SoDu Morning Brief: Sunny Days Again?
Plus, where can you get the cheapest groceries this week? Support Southpoint Access and benefit the Hope Valley Elementary School PTA!
Your weekday local lowdown, powered by Southpoint Access.
💌 [Subscribe Free] | [Support Local Stories]
☀️ South Durham Weather Forecast – Oct. 30, 2025
Looking for the latest weather update for South Durham, NC? Here's your hyperlocal SoDu forecast:
Morning showers, then a bright turnaround. Expect showers likely before 8 a.m., followed by clearing skies - mostly cloudy early, sunny by late morning/afternoon. High near 64°F with a SW breeze 8–11 mph, gusts up to 20 mph. Rain chance ~60%, but <0.10" expected.
Thursday night: Mostly clear and crisp with a low around 45°F. West wind ~9 mph.
What this means for your day
- Morning commute: Light rain possible - grab the umbrella and give yourself a few extra minutes.
- Afternoon plans: Sunshine returns; great window for errands, a walk on the ATT, or after-school activities.
- Evening: Cooling off quickly after sunset - layer up for games or trick-or-treat prep.
Quick checklist
Light rain jacket for the AM ☔ • sunglasses for the PM 😎 • evening layer 🧥
If this helps you plan your day, help us keep it free for South Durham.
If you’re raising kids in South Durham, this one’s for you. The first-ever SoDu Compass Family Resource Guide - a free, curated handbook with everything families need to navigate local life.
Inside, you’ll find listings for preschools, schools, youth sports, after-school activities, parks, libraries, pediatricians, and parent support groups - all focused on South Durham and nearby neighborhoods.
It’s a living resource we’ll keep updating as our community grows.
📘 Download your free copy here!
🛒 South Durham Grocery Price Check – Week of Oct. 30, 2025
Where can you stretch your grocery dollars the furthest in South Durham this week? We priced 17 everyday items - from eggs and milk to meat, pasta, and toilet paper - at nine major grocery stores serving the SoDu area.
This week’s SoDu Shopping Basket shows a $40+ spread between the most and least expensive stores, with value-conscious shoppers once again finding big savings at familiar spots.
🥇 Cheapest Grocery Total This Week
Walmart wins again with the lowest overall basket at $53.31, closely followed by Target ($53.90) and Food Lion ($55.85).
📊 Total Grocery Basket Cost by Store – Oct. 23, 2025
| Rank | Store | Basket Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walmart | $53.31 |
| 2 | Target | $53.90 |
| 3 | Food Lion | $55.85 |
| 4 | Wegmans | $60.75 |
| 5 | Harris Teeter | $61.57 |
| 6 | Aldi | $62.28 |
| 7 | Publix | $84.50 |
| 8 | Sprouts | $86.55 |
| 9 | Fresh Market | $93.64 |
💰 Average cost across all stores: $68.04
🔎 Highlights & Price Trends
✅ Best Deals This Week
- 🥚 Eggs under $2.40 at Walmart, Target, and Food Lion
- 🐔 Chicken breast lowest at $2.57–$2.69/lb at Walmart, Target, and Food Lion
- 🍝 Spaghetti under $1.00 at Walmart, Target, and Food Lion
- 🧀 Cheddar cheese under $2.00 at Walmart, Target, and Food Lion
- 🍌 Bananas under $0.60/lb at nearly all stores
⚠️ Highest Grocery Costs
- 🥩 Ground beef hits $10.49/lb at Publix — more than double Wegmans’ $4.99
- ☕ Coffee tops out at $15.69 at Publix
- 🧻 Toilet paper still $13.99 at Fresh Market and Wegmans
- 🥛 Milk is $7.99 at Fresh Market — nearly 3x lower prices elsewhere
- 🧂 Sugar at $8.99 at Sprouts, compared to $2.99–$3.29 at others
🛍️ Smart Shopping Strategy for SoDu Residents
- 🛒 Go-to budget stores: Walmart, Target, and Food Lion
- 🥩 Best meat prices: Wegmans, Harris Teeter
- 🍎 Produce picks: Aldi, Food Lion, and Walmart
- 💡 Premium chains like Publix, Sprouts, and Fresh Market charge 40–75% more - best for specialty items, not staples
💸 Bonus Tip: Splitting your list across two stores (e.g., Walmart + Wegmans or Target + Food Lion) could save $15+ weekly.
📬 Want grocery updates every Thursday?
Subscribe to Southpoint Access and get weekly comparisons, gas prices, school lunch menus, and family events - all in one place.
🛒 What’s your favorite store for savings? Hit reply and share your strategy!
Keep checking the shopping basket page on our newsletter site for updates on comparisons.
Durham Public School Lunch Today
All student meals are free. Menus include choice of milk, fresh fruit, and 100% juice. Items subject to change. Get the full week of menus here.
Southpoint Access: Supporting Hope Valley Elementary PTA
South Durham neighbors: help fund local news and local classrooms.
From now through Dec. 31, 2025, Southpoint Access will share a portion of every revenue stream with the Hope Valley Elementary PTA (HVE PTA):
- 20% of subscriptions (after standard processing fees)
- 10% of donations (after fees)
- 10% of sponsorships (net of documented hard costs)
Why it matters: Your support keeps independent, neighborhood reporting alive, and puts real dollars into classrooms, school improvement projects, and family programs at Hope Valley Elementary.
Choose How You Want to Help
- SUBSCRIBE: Quick, affordable, and the most reliable support for both local news and HVE PTA.
- DONATE: Any amount helps! 10% goes to the HVE PTA.
- SPONSOR OUR NEWSLETTERS: Local businesses can reach South Durham neighbors while giving 10% to the HVE PTA.
Thanks for helping us keep South Durham informed - and for investing in Hope Valley Elementary’s students and teachers.
Wes Platt
Neighborhood News Guy for Southpoint Access
🎟️ Events in South Durham – Oct. 30
- 👶 Baby Time - 10:30–11 a.m.
Durham County Library – South Regional, 4505 S. Alston Ave.
Lap bounces, songs, and early-literacy fun for babies and caregivers. - 🚌 Durham Bus Rapid Transit Vision Workshop — 3–5 p.m.
Durham County Library – Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.
Drop in to review BRT plans, maps, and timelines; share your feedback. - 🦉 The Hoot Fall Festival — 4–5 p.m.
Durham County Library – South Regional, 4505 S. Alston Ave.
Family-friendly crafts and stories; festive attire welcome. - 💀 Fiesta de los Muertos — 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Durham Parks & Recreation, 1309 Halley St.
Día de los Muertos celebration with music, crafts, and remembrance activities. - 🚗🎃 Trunk or Treat — 6–8 p.m.
Durham Parks & Recreation, 401 N. Driver St.
Family-friendly trunk-decorations and candy stations; costumes encouraged. - 🚗🎃 Trunk or Treat — 6:30–8:30 p.m.
Durham Tech, 1637 E. Lawson St.
Campus trunk-or-treat night with games and treats for all ages.
📅 More local happenings on the SoDu Events Calendar.
Have something to share? Submit using this Google Form.
🚗 Need a Traffic Update?
Check our Southpoint Access Live Traffic Map for real-time road conditions across Fayetteville Road, NC Highway 55, and I-40.
Avoid delays and plan your route smarter!
Looking for the best deals on gasoline? Check out the SoDu Fuel Tracker!
🤝 Support Our Sponsors
Local journalism in South Durham survives thanks to the generous businesses and organizations that make this work possible. 🧭
By supporting these sponsors, you’re helping Southpoint Access continue to deliver trusted, hyperlocal news and resources for our community - from school updates to neighborhood stories that keep SoDu connected.
💛 Shop local. Hire local. Support those who support Southpoint Access.
![[SoDu Alert] Durham Leaders Issue Joint Statement Amid Immigration Enforcement Reports](/content/images/size/w600/2025/11/jointstatement.jpg)
