RDU On the Rise: Grueling hikes, medical wins and writer’s picks

Hello, hello! I’m Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi, your host for this week’s RDU On the Rise.

Before we dive into the news and more, a little bit about me:

▪ I’m back in North Carolina after three years away. I moved from New Mexico two months ago to join the News & Observer’s awesome state politics team.

▪ While I miss the grueling hikes in the Land of Enchantment and the green and red chile (if you know, you know), I’ve been enjoying getting reacquainted with and relearning about The Old North State. I’m also relishing in decoding the politics in this purple state.

▪ I’ve been hitting some of the trails here in NC but there are many other things I like to do. I’ll list a few of my favorites below, but first (priorities), here’s a picture of my dog Kira, on one of those aforementioned hikes. I often consult the N&O’s picks, but I could always use suggestions, so please email me with any. Story tips are, of course, welcome as well.

What I’m watching and reading

I’ve spent many of my recent Sunday nights with “House of the Dragon,” a “Game of Thrones” spinoff. I’ll admit I’m still not fully sold. But this might just be me being reticent and comparing it to its predecessor.

I recently enjoyed “Queen,” a Netflix series that follows a renowned Parisian tailor and drag queen in his return to his hometown in Poland. Other things on my watch list (if a bit late to the game): Nope and Elvis.

On weekends, you can often find me on my patio reading a book:

▪ In my hands now is A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. I’m only three chapters in, so I can’t give a verdict, but this book intertwines and shifts between multiple characters’ life stories, at times at a breakneck speed.

▪ Next on my shelf is Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy and most recently finished was Demian: The Story of Emil Sinclair’s Youth by Hermann Hesse — an oldie but a goodie.

Dig in

I’m a big food lover, so the weekend always involves something yummy. This evening, I’ll be making a seafood paella with some friends. This dish, originally from Spain, includes rice and spices and can be topped with chicken, shrimp, mussels and more. Here’s a pic of a paella I made previously:

If cooking is not in your plans this weekend, you can buy a paella at Mateo Bar de Tapas in Durham. I’ve heard it’s pretty good and it’s on my go-to list.

You might also stop by the winner of our North Carolina Barbecue Bracket. The “winningest man in barbecue” will be in the Triangle this weekend, too, so get details on how to meet him.

Coming soon: Superica, a Tex-Mex restaurant. It’s set to open later this month at Cary’s Fenton mixed-use development, but Korie Dean tells us how to get an early and free taste this Saturday.

And many are buzzing about some purple (or blue) North Carolina honey. Our Kimberly Cataudella shows you where to buy the viral sensation.

A look at some of the week’s headlines

In a win for medicine, Duke doctors performed the world’s first partial heart transplant surgery on an NC newborn. Science reporter Teddy Rosenbluth explains the complex surgical procedure and its implications in simple but sharp detail.

In other good news, Duke and UNC earned top rankings in the U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings released Monday. Kate Murphy also tells us how the state’s 10 HBCUs stacked up.

Be sure to read Andrew Carter’s take on why North Carolina’s best college football program resides in Boone, and tune into the sports team’s latest ACC Now podcast on key issues for UNC defense, bright spots and players to watch. As a Wolfpacker, I am obligated to add: GO PACK!

You can take a look at our politics team’s recent coverage on our Under the Dome homepage, but here are some updates:

▪ U.S. Rep. Ted Budd finally agreed to a Senate debate with Cheri Beasley, former NC Supreme Court Chief Justice. The debate will take place Oct. 7 and will be broadcast on cable channel 1 across North Carolina for Spectrum subscribers, Danielle Battaglia reports.

▪ Former President Donald Trump will be visiting North Carolina next week for a rally in Wilmington, Avi Bajpai writes. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a controversial Republican representative, will also be visiting the state this month to headline a gala in Cary (as reported by yours truly).

▪ More election shenanigans: A Democratic candidate for House District 59 is facing gun charges from an incident last year. Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan breaks down the charges.

One last thing (or two)

This Thursday marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, which celebrates the history, culture and contributions of American citizens with Spanish, Mexican, Caribbean, Central and South American ancestry. I’ll be thinking of my birth country of Peru this month. And shout out to our neighbors down south and any Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in the state celebrating their Independence day today! ¡Feliz Día de la Independencia!

Finally — another politics plug — be sure to sign up for Monday’s “Politics at the Pub” event, hosted by the NC Insider and The N&O. We’ll spotlight the upcoming legislative elections and kick off Project 170 which covers the battle for control of the General Assembly.

Thanks for reading! I’m off to enjoy the weekend but be sure to tune into next week’s RDU On the Rise with your host Kristen Johnson.

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