It’s Wednesday, January 17.

Thanks to this week’s sponsor Downtown Durham. It’s Downtown Durham Feast month! Come eat or drink in downtown Durham, then enter to win a weekly grand prize of a one-night stay at a downtown hotel, a gift basket filled with goodies from downtown retailers and a $100 SpendaBull e-gift card. More info at downtowndurham.com/feast.

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Good morning, readers. 

Durham has a new city council member.

Chelsea Cook, an attorney for Legal Aid, was sworn in last night after being selected to fill the Ward Three seat that Leo Williams left vacant upon becoming mayor in December. 

Cook was one of 14 candidates who applied for the position. Four finalists—Cook, Shelia Huggins, Amanda Borer, and Chastan Swain—were invited to City Hall for interviews last week. (You can watch Cook’s interview here.) 

Council members made their final decision at a special session yesterday morning where, for a moment, it seemed as though the appointment was going to go to a special election.

The initial vote was tied, with three councilors choosing Cook and three picking Huggins. Several council members suggested that the gridlock could be broken via ranked choice voting, but Mayor pro tem Middleton said ranked choice voting would be impossible because he didn’t have a second option.

“It feels like we’re looking for a way to avoid a [special] election,” said Middleton, who voted for Huggins. 

Council member Carl Rist countered that “the art of politics is all about compromise.” On cue, council member Nate Baker, who originally voted for Huggins but said “for now” while doing it, announced that he was happy to change his vote to Cook. 

The vote was certified as unanimous “as an act of goodwill,” in the words of Middleton.

Have a good Wednesday, everyone.

— Lena

Durham

Durham Public Schools staff members and parents held a sit-in Tuesday at the district’s offices downtown to advocate for fair pay, especially for physical and occupational therapists who assist students with disabilities.

Wake

The Moshakos family, owners of LM Restaurants, bought the tower located at 227 Fayetteville Street for $14.9 million at auction. The tower is fully leased, and some tenants, including the Poyner YMCA on the ground floor, are expected to remain.   

Wake County has canceled classes at schools in the district on primary Election Day on March 5. 

Orange

The Board of Directors for the Carolina Student Union has proposed plans to potentially rebuild it. 

An independent, nonprofit research and analysis firm has started to analyze UNC’s response to the fatal shooting on campus last August.

North Carolina

The NC Board of Elections voted to allow a GOP candidate for the state House, who allegedly has neo-Nazi ties, to remain on the ballot in a Rockingham County district this primary election cycle. Read more about the candidate, Joseph A. Gibson III, here. 

The U.S. Supreme Court won’t review the antitrust legal case between Apple and Cary-based Epic Games.

Today’s weather

Sunny with a high of 41 degrees.

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