Durham Dispatch

Rendering of main building at 'cop city' . Image credit: DCSO Durham Stop Cop City and other groups held events on New Years Eve and January 4th protesting the county jail and the Durham County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) $18 million plan to expand a training facility on Electra Road. The People’s Alliance (PA), one of Durham’s political machines, released a statement on January 2nd that supported partial concessions to the activists.   The series of events flowed from a November 12th protest when around 30 people with organizations such as Durham Beyond Policing interrupted the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to oppose the sheriff’s training facility. In response, board chair Nida Allam delayed discussion of the issue to a work session on January 6th. There was little public awareness of ‘cop city’ before the November 12th protest. There wasn’t a single newspaper article about the $18 million project prior to that date.   NYE Event   Durham Stop Cop City, Triangle Radical Events, and three other organizations released a collaborative post about a New Years Eve protest at the Durham County jail [ 1 ]. The activists can be seen beaming slogans onto the detention facility walls with a powerful projector. Three of the slogans were:   Stop cop cities everywhere Fight until every prison is empty Dream until every golf course is a sex forest   The organizers of the News Years Eve action said, “Let’s give a warm reminder to the people locked away we have not forgotten them, and a reminder to their cagers we have also not forgotten them.   The county of Durham, which runs the jail, is currently proposing a $16 million expansion to their police training center, another cop city. We say no to the expansion, no to the original training center, and no to the jail!” [ 2 ]   Expanding the DCSO training facility would have a total cost of $18 million, according to the News and Observer . The county commission are weighing approval of $16.6 million. The rest of the money is already spent [ 3 ].   The New Years Eve action builds on years of protests against the jail, located in downtown Durham, which has been criticized for its high number of custodial deaths. Eleven people have died at the detention facility since 2015. Year Names 2015 Raphael Bennett [ 4 ], Dennis McMurray [ 4 ] 2016 Matthew McCain [ 4 ] 2017 Uniece Fennell [ 4 ], James Staton Jr. [ 4 ] 2018 Jean McGirt [ 5 ], Deshawn Evans [ 6 ] 2019 2020 Darrell Kersey [ 7 ] 2021 Brittany Kittrell [ 8 ], Joseph Hunter [ 9 ] 2022 Erick Cano-Castellanos [ 10 ] 2023 2024   People’s Alliance Statement   On January 2nd, the PA released a statement that it would be “premature” to approve the $18 million project without first expanding the HEART program to Durham County and Durham Public Schools (DPS) [ 11 ]. Established by city government in 2022, HEART sends unarmed social work specialists to some 911 calls.   All current BOCC members, including three newcomers, were endorsed by the political machine in 2024. Allam and Wendy Jacobs, leading figures in the PA faction of Durham politics, are the board’s only returning members. Either all or most county commissioners seem likely to vote in favor of the sheriff's training facility. No previous or current BOCC member has publicly opposed the project.   Saturday in Central Park   Durham Beyond Policing, Somos Durham, and other groups held a press conference and rally against the $18 million project on January 4th. Around 60 people gathered in Central Park on Saturday to listen to speeches warning against building a ‘cop city’ in Durham.   “How many of my friends could have avoided the traps of over-policing and the devastating legacy of the war on drugs,” said Brandon Love, “The war on everything that’s not elite, wealthy, and the so-called American dream” [ 12 ].   He also said, “Today we are asking [BOCC] to vote ‘no’ on investing nearly $20 million of the people’s money on a planned renovation of the sheriff’s training facility here in Durham.” The crowd in Central Park cheered appreciatively when Love closed his remarks with a call for HEART expansion to Durham County and DPS. Quinny Sanchez Lopez from Somos Durham connected the DSCO training facility with the threat of HB10, a newly passed state law, to communities with undocumented people. Lopez said, "With our North Carolina General Assembly, they require sheriff departments to collaborate with ICE so that when an immigrant is detained they will go through ICE detention and they're at risk of being separated from their families. So when we're here in Durham County and they're saying we need to fund more training for the sheriffs, we need to fund a training facility, that to me as an immigrant poses a risk." According to ACLU North Carolina, HB10 forces sheriffs inform ICE if they can't determine the immigration status of people charged with "some felony offenses, 50B violations, and certain A1 misdemeanors". The new state law also requires sheriffs to detain people suspected of being undocumented for 48 hours if requested by ICE [ 13 ].   BOCC Work Session   On January 6th, the BOCC revisited the $18 million project. The sheriff's training facility was the main focus of the 30-minute public comment at the start of Monday’s meeting.   A public comment was made by Dr. Jennifer Carroll, an NC State assistant professor of medical anthropology, a former chair of the Durham County Community Safety & Wellness Task Force. In May 2024, according to Dr. Carroll, the BOCC asked the task force to prioritize steps to improve public safety. The group unanimously selected HEART expansion into Durham County and DPS as their top recommendation [ 14, timestamp 14:30 ].   Dr. Carroll continued, “The people of this city want that much more than any expanded training program for the sheriff … the sheriff has been the single largest obstructionist force in stopping the expansion of HEART into the county. He has refused after repeated asks of city and county leadership to provide call data … so that the types of call that they’re responding to can be meaningfully analyzed to assess needs in the community”.   Mike Sistrom, coordinator of the Jail Ministry of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, also spoke at Monday's meeting. He pointed out that discussion of the $18 million project should also focus on Durham County jail, which is run by the DCSO. Sistrom, former member of the county's Community Safety & Wellness Task Force, mentioned that the group's May 2024 report had recommended improvements to "conditions, programs, services, and policies" at the jail [ 16:30 ].   Sistrom said, “There is much less community awareness about and advocacy for the detainees of the jail than the HEART program. The jail, though, is the single largest department in the sheriff’s office and among the most unique law enforcement responsibilities of a sheriff. I’d argue that the commissioners are in a position urge the sheriff to engage on the jail issues, if not as a precondition to approving the training facility request, then at least in recognition for their support for it. Chair Allam has begun to try to set up that discussion on the jail and we’re grateful to her for that.”   The county commissioners discussed ‘cop city’ in the third hour of Monday’s meeting, beginning with a PowerPoint presentation by the DCSO [ 2:24:00 ]. In response to a request from Allam to share 911 call data, Sheriff Clarence Birkhead flatly contradicted Dr. Carroll. He claimed that the data had been shared with the Community Safety & Wellness Task Force years ago [ 2:44:00 ]. Later in the meeting, Birkhead also claimed to be a strong supporter of the HEART program aside from a long list of logistical reservations about expansion [ 2:59:00 ].   Allam asked County Manager Claudia Hager whether she could present a plan for HEART expansion at a work session in February or March [ 2:50:00 ]. Hager later promised next steps by March or April [ 3:17:00 ].   BOCC member Mike Lee said, “I don’t see this as a HEART program expansion or the training center, I see it as both”. Lee claimed he was asked to leave the January 4th protest against the sheriff's training facility and ended his remarks by denying any similarities between the Electra Road expansion and the notorious ‘cop city’ project in Atlanta [ 2:54:30 ].   Jacobs made it clear she was in favor of HEART expansion. She did not clearly state her position on the $18 million project but at several points spoke as though its passage were taken for granted. Jacobs said that HEART expansion would improve the county's mental health crisis and pointed out that more than half of detainees in the Durham County jail suffered from mental illnesses. Jacobs also noted that HEART expansion could help to guard immigrant communities against the legal impacts of HB10.   BOCC member Michelle Burton said she was in favor of HEART expansion and also supported the DCSO training facility. She framed her support for the $18 million project in terms of labor rights, since the existing site relies upon a portable toilet [ 3:38:00 ]. The issue of the portable toilet, brought up ad nauseam by proponents of 'cop city', evidently can't be solved by building a bathroom but requires a "new outdoor gun range and 10,000-square-foot classroom building with lockers and showers". According to the News and Observer , the county commission will vote next week on whether to approve the $18 million project [ 15 ]. Work Cited "Jan. 1 post." Instagram account of Triangle Radical Events and others , www.instagram.com/p/DETdkzDSXn2/ . "Dec. 20 post."  Instagram account of Durham Prison Letters and others , www.instagram.com/p/DDzjVuQRI_1/ . Moore, Mary Helen. “Group Protests $18M Durham Sheriff’s Office Training Facility, Linking It to ‘Cop City.’” News and Observer , 15 Nov. 2024, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article295464889.html . Bridges, Virginia, and Joe Johnson. “Demonstrators Stop Traffic in Downtown Durham to Protest Jail Deaths.” News and Observer , 8 Nov. 2017, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article183401176.html . Bridges, Virginia, and Dan Kane. “‘I Want Answers.’ Jail-death Probe Reveals Missed Checks for Sick Inmates.” News and Observer , 16 Feb. 2019, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article226196920.html . Schultz, Mark, and Virginia Bridges. “Fiancee, Family Want to Know How Man Died at Durham County Jail.” Durham Herald Sun , 29 May 2018, www.heraldsun.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article212035454.html . Bridges, Virginia. “Man Died After Catching COVID-19 in Durham Jail. Why Didn’t the County or State Say So?” News and Observer , 19 Oct. 2020, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article246496225.html . Hajela, Ashad, and Mark Schultz. “NC Finds No Deficiencies After Death of Woman Detained at Durham County Jail.” News and Observer , 29 Jan. 2021, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article248637390.html . Hajela, Ashad. “Man Who Died in Durham County Jail Was 35 Years Old, Sheriff’s Office Says.” News and Observer , 26 Apr. 2021, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article250901329.html . Sánchez-Guerra, Aaron. “Durham Jail Detainee Who Died in Hospital Had Attempted Suicide, Sheriff’s Office Says.” News and Observer , 8 Aug. 2022, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article263227543.html . “PA Statement for HEART Expansion and 911 Consolidation.” People’s Alliance , 2 Jan. 2025, www.durhampa.org/pa_statement . "Jan. 4 post."  Instagram account of Durham Beyond Policing ,   www.instagram.com/p/DEa0BQTTb0L/ . “HB 10: Require Sheriffs to Cooperate With I.C.E.” ACLU of North Carolina , 20 Nov. 2024, www.acluofnorthcarolina.org/en/legislation/hb-10-require-sheriffs-cooperate-ice . “Durham BOCC Work Session Jan 6th, 2025.” YouTube account of Durham County , 6 Jan. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_l-VcPsSeI . Moore, Mary Helen. “$16M for Durham Sheriff’s Office Training Facility Is Going to a Vote. Here’s When.” News and Observer , 6 Jan. 2025, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article298053403.html .

Image credit: Duke Energy (left) and Wikimedia Commons (right) The town of Carrboro sued Duke Energy Corp. on December 4th for the company’s decades-long role leading a nationwide climate deception scheme that has worsened the climate crisis, harmed the community and cost the town millions of dollars [ 1 ]. The lawsuit seeks to hold Duke Energy accountable for the damages inflicted on Carrboro by the corporation’s campaign to delay the transition from planet-heating fossil fuels to renewable energy. This lawsuit is the first to challenge an electric utility for knowingly deceiving the public about the dangers of fossil fuels. “We have to speak truth to power as we continue to fight the existential threat that is climate change. The climate crisis continues to burden our community and cost residents their hard-earned tax dollars,” said Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee. “Duke Energy’s knowledge of the environmental injustice being caused by the use of fossil fuels has unfairly plagued our community for decades. Historically underserved and marginalized communities are facing disproportionate impacts and health risks that are associated with climate change. This was not an easy decision to make but I believe that we must be courageous as we call out these injustices and seek change and accountability.” The lawsuit says Duke Energy’s top executives have known for more than 50 years about the risks from fossil fuels but have been ringleaders of a widespread campaign to mislead the public about its climate harms and increase reliance on coal and gas for electricity. Carrboro has been working to fight climate chaos and environmental injustice for years, including developing community-based solar programs, implementing climate resilience measures for low-income residents and small businesses, and funding nature-based solutions for stormwater management. “This lawsuit represents an incredible opportunity to put an end to corporate deception and enter a new era for Carrboro,” said Mayor Pro Tem Danny Nowell. “It’s time for us to hold Duke Energy accountable for decades of deception, padding executives’ pockets while towns like ours worked to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change. This suit will allow the Town of Carrboro to invest new resources into building a stronger, more climate-resilient community, using the damages justly due to our residents to reimagine the ways we prepare for our climate reality.” Duke Energy, the third largest-polluting corporation in the U.S., has worked with industry front groups and PR firms to deceive the public about the science of climate change and block action to combat it, causing Carrboro and its residents significant harm, the lawsuit said. “The Carrboro community has worked for over five decades to protect, conserve and preserve the environment, the ecosystems and the wellbeing of its citizens,” said Council Member Randee Haven-O’Donnell. “Carrboro is a strong, vibrant community, and Duke Energy needs to be held accountable for the deception and damages it’s caused and continues to cause. Duke Energy’s deceptive public campaign erases the progress we strive for to address climate change. We’re the little engine that could, and we hope other towns can be, too, and hold their polluting utilities accountable. In Carrboro, we’re standing up to be the change we want to see in the world.” Fossil fuel-driven climate change has battered Carrboro, like the rest of the country, with more frequent and severe storms and flooding, and record-high temperatures. The death and destruction across the region from Hurricane Helene are the latest examples of the worsening climate crisis. The Town of Carrboro is on the hook for millions of dollars in repairs to roads, rising energy bills and other infrastructure costs to adapt to and mitigate the harms from climate change. Duke Energy is responsible for these damages because the massive utility knew its campaigns to obstruct climate change legislation and mislead the public would accelerate the climate crisis and worsen its impact on the town, the lawsuit said. “This lawsuit exposes Duke Energy executives as using the tobacco scandal playbook. They’re making the global climate crisis worse despite widespread and accelerating misery,” said Jim Warren, executive director of nonprofit NC WARN. “And they’re still expanding fossil fuels and suppressing renewables – in flat defiance of scientists demanding that we do the exact opposite. We need the judicial system to hold Duke Energy leadership accountable and finally break their corporate control over our political system and public decisions.” The lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court in Hillsborough, said Duke Energy is damaging the Carrboro community by deceiving its customers and the broader public. Duke Energy denied the harms from climate change and now claims to be a clean energy leader while it builds more methane gas-burning power plants and suppresses solar and other renewable energy [ 2 ]. The utility chooses dirty energy to power homes and businesses but falsely promotes and advertises methane gas as a climate solution. “We’ll soon have a climate denier-in-chief in the White House, but Carrboro is a shining light in this darkness, taking on one of the country’s largest polluters and climate deceivers,” said Jean Su, energy justice director at the Center for Biological Diversity, which is advising on the case. “Climate action doesn’t stop at a national level, and Carrboro is holding Duke Energy and all fossil utilities’ feet to the fire. This town is paving a way for local governments to drive climate justice despite who’s in Washington.” Duke Energy provides electricity to 8.2 million monopoly-captured customers across six states, including nearly all of North Carolina as well as parts of South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. One of the largest electric power providers and among the largest corporate polluters in the world, the utility emitted roughly 80 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2021. These emissions were made possible by Duke Energy’s decades-long deception campaign. Eleven states and dozens of municipal and tribal governments across the country have filed lawsuits to hold major oil and gas companies accountable for deceiving the public about fossil fuels’ role in climate change. In October, Oregon’s Multnomah County, which includes Portland, added the regional gas provider NW Natural to its 2023 lawsuit against fossil fuel corporations for their role in the area’s fatal 2021 heat dome. NC WARN and the Center for Biological Diversity have created a website to share information about this lawsuit. Visit www.SueDukeEnergy.org to learn more and take action. This article was published first by NC WARN . Work Cited "Legal Climate Action" , Carrboro NC . www.carrboronc.gov/3114/Legal-Climate-Action . “Duke Energy Knew About Climate Change in the 1980s.” Energy and Policy Institute , 17 Dec. 2024, https://energyandpolicy.org/duke-energy-knew-climate-change .

Image credit: Instagram page of CAUSE On December 23rd, worker-activists at the giant RDU1 warehouse in Garner, North Carolina filed a petition with National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) requesting an election to become the first unionized Amazon facility in the South, and only the second in the United States. The worker-led Carolina Amazonians for Solidarity and Empowerment (CAUSE) launched a massively successful campaign this fall to collect union authorization cards. The NLRB will hold an election once 30 percent of RDU1 workers have signed a card. Amazon has refused to disclose the number of employees at the facility, but CAUSE leaders believe they have easily exceeded the 30 percent threshold of authorization cards. Workers have signed in big numbers despite an illegal campaign of intimidation by Amazon, which is desperate to keep unions out to continue paying poverty wages and failing to improve dismal work conditions. The trillion dollar company has fired three union activists this year, including CAUSE president Reverend Ryan Brown, and engaged in illegal intimidation, harassment, and surveillance of RDU1 workers [ 1 ]. Amazon called the Garner police three weeks ago to arrest three CAUSE activists providing workers with information and free food three weeks ago. CAUSE has been working for three years to organize a union at RDU1. "We're tired of being treated like we are fungible, being disrespected, and struggling to put food on the table," said Mary Hill, CAUSE co-founder and vice-president. Even after a recent pay raise, RDU1 workers start at just $18 an hour. Pay is capped at $20.90 no matter how many years a worker has been employed. That's less than half what MIT economists estimate as a living wage of about $42 an hour for an adult with a child in the Raleigh-Cary area [ 2 ]. Many RDU1 employees work 60 hour weeks and need second jobs to get by. Workers receive just one paid half-hour break in a ten-and-half-hour day. They can be fired for failing to meet Amazon's algorithmically-driven scan rates. There is no trained medical staff on site despite an injury rate more than 70 percent higher than at non-Amazon warehouses [ 3, pg. 7 ]. "Amazon prioritizes profit over everything else, especially the well-being of workers," said CAUSE president Brown, who worked at RDU1 for three years before being fired by Amazon on December 3rd. "We all appreciate Amazon's fast delivery, but it shouldn't come at the cost of human suffering." RDU1 management has posted anti-union materials around the warehouse and used "captive audience" meetings where managers make workers listen to pro-Amazon, anti-union propaganda. Yet, worker enthusiasm for the union remains strong as evidenced by how many have have signed authorization cards. CAUSE expects the NLRB to make an announcement soon about the election. "Nothing moves without us," says Mary Hill, the CAUSE co-founder. "We're going to win the election. It's time." Know Your Rights It is illegal for Amazon to even try to find out who has signed a union authorization card. In 2023, the NLRB's Cemex decision increased punishment for companies that commit unfair labor practices, like retaliation or intimidation, during union organizing. There are rumors that loss prevention said we aren’t allowed to do union activity on the property. That is not true. Employees have the right to share union newsletters and get cards signed as long as we are in the break rooms or parking lot and during break time or between shifts, according to Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act. On December 6th, RDU1 ordered the arrest of people giving out food and union newsletters on the property. Two people they arrested were volunteers and one was a former employee. They were dropping off food to help current employees collect union authorization cards. Current employees were not arrested. But we ask, what is the difference between UberEats deliveries and our friends dropping off food for the union to give out for free? We are working mandatory overtime and needed the help of our friends. When you pull into RDU1, the sign says “Amazon fulfillment, visitors and associates”. Now Amazon is checking badges for us to get in the parking lot! Don’t quit… organize to make it better! These materials were first published by CAUSE. The first section is a press release from December 23rd, and the second section is from a December issue of the CAUSE newsletter . Work Cited Gordon, Brian. “Head of Union Campaign at NC Amazon Warehouse Fired, Claims Unfair Termination.” News and Observer , 13 Dec. 2024, www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article296862394.html MIT Living Wage Calculator for Raleigh-Cary, NC . https://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/39580 " In Denial: Amazon's Continuing Failure to Fix Its Injury Crisis." Strategic Organizing Center , Apr. 2023, https://warehouseworkers.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/SOC_In-Denial_Amazon-Injury-Report-April-2023.pdf

Image credit: YouTube page of City of Durham [ 1, timestamp 38:00 ] As reported in the last issue of PARADE , the City-County Planning Department is now engaged in a complete rewrite of Durham’s zoning and development regulations, the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). An initial draft of the new code was released at the end of September and portends big changes, especially for traditional neighborhoods. Under the current UDO, adopted in 2006, residential neighborhoods are regulated by a number of districts which recognized varying lots sizes and types of housing. In Old West Durham, most property is zoned Residential Urban (RU) for smaller lots. In Watts-Hillandale, some property is zoned RU, and others are classified as Residential Suburban (RS), specifically RS-8 and RS-10, which require slightly larger lots. All of these zoning designations allow single family homes, duplexes, and accessory dwelling units. Under the ‘small lot option’, all of these lots can be subdivided and redeveloped into 25-foot lots as small as 2,000 sq. ft. District standards of current UDO. Image credit: Engage Durham [ 2, slides 23-24 ] The draft UDO would place Old West Durham, Watts-Hillandale, and almost every other neighborhood in the city into a single zone called Residential District (RD). Under the proposed RD zone, three different development scenarios are envisioned. The first scenario would allow a traditional single-family home with one or two units and an accessory dwelling unit. The buildings on the lot could cover 50 percent of the lot’s surface area and could be three stories high.    The second scenario would allow a separate dwelling unit of up to 1,200 sq. ft. for every 1,250 sq. ft. of lot area. Like the ‘small lot option’ allowed in current UDO, the maximum footprint for a house under this scenario would be 800 sq. ft., but unlike the current rules, each house could be three stories tall and there could be more of them. For a typical 50 ft. neighborhood lot, this means the traditional home on the lot might be replaced with four or more separate units depending on lot depth, building layout, and setbacks.   The third scenario in the new UDO would allow a traditional neighborhood lot to be redeveloped with apartment buildings containing one unit for every 625 sq. ft. of lot area. That might result in more than ten apartment units on a typical Old West Durham or Watts-Hillandale lot. Up to 70 percent of the lot area could be covered by buildings. The buildings could be three stories tall. Things like setbacks and street, side, and rear yard requirements for development in all three RD development patterns are generally less than those imposed by today’s rules.   So far, only the regulatory outlines of RD and other zoning categories contained in the proposed UDO have been roughed in. Things like parking, open space, tree requirements, stormwater controls, and lighting rules have yet to be laid out. Questions abound:   ·      What will become of development plans negotiated between developers and the public? ·      What about historic preservation and protecting neighborhood character? ·      What about affordable housing? ·      Who will benefit from the redevelopment the new code encourages? ·      Will the new UDO require developers to build small, market entry homes in new developments?   State law allows this, but Durham has never discussed it. Some critics are worried that the new rules favor redevelopment of existing affordable neighborhoods with more expensive new dwellings accelerating gentrification and displacement. Still others perceive that the new code favors rental housing over homeownership and worry about the consequences that will have for wealth distribution in Durham. For most Americans, intergenerational family wealth depends upon owning a home. Once a lot that held an affordable single-family home is redeveloped into an apartment building, the property is forever unavailable for families reaching for the bottom rung of the wealth ladder.   The draft UDO can be reviewed on the city’s Engage Durham  website. A schedule of engagement meetings is also posted there. A final draft of the new code is supposed to be ready after the first of the year. This article was first published by PARADE, the shared newsletter for Old West Durham and Watts-Hillandale neighborhoods. Work Cited “New UDO Oct 22 Virtual Community Meeting.” YouTube page of City of Durham , 30 Oct. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIzQ-FexhxY . “Unified Development Ordinance, Code Audit and Approach.” Engage Durham , 1 May 2024, https://engagedurham.com/DocumentCenter/View/601/Durham-New-UDO-Audit-and-Approach-Presentation-JCCPC-20240501.

On November 18th, Durham city council voted 4 to 3 to approve annexations on Doc Nichols Road and Leesville Road. Debate over the small projects in southeast Durham underlined the council’s sharp divide on suburban sprawl, environmental protection, and developer influence.   Now approved, the Doc Nichols Road annexation clears the way for construction of 25 townhomes by Steve Gillooly and Tim Sivers. The developers promised not to use mass grading, a land leveling method that has contributed to sediment pollution of waterways in southeast Durham [ 1 ]. The builders proffered $10,000 for Durham Public Schools (DPS) and $25,000 for the Dedicated Housing Fund (DHF). The city’s Planning Commission, which makes non-binding recommendations, voted against the Doc Nichols Road annexation.   Council members Nate Baker, Chelsea Cook, and DeDreana Freeman, who tend to align with the Planning Commission, criticized the Doc Nichols Road project as an example of sprawling, unsustainable development.   “I want to see growth coming from the urban center out towards the urban boundary,” said Cook. “That way we can keep up with the growth and we can have the infrastructure following. What we’re instead seeing is less expensive land… in that outer rim being purchased by developers and clearcut because that’s the profit maximization” [ 2, timestamp 1:59:30 ].   Cook continued, “It would make our lives a lot easier if [development] was moving from the dense city center out toward the residential area so that folks could actually have the amenities and affordable living they deserve and need” [ 2, timestamp 2:00:15 ].   Over the course of 2024, nine votes on development have split the city council into the same 4 to 3 coalitions [ 3 ]. The majority group, which rubber-stamps virtually all requests for annexation or rezoning, includes council members Javiera Caballero, mayor pro tempore Mark-Antony Middleton, Carl Rist, and mayor Leonardo Williams.   A smaller bloc made up of Baker, Cook, and Freeman have been willing to vote against developers if the projects lack affordable housing, community benefits, or don’t align with the council members’ views on urban planning and environmental protection.   “If you look at [the Doc Nichols site] and the development around it (in southeast Durham), we’re looking at some of the most unsustainable development on the planet,” said Baker. “That is American-style suburban planning, which is 100 percent auto-oriented. It’s thousands upon thousands of acres of climate catastrophic development” [ 2, timestamp 2:06:30 ].   More generally, Baker called for the city council to work with landowners and developers to coordinate investments and rationalize Durham's growth. He asked, “How can we work with the developers to cluster development … using the three Ds (density, diversity, design) of walkability and transit-oriented development?” [ 2, timestamp 2:05:45 ]   The Leesville Road annexation wasn’t debated as long as the Doc Nichols Road case since the two projects, and therefore the disagreements, were so similar. The Leesville Road project, which aims to build 20 townhomes, is also located in southeast Durham and associated with Tim Sivers. In this case, the developer proffered $5,000 to DPS and $20,000 to DHF. After a few technical questions from Cook, the second annexation was approved by a 4 to 3 vote.   Since January 2024, according to Bull City Public Investigators , “93% of development cases involving a zoning change or annexation were approved by City Council. The Planning Commission recommended approval in 76% of those cases” [ 3 ].   Many of the annexations, such as Doc Nichols and Leesville Road, contribute to a pattern of sprawling and unsustainable development in Durham. Developers can expect continued free reign unless Baker, Cook, and Freeman gain a fourth vote on city council.   Putting aside disagreements in Durham, it should be recognized that the housing crisis has been imposed largely by state government. For example, North Carolina laws ban the use of rent control (G.S. 42-14.1) and ban the construction of public housing that competes with the private sector (Umstead Act).   Work Cited   1.     Wagner, Adam. “Environmental Group Sues Durham Developer, Alleging Ongoing Stream Pollution.” News and Observer , 13 Sept. 2023, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article279098489.html . 2.     “Durham City Council, Nov 18 2024.” YouTube , 19 Nov. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=63oBFdmfI8k . 3.     “How Durham City Council Voted on Development in 2024.” BCPI’s Substack , 17 Dec. 2024, bcpi.substack.com/p/how-durham-city-council-voted-on .

Sound Rivers board president Catherine Kastleman, Neuse riverkeeper Samantha Krop and Haw riverkeeper Emily Sutton attended the Tuesday night meeting. Durham’s main library was packed on Tuesday night, November 21st, as residents turned up to find out more about Durham’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) update in the works. “It was very well-attended and informative,” said Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop. “It was a diversity of people and ages, with a lot of interest in Durham’s UDO, which is a pretty technical and obscure document, so it was really cool to see how many turned out to engage.” Representatives from the city’s planning department hosted the informational event and made a presentation about possible changes to the rules regulating development and reworking the zoning map, much of it based on the results of previous community surveying. “They identified that environmental concerns are one of the top concerns and priorities for Durham residents,” Samantha said. “So they’re considering how to update the rules to reflect that — for example, how many trees you need to leave on property being developed and how much impervious surface is allowed. They’re also adding conservation zoning areas to the zoning map.” Samantha said the city is attempting the align the UDO with Durham’s Comprehensive Plan that was rewritten in 2023. A comprehensive plan outlines how the city wants to grow and develop. “Durham’s Comprehensive Plan is a beautiful vision, and there’s a lot of goodness in the priorities lifted up for this UDO rewrite, from environment protection to walkable cities and affordable housing. Those are all good priorities,” Samantha said. “It’s just a matter of ensuring that the new rules are strong enough to honor those priorities and make sure that they happen.” The rewrite of the UDO is a two-year process that ends in 2025. “We have a standing action alert going to Durham city council members encouraging them to adopt stronger protection of waterways in the Unified Development Ordinance,” Samantha said. “If you want to engage in this process, we encourage you to write Durham’s council.” This article was published first by Sound Rivers.

Story by Emily Chambliss, video by Erik Haynes, photo (in original article) by Madeline Nguyen   On a warm September evening in Durham, N.C., a crowd gathered under the shadow of the Gothic spires of Duke University’s campus. Community organizers, educators and residents filled a small church hall, sharing a simmering frustration. Their voices echoed the same question: What could Durham do with $50 million? Fifty million dollars that the Duke Respect Durham initiative, a coalition calling on the university to give more money to the city it calls home, believes Duke owes the city each year. As the second-largest employer in North Carolina with a $11.6 billion endowment and over $4 billion in properties, Duke University owns 11 percent of the land in Durham County, the campaign said. The university has long been a symbol of Durham’s economic resurgence. But for many Durham residents, Duke’s financial contributions to the city have failed to keep pace with the university’s massive profits — and its outsized impact on the local community. “We want Duke to be a partner in Durham, but that means entering into a Democratic relationship, where there are civic processes to speak back to Duke and hold Duke accountable for the ways they say they’re spending their money,” Kevin Georgas, local pastor and Duke Divinity School alum, said. Duke University and Duke Health are 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits, and are not required to pay taxes on non-commercial properties. While Duke contributes to the local economy in many ways — through jobs, purchasing from local businesses, and philanthropy — Duke Respect Durham asserts that the lack of direct contributions to the city’s budget leaves a gap that could otherwise be filled. The campaign estimates Duke would owe the city $50 million each year if taxed. In 2022, the university reported paying $3.7 million in property taxes. Duke Respect Durham aims to push the university into a more democratic, collaborative relationship with the city, calling on Duke to make voluntary payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) to contribute its fair share. PILOTs are voluntary payments made by private, tax-exempt nonprofits as a substitute for paying property taxes. Yale, Johns Hopkins and Cornell universities are among several universities that have chosen to make annual PILOTs to their local communities. Duke, the campaign argues, should do the same. “They are exempt from paying this large thing which every other resident in Durham, every business in Durham, needs to pay,” Samantha Heller, Cornell alumna and Durham resident, said. “It’s sort of like an unfair system, especially considering that Duke has vast amounts of wealth.” In a Monday email to UNC Media Hub, Adam Klein, associate vice president for economic development at Duke, said the university shares in the future of Durham and its challenges. Duke pays nearly $2.5 billion in wages to more than 35,000 Durham residents. Klein said these residents make purchases and pay taxes that generate $8.9 billion in sales for Durham County, on top of $233 million spent with Durham-based businesses and $10.1 million contributed to Durham-based nonprofits by the university in 2023. “Duke’s spending with Durham-based companies and investments in non-profits is one of, if not the largest, of any private Durham entities. And we’re not done,” Klein wrote. “We are launching a new economic inclusion effort focused on deepening Duke’s impact as an employer and purchaser of goods and services in Durham.” Duke Respect Durham criticizes the university for contributing to the city “on their own terms.” Residents engage in improving the community while also paying taxes. “It’s all on Duke’s terms,” Mark Gutay, a Durham native, said. “It’s not about helping Durham directly. It’s about helping Duke. And then maybe it’s like a side effect. Some people in Durham get a benefit, A good example is they’ve really nicely manicured their campus and make it open to everybody. But since we don’t have good public transit, only people within like five blocks can get there.” Durham residents have long struggled with poverty. 12.6 percent of the city’s population lives below the poverty line, above the national average. Disinvestment in education and health, such as teacher shortages and a lack of healthcare access, exacerbate economic and racial inequalities. The campaign calls this path unsustainable, and states it will continue as long as Duke maintains an “undemocratic” relationship with Durham. So what could Durham do with $50 million? Funding for affordable housing, public transportation and schools were some of ideas shouted out by community members at the September kickoff event. Duke plays a pivotal role in Durham’s development. As the city expands and living costs rise, long-time residents face a significant shortage in affordable rental housing, gentrification displacing them from the very neighborhoods they help sustain. PILOT funds could help provide more affordable housing by directly supporting the construction, rehabilitation or acquisition of new affordable housing units, providing rental assistance to low-income households and encouraging developers to build more affordable units. “The housing market in Durham has made it such that it’s really, really difficult for people who work at institutions like Duke, Durham Public Schools and who take care of our city, to actually live in the city,” Georgas said. “I would hope to see some action around housing justice.” Klein said Duke has a long track record of supporting affordable housing projects across the city. The university banks $22 million with local community development financial institutions that lend to affordable housing developers. He said Duke has contributed to the new Willard Street housing development downtown, and donated $1 million to the Durham Housing Authority. The housing authority used these funds to receive an additional $40 million Choice Neighborhood grant from the federal government, aimed at redeveloping distressed housing. “We are proud of this work and are working closely with public sector and non-profit partners to support the creation of more units,” Klein wrote. However for many of Durham’s low-income and working-class residents, it’s not just about affordability — it’s about the systemic inequities that have persisted for decades, Georgas said. The city’s history is one marked by disinvestment in Black neighborhoods, a legacy that has been compounded by gentrification and rising costs. Duke’s wealth and influence have shaped Durham’s real estate, which Duke Respect Durham said often comes at the expense of marginalized communities. The university was heavily involved in the use of racially restrictive covenants in real estate practices during the Jim Crow era. These covenants, which prohibited Black and Brown families from purchasing property in certain parts of Durham, contributed to the city’s uneven development. This legacy continues to affect the community, particularly in historically Black neighborhoods such as Hayti, which was disrupted by the construction of Highway 147. The construction severed key economic and social connections in the area, stifling opportunities for Black families. A proposed light rail project in Durham sparked hope among residents that it could help reconnect communities like Hayti to other parts of the city and Chapel Hill. Duke pulled its support for the project in 2019, effectively ending the project’s planning. “I’ve looked at the bus schedule, and if I were to try to get to work at UNC, it would be like an hour and a half or something to get in with a bus,” Gutay said. “The light rail project probably would have made it relatively easy to get there.” Klein declined to comment on the university’s decision to withhold its signature from the cooperative agreement. “It’s really difficult to hold Duke accountable to what it says it’s doing with that money,” Georgas said. “And there are not public or civic forms of dialog for the people who are affected by Duke’s actions in the community to speak back to Duke and say, this is helpful, or you think this is helpful, but actually it’s not as helpful as you think it is.” Durham’s public transportation system struggles with limited resources, inadequate coverage, and reliability issues. Many residents rely on it to get to jobs, schools and medical appointments. Commuters, particularly those in outlying areas, face challenges with proximity to bus stops, long wait times and frequent cancellations. Transit funding from PILOTs can enhance bus routes, increase frequency and improve overall reliability, making public transportation a more viable option for residents. And as many lower-income areas lack adequate transit access, additional funding can better connect underserved residents to employment, education and healthcare opportunities. Johns Hopkins University, which makes PILOTs to Baltimore, funds commuter assistance programs, transit subsidies and employee transit passes. It also contributed $150,000 to a transit-oriented redevelopment plan. “Yale and Johns Hopkins have continued to do their philanthropic efforts. And those have continued even as they’ve made PILOT payments,” Georgas said. “ I think it just gives some proof of concept that this can be a good, healthy way for a powerful institution and a city to relate to each other.” Durham community members lost access to free GoTriangle bus rides in June when the fare-free ridership program ran out of federal funding from the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. GoDurham buses are expected to remain free until summer 2025. Regular fares are set at $2.50, with a discounted fare of $1.25 for users with disabilities. The city offers transit assistant passes to riders who qualify for Medicare, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits or have an annual household income below $35,000. Duke offers free transit passes for students, faculty and other staff. A Duke NetID and Duke email address is required in order to qualify for the pass. “I think this is where PILOT comes in. It would be an effective way for Duke to actually help Durham in a way that is not selfish,” Gutay said. In 2024, Durham Public Schools announced a 30 percent bus driver shortage. A report released in April by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction revealed that DPS is losing teachers at a higher rate than other districts across the state. The report did not specify the exact reasons for teachers leaving, but nearly half of the self-reported responses were categorized as “personal reasons.” National data from We Are Teachers indicates that many teachers are dissatisfied with their salaries, concerned about safety and experiencing burnout. Earlier this year, DPS staff, teachers, and community members protested pay cuts for classified workers, like office staff and custodians, leading to Superintendent Pascal Mubenga’s resignation in February. The protests resulted in school closures and canceled bus routes throughout the month. PILOT funds could be directed toward addressing some of the most pressing issues in the district, such as reducing class sizes, upgrading facilities and expanding educational programs, Gutay said. They could also help increase teacher salaries and provide professional development opportunities to retain talented educators, ultimately improving student outcomes. Duke’s College Advising Corps works statewide to boost college enrollment among low-income, first-generation and underrepresented high school students in rural North Carolina. With advisers in 22 high schools serving 30,000 seniors, Klein said it has helped secure more than $35 million in scholarships and financial aid. He also said Duke is partnering with Durham Tech and DPS to open a new high school designed to address shortages in nursing and other in-demand healthcare professions. DPS teachers are not the only city employees facing what they deem to be inadequate wages. The lowest paid department in Durham, waste and sanitation workers, also contains the highest percentage of Black and Brown workers. “We would like to see PILOT funds potentially be used to even out some of those inequities,” Georgas said. “Both in class and pay, but also the racial inequity as well.” Advocates with Duke Respect Durham would also like to see an expansion of programs like HEART, an initiative aimed at providing mental health crisis aid from trained professionals rather than involving the police. Heller said the campaign acknowledges the good Duke does for Durham, but wants to foster a democratic partnership that prioritizes transparency and citizen voices. “Durham’s success will be determined partly by how Duke and Durham foster a strengthened partnership based not on transactions but on a shared vision. We’re eager to continue that work,” Klein wrote. Duke Respect Durham has received support from 31 sponsor organizations, including the Duke Graduate Students Union and the Durham Workers Assembly. The campaign’s petition has gained nearly 1,000 signatures since its launch in September. “It’s very much about the power relationship between Duke and Durham. Duke talks about wanting to be in partnership with Durham as an anchor institution. But a partnership requires transparency,” Georgas said. “It requires accountability. It requires dialogue, and it requires compromise.” This article and video were first published by UNC Media Hub.

By Carl Hintz On October 22nd, 2024, the Durham Workers Assembly met at Durham People’s Solidarity Hub. Twenty-four people were in attendance. The meeting started with time for attendees to socialize and share a dinner of chicken, rice and beans, green beans, and plantains. One of the strengths of the workers assembly model is that it brings together workers from different sectors. For example, restaurant workers, Amazon workers, retail workers, nurses, and public employees were there. Another strength of the workers assembly model is that in addition to the immediate concern of workplace labor organizing, the assembly creates a space for workers to learn about and discuss important issues of the day. The focus of the October 22nd meeting was how environmental concerns impact workers, such as the devastation from Hurricane Helene and the risk that dangerous heat poses. Both hurricanes and heatwaves are more severe because of climate change caused by burning coal, oil and gas. Several organizations provided updates on their labor org­anizing efforts. The newly-formed Durham Food and Bev­erage Workers United is organizing at various businesses in Southpoint shopping mall. REI Co-op workers are pushing for their first union contract in Durham. Amazon workers at RDU1 in Garner are engaged in a union card signing campaign. Once more than 30 percent of the workers at RDU1 sign a union authorization card, Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment ( CAUSE ) will be able to request a union election run by the National Labor Relations Board. Duke Respect Durham is engaged in a campaign to push Duke University to make payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) to the city of Durham. The payments would help meet essential needs such as funding for schools, affordable housing, transportation, and better pay for city workers. Durham Workers Assembly is affiliated with the South­ern Workers Assembly which is a network of local unions, worker organizations, and organizing committees. Partici­pat­ing individuals and organizations are brought together by the shared goal of building rank-and-file democratic unions in the U.S. South. Megan Shan, a REI Co-op worker, said that the Durham Workers Assembly was helpful to her co-workers’ efforts to unionize with UFCW and to fight unlawful retaliation. For example, worker assembly members showed up to picket lines during the May 2023 strike. Unfortunately, a worker who was wrongfully placed on administrative leave was later fired, and has yet to be reinstated. The strength of unions is proven in recent strikes. Com­munication Workers of America secured a 19 percent wage increase over the next five year contract which covers 17,000 AT&T workers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennes­see, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Florida, and Alabama [ 1 ]. The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) three-day strike at the start of October changed the United States Maritime Alliance’s tune. Before the strike, USMX was unyielding on the issue of wages and automation. ILA’s Octo­­ber strike will likely help to increase the concessions that USMX is forced to make to port workers when their extended contract ends on January 15, 2025. The October strike also demonstrated the power of organized workers in strategic sectors of the economy as billions of dollars of U.S. imports came to a halt on the first of October. Felicia Wang from Sunrise Movement Durham shared information about how Hurricane Helene has impacted workers. Applications for unemployment have spiked , particularly among hospitality industry workers in Western NC [ 2 ]. Hurricane Helene was especially destructive because of climate change. Increased rainfall and flooding is enabled by warmer air temperatures caused by burning coal, oil, and gas. Hurricanes strengthen more rapidly because of warmer ocean temperatures, also caused by greenhouse gas pollution. One factor that contributed to the landslides in Western NC was a period of low rainfall that preceded the storm. Droughts are now more frequent due to climate change. Rapid intensification of hurricanes make evacuation ef­forts more difficult and lead to a higher death toll. Addi­tion­ally, building codes fail to address the risks posed by climate-fueled extreme events such as hurricanes and heavy rainfall, leading to more death and destruction. One attendee shared how the extended loss of electricity was life-threatening for some folks with disabilities. Buried transmission lines, rooftop solar, and battery storage would help to improve resilience during disasters such as Hurricane Helene. We can expect similar disasters in the future with increased frequency and severity. Dante Strobino, from UE Local 150 , shared information about the proposed OSHA heat rule, “Heat Injury and Illness Pre­vention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings.” The OSHA heat rule is critical because of the number of workers ex­posed to dangerous heat both inside and outside in NC. Each year, workers die due to heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke. Unfortunately, there is no law or policy that protects workers against extreme heat. It is important for members of the public to make public comments in support of the proposed OSHA rule. Industry groups are likely to oppose the heat rule, just as industry groups opposed standards to ensure air quality that would prevent the spread of infectious disease in workplaces. The deadline for public comment on the proposed OSHA rule is December 30th, 2024. Please make a public comment before the deadline here . In addition to making public comments in support of the OSHA heat rule, workers and community members can help build the labor movement in NC by attending workers assembly meetings and by volunteering with labor organizing efforts such as those at RDU1 in Garner and at Southpoint shopping mall in Durham. This article was first published in Triangle Free Press . Work Cited “CWA Members Ratify Contracts With AT&T, Securing Raises Across Eleven States.” Communications Workers of America , 18 Oct. 2024, cwa-union.org/news/releases/cwa-members-ratify-contracts-att-securing-raises-across-eleven-states . Craver, Richard. “Helene-related Weekly Unemployment Claims Surge 290% in NC.” Journal Now , 10 Oct. 2024, journalnow.com/news/local/business/employment/helene-related-new-weekly-unemployment-claims-surge-290-in-nc/article_78d7b546-8731-11ef-88ab-b306287eed73.html .

The people of NC WARN are deeply saddened by the unprecedented suffering across states devastated by Hurricane Helene. We applaud the courageous dedication of utility workers, FEMA and all those at the center of the recovery efforts. We also sympathize with the many North Carolinians still out of their homes six years after Hurricane Matthew, and Florence earlier, devastated eastern NC – and our concern is deepened by scientists’ warning of even stronger storms to come. At long last, North Carolina leaders must demand and facilitate an open discussion about the transition to generating and storing solar power where electricity is being used – particularly on the vast, untapped resource provided by roofs, parking areas and contaminated land. Such local solar-plus-storage (SPS) is the fastest, cheapest and fairest way to phase out climate-wrecking fossil fuels. And ramping up SPS would greatly reduce the reliance on the transmission infrastructure that’s increasingly vulnerable to climate disasters and acts of malice [ 1 ]. Since 2017, NC WARN engineers have been demonstrating to Duke Energy executives and state regulators that SPS can and must become a central part of the urgent effort to get off fossil fuels [ 2 ]. Our new Sharing Solar proposal and statewide campaign highlight the multiple resiliency benefits of a local SPS approach – such as keeping emergency facilities and shelters operable when power lines go down [ 3 ]. BLOCKING THE WAY Tragically, Duke’s leaders and state regulators keep undermining the state’s rooftop solar industry while greatly expanding the use of fracked fossil gas – the very methane that scientists increasingly warn is a key driver of global heating [ 4 ]. Ironically, Duke Energy leaders and allies want to spend billions of customer dollars to build the very same, vulnerable power lines, towers and transformers across eastern NC – the state’s most frequent hurricane target and the same underserved communities that blocked Duke’s $8 billion Atlantic Coast gas Pipeline in 2020. Climate-worsened hurricanes such as Helene are exactly why a world-leading climate polluter like Duke Energy cannot be allowed to continue dictating North Carolina’s path forward. The state’s rooftop solar companies, currently reeling from Duke and regulators’ attack on net metering, could be the key to expanding local solar right away – beginning with emergency facilities, hospitals, and shelters. Along with halting the expansion of methane gas, North Carolina could finally begin helping to slow the climate crisis while building communities that can better withstand the effects of disasters like Helene. Our sympathies are with all the people who are hurting and we remain determined to help turn the tide so that North Carolina finally begins to help slow the global climate emergency. This article was published first by NC WARN . Work Cited “Sharing Solar Issue Brief #1 : How Does It Improve Resiliency?" NC WARN , 18 Oct. 2024, www.ncwarn.org/sharing-solar-resiliency . Warren, Jim. “Local Solar & Batteries Can Rapidly Replace Fossil Fuel Electricity, Save 10s of Billions, Create 1000s of Jobs Across North Carolina, Says Energy Engineer.” NC WARN , 14 Sept. 2018, www.ncwarn.org/2017/08/local-solar-batteries-can-rapidly-replace-fossil-fuel-electricity-in-nc . “The Quickest, Most Affordable Way to Tackle the Climate Crisis and Cut Power Bills.” NC WARN , 7 Oct. 2024, www.ncwarn.org/sharing-solar-summ . Friedlander, Blaine. “Liquefied Natural Gas Carbon Footprint Is Worse Than Coal.” Cornell Chronicle , 3 Oct. 2024, news.cornell.edu/stories/2024/10/liquefied-natural-gas-carbon-footprint-worse-coal .

On November 12th, the Durham County Board of Commissioners postponed a vote on a new training facility proposed by the Sheriff’s Office. The $18 million project would transform an existing firing range on Electra Road. The commission delayed discussion of the planned facility to a January 6th work session after the project was strongly criticized as a "cop city" by Triangle Stop Cop City, Durham Beyond Policing, and other organizations.   Between 30 and 40 residents attended Tuesday’s meeting to oppose the proposed training facility. The group was mobilized to county chambers by a November 11th Instagram post that got 1,400 likes, viral by the standards of Durham politics [ 1 ]. For comparison, mayor Leonardo Williams received 500 likes for an Instagram post about his speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention [ 2 ].   Critics of the Electra Road project secured a partial victory about an hour into the meeting when board chair Nida Allam removed the relevant vote from the consent agenda [ 3, timestamp 1:19:00 ].   Allam also said, “For this item, I’ll request that sheriff Birkhead and attorney Lovelace bring this back to a work session again for further discussion and an opportunity for more information sharing with the community and the board” [ 3, timestamp 1:22:00 ].   The activists didn’t stir until Allam said, “Since this item is not on the agenda for approval anymore, there is not a period for public comment” [ 3, timestamp 1:26:00 ]. Existing firing range on Electra Road. Image credit: CBS17.   At this point, people who'd come expecting to speak disrupted the meeting to argue with Allam and commissioner Nimasheena Burns. The board eventually gave a one-minute time slot to anyone who wanted to make a public comment.   Before the short speeches began, Burns offered her view of the issue. She suggested that Durham County law enforcement spending, including the $18 million project, has gotten too much scrutiny.   “A couple months ago, when it was time to do the hearing for this property, everybody voted on that public hearing,” said Burns. Later she continued, “And so today, something we’ve gone over three times, we’re pulling it [from the consent agenda]” [ 3, timestamp 1:24:00 ].   During arguments with audience members, Allam claimed that planning for the training facility had been public and transparent. She said, “This is an item that has been discussed several, several times. This isn’t an item that is being put on the agenda without discussion” [ 3, timestamp 1:32:00 ].   The News and Observer  wrote that the Electra Road project had been “long-planned” since “at least 2020” [ 4 ]. In a paragraph describing plans for the facility as long-standing and well-known, the article provided a link to the Durham County Capital Improvement Plan. The site does include an entry for a “Sheriff Firing Range Upgrade” in FY2022-23 with a cost of $12 million [ 5, pg. 3, Goal 3 ]. However, the name, year, and cost are all misleading or incorrect. The News and Observer  quoted sheriff Clarence Birkhead who wished residents had raised their concerns before “the eleventh hour” and also noted that “there are no bathrooms” at the existing site. The firing range has been in use for forty years. CBS17  repeated a Sheriff's Office claim that the project had been ongoing since 2016, but provided no evidence [ 6 ]. Rendering of proposed training facility. Image credit: CBS17 Political and media spin aside, public scrutiny and awareness of the proposed training facility was nonexistent before Tuesday’s protest. A major reason is that there wasn’t a single article about the project in any newspaper prior to November 12th. Given that fact, it’s a small miracle that community organizations managed to find Tuesday’s vote, understand its significance, mobilize a large number of people, and successfully delay the Electra Road project.   Although the $18 million facility has been postponed, a majority of commissioners would likely vote in favor if given the chance [ 3, timestamp 1:27:00 ]. With board approval, an existing firing range on Electra Road would be transformed into “a 10,000 square foot building with classrooms, bathrooms and magazine storage. The already-existing firing range on the property would be renovated” [ 6 ].   Public comment began ninety minutes into Tuesday’s meeting. Every speaker was opposed to the proposed training facility. Residents called project a “cop city”, criticized the conduct of Durham's police, questioned the institution of law enforcement, and called for more social spending of various kinds. A member of Durham’s HEART teams, which were praised by many residents during public comments. Image credit: News and Observer. A few quotes from these remarks are provided below:   Carrie Medlin:   “I love Durham. Since I moved to Durham, the following people have been killed by law enforcement officers: Jesus Huerta, Mathew McCain, Raphael Bennett, Terry Lee, La’Vonte Trevon Biggs, Dennis McMurray, Frank Clark, Uniece Glenae Fennell, Kenneth Bailey Jr., James Earl Staton Jr., Jean Carolyn McGirt, Shaun Jeffrey Christy, Deshawn Evans, Ondrae Hutchinson, Darrell Kersey, Brittany Kittrell, Charles Walker Piquet, Stephanie Wilson, Raishawn Jones… [timer rings] … Erick Cano-Castellanos” [ 3, timestamp 1:42:00 ].   Maxine Eloi:   “I care deeply about the city of Durham and the people here and believe that we all deserve to live a joyful, abundant, and free life. The idea of the police began as a force to capture enslaved people and it has yet to cut this root out. That is the core of what the police stand for” [ 3, timestamp 2:00:00 ].   Elizabeth Arandt:   “I’m speaking out in opposition to the sheriff’s proposed training facility as well. I believe it’s absolutely vital for the safety, well-being, and basic human rights of Durham citizens to reject this proposal for a new cop city. This facility would serve to further militarize our police force and take essential funds away from meaningful public services” [ 3, timestamp 2:13:00 ].   Work Cited   1.     “Post by Triangle Cop City and others.” Instagram , 11 Nov. 2024, www.instagram.com/trianglestopcopcity/p/DCPSES_vo9v . 2.     “Post by Leonardo Williams and others.” Instagram , 23 Aug. 2024, www.instagram.com/p/C_CHenVu4hm . 3.     “Durham County Board of Commissioners Meeting.”  YouTube , 13 Nov. 2024,  www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKfRfeEwpMs . 4.     Moore, Mary Helen. “Group Protests $18M Durham Sheriff’s Office Training Facility, Linking It to ‘Cop City.’” News and Observer , 15 Nov. 2024, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article295464889.html . 5. “Capital Improvement Plan.” Durham County NC Transparency Portal , www.data-dconc.org/dashboards/capital-improvement-plan . 6.    Bokun, Ben. “‘Cop City’: Durham County tables plan to build $16M sheriff’s training facility after protests”  CBS17 , 15 Nov. 2024,  www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/durham-county-news/cop-city-durham-county-tables-plan-to-build-multi-million-dollar-sheriffs-training-facility-after-protests .

$1.50 and Amazon Prime is not a gift or a raise. It is a small part of what Amazon should have been paying us! Amazon has only raised pay a total of $2.50 over the last three years, less than the cost of living has increased. You’ve seen how much more you have to spend on groceries, how much your landlord has raised the rent. $1.50 does not even begin to cover it. An RDU1 associate will now start at $18 an hour, less than half of the minimum living wage for an adult with a child in the Raleigh area - $41.23. Even a single adult must make $25.30 an hour to have a living wage. If you are still not making a living wage, a pay increase is not a raise, it is a joke! The only reason Amazon has even made these meager pay increases is that they are scared of us unionizing. They made the starting wage $15 an hour in 2018 because they felt threatened by the Fight for Fifteen movement. This time they are frightened by CAUSE and all the other unionization efforts throughout the world. Do not get it backwards: Amazon throwing out extra pennies in raises is proof that we need a union more than ever! It is proof that us coming together can bring real change, not pocket change! UPS warehouse workers recently won record wage increases, going from $15.50 an hour to $21 an hour and guaranteed additional raises that amount to a $10.25 an hour increase over five years. UPS workers have better wages and benefits because workers put pressure on the company while the Teamsters union bargained with the company. Their union-run healthcare, TeamCare, has a $0 monthly payment, $100 deductible, out of pocket max of $1,000, as well as full dental, vision, and disability coverage. We can fight for what we deserve with CAUSE! Amazon gave us a crumb of the $574 billion they made last year so they can say we don't need a union. In 2022 and 2023 Amazon paid an outside group of people over $14 million to pretend to be co-workers and bad mouth unions because they are afraid of the power of organized workers. Amazon is afraid because it knows that workers united in the CAUSE can win far higher wages and better working conditions and benefits if we come together. The first step? Sign a union authorization card and get your friends and family to sign too! This article was first published by CAUSE .

Speaker from NC Environmental Justice Network On Tuesday evening, about a hundred people gathered in front of the Durham County Courthouse to protest the climate policies of Duke Energy and the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC). Speakers at the rally criticized the utility's plans for 8.9 gigawatts (GW) of new fracked gas plants in speeches. At seven o’clock, the crowd went into the courthouse for an NCUC public hearing.   According to state law HB951, Duke Energy and the NCUC must eliminate carbon dioxide (CO2) in the utility sector by 2050. In apparent defiance, the utility has planned for 8.9 GW of new fracked gas plants by 2035 [ 1 ]. Duke Energy’s promise that new fracked gas plants would be converted to hydrogen fuel in the 2040s has been viewed with skepticism by critics. CT and CC technologies are compatible with fracked gas. Image credit: Duke Energy, “IRP Load Growth Fact Sheet” The “Rally Against the Duke Energy Carbon Plan” featured speeches from Dr. Crystal Cavalier-Keck from 7 Directions of Service, Caroline Armijo of The Lilies Project, Bobby Jones of Down East Coal Ash, and others. The event was MC-ed by Karen Bearden from 350 Triangle.   "The Dan and Roanoke River watersheds are the only places on earth where you can find the Roanoke Logperch and James Spinymussel,” said Cavalier-Keck. “These and other endemic species will cease to exist if we don’t protect them from harm like Duke’s proposed methane-fracked gas build outs in Rockingham, Caswell, and Person Counties.”   People at Tuesday’s rally debated the size of Duke Energy’s fracked gas expansion, which is complex and poorly covered by media. Some saw a small victory since as recently as 2022 Duke Energy was planning an even-larger fracked gas expansion of 11.7 GW [ 2, pg. 86, table E-84 ]. Others worried that the reduction to 8.9 GW by 2035 not fully understood, and could be a trick to push through other negative policies. “We're here because we recognize that the climate change emergency is upon us. We're not talking about climate change coming tomorrow or in ten years, it's already here," said one speaker, "We’re here because we believe that not one community can be regarded as disposable. We believe that for our communities in eastern North Carolina… for our workers here in Durham County…and for people overseas.”   Twelve environmental groups planned the rally together including Climate Action NC, NC Black Alliance, and Sunrise Movement Durham Hub. Organizers were pleased that the event included both “climate change” and “environmental justice” groups, which often divide on lines of race and class.   During the “Rally Against the Duke Energy Carbon Plan”, speakers accused Duke Energy of pushing fracked gas under false pretenses. The power plants have a lifespan of 30 to 40 years. Green groups fear that plans for 8.9 GW of fracked gas would enable Duke Energy to emit CO2 far past the 2050 deadline ordered by HB951.   The utility has promised to convert new fracked gas plants to green hydrogen in the 2040s, but the technology for a full transition to hydrogen fuel does not exist. There are no 100 percent hydrogen-fired plants in the world, a fact often pointed out at Tuesday's rally, making Duke Energy’s proposal some combination of dubious, reckless, or fraudulent. Speech by Caroline Armijo from The Lilies Project State law requires the NCUC to revise the carbon plan every two years. Many of the green groups in front of the courthouse had held similar events for public hearings in 2022, but the NCUC still went ahead and approved plans for two GW of new fracked gas plants [ 3 ]. That led many environmentalists to view the regulator as a rubber-stamp for Duke Energy.   The activist’s speeches ended at seven o’clock and people lined up to get into the courthouse. Some attendees didn’t plan to stay for long. When NCUC member Floyd McKissick opened the proceedings, disruptions began almost immediately. The first to stand up and loudly denounce the NCUC was Bobby Jones from Down East Coal Ash Environmental and Social Justice Coalition.   “This hearing is a farce! We already told you what you need to do last time, and you betrayed us! I’m walking out, and we’ll be holding a real hearing outside for anyone that wants to join.” NCUC member Floyd McKissick chaired Tuesday’s hearing. Image credit: NC Legislature   McKissick soothed the crowd, assuring them that public testimony was taken seriously by the NCUC. There were two more protests and walkouts in the early minutes of the hearing. By the time calm was restored, a dozen people had left the courtroom to go outside for a “People’s Hearing” led by Jodi Lasseter of NC Climate Justice Collective.   Environmentalists have good reason for cynicism toward the NCUC. On paper, the regulator oversees Duke Energy, with full powers to apply state laws to the private monopoly. While accurate, that picture leaves out Duke Energy’s spectacular influence over state politics which the utility has used to shape energy laws and ensure a compliant NCUC.   In the last two years, the NCUC has rubber-stamped four of Duke Energy’s requests – the last carbon plan docket in December 2022, a rooftop solar case in March 2023, as well as two huge rate hikes in August and December 2023. “Rally Against the Duke Energy Carbon Plan” on April 30, 2024. Image credit: NCCJC When the interruptions petered out, McKissick began to call up attendees to give testimony on the carbon plan. Speech after speech requested the same policies – speed up closure of coal plants, scrap plans for new fracked gas, and move toward a renewable grid based on local solar, battery storage, and wind power.   McKissick listened to the comments politely, as he had during the 2022 hearings. A bailiff watched the crowd carefully, on guard for more mischief.   Outside at the “People’s Hearing”, participants passed around a microphone and talked about Duke Energy and the NCUC. One member, Steph Gans, said the whole situation reminded her of her work as a therapist. She recalled clients who were cigarette smokers tell her about the emotional agony of knowing they’d paid thousands of dollars for a product that later gave them cancer or heart attacks.   “It’s a little different with Duke Energy. They come and tell us that they’re going to ruin our communities and destroy our environment. And the kicker is, we have to pay for it”. Flooding in Fair Bluff, NC caused by Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Two years later, the town was hit by Hurricane Florence. Image credit: The Guardian Work Cited   1.    Duke Energy Corporation.  Supplemental Updates to Duke Energy’s Resource Plan . season-01 2024,  www.duke-energy.com/-/media/pdfs/our-company/carolinas-resource-plan/january-24-fact-sheet.pdf?rev=8e61a3e3e8c844daaf4f2d5b6635c687 .  2.    “Carolinas Carbon Plan, ‘Quantitative Analysis.’”  NC Utilities Commission , 16 May 2022,  starw1.ncuc.gov/NCUC/ViewFile.aspx?Id=bad82411-63e7-4553-9c0c-18a8f671773d . 3.    Clingman, Alex. “NC Utilities Commission’s Carbon Plan Order.”  NC Sustainable Energy Association , 6 Feb. 2023,  energync.org/nc-utilities-commissions-2022-carbon-plan-order .