Write what you know.

All Howard Craft knew was how he felt after getting called up for Desert Storm, watching Rodney King getting pounded on TV.

“It just really shook me up,” he says.

“As an African American, who was getting ready to lay it on the line for red, white and blue and apple pie, to watch the television and see somebody that looks like you get beat mercilessly in the streets, and then have to get up, put your boots on and go salute,” he explains. “That really shook me up.”

Tensions play out in Craft’s “Caleb Calypso and the Midnight Marauders,” now playing at Manbites Dog Theater. Go see it and its standout cast.

I interviewed Craft, the playwright, for tomorrow's Durham News. Here's an excerpt:

Q: Where did the idea for this play come from?

A: “A lot of the plays written about the military, they don’t get to the essence of who the people are. I wanted to write something that gave you real human beings that allowed you to see past some of the stereotypes.”

Q: What was your experience like? What was your job in the military?

A: “Like the people in the play I was a tank driver, well a tank crewman. I drove. I loaded. I got out before it was time for me to become a gunner and went to school.”

Q: Why’d you get out?

A: “I’ve never really been good as a joiner ... When people ask me was your experience good or bad, I can’t put it in those terms. I learned a lot about myself, I learned a lot about other people. My roommate was from Idaho my first year. What that does is it knocks down walls. The stereotype of what you think a person is, it goes out the window pretty fast.”

Craft will hold an question and answer session after Sunday's matinee. Call 682-3343 for reservations.

After eight months, the Durham Performing Arts Center has generated $401,706 for the City of Durham, more than four times the first full-year expectations, according to a draft audited financial statement for period ending June 30, 2009.

According to the financial statement released today, the Durham Performing Arts LLC made a profit of $1,004,265, of which 40 percent, or $401,706, is to be shared with the city, which owns the building. 

Most of the overall income was generated by ticket sales, rental income, and concessions totaling nearly $7.9 million, with most of the expenses involving stage show costs amounting to more than $5.6 million, according to a news release.  Other expenses were administrative related to building operations, including utilities and other operational costs.

During the first year of operation, Nederlander and PFM loaned DPAC about $100,000 to cover pre-opening and marketing expenses of the facility, the release said.  That amount will be deducted from the final remittance to the City.
 
To read the draft audited financial statement, go here.

Hundreds of Durham students are expected at this evening's career expo for middle school students.

Over 200 professionals from fields like video game development to law are slated to come out and talk about their careers.

The first 200 students to show up will receive a free Chick-Fil-A Kid's meal and a chance to win door prizes. Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend. They can enter to win one of two $50 gas cards.

The Expo takes place today from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m at Northgate Mall, 1058 West Club Blvd. A map of the events and more information is available here.

Mayor Bill Bell and three City Council members swamped their challengers in today's election, but kids saw things a little differently.

Durham police are seeking information about a bank robbery that occurred Oct. 26 at the Wachovia Bank, 2000 West Main Street.

All systems have been running "teriffic," Elections Director Mike Ashe said this afternoon.

Except for voter turnout, that is.

The Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, as it is wont, is passing out cards at some of the polls today listing the candidates it's endorsed.

That list includes incumbent mayor Bill Bell. But the committee's poll workers are also passing out campaign cards for Bell's opponent, Steven L. Williams.

A case of impartiality, or what?

Durham schoolchildren have again begun their annual tradition of filling "Barrels of Love" with food for the Salvation Army's pantry.

Each school in Durham has collection barrels for nonperishable foods. Some are holding competitions for the most food collected, too.

“Every year, this drive is one of the biggest sources of nonperishable foods for our pantry,” said Debbie Avolin, director of social services for The Salvation Army, in a press release. “Durham’s young people work really hard to collect tons of canned goods for people in need.”   

Continue reading to learn more about how you can help:

The City Council voted 6-0 tonight to re-evaluate the historic landmark program, deferring action on six properties that were up for the designation and a 50 percent property-tax break.

Early voting in Durham's city election closed Saturday with 1,006 citizens having cast ballots.

That's 112 more than the 894 who voted early in the Oct. 6 primary. The primary set a record low for voter turnout, 4.36 percent according to the Board of Elections' official count.

Precincts open at 6:30 tomorrow morning and remain open for voting until 7:30 p.m.

The mayor's chair and three City Council seats are on the ballot.