Merck’s Maurice R. Hilleman Center for Vaccine Manufacturing photographed on Apr. 2, 2021, in Durham, N.C.
Casey Toth
ctoth@newsobserver.com
The pharmaceutical giant Merck will stop producing the HPV, or human papillomavirus,vaccine Gardasil at its north Durham facility, a decision it attributes to lower global demand for its second-best selling drug.
In a Feb. 24 WARN letter to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and Durham County, Merck said this move will result in 154 layoffs. Separations are expected to begin May 1.
Merck’s decision comes one year after the New Jersey company unveiled a new $1 billion manufacturing plant on Durham’s Old Oxford Road to make Gardasil and Gardasil 9. This facility added 225,000 square feet of production space to a campus that already produced vaccines against measles, rubella, mumps and chickenpox, among other illnesses.
In her WARN letter this week, plant manager Amanda Taylor wrote Gardasil production would cease at this site due to “the recent worldwide reduction in demand for this product.” Businesses must file WARN notices to North Carolina officials at least 60 days before conducting certain mass layoffs, including the closing of a site “that affects at least 50 employees during any 30-day period.”
In its latest annual report, released Tuesday, Merck recorded a significant drop in what remains its No. 2 product: Gardasil. The company sold about 40% less last year compared to 2024, dropping from $8.6 billion in Gardasil revenue to $5.2 billion.
Merck attributed this decrease to suppressed demand in China and Japan, during an investors call in early February. Its executives noted U.S. sales were up, though “largely due to price.”
Merck’s long history in Durham
Merck has been in north Durham since 2004. Last year, the company told The News & Observer it had roughly 1,000 employees in the city. The company has told The N&O its layoffs will only impact HPV vaccine manufacturing operations at the site.
“We continuously assess our operations and evolving business needs,” Merck’s media relations team wrote in an email.
Seven years ago, Merck signed incentive deals with North Carolina and local governments to expand its operations in Durham and Wilson County. As of 2022, the company had met or surpassed its incentive requirements by creating 353 jobs and retaining 1,247 positions between these two campuses, state records provided to The N&O show. In 2024, the company estimated its Bull City campus produced 70.7 million doses.
Merck is the world’s 48th-largest public company, by market capitalization, behind fellow drugmakers Eli Lilly and Roche but ahead of than Amgen and Novo Nordisk. Its top-selling product, by a wide margin, is the cancer treatment Keytruda.
In July, Merck made one of the last year’s largest health care acquisitions when it spent around $10 billion to buy the British drugmaker Verona Pharma, which has its U.S. headquarters in Raleigh. Verona makes a treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, that the Food and Drug Administration approved in June 2024.
Brian Gordon is the Business & Technology reporter for The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. He writes about jobs, startups and big tech developments unique to the North Carolina Triangle. Brian previously worked as a senior statewide reporter for the USA Today Network. Please contact him via email, phone, or Signal at 919-861-1238.
U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee, left, faces a challenge in the Democratic primary for North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District from Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam, right.
RALEIGH
A new ad in North Carolina’s hotly contested primary for Durham and Orange County’s seat in Congress has caused controversy over accusations that it included “false and defamatory statements” about one of the candidates.
U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee, a Democrat seeking her third term in Congress, released an ad this week accusing her opponent, Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam, of refusing to file a required financial disclosure.
“What is she hiding?” the ad, paid for directly by Foushee’s campaign, said.
Allam’s campaign sent a cease-and-desist letter to Foushee’s campaign and local TV stations on Tuesday, asking for the ad to be pulled from the air.
In a press release Tuesday, Allam said CBS-17 had “agreed to take the ad down immediately.”
“I am glad our district’s news stations will not sit idly by and air blatant lies and falsehoods against our campaign in the final week of this election,” Allam said in a statement. “It’s unfortunate that the incumbent’s campaign felt the need to resort to dishonesty to win votes in this final stretch of our primary.”
CBS-17 declined to comment Wednesday when The News & Observer asked about the ad.
According to documents reviewed by the N&O, a representative for CBS-17 said the station would be “airing different traffic ASAP” in response to concerns about the ad.
ABC-11 and WRAL did not respond to an inquiry from The News & Observer about whether they would pull the ad.
In a statement to The N&O, Foushee called Allam’s cease-and-desist letter “an attempt to hide the fact that she missed the legal deadline and tried to hide her financial information from the people of the 4th district.”
“Covering up finances and missing simple paperwork deadlines is a page out of George Santos’ playbook and suggests she is not ready to be a member of Congress,” she said.
Though Allam did file the disclosure, the form’s filing date is listed as Feb. 20 — nearly three weeks past the deadline. Candidates for Congress are required to file personal financial disclosures at least 30 days before an election.
Disclosure forms do not include the exact amount a candidate or politician has in assets, but rather provide ranges that each asset is worth.
Allam’s form reports less than $50,000 in cash and cash investments, as well as less than $15,000 each in 401(k) investments in Nike stock and funds tied to the prices of gold and silver.
The report also includes two education savings funds, one valued between $15,000 and $50,000 and the other valued at less than $15,000.
It also notes Allam’s student loans and her mortgage.
“My filing looks like so many of the residents of this district, straddled by student loan debt and trying to afford my family’s home,” Allam said.
The ad is the latest incident in a contentious and expensive primary in the state’s bluest congressional district, the 4th district that encompasses Durham and Orange counties as well as parts of Wake and Chatham.
Allam and Foushee first ran against each other for the seat in 2022, in what became the most expensive Democratic congressional primary in the state’s history.
Foushee, who benefited from millions in outside spending by Israel-aligned PACs and a now-jailed cryptocurrency billionaire, won the race by 9 points and has served in Congress since.
In December, Allam announced that she would challenge the incumbent congresswoman once again, kicking off one of the state’s most-watched primaries this year.
Kyle Ingram is the Democracy Reporter for the News & Observer. He reports on voting rights, election administration, the state judicial branch and more. He is a graduate of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at UNC-Chapel Hill.
The suspect in a 2022 Durham murder case was sentenced to life in prison without parole, Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced Thursday in a news release, making it the first crime solved by Durham police with the help of 3D mapping.
What You Need To Know
Frederick Johnson was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the first-degree murder of Derek Sterling
Sterling, 42, was a Navy Veteran who was shot and killed on Aug. 30, 2022 in Durham
This was the first time the Durham Police Department used a FARO scan as evidence in court
Frederick Johnson, then 52, was sentenced to life in prison by Judge Timothy Wilson for the first-degree murder of Derek Sterling, which happened on Aug. 30, 2022.
According to Jackson, this case was the first time the Durham Police Department used a FARO scan as evidence in court, providing a precise 3D map of the crime scene. This technology goes deeper than examining photos and videos and creates a reconstruction of the scene itself, the American Bar Association website states.
Wilson also sentenced Johnson to a consecutive term of 14-32 months for conspiracy to discharge a firearm within an enclosure to incite fear.
“This violent murderer will spend life in prison for his crimes,” Jackson said in a news release.
“My office will always work with law enforcement to get dangerous criminals off our streets and keep our communities safe,” Jackson said.
On Aug. 30, 2022, officers with the Durham Police Department responded to a shooting on Hillsborough Road in the parking lot of a tobacco and vape shop.
People navigate an icy Lake Wheeler Road by S. Saunders Street in Raleigh in this 2025 file photo.
Ethan Hyman
ehyman@newsobserver.com
Louise Specht wanted to know that the U.S. Postal Service knew it wasn’t delivering her mail. A retiree with a curbside mailbox outside her West Durham house, Specht said neither she nor several neighbors received mail from Saturday through Thursday after sleet and freezing rain swept across the Triangle.
“That’s completely understandable that the mail would be screwed up,” she said. However, Specht desired updates during the disruption. She contacted her local post office but got no response. Then on Thursday, before her delivery resumed, she emailed U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee’s office urging more Postal Service communication.
“Medications and other vital things are routinely delivered through the mail,” Specht wrote.
Ahead of more wintry weather expected this weekend, local residents may be curious to know how the federal agency famous for being deterred by “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night” actually handles inclement conditions.
“The Postal Service’s goal is to deliver the mail, but safety remains our top priority,” Postal Service spokesperson Philip Bogenberger wrote in an email. “Most Post Offices in North Carolina have resumed operations, but some routes remain impacted by (last weekend’s storm).”
The decision to adjust service due to safety concerns, Bogenberger wrote, is left to local managers and individual carriers. On Jan. 29, the Postal Service updated a general winter weather service alert on its website. The agency does not show impacted individual routes.
“Customers should be aware that mail destined to and arriving from areas that were heavily impacted by the recent storm may take extra time due to conditions in those areas,” he added. “Following inclement weather, we ask customers to clear snow, ice and debris away from their mailbox and front porch so delivery can take place safely.”
The Postal Service says North Carolina residents can follow longer-term service disruptions, like permanent office closures or temporary closures after natural disasters, on its website. Customers can also track the delivery status of packages online.
FedEx and UPS both post service alerts on their respective websites as well. “We have activated contingency plans to mitigate impacts of winter storms across the United States,” FedEx spokesperson James Anderson emailed.
The U.S. Postal Service says it handles 44% of the world’s mail volume, with more than 235,000 delivery routes nationwide.
This story was originally published January 30, 2026 at 3:00 PM.
Brian Gordon is the Business & Technology reporter for The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. He writes about jobs, startups and big tech developments unique to the North Carolina Triangle. Brian previously worked as a senior statewide reporter for the USA Today Network. Please contact him via email, phone, or Signal at 919-861-1238.
A procession of Buddhist monks walks along snow-covered Raleigh Boulevard in Raleigh on Sunday morning, Jan. 25, 2026. The monks are making a 2,300-mile pilgrimage from Texas to Washington, D.C., as part of the Walk for Peace, an effort to promote peace, compassion and national unity.
Travis Long
tlong@newsobserver.com
Much of North Carolina is being impacted by a major winter storm bringing snow and ice, along with expected power outages to the area.
A procession of Buddhist monks continued their 2,300-mile pilgrimage from Texas to Washington, D.C., as part of the Walk for Peace, an effort to promote peace, compassion and national unity, despite the cold and icy conditions.
Here are photos from our continual coverage of the storm. Check back often for updates.
A procession of Buddhist monks walks along snow-covered Raleigh Boulevard in Raleigh, N.C. on Sunday morning, Jan. 25, 2026. The monks are making a 2,300-mile pilgrimage from Texas to Washington, D.C., as part of the Walk for Peace, an effort to promote peace, compassion and national unity. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
A procession of Buddhist monks walks along snow-covered Raleigh Boulevard in Raleigh on Sunday morning, Jan. 25, 2026. The monks are making a 2,300-mile pilgrimage from Texas to Washington, D.C., as part of the Walk for Peace, an effort to promote peace, compassion and national unity. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Traffic is light on Fayetteville St. in downtown Raleigh Sunday morning, Jan. 25, 2026. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
Brandon Chapman with the City of Raleigh Department of Transportation applies ice melt in downtown Raleigh Sunday morning, Jan. 25, 2026. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
Traffic is light on Fayetteville St. in downtown Raleigh Sunday morning, Jan. 25, 2026. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
Vehicles slowing make their way east and west on US 64 in Apex, Sunday morning, Jan. 25, 2026. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
This story was originally published January 25, 2026 at 9:36 AM.
People in North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland reported a mysterious fireball in the night sky on Tuesday, Dec. 30, according to the American Meteor Society.
A resident of Arlington, Virginia, posted video of the mystery orb on the society’s website.
Two North Carolinians reported seeing it, too, at 6:59 p.m.
“I have seen fireballs before,” including three over a couple of days around the same time of the year in 2025, “at this time of day … early evening … as well,” a Durham resident wrote on the society’s website.
“But this was the first time someone I was with caught sight of it, too,” the resident identified only as Kim K. said.
No sound could be heard, residents say
Tuesday’s fireball was visible for about 3.5 seconds, streaking “from down left to up right,” Kim K. said.
Jonathan R. of Greenville saw the fireball darting “from up right to down left,” also for 3.5 seconds.
The fireball was silent, both North Carolinians said. The 10 other people who reported the fireball also said they heard no sound from the celestial wonder.
Help report fireballs
The society encourages people to report anything they see that’s “bright and fast” in the sky and may look like a shooting star. “Report it: it may be a fireball,” society officials say.
Filing a report is important because it alerts the society “to potentially scientifically significant events that occur, and contributes to the general database of knowledge about meteors.”
Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news. Support my work with a digital subscription
Durham County Vice Chair Nida Allam is launching her campaign for the Democratic primary in North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District.
What You Need To Know
Durham County Vice Chair Nida Allam says she will challenge U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee
Foushee represents the 4th Congressional District, which includes the city of Durham
Allam in 2022 ran against Foushee, who won the Democratic primary by 9 percentage points
She will challenge incumbent Democratic Rep. Valerie Foushee, who is seeking a third term. She has represented the district since 2023.
“I’m running for Congress because in a moment when our community faces dueling crises of Republican authoritarianism and corporate billionaire greed, we need leaders in Washington who will actually fight to deliver the brighter future we deserve and desperately need,” Allam said in a statement announcing her candidacy. “We cannot wait three more years pretending that a status quo that is failing us today will protect our communities tomorrow.”
In 2022, Foushee beat Allam by 9 percentage points in the Democratic primary for the right to succeed retiring Democratic U.S. Rep. David Price.
Since then, Republicans who control the state legislature have redrawn the state’s congressional districts twice, to tilt more races in favor of their party. But the 4th District remains heavily Democratic.
For the 2026 election, the 4th District will include the Democratic strongholds of Durham, Carrboro and Hillsborough. Foushee won re-election in 2024 with roughly 72% of the vote, trouncing her Republican opponent.
The district’s Democratic primary in 2022 included former American Idol contestant Clay Aiken, drawing national attention. The race showed the divide between progressive and centrist Democrats, a division that will be on display again.
On Thursday, Allam announced endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders and organizations including Justice Democrats and Leaders We Deserve, which was co-founded by David Hogg.
In a statement to Spectrum News 1 Rep. Foushee said, “You can look at my record to show that I am not just paying lip service to our shared progressive values but instead working to advance legislation like the ICE Badge Visibility Act, the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, and the Block the Bombs Act…. Over the next few months I look forward to earning the support of the voters of the Fourth District and continuing to serve as their voice in Washington for another term.”
Foushee said she has received endorsements from Gov. Josh Stein and Democrats including Reps. Alma Adams and Deborah Ross.
Allam, 31, has served on the Durham Board of County Commissioners since December 2020. She grew up in Wake County and was the first Muslim elected to public office in North Carolina.
School attendance continued to drop this week with nearly 30% of Durham students staying home during the Border Patrol enforcement operation in the Triangle.
Figures released late Friday by Durham Public Schools show that the number of students who were absent rose by 68% during the week. On Wednesday, 9,209 of Durham’s 30,988 students were absent, meaning 29.72% of the district’s enrollment stayed home.
“We understand that some families may keep their children home out of concern,” the district said in a letter sent to families earlier this week. “While regular attendance is essential to student success, we also recognize the complex decisions families are making right now.
“If a student misses school due to family concerns related to the current situation, please contact the front office. Our district leaders have provided guidance for how to support families who may miss school due to extenuating circumstances.”
More than 200 Durham School of the Arts students stage a walkout Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, to protest Border Patrol and ICE activity in Durham. The walkout lasted less than an hour. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Border Patrol roundup boosts absences in Triangle, Charlotte
Attendance has been down this week both in Charlotte and the Triangle during the Border Patrol’s operations. At least 370 people in the Charlotte area and at least a dozen people in the Triangle have been detained, according to the Department of Homeland Security and immigration rights groups.
On Monday, Durham reported that 5,482 students were absent before the immigration enforcement surge began. That’s 17.69% of the district’s enrollment.
Absences soared on Tuesday during the first day of Border Patrol operations in the Triangle. Durham said 8,561 students, or 27.63% of students were absent. That’s up from the previously reported figure of 20.9% of students out that day.
Durham saw a 68% increase in the number of absences between Monday and Wednesday. Only 70.28% of Durham students attended classes Wednesday.
The Wake County school system has not yet released attendance totals for Wednesday. But the district said that 19,471 students were absent on Tuesday, accounting for 10.79% of its student population.
In contrast, Wake said that only 11,630 students were absent on Oct. 27 when 6.85% were out. That’s a more normal absence total
People gather as a part of a “School-Based Care and Protection Team,” organized through Durham Public School Strong, Durham For All and other groups, to show support for students on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Durham, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
Team members gathered near the front of schools holding signs, leading chants and songs, verifying potential ICE sightings at schools and collecting support requests from other parents.
On Thursday, more than 200 Durham School of the Arts students held a protest in front of the school against the Border Patrol and ICE, The News & Observer previously reported.
On Friday, students from several high schools planned to hold a protest in downtown Durham.
Downtown Durham Inc. rescheduled Friday’s annual tree-lighting ceremony to support those who may feel unsafe coming out during the current political climate, The N&O previously reported.
This story was originally published November 21, 2025 at 5:56 PM.
T. Keung Hui has covered K-12 education for the News & Observer since 1999, helping parents, students, school employees and the community understand the vital role education plays in North Carolina. His primary focus is Wake County, but he also covers statewide education issues.
DURHAM, N.C. — A Spectrum News 1 investigation reveals that over a million dollars meant to help provide housing to people with HIV and AIDS in Durham remain unspent, leaving local organizations and advocates frustrated and confused.
What You Need To Know
Over $1.3 million in the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program, or HOPWA, funding from 2023-24 remains unspent in Durham, according to city records
The HOPWA program provides federal funding to states, cities and counties for housing assistance for people living with HIV and AIDS
Durham County ranks No. 5 in the state for total HIV and AIDS cases
City officials say staff changes, compliance issues and the government shutdown have delayed their ability to give out funds
Since 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, has sent the city anywhere from half a million to a million dollars a year under the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS, or HOPWA.
These grants aim to help people with HIV and AIDS, ensuring they have secure, affordable housing, which researchers say boosts survival rates.
However, records show funds from five years ago are still waiting to be used, and there’s currently no plan for how to use over $1.3 million received in the past two years.
CAARE-The Healing Center in Durham, once a bustling hub for community care, now sits mostly quiet.
Executive Director Carolyn Hinton, who co-founded the organization, said the need for housing and health support hasn’t gone away, but funding delays have made it harder to keep up.
“We want to continue to help build our community up,” Hinton said. “Our community consists of everyone, not just people with healthy lives.”
CAARE and several other nonprofits applied for HOPWA funding from the city earlier this year. They waited for months before hearing back.
When responses finally came in September, every request was rejected.
A city memo obtained by Spectrum News 1 stated the applications were denied because the organizations “lacked sufficient organizational capacity to effectively administer their proposed programs.”
“It has made a significant difference in my ability to have clients,” Hinton said. “Fees paid for housing and to locate… housing in the community.”
According to 2024 data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, almost 1,900 people in Durham County are living with HIV, and more than 700 residents have been diagnosed with AIDS at some point.
It makes Durham County the fifth-highest in North Carolina for total HIV and AIDS cases.
Duke infectious disease fellow Dr. Hayley Cunningham, who helps leads a Coalition to End HIV in Durham, spoke up at the Oct. 23 city council meeting, urging the council to move the process along. The deadlines for using HOPWA money are approaching rapidly, unless HUD extends them, which is possible.
The city acknowledges that it’s struggled to distribute the money efficiently. Officials cited a department reorganization, staff turnover, and what they called “notification delays.”
Durham has requested extensions from HUD to spend leftover funds from 2020 through 2022, but HUD returned the request asking for more information, which the city says it’s now preparing. Those extensions, they said, are held up by the government shutdown.
As organizations await clarity, advocates said the delays come with a high cost.
“My question to the city of Durham is, why are you creating a barrier for people to have a decent quality of life?” Hinton asked.
The community and health leaders keep pushing city officials for info and to guarantee the money helps the intended recipients.
Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.
A recipient of the Emanuel Food Pantry at Durham Presbyterian Church, walks home with a box of groceries after visiting the weekly pantry on Roxboro Street on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 in Durham, N.C.
Robert Willett
rwillett@newsobserver.com
Community members and businesses are ramping up their efforts to help people who are set to lose their food assistance benefits in November.
The federal government shutdown means more than 150,000 residents in the Triangle and more than 1 million people across the state will not receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Food pantries are already reporting more demand for food and more people looking for help.
How to start a community food drive
Anyone can hold a food drive in person or virtually with social media posts and online payment options. PORCH Chapel Hill-Carrboro offers these tips:
Pick a date and location. Food drives can happen in one day or last a week or more.
Let your local food pantry and neighbors know so they can spread the word.
Get ready by making yard signs, posters, stickers and other marketing materials. PORCH provides this Canva file that can be updated. Make sure to include a Venmo or other online payment method for cash donations. Some organizations also have shopping lists set up with Target and Amazon.
Check with your local food pantry for drop-off times and locations. Make sure to share with your neighbors how much food and money was raised to keep the momentum going.
Wake County suggests using the “bumper crop” method. People are encouraged to place their food and toiletry items on their parked car bumper during a worship service, workday or community event to be gathered and delivered to a food pantry by volunteers.
Some donations are better than others
Most food pantries keep a list of items that are needed, but generally donate food that you would eat and that is not expired. Other tips:
Choose canned goods with pull-top lids or include a few can openers in your donation box.
Consider donating boxed milk and shelf-stable egg alternatives, such as applesauce, pumpkin puree, or commercial egg substitutes. Cake mix, macaroni and cheese, and similar items often can’t be used without them.
Include a jar of sauce with every box of donated pasta.
Consider smaller portions of food, which can serve more families, cut down on waste, and also go to people who don’t have access to refrigeration or storage.
Protein is critical, so add some cans of tuna or salmon, chicken, nut butters, or beans. Families also may lack basics, including oil, flour, sugar and salt.
Families with specific dietary needs can struggle to find foods low in salt, sugar, or that are gluten-free.
Donate baby formula or diapers, as well as items to address personal hygiene needs, from soap, toothpaste and shampoo to feminine hygiene products.
Don’t forget the pets. Families that can’t buy food also can’t feed their dogs and cats.
Find a food drive near you
New food drives will be updated as they are sent to The News & Observer. Want to add a food drive? Email metroeds@newsobserver.com.
Wake County Food Drives
The Bunny Hive Raleigh: The child play space will collect nonperishable food through Nov. 7 to support the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC at 711 W. Lane St., Raleigh.
Cornerstone North Raleigh: A community food drive will continue through Nov. 17 to benefit the Hope House in Wake Forest. The address is 3209 Gresham Lake Road, Suite 122, Raleigh.
Tap Yard Raleigh: A food drive will be held all month at Tap Yard Raleigh at 1610 Automotive Way, Raleigh. Nonperishable food can be dropped off 4 p.m. – midnight Monday through Friday and noon to midnight Saturday and Sunday.
The Hemp Store: The Hemp Store at 1002 Durham Road 1100 Wake Forest, and The Hemp Store at 5801 Farmwell Drive, Raleigh are collecting nonperishable food and household items Nov 1-30 to support local food banks and outreach programs. Visit thehempstorenc.com for hours.
Durham County Food Drives
Durham County: Durham County employees can bring food to donate through Nov. 7.
Epworth United Methodist Church: A food drive will be held through Nov. 10 to support the Urban Ministries of Durham. The church is located at 3002 Hope Valley Road, Durham.
Orange County Food Drives
Eno River Farmer’s Market: A food drive on Saturday will stock the Central Elementary School pantry in Hillsborough. Bring food and cash donations to the market pavilion at 106 E. Margaret Lane between 8 a.m. and noon. Click for a list of needs.
PORCH Hillsborough: Earth Yoga will host a Thanksgiving Food Drive to benefit PORCH at 3 p.m. Saturday at 437 Dimmocks Mill Road in Hillsborough. Donations can also be dropped off throughout the month of November from 3-6 p.m. Thursday and 8:30-11:30 a.m. Friday. Located in Suite 8 near the entrance to Eno River Brewery.
Double Bucks: Donations are needed to help local farmer’s markets in Orange and Durham counties continue their Double Bucks programs, which double a family’s money when they shop using SNAP benefits or cash. Stop by the market welcome table to make a donation.
Triangle Mutual Aid: An open house in MATCH’s new home (Mutual Aid Triangle Community Hub) will include a food drive from 5-7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, at The ArtsCenter, 400 Roberson St. in Carrboro.
Orange Congregations in Mission: The Hillsborough Police Department is collecting nonperishable food, laundry detergent, and baby formula and diapers for OCIM’s food pantry. Drop off donations from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. through noon Nov. 7 at 127 N. Churton St. OCIM’s food pantry is at 300 Millstone Drive in Hillsborough. Donate online at ocimnc.org.
Inter-Faith Council for Social Services: Drop off food donations from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the loading dock (enter driveway between 201 and 203 W. Weaver St. in Carrboro). Holiday food drives happening now through Nov. 21 and Dec. 1-19.
TABLE Ministries: Food donations can be dropped off at TABLE, 311 E. Main St. in Carrboro, or explore other ways to help at tablenc.org/give-food.
PORCH Chapel Hill-Carrboro: Donate food and cash to the grassroots nonprofit through over 110 monthly neighborhood drives or find out more ways to help at chapelhill.porchcommunities.org/get-involved.
The Hemp Store: The Hemp Store at 115 E. Franklin St. in Chapel Hill is collecting nonperishable food and household items Nov 1-30 to support local food banks and outreach programs. Open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Saratoga Grill: Will donate 10% of sales to OCIM’s Food Pantry from 4:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6. Customers can also donate nonperishable food items. Details at www.saratogagrillnc.com.
Orange High School: The OHS wrestling team will hold a food drive to fill the OCIM Food Pantry with nonperishable goods on Tuesday, Nov. 25. Drop off donations from 6-9 p.m. at Orange High School in Hillsborough. Click the link for more details.
Tammy Grubb has written about Orange County’s politics, people and government since 2010. She is a UNC-Chapel Hill alumna and has lived and worked in the Triangle for over 30 years.
Inside Wolfspeed’s corporate headquarters near Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Brian Gordon
bgordon@newsobserver.com
Three months after filing for Chapter 11 protection, the North Carolina semiconductor supplier Wolfspeed is out of bankruptcy.
“Wolfspeed has emerged from its expedited restructuring process, marking the beginning of a new era,” CEO Robert Feurle announced in a statement Monday. “Which we are entering with new energy and a renewed commitment to the growth mindset and entrepreneurial spirit that have powered Wolfspeed since its inception.”
Through restructuring, the Durham chipmaker eliminated nearly 70% of its debt, representing billions of dollars, and pushed its earliest loan repayment date to 2030. Wolfspeed creditors, including the semiconductor manufacturer Renesas and the investment firm Apollo Global Management, had their debt holdings converted to equity, with previous shareholders receiving a fraction of the new company’s stock.
On Monday, Wolfspeed canceled its old shares and issued new ones under the same stock ticker, WOLF, at an exchange ratio of 0.0084. Some online stock platforms showed Wolfspeed stock rising upwards of 1,700% before trading was temporarily halted midday due to volatility, though these websites appear not to have calculated that the restructured Wolfspeed (trading under the same ticker) had significantly reduced its number of shares, the financial advice outlet The Motley Fool reports.
The company also reincorporated in Delaware on Monday, a move it says won’t impact its North Carolina operations.
Wolfspeed bets on 200-millimeter
Founded in 1987 under the name Cree, Wolfspeed manufactures a unique semiconductor material called silicon carbide, which is used in electric vehicles, fast-charging stations, and renewable energy storage units. The company also has a lineup of power devices. As Wolfspeed divested from its legacy lighting divisions, it took on large amounts of debt in recent years to fund two silicon carbide factories, including a massive materials plant near Siler City in western Chatham County where Wolfspeed promised to employ more than 1,800 workers.
Yet production delays at its New York State factory, coupled with increased Chinese chip competition and flagging electric vehicle demand, caused Wolfspeed’s stock to spiral beginning last year. The company ended this past March with $1.3 billion in cash but also faced mounting debt obligations over the next several years, including a $575 million payment due date in 2026. Wolfspeed rejected offers this year to restructure part of its debt, opting instead for a broader solution.
On June 30, the company filed under Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, one of the nation’s most used bankruptcy courts. At the time, Wolfspeed had approximately 3,400 total employees, down from more than 5,000 the previous year. Its “prepackaged” restructuring plan was supported by enough creditors to help it move through bankruptcy court within the anticipated three-month window.
With Monday’s announcement, Wolfspeed struck an optimistic tone about its ability to supply silicon carbide both now and into the future. It completed its Siler City factory in June and earlier this month unveiled its commercial 200-millimeter silicon carbide products, which are 25% larger than the existing industry standard.
This story was originally published September 29, 2025 at 6:00 PM.
Brian Gordon is the Business & Technology reporter for The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. He writes about jobs, startups and big tech developments unique to the North Carolina Triangle. Brian previously worked as a senior statewide reporter for the USA Today Network. Please contact him via email, phone, or Signal at 919-861-1238.
DURHAM, N.C. — Artificial intelligence is making its way into one university’s curriculum to help teach the next batch of North Carolina nurses.
What You Need To Know
North Carolina Central University’s nursing program is the first in North Carolina to adopt artificial intelligence technology in its training
The immersive interactive room on the second floor of the nursing building allows students to engage in virtual medical training scenarios
Scenarios include therapeutic communication, mental health, post-operative complications and rural community health simulations
North Carolina Central University is the first in the state to have an immersive technology room on campus. It’s a new way for students to learn and grow in preparation for their career in medicine.
The room on the second floor of the nursing building lets students engage in virtual medical training scenarios. The scenarios include therapeutic communication, mental health, post-operative complications and rural community health simulations. The school has more than 2,000 scenarios.
The room is built to help students with real-life situations that will prepare them for when they are working with a patient.
“They’re actually put in situations and have to make critical decisions and assess their patients appropriately,” said Dr. Janice Collins-McNeil, associate professor in NCCU’s Department of Nursing. “So here we were able to create the cell, for instance, for the students to be able to walk through, we’ve been able to, develop cardiac exercises so that the students become totally familiar with the heart.”
The Nursing Department is also using virtual reality systems with AI to help students feel more comfortable with real-life patient interactions.
“So usually at the first interaction I clam up. But with the VR now, it has helped me open up and actually practice what I’m going to say before I say it,” Noa Ledger, a senior nursing student, said. “When you start the scenario, you now can check out your patient informations at the front desk. That’s like the first thing you see when you walk through the door. And then you can go to the patient rooms. You can see the patient rooms on the sides, you can go to the medication room and everything.”
In addition, the immersive rooms offers 360-degree cameras, so they can create their own scenarios.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Duke made a quick climb under Mike Elko. Now it’s up to Manny Diaz to build something more.
The former Miami head coach and Penn State defensive coordinator has taken over in Durham, leading a program that crashed in the final seasons of David Cutcliffe’s long and successful tenure before winning 16 games in two seasons under Elko.
Elko left for Texas A&M as the Blue Devils prepared for their bowl game. The 50-year-old Diaz took over in December for his second stint as a head coach, the first ending when he was fired in 2021 after three seasons with the Hurricanes.
“We all learn,” Diaz said. “I’ve never been the same defensive coordinator twice in my career. You’re always taking the lessons from the last year, the last season, the career, and applying it and trying to be a better person. No different as a coach than what you would expect and demand from your players.”
Diaz went 21-15 at Miami, including a 16-9 record in Atlantic Coast Conference games that stood second only to Clemson (22) in league wins.
He inherits a roster that lost seven offensive starters and eight on defense from last season. That list includes four Associated Press all-ACC performers, as well as quarterback Riley Leonard (transferred to Notre Dame) and running back Jordan Waters (transferred to North Carolina State).
“We’ve got an outstanding group of graduate transfers and instantly transformed our team from being very young, which in way-back-when days not very long ago, might set you back for a few years,” Diaz said. “And we feel like now we’re poised to go again, and I think our players believe that as well.”
Welcome back
Diaz knows Duke’s home in the “Triangle” region of North Carolina well. He coached at nearby North Carolina State from 2000-05 under Chuck Amato and had two sons born in Raleigh, about 30 minutes east of Duke’s campus.
QB battle
The highest-profile position battle entering the season was between Texas transfer Maalik Murphy and returning sophomore Grayson Loftis.
But Diaz announced Monday night that Murphy had won the job.
“Maalik has earned the opportunity to be our starting quarterback with his preparation, work ethic and productivity,” Diaz said.
“Nobody wants to be in a quarterback room that kind of just sits back and no one gets better,” Murphy said. “Everybody’s getting pushed.”
Loftis started the last five games with Leonard injured last year, winning three and leading Duke past Troy in the Birmingham Bowl as a true freshman.
Defensive carryover?
Duke safety Jaylen Stinson is one of the returning defensive starters, who are largely concentrated in the secondary. He said Diaz’s success with the Nittany Lions — who finished second nationally in total defense (247.6 yards) and third in scoring defense (13.5) — was an appealing aspect of his arrival and had him envisioning what he could do in the scheme.
“Those guys were on fire last year,” Stinson said, adding: “So a lot of guys were excited to have him come here because we know what he can do.”
He said it
“Credit to Elko and everything he did here. I’m just excited to see what Coach Diaz has to bring. He seems like a coach that likes to listen, very player-oriented coach. I’m excited to see how the season goes.” — Duke receiver Jordan Moore
The schedule
Diaz’s debut comes Aug. 30 against Elon at home, followed by a trip to Big Ten country to face Northwestern in the Blue Devils’ top nonconference game.
The ACC schedule opens at home against rival North Carolina (Sept. 28). There’s also a visit from No. 10 Florida State (Oct. 18) as reigning league champion and preseason favorite. Duke’s only game against the three newly added ACC schools comes at home against SMU (Oct. 26). Duke closes the year with a Nov. 30 trip to Wake Forest.
DURHAM, N.C. — North Carolina is set to become the seventh most populated state over the next 10 years, expecting to reach an estimated 11.7 million people by 2030, according to the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management. Two things impacted by all that growth are property values and taxes.
Charlotte, Wilmington, Raleigh, Cary and Durham are areas that have already approved or are proposing property tax increases for the upcoming fiscal year.
What You Need To Know
Charlotte, Wilmington, Raleigh, Cary and Durham are some areas that have already approved or are proposing property tax increases for the upcoming fiscal year
Both the City of Durham and Durham County approved a property tax increase for a combined 8.5-cent increase
That makes the new property tax rate for Durham residents $1.39 for every $100 of assessed property value
Larry Hester, a Durham native and businessman, says he’s concerned people are being priced out of the city altogether
When it comes to the Bull City, residents will be impacted by both the county and city’s increases, a total increase of 8.5 cents.
A home in Durham valued at $400,000 will have a total tax bill of about $5,580, which is up about $340 from last year.
Larry Hester, a homeowner and commercial property owner, says he’s worried about how this will impact property affordability in Durham. He owns a Durham shopping plaza so he’s been able to watch his son’s barber shop grow and his daughter’s restaurant thrive.
“They are very independent in their thinking. I’m just glad that they chose to be here,” Hester said.
Walking around outside, he knows exactly how long each of his tenants have been there, many of them for decades. He was born and raised in Durham, so it’s safe to say Hester has seen the Bull City change a lot.
“Durham is a growing community and growing means that people are coming from everywhere to be here,” Hester said.
Most recently, both the city and county approved a property tax increase of a combined 8.5-cent increase. That makes the new rate $1.39 for every $100 of assessed property value.
Whether someone’s a homeowner, business owner or both, Hester says every little bit adds up and is part of a domino effect.
“It’s going to increase the rent on tenants who have to in turn increase the cost of their goods and services to the public,” Hester said.
Hester said he’s often thinking about the future, including if and when people, who call Durham home, will be priced out of the city all together.
“I think we have a freight train that just left the station that’s going to be picking up steam,” Hester said.
Hester also says he’s concerned about this increase because there’s a property reappraisal next year. The county will decide new property values for the first time in five years, which could in turn increase property taxes even more.
The city says officials decided to raise the property tax rate in order to, “provide funding to fairly compensate city employees.”
The City of Durham shared an online resource, a property tax bill calculator, to help people figure out their new county and city tax bills based on their property value and these new rates.
Durham residents will see an increase in their property tax bills and city employees will receive raises after the Durham City Council unanimously approved a new budget Monday.
“They’re going to get a big old fat paycheck increase, and they deserve it,” council member Javiera Caballero said.
City Manager Wanda Page has called the budget “the right thing to do.”
The city property tax rate will increase 3.85 cents, to 59.62 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
Here’s what is included in the $668 million budget, up 9.5% since last year, according to Page:
$28.5 million for raises, increasing the minimum livable wage for city workers to $19.58 per hour from $18.46
$16.4 million for affordable housing investments
$14.9 million to expand GoDurham bus services and keep them fare-free
$4.7 million for sustainability projects to help the city reach its climate goals
$4 million for street maintenance
$1 million for a guaranteed income program following up on a 2022 pilot
$1 million to support the Hayti Reborn Justice Movement, which is working to address gun violence
$650,000 to support Legal Aid’s eviction diversion program and $250,000 for Justice Matters’ immigrant legal defense
Durham mayor elect Leonardo Williams addresses supporters at The Velvet Hippo on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, in Durham, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
It is the first budget approved under Mayor Leonardo Williams.
“I didn’t get everything I wanted, but I got enough that makes me feel good about where we are,” Williams said, adding that he’ll continue to push for more money to address gun violence.
“This is a budget I think, Madam Manager, we can be proud of,” Mayor Pro Tem Mark-Anthony Middleton said.
Tax increases add up
With the 4.65-cent tax rate increase passed last week by county commissioners, the tax rate for residents inside the city limits will rise 8.5 cents to $1.3949 per $100 of assessed property value.
For a $400,000 house, the median sales price this year, the city increase adds $154 and the county increase $186 to the annual tax bill, which would total $5,580. Residents can check the impact on their property online.
Further worrying some council members, a reappraisal looms next year. The county tax assessor will decide new property values for the first time since 2019, further driving up costs for most homeowners.
Mayor Pro Tempore Mark-Anthony Middleton, center left, City Manager Wanda Page and Durham Mayor Elaine O’Neal listen to a sanitation worker speak during a council work session at City Hall in Durham, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
“This budget does raise property taxes, and it does so for a very, very good reason,” council member Nate Baker said.
In the November election, voters will be asked to support another tax increase in the form of a $200 million bond referendum:
$115 million for streets and sidewalks
$85 million for parks
The bond would raise taxes 3.45 cents per $100 of assessed value starting in 2026 and slowly dropping off over 20 years.
This story was originally published June 17, 2024, 9:01 PM.
Related stories from Raleigh News & Observer
Mary Helen Moore covers Durham for The News & Observer. She grew up in Eastern North Carolina and attended UNC-Chapel Hill before spending several years working in newspapers in Florida. Outside of work, you might find her reading, fishing or fawning over plants.
This is the time of year when local governments approve their budgets for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
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Do you pay local taxes? Rent an apartment or lease commercial space?
This is the time of year when local governments approve their budgets for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
As part of that process, elected leaders set a property tax rate to pay for their town’s police, parks and other government services that homeowners and other property owners depend on. (Often those increases in taxes get passed down to renters.)
Here is a look at the tax rates the Triangle’s cities and towns are considering and their potential impact on property owners.
Which towns have the highest tax bills? Which have the lowest? And who’s facing the steepest increase as budget votes approach?
Wake County had a revaluation this year. A home that started this year with a tax value of $400,000 is now worth more. We computed the proposed town tax bill for that home based on the average amount that residential property values increased in each town in the county.
In every case, Wake County towns are setting new tax rates above “revenue-neutral,” the rate needed to generate the same income as before revaluation. Changes in tax bills will depend on how individual home values changed compared to the townwide average.)
Wake County
RALEIGH
Current tax rate: 43.4 cents per $100 of assessed property value
Proposed tax rate: 35.5 cents (3.8 cents above the revenue-neutral rate of 31.7 cents)
City tax bill on $400,000 house before revaluation: $1,736
Proposed tax bill on now $592,000 house after revaluation (homes increased an average of 48%): $2,102
Increase in city tax bill: $366 (a 21% increase)
CARY
Current tax rate: 34.5 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 32.5 cents per $100 (8 cents above the revenue-neutral rate of 24.4 cents)
Town tax bill on $400,000 house before revaluation: $1,380
Proposed tax bill on now $628,000 house after revaluation (homes increased an average of 57%): $2,041
Increase in town tax bill: $661 (48% increase)
APEX
Current tax rate: 44 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 34 cents (3.8-cents above the revenue-neutral rate of 30.2 cents)
Tax bill on a $400,000 house before revaluation: $1,760
Proposed tax bill on a $628,000 house after revaluation (homes increased an average of 57%): $2,135
Increase in town tax bill: $375 (a 21% increase)
FUQUAY-VARINA
Current tax rate: 45.5 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 36.8 cents (5 cents above the revenue-neutral rate of 31.8 cents)
Tax bill on a $400,000 house before revaluation: $1,820
Proposed tax bill on a $612,000 house after revaluation (homes increased an average of 53%): $2,252
Increase in town tax bill: $432 (a 24% increase)
GARNER
Current tax rate: 62.7 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 52 cents (8.5 cents above the revenue-neutral rate of 43.5 cents)
Town tax bill on $400,000 house before revaluation: $2,508
Proposed tax bill on now $624,000 house after revaluation (homes increased an average of 56%): $3,245
Increase in town tax bill: $737 (a 29% increase)
HOLLY SPRINGS
Current tax rate: 42.16 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 34.35 cents (4.85 cents above the revenue-neutral rate of 29.5 cents)
Tax bill on a $400,000 before revaluation: $1,686
Proposed tax bill on a $612,000 after revaluation (homes increased an average of 53%): $2,102
Increase in town tax bill: $416 (a 25% increase)
KNIGHTDALE
Current tax rate: 45 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 44 cents (14 cents above the revenue-neutral of 30 cents)
Town tax bill on $400,000 house before revaluation: $1,800
Proposed tax bill on now $628,000 house after revaluation (homes increased an average of 57%): $2,763
Increase in town tax bill: $963 (a 53.5% increase)
MORRISVILLE
Current tax rate: 39 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 35 cents (5 cents above the revenue-neutral rate of 30 cents)
Tax bill on a $400,000 home before revaluation: $1,560
Proposed tax bill on a $580,000 home after revaluation (homes increased an average of 45%): $2,030
Increase in tax bill (dollar amount): $470 (a 30% increase)
ROLESVILLE
Current tax rate: 46 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 40 cents (7.7 cents above the revenue-neutral rate of 32.3 cents)
Town tax bill on $400,000 house before revaluation: $1,840
Proposed tax bill on now $604,000 house after revaluation (homes increased an average of 51%): $2,416
Increase in town tax bill: $576 (a 31% increase)
WAKE FOREST
Current tax rate: 50.5 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 42 cents (7.4 cents more than the revenue-neutral rate of 34.6 cents)
Town tax bill on $400,000 house before revaluation: $2,020
Proposed tax bill on now $604,00 house after revaluation (homes increased an average of 51%): $2,537
Increase in town tax bill: $517 (a 26% increase)
WENDELL
Current tax rate: 47 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 42 cents (13 cents above the revenue-neutral rate of 29 cents)
Town tax bill on $400,000 house before revaluation: $1,880
Proposed tax bill on now $660,000 house after revaluation (homes increased an average of 65%): $2,772
Increase in town tax bill: $892 (a 47% increase)
ZEBULON
Current tax rate: 57.5 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 57.5 cents (12.1 cents above the revenue-neutral rate of 45.4 cents)
Town tax bill on $400,000 house before revaluation: $2,300
Proposed tax bill on now $596,000 house after revaluation (homes increased an average of 49%): $3,427
Increase in town tax bill (dollar amount): $1,127 (a 49% increase)
Durham County
DURHAM
This was not a revaluation year in Durham County. Here is information on both city and county property taxes.
Current city tax rate: 55.77 cents per $100
Proposed city tax rate: 59.62 cents
Proposed city tax bill on $400,000 house: $2,385, a $155 increase (a 7% increase)
Current county tax rate: 75.22 cents
Proposed county tax rate: 78.47 cents
Proposed county tax bill on $400,000 house: $3,139, a $130 increase (a 5% increase)
Combined city and county tax bill: $5,524, up $284
Orange County
This was not a revaluation year in Orange County. Here is information on both city and county property taxes.
CARRBORO
Current town tax rate: 58.94 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: No increase proposed
Proposed town tax bill on $400,000 house: $2,358, unchanged
Current county tax rate: 83.53 cents
Proposed county tax rate: 86.34 cents
Proposed county tax bill on a $400,000 house: $3,454, a $113 increase (a 3% increase)
Combined city and county tax bill (city, county and school district for CHCCS): $6,603.20, up $113
CHAPEL HILL
Current tax rate: 57.2 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 59.2 cents
Proposed town tax bill on $400,000 house: $2,368, up $80 (a 3.5% increase)
Current county tax rate: 83.53 cents
Proposed county tax rate: 86.34 cents
Proposed county tax bill on $400,000 house: $3,454, up $113 (a 3% increase)
Combined city and county tax bill (city, county and school district for CHCCS): $6,614, up $192
HILLSBOROUGH
Current tax rate: 58.7 cents per $100
Proposed tax rate: 60.7 cents
Proposed town tax bill on $400,000 house: $2,428, up $80 (a 3% increase)
Current county tax rate: 83.53 cents per $100
Proposed county tax rate: 86.34 cents per $100
Proposed county tax bill on $400,000 house: $3,454, a $112 increase
Combined city and county tax bill: $5,881.60, up $192
Compiled by staff writers Tammy Grubb, Anna Johnson, Kristen Johnson and Mary Helen Moore.
NC Reality Check is an N&O series holding those in power accountable and shining a light on public issues that affect the Triangle or North Carolina. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email realitycheck@newsobserver.com
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — First Alert Day-Today: Thunderstorms will develop through evening across Central NC. There is a Level 1 severe risk for most of the ABC11 viewing area. The main concerns will be damaging wind gusts and hail. A few quick downpours will also be possible.
Any existing thunderstorms in the viewing area this evening will diminish after sunset and should be gone by midnight. Skies partially clear tonight and this allows some radiation fog to form later, mainly to the south and east of the Triangle. Any fog that does form will dissipate quickly tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow will be fairly similar to today, with afternoon heating and a little instability aloft likely to generate a few scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms. The dynamics tomorrow will be a little less than this afternoon, so any storms that form are likely to be run-of-the-mill, none-severe storms.
Sunday still looks to be the driest day of this weekend as brief ridging moves in, and we see more sunshine with temperatures reaching the low 90s. However, the dry weather won’t last long as our next, more potent trough moves across the Great Lakes on Monday.
This trough will usher a cold front into the region on Monday, raising the likelihood of thunderstorms for Memorial Day. More widespread activity will be farther to the north, closer to the low. However, any thunderstorm in our viewing area could bring damaging winds, hail, and flooding downpours. The best chance continues to be in the afternoon.
Tuesday into Thursday will be much cooler with highs in upper 70s and low 80s and overnight lows in the cool, middle and upper 50s. There will be a fair amount of sunshine each day. A storm developing to the south and east this period may send some clouds our way, but any showers remain off to the south and east.
DURHAM, N.C. – The city of Durham is hosting a public forum Wednesday night to update people on the soil contamination testing at five city parks.
This comes after a study by a Duke University graduate student in 2022 found unsafe levels of lead. The state’s Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are all involved now.
What You Need To Know
The city of Durham is hosting a virtual public forum Wednesday night at 6:30 to update people on the soil contamination testing at five city parks
East Durham, East End, Lyon, Northgate and Walltown parks all have fenced off areas that are being tested for soil contamination
Earlier this year, NCDEQ said a report on the soil samples should be done by April, but that report hasn’t been shared yet
Many community members, including Joseph Blue who lives right behind Walltown Park, are expressing concerns about the situation
It’s been about 10 months since the city of Durham put up fencing and signs at five parks because high levels of lead were found in the ground. East Durham Park, East End Park, Lyon Park, Northgate Park and Walltown Park all have areas that are being tested for soil contamination.
Earlier this year, NCDEQ said a report on the soil samples should be done by April. That report hasn’t been shared yet, but many community members, including Joseph Blue, are expressing concern.
Living right behind Walltown Park in Durham for decades has its perks, especially when you have grandkids like Blue.
“We could be cooking out and they run straight through the cut and then they’d be in the park,” Blue said.
But the park is now lined with bright orange fencing and warning signs. Blue says it’s no longer the safe place he thought he knew growing up.
“They’d play in the backyard and play over here at the park. My grandson, he would play football over here all the time. He actually would go in this creek and play because he’s heard the stories from me talking about how I played in the creek,” Blue said. “You want to go out and get some sunlight and feel like you’re safe, but then it’s not safe.”
Signs posted at Walltown Park, warning visitors not to go into fenced off areas. (Spectrum News 1/Kyleigh Panetta)
The Durham native says he’s always been involved in community meetings but became even more invested over the last year after learning the city was testing soil at five city parks, including Walltown, for lead and other contaminants.
“They’re still saying they have to figure out what parts are infected. But you roped off the whole park,” Blue said. “This is going to be a process and it’s going to be ongoing, it looks like, for a while.”
Blue says he doesn’t blame current city leaders but believes it is their responsibility now to make sure these spaces are safe for future generations.
“A lot of questions. I’m going to find out who gives the answers and are the answers true answers to the questions,” Blue said. “They just need to come up with the solutions. And then what solution is going to fix the problem and not put a Band-Aid on the problem? That’s the main issue with me. If you’re going to do it, go on and fix it where we don’t have to worry about it again.”
Map showing the five Durham parks being tested for soil contamination.
He says he and other community members will stay on top of the progress and promises made as time moves forward.
“So if we don’t continue to put the pressure on them, this could look like this for years. Who knows,” Blue said.
Blue says he’s also concerned his property may be contaminated, but says he’ll look into testing after he learns more about the findings from Walltown Park.
The last update from the city of Durham was in late April, and the statement reads in part, “We have been working with NCDEQ to actively assess and provide updated information on the remediation of lead and other hazards in the five parks that contain soil from pre-regulatory landfills.”
The city’s virtual public forum is being held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Officials with the city, DHHS and DEQ are all expected to share information on the situation.
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — Two separate hit-and-runs overnight left one pedestrian dead and another seriously injured, Durham police said.
On Saturday night, just after 9 p.m., a man crossing North Miami Boulevard near Raynor Street was hit by a car. Investigators said the vehicle hit a pole before leaving the scene.
The man hit was taken to a hospital where he is in critical condition.
Shortly after, investigators said the same vehicle may have been involved in another crash on Holloway Street near Herbert Street. That driver also left the scene.
Witnesses say the suspect’s vehicle is a dark blue SUV, possibly a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Police said the car may have damage to the right front corner, the hood, and the back of the car. In addition, several parts may be missing including the bumper.
In a separate incident, after 5 a.m. on Sunday, a man was hit by a car traveling northbound in the 2400 block of North Roxboro Street. Police said the driver left the scene.
The man hit was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries.
A witness told officers the suspect’s vehicle may be a light gray or light blue Chevy Sonic.
The victim may also have been hit first by another vehicle, according to police.
That vehicle is believed to be a 2024 to 2016 Lexus or Toyota sport sedan. It may be missing a black front bumper hole plug.
Both crashes are under investigation.
Anyone with any information about either of these crashes is asked to call Investigator G. Munter at 919-560-4935 extension 29448. You can also call CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200 or online at www.durhamcrimestoppers.org. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards of up to $2,000 for information leading to arrests in felony cases and callers never have to identify themselves.
