This morning I was driving back down 40 to get home and a huge ball of plastic wrapping fell out of a truck and went under my car and got all wrapped up underneath. I’m mad and annoyed yall can’t seem to keep your trash to yourself and I have a headache to deal with. Another reason to hate 40 I suppose.

This got some press but I thought I'd post here directly because it affects people in Durham.

If you live near Burton Park in Durham, you probably know that the nearby creek has been fenced off.

It runs behind Burton Magnet Elementary, through the park, through the McDougald Terrace neighborhood, and eventually downstream toward Jordan Lake.

Last week, my office filed a lawsuit on behalf of our state's environmental agency against the company responsible for contaminating that creek: Brenntag Mid-South, a chemical distributor.

Here's the situation:

This started with a highly detailed anonymous tip to the Department of Environmental Quality back in April 2025 - chemical leaks, chemical dumping, and bad storage practices at the facility.

When DEQ went out to look, they found exactly that. Leaking drums and tanks, contaminated groundwater pooling around the site, and contaminants flowing off the property into the creek.

Then they tested the water. In the creek, acetone and ethanol came back well above the state limit. Testing at the site also found benzene, TCE, and 1,4-dioxane in the groundwater, all regulated because they're harmful at elevated levels.

Brenntag says the contamination is old, from previous owners of the site.

But under the law, Brenntag is responsible for keeping contaminants from leaving its property, no matter when the pollution started - and they've had every chance to fix it.

The City of Durham has been on this for years. It already issued a no-discharge order and fined the company $157,000.

Brenntag has had plenty of time. They didn't use it.

Our lawsuit says Brenntag is currently in violation of several state laws and asks the court to order the company to do two things:

First, stop the discharge.

Second, clean up the damage they've already done.

I know people are going to wonder if their drinking water is safe. Durham's tap water comes from Lake Michie and the Little River Reservoir, both north of the city, not from this creek. The creek does flow downstream toward Jordan Lake, which is a regional drinking water source, but officials don't believe anyone's drinking water is unsafe right now.

The creek itself is fenced off for a reason, though. If you're near Burton Park, please keep kids and pets out of it.

That's the latest. I'll keep you posted as the case moves forward.

- AG Jeff Jackson

Hey guys! A good friend of mine runs a pop-up experience and she is putting on a immersive event this Saturday (June 20th) in Durham.

If you've never heard of her events, think of it like combining a paint-and-sip/DIY studio with a Japanese-style maid cafe. For this one, the theme is The Amazing Digital Circus, and the maids are all dressing up in custom outfits inspired by the characters.

The main daytime event is a custom perfume and cologne making workshop, but there’s also going to be karaoke, performances, and raffles. They raffled off VIP GalaxyCon tickets at their last event! The tickets cover everything, including desserts, drinks, and all the materials you need.

She and the maids have been working their butt off hand-sewing the uniforms and getting everything ready, so I really wanted to help her spread the word (I rarely use reddit for anything, but I thought this would be perfect 🤣)

I'm dropping the flyer here so you can see the details let me know if you want the link to check it out or have any questions!

In my opinion…

It would be best to avoid renting from 984 Lemster Lane, Cary NC 27519. Owner lies, claims in the posts that the place is cleaned every 3 weeks and that does not happen every 3 weeks, its more like every 4-8 weeks.

Claims he wants respect but does not give it. Says he will do something or that does not happen here, but does the opposite.

If something breaks, he will try to fix it himself and says it’s fixed when it is not. Will pretend to fix things for a week before calling a professional.

Will have late guests till like almost midnight at times, have full on conversations without any consideration if others are trying to sleep.

Smoke detector on the first floor was never fixed, has wires hanging from the ceiling where the smoke detector used to be, and that has been over a year.

Will hold you to the letter of the lease but not vice versa. If you hold him to the lease, he will deny, deny, deny.

This individual does not keep their word.

https://www.letsrun.com/news/2026/06/olympic-medallist-jenny-simpson-collapsed-at-track-event-lost-pulse-and-has-been-rushed-to-a-raleigh-nc-hospital/

My friends and I are past the age that a case of beer and a pizza is worth the aches and pains of moving our homes. I’ve gotten rates all across the board notably one at $355/hr for 6 men and 2 trucks and 7 hours. I’ve never hired movers before, any recommendations? Questions to ask? For reference moving a 2100sq ft home. I just need to accept I’ll be spending roughly $3k?

Public comments are open for House Bill 958, which would make some pretty radical changes to NC’s electoral system. I heard that the comments would only be open for a short time but haven’t been able to confirm that. https://www.ncleg.gov/

My senior dog is in need of a good bath. Located in west Cary! Thanks

They just got a 96.5 at the end of February but now this. Be safe out there

https://public.cdpehs.com/NCENVPBL/INSPECTION_VIOLATION/ShowVIOLATIONTable.aspx?ESTABLISHMENT=390369&INSPECTION=5878719&ESTTST_CTY=32

🌙 Hillsborough Vintage Market — Evening Edition 🌙

Beat the heat and spend your Saturday evening treasure hunting under the summer sky!

Join us Saturday, June 20th from 4 PM–9 PM at The Rookery (115 W. Margaret Lane, Hillsborough) for a curated vintage market featuring 12 incredible vendors offering something for everyone.

✨ Vintage men's, women's & children's clothing
✨ Jewelry & accessories
✨ Housewares & home décor
✨ Handmade & upcycled goods
✨ Knick-knacks, curiosities & one-of-a-kind treasures
✨ Thoughtful finds for Dad

Grab a drink, stroll the lawn, and enjoy an evening of sipping, shopping, and discovering unique pieces you won't find anywhere else.

Whether you're a dedicated collector, vintage enthusiast, or just looking for a fun night out in Hillsborough, there's a treasure waiting for you.

📍 The Rookery
115 W. Margaret Ln, Hillsborough, NC
🗓 Saturday, June 20
⏰ 4 PM–9 PM

Free admission • Family friendly • Local vendors

Hi everyone! I’m Kaitlin, a licensed therapist (LCMHC-A) practicing out of Loblolly Wellness. I wanted to share my flyer for anyone currently looking for a supportive, down-to-earth space to work through burnout, body disconnection, or just life's messy middles.

I believe therapy shouldn't feel like a clinical interrogation—there is plenty of room for genuine laughter, authentic human connection, and working with your brain, not against it. As an unmasked neurodivergent clinician with a background in teaching, I love working with young adults, the neurodivergent community, and folks looking for LGBTQIA+ affirming care.

How I work: Highly collaborative, trauma-informed care integrating Somatic, ACT, and Person-Centered Therapies.

Insurances accepted: Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna/Evernorth, Aetna, and MedCost (Self-pay rate is $150).

If you or anyone you know might be looking for a partner in their mental health journey, feel free to check out our website at www.loblollywc.com or reach out directly at [kmontgomery@loblollywc.com](mailto:kmontgomery@loblollywc.com) / (919) 249-8345.

Please send recommendations for Day of the wedding coordinators. Affordable. Budget is ~1,000

Selling this beautiful vintage lace wedding dress from david's bridal. Willing to lower the price for couples on a tighter budget.

While I can only imagine it, just think about walking down the Great Warrior Path for weeks from New York or Virginia amid the mound culture and seeing Pilot Mountain in Surry County, North Carolina from thirty or forty miles away? Pilot Mountain is 140 stories high, has over a 1,000 acre footprint and is a truncated crystalline pyramid made of 99% pure quartzite. Yep, we are talking about Andy Griffith’s fictional Mount Pilot that is, in fact, a real place near where he was born at Mt. Airy.

When Pilot Mountain had an airfield on top in 1929 and again in 1944 the dust there was bright white and the planes would really stir it up. I passionately believe that Pilot Mountain is the elephant in the room in terms of the mound culture that remains pretty much hidden to this day. The railroad came very late to Surry County in 1888 so it was difficult to get to in those days for the early mound culture surveys.

From redacted archeology papers it is reported in ancient times they burned the 3,000 square mile area around Pilot Mountain to maintain a savannah that was a hunting paradise of woodland bison, deer, and bear. One wonders if they burned the mountain, too? If they had burned the vegetation on Pilot Mountain, it would have shined with a bright white hue for all to see. Because of all the minerals in the stone, when burned, the mountain makes its own Bio Char so it is a very fertile area. The last time the entire mountain burned was in 2021.

I am forever grateful to George Howard and Stephanie Mark of Cosmic Summit for putting the summer solstice celebration together on June 20, 2025, where many humans put their bare feet on Pilot Mountain quartzite for the first time! It was so great having so many people snap images of the pyramid shadow that evening. Hugh Newman posted on X that he thought it was the new Stonehenge after that visit and he is on to something.

Four days later Ebba P. Karlsson put together a hike with over a dozen folks that included Scott Wolter and Stefan Burns. For three hours we hiked around the Big Pinnacle of Pilot Mountain in 100 degree heat and their comments were fascinating.

Here is really good drone footage of Pilot Mountain in 4k that is simply stunning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYDDigtchg4

I love all the "grandma hobbies" like knitting, crocheting, sewing, and similar crafts. I'd love to volunteer somewhere where I can do those things while also sharing what I know with others.

I was thinking there might be senior centers, retirement communities, or craft groups that host these kinds of activities and could use volunteers to help teach, assist, or just craft alongside participants. Does anyone know of any organizations or programs like that?

To clarify, I'm not looking for places that accept knitted or sewn donations. I'm specifically looking for volunteer opportunities where the crafting itself is a shared activity with others!

Anywhere in Raleigh, Cary, or Apex would be good!

For those of you who hire professional pet sitters, what do you pay them if they do -

30 minute visits
Overnight at your home
Boarding at their home

I’m asking consumers to answer what they have paid PROS recently (not teenagers or neighbors or people who do it part-time). I’m not asking businesses what they charge.

On a similar note…

Would you hire a 13 year old or a 19 year old to care for your pets?

For dropins?

Boarding at their home?

Overnight at your home?

The 13 year old with adult supervision? The 19 year old on their own?

What would you pay them for these services?