Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How a viral TikTok helped reopen a beloved Raleigh bookstore

Also check out Christmas Eve Dinner at Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club on the Raleigh Patch calendar

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Wednesday December 24th Patch AM
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Greetings Raleigh! We’re your go-to source for what’s happening in town. Read on to get plugged in! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How a viral TikTok helped reopen a beloved Raleigh bookstore
  • Why 17 new Hayes Barton townhomes are moving ahead despite lawsuits
  • How will Raleigh’s new AI traffic pilot change your daily drive?

Also on today's calendar: Christmas Eve Dinner at Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club and 5 more events.

Find out what's happening in Raleighfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: I used to work in a doughnut shop. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Raleighfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Wednesday: Mostly sunny and warm, with a high of 70 and low of 43 degrees.
  • Thursday: Warm with partial sunshine, temps: high: 69, low: 43.
  • Friday: Cloudy and cooler, with a high of 56 and low of 48 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Black-owned bookstore reopens in Raleigh with a big boost from TikTok (newsobserver.com) — Liberation Station, North Carolina’s first Black-owned children’s bookstore, is reopening next week in Southeast Raleigh near St. Augustine’s University after raising more than $60,000 on GoFundMe and getting a viral TikTok boost. The new Hill Street location sits in the historic College Park neighborhood, where community leaders say the store’s focus on Black authors, plus food and pad pantries, makes it a perfect fit.
   

2. After years of legal battles, developer to build 17 townhouses in Hayes Barton (newsobserver.com) — A long-disputed 17-townhome project in Raleigh’s historic Hayes Barton neighborhood is moving forward after neighbors lost a key court appeal, with construction expected to start in early 2026. The case highlights Raleigh’s controversial “missing middle” zoning reforms, ongoing lawsuits over townhome projects in East Raleigh, and the financial risks developers face while broader legal challenges remain unresolved.
   

3. As Raleigh grows, the city uses AI to rethink traffic management (wral.com) — Raleigh is testing AI-powered analysis of traffic camera footage to fine‑tune signal timing at busy intersections, especially downtown and along key corridors like Glenwood Avenue. City engineers hope the pilot will ease congestion, improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, and delay costly road-widening projects, all while keeping human oversight and protecting residents’ privacy.
   

4. Amplified sound rules for some businesses in Raleigh take effect on Jan. 1: What to know (abc11.com) — Starting January 1, 2026, Raleigh’s updated noise ordinance will limit amplified sound from bars, restaurants, and nightclubs based on time, day, and location. Residents will be able to file complaints through the Ask Raleigh center, while a new city webpage will explain decibel limits, permits, and how enforcement works.
   

5. Woman, 2 men shot in Wake County community east of Raleigh, deputies say; same block as August shootout (cbs17.com) — Three people were seriously injured in a Tuesday night shooting in a mobile home community just east of Raleigh, in the 3300 block of Moonglow Drive near the Neuse River. Deputies say it’s the same block where an August shootout hit several occupied homes and cars, and investigators are still working to determine what led to the latest gunfire.
   

📸 Around Raleigh

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Raleigh

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📣 Raleigh Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

    Thursday December 25
  • Toddler Open Play at SGA Gymnastics
    SGA Gymnastics , 110 Competition Ctr Dr Suite 100 , Morrisville
    9:00 am
  • HOPPY HOUR @ Big Frog
    Big Frog of Raleigh , 6675 Falls of Neuse Road Suite 107 , Raleigh
    9:00 am
  • The Hideout Wake Forest
    Lonerider at Wake Forest , 1839 S Main St Suite 600 , Wake Forest
    5:00 pm
  • Team Flow Jet Ride
    Oak City Brewing Company , 616 N First Ave , Knightdale
    6:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Someone may be taking good care of my 9 year old one eyed hound.
    About to weeks ago, they may have kindly picked him up and rescued him and kept him - thinking he was abandoned or dumped. But he simply escaped… (Nextdoor Roylene Acres)
  • Hi all!
    My dog, Eros, got lost on December 16 around Kings Parkway and Lynn Garden Ct. During these past 5 days he’s been spotted a few times around the Wake… (Nextdoor Winter Place)
  • Over the weekend, our DWI Unit hosted a multi-agency saturation patrol in Raleigh. The operation was focused along the Glenwood Ave. corridor from... (X: raleighpolice)
  • Be part of shaping Neuse River Park’s future! Share your thoughts online thru Dec. 29 with our survey. More information:... (X: raleighparks)
  • CMC Hotels posted a job opening for House Person / Porter-The Westin Raleigh-Durham Airport in Raleigh. Apply here.
  • Planet Fitness, Inc. posted a job opening for Front Desk Opener in Raleigh. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Raleigh here.

Ok Raleigh! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I got tired of the hole business.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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