DURHAM -- Residents who would like to run for elected office in 2010 can begin filing for office at noon Monday at the Durham County Board of Elections Office at 706 W. Corporation St.
"Our office has competent staff willing and able to help interested candidates file appropriate paperwork," said Mike Ashe, director of the Durham County Board of Elections.
This year, 31 seats for partisan and non partisan positions will be open to interested candidates. For a complete list of offices up for election in 2010 -- and filing fees -- visit the candidate filing section of the Durham County elections Web site, www.durhamcountync.gov/elec.
The filing periods ends at noon on Feb. 26.
For more information about filing, call (919) 560-0700 or visit www.durhamcountync.gov/elec online.
'Souper' Bowl seeks donations
DURHAM -- The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is challenging communities in its 34-county service area to show team spirit and community spirit by collecting or donating food at parties this year during Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday.
Whether you are a New Orleans Saints fan or Indianapolis Colts fan, everyone wins in the Food Bank's Souper Bowl.
Fight hunger in your community by collecting or bringing cans of food to a Super Bowl Party or by making an Online Virtual Food Drive donation.
Along with the spinach dip and chips, simply ask guests to bring a non-perishable food item. Saints and Colts fans can also visit www.foodbankcenc.org to compete online by participating in the online virtual food drive. Watch the thermometers rise as the two virtual teams battle to the top.
For every dollar donated, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is able to distribute generally $8 worth of food or provide four meals.
Most needed items include: canned meals (stews, soups, ravioli, etc.); peanut butter; cereal; canned fruits and vegetables; rice; paper products; hygiene items (toothpaste, feminine products, soap, etc.); infant products (diapers, wipes, formula, infant cereal -- but no loose glass or plastic jars); and elderly nutrition drinks (Ensure, Boost, etc.)
The Durham branch of the Food Bank serves Chatham, Durham, Granville, Orange, Person and Vance counties and is located at 708 Gilbert St. Call (919) 956-2513 during business hours -- 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays -- for more information.
Meeting set on bridge, trails
DURHAM -- The Durham Open Space & Trails Commission and the Durham City-County Planning Department are hosting a public meeting to seek resident input on how the new NC-147 pedestrian bridge and nearby walking trails can best serve the community when the bridge opens later this spring.
The meeting will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the T.A. Grady Neighborhood Center, 531 Lakeland St.
For additional information on the project, visit www.durhamnc.gov/departments/works/project_nc147_bike_ped_bridge.cfm or call Kelly Bryant at (919) 596-7100.
Sobering news for the Bull City
NEW YORK -- The newest issues of Men's Health and Women's Health magazines rank Durham as one of the nation's most "sober" cities, putting it 94th out of 100 among the nation's "Drunkest Cities."
No. 93? New York City.
To determine the drunkest cities, Men's Health created a statistical sobriety checkpoint, which was based on death rates from alcoholic liver disease, booze fueled car crashes, frequency of binge-drinking in the past month, number of DUI arrests, and severity of DUI penalties. Men's Health graded the cities depending on how each fared based on the parameters listed above.
Fresno, Calif., was No. 1 on the list -- America's "Drunkest" city, while Boston was the most sober at No. 100.
For the record, Raleigh was 63rd.
Free kids dental clinic set today
DURHAM -- The Durham County Health Department will host its annual free dental clinic -- "Give Kids a Smile Day 2010" -- in conjunction with the UNC Chapel Hill School of Dentistry's Department of Pediatric Dentistry from 8:30 a.m.-noon today.
The clinic will be held at the Health Department, 414 E. Main St.
Give Kids a Smile Day is a national event founded by the American Dental Association designed to raise awareness of the importance of access to dental care for children.
Children who have difficulty obtaining access to dental care will receive free dental education, preventive and restorative care.
During February, representatives from the Health Department will give oral health education presentations to children at day care centers throughout Durham.
For information, call (919) 560-7680.
Contact Mark Donovan at mdonovan@heraldsun.com or (919) 419-6655. E-mail items of interest to our readers to news@heraldsun.com.
