Wake County school system data gives more weight to the complaints made by Eastern Wake parents that too many of the region's children are leaving for magnet schools.

This handout from the Sept. 11 school board facilities committee meeting shows that the district's Eastern planning area, which includes Eastern Wake, had the highest percentage of magnet application students among the eight planning regions. 

“If you look at the number of students that move out of the Eastern area to other regions at all three school levels, it’s quite telling," said Christine Lighthall, a Wake senior facilities planner. "It’s quite significant. It’s the highest number you’ll see of any of these regions.”

If you're from Zebulon you've learned to expect one thing from your drive to the fast food oasis that is the Triangle East shopping center.

In the Eastern Wake News today was a story headlined "Magnets draw students out of local schools" in which a number of people from my neighborhood (disclosure: all of whom I know) are quoted.

Here are some of the issues from the story: "Fifteen percent of all high school students in eastern Wake County attendance zones attend magnet schools in Raleigh. Some eastern Wake parents concerned about top students leaving for magnet programs elsewhere want more magnets at home. Others just want more course options and more rigorous courses at their base schools."

Given how many stories we print in The News & Observer about the concerns of parents in Western Wake, this story seemed worth pointing out. Robin Woodlief, one of the Knightdale residents, says in the story that eastern Wake parents don't have as much time for school politics because so many of the families depend on both parents working.

“Eastern Wake parents have been less vocal,” she said. “We’ve taken everything they’ve thrown at us. We took year-round schools and we made it work. We have a high percentage of free and reduced lunch students. We’ve made that work. We still have some high performing students.”

 So hear some of their voices ...

Highlights from the Knightdale vs West Johnston conference championship game.

Congress has set June 12 2009 as the final date to convert to digital. However, two stations in the area will stick with the original date February 17 2009; those stations are CW22 and MYRDC.  The change for both of the stations will go in effect at 11:59 pm on February 17. For more information on CW22: http://www.raleighcw.com/dtv/index.shtml  and for MYRDC: http://www.wrdc28.com/dtv/index.shtml.

Stations that will be converting June 12 2009:

UNC TV
WRAL
ABC 11
NBC 17
ION
Fox 50

These stations will be holding off, because the Government ran out of money for the Converter Box coupons. They are hoping to solve this issue between now and June 12.  For more information about the new date visit http://dtv.gov/.

Every year when special sections go out at the newspaper I meet what one could consider those that are the fabric of the local area.

In just two years of producing the Heritage Edition, autumn's special section, I've met some of the most interesting people in the area. What I've really done is made some good friends.

When starting the search for prospective individuals, it seems I always find the perfect person for the story, and even when I haven't, the person I contact first has humbly directed me to the right person.

I've now had nice chats with two farmers of two generations, a man who restores tractors (and has his whole life), a gospel singer, a local hunter, the knowledgeable gentlemen that crowd Aubrey's each morning — if I went into other special sections, the list would go on and on.

Now when taking to the streets, I have a rolodex of people to run into that offer a friendly wave in return. It's those people that give small towns like Zebulon and Wendell the small town charm they possess.   

After printing the stats and records found on various sports at East Wake's hall of fame banquet this past March, I received an e-mail with more than just corrections — there were also proposals.

Kelly Fox, who works in Knightdale and went to East Wake, enlightened me of several mix-ups and other sports stars from the area that should get the attention they deserve for their accomplishments as Warriors and beyond.

According to Fox, Lamar Davis, class of 2007, holds the 400-meter record at East Wake. Charlie Winston, class of '87, held that record from 1987 to 2007. Rodney Dickerson, who was inducted at the spring banquet, held the same record from 1985-1987.

Winston won the sectional and regional 400-meter (breaking the record in that meet), before placing third in the state meet in the 400 and anchoring East Wake's state championship in the 4x400 relay in 1987. He went on to run for St. Augustine's College and win two NCAA national championships in the 4x400 relay.

"I'd like to nominate Charlie Winston for the East Wake hall of fame," Fox said in the e-mail. "He's the second best track performer at East Wake behind Lamar Davis"

Fox said Davis must also be nominated. According to him, Davis is the most dominant track performer in Warrior history. Davis won both the 400- and 800-meter state championships at East Wake and holds both records, breaking Winston's 20-year-old 400 record and none other than Fox's own 20-year-old 800-meter record.

Fox ended his persuasion in bitter humor, noting Davis currently runs track at the University of Florida.

He went on to say the one thing you just don't say to a Tennessee fan — "You like them, don't you...?"