Friday, Dec. 5: City Elections + Taser Settlement + Volunteer Effort
Friday, Dec. 5
Your local news briefing
5 Headlines You Should Know Today
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City Elections: Raleigh candidates file as city shifts to staggered four-year terms.
Candidate filing is now open for Raleigh’s 2026 City Council elections. Most incumbents, including Mayor Janet Cowell, are seeking re-election, while At-Large Council Member Jonathan Lambert-Melton aims for a Wake County Board seat. Staggered four-year terms begin this fall. Filing ends Dec. 19; primaries, if needed, are March 3, with the general election on Nov. 3.
You can read more about this in the Raleigh News & Observer. *
School Debate: Community weighs future of historic, overcrowded J.W. Ligon Middle.
A Southeast Raleigh community session on J.W. Ligon Middle School highlighted concerns over outdated facilities, undersized classrooms, and transparency. Planners presented three options: renovate, rebuild on-site, or build on the athletic field. Superintendent Taylor said no decisions have been made; more listening sessions are planned for January and February.
Taser Settlement: Raleigh agrees to pay $975K in Darryl Williams lawsuit.
Raleigh will pay $975,000 to settle a federal lawsuit over Darryl “Tyree” Williams’ 2023 death following repeated Taser use. The city admits no wrongdoing; the payout resolves nearly two years of litigation and is Raleigh’s second-largest police-related settlement. Total police settlements since 2012 now approach $5.4 million.
Startup Funding: Cycle Labs raises $9.7M to expand supply-chain testing platform.
Raleigh-based Cycle Labs secured $9.7 million to expand its supply chain test automation platform. Led by Chicago’s First Analysis and supported by Triangle investors, the funding will help the startup target inefficiencies in manufacturing and logistics testing, accelerating strategic growth.
Volunteer Effort: Haw River Watch recruits locals to track Triangle stream health.
The Haw River Assembly trained 20 volunteers to track water quality along New Hope Creek by surveying macroinvertebrates. The River Watch program has collected over 2,300 data points at nearly 285 sites, supporting state and local water resource research while engaging the community in environmental monitoring.
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