\'ve been asked to fill in on a temporary basis at different schools. He\'s been an interim principal at Green and York elementary schools.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/gainors-new-job</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/gainors-new-job</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:03:37 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Setting the reassignment dates</title><description><![CDATA[
The school board has finalized the timeline for the reassignment process.


The board announced today that they\'ll hold public hearings on Jan. 5 at Apex High, Jan. 8 at Southeast Raleigh High, Jan. 12 at Millbrook High, Jan. 14 at Fuquay-Varina High and Jan. 15 at East Wake High.
Those meetings will run from 6:30 to 9 p.m.


As you can see, none of the board hearings are in northwest Raleigh for the Leesville folks.


Asst. Supt. Chuck Dulaney stresed that Monday\'s meeting was not a CEM meeting.&nbsp;That led to one parent asking why then no official meeting was held in northwest Raleigh.


Dulaney told board members today it was hard finding available dates in December for high school auditoriums.&nbsp;


Unlike the December community engagement meetings, the January meetings are for the public to speak directly to board members about the official plan. The CEM meetings are meant to provide staff feedback on the draft plan.
The CEM meetings will be held Thursday at Knightdale High, Dec. 1 at Cary High, Dec. 3 at Wake Forest-Rolesville High, Dec. 4 at Holly Springs High and Dec. 8 at Broughton High. They\'re from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Unlike the board hearings which people can sign up online to speak at, you\'ll have to sign up directly at the CEM meetings. They\'ll begin signing up people at the CEM meetings 30 minutes ahead of time.
Parents can comment at the meetings or online through Dec. 10. More than 1,000 online comments have been received so far.
Dulaney said they\'re already considering changes based on the comments.
After the CEM meetings, the board will get the revised plan on Dec. 16. Then the board will hold those five January meetings.
A work session will be held Jan. 22. The final vote is scheduled for Jan. 3.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/setting-the-reassignment-dates</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/setting-the-reassignment-dates</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:38:28 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Staring at $11 million in cuts</title><description><![CDATA[
The budget news is getting worse for the school system.


Supt. Del Burns said the school district will have to give back $5.5 million to the state as part of $58 million in cuts to the state\'s public school districts. This comes on top of an earlier request from County Manager David Cooke to return $5.7 million.
With the prospect of more than $11 million in possible cuts, school board members warned today that cuts to the classroom and even layoffs might have to be made now.
The situation could get even worse. Wake will also lose more state funding because its student enrollment fell short.
At the very least, Wake has no choice about returning the $5.5 million to the state.
The question is whether it will lose the $5.7 million from the county. 
Staff says it can make up $2.6 million to $2.8 million because enrollment fell short. This was money not given to individual schools for things such as hiring teacher assistants because their enrollment was short.
This would still leave around $3 million to cut from local funding.
School board member Beverley Clark suggested offering to give some amount less than $5.7 million to the county. If the school district returns less than $5.7 million, county departments would have to absorb deeper cuts.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/staring-at-11-million-in-cuts</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/staring-at-11-million-in-cuts</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:27:49 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Turkey Call</title><description><![CDATA[


I am thankful two thirds of the good people of North Carolina give a flip.
I am thankful that the times they are a'changing.
I am thankful our windows have been rattled and our walls shaken.
I am so thankful that the market still enables us, and we still have the will, to unconsume gasoline enough to punish the greedy knaves who try to gouge us. It'll be back up soon, but two dollars feels so good.
I am thankful the economy has put many obscene projects, from Dubai to Crabtree Valley, on hold.
But I am thankful the miracle of DVR enables me to watch UNC football and basketball at will, even when they are simultaneous!
I am thankful we will have children in the White House for the first time since Amy Carter.
I am thankful that Raleigh can point to one shimmering masterpiece of public art, at least.
I am actually pretty thankful Raleigh isn't contributing to the vast dimming of the night sky with art.
I am thankful that global warming enables me to grow spinach under glass all winter, but I'm also thankful that we may finally join the rest of the industrial West in setting some real goals in that area.
I am very thankful that the News &amp;amp; Observer hits my doorstep every morning, and if it ever stops, I am going to be quite unsettled for a long time.
I am thankful it is hip to be a geezer.
I am thankful WTF is chomping at the bytes again.

  
]]></description><link>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/457396509/</link><guid>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/457396509/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:09:55 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>December Magnet Information Sessions</title><description><![CDATA[
The WCPSS Magnet Programs will be hosting evening information sessions exploring the variety of K-8 magnet programs during the first week of December. For dates and times, please download this flyer.

For the latest information from our magnet programs, check out the latest MagnetMatters newsletter.

]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/december_magnet.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/december_magnet.html</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:57:24 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The Great Cover Up returns!  Kinda.</title><description><![CDATA[
New Raleigh reports the premier annual event from the former King's Barcade, will be resurrected by Tir Na Nog.   Great news!  But the former owners of King's have some legitimate concerns about the adoption of their intellectual property:
As some of you may be aware, Tir Na Nog is preparing to host a weekend of shows in Jan. that will be similar in concept to the annual Great Cover Up.  Those of us that were responsible for creating and perpetuating this event at kings for 7 years are not involved in this event and therefore we have requested that they do not use &amp;#8220;Great Cover Up&amp;#8221; or &amp;#8220;Cover Up&amp;#8221; as the name of their event.  The proposed event is for charity and so we wish them success in their endeavor.
Fair enough; I suggest Copy Cats!  We're glad to see someone resurrecting this event but my god, it is another reminder that Raleigh still has a serious void in its cultural life since the demolition of King's.  What are the odds that empty lot will flourish into something wonderful, or into anything other than an empty lot, within the next five years?  Slim.

  
]]></description><link>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/457254478/</link><guid>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/457254478/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:50:42 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Looking for magnet, calendar options</title><description><![CDATA[
Parents will have to wait at least a month or so to find out their possible magnet and calendar options under the draft reassignment plan.


Chuck Dulaney, assistant superintendent for growth and planning, said he hopes to have the magnet and calendar information online around the time that the school board gets a revised plan on Dec. 16. 
Dulaney said the information wasn\'t listed in the draft plan because the magnet office hadn\'t finalized the draw areas yet.
Some general information could be provided today when school administrators  present information on revised transportation and magnet draw areas. Much of the presentation is expected to focus on Brentwood and Smith elementary schools, the two newest magnet schools.
But parents are also wondering about their magnet options now that Daniels Middle School is losing its program. Interest is particularly high among families in the Cary area, which will likely find that East Garner Middle School is their new International Baccalaureate magnet middle school.
The draft plan does include some mention of changes in calendar options for individual schools. But this has left parents who don\'t have any information clamoring for more news.


Dulaney gave some additional info at Monday nigth\'s meeting by saying staff will recommend that Hilburn Drive Elementary be the traditional-calendar option for Leesville Road Elementary. Leesville parents have been clamoring for the district to no longer make Stough Elementary the opt-out choice.


But Dulaney said no decision had been made yet on what to recommend for Leesville Road Middle. He said it\'s uncertain if it will be one school or multiple ones.&nbsp;

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/looking-for-magnet-calendar-options</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/looking-for-magnet-calendar-options</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Two-sided argument over Leesville Middle</title><description><![CDATA[
It wasn\'t 50-50 on Monday, but the crowd wasn\'t all for or all against converting Leesville Road Middle School to a year-round calendar.


As noted in today\'s article, groups on both sides of the issue were among the 300 or so people at Leesville Road High School. It was probably closer to 65-35 against conversion, but supporters were vocal as well.
&amp;quot;We hope that Leesville Middle School will contnue being on the year-round schedule,&amp;quot; said Mary Campbell Hickland, a Leesville parent, to loud cheering.
But opponents of conversion were louder when speakers on their side went to the podium.
&amp;quot;I?m begging you to reverse your decision to have Leesville Elementary School and Leesville Middle School switch to a year-round calendar,&amp;quot; said Kim Grimes, a third-grade teacher at Leesville Elementary.
Grimes drew one of the loudest cheers of the night after her speech. She said conversion of the elementary school had forced teachers to take sides on the calendar issue, pitting them against each other.
While school board members got some love on Monday, they also got grief as well.
?Don?t let people think you have honorable agendas,&amp;quot; said Leesville parent Kaye Taylor. &amp;quot;We know you have personal agendas.?
Taylor was directly staring at school board member Patti Head when she made those remarks.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/two-sided-argument-over-leesville-middle</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/two-sided-argument-over-leesville-middle</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>&quot;Local merchants like ?Joe The Plumber? usually don?t have a web presence and many...&quot;</title><description><![CDATA[?Local merchants like ?Joe The Plumber? usually don?t have a web presence and many don?t really even want one.? - Fred Wilson, Joe The Plumbers Landing Page post on AVC]]></description><link>http://beecoz.tumblr.com/post/60193850</link><guid>http://beecoz.tumblr.com/post/60193850</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:47:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>BiggerPicture4Wake now online</title><description><![CDATA[
BiggerPicture4Wake is now officially online.


The group reopened its Web site so a password is no longer needed. The group also issued a press release today.
BiggerPicture4Wake forms, supports year-round conversion of Leesville Middle School
RALEIGH, N.C. ? Nov. 17, 2008 ? A group of parents from northwest Wake County have launched a grassroots effort to raise awareness about the benefits of year-round education and support a proposed plan from the Wake County Board of Education to convert Leesville Road Middle School to the year-round calendar, effective next year.
?BiggerPicture4Wake is committed to finding the best solutions for all Wake county students and their families,? said Marguerite LeBlanc, spokesperson. ?Based on our research we?ve determined that converting Leesville Road Middle School to a year-round calendar is the best option to maximize school capacity, provide a consistent schedule and peer continuity for rising sixth graders, and minimize costs to the taxpayers during this challenging economy.?
The group?s website, www.biggerpicture4wake.com, went live today and offers information about year-round schools, including feedback from the Wake County Public School System?s 2008 Teacher Working Conditions Survey, and results from surveys conducted at Leesville Road Elementary School and the News and Observer.
?This is all about the children,? said Maria Mauriello, spokesperson. ?We encourage parents and administrators to visit our site and get the facts about this issue, so that the best possible decision can be made going forward.?

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/biggerpicture4wake-now-online</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/biggerpicture4wake-now-online</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:35:24 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>KCRW's Nic Harcourt to step down</title><description><![CDATA[Nic Harcourt, KCRW\'s music director and host of \&quot;Morning Becomes Eclectic,\&quot; is stepping down after ten years with the station. His last day will be on November 30 though he will still deejay on Sundays from 6 to 9 PM.

Harcourt has been pivotal in introducing new bands to a much larger audience, especially in the Los Angeles area. I personally think \&quot;Morning Becomes Eclectic\&quot; is the best music ]]></description><link>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/kcrws-nic-harcourt-to-step-down.html</link><guid>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/kcrws-nic-harcourt-to-step-down.html</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:07:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Kathleen Edwards extends tour, coming to Triangle</title><description><![CDATA[The fantastic Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards has extended her 2009 tour and will stop in the Triangle in March. I think this will be her first stop in the area since her first album Failer was released. She now has two more albums under her belt.

She will play the ArtsCenter in Carrboro on March 11. Tickets will go on sale on Saturday, November 22 for $15 via etix.com.

Kathleen\'s ]]></description><link>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/kathleen-edwards-extends-tour-coming-to.html</link><guid>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/kathleen-edwards-extends-tour-coming-to.html</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:06:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>100 percent graduation</title><description><![CDATA[
The school board has given the final blessing today to a new academic goal of having 100 percent of students graduating high school by 2014.


The exact wording of the new goal is &amp;quot;WCPSS students will demonstrate high academic growth by 2014; all students will graduate on time prepared to compete globally.&amp;quot;
Board members had previously been looking at a goal of a 95 percent graduation rate by 2015. Board members are now saying that anything less than 100 percent would send the wrong message to the public.
More details to come...

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/100-percent-graduation</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/100-percent-graduation</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:18:47 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>23</title><description><![CDATA[&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &amp;#8230;The number of times the real estate transfer tax has failed in NC.&nbsp; Voters continue to reject this new &amp;#8220;home tax&amp;#8221; from the mountains to the coast.&nbsp; On November 4th, Polk County and Tyrrell County voters said &amp;#8220;no&amp;#8221; (with an average 70% - 30% margin) to the transfer tax.
County leaders in Polk tried to [...]]]></description><link>http://www.growthmatters.org/?p=262</link><guid>http://www.growthmatters.org/?p=262</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:37:18 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The New Modesty</title><description><![CDATA[
We were deemed &amp;#8220;haters&amp;#8221; when we criticized Raleigh's opulent downtown restaurant, The Mint.  As speculation swirls about which restaurants will survive the next year, we want to make clear that we aren't cheering for the demise of businesses and jobs (even though it will win us a $1 bet if The Mint closes by December 31).  People tell us the food at The Mint is outstanding and we believe them but that doesn't mean we're open-minded about the place.  We were criticizing the use of ONE MILLION DOLLARS of taxpayer money to fund a particular business, a restaurant, a  business model with a famously high rate of failure.  We feel the problem was compounded with the interior design theme of The Mint: money, jewels and opulence, AKA &amp;#8220;Bling&amp;#8221;.
Yesterday's New york times has a piece, titled: No More Fancy Pants that contains some relevant tales, including this:
THE owners of the South City Grill restaurants in New Jersey opened the first of three planned upscale steakhouses this year, and the d&eacute;cor was one of opulence and glamour. The owners ?wanted it to sparkle like jewelry,? recalled Anurag Nema, one of the designers.
The interior featured shimmering silk curtains, ruby-tinted glass and a hulking crystal chandelier. The stainless steel accents were polished to mirror brilliance, said Mr. Nema, who designed the steakhouse, South City Prime, in Little Falls, with Orit Kaufman.
The second restaurant is scheduled to open in January in Montvale, N.J., but the sparkle is gone, the designers said. With the economy in free fall, the concept is now sturdy American grill and the name is now Wildfire by South City.
We're pretty certain that in 7-10 years, the Bling theme of The Mint will ready for a retro rediscovery but for now, we're thinking our original post was pretty prescient.
Well, flip through the N&amp;amp;O to the business section and look at that stock market graph and the blurb about heading into a recession. Will we look back in a few years and wonder: ?Remember when people used to wear T-shirts about money and then they built that restaurant about money?? Ah, these are the days!

  
]]></description><link>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/456109609/</link><guid>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/456109609/</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:36:17 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>High school grandfathering</title><description><![CDATA[
Will the school board extend grandfathering to rising sophomores being reassigned to existing high schools?


It happened in 2006, the last time that high school moves were part of a reassignment plan. But rising sophomores aren\'t mentioned in the district\'s online explanation of grandfathering that\'s part of the draft reassignment plan.
For those who are unfamiliar with the term, grandfathering in Wake means that students at certain grade levels can request a transfer to stay at their current school if their node is reassigned. This transfer is automatically approved, but it comes at the cost of students not receiving bus service.
In the past, school administrators have estimated that about half the students take advantage of grandfathering. Those families are more likely to be affluent, or at least not low-income, because they have to be in a position to provide their own transportation to school.
There could be valid reasons for not extending grandfathering to any rising sophomores.
Historically, Wake has never allowed students reassigned to new high schools to grandfather. The reason is that it would leave these new schools too underenrolled. In return, new high schools don\'t open with 11th- and 12th-grades.
But Wake has historically given grandfathering for rising sophomores being shuffled to existing high schools. 
The rationale that parents have given is that it\'s hard for students who\'ve already started high school to be reassigned and adapt to the environment of an existing school. At least at a brand new high school all students are newbies.
But for the 2006-07 school year, Ramey Beavers, then senior director for growth management, asked the board to drop grandfathering for rising sophomores moved to existing schools. He argued that allowing those particular students to grandfather would make it harder to reduce crowding at high schools.
Board members initially sided with Beavers in October 2005. But the combination of new board members taking office and major parental backlash caused the board in January 2006 to reverse the earlier vote.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/high-school-grandfathering</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/high-school-grandfathering</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Hurricanes Reassign Patrick Dwyer</title><description><![CDATA[RALEIGH, NC&amp;mdash;Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League&amp;rsquo;s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has reassigned forward Patrick Dwyer to the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League.
...]]></description><link>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=392775</link><guid>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=392775</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:49:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>High online reassignment interest</title><description><![CDATA[
It\'s no surprise that interest in this year\'s draft reasignment plan is higher than what it was in recent years.


As noted in today\'s article, the plan received 112,564 page views in the first seven hours it was online. There were also 346 comments and 10,362 PDF downloads during that time period.
Contrast that to last year\'s draft plan.
The plan was released last year at 5 p.m. on a Friday. There were 85,469 page views and 220 comments in the first 16 hours. By 9:56 a.m. on Monday, there were 99,879 page views.
There were more page views in 2006 ? 121,747. But it took 71 hours from the time it was released at 5 p.m. Friday. There were also 419 comments during that window.
It\'s a safe bet to say that this year\'s plan will surpass the 2006 figures over an equivalent 71-hour period.


Having three years in the new plan compared to one year in the prior ones does give a natural advantage.


Broughton and Panther Creek high schools continued to be the most viewed schools in this year\'s plan.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/high-online-reassignment-interest</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/high-online-reassignment-interest</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Reassignment viewing</title><description><![CDATA[
You guys have definitely been interested in viewing the draft reassignment plan.


Over the first two hours since the plan went live at 9 a.m., there were 59,489 page views. The most viewed schools were Panther Creek and Broughton high schools.
There were 195 comments registered online in the first two hours.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/reassignment-viewing</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/reassignment-viewing</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:51:29 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>New reassignment plan</title><description><![CDATA[
I\'m going to try to hit some of the high points of the plan here.


First, the three-year plan affects 26,771 students. It starts with 8,162 students in 2009-10, 14,200 in 2010-11 and 4,409 in 2011-12.
Administrators are recommending unconverting Knightdale Elementary School for the 2009-10 school year. But it comes with a catch.
All of Knightdale\'s staff and most of the students would be reassigned to the new Lake Myra Elementary. Knightdale Elementary would become another traditional-calendar option for the Eastern Wake area.


Asst. Supt. Chuck Dulaney had first mentioned the Knightdale Elementary option last month when the board discussed which schools to unconvert. It didn\'t gain any traction after school board member Lori Millberg said parents in Knightdale were against the idea of converting a school back when there\'s not a nearby traditional-calendar middle school.&nbsp;


Staff wants to move out base students from Broughton High to create more magnet slots. You can expect a fight here from parents.
Kids from the Brier Creek area of northwest Raleigh won\'t be going to Leesville Road Middle School after all. The plan calls for moving them out of Daniels Middle School to East Cary Middle School.
Dulaney says there\'s not enough space at Leesville Middle, even after conversion, to house Brier Creek kids. They\'d go to East Cary for year-round calendar continuity.
Even without the Brier Creek kids, Dulaney said 80 percent of Leesville Middle\'s students would now come from year-round elementary schools. This would be accomplished by making sure all students from Leesville and Sycamore Creek elementary schools are assigned to the school.
Panther Creek High would get some relief next year from sending students to Cary High. But Dulaney says that won\'t be enough to help the school.
Dulaney says Panther Creek would get major relief in 2010-11 when the students from the Brier Creek area are moved to Leesville Road High. This is part of series of moves affecting other schools before ending with the two new Northern Wake high schools.
There are probably far more moves in the plan that will get reaction, good and bad. We\'ll see how this goes over the next 2 1/2 months.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/new-reassignment-plan</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/new-reassignment-plan</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Reassignment assumptions</title><description><![CDATA[
There are some big question marks that could upend the new multi-year reassignment plan.


As noted in today\'s article, school administrators are assuming that funding will still come through for the 10 new schools slated to open by 2012. They\'re also assuming that the district will win the year-round lawsuit.
If either or both don\'t go as hoped, the plan will need a major rewrite.
County Manager David Cooke sent this memo to Supt. Del Burns stressing how tenuous the funding situation could be. For instance, Cooke references H-6 in the letter.
The campus of H-6, off Forestville Road in northeastern Wake, is scheduled to open in August 2011.
But under the draft plan, H-6 would open a year early in 2010 in Heritage High. Half the campus would be Heritage and the rest would be H-6.
If H-6 is delayed, Asst. Supt. Chuck Dulaney said it would seriously impact the high school reassignments in northern and western Wake that year.
The year-round lawsuit is the other wild card.
Dulaney said the plan assumes that the state Supreme Court will rule on Wake\'s behalf. He said there are no plans now for seeking consent for the 2009-10 school year for new people to opt out.
Dulaney said he expects the school board will continue to allow the current non-consenting students, about 2,000, to stay where they\'re at now. Eventually those seats would be reclaimed when people move to high school.
Now if Wake CARES wins the lawsuit, Dulaney said they\'d have to redo the second and third years of the plan. (They\'d probably also have to seek consent for next year as well.)


The high court will hear oral arguments on Dec. 16 at 9:30 a.m. But no decision will be made that day.
While Dulaney said that the board could revise the future years of the plan after its adopted, he doesn\'t think that will be necessary provided the funding and year-round conditions are met.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/reassignment-assumptions</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/reassignment-assumptions</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Enloe Students Talk to Astronaut in Space</title><description><![CDATA[
Enloe students talked with Astronaut Mike Fincke who is onboard the International Space Station in a project arranged by NASA and Enloe High teacher Sam Wheeler. The Enloe students were able to ask questions about the space station, the space program, and science issues.

Wheeler worked with NASA and the Raleigh Amateur Radio Society to organize the event for nearly 400 Enloe students. The Raleigh Amateur Radio Society arranged the local end of the contact, and set up an interface so that the audience in the Enloe High auditorium will be able to hear all the conversations. 

Click here to listen to Enloe Students Talk to Astronaut in Space

This is an 4.5 minute mp3 file.

Enloe teacher Sam Wheeler worked with NASA to arrange the ham radio conversation between students and an astronaut on the space station.


Ham radio operators from the the Raleigh Amateur Radio Society helped students connect with the space station and students in Ecuador.


More than 400 students watched a screen projection of the space station\'s flight path across earth and students on stage talking with astronaut Mike Fincke.
]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/enloe_students_4.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/enloe_students_4.html</guid><pubDate>Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:59:11 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Pierrie Seeks National Board Certification</title><description><![CDATA[
Ballentine Elementary teacher Bob Pierrie has begun the year of hard work that will result in his earning certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. Pierrie has begun downloading information from the NBPTS website and has begun to sign up to work with other WCPSS teachers seeking certification this year.

Click here to listen to Pierrie Seeks National Board Certification

This is an 8 minute mp3 file.

You can read more about the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards here.


]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/pierrie_seeks_n.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/pierrie_seeks_n.html</guid><pubDate>Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:20:35 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Orsett Leads Wakefield Theatre </title><description><![CDATA[
Paul Orsett, Wakefield High\'s theatre teacher, challenges his students to be successful on stage and in all their classes. Orsett teaches students to investigate plays digging into history and literature to learn more about characters and their stories.

Click here to listen to Orsett Leads Wakefield Theatre

This is a 16.5 minute mp3 file.


]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/orsett_leads_wa.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/orsett_leads_wa.html</guid><pubDate>Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:05:57 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Countdown to draft reassignment plan</title><description><![CDATA[
Here\'s how things will be moving forward with the draft reassignment plan


Wake will have the plan up on its Web site by 9 a.m. Saturday. It probably will be up sooner, but 9 a.m. is being used as the official release time.
You can read about the plan in Saturday\'s paper. Also jump on the blog at 5 a.m. 
Reassignment veterans will remember that the N&amp;amp;O historically posts its own version of the reassignment database that lists which addresses are being recommended to be moved out of each school.
That database won\'t be available until at least Monday because school administrators say they\'re working under the gun to get their version online.
Once you find out you\'re in the draft plan and want to talk about it, please e-mail me at keung.hui@newsobserver.com or call me at 829-4534

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/countdown-to-draft-reassignment-plan</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/countdown-to-draft-reassignment-plan</guid><pubDate>Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:18:34 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Dealing with homeless students</title><description><![CDATA[
Would a student lie about being homeless to get assigned to a particular school or to ride the bus?


Those were some of the questions that popped up during this week\'s facilities committee meeting. Eddy Adams, senior director for transportation, said there have been cases when students claiming to be homeless demand bus service.
Adams said people have actually seen cases where students are dropped off from a Mercedes and claim to be homeless. He acknowledged it could be a friend of the student who is driving the car.
Needless to say, that raised questions among school board members. 
Board member Lori Millberg said Wake needs some way to verify a child\'s homeless status based on the lengths people will go to in order to get a particular school assignment.
Adams said transportation can\'t verify a child\'s homeless status. This led to Millberg asking whether anyone can check.
Board member Patt Head, chairwoman of the facilities committee, said they\'ll check with Marvin Connelly, assistant superintendent for student support services.
Under board policy, a student who claims to be homeless must be enrolled immediately even if the child isn\'t accompanied by an adult and cannot provide proof of residency, school and immunization records, birth certificates or other documents.
The burden of proof is on the school district to show that a child is not homeless. The district\'s regulations and procedures lists a lengthy dispute process.
Administrators have said they\'re only following state and federal law on the issue.
Click here for a 2007 article from Kinea that helps explain how districts deal with homeless students

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/dealing-with-homeless-students</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/dealing-with-homeless-students</guid><pubDate>Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Delays in installing modulars</title><description><![CDATA[
It\'s apparently not easy getting modular classrooms moved quickly, as the folks at Panther Creek High School in Cary can attest.


School administrators told the board this week that the projected completion date for installing 22 modular classrooms at Panther Creek is now Jan. 30. The original projected date had been Aug. 15.


Back in September, administrators said they hoped to have the units ready by Dec. 18.


Mike Burriss, who will soon be departing as assistant superintendent for facilities, told board members that municipalities are requiring more stringent reviews now before signing off on modulars.
Burriss contrasted it with how things are done in Mecklenburg County. He said modulars aren\'t considered to be permanent buildings there so the municipal review is less rigorous.
Don Haydon, chief facilities and operations officer, said town officials have told them they\'re willing to help but have to tow the town line on mobiles.
Board members said they\'ll communicate these concerns to municipal officials in hopes of speeding up the approval process for modulars.
Board member Lori Millberg said that it\'s getting so difficult to obtain permission to move modulars that they just might have to reassign students instead to reduce crowding.
Millberg added that at some point the cost of moving modulars and trailers is too much to avoid reassignment.
Click here for a handout listing the district\'s timeline for getting permission for moving modulars. It also shows the current status of modular relocation projects.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/delays-in-installing-modulars</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/delays-in-installing-modulars</guid><pubDate>Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Canes Announce Buy One, Get One Vouchers for Tuesday</title><description><![CDATA[RALEIGH,  NC&amp;mdash;Ben Aycock, Director of  Marketing and Brand Development for the National Hockey League&amp;rsquo;s Carolina  Hurricanes, announced today that the team is offering buy-one-get-one-free  ticket vouchers for the Hurricanes&amp;rsquo; game...]]></description><link>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=392412</link><guid>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=392412</guid><pubDate>Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:11:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Photos: The Explorers Club &amp; The Never at Duke Coffeehouse</title><description><![CDATA[Here are some photos of The Explorers Club and The Never at Duke Coffeehouse on November 7. Check out the review here.

[all photos by Kevin Norris]

The Explorers Club


The Never
]]></description><link>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/photos-explorers-club-never-at-duke.html</link><guid>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/photos-explorers-club-never-at-duke.html</guid><pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:57:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Classroom Connection: Get the Latest Newsletter</title><description><![CDATA[
If you haven\'t signed up to receive the Classroom Connection e-mailed newsletter, here\'s what you\'re missing:

Centennial Campus Needs Your Vote
Green Schools Grant Awarded to WCPSS
WCPSS Employees Receive Pride of our Community Award
Mills Park Elementary School Holds Dedication Ceremony
Wake Forest-Rolesville Coach and Teacher Recognized for Effective Monitoring Tool
Brassfield Elementary School\'s Bearly TV Program Featured
School Lunch Program Receives National Recognition
Wakefield Counselor Named Best in NC

You can read the November 12 edition at the above link, but wouldn\'t you like this newsletter, or others more tailored to your interests, delivered to your inbox?

]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/classroom_conne.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/classroom_conne.html</guid><pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:35:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Annuals announce 2009 tour dates</title><description><![CDATA[Annuals are currently wrapping up their tour with Minus the Bear and they\'re looking toward the new year. They just announced new tour dates that will run from mid-January through February. Annuals will headline the tour and will be joined by Ohio singer-songwriter Jessica Lea Mayfield and Arizona band and Terpsikhore artist What Laura Says for the entire run.

The tour includes a stop at the ]]></description><link>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/annuals-announce-2009-tour-dates.html</link><guid>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/annuals-announce-2009-tour-dates.html</guid><pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:42:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Supporting Leesville Middle's conversion</title><description><![CDATA[
Supporters of converting Leesville Road Middle School to a year-round calendar now have a formal group and their own Web site.


The group calls itself BiggerPicture and says it\'s &amp;quot;a community-based organization that supports common sense solutions that maximize efficiency and educational opportunities for all students.&amp;quot;
BiggerPicture is countering Concerned and Committed Leesville Parents (CCLP), which formed its own Web site to oppose converting the middle school.
BiggerPicture argues that the benefits of conversion include:
* Reduces overcrowding
? Increases capacity to handle anticipated growth
* Enhances stability of assignment, resulting in less reassignments
? Simplifies the feeder patterns into LMS
? Increases calendar continuity for the majority of LMS students
? Gives more families the opportunity to have siblings on the same calendar
? Allows classmate continuity from elementary to middle school
The group contends that leaving Leesville Middle on a traditional calendar would mean reassigning &amp;quot;several hundred students from LMS to other schools.&amp;quot;
Both BiggerPicture and CCLP are mobilizing parents to attend Monday\'s community engagement meeting on the draft reassignment plan. The meeting will run from 7 to 9 p.m. in Leesville Road High School\'s auditorium.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/supporting-leesville-middles-conversion</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/supporting-leesville-middles-conversion</guid><pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:17:42 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Georgia on their minds</title><description><![CDATA[
Five school board members are heading to Georgia today to learn about vocational programs.


Eleanor Goettee, Patti Head, Ron Margiotta, Anne McLaurin and Horace Tart will visit the Central Educational Center (CEC) in Newnan, Ga. The trip is the brainchild of Tart, who\'s been pushing for a vo-tech high school for Wake since he joined the board in 2005.
Tart has argued that Wake needs a stronger vocational program (now called career and technical education or CTE) to reduce the high school dropout rate.
Tart has been a strong proponent of the model used at CEC. Through his efforts, Wake school administrators visited the school last month. Now board members will see what Tart calls &amp;quot;a proven approach.&amp;quot;
The charter school is a partnership of business, school and community college leaders. Students take classes in their base high school and then go to the main campus for specialized courses.
CEC leaders tout that the school has increased test scores and lowered the dropout rate. They say that 98 percent of their graduates go on to two- or four-year colleges, many having already earned technical certificates, or enter the workforce already trained in specific jobs. 
In tandem with this trip, school administrators will meet Friday with local business leaders to talk about CTE classes in Wake. The idea would be to divide the county into four areas, each with seven different themed career academies.
David Rockefeller, Wake\'s CTE director, told school board members this week that career academy themes could include environmental health, engineering, communications and business systems and marketing.
Click here for the handout that Rockefeller gave the board on Monday.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/georgia-on-their-minds</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/georgia-on-their-minds</guid><pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Setting a graduation goal</title><description><![CDATA[
Is the school board being realistic by contemplating a new goal of having 100 percent of students graduate from high school?


The school board had been looking at a goal of having a graduation rate of 90 percent by 2013 and 95 percent by 2015. It\'s currently 78.8 percent.
But board members moved away from the idea of a 95 percent goal to a 100 percent one at last week\'s work session.
Board members said they\'re concerned that having a goal of under 100 percent would give the impression they\'re giving up on some groups of students graduating. 
Either way, it\'s going to be hard to get above 90 percent.
Wake is in better shape with some groups. The four-year graduation rate is at 91.8 percent for Asian students and 87.8 percent for white students.
But it drops off sharply to 64.6 percent for black students and 52.2 percent for Hispanic students.
The school board will resume discussion of the new goal at a work session running from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday. The location hasn\'t been set yet.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/setting-a-graduation-goal</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/setting-a-graduation-goal</guid><pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Certification Develops Teacher Leaders</title><description><![CDATA[
Knightdale High School teacher Glennda McKeithan is one of the many Wake County Public School System teachers to earn certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. McKeithan says the process of earning certification helps to develop teacher leaders.

Click here to listen to Certification Develops Teacher Leaders

This is a 7.5 minute mp3 file.

You can read more the article Measuring What Matters: The Effects of National Board Certification on Advancing 21st Century Teaching and Learning here.


]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/certification_d.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/certification_d.html</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:37:18 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>ParentVision: Positive Behavior Support</title><description><![CDATA[
Recently Wildwood Forest Elementary\'s PTA invited us to visit their school\'s first quarterly celebration rewarding good behavior. Part of one day each quarter becomes a mini-carnival exclusively for students who maintain \&quot;Wolf PRIDE\&quot;: Politeness, Respect, Integrity, Discipline, and Excellence. That\'s just one way that Wildwood Forest implements a proactive strategy for improving the learning climate in schools: Positive Behavior Support (PBS).

More than 100 schools participate in PBS. Learn more about it in today\'s ParentVision video podcast featuring Wildwood Forest principal Gretta Dula.



]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/parentvision_po.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/parentvision_po.html</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:28:54 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Campaign Signs Recycle Information</title><description><![CDATA[The recycling bin is now available for the political signs. It is located at the Mini City Recycling Drop Off Center (corner of Capital Blvd. and Calvary Dr., next to the Food Lion, behind the Taco Bell, the box closest to Calvary Dr.) and they have the box and the signage all in place! Please pass this notification along to others who may be in need of this information.
The box will be left at this location for as long as we need. However, the sooner we get all signs recycled, the better. Call the WCDP Office if you have any questions. (919) 828-5656
]]></description><link>http://wakedems.org/node/2245</link><guid>http://wakedems.org/node/2245</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:13:32 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Ten Years of Building Schools</title><description><![CDATA[
In the last ten years, 26 elementary, nine middle, and six high schools were built in response to the tremendous increase of students in Wake County.

WCPSS Assistant Superintendent for Facilities Mike Burriss helped lead the school system in meeting the needs of a growing student population.

Click here to listen to Ten Years of Building Schools

This is an 8 minute mp3 file.

You can watch a School Connection TV segment with Burriss here.

]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/ten_years_of_bu.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/ten_years_of_bu.html</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:03:52 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Canes Activate Sutter from Injured Reserve</title><description><![CDATA[RALEIGH, NC&amp;mdash;Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League&amp;rsquo;s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has activated center Brandon Sutter from injured reserve. To make room for Sutter on the roste...]]></description><link>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=391982</link><guid>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=391982</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:56:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Wake still one of the best districts?</title><description><![CDATA[
How soon do you think the New York Times will do another story about Wake\'s academic results?


As noted in today\'s article, things have changed since the Sept. 2005 Sunday front-page Times article on Wake. Tougher math and reading EOG exams have lowered Wake\'s passing rate from 90.4 percent in 2005 to 70.8 percent this year.
That article, along with the ensuing coverage in other publications, helped boost Wake\'s national reputation. Wake school and community leaders would often argue that Wake is one of the best school systems in the nation.
&amp;quot;The Wake County Public School System is among the best in the nation, in large part because of many decades of great leadership by some courageous school board members and educators in the district, and great support from community and business people in the county,&amp;quot; wrote former Gov. Jim Hunt.
Hunt penned those words in &amp;quot;A School District\'s Journey to Excellence: Lessons From Business and Education,&amp;quot; the recent book written by former Superintendent Bill McNeal and former school board member Tom Oxholm.
So, can Wake still make that claim now? Folks in the district say the answer is yes.
&amp;quot;It doesn\'t take away any of the luster from Wake County,&amp;quot; said Donna Hargens, chief academic officer, of the new test results.
School board member Patti Head agreed that Wake is still among the best school districts in the nation.
&amp;quot;People who come to Wake County will still get a good school,&amp;quot; Head said. 
School board member Lori Millberg said no parents have questioned her why the test scores have dropped. She said people understand that it\'s because the tests have changed.
Millberg and other school officials stand behind the 91 percent passing rate of a few years ago as having been a valid measure of academic performance in the district.
&amp;quot;It doesn\'t take away from the fact that we made great gains,&amp;quot; Millberg said. &amp;quot;The results encouraged other school systems that they could do it too.&amp;quot;

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/wake-still-one-of-the-best-districts</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/wake-still-one-of-the-best-districts</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Kids voting for Democrats</title><description><![CDATA[
It looks like Wake school kids may have some Democratic leanings in them.


The record 68,967 students who took part in Kids Voting last week showed stronger support for Democratic candidates than the adult voters in Wake. Kids backed Democratic candidates in all but two partisan races and a handful of non-partisan judicial races.
State Rep. Nelson Dollar and Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry were the only Republicans backed by the kids in the partisan races where no Democrat was running. 
The kids backed several Democrats who couldn\'t win the adult vote, such as N.C. Senate candidate Chris Mintz and Ronnie Ansley, the candidate for Agriculture Commissioner.
In the presidential race, kids gave 63.7 percent of the vote to Barack Obama. The adults in Wake gave him 56.7 percent.
For U.S. Senate, the kids gave 54.4 percent of the vote to Kay Hagan. She got 56.1 percent from the county\'s adults.
For governor, Bev Purdue got a plurality of 48 percent from the students. She got 51.2 percent from Wake adults.
Click here for the overall totals.
Click here for Kids Voting\'s web site for school-by-school totals.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/kids-voting-for-democrats</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/kids-voting-for-democrats</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The Dirty Little Heaters live better through rock &amp;#39;n&amp;#39; roll</title><description><![CDATA[Drumsticks in hand, Dave Perry peers above his cymbals from a stool pushed into the corner of a small practice room in his Carrboro house. He's ironing out the structure of a cover song his band, Durham trio The Dirty... By Grayson Currin.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268893</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268893</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Giving thanks in extended family proportions</title><description><![CDATA[Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday because it offers tradition with many possibilities of reinvention. There are so many ways to celebrate: a quiet four-day weekend at the beach, a cabin with friends in the mountains. Maybe over the river and... By Sheryl Cornett.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268892</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268892</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Happy-Go-Lucky</title><description><![CDATA[Happy-Go-Lucky is a tangible portrait of an incorruptible soul; Poppy's rigorous engagement with everyone she encounters results in a joyous outlook that is optimistic without being na&amp;iuml;ve. By Nathan Gelgud.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268891</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268891</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Ashes of Time Redux</title><description><![CDATA[More than a decade later, Ashes of Time is a record of a glorious, bygone time when Hong Kong's fearless, rule-breaking artists were making the pop movies that mattered. By David Fellerath.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268890</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268890</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>A neurotic Bond in Quantum of Solace</title><description><![CDATA[One can adore Bond lore while also recognizing the need to conjure a new paradigm. By Neil Morris.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268889</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268889</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Sunday 11.16</title><description><![CDATA[Lloyd Arneach; more]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268888</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268888</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Life after (peak) oil</title><description><![CDATA[Three North Carolina groups&amp;mdash;NC Powerdown, Piedmont Biofuels and Earthaven Ecovillage&amp;mdash;model ways of living in the world after cheap gasoline and the conveniences that come with it By Gerry Canavan.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268887</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268887</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Saturday 11.15</title><description><![CDATA[Defending the Caveman; more]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268886</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268886</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Friday 11.14</title><description><![CDATA[Jerry Seinfeld; more]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268884</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268884</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Charlotte&amp;#39;s web</title><description><![CDATA[... By V.C. Rogers.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268883</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268883</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Obama on my mind</title><description><![CDATA[... By Jeremy M. Lange.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268882</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268882</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Resistance is useless</title><description><![CDATA[In the battle to maintain a garden in a yard that doubles as a fast-food drive-through for four-legged wildlife, I have become an amateur deer psychologist. By Sheila Read.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268881</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268881</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Thursday 11.13</title><description><![CDATA[Orgasmic Birth; more]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268879</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268879</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>What Nov. 4 meant to me&amp;amp;mdash;and America</title><description><![CDATA[Thoughts whirl in my head, cavorting with hope and possibilities they dared not embrace prior to this day. I let them dance. By Derek Jennings.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268878</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268878</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>UNC law prof Gene Nichol</title><description><![CDATA[&quot;You can talk about Main Street as a way of avoiding those who have not yet worked their way onto Main Street.&quot; By Fiona Morgan.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268877</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268877</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Wine and garden dine, plus burgers on the move</title><description><![CDATA[Ladies Night at The Wine Merchant; relocated 3Cups; PING free dinner at Anathoth Community Garden; OnlyBurger travels Durham By Claire Cusick.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268876</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268876</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Wednesday 11.12</title><description><![CDATA[Cucalorus Film Festival]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268875</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268875</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Tuesday 11.18</title><description><![CDATA[Last Tango in Paris; more]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268896</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268896</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Film times and brief film reviews</title><description><![CDATA[Film times are good from Thursday, Nov. 13, through Friday, Nov. 21]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268895</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268895</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Monday 11.17</title><description><![CDATA[Greg Brown, Chava Alberstein; more]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268894</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268894</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The psychedelic mavens of Grails corrode expected forms</title><description><![CDATA[Grails\' six instrumental LPs in as many years are full of psychedelic curveballs and world-music nods; it\'s interesting to see how things so meticulously prepared in the studio will work on stage. By Chris Toenes.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268905</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268905</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Former Miles Davis saxophonist Bill Evans blends jazz, bluegrass</title><description><![CDATA[Evans isn\'t your average young musician: The 50-year-old leads Soulgrass, a jazz/ funk/ bluegrass hybrid that, over the years, has featured some of the finest musicians in the world. By Andrew Ritchey.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268904</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268904</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The guide to the week&amp;#39;s concerts</title><description><![CDATA[   Dead tree version (PDF, 1.7 MB) (JPG, 1.3 MB)  This week\'s guide contains:...]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268903</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268903</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Edgar Allen Floe&amp;#39;s The Streetwise LP</title><description><![CDATA[Is that the thunderous voice of God rapping at me, or just a rapper with vocal chords made out of space-age alloy? By Eric Tullis.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268902</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268902</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>N.C. history in Blood; European culture in Hysteria</title><description><![CDATA[Blood Done Sign My Name attempts to somehow stitch up the breach of justice that was torn in the fabric of our culture in the 1970s. By Byron Woods.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268901</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268901</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Adventurous landscapes at Flanders 311</title><description><![CDATA[With close investigation, these paintings make it easy to find oneself lulled into a kind of acrylic paint-induced rapture. By Dave Delcambre.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268900</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268900</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Unchaining Orange County&amp;#39;s dogs</title><description><![CDATA[By a 4-1 vote, commissioners rejected 24/7 tethering as a humane method of containment, limiting the time a dog can be attached to a stationary object to three hours in any 24-hour period. By Vernal Coleman.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268899</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268899</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Chapel Hill Town Council replaces Bill Thorpe</title><description><![CDATA[By an 8-0 vote, the council chose retired middle school assistant principal James Merritt from a pool of six candidates. By Vernal Coleman.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268898</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268898</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Wednesday 11.19</title><description><![CDATA[Chapel Hill Hoots &amp;amp; Hellmouth Local 506&amp;mdash;The jolly charm of Hoots &amp;amp; Hellmouth sits happily between the eclectic, free-wheelin\' kinetics of former tourmates O\'Death and the ambling, pop-blossom roots of Philadelphia brethren Dr. Dog. A...]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268897</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268897</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Pick that jazz</title><description><![CDATA[Ryan Cavanaugh plays banjo as part of Bill Evans\'s Soulgrass touring band. Bringing together jazz and bluegrass, and recommended to Evans by both John McLaughlin and B&amp;eacute;la Fleck, Cavanaugh funnels strong, fast and delirious picking into complex solos. He plays... By Andrew Ritchey.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268918</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268918</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The Toadies&amp;#39; &amp;quot;Hell in High Water&amp;quot;</title><description><![CDATA[  &amp;nbsp; Listen up! &amp;nbsp; Download The Toadies\' \&quot;Hell in High Water\&quot; (6.2 MB) or stream it below. If you cannot see... By Spencer Griffith.]]></description><link>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268915</link><guid>http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A268915</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The Explorers Club and The Never rock Duke Coffeehouse</title><description><![CDATA[Charleston band The Explorers Club played the newly remodeled Duke Coffeehouse Friday night with local bands The Never and The Huguenots.

Unfortunately I missed The Huguenots, but I\'ve heard from reliable sources that they\'re excellent. Next time guys.

The Never took the stage as a three-piece with no proper drum kit or bass. Noah was on acoustic guitar, Joah was on keys and electric guitar and]]></description><link>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/explorers-club-and-never-rock-duke.html</link><guid>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/explorers-club-and-never-rock-duke.html</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:38:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>We're kinda back, again.</title><description><![CDATA[
Well, we had some technical difficulties with this blog thing and decided to take a productive break from blogging.  First we had a spam attack that broke our blog and then something went wrong and locked us out of our own site.  We decided it might be a more productive use of our free time to concentrate our efforts toward getting Barack Obama elected President.  Well, with the help of some other folks, we did just that.  More than ever, we are still Proud to be NC!

  
]]></description><link>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/450000531/</link><guid>http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rduwtfcom/~3/450000531/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:37:14 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>We're kinda back, again.</title><description><![CDATA[
Well, we had some technical difficulties with this blog thing and decided to take a productive break from blogging.  First we had a spam attack that broke our blog and then something went wrong and locked us out of our own site.  We decided it might be a more productive use of our free time to concentrate our efforts toward getting Barack Obama elected President.  Well, with the help of some other folks, we did just that.  More than ever, we are still Proud to be NC!
]]></description><link>http://rduwtf.com/blog1/?p=197</link><guid>http://rduwtf.com/blog1/?p=197</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:37:14 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Observing Veterans Day</title><description><![CDATA[
How are you observing Veterans Day today?


The General Assembly hopes that families will use the day to honor the nation\'s military veterans. That\'s why state legislators have amended the calendar law over the years to make Veterans Day a school holiday for students and staff.
No such&nbsp;status has been designated for Memorial Day. That\'s why, as some of you have complained about, Memorial Day (May 25, 2009) is a regular day of classes this school year for tracks 1, 3 and 4 for year-round students.
Memorial Day is a vacation day for traditional-calendar schools, meaning a day off for both students and staff. 
In past years, Memorial Day has been a teacher workday/weather makeup day for traditional-calendar schools so classes have sometimes been held. Attendance has been pretty low that day.
It remains to be seen how many year-round students will be in class on Memorial Day. Classes usually aren\'t held on Memorial Day at year-round schools.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/observing-veterans-day</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/observing-veterans-day</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Reassignment pamphlets</title><description><![CDATA[
Do not panic if you got a pamphlet in the mail telling you about the draft reassignment plan coming out Saturday.


It doesn\'t mean that your family will be personally affected by the plan. It does mean that your child\'s school is in the draft. The school could be sending students, receiving them, or both.
More than 76,000 pamphlets were mailed on Friday to all the students listed in the school district\'s records as attending schools that are in the draft. The mailers were not targeted at just kids whose nodes would be moved.
Click here to view a pamphlet. It doesn\'t mention the Nov. 17 meeting at Leesville Road High because, as stated before, it\'s not considered a CEM meeting like the rest.
There are limits to who got the pamphlets. You won\'t get a pamphlet if you\'re not registered in the school system\'s database, such as rising kindergarten students.
But school administrators say the purpose of the pamphlets is to make sure families know ahead of time that the draft is coming out. They say they don\'t want parents complaining about being caught off guard.
There\'s been some controversy in recent years over how Wake notifies parents about reassignment.
Wake traditionally hasn\'t notified families that they\'re specifically in the plan until after the official plan goes to the school board.
Then earlier this year, Wake scrapped the letter that\'s sent to families in the nodes being considered by the board in the official plan.  Instead, phone calls were made to every parent at the schools in the plan.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/reassignment-pamphlets</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/reassignment-pamphlets</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Looking at a $5.7 million cut</title><description><![CDATA[
Will the school board have to cut $5.7 million due to the county\'s revenue shortfall?


As noted in today\'s article by Michael Biesecker, County Manager David Cooke suggested Monday that all county departments take a 1.8 percent funding cut. If implemented, it would mean the school system would have to cut $5.7 million to make up for a projected county revenue shortfall of at least $17 million.
If the school system is spared any cuts, other county departments ? including such key operations as the sheriff?s office, EMS, and the 911 call center ? will have to make deeper cuts of 4 percent.
Kevin Hill, vice chairman of the school board, said they wouldn\'t be able to spare the classroom if they had to find $5.7 million in cuts. He said they had cut as much as they could when the commissioners had provided $36.2 million less than requested this year.
Hill said he hopes both boards will meet before a decision is made by commissioners. What could help the school board is that the decision will be made by the new Democratic majority on the board of commissioners.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/looking-at-a-57-million-cut</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/looking-at-a-57-million-cut</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Kids 'N Community Grants $279,720</title><description><![CDATA[RALEIGH,  NC&amp;mdash;Doug Warf, Director of  Community Relations and Executive Director of the Carolina Hurricanes&amp;rsquo; Kids &amp;lsquo;N  Community Foundation, today announced that 20 area charities will receive grants  during the Foundation&amp;rsquo;s ...]]></description><link>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=391814</link><guid>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=391814</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:26:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>WCPSS Counselor Named Best in NC</title><description><![CDATA[
Karen Rowe , a school counselor at Wakefield High School, was named as the NC School Counselor Association Secondary School Counselor of the Year. Rowe received the award at the NCSCA Fall Conference in Greensboro on Friday, Nov. 7. 


]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/wcpss_counselor.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/wcpss_counselor.html</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:46:51 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Draft coming Saturday</title><description><![CDATA[
You can sleep in a few more hours on Saturday before trying to find out if you\'re affected by the new multi-year student assignment plan.


School administrators announced today that they\'re going for an online release at 9 a.m. A release of 5 a.m. had been previously considered.


Even though the school district\'s press release only lists five community engagement meetings, the one at Leesville Road High School on Nov. 17 is still a go. As noted before, the district isn\'t officially considering the Leesville meeting to be a community engagment meeting even though it will cover the draft reassignment plan.&nbsp;

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/draft-coming-saturday</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/draft-coming-saturday</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:59:21 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>The Rosebuds add Raleigh date</title><description><![CDATA[The Rosebuds have tacked on a hometown date to the end of their current tour. They will play The Pour House on December 3. The Loners will open the show. Tickets are $8 and are not currently available to order online.

The Rosebuds just released their fourth album Life Like in September. Check out the title track from the album below.

The Rosebuds - \&quot;Life Like\&quot; (mp3)]]></description><link>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/rosebuds-add-raleigh-date.html</link><guid>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/rosebuds-add-raleigh-date.html</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:46:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Advising on student assignment</title><description><![CDATA[
With the draft reassignment plan less than a week away, there\'s interest in who\'s helping to put it all together.


That includes the members of the student assignment advisory committee. The members are Diana Bader, Alison Donnelly, Anne Sherron, David Williams, George Wait, Julie Stevens, Larry Dickens, Liz Parry and Roxie Cash.
Those names should be familiar to those who\'ve been around here for a few years. Here\'s info on some of the members.
Bader, a former president of the Wake County PTA Council, is the de-facto head of the committee. She\'s been active in western Wake schools for many years.
Cash was a school board member for the North Raleigh seat now held by Kevin Hill from 1991 to 1999. She\'s been heavily involved in the PTSA at Millbrook High School.
Dickens is the head of the political arm of the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association. The RWCA has been a long-time backer of the district\'s diversity efforts.
Parry has been an outspoken advocate of Wake\'s magnet program and diversity policy for many years. She is the director of N.C. State\'s RAMP-UP program, which tries to get K-12 students from under-represented groups to take advanced math courses.
Sherron, like many of the advisory committee members, has an extensive history of volunteering in the school system. She has been the District 6 Board Advisory Council chairwoman and a PTSA president of Sanderosn High.
Stevens is another long-time school volunteer who was president-elect of the Wake PTA Council. She was a former PTA president of Morrisville Elementary School
Wait used to be the long-time chairman of the District 8 Board Advisory Committee until Ron Margiotta deposed him. Wait had taken the unusual position of publcly attacking Margiotta at a meeting.
Wait was former school board member Bill Fletcher\'s campaign treasurer in 2005. After Fletcher lost, Wait crossed party lines to back Eleanor Goettee in the runoff.
Williams is a representative of Advocates for Greater Garner, a group of business and community leaders who complain that Wake\'s student assignment policies have left Garner\'s schools with an overly high percentage of low-income students.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/advising-on-student-assignment</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/advising-on-student-assignment</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Stefan Named Special Assignments Scout</title><description><![CDATA[RALEIGH,  NC&amp;mdash;Jim Rutherford,  President and General Manager of the National Hockey League&amp;rsquo;s Carolina  Hurricanes, today announced that Greg Stefan has been named as the team&amp;rsquo;s  special assignments scout. Mike Vellucci will take o...]]></description><link>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=391685</link><guid>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=391685</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:40:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Hurricanes Assign Michael Ryan to Albany</title><description><![CDATA[RALEIGH,  NC&amp;mdash;Jim Rutherford,  President and General Manager of the National Hockey League&amp;rsquo;s Carolina  Hurricanes, today announced that the team has assigned forward Michael Ryan to  Albany of the American Hockey  League (AHL).
Ryan, 2...]]></description><link>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=391655</link><guid>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=391655</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:29:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>WCPSS Students Create Links with British Students</title><description><![CDATA[
Panther Creek High School was mentioned in a Cisco Systems employee publication recently. Six students from Panther Creek High had a chance to video conference with six students at a school in Feltham, England. The students were among the first to use Cisco?s Telepresence technology. The students have had several sessions getting to know each other and comparing life and schools in the US and UK. Collaborations between the schools are continuing.

]]></description><link>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/wcpss_students_4.html</link><guid>http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/11/wcpss_students_4.html</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:24:23 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>KIPP takes a hit</title><description><![CDATA[
Over the past two years, a lot of people on the blog have thrown out the example of the KIPP schools to argue that Wake doesn\'t need to have socioeconomic diversity.


That case took a hit with the release of the new ABCs results on Thursday. As noted in today\'s Charlotte Observer, the KIPP School in Charlotte had a passing rate of 56.2 percent on the latest round of state tests.
&amp;quot;We\'re definitely disappointed. Our goals were higher,? said Principal Keith Burnam, a former math teacher who opened the KIPP school in northeast Charlotte last year, in the article.
KIPP is a national charter school chain known for success with low-income and minority kids. It operates 66 schools in 19 states and the District of Columbia. 
KIPP students attend school 81/2 hours a day and take extra sessions on Saturdays and in the summer. They and their parents pledge to do whatever it takes for them to succeed.
Burnam said that at the start of 2007-08, his fifth-graders averaged early third-grade reading level, based on a national exam. By year\'s end, they\'d made 1.5 years\' progress ? enough to earn teachers the state bonus for high growth, but leaving many students below fifth-grade level.
They have three more years at KIPP, he noted: &amp;quot;Everybody wants magic in a year, but it\'s a four-year journey.&amp;quot;
Also in that article, it\'s noted that Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board member Tom Tate recently said that the school district must reassign students to avoid high concentrations of poverty ? as Wake County does ? if it hopes to solve its biggest problems. 
Tate\'s idea hasn\'t gotten much support in Charlotte.

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/kipp-takes-a-hit</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/kipp-takes-a-hit</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>A note about blog comments</title><description><![CDATA[
Starting Monday afternoon, anonymous commenting will be disabled on the N&amp;amp;O blogs. This move will allow us to eliminate spam and make conversations on the blog move more quickly. Under the current system, anonymous comments must be approved, and we simply don\'t have the resources to have a full-time moderator.


If you\'re not registered and would like to continue commenting on our blogs, please register by clicking here. It\'s a quick and painless process.
If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail Rachel Carter at rachel.carter@newsobserver.com

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/a-note-about-blog-comments</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/a-note-about-blog-comments</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:23:44 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>I Was Totally Destroying It gives away new EP</title><description><![CDATA[I Was Totally Destroying It is giving away their brand new EP Done Waiting free on their Reverb Nation page. The tracks are leftovers from the band\'s forthcoming album Horror Vacui due out in 2009.

The EP was produced by the band along with Al Jacob and Joshua Cain (the lead guitarist of Motion City Soundtrack) and was recorded in Chapel Hill at Warrior Sound.

Here\'s the Done Waiting track list]]></description><link>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-was-totally-destroying-it-gives-away.html</link><guid>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-was-totally-destroying-it-gives-away.html</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:22:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Photos: Ivan Howard, Superchunk, The dBs @ UNC early vote rally</title><description><![CDATA[Here\'s the last set of photos from Saturday\'s early vote rally for Barack Obama at UNC. Included here are photos of Ivan Howard and his NC choir featuring members of Bowerbirds and Megafaun, Superchunk and The dB\'s featuring Mitch Easter on bass.

[all photos by Kevin Norris]

Ivan Howard set list:
In the Backyard
Get Up Get Out
Boxcar
Life Like
Blue Bird
Nice Fox

Ivan Howard and friends


]]></description><link>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/photos-ivan-howard-superchunk-dbs-unc.html</link><guid>http://trianglemusic.blogspot.com/2008/11/photos-ivan-howard-superchunk-dbs-unc.html</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:09:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Dealing with the reading drop</title><description><![CDATA[
There\'s a lot of work ahead for raising reading scores in Wake and statewide.


As noted in today\'s article, Wake\'s performance on the ABCs of Public Education was hammered by the new reading EOG exams. Wake\'s reading EOG passing rate was 66 percent in 2007-08, down from 91 percent the previous year.
But Wake is stressing that it\'s still better than the statewide reading EOG average of 57 percent.
In its press release, Wake is also touting how it continues to outperform other urban districts. 
&amp;quot;The 63.8 percent of WCPSS students achieving proficiency on the third grade reading End-of-Grade test compared with 56.8 percent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg students, 54.2 percent of Guilford County students, 52.9 percent of Forsyth County students and 41.6 percent of Durham County students,&amp;quot; according to the press release.
Looking at individual schools, there\'s a lot of room for improvement. 
Every Wake elementary and middle school saw a double-digit drop in its percentage of students passing the reading EOG.
The smallest decline was for Morrisvllle Elementary School, which fell from 96.7 percent passing reading to 86.6 percent.
The biggest dip was at Barwell Road Elementary School, which saw its passing rate for reading fall by more than half. It\'s at 36.2 percent now. It had been at 84.8 percent.
Click here for a school district handout listing school-by-school reading results.
You can click here to look it up yourself on DPI\'s Web site. Pick the year you want to view. You\'ll get even more detail, such as performance by individual student groups. 
(If you notice any apparent discrepancy between your results and Wake\'s, keep in mind that the district is mentioning the passing percentage on the multiple-choice test used by most students. They\'re not including the severely learning-disabled students who have to take alternative tests.)

]]></description><link>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/dealing-with-the-reading-drop</link><guid>http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/dealing-with-the-reading-drop</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Hurricanes Recall Michael Ryan from Albany</title><description><![CDATA[RALEIGH,  NC&amp;mdash;Jim Rutherford,  President and General Manager of the National Hockey League&amp;rsquo;s Carolina  Hurricanes, today announced that the team has recalled forward Michael Ryan from  the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League...]]></description><link>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=391077</link><guid>http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&amp;page=NewsPage&amp;articleid=391077</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Nov 2008 01:06:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title>Free computers provided to some Enloe students</title><description><![CDATA[
Enloe High math teacher Alan Letarte has worked with an organization named the Kramden Institute to provide computers to about 40 Enloe students. 

Letarte received some help from his Advanced Placement Calculus students and teacher Michael Paul Shumake of Phillips High today as they distributed the computers. Students formed a bucket brigade in Enloe\'s East Building moving all the equipment from a storage area down the length of the hallway to Letart