Channel 17's "MyNC" Web site has some videos of Durham residents talking about "Why I love Durham."

Top of the chart is Locopops — as described by Farmer's Market manager Erin Kaufman. Blues, arts and Parkwood also make the list.

At the same time, the site's most popular story is "Durham PD Needs Help To ID Restaurant Robbery Suspects."

Because, no doubt, Durhamites are so public-spirited.

They are all write-in candidates for the three recently elected school board seats in Durham.

Other notable names listed in the 2,264 write-ins that appeared on the May 6 ballots:

BIG NAMES (as spelled by voters)

Barack Obama, Bugs Bunny, Halley Berry, Donald Duck, Jesse James, Charles Darwin, Doby Gillis, Julia Roberts, Lee Harvey Oswald, Marcus Welby M.D., Mark Twain, Ozzie Osbourne, John McCain, Opus Penguin, Ron Paul, Ronald Reagan, Snoopy and V. Guadalupe (which I can only imagine means the Virgin of Guadalupe), Forrost Gump, Faust

Tonight is the last school board meeting for Vice Chairman Steve Schewel. Anyone who knows Schewel, who did not seek re-election this spring, knows his signature bowtie.

To mark the end of Schewel's term, the entire Board of Education, plus some of the district's top administrators and staff, donned bowties in a rainbow of colors at tonight's meeting. (If you're at home in Durham, turn on Channel 4 and check it out.)

Even the ladies wore them with their blouses, or on their bare necks. Schewel checked them out as he entered the board meeting, telling Pastor Fredrick Davis that his yellow and black houndstooth looked especially dapper.

Board Chairwoman Minnie Forte-Brown presented Schewel with a plaque. There were some funny words, and some moving words, from Forte-Brown in her sendoff. Schewel had some of his own words:

"Our public schools are the hope of this nation," Schewel said. "It’s a place where we all come together regardless race, class, ... first language. I pity the people who choose to send their children elsewhere," he continued. "This is where we learn to get along ... The new America is being forged in our public schools."

Newly elected board member Leigh Bordley will take her position in a couple of weeks.