Transit a la Region?: Durham's in a tough spot with transit funding, since any regional system would have to cross our county, with a much higher mile-per-citizen burden that resident-rich Wake Co. -- and the need to connect RTP into any robust regional service. One small help? A Durham idea to have Wake and Orange pay for the connectivity from their borders to the initial Durham stations, near RTP/Miami and NC 54, respectively. A H-S article sums up the need for some dollars from local-option sales taxes to cross county borders if this whole thing is going to work. (Herald-Sun)

TFA Looks at Expectations: Judge Howard Manning, of the Leandro case and a push in general towards better school performance, had tough words on the failure of schools to impact poor, largely minority children, calling out in particular "the failure of the classroom teachers to expect high things of every single child in North Carolina." The comments came as part of an alumni summit for North Carolina's chapter of Teach for America. (Herald-Sun)

"Barbecued Ram, Anyone?": We just had to share the H-S' headline for Duke's victory over UNC in Saturday night hoops, a big-game blowout that caps a disastrous season for Roy Williams' team. It was the first bonfire on Duke's West Quad for a men's basketball game over UNC since, well, since Tyler Hansbrough showed up. (Herald-Sun)

DPS Surveys on Reading Street: DPS is following through with its promise to survey teachers on how well the controversial Reading Street curriculum is working in the district. An advocate for the parents group advocating for DPS improvements calls it a step forward to provide an opportunity for anonymous, honest feedback. (Herald-Sun)