Podcasts about dix park

Send us a Text Message.Summary: Janet and I talk all about what the Conservancy is and what they do!________________________________________________________Sponsor: This show is supported by the Top Five Newsletter. If you want a simple and to-the-point update on Raleigh commercial development you can subscribe to the Top Five. It's free if you want it to be!________________________________________________________Big Take Aways:- The difference between the structure of Dix Park and a typical City Park.- Janet's career journey and how it corresponds with the Dix Park timeline.- The current state of the park and upcoming milestones.________________________________________________________About Janet: Janet Cowell is CEO/President of Dix Park Conservancy and a corporate director. She was North Carolina State Treasurer from 2009-2016.Dix Park Conservancy is a non-profit that works in partnership with the City of Raleigh to create Dorothea Dix Park, a 308-acre site with a dramatic landscape and complex historical legacy one mile from downtown. The Conservancy has raised ~$40 million during her tenure and ~$70 million since inception.Cowell serves as Lead Independent Director for New Republic Partners, Chair of IFM's Global Infrastructure Fund Investor Advisory Committee, Chair of Wharton's Executive Education Board, and Chair of the NC Board of Science, Technology, and Innovation. She helped to found OnBoardNC, a non-profit organization promoting women on boards.Cowell held publicly elected office in North Carolina for fifteen years, including eight as State Treasurer. The first woman elected Treasurer, she managed over $100 billion in assets, and health and retirement benefits, for over 900,000 members.Cowell is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and earned her MBA and MA in International Studies from the Wharton School of Business and the Lauder Institute.Connect with Janet: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | TwitterMentioned in the show:Dix Park WebcamStone HousesGet Involved at Dix ParkArt at Dix - AttunEmail Janet - Janet.Cowell@dixparkconservancy.orgEmail Nick - Nick.neptune@dixparkconservancy.org________________________________________________________Sponsor: This show is supported by the Top Five Newsletter. If you want a simple and to-the-point update on Raleigh commercial development you can subscribe to the Top Five. It's free if you want it to be!Show Notes: Welcome to Dirt NC where we talk all about the places and spaces of North Carolina and the people who make them awesome, I am your host Jed Byrne.Throughout my career in engineering, construction, finance, and development, I have covered just about all sides of the land use ecosystem. This show creates an opportunity for me to share what I have learned with

Raleigh Parks foster community engagement and social connections. Listeners will learn about the importance of green spaces in urban environments and discover the economic impact of parks.  You will hear from Raleigh Park Leaders about the Vision of Parks. Guests will include Raleigh Parks Director Stephen Bentley, Kate Pearce, the Executive Director of Dix Park, and TJ McCourt, who works in Park Planning.Raleigh Parks is powered by the City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department, and is hosted by Cara McLeod.

Nigerian Afrobeats star, Rema stunned off the stage of the 2024 Dreamville Festival in North Carolina, midway into his performance on Sunday. Rema was performing his hit song ‘Calm Down' on Day 2 of the festival at Dix Park in Raleigh, but stopped midway to complain about the poor sound before walking off the stage. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ksspod/support

Orage Quarles served as President and Publisher for the News & Oberserver for sixteen years, and has been on just about every Board you can think of, both locally and nationally, including the North Carolina Museum of History, the Dix Park Conservancy, and the UNC School of Media and Journalism Foundation. Today we talk to Orage about the importance of media, what newspapers got wrong in the last quarter century, and the importance of Raleigh getting Dix Park right. For more video episodes, follow along on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podcast_Raleigh/Or subscribe to Podcast Raleigh on your favorite podcast sites so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoy it we'd love for you to rate or leave a comment:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/podcast-raleigh/id1458907220Google: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Inzk5woxrsjwf3zhd5vv3av4yeiSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6b3dVvLJfO0EqvDGQaFTAPOr follow on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcast_raleigh/twitter: https://twitter.com/podcast_raleighToday's episode is hosted by Ashton Fisher and Hayes Permar, recorded from The Commons, and is produced by Earfluence.For your real estate needs, check out Steele Residential, supporters of the podcast!

This week on the Out and About Podcast, we talk about a lantern parade at downtown Cary park, a bass fishing expo and a sound bath experience at Dix Park!    Note: This episode was recorded prior to the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival closing for the season early due to storm damage this week. The festival is now closed and will not be open through Jan. 14, 2024.   

It's three months late, but today is the day for the long-awaited North Carolina state budget to become law. Dawn Vaughan here, The News & Observer's Capitol bureau chief and host of Under the Dome. Along with the budget comes Medicaid expansion. So our guest for this week's episode of the Under the Dome podcast for Oct. 2, 2023, is the man leading the major health care change. I talked with N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley in his office in the Adams Building on the DHHS campus at Dix Park last week. Earlier that day he joined Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to announce Medicaid expansion would launch Dec. 1. He also got his COVID-19 and flu vaccinations that day. After the break, I'm joined by our Washington correspondent, Danielle Battaglia. She shares the latest on the federal government shutdown and the Senate dress code. And stay tuned for our picks for Headliner of the Week. Host: Dawn Vaughan Guest: Kody Kinsley, Danielle Battaglia Executive Producer: Laura Brache Video shot and edited by: Kevin Keister For more North Carolina government and politics news, subscribe to the Under the Dome politics newsletter from The News & Observer at newsobserver.com/newsletters and NC Insider at ncinsider.com. Qualified business users are eligible for a short free trial of the daily NC Insider newsletter, as well as a demo account for our Insider Legislative Tracking service. Submit this form: t.co/2ivpV5NSuY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Artistic Director Jerome Davis interviews Janet Cowell. Janet is the CEO of the Dix Park Conservancy, as well as a former City Councilor (Raleigh), State Treasurer, and State Senator. She discusses her unique personal background and the importance of thoughtful urban development, a thematic tie-in to Burning Coal's THE CHERRY ORCHARD.   Timestamps: Intro: 00: 12 About Janet: 1:30 Janet's time in Asia: 3:24 Why Raleigh?: 4:19 Janet's time in public office:  5:18 Why Janet ran for office: 6:20 The History and future of Dix Park: 10:47 The Mission of the Conservancy:   13:24 Raleigh's Growth: 16:28 Goodbyes: 20:53

In local news, the Watauga County Board of Elections has completed its biennial list maintenance and removal of inactive voters. According to the Watauga Democrat, accurate voter rolls are maintained by removing voters who have moved, died or are otherwise uneligble to vote in that jurisdiction. The list maintenance occurs when the board has no contact with a voter for the previous two statewide general elections and the voter has not voted during that time. Due to these factors, 2,244 confirmation letters are sent out. As a result of the maintenance, Watauga County's voter registration went from 45,516 on January 1 to 42,869 as of February 25. In state news, Usher, Drake and J. Cole are expected to be headliners for this year's Dreamville Festival in Raleigh. According to WRAL, J. Cole announced the line-up for the two-day festival set for April 1st and 2nd on Tuesday. Usher will headline the first day with Drake and J. Cole headlining the second at Dix Park. The festival will include other names such as City Girls, Sean Paul and Jessie Reyez on the first as well as Summer Walker and Waka Flocka Flame on the second. In 2022, an estimated 80,000 people attended the festival after a years-long break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparatively, the festival held in 2019 attracted a crowd of 40,000 for just one day. In national news, a Chick-Fil-A restaurant in Pennsylvania announced a new policy banning children under the age of 16 from entering the restaurant without an adult present. According to WSBTV, the Royersford Pennsylvania restaurant said it made the decision because of poor behavior on the part of children who had been dropped off at a local bounce park and then walked over the Chick-Fil-A. The restaurant said the children are loud, use explicit language, throw trash and food on the floor, vandalize furniture, steal decorations and disrespect employees. The announcement was made on the restaurant's facebook page. Now to sports. App state men's and women's basketball are set to play in the sun belt tournament in Pensacola this week. The women's basketball team will play tonight against Louisiana at 8:30 pm. The men's basketball team will play against South Alabama on Thursday at 12:30. Both teams will need to win the sun belt tournament to play in the postseason, so it is win or go home for both teams. App state baseball's best start to a season since 2010 has unfortunately come to an end. The team got shut out by East Tennessee State 5-0 to drop their record to 7-1 on the season. The Mountaineers will try to rebound from the disappointing game this weekend when they play a three game series against Gardner Webb for their first games in Boone of the season. The 20th ranked App State wrestling team will host the Southern Conference wrestling tournament in the Holmes convocation center this Saturday. Doors will open at 9am, and matches will take place from 10am to 7pm to determine the Southern Conference wrestling champion. This has been your Wednesday morning sports report, and it is now time for your Boone Weather Report. And now for a special weather report by booneweather.com! Today will be a mostly sunny day with a high of 64 and a low of 50. There is a chance for some light showers late at night so stay dry!

Dix Park is lit this holiday season for the third annual Nights of Lights. On this episode, we find out more about the new displays and experiences this year! Find out more: https://wralnightsoflights.com/

Brie Arthur, author of The Foodscape Revolution and Gardening with Grains, and contributor to the Emmy-winning PBS television program, Growing a Greener World, shares expert advice on all things SUNFLOWERS—plus: Visit a sunflower field at Dix Park

Cooper's Hill Cheese Roll champion Abby Lampe is the latest guest on Culture State! Lampe talks about her trip to Gloucester, England, why she decided to compete in the event, and representing NC State and North Carolina. Lampe discusses her the media attention she's been getting, her family connections with NC State Engineering, and how she trained for the event at Dix Park in Raleigh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cooper's Hill Cheese Roll champion Abby Lampe is the latest guest on Culture State! Lampe talks about her trip to Gloucester, England, why she decided to compete in the event, and representing NC State and North Carolina. Lampe discusses her the media attention she's been getting, her family connections with NC State Engineering, and how she trained for the event at Dix Park in Raleigh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Meeker is a Raleigh native, which is becoming harder and harder to spot these days with so many folks moving to town. He founded Carpenter Development and partnered with the Trophy Brewing team in 2008 to open Trophy Brewing and Young Hearts Distilling. He has made every mistake in the world, lived to tell about it, and has invaluable development experience because of that. David is on the Board of the Raleigh Chamber, Downtown Raleigh Alliance, Common Cause NC, North Carolinians for Redistricting Reform, Dix Park, Dogwood Bank Advisory Board, and Artspace all of which have a major focus on building community in Raleigh. He is also on the Capital Campaign Committee for Healing Transitions, a detox and recovery center on Dix Park. David lives in Downtown Raleigh with his wife and two boys. You can connect with him here: @davidmeeker on twitter @wrightbros on IG And then check out some of David's favorite places: Beasley's Chicken and Honey Death & Taxes Umstead Park Dix Park Layered Boulted Bread Morgan Street Food Hall Transfer Co Food Hall Garland Centro Fiction Kitchen Crank Arm Brewing --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chuck-belden/support

Summary: I chat with David Meeker (Carpenter Development and Co-Owner of Trophy Brewing) to discuss retail development and operations in Raleigh.  We even get into road design and fare-free busses.Show Notes: Welcome to Dirt NC where we talk all about the places and spaces of North Carolina and the people who make them awesome, I am your host Jed Byrne.Throughout my career in engineering, construction, finance, and development, I have covered just about all sides of the land use ecosystem. This show creates an opportunity for me to share what I have learned with you as well as introduce you to some of my  friends, both new and old who are doing transformative work.With each episode of Dirt NC my goal is to make sure you walk away learning something new about land use. I promise to keep it simple and straight to the point.If you ever have a question for me, please reach out on Twitter at @Oakcitycre--------------------I recently had the chance to chat with David Meeker all about retail development and operations in Raleigh, we even get into road design and transportation. I appreciate David's perspective as a retail business owner and landlord which is a pretty unique combination.A Raleigh native, David Meeker founded Carpenter Development and partnered with the Trophy Brewing team in 2008. He has made every mistake in the world, lived to tell about it, and has invaluable development experience because of that. David is on the Board of the Raleigh Chamber, Downtown Raleigh Alliance, Common Cause NC, North Carolinians for Redistricting Reform, Dix Park, the Dogwood Bank Advisory Board, and Artspace. He is also on the Capital Campaign Committee for Healing Transitions, a detox and recovery center on Dix Park. David lives in Downtown Raleigh with his wife and two boys.--------------------As always, I am grateful that you have chosen to share this time with me! If you have comments/questions/suggestions about Dirt NC or anything land use related you can find me on twitter at @OakCityCRE and if you want a simple and to the point update on Raleigh commercial development you can subscribe to The Top Five, my free weekly newsletter at www.oakcitycre.com Until next time, Thank you!

Join Michael and Co-hosts (Wake Tech Students) as they talk with Earl Ijames, Curator at the NC Museum of History. This episode will feature information about the 2021 Capitol City Juneteenth scheduled for the State Capitol and Dix Park in Raleigh, as well as, the JunetENTH at Harlem Brew South in Rocky Mount. Black Music Month will be briefly discussed.

Join Michael and Wake Tech Student co-host as they interview NC Museum of History Curator Earl Ijames about Memorial Day and Juneteenth in the United States. He will also share exciting information about the 1st Annual Capitol City Juneteenth in Raleigh, North Carolina featuring programs at the State Capitol, Dix Park and Historic Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Freedmen's Bureau, William Peace University, Shaw University and Saint Augustine's University will also be referenced.

Liz McLean is a lifelong Raleigh resident and has vowed to NEVER LEAVE. She's a graduate of Meredith College with a passion for her community and the people of North Carolina.  She has over thirteen years of professional experience in public relations, brand awareness and client engagement and has worked with a variety of clients including political candidates, Fortune 500 companies and local non-profits. Her 3 favorite things are Raleigh, Live Music and Giving Back and she's happiest when all 3 collide into a beautiful mix. She recently joined the team at Holt Brothers Incorporated as Executive Director of the Holt Brother Foundation, an organization led by former NFL greats and brothers Terrence and Torry Holt to help kids that have a parent or guardian with cancer. Liz enjoys helping others understand how to apply their talents, grow their personal and professional networks in the city she loves and call home, and is constantly looking for ways to grow and improve her own understanding of her gifts...gifts that include high level peripheral vision and knowing when stragers are pregnant, among other very serious gifts. She’s recently taken up Fly Fishing and can often be found at Dix Park or out and about in downtown Raleigh. Connect with Liz here: IG: www.instagram.com/mcleanliz IG: www.instagram.com/holtbrothersinc - business https://holtbrothersfoundation.org Some of her favorite people, places and things around Raleigh that you need to drop everything and go experience right now include: Transfer Food Hall for awesome food choices Jolie for fancy date night Rosewater Kitchen also for fancy date night Barcelona again for a fancy date night Cowfish (actually I said this one but it's really good) Vita Vite for pre and post dinner drinks Bloomsbury Bistro the place to be in the 90's but still pretty damn good Hayes Barton Pharmacy amazing desserts...maybe best in town Lincoln Theater for live music Mission 19 is a favorite "local" band Band Together a favorite organization Pour House for live music Kings for live music Walnut Creek Amphitheater for live music Reynold's Coliseum for live music back in the day now mostly some NC State athletics Holt Brothers Foundation to make an impact in the community Torry & Terrance Holt Holt Brothers Construction NC State Football A Place at the Table for coffee Benchwarmers for coffee Tazza for night out with friends Dix Park to do fun shit outside Lake Raleigh for a top secret cool place to paddle board that nobody knows about...until now Umstead Park for hiking The Flourish Market for local shopping Edge of Urge for local shopping Unlikely Professional for local shopping for the dudes So & So Books for a cool bookstore Two Roosters (this was mine too) for amazing ice cream

Media & Democrats (but I repeat myself) pounced on news that NC Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger went to a restaurant with about 30 people - calling it irresponsible. Meanwhile, WRAL is violating the Governor's curfew with its drive-through Christmas light show at the Pullen-Dix Park in Raleigh. I joined KC O'Dea on his morning show to discuss. Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/petekalinershow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Get exclusive content here!: https://thepetekalinershow.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we are getting into the holiday spirit with a visit from the City of Raleigh's Joey Voska and WRAL's Heather Gray who are sharing some secrets about Nights of Lights, a new holiday drive-through light show at Dix Park coming up Dec. 16-31. It is presented by the City of Raleigh and WRAL/Capitol Broadcasting Company. Get tickets and more info - http://wral.com/lights Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we are getting into the holiday spirit with a visit from the City of Raleigh's Joey Voska and WRAL's Heather Gray who are sharing some secrets about Nights of Lights, a new holiday drive-through light show at Dix Park coming up Dec. 16-31. It is presented by the City of Raleigh and WRAL/Capitol Broadcasting Company. Get tickets and more info - http://wral.com/lights

Kate Pearce has worked on Dorothea Dix Park since its opening in 2015. She knows its ins, outs, where it's been, and where it's going. For more episode info, visit https://www.nctripping.com/nc-travel-chat-9/. Follow us @NCTripping on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Me, Jasmine, Uriel, and Dalton chill with some spirits and talk weed, UFC, and gluten-free lasagna. Enjoy the last episode of summer because school is right around the corner.

Episode 147: Jennifer White, Education Program Coordinator at the Portage Park District, takes us on a hike at Dix Park in Ravenna, OH, for her very first Walk with Jen! Click here to watch the video on You Tube.  For more information about the PCSC, visit PortageCountySafetyCouncil.com today!

Nancy McFarlane served four terms as Raleigh's mayor from 2011-2019. It's safe to say that when she first arrived in Raleigh she had no idea she'd end up being the face of the city--in fact, she wasn't even sure she wanted to stay! But stay she did, and she became active in her neighborhood and her children's schools (all while starting her own business), and then her friends' political campaigns and, eventually, her own.She sat down to talk with Podcast Raleigh about what led her into public service, the challenges of being the new person on the City Council, adjusting to life as mayor, the acquisition of Dix Park, her vision for Raleigh's future and a host of other things.We also discuss a piece of Raleigh's skyline (depending on where you were looking from) that came down, how you can give input to shape Raleigh's Greenway, and how the coronavirus is having effects locally.Special thanks to our sponsor, Steele Residential--check them out for buying, selling or renting!Subscribe/rate Podcast Raleigh on your favorite podcast sites:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/podcast-raleigh/id1458907220Google: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Inzk5woxrsjwf3zhd5vv3av4yeiStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/podcast-raleighSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6b3dVvLJfO0EqvDGQaFTAP?si=QrcfEq8WSE2h3aEZSGV0pQ

Chris Woody grew up playing in his grandfather's drug store in Cameron Village. He assumed being a Raleigh native meant he knew a lot about the the city and its people. Now, as his firm Merge Capital continues work on two big developments south of downtown, he's learning how much he didn't know about people and neighborhoods in the city who all have their unique history. He and his partners hope to help incorporate and preserve Raleigh's past while at the same time building its futures as they listen to neighbors' needs and wants for these projects. One, Park City South, is beside Dix Park along the Greenway. The other is in the South Park neighborhood near Person and Blount streets south of MLK.Ashton and Hayes also talk hotels, restaurants, and bid a fond farewell to K-Mart. They also answer the question: what's the ideal amount of snowfall in Raleigh?Special thanks to our sponsor, Steele Residential--check them out for buying, selling or renting!Subscribe/rate Podcast Raleigh on your favorite podcast sites:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/podcast-raleigh/id1458907220Google: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Inzk5woxrsjwf3zhd5vv3av4yeiStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/podcast-raleighSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6b3dVvLJfO0EqvDGQaFTAP?si=QrcfEq8WSE2h3aEZSGV0pQ

"Damon Circosta, Executive Director and Vice President of the AJ Fletcher Foundation, recently walked a 43 kilometer loop around Dorothea Dix Park in downtown Raleigh to commemorate his 43rd birthday as a way to reconnect with friends and make new ones in the community. The Runologie crew discuss what preserving the park means for the city, barefoot running, what happens when your body won’t let you run long distances, and more." 

Sir Walter Running will be again be hosting a "Pop Up Cross Country" series in October at Dix Park in Raleigh. Pat Price, who helps run the non-profit organization, joined the Runologie Podcast to discuss the different course setups on the big field grass. Joe Ovies, Alex Warren, and Brent Francesealso check out a non-alcoholic recovery beer, have a few new tracks to put in your running playlist, and discuss the debate over Nike's Vaporfly4% running shoe.

If you really press him about it, Torry Holt will admit he misses the game of football--there's not much that can replace winning a Super Bowl, entertaining packed stadiums, or out-running some of the best athletes in the world. But you wouldn't know it by looking talking to him, or looking at his schedule. Holt, along with his brother, stays busy heading up Holt Brothers Construction and running events for their Holt Brothers Foundation. He is excited about the future of Raleigh--the city he says he never left even as he was playing professionally in St. Louis and other cities--and it comes through when he talks about everything from the NC Courage, to Dix Park, to his foundation's Flag Football tournament.In addition to talking to Torry, Ashton and Hayes discuss Raleigh being in headlines at the James Beard awards (congrats, Ashley Christensen!) and the New York Times, and we share our #Top3Raleigh Brunch spots. Thanks for listening--please support the local businesses who support us: Steele Residential and Express Yourself Paint.

The Guest Kate Pearce is the Planning Supervisor for Dorothea Dix Park. Check out http://dixpark.org And buy tickets for the Dreamville Festival here: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1690589 The Hosts: Bearta Al-Chacar is an immigrant from Lebanon that found herself living and thriving in Raleigh, North Carolina. As the owner of Petale Flower Shop http://petaleshop.com and the founder of the International Festival on Fayetteville Street, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/raleighs-international-food-festival-tickets-55143345230 Bearta has made her home in the capitol of North Carolina.  Patrick Shanahan is a filmmaker and artist. A native of Raleigh, Patrick has witnessed the immeasurable growth of his hometown since he was a child. He also co-owns Watts & Ward in Raleigh. https://www.wattsandward.com This is the story of Raleigh, told by two people of divergent beginnings that come together, inspired by the same city. This is Raising Raleigh.    Produced and edited by Max Trujillo Productions https://www.ncfbpodcast.com  

It's Podcast Raleigh!What is Podcast Raleigh? Well, for now, it's two people from Raleigh (Ashton and Hayes) talking about Raleigh with people who know what's going on in Raleigh. The format, the length, the content are ALL subject to change as we grow this thing, and we'd love your feedback on what you find informative and entertaining.In our debut episode, we are honored to be joined by Kate Pearce. Her official title we address in the podcast, but basically she was tasked with leading the process of planning the future of Dix Park. We talk about how she went from being a soccer playing Texsippian to someone whose impact on Raleigh will be seen for generations.Before Kate joins (18-minute mark) Ashton and I talk about what's interesting in Raleigh right now, including the word that we'll have a new mayor, the Dreamville Festival a site has been named for the Downtown Entertainment Center and, of course, grocery stores. We also name our top 3 music venues in Raleigh.Enjoy!

On Episode 33, Sandy and Pat return to talk about the 2018 Pop Up Cross Country at Dix Park season that starts this Tuesday, October 2nd. Take a listen to hear more about the second season of the "Autumn of Trials."

Politicians who rely on targeted tax incentives to help recruit businesses to North Carolina share a common trait with teenagers who stuff their faces with the first piece of chocolate cake they see. Joseph Coletti, John Locke Foundation senior fellow, explains that analogy as he dissects this state’s incentives policy. Coletti explains why the politicians — and teenagers — would benefit from considering alternatives. Charlotte’s Sugar Creek Charter School has demonstrated clear success. But school founder and former Charlotte Mayor Richard Vinroot says that success followed early struggles. Vinroot explained recently for state lawmakers how an early threat of closing prompted Sugar Creek leaders to improve the school’s performance. A national education expert recently urged N.C. lawmakers to add more local spending flexibility to the state’s school funding formula. Marguerite Roza of Georgetown University’s Edunomics Lab explained how North Carolina could benefit from a formula establishing a more direct link between taxpayer money and particular students. The former Dorothea Dix mental hospital campus in downtown Raleigh is moving closer to conversion into the area’s largest park. Kate Pearce, Dix Park planner for Raleigh’s city government, recaps key pieces of the park planning discussion and looks ahead to the next steps in the process. The top statewide race on this year’s N.C. election ballot features Republican state Supreme Court Justice Barbara Jackson. Democrat Anita Earls already has announced plans to challenge Jackson, and other candidates could file for the office starting June 18. Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, handicaps the race and explains its significance for the high court’s future.

On Episode 16, Sandy and Pat recap the inaugural Raleigh City Cross Country Championship and wrap up the first season of Pop Up Cross Country at Dix Park. They discuss the results, the bagpiper, the hay bails, the "Big Field Mile" (and its Strava segment), as well as what to possibly look forward to in the future of Sir Walter Running!

On Episode 15, Sandy and Pat recap Week 3 aka "Relay Night" at Pop Up Cross Country at Dix Park, then preview the inaugural Raleigh City Cross Country Championship. Then they interview Sir Walter Running's operations head, Greg Dame. Greg discusses running at Dix Park, the course for the City Championship, the joy of team running, and the awards for the winners Tuesday.

On Episode 13, Sandy and Pat recap week 1 of Pop Up Cross Country at Dix Park, and then interview Scott Payne, who is the Assistant Director of the Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department. They discuss the championship-style "Course of Payne" for Week 2 of #PopUpXC, and the future of Cross Country at Dix Park.

Sandy and Pat return to chat about the upcoming Pop Up Cross Country series on Tuesday nights in October at Dix Park, and Sandy offers up some tips about running a successful Cross Country race. All bluegrass bumper music as well, as we celebrate Wide Open Bluegrass in Raleigh this weekend.