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Community Corner

🌱 Calling For Justice For Emmett Till + RFD Exceeds Overtime Budget

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Raleigh.

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Christina Fullford, Neighbor
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(Patch Media)

Happy National Bikini Day Raleigh!

I apologize for my absence over the holiday weekend. I had unexpected business come up that needed my full attention. Rest assured I've filled up this edition with anything notable you may have missed.

First, today's weather:

A t-storm around in the p.m.. High: 93 Low: 76.

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Here are the top five stories in Raleigh today:

  1. Civil rights activists gathered in Raleigh on Friday to call for the arrest of a woman connected to the murder of Emmett Till. Till was accused of whistling at and making sexual advances toward Carolyn Bryant, and was found dead days later. Carolyn Bryant Donham now lives in Raleigh NC, and a newly discovered unserved arrest warrant from 1955 shows that a Mississippi judicial official believed that there was probable cause for her arrest. The Department of Justice reopened the investigation into Till's murder but closed it in December 2021 without pressing charges, but advocates are hopeful that they can get a judge to issue a new warrant and get justice. (abc11, CBS17)
  2. Raleigh and Durham are both struggling to fill vacancies in their fire departments, and over the past year, the two cities have spent a combined $5.1 million in overtime pay alone. The Raleigh Fire Department has utilized 122,000 hours of overtime, costing the city $3.8 million. The RFD budgeted $770,036 for overtime pay in the fiscal year 2022. The Raleigh Fire Department has 66 openings among their 557 positions. (WRAL) A bipartisan majority in the General Assembly gave final approval to the stat budget on Friday, some are calling on Cooper to veto it saying that pay raises for state workers do not keep up with inflation. (CBS17)
  3. The City of Raleigh is launching a new program this month to provide funding and technical assistance to small businesses. The effort, Oak City Biz Labs, is in partnership with Carolina Small Business Development Fund and will utilize $4.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding. Small businesses can receive up to $30,000 in funds if they meet criteria set by city leaders. (CBS17)
  4. Two Wake County food truck owners have been victim to theft in the area. The Wandering Moose lost two pig cookers on June 22 from the Raleigh parking lot where they are typically parked. Spice Bird Rotisserie Café food truck had their entire food truck trailer stolen from a lot off Louisburg Road on June 16. Investigators are looking into the thefts, and one woman believes that her son's white pickup truck that was stolen is being used in the thefts. (CBS17)
  5. The Raleigh Police Department is investigating a Sunday morning shooting. Officers arrived to the scene at about 2:21 a.m. to find a woman who was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. (abc11, CBS17) Police are also investigating a man who was accidentally shot early Sunday morning around 1:28 a.m. The man was taken to the hospital to be treated with non-life-threatening injuries. (CBS17)
  6. It has been a little more than a week since SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade, and Planned Parenthood has already seen an influx of out-of-state patients traveling from Tennessee and South Carolina. (abc11) As of right now, Republicans are pressuring Attorney General Josh Stein to enforce the existing 20-week abortion ban that was previously overturned. Stein sent a letter to legislative leaders stating that his department's attorneys are "conducting a thorough legal review," and speaking with clients involved in the litigation that struck down the ban in 2019. (Spectrum News 1) A law firm Counsel Carolina is also offering services to LGBTQ couples to protect their marriage and the rights that come along with it in wake of the decision. (WRAL)

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Today in Raleigh:

From my notebook:

  • It's National Bikini Day and if you're looking to soak up the sun and enjoy some swimming in Raleigh NC, figure out the best spot for you via NCParks.gov.
  • The City of Raleigh is holding a hiring event to fill vacant lifeguard positions with open interviews at Biltmore Hills Pool today from 5 - 6:30 p.m. (CBS17)
  • Closures are set to begin today on Wade Avenue for a planned sewer improvement project. (CBS17)
  • Beginning today, yard waste collection will take place on weeks opposite recycling. (WRAL)
  • Litter in the Triangle is costing the state more than $2 million. Last year, NCDOT collected nearly 1.9 million pounds of litter along highways in the Triangle. (CBS17)

You're all caught up for today. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— CJ Fullford

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Raleigh Daily? Contact me at raleigh@patch.com

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