Daily editionWednesday, September 23rd, 2026
Good morning, Durham.
The 5AM Durham Team
Here’s your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 23rd of September.
Education
A WalletHub report ranked North Carolina 44th for teachers as Durham Public Schools reduced vacancies from 100 to 74.
Superintendent Lewis delivered the State of the District address Tuesday at Northern High School—highlighting efforts to recruit and retain educators amid low starting pay.
ABC11Read more
Finance
Consumers in Durham can compare several loan offers + lower their financing costs before purchasing a new or used car, following advice from Consumer Reports.
WRALRead more
Government
Wake County Board of Commissioners approved the proposed WakeMed-Atrium Health merger on Sept. 22, though North Carolina Treasurer Brad Briner opposed it; details on next steps for the health system will be announced soon.
WRALRead more
Health
Duke will begin a 2027 policy tying health insurance premiums to salary so that employees in lower bands face smaller increases.
The university will hold sessions and offer online tools ahead of Open Enrollment from Oct. 12 to Oct. 30.
Duke TodayRead more
Lifestyle
Buster, a charming senior beagle from Triangle Beagle Rescue, was featured as Pet of the Day on Sept. 22.
The house-trained & crate-trained dog is ready to find his forever home.
WRALRead more
Sports
ESPN announced that former Army starting guard and college basketball analyst Chris Spatola (aged 47) died suddenly, and his work at West Point and with Duke continues to inspire local sports fans.
ABC11Read more
Coach Brind'Amour said his team got their feet wet in a preseason win - the result sparks confidence as they prepare for the regular season.
WRALRead more
Charlie Cerrato said his win tonight was a lot of fun after his team clinched a competitive game (more details on the match are pending).
Further updates on upcoming games are expected soon.
WRALRead more