North Carolina
Durham mayor issues a veganuary, plant-based diet city-wide challenge to start the new year
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — Could you give up eating your favorite meat for a whole month? The mayor of North Carolina’s fourth-largest city is challenging people in the Bull City to do so.
Durham’s mayor Leonardo Williams issued the ‘Bull City Veganuary Challenge’ at the end of December. He’s hoping the initiative will encourage people to adopt a plant-based diet for January.
The challenge is getting big support from Durham Public Schools, Downtown Durham Inc., Durham Public Schools Foundation, and other community partners to show a community-wide effort in pushing the benefits of plant-based eating, according to information from the mayor’s office.
Mayor Williams says it started as a one-day thing and turned into a month-long initiative after restaurants and schools wanted to be a part of the challenge.
“We do it just to renew ourselves. We already have a lot of restaurants with vegan options anyway. So this is something we do. And now, you know, we have these initiatives working together.”
- Durham Public Schools is having a Student Art Competition focused on plant-based eating. Entries to the competition will be displayed around various small businesses in Durham throughout January.
- The Northern High School Culinary Program will allow students to compete in the Junior Vegan Chef Challenge and develop high-quality, plant-based entrees consistent with school lunch nutrition guidelines
.
The Veganuary Challenge is not only aimed to have a positive impact on your health but on the environment as well.
Click on Bull City Mayor’s Veganuary Challenge for more information.
Check here for a list of vegan restaurants in Durham.
SEE ALSO | Reducing food waste is good for your budget and the planet
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North Carolina
North Carolina Republican operative shaping the state’s early voting plans is reassigned
North Carolina state Auditor Dave Boliek has reassigned a staffer working on state election preparations following reporting illustrating how the longtime Republican operative was using his position to shape county’s early voting plans.
North Carolina
North Carolina man accused of shooting and killing another tourist inside of a Broward Airbnb, police say
A Fourth of July trip to South Florida ended in tragedy after a 21-year-old North Carolina man was shot and killed inside a Hollywood Airbnb, according to police.
Investigators say Jaydon Williams, 21, was shot multiple times early Saturday morning at a vacation rental in the 1900 block of Funston Street. Hollywood police have arrested 21-year-old Devian Blount, also of North Carolina, and charged him with first-degree murder.
Officers responded to the home around 1 a.m. Saturday, following reports of a shooting. They arrived to find Williams suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital, where he died.
According to the arrest report, Williams was on a FaceTime call with his girlfriend at the time of the shooting. She told investigators she heard someone accuse Williams of stealing, followed by a verbal argument and several gunshots.
The incident has left neighbors shaken in the typically quiet Hollywood community. While some residents noted they were aware that the home operated as a short-term rental, others expressed concerns about the property’s transient nature.
“That’s a bad idea to me to have an Airbnb in this neighborhood where so many people and kids live,” said neighbor Dorell Green. “Different types of people come and go. You don’t know who is coming or leaving.”
Ivette Santana, another resident, said her primary concern is the violence. “I don’t care about the Airbnb,” Santana said. “My problem is the shooting over there.”
Blount is being held without bond at the Broward County Jail.
CBS News Miami has contacted Airbnb to determine if the property remains in operation. We are also working to contact the property’s owners.
The video above is a live stream of WBTV and affiliated programming, and may not be directly related to the article below.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – A sickness causing explosive diarrhea across the United States has been reported in North Carolina.
State health officials confirmed on Tuesday, July 7, that at least 145 cases of cyclosporiasis had been reported in North Carolina since May 1.
According to the state’s health website, cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by a parasite known as cyclospora. Sickness is often brought on by consuming food or water that is contaminated with the parasite.
The state’s website says it usually takes a week for symptoms to show up after consuming the contaminated food or water.
Among the symptoms are:
- Watery diarrhea with frequent, sometimes explosive bowel movements
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Stomach cramps/pain
- Bloating
- Increased gas
- Nausea
- Fatigue
Health officials said cyclospora is often associated with fresh herbs and produce that are served uncooked. They said because those items often go uncooked, it is imperative for them to be cleaned prior to eating.
According to the CDC, healthy people who contract cyclosporiasis usually recover without treatment but may have symptoms for a few days to a month or longer. In other cases, the sickness can be treated with antibiotics.
As of mid-June, the CDC reported cyclosporiasis cases in 17 states. At that point, no deaths had been reported.
Also Read: One US state is now reporting 700+ cases of ‘explosive’ diarrhea linked to parasite
Copyright 2026 WBTV. All rights reserved.
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