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Christina Fullford, Neighbor
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(Patch Media)

Happy World Coconut Day,

Today there is so much to take in. From hospital opening postponement, to an off-hand comment turned investigation, you're going to want to buckle in. There's that, events, and so much more below.

Today's weather, 9/2: Clear throughout the day. High: 82 Low: 61.

Here are the top stories in Raleigh today:

  1. UNC Rex Healthcare announced that it had to delay the opening of its newest hospital due to the coronavirus outbreak. The UNC Health Rex Holly Springs Hospital was originally scheduled to be open in September, but now is looking at an opening date in November to ensure that UNC Rex can redeploy existing employees and new hires to its main Raleigh location to tend to the influx of patients. A hospital in Lumberton has been forced to deploy a mobile morgue because of the situation, and many hospitals are being forced to use tents to care for overflow COVID-19 patients. Rex is concerned opening too soon would spread staff too thin (WRAL)
  2. A painting business in Raleigh has a history of helping refugees acclimate to life in the USA, and is prepared to step up to aid Afghan refugees. Anderson Painting and Power Washing focuses on reaching out to and hiring refugees, with about 65% of its workforce being made up of former refugees. Pay starts at $14 an hour for inexperienced painters, and there is opportunity to advance to leadership. (abc11)
  3. An offhand comment by Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin is having a ripple effect. The remark was regarding the exotic animal ban, when she invited Animal Control to fine her for feeding a feral cat that roams around her home. Following the comment, the city has suspended enforcement of city codes that Animal Control had been using to fine residents. The day Baldwin made the comment, the city launched an internal investigation and placed one Animal Control officer on leave. Following the comment, Animal Control officer Lauren Mulleady emailed Baldwin stating that the city does ticket individuals who feed feral cats as they spread disease and wreak havoc on local wildlife. (INDY Week)
  4. Several pieces of legislation are making progress toward becoming law. One bill that will prohibit holding pregnant women with handcuffs and shackles was given final General Assembly approval on Tuesday. (The North State Journal) The second bill is headed to Governor Cooper's desk and intends to establish visitation policies for nursing homes in times of emergencies that will ensure each resident is able to see loved ones. (WNCT9) The third bill cleared the House Commerce Committee and would legalize video gambling machines through the state lottery. (The Times News) The last bill regarding critical race theory, House Bill 324, is now headed to Governor Cooper's desk where it is expected to be vetoed based on his comments regarding the issue. (abc11)
  5. With college and professional football seasons resuming and COVID-19 still spreading, people are falling victim to paperless ticket scams. Many individuals are eager to purchase tickets for in-person events this year, but fail to protect themselves. Mallory Wojciechowski, president and CEO of BBB Eastern North Carolina says it's important for consumers to be aware of the most common ways scammers take advantage of paperless tickets. Some more common scams come in the form of receiving a fake ticket or a barcode that has been sent to numerous individuals. (abc11)

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Today in Raleigh

Raleigh Patch Notebook

  • Celebrating World Coconut Day could take you to so many places across Raleigh, but coincidentally I'm eating coconut flan from Gonza Tacos Y Tequila right now, and it's worth celebrating.
  • Check out downtown Raleigh's newest mural and the "Person Seat" benches. (Instagram)
  • Raleigh Magazine put together a list of the 25 best dishes in the city! (CBS17)
  • Tepuy Doughnuts is making waves in Raleigh with it's unique flavors. (Instagram)
  • At this time the NC State Fair intends to encourage vaccines, but will not make it a requirement. (WRAL)

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Ok friends, I shared a delicious coconut pick with you and would be so open to you sharing your favorite coconut indulgence with me. I may or may not have a real soft spot for coconut and doughnuts. Two things that I got really hype about while typing this article. I don't know about you, but today's news had me on the edge of my seat and I think more coconut flan or a super tasty doughnut is the perfect way to ease into what's to come. I'll have a whole new roundup for you tomorrow; until then, enjoy your day!

— CJ Fullford

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Raleigh Daily? Want to see your local business featured? Email me at raleigh@patch.com and we'll talk!

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