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Bowman Gray Stadium NASCAR upgrades ahead of the Clash [Video]
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Bowman Gray Stadium NASCAR upgrades ahead of the Clash [Video]

Renovations are underway at Bowman Gray Stadium ahead of the Clash, according to NASCAR. Improvements to the track include a brand-new Musco lighting system thats custom-designed to improve track lighting and visibility while reducing energy consumption. It will also enhance the experience for both drivers and fans. Bowman Gray is a fantastic venue with a storied history in both racing and football, said Musco CEO Jeff Rogers. Were looking forward to working on this project with NASCAR. Lighting the Clash is exciting, but leaving a legacy LED lighting system for local racing and Winston-Salem State University football makes the project even more special.The upgrade will come from a pandemic recovery grant that was awarded to the city of Winston-Salem in 2022 as part of the North Carolina Motorsports Relief Fund.Part of being good stewards of Bowman Gray Stadium includes preparing it to host compelling events that rightfully place it in the national spotlight, said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR executive vice president, chief venue and racing innovation officer.The track will also get a SAFER barrier and new catch fences which are featured at every NASCAR National Series racetrack. Crews began removing the previous guardrail system on Oct. 21 and the new barriers and catch fencing will be completed by the first week of January. Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.The City of Winston-Salem is thrilled that NASCAR has chosen to kick off their 2025 season by holding the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, said City of Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines.Crews began preparing Bowman Gray Stadium for SAFER barrier installation on Oct. 21, including removing the previous guardrail system. Installation of the new barriers and catch fencing is anticipated to be completed by the first week of January.Tickets remain for the inaugural NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, Feb. 1-2.RELATED COVERAGE

Milwaukee shelter that helps teens in danger of closing [Video]
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Milwaukee shelter that helps teens in danger of closing [Video]

A safe place that helps under-served teens in Milwaukee is in danger of closing.”Like, what am I going to do?” Judith O’Neil, whose family goes to Walker’s Point Youth Center, said. The Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center is a lifeline for Judith O’Neil’s family. Her daughters depend on therapy in the city to cope with their mental health. “She baked cupcakes while she had therapy,” O’Neill said. The center also takes in teenagers who don’t have proper housing, many of whom are LGBTQ or teens of color. Now, services may halt because they lost about $200,000 in federal aid. “About 25% of our shelter budget, and that funds our emergency shelter and part of our therapeutic services,” Audra O’Connell, the executive director of Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center, said.Leaders said this house was built in the 1850s and has gone over several remodels since then, including this room at the heart of the home. It was called because it’s where kids can truly create magic. “It’s where we do art therapy. It’s where we do arts and crafts,” O’Connell said. While kids get serious help at the center, they also enjoy simple pleasures like game time or creating art. The impact of the facility closing could be felt beyond Milwaukee. “We’re the only shelter in southeastern Wisconsin for pregnant and parenting teens. And beyond that, there aren’t any youth shelters in the counties that surround us,” O’Connell said. O’Neil is crushed. “Mental health is a huge problem with our youth,” O’Neil said. Now, the center is scrambling to stay open in 2025UpdateWednesday afternoon Milwaukee Common Council members recommend sending $100,000 in grants to keep the shelter open.”So when you think of our young people in particular, we have to make sure as the weather starts to turn and get even colder that our shelters are able to keep their doors open. These guys were under threat of having to close their doors, and Peter and I and our colleagues, we’re not going to stand by and let that happen,” Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa said during WISN 12 News at 4:00. The full council will vote on the grant at the end of the month.If you would like to donate: https://walkerspoint.charityproud.org/Donate

Dan Newhouse wins Washington Congressional District 4 race, AP calls [Video]
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Dan Newhouse wins Washington Congressional District 4 race, AP calls [Video]

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Dan Newhouse (R) won reelection for Washington’s 4th Congressional District with 52.05 percent of the vote over Jerrod Sessler (R) with 46.23 percent of the vote as of Nov. 12, according to the Associated Press. Newhouse will enter into a two-year term starting in Jan. 2025. This will be his sixth term.

Algiers Ferry Terminal to undergo major renovation soon [Video]
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Algiers Ferry Terminal to undergo major renovation soon [Video]

Since first opening in the late 1970s, the Algiers ferry terminal is set to get a major upgrade, and construction is scheduled to begin before the end of the year.According to the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, the finalized designs for the terminal are nearly complete. The goal is for the terminal to be a transportation location and a community hub.Plans for the Algiers Ferry Terminal include a renovated two-story building, public facilities, ADA-compliant entryways, and more.”I would love the improvements,” one commuter said. “When you have to use the restroom and things like that. With the building not being open, we can’t use the restroom.””Coffee shops and stuff like that (would) make a big improvement of it, but we really need this,” another commuter said, who rides the ferry daily.RTA has been working on this as a total overhaul and more than just a re-design of the building.According to Lona Hankins, RTA CEO, the agency is spending $9.7 million in federal grants and a match from the state of Louisiana.”Additionally, the ramp onto the ferry will be reimagined,” Hankins said.”It was for cars, it clanks, and it’s really loud. So we’re gonna remove that feature hopefully such that it has (a) grate,” she explained.The walk onto the ferry will be a new experience with a covered, weather-proof walkway and more accessibility for people with disabilities.Plans for the interior of the terminal include public restrooms, community meeting rooms, cafe-style shops and more.”Accessibility is really key, so what you will see is this entranceway redesigned and revamped such that if you are special needs, you’re not coming down the sideways in a separate entrance. You can enjoy the main entrance,” Hankins said.For the commuters who depend on the ferry daily, renovations and redesigns are welcomed news.The first community meeting is set for Saturday, Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the ferry terminal.Terminal construction is scheduled to begin in early 2025.

Stormwater project approved in St. Albans to help keep Lake Champlain clean [Video]
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Stormwater project approved in St. Albans to help keep Lake Champlain clean [Video]

On Tuesday, voters in St. Albans helped take a crucial step toward securing a greener future.”Water quality, especially as you get closer to the lake in St. Albans Bay, is a critical issue in the community,” said Chip Sawyer, the director of planning and development in the city.Sawyer spearheaded the Lemnah Drive Stormwater Project. Voters approved the measure, giving the city the green light to kickstart the project.”We found some grant funding that will cover half of the cost, but we needed the bond and the debt to fund the other half of the project that will be covered by our stormwater utility,” Sawyer said.That cost is $1.25 million.Half of it will be going toward the gravel wetland on Lemnah Drive, which will help slow stormwater down when it rains and will remove phosphorus, cyanobacteria and other nutrients that would harm the lake.The other $500,000 will pay for a new vacuum truck that allows crews to clean out basins and pump water for system repairs.The money the city does not have, will be coming out of the annual storm water utility fee which community members are already paying for so they will not be seeing a difference in their next bill.”We can’t wait any longer; we need to continue to invest resources and protect the lake now,” said Lake Champlain Basin Program’s Eric Howe.Howe said phosphorus levels are running high in the city. Those levels are higher than they should be, and not just during the warmer months.”The work that the city of St. Albans is doing and is going to do in the future is critical,” Howe said.He said the city is in the midst of a perfect storm, with an increase in development around Lake Champlain. With intense storms and flooding, and the arrival of new invasive species, it is more important than ever to reduce the amount of pollution in the lake. Howe said he hopes other communities will take these concerns seriously, as the city is doing with this project.”The more work that the rest of our communities across the Lake Champlain Basin can do to reduce phosphorus from their particular areas of the watershed will collectively help all of us working and enjoying Lake Champlain to meet our phosphorus goals,” Howe said.The project should be started and completed next year.