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MORRISVILLE MEANS BUSINESS PROGRAM UPDATE | |
From the Council Office of Steve Rao
July 14, 2023
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Estimated Read Time: 10 minutes. | |
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CRICKET ON THE MOVE...
This morning I read in the Economist an article about how immigrants from all over the world are bringing cricket back to the US in full force. Interesting, that the first game in US was played in 1844 with the United States playing Canada.
The article went on to mention the Major League Cricket Championships in Texas but forgot one important point: The Championships are also being played in Morrisville, North Carolina!
More on our Cricket Transformation in my newsletter next week plus a look at Affordable Housing in our Town after a very informative meeting at the Wake County Commissioners Affordable Housing Listening Tour in Morrisville.
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TENNIS ALERT:
Novak Djokovic to take on Alcaraz in Wimbledon Final and congrats to Chris Eubanks who played last year in Atlantic Tire Tennis Championships advance to the quarterfinals!
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CHURCH STREET PARK ALERT:
Church Street Park will be closed during the Cricket Tournament for all non-cricket activities. (July20-July 25th)
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MEDIA ALERT
Tune in at 4 pm to Radio Nyra on Sunday at 4 pm with Mark Stohlman on Major League Cricket!
Tune in every Friday to WPTF at 3 pm for my commentary
Radio Nyra - 99.9 FM HD4, 101.9 FM, and 1490 AM!
WPTF - 98.5FM and 680 AM.
PBS Carolinas Fall Season begins in August, State Lines and Black Issues Forum!
https://rss.com/podcasts/wptf-afternoon-news/
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Morrisville Means Business Program Information Session
My Message on Morrisville Means Business: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/664106092250579
Learn more about the Morrisville Means Business program at an information session at the UTSAV Event Venue, 4181 Davis Drive, #300, on July 15, from 10 a.m. to noon.
Information will be provided about the ongoing COVID-19 micro-grant program and free professional services offerings for Morrisville small businesses. Paper applications will be available to apply on-site. Light refreshments will be offered. Please RSVP here. Learn more about the program online at www.townofmorrisville.org/MorrisvilleMeansBusiness.
Due to the diligence of Town Council and staff in September 2022, Morrisville received a $300,000 grant from the Small Business Administration (SBA) to develop a small business program.
The grant was intended for targeted COVID-19 relief micro-grants and community-wide programming options. The goal of the grant is to uplift and support Morrisville's business community.
Both of these programs will be launched on May 22, 2023.
Financial Assistance (Micro-Grants) for COVD-19 Impacted Businesses
$4,500 grants to 30 eligible small businesses
Eligible businesses include:
For-profit businesses located in the Town of Morrisville
Current annual revenues of $500,000 or less
Experienced 15 percent decline in revenues between 2019 and 2020
If the business has multiple locations, locations must be limited to the Triangle region in order for the business to be eligible.
Direct 1:1 Business Assistance and Consulting for All Morrisville Small Businesses:
FREE 1-Hour “Business Assessments” with a:
Licensed Attorney
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Marketing & Brand Development Professional
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Council has a productive meeting as always!
Highlights from the June 27, 2023 Morrisville Town Council meeting include:
• Teen Morrisville 101 Graduation Recognition
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects
• UDO Text Amendment for Electric Vehicle (EV) Parking / Charging
• Advisory Committee Appointments
• Advisory Committee Application Update
• Town Council Roundtable
Read the full details at https://bit.ly/3JROzHx
#LiveConnectedLiveWell
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State of County, Schools and City inspires all of us!
(More on this event in next newsletter)
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Congrats to Teen Morrisville 101 Graduates!
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GET THE MORRISVILLE APP AT THE APP STORE!
Get all the latest information about news and events around Town with the authoritative app, Morrisville Central. Learn about free community events, view an interactive map of Town facilities and parks to learn about court and field status, and get the latest information about the Town straight from the source. You can also report concerns as you see them using the app’s interactive tool.
Download the app from the Apple App Store or from Google Play.
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Major League Cricket coming to Morrisville on July 20th!
Major League Cricket has announced the full schedule for America’s first-ever professional franchise cricket league, set to launch on Thursday, July 13, 2023.
Two cricket-specific venues in North Texas (Grand Prairie Stadium, 1600 Lone Star Pkwy, Grand Prairie, TX) and Morrisville (Church Street Park, 5800 Cricket Pitch Way, Morrisville, NC) will host 19 matches.
Many of the world’s top cricketers will represent six MLC teams competing to be crowned as the inaugural season champion on Sunday, July 30.
Tickets start at $15 for games in Morrisville.
Tickets are on sale now at tickets.majorleaguecricket.com.
Read the full news release at https://bit.ly/43YYfYt
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NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK VISITS | |
PBS CAROLINAS:
STATE LINES AND BLACK ISSUES FORUM:
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Tune in on Friday at 7 pm and Sunday at 4 pm to PBS Carolinas Black Issues Forum for our engaging discussions on trending topics!
https://www.pbsnc.org/watch/black-issues-forum/
Engaging Discussion on PBS Carolinas Black Issues Forum on Affirmative Action, Election Security and other matters.
Link to the show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BIOR-ih-Fg
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Join us on Radio Nyra on Sunday at 4 pm for our interview with HSS on Darsana Exhibit. 99.9HD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
Join us on Radio Nyra Sundays at 4pm for interesting interviews with local thought leaders
99.9FMHD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
Great Interview on Radio Nyra with Hill Carrow on the 2029 FISU World University Games.
https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/596450559170578/?t=18
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Great US Open Roku TV Interview with Andy Andrews!
https://youtu.be/-Uy7aX-M2AI?t=79
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On the Porch with Randy Voller on WCHL 97.9 FM!
https://chapelboro.com/?s=on+the+porch
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WPTF Steve O'Bryan show on the Dream Act and DACA!
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This Week in Morrisville. June 19 - June 23 | |
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Town Now Accepting Fats, Oils, and Greases to be Re-Purposed as Biofuel
The Town of Morrisville now has an FOG Collection for household fats, oils, and greases outside the Public Works Department building at 414 Aviation Parkway. The collection is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it accepts fats including butter, shortening, cheese, and meat trimmings; oils including vegetable, olive, canola, and other cooking oils; and greases including bacon and sausage grease, gravy, mayonnaise and melted meat fats. A full list is included on the side of the collection. The FOGs can be repurposed into renewable biofuel. The collection also helps to keep these harmful substances out of the local water supply and protects household plumbing.
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Now Hiring: Join the MAFC Team
The Town of Morrisville is now hiring for both full and part-time positions including:
Check out additional employment opportunities in the Town here.
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Major League Cricket Games Slated for Church Street Park July 20-25
Tickets are on sale for Major League Cricket (MLC) matches that will be held in Morrisville July 20-25. Morrisville’s Church Street Park is one of two cricket-specific venues (the other is in Grand Prairie, TX) that will host matches this summer. Many of the world’s top cricketers will represent six MLC teams competing to be crowned as the inaugural season champion. Tickets can be purchased here. Prices start at only $15 for matches in Morrisville. General admission game parking will be at Wake Technical Community College (10908 Chapel Hill Road). Shuttles will begin running 90 minutes before game start times. Click here for more information and a game schedule.
Church Street Park will be closed to all non-cricket activities during this time. The Shiloh Greenway will be open, but access to park amenities will be cut off. Parking will be very limited at the park July 17-19, as they begin event set up, but the playground and tennis courts will be available. Parking will also be limited on July 26-27 during event cleanup and take down.
July is National Parks and Recreation Month
Since 1985, people in the United States have celebrated Parks and Recreation Month in July to promote building strong, vibrant, and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation and to recognize the more than 160,000 full-time parks and recreation professionals — along with hundreds of thousands of part-time and seasonal workers and volunteers — that maintain our country’s local, state and community parks. This year's theme — “Where Community Grows” — celebrates the vital role that parks and recreation professionals play in bringing people together, providing essential services, and fostering the growth of our communities. Join the Town of Morrisville in celebrating Parks and Recreation Month by enjoying one of our many beautiful parks, greenways, or community centers, and by thanking our Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources employees when you see them!
Morrisville Means Business Hosting Information Session on Micro-Grants and Services on July 15
Learn more about the Morrisville Means Business program at an information session at the UTSAV Event Venue, 4181 Davis Drive, #300, on July 15, from 10 a.m. to noon. Information will be provided about the ongoing COVID-19 micro-grant program and free professional services offerings for Morrisville small businesses. Paper applications will be available to apply on-site. Light refreshments will be offered. Please RSVP here. Learn more about the program online at www.townofmorrisville.org/MorrisvilleMeansBusiness.
Harris Mill Road Closed July 17-21 for Improvements
The Town of Morrisville has contracted with Turner Asphalt to complete the Harris Mill Road improvement project. This project will require a complete closure of Harris Mill Road from McCrimmon Parkway to J Morris Commons Lane July 17-21. This requires that any traffic for J Morris Commons Lane will have to detour and use Lakebrink Drive, Midvale Avenue, and Craigemeade Drive during the closure. This work is being timed with the construction of Fire Station No. 3 on Harris Mill Road, and it is being performed because the roadway is in poor condition and needs reconstruction. Click here to see a map of the closure.
Registration Now Open for Marbles Fall Track-Out Camps in Morrisville
Camp Marbles is coming to Morrisville! Turn your child’s next track-out week into an adventure with engaging activities, hands-on play, and a field trip to the Marbles Kids Museum. Camp Marbles will take place at Morrisville’s Historic Christian Church, 222 Church St., for four weeks in September, October, and November, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dates are Sept. 18-22, Oct. 16-20, Oct. 30-Nov. 3, and Nov. 13-17. Camp is open to students in kindergarten through fifth grade, and the cost is $338 for Marbles members and $375 for non-members. Click here for more information and to register.
Registration Open July 17 for Kayak and Stand-Up Paddle Board Class Offered by MAFC
Celebrate the Year of the Trail by attending the “Learn to Kayak and Stand-Up Paddle Board” class on Sunday, Aug. 20, from 8:15-10:15 a.m. at Lake Crabtree County Park, 1400 Aviation Parkway. This class is designed for those who want to learn basic skills for kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding. You must be at least 16 years old to participate. The class will open for registration on July 17 for members of the Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center (MAFC) and Morrisville residents, then on July 20 for non-residents and non-members. Click here to learn about class details and prerequisites. Use the link to register starting July 17. Slots are limited.
Celebrate the Year of the Trail in July with Agents of Discovery Game on Shiloh Greenway
Join the Town of Morrisville in celebrating the N.C. Year of the Trail with an exploration of Shiloh Greenway using the Agents of Discovery mobile app. Agents of Discovery is an augmented reality, geo-triggered app that gets users outside, active, and engaged in the community. With Agents of Discovery, users become a top-secret agent, dedicated to solving the mysteries of science, culture, technology, and nature. Download the app from Google Play or the App Store, then head to Church Street Park and start your adventure into learning about Morrisville history by finding and solving the challenges in the game. This is a self-guided activity that can be performed at any time. Take pictures while you’re playing and send them to Leslie Haney at LHaney@townofmorrisville.org.
The 2023 N.C. Year of the Trail celebrates the state’s vast network of trails, greenways, and blueways, which showcase our diverse landscapes, including grand mountain vistas, quiet rivers, vibrant urban greenways, coastal forests, and the rolling hills of the piedmont. N.C. Year of the Trail is the largest statewide celebration of trails and outdoor recreation in state history.
Ramps at I-40 and Airport Boulevard to Close July 21 for Several Months of Work
Starting the night of Friday, July 21, road crews will close the I-40 westbound offramp to Airport Boulevard (Exit 284) and the I-40 eastbound onramp from Airport Boulevard over the course of the weekend. By the morning of Monday, July 24, both ramps will be completely closed off to traffic and signed detours will be posted, with an expected duration of least 120 days before the ramps will re-open. Below is a summary of the detours that will be posted to get around the two ramp closures:
Traffic traveling westbound on I-40 trying to access Airport Boulevard will detour to the I-540 interchange (Exit 283A) and immediately take exit 1A onto eastbound I-40 back to Airport Boulevard.
Traffic traveling north on Airport Boulevard trying to access I-40 eastbound will detour via the exit ramp to Aviation Parkway to access the I-40 eastbound ramp.
Traffic traveling south on Airport Boulevard trying to access I-40 eastbound will detour to McCrimmon Parkway and Aviation Parkway to access the I-40 eastbound ramp.
Click here to see a map of the closure and detours.
Morrisville Senior Center Offers Presentation on Medications and Usage on July 19
Join the Morrisville Senior Center (MSC), 4117 Davis Drive, for a free Resources for Seniors presentation about medications on July 19, from 11 a.m. to noon. Dr. Casey Baldwin will discuss the importance of medication management for safety and drug efficacy. Participants can then review their medications and ask questions. The program is free, but registration is required by calling the MSC at 919-463-7140.
Residents Encouraged to Share Thoughts on the Town's Smart Shuttle in Survey
The Morrisville Smart Shuttle Service provides residents, commuters, and visitors with free, on-demand transit throughout the Town of Morrisville. As part of its commitment to providing the highest level of service possible to the community, the Town is inviting riders to share their experiences on the Smart Shuttle with a brief survey, available through Sept. 30. The survey is designed to understand who the current and potential riders are, how riders are using the Smart Shuttle, and what barriers there may be for riders, or what improvements can be made to encourage usage.
Join Morrisville Esports Tournaments and Leagues with Mission Control
The Town of Morrisville continues to provide opportunities for the community to engage in Esports in more ways than one. The Mission Control platform is designed to expose youth and teens to recreational and competitive Esports gaming anywhere you have access to play. It is one of many ways we hope to build a community and develop players interested in participating in larger online tournaments.
Register to participate in free opportunities, as well as fee-based opportunities for prizes. You can participate on any platform that allows you to play games, including your computer, personal console, phone, or tablet. Check out the Mission Control account creation tutorial and join the Town of Morrisville Esports Community.
S'Morrisville to Share Sweet Treats with Community on Aug. 10
Morrisville residents are invited to take part in National S’mores Day in “S’Morrisville” each year. That’s right – the Town will change its name and become S’Morrisville as we honor and enjoy the delicious snacks made famous at campfires everywhere. The Town will hand out delicious s'mores and host other fun activities at Morrisville Community Park, 1520 Morrisville Parkway, on Aug. 10, from 6-7 p.m. There will also be a DJ and crafts for kids. Event parking is on site. Visit https://www.townofmorrisville.org/smorrisville for more information.
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July Senior Center Events
👉 July 12, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Being Greek with Effie Barbee includes a short presentation on growing up Greek, free samples of salads, pastry and coffee, and printed recipes. Register now at https://bit.ly/44dpWNp
👉 July 19, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Resources for Seniors - Home Meds includes a free review of your medications and their usage, as well as medication management tips. Register now at https://bit.ly/3PKKjgH
👉 July 28, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Free Blood Pressure Screenings Register now at https://bit.ly/3D2uQkz
The Morrisville Senior Center hosts activities all month long including bingo, chair yoga, zumba, and line dancing. Register for these and more at https://bit.ly/44wHqUL
📍 Morrisville Senior Center
4117 Davis Drive
919-463-7140
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Shop Local at the Western Wake Farmers' Market
The Western Wake Farmers' Market (WWFM) offers healthy and fresh food and goods from small and local businesses from 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. every Saturday at the Healthy Food Hub, 280 Town Hall Drive.
Visit http://wwfm.ag/ to see a complete list of local vendors and shop local.
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Inspired at State of Wake County School and County Event!
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T10 Draft event in Raleigh!
Congrats to Ritesh Patel and Samp Army!
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Hanging out with Sheriff Rowe at Justice Center.
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Hanging out with Rufus at Political Lecture Series at Cantina 19!
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Catching Up with Raleigh Chief of Police Chief Patterson!
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Great time at Being Greek at Senior Center!
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Small Business Listening Tour: | |
Send me an email at sr@steverao.com to book a Business Listening visit to your company. | |
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I had a wonderful visit with Jose Pecheco, CEO of ExtoBio, whose company pitched at the TIE Carolinas Launch Event at the American Underground Bull Penn in Durham. Leading with scientific research and a thorough dedication to data, ExstoBio is disrupting the pharmaceutical industry, formalizing cannabis-as-a-medicine, and personalizing patient care.
Congratulations to all of the Companies who pitched to the Expert Pitch Panel and a special congrats to Pitch Winner, Wolfspider. Wolfspider is an Ag Tech company that brings together genetics and robotics to ensure confidence in crop yield and limiting chemical use. The company would love to connect individuals with experience in the ag tech space.
Thanks to ExstoBio (UNC), Aurganics (Duke), Vistara (NCSU), WolfSpider (NCSU), BioSensys (NCSU), and Collab (UNC) for participating in the event.
WolfSpider will be going to Silicon Valley for a global pitch tournament with ~40 other companies to compete for $100K+ in cash prizes.
And Thanks to Tim Scales from American Underground for hosting and to all the judges and attendees!
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SBA ADMINISTRATOR THOMAS AND I VISIT SMALL BUSINESSES IN MORRISVILLE!
During Allen Thomas’ visit to Morrisville, he and I were able to drop in and visit some Small Businesses in Grace Park Office Center. During our visits, he was able to connect with these companies, and provide them guidance on how to navigate through a very complex system to get access to SBA resources.
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Senator Mike Woodard to run for Durham Mayor..
North Carolina state Sen. Mike Woodard filed Wednesday to be a candidate for mayor of Durham this fall.
Woodard, a Democrat who has served in the General Assembly since 2013, previously served on the Durham City Council for several years. First-term Mayor Elaine O'Neal announced last month she was not seeking reelection
At least three candidates have formally joined the race since filing began last week. The top two vote-getters during Durham's nonpartisan mayor primary in October advance to the general election in November.
Woodard, 64, said he plans to continue serving in the Senate during the campaign. He would step down if he was elected mayor. Woodard could remain in the Senate if he lost, since his two-year Senate term runs through the end of 2024.
Woodard told news outlets this week that he had heard from dozens of Durham community members and leaders asking him to run.
“Durham’s got a lot of great opportunities in next few years, and some challenges," Woodard said. "I’ve always liked local government.”
Other candidates who have filed with the Durham County elections board are community activist Charlitta Burruss and Sylvester Williams. Both have run unsuccessfully for the job in the past.
AG Stein criticizes General Assembly for Budget Delay
With a budget deal already a couple of weeks late, North Carolina Democrats complained on Wednesday that the absence of a state government spending deal by Republicans is delaying the expansion of Medicaid and setting up more obstacles to hire and retain teachers and law enforcement.
2024 gubernatorial candidate and Attorney General Josh Stein joined House Democrats at a Legislative Building news conference to throw shade at GOP leaders who control the General Assembly and the behind-the-scenes budget negotiations for the delay.
With the GOP holding veto-proof majorities in both chambers, current Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and his allies have few tools at their disposal to influence the final budget product as long as Republicans remain united. So Democrats laid the blame for the wait on Republicans, some of whom suggested later Wednesday that a budget agreement may not get settled until deep in the summer.
New High School in Morrisville will be named Morrisville High
The Wake County school board’s facilities committee recommended Wednesday naming the school Morrisville High when it’s scheduled to open in 2027.
Due to high land prices, Morrisville didn’t get its first district high school until this school year when the Wake Early College of Information and Biotechnologies opened on Wake Technical Community College’s RTP campus. Even then, Heagarty noted that some town leaders had wanted to name that school after the town.
The school board recently finished acquiring another 34 acres on Wake Tech’s RTP campus for a second high school in Morrisville.
On Wednesday, school facilities staff proposed three names: Paramount Parkway High, Parkside High and Morrisville High.
The full board is expected to vote on the school name on June 6.
A special thanks to School Board Member Chris Heagarty and his colleagues for
his hard work on the high school.
Read More at: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/wake-county-town-expected-finally-094500671.html
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LATEST NATIONAL AND GLOBAL UPDATES | |
America’s Federal Trade Commission opened an inquiry into OpenAI’s handling of consumer data and security practices.
Regulators are reportedly probing whether the startup’s products—principally ChatGPT—could cause reputational damage by publishing misleading information about real people. Lina Khan, the FTC’s boss, said that training artificial intelligence on personal information could be a form of fraud, which falls under her agency’s remit.
Ukraine received cluster munitions from America, but promised to use them only in “areas where Russian military forces are concentrated”. Valeryi Shershen, a spokesman for the Ukrainian army, said the bombs would “fundamentally change things” in the war. Russia denounced the shipment and warned it would deploy similar weapons.
A union representing screen actors in America joined Hollywood writers in their strike, in effect shutting down film and TV productions. It is the first time actors and writers have simultaneously been on strike since 1960. Both unions want better “residuals”—payments when content is played after initial release—from streaming services. They are also asking for guarantees that AI will not be used to replace them.
Guatemala’s constitutional court rejected an order suspending Semilla, a young progressive party. Bernardo Arévalo, the party’s leader, won a place in the presidential run-off in August by getting 11.7% of the vote. The government’s actions against his party prompted outrage from voters. On Thursday Mr Arévalo’s conservative opponent, Sandra Torres, suspended her own campaign in solidarity with him.
Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, awarded Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, with the country’s top honour. Mr Modi, who arrived in France for a two-day visit on Thursday, will also be the special guest at Bastille Day celebrations. Western leaders are trying to gain Mr Modi’s support, particularly in relation to the war in Ukraine.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer categorised aspartame, an artificial sweetener, as “possibly carcinogenic”. It said that the evidence of the potential to cause cancer is “limited”, and did not change its guidelines on the consumption of the product. The IARC also found no evidence of genotoxicity, meaning damage to DNA or chromosomes that could provoke cell mutation.
India’s space agency launched its third mission to the Moon. Chandrayaan-3, which cost less than $75m to build, lifted off from a space centre in Sriharikota, an island off the Bay of Bengal. The craft is expected to land near the south pole of the Moon, a relatively unexplored area, on August 23rd. A similar landing attempt in 2019 ended in a crash.
A pugnacious performance in the South China Sea
On Friday Philippine and American marines start their second and final week of joint exercises, practising fighting off a seaborne attack on the Philippine archipelago. For the sake of diplomacy, the officers commanding the forces (which include 2,700 marines and 43 aircraft) have avoided identifying their supposed attacker. But among the seven surrounding countries that either wholly or partially contest ownership of the South China Sea, only China stands to gain by subduing the Philippines forcibly.
China aims to dominate the South China Sea so it can guard the southern flank of any force it might send to capture Taiwan, a self-governing island China insists is its own. But Chinese military adventures are obstructed, for the present, by a newly strengthened Philippine-American defensive alliance. The marines were supposed to finish their first week of exercises by sinking an old tanker (representing an enemy warship) in a display of firepower. But seasonal rain washed out their target practice—somewhat diminishing the deterrent value.
Trustbusters and big business remain at odds
On July 11th, a judge in San Francisco ruled that America’s Federal Trade Commission could not pause Microsoft’s blockbuster $69bn acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a game developer. The decision was heard across the ocean. Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority promptly said that it was open to reconsidering the deal, having previously blocked it. The temporary order preventing Microsoft and Activision from moving ahead with the merger expires on Friday. The pair are expected to put forward a new deal structure to tackle concerns, including that Microsoft could corner the nascent subscription and cloud-gaming markets.
Yet losses in court have not fazed the trustbusters. The FTC promptly appealed this week’s decision. And the CMA has made clear that it will review any new proposals relating to the deal. The months and millions are adding up, and could still mount: if Microsoft does not close the deal before July 18th, it may be on the hook to pay Activision a $3bn reverse-termination fee. But it is not just dealmakers being scrutinised. On Thursday the FTC opened an inquiry into OpenAI, saying the artificial-intelligence startup’s use of personal information could be a form of fraud, which falls under the agency’s remit.
Muted celebrations in France
On Friday France will celebrate its national day with a mix of pageantry and restraint. The pomp will come from the military processions that are the centrepiece of Bastille Day. Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, will be this year’s special guest, bringing troops in tow to add to the parades. His host Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, will no doubt try to woo Mr Modi more firmly to the West’s side, notably when it comes to the war in Ukraine (India now snaps up a lot of Russian oil).
But much of Mr Macron’s attention will be turned to domestic matters. The evening will be unusually quiet: authorities have banned the possession and sale of fireworks in the wake of recent riots sparked by the police killing of a 17-year-old in the suburbs of Paris. Nor will Mr Macron make the president’s traditional public address—preferring to push it back a few days.
Singapore avoids a recession
Singapore’s economy expanded by 0.3% in the second quarter of 2023, according to data released on Friday. That meant the bustling city-state narrowly avoided a technical recession—two consecutive quarters of falling GDP—after a 0.4% contraction in the first quarter. The rebound was driven partly by a stronger hospitality sector, which has been boosted by returning Chinese tourists.
Yet the entrepot remains in uncomfortable territory as a slump in trade, particularly in electronics, continues to drag down the economy. Exports dropped by 14.7% year on year in May, led by the tumbling sales abroad of electronics. The post-pandemic slump in sales of gadgets, following the surge in demand from consumers stuck at home during lockdowns, is bad news for an export-orientated economy like Singapore’s. Factory output has languished too, driven by a fall in semiconductor production.
Anyone who owns a hit rock LP from the 1970s will probably know the work of Hipgnosis, even if they aren’t aware that they do. The album-cover design studio was the best of its era. It created sleeves for Pink Floyd (including the beam of light refracted through a prism for “The Dark Side Of The Moon”), Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Black Sabbath, to name a few.
“Squaring The Circle (The Story Of Hipgnosis)”, a new documentary, is released in British cinemas and on streaming services on Friday. It tells of how Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell, members of Pink Floyd’s social circle in Cambridge, rose to dominate their field through a mixture of inspiration, opportunism and sheer audacity. Aptly, it is directed by Anton Corbijn, a music video-maker. Album sleeves were to the 1970s what videos were to the 1980s and 1990s—branding that became inextricably linked with the music. Many artists created the sound of rock’s golden age, but it owes its defining visual imagery almost exclusively to Hipgnosis.
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JULY 19th MORRISVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FIRST RESPONDER EVENT 11:30 am to 1 pm
Preston Wood Country Club
https://morrisvillechamber.chambermaster.com/eventregistration/register/2511
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August 4th Music In the Park Concert at 6pm at HEALTHY FOOD HUB! | |
On August 10, The Town of Morrisville becomes Smore'sville!
at Morrisville Community Park, 1520 Morrisville Parkway, on Aug. 10, from 6-7 p.m
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Sunday at 4 pm for our Radio Nyra Interview | Join me every Sunday at 4pm for a new show. 99.9FMHD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM! | |
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Radio NYRA
Join me Sunday 4 PM on Radio NYRA for another update on local issues.
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99.9FMHD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM! Listen at www.radionyrausa.com!
99.9FM HD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
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Join us every Friday on World Edition at 10 am for the Great America Project Panel where we discuss how we rebuild Americas' image with leaders from around the country and world.
OFFICIAL International Broadcast Media
Public Open Dialogue TV is a worldwide multilingual, multi-demographic network focused on inspiring, educating and entertaining the global community. We provide unique programming in areas not covered by traditional media, and provide a platform for the audience to engage with those shows. Formerly IBMTV.
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Council Member Rao holds office hours on Friday from 12:00-1:00 PM by appointment only at 100 Town Hall Drive in Morrisville.
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Council Member Steve Rao
Town of Morrisville
Dedicated to transforming Morrisville into an ideal place to work and raise a family!
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