🌱 Mental Health Awareness In Durham + Potential School Shooter Scare

Hey, friends! I'm back with your fresh edition of the Durham Patch newsletter, fresh off the presses. Let's get this weekend started off right with a quick guide to the most important things happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: A t-storm around in the p.m.. High: 84 Low: 63.
• Sunday: A couple of morning showers. High: 79 Low: 55.

🏠 If you're a real estate agent in Durham, of course you're looking for a way to stand out from the crowd and attract new clients. We can help you do that with an exclusive sponsorship in the Durham Patch newsletter. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories today in Durham:

1. Students and teachers in Durham, NC are collaborating to prioritize mental health and improve resources for the well-being of everyone involved. After a tragic double shooting incident in February, where a student was killed and another injured, over half of Hillside High School did not attend the following day, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced mental health support. Davis Harper and his Social Issues class at Durham School of Technology collected over 600 responses advocating for more mental health days and resources, leading the Durham Public Schools Superintendent to propose two additional mental health days awaiting approval from the school district. These efforts represent some of the steps being taken to enhance the mental well-being of students and staff in Durham. (ABC11.com)
2. Early Friday morning Durham police responded to an active assailant call or an active shooter call at Excelsior Classical Academy. The call was made to 911 around 11:15 a.m. and police rushed to the scene, officers completed two separate sweeps of the building and you could hear the officers communicating via radio as they checked each and every classroom thoroughly. There were no weapons or assailants found during the sweep and the students of Excelsior Classical Academy were eventually returned to their families and guardians with no issues, the incident is still currently under investigation. (CBS 17)
3. A shooting that occurred Wednesday night in Durham left one woman dead with no current suspect in custody. Police responded to a shooting incident around 10:15 p.m. in the 3300 block of Glasson Street in Durham, when officers arrived at the scene they found 30-year-old Shannell Nicole Alston of Durham who died from her injuries. Although the incident is still under investigation, it appears based on what has been gathered at this point the shooting was not random. If anyone has any information regarding this incident please contact Investigator B. Garth or reach out to Crime Stoppers, Crime Stoppers will offer cash incentives up to $2,000 for any information leading to arrests. (CBS 17)

From our sponsor:

Today’s Durham Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Durham Patch newsletter possible.

Today and tomorrow in and around Durham:

Saturday, May 20:

• Leigh Farm Park Tour At Leigh Farm Park Visitor Center (10:00 AM)
• West Point Park Tour At West Point on the Eno (11:00 AM)
• Carolina Moonlight Garden Party At North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill (6:00 PM)

Sunday, May 21:

• Board Game Sundays At Gizmo Brew Works (12:00 PM)
• Bullhorn Durham Tour: DJ Yammy At Perfect Lovers (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Earlier this week Officer Park took some time out of his day volunteering her time to teach a painting class at the Durham Center for Senior Life. This Paint with the Police Event is one of many ways the police department is working to reach out and connect with the community, the next class will be on Jul. 19. (Durham Police Department via Facebook)
• Hometown Apparel right in Downtown Durham made the news earlier this week, a woman and minority-owned business right in your backyard. Check out the spot at 307 W. Main as well as read about the story that was featured on the news. (Downtown Durham, Inc. via Facebook)
• Join the city of Durham in celebrating National Public Works Week this coming week from May 21 through the 27. This week is used to not only recognize the hard work the engineers and maintenance workers in the city do but also to thank them for the dedication they do to keep Durham running through all nature throws at the city. (City of Durham NC Government via Instagram)

Alrighty, you're all good for today! 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.