WASHINGTON -- Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu be in Durham at noon Thursday to discuss manufacturing jobs and the Obama administration's clean energy economy.
Biden will tour and make remarks at Cree, Inc. Cree, 4600 Silicon Drive, recently received a $39 million Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit through the federal economic stimulus package to allow Cree to purchase new equipment and hire new workers to increase production.
The event is not open to the public.
Superintendent search ongoing
DURHAM -- The Durham school board held its second closed session in two weeks at the Millennium Hotel on Tuesday to discuss personnel matters.
The board has been interviewing candidates for its vacant superintendent's job.
"We are almost at the end," Minnie Forte-Brown, the school board chairwoman said. She indicating the board is on track to hire a schools chief by mid-April.
Freeway closes at 11 tonight
DURHAM -- Contractor S.T. Wooten Corp. will close N.C. 147 -- the Durham Freeway -- overnight tonight to load a new bridge on two semi-tractor trailers, roll the bridge down to its new location, and set the bridge in place by crane.
Traffic will be rerouted using Briggs and Alston avenues as detours from 11 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. Thursday as crews complete the installation of the new pedestrian bridge span.
This is the first of three planned closings.
Multicultural Day is Thursday
DURHAM -- Pearsontown Elementary School will hold its annual Multicultural Day on Thursday. Teachers are planning activities and instruction related to multiculturalism that day, with most grade levels having students rotate within the classes of their grades, to be able to "visit" many different cultures during the day.
A Multicultural Fair will begin at 6 p.m. at the school's PTA meeting.
Performances will include the Pearsontown Chorus and students who will be singing the "Hello Song" and other songs from around the world, followed by Chuck Davis and the African-American Dance Ensemble. Families will be able to sample cuisine from around the world in the cafeteria and visit the many cultural displays in each hallway from around the world.
Lewis wins straw vote
DURHAM -- U.S. Senate hopeful Ken Lewis won 58 percent of a Democratic primary preference straw vote at a Durham for Obama gathering in Durham Monday night.
Lewis, an attorney and Chapel Hill resident, topped N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall's 32 percent and attorney and former state senator Cal Cunningham's 8 percent.
Lewis said Tuesday, "Our showing last night reflects the response we are receiving across the state -- North Carolinians are joining our movement to change the U.S. Senate by changing the kind of Senators we send to Washington."
Social Services board to meet
DURHAM -- The Durham County Board of Social Services will hold its monthly meeting at 9 a.m. today at the Social Services building at 220 E. Main St., conference room 609 left.
For more information, call Montrella Springfield at (919) 560-8039 or e-mail mspringfield@dss.co.durham.nc.us.
Commissioners seek fiscal input
DURHAM -- The Board of County Commissioners will meet with the local residents at 7 p.m. Tuesday and again March 30 to discuss the fiscal 2010-11 county budget.
The meetings -- Conversations with Commissioners -- will be held Tuesday at the Holton Career and Resource Center, 401 N. Driver Ave., and March 30 at Jordan High School.
The events will include a brief introduction from the county and a primary focus on questions from residents.
For more information, call Michelle Parker-Evans (919) 560-0025 or e-mail mparker-evans@durhamcountync.gov.
Tickets on sale for benefit event
DURHAM -- Tickets are still available at $90 each for the "Alice in Wonderland"-inspired "Down the Rabbit Hole" exhibit preview and Durham Arts Council benefit dinner at Golden Belt, room 100, 807 East Main St., at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Artist Tama Hochbaum will preview her exhibition "Down the Rabbit Hole," along with a delicious dinner prepared by the highly-acclaimed chef Shane Ingram of Four Square Restaurant, and sommelier Todd Wielar of Chapel Hill Wine Co.
Visit www.goldenbeltarts.com to buy tickets.
Benefit bracket challenge slated
DURHAM -- DurhamCares has kicked off its second annual NCAA Bracket Challenge.
In this new twist on an old favorite, participants compete for charity and bragging rights.
The top winners of the free competition will donate their prizes to one of DurhamCares' 14 local partners. DurhamCares will put in $1,000 initially and $50 for every unique entry up to $5,000 total.
The 2010 NCAA Bracket Challenge is free and open to everyone. To get started, visit http://durhamcares.brownworthlegacy.org/ to sign up. For more information, e-mail ncaa@durhamcares.org, and follow the contest action on Twitter using #dcaresncaa.
DurhamCares offers volunteer matching and counseling and gives 100 percent of donations to locally based charities through direct giving or its Success Grant program. For more information, visit www.durhamcares.org or follow the nonprofit on Twitter @DurhamCares or at Facebook at www.facebook.com/durhamcares.
Cutcliffe guest at Sports Club
DURHAM -- Duke University football coach David Cutcliffe will be today's guest speaker at the Durham Sports Club meeting at Croasdaile Country Club.
The club meets at noon at Croasdaile Country Club, 3800 Farm Gate Ave., and cost is $20 per non-member and includes lunch. The public is invited.
For more information, visit www.DurhamSportsClub.com.
AARP chapter to meet today
DURHAM -- The Durham Chapter of AARP #189 will meet at 2 p.m. today at the Center for Senior Life, 406 Rigsbee Ave.
Anyone 50 or above is invited to attend.
Dreda Guion, ambassador for the Durham Senior Games will give an overview of the upcoming games.
For more information, call Helen Featherson at (919) 598-1551.
Irish Jamboree slated Saturday
DURHAM -- The Durham Regent, a retirement community located at 3007 Pickett Road, will host a Senior Health Fair and an Irish Jamboree from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday.
It is free and open to the public.
The event will feature the Bagpipe Club from the Durham School of Arts, Irish Dancers from the Inis Cairde School of Dance and Irish entertainer Mitchell Ferguson.
Contact Mark Donovan at mdonovan@heraldsun.com or (919) 419-6655. E-mail items of interest to our readers to news@heraldsun.com.
