In my last WRAL Tech Wire Blog, I referenced our Town as the Cricket Capital of the US

This past weekend, we were grateful to have the men’s USA National Cricket Team practice at our Church Street Park cricket facility Friday, Sept. 2, through Sunday, Sept. 4. Practices took place from 3-6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 12-7 p.m. on Sunday. ! I was honored to meet Coach Arun Kumar Jagdish and some of the team yesterday and to also catch up with former Morrisville resident and National Team Member Jess Malhotra. 

The team is preparing for the ICC Cricket World Cup in Papua New Guinea, which is scheduled for Sept. 11-21.

Good Luck Team USA, and once again, another game changing event in our Cricket transformation!  

Cricket is on the move in Morrisville!  

USA Cricket Board Members will be visiting Morrisville on Friday so please follow the Town of Morrisville Social Media for details on the community meeting.  I will post and inform once the Town send a formal announcement. 

My Message to Pakistani Community:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1100028347306571

We pray and support Pakistan during the tragic floods.  1265 dead, 3,641 Non Fatal Injuries, 482,000 displaced, 33 million affected, and billions in damage.

Join us next Sunday, Sept 11 at 300 Preston Valley Way, Cary, NC 27519 4 pm for a Fundraiser for Pakistani Flood Relief!  

Check our Triangle Labor Day events at

https://triangleonthecheap.com/free-cheap-labor-day-festivals-events-triangle/

For all Ganesh Festival Events at HSNC, visit

https://hsnctemple.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Ganesh-Festival-2022-Schedule-1.jpg

Mikhail Gorbachev

World Leaders Mourn loss of Mikhail Gorbachev.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/31/europe/mikhail-gorbachev-death-global-reactions-intl-hnk/index.html

Biden Speech

Biden attacks Trump and supporters in fiery speech on prime time.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/01/politics/joe-biden-democracy-speech/index.html

Dick Sears

Former, 20 year Holly Springs Mayor Dick Sears passes away. May he Rest in Peace and we pray for his family.  

(My message on his service and leadership to the Triangle and our enduring friendship will be in next newsletter) 

Serena Williams

Serena Williams plays her last match at US Open!  

My insights:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1125952931343801

My Labor Day Message:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/5656447511081854

Labor Day for many Americans is a three-day weekend that marks the end of the summer and the start of the school year.

Nowadays, the holiday might be celebrated with anything from swimming at a beach or pool, grilling, or watching the first college football games of the season. 

But, how did the holiday come about?

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the holiday is observed the first Monday in September to celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers.

The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.

When did Labor Day become a federal holiday? 

Before it became a federal holiday, Labor Day was recognized by labor activists and individual states.

Oregon was the first state to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, on February 21, 1887, and that year four more states – Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York – passed similar laws. 

The Labor Department says by 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday, and President Grover Cleveland signed it into law.

How did Labor Day start?

The Labor Department says it's not entirely clear who is the founder of Labor Day, but two workers can make a solid claim to its origins.

According to the Labor Department's website, some records show that in 1882, Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, suggested setting aside a day for a "general holiday for the laboring classes" to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."

Many believe that machinist Matthew Maguire, not McGuire, founded the holiday.

Recent research seems to support the contention that Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, New Jersey, proposed the holiday in 1882, while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.

According to the New Jersey Historical Society, after President Cleveland signed the law to create a national Labor Day, the Paterson Morning Call published an opinion piece stating that "the souvenir pen should go to Alderman Matthew Maguire of this city, who is the undisputed author of Labor Day as a holiday."

Perhaps showing there were no hard feelings, both Maguire and McGuire attended the country’s first Labor Day parade in New York City that year.

At the end of the day, let us take some time this Labor Day to reflect on how hard working Americans in manufacturing, retail, farming, and the industrial sectors of the United States have served as the backbone our economic growth and prosperity in the global economy.  In addition, we are grateful for all workers in the front lines of health care during the pandemic, to all first responders, soldiers, and of course, the hard work and dedication of federal, state and local government employees.  

Finally, we must also challenge our educational systems to develop the skills of our workforce so they can be prepared for the new jobs of the new economy.  

Happy Labor Day!  

My Ganesh Chaturthi Message: 

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/5185687484886777

Ganesh Chaturthi, also called Vinayaka Chavithi, is an auspicious Hindu festival which is celebrated for 10 days every year. The festival is celebrated in the Bhadra month as per the Hindu calendar which generally falls in mid-August to September. It marks the birthday of the beloved elephant-headed Lord Ganesha.

Ganesha is known as the God of wealth, sciences, knowledge, wisdom and prosperity, and that's why most Hindus remember him and seek his blessings before starting any important work. Lord Ganesh is known by 108 different names like Gajanana, Vinayaka, Vighnaharta among others

This festival is celebrated with great devotion and joy by Hindus throughout the world. In India, it is majorly celebrated in states including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana.

It is believed that devotees who pray to Ganesha are able to fulfil their wishes and desires. So, the main essence of Ganesh Chaturthi is that devotees who pray to him are set free of sins and it leads them on the path of knowledge and wisdom.  

Happy Ganesh Charthuri to everyone and may we all be more wise and prosperous.  

In Person Voter Registration is Oct 14: 

North Carolina offers online voter registration to existing customers of the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles. You can register by mail to vote in North Carolina by printing a voter registration form, filling it out, and mailing it to your local election office. You can also register to vote in person if you prefer.

Registration deadlines

• In person during early voting : Oct 20 - Nov 5
• In-person at local election office : Oct 14
• Online : Oct 14
• By mail (postmarked by) : Oct 14

Church Street and Morrisville Carpenter Road Intersection is Right In and Right Out. 

(See This Week in Morrisville Updates) 

Teen Morrisville 101 Registration Now Open!:

The annual citizen’s academy for teens will be held on four consecutive Wednesdays, October 5-26, from 4-6 p.m. The deadline for registration is Sept. 23.

More information can be found here:

https://www.townofmorrisville.org/residents/community-programs/teen-morrisville-101

Fall Into Fitness

Fall Into Fitness starts Friday, September 9 with eight weeks of FREE fitness classes and activities hosted by some of MAFC's top instructors!

All classes and activities will be held on Fridays from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at Morrisville Community Park - Field 1.

Get details and SIGN-UP AT WWW.TINYURL.COM/MAFCFALL starting September 2.

Town of Morrisville Public Works Department receives National Accreditation!   

(See Public Works Section for more information)  

My Radio Nyra Interview with Team Captain Singh: 

https://www.facebook.com/radionyrausa/videos/800736607611584

Town of Morrisville hosted Minor League Cricket Championships Aug 27th- Aug 28th.

Congratulations to the Seattle Thunderbolts for their win over the Atlanta Fire to win the Minor League Champtionships.  Thanks to everyone who came out for an exciting weekend of world class cricket and to the Staff, Volunteers, and all of the Sponsors of this event!  The Thunderbolts take home $150,000 of the $350,000 purse, and we wish them all the best!

High-definition live television and streaming coverage for the finals weekend featured a premium production by Antares Media for all three games. All matches will be available free to stream via the MLC Network on YouTube, with one conference final on Saturday and the championship match on Sunday to be broadcast on Willow TV’s linear channel, available across millions of households in the United States. 

For the first time, live audio commentary of Finals Weekend was broadcast on 99.94 DM, the innovative “home of cricket audio” launched this summer.

Thanks to each of you for making this event such a success!  The Town of Morrisville is emerging as the Cricket Capital of the United States and World!  

Insights from Scott Dupree from Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/414658437461655

Insights from Major League Cricket: 

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1146224249312937

Cricket on ROKU POD TV

https://youtu.be/x3q8h9wph1A?t=135

Insights From Mark Stohlman:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1477525846029890

My Message to Public Works:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/477391060867631

Congratulations to the Town of Morrisville Public Works Department on receiving re-accreditation from the American Public Works Association (APWA) Accreditation Council. The department's work to achieve accreditation demonstrates the dedication and pride in the operation of the department and community overall. 

Several members of the department were honored at the Tuesday, August 23 Town Council meeting. Learn more about the accreditation at https://bit.ly/3PMQPzX

We look forward to the leadership of new director Jeffrey Brown, and thank all of our Department for their world class, dedicated service to the Town.  

Public Works Department Named Accredited Agency by APWA

The American Public Works Association (APWA) has recognized the Town of Morrisville’s Public Works Department as an accredited agency. Accreditation is designed to promote excellence in the operation and management of public works departments, and it is issued to departments who verify full compliance with recommended best practices for their municipality. The APWA has awarded accreditation to only 176 municipalities across the United States and Canada. In North Carolina, only three municipalities have received the distinction: The Town of Morrisville, the Town of Garner, and the Town of Mooresville.

Labor Day is September 5

The Town of Morrisville administrative offices, the Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center, the Cedar Fork Community Center, and the Morrisville Senior Center will all be closed Monday, Sept. 5, for Labor Day.

Police, fire, and rescue services will remain available. Curbside garbage and recycling services are on the regular schedule for the holiday. 

Men's USA National Cricket Team Practicing at Church Street Park

The men’s USA National Cricket Team will be practicing at the Church Street Park cricket facility Friday, Sept. 2, through Sunday, Sept. 4. Practices will take place from 3-6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 12-7 p.m. on Sunday.

Residents are welcome to stop by and watch the team as they prepare for the ICC Cricket World Cup in Papua New Guinea, which is scheduled for Sept. 11-21.

Cedar Fork Community Center Hiring Before and After-School Counselors

The Cedar Fork Community Center is looking for counselors for its before and after-school programming. Before-school counselors work Monday through Friday from 6:50 to 9 a.m. and make $13 per hour. After-school counselors work Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 6 p.m. and make $11 per hour. After-school counselors must also be available to work on school early release days. For more information and to apply, visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/morrisvillenc. 

Resources for Seniors Presentation to be Given at Morrisville Senior Center September 7

A representative from Resources for Seniors will offer a presentation on the services the non-profit offers at the Morrisville Senior Center, 4117 Davis Drive, on Sept. 7, from 1-2 p.m. Get help navigating the aging services network to optimize successful aging and support independent living. Call (919) 463-7140 for more information. 

Model Railroad to be on Display at Morrisville Senior Center September 10

The North Raleigh Model Railroad Club will put on a model train display and exhibition at the Morrisville Senior Center, 4117 Davis Drive, on Sept. 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees will be able to observe creative miniature scenes from city to farm, and from sci-fi to Lego. A fun scavenger hunt will also be available to find items across the detailed display. Admission is free. 

Morrisville Senior Center to Host Trip to N.C. Museum of History on September 14

Those 55 and older are invited to join the Morrisville Senior Center for a trip to the N.C. Museum of History on Sept. 14. The group will leave the MSC at 4117 Davis Drive at 9:30 a.m. and will be returning around 3 p.m. The cost is $5 for residents and $8 for non-residents. Lunch will be at the Daily Planet Cafe, which will be a separate cost. For more information and to register, please call (919) 463-7140 or click here. 

Morrisville Senior Center to Host Finance Friday Event on September 16

You’ve worked hard to provide for your family. Whether you’re approaching retirement or are recently retired, your focus may begin to shift from building your financial foundation to protecting the financial resources you’ve created for you and your family. Edward Jones will present information at the Morrisville Senior Center, 4117 Davis Drive, on Sept. 16 about how you can address key risks you may encounter and what strategies you can use to help prepare for the unexpected. The presentation will be at 12 p.m., and snacks will be served. 

Morrisville Senior Center Hosts Durham Bulls Baseball Game Outing September 25

Those ages 55 and older are invited to join the Morrisville Senior Center for a Durham Bulls baseball game on Sept. 25 at 1:05 p.m. Watch the Durham Bulls take on the Norfolk Tides. The group will be leaving the MSC at 4117 Davis Drive at 12 p.m. The cost is $22 for residents and $25 for non-residents. Lunch will be a separate cost. The group should arrive back at the center around 5 p.m. For more information and to register, please call (919) 463-7140 or click here. 

Morrisville Senior Center to Start Closing on Saturdays

Beginning Saturday, Sept. 3, the Morrisville Senior Center will be closed on Saturdays except for special events or scheduled program hours.

Please contact the Senior Center at 919-463-7140 or seniorcenter@townofmorrisville.org if you have any questions.

Eight Weeks of Free Fall Fitness Classes Starts September 9

The Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center will be offering eight weeks of free fall fitness classes, with the first class on Sept. 9. All classes and activities will be held on Fridays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Morrisville Community Park – Field 1, 1520 Morrisville Parkway. Classes will include recreational games, family yoga, running fundamentals, dance party, badminton, tai chi, and ultimate frisbee. Sign up at www.tinyurl.com/mafcfall. 

Winston Salem Open

Great time at Winston Salem Open with Mike Fox, NC DOT Chair and Head of the Piedmont Triad Partnership!  

Congrats to Adrian Mannarino for his win and to Mike for presenting to runner up Laszlo Djure! 

Minor League Cricket Championships

Minor League Cricket Championships a Success!  Congrats Seattle Thunderbolts!  

Great to Hang out with Sig Hutchison and Shinica Thomas at Minor League Cricket Championships!

Ganesh Festival

Ganesh Festival Kicks off at HSNC!  Great to be with Chris Heagerty!

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/810476343461977

African American Cultural Festival

Great time at African American Cultural Festival! Great to Catch up with Jessica Holmes, Gerald Givens and NAACP!  

Catching up with Gerald

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1320772685123187

Anurag Foundation Run

Inspired at Anurag Foundation Run!  Thanks to Credit Suisse for sponsoring and to Murali Sagali for organizing. 

Going the Distance at the 5k!

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1992963827560177

My Insights on Credit Suisse for sponsoring: 

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1125667951663771

Rush Hour Karting

Visit with Adam and Tamer Saad Rush Hour Karting! Opening this year near Wake Competition Center!

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1403043800177000

Chutney’s

Thanks to Chutney’s for hosting India Pakistan Cricket Match!  Great Match!

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/808974113609759

34% of NC Schools are low performing.  

North Carolina education officials released testing results for each district statewide for the 2021-22 school year Thursday, and the results showed most schools are still feeling the effects of learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Nearly 400 more schools will be on the state's "low-performing" schools list this fall, according to the data released Thursday. About one in three schools will now be on the list, with 864 total designated under new test scores, up from 488 during the 2018-19 school year, WRAL found. 

The Department of Public Instruction released full data for each district in the state, including breakdowns by race and other subgroups for every school in North Carolina. State leaders said there was an improvement from the 2020-21 school year, when districts struggled to establish effective teaching habits at the onset of the pandemic. 

Schools placed on the low-performing list must draft plans to improve their test results. Schools that have been on the list for two out of the past three testing years will be considered "recurring" or "continually" low-performing. 

Those schools will be eligible to apply for the Restart program, which gives public schools charter school-like flexibility to change how they operate for the sake of improved academic performance. 

The North Carolina General assembly defines low-performing schools as those that receive a school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth". 

Growth is a measurement of how much a student has learned. The NC DPI says it's determined by measuring expected progress against actual progress.

North Carolina Supreme Court Hears Leandro Case

North Carolina Supreme Court justices questioned attorneys Wednesday over a riddle that’s key to unlocking billions of dollars to fix deficiencies in the state’s public schools: who has the authority to order such a spending plan — and is one needed in the first place?

Lawyers for parents, school boards and legislative leaders argued over whether a court can even order a remedy to the problems it finds.

Lawmakers’ attorneys argued that the court doesn’t have that authority, and that problems with the state’s schools were isolated to one county. Meanwhile, attorneys for parents and school boards say the deficiencies are statewide, that they require billions of dollars to fix, and that the court indeed has the right to order the funding.

The remedial plan that was borne from the lawsuit calls for $785 million this year, and eventually billions more, toward increased funding for students with disabilities and other disadvantaged students, as well as other education programs and policy changes.

The plan comes from a consent order in 2021, agreed to by plaintiffs in the Leandro case and the state’s executive branch.

Despite the agreement, which was signed by a judge, lawmakers didn’t fund the plan in the months immediately following its approval.

Judge W. David Lee, who previously presided over the case, issued another order in November telling a handful of state executives to cut a check of state surplus funds to do so. A North Carolina Court of Appeals panel halted the order, and the parties in the lawsuit appealed that decision to the state Supreme Court.

How the court rules could determine whether the state’s 1.5 million public schoolchildren see a resolution to this case any time soon. Justices have not issued a timetable for ruling.

The Leandro lawsuit — known for a former plaintiff — was filed against the state in 1994 by five lower-income school boards and families who said they were being denied an adequate education. The state Supreme Court ruled in 2004 that students had been denied the opportunity to access a “sound basic education” and ordered the state to fix that, leaving it up to lawmakers and the governor for the time being.

The so-called Leandro Plan from 2021 calls for at least $5.6 billion in new, annual education spending by 2028, as well as numerous policy changes concerning school improvement and accountability.

The state’s education budget is more than $11 billion.

On Wednesday, Justices heard oral arguments on the appeal for more than an hour and a half. Arguments rehashed months of debate but featured two new things: The first state Supreme Court appearance in the case for the state’s top two legislative leaders and extensive debate brought by those legislators over whether shortcomings in the state’s education system had ever really been proven.

This is not a contest between those that want to fund education and those that don’t,” Matthew Tilley—a lawyer for state Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, who are intervenors—told justices.

Rather, Tilley said, the state Supreme Court must weigh whether a judge can order lawmakers or others to fix — in a specific way — what the court says they’re failing to do and determine the extent a resolution is necessary. Berger and Moore don’t like the plan, though Democratic lawmakers favor it. Berger and Moore argue only lawmakers have the power to decide how to spend the state’s money.

Meanwhile, plaintiffs and attorneys for the governor and attorney general argued the court must be able to order a resolution.

For years since the state Supreme Court found the state was not providing an adequate education, the state’s legislative and executive branches — including prior governors and attorneys general, including current Gov. Roy Cooper — had not come up with a plan to fix the situation, lawyers for the legislators argued

Wake Schools Recruiting Students to Be Teachers 

https://www.wral.com/with-400-teaching-positions-vacant-wake-co-schools-hope-new-program-sprouts-careers-in-education/20427544/?version=amp

Students in Wake County head back to class for the start of the traditional calendar school year one week from Monday.

With the bell about to ring, Wake County Public Schools is short about 400 teachers with just days left to hire.

That's leading the school system to recruit new teachers before they even graduate from high school.

State Superintendent Proposes Covid Funding to raise Principals’ Pay. 

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt has proposed a solution to the principal pay gap in North Carolina — use COVID-19 relief funds to bridge the gap.

In a proposal released Aug. 24, Truitt recommended drawing from the federal Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief III fund to cover the extra salary cost for principals. The move is in response to a provision in the new state budget that ties principal pay to one year of school performance data — from 2021-2022 — rather than the traditional three years.

Although the change positively impacted some principals, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction estimates that around 360 principals — or 15% — would receive pay cuts ranging from $7,200 to $18,000 over 12 months. Those principals operated schools with a history of high performance prior to the pandemic, making the drop in performance during the COVID era particularly significant.

TAHTS HEALTHFAIR

Registration for TAHTS HEALTHFAIR is Sept 1.  

Fair is Oct. 22 at HSNC from 9 am to 1 pm! 

Atlantic Tire Championships Sep 11-18

Watch Pro Tennis at

https://atlantictirechampionships.com/  

Sept. 11- Sept 18th 

Sept. 1 Ganapati Festival at HSNC

Sept. 1 Ganapati Festival at HSNC 

https://hsnctemple.org/events-list/. 

Sept 11 - Fundraiser for Pakistani Flood Relief

Join us next Sunday, Sept 11 at 300 Preston Valley Way, Cary, NC 27519 4 pm for a Fundraiser for Pakistani Flood Relief!