Sonny Kelly’s Indivisible: Unifying The United States Via Interactive Art

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer Chapel Hill - If you haven't seen a Legacy Heirs production, please go to the website immediately and learn more. Sonny Kelly is an outstanding actor and educator. His one-man plays are absolutely captivating. His unique ability to embody so many people with a change in the tone of his voice, or a hat, or a pencil, is particularly incredible. Kelly has a way of

Business Spotlight: The Newsagent’s 

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer Raleigh - In an era defined by the relentless glow of smartphone screens and the rapid-fire pace of digital notifications, a new storefront on 228 Fayetteville Street is asking Raleigh residents to do something radical: sit down, decompress, and turn a page. The Newsagent, a meticulously curated boutique and coffee bar, has officially opened its doors, offering a sophisticated blend of contemporary literature, international newspapers,

City of Raleigh Museum Event Spotlight: Is the “House of Freedom” Still Roofless?

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer Raleigh - In a powerful event for Black History Month, the Capital City Lawyers Association (CCLA) collaborated with the City of Raleigh Museum to host "Civil Rights Talk" on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The evening, led by CCLA President Taylor Scruggs-Smith, featured attorney Lex Jordan, Esq., who used a compelling architectural metaphor to challenge the audience's understanding of freedom and civil rights in America. Jordan's

Black History Highlight: The Everlasting Words of Phillis Wheatley

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer No more, America, in mournful strain Of wrongs, and grievance unredress'd complain, No longer shalt thou dread the iron chain, Which wanton Tyranny with lawless hand Had made, and with it meant t'enslave the land. Should you, my lord, while you peruse my song, Wonder from whence my love of Freedom sprung, Whence flow these wishes for the common good, By feeling hearts alone best

Black History Spotlight: William and Ellen Craft

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer William and Ellen Craft's story truly inspires my relentless ambitions. I tell her story to anyone who will listen. Like Ellen and William, I feel determined to find a way even though the path is hazy or, like Langston Hughes says, "Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. It's had tacks in it, and splinters, and boards torn up, and places with no carpet

Citizen Spotlight: In Conversation with Congressman Edolphus Townes

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer In the annals of North Carolina A&T State University history, certain names are etched in stone. But for former U.S. Congressman Edolphus "Ed" Townes, those names-Bluford, Gibbs, Harrison-aren't just buildings; they are the backdrop of a radical political awakening. I sat down with the Congressman to discuss his journey from Chadbourn, NC, to the halls of power in Washington D.C., and the pivotal, sometimes heart-stopping

Stormie Forte, Representing the Heart of Raleigh

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer Raleigh, NC - In the latest installment of our Citizen Spotlight, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Council Member Stormie Forte. Council Member Forte is a licensed attorney in the State of North Carolina and in the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of North Carolina Federal Court. She is also a licensed Real Estate agent. Forte was elected as one of two at-large

Harnett County: 4th Annual Civil Rights Stories

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer Lillington, NC - The atmosphere inside the county Resource Center was one of reverence and resilience as the Harnett County NAACP and the Harnett County Democratic Party convened for the 4th Annual Civil Rights Stories event. The program, which has become a cornerstone for preserving local history, honored five distinguished residents whose lives bridge the gap between the Jim Crow South and the ongoing fight

NC Officials Testify, Debate Crime and Safety After Charlotte Stabbings

By: Jordan Meadows Staff Writer The fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee on Charlotte's light-rail system last summer continues to reverberate through North Carolina politics. The killing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska in August, followed by a non-fatal stabbing on the same transit line in December, has become a focal point for Republican criticism of Democratic leadership in Charlotte and statewide, particularly around criminal justice and mental health policy. On Monday,

State Treasurer Announces Early Availability of Tax Documentation for 397,584 Retirees

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer Raleigh, NC - The North Carolina Retirement Systems (NCRS) has released 397,584 electronic 1099R and W2 tax documents for retirees and benefit recipients well ahead of the statutory Jan. 31 deadline. The early availability is due to enhanced efficiencies within the Retirement Systems Division, which enabled NCRS to load nearly 400,000 documents shortly after the holiday weekend. "A top priority for our department is making