Civilian Police Review Board feedback session

A little more than a year ago, a Durham police officer pulled over Robin Dean Bell and searched her car without her consent. He didn’t tell her why, she told the Durham Human Relations Commission earlier this month, and at one point the officer called her an idiot.

“I know how to respect police officers,” said Bell, whose father was a cop for 30 years. “But I was very afraid. He was very angry.”

She filed a complaint with the Civilian Police Review Board, which sided with the officer.

Bell’s story was one of dozens presented to the Human Relations Commission, which has been holding special hearings because of problems within the Durham Police Department.

Now the CIVILIAN POLICE REVIEW BOARD is holding a PUBLIC INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK SESSION on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. at Durham City Hall.

The nine-member board has also been criticized for failing to exercise the little power it has, and for consistently finding in favor of DPD.

Last month, 19 peoplea record numberapplied for a vacant seat on the board. City Manager Tom Bonfield is expected to appoint the new board member sometime this spring.

Spend Raleigh’s Money

Ever wonder how you would spend tax dollars if you were in charge? Through its OPEN RALEIGH website, the CITY has presented the adopted and proposed BUDGET by division and line item. Now you can create your own version: You have $1.3 billiongo! www.raleighnc.gov.

Lawmakers meet about food deserts

North Carolina ranks sixth in the U.S. in food insecurity, in part because many rural area and urban neighborhoods lie within food desertsin other words, miles from a grocery store. The HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOOD DESERT ZONES meets Monday, Feb. 24, at 1 p.m. in Room 544 of the Legislative Office Building in Raleigh. If you can’t make the meeting, listen to the proceedings online at the General Assembly website, www.ncga.state.nc.us. Read INDY coverage of the issue at indyweek.com.

Shored Up, again

Did you miss Shored Up when it screened in Raleigh and Durham? The award-winning DOCUMENTARY ABOUT SEA-LEVEL RISE will screen for the third time in the Triangle on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m., at Community Church, 106 Purefoy Road in Chapel Hill. The event is sponsored by Balance & Accuracy in Journalism.

Run for office

Candidate filing ends FRIDAY, FEB. 28, AT NOON. Offices to be elected this year include U.S. House and Senate, some state legislative seats; district attorney and local and state-level judges. Some jurisdictions are electing school board members; others, county commissioners.

The primary is May 6.

Check your local board of elections for details. And if you don’t know what that is, you probably shouldn’t run.