Today is Day Two of early voting in North Carolina. In Durham, a big endorsement just came in: outgoing mayor Bill Bell has endorsed Farad Ali to replace him. (Ali is running against Steve Schewel.)

Mayor Bell also endorsed incumbent City Council member Cora Cole-McFadden for reelection. She’s running against DeDreana Freeman in Ward One; both candidates are popular and that vote is likely to be close.

XXX

Election season also means lots of campaign signs – and also lots of complaints from candidates about their signs being torn down or vandalized. So many complaints, in fact, that the Chapel Hill Police Department just sent out a notice reminding everyone that it’s illegal to tamper with campaign signs. If a sign is lawfully placed, it’s a misdemeanor to steal it, remove it, deface it or vandalize it. (It’s also, you know, morally wrong.)

If you see anyone tampering with signs, contact police.

XXX

If you love the leaves changing color in the fall, you are not alone: officials say this weekend is likely to be the busiest weekend of the year for traffic on the Blue Ridge Parkway. (Traffic usually peaks around the third weekend in October.)

If you’re heading to the Parkway, be careful – there’s always a spike in accidents in October as well, for exactly the same reason.

XXX

And congratulations to Carrboro Alderman Damon Seils – just honored earlier this month by the NC AIDS Action Network as one of their Advocates of the Year. Only three people statewide won that honor. NCAAN executive director Lee Storrow called Seils a “consistent advocate for those living with HIV in our state.”

Related Stories
‹
For NC AIDS Action Network, Tuesday Is "Advocacy Day"
Activists with the NC AIDS Action Network will promote HIV prevention and treatment programs at the NCGA.
Democracy, The Power Elite, And The State Senate Race
Was the recent State Senate appointment kerfuffle an exception to the rule in local democracy? Or was it closer to the rule than we'd like to think?
The Filing Period For 2026 Elections is Over. Who’s Running in Chatham County?
The filing period for races in North Carolina began on Monday. Here's who has declared intentions to run in Chatham County so far.
Hillsborough Commissioners Kathleen Ferguson and Robb English Retain Board Seats
The two commissioners will retain their seats on the board after being re-elected. Both candidates ran in uncontested races.
Gov. Stein Requests $13.5B More From Congress for Hurricane Helene Recovery
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein on Monday requested $13.5 billion more from Congress in recovery aid for Hurricane Helene almost a year after the historic storm.
Trump Vows To Change How Elections Are Run. The US Constitution Doesn’t Give Him That Power
President Donald Trump vowed more changes to how U.S. elections are conducted. But there is little to nothing a president can do on his own.
Canada’s Liberals Celebrate a Stunning Win and the Populist Challenger Loses His Seat
The Liberals are projected to win more of Canada's Parliament’s 343 seats than the Conservatives, although perhaps not an outright majority.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Is Sworn in Despite Credible Evidence of Election Loss
President Nicolás Maduro was sworn in Friday, despite credible evidence that his opponent won the latest election in Venezuela.
Several States Are Making Late Changes to Election Rules, Even as Voting Is Set To Begin
New or recently altered state laws are changing how Americans will vote, tally ballots, and administer and certify November’s election.
People of Diverse Backgrounds in France Welcome Far Right’s Defeat, but Fear a Rise in Hate Speech
For many diverse French voters, the parliamentary election results were a relief. But the far-right campaign exposed prevalent hate speech.
›