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Community Corner

🌱 Rail Strike Impacts Raleigh Amtrak Routes + Free Workforce Programs

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

Christina Fullford's profile picture
Christina Fullford, Neighbor
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(Patch Media)

Happy National Tradesmen Day Raleigh!

Good morning everyone and get ready for the complete roundup of news and events you'll wnt to know all about, including:

  • Sheriff Baker responds to the petition to remove him from office
  • Cary Night Market being held tonight
  • Get in public comments regarding transit before it's too late

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and nice. High: 84 Low: 58.

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Here are the top five stories in Raleigh today:

  1. Amtrak has announced that it will be suspending railway services on more than a dozen long-distance routes, two of which pass through Raleigh. A potential railway strike is looming due to a labor dispute between railway companies and unionized workforces, and if the two do not reach an agreement, it will likely begin on Friday. Amtrak is not directly involved in the negotiations, but many of the routes operate on tracks maintained by parties involved in the dispute. The Silver Star service and the Palmetto line south of Washington will be shutting down to preserve necessary trains until negotiations are reached. (CBS17, CBS17) Truck drivers are also concerned that the potential strike could put an additional strain on an industry that is already spread thin. (abc11)
  2. On Wednesday, Sheriff Gerald Baker responded to the petition to remove him from office that was filed on Monday. In his response to the motion, Baker did not address any of the allegations, but he emphasized that because District Attorney Lorrin Freeman did not sign off on the motion, it should be dismissed. Throughout his career, there have been several controversial hiring and firings, but the recent handling of the death of Deputy Ned Byrd in the line of duty has put him at the center of controversy. (WRAL)
  3. Parents in multiple school districts, including Wake County are growing frustrated as the school bus shortage impacts their students. Parents, educators and administrators are trying to workaround the lack of drivers, but families that depend on the bus are being hit the hardest. A number of parents have experienced delays or no-shows and for many, having to make last minute arrangements risks their employment. According to sources, more than 20 drivers are in the process of being certified. (WRAL)
  4. Wake Tech has announced free, accelerated workforce training programs that will help adults get quick entry into the new careers. Wake Tech will be offering 50 short-term programs that lead to certifications and licensures in high-demand fields. The programs span industries such as healthcare, IT, construction, business, public safety, hospitality and more. The opportunities are being funded through a Wake County grant for short-term training. (WakeTech)
  5. Wake County leaders are encouraging residents to get a preparedness plan in place as they roll out their customizable severe weather alerts. ReadyWake Alerts are free and customizable for residents to receive information that they care about. The alerts come from the Emergency Management Department, led by Darshan Patel. Patel says that the alerts give the county the ability to send critical notifications to the community as quickly as possible. (Spectrum News 1)

Today in Raleigh:

Saturday in Raleigh:

Bonus: 31 things to do in Raleigh this week (RaleighMag), Weekend Best Bets (WRAL)

From my notebook:

  • It's National Tradesmen Day, and what better way to celebrate than to learn more about the abovementioned free training programs! Here is more information on how to apply!
  • One super-producing mother has donated 100 gallons of breast milk to Mother's Milk Bank at WakeMed Cary. (WRAL)
  • There are just over two weeks for public comments regarding the Wake Transit Community Engagement Policy updates. (GoTriangle Facebook)

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Events:

Alrighty, 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

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

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