Daily editionFriday, October 16th, 2026
Good morning, Durham.
The 5AM Durham Team
Here’s your local news at a glance for Friday, the 16th of October.
Education
Parents and students at Riverside High School met with Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis on Thursday night after 14 lockdowns disrupted classes and raised safety concerns; officials said repeated misuse of an anonymous tip line may be behind the threats.
ABC11Read more
Government
Durham’s Housing Sprints helped 104 residents, including 50 children, secure stable homes with 98% staying housed after three rounds, officials announced on Oct. 15.
The city will launch another Sprint on Nov. 1 to support more people transitioning from homelessness (HOPE Team lead).
Spectacular MagazineRead more
Durham voters at NC Central University marched from St. Joseph's AME Church to the Turner Law Building as early voting for local and state races continues through 3 p.m. Oct. 31 — NC Central will host its Soar to the Polls event later to boost student participation.
ABC11Read more
Health
On Thursday night, the Joy, Grief and Motherhood event gathered mothers, advocates and community leaders in Durham to share stories of pregnancy loss (on International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day).
The fundraiser highlighted Equity Before Birth’s efforts to improve maternal health outcomes for Black and Brown mothers.
ABC11Read more
Sports
A new WRAL/WSOC poll shows 63% of North Carolina adults have not wagered on sports since betting was legalized in 2024—bettors placed $15.7 billion by August and a record $791 million in November.
The survey was conducted Oct. 7–11.
WRALRead more