Good day Durham! We're here again with what you need to know today. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Emorywood Orchards Multi-Family Community Yard/Garage Sale Saturday Sept 26th and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: Riddle: David's parents have three sons: Snap, Crackle, and what's the name of the third son? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Durham reservoirs fall to 45% amid moderate drought (soduwelikelocal.news) — Durham's water situation has tightened, with Lake Michie and Little River Reservoir together only 45% full and an estimated 96 days of readily accessible supply remaining. Despite some September rain, the city remains in a moderate drought under mandatory Stage 2 restrictions, so residents should continue conserving water and watching for further city updates on usage rules and reservoir levels.
2. Is using a racial slur against someone a crime? (gamepur.com) — An incident near Durham's historic Black Wall Street shows a woman repeatedly shouting a racial slur at EMS workers and bystanders, then swinging at two medics as police struggled to detain her. The piece explains how North Carolina hate-crime and EMT-assault laws could apply, and notes the episode comes just weeks after Durham's first Black woman police chief took office, amid a focus on community trust.
3. Man found shot near historic Durham ballpark is 3rd person killed by gunfire this week (heraldsun.com) — Durham police are investigating a fatal shooting near Durham Athletic Park that left a man dead early Thursday, the city's third gunfire death this week. With at least 140 people shot so far this year, residents are urged to share any information with investigators or Durham CrimeStoppers to help address the surge in violence.
4. Durham's $750,000 bet on small businesses Is paying off, county says (abc11.com) — Durham County's $750,000 "Durham Rising" program has helped more than 200 small businesses recover from the pandemic through coaching and grants, though its reported success hasn't yet been independently verified by county staff. With the federal COVID relief money now exhausted, county leaders haven't decided whether to fund a second phase, leaving entrepreneurs wondering if this kind of support will continue.
5. How unarmed 911 teams are reshaping public safety in nearly 100 cities (kwit.org) — Durham's unarmed 911 response team, Durham Heart, now handles thousands of calls involving trespassing, panhandling, and some mental health crises, often resolving conflicts without police. The city's Community Safety Department is refining this four-year-old program while launching new efforts to connect residents with housing, medical, and mental health resources, aiming to reduce future emergency calls.
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Ok Durham! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: David (Thank you Thomas F. for sending it in!)
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