Black History Events and Tours Around the Triangle: 

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/687616592392560 

We our Asian and Chinese community Happy Lunar New Year and a year of opportunity, success and good health.

Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar and solar Chinese calendar. The new year officially begins on February 1 and ends on February 11.  

This year is the Year of the Tiger.  

President Biden intends to reduce Cancer Deaths by 50% in next 25 years and orders 3,000 troops to Eastern Europe to stand off Ukraine invasion.

Rafa Nadal wins 21st Major at Australian Open!

My Message to Rafa Nadal: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/431048552143948

NFL Greatest of All Time Tom Brady retires!

In collaboration with Wake County, the Town of Morrisville is distributing N95 masks to community members. We have distributed over 2,800 Masks already.  

Masks will be distributed Wednesday, February 2 through Friday, February 4, from 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. at: 

The N95 masks will be available on a “first come, first served” basis – no appointment is necessary. Each individual may receive one mask per family member residing in their home with a maximum of six masks per family. Dates may be added or cancelled based on availability of N95 masks. Information on availability will be kept up-to-date on social media and the Town website.

For more information on the mask pick-up visit https://bit.ly/msvn95

For more on the use and care of N95 masks visit the Wake County website at https://www.wakegov.com/covid-19-information.

I ran over 140 miles and swam 22 miles to complete my Morrisville Virtual Marathon which I started on Jan 9th! 

I also want to thank Council and Staff for a very productive Winter Meeting last weekend.  2022 will be another great year as we focus on kicking off our Town Center project, accelerate Smart City and Sustainability efforts, complete Morrisville Carpenter Road, and continue to execute major projects and new bond projects in the All-America City!

Tune into Facebook Live on Thursday, February 3, as the Town of Morrisville and Major League Cricket (MLC) will announce details of a public-private partnership to jointly invest in the expansion of Church Street Park, upgrading the facility into an international-quality cricket venue.

Representatives of the Town of Morrisville, Major League Cricket and the local cricket community will be on hand to discuss the plans.

Watch the announcement on Facebook Live beginning at 11 a.m.

#LiveConnectedLiveWell

Phase 1 and Phase 2 are 60% complete.

Morrisville Carpenter Road is projected to be competed by late Summer/Early Fall 2022.  We are planning to direct traffic to part of the newly constructed road in February.

We are working to signalize cross walk intersections on Morrisville Carpenter. Stay tuned.

For more Morrisville Carpenter Project updates, please visit https://www.townofmorrisville.org/residents/projects/morrisville-carpenter-road-improvements-project# and visit https://www.facebook.com/TownOfMorrisville for any updates.

Yesterday, marked the start of Black History Month. 

Every February, the United States honors the contributions and sacrifices of African Americans who have helped shape the nation. I want to thank every Black American for their remarkable 

In honor of Black History Month, the Town will be showcasing both the past and present of the Black community in Morrisville and I also ask that you send me ideas of Black Leaders we should honor here in NC and in the nation.  You can also share these ideas with me on Facebook. 

In my next newsletter, I will be sharing insight into the Shiloh Community of Morrisville and other Black History Perspectives.  Finally, every week we will be having Black History Guests on POD TV and Radio Nyra.  

Check out this article on the story behind Black History Month, and why it’s celebrated in February: https://n.pr/3oialJD

#LiveConnectedLiveWell

Congrats to Shiloh Pastor David Jones for 12 years!

Thanks to my good friend David Jones for his leadership to the Shiloh Community and our Town! Happy 12th anniversary!

Join us for for the 5th Annual “Future of Black History” program! This virtual event will be held on Saturday, Feb 5 at 9am EST! Our Keynote Speaker this year will be my brother and good friend Mr. Greg Cunningham, Chief Diversity Officer at US Bank. Click the link below to register.

Looking forward to seeing you there!  

#BHM #TFOBH #TownOfCary #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #BuildingBridges

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.

February 1 - 6:30 p.m. Morrisville Public Education Advisory Committee (Virtual)

February 2 - 6:30 p.m. Environment & Stormwater Committee (Virtual)

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

Town Hall Drive will be temporarily shut down, from Jeremiah Street to Morrisville Carpenter Road, for a short period between 6 and 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 3. Town staff is evaluating the safest possible site to conduct future fireworks displays in Town. Residents in the vicinity of Town Hall Drive may hear loud noises for a few minutes during this time.

Based upon current data and trends in COVID-19 cases in our region, the Morrisville Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resource Department has current COVID-19 safety measures and protocols in place for the Morrisville Aquatic & Fitness Center, Cedar Fork Community Center, and Morrisville Senior Center. For those facility’s COVID-19 guidelines and for updates from the Town of Morrisville on COVID-19, visit TownOfMorrisville.org/COVID19.

Town leaders are continuously monitoring the situation in coordination with Wake County Public Health Division, the lead agency for guidance as it relates to the coronavirus and its variants. If you have specific questions related to your health and COVID-19, COVID-19 testing, COVID-19 vaccinations, or other assistance, please call (919) 250-1500, email at covid19.questions@wakegov.com, or visit their webpage at Wakegov.com/covid-19.

As concerns surrounding COVID-19 and the Omicron variant continue to grow in our area, we have made some important updates to our facility's current protocols and procedures to help stop the spread and keep you safe. The changes you need to be aware of and abide by are listed below:

The Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center is offering swim classes for children and adults (with some experience in the water) who are looking to refine their abilities.

Classes are offered throughout the month of February.

Class times, levels, and registration information is available here: https://bit.ly/3HC2ei9

#LiveConnectedLiveWell

The Racquetball Rumble event will be on Sunday, February 6, at 2:30 p.m. at the Morrisville Aquatic and Fitness Center. The sign-up (Racquetball Community event tab) for this event goes live at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 30. Participants of all levels will be able to compete in community matches, with the option to register for a month-long, ladder-style tournament! This event is free to members, but non-members must purchase a day pass or a membership to attend.

Registration will start soon for the Women on Weights, Teen Fit, and swim classes at Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center. To learn more about these programs, get registration information and sign up, click here.

Spring Little League Baseball registration is open! Ages 5-12 can register for league play with practices beginning tentatively in late February.

Additionally, we will take information for participants that are interested in participating in softball from ages 9-12. We are looking to begin softball league development this spring and hope to form teams in the coming months. Volunteers for T-ball, baseball, and softball can reach out to Bryan Rhea at brhea@townofmorrisville.org for more information.

The winter basketball league is currently pausing its league games until the week of Feb. 7 as a safety measure for its volunteers and participants. Practices will continue to take place as information is reviewed.

Nervous to jump into one of our group fitness classes? Build a strong foundation first by taking one of the “how-to” group fitness classes on Saturday mornings in January and February at the Morrisville Aquatics and Fitness Center. The 30-minute instructional sessions are followed by the full one-hour version of the class, allowing participants to sign up for both and apply their skills. Reserve your spot now via SignUp Genius (Fitness Class Sign-Up tab).

Thanks to everyone who attended our Virtual Sustainability Town Hall.

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.

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

Starting Dec. 4, the WWFM is shifting to winter market hours, 9:30 a.m. to noon. Visit http://wwfm.ag/ to see a complete list of local vendors and shop local!

Get Free Covid Tests at https://www.covidtests.gov/

This information is provided for COVID-19 testing sites in Wake County and please visit https://www.wakegov.com/covid-19-information/no-cost-covid-19-testing.

New sites continue to be added in Wake County through partnerships with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and other community testing providers.

All Mako Medical/NCDHHS sites will remain open through March 1. WakeMed Soccer Park hours are changing - they're now 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., starting Monday.

Radeas Labs has partnered with Baptist on Mission to offer drive-thru testing in Wake County AND Radeas has opened back up its Wake Forest drive thru-site. No appointments, no pre-registration, and no out-of-pocket costs. Insurance accepted, but not required.

All Mako Wake County Testing Sites Open Until March 1:

Hindu Society of NC: Drive thru testing in HSNC parking lot. Do not step out of your car . You will be provided with instructions for registration. No prior appointment is required. Testing is being performed by: Ottendorf Laboratories, LLC. Monday thru Friday - 8 to 5 pm Address: 309 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC 27560

Registration can be done with the QR code:

Note that you can get Pfizer and Moderna First, Second and Booster Shots at Morrisville Pharmacy and Compounding (3500 Davis Drive Market Place Shopping Center, Morrisville, NC 27560) (919) 463-7990.

Wake County Health and Human Services has distributed almost 130,000 N95 masks to the public at regional centers, vaccine clinics, testing locations and community organizations.

Wake County Public Health will distribute masks at the following locations Monday through Friday while supplies last:

Whoopi Goldberg suspended from View for 2 weeks for saying Holocaust is not about race.

After dropping a blanket of snow over parts of New York and New Jersey yesterday — as much as 18 inches on some parts of Long Island — the “bomb cyclone” marched northeast, bringing gusting winds, flooding and near-record snow accumulation in New England. Thousands of flights were canceled up and down the coast.

Nearly 70,000 households were without electricity in Massachusetts, especially on Cape Cod and the nearby islands, where heavy winds made restoring power difficult. As much as 30 inches of snow had fallen in some parts of Massachusetts, while Boston had about two feet. The storm drew comparisons to the nightmarish Blizzard of ’78, which buried the city under more than 27 inches of snow.

The most punishing sanctions that the U.S. is threatening to impose on Moscow if it invades Ukraine could upend Russia’s entire economy — but also those of other nations.

The economic measures could cause severe inflation, a stock market crash and financial panic in ways that would inevitably affect daily life in Russia. The response that U.S. officials have promised could roil major economies, particularly those in Europe, and even threaten the stability of the global financial system, analysts say.

Russia has massed more than 100,000 troops at Ukraine’s borders, Pentagon officials said yesterday, enough for a full invasion. Thousands of them have deployed along Ukraine’s lightly guarded border with Belarus, just 140 miles from Kyiv.

For years, Democrats complained about Republicans spending millions in dark money. Then they used the same tactic to win in 2020.

A Times analysis revealed how the left outdid the right at raising and spending millions from undisclosed donors to defeat Donald Trump.

Tax filings and other data shows that 15 of the most politically active nonprofit organizations that generally align with the Democratic Party spent more than $1.5 billion in 2020 — compared with roughly $900 million spent by a comparable sample of groups aligned with the G.O.P.

Gerrymandering is another tool that political parties can wield to their advantage. We made a game to help you understand it.

Covid vaccination rates have stalled in a group that is crucial to ending the pandemic: kids.

According to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation, only 18.8 percent of children in the 5-to-11 age group are now fully vaccinated and only 28.1 percent have received one dose. The disparity among states is stark. In Vermont, 52 percent of young children are fully vaccinated; in Mississippi, it is 6 percent.

With adult vaccination hitting a ceiling, unvaccinated elementary school children remain a large, turbulent source of spread. Vaccine advocates are trying new tactics to reach hesitant parents. One principal is calling families daily.

The pandemic has changed children. Some can’t shake the feeling of instability. Others are taking on adult responsibilities. And anxiety is all around. This is what it’s like to be a student right now.

China introduced a wide range of high-tech controls as part of its effort to stop Covid. The consequences may endure.

Over the past two years, the Chinese government has honed its powers to track and corral people, backed by upgraded technology, armies of neighborhood workers and broad public support. A health app has been key to China’s goal of stamping out the coronavirus entirely within its borders.

Now Chinese officials are turning their sharpened surveillance against corruption and dissent. This provides Xi Jinping, China’s leader, with a potent techno-authoritarian tool.

Containing Covid will be a top priority as athletes and journalists from around the world arrive in Beijing this week for the Winter Olympics. The opening ceremony is Friday. Here’s a guide to every sport at the Games.

Watch Sunday at 4pm for a new Forum.

It was great to be at Black Issues Forum on Friday.  Join us on Sunday at 4pm for our discussion on Biden first year, Voting Rights, other issues.  

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

Please join Tru Access and the Town of Cary, NC for the 5th Annual “Future of Black History” program! This virtual event will be held on Saturday, Feb 5 at 9am EST! Our Keynote Speaker this year will be my brother and good friend Mr. Greg Cunningham, Chief Diversity Officer at US Bank. Click the link below to register. Looking forward to seeing you there!

#BHM #TFOBH #TownOfCary #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #BuildingBridges

Brian Hamilton Farm, a 32-acre private farm in Apex, is opening up for visitors for one day only. On Saturday, February 5th, 2022, from 12 to 4 p.m., you can come out and enjoy the farm.

This is a free event.

Register on Eventbrite and you’ll be sent the exact address.

Feb 8th NC Vet Biz Virtual Annual Meeting from 10 am to noon.

Register at Register Here: https://nvba.wildapricot.org/event-4656748.

Feb. 8th- Feb. 10th: Emerging Issues Forum: Advancing Together; North Carolina’s Workforce Through Educational Attainment!  Register at https://iei.ncsu.edu/advancing-together/.

COVID-19 Q&A Session: Join the Town of Morrisville for a live COVID-19 Q&A with Dr. Nicholas Turner on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, from 2-3 p.m.

Dr. Nicholas Turner, a Duke University infectious disease specialist, will engage with Morrisville community members and answer all questions about the COVID-19 virus.

The live Q&A session will be streamed exclusively on Engage Morrisville. Submit your questions now. Register today and submit your questions at https://bit.ly/engagemorrisville

March 4th NC Tech Association Outlook for Tech.

Register at

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

Award Applications are open!

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.