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9/11 EDITION

From the Council Office of Steve Rao

September 4, 2023

Estimated Read Time: 10 minutes.

My Weekly Update


https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/710455337578345

Charlotte Primary 


Please Note that September 12th is the primary election for Charlotte City Council and Mayor. 


Support Council Member Dimple Ajmera and Mayor Vi Lyles! 

Find your Polling Site at https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/

 9/11 Ceremonies  


Watch President Biden's 9/11 Remarks Live at 4:45 pm:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?530301-1/president-biden-delivers-remarks-911-anniversary-alaska


City of Raleigh First Responder 9/11 Message:

https://raleighnc.gov/safety/remembering-911


9/11 Ceremony at New York City:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/9-11-memorial-events-22-years-since-attack-remember-those-who-died/


Morrisville residents: 


If you own a Hyundai or Kia, come by the Morrisville Police Department (260 Town Hall Dr. #C) Monday-Thursday, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., or Friday from 8 a.m.-12 p.m., to pick up your free steering wheel lock. 


You will need to bring a valid ID to be issued a lock.

SAVE THE DATES:


Sept 13


Join us in Talk Morrisville on Wednesday, Sept. 13, from 12-12:45 p.m. for a Facebook Live Q&A with Police Chief Acosta. 


Join at facebook.com/groups/talkmorrisville.


Sept 14th 


Join me as I kick off my Wake County (Statewide) Listening Tour on Disruptive AI at St. Andrews in Apex (3008 Old Raleigh Rd, Apex, NC 27502)  


SEPT 22 MORRISVILLE CHAMBER SMALL BUSINESS FORUM 


Join us for a small business forum and explore the growth and support opportunities in one of the top 10 best small cities to start a business in the country! 


This mini conference-style event will feature keynote presentations plus a panel discussion on the important aspects of starting a small business in Morrisville and successfully operating that business!


Register Now! https://business.morrisvillechamber.org/


SPORTS ALERTS

Novak Djokovic makes it 24 Slams at the US Open!  THE GOAT Honors Kobe with 24! 


Coco Gauff wins first Grand Slam at US Open, becomes youngest player since Serena Williams to win a major!



John Isner retires after final US Open.  


Join me in congratulating this North Carolinian for a stellar professional tennis career!   

The former Georgia Bulldog was in the top twenty of the ATP Mens Tour for 17 years!


Get your Tickets for the Atlantic Tire Tennis


Championships! https://atlantictirechampionships.com/



Please note that all Minor League Cricket Matches were canceled this weekend and they will not be rescheduled. 


Good Luck to the Morrisville Raptors and we will cheer them on next year at Church Street Park! 


MEDIA ALERT


  • TUNE IN ON FRIDAY at 3 pm to WPTF 98.5 FM and 680 AM for my Commentary on the Nate Saunders show!   


www.wptf.com 


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/


Check out my WRAL Tech Wire Blog on Refugees: https://wraltechwire.com/2023/08/17/whats-the-roi-for-refugees-coming-to-nc-thats-a-billion-dollar-question/


Check out recent Triangle Business Journal Article, the Color of Wealth on Asian Community. https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2023/08/11/asian-culture-wealth-household-income-raleigh-cary.html


Beautiful perspective on Asian Diversity from Council Member Satish Garimella on ABC 11: https://abc11.com/morrisville-nc-boomtowns-population-growth/13744876/


TUNE IN ON FRIDAYS at 3 pm to WPTF 98.5 FM and 680 AM with Jeff Hamlin.    

9/11/2001: AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY 


On September 11, 2001, in the United States, 19 terrorists associated with the extremist group Al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airliners. Two of the planes were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, causing both buildings to collapse.


Another plane was crashed into the Pentagon, the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to regain control from the hijackers.


The attacks resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people, making it the deadliest terrorist act in world history. The immediate aftermath of the attacks included widespread shock, grief, and a profound impact on the United States and the world. It led to significant changes in U.S. foreign policy, including the War on Terror, and the implementation of enhanced security measures at airports and other critical infrastructure.

September 11, 2001, is a date that is deeply etched in the collective memory of people around the world and has had far-reaching and long-lasting effects on global politics, security, and society.


9/11 Relived


On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. 


Almost 3,000 people were killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which triggered major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defined the presidency of George W. Bush.

On September 11, 2001, at 8:45 a.m. on a clear Tuesday morning, an American Airlines Boeing 767 loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.


The impact left a gaping, burning hole near the 80th floor of the 110-story skyscraper, instantly killing hundreds of people and trapping hundreds more in higher floors.

As the evacuation of the tower and its twin got underway, television cameras broadcasted live images of what initially appeared to be a freak accident. Then, 18 minutes after the first plane hit, a second Boeing 767—United Airlines Flight 175—appeared out of the sky, turned sharply toward the World Trade Center and sliced into the south tower near the 60th floor.


The collision caused a massive explosion that showered burning debris over surrounding buildings and onto the streets below. It immediately became clear that America was under attack.


The hijackers were Islamic terrorists from Saudi Arabia and several other Arab nations. Reportedly financed by the al Qaeda terrorist organization of Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden, they were allegedly acting in retaliation for America’s support of Israel, its involvement in the Persian Gulf War and its continued military presence in the Middle East.


Some of the terrorists had lived in the United States for more than a year and had taken flying lessons at American commercial flight schools. Others had slipped into the country in the months before September 11 and acted as the “muscle” in the operation.


Where Did the Planes Take Off From?


The 19 terrorists easily smuggled box-cutters and knives through security at three East Coast airports—Logan International Airport in Boston, Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. and Newark International Airport in New Jersey—and boarded four early-morning flights bound for California, chosen because the planes were loaded with fuel for the long transcontinental journey. Soon after takeoff, the terrorists commandeered the four planes and took the controls, transforming ordinary passenger jets into guided missiles.


PENTAGON 


As millions watched the events unfolding in New York, American Airlines Flight 77 circled over downtown Washington, D.C., before crashing into the west side of the Pentagon military headquarters at 9:45 a.m.


Jet fuel from the Boeing 757 caused a devastating inferno that led to the structural collapse of a portion of the giant concrete building, which is the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense.


All told, 125 military personnel and civilians were killed in the Pentagon, along with all 64 people aboard the airliner.


Less than 15 minutes after the terrorists struck the nerve center of the U.S. military, the horror in New York took a catastrophic turn when the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed in a massive cloud of dust and smoke.


The structural steel of the skyscraper, built to withstand winds in excess of 200 miles per hour and a large conventional fire, could not withstand the tremendous heat generated by the burning jet fuel. 


At 10:30 a.m., the north building of the twin towers collapsed. Only six people in the World Trade Center towers at the time of their collapse survived. Almost 10,000 others were treated for injuries, many severe.


FLIGHT 93


Meanwhile, a fourth California-bound plane—United Flight 93—was hijacked about 40 minutes after leaving Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. Because the plane had been delayed in taking off, passengers on board learned of events in New York and Washington via cell phone and Airfone calls to the ground.


Knowing that the aircraft was not returning to an airport as the hijackers claimed, a group of passengers and flight attendants planned an insurrection.


One of the passengers, Thomas Burnett, Jr., told his wife over the phone that “I know we’re all going to die. There’s three of us who are going to do something about it. I love you, honey.” Another passenger—Todd Beamer—was heard saying “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll” over an open line.


Sandy Bradshaw, a flight attendant, called her husband and explained that she had slipped into a galley and was filling pitchers with boiling water. Her last words to him were “Everyone’s running to first class. I’ve got to go. Bye.”


The passengers fought the four hijackers and are suspected to have attacked the cockpit with a fire extinguisher. The plane then flipped over and sped toward the ground at upwards of 500 miles per hour, crashing in a rural field near Shanksville in western Pennsylvania at 10:10 a.m.


All 44 people aboard were killed. Its intended target is not known, but theories include the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland or one of several nuclear power plants along the eastern seaboard.


How Many People Died in the 9/11 Attacks?


A total of 2,996 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks, including the 19 terrorist hijackers aboard the four airplanes. Citizens of 78 countries died in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.


At the World Trade Center, 2,763 died after the two planes slammed into the twin towers. That figure includes 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York City police officers and 37 Port Authority police officers who were struggling to complete an evacuation of the buildings and save the office workers trapped on higher floors.


At the Pentagon, 189 people were killed, including 64 on American Airlines Flight 77, the airliner that struck the building. On Flight 93, 44 people died when the plane crash-landed in Pennsylvania.


America Responds to the Attacks


At 7 p.m., President George W. Bush, who was in Florida at the time of the attacks and had spent the day being shuttled around the country because of security concerns, returned to the White House.


At 9 p.m., he delivered a televised address from the Oval Office, declaring, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.”


In a reference to the eventual U.S. military response he declared, “We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.”

Operation Enduring Freedom, the American-led international effort to oust the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and destroy Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network based there, began on October 7. Within two months, U.S. forces had effectively removed the Taliban from operational power, but the war continued, as U.S. and coalition forces attempted to defeat a Taliban insurgency campaign based in neighboring Pakistan.


Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11th attacks, remained at large until May 2, 2011, when he was finally tracked down and killed by U.S. forces at a hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan. In June 2011, then-President Barack Obama announced the beginning of large-scale troop withdrawals from Afghanistan; it took until August 2021 for all U.S. forces to withdraw.


Department of Homeland Security Is Created


In the wake of security fears raised by 9/11 and the mailing of letters containing anthrax that killed two and infected 17, The Homeland Security Act of 2002 created the Department of Homeland Security. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 25, 2002. Today, the Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet responsible for preventing terror attacks, border security, immigration and customs and disaster relief and prevention.


The act was followed two days later by the formation of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. The bipartisan “9/11 Commission,” as it came to be known, was charged with investigating the events that lead up to September 11th. The 9/11 Commission Report was released on July 22, 2004. It named Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind behind 9/11, “the principal architect of the 9/11 attacks.” 


Mohammed led propaganda operations for al Qaeda from 1999-2001. He was captured on March 1, 2003 by the Central Intelligence Agency and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence and interrogated before being imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay detention camp with four other accused terrorists charged with 9/11-related war crimes. 

The use of torture, including waterboarding, during Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s interrogation has received international attention. In August 2019, a U.S. military court judge in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba set a trial date for Mohammed and the other four men charged with plotting the 9/11 terrorist attacks to begin in 2021; it was later postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.


Economic Impact of 9/11


The 9/11 attacks had an immediate negative effect on the U.S. economy. Many Wall Street institutions, including the New York Stock Exchange, were evacuated during the attacks. On the first day of trading after the attacks, the market fell 7.1 percent, or 684 points. New York City’s economy alone lost 143,000 jobs a month and $2.8 billion wages in the first three months. The heaviest losses were in finance and air transportation, which accounted for 60 percent of lost jobs. The estimated cost of the World Trade Center damage is $60 billion. The cost to clean the debris at Ground Zero was $750 million.

Thousands of first responders and people working and living in lower Manhattan near Ground Zero were exposed to toxic fumes and particles emanating from the towers as they burned and fell. By 2018, 10,000 people were diagnosed with 9/11-related cancer.

9/11 Compensation Fund 


From 2001 to 2004, over $7 billion dollars in compensation was given to families of the 9/11 victims and the 2,680 people injured in the attacks. Funding was renewed on January 2, 2011, when President Barack Obama signed The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act into law. Named for James Zadroga, a New York City Police officer who died of respiratory disease he contracted after rescuing people from the rubble at Ground Zero, the law continued health monitoring and compensation for 9/11 first responders and survivors. 


In 2015, funding for the treatment of 9/11-related illness was renewed for five more years at a total of $7.4 billion. The Victim Compensation Fund was set to stop accepting claims in December 2020.


On July 29, 2019, then-President Trump signed a law authorizing support for the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund through 2092. Previously, administrators had cut benefits by up to 70 percent as the $7.4 billion fund depleted. Vocal lobbyists for the fund included Jon Stewart, 9/11 first responder John Feal and retired New York Police Department detective and 9/11 responder Luis Alvarez, who died of cancer 18 days after testifying before Congress.


On December 18, 2001, Congress approved naming September 11 “Patriot Day” to commemorate the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. In 2009, Congress named September 11 a National Day of Service and Remembrance.


The first memorials to September 11 came in the immediate wake of the attacks, with candlelight vigils and flower tributes at U.S. embassies around the world. In Great Britain, Queen Elizabeth sang the American national anthem during the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Rio de Janeiro put up billboards showing the city’s Christ the Redeemer statue embracing the New York City skyline.


For the first anniversary of the attacks in New York City in 2002, two bright columns of light were shot up into the sky from where the Twin Towers once stood. The “Tribute in Light” then became an annual installation run by the Municipal Art Society of New York. On clear nights, the beams are visible from over 60 miles away. 

TOWN OF MORRISVILLE VETERAN MEMORIAL 


My Message on Veteran Memorial: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/851884292727325


As we remember 9/11, I wanted to take this opportunity to ask each of you to support our Veteran Memorial efforts. Plans are underway for a Memorial at Indian Creek Trailhead.  We need to raise $75,000 for the design and about $900,000 to fund complete and final construction.  


To learn more about the project, and to contribute, please visit https://www.morrisvilleveteransmemorial.com/


If you are a company in Morrisville or the Triangle and interested in supporting our project, please contact me at sr@steverao.com or at (919) 434-5996. 

AMERICORPS 9/11 DAY OF SERVICE 


National Day of Remembrance Service Message: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1028082398369150


On December 18, 2001, Congress approved naming September 11 “Patriot Day” to commemorate the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. In 2009, Congress named September 11 a National Day of Service and Remembrance.


9/11 Day of Service is today! Are you ready to serve? Making time to volunteer this 9/11 day is a great way to engage with your community while honoring the heroes we lost.


Thanks for Joining with your neighbors this September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance to cross divides, differences, and ideologies and help address needs in your community. Lift each other up, neighborhood by neighborhood, just as Americans did two decades ago to honor those lost and those whose lives were forever changed that fateful day.


Through service alongside our neighbors, we can build more equitable and just communities that advance racial equity, create opportunity, and foster respect for individual differences.


Learn more at https://www.americorps.gov/911-day


MY INSIGHTS ON 9/11 UNITED WE STAND 


One enduring legacy from 9/11 each year is how our nation came together at a time of dire need and crisis. First Responders and Volunteers risking their lives to save others, and a City and nation, uniting to rebuild and fight back. Our brave soldiers answered the call of their nation and headed to Afghanistan, to degrade Al Qaeda, which worked and of course, we got rid of Bin Laden. However, 20 years later, the Wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan, became never-ending wars, wars which we could never win and only endure. By 2019, the U.S. had spent %6.5 trillion on post 9/11 wars and we lost 200,000 civilians and 7000 U.S deaths in Iraq alone and thousands in Afghanistan, the longest war in U.S. History.


Political, racial divisions are at an all time high, and our nation is in many ways more divided than we were during the Civil War. President Biden at his inauguration challenged us to end this uncivil war we are waging in the United States. We are not even close to doing that.  


After the nation was attacked on 9/11, Americans came together and for two decades prevented another major terrorist event here. After the nation was effectively attacked by a deadly virus the past two years, quite the opposite has unfolded. 

America learned the lesson of unity on Sept. 11, 2001. The only way we can honor the victims of 9/11 and the soldiers, who served in our wars is to once again learn the lessons of unity.  


Coming Together is a Beginning. 

Staying Together is Progress 

Working Together is Success.  


For me, the enduring legacy of 9/11 is that Americans from all walks of life in our diverse nation came together, stayed together and worked together to successfully rebuild the New York City Skyline but also demonstrated to the world that Americans are stronger when we are together and that we can be resilient not only in how we bounce back but how we bounce forward.  


I cannot think of a better time than now, to reflect and look back on 9/11 and remember that we are stronger together when we are united in our love for our Republic.  


For only then, can we honor the words of President Lincoln, who reminded us on the fields of Gettysburg, “That we hereby resolve that these Dead shall not have died in vain, and that this Nation Shall Have a New Birth of Freedom and that a Government of the People, By the People, and For the People shall never perish from the Earth".  


God Bless the UNITED STATES of America. 

Wake County Tree Canopy Assessment Report: 


Last week, Wake County released a report revealing that thousands of acres of tree canopy have been lost in the past decade.  I have received a number of calls and emails regarding concerns that the Town of Morrisville has lost 22.7% of our tree canopy, a much larger number than many of our Wake County neighbors.   

the

Staff is preparing a presentation for the Town Council that provides context around the Morrisville results and will update Council on near and short-term strategies for improving Morrisville’s canopy.  


This presentation will be in October, and I plan to work with my colleagues to see what we can do to preserve and increase our tree cover moving forward.  I will be discussing this report in more detail in my next newsletter.  


To review the Wake County Tree Canopy Assessment, visit: https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/planning-development-inspections/planning/wake-county-tree-canopy-assessment

REMEMBERING ROBERT JORDAN


Every 9/11, I remember my good High School friend, Robert Jordan, who was a Senior and mentor of mine when I attended St. Andrews School.   He was from Orange County California, attended UC Berkeley, and was a star member of our Crew team and in college. 


Rob joined Cantor Fitzgerald around 1995 and was selling bonds of U.S. Government Agencies. He became a partner with a desk on the 1 04th floor of the North Tower, World Trade Center.


Rob attended St. Andrews School in Middletown, Delaware for five years. He graduated in 1986. During his tenure he was active in multiple sports. He developed lifelong friends, Matt Traina, David Wike, Bill Brakeley, to name a few. During most of those five years, Rob's home was in Hawaii and surfing during school vacations was his favorite sport. 


I will never forget his smile, and his standing at the tennis stands, cheering me on during my high school tennis career.   I cannot find any pics of him and me, as these were pre i phone days, so I will just keep remembering his smile, laugh, and warm personality. 

He came back to see me win my first state title in 1987, and helped me get through some times when I was homesick and 12 hours from home.  


May he forever rest in Peace and we pray today for any family who has lost a loved one during 9/11.    

9/11 Moments 


Triangle 9/11 Remembrance Events: https://triangleonthecheap.com/9-11-commemorations/


8:46 a.m.: When hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 11 into the North Tower.

9:03 a.m.: When hijackers crashed United Airlines 

Flight 175 into the South Tower.

9:37 a.m.: When hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon.

9:59 a.m.: Collapse of the South Tower.

10:02 a.m.: When United Airlines Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers confronted their captors.

10:28 a.m.: Collapse of the North Tower.

Highlights of the Week:

Congresswoman Deb Ross hosts India Trip De Briefing at BAPS Temple in Morrisville. 


Thanks to Congresswoman Deborah Ross for hosting a Post India Trip Briefing at BAPS in Morrisville last Thursday.  


She participated in a Congressional Delegation to India, led Ro Khanna and Michael Waltz,Co Chairs of the bi partisan Congressional Indian Caucus and Indian Americans. Delegation included Reps. Deborah Ross (NC-D), Kat Cammack (FL-R), Shri Thanedar (MI-D), and Jasmine Crockett (TX-D) as well as fellow Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans members Reps. Rich McCormick (GA-R) and Ed Case (HI-D) in New Delhi.


Congresswoman Ross shared details of her exciting visit including a visit to Red Fort where Prime Minister Modi addressed the nation on August 15th, India’s Independence Day. She was excited to meet with business, tech, government, and Bollywood leaders in Mumbai, Hyderabad, and New Delhi and visit Raj Ghat, a historic memorial dedicated to Gandhi.  


For me the main takeaways of her remarks and the Q & A was the tremendous investments India is making in infrastructure and innovation, particularly in the most state of the art Innovation Labs.  


She agrees with US Indian Forum Chair, John Chambers India is clearly on its way to be the number one economy in the world in the not to distant future.  

Kicked off Tie Carolinas Support the Troops Golf Tournament at Carolina Trace Country Club in Sanford. 


Opening Ceremony and Remarks: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1052489402781364


A special thanks to my friend Arun Singh and TIE Carolinas and all the sponsors for hosting another successful Support The Troops Golf Tournament at the Carolina Trace Country Club in Sanford.  I was honored to say a few words to the Veterans as we kicked off the event and also was honored to see TIE Carolinas founder and CEO of Singh Development, Gurmale Grewal, be recognized as an honoree.  


A thanks to all our Veterans for their service and as I reminded the golfers:

We are the Land of the Free Because of the Brave.  

Congressman Wiley Nickel hosts Gun Violence Town Hall in Apex.  


Congressman Nickel's Remarks: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/317803824081075


A special thanks to Congressman Wiley Nickel for hosting a Town Hall on Guns.  It was a pleasure to hear from the panel which included Congressman Nickel, Wake County Commissioner Calabria, Moms Demand Action, and youth leaders, who all brought a unique perspective on what our policies and procedures our communities should be implementing to address increasing gun violence.  


A special thanks to Gerald Givens, founder of Boots to the Ground for moderating this panel.  


Ended week at the Music in the Park! 


I wanted to thank our Event staff for hosting a wonderful Music Series this summer and fall with the Music in the Park Series at the Healthy Food Hub.  

The band Jives was great, food trucks were great, and it was great hang out with my friend and Morrisville resident entrepreneur, Mark Easley.  


Looking forward to more music events in the future and cannot even imagine how fun they will be when we kick off our Town Center. 

Find a local service community project on National Day of Service and Remembrance Day at www.activategood.com 


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.

BREAKING NEWS: 

More than 2000 killed in an Earthquake in Marrakech, Morocco.


https://abc11.com/morrisville-nc-boomtowns-population-growth/13744876/


Read about ways to help Morocco. https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/09/world/how-to-help-morocco-earthquake-iyw/index.html


NC Budget expected to be voted on this week but months overdue.   


Delays will force Medicaid expansion to be delayed. (See NC News) https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article278981194.html

NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK VISITS

Mi Cancun:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/563048302582861

EMPANADAS NOW:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1443909203062868

The Shed at Perimeter Park: 

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/905867964052478

Bond Brothers Beer at Park West Concert:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/737542471497889

PBS CAROLINAS:

STATE LINES AND BLACK ISSUES FORUM: 

STATE LINES: 


A roundtable discussion about political affairs and current events in North Carolina.


https://video.pbsnc.org/show/state-lines/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic

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!


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

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

Radio Nyra Interview


Radio Nyra Asian American Heritage Interview with AAPI Caucus

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/201692958860555/?t=39

ROKU and POD TV

Great US Open Roku TV Interview with Andy Andrews!


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

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!


GARY JONES SHOW - GET WITH THE PROGRAM - 2/2023


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL1UyROGNX4

Op Ed Alert:

Join Our Mailing List

This Week in Morrisville. Sept 11- Sept 15

Upcoming Meetings

Sept. 12 – 6 p.m. – Town Council Meeting

Sept. 13 – 6 p.m. – Performance Measures Advisory Committee

Sept. 14 – 6 p.m. – Senior Advisory Committee

Sept. 14 – 6:30 p.m. – Planning and Zoning Board – Cancelled

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.

Today is the Last Day for Restaurants to Sign Up for Morrisville Restaurant Week


The Town of Morrisville is co-hosting Morrisville Restaurant Week, Sept. 28-Oct. 8, and recruitment for the event will end today. During this event, participating restaurants will offer fixed menus with special pricing to showcase their cuisine. The Town and its partners will promote this event heavily to uplift and spotlight Morrisville’s small business community. Restaurants can sign up online through Sept. 8. Don’t miss your opportunity to participate!


Morrisville 101 Registration Open Until Oct. 12


Registration for Morrisville 101 is now open. Morrisville 101 is an annual community academy for Morrisville residents interested in local government. This is a free program for residents ages 16 and older. The program will begin Oct. 25 and will be held from 6-8:30 p.m. once a week for five weeks. Sessions will take place at Town Hall, located at 100 Town Hall Drive. Registration ends on Oct. 12. For more information and to reserve your spot, visit the Morrisville 101 webpage.



Dragonfly Temporary Disc Golf Course Now Open on Town Hall Drive


A temporary disc golf course, The Dragonfly, is now open for play at 280 Town Hall Drive. The nine-hole course winds through the site of the future Town Center and behind the Morrisville Police Department. All nine holes are Par 3. The course is available on a walk-up basis from sunrise to sunset, and players must bring their own discs. No disc rental is onsite. Visit the disc golf page for information about hole distances and more.


Team to Assess Conditions Along Morrisville Parkway Corridor Sept. 12


A project team will be assessing conditions along the Morrisville Parkway corridor from Davis Drive to N.C. 54 in the afternoon on Sept. 12. The team will be walking around the area and taking photos to gather information about the condition of the corridor to support the Morrisville Parkway Access Management Study. This study has been funded through a partnership with the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO). To make travel safer for vehicles and pedestrians, the corridor will be evaluated for general safety improvements associated with access management. This four-lane median-divided road has seen significant traffic volume growth in recent years and has been identified in the Town’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) as a priority area for additional study.


Join the Morrisville Senior Center for Lunch on National Hoagie Day Sept. 14


The Morrisville Senior Center, 4117 Davis Drive, will host a lunch on National Hoagie Day, Sept. 14, from 1-3 p.m., featuring a variety of hoagies, including vegetarian options. The cost is $10 for residents and $12 for non-residents. Register now for this event.


Morrisville International Festival Set for Sept. 23 on Town Hall Drive


Morrisville is one of the fastest growing and most diverse towns in North Carolina. Join us in celebrating that diversity at the Morrisville International Festival on Sept. 23, from noon-6 p.m., on Town Hall Drive. This festival brings together the community for a day of food, music, dance, art, and fun. The festival includes food vendors representing culinary traditions from around the world; performers entertaining the crowds with traditional music and dance performances; and “International Alley,” featuring artisan vendors and cultural groups with a global perspective. Check the event webpage for more details.


Students Encouraged to Enter 'Morrisville Roots for Trees' Poster Art Contest by Oct. 13


All Morrisville school children and members of youth organizations are invited to showcase their artistic talents and their commitment to the environment by participating in the 18th annual Morrisville Student Art Poster Contest. The Morrisville Environment and Stormwater Committee (MESC) has selected the theme of “Morrisville Roots for Trees!” to encourage students to produce works of art that promote expanding the Town’s tree canopy.

 

The grand prize winner will have a banner created from their poster, which will be prominently displayed on Town Hall Drive. The grand prize winner will also receive movie tickets and a gift certificate to a local restaurant for the family. The top three winners in each grade will receive a certificate and letter from the mayor. Winners will also be recognized at a Town Council meeting. Please visit the website for the fillable entry form and eligibility details.


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.

SEPTEMBER MORRISVILLE SENIOR CENTER EVENTS

National Eat a Hoagie Day


Thursday, Sept. 14 from 1-4 p.m.

Register at https://bit.ly/3Kbf1fb


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

Around the Region

TIE Carolinas Support the Troops Golf Tournament 


Congresswoman Deb Ross hosts India Trip Debriefing at BAPS Temple in Morrisville.  

Congressman Wiley Nickel hosts Town Hall on Gun Violence in Apex. 



Small Business Listening Tour: 

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

SMALL BUSINESS VISIT OF THE WEEK


NATIONAL Minority Economic Development Institute at NC Tech Leadership Summit


https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/255410763968554


NC State Extension Composting:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/959841225036371

Yes Solar Solutions

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1080676136223189

Towards Zero Waste and NC Composting Council:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/537361191935765

Insights from ExtoBio:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/969332764115332


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!   

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.  

Visit with New York Deli:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/596452855872694

Visit with Acme Pizza:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/971277980525504

Visit with Empanadas and More:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/607568900925114

Morrisville Compounding Pharmacy


Visit with Morrisville Compounding Pharmacy at Brierpoint: 

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/240100088382575

North Carolina News

Wake County Loses Thousands of Acres of Tree Canopy in 10 years. 


A new assessment of Wake County trees values the tree canopy at more than $3.2 billion.


The study showed that each year, Wake County trees are providing free eco-services, absorbing more than 414,000 tons of carbon dioxide. That's in addition to removing over 11,000 tons of pollutants from the air and intercepting billions of gallons of stormwater.


But the trees’ benefits go far beyond that, said Timothy Maloney, Wake County's planning, development and inspections director.


However, in the last decade, Wake County lost 11,122 acres of tree canopy, which is more than double the size of Umstead State Park. Maloney said this loss is likely due to the region's rapid development. The county said its population grew to over a million people between 2010-2020, making its growth rate nearly 3.5 times the national rate.


Some of the biggest things to come from this study, though, are planting opportunities, Maloney said. The study identified over 80,000 acres of land on public and private property available for planting projects, making sure to exclude areas like recreational fields and agriculture sites.


Of those available sites, a press release listed over 10,000 acres as being “very high planting priority.” According to Maloney, many of these are areas where planting trees would improve social equity. Underserved communities are particularly vulnerable to problems associated with fewer trees, like increased flooding and heat.


The county recently launched a new interactive tool for the general public to explore the tree canopy coverage in their area.


Wake County already has a planting project in the works. County officials plan to plant more than 3,000 seedling trees at an interchange on Highway 54 by January.

Budget Vote Expected This Week at General Assembly 


Months behind schedhule, the North Carolina state budget is finally going to be voted on in the General Assembly next week.   The Budget delay has not been over issues between Republicans and Democrats as it was in the years past. Republicans have total control of the General Assembly with enough power to override Cooper's vetoes.  Instead, budget disagreements have been between the House and the Senate.  One point of contention has been the legalization of Casinos, as it has been difficult to arrive on consensus on this issue. 


The delay could scuttle efforts by Gov. Roy Cooper's administration for Medicaid expansion to begin in early fall.


House and Senate Republicans are whittling down dozens of outstanding spending and policy issues within a two-year spending plan that was supposed to take effect July 1.

The top leader in the North Carolina House warns that a final state budget won't be enacted until September


House and Senate Republicans are whittling down dozens of outstanding spending and policy issues within a spending plan that was supposed to take effect July 1


GOP legislators are still aiming for a budget agreement in August, but House Speaker Tim Moore said Monday that the actual passage won't happen until September given the outstanding issues and legislators' schedules


Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper could veto the budget bill, leading to override votes


The delays could scuttle efforts by Cooper's administration to begin Medicaid expansion Oct. 1

While some big-ticket items like tax cuts and worker raises have been settled, other details remain unresolved. Add travel and other activities by rank-and-file lawmakers and the narrow GOP veto-proof majorities in the General Assembly, and House Speaker Tim Moore said the periods during which formal business can be conducted in Raleigh are limited.


Sen. Ralph Hise, a Mitchell County Republican and one of the chief budget negotiators, told reporters that votes on a budget agreement could happen in two weeks if differences can be worked out in a reasonable time. Any final budget could be vetoed by the Democratic governor, with override votes to follow.


When asked later Monday to describe the chances that a final budget could be carried out by the end of August, Moore replied: “Zero.”


“Just with some absences I know that the Senate has on their side, and with just some of the logistics that have been talked about at this point ... you’re talking about a September date for actual passage — signing (the bill) into law and all that,” Moore said.


A separate law that Cooper signed in March would expand Medicaid to potentially 600,000 low-income adults, but it can't happen until a state budget law is enacted.


Cooper health Secretary Kody Kinsley unveiled a plan last month by which the expanded coverage would begin Oct. 1 as long as his agency received a formal go-ahead by legislators to accept expansion by Sept. 1. Otherwise, Kinsley said, implementation would be delayed until at least Dec. 1.


Legislative leaders have refused to permit the implementation of expansion without the budget's passage, as Cooper has sought. His administration has said the state misses out on more than $500 million in federal funding for each month that expansion isn’t implemented.  

Read More at https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article278981194.html


NC State Board of Education Superintendent asks for NC Parental Bill of Rights to be delayed


The North Carolina Superintendent of Schools is asking lawmakers to delay implementing the Parents’ Bill of Rights, claiming districts have too many questions about the law.

Catherine Truitt told the state board of education, districts have too many questions about the law


The law affects some of what children are taught, and when parents should be notified in certain circumstances.Lawmakers passed the much-stricter version of the Parents’ Bill of Rights back on Aug. 16. Under it, schools are not allowed to teach anything about sexual orientation or gender identity to students in grades K-4.


The law also required schools to notify parents if a child asks to be called by a different name or pronoun.


Parents will now have the right to inspect and review all materials, from library books to textbooks, and there are restrictions on health-related surveys.


Last month, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools’ Board of Education approved the new policies, but is the exception. Most districts are waiting on guidance from the North Carolina School Boards Association.


State Superintendent Catherine Truitt is asking lawmakers to delay implementing the new rules until Jan. 1, 2024.


Read More at: https://www.wbtv.com/2023/09/08/nc-superintendent-requests-lawmakers-delay-implementation-parents-bill-rights/



Wake County Schools Consider Cash Incentives for Bus Shortages 


The Wake County School Board hopes more money up front will help bring in new bus drivers. Board members are discussing incentives to try to ease the bus driver shortage that’s affecting thousands of students.


New drivers would be looking at the same amount of money, but this would change when it would be paid.


A shortage of bus drivers means some children get to school well after the bell rings. Others don’t leave school until an hour and a half after classes end. School district leaders hope a change to the incentive program for new bus drivers and a new incentive for returning drivers will help them hire and keep more drivers.


Currently, there’s a $1,200 new driver incentive but drivers have to wait for it, receiving $400 after the first three months and another $800 after the first year of work. The new proposal would give out the entire $1,200 on the first available payroll when someone is employed as a permanent driver.


It would also offer a $1,000 incentive to returning drivers, paid in mid-September.

Christina Spears, President of Wake NCAE, says getting money up front is something many drivers have asked for, but she says increasing the hourly wage may be even more important.


“The thing I’ve heard from bus drivers, even more, is increasing the hourly wage, of course, to be competitive with drivers from private companies and GoRaleigh and things like that,” she said.


Some board members noted that the hourly wage is dependent on the state budget, which hasn’t been passed yet.


School board members seemed supportive of the driver incentive proposal during Tuesday’s work session. There will be a final vote on Sept. 5.


NC Speaker says House Budget will be delayed


A final North Carolina state budget won't be enacted until September, the House's top leader said Monday. That could scuttle efforts by Gov. Roy Cooper's administration for Medicaid expansion to begin in early fall.


House and Senate Republicans are whittling down dozens of outstanding spending and policy issues within a two-year spending plan that was supposed to take effect July 1.

The top leader in the North Carolina House warns that a final state budget won't be enacted until September


House and Senate Republicans are whittling down dozens of outstanding spending and policy issues within a spending plan that was supposed to take effect July 1


GOP legislators are still aiming for a budget agreement in August, but House Speaker Tim Moore said Monday that the actual passage won't happen until September given the outstanding issues and legislators' schedules


Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper could veto the budget bill, leading to override votes


The delays could scuttle efforts by Cooper's administration to begin Medicaid expansion Oct. 1

While some big-ticket items like tax cuts and worker raises have been settled, other details remain unresolved. Add travel and other activities by rank-and-file lawmakers and the narrow GOP veto-proof majorities in the General Assembly, and House Speaker Tim Moore said the periods during which formal business can be conducted in Raleigh are limited.


Sen. Ralph Hise, a Mitchell County Republican and one of the chief budget negotiators, told reporters that votes on a budget agreement could happen in two weeks if differences can be worked out in a reasonable time. Any final budget could be vetoed by the Democratic governor, with override votes to follow.


When asked later Monday to describe the chances that a final budget could be carried out by the end of August, Moore replied: “Zero.”


“Just with some absences I know that the Senate has on their side, and with just some of the logistics that have been talked about at this point ... you’re talking about a September date for actual passage — signing (the bill) into law and all that,” Moore said.


A separate law that Cooper signed in March would expand Medicaid to potentially 600,000 low-income adults, but it can't happen until a state budget law is enacted.


Cooper health Secretary Kody Kinsley unveiled a plan last month by which the expanded coverage would begin Oct. 1 as long as his agency received a formal go-ahead by legislators to accept expansion by Sept. 1. Otherwise, Kinsley said, implementation would be delayed until at least Dec. 1.


Legislative leaders have refused to permit the implementation of expansion without the budget's passage, as Cooper has sought. His administration has said the state misses out on more than $500 million in federal funding for each month that expansion isn’t implemented.  


Read More at https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2023/08/08/north-carolina-state-budget-won-t-become-law-until-september--house-leader-says


The Fight Begins to Replace Tim Moore as Speaker


North Carolina's embattled House Speaker Tim Moore, the longest-serving speaker in state history, has made it clear that this term will be his last as head of the Republican-led chamber.


Moore's exit from the position has long been anticipated by political observers, igniting a race to replace him that has been playing out behind the scenes for months.

Why it matters: North Carolina's House speaker, though not elected by the general public, is one of the most powerful politicians in the state.


The speaker has the authority to determine what bills ultimately become laws, what state agencies and programs are funded — and given the ability to carry out their mission — and who is granted power over the influential state boards and commissions, like the UNC System Board of Governors and the state's utilities commission.

Details: On the shortlist to replace Moore are two of the most powerful people in the chamber:


House Majority Leader John Bell, who has served in the legislature for six terms and is the longest-serving House majority leader in state history.


House Rules Committee Chair Destin Hall, a 30-something who quickly ascended to become a Republican leader and Moore's right-hand man when he was appointed to the position nearly three years ago.


Though Bell has already made clear his plans to run for speaker, Hall confirmed for the first time to Axios Friday that he also plans to campaign for the position.

Read More at https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2023/07/21/nc-state-house-race-house-speaker-power-tim-moore-destin-hall-john-bell


Concerns mount about Overreaching of Legislature 


Senate Bill 512 takes appointments held now by Gov. Roy Cooper and shifts them to the General Assembly. Nine boards would be affected, and the governor would still have at least some appointments to each board.


Here are the nine boards in the bill and a brief description of what would change:

N.C. Utilities Commission: Add two members for a total of nine, with four appointed by the General Assembly, four by the governor and one by the state treasurer. The governor currently appoints this full board, which regulates Duke Energy and other public utilities.


Economic Investment Committee: Add two members for a total of seven, with three members of the executive branch serving with two General Assembly appointees and two legislators. This committee decides economic incentive grants.


Environmental Management Commission: Currently the governor appoints nine members and the General Assembly six. The bill would give the governor seven appointments, the General Assembly six and the state’s commissioner of agriculture two. This commission sets pollution regulations.


Commission for Public Health: Right now the governor appoints nine members and the N.C. Medical Society, a doctors group, elects four. The bill would leave the governor five appointees, give four to the General Assembly and let the Medical Society elect four.


Board of Transportation: Now the governor appoints 14 members and the General Assembly appoints six. 


The bill flips that, giving the legislature 14 appointments and the governor six. The Secretary of Transportation, appointed by the governor, would continue to serve as a non-voting board member.


Coastal Resources Commission: Right now the governor appoints nine members and the legislature four. The bill would give the General Assembly six appointments, the governor six and the state’s insurance commissioner one.


AG Stein says that this is a powergrab that violates Separation of Powers...  


Fowell Concerned that Rising Health Care Costs May Affect State Workers 


Since becoming North Carolina’s treasurer in 2017, Dale Folwell has energetically asserted that rising health care costs could significantly impact the State Health Plan.


It’s gotten to the point that lawmakers are considering a request from Folwell to force hospitals to cut what they charge the plan — or face shutdowns.


The plan, which Folwell’s office oversees, serves roughly 740,000 state employees, teachers, retirees and their dependents.


Adequate funding for it matters because it helps keep premiums low, co-pays at bay and benefits robust, he told The News & Observer.


If health care costs keep rising without adequate funding, Folwell said his office won’t be able to “hold the dam in terms of freezing family premiums and deductibles or copays,” which he said has been a priority for him.


Nationally, health care costs have increased faster than those in almost any other economic sector, according to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, which monitors the U.S. health system. From 2000 to 2021, health spending tripled, to $4.3 trillion, according to the tracker.


About half of that growth in spending can be attributed to hospital costs.


Is there a funding shortfall?

The revenue for the State Health Plan mostly comes from premiums paid by employees and contributions paid by employers, including state agencies, school systems, universities and community colleges.


The state, via the budget, funds the employer contributions for active state employees and qualifying retirees.


The State Health Plan had a cash balance at the end of May of $796.6 million. This was well above the target stabilization reserve, set at $359.9 million. This reserve is meant to tackle any unexpected costs and hiccups.


If the plan’s revenue increases by more than 18% from this year to 2027, and health care expenses grow by over 28%, there would be a nearly $1 billion deficit.  

Read More at https://www.aol.com/news/rising-health-care-costs-might-090000079.html

LATEST NATIONAL AND GLOBAL UPDATES 

At least 2000 people have died after an earthquake struck Morocco late on Friday, the country’s deadliest quake since 2004. The epicentre of the tremor, which registered a magnitude of 7.2, was about 70km south-west of Marrakesh. The earthquake damaged several buildings in Marrakesh, including a mosque in the old city—a UNESCO world heritage site. Hospitals are reported to be treating large numbers of injured people.


In a speech opening the G20 summit in India, Narendra Modi, the country’s prime minister, invited the African Union to become a permanent member of the group. That will bolster India’s claim to be a leader of the poor world. Neither Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, nor Xi Jinping, his Chinese counterpart, is at the summit, where Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is expected to be a sticking-point among attendees.


China’s consumer prices tiptoed out of deflationary territory in August: they rose by 0.1%, year on year, after a 0.3% fall in July. In another encouraging sign, the annual rate of producer-price deflation eased from 4.4% to 3%. Chinese authorities have so far done little to stimulate a slowing economy weighed down by a property crisis.


Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, called for a stronger relationship with North Korea on “all fronts” to mark that country’s 75th anniversary. Mr Putin and Kim Jong Un, the North Korean dictator, have drawn closer since Russia invaded Ukraine. This week American officials claimed that Mr Kim was planning on visiting Russia to seal an arms deal under which his country would supply ammunition to Russian troops.


The world is not on track to meet its climate goals, the UN warned in its first stock-take since the Paris agreement of 2015. Countries had agreed to limit warming to 1.5°C , but the UN said that reaching that target would require an additional 20 gigatonnes’ worth of carbon reductions this decade. World leaders will meet at COP28 in November to assess their progress.


Nancy Pelosi, a Democratic congresswoman for California, announced she would run for re-election in 2024. The 83-year-old was the first woman to be elected speaker of the House of Representatives and held the role longer than any other Democrat. She stepped down from the party’s leadership after Republicans re-captured control of the chamber in November’s midterms.


Neymar broke the late Pelé’s record for the most goals scored for Brazil’s male national football team, netting twice in a 5-1 defeat of Bolivia in a World Cup qualifying match to take his tally to 79. The striker, formerly of Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, now plays his club football in Saudi Arabia , which has been enthusiastically buying talent from European leagues.



American employers added 187,000 jobs in August. The unemployment rate ticked up unexpectedly to 3.8%, as people returned to the labour force. Average hourly wages rose by 4.3% on an annual basis, a smaller increase than in July. The subdued figures suggest that America’s resilient labour market is cooling—and that the Federal Reserve’s fight to bring down inflation is going to plan.


UPCOMING EVENTS

Join Chief Acosta for a Facebook Live Session


on Sept. 12th from 12pm- 12:45 pm at https://www.facebook.com/TownOfMorrisville/


Sept 14 TIE CAROLINAS FINANCIAL EXIT PANEL


AT LONERIDER BEER (708 Ramseur Street, Durham) 5:30 pm to 7 pm.  


Register at https://events.tie.org/FoundersExitPanelDiscussionandSocial

Join me on Sept. 14th at 8 am as I kick off my AI Innovation Listening Tour at


St. Andrew Catholic Church at 3008 Old Raleigh Rd, Apex, North Carolina, US, 27502!   


Register at https://www.linkedin.com/events/cnmpresents-thedisruptionofai-t7103372683840540673/comments/

Sept. 16th Dragon Boat Festival at Koka Booth Amphitheater!  


9 am!

Sept 20th Fall Equinox Trail Walk




5:30 PM

Morrisville Community Shelter

1520 Morrisville Parkway

Sept 30th Morrisville Community Fire Academy 


Have you ever dreamed about being a firefighter? Attend our Community Fire Academy from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 30. It is limited to 20 persons, participants must be at least 18 years old, and advance sign-up is required. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3FmekO0

Sept 24th, Town of Morrisville International Fair!  

NC DOT Public Input Sessions


The NC Department of Transportation’s Statewide Locally Coordinated Plan (LCP) serves as a strategic framework to expand mobility options to seniors and individuals with disabilities, particularly in small urban and rural communities of North Carolina. They want to understand you and your family’s mobility needs. How can you give feedback?

Three online public meetings will be held for the public to learn about the plan, provide feedback and ask questions. Register for: 

• Thursday, Sept. 7, 4 p.m. - https://bit.ly/45zETtX

• Wednesday, Sept. 13, 10 a.m. - https://bit.ly/3sDg4yP

• Wednesday, Sept. 13, 6 p.m. - https://bit.ly/45PwKBp

👉 Check out a virtual tour https://bit.ly/45QfwDW

👉 Take a survey online at https://bit.ly/3sJHwe0


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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