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Community Corner

🌱City Firefighters Seek Better Pay + NCSU Researches Autonomous Cars

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 Labor Day Raleigh!

Here's to hoping that you have the day off and can really take a minute to catch up. If not, I hope you at least get paid extra, and no fear, it'll only take 5 minutes for you to get caught up. Read below to find out all about:

  • Downtown festivals that saw and are anticipating incredible turnouts
  • A relaxing Labor Day tour of Raleigh's downtown art
  • A chance to look at the Wake County Sheriffs candidates side by side

First, today's weather:

Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm. High: 88 Low: 70.

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Here are the top five stories in Raleigh today:

  1. The Raleigh Professional Firefighters Association is giving out free yard signs to Raleigh residents and business owners, advocating for better pay and benefits. Election day is nearing, and the city still has 75 vacancies in fire uniform positions. The most recent city budget included a raise for firefighters, but it was nearly $7,000 shy of the proposed salary increase. Since the budget passed, 20 firefighters have left the department to go elsewhere. (CBS17)
  2. Hundreds attended the African American Cultural Festival in Downtown Raleigh this weekend. The two-day festival had music, food, arts. It also celebrated traditions of African Americans. This is the first time the festival has been held since the start of the pandemic. Black-owned businesses were excited to be able to participate and show their talents and creativity. (abc11, WRAL)
  3. This weekend Downtown Raleigh is expecting thousands in attendance as the Hopscotch Music Festival returns for its 11th year. The festival began in 2010 and only took one year off for the pandemic in 2020. The 2021 festival required full vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results, and still had notable turnout. Tickets are already on sale for the event. (WRAL)
  4. Researchers at North Carolina State University are working with technology behind self-driving cars. Many are skeptical of the technology. Ali Hajbabaie says that "it takes time to adopt new technology, because first we need to trust it." Hajbabaie is working to build the idea that self-driving cars are the way of the future. He and his team at N.C. State are using software to show all the capabilities of autonomous vehicles and simulate different scenarios to test it out. (CBS17)
  5. The Raleigh Police Department has made an arrest after a Friday night shooting that killed a woman in Raleigh. Antonio Tobias Green has been identified as a suspect, and is currently being held at the Wake County Detention Center without bond. Records show that Green lived at the same address as the victim, Jamica Ann Hinton, but the relationship between the two is unknown. (CBS17, WRAL)
  6. Earlier this week the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released student performance data. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 14% fewer North Carolina students were proficient at their grade level, with Black, Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students reporting a 15-16% drop. Now, students are improving, however the gap is widening between proficiency and ethnicity. In Wake County, Black and Hispanic students scored 9% lower on their annual school performance assessment last year, with White students only 1% lower. (abc11)

Today in Raleigh:

Tuesday in Raleigh:

From my notebook:

  • It's Labor Day and retailors are offering lots of deals to get you out today. Crabtree Valley Mall and Triangle Town Center both have a page featuring lots of deals happening in their respective malls.
  • Saving Grace NC is hosting a Labor of Love Open House & Supply Drive today from 1 - 4 p.m.
  • November 8 is coming fast, and WRAL sat down to talk Sheriff with Donnie Harrison and Willie Rowe.

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Monday! I'll see you around.

— CJ Fullford

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

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