Early voting kicks off today in Durham's city elections. It's the primary, and multiple contenders are hoping to unseat the sitting mayor and three city council members.

Why it matters: Whoever wins will help make development decisions in the growing city, including the fate of downtown's former police HQ. Annexations and rezonings often pass by razor-thin margins, so this is a consequential election.

• They'll also set the police and fire budgets, and decide whether to keep growing the HEART program, the 911 alternative that sends unarmed specialists to some calls.

Zoom in: Two candidates will advance from the primary in every race.

• Mayor: Leonardo Williams (incumbent) faces Anjanee Bell, Pablo Friedmann, Lloyd A. Phillips and Rafiq Zaidi.
• Ward 1: DeDreana Freeman (incumbent) faces Andrea Cazales, Elijah King, Matt Kopac, Samaria McKenzie and Sheryl Smith.
• Ward 2: Mark-Anthony Middleton (incumbent) faces Shanetta Burris and Ashley N. Robbins.
• Ward 3: Chelsea Cook (incumbent) faces Durant Long, Terry McCann and Diana Medoff.

The intrigue: Multiple controversies have popped up this election cycle, including a mysterious new nonprofit with ties to a candidate it endorsed. Another candidate was accused of poking a county commissioner during a confrontation caught on camera.

• Plus, INDY Week decided not to endorse in one of the races. Recently, INDY endorsements have been strong predictors of who ultimately wins in Durham.

What's next: Primary Day — the final day to cast a ballot — is Tuesday, Oct. 7. The municipal election is Nov. 4.

• Find your closest early voting location and check if you're registered here.

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Raleigh-Durham International Airport has landed another direct flight to Europe — this time to Dublin.

Why it matters: The flights, which will be serviced by the Irish airline Aer Lingus, will begin a few months before UNC football is set to play TCU in Dublin.

Zoom in: The flights will begin on April 13 and run five times a week.

• Aer Lingus will use a 184-seat Airbus on the 7-hour-and-20-minute-long flight.

The big picture: RDU now offers five direct flights to Europe, including to Iceland, London, Paris and Frankfurt.

🌸 Lake Lure's famous flowering bridge, destroyed by Hurricane Helene, will be rebuilt with more than $2 million of FEMA funds. (WUNC)

🌀 Tropical Storm Gabrielle formed on Wednesday and could strengthen to a hurricane in the coming days. (WRAL)

• At this point, it is expected to steer away from the U.S.

🖥️ Cybersecurity firm Tanium is expanding its presence at the 555 Mangum tower in downtown Durham, as its headcount grows past 150. (Triangle Business Journal 🔒)

PBS North Carolina began laying off employees this week in response to the elimination of media funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which amounted to 15% of the station's overall budget. (WUNC)

For 18 years now, George Smart, a Raleigh native and son of an architect, has made it his mission to preserve as much of the modernist architecture hidden throughout the Triangle's neighborhoods as he can.

Why it matters: Thanks to the founding of N.C. State's architecture school in the 1940s, the Triangle of the mid-20th century had a significant concentration of pioneering architects and modernist homes they helped design.

• But many of those historically significant structures are now vulnerable due to age and development pressures, Smart said.

Zoom in: That's why he helped found NCModernist and USModernist, Durham-based nonprofits that seek to keep these structures from falling into disrepair or being demolished entirely.

• Go deeper: Some of the Triangle's best modernist buildings, according to Smart

We talked with Smart for our latest Local Limelight conversation. This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.

🍣 Favorite place to eat in the Triangle? Currently, Zest, a sushi and small plates restaurant in downtown Cary.

• Another recent discovery is A Little Gelato, located in the back of a strip mall in south Durham.

🏡 Favorite building in the Triangle? It's one that is no longer with us. The Eduardo Catalano House in Raleigh. It was built in 1954 by an N.C. State architect from Argentina, but was torn down in 2001.

📚 What is your favorite building built recently in the Triangle? The masterpiece that most Raleigh citizens have never set foot in is the Jim Hunt Library on N.C. State's Centennial Campus.

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A new social club for golfers will open next year in the North Hills Innovation District.

Zoom in: Atlanta-based Intown Golf Club has signed a lease for a 13,000-square-foot space at 541 Church at North Hills St., suite 200.

• This is the second North Carolina location for Intown, after it opened a club in Charlotte in 2023.

What to expect: Intown is trying to cater to urban golfers who aren't members of clubs, whether it's due to them being too expensive or too far from where they live.

• Members can use eight to 10 simulator bays or hang out in lounges or outdoor patios that offer craft cocktails and a full food program.
• Raleigh members will be able to access any Intown clubs across the country, including locations in Austin, Washington, D.C., Nashville, Atlanta and other cities.
• Intown also hosts club tournaments, watch parties and chef dinner series.

Between the lines: There are no membership costs yet available for the Raleigh location, but the Charlotte Intown offers several types of memberships.

• Initiation fees ranged from $5,000- $8,000 if you're 35 and over and $3,000-$6,500 if you're younger than 35.