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Decorate with Raleigh
Downtown Raleigh, North Carolina 
State Capitol, Raleigh, North Carolina 
Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, North C... 
Greetings from Raleigh, North Carolina
Sep
27
After being absolutely manhandled by the Clemson Tigers last Saturday, there is no relief this week as the Louisville Cardinals come to Raleigh. Louisville boasts one of (if not the most) potent offenses in the nation, led by Heisman Trophy candidate and sure-fire first round draft pick Brian Brohm. Last week Brohm lit up Syracuse for over 550 yards passing and 5 touchdowns, although it wasn’t enough for a win. Read more
Sep
26
Photo: Catching the Express to the Fair
Filed Under Photo Series, Event | 3 Comments
Deep fried candy bars, thrill rides assembled by questionable characters, pig races, concerts and “The Smallest Woman in the World.” Sound like fun? Good news – the State Fair will be here in just over 2 weeks!
In case you’re wondering the Wolfpack and the ‘Canes will be playing out-of-town for two weeks to avoid State Fair / football / hockey mega-traffic. My hat goes off to the rocket scientist who managed to organize that. I seem to recall that it took me over two hours to get home (5 miles away) last year. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I was able to get in and out of the fair without having to deal with a ridiculous amount of traffic, a problem these 3 probably could not have imagined as they donned their best threads and hopped on the “express to Raleigh” in 1914 to enjoy the festivities.
Editor’s note: This is part of an ongoing photo series of Raleigh. To participate, send your pictures from the State Fair to photos@raleighfreepress.com. Be sure to include your name if you would like us to give you credit. The best photos will be published on the site.
(Photo Courtesy of Raleigh City Museum)
Sep
23
School Funding, A Primer: Part 1
Filed Under Education | 9 Comments
Editor’s note: The following article is based on a topic suggested by one of our readers. If you have an article to submit or a topic suggestion for one of RFP’s authors, send it to us through the contact form.
Ok, since I was invited back, I’ll take this go to respond to some more specific local education concerns/questions from a reader prompted by my last (and first, paradoxically) column. I don’t know if I should be concerned about being typecast, but I’m glad to answer questions of people who are charitable enough to read what I’m writing.
The gist of the questions sent to our benevolent dictator at RFP indicates a common misconception I’ve noticed around town regarding how public education is funded. Perhaps some of these misconceptions are partially borne out of the fact that our area has many transplants from other parts of the country who do school funding quite differently. It will be my goal to help clarify that process and the attendant issues; it may take more than one entry to do so. Read more
Sep
21
The Wolfpack face their stiffest test of the young season this week as #15 Clemson comes to Carter-Finley Saturday for a noon kickoff. The Pack are coming off their first win of the season over Wofford last weekend. Clemson comes to town with a perfect 3-0 record and boasts one of the most talented running back duos in the nation. This does not bode well for the Pack, who simply can’t stop anyone on the ground, having given up nearly 250 yards per game rushing.
Last week’s win, no matter who it was against, was most certainly a confidence boost. It ended a nine game losing streak which at the time the third longest in the nation (thanks to the Blue Devils, no one is in real danger of taking over the longest streak). The Pack must come out prepared on Saturday as it must play a nearly perfect game to get a win. Expect a loud crowd Saturday, as this is a bit of a rivalry historically referred to as the “Textile Bowl”, that will certainly give the Pack an edge. My heart says Pack in an upset, but my head says Clemson runs (literally) all over the Pack on their way to a 24-14 win.
For a complete game preview, visit GoPack.com.
Sep
20
Local Restaurants to Join RDU
Filed Under Development, Food and Beverage | 7 Comments
Triangle Business Journal is reporting that Carolina Ale House and 42nd Street Oyster Bar will be among several new additions to RDU’s newly renovated Terminal C.
It will be interesting to see if this is little more than a name-lending move for these notable local establishments, particularly the Oyster Bar. An ‘Olde Raleigh mainstay steeped in tradition, I find it interesting that they’d look to expand into such an impersonal arena. It also seems curious they’d risk their brand by sharing walls with a cheese-ball gift shop or a burger joint full of disgruntled employees. I don’t really think the the downtown location will suffer from this and I’m sure that the regulars could care less, but like an ill-prepared oyster, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Links:
Full article from TBJ
RDU Terminal C Developments
42nd Street Oyster Bar
Sep
20
Greetings from RFP’s newest contributor. I’ll be writing about, well, whatever I’m told to write about, or, to the contrary, whatever strikes my typing fancy. This time I’d like to talk about the impending school board elections (to be held on 9 October), and issues I see impacting the elections, especially as five out of the nine board seats are up for grabs next month. I’d rather focus on issues rather than particular candidates, in the interests of neutrality and scope. As the election is weeks away, I see the primary issues with which candidates will most need to deal are:
- responding to the recent curriculum audit,
- addressing annual issues of overcrowding and growth, and
- negotiating the board’s increasingly tenuous relationship with the county commissioners.
The recent curriculum audit, performed by educational research firm Kappa Delta Pi, offered dozens of criticisms and suggestions for how Wake schools could improve— from curricular changes to leadership to streamlining staff development, et cetera. The school board candidates will need to offer viable and practical means for the implementation of these solutions, especially those that would require board-approved policy shifts. Further, potential new board members should articulate specific plans on prioritizing the suggestions to be implemented; addressing the dual audit criticisms of Wake’s methods of teacher evaluation and the authority of principals to determine school policy should be paramount among the recommendations to be first considered. Read more
Sep
18
I’ll Make ‘Ya Famous
Filed Under RFP Site News | Leave a Comment
Raleigh Free Press is looking for a few good writers. If you have a story, topic, tip or idea about Raleigh - send it to us through the contact form.
Sep
13
We’ve already said that we’re big fans of historical restoration in which buildings get new life through new and creative uses. If you share this outlook, you should definitely check out what Greg Paul Builders and Burning Coal Theater are doing with the old Murphey School Auditorium.
The Murphey School opened near Oakwood in 1908. A few years after being built it caught fire and burned to the ground. It was promptly rebuilt in 1913, and years later it became Raleigh’s first integrated public school when William Cambell began attending in September of 1960. It has been preserved as a historic site for a number of years and parts of it have been converted into living areas for elderly residents. Read more
Sep
13
Wolfpack Football: In Search of Win #1
Filed Under Sports | 5 Comments
After a rocky start to say the least, the Wolfpack football team looks for win #1 of the season, and the Tom O’Brien era, this Saturday against Wofford. The 1-AA Wofford Terriers have won both of their first two games, while the Pack sits at 0-2 after last weeks defeat at Boston College. Game time on Saturday is 6:00 PM at Carter Finley Stadium.
Much of the talk this week surrounded the play from the quarterback position. Harrison Beck took the reigns last week, showing flashes of excellence, but turning the ball over 6 times – a stat that all but cripples your chances of winning. Beck will get another opportunity this week to show he can play within the system and make smart decisions. I think we’ll see a better performance and I believe that Beck can develop into a solid player over the next few years. Read more
Sep
12
19th Hole (In the Wall)
Filed Under Editorial, Food and Beverage | 6 Comments
Hole-in-the-wall bars are special places. They’re not hip or trendy and they usually aren’t even the best at what they do. What they lack however is usually what makes them great. The definition or qualifying characteristics of a hole-in-the-wall or dive bar can vary widely from patron to patron, but here are a few common characteristics that set if off for me:
- at least one sketchy guy at the bar that probably shouldn’t have had those last 3 Budweisers
- a small contingency of locals who are way too eager to protect their local hangout with menacing glares capable of penetrating the thickest of second-hand smoke clouds
- a physical location that leaves you wondering – how many beers did it take to decide that this was a good place for a bar?
- decorations that resembles your dorm room without the attention to detail, and
- either a rough-around-the-edges “lifer” behind the bar or a 30-something with an English degree holding out for a job to in middle management
A recent excursion to the 19th Hole bar and grill in the Lake Boone Shopping Center is to blame for this trip down dive bar lane, and it also left me wracking my brain for other notable hole-in-the-wall bars throughout Raleigh. A few that come to mind: Read more
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