Congrats to Andy Andrews for his induction to the USTA Southern Tennis Hall of Fame!

Morrisville Aquatics and Fitness Center will be closed on Friday April 30th from 1 pm to 5 pm due to a Departmental Meeting. 

Morrisville Recognized as the 11th best place to do business!

Please join us on May 5th at 4 pm for my Tech Talks and Tacos event with North Carolina Secretary of Technology James Weaver at Wake Tech RTP, Building 1!

Secretary Weaver will update us on Broadband efforts in North Carolina, and his vision for technology service for our state.  I will also be updating us on the Morrisville Smart City Initiatives and sharing my vision for Making NC, A Smart State!

Light appetizers and beverages will be served at a networking reception to follow.   Space is limited to 50 so sign up soon!.

RSVP to sr@steverao.com.

Re: Ken George Mailer

I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Earth Day on Friday! 

- Carl Sagan

Join the Town of Morrisville in celebrating Earth Day & Green Day next Saturday, April 30. Our Public Works Department is hosting "Fill the Truck" for Dorcas Ministries and those in need.

Check out a full list of Dorcas Ministries' needs at https://dorcascary.org/donate-2/#Food-Donations

Learn more next weekend's Earth Day Celebration and Green Day event at https://bit.ly/MSVGreenDay2022

Check out my Sustainability Playbook and Vision for Morrisville at http://steverao.com/play-7/.

The Town of Morrisville has entered into a partnership with the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) and Wake Technical Community College that will lead to a new high school and 17 acres of parkland and open space in Morrisville.

The land purchase by WCPSS from Wake Tech was approved during the April 19 Wake County Board of Education meeting. The Morrisville Town Council will consider two memorandums of understanding to initiate comprehensive review of plans and concepts for the projects during its April 25 council meeting.

The opportunity to build a high school and create parkland in Morrisville was made possible when Wake Tech agreed to sell roughly 34 acres for approximately $3.7 million at its Research Triangle Park campus in Morrisville to WCPSS and lease 17 acres to Morrisville.

The future Morrisville high school could be open by the fall of 2027. Consideration of the location of support amenities (primarily athletic programming) offsite for a smaller footprint high school may be considered during the six-month due diligence process.

Morrisville is expected to make use of the 17 acres east of the school site for parkland and open space. This is in alignment with the Town’s Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Master Plan goal and Town Council’s emphasis on acquiring parkland. Town staff will be evaluating appropriate uses of this parkland, which is located in the airport overlay.

At the end of the day, our Council and staff listen to the residents of our Town, and delivered!  More schools in Morrisville.

Collaboration and strategic conversations led to this game changing event for our residents, and your voices were heard!   Stay tuned for more details!

Beginning the week of April 11, the program pool (Smaller Pool) will be unavailable for public use on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Open rec swim and water aerobics participants will be accommodated in lanes 5 and 6 of the lap pool. Additionally, the Friday morning water aerobics class has been cancelled.

In North Carolina, the statewide primary is Tuesday, May 17, 2022. During this election, voters can choose which candidates they prefer to be on the general election ballot in November. The purpose of a primary is to narrow the field of candidates for the general election.

Races on the ballot include:

Additionally, many voters will find municipal contests on their ballot due to rescheduled municipal elections. This applies to voters in municipalities that delayed their 2021 elections to finalize new electoral districts. This also applies to voters who live in cities and towns that conduct their elections during even-numbered years.

Registered voters across the state can vote in the primary. However, voters affiliated with any political party will be given a ballot of candidates for their party. Unaffiliated voters may choose the ballot of candidates for any party primary.

Note: In 2022, the Libertarian Party does not have any primary elections because there are no contested Libertarian nominations for any office. Any Libertarian candidate who properly filed for office will therefore appear as the party’s nominee on the general election ballot in November.

Therefore, unaffiliated voters in the May 17 primary may choose the Democratic or Republican ballot, or, if available, a nonpartisan ballot. Registered Libertarians may only vote a nonpartisan ballot, if available in their jurisdiction since there are no primary contests for that party.

Each candidate that wins in each contest on their party’s ballot will become a nominee. The nominee will appear on the ballot in the general election contest. To become the party’s nominee, the candidate must win by at least 30% of the vote plus one.

If no candidate reaches the total necessary to become the nominee in a contest on the ballot, a second primary may be held on July 26. Voters can revisit this page after the primary to confirm a second primary.

Early Voting starts on April 28th. You can register and vote at the same time.

Find your Early Voting Site at https://www.wakegov.com/departments-government/board-elections/election-information/early-voting.

Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot is Tuesday, May 10: https://www.wakegov.com/departments-government/board-elections/election-information/absentee-mail-voting

Register at: https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/offices-services/online/Pages/voter-registration-application.aspx?ref=voteusa_en

Learn more about Voter Registration at: https://vote.gov/register/nc/.

Voter registration deadlines in North Carolina

Get with the Program with Gary Jones!

Mar. 25th Black Issues Forum Discussion!

In his book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, Bill Gates discusses the roles that philanthropists, investors, and governments can play in accelerating the innovation pipeline, from early stage research to the mass deployment of affordable, green, and reliable technologies. Gates, along with Mike Bloomberg is a principal investor in a $2 billion green innovation fund, which invests aggressively in green innovation. The portfolio companies of the fund range from Injecting Carbon from cement, plant based meats, protein based yogurts, and air filtration systems. Keep in mind that manufacturing results in about 80% of all Carbon Emissions.

Gates reminds us in his book that government policies and Executive Orders are not enough, but that we need to develop a pipeline of startups, all focused on assisting us in reducing the 51 billion tons of greenhouse gases that people add to the atmosphere each year. By 2050, if we don’t get to zero, the temperature rise will be so damaging that life will actually get worse for humans and most of the natural ecosystems.

1.   My green innovation play for Morrisville is to encourage and develop social entrepreneurs to participate in the Innovate Morrisville program, which I shared a few weeks ago. The idea would be for startups, focused on sustainability, to partner and offer pilot programs for different Town Departments. We could begin to grow our own green innovation ecosystem, and become a destination in North Carolina for not only the data science and Technologists, but also for entrepreneurs, focused on reducing the carbon foot print in our Town and Region.

2.   Encourage with Smart City and Morrisville Environmental Recycling Committee to solicit presentations from Start Up Companies focused on Green and Sustainability. We need these committees to focus on an innovative approach to reduce our Carbon Footprint in Morrisville so that our Town can be a destination for investment and jobs in these areas.  

For example, Last week, I was honored to visit Cary Based Susteon, an early stage start up, funded by the Gates Venture Fund Breakaway Energy Ventures.  Susteon is taking the lead to reduce carbon emissions through their carbon sequestration technology. (taking carbon out of the air) and converting natural gas to hydrogen.  I would like to see more Sustainable innovation, and start ups at next year’s Raleigh Durham Start Up Summitt and more venture funds investing in these technologies.  

3.   Welcome these green start ups to our Morrisville Innovation District so we can grow jobs in Morrisville.

Steverao app can be downloaded at Apple App store by searching for "Steverao" app in Apple store and Google Play store.

Other Way to download the app is by below scan for Apple store scan code and Google Play store link.

Below are two links to download app from Apple App store and Google Playstore.

April 25 – 6:00 p.m. Town Council Meeting

April 27 – 6:00 p.m. Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Committee

April 28 – 6:30 p.m. Smart City Steering Committee

The Town of Morrisville will honor the earth by having an Earth Day Celebration and Green Day event on Saturday, April 30.

8 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Healthy Food Hub

10 a.m. – 1 p.m. | 240 Town Hall Drive

For more information on the day’s events and details on materials accepted for recycling click here.

The Morrisville Senior Center, Morrisville Aquatics and Fitness Center, and Cedar Fork Community Center will close for the day at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, to recognize the department's part-time staff.

The Town of Morrisville has entered into a partnership with the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) and Wake Technical Community College that will lead to a new high school and 17 acres of parkland and open space in Morrisville.

The land purchase by WCPSS from Wake Tech was approved during the April 19 Wake County Board of Education meeting. The future Morrisville high school could be open by the fall of 2027. The Morrisville Town Council will consider two memorandums of understanding to initiate comprehensive review of plans and concepts for the projects during its April 25 council meeting.

The Town of Morrisville and the Morrisville Police Department advise pedestrians not to walk on either side of Morrisville Carpenter Road between Town Hall Drive and Misty Groves Circle. This section of the road is an active construction zone area and does not have a sidewalk and is not safe for pedestrians. Please observe the posted sidewalk closed signs.

For Morrisville Carpenter Road Project updates Visit https://bit.ly/mcrcp1

• Clearing and grubbing is underway for walking trails and prefabricated picnic shelter behind the baseball fields.

• The contractor will be closing a small segment of the Hatcher Creek Greenway for the month of May. The closure will be to lay stormwater pipes and additional site utilities. The contractor will be working to perform the work and reopen the greenway section as soon as possible for public use.

Click here to read more on MCP Phase III.

The Town of Morrisville is ranked 11th out of more than 1,300 towns and cities across the United States for its business climate for new entrepreneurs and business owners. Morrisville was the only town or city in North Carolina to rank in the top 45 cities.

Read the full article here.

The Town of Morrisville joined Wake County, Campbell University School of Law, City of Raleigh, and Town of Knightdale to celebrate the expansion of an anti-discrimination resource for the community. The county, law school and these cities and towns are partnering to allow residents who believe a business or organization has discriminated against them to file a complaint and receive assistance resolving the claim.

Residents can file a complaint at WakeGov.com/StopDiscrimination. If the complaint falls within the county’s jurisdiction and is factually validated, the county will offer a conciliation process to help resolve the dispute.

Join us for “Morrisville Night” with the Durham Bulls on Wednesday, April 27, at 6:35 p.m.

Mayor Cawley will be throwing out the first pitch. West Cary Middle School will sing the national anthem. Click here to purchase tickets.

Registration is now open for the Morrisville Police Department’s Teen Citizen Police Academy.

The academy is a five-week program, held June 15-July 23, and is designed to give participants a working knowledge of the department. It is intended to increase transparency and enhance understanding between the community and the police. Learn more and register here.

Puttin’ Around Town is a placement of one temporary disc golf basket on a rotating basis. Spring 2022 locations are: Morrisville Community Park, April 11-May 2; Shiloh Park, May 2-16; and Church Street Park, May 16-31. Read more about Puttin’ Around Town here.

The Morrisville Pop-up Dog Park is back! Bring your dogs out to enjoy the sunshine at Morrisville Community Park. The dog park will be open May 8 - September 18 on select days. Click here for more information and to register.

Beginning the week of April 11, the MAFC program pool will be unavailable for public use on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Open rec swim and water aerobics participants will be accommodated in lanes 5 and 6 of the lap pool. Additionally, the Friday morning water aerobics class has been cancelled.

May 7: Morrisville Fire Department Open House

May 7: Triangle Gujarati Association Kite Festival

May 14: SpringFest

The Town of Morrisville has launched the Sustainability Dashboard on Morrisville's Open Data Portal. The dashboard provides residents with tracking data showing the Town's progress in implementing sustainability practices. Data for the solar panel array on Morrisville Fire Station No. 1 and recycling participation rates for each of Morrisville's five GFL Environmental service routes are currently available. For details, click here.

What could rapid transit be between Garner-Clayton or Cary-RTP? How could if affect us in Morrisville? Provide input on alternatives for NC Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization's Wake BRT: Rapid Bus Extensions Study.

Learn about findings to date, take the survey, and visit virtual open house now through April 30 here.

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

The Western Wake Farmers' Market (WWFM) offers healthy and fresh food, goods, and live music from small and local businesses from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (winter hours) every Saturday.

Visit http://wwfm.ag/ to see a complete list of local vendors and shop local!

I was inspired to hear from emerging start ups and of course, Scot Wingo, who is working with me for an event in Morrisville!  We will get Morrisville involved in this event next year! 

Once again, Dr. Ralls inspired all of us with his vision of the partnerships between Wake Tech and market leading companies, like Fuji Film to create the jobs of the new economy.

Thanks to John Wilson, and Jessica Holmes for hosting a wonderful event!

I will be talking more about this program in my next newsletter. Kudos to Brian and his team for giving inmates second chances to not only survive but thrive as entrepreneurs! 

The judge overseeing North Carolina’s long-running Leandro school funding lawsuit signaled Friday that he will produce an order next week calling for additional state education spending. “There are a lot of programs that — based on the charts that are before me — are seriously underfunded,” Special Superior Court Judge…

The N.C. Supreme Court is giving the new judge overseeing North Carolina’s long-running Leandro school funding lawsuit another seven days to issue his ruling. The high court granted the judge’s request for additional time…

On April 20, or “4/20,” which in the world of marijuana smokers is like a national holiday, prominent N.C. Democrats celebrated the day themselves by calling for the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana and for clemency for those currently in prison for marijuana charges.

CNN has pulled the plug on its streaming service, CNN+, less than a month after it launched. It is scheduled to shut down on April 30. Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s new parent company, made the decision. According to a report on CNN.com, the streaming service was not compatible with…

New research predicts long-term pain for the labor market due to around 3 million workers who plan to remain permanently sidelined over concerns of physical illness or physical impairment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The research team — represented by scholars from ITAM Business, Stanford University, and the University…

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is among the top 10 Democrats named in The Washington Post’s quarterly Democratic presidential candidate ranking for 2024 released on April 16. Cooper came in at 6th place, down from 5th in its last ranking. The paper calls him “one leading contender you hear…

A study from researchers at N.C. State University finds that Gmail marked 59% more Republican fundraising emails as spam than Democratic ones during the 2020 election. Researchers examined more than 100 accounts and 318,000 emails for Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo Mail from May through November 2020. The emails…

A new Parents’ Bill of Rights out this week is intended to protect the right of parents to direct their children’s education and protect their safety in the classroom. The document is a framework for legislation, proposed by the John Locke Foundation, that would codify parental rights’ in state statutes.

Russian forces have taken more than three dozen small towns in their initial drive to seize eastern Ukraine.

The Ukraine invasion has accelerated efforts in neighboring Moldova to break free from Russian influence.

Russian missiles struck the port city of Odesa, killing at least eight. Odesa had largely been spared attacks with high civilian casualties.

The U.S. secretaries of state and defense will visit Kyiv today, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Russian troops resumed attacks on the Mariupol steel plant that is housing the last of Ukrainian resistance there.

Germany’s former chancellor Gerhard Schröder has become a pariah because of his work for Russian-controlled energy companies.

Donald Trump acknowledged that he bore “some responsibility” for the Jan. 6 attack in the days afterward, new audio of Representative Kevin McCarthy revealed.

Florida rejected dozens of math textbooks. 

FRANCE”s MACRON AND LE PEN IN RUN OFF ELECTION!   Macron Wins!

Orrin Hatch, a retired seven-term senator from Utah who crusaded for right-wing causes, died at 88.

Florida Governor Revokes Disney Powers for opposition to Don’t Say Gay Bill!   

The world is falling short of the goal to vaccinate 70 percent of every country’s population by June.

Miguel Cabrera became the 33rd player in Major League Baseball history to amass 3,000 career hits.

Watch Sunday at 4pm for a new Forum.

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

Website: https://video.pbsnc.org/search/?q=black+issues+forum

Thanks for joining us yesterday for for our Radio Nyra Interview with Liz Johnson on Team on the upcoming Purple Stride 5K and the PANCAN Network. 

Earth Day – 8am-12n, Healthy Food Hub (WWFM)

Green Day –10am-1pm, Morrisville Carpenter Pkwy (behind FS1, Connector, Public Safety!

April 30th PANCCAN Purple Stride 5K!  

May 5 Morrisville Chamber Annual Meeting at Prestonwood Country Club from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.

Award Applications are open!

May 12th NC Tech Association Outlook for Tech!    9 am- 3 pm.

https://business.morrisvillechamber.org/events/details/chamber-day-of-service-april-2022-2464

Save the Date: May 16th Spring Fest from 4 pm to 7 pm at Town Hall Drive!

Thanks for joining us yesterday for for our Radio Nyra Interview with Liz Johnson on Team on the upcoming Purple Stride 5K and the PANCAN Network. 

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

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.

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