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The Cougars (15-7), the No. 3 seed from the Tri-Eight Conference, are now scheduled to play at Durham Riverside on Tuesday.

Apex scored eight runs in the fourth inning to break open a close game. The Golden Hawks trailed 2-1 entering the frame but following five Apex base hits and a few costly mistakes found themselves trailing 10-1 going into the fifth.

“It’s a game of inches for sure,” said Apex head coach Mike Valder. “Holly Springs is a very talented team and on a given night it could have gone either way.

“We’ve just had a lot of momentum lately.”

Ryne Frankoff had the key hit of the game in the fourth inning. His bloop single into right field with two outs scored both Christian Rholl and Ben Scerri to make the score 5-1 Apex.

Then following an intentional walk to winning pitcher Houston Hawley, N.C. State-bound Chris Diaz singled, driving in Sean Buchanan and Frankoff to give the Cougars a 7-1 advantage.

Errors and two wild pitches allowed Kyle Tighe, Diaz and Taylor Gitlin to add to the Apex lead. Gitlin, who led the wild inning off with a base hit, scored twice in the fourth.

Buchanan, Frankoff, Hawley and Rholl each had two base hits for the Cougars. Hawley, who is bound for Cornell University to play football, allowed just three Golden Hawk base hits.

“Give them credit, they got some clutch hits and made the plays,” said Holly Springs head coach Rod Whitesell, whose Golden Hawks defeated the Cougars 7-5 earlier in the season. “I’m encouraged by the season we had but we’ve got to keep getting better and get more mentally tough.”

Holly Springs finished the season 19-6 and posted the second-best record in the competitive Greater Neuse River conference just behind Smithfield Selma. It was just the third year of varsity play for the Golden Hawks and their second consecutive trip to the playoffs.

Kyle Byrd drove in senior Bryson Edwards for the lone Holly Springs run. Senior Carlos Rodon had two hits for the Golden Hawks, while sophomore pitcher Justin Manning took the loss but posted four strikeouts.

After clawing its way from the middle of the pack in the Tri-Eight into a share of the conference championship, the Mustangs were forced into a first round-exit of the NCHSAA playoffs on Friday by visiting Garner by a 6-4 score.

The visiting Trojans cranked out six one-run innings, jumping on the co-Tri-Eight champions in the first inning and never trailing the rest of the way.

"We didn't show the best we've shown all year long unfortunately," MC coach Jeremy Thompson said. "It's just a tough loss for us, because these guys have worked so hard and come so far. At the beginning of the season, nobody would've said 'hey, you're going to win the conference championship.'"

Mustang batters struggled to catch up with Garner pitcher Jacob Baker, who got Garner off to a hot start by striking out two batters in each of the first three innings.

Baker was pulled after five innings of work in which he struck out six, gave up three hits and allowed zero earned runs.

"Their pitcher did a phenomenal job," Thompson said. "There's a reason some D-1 guys are looking at him — because he's pretty daggone good. Our bats have been our strong suit all year long and he kept us down. When we got to the relievers, we had some good things happen for us."

A throwing error by Middle Creek catcher Ben Clark allowed Jeremy Conyers to score his third run of the night in the sixth as Garner went up 5-1. It was the second unearned run that the Mustangs allowed. But the Mustangs didn't go away without a fight.

Middle Creek brought six batters tot he plate in the bottom of the sixth and designated hitter Eric Florin notched his second RBI of the night on a one-out single that scored Trevory McKernie, cutting the lead to three.

In need of an insurance run, Garner shortshop Dillon Creech lifted a solo homerun off the scoreboard behind the left field wall and beyond the 340-foot sign to make it 6-2.

Undeterred, Middle Creek forced the Trojans to make two pitching changes in the bottom of the seventh, plating two runs and bringing the winning run to the plate with two on and two out.

But Florin couldn't extend the game any further, hitting into the 6-4 ground-out as the Trojans advanced to the next round.

A few tears were shed as teammates said goodbye to each other. Thompson said this year's group, which claimed the Tri-Eight title for the third time in the last four years, was as exciting as any he's coached at the school.

"It's one of the best teams I've ever been around as far as team bonding and everybody getting along. I just told them I'm going to miss them because I am," Thompson said. "I told them to hold their heads high because they had a great season and they're some great people."

It did take some time, but the Falcon bats came alive in the fifth, then finished up early with a 13-1, six-inning win over Clayton.

Green Hope led 3-1 entering the fifth inning, then rolled off three straight run-producing at bats after falling behind 0-2 in the count.

Winning pitcher Joe Pistacchio came back to draw an RBI walk after falling behind 0-2, then Nolan Poythress and David Jasam pushed out two-run singles after bringing run up for a pair of strikes. Suddenly, Green Hope (20-5) led 9-1.

“We had some good at bats in key spots,” said Falcon coach Mike Miragliuolo. “We had an 0-2 count and drew a walk, had a couple of more 0-2 counts and got hits. It was nice to have everybody swinging the bat tonight.”

Eric Brady’s RBI double capped the fifth. Brady doubled twice on the night driving in three runs in his first game back after missing time with a ankle injury.

Falcon right-handers Pistacchio and Adam Boghosian combined on a two-hitter but issued nine walks to Clayton batters. But the Comets couldn’t much — aside from a third-inning RBI double by Matt Bunn — with them. Clayton (14-10) stranded 10 base runners on the night.

“None of the pitchers tonight really pitched that well,” Miragliuolo said. “[Clayton starter Jason Creasy] just couldn’t get his curveball over and that made him easier to hit. We didn’t give up many hits but we didn’t pitch like we can either.”

Boghosian ended things early with a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, sending the Falcons into round two.

With the win, Green Hope will now host Broughton in the next round of the playoffs.

The second in an outdoor service at 5 p.m. in a cleared spot on the bumpy concrete at the end of a service road along U.S. 15-501 between Durham and Chapel Hill, where for the past "seven or eight" years a church called Open Tables has been gathering from time to time for worship.

Nobody's sure of the exact date of the first service, only that it was on an Easter Sunday. Four students from Duke Divinity School, all now graduated and appointed to other work, led the first worship service that included six to eight homeless folks who walked in out of the woods and sat in a semi-circle around a make-shift altar.

That altar is still there with only a cross made from weathered wood to set it apart. On the altar for the Easter service, there were flowers and bread and juice for the Communion service. The cross was a gift from the youth group at New Bethel, one of three churches in the Rougemont Charge of the United Methodist Church.

On this Sunday, one of the worshippers was Joe, who was riding high with the kind of exultation that often accompanies a meaningful spiritual experience. He was telling everybody about his baptism during the Easter morning service at Rougemont United Methodist and how happy he was.

The small congregation sang, but the words were muffled by the passing traffic just beyond the tall trees and tangled grasses that separated the four-lane roadway from the worship space.

From the beginning, these gatherings were not soul-winning events, but an opportunity to make friends and to share that friendship with someone you might never encounter otherwise. It was an opportunity to bring the church to a particular group of people who lived in tents in the thick trees beyond the highway right-of-way.

Those Duke Divinity School students had been impressed by John Wesley's notion that the church needs to get out of the sanctuary and into the places where people live.

But it soon became apparent that sharing the life of this particular population meant more than holding a worship service or bringing food for a meal. It meant responding to other needs like helping someone get a Social Security number so he or she could get disability assistance. It meant taking sick people to doctor's appointments. It meant picking up scantily clad persons on winter nights when temperatures were expected to drop to the low teens. It meant advocating for these people as governmental bodies debated what to do about the homeless folks who were begging at intersections of major roadways in and around the city.

Although Open Tables has had a lot of changes in leadership over its short life, the group has continued to hold Sunday worship some of the time and a regular gathering on Wednesdays for a meal at noon.

The past year has been a hard one, said Jay Davis, a volunteer from Rougemont United Methodist who has made this group a top priority in his life.

"Since I started working with Open Tables I have seen seven people in our homeless group die," Davis said. "This fact is tragic enough by itself. It is more tragic in the context of many people's outlook concerning the homeless.

"I have been told by persons through words and attitude that we are only 'enabling' the folks in our ministry and that if we denied them the assistance we give, they would somehow 'hit bottom' and 'come to grips' with their situation."

Davis sees it differently.

A tall imposing man in his late 60s, Davis is a retired labor organizer who worked for years in California, but who came back to his home state to retire. He drives a pickup truck that he uses to gather homeless folks on those cold nights in January and February. And when money is available, to rent a couple of rooms at Days Inn so they can have a warm shower and a warm bed for the night.

"Those who have died are seven people that I knew and broke bread with," Davis said. "Even with our help, care and love the only thing they 'came to grips' with was a cold ditch in the woods or a hospital bed on life support. These are people I knew by name. Many had ridden beside me in my truck. All of them have sat with me at lunch as we shared our stories with each other.

"I have found that those that talk about 'tough love' applied to the homeless are more about 'tough' than they are 'love,'" he said.

Davis believes no one consciously decides to live a life of poverty and addiction, but haplessly falls into that lifestyle. And once they fall there is only one way they can crawl out, through the love, care and support of friends and family.

"These tragic seven people were my brother or sister in Christ. I should not have done less for them, I should have done more. Jesus did not direct us to feed his 'sober sheep' or his 'drug-free sheep,' and despite our best efforts we still lost our war with addiction and despair for seven of these children of God."

Davis listed the seven.

David died in a ditch in the woods on a freezing night.

Nick, Andy, Robin and Taz all died in intensive care on life support.

Barbara and Wes were both struck and killed by a car.

But on the brighter side, Davis said Open Tables has one member who is into her fourth year of sobriety and another who is into his second year of sobriety. And on a really happy note, Joe was baptized on Easter Sunday as a member of the church.

Open Tables operates through a temporary grant from the Duke Endowment, which makes it possible to have a part-time director. Carolyn Schuldt, who is graduating from Duke Divinity in May, will assume that role on a full-time basis after graduation. The ministry is also supported by volunteers from the three United Methodist Churches in the Rougemont Charge and by Resurrection and Duke's Chapel United Methodist and Duke Chapel, all in Durham.

Anyone who would like to join Open Tables for lunch at noon on Wednesdays is invited to bring enough food to share and be ready to make new friends. The group always ends the gathering in a fellowship circle during which they share concerns and make prayer requests.

Visiting Open Tables is not something you will soon forget. It is a reminder, as Davis says, that "Jesus did not direct us to feed his sober sheep or his drug-free sheep. He told us to feed his sheep."

Here's what happened: I was dissatisfied with a set of five cloisonne match box covers that I'd won. One was seriously damaged (far more so than the original description had indicated), and one wasn't even cloisonne. But at $15.50 for the group, I'd made a steal.

When it came time to evaluate the seller, though, I thought it would be dishonest to rate her at the highest level, which is a "5." So I gave her two "4s" and the rest "5s" and left the comment that one of the boxes wasn't cloisonne. She responded immediately with a mini Miss Manners lecture telling me that "it's better etiquette to work something out [with the seller] versus leaving a note like that on someone's feedback profile."

Hmm. I thought the purpose of leaving feedback was, in part, to alert other buyers to potential problems with sellers. Cloisonne, after all, isn't that hard to spot; if you're in the business of selling it, you ought to know what it is.

On the other hand, maybe I should have contacted her directly and given her the chance to address my complaints. But to be honest, I didn't think about it.

The electronic revolution is upon us, like it or not, and e-etiquette is still being written. It's yet one more thing to learn if you're going to engage in eBay, Facebook, Twitter or whatever. I have a feeling that for my kids, this is a simple matter of picking up the rules as you go. The next generation is wired electronically, I'm convinced.

But for me, I'm either too old or too grouchy or both to bother. I think I'll go back to haunting the local consignment shops in Durham, like I used to, and checking out antique stores when on vacation. I know the rules there. I can ask if the shop has cloisonne match box covers or I can wander the aisles in search myself. I can handle and examine the pieces, or if they're locked in a cabinet, I can ask for help. I can say "please" and "thank you" and pay my bill, and leave the store free of unfinished business.

Transaction complete. No feedback required, no passwords necessary. And best of all, no e-manners to remember.

TCC's first project is the Taste of Durham Festival. The mission is to create positive platforms with hopes to invigorate a good vibe, bring people together and celebrate the essence of the good life with an international twist. I think when this opportunity and environment is evident, it can be a motivating factor to keep us open-minded to preserve cultural diversity and history of a community, embrace new members, gain awareness of community needs and participate in creating solutions to enrich lives.

Taste of Durham, happening May 23, exemplifies this idealistic vision and the commitment to making a positive impact on lives for many communities and various sub-communities. The festival format is inspired by the diversity of Durham County and serves many constituents with deliberate, inclusive and varied programming.

Going on our fifth year, Taste of Durham has grown quickly and adapted to the challenges and to our growing audience. New segments for 2009 include "too much fun zone," Snow in May, Ice Carving and other activities, as well as another level of FUN. The eclectic restaurant lineup is better than ever, the music and dance schedule is infused with international and cultural showcases, and wine and beer tasting segments will continue to offer another dimension to our slogan, "festivals within a festival."

Finding a large venue to accommodate our growth and comprehensive logistics was an inherent issue from the start. Trying to find suitable land became like finding a needle in a haystack. Our current location in Durham at the Imperial Center alleviates many issues that are crucial for the continued success and sustainability of the festival.

We focus on many arts, music and cultural themes. It is my strong belief that these platforms and mediums can bring out the best of our humanity. Whatever form it may be, it can communicate messages in profound ways that cannot be explained but must be experienced first-hand. People may view it as just another festival, but as the founder and creator of Taste of Durham, I designed it to serve multiple groups and causes.

The content of the programming is to nurture respect for diverse cultures and provide an accessible and affordable opportunity to experience a high-end entertainment, arts and cultural event. Another focus is to create a quality platform to showcase talents for artists and musicians who deal with many challenges and trends in the music and entertainment arena.

The festival platform also offer ways to stimulate the economy by offering opportunities for businesses to showcase their services and connect directly with a large, diverse and attentive audience. With the state of the economy, we need as much support to keep the economic cycle perpetuating, which is a component of a thriving community. The main ingredients for such lofty goals are the sharing of food, musical talents, dance, and an ambiance full of beauty, graciousness and hospitality.

In this welcoming and inclusionary approach is the discipline to create a "sense of belonging and feeling at home." That is what we try to do with the festival, and we welcome residents and businesses from all areas of Durham. During our economic times and amid constant reminders of division, exclusion and varying levels of hostility in the daily news, working together and contributing to the quality of life for people in vast community groups is responsible, smart business and good for community engagement and relations.

We could not produce such "magic and love" without the businesses, organizations, participants and contributors from various communities. Call me idealistic, but don't call me late for dinner.

They are not the absent father without the heart to care for his child, nor are they the could-be mentor down the street who chooses not to spare any time showing a kid how to lead a positive life.

They aren't the broken-windowed neighborhood whose residents would rather keep to their own affairs than risk their own necks to wrest an adolescent off a wayward path.

As of the past few years, NCCU has refocused on seeing these young adults through till the end, but, again, they can't be everything.

More than 1,000 freshmen come to the historically black university each year, and less than half earn a degree four years later.

That's appalling.

But it's not really the school's fault. It's our fault. And by "our," I'm mostly talking to black people.

Yes, we are to blame for this.

The path to graduation starts long before those students even set foot on campus.

And, frankly, we do a horrible job of putting them on that path. For decades our community has forsaken its responsibility to educate our youth and embraced this sort of urban know-nothingism that teaches our kids how to rap but not how to read.

Have I offended you yet? If so, ask yourself: Should I be more offended by this guy's words or by NCCU's graduation rate?

And then ask yourself what that graduation rate says about us.

DURHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT HONORS 26

The Durham Police Department honored 26 employees who were promoted in the past nine months during a ceremony at City Hall.

Captains: Winslow Forbes and Rick Pendergrass;

Lieutenants: Todd Rose and Jerry Yount;

Sergeants: Todd Bobal, April Browne, Felisa Francis, Robert Gaddy Jr. and Glen Price;

Corporals: Harlan Crenshaw, Donyale Ellis, Victor Figueroa, Delondon Gaither, Brian Massengill and Natausha Pettiford;

Master Officers: Brian Black, James Cartwright, Jeffery Fair, Everette Jeffries, Douglas Rausch, Michele Soucie, Kenneth Stephens and Robert Swartz;

Forensic Services Manager: Angela Ashby.

NCSSM PUPIL GETS TO FINALS IN COMPETITION

Sajith Wickramasekara, a senior from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, has been named a finalist in the sanofi-aventis International BioGENEius Challenge, a competition for high school students who demonstrate an exemplary understanding of biotechnology through science research projects.

LOWE'S GROVE TEACHER AN AWARD FINALIST

Jamila Bowser, Lowe's Grove Middle School, has been named as a finalist for 2009 Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering, Inc. Teacher of the Year.

ROGERS-HERR STUDENT WINS NATIONAL AWARD

Maddy Sweitzer-Lamme, an eighth grader at Rogers-Herr Middle School, was recently named the national eighth grade winner of McDonald's national All American Achievers program.

DA STUDENT A HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLAR

Lenae B. Frazier, a student at Durham Academy Upper School, has been selected for membership in the National Society of High School Scholars.

HATS OFF

Achievements and achievers within the Durham community recognized.

The goal is to offer a full summer of camps to the community at low cost, said the Rev. Bob Kretzu, pastor.

CAMP E.D.G.E.: June 22-26, 9 a.m. to noon. Rising kindergarten through grade 5, $20 per child with scholarships available. This is an extreme adventure camp where kids experience and discover God everywhere. It is an action-packed expedition that teaches kids their strength comes from God. The director is Dianne Mitchell. To register, e-mail DMitchell10@gmail.com.

OCEAN EXPLORERS CAMP: July 6-10, 9 a.m. to noon. Rising second grade through rising sixth grade, $100 first child, $75 each additional child with scholarships available.

If your child wonders about which creatures in "Finding Nemo" or "Spongebob Squarepants" exist in the real world, then this is the camp for them. Campers will experiment with water, build plankton toys, study fish, explore interactions between sea creatures and learn about how to better protect the environment. Director is Lauren Madden, a doctoral student in Science Education at N.C. State University. To register, e-mail lomadden@gmail.com.

SPANISH IMMERSION CAMP: July 20-24, 8:30 a.m. through 1 p.m., ages 5-10, $50 per child. Campers will sing, play and have fun learning about Jesus in Spanish. Director is Dr. Nora Herrera-Olivieri, 599-5955. To register- e-mail noraherreraolivieri@yahoo.com.

THE PLANTING PATCH CAMP: Aug. 3-7, 8 a.m. to noon, ages 5-8, cost $60 per child. Campers will learn about various types of plants and gardens. They will do lots of "dirty" work as well as some fun science experiments to explore gardening in all its elements. Snacks provided. Director is Pachis Hartwick. To register, e-mail pop@verizon.net.

* Woodcroft Women's Club is hosting its annual Community Yard Sale at Jordan High School on Garrett Road from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Sellers may purchase two parking spaces for $20. All profits from space rental will be donated to local charities. To rent space, contact Lorie at 338-0962 or log on to www.woodcroftwomensclub.com to print the rental flier.

* The Animal Protection Society of Durham will hold its ninth annual Walk for Animals from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will take place at Duke University's East Campus. To register or to find out more about the Walk for Animals, visit www.apswalk.org or http://www.apswalkfortheanimals.org/ or call 381-7249.

* More than 100 "senior" amateur musicians will gather for a "Spring Fling Concert" at 3 p.m. to perform an "old time band concert" in Baldwin Auditorium on Duke University's East Campus. Free parking is available on city streets behind Baldwin Auditorium and in lots on Duke's campus.

* E.D. Mickle Neighborhood Center, 1204 N. Alston Ave., will hold a Community Appreciation Day from noon to 3 p.m.

* Durham for Obama's Outreach/Publicity Working Group is holding a workshop to teach "How to write a Letter to Your Representative" from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Durham Public Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.

* Bimbe Cultural Arts Festival will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on the CCB Plaza, 201 N. Corcoran St. Enjoy an eclectic mix of music and dance celebrating African-American traditions. There will be fun for the whole family in the Kids' Zone, handmade art at the Bimbe Marketplace, and great food.

May 18

Hillsborough author Michael Malone will read from and sign copies of his new novel, "The Four Corners of the Sky" at 7 p.m. at The Regulator Bookshop, 720 Ninth St.

May 19

* Come hear local author Clay Carmichael read from and sign copies of her new young adult novel, "Wild Things," and enter to win a sculpture by N.C. metal sculptor Mike Roig at 7 p.m. at The Regulator Bookshop, 720 Ninth St.

* Durham Regional Hospital will present Tools for Your Health, a free seminar series to educate men on important health issues at 7 p.m. in the hospital in the First Level Classroom. Register online at www.durhamregional.org or call 403-4374.

This interactive art exhibit by artist Carole Baker will be in the chapel at the church from Sunday, May 17, through Sunday, June 14.

The project includes life-size depictions of the Virgin Mary from different cultures and time periods. Viewers of the exhibit are invited to "play" with the life-size dolls by exchanging the iconic symbols and clothing among the different Marys.

This exhibit questions the ways we think about race and culture within the holy family. Viewers are invited to meditate with these icons during the exhibit and to join Carole Baker on Wednesday, May 27, at 6:30 p.m. as she relates the history of the icons and her motivation in creating the exhibit.

The exhibit is sponsored by the Peace and Reconciliation Mission Group at Watts Street Baptist.

Epworth holding its summer music camp

Epworth United Methodist is offering a summer music camp for children from July 13 through July 17 from 9 a.m. to noon each day.

Registration is now under way for children in kindergarten through grade 5 in the community with a maximum enrollment of 40. The tuition is $45 per child or $80 per family. Registration deadline is July 1.

The subject is "Arkeology! Remembering God's Plan and Promise."

Kim Philpott, director of music ministries, will direct the camp. A performance for parents and friends will be offered on the last day of camp, Friday at 11 a.m.

Contact the church at 3002 Hope Valley Road, 489-6557, for registration information. Scholarships are available.

Watts Street shows us how the water works

"Water U Doing?" is the topic for Vacation Bible School at Watts Street Baptist from Sunday, June 21, through Thursday, June 25. Sunday time is from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. and Monday through Thursday is from 9 a.m. to noon.

Students will learn about Jesus as "the living water" and explore how we can share the gift of water with people in Malawi, where there have been four severe droughts in the past decade.

Register online at www.wattsstreet.org or pick up a registration form at the church.

Yates designates full week for prayer

Yates Baptist Association has announced a week of prayer for local missions sponsored by the association from May 17-23.

The schedule calls for prayers for the following groups:

Sunday, May 17, Burmese Karens. These folks were in refugee camps in Thailand and came to the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area via the government and relief agencies.

Monday, May 18, Japanese. A Bible study and worship group meets at Yates Baptist Association Resource Center to be taught by Simon Yokoi on how to connect with unchurched Japanese in the area.

Tuesday, May 19, Farsi-speaking people. Pastor Asad Hashemi and his wife, Pat, are seeking to connect with people who speak Farsi and to give them the Christian message.

Wednesday, May 20, Filipino. A new church for Filipinos is being started at Rose of Sharon Baptist Church. Nathan Lozado is the pastor and leads this new work.

Thursday, May 21, Hispanic. Mario Moreno is the pastor of the Spanish mission at Durham Memorial Baptist Church. Iglesia Cristiana Emanuel is led by Pastor Roberto Rodriguez, and his group meets at the Journey Church on East Club Boulevard. In northern Chatham County, Enrique Gil leads Iglesia Bautista Monte Carmelo. All of these have requested prayers for their work reaching out to the Spanish-speaking communities.

Friday, May 22, Korean. Pastor Jae Cho leads Hanmaum Church, a congregation of several hundred with three worship services on Sundays. Prayers are requested for the pastor and his church leaders.

Saturday, May 23, Chinese. The Chinese Christian Church of Chapel Hill meets at University Baptist Church. Prayers requested for the pastor and congregation.

Prayer vigil honors life of man killed by gunfire

A prayer vigil to honor the life of Oscar Mendez will be held on Monday, May 18, at 6 p.m. at 1700 Hillcrest Drive, corner of Guess Road.

Mendez was fatally shot by a police officer on March 19 after allegedly pointing a gun at the police and failing to drop his weapon after being ordered to do so. The Rev. Brian Irving of Northside Baptist Church will lead the vigil.

The purpose of prayer vigils for homicide victims is to bring people together to honor the lives of the victims, offer comfort to the families, friends and neighbors, and pray for peace and healing.

The vigils also allow victims' loved ones an opportunity to have their voices heard and their grief acknowledged, and for the community to publicly state that such violence is unacceptable.

The vigils are coordinated by the Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham, Parents of Murdered Children and Durham Congregations in Action.

Pray, worship, but just don't give us the flu

An area church has gone on record with some suggestions regarding safe practices in worship in the wake of a potential outbreak of Swine Flu.

Duke Memorial United Methodist sent out an announcement to its congregation last week and included the same information in its bulletin this past Sunday. Following are four suggestions:

* Individuals who have a sore throat, fever or other flu symptoms are asked to stay home.

* During the Passing of the Peace in worship, individuals who are uncomfortable shaking others' hands are invited simply to offer the words: "The peace of Christ be with you."

* All communion ware has been thoroughly washed and all individuals preparing or serving communion have sanitized hands.

* The church will continue to offer communion via intinction or individual cups so that worshipers may choose which method they are most comfortable with. Using intinction, the bread, representing the body of Christ, is dipped into the cup of wine or juice, representing the blood of Christ, and is then eaten.

St. Luke's announces summer worship bill

Giving folks plenty of time to plan for the summer, St. Luke's Episcopal, 1737 Hillandale Road, has announced its summer worship schedule.

Beginning on Sunday, June 7, and ending on Sunday, Aug. 16, the church's Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 8 and 10 a.m. on Sundays.

MAY 18-22

MONDAY

Orange or apple juice

Super bun

Cereal w/toast and jelly

Beef-a-roni

Chicken nuggets

Mixed vegetables

Oven-baked fries

Tossed salad w/dressing

Chilled mixed fruit

Breadstick

TUESDAY

Orange or fruit juice medley

Pancake on a stick

Cereal w/toast and jelly

Country-style steak w/gravy

Oven-baked chicken

Pinto beans

Collard greens

Chilled peaches

Hushpuppies

WEDNESDAY

Orange or apple juice

Breakfast pizza

Cereal w/toast and jelly

Durham sub w/turkey, ham and cheese

Nachos w/chili and cheese

California-blend vegetables

Potato rounds

Applesauce

Wheat roll

THURSDAY

Orange or fruit juice medley

Reduced-fat super doughnut

Cereal w/toast and jelly

Baked spaghetti

Corn dog

Broccoli florets

Carrots

Peach cobbler

Breadstick

FRIDAY

Orange or apple juice

Steak biscuit

Cereal w/toast and jelly

Cheese or pepperoni pizza

Cheese sticks w/marinara

Green beans

Corn niblets

Frozen fruit juice bar

Wheat roll

MIDDLE SCHOOLS

MONDAY

Chicken nuggets

Lasagna

Corn niblets

Winter mix vegetables

Chilled mixed fruit

Breadstick

TUESDAY

Nachos

Turkey tetrazzini

Candied sweet potatoes

Green beans

Applesauce

Wheat roll

WEDNESDAY

Corn dog nuggets

Oven-baked chicken

Baked potato

Collard greens

Pinto beans

Chilled peaches

Wheat roll

THURSDAY

Chicken filet sandwich

Baked spaghetti

Broccoli florets

Corn on the cob

Chilled pears

Breadstick

FRIDAY

Cheeseburger

Catfish strips

Carrots

Green beans

Apple cobbler

Hushpuppies

But on the starting blocks, it was all about his form.

Marcus, 12, was perfecting how he starts sprints during a recent Triangle Champions Track Club practice.

Watching his cousins and televised track events piqued his interest. He also wanted to lose weight.

Weekly scripture readings solidified his interest in the organization.

"It brings you closer to God and helps you feel better during your race," he said.

"It helps you know that you have a better communication with the Lord."

Along with sprints, throws and jumps, Triangle Champions athletes receive regular doses of religion. It is why youth from Wake, Chatham and Alamance counties have joined the team. Head coach Omar Beasley thinks the club is the only Christian-based track team not affiliated with a school or a church in the Triangle.

About 80 athletes, from kindergarteners to high school seniors, practice at Hillside High School's outdoor track three times a week. The team is expected to swell to about 160 once its middle and high school athletes finish running for their schools.

The club is off to a good start. About 12 athletes are ranked in the top 20 nationally in their events by eliteyouth.com. Seven club records were broken during the team's first meet of the season, Beasley said.

Most of the team ran for other clubs in Durham and Raleigh but wanted a squad with a strong religious emphasis closer to home. The team provides weekly Bible scriptures and conducts non-mandatory Bible study sessions. Its Christian focus comes from its foundation, which is to put God first and for athletes to treat others like they want to be treated, Beasley said. Any child can join the team.

"Sports bring everyone together," Beasley said. "Why not use it to develop your morals, your character."

"Everyone knows sports does a good job in developing character, but if you have serious Christian values to help strengthen those morals, it goes to make a better person."

Religion and sports have a strong association. Teams often pray before games. Athletes thank God after victories, and many basketball players, especially in the NBA, have religious symbols tattooed on their bodies.

James Wellman Jr., a religion professor and chairman of the Comparative Religion Program at the University of Washington, led a 2007 discussion at the school on the impact religion has on University of Washington athletes and coaches. They, like others across the country, use their faith to stay safe and perform well, he said.

Overt religious displays are prevalent in football, especially the NFL, due to the risk of serious injury or death, Wellman said. Today's athletes want to show their love for God, which has helped spur groups like Athletes in Action, which uses athletes to spread religious messages.

"Sports, for many people, is a reform movement," Wellman said. "To channel young people in positive uplifting activities so they won't fall into temptation. Sports are a way for parents and community members to protect their kids, and religion is a part of that protective mechanism."

"Is it genuine? Of course it's genuine," he said. "You can see why it works. And it does work."

Anthony Johnson's 11-year-old daughter, Makaela, recently quoted scripture, given to her by team leaders, about finishing a race. She used it as inspiration to do her best, he said.

"It teaches them to respect one another and respect themselves, and all of that is built on the principles of religion," said Johnson, whose daughter has been on the team for two years.

The team's religious focus is not obvious during practices, other than a group prayer after warm-ups. But that focus, along with the non-track activities, drew Tyler McDougald. She always wanted to run track but didn't get into it until a classmate at Rogers-Herr Middle School talked about the club. Now she's one of the most improved on the team, Beasley said.

"I'm a Christian and I like being involved with God," said Tyler, 12.

An expected 546 undergrads will turn their tassels today. They will be joined by 191 graduate students and 180 more from NCCU's law school.

NCCU's commencement will be held at 8 a.m. at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium on campus.

The speaker is Marc Morial, who served as the mayor of New Orleans for eight years before becoming president of the National Urban League.

The 546 undergrads receiving diplomas represent less than half of the 1,195 new freshmen who set foot on the NCCU campus four years ago to begin their college careers. Many fell behind or dropped out, often after their first year of college. NCCU has, in recent years, placed a new emphasis on retaining those students, teaching them study skills and getting them to graduation.

In a letter to graduates this week, Chancellor Charlie Nelms stressed the importance of the educations they've received. He cited National Urban League data showing that the net worth and earning ability of black Americans is about 57 percent of what white Americans earn.

But, he said, "the differential in income between the races virtually disappears for that privileged 19 percent minority of blacks who have earned a four-year degree. So the path to economic equity is clear, and it is through education."

Due to campus construction, the university is providing shuttle service to the ceremony from several parking lots.

They include: White Rock Baptist Church, 3400 Fayetteville St.; Mt. Calvary United Christian Church, 1715 Athens St., St. Joseph's AME Church at 2521 Fayetteville St., and St. Titus Episcopal Church, 400 Moline St.

In the backyard sits a solar oven, where you'll often find beans, or another slow-cook meal simmering in a porcelain Dutch oven.

And on the roof -- yes, the roof -- kitchen herbs abound near the large solar panels that make much of what Stephen and Rebekah Hren do possible: live without carbon.

The couple bought the house in 2006 and has since outfitted it to operate purely on solar panels. The panels are tied to the utility grid of Duke Energy, which allows them to sell excess solar power to NCGreenpower, a nonprofit that pays renewable energy producers.

"For the first two years we were here we weren't tied to the utility grid, and functioned off a battery bank and solar power for electricity," Rebekah said. "But it is more efficient, and better in general for the planet, for us to be able to sell our excess solar power, so it feeds into our neighbors' houses when we aren't able to use all of it."

Rebekah, 33, is a certified electrician specializing in solar power, and Stephen, 34, has been restoring old homes for years.

Both enjoy gardening but have received a lot of expert help from their friends and tenants Keith Shaljian and his partner, Kyra Moore. They're the founders of Bountiful Backyards, a group that plants edible gardens. They live in an apartment off the back of the house, which is nearly carbon-free as well.

"I put the first garden bed in the very first day I moved there," Shaljian said. "Beauty is a really important element."

The Hrens wrote a book about their endeavor titled, "The Carbon-Free Home: 36 Remodeling Projects to Help Kick the Fossil-Fuel Habit." It was published by Chelsea Green in 2008.

On Sunday their home is open to the public for free tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Signed copies of their book will be for sale for $35.

The couple built a solar home from scratch in Person County years ago but realized they were hardly helping the environment with their commutes. Durham appealed to them with its central location (in-fill is friendlier to the earth than new construction), as well as the vibe of the community.

Caddy corner to the home is an apartment complex, and just blocks away sits the ghost of one of downtown Durham's industrial hubs.

The Hrens chose the Trinity Avenue house because it's close to the Durham Farmers' Market. Stephen serves on the board of the Durham Central Market, a planned neighborhood cooperative grocery that hopes to establish a place in Durham Central Park akin to Carrboro's Weaver Street Market.

They also wanted to set an example.

"I think what we are doing is important because it is in such a high-traffic urban area, not way out in the sticks," Rebekah said.

"All the projects we have done are on a totally normal house, not some fancy 'green built' home that cost $500,000," she said. "All the energy efficiency projects we did cost about $40,000, and we got tax credits of nearly $15,000 off that initial cost."

Plus, she said, "our solar panels will last at least 25 years!"

Most of the home's carbon-minimizing tweaks relate to the solar panels, but the superficial changes were done with environmentally friendly materials whenever possible.

"The structure's the same," Rebekah said. "We haven't really modified it."

The funky wallpaper in the living room is 50 percent recycled, the built-in shelves that line one entire wall were made by a local carpenter, and the tiles lining the wall behind the wood-burning stove were reclaimed from a home in Hillsborough.

The kitchen sports the most innovative changes to the home, they said. They use the top of the wood-burning stove as a griddle -- it stabilizes around 400 degrees, and they know which areas are cooler and which stay hot.

They also use an ethanol stove as seen in boat cabins, as well as an induction burner that runs off the solar grid -- they have to use copper-bottomed pots, but the burner boils water quickly.

They love the solar oven in the backyard, but Rebekah admits she misses an indoor oven. They take a tremendous amount of energy, however, and she has learned to embrace the toaster oven instead.

Their other appliances are all Energy Star, a government-backed efficiency program, and like the rest of the home they use solar power.

The wood-burning stove provides much of the home's heat, and they simply do without an air-conditioner in the summer, instead using passive cooling methods such as planting trees near windows that provide shade in the summer and let sunlight through in the winter.

The garden is still a work in progress, they said, but it has come a very long way. The Bountiful Backyards team has helped install rain-water collecting systems and does not use any chemicals in maintaining the plants. They instead grow other plants that repel pests.

"We've slowly been conquering parts of the yard," Stephen said.

Their friend and tenant, Keith Shaljian, said he's really not all that inconvenienced using mostly solar power -- namely, shorter hot showers from time to time.

"The sacrifices are pretty small," he said.