My Message: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/10157816015836360/?t=22

Morrisville was recognized as one of 10 All-America City award winners during the National Civic League Conference on June 9. The prestigious national honor recognizes Morrisville's work in inclusive civic engagement to build equity and resilience and create stronger connections among residents, businesses and nonprofit and government leaders. 

Visit https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/2021-all-america-city-finalist-morrisville-nc/ to learn more about the three projects Town staff highlighted to win the award. 

This honor could not have been possible without the involvement of Morrisville community partners, including Wake County Government, Western Wake Farmers’ Market, Morrisville Community Garden, Morrisville Chamber of Commerce, Morrisville Cardinals, Triangle Cricket League and a student from Panther Creek High School. 

I am honored to be a part of the Championship Team of Morrisville, a diverse coalition of engaged citizens, volunteers, a world class staff, and a hard working Council leading one of the most inclusive, innovative small Towns in the United States of America! 

Watch the Awards Ceremony: https://www.facebook.com/AllAmericaCityAwards/videos/341361427406366/?t=1731

COVID-19 has had an extraordinary impact on the US health care system since its emergence in early 2020. One of the largest and most immediate impacts has been the death toll, with the pandemic having claimed more than 600,000 lives as of June 11, 2021. However, the pandemic has also brought a set of (seemingly endless) new trade-offs and choices for people to make as they navigate their daily lives and the health care system. 

How do the risks of leaving our homes and going to medical facilities stack up against the well-documented benefits of preventive care? As we emerge from the Pandemic, focus must return to preventive care as a critical way for diagnosing and treating many chronic diseases, which in turn can reduce. 

While healthy diet and regular exercise help the most, Immunizations and Colonoscopies top the list of preventive health care procedures. Add one to the list: Testosterone Testing. 

Male hypogonadism, more commonly known as testosterone deficiency, is a serious condition associated with fatigue, bone and muscle loss, loss of libido, obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and fatty liver disease.  

Estimates reveal that appropriate treatment of male hypogonadism could potentially save $20+ billion annually to US healthcare spending.  

Unfortunately, Testosterone replacement is often perceived as a lifestyle issue for men wanting to improve their sex life and/or athletes desiring a competitive advantage. 

Due to these perceived misconceptions, this complex condition has not had a strong advocate including health care providers at-large either being misinformed or not paying enough attention. Ultimately, around fifteen million hypogonadal men in the U.S and many millions more globally are the ones suffering from short and long-term impacts of low Testosterone. 

According to Androgen society, Prevalence of low T can be as high as 50% in patients with obesity and ED, and over 30% with Type 2 Diabetes, making hypogonadism an increasingly important area of public health concern.  

In addition, Recent scientific research suggests low testosterone is associated with more severe COVID-19 symptoms in men. Researchers said lower levels of the hormone predict which patients were more likely to become very sick. 

With the frenzy of vaccinations in the nation coming to an end, perhaps, it is time for the US Preventive Task Force on Preventive Health Care and Health Care Policy Makers to take a more serious look at the underserved low T patient population. Such a move would serve as another opportunity for potential prevention of male chronic diseases meaning lower health insurance costs and health care bills for all of us.  

An Association of Circulating Sex Hormones with Inflammation and Disease Severity in Patients With COVID-19:  JAMA Network Open. 2021;4(5):e2111398. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.11398 

Testosterone Therapy Reduces Cardiovascular Risk Among Hypogonadal Men: A Prospective Cohort Study in Germany/ Zhang, et al.; Androgens: Clinical Research and Therapeutics 2021, 2.1 http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/andro.2020.0015

My Message: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/10157828690776360/?t=21

Our Council approved a $42,200,000 Annual Operating Budget & Capital Investment Program for Fiscal Year 2022 at our June 8 Town Council Meeting. The tax rate remains at $.36. The FY2022 budget relaunches Morrisville’s pre-COVID efforts to fulfill existing commitments and essential investments, and allows the Town to keep pace with the dynamic growing service needs while responsibly safeguarding the Town's financial condition.  Now that the Budget is behind us, we can focus our efforts on the Bond Referendum, which will be a focus on my next newsletter!  

The FY2022 budget relaunches Morrisville’s pre-COVID efforts to fulfill existing commitments and essential investments, and allows the Town to keep pace with the dynamic growing service needs while responsibly safeguarding the Town's financial condition. 

Fiscal Year 2022 will be transformative, with brisk activity in several core programmatic areas in addition to new forward-thinking interests and initiatives,” said Town Manager Martha Paige. “We are at the launching pad for moving our town and many capital projects forward.”

The budget includes anticipated distributions to Morrisville from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), recently approved at the federal level to lessen pandemic related revenue losses and allow for support of some expenditures.

These operating and capital initiatives represent a significant commitment to Relaunch Morrisville and continue to move the community forward with expanded programs and innovative services.

The Vehicle Decal Fee remains at $30 per vehicle per year, and the Stormwater Fee remains unchanged at $25 per ERU. The budget includes some moderate user fee adjustments to reflect additional costs to provide services, as well as utilization of general fund balance appropriations for one-time expenses.  

The budget process included outreach to the public and a public hearing on May 25. The annual Budget Portal was open from May 4 through May 25 to collect feedback. Council reviewed all feedback as part of the budget process. 

Visit https://www.townofmorrisville.org/government/departments-services/finance/budget/-fsiteid-1 for details about the FY2022 budget.

Congratulations to the Wake County Commissioners, who passed a budget that takes another major step toward ensuring that all our residents are healthy, prosperous, well-educated, and safe.  I was able to attend my first County Commission meeting in person in 14 months! 

The FY2022 Recommended Budget proposes raising the fire tax from 9.10 cents to 10.27 cents per $100 of property value for households in the unincorporated areas of the county and the Town of Wendell. These communities don’t receive municipal fire services and, therefore, pay a tax for fire response.

Increasing the fire tax will not only ensure a continued prompt response in rural communities during emergencies, but it will also help us retain great firefighters and provide them with equipment that works well and keeps them safe. 

Biden announces that US will donate 500 million doses of Pfizer to developing nations/G7 commit 1 billion doses by the end of the year. 

Success of Vice President Kamala Harris trip to Border is questioned.  She says Do Not Come and asks for more aid to Mexico to help working people, bolster economic development and address human and drug trafficking in Mexico and Guatemala. 

Morning After Manchin. WV Senator continues to balance conservatism on social issues with economic progressivism.  Will not support Voting Rights Act.   What now?

Believe it or not, Senate committed to advancing Bi partisan Investments in American Innovation.  No deal yet on American Jobs Act.  

Gov. Roy Cooper announced a new executive order that will be in effect until July 30.

Some pandemic restrictions have been lifted but the State of Emergency remains in place.

Cooper announced on Friday that the following measures will also remain for now:

Gov. Roy Cooper announced a cash drawing for people who get or have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine.

As part of a program called Your Shot at $1 million, Cooper said a $1 million cash prize will be given to four people every two weeks over eight weeks.

Four $125,000 college scholarships will also be given out for teenagers.

The first drawing will be on June 23 and they will occur every other week until the last one on August 4. The drawings will take place every other Wednesday.

Legislation that includes more than $2 billion in tax reductions over the next two years and the phaseout of North Carolina's corporate income tax by 2028 received bipartisan approval again in the Senate on Thursday.

The Republican-authored measure, which also would send up to $1 billion in federal COVID-19 recovery aid to hundreds of thousands businesses and nonprofits, already received the Senate's initial OK on Wednesday. Seven Democrats joined all Republicans present in voting 34-13 for the bill on Thursday.

The bill now heads to the House, where action isn't expected. Rather, the Senate will insert the package in its state government budget plan later this month and negotiate it with the House after that chamber approves a competing tax and spending proposal.

The Senate plan would reduce the individual income tax rate of 5.25% to 4.99% next year, and increase the amount of income not subject to taxes for all filers by increasing the standard and per-child deductions. The corporate rate - currently the lowest among those states that have such a tax at 2.5% - would start falling in 2024.

North Carolina senators approved a bill on Thursday to bar women from getting abortions on the basis of race, sex or a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome.

With the Senate's party-line vote, the prohibition Republicans are seeking now heads to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who is likely to veto it, having rejected previous anti-abortion restrictions.

Abortion rights groups say the GOP-led bill, which was universally opposed by Senate Democrats and supported by only six Democratic House lawmakers, would prevent women from having open conversations with their doctors and deny their constitutional right to an abortion.

Abortions on the basis of sex selection are already prohibited in North Carolina. House Bill 453, approved in the Senate by a vote of 27-20, would expand and strengthen the existing law by requiring physicians to report, with a signed confirmation, that an abortion was not desired due to sex, race or the likelihood of being born with Down syndrome.

Republican proponents say prenatal tests that confirm the presence of Down syndrome can sometimes be inaccurate, prompting women who wouldn't otherwise do so to terminate their pregnancy. Sen. Joyce Krawiec, a Forsyth County Republican, said the measure prevents discrimination and “modern-day eugenics."

The conservative North Carolina Values Coalition supports the bill.

Cooper can veto the bill or sign it. The measure will become law if he declines to act within 10 days of receiving it, but even then, it's certain to be challenged in court.

Weekly Update: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/10157828678806360/?t=33

All Town Meetings are in person and social distancing guidelines are followed.  No masks are required if you Vaccinated and Town Operations are in compliance with Governor Cooper Executive Order 215. No Masks Required at Morrisville Fitness and Aquatics Center.

Morrisville Carpenter Road Improvements

For current project details visit: https://bit.ly/mcrcp1

Sign up for Cedar Fork Summer Camp.

The Town of Morrisville is accepting applications for citizen advisory committees through Friday, July 2. While applications for all advisory committees will be accepted during this period, the following committees have vacancies or expiring terms that may be filled during this appointment process:

To submit your application, visit https://bit.ly/msvadvisorycommittee.

During their June 8 meeting, the Morrisville Town Council recognized June as LGTBQ+ Pride Month in support of the celebration of diverse communities and treating each other with respect and dignity.

Join the Town of Morrisville as we celebrate the emancipation and the achievements of Morrisville's African-American community through speakers, proclamations, food, fun activities, music, vendors, and entertainment at Cedar Fork Community Center at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 19. Visit http://bit.ly/MorrisvilleJuneteenth for details!

On Saturday, June 19, the Morrisville Fire and Rescue Department will hold a Bicycle Rodeo to teach children proper bike helmet and bike riding safety. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Morrisville’s Fire Station No. 1 located at 200 Town Hall Drive. Free bike helmets will be made available while supplies last. If you have questions call (919) 463-6931 or visit http://www.townofmorrisville.org/fire.

The Town of Morrisville’s Family Fun Festival will be held on July 3, from 4 to 9 p.m. The plan is to hold this year’s July 3 event on Town Hall Drive. With COVID-19 restrictions being lessened recently, Town staff is creating a more extensive family-oriented event than in previous years. Ideas being planned include live entertainment, food trucks, family-friendly games, prize giveaways, small business representation and an opportunity to display Town projects. A laser light show will be conducted to conclude the evening. 

Come out to the Western Wake Farmers' Market (WWFM) every Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., for healthy and fresh food, goods, and live music from small and local businesses! Visit http://wwfm.ag/ to learn about the WWFM, to see a complete list of local vendors, for special event dates, and to learn more about how you can support your community by shopping local. Sign up for the weekly WWFM newsletter sent out on Friday mornings! Email debbie@wwfm.ag to subscribe!

Check out The Urgent Need to Help India in its Fight Against the COVID-19 Pandemic with Mukesh Aghi of United States Strategic Indian Partnership Forum– Episode 8 of “Chambers Talks"​, a Podcast Series Hosted by John Chambers, former CEO Cisco Systems.  

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xNTA5ODYyLnJzcw/episode/QnV6enNwcm91dC04NTczODA5?hl=en&ved=    

If you would like to help India, please visit pbs.org or nytimes.com for a list of vetted organizations accepting donations for medical and other greatly needed supplies. We cannot rest until the entire world gains control over the COVID-19 crisis.

To Secure an appointment, please visit https://myspot.nc.gov/, https://covid19.wakegov.com/vaccine/

Find a County Vaccination site at https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/where-can-I-get-the-covid-19-vaccine-in-my-county/19466004/

Find a Wake County Testing Site: https://covid19.wakegov.com/testing/

Wake County: Wake County Public Health Vaccine Hotline 919-250-1515.  It is now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or visit website at https://covid19.wakegov.com/vaccine!

Durham County: 919-635-8150 or email at DCoCOVIDvaccines@dconc.gov. 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162.

Make your Appointment here:  https://www.dcopublichealth.org/services/communicable-diseases/coronavirus-disease-2019/covid-19-vaccines/vaccine-appointments

Duke Raleigh Hospital at (919) 620- 5167.

Process is to Call or visit website, join the waiting list, receive notification, and get your Vaccination Appointment!

To set up an Appointment with any County Department, please visit covid19.ncdhhs.gov/findyourspot

Walgreens will offer Covid 19 Vaccine in 300 Stores (31,200 doses) in North Carolina starting on Feb 12 as a distributor under the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program and is planning to distribute 1 million doses of the Moderna Vaccine.  For more information, sign up at walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19.

The Chatham County Public Health Department announced that COVID-19 vaccination clinics that occurred regularly through May in Pittsboro, Siler City and Goldston would continue throughout the month of June. Even more Chatham residents have the opportunity to receive their vaccine at these locations:

Appointments are no longer required to get a free shot of the COVID-19 vaccine in Wake County. All vaccination locations will allow walk-ins and drive-ins.

Appointments are still encouraged, but no longer necessary.

The locations accepting walk-ins include Wake County Public Health Center, Wake County Northern Regional Center, Wake County Human Services Center at Departure and Green Road Park.

Find Days and Times at https://covid19.wakegov.com/vaccine/.

Join us in Wilson to celebrate the launch of the Gig East Exchange and the extension of RIoT to Eastern NC.

As the only city in North Carolina with its own broadband internet infrastructure, RIoT recognizes the City of Wilson is poised to be the epicenter for economic development in eastern NC.

Join to hear how leaders with the City of Wilson, RIoT, and local start-ups are leading Eastern NC into the global economy.

Space is limited. Please only RSVP if you are able to attend in person. CDC and local guidelines will be enforced.

Join us as we celebrate the emancipation and the achievements of Morrisville's African-American community through speakers, proclamations, food, fun activities, music, vendors, entertainment and more.

Saturday, June 19

10am - 2pm

Cedar Fork Community Center

Tru Access is inviting you to our very first Rap Session Double Header! June’s rap session finds us with a culmination of two significant events that we hold near and dear….Juneteenth and Fathers Day.  We will discuss both special days and what they mean to all of us!

Register at us02web.zoom.us

June 19th Virtual National Fatherhood Conference https://www.ncfatherhood.com/ 

Uplifting Fathers to Create and Maintain Healthy Families and Communities.

TiE Carolinas is the host for 2021 competition, showcasing youth teams from all around the world. Your experience, expertise and knowledge will be valuable to provide feedback to the future business leaders of the world. We deeply appreciate your time for this program.  TIE will be hosting 25 teams from all over the world.

June 18 (Friday): 10 am - 2 pm ET. This is the first round of presentations.

June 18 (Friday): 5 pm - 7 pm ET. This is virtual Maker's fare.

June 19 (Saturday): 9 am - 1 pm ET. This is the final round of presentation

TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) is a Global Program empowering future generations of entrepreneurs by teaching high school students the rewards and challenges of starting the entrepreneurial journey. TYE is an entrepreneurship academy, where student teams utilize modern skills and tools to build on a concept using customer feedback, iteration, and lightweight business models. TYE is designed to teach high school students entrepreneurship and leadership skills.

TYE (TiE Young entrepreneurs) is a TiE Global initiative dedicated to chapters integrating classroom sessions; mentoring and a Startup competition aimed at High School students. Teams compete at the regional level and winners of regionals have the opportunity to compete at TYE Global finals for cash prizes and recognition.

TiE Carolinas is the local chapter of TiE. TiE Carolinas has been supporting young entrepreneurs since the inception of TYE. TiE Carolinas runs several other programs focused on women and minority entrepreneurs. The angels program funds startups around the country.

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

99.9FM HD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!

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.

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.