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🌳 DPAC Ranks Among Nation’s Top Theatres
Plus: Who’s Running for Durham School Board
Jordan Parker
December 26, 2025
In this issue:
Freeman Launches State Senate Challenge
Durham Mayor Denies Former Student’s Claim
Pokémon Card Maker Expands NC Factory
DPAC Ranks Among Nation’s Top Theatres
Who’s Running for Durham School Board
Approx Read Time: 3 mins
Freeman Launches State Senate Challenge
Former Durham City Council member DeDreana Freeman has filed to run for N.C. Senate District 22, setting up a Democratic primary against first-term incumbent Sophia Chitlik just weeks after Freeman lost her reelection bid to the council.
Quick political pivot: Freeman, who served eight years on City Council and lost her seat in November, filed for the state Senate this week, reframing her local advocacy around statewide issues like housing, health care, and economic justice.
Progressive vs. progressive: Chitlik, who unseated longtime Sen. Mike Woodard in 2024, has positioned herself as a bold progressive in a GOP-controlled legislature, focusing on maternal health, child care, and paid leave—leaving voters to choose between two left-leaning visions.
Electability questions: Freeman faces fundraising and voter-confidence hurdles after recent losses, while Chitlik enters with incumbency and a strong donor network; the race is shaping up as a test of grassroots organizing versus legislative track record.
Durham Mayor Denies Former Student’s Claim
Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams is publicly denying allegations made by a former student who says Williams engaged in inappropriate conduct while teaching at Southern High School. The claim, posted on Facebook this week, has not been independently verified, and Williams says it is false and defamatory.
The allegation: Marquise Covington, now 30, alleges Williams showed him an inappropriate video when Covington was a junior at Southern High School. The News & Observer has not confirmed the claim and is withholding details while investigating.
Williams’ response: Through his attorney, Williams called the allegation “demonstrably untrue,” saying he is prepared to “vigorously fight” what he described as false and damaging claims about his character.
Public attention: The post has circulated widely on local Facebook groups, generating hundreds of comments. Williams, a former DPS teacher and multiple-time Teacher of the Year, is currently serving his second term as mayor after winning reelection this year.
Pokémon Card Maker Expands NC Factory
Morrisville-based Millennium Print Group, the primary North American printer of Pokémon trading cards, is planning a major expansion that would turn a Morrisville site into one of the largest industrial facilities in the region. The deal underscores the Triangle’s growing role in advanced manufacturing, and the continued boom in trading card demand.
Massive footprint: Millennium Print Group is expected to occupy nearly 1.3 million square feet at the Spark LS campus near Research Triangle Park, marking one of the largest U.S. industrial lease deals of the year.
Driven by demand: Pokémon card sales have surged, with more than half of the 75+ billion cards ever printed produced in just the last four years, straining supply and fueling the need for expanded capacity.
Long timeline: Construction and planning will stretch over several years, with operations at the expanded facility projected to begin in late 2028; the company says there are no immediate changes to current jobs or locations.
DPAC Ranks Among Nation’s Top Theatres
The Durham Performing Arts Center has been ranked the third most successful theatre in the country for 2025, according to Billboard’s year-end rankings, cementing its status as one of Durham’s biggest cultural and economic drivers.
Top-tier ranking: DPAC placed third nationwide in ticket revenue, trailing only Las Vegas’ Colosseum at Caesars Palace and Atlanta’s Fox Theatre.
Big year for attendance: The venue welcomed more than 550,000 guests across 241 performances, marking the second-highest attendance year in its 17-year history.
Broadway powerhouse: Sold-out runs of major productions—including Les Misérables and new tours like Beauty and the Beast—helped fuel the strong showing, with more blockbuster shows slated for 2026.
Who’s Running for Durham School Board
Durham’s March 3 election will bring a major shakeup to the Durham Public Schools Board of Education, with four of seven seats up for grabs and only one incumbent seeking reelection. The races come as DPS continues to navigate budget strain, enrollment declines, and lingering post-pandemic challenges.
What to know:
Three open seats in Districts 1, 3, and 4
One incumbent: Board chair Bettina Umstead (District 2)
Election is nonpartisan, with one winner per district
District 1 (open seat)
Dilcy Burton — Assistant attorney general; former county commission candidate
Davit Melikian — Durham Democratic Party vice chair; small business owner
Natalie Kitaif — Public health professional; PTA member
District 2
Bettina Umstead — Incumbent board chair
Nadeen Bir — Finance and HR director; Mothers for Ceasefire co-founder
Rachel Waltz — Program manager with housing background
District 3 (open seat)
Peter Crawford — Real estate executive; DPS parent
Lauren Sartain — UNC education policy professor; former PTA president
Gabby Rivero — Therapeutic dance company founder
District 4 (open seat)
Xavier Cason — Former board member; longtime DPS educator
Kristy Moore — Former DPS teacher and union leader
Jerome Leathers — Former Southern and Jordan High principal
Timing: Early voting starts Feb. 12; Election Day is March 3. With no at-large seats and low-turnout dynamics, these races are likely to be decided by small margins.
Who’s Running for Congress in 2026
North Carolina’s 2026 congressional races are taking shape, with a crowded U.S. Senate field and a high-profile Democratic primary rematch in Durham’s 4th Congressional District.
Senate race draws national attention: With Sen. Thom Tillis retiring, former Gov. Roy Cooper leads a crowded Democratic primary, while Republicans are split between Trump-endorsed Michael Whatley and several challengers, including controversial candidate Michele Morrow.
NC-04 rematch likely decisive: In the solidly blue 4th District, incumbent Valerie Foushee faces a primary challenge from Nida Allam, reviving their closely watched 2022 contest and highlighting divides over Israel policy and grassroots organizing.
Other Triangle races quieter: NC-02 skips a primary, with Rep. Deborah Ross heading straight to the general election, while Libertarian and Republican candidates have also filed across districts.
🐾 APS Pet of the Week: Hawk Eye
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Meet Hawk Eye and learn more about adopting him here:
https://www.apsofdurham.org/dogs/hawk-eye/
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