[The Gourmand Next Door] Chianti, What a Fiasco!

You may recognize the bottles, fiaschi, as the straw-wrapped, squat bottles that often serve as candelabras. A wine that requires little thought, and even less deliberation.   

Durham brings back $10,000 aid for Fayetteville Street businesses

A yearlong city program will offer money, coaching, training, and technical help to qualifying businesses along the historic corridor.

In Memoriam: Durham Obituaries – Sept. 8, 2026

Honoring lives recently lost in the Durham community, with upcoming services and remembrances.

Duke tower returns to Durham Board of Adjustment after jurisdiction error

The proposal for the cell tower along Scott King Road requires three variances and a special-use permit, with questions about visibility, property values, and whether Duke has shown the required hardship.

Friday football matchups cap packed week for South Durham schools

Jordan visits Riverside, Hillside travels to Orange, and middle school teams open competition across soccer, volleyball, football, and cross country.

[Dispatches Received in Error Issue 22] Receipt for the Purchase of Three Midnights

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

Durham commissioners could approve $55M emergency operations center Tuesday

Although Tuesday's meeting is a work session, the board's consent agenda lists the emergency center and 19 other proposals as action items. Violence and homelessness plans are scheduled mainly for discussion.

What Southpoint Access Is Becoming

The newsletters are staying. Now I’m also building practical guides that can help with everyday life in South Durham.

South Durham in Five: Sept. 5, 2026

Five questions, five answers, and one look ahead from Aug. 31-Sept. 4.

Page Road Project, Rockwood Affordability Plan Head to Durham City Council

The Sept. 8 agenda also includes Durham’s emerging gun violence strategy, more than $20 million in water and sewer contracts, and three possible futures for N.C. 147.

What Does South Durham Cook?

Share the dish that tastes like home for the SoDu We Enjoy Food community cookbook.

[SoDu Crime Watch] Vehicle-Related Thefts Top South Durham Crime This Week

Police logs show 28 thefts from vehicles, 22 shoplifting reports, and six stolen vehicles from Aug. 27 through Sept. 3.

Nerdspresso

[Nerdspresso] Tom Cruise Is More Famous Than Me - Should I Just Shut Up?

I enjoy spectacle as much as the next guy, but I also remember an actor who effortlessly went head-to-head with screen legends like Paul Newman, Dustin Hoffman, and Jack Nicholson.

News

[SoDu Stuff to Do] Your Weekend Ahead - Sept. 3, 2026

What's in the SoDu Events Calendar for this weekend? Southpoint Access provides a few highlights to consider!

office hours

[VIDEO] Navigating School Performance Data: A Durham Parent's Perspective

Understanding North Carolina school performance scores and what they mean for our kids' education.

SoDu Shopping Basket

SoDu Shopping Basket Ticks Lower, but Big Price Swings Tell the Real Story

The average basket fell 36 cents this week. Aldi remained the least expensive store, while Harris Teeter recorded the largest decrease.

durham public schools

Durham Public Schools Cafeteria Menu: What’s for Lunch Sept. 7-11, 2026

Students return from Labor Day to chicken and waffles, cheeseburgers, nacho bowls, spaghetti, pizza, and more.

durham public schools

South Durham Schools Post Gains, but Results Remain Uneven

Jordan High School and Southwest Elementary climbed to B performance grades, while Hope Valley Elementary, Pearsontown, and several other South Durham schools faced setbacks in North Carolina's newly released accountability results.

durham public schools

[Gallery] Rogers-Herr Middle Hosts Showcase of Clubs

Families visited the gymnasium to check out available extracurricular activities, from the tabletop gamers in the Nerd Herd to Chef Sicily's cooking club.

Life and Legacy

In Memoriam: Durham Obituaries – Sept. 1, 2026

Honoring lives recently lost in the Durham community, with upcoming services and remembrances.

Fiction

[Dispatches Received in Error Issue 21] Seasonal Permit for Hurricane Choirs

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

Nerdspresso

[VIDEO] Nerdspresso Phase II Episode 24: Strange New Worlds

In this episode, Jeff and Wes explore the evolution of Star Trek, focusing on Strange New Worlds and its place in the franchise. They discuss the series' creative risks, character development, and the enduring legacy of Star Trek after six decades.

Southpoint Access

New: Find a Faith Community In and Around South Durham

Explore churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, meditation centers, and other faith communities near South Durham.

durham public schools

Durham Public Schools Cafeteria Menu: What’s for Lunch Aug. 31-Sept. 4, 2026

French toast sticks, chicken sandwiches, meatball subs, loaded nachos, and pizza are among this week’s DPS cafeteria choices.