Here's a look at today's headlines:

But first, make sure to read Jim Wise's story in oday's N&O on Monday night's flap between the Durham county commissioners and the Rev. Pebbles Lindsay-Lucas' Family First program. Rough introduction for county's new social services director.

THREE DAYS TO GO: The Museum of Life and Science's new dinosaur trail opens Saturday.Yeah, we've reported the heck out of this brontosaurus story. But you've got to admit staff photographer John Rottet's albertosaurus on the front page is pretty awesome.

FIELD TRIPS: Some Durham Public Schools teachers will be able to tell pretty interesting stories about what they did on their summer breaks. A new grant will allow history teachers to travel to historic spots, the better to teach their students. Read new staff writer Sadia Latifi's story.  

OIL CHANGES AND DOG POOP: We have three guest columns today. Bill Anderson reports on oil changes he's seeing in parking lots and the unseen environmental hazards they present. Marissa Hartzler of Duke Forest reports on why your pet's waste is another environmental hazard, so bag it. And Chris Wolfe talks about the Holocaust and modern genocide in an essay that won first place in the Durham-Chapel Hill Jewish Federation's annual contest.

Bonitta Best writes about the greater N.C. Pro-Am Basketball League in her weekly sports column. Simon Woodrup of the Animal Protection Society of Durham talks about the county's new tethering law, and lots more. 

As always, thanks for reading,

Mark

Here's a look at tomorrow's headlines:

LOPEZ AND THE LATINOS: Durham's police chief met with over 150 people at El Centro Hispano this week. Read Stan Chambers' story on why the chief says law-abiding immigrants, here legally or illegally, don't have to worry in his town.    

ELECTION FILINGS: Jim Wise has the latest on the filings for mayor and City Council. Make sure to read tomorrow's main sheet (that's what we call the News & Observer), for all the names since the DN goes to press Thursday and we missed the ones who filed on the last day. (Another reason you should read this blog.)

GIRLS RRROCK!!!: Correspondent Elizabeth Shestak has been AWOL working on a little side project, but she's back tomorrow with a look at a Durham camp that could be called "Girls and Guitars." Read her story, and see if it doesn't make you want to head to Cat's Cradle tomorrow night for the show. (I'll be next door at the ArtsCenter's "10 x 10"festival (10 plays, 10 minutes, 10 bucks.)

Michael Pollock says DOT could do more to reduce roadkill, Duke's bringing 60 Picassos to the Nasher Museum of Art and read how a local Eagle Scout is reaching out to parents of stillborn babies. (You know, some of these Eagle Scouts do incredible service to the community). 

Barry Saunders is back with another column, Flo Johnston brings you the latest faith news and ... just a week now until the Museum of Life and Science opens its new Dinosaur Trail to the general public. We'll give you a sneak peek at another one of the new statues.

Send us some letters to editor@nando.com. We like to hear from you. Enjoy the weekend and ... thanks for reading.

Mark       

Here's a look at tomorrow's headlines:

(But first, read tomorrow's N&O for stories on the first day of the Eno Festival and a follow-up to staff writer Stanley Chambers' story on the shooting of a Durham police officer Thursday. These stories came too late to get into the Saturday Durham News).

LET THE FILING BEGIN: It's shaping up to be a quiet municipal election season. Of course you never know until the actual filing begins. One name we'll be watching for? Donald Hughes. The son of former Councilwoman Jackie Wagstaff has been a rumored candidate. It will be interesting to see if he makes it official.

WATTS HAPPENING: (Darn, I wish I thought of that headline yesterday.) Read staff writer Jim Wise's story on the 60th anniversary of the Watts Hospital-Hillandale Independence Day Parade. A slice of Americana so pure one booster dares you attend without a tear in your eye. 

BLUES TICKETS: Organizers of the Bull Durham Blues Festival have extended their early ticket discount. When I asked why, they said "You know why." It's the economy, of course. So buy your tickets Saturday or Monday. You'll save 10 to 20 bucks and support a hometown cause. (I looooved headliner Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" when I was in high school.) 

BRONTO REDUX: I don't know if the Museum of Life and Science is shielding well-connected names as some of my more cynical colleagues surmise. I do know the museum started as a children's museum and still has the best interests of young people at heart -- even if some of those young people took a hack saw or a chainsaw or a really big knife to the beloved bronto on Ellerbe Creek.

There's plenty more, including Minister Paul Scott on why black people should not celebrate July Fourth and Flo Johnston on faith. And cartoonist Dennis Draughon gets a chuckle out of Coach K's promise to never, ever leave Duke.

I'm seeing "Jersey Boys" tomorrow! Have a great Fourth.

And thanks for reading,

Mark   

N.C. Central University has an ambitious plan. It wants to buy more than 130 properties near campus and push out its boundaries, building into the neighborhoods that have surrounded it for a century.

Problem is, there's no money right now to buy any of that land, which means, as I wrote this week in The Durham News, that a process that always promised to move slow is now grinding down to pretty much a snail's pace.

Some background - NCCU's development plan for the neighborhoods around it are driven by massive enrollment growth over much of this decade, a spike in enrollment expected to continue for a while. 

These are neighborhoods of small homes. Many are rentals, while others are owned by elderly folks who, in some cases, are the second or third generation of their families to live in the same location. I've spoken to a lot of folks who want the best for NCCU, but are vexed by the university's plans because it leaves them in limbo.

And real estate experts have said that in targeting specific homes for eventual purpose, the university has undercut those residents, since they'd likely not be able to sell those homes to anyone else.

Here's a look at today's headlines:

TEACHER CUTS: The state and county budgets aren't final year, but the Durham Public Schools has aready eliminatednearly 200 jobs. Read what teachers had to say this week about how some of the cuts are being made. Alicia Banks has the story.

LITTLE GUYS LOSING OUT? You know that convenience store on Morris Street next to the Arts Council? The owner has wanted to fix it up but can't get more than a month to month lease from his landlord. And who's the landlord? Well, indirectly it's ... you. Read Stan Chambers' report.

JORDAN LAKE: It will be a while longer before we know where Jordan Lake is. Read why a committee this week decided to wait to begin settling the boundary dspute holding up a development project in (or just outside) the critical watershed area. Jim Wise has the story.

RACIAL JUSTICE: Should lawyers be able to argue against the death penalty because it is applied disproportionately to black men. State NAACP President William Barbar explains his stance in a guest column on our Viewpoints page.

Flo Johnston has our faith news, I explain why some N&O readers are seeing double and Dennis Draughon brings you his illustrative take on the news in this week's cartoon. Have a great weekend.

And thanks for reading,

Mark 

E-mailed Scott Harmon last week after doing a story on his Mangum 506 project a few weeks back. I asked him for the names of one or two cool people we should write about in the coming months. He's thinking about it. In the meantime, who do you think should we be writing about? Who's changing their lives, their neighborhoods and the world?

Here's a look at tomorrow's headlines:

TECH GRADUATION: It's the little school that could. And that every day is helping lift people out of the recession. Read about two graduates in tomorrow night's commencement ceremonies in the new DPAC.

SICK AND TIRED: That's what former Eagles standout Fred "Pop" Bennett felt before his recent liver transplant. Read Bonitta Best's column on why the star athlete, now director of operations at John Avery Boys and Girls Club, needs your help.

THE WONDER YEARS: Actually, Welcome Baby calls its parenting class The Incredible Years (but don't you miss Kevin and Winnie Cooper?). Correspondent Elizabeth Shestak talks with parents in the class who've learned sometimes loving your kids means admitting you can't stand them ... and then doing something about it.

Stan Chambers explains why Braggtown is pinning its hopes on Weed & Seed, LaTasha McMillan talks about losing a friend and we run a nasty photo of a heron chowing down at Duke Gardens in this week's Best Shot.

Getting warmer.

Thanks for reading,

Mark   

I love tomorrow's paper. (I'd love it even more if more of you sent us letters, but all in good time.)

Page designer and copy editor Brian Wasson does a beautiful job with our design. He also writes a pretty mean editor's desk column.

Here's a look at tomorrow's front page, which Brian designs:

MOMMY MAGIC: When Durham's Alexis Franzese got pregnant three years ago, she decided to do something about Duke's maternity leave policy for graduate students. Now she's won an award for her advocacy. Find out from whom in Elizabeth Shestak's story.

ROAD TO RENEWAL: Staff writer Jim Wise brings years of perspective to his coverage of the Bull City. We are lucky to have him. He turns to Northeast Central Durham in our centerpiece story and shows why new renewal efforts are giving the oft-troubled community some serious momentum.

OPRAH'S COMING: To Duke to give the commencement speech, of course. Get all the graduation details in our quick guide to Sunday's celebration at Wallace Wade Stadium.

CALLING 911: Durham County's 911 center could join the Police Department and Sheriff's Office if it wins accreditation from a ceritfying agency visiting town next week. Read staff writer Stan Chambers' piece on what it means for local emergency dispatch workers. 

There's lots more, including Flo Johnstson, Barry Saunders and Dennis Draughon's cartoon, though I don't think school leaders will be laughing.

So ... Star Trek or Wolverine?Have a great weekend.

And thanks for reading,

Mark       

Here's a look at tomorrow's headlines:

WAREHOUSE WORRIES OVER: If you've ever had a pet, you've probably had a pet emergency. In which case you mnay be familiar with the Triangle Veterinary Emergency Clinic at Academy and 15-501. Well, the clinic's outgrown its space and is eying a new home. Read Jim Wise's story to see why that's making some Mooreene Road area neighbors happy.

ARTWALK THIS WEEKEND: I love the Durham Art Walk. Every time I go, I think how cool would it be to live in downtown Durham. (And my mandatory stop at Blue Coffee for a frozen coffee doesn't hurt either). Read David Elstein's profile of Galia Goodmon, one of the artists on the show. If you've been, you've seen her stuff. Nothing else like it.

SCHLEP WITH SCHELP: We should have made that our headline. Sixty people and six dogs hiked through through Old West Durham, Watts-Hillandale and Trinity Park on Saturday with John Schelp. Learned a lot. Read some of it and catch my photo of Ben Nevis on the front page. We had to cut for space; the name comes form the largest mountain in Scotland. (Who's Ben Nevis? Do you really think I'm going to tell you here?)         

DESTINEY'S DESTINY: Our newest My View columnist joins the lineup tomorrow. She's Destiney Robinson, who some of you may remember from our chickens coverage. She was one of the girls saying adults needed to listen to them. Read her essay on breaking up with her boyfriend, cause you know, it can't always be about Jordan Lake.

Pam Spaulding's still getting letters, the folks at the Durham County Library tell you how the reference desk is helping people out of work, and Bonitta Best talks about the big Black Heritage Swim Meet coming to the Triangle next month.

Tell us what you think in a letter to editor@nando.com

And thanks for reading,

Mark 

Here's a look at tomorrow's headlines:

ROUGEMONT REDUX: (I love that word, redux). Durham's not quite a town to the north is trying to become a town again. Jim Wise has the latest on a new bill in the legislature.

BECOME A FOSTER PARENT: Did you know Durham has only 90 foster families for something like 236 children in the county's custody? Correspondent David Elstein talks with one local family that opened its home and hearts to twin boys. Find out how you can help.

WATERSHED WATERSHED: Durham County holds a public hearing Monday night on that Jordan Lake boundary that may, or may not, allow a developer to move ahead on his plans. Jim Wise has a preview.

SAUNDERS: Columnist Barry Saunders says there are two times to grab your wallet and run. What's this got to do with Duke's request to shut down a couple of city streets? Read his column and find out.

DN designer Brian Wasson is cautious about that Burt's Bees incentive, guest columnist D.G. Martin writes about basketball, Easter and his trip to Full Frame, and Flo Johnston's writing about cats ... in church. 

Have a great weekend. Remember John Schelp's got that Old West Durham walk starting at 9 a.m. Saturday at Indian Trail Park (at Indian Trail & Albany). No reservations needed.

And thanks for reading,

Mark

What an amazing morning at Durham Central Park. The Easter egg hunt, the Farmers Market. Kids climbing over Michael Waller's big red bird. As I stood taking one final look, a young father walked past with his toddler asleep in his carriage. "Beautiful day," he said. 

Here's a look at today's headlines:

HERITAGE TOUR: There is no better way to learn history than to see it. That's why Charlene Best hopes to one day take her Rogers-Herr social studies students on the Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Heritage Tour. Read Stan Chambers report on why 160 people from Durham and the rest of the Triangle are getting on buses Tuesday. 

PROTECTING THE LAND: Of course another way to honor history is to preserve it. Read Jim Wise's story on a preliminary victory for south Durham residents hoping to preserve the rural character of 600-plus acres near the Chatham County line. 

ELECTION UPDATE: The City Council could change the way it's elected next week, or at least begin to. Read Jim Wise's report on a panel discussion late week where even the experts could not agree on the best method of picking our city representatives.  

There's lots more. Your suggestions for naming the big red bird, a column from Police Chief Lopez on how you can help the department making Durham safer, and Flo Johnson's weekly faith column. And don't forget you can get daily news updates and other stuff by following us on Twitter.com. Search for DurhamNews spelled like that or under my name. 

COMING MONDAY: Pam Spaulding's second column. Bonitta Best on sports. And a picture or two from today's Getting a Jump on Easter Egg Hunt at Central Park.

Enjoy the sunshine and thanks for reading.

Mark