Legal Ease & Safety First | Durham Skywriter

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.

Monday, December 1, 7–10pm—Regular Meeting
Monday, January 5, 7–10pm—Regular Meeting
Tuesday, December 16, 1–4pm—Work Session
Tuesday, January 20, 7–10pm—Regular Meeting
Thursday, January 8, 1–4pm—Work Session.

Click here to find out how to participate/speak at City Council Regular Meetings and Work Sessions.

If you missed the latest regular meetings/work sessions, watch the replays here by clicking on the TV over the date you’re looking for:

November 20 Work Session

November 18 UDO Community Meeting

18 Noviembre UDO Reunión

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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.

Monday, December 1, 9am—Work Session
Monday, December 8, 7pm—Regular Session
Monday, January 5, 9am—Work Session
Monday, January 12, 7pm—Regular Session
Monday, January 26, 7pm—Regular Session.

If you missed the latest regular/work sessions, watch the replays here by clicking on the TV over the date you’re looking for:

November 10 Regular Session

2025 State of the County Address

Durham County Government Announcements for December

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY: IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT (ICE)

You might have already heard that ICE agents have been spotted in the area. Many people who have foreign-born neighbors and friends want to know what to do when encountering ICE agents. Know your rights. Here are some instructions from the National Immigrant Justice Center:

English

Spanish/
español

Haitian Creole/kreyól

French/
français

CWS, through the NC Immigrant Solidarity Fund, provides one-time cash grants to undocumented/mixed-status families facing hardship due to ICE detention, deportation, or other emergencies. See the CWS listing on the WORD page. The NC Pro Bono Resource Center offers free/low-cost legal services for people facing immigration issues (including being detained by ICE); click here for more info. The NS State Refugee Office provides various services to refugees, including help with resettlement and public assistance; click here for more info. Learn how to set up and participate in ICE watches and where to attend workshops/webinars about and Fourth Amendment workplaces (agreeing not to allow unreasonable searches and seizures) from Siembra NC. See the Siembra NC listing on the WORD page.

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 December.

DURHAM COUNTY

Click on the calendar to see all of the Durham County committee, commission, advisory council, and other meetings for the month of December.

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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:

evictions
landlord refusing rental assistance (like NC HOPE, etc)
repairs and maintenance
mobile home evictions
other landlord-tenant issues
public and subsidized-housing lease terminations
housing vouchers (including Section 8).

This service is available Mondays through Thursdays, 8:30am–4pm.

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:

PAC 1—in person only; 3rd Saturday (December 20), 10am; Holton Career & Resource Center (401 N Driver St, in the 2nd-floor auditorium)
PAC 2—in person and online; 2nd Monday (December 8), 6pm; Edison Johnson Recreation Center (500 Murray Ave); click here to attend via Zoom
PAC 3—in person and online; 2nd Saturday (December 13), 10am; Lyon Park Recreation Center (1309 Halley St); click here to attend via Zoom
PAC 4—in person and online; 2nd Saturday (December 13), 10am; IR Holmes Sr/Campus Hills Recreation Center (2000 S Alston Ave); click here to attend via Zoom
PAC 5—in person and online; 2nd Saturday (December 13), 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:

PAC 1: James Chavis; write to pac.district1@gmail.com
PAC 2: Zion Tankard and Rebecca Redd-Jolly; write to PAC2LeadershipTeam@gmail.com; subscribe to the Pac2Durham Facebook page; click here to visit the PAC 2 website
PAC 3: Mindy Solie and Daryl Mount; write to PAC3LeadershipTeam@gmail.com
PAC 4: Harold Chestnut and LaManda Pryor; write to DurhamDistrict4PAC@gmail.com
PAC 5: Harold Chestnut and LaManda Pryor; write to DurhamDistrict4PAC@gmail.com.

LEGAL AID OF NORTH CAROLINA

Here are some free, online seminars covering various legal topics:

Legal Aid NC will host an online Criminal Record Expungement Listen & Learn on Tuesday, December 2, 2:30–4:30pm. Learn how to legally remove previous offenses from your record so you can improve your chances of finding a job and seizing new opportunities. Click here for more info and to register. (Click here to learn about the DEAR (the City of Durham’s Durham Expunction & Restoration) program, where people who can’t afford attorneys can get free legal help removing charges and convictions from their criminal records, and restoring suspended or revoked drivers licenses.)
Legal Aid NC will host an online Social Security Disability Listen & Learn on Thursday, December 4, 2:30–4:30pm. Learn about Social Security Disability benefits. Click here for more info and to register

Legal Aid NC will host an online Child Custody Listen & Learn on Tuesday, December 9, 2:30–4pm. Learn all about child visitation rules and agreements. Click here for more info and to register

Legal Aid NC will host an online Tenant Rights Listen & Learn on Tuesday, December 16, 2:30–4:30pm. Learn about your rights and obligations as a residential tenant, how to contact Legal Aid for help, emergency rent assistance, and what to expect from the court process. Click here for more info and to register
Legal Aid NC will host an online Simple Divorce Listen & Learn on Thursday, December 18, 2:30–4:30pm. Learn how to deal with property division, spousal support, alimony, and child custody. Click here for more info and to register.

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:

Tuesday, October 14, 7pm
Tuesday, October 28, 7pm.

By the way, Straight Talk runs a Transitional House (1101 N Mangum St) for men reentering society after being released from prison. They offer not only a place to stay, but they also provide learning opportunities, classes, workshops, and connections to treatment for mental health and substance abuse.

‘SAFE TO CALL’ CAMPAIGN

North Carolina has Good Samaritan laws that protect people who call 911 to save a life even if they themselves are in possession of unlawful substances. Just about seven people in North Carolina die from drug overdoses/alcohol poisoning every day, and the State wants to reduce those numbers. Through the “Safe to Call” campaign, the State wants people to know that they shouldn’t hesitate to call 911 if they’re with someone who’s in danger of ODing. Often they don’t call because they don’t want to be arrested. Anyone (even minors) shouldn’t worry about being taken into custody as long as they’re acting in good faith to save a life and cooperate with law enforcement by giving their names. Click here for more info.

MORE FROM LEGAL AID NC

Breaking news: NC Medicaid has expanded, offering healthcare coverage to people ages 19 to 64 years with higher incomes. If you didn’t qualify before, you should try again. Click here for more info.

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.

Get free Eviction Advice from Legal Aid NC from 9am to noon on weekdays at the Durham County Courthouse (510 S Dillard St, 3rd floor, Room 3200). Have these materials on hand: Your eviction court paperwork, your lease, a ledger (your record of rent payments), and any other paperwork from your landlord or property manager. No appointment is necessary. Call 984-212-4404 or write to durhamhousingteam@legalaidnc.org for more info.

Legal Aid NC offers free help to low-income residents in all 100 counties in North Carolina. Here are some of their programs:

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.
Senior Legal Helpline—help for those age 60+; call 877-579-7562 weekdays 9–11am and 1–3pm; or apply online.
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.
Fair Housing Helpline—get help dealing with housing discrimination; call 855-797-3247 weekdays 9am–5pm; or apply online.
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.

POLICE REPORT

Click on the badge to read the Durham Police Department’s 2024 Fourth Quarter Report covering the period from October 1 through December 31.

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.

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS

Child Protective Services 919-560-8424
Durham County Clerk of Court 919-808-3000
Durham County District Attorney 919-808-3010
Durham County Magistrate 919-560-6826
Durham Crisis Response Center’s 24-hour Crisis Line 919-403-6562, 919-519-3735 [español)
DCRC Family Justice Center 919-450-8970
Jail/Intake Release Information 919-560-0772.