View This Email In Your Browser

It’s Tuesday, August 27.

Support the INDY Press Club.

Come work with us! The INDY is hiring an editor in chief. Click here for details and how to apply. And read about some exciting new changes coming to the INDY.

Good morning, readers. 

Here’s your Durham City Hall quote of the month:

“It’s like your uncle who paid for you to go to college but molested you. It’s a difficult relationship,” said mayor pro tem Mark-Anthony Middleton, borrowing a quip from comedian Chris Rock, to describe the city’s relationship with Duke University.

While Middleton was thinking about his own history with Duke and its decision to kill the light rail project, his comments came as lawyers for Duke petitioned the council to rezone chunks of campus to the city’s University and College (UC) designation. That unique zoning, which already applies to most of Duke’s campus, allows the university to build essentially whatever it wants without having to go back through the lengthy council approval process for developers. 

It was a pretty standard request from the university, Durham’s largest private landowner. But the city council was not excited to hand Duke that blank check rezoning without some more information. 

“We all know that Duke has also not been the best actor sometimes. And so there is community distrust, and there’s certainly distrust on this council.” said council member Javiera Caballero at the meeting. 

The lawyer for Duke said that the university did not provide specific plans “because they literally do not have plans” yet, and needed the zoning change in order to create a plan. The council declined to vote on the request and asked the university’s representatives to return for the October 7 meeting. 

In April, the planning commission had similar frustrations for an earlier rezoning bundle. After that meeting, Duke canceled that rezoning request but promised to return, sooner or later.

Read more about Duke’s recent rocky episodes at City Hall. 

And have a great Tuesday. 

—Chase

Durham

The health equity advocacy group Breastfeed Durham is encouraging breastfeeding in Durham’s public spaces with colorful signs in Durham parks. 

Popsicle company LocoPops will open LocoShop at 600 Foster Street, a “treats cafe and market rolled into one.”

Wake

Thousands of students go back to Wake County Schools today. The school system reports a 2 percent vacancy rate among educators and all bus routes covered.

Orange

A water main break has caused irreparable damage to Kidzu kid’s museum in the University Place shopping center. The location has closed indefinitely.

North Carolina

North Carolina teachers often spend their own money on school supplies but there are ways to help.

Today’s weather

Sunny with a high of 97 degrees.

If you’d like to advertise your business to the Daily’s 30,000-plus subscribers, please contact [email protected]

Love The INDY? Join the INDY Press Club.
Support the ambitions of local journalism (plus, you can enjoy a few perks).

Become a Member