🌱 Asst. Principal Charged With Two Felonies + Railroad Crossing Grant

Hi all. I'm back in your inbox this morning with your fresh edition of the Durham Patch newsletter. Here's all the local news you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: Pleasant with sunshine. High: 86 Low: 63.
• Sunday: Turning out cloudy. High: 87 Low: 68.

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Here are the top three stories today in Durham:

1. Hillside High School's assistant principal has been charged with second-degree attempted forcible rape and breaking and entering with intent to terrorize or injure, both felonies. The charges follow an incident that occurred on Mar. 21. Louis Ray Harrison, 48, has submitted his resignation, according to an official with Durham Public Schools. From 2003 to 2009, Harrison was a science teacher at Hillside High School, then he returned in 2014 to join the school's administration team. (CBS 17)
2. A person has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of 78-year-old Joseph Winstead in Durham on Tuesday. Brett Cote, 35, has been charged with a firearm by a felon and first-degree murder. First responders arrived at the scene around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning at North Driver Street where Cote told officers that Winstead had been shot during a fight. Cote is currently being held at the Durham County Jail. (ABC 11)
3. Durham County has been awarded a grant of over $1.2 million from the Federal Railroad Administration. The funds will be used to improve railroad crossings on South Plum Street, South Driver Street, and Ellis Road. County officials said there have been 19 crashes at these crossings in the past 25 years, making them a priority for improvements. (CBS 17)

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Today and tomorrow in Durham:

Saturday, June 10

• DIY & Drag Fundraiser For LGBTQ Center Of Durham At Nailed It DIY Durham (5:00 PM)
• Rock The Park: Rockie Lynn At Forest Hills Park (6:00 PM)

Sunday, June 11

• The Fruit Flea Monthly Flea Market At The Fruit – Durham Fruit & Produce Co. (12:00 PM)
• Hammered Trivia With Thor At Durty Bull Brewing Company (2:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The City of Durham will be working with a new company to process recyclables. On Jul. 1, WM Recycle America will be taking on the work of sorting recyclables after pick up and then marketing those materials to other facilities that turn them into different products. (City of Durham, NC Government via Facebook)
• Downtown Durham, Inc. shared a list of events and activities happening this weekend! Today, Jun. 10, Hi-Wire Brewing will be celebrating Pride, and on Sunday, Jun. 11, Group Skate Classes will be taking place at Bull City Ciderworks. (Downtown Durham, Inc. via Facebook)
• The South Regional Library is hosting a Splash Party on Thursday, Jun. 15 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. There will be water balloons, soakers, and a bounce house for an afternoon of summer fun! (Durham County Library via Facebook)

You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you back in your inbox soon with your next update.

— Amy Mayo

About me: Amy Mayo is a writer, visual artist, and political scientist, living in the NC Research Triangle. She graduated from the University of North Carolina Asheville with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and has worked in a variety of fields outside of copywriting including policy advocacy, the healthcare industry and pharmaceuticals, and education. She hopes one day to live up to the stringent expectations of her cat, Morty.