It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Bennett Place gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Durham, NC is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“There's always consistency. The staff is superb ????”
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“My 93yo mother needed more care than her memory care facility could provide. My long search found no availability and long wait lists at skilled nursing facilities within 1 hour of me. One contact recommended Kelly at Always Best Care for help in finding Care Homes. Within a day after initially talking with me about my mom's needs, Kelly found two care homes within 15 minutes of me with a bed available. Kelly went with me to see each home, asking great additional questions that I didn't even know to ask. My mom is now safely in her new care home, I can easily visit with her anytime of day, and for the first time in many months feel less stressed. I highly recommend Kelly and Always Best Care.”
“ABC has been helpful on most occasions I have been in assistance. Once or twice substitute caregivers have not been at all satisfactory but for most part they have. Our regular caregiver, Parecia Boynton, is superb but unfortunately has had serious health problems which have kept her from working. Our current substitute, Comswell Williams, is very good and we like her a lot. She would be a very acceptable regular if Parecia Boynton is not able to return.”
“ABC is a great company that cares about their employees. The pay is good and everyone in the office is extremely helpful. It’s easy to get time off, (just let them know 2 weeks ahead of time). We have monthly in-service & education is offered in person or via zoom. We are given the tools we need to succeed.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Sandy Creek Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Nanas or visit Duke Homestead, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Durham, NC, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Durham, NC understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Durham, NC 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
The Durham semiconductor manufacturer Wolfspeed will lay off around 10% of its global workforce, the company told The News & Observer on Wednesday, in a move that eliminates several hundred jobs near North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park.Wolfspeed spokesperson Kris Camacho said the company will notify workers impacted by the layoffs over the next few days.Prior to this week’s job cuts, the company had already reduced another 10% of its staff in the previous three months through attrition and voluntary exit agr...
The Durham semiconductor manufacturer Wolfspeed will lay off around 10% of its global workforce, the company told The News & Observer on Wednesday, in a move that eliminates several hundred jobs near North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park.
Wolfspeed spokesperson Kris Camacho said the company will notify workers impacted by the layoffs over the next few days.
Prior to this week’s job cuts, the company had already reduced another 10% of its staff in the previous three months through attrition and voluntary exit agreements. As of June, Wolfspeed employed around 5,000 workers worldwide, with more than half based locally. The majority of the upcoming layoffs will impact workers in North Carolina, the company confirmed, though it did not share an exact figure.
Lowering spending has been a priority for Wolfspeed as investors have driven down its stock price over long-term liquidity and growth concerns. In August, Wolfspeed shared plans to shutter its 150-millimeter device factory in Durham as it prioritized producing 200-millimeter chip wafers. Combined, the 20% total staff reductions and factory closure will help save the company around $200 million annually, Wolfspeed stated in its latest earnings report released Wednesday.
“We are taking steps to simplify the business and capitalize on the transition to 200mm,” Camacho said. “This includes changes to our workforce, which is not a move we take lightly.”
Formed in 1987 under the name Cree, Wolfspeed has pivoted in the past five years away from producing LED lights toward exclusively making a unique semiconductor material called silicon carbide, which is sliced into chips to power appliances like electric vehicles, defense equipment and energy storage units. Wolfspeed has pioneered production of 200-millimeter silicon carbide substrates, or wafers, which are larger than the industry standard 150-millimeter size and can yield more chips.
On Wednesday’s earnings call, Wolfspeed CEO Gregg Lowe said the company will phase out its 150-millimeter device factory in Durham over the next nine to 12 months. Wolfspeed will continue to operate its corporate headquarters, just outside Research Triangle Park, where the company also runs a 150-millimeter materials facility and a separate 200-millimeter materials site called Building 10.
“These actions will foster a stronger, more agile company ready to seize the opportunities ahead,” Lowe said. “Many of these reductions have already occurred, and we expect to complete the majority of the actions by the end of the year.”
He noted Wolfspeed remains committed to hiring 1,800 workers at its incoming 200-millimeter materials factory in Chatham County by 2030. The chipmaker expects to begin shipping wafers from this facility next summer. In October, Wolfspeed received a $750 million federal grant through the CHIPS and Science Act to help fund the site.
Weaker demand for electric vehicles has hampered Wolfspeed’s financial sheet. Its stock fell 28% in after-hours trading Wednesday as Wolfspeed recorded a 1% year-over-year revenue decrease and announced revenue estimates for next quarter below investor expectations.
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This story was originally published November 6, 2024, 6:13 PM.
The News & Observer
Brian Gordon is the Technology & Innovation reporter for The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. He writes about jobs, start-ups and all the big tech things transforming the Triangle. Brian previously worked as a senior statewide reporter for the USA Today Network and covered education for the Asheville Citizen-Times.
Across the Triangle, voters were asked to approve hundreds of millions of dollars in proposed bond measures, ranging from K-12 education and public libraries to streets and sidewalks, parks, and affordable housing. In Wake and Orange counties, and in Durham, voters said yes to the bonds on their ballots, except for Cary voters who rejected bonds for affordable housing and parks projects.Here’s how the votes broke down across the region, and a recap of exactly what the bond money will pay for.Durham Municipal Bonds...
Across the Triangle, voters were asked to approve hundreds of millions of dollars in proposed bond measures, ranging from K-12 education and public libraries to streets and sidewalks, parks, and affordable housing. In Wake and Orange counties, and in Durham, voters said yes to the bonds on their ballots, except for Cary voters who rejected bonds for affordable housing and parks projects.
Here’s how the votes broke down across the region, and a recap of exactly what the bond money will pay for.
Two bonds on the ballot—one for parks, valued at $85 million, the other for streets and sidewalks, valued at $115 million—passed with more than 70 percent of the vote with more than 100,000 votes cast. At the highest end, a possible tax increase for homeowners to cover the bonds would be 3.46¢ for each $100 of assessed property value, which, for the average home in Durham works out to about nine dollars extra a month, or a little over $100 a year.
The parks bond will pay for upgrades to Long Meadow and East End parks, plus construction of a new water park beside the Wheels Roller Rink at Merrick-Moore Park. The streets and sidewalks bond will cover various road and sidewalk repairs, street paving projects, and sidewalk buildouts listed in the city’s capital improvement projects.
Dubbed the Connecting Durham bonds, Durham’s city council members were the initiatives’ biggest champions, but they weren’t the only ones in favor. Residents representing different pockets of Durham, from futsal enthusiasts to environmentalists, organized in favor of the bonds and their $200 million price tag.
The bonds come just in time, too. In October, Durham city council adopted new design standards for transportation infrastructure. The new standards will modernize the city’s building methods and prioritize features like sidewalks and bike lanes, increasing equitable mobility overall, something residents have been clamoring for.
Across Wake County, voters approved a $142 million public libraries bond that will see the construction of new libraries, renovations of others, and the expansion of the Fuquay-Varina Community Library to a new regional library.
The bond will come at a minimal cost to taxpayers—just an additional $2.50 per $100,000 of assessed property value per year, or about $11.87 extra on the annual tax bill for a homeowner whose home is worth $474,750, the median property value for Wake County in April of this year.
Here’s what the new facilities and renovations the bond will pay for:
A new community library in Rolesville
A new community library in the Friendship area of Apex
Replacement of the Athens Drive Community Library
Replacement of the Wendell Community Library
A new, TBD facility to promote digital equity
Express Library on Fayetteville Street
Green Road Community Library
Leesville Community Library
Northeast Regional Library
Richard B. Harrison Community Library
Southeast Regional Library
Zebulon Community Library
Library Administration Building
Definitely the most expensive set of bond referenda on voters’ ballots, the Town of Cary asked residents to approve a combined $590 million to pay for affordable housing initiatives (worth $30 million) and six parks projects, worth a combined $560 million.
Voters said no.
The affordable housing bond failed by a three-point margin, or 47,987 votes against to 45,621 in favor. The parks bond failed by a wider margin of about 10 points, with 51,527 votes against to 42,298 in favor.
If voters had approved the bonds, the town’s tax rate would have increased by 9¢ (8.5¢ for parks and 0.5¢ for housing), staggered in 3¢ incremental increases in 2026, 2028, and 2030.
The countywide, $300 million education bond referendum, approved by about 68 percent of voters, will provide approximately $175 million to Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) and approximately $125 million to Orange County Schools (OCS) to be used only for school facility improvements.
The current spending plan calls for the replacement of five elementary schools and a middle school: replacing Carrboro, Estes Hills, and Frank Porter Graham Elementaries in the CHCCS system and replacing Orange County Elementary and Middle Schools and a major renovation or addition in OCS.
Based on current projections, the bond is projected to cost a property taxpayer $34.10 for every $100,000 of assessed property value.
The bond, though, will only cover a portion of the estimated $1 billion in improvements needed over the next 15 years to bring the districts’ facilities up to modern standards.
And despite the high approval rate, not everyone has full faith in the elected board officials. In the CHCCS system, community members have separately questioned the implementation of the recent staff-downsizing plan as enrollment in the district has declined. It will be difficult to truly take the temperature of the populace until several board members are up for election in 2025.
Across five separate referenda, Chapel Hill voters overwhelmingly approved $44 million for a slew of connectivity and equity focused projects. These include:
The town’s debt fund allocates money to pay debts and build future debt capacity, so the funds will be distributed without any tax increase for residents.
Comment on this story at [email protected].
Voters in the Triangle will decide on a variety of bond referendums on the ballot during the upcoming election.Use this guide to learn more about referendums on ballots across Wake, Durham, Orange, Johnston and Chatham counties. Triangle voters won’t see all of these referendums, as they are location-specific. Check out your county and/or town to dig into the ballot measures you’ll see, and go deeper with The News & Observer’s in-depth reporting on each bond referendum.Remember, ...
Voters in the Triangle will decide on a variety of bond referendums on the ballot during the upcoming election.
Use this guide to learn more about referendums on ballots across Wake, Durham, Orange, Johnston and Chatham counties. Triangle voters won’t see all of these referendums, as they are location-specific. Check out your county and/or town to dig into the ballot measures you’ll see, and go deeper with The News & Observer’s in-depth reporting on each bond referendum.
Remember, you can see what your ballot will look like before you head to the polls.
October 21, 2024 6:00 AM
North Carolina voters will decide whether to amend the state’s constitution to only allow U.S. citizens who are 18 or older to vote.
Voters can vote “for” and “against” the referendum, which would change the voter eligibility language in the state constitution. The state constitution currently says that “every” person born in the United States or naturalized can vote. The amendment, if passed, would replace that wording to say that “only” a U.S. citizen can vote, The News & Observer previously reported.
The referendum’s wording has misled some critics. One claimed on Reddit that lawmakers slipped the phrase “and otherwise possessing the qualifications for voting” into the amendment as a ploy to support new voting restrictions in the future. In fact, the amendment does not include that phrase.
Whether it passes or not, it would still be unlawful for a noncitizen to cast a ballot in federal and state elections.
October 28, 2024 11:00 AM
Wake County voters will decide on a $142 million bond for improvements to local libraries.
Potential projects include building two new community libraries, expanding the Fuquay-Varina branch, replacing the Athens Drive and Wendell branches and renovating seven branches. If approved, construction on these projects could begin as soon as 2026.
The 2024 bond would cost $2.50 per $100,000 of assessed property value. A homeowner with a house valued at $462,000, the county’s median, would see an annual increase in their county tax bill of $11.50.
October 23, 2024 8:00 AM
Cary voters will have two bond referendums on the ballot this year: $560 million to finance park and recreation projects, and $30 million to fund housing projects.
Park projects would include the construction of a two-acre Asian garden, the addition of up to 30 pickleball courts at Cary Tennis Park and a $150 million multi-purpose center in western Cary with basketball courts, an indoor playground and more.
Funds for housing projects would be used to assist residents with lower incomes across Cary through new housing opportunities and preservation of affordable housing.
The property tax rate, currently 32.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value, would increase by 9 cents over about seven to 10 years.
Durham residents will have the chance to vote on a $200 million referendum that will improve streets, sidewalks and parks in the city. The referendum will appear as two separate questions on the ballot.
The $115 million would be used to repair roads, pave dirt streets and build new sidewalks.
The remaining $85 million would be used to upgrade Long Meadow and East End parks, plus it would add a new water park next to the Wheels Roller Rink at Merrick-Moore Park.
The bond would up the city property tax rate a maximum of 3.45 cents per $100 of assessed value, starting in 2026 and slowly dropping off over the following 20 years. On a median home in the city, valued around $244,539 last year, that would add about $84 to the annual tax bill of about $3,411.
Zebulon has a $20 million bond to fund streets and sidewalks on the ballot this year.
The bond would fund enhancements to North Arendell Avenue, including added lanes and medians, and the construction of a roundabout at the Pearces Road and Proctor Street intersections.
If approved, bond funds will be combined with grants from the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the North Carolina Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization to share the cost of the construction projects.
Residents can expect an increase of $42.30 per $100,000 of assessed value, which would be $153.17 for a home valued at $362,000, roughly the median value in Zebulon.
Chapel Hill voters will decide if the town can borrow up to $44 million in bonds for affordable housing, public facilities, streets and sidewalks, parks and recreation facilities, and open space and greenways. Here’s a cost breakdown:
Property taxes won’t increase if the bond passes. This is because the town has a debt fund that annually allocates a portion of the property tax rate to pay existing debt services and build future debt capacity.
Orange County residents will have the opportunity to vote on a $300 million bond referendum to fund facility replacements, renovations, and repairs for Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS).
The $300 million bond — $480.36 million with interest — would be split between the districts based on enrollment. CHCCS could get $175 million, and Orange County Schools could get $125 million, The News & Observer previously reported.
? CHCCS would replace Carrboro, Estes Hills and Frank Porter Graham Bilingüe elementary schools over the next 10 years. It would also make major renovations at Culbreth and Phillips Middle schools.
? Orange County Schools would build a new 600-student elementary school, replace Orange Middle School and fund a major renovation and addition to one additional school.
The tax rate could increase up to 3.41 cents per $100 in property value next year, adding $136.40 to the county tax bill for a $400,000 home. More tax rate increases are possible over the next 10 years, for a total projected increase of 8.42 cents per $100 in assessed property value.
Two bond referendums will be included on Johnston County voters’ ballots this year.
? A $30 million bond for Johnston Community College (JCC) would fund a new medical campus facility in Clayton and upgrades to public facilities on JCC’s Smithfield campus.
The 120,000-square-foot medical campus will include a virtual hospital, classroom and lab space for nursing and other current healthcare and transfer programs, and provide room for expanded offerings in healthcare. The public safety upgrades will help JCC serve fire, EMS, and basic law enforcement programs.
? A $120 million bond for Johnston County Public Schools would upgrade HVAC systems, replace furniture, scoreboards and other equipment, upgrade gym lights and repair bleachers at multiple schools across the district.
There are currently no plans to raise taxes to pay for the bonds.
The N&O’s Kristen Johnson, Tammy Grubb and Mary Helen Moore contributed to this story, as well as correspondent Emily Vespa.
Durham’s Museum of Life and Science is welcoming a pair of endangered red wolves to replace a family the museum recently sent to a New York conservation center.The new wolves, male Oka and female Martha, arrived in Durham on Monday from the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, New York.In return, the Durham museum sent a mating pair named Oak and Adeyha and their five pups to the 26-acre New York environmental education center. The Association of Zoo and Aquariums’ Saving Animals From Extinction initiative arran...
Durham’s Museum of Life and Science is welcoming a pair of endangered red wolves to replace a family the museum recently sent to a New York conservation center.
The new wolves, male Oka and female Martha, arrived in Durham on Monday from the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, New York.
In return, the Durham museum sent a mating pair named Oak and Adeyha and their five pups to the 26-acre New York environmental education center. The Association of Zoo and Aquariums’ Saving Animals From Extinction initiative arranged the swap, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“This exchange is a critical step in preserving Red Wolves and fostering their long-term survival,” Sherry Samuels, the Museum of Life and Science’s senior director of animal care, wrote in a statement.
There are only 16 confirmed red wolves in the wild, with the Fish and Wildlife Service estimating there are likely one to three additional wild wolves. The wild population lives only in a five-county region on and around the Albemarle Peninsula in Northeastern North Carolina.
Another 290 red wolves live in captivity across the United States as part of what conservationists call the SAFE population.
The SAFE population represents the genetic fail-safe for the entire population and much of the future recovery potential for the species,” officials with the red wolf recovery team wrote in a 2023 red wolf species recovery plan.
The recovery team is made up of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials, researchers and nonprofit employees who are interested in the red wolf recovery.
Some wolves from the captive population are introduced into the wild, often as part of an effort to expand the number breeding pairs. . Between 2020 and 2023, 24 wolves and 5 pups were introduced into the wild.
The recovery plan includes the goal of growing the captive population to at least 400 wolves in order to both bolster the wild population and maintain genetic diversity among red wolves. Reaching that target will take about 20 years, according to the plan.
On April 21, 2004, Oak, the female in Durham’s previous pair, gave birth to five pups that were named after North Carolina trees — Cedar, Juniper, Maple, Sassafras and Tupelo.
Officials with the SAFE initiative moved the family to the Wolf Conservation Center so they could be kept together in a larger habitat.
The SAFE program also wanted Oak and Adeyha to be kept together to potentially breed again in 2025 and expand their family. The Wolf Conservation Center habitat is three times the size of the Durham habitat, potentially allowing the family to continue to grow, Samuels said.
“While it is bittersweet to see them move on, there is excitement that the family will remain together,” Samuels said in September.
Like Adehya and Oak, Martha and Oka are a mating pair. The new-to-Durham wolves bred last year but Martha’s pregnancy did not produce pups, said Ro Rode, a Museum of Life and Science spokeswoman.
“We have high hopes for this year,” Rode said.
The public is welcome to observe Martha and Oka in their new habitat, but Museum of Life and Science officials warn they may “take some time to adjust to their new home.”
This story was produced with financial support from the Hartfield Foundation and Green South Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work. If you would like to help support local journalism, please consider signing up for a digital subscription, which you can do here.
The News & Observer
Adam Wagner covers climate change and other environmental issues in North Carolina. His work is produced with financial support from the Hartfield Foundation and Green South Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. Wagner’s previous work at The News & Observer included coverage of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and North Carolina’s recovery from recent hurricanes. He previously worked at the Wilmington StarNews.
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Early voting is underway in North Carolina with Election Day only a few weeks away.On this year's ballot, Durham voters can choose "yes" or "no" to the city's use of general obligation (GO) bonds to fund projects for streets and sidewalks as well as parks and recreation.What is a bond referendum? A bond referendum is a voting process that gives voters the power to decide if a government should be allowed to raise funds through the issuance of general obligation ...
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Early voting is underway in North Carolina with Election Day only a few weeks away.
On this year's ballot, Durham voters can choose "yes" or "no" to the city's use of general obligation (GO) bonds to fund projects for streets and sidewalks as well as parks and recreation.
What is a bond referendum?
A bond referendum is a voting process that gives voters the power to decide if a government should be allowed to raise funds through the issuance of general obligation (GO) bonds. In North Carolina, municipalities can't issue GO bonds without voter approval.
Bond funds are how governments typically finance projects to pay for infrastructure. The debt is repaid with interest over a specified term. GO bonds can be repaid through various city funding sources, including taxes.
Additional property taxes within city limits may be levied if the following bonds are approved. See here what the potential property tax increase would be.
This bond referendum would allow the city to borrow $85 million for Parks and Recreation projects in the community. The funding would go toward building a new aquatic center at Merrick-Moore Park and upgrades to East End and Long Meadow parks.
The $43 million project will be located next door to Wheels Roller Rink at Merrick-Moore Park. According to the city, the park and multi-pool aquatic center will have "zero-depth entry, a lazy river and pool space for recreation swimming for ages and abilities."
Ultimately, if this bond is approved, construction would then start in fall 2026 before opening in summer 2028.
East End and Long Meadow parks
According to the city, a new pool, play areas, athletic field and courts and other improvements will be developed at both parks on Alston Avenue.
The $42 million project would connect and make improvements to "two neighborhood parks rooted in segregation."
The land for both parks was donated to Durham in 1932. Long Meadow Park was initially segregated and only for white people, and East End Park was for Black people.
While the parks have been desegregated for decades, the city said the project would "unite two parks, creating a single park corridor" on the R. Kelly Bryant Bridge Trail. If the bond is approved, construction will begin in fall 2026 before opening in summer 2028.
For more information on these projects, click here.
The approval of this bond referendum would allow Durham to borrow $115 million to use toward building new sidewalks and repairing old ones, along with repaving and maintaining streets.
$60 million of that, the city said, will go toward 11 sidewalk projects.
These projects would add a little over 12 miles of new sidewalks in 25 locations. This will ultimately help reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries. If the bond passes, construction will start in the spring of 2025.
$15 million of the funds would go toward sidewalk repairs. If the bond is approved, 20 miles of sidewalk repairs would start in the summer or fall of 2025. This could take up to two years to finish.
$30 million would go toward street repaving and maintenance. The City of Durham estimated the funding would repave and repair 100 miles of streets.
If the bond is approved, these repairs and preservation will start in the summer of 2025. It may take up to two construction seasons to finish.
For more information on these projects, click here.
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