MY NEW YEAR MESSAGE

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/745763020315084

Friends,

I tried my best to cover the major highlights of the year.

It is impossible to cover every ribbon cutting and many of the Morrisville and regional events from 2023, so you can visit http://steverao.com/newsletters/ to get more details from the year!

Breaking News for the week is in the national and global updates section.

Enjoy a trip down memory lane! Happy New Year!

https://wraltechwire.com/tag/steve-rao/

Taylor Swift

Rosalyn and Jimmy Carter

https://www.cnn.com/world/heroes

The Carters were awarded the CNN Heroes Legacy Award for their dedicated service to Habitat for Humanity and for their exemplary service to the nation and world after they lived in the White House. We will miss our former first lady. May she Rest in Peace.

We lost some famous celebrities and figures this year, including Norman Lear, Justice Sandra Day O'Conner, Harry Belafonte, Raquel Welch, and Bob Barker to name a few. If you have lost a loved one last year or have anyone suffering from illness, we pray for you.

At home, we were so sad to lose three friends and pillars of strength and wisdom for our state, Conen Morgan, Wake County Commissioner James West, and Anthony Blackmun.

A few friends were given recognition for their service to the community.

Novak Djokovic becomes the GOAT with 24 Majors!

Go Canes! Great to watch a game with Don Wadell!

Garbage and recycling scheduled for Monday, January 1 will be on Tuesday January 2.

All garbage, recycling and yard waste collections will be pushed back one day for the rest of the week.

Friday collections will be done on Saturday.

More than 40,000 killed by guns in 2023 and tragedy hits Southease Raleigh High. Durham stops Shotspotter.

HERE COMES 2024

Komal, Sonia, Rayan and I hope each of you enjoyed a wonderful Christmas, Hannukah and Holidays with your families and wish you a Happy and prosperous 2024.

The ongoing wars in Israel and Ukraine, rising gas prices, inflation, gerrymandering in NC, continued senseless gun tragedies/violence at our schools and an increasingly divisive and turbulent political environment as we prepare for the 2024 elections, certainly made 2023, a very eventful and unforgettable year.

Medicaid expansion was a major milestone for North Carolina and Wake County continues to lead the efforts in growing jobs and economic development wins.



I continue to enjoy my work with the media, continuing my work with PBS Carolinas on both Statelines and Black Issues Forum,working as an Opinion Writer for WRAL Tech Wire, and also hosting radio shows and podcasts on Radio Nyra, and most recently serving as a commentator WPTF Radio on the Friday afternoon show at 3 pm!

Stay tuned for more details on more WPTF shows!

Abortion made illegal after 12 weeks by General Assembly.

Parents Bill of Rights Signed and Transgenders banned from sports.

Gerrymandering continues in North Carolina and Republicans will have 10 seats in Congress.

I am grateful for the opportunity to lead one of the most innovative and best places to live, work and play in the United States, the All America City of Morrisville!

It has been another exciting and productive year for the Town. Morrisville continues to be recognized over and over as a top place to live, not only in North Carolina, but in the entire United States.

Here is a list of some of the many awards and accolades the Town has received:

• 7 of the Most Welcoming Towns in North Carolina, WorldAtlas, 2023.
• No. 10 Best Small City to Start a Business, WalletHub, 2023.
• 93rd Percentile Nationwide for Small Towns, WalletHub, 2023.

A few highlights include:

Town of Cary Downtown Park! Amazing!

Morrisville Community Park! Pickelball on the move!

Work Continues on our Town Center, Downtown Morrisville. Stay tuned this year for progress!

A New, four lane Morrisville Carpenter Road!

Town of Morrisville Smart Shuttle continues to inspire!

A new Fire Station 2!

Police shine with CALEA Accreditation!

Our Firefighters help with Henderson County Fires!

A New Fire Chief! Chief Lozinsky!

Broke Ground on Parkside Middle, new home to Wake Early College of Information and Biotechnology! Go Mavericks!

Looking forward Morrisville High coming in 2027!

The Language Access Collaborative builds relationships between local governments and community partners, who must come together as a team to design a language access plan for their city, town, or county.

Morrisville is joined in our efforts by Hindi Vikas Mandal (HVM), a community organization who is a part of the Hindu Society of North Carolina (HSNC). Because Morrisville’s demographics include approximately 46 percent Asian Indian residents, and Hindi is the most spoken language other than English, the Town selected Hindi as the language to address in our language access plan. Our staff conducted very detailed analysis of our demographics to confirm that the Indian population represents the largest percentage of foreign born immigrant comunities in our Town.

The program has been very successful and now we can recieve grant money to continue to our efforts in this area.



Stay tuned for more details on this initiative, which truly celebrates how our Town takes every measure to be an inclusive Town!

The Town continues to be recognized as a national leader in Smart Cities and was named the Overall Winner of the IDC Future Enterprise Best in Future of Connectedness North America Awards for our "Connected Parks & Morrisville Central building a Smart Morrisville" project.

This annual award calls for the nomination of organizations that have transformed and digitalized processes to ensure employees, things, applications, and processes connect to enable the seamless flow of data and drive business outcomes.

In addition, in August, our team was presented a local government smart city innovation award by NC Secretary of Technology Jim Weaver.

Our mobile app and Smart City Dashboard continue to enhance the quality of services delivered to our residents and provides real time information to our staff and residents so they know when parks are flooded or too wet for recreational activity and also when facilities are being used. Efforts are underway for a smart transportation corridor and to incorporate generative AI into these smart applications.

In November, Brandon Zudeima and I were asked to participate in a panel, at the Triangle Plus Connected Communities Conference, focused on regional collaboration and the how our Town has come so far in such a short time.

Keep up the great work Smart Morrisville! Rick Ralph and his team are doing such great work in this area!

Forge Nano announces expansion in Morrisville! 200 jobs, $165 million of investment!

$1.3 billion Sparks Life Sciences Campus progresses forward!

Council signs a Memorandum of Understanding with SIngh Development for the Town Center project. Look for progress very soon!

AMBASSADOR TARANJIT SANDHU VISITS MORRISVILLE FOR SBA EVENT

I was honored to work with the Indian Embassy, HSNC and the Small Business Administration to host Indian Ambassador Taranjit Sandhu in Morrisville for the US-India Business Connection event at the HSNC Hall. Event was at capacity and we were honored to learn from the Ambassador and other speakers on the opportunities for more collaboration between North Carolina Companies and India.

The highlight of the event was presenting a key to the Town of Morrisville to the Ambassador, presented by Satish Garimella.

Thanks to the SBA for recognizing me for my efforts in

bring this historic event to Morrisville and the Triangle region!

SBA REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR ALLEN THOMAS VISIT

In March, I also hosted SBA Southeast Director Allen Thomas to meet with business leaders and entrepreneurs at the Hub Experiences Center in RTP. We had a wonderful event along with visits from NC Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and United States Congresswoman Deborah Ross. I look forward to brining back Allen in 2024 for another event.

SECRETARY OF COMMERCE MACHELLE SANDERS HOSTS INDIAN AMBASSADOR

Thanks to Secretary of Commerce Machelle Sanders, who hosted Indian Ambassador at the Executive Mansion for a conversation with Indian business leaders on how to develop stronger relationships with the Indian Market.

SECRETARY JIM WEAVER VISITS MORRISVILLE!

Thanks to NC Secretary of Technology Jim Weaver for visiting Morrisville at our Smart City Advisory Committee Meeting! He also met with Tech Companies after the meeting and I look forward to bringing him back.

State of Wake County Address by Chair Thomas:

https://www.wake.gov/2023-state-county-address

Kudos to the Wake County Commisioners who continue great work in 2023 under the Better Together Theme.

The Commissioners continue to make progress in transit, education, partnerships with non-profits and a permanent facility that gives folks struggling with homelessness a reliable place to sleep at night.

Wake County is continues investments in affordable housing. The county invested $20 million for the next fiscal year toward affordable housing initiatives, Thw county's "Lease 2 Own" helps get low income renters into homes. Leaders are participating in an Affordable Housing listen municipalities about specific needs in an effort to create a plan that can uplift the entire county.

Finally, construction for an expanded PNC Arena with better sitting, more food options, and improved building infrastructure for more family events and concerts will begin in summer 2024. The PNC Arena expansion will hopefully lead to more professional and major league teams coming to the PNC Arena.



Keep up the great work Chair Shinica Thomas and the Commissioners.

Check out the big economic development news at https://edpnc.com/news-events/

CNBC ranked North Carolina as the #1 state for business in 2023 for the second year in a row.

This ranking comes after all 50 states were analyzed on an 86 metric scale across 10 categories of competitiveness.

Kyle Touchstone, Raleigh Economic Development Director, said “Raleigh is driving economic prosperity, as well as the state, and we have a very intentional focus on moving our city forward for investment and jobs”.

The state has seen an influx of multiple economic wins with billions of dollars being invested in advanced manufacturing and life sciences, most recently the annoucements of Forge Nano in Morrisville and Invidior in Raleigh.

Recently released Traffic Impact Data Studies reveal that Apple looks will opening their new RTP site in 2027 and Wolfspeed and Vinfast continue their expansions in Durham and Chatham County, leveraging investments from the Chips and Science Act.

The study also contained a section on the state’s cost of living and quality of life. Michael Haley, Wake County Economic Development Executive Director, explained that “There are many factors people consider when moving here. Each person has their calculus of how they figure out where they want to be. It’s important that we check all of those boxes for people.” North Carolina’s above average scores for both categories boast opportunity for newcomers and residents alike.

I will be highlighting more of the specific economic investments in NC in my next newsletter.

Lufthansa confirms quicker service to India

At the end of October, Michael Landuth and I hosted a reception with Lufthansa exectutives with NCAIA and Indian business leaders to learn more about the growth of our community and the need for quicker service to India. They did confirm with us that the Lufthansa flight from RDU will connect to Frankfurt by 6 am in Germany and connectons to every major city leave by 10 am.

Our work for a direct flight has resulted in this progress and I will be working with the Indian Embassy to pursue connectons with Tata (Air India) and Emirates!

We are making progress!

RDU Airport Breaks Ground on Expanded Runway (5L/23R)

RDU Airport celebrated the expansion of the runway, which lead to more flight service and hopefully more international flights!

RDU wins Lufthansa Flight to Germany

Another game changing win for our international flight service when RDU Airport announced the direct flight to Frankfurt with the addition of Lufthansa Airlines. Congratulations to Michael Landguth and his team.

It has been a wild year in politics, and many of the big stories that happened in Washington, D.C., had a connection to North Carolina.

If I had to describe National and North Carolina politics in one word, the word would be turbulence.

I have done my best to sum up the five major political stories of the year.

Trump, Mark Meadows Legal Trouble

It wasn’t a big election year, but someone who will take center stage next year found himself in a lot of legal trouble this year.

Former President Donald Trump was in and out of the courtroom, making appearances in cases from Florida to Washington, D.C.

And former White House chief of staff and former North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows is one of his co-defendants.

Meadows was indicted this summer in Georgia on charges that he illegally conspired to keep Trump in power despite his election loss to President Joe Biden.

This month a federal appeals court struck down Meadows' attempt to move the case to federal court.

N.C. Lawmakers Depart



More than a third of North Carolina’s congressional members in the U.S. House are not running for reelection.

Democrats Kathy Manning, Jeff Jackson and Wiley Nickel say the new state congressional map, drawn by state Republican lawmakers, gerrymanders them out of a job because their current districts become Republican, making them harder to win.

Republicans Dan Bishop and Patrick McHenry are also stepping down.

Jackson and Bishop are running for N.C. attorney general in 2024, and Nickel said he is considering a run for U.S. Senate in 2026.

The flurry of exits has sparked a deluge of North Carolina Republicans seeking a seat in Congress. The primary is March 5.

Chaos in Congress



So far when it comes to how many bills it has passed, the current Congress is one of the least productive.

Instead, chaos was much more prevalent.

It took Kevin McCarthy 15 rounds of voting to become speaker of the House in January.

But it wasn't meant to be. This fall, eight Republicans voted to oust him as speaker, creating a three-week-long slug fest for a new speaker.

Mike Johnson eventually got the votes.

On top of that, lawmakers repeatedly went down to the wire, debating whether the U.S. would keep paying its employees and its bills.

One person who did find power was Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina. He helped McCarthy become speaker, negotiated with the White House in the high-stakes fight over the country’s debt ceiling and eventually became acting speaker of the House.

But that was apparently enough power for McHenry, who announced in December he won’t run for reelection.

Affirmative Action Goes Away

One of the biggest U.S. Supreme Court decisions this year was a North Carolina case.

In a 6-3 ruling this summer, justices found UNC-Chapel Hill and Harvard violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

They outlawed Affirmative Action, in which race was considered as a factor in college admissions.

UNC-Chapel Hill later announced it will offer free tuition to students whose families make less than $80,000 a year, a change aiming to expand diversity at the N.C. flagship university.

Mandy Cohen Takes Over CDC

This summer President Joe Biden selected Dr. Mandy Cohen to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cohen led the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She received praise in the role.

But she has a big job ahead at the CDC as she tries to restore faith in the agency that some Americans have lost trust in.

Looking Ahead to 2024:

March 5 Primary: Numerous Republicans are vying to fill the open seats in North Carolina’s congressional delegation. Depending on the state of the presidential

race in March, North Carolina could also play a significant role in the Republican primary.

Can Democrats flip North Carolina in November? Democrats are focusing significant efforts on trying to flip North Carolina blue in 2024. But history is not on their side. The last time the state voted for a Democrat for president was in 2008 for Barack Obama. Democrats are also hoping to retain a Democrat in the Executive Mansion as Roy Cooper prepares to leave office.

Trump, Meadows in Court: Trump and Meadows will likely be back in court in 2024. Both were indicted this summer in Georgia. Trump also faces a number of other indictments around the country.

N.C. Attorney General Race: Republican Rep. Dan Bishop and Democratic Rep. Jeff Jackson are both running for attorney general in North Carolina. Jackson still has to get through a contested primary, but if he’s able to win, it will pit two polar opposite members of Congress against each other.

Will Tillis run in 2026? Sen. Thom Tillis still has three years left in his second term, but as we saw in December, elections take shape very early. Outgoing Rep. Wiley Nickel announced he is considering running for the seat. While Tillis has sponsored legislation in the past that would put in place a two six-year term limit for U.S. senators, he has not announced whether he will seek re-election. He has a lot of time to announce, but this will be a story to watch.



Finally, one of the most watched Governor Races watched in the country could be the race between Attorney General Josh Stein and Lt. Governor Mark Robinson (if they win their primaries)

It has been a trying year on the world scene, as the forces of disarray grew stronger. Ongoing wars ground on, while new ones erupted.

Geopolitical competition increased, to the point where a meeting between rival heads of state became front-page news even though their talks yielded little tangible progress.

In all, good news has been in short supply.

So here are my top ten world events in 2023.

Many of these stories will continue into 2024 and beyond.

10. The global democratic recession continues.

Optimists are predicting a fourth wave of global democratic expansion. That prediction was a bust in 2023. Freedom House started the year by announcing that 2022 marked the seventeenth straight year in which global freedom and democracy declined. As if to prove the point, Africa’s coup epidemic continued. In July, Niger’s military ousted the country’s democratically-elected president. Neighboring states threatened to intervene if the coup wasn’t reversed, but the military juntas running Mali and Burkina Faso threatened war in response. In August, Gabon’s military took power and made vague promises to eventually hold elections. A new progressive party won the most seats in Thailand’s May election. However, a backroom deal produced a pro-military government that left the election’s biggest winner on the outside looking in. India’s government continued to use the law and intimidation to silence critics, and many other democracies restricted freedom of expression. The trend of candidates claiming they would lose their election only if the vote were rigged continued. Far-right parties fared well across Europe, reviving memories of how European democracies collapsed a century ago. Guatemala’s attorney general tried to keep the country’s president-elect from taking office, while Peru’s attorney general used corruption investigations to pressure lawmakers to help her allies. Donald Trump called his opponents “vermin,” said that if he regained the White House he would not be a dictator “except for Day One,” and suggested he would use the presidency to target his political enemies. All in all, not a good year for democracy.

9. The space race heats up.



One hundred and fifty years ago the advice was: “Go west.” Today the advice might be: “Go to the heavens.” Both countries and companies are making big bets on space. Seventy-seven countries have space agencies; sixteen countries can launch payloads into space. The moon has been of particular interest.

Russia’s moon effort ended in disappointment in August when its lander crashed into the moon’s surface. Days later, India became the fourth country to land an unmanned vehicle on the moon, and the first to do so near the moon’s south polar region. Two weeks later, India launched a mission to study the sun. China and the United States also have ambitious moon programs, with NASA aiming to return astronauts to the moon by 2025. These and other space-related efforts are fueling concerns that geopolitical rivalries will lead to the militarization of space. The surge in interest in space has also highlighted the lack of rules governing space operations. The United States has promoted the Artemis Accords to “govern the civil exploration and use of outer space.” China and many other space-faring countries have declined to sign on. Working out rules for space is complicated by the fact that private companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic play a large role in space operations. That raises questions about profit motives and national obligations. But the surge in space activity also raises questions about whether the seemingly mundane problem of space junk will complicate exploration of the heavens.

8. India passes China as the world’s most populous country.



For the last century, if not longer, China has had the world’s largest population. That ended in 2023. India now does. Its population is estimated to be 1.43 billion people. India will likely remain the most populous country for decades to come. China’s population is both shrinking and aging. Demographers project that the Chinese population will fall by 100 million people by mid-century, or more than the population of all but fifteen countries in the world today. Over the same time period, China’s median age will rise from thirty-nine years-old to fifty-one. India’s population, meanwhile, should reach nearly 1.7 billion by mid-century with a median age of thirty-nine. While demography isn’t destiny, it does constrain and enable every country’s opportunities. Countries with younger, growing populations tend to have more vibrant workforces that consume more, and as a result, enjoy higher economic growth rates. The Chinese government is facing increased pressure to invest in the country’s social safety net, an expensive proposition that could take resources away from other priorities. India’s more favorable demography has spurred talk of a “demographic dividend” created by young workers serving as an engine of growth. If so, the consequences for the balance of power in Asia could be significant. That is, of course, a big “if.” In policymaking as in poker, what matters is not just the cards you are dealt but how well you play them.

7. Azerbaijan seizes Nagorno-Karabakh.



The aftershocks of the collapse of the Soviet Union continue to be felt three decades later. The countries that emerged from the Soviet collapse had borders that often didn’t align with where national groups lived—sowing the seeds for conflict. The Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in Azerbaijan, for instance, was populated almost entirely by ethnic Armenians uninterested in being governed by Baku. In late 1991, Nagorno-Karabakh

declared independence, triggering a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. When the fighting ended in 1994 with a Russian-brokered ceasefire, Nagoro-Karabakh had gained de facto independence along with a chunk of Azerbaijani territory. Despite intermittent cross-border attacks, the ceasefire held until large-scale fighting erupted in September 2020. After six weeks, Russia negotiated another ceasefire. This one left Azerbaijan in control of much of Nagorno-Karabakh. Tensions remained high. In September 2023, Azerbaijan attacked again. Within days, it overran the territory it did not already control and announced it would begin the enclave’s “reintegration.” Within one week, more than one hundred thousand Armenians, or roughly 85 percent of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh, fled to Armenia. The exodus sparked protests in Armenia over its government’s failure to protect fellow Armenians and raised questions about why Russia failed to prevent the enclave’s demise. The safety of the remaining Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh could be a continuing flashpoint between Armenia and Azerbaijan. So too could the Zangezur Corridor, a small slice of Armenian territory that connects Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani enclave bordered by Armenia, Iran, and Turkey.

6. Civil war wracks Sudan.

Two thousand twenty-three was supposed to be the year that Sudan became a democracy. The Sudanese people instead got a civil war. The conflict had its roots in the protests that led Sudan’s military in April 2019 to overthrow the country’s

longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir. The new military junta struck an agreement with civilian groups to share power and work toward elections. However, in October 2021, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, the head of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, led another coup. In December 2022, the two men yielded to popular pressure and agreed to lead a two-year transition to civilian rule. That agreement made Burhan and Hemedti co-equals and called for the RSF to be integrated into the SAF. Neither that agreement nor the marriage-of-convenience between the two men lasted. On April 15, 2023, RSF forces attacked SAF bases across the country. Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire went nowhere. By the fall, the RSF controlled most of Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, while the SAF controlled Port Sudan, the country’s main seaport. Fighting was particularly heavy in Darfur, where the Janjaweed, the RSF’s predecessor, conducted an ethnic-cleansing campaign against the region’s largely non-Arab population back in the early 2000’s. As the year came a close, the fighting had killed more than 10,000 people and displaced 5.6 million more—or close to 15 percent of Sudan’s population.

5. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers promise and peril.

AI burst into the public consciousness last year with the release of ChatGPT. In 2023, the technology based on so-called large-language models not only got better—the latest version of ChatGPT is reportedly ten times more advanced than its predecessor—governments, companies, and individuals moved

quickly to exploit its potential. That triggered heated debates over whether AI is unleashing a new era of human creativity and prosperity, or opening a Pandora’s box that will produce a nightmarish future. Optimists pointed to how AI was unleashing scientific breakthroughs at an unprecedented pace across a range of fields, enabling rapid drug design, unlocking medical mysteries, and solving seemingly unsolvable mathematical problems. Pessimists warned that the technology is developing faster than the ability of humans to assess and mitigate the harm it might cause, whether that is creating mass unemployment, hardening existing societal inequalities, or triggering humanity’s extinction. Geoffrey Hinton, one of the pioneers of AI, quit his job at Google to warn of AI’s dangers, and technology leaders like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak signed an open letter warning that AI poses a "profound risk to society and humanity." Meanwhile, skeptics argued that much of AI’s promise will be derailed because the models will soon begin training on their own outputs, leading them to become divorced from actual human behavior. Governments seem not to be moving fast enough, whether individually or collectively, to harness the benefits of AI and contain its risks.

4. U.S.-China tensions continue to simmer.

As 2023 began, U.S.-China tensions seemed to be easing. The prior November, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping had a productive meeting on the margins of the G-20 summit in Bali. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was set to visit Beijing in February to discuss putting “guardrails” on the two countries’ increasingly

tense geopolitical rivalry. But then a Chinese surveillance balloon appeared over the United States. It drifted across the country for a week before a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor shot it down off the coast of South Carolina. Beijing insisted that the balloon had been blown off course while monitoring the weather, an explanation the United States rejected. The incident inflamed political passions in the United States and prompted Blinken to postpone his visit to Beijing. Most troubling, Chinese officials refused to take a call from U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin after the balloon was shot down, highlighting the lack of an established communication channel between the two superpowers. Blinken finally travelled to Beijing in June for what State Department officials called “constructive” talks. Those conversations did not stop Washington from imposing additional restrictions on trade with China or persuade Beijing to ease its harassment of Taiwan, the Philippines, or U.S. military forces in Asia. Biden and Xi met in November on the sidelines of the 2023 APEC Leaders’ Forum in San Francisco. The talks produced a few minor agreements but no major breakthroughs. Agreement on a modus vivendi continues to elude the world’s two most powerful countries.

3. Ukraine’s counteroffensive gains little ground at a heavy cost.

Hopes were high early in 2023 that a Ukrainian counteroffensive might break Russia’s hold on eastern Ukraine and possibly Crimea. The much-awaited counteroffensive began in early June. Despite inflicting massive losses on Russian

troops, the battlelines barely moved. The Russian military had used the winter and spring to prepare formidable defenses. In early November, Ukraine’s top general described the fighting as a “stalemate” and admitted that “there will most likely be no deep and beautiful breakthrough.” Indeed, as the general spoke, Russia had gained more territory over the course of the year than Ukraine had. Diplomatic conversations quickly turned to whether Ukraine could sustain, let alone win, a war of attrition that seemed to favor Russia given its substantially larger economy and population. Despite suffering horrific losses, Russia had double the number of troops in Ukraine in fall 2023 compared to the start of the invasion and the Russian economy was on a war footing. Meanwhile, “Ukraine fatigue” had begun to emerge in the West, especially in the United States as Republican lawmakers balked at sending Kyiv more aid. With long-term trends potentially favoring Russia, calls grew for Ukraine to pivot from offense to defense and to seek a ceasefire. Whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would agree to halt the fighting is debatable. He likely believes that time is on his side, especially if the U.S. election next November delivers a president looking to cut ties with Ukraine.

2. Hamas attacks Israel.



The Middle East looked promising in late September 2023. The Abraham Accords were deepening ties between Israel and Arab countries. Speculation abounded that Saudi Arabia might soon establish diplomatic relations with Israel. A ceasefire in Yemen’s bitter civil war was holding. These trends prompted National

Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to declare: “The Middle East region is quieter today than it has been in two decades now.” That changed just eight days later, on October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel. Roughly 1,200 Israelis were killed, the deadliest day in Israel’s history. Some 240 people were taken hostage. Vowing to eradicate Hamas, Israel launched airstrikes against Gaza and then invaded northern Gaza. A negotiated pause in the fighting at the end of November secured the release of roughly one hundred hostages. But fighting soon resumed with Israeli troops moving into southern Gaza. The soaring death toll for Palestinian civilians, most of them women and children, fueled worldwide complaints that Israel was committing war crimes. Israel denied the charge, arguing that Hamas was using Palestinian civilians as human shields. Joe Biden unequivocally backed Israel’s right to retaliate and traveled to Israel early in the conflict to show his support. By early December, however, U.S. officials were publicly urging Israel to do more to protect civilians or risk “strategic defeat.” Initial fears that the conflict with Gaza might lead to a broader Middle East war eased by year’s end but did not disappear. How the conflict will end and what will follow it remain open questions.

1. Global temperatures shatter records.



Climate change is no longer a future threat. It is the world’s new reality. Two thousand twenty-three is likely the hottest year on record. Global temperatures have not been this high in 125,000 years, and they are poised to blow past the 2 degree Celsius limit enshrined in the 2015 Paris Agreement. The result

has been extreme weather events around the globe, ranging from historic wildfires to extreme drought to record flooding. The once-obscure phrase “wet bulb temperature” entered the lexicon as people worldwide learned firsthand that high temperatures combined with high humidity can kill. Optimists pointed to developments that could turn things around. Total investments in clean energy have soared. The cost of wind and solar power continues to fall and many emitters will reach peak emissions in the next few decades. Hydrogen is being touted as source of clean energy. The first commercial ventures aimed at sucking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere are becoming operational, while scientists experiment with “enhanced rock weathering” that uses minerals like basalt to passively absorb carbon dioxide. However, serious doubts remain about how fast and how widely such technologies can be scaled up, especially as fossil fuel production and emissions continue to rise. Diplomats gathered in solemn forums like the twenty-eighth Conference of Parties (COP-28) to discuss plans and agreements. But these meetings seemed to attest to the saying that “when all is said and done, more is said than done.” Humanity may have missed its chance to avoid catastrophic climate change.

Chamber Shop Local Message:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbFCLIc6qXw

During the Holidays, do what you can to shop local and support our small businesses. Over the past week, I visited a few shops and stores and encourage you to visit these local shops in Morrisville or in whatever Town you live in.

There are over 950,000 small businesses in North Carolina and they employ over 1.7 million people.

Lets shop local and grow our economies!

Mo's Barbershop: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1529664761178696

Bharat Bazaar: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/3606193546327763

Swagat: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/925301029159903

Game On Escape at Box Yard RTP: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/925301029159903

Full Steam Brewery at Box Yard RTP:

Buzzy Bakery at Box Tard RTP: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1047960956491671

Have you downloaded the Morrisville Central mobile app?

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.

Download via Apple Store: https://apple.co/3pKCNrg

Download via Google Play: https://bit.ly/3IfPctA

• The MAFC will be closed on Sunday, Dec.31.

• All facilities will be closed on Monday, Jan.1 Police, fire, and rescue services will remain available. For life-threatening or in-progress emergencies, call 911.

Great Time at Town of Cary Kwanzaa Celebration!

On Friday, I enjoyed attending the Kwanzaa Celebrations at Cary Arts Center. The event was focused on the fourth Kwanzaa Principle, Ujami (Cooperative Economics). I visited a number of African Owned businesses that were featuring their products and services. It is important to continue to support minority owned businesses throughout the year and to grow strong, vibrant local economies.

More on Kwanzaa in my MLK edition.

Happy Kwanzaa!

EVERY SATURDAY IS SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY!

West Orange Farms: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/328192233499983

Yeet Street Golf: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/998321048133682

Honest: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/292060363818632

https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/328192233499983https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/306550652292803

Raj Jewels: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/725150619517403

Civic Data AI: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/365346692635247

Raleigh Founded: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/369167672162762

Postal Express in Cary!

Mi Cancun visit: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/308409228553704

Swagat Visit: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1698121553985443

Empanadas and More Visit: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/844106173980842

Woodys Tavern: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/largest-hindu-temple-asia-opens-new-jersey-built-12500-volunteers-rcna119085

Honest: https://www.facebook.com/724976359/videos/pcb.10159259007951360/661624552701148

Pizza Twist: https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/1492344328270897

WRAL news on Pfizer shutdown.

https://wraltechwire.com/2023/10/27/pfizer-shutting-down-facilities-in-durham-morrisville/

WRAL TECH WIRE BLOG TOE TO TOE WITH JOHN CHAMBERS https://wraltechwire.com/2023/10/27/john-chambers-ai-innovation-going-one-on-one-with-a-tech-legend/

Sept 29th PBS Black Issues Forum:

https://video.pbsnc.org/show/black-issues-forum/

WRAL Tech Wire Blog: Canada is Eating America's Lunch When it Comes to High Tech Immigration:

https://wraltechwire.com/2023/09/14/canada-is-eating-americas-lunch-when-it-comes-to-high-tech-worker-immigration/

WRAL Tech Wire Blog: What is the ROI for Refugees Coming to NC, that is a Billion Dollar Question.

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

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

Shop Small, Shop Local This Holiday Season

As you finish picking out the perfect gifts for your loved ones, the Town would like to remind you to shop small and shop local!

Check out some of Morrisville's fantastic small businesses in the Town's Shop Local Holiday video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbFCLIc6qXw&t=1s

You can also view a complete list of Morrisville's small businesses on the Town's small business directory webpage at https://www.morrisvillenc.gov/businesses/shop-local-morrisville/business-directory

Holiday GFL Collection Schedule

GFL Environmental observes holidays on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, at which time collections will be backed up one day. All other holidays are serviced on your normal collection day.

For a full schedule, please click here.

Yoga Roots Registration

Yoga Roots, a yoga and fitness program for children ages 10 to 14, is currently open to Morrisville residents for registration, and opens Dec. 16 for non-residents. The group will meet at the MAFC on Thursdays from 4:30-5:20 p.m. beginning Jan. 4 and ending Feb. 8. This class will teach kids the deeper benefits of yoga practice and how to use yoga sequencing to strengthen the body and mind.



The cost is $37 for residents and $48 for non-residents. Click here to register.

MAFC Elevator Closure Starts Jan.2

The elevator at the Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center will be closed for repairs beginning Jan. 2. The repairs are expected to take up to six weeks. A recumbent bike and stepper will be moved downstairs to the racquetball hallway for first level access in the meantime.

Town Tree Pruning and Removal Jan. 4

The Town of Morrisville has contracted Blackhawk Tree Service to prune trees at various Town parks and properties on Thursday, Jan. 4. Select diseased, dead, or dying trees will also be removed with this project.

The work is planned to start at 8:30 a.m. and could affect access and traffic around the areas of the MAFC, Indian Creek, Church Street, the Historic Christian Church, and Morrisville Community Park. Some areas could be closed for up to two hours during this time.

Family Tree Yoga Registration

Parents and guardians are invited to bring children ages 5 through 9 to the MAFC for Family Tree Yoga. Registration opens for residents on Dec. 16 and non-residents on Dec. 18. The class will meet on Saturdays from 2:00-2:50 p.m. starting Jan. 6 and ending Feb. 10. This is the perfect yoga class for busy families to connect with each other.

The cost is $37 for residents and $48 for non-residents.

Tree Recycling

Recycle your Christmas tree to mulch trails at Wake County parks. Drop off your undecorated holiday trees at designated locations through Jan. 28. (All facilities will be closed for New Year’s Day on Jan. 1.)



Locally - drop your tree off at Lake Crabtree, 1400 Aviation Parkway in Morrisville, 8 a.m. - sunset, seven days a week. Check out additional locations and hours here.

Morrisville Senior Center Blood Drive Jan. 5

Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. The American Red Cross

hosting a blood drive and your donation is needed now to help save lives. By donating, we can help ensure blood is ready when needed!



For an appointment, please visit redcrossblood.org and enter key word MORRISVILLE. You can also call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767).

DJ Spin and Swim Registration Opens Jan. 5

The MAFC will be hosting a DJ Spin & Swim event on Saturday, Jan. 20, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The pool party for teens (ages 12-17) will have food, music and other fun surprises. The cost is $10 (residents) and $13 (non-residents).

Stirrup Iron Creek Greenway Feasibility Study Public Engagement

The Town of Morrisville was recently awarded a grant through the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Integrated Mobility Division (IMD) to evaluate the preferred alignment and feasibility of the Stirrup Iron Creek Greenway.



Learn more about the study and take the survey here.

Metropolitan Transportation Looking for Feedback on 'Destination 2055'

The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHCMPO) are beginning their process to develop the region’s next long-range metropolitan transportation plan, “Destination 2055.” A survey is currently open to gather public feedback on the goals and objectives that will guide the creation of the plan. The survey will be open until January 10.



For more information on the plan please visit the "Destination 2055" website.

Learn to Swim and Stroke School Open For Registration

The MAFC offers swim lessons for preschool, youth and adult age groups with classes ranging from beginner to advanced levels. Stroke School is available to those who are ages 13+, looking to refine their swim strokes with a focus on fitness swimming.

2024 Year of Wellness at The MAFC

Make 2024 your year of wellness by becoming a regular at the Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center (MAFC). Those who purchase a one-year paid-in-full (PIF) membership between January 1-31 will receive 10 percent off with the code “newyear24.” The membership can be purchased in-person at the MAFC, 1301 Morrisville Parkway.



This discount does not apply to any of the other memberships that the MAFC offers.

Join the Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center Team

The MAFC is looking for a Senior Aquatics Specialist! This is a full-time position with a focus in coordinating swim lesson programming.

For more information and to apply, please click here.

Gary Jones presented with an Honorary Degree by Emmanuel University!

Enjoyed time on Black Issues Forum! https://video.pbsnc.org/video/origins-of-the-israel-hamas-conflict-j1sd7w/

Great time with Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert at Wake Mayors Holiday Party!



Wonderful time with Garner Mayor Buddy Gupton and Garner Council at Wake Mayors Holiday Party!

Enjoyed time with Tom Murry at College Park Baptist Church Service.

COUNCIL OF STATE FILINGS END! LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Scores of candidates filed for nearly a dozen high-profile elected positions in North Carolina where the incumbents aren't running in 2024 because of redistricting, retirements or term limits.

The two-week candidate filing period for next year's elections ended at noon Friday at the State Board of Elections and at all 100 county boards. Primaries will be held March 5 to whittle down the field where multiple candidates are running for their

party's nominations.

Six of the 10 statewide elected officials making up the Council of State — with Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper heading the list — and five of the 14 members of the U.S. House delegation aren't running again or are seeking new positions.

The state constitution prevents Cooper from running for a third consecutive term. Nearly a dozen people across four parties filed candidacy papers to succeed him, according to a state elections board list. They include Democrats Attorney General Josh Stein and former Supreme Court Justice Mike Morgan and Republicans Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, State Treasurer Dale Folwell and attorney Bill Graham.

Missing from the elections board list was former state GOP Sen. Andy Wells, who had announced his candidacy for governor months ago. He didn't immediately respond to a text message seeking comment.

State Auditor Beth Wood and Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson also aren't seeking reelection. Wood prepared to resign on Friday from the auditor's position that she has held in 2009. Cooper's choice to finish out her term, Jessica Holmes, is an auditor candidate next year.

For lieutenant governor, 15 people signed up to succeed Robinson, including four current or former state legislators. Filing for the post minutes before the noon deadline was Mark H. Robinson, a Sampson County Democrat who has been running for several months.

Mark H. Robinson, a former Navy officer, said Friday that his campaign isn't designed to cause voter confusion with the other Mark Robinson, saying he has believed for decades that he would run for statewide office.

While the two names won't appear on the same primary ballot, they could if both advance to the general election, albeit for different positions.

"I'm not trying to confuse anyone," Mark H. Robinson, 62, told reporters. "I think this is what my calling is, and that is to help as many people in the state of North Carolina before I die."

A leading candidate must get more than 30% of the primary vote to win the nomination outright. Otherwise runoffs are possible later in the spring.

Three of the five members of Congress who aren't running are Democratic Reps. Jeff Jackson, Kathy Manning and Wiley Nickel. Each of them said it was futile to seek reelection given that the redrawing of the congressional map by the Republican-controlled General Assembly this fall makes their districts lean strongly Republican. Jackson is now running for attorney general.

Fourteen Republicans alone are seeking the GOP nomination in Nickel's now-reconfigured 13th District, which includes part of Raleigh but stretches north to rural counties on the Virginia border and points south.

The Republicans not running a Bishop, who is also running for state attorney general, and Rep. Patrick McHenry.

Six Republicans are running for the 6th District seat currently held by Manning. The GOP field includes former Rep. Mark Walker, 2022 congressional candidate Bo Hines and Addison McDowell, a recent entry who received former President Donald Trump's endorsement.

Six GOP candidates also are seeking the nomination in the south-central 8th District that Bishop is leaving and five are running for the nomination in McHenry's reconfigured 10th District, which now ranges from Winston-Salem to counties north and west of Charlotte.

State House Speaker Tim Moore is one of three Republicans seeking the GOP nomination in the 14th District that will stretch from Charlotte west to foothills counties. Jackson is the current 14th District representative.

Republicans appeared all but assured to win the 6th District and 3rd District seats because Democrats failed to field candidates in either race. GOP Rep. Greg Murphy, the 3rd District incumbent, currently only faces a Libertarian challenger.

One state Supreme Court and three Court of Appeals seats, and all 170 General Assembly seats also will be on ballots. Republicans currently hold narrow veto-proof majorities in both the House and Senate.

Several legislators had already announced that they wouldn't seek reelection. Late additions to that list on Friday were Senate Majority Whip Jim Perry of Lenoir County and first-term Democratic Sen. Mary Wills Bode of Granville County.

JESSICA HOLMES SWORN IN AS NORTH CAROLINA STATE AUDITOR

Former Wake County Commission Chair Jessica Holmes was sworn in on Saturday as State Auditor. I was honored to attend the Swearing in along with Mayor Cawley, Mayor Pro Tem Garimella, Council Members Liz Johnson, Vicki Scroggins Johnson and many other elected officials across the state.

Holmes was Gov. Roy Cooper’s pick to replace State Auditor Beth Wood, who resigned Friday after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges of using a state-owned vehicle for personal errands.

Holmes said her priorities would be "being honest and leading with integrity. ... The key is to restore the public trust."

Holmes is the first Black woman to serve on the North Carolina Council of State, a collection of 10 statewide officials. She will also be the Democratic Party’s nominee to keep the job for a full four-year term.

"I will be on the November ballot," she said. "I am absolutely committed to doing my best job over the next year, and to continue that beyond."

I am very proud of Jessica and know that she will bring integrity, and a very strong work ethic to this position.

Read More at https://www.wral.com/story/authentic-and-transparent-new-state-auditor-sworn-in-after-beth-wood-s-guilty-plea-resignation/21197772/

WAKE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES PARENTS BILL OF RIGHTS CHANGES

The board approved changes to the policy that now aligns with the Parents' Bill of Rights.

The new law that was passed late summer requires schools to notify parents if their child wants to change how their name is addressed or use pronouns.

The district had until Jan. 1 to align with the new state law.

The law also bans teaching sexuality and gender identity for kindergarten through fourth grade.

Wake school leaders have maintained that those topics were not currently taught at that grade level under the current curriculum.

The provisions of Wake's policy include guides for academic achievements for children. Parents will have access to review instructional material, including textbooks and library books.

School staffers will promptly notify parents whether they suspect any criminal offense has been committed against their children.



In the past few months, the board also approved additional policies that kept the district in line with the Parents' Bill of Rights.

Read More at https://abc11.com/wake-county-school-board-meeting-parents-bill-of-rights-budget/14203700/#:~:text=The%20board%20approved%20changes%20to,with%20the%20new%20

Jan 4th Cary Chamber Economic Forecast 7:30 am Prestonwood Country Club.

Register at https://web.carychamber.com/events/2023-Economic-Forecast-Breakfast-4180/detailsster

Jan 4th Raleigh Chamber Economic Forecast 2 pm to 6 pm at Duke Performing Arts Center.

Register at https://web.raleighchamber.org/events/Launch2023-2458/detailster

Jan 5th NC Bankers Economic Forecast 10:30 am to 1:30 pm at Sheraton Imperial.

Register at https://ncchamber.com/event/economic-forecast-forum/