RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) You can run through the long list with Jen Martin. First Night Raleigh, Artsplosure, St. Patrick s, The Pride Festival, Bluegrass, she ticked off. All of them canceled in 2020 because of COVID-19. It s not only frustrating for event organizers; the general public loves these events and this city is a big city that does events, said Martin, executive director of Shop Local Raleigh (SLR), the non-profit booster behind Raleigh s Christmas Parade and Brewgaloo, the city s annual celebration of North Carolina beer brewers.
But this week, Raleigh City Council began laying the groundwork for a comeback for the city s events scene. Starting April 1, the city will allow special events on a case-by-case basis. The move comes after Governor Roy Cooper eased COVID safety restrictions in his latest executive order. But, the measure still caps outside gatherings at 50 people.
DPS seemed caught in the middle. Tuesday night finally brought some clarity.
After Monday night s veto override of the GOP-backed school reopening bill failed to pass in the Senate, DPS reconvened to reconsider its decision to send students back to the classroom this month but not before getting an earful from parents on both sides of the debate.
NEW TONIGHT: Durham School Board votes 4-3 in favor of moving forward with in-person learning starting March 15. #abc11#ncedpic.twitter.com/QKUZbI9MOR Joel Brown (@JoelBrownABC11) March 3, 2021 As a mother, I would not like to see schools open until all teachers received their vaccine, one parent wrote the board in public comment.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) The North Carolina Senate on Monday night fell just short of overriding
Gov. Roy Cooper s veto of Senate Bill 37, which would have mandated in-person learning options at North Carolina public schools.
The 29-20 override vote was one vote short of the 3/5th majority needed. Tonight, NC Senate Democrats let the kids and families of North Carolina down and showed profiles of cowardice in the face of pressure from Governor Cooper and teacher union bosses, said NCGOP Chairman Michael Whatley. With their vote against SB 37, the Senate Democrats - including three members who previously voted in support of reopening schools - helped Governor Cooper keep schoolhouse doors across North Carolina locked. It is very disappointing that North Carolina Democrats are siding with Joe Biden and teachers unions to keep our schools closed - our kids deserve much better than this kind of naked special-interest politics.
Of all the first doses we ve given, 55% were from Black and African American population and 22% were from our 27610 ZIP code. And that s what we were challenged with vaccinating, said Michelle Davis, vaccine coordinator at Advance.
At the same time, Friday evening, a panel of FDA advisors, doctors and scientists were voting unanimously to recommend There is a shortage of vaccines currently authorized. And I think authorization will help meet the needs of the moment, said advisory panel member Dr. Archana Chatterjee in her explanation of her vote to endorse the vaccine.
Checking in on vaccination efforts in southeast Raleigh’s hard-hit 27610 ZIP code and the latest on FDA authorization of the Johnson and Johnson one-shot COVID vaccine • TONIGHT • #abc11pic.twitter.com/XVcE2VQaRE Joel Brown (@JoelBrownABC11) February 27, 2021
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) Indoor event spaces like downtown Raleigh s Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts center can reopen starting Friday with crowds up to 250 people that s a tough number to make money with. And, around the corner at Red Hat Amphitheater, larger crowds of concert-goers could be allowed inside. But it would be a struggle as well. I really think that today s announcement was a huge step in a positive direction, said Randy McKay, who recently took the reins as President and CEO of Durham s Carolina Theatre.
McKay took charge in the throes of a pandemic that s thrown the live music industry into a tailspin. COVID canceled the Carolina s movie house, its community events and its main money-making source: touring concert acts.