BCR's Daily Fishwrap Report for May 15, 2009

• First the school board proposed a $650k cut in county funding; then County Manager Mike Ruffin mused that a $2.5m cut was more in line. The school board's counter? To ask for a $4.6m budget increase -- erasing the $2.5m cut and adding back $2.1m in new spending to restore some of the cuts otherwise necessitated by the state budget crisis. The new-new plan would add back 33 teachers and 25 teacher assistants, relative to the 377 employees cut in the $650k plan. Next step: Ruffin and the BOCC. (H-S)
• NCCU is gearing up to award 1,000 degrees at commencement tomorrow; Marc Morial from the National Urban League will be the commencement speaker. (H-S)
• Not surprisingly, city employees other than fire and police staff are grousing they're not getting raises, telling the H-S they're "just as vital" as beat feet on the street. The City's position, according to the H-S, has been that high police turnover and the need to keep public safety employees from leaving for other cities makes it necessary; the H-S adds that other cities don't appear to be giving raises to police, or only police -- though we at BCR would note that this year aside, lower crime rates in some suburban enclaves still makes them attractive poaching destinations. (H-S)
• Twenty or so folks turned out at Jordan High for a neighborhood meeting on the proposed boundary change for Jordan Lake; next stop: a June 9 Durham Planning Commission hearing. (H-S)
• The Lincoln Community Health Center Foundation has kicked off its fundraising campaign to support the community stalwart, with a board of trustees and a goal to raise $5m in endowment. (H-S)
• The 40th Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival moves from the DAP to downtown's CCB Plaza this weekend due to ongoing construction work at the ballpark; local hip-hop group The Beast kicks things off tonight at 6pm, with more festival events happening Sat. noon to 9pm and Sun. 3:30 to 6:30pm. (H-S)
• M&F Bancorp returned to profitability in the first quarter; the historic black financial institution posted a small $306k profit after a fourth quarter loss. (N&O)