🌱 Durham Schools Day Of Remembrance + REI Strike Leads To Union Vote

Hello, neighbors! It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Durham Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Tuesday: An afternoon thunderstorm. High: 85 Low: 67.
• Wednesday: Partly sunny. High: 79 Low: 54.

Here are the top three stories in Durham today:

1. This week, Durham schools held its first-ever "Day of Remembrance" to reflect on children who have died from gun violence. On Monday morning, students paused for a moment of silence during an event organized by school board member Jovonia Lewis. A different school board member explained that the event is to show students who are impacted by gun violence that they are surrounded by a community that cares. This year, 18 people under the age of 18 have been shot in Durham, and four of them have died. (WRAL)
2. After a four-day strike, workers at Durham's REI co-op will vote later this month on whether to form a union. Alice Bennett, an employee at REI, said that workers want "guaranteed scheduling and guaranteed minimum hours," as well as an increase in wages and benefits. Bennett stressed the importance of regular hours for workers to maintain benefits. If the workers vote to unionize, their contracts will be collectively negotiated by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which has worked with four other REI stores that won union elections. (AOL.com)
3. Durham police have released the identity of a man who was killed following a crash on Hillsborough Road on Sunday evening. Monty Mangum, 57, was driving a motorcycle in the eastbound lane of Hillsborough Road when he crossed the center line and hit a pickup truck head-on. The driver of the pickup was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and Magnum was pronounced dead at the scene. (ABC 11)

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Today and tomorrow in Durham:

Tuesday, May 16

• Introduction To The Zentangle® Art Method With Florals (Virtual), Hosted By North Carolina Botanical Garden (9:30 AM)
• Unbottled At Durham Bottling Co. (6:00 PM)

Wednesday, May 17

• Writing The Pop Culture Personal Essay At Letters Bookshop (6:00 PM)
• Weekly Team Trivia At The Glass Jug Beer Lab (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• If you're in the middle of spring cleaning, the City of Durham accepts items like cooking oil, electronics, paint, appliances, and more. Click here to learn what items can and cannot be accepted at the Household Hazardous Waste Center. (City of Durham, NC Government via Facebook)
• The LGBTQ Center of Durham is hosting a Game and Craft Night this Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., and will then be closed for maintenance on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. They will resume normal hours next week. (LGBTQ Center of Durham via Facebook)
• The Durham Co-op Market is serving up three meals a day at the service counter! Options include breakfast burritos, rotisserie chicken, pulled pork, and beef chili. (Durham Co-op Market via Facebook)

Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll catch up with you bright and early soon with a new update!

— 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.