[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6493392,"mediaKeyId","5590329-ff1b7fe74c1a2c20c31f72ea4aba54d4","parentId",5590329,"title","Officials describe emergency response, recovery after Tropical Depression Chantal flooded Eno River","audioSeconds",2093,"startMs",8244000,"endMs",10337000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590329-ff1b7fe74c1a2c20c31f72ea4aba54d4&start=8244&end=10337","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590329-ff1b7fe74c1a2c20c31f72ea4aba54d4/thumbnail_8244000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6493392/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Officials-describe-emergency-response-recovery-after-Tropical-Depression-Chantal-flooded-Eno-River","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493392-caf0ff09b37acbb769305a57433a3a42/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098524&Signature=WCWmB7QNnxxkibs6N~eQ73jJx2tn8lZpt19aeCJTejgRMqOWLGQ5WffRaVshSCRpXKqF-bBNdFY8eiHhLDi3hpwkb-1kyyTE-PwXDX~CgDiIRpTtKVqTyEixn-K77M-H~A0LidA-a~Uy8YIoh84HQuaQS~o4Ijyp7OsrOMkEUQDEyS5Ach6Es3XGjZQGDqy0KAWaEFBD0guZBzOahTIgVBDS8q38hZc8QkYis3DZsYmzRcOIcdH3HLh3u8T3yO035PS5RjquD2V8GVDCOBisdiRZxmTHcaBJBYTTCD6sk3lqpWGMUqwMDdUq68MK7~BODczxD7wQ5lrX5dbXlfK5pQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Durham County","date","2025-08-15T15:04:28Z","article","Durham emergency-management officials provided a timeline and operations update on Aug. 12 describing response and recovery after Tropical Depression Chantal inundated sections of the Eno River basin in early July, producing historically high river levels, dozens of rescues and a multi‑agency recovery effort.

Deputy Chief of Emergency Management Nathan Sanders said the storm formed off Florida on July 4, strengthened to Tropical Storm Chantal, made landfall in South Carolina on July 6 and produced heavy rainfall over Durham on the night of July 7. Sanders said the Eno River gauge approached and exceeded historically high levels: “At about 01:55, the Eno Crested at 25.63 feet,” Sanders reported, noting the last similar high-water level was during Hurricane Fran in 1996.

Immediate response: Durham’s emergency operations center monitored the weather and notified partner agencies. Fire department crews conducted water rescues at impacted locations; Sanders said the fire department performed 81 water rescues and that emergency management identified households in need of shelter. The initial response located five households requiring emergency housing; subsequent canvassing identified about 15 additional households who were placed in noncongregate emergency housing while the county coordinated case management with the American Red Cross.

Damage assessment and recovery centers: Local officials conducted preliminary damage assessments and hosted a joint preliminary damage assessment with FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and North Carolina Emergency Management on July 16. The board approved a no‑cost agreement required by the SBA on July 28 that allowed opening of a disaster recovery site. Sanders said the disaster recovery center opened at the North Regional Library on July 30; as of the joint update about 40 individuals had visited the site and federal and state agencies were providing application and case‑management services.

State and federal steps: Gov. Roy Cooper (referenced by county staff) issued a State Type 1 disaster declaration for individual assistance on Aug. 5, enabling North Carolina Emergency Management to support individual assistance on site in Durham. The SBA also provided on‑site assistance under its authorities. Sanders said city and county emergency‑management staff continue to coordinate communications, shared canvassing and recovery services and to support resident access to federal programs.

After‑action items and improvements: Staff identified strengths — rapid field response, the Durham Heart team’s community outreach and use of Durham 1 Call for resident reports — and areas for improvement, including a standardized situational‑reporting format, improved river‑gauge alert procedures specific to the Eno and expanded 24/7 monitoring of flood indicators. Sanders said the county has added an opt‑in Alert Durham notification subgroup for Eno flood alerts and that about 22 residents had signed up for that targeted messaging as of the meeting.

Ending: Officials said they will continue recovery operations, maintain the disaster recovery center, and coordinate with state and federal partners on assistance eligibility. Elected leaders thanked first responders for water rescues and urged continued attention to flood‑map updates, stormwater and debris‑management planning as the county adapts to more extreme precipitation events.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOCC/City Council/BOE Join Meeting for Tuesday, August 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Durham emergency-management officials said Tropical Depression Chantal produced historic flooding of the Eno River on July 7, prompting 81 water rescues, emergency housing for displaced households and a disaster recovery center; state and federal agencies have been engaged to deliver individual assistance.","taxTitle","Durham County, North Carolina","taxId",5765,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6493397,"Durham advances school-area safety: crossing‑guard pilot, bike-and-walk plan and transit tweaks",3075,5614000,8689000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590329-ff1b7fe74c1a2c20c31f72ea4aba54d4&start=5614&end=8689","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590329-ff1b7fe74c1a2c20c31f72ea4aba54d4/thumbnail_5614000.jpg","/articles/6493397/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durham-advances-school-area-safety-crossingguard-pilot-bike-and-walk-plan-and-transit-tweaks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493397-3cff47bbd5fc3250fdc38ee6bab09edb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098524&Signature=mIJgylPL~dlkplKsKmrAgQkizUVBCsUck0bAoKKQCRM2pbdlWeNz16XaUzZ~L4762IZNvMaiyj5o~IglaCJDEiM3fgGuST4RP3sjKVV0Uosnhy3cxr6WcJtTsYcwJVpdHMxUr4XhJpt~ugv5ibztSFeH~hKbdF4TQRf6i3Kdd8DGZvbSeG5JIwX2VTrZo9~WcvNr6BNVYgb~fUBb9jxCEWGxuu7OTKSPDnF2u3G2YSgmIWijqSdCVmfjZG8dK~Cl06aoOudYghbmRDG-Ez-ODmuJrPNGJ2zDAO2HynNNtNbcYool5MdHb03kmLcU2kwDXNKSPP-LfMHCWjQ~g5fFyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City, county and Durham Public Schools transportation staff reported coordinated steps on Aug. 12 to improve walking, biking and transit access to schools, including a short‑term crossing‑guard pilot, the start of a second public engagement round on a joint bike-and-walk plan, and scheduled adjustments to public transit routes that affect high-school connections.

Kristen Brookshire, transportation planner for Durham Public Schools, said the district has collaborated with the city and county on a range of school‑area safety measures, including nine recently installed crosswalk flashing beacons at elementary-school locations and a Safe Routes to School education program that produced walking-maps for 21 elementary schools. Brookshire said a crossing‑guard pilot is about to begin this fall after a kickoff meeting with a contractor.

City Transportation Director Sean Egan said the city has a new crossing-guard contract and is working to staff four new crossing-guard locations at Hope Valley Elementary, C.C. Spalding Elementary, Sandy Ridge Elementary and Y.E. Smith Elementary, with positions expected to be staffed by the end of the month. Egan said, “We have a new contract. The contractor is hiring and training staff right now, and we're working to get staff, at 4 new sites.”

Near-term transit changes: Egan said GoDurham Route 5 will change on Aug. 23 to offer improved connections for Jordan High School and that the city is working to increase Southern High School’s bus service from hourly service to every 30 minutes by the end of the calendar year.

Bike-and-walk planning: Ellen Beckman of Durham County presented a status update on a joint city‑county bike and walk plan. Beckman said the study will publish a draft list of 50 corridors, 50 sidewalk gaps and 50 intersections for public feedback in mid‑September; that list will be narrowed to 25 items in each category for the final plan. She described recurring school-area concerns, including issues at Jordan, Hillside, Northern, Riverside, Southern, Hope Valley Elementary and Forest View Elementary, and noted the county’s involvement is intended to clarify maintenance and funding responsibilities for sidewalks that cross city–county boundaries.

Rail-trail planning: Beckman also said a Durham-to‑Roxboro rail‑trail study is underway to examine conversion of an 18‑mile unused rail corridor into a greenway connecting northern Durham schools and communities; the study’s second public engagement round was set to begin during the weeks after the meeting.

Safe Routes and school materials: Brookshire said DPS will distribute physical transit guides and walking-route materials to schools for open house events, provide planning materials for principals linking Safe Routes to school curricula, and continue to offer transit‑planning support and student engagement opportunities.

Next steps and evaluation: Staff said the crossing‑guard pilot’s evaluation will examine recruitment, retention and compensation to ensure sustainable coverage, and that lessons learned will inform a unified plan among the city, county, police and DPS. Beckman said the bike‑and‑walk plan will produce policy recommendations including a project‑delivery study to speed construction of sidewalk and crossing projects.

Ending: Transportation staff agreed to provide written materials and timelines from the bike‑and‑walk plan and transit changes to all elected officials and to coordinate future briefings. City and county officials encouraged public engagement on draft corridor and gap lists when the fall outreach begins.","Durham Public Schools, city and county transportation staff reported progress on several initiatives including a crossing‑guard pilot, a second public engagement round for a joint bike-and-walk plan, and near-term GoDurham service changes to improve student transit connections.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6493402,"Durham leaders outline $276 million in youth spending, warn of gaps as ARPA funds end",381,2139000,2520000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590329-ff1b7fe74c1a2c20c31f72ea4aba54d4&start=2139&end=2520","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590329-ff1b7fe74c1a2c20c31f72ea4aba54d4/thumbnail_2139000.jpg","/articles/6493402/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durham-leaders-outline-276-million-in-youth-spending-warn-of-gaps-as-ARPA-funds-end","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493402-03b5b0d08ce574a5f58b2a7d2f2565ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098524&Signature=aXtwYG85dAht0KO85IBpuQwWVJITxqa9pu84KkFW0hkhhwcI5N~0S8CpjQsN6C8k89MEVxHpWcg~mOfL3t0c4UqOj7Ob~7aepBguJqqE~Ir-AoJRgXu5V0He-ZjCs-7SX0jQeFCM75YvtRkq47SOQKeVM83pWpan5hKh-UMHAEYaay3XIhSLxPudpvVVk56DWQ1GXTCK-likAU7JexPKuNc4f3k9VRAW4jYM040GbZmPmOSMtzg7VWi4lFanZ21Qc0xsaPWYuNoJ43HeB~EVcw0~hJGdn4hKHbLn-NuzF9nuE4~acB7chFnW-QVH2hBKaEX5AU~z4L1SIm1RCKoCvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Durham County officials told a joint meeting of Durham County, the City of Durham and Durham Public Schools on Aug. 12 that the county currently budgets roughly $276,000,000 a year for youth-related services — about 40% of the county general fund — and that one-time federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) investments supporting after-school and wraparound services are winding down.

Manager Cheryl Hager, identified in the meeting as county manager, said, “But talking about the budgeted amount that the county has in general for youth spending, that's a broad definition for the current approximately $276,000,000. That's approximately 40% of our general fund budget.” She added that Durham Public Schools accounts for the largest share of that total at about $224,000,000 and that school-related debt service adds another roughly $61,000,000 for 2025–26.

Why it matters: elected officials and agency leaders said many of the county’s ARPA-funded programs — used for school capital, after-school programming, school nurses and direct academic supports — were one-time investments and that local partners will face service gaps when the money runs out. County staff and elected leaders urged coordinated data collection across jurisdictions to quantify youth served and to plan a joint approach for scarce future dollars.

County staff outlined ARPA commitments of roughly $17,600,000 toward youth. Manager Hager and staff described the distribution as including about $6,000,000 for school capital investments, $5,100,000 for direct instructional supports (including a $3,000,000 award for a local academy named in materials), $2,400,000 for child care and wraparound services, and smaller grants totaling about $2,100,000 across 17 nonprofit awards. Hager warned that many of the nonprofit recipients have “expended almost all of their dollars,” creating a near-term funding cliff.

Elected officials from the city and county, school board members and nonprofit leaders pressed staff for more data. Council Member Claudia Caballero asked whether the county could report how many youth were served by ARPA-funded programs; Hager said that Treasury reporting exists for ARPA grants and that the county would provide further information. Board member Joy (identified as a nonprofit operator who had administered ARPA-funded programs) said grassroots providers used funding intensively but now face reporting burdens, space shortages and transportation challenges as the grants close.

Durham Public Schools officials joined the discussion. Dr. Danner, presenting for DPS’s Community Education, described the district’s licensed before- and after-school programs and an eight-site pilot to operate some after-school programs under a non-state-licensed model to increase staffing and capacity. Dr. Danner said DPS “currently operate[s] 28 programs” and reported three‑year total enrollment figures across programs of 4,904 (4,251 at elementary level; 653 at middle-school ENCORE sites), with the elementary program serving roughly 10% of district elementary students and middle-school programs serving about 4%.

City staff and Durham Parks and Recreation described existing city-run after-school and teen drop-in programs and the city’s interest in partnering to expand services. Rokia Womack of Durham Parks and Recreation said teen programs are now largely drop-in, free, and operate at three sites; the department reported about 6,380 check-ins last fiscal year with 127 unique teen users and said it expects to exceed that number this year. City and county speakers agreed to return with an analytic strategy that maps current programs, locations, populations served and funding timelines to inform budgeting decisions.

What officials said they would do next: County manager Hager said the county intends to revisit its nonprofit allocation process to explore options for sustaining high‑impact programs. Multiple elected officials requested a joint data package — separated by age group where possible — showing total youth served across city, county, school and nonprofit providers, locations of services and timelines tied to budget cycles so elected leaders can consider funding decisions in time for upcoming budget processes.

Quotes and context: Council Member Claudia Caballero asked for service counts for program planning: “Is there a way we could get information on how many youth were served in these programs?” Dr. Danner said DPS would provide enrollment and capacity numbers and staff later said DPS does not currently track detailed demographic data for after‑school enrollments but could provide school‑level counts. County staff noted that ARPA reporting to the U.S. Treasury will supply some enrollment numbers for ARPA‑funded grants.

Ending: Officials agreed to follow up with coordinated data requests and a proposal for a joint strategy. County staff said they would return with a suggested approach for cross‑jurisdictional data collection and an outline of the nonprofit allocation review. Elected leaders emphasized aligning subsequent briefings with budget schedules to ensure policy choices can be made in time for the next fiscal cycle.","County staff told the joint Durham County–City–Schools meeting that the county spends roughly $276 million a year on youth-related services—about 40% of the general fund—while one-time ARPA investments totaling about $17.6 million are ending, prompting calls for coordinated data and planning to close an emerging funding gap.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Officials describe emergency response, recovery after Tropical Depression Chantal flooded Eno River

Durham advances school-area safety: crossing‑guard pilot, bike-and-walk plan and transit tweaks

Durham leaders outline $276 million in youth spending, warn of gaps as ARPA funds end