Hey, Neighbors: Help Southpoint Access Thrive!

So, here’s the thing: I’d do this for free, if I could. That’s how much I enjoy my work as a neighborhood news guy in South Durham.

I’m really proud to have launched a locally owned and operated news site focused entirely on what’s happening from 15-501 to Fayetteville Road to Farrington. Southpoint Access isn’t part of a corporate chain. It’s one guy in Hope Valley Ridge with the help of some generous columnists.

And did I mention I love my work?

But I’ve got bills to pay, kids to feed and clothe, a puggle that won’t stop eating (even when she should be full), and a (mostly) patient wife who’s been willing to go solo as primary breadwinner for the past few months as I’ve launched into Southpoint Access full-time.

Some Southpoint Access readers already support this project as donors and subscribers. It’s going to take a lot more, though, to not just sustain the news you’re already getting from schools, new developments, government, and local business updates, but also to expand the voices heard on the site.

For this endeavor to thrive, it must represent every neighborhood, every school, every retail shop, every restaurant in and around South Durham. I’m no mathematician, but by my estimates, we’ve got at least 150,000 people in this area. That’s a lot of stories to tell.

It would help a great deal to get more support from new donors and subscribers so I can afford to pay freelance writers and photographers.

I’m also happy when readers send in news about neighborhood events, their ambitious entrepreneurial efforts, their kids’ latest accomplishments, and their holiday light displays. If it matters to you, it ought to matter to me. Send your news to southpointaccessnews@gmail.com.

What’s in it for my neighbors who subscribe or advertise their businesses?

• Ultra-local news about South Durham that you might not find in larger media outlets.
• An independent neighborhood news source.
• A platform for small businesses, schools, and cultural events.
• Connections with neighbors through newsletters, social media, and even our own Discord server.
• Easy accessibility to information about what’s happening in our neighborhoods.

Every dollar from subscribers and sponsors directly funds reporting, resources, and the growth of Southpoint Access, making it possible for me to keep serving my neighbors in South Durham.

If you aren’t a paid subscriber yet, I hope you’ll consider joining the SoDu Crew for as little as $5 per month. If you are a subscriber or a business sponsor, THANK YOU! But you can also help by sharing these newsletters and telling your neighbors to send their news to Southpoint Access.

Thanks for being great neighbors.

Wes