April Laissle

1 week ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

Winston-Salem homeowners will see a property tax increase next year under the city’s newly approved budget. The average homeowner is expected to pay nearly $100 more annually in property taxes. Council member Robert Clark emphasized during Monday’s meeting that the increase won’t fund new services, but will instead allow the city to maintain current service levels as other funding sources dry up. “We only have one knob we can turn to generate revenue, and that is property tax,” Clark said.

1 week ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

Alamance County Commissioners have approved next year’s budget, which includes a property tax increase aimed in part at supporting local schools. The tax hike was a central point of debate during Monday’s hours-long meeting. Several community members spoke during the public comment period, urging commissioners to avoid cuts to the school district and library system. Resident Joanna Flynn acknowledged that preserving those services might come at a cost.

2 weeks ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

North Carolina’s job market is continuing to outpace much of the nation — and Winston-Salem is leading the way in the Triad. New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows total employment in the Winston-Salem metro area rose nearly 2% over the past year. That’s about one and a half times faster than the statewide rate. Burlington wasn’t far behind, while Greensboro lagged slightly, growing less than half a percent.

2 weeks ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

The official start of summer is just around the corner, and for many Piedmont residents, that means packing up the car and heading east to the North Carolina coast. Along the beaches, there’s a familiar sight: clusters of sea turtle nests, roped off with makeshift fencing. Unfortunately, a brutal cold snap in January left hundreds of the state’s turtles cold-stunned. And a gender imbalance among new hatchlings has sparked concern among researchers.

3 weeks ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

Winston-Salem advocates are criticizing a decision to cut funding for a homelessness prevention program in next year’s proposed budget. The city’s current budget proposal includes a 45% funding reduction for the United Way of Forsyth County’s Rapid Re-housing Collaborative. The program helps individuals experiencing homelessness quickly secure permanent housing through case management and supportive services.