Here's a look at today's local headlines:

But first, go to newsobserver.com for Matt Caulder's story on the opening of the Festival for the Eno and for photojournalist Ethan Hyman's gallery of pictures.

In today's Durham News:

COUNTY HOLDS LINE ON TAXES:  The county board did not raise your taxes this year. But you can -- when the county asks you to approve two new sales tax increases for schools and regional transit this fall. Virginia Bridges has the story.

CELEBRATING DURHAM TECH'S 50TH: Emily Weinstein is at it again. The prolific local artist (and cat rescuer) is putting the finishing touches on a huge mural honoring our community college. Staff writer Lana Douglas looked over her shoulder.  

LAWYER SEEKS DISMISSAL IN BONES CASE: Should the medical examiner's office have returned a missing woman's bones to her family? A lawyer for the man accused of murdering her says no. Lana reports on why that decision could now get the charges tossed.

Editorial page writer Bob Wilson says 751 doesn't add up, East Durham activist Aidil Ortiz Collins says Self-Help messed up, and Flo Johnston reports on a local church that serves up communion bufet style.

Happy Fourth, and thanks for reading,

Mark

The state's community college system is honoring its best and brightest today.

Among honorees today are 58 students, one from each of the state's community colleges, who will receive the system's Academic Excellence Award.

Local winners include:

Melissa S. Dean of Alamance Community College

Christopher Ryan Hart of Durham Technical Community College

Joshua McCune of Johnston Community College

Sharon Ingandela of Vance-Granville Community College

Aneta K. Mrozek of Wake Technical Community College

In addition, The Gov. Robert W. Scott Student Leadership Award winner is Antonio McNeill of Johnston Community College.

High school dropouts who want a diploma instead of a GED may be able to obtain one starting this fall.

Durham Public Schools and Durham Technical Community College are partnering to create a Gateway to College program. The effort, modeled after 27 other sites across the country, will allow dropouts aged 16-21 to take high school classes at Durham Tech while simultaneously earn college credits.

DPS officials hope the program will connect students with the academic and other services they need and provide a more customized education process. They also believe it will reduce the district’s dropout rate.

Board member Kristen Kainz called the effort a “major reform initiative” during a school board committee meeting this afternoon. 

The initiative is a viable alternative to a GED because it gives students a stronger credential to succeed in life, said Durham Tech President William Ingram. He praised the program because it provides wraparound services that Durham Tech can’t afford to provide.

“The high school diploma makes sense for 18, 19, 20-year-olds,” he said. “The GED is designed for the 30-year-old who has been out of school for 10, 12 years and has life and other experiences.”

Other sites across the country have a combined 83 percent graduation rate, Ingram said. About 50 students will start in Durham this fall with 40 added in the spring and 25 in the summer. Students will receive college identification, which will give them access to Durham Tech’s resources. They will also have access to bus passes, parenting workshops and possible childcare. 

The effort received a $300,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation to get things running. Continuous funding will come from state funds that the district receives per student.

“40 percent of our students are dropping out and this program will capture students like this,” said Heidi Carter, school board member. “This is very exciting.”

Durham Tech and DPS officials are expected to give another presentation about the program during the April 29 school board meeting.

For more information go to www.durhamtech.edu/gateway

Durham Tech would gladly take a slice of the $12 billion in funding President Obama is doling out today through a program to increase the number of community college graduates nationwide.

Bill Ingram, Durham Technical Community College's president, said he doesn't yet know the specific mechanics of Obama's plan, but expects funding to come available to community colleges for both infrastructure and academic program needs.

The Obama administration is making the investment hoping to double the number of community college graduates to five million by 2020. That sort of growth is possible at Durham Tech, Ingram said, if resources are available to help retain students who often leave prior to completing whole programs. 

And Ingram sees some symbolic value in Obama's plan as well.

"It's certainly a nice indicator that the administration recognizes the role community colleges play," he said.

A N.C. House budget proposal brokered late this week brought at least a temporary measure of relief to community college officials and local police and fire chiefs alike.

As budget writers in recent weeks have grappled with growing deficits, they had considered axing waivers traditionally given to police, fire, EMS and other service agencies who take continuing education and other training courses at community colleges.

These waivers are valuable: police and fire agencies large and small have long relied on them to keep their officers current and certified. And there's real value to them; this year, Wake Technical Community College provides $2.47 million worth of free - or "waived" - courses to police, fire, EMS workers as well as prison inmates and senior citizens. Durham Technical Community College provides nearly $500,000 this year, and Alamance Community Technical College chips in $677,000.

That's a lot of training.

"The argument has been that these are folks who put their lives on the line," said Bill Ingram, Durham Tech's president. "Many of them must have this training on an ongoing basis."

Each year, the state's community college system honors two students at each of its 58 campuses with awards for academic excellence.

It has a jazzy website with mini-profiles of each of these students.

Check it out here.

Locally, Erin Munise and Randy Cooper are the Durham Tech winners. At Wake Tech,  Andreas Winston and Georgina Consolo were honored.

 Durham Technical Community College is cutting costs this summer by adopting a four-day class schedule.

"Although we realize our employees may experience some hardships changing their schedule to work 10-hour days, they will also see some personal savings by traveling to work only four days a week instead of five," said Will Ingram, Durham Tech's president.

From May 11 to Aug. 6, the college will run day and evening classes on Mondays through Thursdays, with service areas open to the public from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on those days. The four-day, 40-hour a week summer schedule will not affect Friday and weekend instructional activities that do not rely on college facilities, such as clinical instruction in local hospitals, according to a statement issued by the college Wednesday.

The college is seeing cuts to the revenue it receives from both the state and Durham County. In January, county officials asked the college to return $140,000 from its current-year operating budget to help cover a budget deficit.

The four-day schedule is expected to yield significant savings, officials said. The utility cost savings alone are expected to top $30,000.

Traditionally, the college offers few Friday classes, so the move to the four-day schedule is expected to result in the cancellation or rescheduling of fewer than 10 credit courses. Last summer, the college closed at noon on Fridays.

Durham Technical Community College has some new trustees.

Mary Ann Peter remains chair of the board, while Lee Johnson becomes the new vice-chairman. Anne Barnes was reappointed to the board as well.

In addition, the board has four new members. They are David Dodson, Barker French, Valerie Foushee and Willie Covington. 

Peter is the former nursing director at Duke University Medical School. Johnson is the retired president of Mechanics and Farmer's Bank. Barnes is a former state legislator.

Dodson heads MDC, Inc., a research firm. French is a retired investment officer. Foushee is a retired administrator at the Chapel Hill Police Department, and Covington is Durham County's Register of Deeds. 

They'll be printing some new business cards over at Durham Technical Community College.

The college has announced some shuffling of administrators. Here's a breakdown of the new appointments:

Drug manufacturer Merck and Co. has given $30,000 to Durham Technical Community College for faculty development initiatives.

The gift is a result of a partnership between Merck and Durham Tech's Biotechnology/BioWork program.

"As new laboratory techniques and processes become standard in the industry, faculty must possess cutting-edge skills to prepare students," said Ingrid Charles, director of Durham Tech’s BioWork/BioPharma program, said in a news release.

"Merck’s gift will ultimately mean a larger pool of skilled employees for the predicted growth in the biomanufacturing and pharmaceutical manufacturing fields."

Merck recently announced plans for a third phase of expansion of its new vaccine plant in Durham and eventually plans to add 400 new jobs.