MLK Parade set for Jan. 16

DURHAM -- The eighth annual Durham Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Parade kicks off on at noon Jan. 16.

Marching bands, floats, school and church groups, step and dance teams, horses, cars, motorcycles, unique vehicles, clowns and more will make Fayetteville Street a festive place to be.

This year's theme is Yesterday's Dream, Tomorrow's Reality. The grand Marshal of the parade will be N.C. Central University Chancellor Charlie Nelms.

The parade will begin at Fayetteville Street and Lakewood Avenue, proceed down Fayetteville Street and end at Elmira and Fayetteville streets.

Trophies will be presented for best in parade, best theme application and best marching band. Ribbons will be awarded for schools with most participants, non-school group with most participants, best drum line, best drum major, best mounted group (horses), best individual vehicle, best commercial vehicle, and best vehicle club (includes motorcycles).

Entry forms are available at http://www.spectacularmag.com.

For more information, call (919) 680-0465 or visit http://www.spectacularmag.com.

City accepts online input

DURHAM -- Residents who want to give input on the city's future direction have their chance thanks to an online survey.

As part of the process to create the city's first-ever strategic plan, the city is reaching out to residents, City Council members, city employees and other community stakeholders for input on the organization's strengths and weaknesses and where it should be focusing its resources.

From now until Dec. 18 residents are encouraged to visit www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=hUuXs3FrV2hWzpYiyqncAw_3d_3d and complete an online survey to give input on how the city should define its strategic direction and allocate its resources going forward.

In addition to the online survey, residents can also pick up hard copies of the survey from the Durham One Call desk, located in the lobby of City Hall.

Sister Cities art is on display

DURHAM -- Sister Cities of Durham, Inc., will display children's art from Durham's sister city, Kostroma, Russia, on the third floor of the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St., through Tuesday.

More than 30 pieces created by children ages 9-14 depicting landmarks of the city of Kostroma and Russian family life will be on display. The art celebrates the 20th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Durham and Kostroma. A similar number of children's paintings from Durham were sent to Kostroma to be part of their anniversary celebration. The exhibit will travel to different schools after it leaves the library.

The art display is part of a recent exchange during which five Russian leaders participating in the Open World Program have spent a week in Durham learning about public access to government information in various types of libraries.

For more information about Sister Cities and the Kostroma exchange, call Anne Berkley at (919) 544-2668.

Contact Mark Donovan at mdonovan@heraldsun.com or (919) 419-6655. E-mail news of interest to our readers to news@heraldsun.com.