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BLACK HISTORY MONTH EDITION

From the Council Office of Steve Rao

February 7, 2023

Estimated Read Time: 10 minutes. 

Watch the State of the Union this evening at 9 pm!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzcBTUvVp7M

My Weekly Update

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/720391413046968



In my next newsletter:


Find over 60 Black History events in Triangle at

https://triangleonthecheap.com/black-history-month/

Transportation Alert:

Morrisville Carpenter Road is Completed! 

Morrisville Carpenter Road Completion Message:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/715357390071539

School Safety Alert: 

 

Wake County Public Schools will address Safety and Security Measures this afternoon at School Board Meeting at 3:30 pm. 


https://www.youtube.com/user/wakecountyschools

Breaking News and Important Updates: 

Earthquake Death Toll rises to over 7000 in Syria and Turkey. 

Spy Balloon


Chinese Spy Balloon spotted and shot down in Western NC.


https://abc11.com/china-surveillance-balloon-spotted-in-nc-western-charlotte/12770022/

Ambassador Nikki Haley


Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley will announce for President next week. 


https://www.npr.org/2023/02/01/1153082534/nikki-haley-president-2024

Vice President Harris


Vice President Harris visits Raleigh last Monday to talk about the importance of Minority owned Small Businesses. 


(See NC News Section)  

Sports Alert: 

The GOAT Tom Brady retires

Novak Djokovic wins 22d Major at Australian and ties for Grand Slam leader! 

Council Retreat A Success!


Last weekend, our Council enjoyed a very productive retreat in Wilmington where we brainstormed on the budget, economic development, and we came back very excited about this being another very productive year in Morrisville.  


I will share the recording in my next newsletter, and please, send your ideas and provide us feedback as we begin our budget discussions!  

Nate Lozinsky Sworn in As Town of Morrisville Fire Chief!


Congratulations to Nathan Lozinsky who was officially sworn in as our new Fire Chief on Tuesday evening.  


On a personal note, I am grateful for his huge heart, infectious smile, and positive attitude.  We look forward to his leadership of our Fire Department! 

Congratulations to the Lozinsky family and our Fire Department!  

Swearing In:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1255812391673951/

Chief Lozinsky Remarks: 

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/2443717509116060/

IMPORTANT DATES 

Cedar Fork District Park Closed Feb 8th. 

Public Works will be applying a pre-emergent herbicide (used to prevent weeds) across the park and on fields.

Morrisville Fitness and Aquatics Center is closed Feb 6-Feb 24 


February 6 – 24, MAFC Pool closed for maintenance to keep our pool beautiful. We hope you will use this time to expand your fitness activities.


For participants that want strength training besides the weight room, try our early morning classes, Hard Core 30, Next Level strength, or Interval Training. Our Spin classes can provide the cardio output you may be looking for.


For participants that are looking for a low-impact option, we have added additional Silver Sneakers classes, Low Impact Cardio Strong, and Low Impact Group Equipment Orientation. Don’t forget that Tai Chi is great for balance, coordination, memory, and stabilization.


Remember to sign up for classes at www.tinyurl.com/signupmafc

FREE CPR TRAINING OFFERED AT HSNC STARTING Feb 22.  


https://www.eventcreate.com/e/cpr

March 16 Small Business Town Hall


with Congressman Wiley Nickel, and SBA Southeast Director Allen Thomas   

4:30- 6pm at the Frontier RTP!  


Details coming in next newsletter!   

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY AND BLACK RESISTANCE

My Black History Message: 

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/867198664508806

This month, we kicked off Black History Month, a time, when we can reflect on the remarkable contributions that Black Americans have made to our nation in all walks of life.   


This years’ Black History Month theme is” Black Resistance,”exploring how "African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial progroms and police killings," since the nation's earliest days.  


I never would have imagined that in the year 2023, we would continue to see brutal beatings of black men like Tyre Nichols at the hands of our police officers.  I cannot think of a better time than now, then to support our black brothers and sisters during these difficult times, as our struggle for equality and resistance continues.  


During this month, I challenge each of us to reflect on the injustices African Americans have faced, and to be inspired by their resilience to persevere in the face of adversity. 

Please share with me any Black Leaders or individuals that we should recognize this month and I will highlight a few every week until the end of the month, both on Social Media and in my next few newsletters.   

WAKE COUNTY LIBRARY BLACK HISTORY PROGRAMS


Wake County Public Libraries are celebrating Black Brilliance all February long with free programs focusing on Black art, history, creativity, and culture. 


The Morrisville Community Library will host: 

  • Thursday, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m.: Meet Morrisville native and SaturdayAM publisher Frederick L. Jones and discover his Manga novel The Massively Multiplayer World of Ghosts. Illustrator JeyOdin will showcase How To Draw Diverse Manga.


Registration is required at the Morrisville Community Library or by calling 919-463-8460.


  • Friday, Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m.: Celebrate Black Brilliance with local author, Adrea Theodore. She will be reading her picture book A History of Me, and attendees can write or draw their own history. 


Space is limited. Stop by the front desk at the Morrisville Community Library to pick up a ticket. 


Learn about these events and more at https://bit.ly/3HPd8Ev


Morrisville Community Library, 310 Town Hall Drive

BLACK SMALL BUSINESS VISIT OF THE WEEK:

Mo’s Barbershop

Equality vs. Equity and Leveling the Playing Field:

https://wraltechwire.com/2022/06/27/rao-equality-v-equity-and-leveling-the-playing-field-for-minority-owned-businesses/


During Black History Month, I will be visiting Black owned businesses as a part of my Small Business Tour in 2023.  


I enjoyed my small business visit with Mo Davis, owner of Mo’s Barbershop in Morrisville, and we were so glad he is in Morrisville.  

Insights from Mo Davis:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/874939467059013

Insights on how Mo worked with SBA:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/722241869551650

WHAT IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH? 


Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. 


Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.

THE STORY BEHIND BLACK HISTORY MONTH 


The story of Black History Month begins in 1915, half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States.


That September, the Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and the prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), an organization dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by Black Americans and other peoples of African descent.


Known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The event inspired schools and communities nationwide to organize local celebrations, establish history clubs and host performances and lectures.


In the decades that followed, mayors of cities across the country began issuing yearly proclamations recognizing "Negro History Week." By the late 1960s, thanks in part to the civil rights movement and a growing awareness of Black identity, "Negro History Week" had evolved into Black History Month on many college campuses.


President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history. 


Today, Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society—from activists and civil rights pioneers such as Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Rosa Parks to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more. 

BLACK HISTORY HERO SPOTLIGHT: Floyd Mckissick  

“What do the masses mean when they say Black Power? The masses simply mean that that we’re going to control our own show. We’re going to call our own shots. We’re going to set our own goals and we are going to determine how we are going to accomplish these goals and determine our own priorities.”

Floyd B. McKissick, UCLA 1968


Floyd McKissick was a close friend of Dr. King and was a very active leader in the Civil Rights Movement, and spoke at the March on Washington in August 1963 and participated in the March to Freedom at Meredith College in Raleigh in 1966. 


McKissick was denied admission to the UNC Chapel Hill law School because of the color of his skin. With the help of NAACP lawyer Thurgood Marshall, who would one day distinguish himself as a Supreme Court justice, McKissick sued the college and won. He went on to become the first African American student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Law School, and the first to graduate with a degree in law.


As a lawyer, Floyd McKissick successfully challenged several all-white schools in Durham, North Carolina. He also quickly became an ad hoc lawyer for CORE, defending demonstrators who were brought to trial on charges of sitting at lunch counters and in theaters marked "for whites only." At one point in the early 1960s, McKissick's law firm was handling 5,600 cases simultaneously, and the zealous lawyer was traveling throughout the United States  


When Floyd McKissick became the President of CORE (Center of Racial Equality) on January 3, 1966, he led the organization from an interracial integrationist civil rights agency pledged to uphold nonviolence into a militant and uncompromising advocate of the ideology of black power. 


In 1970 McKissick won federal funds from the New Communities Act to build a whole new town, Soul City, in rural North Carolina. Fired by visions of a black-run metropolis with business and industrial opportunities for minority enterprises, McKissick and his family became pioneer residents of Soul City. McKissick predicted that the community would have more than 40,000 residents by the turn of the century.


His plans never materialized; additional government grants did not arrive, and by the end of the 1970s the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development foreclosed on its multimillion dollar loan to the city. In 1991 it was estimated that Soul City had a population of about 200, all living in homes built by the federal government. Although the community has a health clinic and several small industries, retail shopping facilities are lacking. The nearest grocery store is 15 miles away, and the children must travel long distances to school by bus.


I encourage you to visit the Floyd McKissick Exhibit at the Hayti Center in Durham.  His son, Floyd McKissick Jr. is a close friend, and serves on the NC Utilities Commision and serves in the NC Senate for a number of years. 

MORRISVILLE BLACK HISTORY SPOTLIGHT: Shiloh Community 


During Black History Month, I will be highlighting both the past and present of the Black community in Morrisville.   


Mayor TJ and I attended the Sunday service, and presented our Town Black History Proclamation to Reverend David Jones on Sunday.   


The community of Shiloh was originally settled in the late 1820s by freeborn African Americans and freed former slaves. By 1870, it had grown into a self-sufficient community with a public school, social clubs, a co-op store, and a church.


Learn more about the history of the Shiloh Community during a 1.7 mile walk on the Shiloh Greenway. Visit https://bit.ly/3sfdSJO

#MorrisvilleBlackHistory

DURHAM BLACK HISTORY SPOTLIGHT: Hayti

My Insights on Hayti:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/582025203780033

As we celebrate Black History Month, I wanted to highlight a historic African American neighborhood in Durham, Hayti.  I attended the Black History Lecture, last week at the Floyd McKissick exhibit and ran into my Roku TV colleague, Marc Lee.  


The Hayti District was established after the Civil War and was once home to the world-renowned Black Wall Street, which thrived in the late 1800s until the 1960s.  For decades, Hayti was the social and cultural center of Durham’s black community and a model for self-sufficient African American communities in the South. The neighborhood formed after the Civil War when freed men and women moved to Durham in search of work and opportunity. They adopted the name Hayti for their new home after the independent black nation of Haiti. 


Hayti’s culture of independence was built on two pillars, education and entrepreneurship.


Urban renewal and the Durham Freeway demolished much of the area in the 1960s, displacing Black businesses and family homes.


Angela Lee is executive director of the Hayti Heritage Center, which is dedicated to preserving the history of the district. 


“Durham was created in the shadow of Stagville, which was one of the largest plantations in the United States, where over 900 people were enslaved at emancipation,” Lee said. “After that time, many of the folks who had been on that plantation stayed and formed a community, and Hayti was the result.”


The community was born in the midst of Jim Crow segregation and thrived until the urban renewal project decimated it.


Today, the Hayti Heritage Center is one of the cornerstones of the Hayti community, still offering year-round programming and educational opportunities.


What was once the sanctuary was renovated to a performance hall, which is home to core programs, including music, dance, a poetry slam group, film festival and a next level film series.

Suicide Prevention Line to 988
On Saturday, July 16, the U.S. will transition the 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to 988 – an easy-to-remember three-digit number for 24/7 crisis care.

The lifeline, which also links to the Veterans Crisis Line, follows a three-year joint effort by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to put crisis care more in reach for people in need.

Starting tomorrow, simply calling or texting 988 or chatting https://988Lifeline.org will connect you to compassionate care and support for mental health-related distress. #988Lifeline

Learn more at https://www.samhsa.gov/
Media Appearances

Indian Community thriving! 

https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/wake-county-news/new-tower-unveiled-at-cary-sri-venkateswara-temple-in-time-for-hindu-festival-of-lights/

Radio Nyra

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


Radio Nyra Interview with NAACP Raleigh President Gerald Givens

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1498398340651739/?t=35

Enjoyed our Radio Nyra Interview with Bob Phillips from Radio Nyra.

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1917301445271106/?t=20

ROKU and POD TV

Great US Open Roku TV Interview with Andy Andrews!


https://youtu.be/-Uy7aX-M2AI?t=79

ROKU TV HINDU HERITAGE INTERVIEW:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIkw4q3VJMQ

Critical Conversations Podcast


Made by Debut on the Podcast Critical Conversations with Kenia Thompson.


https://www.facebook.com/kenia.c.thompson/videos/2135504183293818

88.1 FM Geet Bazaar


Wonderful interview with Secretary of State Elaine Marshall on 88.1 FM Geet Bazaar!  


https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/454623026620604

On the Porch
On the Porch with Randy Voller on WCHL 97.9 FM!

https://chapelboro.com/?s=on+the+porch



WPTF

September 20 - Steve Rao on WPTF Talking Direct Flight To India.  

http://steverao.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Steve-Rao-9-20-2022.mp3

WPTF Steve O'Bryan show
Get with the Program
Get with the Program with Gary Jones!

Black Issues Forum

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!


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

Op Ed Alert:

Sen. Tillis’ immigration bill was a rare display of political courage | Opinion

Read my Op Ed in Raleigh News and Observer

https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article270762997.html

Read my recent WRAL Tech Wire Post on NC’s Indian-American CEOs

https://wraltechwire.com/2023/01/16/guest-opinion-ncs-indian-american-ceos-are-only-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/


Read my recent WRAL Tech Wire Post on the latest DACA crisis!

https://wraltechwire.com/2022/11/08/guest-opinion-for-dreamers-the-latest-daca-crisis-is-deja-vu-all-over-again/


Read my recent WRAL Tech Wire Post on NC Vet Biz!  

https://wraltechwire.com/2022/10/13/guest-opinion-supporting-veteran-owned-companies-is-good-business-for-nc/


Read my WRAL Tech Wire Post on Hum Sub Diwali!

https://wraltechwire.com/2022/10/07/guest-column-festival-of-lights-non-profit-group-hum-sub-seek-to-share-india-culture-in-triangle/

Join Our Mailing List

This Week in Morrisville: February 6th - 12th

Upcoming Meetings

Meetings


Feb. 6- 5 pm - Wake County Commissioners Meeting


Feb. 7 – 6:30 p.m. – Public Education Advisory Committee


Feb. 8 – 6 p.m. – Performance Measures Advisory Committee


Feb. 9 – 6:30 p.m. – Planning and Zoning Board

All Lanes Now Open to Traffic on Morrisville Carpenter Road


The contractor has removed the cones on Morrisville Carpenter Road and Town Hall Drive, and all lanes are now open to traffic on both roads. Click here to learn more about this project.

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Vendors Wanted for Town's Holi Celebration


Vendors and cultural performers are invited to be a part of the Town's Holi celebration, to be held March 18, from noon-3 p.m. at the Cedar Fork Community Center, 1050B Town Hall Drive. Food and artisan vendors are invited to apply, as well as cultural performers.

 

Click here to apply as a vendor. Contact Jashi Abhirajan at jabhirajan@gmail.com to apply as a cultural performer.

 

For questions about the Holi celebration, contact Leslie Haney, cultural resources specialist, at lhaney@townofmorrisville.org.

Morrisville Senior Center Hosting Trip to the Chocolate Boutique on February 15


The Morrisville Senior Center, 4117 Davis Drive, will host a trip to the Chocolate Boutique on Feb. 15, from 12:30-4 p.m. Participants will be able to choose from over 1,200 chocolate molds to make their own chocolate. Each participant will take home one-half pound of chocolate. The cost is $25 for residents and $30 for non-residents. Click here to register.

Morrisville Senior Center Hosting Tea Social on February 17


Join the Morrisville Senior Center, 4117 Davis Drive, for tea and conversation on Friday, Feb. 17, from 12:30-2 p.m. In addition to tea service, there will be salad and a sweet treat. The cost is $12 for residents and $14 for non-residents. Call the MSC at 919-463-7140 to register.

Morrisville Senior Center Hosting Trip to Ava Gardner Museum on February 22


The Morrisville Senior Center, 4117 Davis Drive, will host a trip to the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield on Feb. 22, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $23 for residents and $28 for non-residents. Lunch will be at a local restaurant at a separate cost. Click here to register online.

Have You Joined Engage Morrisville?


Engage Morrisville is a place for residents and businesses to get involved by sharing ideas and feedback with Town staff on various projects and topics affecting the Morrisville community. Current topics of conversation include the Town Center Project, What's Happening Around Town, and the Morrisville Smart Shuttle. Register and join the conversation today.

Pool at the MAFC to be Closed February 6-24


The Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center (MAFC), 1301 Morrisville Parkway, will close its pool for needed repairs from Feb. 6-24. New non-impact exercise classes will be available during this time.

Now Hiring: Join the MAFC Team


The Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center is currently recruiting for a Senior Aquatics Specialist (FT), part-time lifeguards who can work during the day in the off season, experienced swim instructors, and desk staff who can work in the day and early evening. Learn more and apply here.  

 

Check out additional employment opportunities in the Town here.

Now Hiring: Join the Public Works Team


The Town of Morrisville Public Works Department has exciting career opportunities available now. Join one of only three North Carolina municipalities with an American Public Works Association (APWA) accredited Public Works Department. For more information, click on the following links:

 

Streets Maintenance Supervisor

 

  • Check out additional employment opportunities in the Town here.
Morrisville Smart Shuttle Service is Now Operating!
The Morrisville Smart Shuttle, the Town’s newest public transit service, allows riders to request a pick-up or drop-off from one of 15 nodes, or stops, located around the Town using the Smart Shuttle application on their smartphone.

Watch this short video on how to use the Morrisville Smart Shuttle App by clicking here!

The service runs seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Additional details on the Morrisville Smart Shuttle visit TownofMorrisville.org/SmartShuttle

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.

Around the Region

Attended VP Harris event with Allen Thomas and Mike Arriola


Insights from SBA SE Director Allen Thomas:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/2212726709116614

Caught up with Sig Hutchison at RTA Annual Meeting!

Wonderful Time at Chinese Lunar New Year Event! 

Great time at NC Tech Conference in Charlotte with Brooks Raidford and Vice Provost of UNC Charlotte!

Small Business Visit with Kramden Institute: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/711669793754823

Inspired at the People’s Medical Care Gala!  Thanks to Dr. Vinod Jindal and his team! 

Presented Town of Morrisville Black History Proclamation to Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church!

Small Business Listening Tour: 

Send me an email at sr@steverao.com to book a Business Listening visit to your company.

Yeet Street Disc Golf


Visit with Yeet Street Disc Golf at Cedar Fork District Park! 

CW Dressings


Visit with CW Dressings at Farmers Market on New Years Eve!


Visit with CW Dressings

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/560396405942913

Swagat


My last small business drop in of the year at Swagat!: 


Small business drop in at Swagat

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/682338516771303

National and North Carolina News

Vice President Harris visits Raleigh Last Monday

Insights from the Vice President:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/743154200289828

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about the Biden Administration's commitment to small businesses on Monday.  I was honored to attend the Reception before her talk, and was able to meet her briefly.  


She landed at Raleigh-Durham International Airport around noon and headed to Fletcher Auditorium at Duke Energy Center to talk about the role of small business owners in the American economy.


"They are not only business leaders, they are community leaders, they are civic leaders, they are role models," Harris said.


She also stressed the importance of community banks in helping small business owners get what they need.


"They sit down and take the time because they understand the value of the person that is sitting across that desk in terms of who they are in the community and what they can bring to the community," Harris added.

Harris stressed the importance of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), which you may know by another name: credit unions. She said the Biden administration was taking extra efforts to invest in CDFIs -- investments she believes quickly find their way into local communities.


"What's the money is going to do? We're going to be able to provide 1 million loans in the life of this loan that the administration has given us to provide $30 billion in loans that we can provide to the community," Vicky Garcia with Latino Community Credit Union said.


On Harris' way back to the airport after her event at Duke Energy Center, she stopped at Panadería Artesanal, a Latina-owned bakery in Raleigh. It is owned by Jessica Karina Barahora and employs 17 additional staff members. Barahora began the business with a loan from the Latino Community Credit Union, which she used to purchase the vehicle out of which she ran the business until it became profitable enough to rent its current brick-and-mortar storefront.

NC DEMOCRATS WILL CODIFY ROE V WADE and UPHOLD COOER VETO 


Every Democrat in North Carolina's legislature has signed onto a pair of identical bills that would codify Roe v. Wade, House and Senate Democrats announced in a release Tuesday.

  • Why it matters: Democrats' show of unity is a signal that the party intends to remain united on abortion, even as moderate Democrats face pressure to back the abortion restrictions Republicans propose this session.


Context: Gov. Roy Cooper is expected to veto any restrictions — beyond the state's current 20-week ban — that come across his desk.

  • But Republicans won an "effective" supermajority in the legislature in November and would need only the help of one Democrat to override his veto.


Worth noting: The legislation would also codify Planned Parenthood v. Casey and block the state from restricting abortion before fetal viability.


What they're saying: “Democratic lawmakers across our state know how critical it is to protect your right to privacy and choice,” said Senate Democratic Leader Dan Blue. “We stand united in protecting reproductive health care — a right that the majority of North Carolinians support.”

NC BILL BLOCKS GENDER TREATMENT FOR MINORS 


A bill filed late Wednesday in the state House would ban hormone treatments and surgeries for anyone younger than 18 and make it illegal for medical professionals to help a minor “present or appear in a manner that is inconsistent with the minor’s sex.”


Doctors would be prohibited from surgically removing any healthy or “nondiseased” body part or tissue. Those who violate the proposed restriction could lose their license and would face a penalty of up to $1,000 for each violation.


The bill includes exceptions for children who were born with ambiguous sex characteristics.


Similar legislation introduced last session did not advance.


North Carolina Republicans grew their margins in the November elections but fell one seat short of a veto-proof supermajority in the General Assembly. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper said after the election that he would continue advocating for trans residents.

LATEST NATIONAL AND GLOBAL UPDATES 

Confidence in police has dropped after the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols.

• What to know: Americans are more doubtful that police officers are properly trained to avoid excessive force or treat White and Black people equally, a Post-ABC poll found.

• Why it matters: The poll suggests last month’s beating of Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, by Memphis officers has affected overall views of police.

• Who’s changing their minds? It mainly appears to be White and Hispanic Americans.


A suspected Chinese spy balloon was spotted flying over the U.S.

• Where? It was seen in the skies over Montana this week, U.S. officials said yesterday. The Pentagon briefly considered shooting it down before deciding it was too risky.

• Why it matters: The balloon’s flight path goes over “a number of sensitive sites,” an official said, and the incident comes at a time of peak tension between the world powers.

• What else to know: The U.S. announced yesterday that it will get access to four new military bases in the Philippines to help counter threats from China.


Republicans kicked a Democratic congresswoman off a House committee.

• Who? Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Republicans yesterday voted to remove her from the House Foreign Affairs Committee after an angry debate on the House floor.

• Why? Republicans said it was because of past antisemitic comments. But Democrats said it was payback after two Republicans were similarly punished in 2021 for violent social media posts.


An “epic, generational arctic outbreak” is hitting New England today.

• What that means: Wind chills in northern Maine could approach minus-60, the lowest in decades. That’s cold enough to cause frostbite within 5 minutes.

• Advisories also cover much of the northern Plains, Upper Midwest and the remainder of the Northeast (south of New York).


Restaurants can’t find workers because they’ve found better jobs.

• What to know: Restaurants, bars and hotels are short about a million workers nearly three years after the coronavirus pandemic upended the labor market, recent data shows.

• Where they’ve gone: A lot of people have moved to office work, where they are more likely to have increased flexibility, stability and better pay.


The Grammy Awards are this weekend.

• What to know: Beyoncé leads the way with nine nominations. Bad Bunny’s “Un Verano Sin Ti” is the first all-Spanish-language record up for album of the year.

• The ceremony: Comedian Trevor Noah is hosting, with performances by Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, Mary J. Blige, Sam Smith, Lizzo, Brandi Carlile and more.

• How to watch: The show is Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS and Paramount Plus.


Netflix gave people an accidental preview of its password-sharing crackdown.

• What to know: It inadvertently updated its site in some countries this week to say users will have to reconnect every 31 days to confirm their primary location.

• We’ve known this is coming: Netflix said last fall that you’d soon have to pay a fee to share your account with someone who doesn’t live with you.

• When will the change actually happen? Netflix plans to roll it out more broadly over the next couple of months.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Black Issues Forum

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!


Please watch for the Black Issues Forum on UNC-TV!  Fridays at 7 pm and Sundays at 4 pm!


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

PBS NC

  • Fridays at 7 p.m. (premiere)
  • Sundays at 4 p.m.
  • Thursdays at 1:30 a.m.

NC Channel

  • Fridays at 8:30 p.m.
  • Saturdays at 1:30 a.m.
  • Sundays at 6 p.m.
  • Mondays at 12 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

Feb 18th Town of Cary Black History Panel at 9 am with Tru Pettigrew.  


Cary Arts Center 

Feb 23 Tie Carolinas Venture Investing Social

at Fortnight Brewery at 1006 Southwest Maynard Road, Cary, 27511.  

5:45 pm to 8:15 pm 

MARCH 18th Green Day at CHURCH STREET PARK AT 8 am!

March 18th Town of Morrisville Holi Noon to 3 pm!  

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!

Radio / TV
Radio NYRA

Join me Sunday 4 PM on Radio NYRA for another update on local issues.



99.9FMHD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!  Listen at www.radionyrausa.com!


99.9FM HD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM! 

ROKU and POD TV
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.
Council Member Rao holds office hours on Friday from 12:00-1:00 PM by appointment only at 100 Town Hall Drive in Morrisville. 

For more information or to schedule a time to speak with Council Member Rao, please email SRao@TownofMorrisville.org and copy Town Clerk Eric Smith, esmith@townofmorrisville.org, 463-6150.
Council Member Steve Rao
Town of Morrisville
Dedicated to transforming Morrisville into an ideal place to work and raise a family!
Learn more at: SteveRao.com
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