Mayor Bill Bell laid out the first steps in what he called an "ongoing strategy" to cut violent crime in Durham, especially crimes involving firearms.

In an afternoon press conference, he said violent crime went up 3 percent in 2011 over the previous year.

“This is a very disturbing trend that we as a community should not and cannot accept,” he said.

Bell said the four steps are “but the first” as the city develops ongoing crime-prevention strategies. ...

Talks are set for this week on a proposal to largely ban the use of firearms within 600 feet of any occupied building.

The Good Neighbor Firearms Ordinance Work Group will meet 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, at the Emergency Operations Center, 120 S. Third St. The work group includes County Commissioners, planning officials and residents charged with crafting the ordinance.

Those who want to attend should come through the Third Street entrance.

The meeting was originally scheduled for last week but was postponed due to winter weather.

To read more about the recently proposed firearm ordinance, click here.

Here's a quick recap of what happened. (I'll go into more detail tomorrow.)

Students protested the parking fee increase at the school board meeting.

Administrators went over the multi-year reassignment planning process.

Test results were shared with the board.

The board approved a new hunter education policy, the naming of Rolesville Middle School and taking $677,804 out of fund balance to keep teaching positions at year-round schools.

The board is now reviewing Supt. Del Burns' performance behind closed doors. An official announcement of the new terms is not expected until Sept. 2.

Wake got both favorable and unfavorable editorial mention today.

In an N&O editorial, Wake is praised for having "seen the light" in considering a new policy that would allow students to participate in shooting events. Wake got beaten up nationally after East Wake High students were banned from participating at an event earlier this year.

The school board will review a hunter education policy at Tuesday's committee of the whole meeting. 

In a Fayetteville Observer op-ed piece, Cumberland County school board chairman Larry Lancaster spins the district only having 34 percent of its schools passing No Child Left Behind. While pointing out that 24 percent of Wake's schools made AYP, Lancaster said "in comparison with the five other large urban school districts in the state, we did well."