Sonia Rao is a student at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She has previously written for the Virginian-Pilot and the Charlotte Observer.

My Dearest Friends of the Indian American Community, 

Given the recent gun violence tragedy , the testimony about the Capitol Insurrection, and the political turbulence and division in our nation, I believe it is so important that we get involved in these elections and support members of Congress, who can help a solid track record of level headed, pragmatic, and visionary leadership to their constituents. North Carolina Senator Wiley Nickel has served in that capacity as a State Senator representing all of Morrisville and much of Cary.  

He has also been very supportive of our Indian American Community, and even worked with our Tamil Community to get recognition for a Pongal Day.  If elected to the Congress, he will also be an advocate for a strong and vibrant US-India Relationship and for our Triangle Indian American community. 

I’m writing to ask that you support my friend, Senator Wiley Nickel, in his race for Congress. Wiley is running in the new 13th district, which is the only 50-50 seat in North Carolina. 

Wiley lives in Cary, NC with his wife Caroline and their two children. He is a former Obama/Biden White House staffer, traveling with President Obama within the United States and abroad. Wiley has served two terms in our State Senate, where as a member of the Redistricting Committee, he’s advocated for voting rights and fair elections. Wiley is focused on strengthening our public schools, creating high paying jobs, expanding healthcare, and protecting our environment. 

Wiley is someone who I am positive will put the values that we hold dear at the forefront of every vote he takes in Congress. Just as you have supported me in my campaign for the Morrisville Town Council, I humbly ask for your support for my dear friend Wiley Nickel. 

Please join me in supporting Wiley with a campaign contribution.

You can also go to his campaign at www.wileynickelforcongress.com Or you can mail a check to: Wiley Nickel for Congress, PO Box 563, Raleigh NC 27602.  

Anything you can do by midnight tonight is much appreciated. 

Thank you again and I look forward to working with you to get Wiley elected in November.

Join us this evening at 5:30 pm for a reception at Swagat and discussion with Vice Chair Heagarty as he kicks off his campaign!  He has been an effective advocate for schools in Morrisville, most recently the newly Public High School High School at Wake RTP and the Early STEM High School Wake Tech RTP!  And, let's not forget Parkside Elementary!  

Keep up the great work Chris!   

RSVP to sr@steverao.com 

I want to remind you that there is a primary runoff for Wake County sheriff and Cary Municipal Elections. Tuesday, July 26.  

Wake County Sheriff is a run off between Gerald Baker and Willie Rowe.   

District C Cary: Cary Council Run Off is between Jack Smith and Renee Miller.  

At Large Cary: Ken George vs. Carisa Johnson. 

 

For its convenience, I recommend voting by mail-in ballot. Voting Facts:

Find All Details for July 26th Primary Election at https://www.wakegov.com/departments-government/board-elections/election-information/upcoming-election-information. 

Great Interview with Jorge Lowery from American Immigration Council! 

Great Interview with Dreamer Shrishti Sharma! 

Tune in Sunday at 4 pm to Radio Nyra for our Interview with Dreamer Shrishti Sharma!  99.9FMHD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!

Thanks for listening to our Radio Nyra Interview with Secretary of State Elaine Marshall! We look forward to our interview with her on POD TV on ROKU tomorrow at 10 am, live on Facebook.

On the Porch with Randy Voller on WCHL 97.9 FM!

WPTF Steve O'Bryan show on the Dream Act and DACA!

Get with the Program with Gary Jones!

Join us on July 1st and 3rd for the Black Issues Forum

Mar. 25th Black Issues Forum Discussion!

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.

Morrisville’s Family Fun Festival will be held on July 3 from 4-9 p.m. on Town Hall Drive. The celebration will include live entertainment, family friendly games, food trucks, face painters, and displays from town local businesses, including arts and craft vendors. The evening will conclude with a festive fireworks display. The event is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring money for the food, games, and vendors. Learn more about the festival here. 

Yard waste is not picked up by GFL on months that have a fifth Wednesday. June 29 is the fifth week of the month, so no yard waste will be collected that day.

 

There are two additional fifth Wednesdays in 2022: Aug. 31 and Nov. 30. More information can be found on the Public Works website. 

Big Chief will play at the second Music in the Park concert of the season. Big Chief is known for playing music for all ages, and their set list ranges from authentic New Orleans music to older country and rock, classic music from the 1950s, and children's songs. 

 

Bring a chair or blanket for this free concert at the Healthy Food Hub, 280 Town Hall Drive, and enjoy a meal at local food truck Baton Rouge Cuisine, which will be on site for the evening. 

 

Check the Music in the Park page for additional dates.  

The Town is growing, and your opinion matters! Advisory Committees offer residents a chance to be involved in the Town’s decision-making processes by providing input on important matters to Town Council.

The deadline to apply is Monday, July 18, at 5 p.m. Apply now on the Town website. Contact Town Clerk Eric Smith with any questions at (919) 463-6168 or esmith@townofmorrisville.org.

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

As work continues on Morrisville Community Park and restroom building by the future tennis courts, additional space is needed by the contractor for materials. Beginning on Wednesday, June 22, until October (estimated), an additional section of the Kudrow Lane parking lot will be fenced off and unavailable to the public. 

The contractor will be working on establishing the retaining wall and stormwater pipes in the northwest corner of the project throughout June. This work required a temporary demolition of the greenway connector within the fenced-in area of the project. Once work is completed in this area, contractors will adjust the fencing and reopen the trail connector for use by the public.

Additionally, the crew will be working on finishing grading the pad for the tennis courts and pickleball courts and establishing the foundation for the restroom building. The paving of walking trails and the establishment of the boardwalk will occur over the coming months.

Click here to read more on MCP Phase III.

Morrisville Public Works has temporarily closed the Dinosaur Stairs portion of the Morrisville Community Park Playground due to wear and tear to ensure visitor safety. The stairs will remain closed until Public Works obtains a replacement equipment piece and gets it installed. The rest of the playground structure will remain open for use.

North State Resurfacing has been contracted to repair and resurface the tennis courts at Church Street Park, 5817 Cricket Pitch Way. The painted surface of the tennis courts has faded over time, and cracks and other imperfections have also formed. This project will make repairs to the asphalt and then repaint the surface. The work will require that the courts be closed for approximately two weeks.

Puttin Around Town is a program that places a temporary disc golf basket at a different park on a rotating basis to give people the opportunity to practice throwing discs so they can work on their mid-range game or putting. The schedule has been adjusted, and the basket will be at Church Street Park from May 31 to June 30. Plans are being finalized for a temporary course to return to Cedar Fork District Park in July.

The Town is continuing to explore effective uses of temporary baskets in open to encourage outdoor recreation.

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.

Baseball camps will be offered in partnership with Diamond and Aces. Run by professional coaches, this camp provides young players a unique opportunity to take their game to the next level. Players of all ability levels will be challenged with specific skill instruction and drill work. Drill progressions will be focused on developing good habits while improving overall game skills. Each camp will cover the skills of pitching, hitting, catching, fielding, baserunning, position work, and mental preparation. The camp will be held at Morrisville Community Park, 1520 Morrisville Parkway.

Developmental sports camps will also be offered in partnership with Skyhawks, the country's leader in providing a safe, fun, and skill-based sports experience for kids between the ages of 4 and 14.

Registration for fall leagues will also start on June 6. Fall leagues will include tee-ball, coach pitch, minor and major baseball, and junior volleyball.

Visit the Parks and Recreation website for additional information and updates.

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.

The Morrisville Aquatics and Fitness Center is hiring for part-time lifeguards. Applicants must be 16+, and scheduling hours include morning, mid-day, after school, evenings and weekends. Not certified? The MAFC will train you free of charge. Learn more and apply here.

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

The Morrisville Smart Shuttle node at the Morrisville Aquatics and Fitness Center is now open and available for rides.

With the new MAFC node, the service will connect residents with 15 locations in Morrisville. An additional node is located at the Regional Transit Center near RTP. A Morrisville Smart Shuttle rider can arrange their pick-up and drop-off from their computer or smartphone. Learn more and download the app here.

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. (summer hours) every Saturday.

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

Black Issues Forum | PBS North Carolina (formerly UNC-TV) (pbsnc.org)

Very Informative IOT Slam at SAS! 

Handels Ice Cream opens at Schools Village! Thanks to Arvind Mahajan for making his Dream Come true in Morrisville!

Caught up with Ashley Christensen at the Williams and Sonoma opening at the Fenton!

Guest at the Goddard School Summer Celebration! Thanks to Monica and Anoop Khorana and their team for running such a wonderful school!  

Thanks to the Morrisville Chamber and Farmers Market for Hosting a Blood Drive!

Enjoyed Eid Bazaar!  Inspired by the many refugees from Syria, Morocco, Algeria and other nations who are running thriving businesses in NC!

Enjoyed the Youth Arts Council Meeting at HSNC! 

Inspired At We Strive Summer Bash at Morrisville Community Park!

NATO leaders announced a more muscular stance on Russia and moved thousands of troops to the alliance’s eastern flank.

Moscow is sending thousands more soldiers to eastern Ukraine to bolster its grinding campaign to control the last sovereign territory in Luhansk Province.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged nearly 300 prisoners of war, the largest exchange to date.

Xi Jinping, China’s leader, is in Hong Kong to celebrate 25 years since the end of British rule. He hadn’t left the mainland since the pandemic started.

Israel’s government collapsed, which means the country will hold its fifth election since April 2019.

Twenty men were convicted in a 2015 Paris terrorist attack that killed 130 people.

Dozens of Democratic prosecutors in conservative states said they would not bring charges against abortion providers.

Banks collect customers’ payment data. Those records could become evidence in abortion prosecutions.

Liz Cheney called Donald Trump “a domestic threat that we have never faced before.”

The Jan. 6 committee subpoenaed Pat Cipollone, Trump’s former White House counsel.

Missouri enacted a law requiring voters to present a photo ID and prohibiting drop boxes for absentee ballots.

An Oregon politician’s quote in Monday’s edition of this newsletter — referring to Portland as the “city of roaches” — has stirred up the governor’s race.

A gunman killed a 20-year-old woman who was pushing her 3-month-old in a stroller in Manhattan. The child was unhurt.

R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sex trafficking and racketeering.

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

Tune in Sunday at 4 pm to Radio Nyra for our Interview with Dreamer Shrishti Sharma!

Join us July 7th to the exclusive VIP meet & greet with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at 6:15 PM and the public event "I Stand for Peace" at in Raleigh with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Global humanitarian, ambassador of peace and the founder of the Art of Living Foundation.  McKimmon Center, NCSU, 1101 Gorman St, Raleigh, NC 27606

Join us on July 14th Morrisville Chamber C-Suite Perspectives at 8 am at Wake Tech RTP Campus.  

Join us this Sunday at 4 pm for our Radio Nyra program with Democratic Sheriff Candidate Roy Taylor followed by a Sustainability interview with Shanthanu Agarwal, CEO Susteon.

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.

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.