🌳 Durham approves $772M Budget for 2025-26

Good morning, Durham! ☀️

Brunch tip before we dive in: swing by Lutra’s Sunday pop-up inside Cheeni for what might be the best brunch in town. The bread pudding alone is worth skipping the line elsewhere.

When you’ve carb-loaded to contentment, loosen those shoulders at Third Path Massage, where Thai bodywork blends deep stretch with deep nap. Your spine will thank you.

Today’s issue is a brisk four-minute read: we’ve got the city’s new $772 million budget, a Durham startup’s billion-dollar leap, nine can’t-miss events, and a fresh blueberry field ripe for picking.

Let’s get to it.

— Jordan Parker

Durham Approves $772M Budget for 2025-26

Durham City Council has adopted a $772 million spending plan for fiscal year 2025-26. An 8 percent jump over last year, aimed at bolstering community-safety programs, raising employee pay, extending fare-free transit, and funding major water, sewer, and park projects.

• Property Tax Hike: New rate is 43.71 ¢ per $100 of value—about $1,814 a year for a median $415 K home.

• Community Safety Push: Adds 17 HEART crisis-response positions and continues DEAR, eviction-diversion, and immigrant-defense support.

• Parks & Transit Upgrades: $43 M aquatic center, $42 M greenway link, $7 M park soil cleanup, and $17 M for expanded bus service.

Bottom line: Residents will pay higher taxes now, but city leaders argue the boost buys safer streets, nicer parks, and more reliable services as Durham grows.

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Teamworks Valued at $1 B After Raise

Teamworks, a Durham sports-tech firm, secured $235 million in new capital led by Dragoneer Investment Group, pushing the company’s valuation to $1 billion and vaulting it into the Triangle’s unicorn club.

• Large Capital Infusion: One of the region’s biggest deals this year arrives despite a national venture-funding slowdown.

• Wide Adoption: The platform serves more than 6,500 groups, including every NFL team and 90 percent of MLB clubs.

• AI Expansion Plan: New funding will fuel artificial-intelligence tools built on the firm’s vast athlete-data sets.

Bottom line: The investment spotlights Durham’s growing pull in sports technology and signals fresh jobs and innovation for the local economy.

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PAC Probe Targets Durham Black Affairs Group

The Political Action Committee of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People is under investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation for alleged financial irregularities, following the sudden resignation of four leaders and the appointment of a new chair and vice chair.

• New Leadership Installed: Former judge William “Drew” Marsh and ex-commissioner Brenda Howerton were tapped to steady the PAC.

• Money Questions: A CPA review of 2023-25 bank records flagged possible misappropriation, prompting a formal request for a criminal inquiry.

• SBI on the Case: The agency’s financial-crimes unit opened an investigation at the Durham district attorney’s request; no one has been charged.

Bottom line: The probe threatens the credibility of a historically influential political group just as local races heat up, putting its endorsement power in doubt.

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Red Phone Booth Speakeasy Coming Downtown Durham

Red Phone Booth, a Prohibition-era–inspired speakeasy brand with locations in Atlanta, Miami, and Nashville, will launch its first North Carolina outpost in downtown Durham by late 2025 or early 2026, complete with a secret phone-booth entrance, craft cocktails, and a cigar lounge.

• Secret Entrance: Guests step into a red London phone booth and dial a nightly code to slip inside an unmarked door.

• Local Owners: Durham dentists Ralph Mensah and Michael Thomas will run the 4,000-square-foot bar and lounge.

• Membership Perks: Tiered plans from $400 to $4,000 offer cigar humidors, sofa reservations, and other VIP benefits.

Bottom line: The high-end concept boosts Durham’s nightlife cachet and shows continued demand for immersive hospitality experiences downtown.

Read More >>

It’s Blueberry Season, Y’all!

The team behind Parker & Otis has been nursing a one-acre patch in Bahama, and the field finally opens for pick-your-own blueberries!

Expect five never-sprayed, organically fed varieties that ripen in waves through early August. Regular hours follow the soft-launch: Saturdays and Sundays 8 am–noon and Wednesday evenings 5–8 pm. Berries run $6 per pound (keep the picking bucket for an extra $3). Bring sun protection, check Instagram before you roll for schedule tweaks, and taste summer straight off the branch.

Visit »

Some Like It Hot
DPAC – Durham Performing Arts Center
Tue Jun 17 – Sun Jun 22, various showtimes
Broadway’s jazzy musical comedy adapts the classic film for a six-night run.

Music Near the Gardens: Anjimile & Speed Stick
Duke University East Campus Lawn
Wed Jun 18, 7pm (free)
Indie folk meets art-rock in a sunset set under the trees.

Carolina Flyers vs. Houston Havoc (Harry Potter Night)
Durham County Memorial Stadium
Fri Jun 20, 7 pm
Ultimate Frisbee clash with costumes, wand-worthy prizes, and house pride contests.

Aimee Mann: “Lost in Space” Anniversary Tour
Carolina Theatre of Durham
Fri Jun 20, 8pm
Grammy winner revisits her 2002 classic album, joined by Jonathan Coulton.

Lakewood Market
Lakewood Social, 1920 Chapel Hill Rd.
Sat Jun 21, 11am–3pm (free)
Thrift-A-Bull brings 30+ vintage and craft vendors, music, and food trucks.

Durham Refugee Day
Durham Central Park
Sat Jun 21, 3pm – 6pm (free)
Global music, dance, and resource booths celebrate the city’s refugee communities.