This year, I decided to take my very own blog's advice and host an old-fashioned Fourth of July for my family. I reprioritized my to-do list and put my family and America's birthday at the top of the list.

The kids and I started our day off making lightning bug-catching jars, to harness… Continue

Most of the time, our local rooting interests revolve around teams — UNC, NC State, Duke, the Carolina Hurricanes. And of course, sometimes those loyalties are deeply divided.

But I've got an individual that everyone in the Triangle can rally around for a few days in early July.

It's a major national event.

And the athlete is a 17-year-old girl.

Katherine Perry is a budding golf star and a rising senior at Athens Drive High School, and what she has done is nothing short of astounding. She ha… Continue

From the Center on Education Policy: Report shows that truly, few have been left behind

In its third annual analysis of state testing data, a new report from the Center on Education Policy finds that contrary to widespread concerns, the mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) have not sacrificed the needs of the highest and lowest achieving studen… Continue

Remember, you can always visit our calendar for even more events planned for Triangle kids!

1. N.C. Museum of Natural Science Presents "Chocolate" Exhibit. Through Sept. 7.
2. Kidzu Children's Museum Presents "Inside Art: The World Inside the Frame". Through Aug. 26.
3. Go to… Continue

I am very fortunate—as part of my job as writer, I get to meet and interview people from all walks of life: restaurant owners, teachers, artists, mechanics and software engineers. What strikes me over and over again is that some people take a round-about route to get there, but when they find their calling, something clicks.
For most of us, we were not “discovered” and settled instantly into perfect jobs. No book publisher or magazine editor plucked my writing from obscurity at age 15 and said,… Continue

June 18, 8:30 pm. Well here I am blogging and what I really wanted to do was snuggle up with my son and read. He’s ten so I’m probably not supposed to advertise that we sometimes snuggle up and read so don’t tell anyone. Shhh.
I strolled over to his room and reached for the doork… Continue

This column by TRACKS regular Tom Poland is from his "Across The Savannah" series, which he writes for his hometown newspaper in Lincolnton, Ga. In this column, Tom focuses on those who work with their hands--and he isn't talking about typing on a keyboard. This column is impor… Continue

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The previous release date was July 17. But, you'll have to wait 2 weeks--until July 29--to see it at IMAX, if that's your thing. Read more here.

If you're interested in the release date of the final Harry Potter film, "… Continue

The N&O is reporting that beginning in 2010, sex ed classes for 7th-9th graders will include information about contraceptives and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Here are some excerpts from the article.

The state House on Thursday narrowly approved legislation that would have schools add information to the abstinence-based curriculum. Districts must begin offering the broader information in 2010, in lessons for students in seventh through ninth grades.

Parents could remove… Continue