🗞️ Town approves grants for 14 local nonprofits

🗞️ A federal cut could cost Forsyth schools millions

🗞️ Novant surgeon marks 2,000th robotic-assisted procedure

🗞️ Heads-up: NC 66 lane closures next week

🌞 Hot with afternoon storms | High: 97°F | Low: 72°F

Hot and humid again, with a heat index in the upper 90s and a good chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Great morning for Blueberry Day; just keep an eye on the sky by afternoon.

The Kernersville Board of Aldermen has signed off on a round of grants to local nonprofits, spreading town dollars across arts, human services and community groups. The awards, approved at the July 7 meeting and funded in the 2026-27 budget, come from two pots: the town's general fund and its occupancy tax on hotel and motel stays.

From the general fund, the biggest awards go to The Shepherds Center ($35,000), the Kernersville Chamber of Commerce ($31,250) and Next Step Ministries ($25,000), with $20,000 each to the Salvation Army and Senior Services and $15,600 to Crisis Control Ministries. Local arts and history groups share in it too, including Kernersville Little Theatre ($16,000), the Kernersville Auto Museum ($10,000), the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County ($5,000), the Historic Preservation Society ($4,900) and Krossroads Playhouse ($2,000). From occupancy tax revenue, Korner's Folly received the largest single award at $115,000, along with $24,500 more for the Chamber and $3,000 for Kernersville Little League. It adds up to real support for the groups that keep the town running and fun.

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Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools could lose millions in federal dollars if the FCC eliminates a long-running program that helps schools and libraries afford internet and technology. The E-Rate program, created in 1996 with bipartisan support, gives schools and libraries discounts on broadband and equipment, and the roughly $2 billion program is now under review by the FCC, which says it wants to study the effect of screen time on students.

Superintendent Don Phipps flagged the risk for Forsyth County commissioners in his quarterly report, calling it a potential loss "in the millions of dollars" for the district in technology rebates. Phipps, who recently visited Washington with a state superintendents group, said he is urging members of Congress to keep funding E-Rate. For now it is a wait-and-see, but the stakes for local classrooms and libraries are high.

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A milestone worth noting for local patients: a Novant Health surgeon whose practice includes Kernersville has completed his 2,000th robotic-assisted procedure using the da Vinci surgical system. That makes Dr. Nik Teppara the sixth-most-experienced da Vinci general surgeon in North Carolina and puts him among the top 5% nationwide.

Dr. Teppara performs robotic-assisted surgeries at Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center, Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center and Novant Health Medical Park Hospital. Robotic assistance can allow for smaller incisions and quicker recovery on many procedures, so it is good to know that level of experience is available close to home.

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If you drive N.C. 66, plan for some delays next week. As part of Forsyth County water and sewer improvement work, a contractor will close one southbound lane of N.C. 66 between Plaza South Drive and Shields Road from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Several streets in Winston-Salem will also be closed during the same 9-to-5 weekday window, including Magnolia Street between Queen Street and Westfield Avenue, Poplar Street between Fourth and Holly, and Stratford Road between Forest Drive and Georgia Avenue. The contractor is handling traffic control, and drivers are asked to avoid the area and use alternate routes where they can. Project details are posted at cityofws.org/cip.

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