CityLife

The condition of our streets consistently ranks among the top three concerns for Durham residents when it comes to City-provided services. In our new City Life episode, Host Beverly B. Thompson talks with Assistant Director Tasha Johnson and Contract Management Supervisor Clint Blackburn in our Public Works Department Engineering Services Division. They discuss what to expect from the 2023 Pavemen...

A bustling downtown full of people enjoying themselves, shopping at local businesses, and doing their part to support the local economy in an extremely fun way. In our new #CityLife, Host Beverly B. Thompson talks with President and CEO Nicole Thompson with @DowntownDurham and Sean Umstead with @kingfisherdurm about how downtown’s new social district is well on its way to achieving that vision. Ab...

Sustainability in City Operations Environmental stewardship isn’t just an important concept for us here at the City of Durham, it is a guiding principle for much of what we do as we plan and build our physical and environmental assets. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Summer Alston and Amy Armbruster about the City of Durham’s sustainability efforts as Durham does its par...

Bridging Communication Barriers Doing everything that we can to bridge communication barriers is an important goal here at the City of Durham. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with our Language Access Plan Coordinator Mishel Gómez Céspedes and President and CEO of El Centro Hispano Pilar Rocha-Goldberg about how we’re working to achieve this goal and why it’s so important.

The work of Durham’s Emergency Communications Center, better known as 9-1-1, is critical. How quickly a call is answered, the information they provide, as well as the information the caller provides, can mean the difference between life and death. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Randy Beeman, Emergency Communications Center Director, and Assistant Director Tangela Walker...

The City of Durham is now offering new responses to serious, possibly life-threatening mental health problems in ways that may not involve law enforcement. In our new City Life episode, Host Beverly B. Thompson talks with Director Ryan Smith and Clinical Manager Abena Bediako with our Community Safety Department about efforts to make sure our residents are getting the right help they need, when th...

For those who have been involved with the justice system and are now working to get their life back on track, getting a job and finding decent housing can be a challenge. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Courtney McCollum, Justice Involved Initiatives Manager for the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and Syretta Hill, Executive Director of StepUp Durham about h...

To make sure that all residents get the chance to attend the great performances that two of Durham’s renowned arts venues have to offer, they both are offering special arts programming for those who might not otherwise have the chance to attend. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Megan Rindoks, Community Engagement Manager for DPAC, and Noel James, Senior Director of Educat...

While the pandemic isn’t in any of our rearview mirrors just yet, thanks to the perseverance and creativity of our businesses, downtown is coming back. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Downtown Durham Incorporated President and CEO Nicole Thompson about how downtown is recovering from the challenges of the past two years. About CityLife CityLife, a talk show that features...

While having a woman of color as mayor is a first for Durham, blazing trails is nothing new for Elaine O’Neal. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Mayor O’Neal about how she’s tearing down barriers and building a legacy of leadership around complex and difficult issues. About CityLife CityLife, a talk show that features information on current City issues and upcoming events,...

Equitable engagement for all Durham residents is one of the primary goals for the Community Engagement Division of the Neighborhood Improvement Services Department. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Neighborhood Improvement Services Equitable Community Engagement Strategist Laura Biediger and Angel Iset Dozier, President of Be Connected Durham about their work to achieve t...

New Police Chief Patrice Andrews started her career here 26 years ago, and now, she’s back in one of the weightiest positions in our organization. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Chief Andrews to find out more about who she is and what lies ahead for her in her new role. About CityLife CityLife, a talk show that features information on current City issues and upcoming ev...

After decades spent in service to the Durham community, former Mayor Steve Schewel is stepping back. Despite that though, his positive impacts are sure to be felt for generations to come. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Mayor Schewel about his time in office and in service to our city.   About CityLife CityLife, a talk show that features information on current City issue...

It’s a busy time for our Parks and Recreation Department. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Wade Walcutt, Director of Durham Parks and Recreation about the many recreation renovations and projects that are going on throughout Durham and why they’re so important for us all. About CityLife CityLife, a talk show that features information on current City issues and upcoming ev...

The Forever Home, Durham program has been busy over the past six months funding new affordable housing developments and renovations as well as providing support services for those facing eviction or homelessness. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Reginald Johnson, Director of the Community Development Department and Anthony Scott, Chief Executive Officer of the Durham Hous...

It’s time to start turning the winning projects for the second cycle of our Participatory Budgeting process from proposals into reality. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Interim Assistant Budget Director Andrew Holland and Dr. Harvey Hinton, the Executive Director of a local nonprofit organization called CAARE. His organization is one of this cycle’s grant recipients. Bot...

If there’s one thing almost all drivers agree on, it’s that we want to drive on smooth, pot-hole free roads. That’s exactly what the City wants to happen too, but maintaining and repairing Durham’s streets has to be done in a way that is based on research and real data. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Project Manager for this year’s Pavement Condition Index Survey Bayan...

Meet Durham City Manager Wanda Page Wanda Page has long been a well-respected presence within Durham’s City government. Now, she is our city’s new City Manager. In this CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with her about her new position as well as how she hopes to lead the city in addressing many of the challenges it’s currently facing.

The coming year is going to be an exciting one for public transportation in Durham as the GoDurham Better Bus Project lays the foundation for a greatly improved rider experience. In this new CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Transportation Department Director Sean Egan and Jackie Turner with J. Turner Consulting about what the project is and why public input will be playing such a...

With the passage of the $95 million Affordable Housing Bond in November of 2019, Durham voters made a commitment to making affordable housing for all city’s residents a priority. That money is being combined with other local and federal funding for a total of $160 million to support the City’s Affordable Housing Investment Program. In this new CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Dir...

There is a big push across the country right now to make sure that responses by law enforcement and other first responders align with the needs of the community. In this new CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Assistant Budget Director of Strategy and Performance for the City of Durham Monica Chaparro and RTI International Research Analyst Brian Aagaard to find out how Durham and ot...

It’s hard to believe, but it’s been nearly a year since Coronavirus and COVID-19 became household words. In this new CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Katie Galbraith, Co-Chair of the Durham Recovery and Renewal Task Force and President of Duke Regional Hospital and Durham County Health Director Rod Jenkins about where we are now in Durham and how we can continue to keep ourselves...

Following the retirement of Tom Bonfield, Durham is in the middle of the search for a new City Manager. In this new CityLife episode, host Beverly Thompson talks with Mayor Steve Schewel about the importance of the search process and the way in which it’s being conducted. About CityLife CityLife, a talk show that features information on current City issues and upcoming events, airs daily on Durham...