🌱 Lead In Soil Called Environmental Justice Issue + High-Speed Chase

Welcome back, Durham. I'm here in your inbox per usual to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on around town. Because community news matters!

But first, your local weather:

• Thursday: A t-storm around in the p.m.. High: 87 Low: 62.
• Friday: A t-storm around in the p.m.. High: 89 Low: 62.

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Here are the top three stories in and around Durham today:

1. The discovery of lead in the soil of Durham public parks has been labeled an environmental justice issue by locals. The four parks affected — Walltown, East End, East Durham, and possibly Lyon Park — are all in historically Black neighborhoods and areas that have previously been redlined. They are also all located at the former sites of city-owned, lead-based incinerators. The Walltown Community Association has called the delay a failure on the part of the City of Durham and Duke University in communicating the possible hazards to residents. (NC Newsline)
2. A high-speed chase that began in Roxboro and ended in a crash in Durham resulted in serious injuries for 21-year-old Anthony Williams. Williams, who was wanted by police in two cities, was driving at speeds exceeding 115 miles per hour after officers attempted to pull him over for driving 90 miles per hour in a 45-miles-per-hour zone. Authorities recovered drugs, an AR-15, and a handgun from his car. Williams faces multiple charges, including felony speeding to elude, drug possession, carrying a concealed weapon, and driving with a revoked license. (CBS 17)
3. The Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting, which announced its move to Morehouse College six months ago, has faced significant delays in transferring its funds from the University of North Carolina (UNC)-Chapel Hill, amounting to nearly $4 million. The prolonged transfer process has disrupted the society's operations, resulting in the cancellation of its summer internship program and a planned program for high school students. The society's founders expressed frustration over the inexplicably slow process and the lack of transparency from the university, which claims to have transferred $2.1 million to date but still has $1.7 million remaining. (Indy Week)

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Today and tomorrow in Durham:

Thursday, June 15

• Live Music In The Taproom At The Glass Jug Beer Lab (7:00 PM)

Friday, June 16

• Holton Teen Open Gym At Holton Career And Resource Center (6:00 PM)
• Peace By Piece: Art, Belonging, And Community Art Exhibit At Durham Bottling Company (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Durham Fire Department is offering its congratulations to fire chiefs Jim Cole and Bryan Baker for the receipt of their new helmet shields, which were awarded in commemoration of their promotions to deputy chief and division chief, respectively. (Durham Fire Department via Instagram)
• Durham County Erosion Control employees were hard at work at a North Carolina State Crop and Soil Science workshop on Tuesday, Jun. 13! The crew learned about new techniques for the protection of local waterways. You can read more at the link. (DurhamCountyGovernment via Instagram)
• Durham County Library is inviting the community to the Dog Days of Summer Durham Hot Dog Crawl! The event begins on Jun. 26 and runs until Aug. 5. You can find more information here. (Durham County Library via Facebook)

Alrighty, you're all good for today! I'll be back in your inbox soon with another 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.