If you're heading out to eat around Durham, be on the lookout for these notable blue signs protesting the county's proposed 1-percent foods tax.

The blue "No Food Tax" signs, like this one seen in the window of Fishmonger's Restaurant and Oyster Bar, refer viewers to this Web site.

Voters will be given the opportunity Nov. 4 to decide whether the county levies the tax, which would apply to prepared food and beverages at restaurants and some items at grocery stores. Read more in a Jim Wise story here.

(Fishmonger's owner Gary Bass is out of town and unavailable for comment.)

The city's public bus system, the Durham Area Transit Authority, will offer a bunch of rider perks next week, starting with free fare on Monday. Other events include free ice cream and chicken sandwiches.

It's all part of "Try Transit Week," to encourage public transportation, reduce congestion and carbon emissions, according to a city news release.

The release says Monday's promotion is in honor of "International Car Free Day." Here's the full schedule:

• Monday is Fare Free Day in Durham on all DATA buses.

• Tuesday is Customer Appreciation Day, and DATA will give away ice cream and bike and pedestrian blinking lights beginning at 3 p.m. at the DATA Transfer Facility at 521 Morgan St. The offer is good while supplies last.

Talk about an incentive.

The N.C. Department of Transportation
is asking churches, schools, businesses and other groups to take to the
streets from Sept. 20 to Oct. 4 to clean up trash. But don't join
Litter Sweep for the good-natured volunteerism alone.

Because the person with the most unusual road-side trash find could win $250! (This reminds me of a package Matthew Eisley did in 2006 about N.C.'s trashy roadways. That series showed everything from couches to full commodes end up on roadsides.)

Here's what to do:

• Organize a volunteer group.
• Choose a state road (one in your neighborhood, on your commute, etc.)

School officials could soon get 26 acres to build an elementary or middle school from a South Durham developer.

Southern Durham Development Inc. is looking to bring a dense, mixed-use development to a 164-acre spread of land off N.C. 751. Developers hope to offer 1,200 residences, commercial space, as well as a brand new school.

At a meeting Thursday afternoon, the school board will review a resolution to accept the land if it's offered.

This plan is also known as the Boylan tract, according to Steve Medlin, Durham's planning director. The Boylan project is already being protested. (More here.)

Patrick Byker, a Morrisville lawyer representing the developer, was not immediately available to answer questions about the possible deal, including how much the land is worth.

If you're one of 120,000 registered voters in Durham, a new mailer will soon be hitting your mailbox boasting a pro-foods tax slogan: "A Taste for Durham's Future."

Nearly 40 Durham cheerleaders, movers and shakers have come together and formed a non-profit to promote a 1-percent prepared foods tax. The tax could be implemented if voters approve in Nov. 4 referendum.

If implemented, the tax is expected to generate as much as $5 million a year to pay for new and improved cultural attractions, including the Hayti Heritage Center, a Minor League Baseball museum and the American Tobacco Trail.

Although Orange County commissioners have postponed a decision on an ordinance that would ban dog tethering, Durham officials are scheduled to move forward tonight with their proposed ban on tethering.

Read more over at the Bull's Eye blog.

(This blog entry replaces an earlier version.)

County commissioners passed a ban on dog tethering tonight with a 4-to-1 vote. (Visit the county's Web site to see the ordinance.)

The decision came after months of heated debate and a two-hour public hearing earlier this month. Commissioner Lewis Cheek was the only dissenter on the five-member board (see the concerns he voiced last week).

Durham now joins the town of Clayton to become the second Triangle jurisdiction to ban dog-tethering. Orange county leaders also have considered a similar ban, but have not yet adopted a new ordinance.

Monday at a public hearing before to the Board of Commissioners on the proposed bio-defense lab for Butner, the Environmental Affairs Board presented a detailed report on its questions about the lab, and the unanswered concerns from the draft Environmental Impact Statement released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

I thought I would attach these documents (please excuse my highlighting) to let interested readers peruse them. There are several detailed concerns that are mentioned in the pages—too many to detail here.

The documents might offer a better explanation to readers, especially those who are confused by some of the details. These are great explainers.

Emotion was high during parts of Monday night's public hearing on a proposed National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility that could come to Butner. County commissioners had asked for the input of several county officials, as well as the Environmental Affairs Board.

All entities reported to the commissioners last night, and we couldn't fit quite everything in today's story, so here are some additional highlights:

The Durham County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. Monday on the biodefense lab proposed for the Umstead Research Farm, a 250-acre swath of land in Butner.

Federal officials are considering building the $450 million facility, where workers would study large-animal diseases.

The public hearing will come after Durham's commissioners hear findings from an Environmental Impact Statement completed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in June.

Commissioners have asked that the county departments of Public Health and Emergency Management analyze that impact statement and the effects of locating the research facility in Butner.

The meeting will be held on the second floor of the Old Courthouse, 200 E. Main St.

For more information about the Board of County Commissioners meeting, contact the Clerk to the Board at 560-0025.