🌱 Closing Gap on Paramedic Vacancies + Sinkhole Displaces Residents

Happy Transit Driver Appreciation Day Raleigh!

When I get to a new city, I love to get on a bus and just see where it can take me. Raleigh is such a vibrant city to explore and you can kick start it by hopping on a bus! Before you head out, perhaps there's an event you can map out a good route for, and information you will want to catch up on, including:

• Dreamville set up begins
• The 23rd Annual Lebanese Festival
• A bitcoin scam to be aware of

But first, today's weather:

Clouds breaking for some sun. High: 59 Low: 36.

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Here are the top six stories today in Raleigh:

1. On Monday, construction for the Dreamville Festival will begin at Dorothea Dix Park. The festival is set to take place from April 1-2. This year J. Cole will perform alongside Drake, Usher, Ari Lennox, Sean Paul and more. Parts of the park will be closed for construction and breakdown including Big Field from March 20-April 8, Dog Park from March 27 until said otherwise, and the whole park from March 31-April 3. (CBS17)
2. Wake County graduated 39 paramedics and EMTs on Thursday night. The academy is helping fill vacancies across the county. Wake County had 70 EMS vacancies last fall and after the graduation they are down to 24 paramedic vacancies. Chris Colangelo, the director for Wake EMS says that filling the positions will help to bring down response times. In March 2022, they raised the starting pay for EMTs to $20 an hour, and for paramedics to $28.13 per hour, helping recruit more candidates to fill the roles. (CBS17)
3. A large sinkhole has formed under a home in the historic Oakwood neighborhood, forcing residents out. The owner of the property says that the City of Raleigh did step in to help, but a fix could still take up to 18 months. The duplex was built in the 1930's on unstable soil. In order to repair the damage, the house will need to be completely removed. The City of Raleigh is hoping to find a more permanent solution to house more people in the neighborhood. (WRAL)
4. Volunteers at Temple Baptist Church are celebrating a milestone of 100,000 bagged lunches that have helped feed the community. Temple's Table Feeding Ministry began during the pandemic to make and deliver bagged lunches for students during virtual learning, and three years later they gather on Wednesday mornings to deliver 300-500 bagged lunches. The lunches are taken to shelters, nonprofits, and low income apartment complexes. The ministry has received letters of gratitude from many families, and are able to continue in spite of rising inflation thanks to donations. (WRAL)
5. A correctional lieutenant at the North Carolina Central Prison was charged with felony drug possession and driving while impaired. Police stopped Eugene Avery around 1:10 a.m. on Friday. Avery has worked worked as a correctional officer since 2004, and was promoted to lieutenant III in 2015. A communications officer with the department said that they have a zero tolerance for staff involved in illegal activity and they are internally investigating the arrest. (CBS17)
6. On Thursday, the Wake County Sheriff's Office announced that they arrested two men in connection to five robberies in Wake and Nash Counties. 20 year old De'aunti Jermaine Lucas and 19 year old Michael Frantz Malek Engles were charged with robbery with a firearm and felony conspiracy. Both individuals were taken to the Wake County Jail and are being held on a bond. Additional charges are possible. (abc11, WRAL)

Today in Raleigh:

• Ella's Race for Pediatric Brain Cancer at North Ridge Country Club (9:00am-11:00am)
• Raleigh Roasts at Moore Square (9:00am-1:00pm)
• Playthrough Gaming Convention 2023 at Raleigh Convention Center (10:00am-6:00pm)
• 23rd Annual Lebanese Festival at the Triangle Lebanese American Center (11:00am-7:00pm)
• "Paddy On The Green" Festival at Lafayette Village Raleigh (12:00pm-4:00pm)
• "2023 Official St. Patrick's Day Bar Crawl" starting at Whiskey Rose (2:00pm-10:00pm) & "17th Annual Award Winning Raleigh St. Pat's Pub Crawl" in Glenwood South (3:00pm)
• Monster Jam at PNC Arena (7:00pm)
• Geek & Grub Game Night & Gaming Convention Launch Party at Bond Brothers (7:00pm-10:00pm)

Sunday in Raleigh:

• 2023 Tobacco Road Marathon & Half Marathon Cary (7:00am-2:00pm)
• Karate with Spider-Man at Fortnight Brewing Co (12:00pm-1:00pm)
• 23rd Annual Lebanese Festival at the Triangle Lebanese American Center (12:00pm-6:00pm)
• Beats & Brunch at Killjoy (12:00pm-4:00pm)
• Monster Jam at PNC Arena (1:00pm)
• Sunday Drag Brunch at Ruby Deluxe (1:00pm-4:00pm)
• St. Patrick's Day Team Treasure Hunt at Crank Arm (2:00pm)
• Open Mic Night at Compass Rose Brewery (3:00pm-6:00pm)

From my notebook:

• It's Transit Driver Appreciation Day and GoRaleigh as well as other Triangle transit partners are getting staffed up and providing routes throughout the area. I highly recommend hopping on a bus and exploring the city, while showing them some gratitude along the way!
• Raleigh Police: beware of a new scam involving Bitcoin ATMs. (CBS17)
• The City Council meets next on March 21. To speak during the public hearing or public comment periods, sign up by 5 p.m. on March 20. (City of Raleigh Facebook)

You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you soon!

— CJ Fullford

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