Michael Marsicano, who directed the Durham Arts Council through the 1980s, has a story about Ella Fountain Pratt — the grande dame of Durham's arts scene who passed away Monday.

It has to do with the "street operas" she used to produce at Brightleaf Square.

The Rougemont depot is $4,000 closer to new life.

Money-raising to relocate, reconnect and restore the disused train station started June 1, says Save Rougemont Depot committee chairman Joe Haenn. Surveying is almost done, and one section of the depot may get moving into place by Sept. 30.

"We are getting all of our ducks in a row to begin phase one," Haenn said. Cost for that part of the project is estimated at $11,589.50, total cost at $50,086.50.

Ella Fountain Pratt, diminutive grande dame of Durham arts for more than 50 years, died Monday following an illness. She was 94.

“Ella Fountain was truly a giant,” city council member Mike Woodard said, “though she stood barely five feet tall.”

The Salvation Army's Durham Family Store is moving from its Latta Road facility to a larger location.

The new thrift shop will open on the weekend of August 15-16 at 3167 Hillsborough Road. In celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Durham location, which opened in 1963, the organization is offering a 10 percent off voucher to all shoppers during that opening weekend who bring in a 1963 penny.

Does the new Durham Center Access have a poltergeist already? If so, it must be on the state payroll.

Dignitaries held a ribbon-cutting for the mental-health, disability and substance-abuse crisis-treatment center Monday.

Two city departments are taking up permanent residence at the remodeled Golden Belt factory.

As of Monday, Neighborhood Improvement Services and Community Development will reside on the third and second floors, respectively, at 807 E. Main St.

A Durham teenager who has spent five years running anti-smoking campaigns is in the running for a $100,000 prize.

You can help 19-year-old Chad Bullock out by voting for him here. Bullock, A Durham native and graduate of the Middle College High School at Durham Technical Community College, is one of nine finalists for "Do Something Award" at the upcoming Teen Choice Awards. Voting ends Aug. 1.

Bullock, who now attends Nyack College in New York, has worked with a number of campaigns aimed at discouraging children from smoking, and helped convince the Durham Bulls to make its ballpark a smoke-free facility. He has also been active with the National Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

A story I wrote last week about unusual street names prompted some funny conversation. Have a look over at our Wake County blog.

Residents of Tyler Court got their wish for darkness Thursday, with City Council members putting up no fight against a request to halt plans for two new street lights on the cul-de-sac.

I don't see any reason why we should proceed with something they don't want," Mayor Pro Tem Cora Cole-McFadden said.

Police and other city officials now will meet to rework the city policy to give neighbors a chance to opposed planned lights or even request the removal of existing lights. Now, if a citizen requests a light, police will scout the location. If they determine a light is warranted — city policy calls for a street light roughly every 150 feet — one is installed without consulting neighbors.

Cole-McFadden and others pointed out that many neighborhoods do want more lights to help discourage crime.

But Tyler Court residents fretted about light pollution and said their neighborhood's low crime levels made the new lights unnecessary.

Durham City Councilman Howard Clement III proposed today that city staff investigate having employees work four-day weeks to help save on energy costs.

The idea is that having to power City Hall and city vehicles four days a week instead of five will save money on power bills and gas, as well as spare employees one commute per week.

"It's been tried all over the country in light of the gasoline situation, which I don't think is going to improve anytime soon," Clement said today at a council work session.

"I would hope we would take this seriously. This could amount to significant savings, particularly for our employees."

City Manager Patrick Baker said he would have staff look into the experiences of other governments that have tried the change. County commissioners in June also asked county staff to look at the possibility.

State of Utah employees recently started the practice.