Bull City Wrap

Miss any of our Bull City Today episodes? Catch up on your local government news with Bull City Wrap or listen to our podcast.

· If you’re an aspiring or new entrepreneur, you’ll want to mark your calendar now. Our Office of Economic and Workforce Development is hosting the Bull City Business Summit on November 16 and 17 at the Durham County Main Library.
· Our 2023 Innovate Durham program is now accepting applications. The program is a partnership between us and Durham County that allows entrepreneurs to use local government as a laboratory to test products and ideas. Learn more about how it works.
· Underrepresented communities and formerly incarcerated residents will soon benefit from healing and wellness programs tailored specifically to their needs through the Transformative Justice Program. Find out what the program is and how it will work.
· Some of Durham’s historically underutilized businesses and small commercial property owners and businesses will get support from the Bull City Equitable Development Fund. Learn which businesses may qualify and why it’s needed.
· The process to find a development partner for the site of the former Police Department headquarters is moving forward. We share the latest developments and what happens next.

Holiday Parade Applications
Registration is now open for any group, organization, or company wanting to participate in this year’s holiday parade. The annual event will be held starting at 10am on Saturday, December 9 in downtown Durham. Find out how your group can get in on all the fun.

Employee Compensation Study
Our City of Durham classification and compensation study will soon get underway. We share how it will help make sure that we’re providing equitable and competitive compensation to attract, retain, and pay our employees.

Fall Leaves
It’s that time of year again when we have to figure out what to do with all of those leaves that are falling in our yards. Find out what options are available to you (including leaving them right where they are!).

Durham Big Sweep
If you want to help clean up your community and make it look the best that it can, you’re invited to participate in this year’s @KeepDurhamBeautiful Big Sweep events.

Ellerbe Creek Rookery
Progress is being made toward dedicating a significant swath of land in northeast Durham as a State Natural Heritage Program Dedicated Nature Preserve. We share what this project is and why it’s so important.

Intersection Improvements
Safety improvements are being planned for the busy NC 98 (Holloway St.) and Lynn Road intersection in east Durham. Find out what improvements are included in the project as well as why they’re needed.

HallowEno
Calling all ghosts, goblins, princesses, Barbies, Kens, and whoever else you may want to be! This year’s @DPRPlayMore HallowEno is sure to be fun for all. 5:30-8:30pm, Tuesday, October 31 at West Point on the Eno.

Tree Grant
4,000 new trees will be planted along Durham’s streets over the next few years, thanks to a $5.3 million federal Urban and Community Forestry Grant. Find out why this project is so important and which areas will be affected.

Cultural Roadmap Survey
If you have ideas about what you want to see happen for arts and culture in Durham, we want to hear from you. We share how you can give your input on the creation of a new five-year cultural plan for our community.

Bike Lane Project Reduction
There’s an important update about the bike lanes that are part of our Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant funding. Fayetteville Street has been removed from the list of projects. Find out why.

South Fork Forest Watershed
Plans for a significant watershed protection project are moving forward – with financial backing from us. We share the Triangle Land Conservancy’s vision for a parcel of undeveloped, wooded land that’s located on the South Fork of the Little River.

Strengthening of Durham
The Triangle Nonprofit and Volunteer Leadership Center will be using American Rescue Plan Act funds to help support nonprofits and the communities they serve that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out how.

Play More Guide Cover Art
Help @DPRPlayMore celebrate 100 years! All youth photographers, graphic designers, cartoonists, and painters who are ages 5-18 years old are invited to participate in our Play More Guide Cover Art Contest. Find out how to enter.

PB Voting Begins
Voting for the latest round of participatory budgeting grant funding is now open. We share how you can give your direct input on how to spend a portion of our city’s budget.

Credit Ratings
We have some exciting news about our credit rating! The top three global credit rating agencies recently rated our limited obligation bonds AA+ and Aa1, as well as affirmed our AAA rated general obligation bonds. Find out why this is important.

Prescriptions for Repair
Now that a pilot program to help support and learn from those most impacted by gun violence is ending, we and our partners are working to apply the lessons learned moving forward. We share some of those lessons from the Prescriptions for Repair program.

Cemetery Ordinance
Green burials will now be allowed in city-owned cemeteries. That means that more natural, sustainable burials and internments will soon be able to take place at Beechwood and Maplewood cemeteries.

Durham MED Week
Calling all minority business owners, you’re invited to participate in this year’s Minority Enterprise Development – or MED – Week events. The Oct. 5-6 events include a business fair, educational sessions, and a business luncheon. Find out more!

Legacy Business Program
The new Durham Legacy Business Connect program is now open for our city’s longtime business owners, focusing on minority and women-owned businesses. Find out who the program will serve and how to get involved.

Barktoberfest
If you’re a dog owner in Durham, you’re going to want to mark your calendar now for this year’s Barktoberfest. 3:30-6:30pm, Saturday, October 28 at Durham Central Park. Learn what you and your canine friends have to look forward to.

Wheels Roller Skating Art
Calling all artists in North carolina! You now have a chance to leave your mark as part of the renovation of the Wheels Roller Skating Rink.

A Day Without Water
If you’re a Durham student age 13-18, you can learn more about where your water comes from and where it goes while having the chance to win cash prizes. It’s all part of this year’s Imagine a Day Without Water video contest.

Durham-Chapel Hill Annexation
The City Council will consider a request to change the annexation boundary between the City of Durham and the town of Chapel Hill. Find out where the boundary is and why it may be moved.

Stormwater Repairs
A stormwater infrastructure repair project will soon be getting underway at four locations throughout the city. We share where these repairs and improvements will be made.

Urban Search and Rescue
Our Fire Department will continue to participate with a regional Urban Search and Rescue program in order to provide an immediate response to any potential disasters. Find out why this specialized team is needed and how it benefits us all.

ARPA Update
Progress is being made toward allocating and spending all of the American Rescue Plan Act – or ARPA - funds that Durham has received. Get an update on how the money is being used.

Police Satisfaction Survey
The most recent Police Satisfaction Survey is offering insight into how @DurhamPolice can continue to improve its relationship with residents in Durham. We share some of what we’ve learned.

Drinking Water Grant
We are broadening our efforts to make sure that there aren’t any lead service lines within our water system. Find out how we’re doing that.

Capital Facilities Fees
All Durham residents and especially developers in our area are invited to offer their feedback on proposed capital facility fee increases. Find out why the increases may be needed and who pays for them

BPAC Applications
If you’re interested in bicycle and pedestrian issues, we have a chance for you to get more involved in your community. The Durham Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission has three vacant member positions that it needs to fill. Find out how to apply

Welcoming Week 2023
We’re proud to say that we will once again be joining the rest of the country in celebrating Welcoming Week from September 8-17. Find out what this week is and how you can get involved.

Merrick-Moore Community
A portion of American Rescue Plan Act funds will be going to support the Merrick-Moore community. We share how the money will help to provide home repairs, energy upgrades, flood prevention, and better air quality!

DEAR Program
Our Durham Expunction and Restoration (DEAR) Program will continue to help provide a much-needed fresh start for many Durham residents in the coming year.

Crime Report
@TheDurhamPolice second quarter Crime Report offers a snapshot of what crime in our city looked like between January and June. We share the latest numbers.

Bull City United
Durham County’s Bull City United program is continuing to make a difference in decreasing gun violence in Durham. Find out what our involvement is, how the program has evolved, and who it has helped over the past year.