🌱 Scarborough House Renovations + Plans For Old Police HQ

Hi all. It's me, Amy Mayo, your host of the Durham Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Times of clouds and sun. High: 86 Low: 59.
• Wednesday: Partly sunny and pleasant. High: 80 Low: 58.

From our sponsor:

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Here are the top three stories in Durham today:

1. Durham residents are asking for the city's help in renovating the historic Scarborough House, located at 1406 Fayetteville St. in the Stokesdale neighborhood. The Scarborough House is named for John C. Scarborough, called the "dean of Negro business" by The Durham Sun in 1956. Scarborough was the first Black funeral director and embalmer in North Carolina, and was honored as such by the state General Assembly in 2006. Prolific in local business and politics, he ran for city council in 1947. Per developers: "The Scarborough House is a distinctive and perplexing statement of architectural and historic preservation." (Subscription: News & Observer)
2. Per Durham Mayor pro-tempore Mark-Anthony Middleton, the old Durham police headquarters located on West Chapel Hill Road - famous as an eyesore with some locals - is a possible future destination for residents. Middleton expressed that he has heard local residents and their desire to see this property properly developed. The city has asked developers to present plans that would include affordable housing, space for activities, and office space. (ABC 11)
3. A flag-raising at the Durham County Courthouse on Monday, Jun. 5, to honor Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, has begun local celebrations in Durham ahead of Juneteenth itself, on Jun. 19. Phyllis Coley, CEO of Spectacular Magazine and the celebration's organizer, said, "That flag represents the freedom of the land ... this flag represents the freedom of the people. Juneteenth means to me that, it's a day of celebration, it has always been a day of celebration but it's so much about telling our history, for me, it's about making sure people understand our history and the true history because it's a part of the flag-raising ceremony today." (CBS 17)

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Today and tomorrow in Durham:

Tuesday, June 6

• Curls N' Crunches At Walltown Park Recreation Center (11:15 AM)
• Ribbon Cutting At Aria Cultural Center (6:00 PM)

Wednesday, June 7

• Get Fit With Style At I.R. Holmes, Sr. Recreation Center (9:00 AM)
• Adult Open Gym Basketball At Walltown Park Recreation Center (6:00 PM)
• Bluey's Big Play At Durham Performing Arts Center (6:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• Durham PD is sharing pictures from a recent bath (very unwanted!) taken by K9 Menace, a police dog. (Durham Police Department via Facebook)
• Per Durham PD, recently a 17-year-old was taken into police custody for charges of possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a handgun by a minor, and illegally carrying a concealed weapon. (Durham Police Department via Instagram)
• The City of Durham is hosting a YouthWorks Recruitment Fair on Jun. 22 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., and businesses still have time to register. This event aims to connect businesses with young people who are seeking work experience and job shadowing experiences. (City of Durham, NC Government via Facebook)

You're officially in the loop for today. See you all soon for 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.