The People's Alliance, one of Durham's three major political-action groups, has taken a stand against fracking.

In a resolution released Friday, the PA calls on the General Assembly to take no action on legalizing the process "at least until" the federal Environmental Protection Agency finishes research on hydraulic fracking's effects on "the full water life cycle" is finished "and then, only if new regulations, agency funding and enforcement policies and procedures fully protect our waters, land, people, and local economies."

The resolution also asks that the Durham City Council and Board of County Commissioners take similar positions.
 

The Durham People's Alliance has endorsed Mayor Bill Bell for re-election, along with incumbent City Council members Eugene Brown and Diane Catotti and Council candidate Steve Schewel.

Endorsement selections were made at a group meeting Monday night.

Bell "has provided steady political leadership for the city of Durham, and has presided over a period of growth and economic revitalization," the PA said in a statement announcing its choices.

The left-wing PA described the Council favorites as "part of a strong team that will help formulate progressive policies for Durham in these fiscally challenging times."

A half-cent sales tax for public transit and a quarter-cent sales tax for Durham Public Schools and Durham Tech also got PA endorsement.

In the race for Rougemont Town Council — which takes office if voters approve the community's incorporation — PA endorsed  endorsed Linward Hedgspeth, Lee Holden, Linda Huff, Edgar Johnson and Patricia Russell.

"This is a diverse team of active community members who care about the rural character of Rougemont and northern Durham County," the PA stated.

The county commissioners’ public hearing on the 751 South rezoning, which was supposed to be held June 23, is being rescheduled yet again.

Attorney Patrick Byker, representing the project developer, requested a 30-day deferral on Friday. Under Durham’s Unified Development Ordinance, the request must be honored – as was project opponent Melissa Rooney’s request that deferred the hearing from its original date in May.

Since Rooney’s request, the hearing has been set for June 14, June 1 and June 23. Meantime, the date was apparently headed through a Board of Adjustment hearing in late July until Rooney dropped her appeal of the June 1 date after other opponents filed a protest petition which, if valid, would require a 4-1 commissioners vote to pass the rezoning.

At the same time, the Durham People’s Alliance – which opposes the project – arranged a protest relay run that is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

For the time being, that is. The run was scheduled to precede the June 23 hearing, and had already been rescheduled once due to the movable dates.

The People's Alliance relay starts at 4:30 p.m. at the Holton Career Resource Center at 401 N. Driver St. and finishes at 7:30 at 8606 Fayetteville St. Runners are going by way of the County Administrative Complex on Main Street, the American Tobacco Trail and Fayetteville Street.
 

In light of the 751 South hearing postponement, the People's Alliance is postponing its protest run until closer to the hearing date. The run had been planned for May 27, next Thursday, but a route and start time had not been announced.

In the meantime, the PA is still circulating a petition against rezoning for the controversial development, and selling "Vote No" T-shirts.

The Durham People's Alliance is organizing a run to publicize its opposition to the 751 South (a.k.a. 751 Assemblage) subdivision, and selling T-shirts for the occasion.

Some details of the run -- like location, route and distance, aren't settled yet, but the date is tentatively set for May 27.

The Durham People's Alliance is holding a public forum for Durham County legislators Wednesday night.

State Sen. Floyd McKissick and Reps. Larry Hall, Paul Leubke and Winkie Wilkins have confirmed they expect to be on hand to talk and take questions on the just-past General Assembly session and whatever legislative issues the audience has on its mind.

The forum runs 7-9 at the Stanford L. Warren branch library, 1201 Fayetteville St.

The Durham People's Alliance has endorsed all four incumbents in this fall's City Council and mayoral elections, spokesman Milo Pyne said Tuesday night.

Mayor Bill Bell and council members Cora Cole-McFadden (Ward 1), Howard Clement (Ward 2) and Mike Woodard (Ward 3) got the Alliance's nod after a unanimous vote, Pyne said. 

The Durham People’s Alliance has endorsed Durham County’s proposed 1 percent prepared-food tax, along with a full slate of candidates in the Nov. 4 general election.