🌱 Crime Report Shows Increase In Homicides + Durham AAPI Festival

Hello all. I'm here with your Tuesday edition of the Durham Patch newsletter, full of everything you need to know about what's going on in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Times of clouds and sun. High: 77 Low: 55.
• Wednesday: Pleasant with sunny intervals. High: 73 Low: 54.

Business owners and marketers in Durham: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories in Durham today:

1. Durham Police Chief Patrice Andrews presented the first quarterly crime report of 2023 to the Durham City Council. There has been a 27.3 percent increase in homicides and a 38.9 percent increase in rape, although there was a 41.5 percent decrease in robberies. There has also been an increase in motor vehicle theft of nearly 60 percent. Mayor Elaine O'Neal has emphasized that violent crime is one of Durham's most pressing problems. (Indy Week)
2. On Sunday, people came out to Central Park to enjoy the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Festival. The event was organized by North Carolina Asian Americans Together and featured poetry, music, food, and dance performances from a variety of cultures. There were more than 40 Asian American Pacific Islander-owned small businesses at the vendor market. (ABC 11)
3. The woman whose love of sneakers kicked off The Kick Back Sneaker Expo spoke to CBS 17 about the event's growth. Kala Nwachukwu is the founder of The Kick Back Sneaker Expo and a neuroscientist; she's had a long-time love of sneakers and sneakerhead culture, which led her to create the expo in 2014 at the Durham Armory. In the first year, there were 25 or 30 vendors and around 150 attendees. The event has grown significantly, with around 4,000 attendees and 150 vendors at the expo in 2022. The expo has outgrown the Durham Armory and will take place this year on Jun. 17 at the Raleigh Convention Center from 12:00-5:00 p.m. (CBS 17)

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Today and tomorrow in Durham:

Tuesday, May 23

• Muddy Boots At West Point On The Eno - Environmental Education Pavilion (10:00 AM)
• Tuesday Blues Jam At The Blue Note Grill (7:00 PM)
• The Beach Boys At DPAC (7:30 PM)

Wednesday, May 24

• Comedy Night At Tobacco Wood Brewing Co. (7:00 PM)
• Movie Diva Film Series: Spawn Of The North At Carolina Theatre Of Durham (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Durham City Manager Wanda Page has shared details about the proposed city budget for fiscal year 2023-2024. The budget highlights neighborhood improvements, transit, and public safety. Click here to learn more. (City of Durham, NC Government via Facebook)
• Mark your calendar for Great Trail Day coming up on Saturday, Jun. 10! Hikers on the trail will find stations along the route with information on trail safety, bike maintenance, pet safety, and more. Visit this link to learn more. (Durham Parks and Recreation via Facebook)
• The Durham Co-op Market shared some benefits of being a market owner. This includes voting for the board of directors, profit sharing, and monthly free items like coffee or chocolate. Learn more here. (Durham Co-op Market via Facebook)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Tuesday off right! I'll see you soon.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.