🌳 Sol House Wines Opens in Brightleaf

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In this issue:

• Duke Claims First ACC Title Since 1962

• New Wine Bar Opens in Brightleaf

• City Delays Redevelopment of Old Police HQ

• Durham’s 2026 Local Races Take Shape

• Triangle Home Values Cool Sharply

• North Carolina’s First E-Sports Bar

Approx Read Time: 3 mins

Duke Claims First ACC Title Since 1962

Duke stunned No. 16 Virginia 27–20 in overtime to win its first outright ACC football championship in more than six decades, a victory that stirred debate about whether an 8–5 conference champion deserves a College Football Playoff berth. Coach Manny Diaz argued strongly that Duke’s strength of schedule should put them in contention, even as analysts expect the CFP committee to leave the Blue Devils out. The game itself was a dramatic, defense-heavy grind that hinged on fourth-down execution and a decisive OT interception.

• Overtime breakthrough: Darian Mensah hit Jeremiah Hasley for a 1-yard TD on fourth down — the first OT score in ACC title game history.

• Momentum swings: Duke’s special teams contributed a fake punt, a hard-count offsides, and a punt pinned at the 1-yard line leading to a key interception.

• CFP fallout: Despite seven Power Four wins, Duke’s 8–5 record likely keeps them out, potentially opening a slot for James Madison.

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New Wine Bar Opens in Brightleaf

Sol House Wines, a new natural wine bar and bottle shop in Brightleaf Square, is aiming for the vibe of a friend’s living room—if that friend happens to stock 150+ bottles of organic, low-intervention wines. Owner Jess Moffitt, who moved from NYC two years ago, opened the shop in November after leaving a career in merch design to pursue her passion for natural wine.

• Natural-only selection: All wines are organic or biodynamically farmed with minimal additives—no added yeast, sugar, dyes, or sulfites.

• Rotating offerings: About nine wines are available by the glass (rotating biweekly) plus roughly 160 bottles curated from 400+ tastings.

• Food-friendly space: Guests can bring their own food, and Sol House will participate in the Bullpen Social District once branded cups arrive.

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City Delays Redevelopment of Old Police HQ

Durham City Council hit pause on long-discussed redevelopment plans for the former police headquarters downtown, opting instead to explore a partial sale and temporary public uses while economic conditions remain unfavorable. The four-acre site has faced repeated false starts as construction costs and interest rates climbed, complicating the city’s long-standing goal of building affordable housing there.

• Staff recommends subdivision: City staff advised against full-site redevelopment and suggested selling the historic Milton Small building to Preservation North Carolina while activating open space with art, markets, or events.

• Affordable housing push: Neighbors and council members urged renewed focus on housing, though consultants warned that LIHTC financing could restrict future site potential and require surface parking.

• Next steps: Council ordered a deeper analysis of affordable housing and parking options, with a report due by March; rehabilitating the Milton Small building alone is estimated to cost $25–30M.

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Durham’s 2026 Local Races Take Shape

Candidate filing is underway for the March 2026 primary, setting up a wide-ranging slate of county and state races that will shape Durham’s justice system, schools, and representation at multiple levels of government. The filing window runs through Dec. 19, with winners advancing to November’s general election.

• Key incumbents running: Sheriff Clarence Birkhead, District Attorney Satana Deberry, and Clerk of Superior Court Aminah Thompson have all filed for re-election.

  • Sheriff oversees the county jail, courtroom security, and rural policing, and has wide power over detention policy and cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

  • District Attorney determines which cases are charged, which are diverted, and what plea deals are offered, making the office one of the most influential drivers of local criminal justice outcomes.

  • School Board sets DPS policy, oversees the superintendent, shapes curriculum priorities, and manages the district’s budget, including staffing and facilities decisions.

• Deberry’s controversies: Durham DA Satana Deberry faces renewed scrutiny over attendance records, and firearm-by-felon dismissals, even as she describes the job’s personal toll.

• School board contests: Four DPS seats are open, with early candidates including former member Xavier Cason and principal Jerome Leathers.

• State & federal races: Ballot includes one U.S. Senate seat, U.S. House District 4, all General Assembly seats, and multiple judicial contests.

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Triangle Home Values Cool Sharply

Raleigh’s sharp housing cooldown is spilling into the broader Triangle market, with Zillow data showing about 67% of Raleigh-area homes lost value this year. Local realtors say Durham is seeing early signs of the same trend as inventory rises and buyers gain leverage. The shift marks a dramatic turn from 2023’s price climb and reflects a region-wide surge in new construction, longer listing times, and high mortgage rates that have slowed demand.

• Regional trend: Raleigh saw the steepest local drop, and Durham agents report similar softening as more homes sit on the market and price cuts become more common.

• Supply surge: Raleigh and Charlotte ranked top 10 nationally in new home construction, influencing the broader Triangle.

• Market impact: Sellers now outnumber buyers nationally by a record 37 percent, though most homeowners remain far from being underwater.

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First E-Sports Bar in North Carolina

Bad Machines is a new esports bar in Cary where all games are free with any food or drink purchase, offering Switch consoles at every table, arcade machines, livestreamed tournaments, and weekly retro video-game jam sessions.

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