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DURHAM CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
City Council Regular Meetings and Work Sessions are listed below. You can choose to attend in person in City Council Chambers (101 City Hall Plaza) or via the City’s YouTube channel, Twitter account, Facebook page, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV (via the free Boxcast app), Spectrum channel 8, Google Fiber channel 8, Frontier channel 70, or AT&T U-verse channel 99 in Durham.
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Monday, December 4, 7–10pm—Regular Meeting
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Thursday, December 7, 1–5pm—Work Session
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Monday, December 18, 7–10pm—Regular Meeting
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Tuesday, December 19, 1–5pm—Work Session
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Tuesday, January 2, 7–10pm—Regular Meeting.
Click here to find out how to participate/speak at City
Council Regular Meetings and Work Sessions.
DURHAM BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETINGS
The Durham Board of County Commissioners’ hybrid Meetings and Work Sessions are held in person in the Commissioners’ Chambers (Administration Building, 200 E Main St, 2nd floor) and online via Zoom, the County’s website, YouTube channel, or Spectrum channel 8.
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Monday, November 6, 9am—Work Session
- Monday, November 13, 7pm—Regular Session
- Monday, November 27, 7pm—Regular Session
- Monday, December 4, 9am—Work Session
- Monday, December 11, 7pm—Regular Session.
LEGAL AID OF NORTH CAROLINA
Legal Aid NC will host a free Social Security Disability Listen & Learn on Thursday, November 2, 2:30pm. Learn about the application process and how to prove that you’re entitled to benefits. Attend the clinic on Legal Aid NC’s Facebook page. Free legal assistance is available at 866-219-5262.
Legal Aid NC will host a free Medicaid Eligibility Listen & Learn on Monday, November 6, 2:30pm. Learn what it takes to qualify for this “prepaid health plan.” Watch the webinar on Legal Aid NC’s Facebook page. Free legal assistance is available at 866-219-5262.
Legal Aid NC will host a free Child Custody Listen & Learn on Tuesday, November 14, 2:30pm. Learn all about child visitation rules/agreements. Watch the webinar on Legal Aid NC’s Facebook page. Free legal assistance is available at 866-219-5262.
Legal Aid NC will host a free Simple Divorce Listen & Learn on Thursday, November 16, 2:30pm. Learn about the basics, including property division, spousal support, and alimony. Attend the clinic on Legal Aid NC’s Facebook page. Free legal assistance is available at 866-219-5262.
Legal Aid NC will host a free, special prerecorded Tenant Rights Listen & Learn on Thursday, November 23, 2:30pm. Watch the webinar on Legal Aid NC’s Facebook page. Free legal assistance is available at 866-219-5262.
Legal Aid NC will host a free, special prerecorded Medicaid Rights Listen & Learn on Friday, November 24, noon. Watch the webinar on Legal Aid NC’s Facebook page. Free legal assistance is available at 866-219-5262.
Legal Aid NC will host a free SNAP 101 Listen & Learn on Thursday, November 30, 11am. Learn how to maximize your Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits so that you won’t grow hungry. Watch the webinar on Legal Aid NC’s Facebook page. Free legal assistance is available at 866-219-5262.
Legal Aid NC will host a free Medicaid Eligibility Listen & Learn on Monday, December 4, 2:30pm. Learn what it takes to qualify for this “prepaid health plan.” Watch the webinar on Legal Aid NC’s Facebook page. Free legal assistance is available at 866-219-5262.
Legal Aid NC will host a free Criminal Record Expungement Listen & Learn on Tuesday, December 5, 2:30pm. Learn how to legally remove previous offenses from your record so you can improve your chances of finding a job and seizing new opportunities. Watch the webinar on Legal Aid NC’s Facebook page. Free legal assistance is available at 866-219-5262.
Legal Aid NC will host a free Social Security Disability Listen & Learn on Thursday, December 7, 2:30pm. Learn about the application process and how to prove that you’re entitled to benefits. Attend the clinic on Legal Aid NC’s Facebook page. Free legal assistance is available at 866-219-5262.
CITY OF DURHAM
Click on the calendar to see all of the City of Durham committee, subcommittee, commission, board, and other meetings for the month of November.
DURHAM COUNTY
Click on the calendar to see all of the Durham County committee, commission, advisory council, and other meetings for the month of November.
HOUSING HELPLINE
Legal Aid NC, in partnership with the NC HOPE program, has set up a new statewide Housing Helpline. Call 877-201-6426 to get help with:
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evictions
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landlord refusing rental assistance (like NC HOPE, etc)
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repairs and maintenance
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mobile home evictions
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other landlord-tenant issues
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public and subsidized-housing lease terminations
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housing vouchers (including Section 8).
This service is available Mondays through Thursdays, 8:30am–4pm.
STRAIGHT TALK SUPPORT GROUP
The Straight Talk Support Group is for families of someone who has been recently sentenced, incarcerated, or on parole or probation. Talk about challenges and triumphs with those who share similar journeys and experiences with no judgment. Anyone with an interest in criminal justice, including college students, is also welcome. Click here to visit the website and view all of the programs (and volunteer opportunities); click here to attend via Zoom; call 984-219-1001 for more info or if you have any questions:
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Tuesday, November 14, 7pm
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Tuesday, November 28, 7pm.
DURHAM PAC MEETINGS
602 E Main St, emergency 911, nonemergency 919-560-4600, Crimestoppers 919-560-1300, website:
The PAC (Partners Against Crime) meetings, where you can share information on what’s happening in your community, learn about City and County programs, services, and events, have continued online during the pandemic with virtual meetings on Zoom. (Click here and type in your address if you’re not sure which police district you live in.)
Here’s the PAC meeting schedule:
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PAC 1—in person only; 3rd Saturday (December 16), 10am; Holton Career & Resource Center (401 N Driver St, in the 2nd-floor auditorium)
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PAC 2—in person and online; 2nd Monday (December 11), 6pm; Edison Johnson Recreation Center (500 Murray Ave); click here to attend via Zoom
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PAC 3—in person and online; 2nd Saturday (December 9), 10am; Lyon Park Recreation Center (1309 Halley St); click here to attend via Zoom
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PAC 4—in person and online; 2nd Saturday (December 9), 10am; IR Holmes Sr/Campus Hills Recreation Center (2000 S Alston Ave); click here to attend via Zoom
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PAC 5—in person and online; 2nd Saturday (December 9), 10am; IR Holmes Sr/Campus Hills Recreation Center (2000 S Alston Ave); click here to attend via Zoom.
You can send a request via email to subscribe to your local PAC’s listserv; write for more info and to have your questions answered:
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PAC 1: James Chavis; write to pac.district1@gmail.com
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PAC 2: Bryan Galloway and Rebecca Redd-Jolly; write to PAC2LeadershipTeam@gmail.com; subscribe to the Pac2Durham Facebook page; click here to visit the PAC 2 website
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PAC 3: Mindy Solie and Daryl Mount; write to PAC3LeadershipTeam@gmail.com
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PAC 4: Harold Chestnut and LaManda Pryor; write to DurhamDistrict4PAC@gmail.com
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PAC 5: Harold Chestnut and LaManda Pryor; write to DurhamDistrict4PAC@gmail.com.
MORE FROM LEGAL AID NC
Legal Aid NC announces the NC Homeowner Assistance Fund for those who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’re having trouble paying your mortgage payments and other expenses (such as homeowner Insurance, flood-insurance premiums, homeowners association (HOA) fees, unpaid property taxes, and/or utility payments), can apply for help by calling the Helpline at 866-219-5262 or by visiting the website at nchaf.gov.
Legal Aid NC offers free help to low-income residents in all 100 counties in North Carolina. Here are some of their programs:
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Legal Aid Helpline—help with civil (noncriminal) legal problems; call 866-219-5262 weekdays 8:30am–4:30pm and 5:30–8:30pm on Mondays and Thursdays; or apply online.
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Senior Legal Helpline—help for those age 60+; call 877-579-7562 weekdays 9am–4pm; or apply online.
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NC Navigator Helpline—get help enrolling in affordable health insurance on the Health Insurance Marketplace (HealthCare.gov); call 855-733-3711 weekdays 9am–5pm; or apply online.
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Fair Housing Helpline—get help dealing with housing discrimination; call 855-797-3247 weekdays 9am–5pm; or apply online.
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Battered Immigrant Helpline—immigrants who are victims of domestic violence can get help; call 866-204-7612 on Tuesdays 3:30–7:30pm and Thursdays 9am–1pm; or apply online.
MOBILE JUSTICE SMARTPHONE APP
There’s a new smartphone app called Mobile Justice NC that you can use to monitor and record police actions. We have the right to film the police, but always have your safety in mind when doing so. If an officer says that you’re in the way and tells you to get back, that might not the time to stand your ground and to say that you’re acting within your rights. Learn how to use the zoom-in feature so you can step out of the way and continue filming.
If you’re an activist or member of the media, download this free app and get familiar with Mobile Justice NC’s four features now (as opposed to during the heat of a protest or police action):
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Record—Once you start recording, the audio/video files are automatically emailed to ACLU North Carolina—this makes it impossible to delete what you have filmed from your phone.
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Witness—You have the option of alerting nearby Mobile Justice NC app users so that situations can be captured from more than one point of view.
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Report—You can add details like descriptions, badge numbers, etc, and this data will be transmitted directly to ACLU North Carolina.
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Know Your Rights—Get an overview of your rights as a resident of North Carolina when stopped by law enforcement officers.
Click here to watch a short but in-depth explainer on how the app works (o clique aquí para más information sobre el app Justícia Móvil en español).
DURHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT FORMS
You can also single out an officer who went out of his or her way to be helpful/come to your aid. Click on the badge below for instructions and to fill out the Durham Police Department Commendation Form.
You can make a formal complaint online by filling out the blanks of this form and sending it in. Click on the badge below for instructions and to fill out the Durham Police Department Citizen’s Complaint Form.
NC SAVAN
Crime victims and survivors often feel like they’re sitting on pins and needles while waiting to hear about upcoming trials and to get news on the status of perpetrators. NC SAVAN (North Carolina Statewide Automated Victim Assistance and Notification) is set up to keep them informed. A 24-hour, toll-free telephone number, 877-627-2826, is available for learning about an offender’s status and about victim-assistance resources. You can also call that number to register for the automated victim notification service. Once you’re registered, you can choose whether to get updates via automated telephone messages or emails; you can also download an app for your smart phone. Notifications can be delivered in English or Spanish, or you can have them translated into one of more than 100 available languages.
Click here to register for NC SAVAN or to search for offender information.