Independent news and updates for South Durham, covering local development, government, health, and community life.

[Dispatches Received in Error Issue 31] Interview with a Retired Toll Seraph

A weekly serial fiction project for paid subscribers, unfolding through a growing archive of documents from an alternate-universe Southpoint.

Are new homes and RTP data centers draining Durham’s reservoirs?

Durham’s two reservoirs were just 31% full on Nov. 5. How much water do new homes add to the daily demand, and where do RTP data centers get theirs?

[Gallery] Pop Mart opens at Southpoint

Seen that toothy little monster dangling from someone’s bag? That’s Labubu. Take a look inside Pop Mart’s first Durham store at The Streets at Southpoint.

Durham water supply falls below 80 days, with rain offering uncertain relief

Durham’s latest figures show reservoirs at 31% capacity and 79 days of readily accessible water. But the data predate Friday’s storm, and another system could develop along the East Coast late next week.

"We will have to stop": Durham swim families ask city to reconsider pool fees

A nearly threefold increase in lane rental rates has community swim teams warning that higher costs could reach parents or threaten their programs.

South Durham in Five: School consolidation, data centers, drought, and public accountability

Five questions from this week's Southpoint Access reporting, plus neighborhood news, a recall affecting families, and a look at what's ahead.

[SoDu Crime Watch] Vandalism climbs while total reports fall

South Durham's weekly incident total declined, but vandalism reports rose from four to 10. Police data also showed one in-area arrest involving a serious charge.

SoDu We Know What's Up? Friday, Nov. 6, 2026

Why Durham delayed a vote on a $474,405 school study

Durham Public Schools Cafeteria Menu: What’s for Lunch Nov. 9-13, 2026

Chicken cheesesteak nachos, honey chili Sriracha chicken, pork totchos, and pizza are on DPS menus during a week shortened by Veterans Day.

[Office Hours] Data Centers Near You

If a data center were proposed near your home, when would you get a say? This week on Office Hours, I look at where neighbors would fit into Durham’s approval process.

[SeeGov Enhanced] Durham school board delays consolidation study vote until Nov. 19

When should Durham families have a say in a study that could lead to school mergers or new attendance boundaries? Board members disagreed over whether families should’ve been heard before a consultant was chosen.

[Nerdspresso] Patrick Stewart made it so

Which Patrick Stewart role stayed with you? Jeff Stanford recalls a memorable convention encounter and celebrates the warmth, wit, and commanding presence behind Picard, Professor X, and a lifetime onstage.