The Tar Heels will be glad Tuesday night’s game doesn’t count. But it provided several worrying signs, nonetheless.

Charlotte led by as many as 15 points in the first half, then used a late run in the second half to erase a seven-point deficit to force overtime at the Smith Center. In the overtime, Carolina outscored the 49ers 11-4 to win 89-82.

Tuesday’s exhibition wraps up the preseason schedule for UNC. The Tar Heels will officially open the regular season when they host Western Carolina at the Smith Center Monday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m.

Featured image via Chapel Hill Media Group/Todd Melet

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post UNC Men’s Basketball Outlasts Charlotte in Overtime in Preseason Exhibition appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Jeff Nieman is set to become Chatham’s next district attorney on Jan. 1.

Chatham / Orange County District Attorney Jeff Nieman spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, October 27. He discussed the recently concluded Hedgepeth murder trial, discussing some of the legal nuances of the case, and responding to how the trial played out. He also provided historical context for the trial in relation to similar cases in the community in the last 20 years, and more.

On Air Today features interviews and conversations with the latest newsmakers in our community — including local elected leaders, educators, business owners, and anyone else with their finger on the pulse of the greater Chapel Hill community.

The post On Air Today: Orange and Chatham County District Attorney Jeff Nieman on the Hedgepeth Trial appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news in the greater Chapel Hill and Carrboro community. Every weekday afternoon, 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey recaps the day’s news, from local government to business developments to UNC sports, and everything in-between. Hear compelling stories, breaking news, and more. Find all of Andrew’s Evening News Reports by clicking here.

The post The Evening News: More Trial Debrief, Elections Update, Pittsboro’s Google Fiber Problems appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, October 27, discussing town news and events. He explained a recent stop work order for Google Contractors after several existing lines have been hit around town. He discussed the feedback period for the Chatham Park South Village, as well as feedback from the community on the new Town Hall facade, and more.

Each week, News on The Hill engages in conversation with Chatham County leaders for the Chatham County Roundup. You can find previous conversations with Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp, Chatham County Commissioner Karen Howard, and other county leaders by clicking here.

The post Chatham County Roundup: Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp on Google Contractors, South Village Feedback, and More appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

“Viewpoints” is a place on Chapelboro where local people are encouraged to share their unique perspectives on issues affecting our community. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work, reporting or approval of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com. If you’d like to contribute a column on an issue you’re concerned about, interesting happenings around town, reflections on local life — or anything else — send a submission to viewpoints@wchl.com.

Navigating Change Together

A perspective from Jess Anderson and Barbara Foushee

To the families, students, and staff of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools,

In recent months, as our community has wrestled with difficult decisions about our schools, many parents have reached out to us seeking advice.

We know this redistricting process is hard. Changing where a child goes to school touches something deep — for kids, for parents, and for everyone who has built a life around a particular school. Coming on the heels of other challenging decisions, this year has already asked a lot of our community.

Today, we are writing together, as your Mayors, because this moment invites us to think not only about the decisions ahead, but about the kind of community we want to be as we navigate them.

We want to be clear: decisions about redistricting rest with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education and the Superintendent. Those decisions belong to the Board and Superintendent, and we respect their role in this process.

What we can do is share from experience. Having served on boards that make difficult choices, we know firsthand that the way people show up — with steadiness, patience, and generosity — shapes not only the atmosphere, but often the outcomes.

This matters now because the process will bring together students and families who may have found themselves on opposite sides of difficult conversations about school closures. Those experiences and feelings are real, but they don’t have to define what comes next. We have an opportunity to approach this next chapter with fresh eyes, remain open to new ideas and possibilities, and welcome people whose paths may not have crossed before. In doing so, we can show our children what it looks like to build community even when we haven’t chosen the circumstances that bring us together.

As we all know, kids take their cues from the adults around them. When parents, teachers, and neighbors stay steady and show confidence in children, kids are better able to navigate change. They are more adaptable than we sometimes give them credit for. Walking into a new building, making new friends, and finding their place can be scary, but children have a much better chance to thrive when the adults around them believe in them and treat one another with warmth and respect.

And we have every reason to believe in this community. While it has been some time since our schools last went through redistricting, we know the people who make up these school communities have the care, resilience, and commitment to help one another through it. Parents, educators, staff, and students have shown time and again that they can come together, even in challenging moments, to create a sense of belonging and make things better for our children.

So our ask is this: however this process unfolds, let’s handle it in a way we can be proud of. Let’s welcome every student and every family into whatever school community they join. Let’s remember that our commitment to all children, and to one another, is bigger than any one assignment decision. And let’s show our kids, through our example, that change can be hard and still lead to something good.

With gratitude for this community,

Mayor Jess Anderson, Town of Chapel Hill
Mayor Barbara Foushee, Town of Carrboro

“Viewpoints” on Chapelboro is a recurring series of community-submitted opinion columns. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work or reporting of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com.

The post Viewpoints: Navigating Change Together appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, October 27, discussing town news and events. He discussed early stages of construction at Auman Village. He discussed early voting and the implications of the upcoming election for Hillsborough. He also previewed Halloween Weekend and other upcoming events in Hillsborough, and more.

Conversations With the Mayors is an ongoing series on “News on the Hill” where host Andrew Stuckey visits with the local government leaders who help shape our communities in Chapel Hill and the surrounding area. Each Tuesday he visits with Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell; Wednesdays feature a conversation with Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton; Thursdays feature Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson, and Fridays include a conversation with Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee. You can listen to previous “Conversations With the Mayors” here.

The post Hillsborough: Auman Village, Early Voting, Halloween Weekend appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

UNC will wrap up its preseason schedule Tuesday night when it hosts Charlotte for a third and final exhibition game. UNC begins the regular season next Monday, Nov. 2.

If you aren’t attending the game in person, here’s how to follow along at home:

Broadcast Schedule

Those hoping to listen on the radio can do so at 97.9 FM and 1360 AM, or by streaming the radio broadcast on chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s radio broadcast of Tuesday’s game will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the Tar Heel Sports Network’s pregame coverage until tip-off. THSN will also carry postgame coverage for approximately an hour after the conclusion of the game.

For preseason, regular season and ACC Tournament game broadcasts, you can access the stream (computer, tablet or phone) through chapelboro.com, TuneIN or most streaming apps, but you must be within 75 miles of Chapel Hill and have your location services for your device turned on. If you live more than 75 miles outside of Chapel Hill, you can access the Tar Heel Sports Network game broadcast stream through the Varsity Network.

For more information about WCHL’s sports programming, click here.

TV Schedule

Television coverage of Tuesday’s game begins with tip-off at 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra, which is the ACC Network’s online-only streaming service. The game will not be available on traditional cable packages.

Streaming options

A live stream will be available through the ESPN app or on ESPN.com. To access the stream for the game, you must have a TV package which includes a subscription specifically for ACC Network Extra. Packages which include only the base ESPN family of networks will not have access to the ACC Network Extra broadcast.

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Maggie Hobson

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post UNC Men’s Basketball vs. Charlotte (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

If you saw your gas prices drop a few weekends ago and wondered what happened, you’re not the only one. On October 8, the average price of gas in North Carolina was $4.10 a gallon; today, it’s $3.45, the lowest in the nation. That’s because on October 9, I signed into law a bill suspending the state gas tax until the end of November. It was a bipartisan bill, and I thank the General Assembly for pushing the action through. 

I signed this law because people need relief now. North Carolina families are feeling the squeeze every time they fill up their gas tanks, buy groceries, pay their electric bills, or take care of their children. The cost of living is too high across the country.

But let’s be clear: We should not wait until right before an election to take action; costs are too high all year round.

North Carolinians struggle in January when the heating bill arrives. They struggle in the spring when child care payments come due. They struggle in the summer when they have to fill up the tank to get to work, buy groceries for their families, and keep the lights on.

Housing costs are too high, and North Carolina will need an estimated 750,000 additional homes over the next four years to meet demand. Health care costs are so burdensome that some people are skipping medications and putting off appointments they need. Electricity costs are rising, and the General Assembly continues to pass policies that threaten to push those bills even higher. Child care remains out of reach for too many parents, with roughly five families competing for every available child care slot. And federal tariffs are driving up grocery costs even as changes under H.R. 1 threaten food assistance for families who depend on SNAP. So, suspending the gas tax to respond to the war in Iran is one temporary step, but it cannot be the last.

Since my first day in office, my administration has worked to make life more affordable for North Carolinians. We have relieved more than $6.5 billion in medical debt for 2.5 million people through the largest medical debt relief program in the nation’s history. We established a bipartisan Health Care Affordability Commission to identify ways to get health care costs under control. And I signed an executive order focused on building more housing and bringing down housing costs.

Through our Energy Saver Program, we have helped participating families reduce their power bills by nearly $1,000 a year. And when the General Assembly passed legislation instructing Duke Energy to raise costs on everyday customers while lowering them for large corporations, I vetoed it. Unfortunately, legislators overrode that veto, leaving families facing higher costs to power their homes. Now, I am calling on the Utilities Commission to approve large load tariffs so that families do not foot data centers’ bill.

We are taking action because affordability is not a seasonal concern. It is a responsibility we have every day.

For two consecutive years, I have proposed a Working Families Tax Credit to help low- and moderate-income workers keep more of what they earn. For qualifying families, that credit could mean as much as $823 a year – money that could help cover groceries, gas, school supplies or an overdue bill. Yet legislators have refused to take it up.

I have also proposed a refundable Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to help parents manage the cost of child care. Most children under age 5 have both parents in the workforce. When child care is unaffordable, parents can be forced to cut their hours, turn down employment opportunities, or leave their jobs altogether. Helping families afford care strengthens our kids’ futures, our workforce, and our economy.

I also proposed a sales tax holiday for back-to-school items, stronger unemployment benefits for workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own, free community college for students pursuing high-demand skills, and free breakfast for schoolchildren so they can start the day healthy and ready to learn.

These are some concrete and practical ways to give families breathing room and help people build a more secure future. Yet instead of acting on these proposals, the General Assembly continues to protect tax breaks for corporations, their out-of-state shareholders, and the wealthiest North Carolinians.

It’s a question of priorities. And, right now, too many priorities are upside down.

I will work with anyone – Republican, Democrat, or unaffiliated – who is serious about making life more affordable for North Carolinians. There is no reason working families should have to wait for another election cycle to get help we can deliver today.

North Carolina families need more than temporary relief. They need leaders who show up, do the work, and deliver results.

Life’s too expensive all year round. Let’s start acting like it.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post The Governor’s Column: It’s Too Expensive — Let’s Start Acting Like It All Year Round appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hubert Davis will be back on TV next month.

Davis, who was fired as the UNC head coach in March, is joining TNT as a studio and game analyst for the 2026-27 college basketball season. According to Sports Business Journal, the deal is for multiple years. Davis’ first studio appearance is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 5 as part of a tripleheader of games on truTV and HBO Max.

“Such an unbelievable, respected partner in regards to college basketball,” Davis told The Athletic of the move to TNT. “You want to be affiliated with the best.”

Prior to coaching at UNC, Davis was an analyst for ESPN’s college basketball coverage, eventually becoming a staple on the network’s College GameDay broadcasts. Following the 2011-12 season, Davis, a UNC alumnus, came back to Chapel Hill to join head coach Roy Williams’ staff. When Williams retired in 2021, Davis was named as his successor.

Davis spent five seasons as UNC’s head coach, leading the Tar Heels to the national title game in 2022. The following four years, though, were marked by inconsistencies: Carolina became the first-ever preseason No. 1 team to miss the NCAA Tournament entirely in 2023, rebounded with a No. 1 seed in 2024 but lost in the Sweet 16, then got bounced in the Round of 64 in each of the next two tournaments. It was the first time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 that the Tar Heels had lost consecutive games in the Round of 64.

TNT, along with CBS, truTV and TBS, holds the rights to broadcast the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament through 2032. The 2027 tournament will be the first to expand to 76 teams, a move which Davis praised.

“Giving more teams, more kids, more coaches opportunities to play in this tournament is something that’s going to be fun to watch,” he told Sports Business Journal.

Currently, UNC has no games scheduled to be broadcast on TNT, though that is liable to change if the Tar Heels qualify for the NCAA Tournament this coming March.

Featured image via Associated Press/Chris Seward

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post Former UNC Head Coach Hubert Davis Joining TNT as Analyst appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Janet and David Silfen. Photo by SORS Member Fred Stipe

By SORS Volunteer Margot Lester

SORS Board Member and EMS Volunteer David Silfen is a force multiplier, investing three decades in making sure local EMTs are always ready to serve. He teaches continuing education workshops for our volunteers and provides leadership during their shifts, and is an instructor for the EMS Professional Training Program at Durham Tech and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools’ Career and Technical Education Fire Fighting and EMT program. David’s a mentor to many, offering guidance and support to volunteers and professionals just starting off and as they progress through their careers. Chances are, when you meet a local EMT with any local squad, they likely learned from David!

Meet more SORS volunteers!

How long have you been volunteering with SORS?

During my first week after moving to Chapel Hill, some 31 years ago, I sought out SORS. I had been a volunteer in Hillsdale, N.J., and I wanted to continue that here. I served on EMS and the Technical Rescue Team. I joined the board in 2020 and am finishing up my term this year.

SORS EMS volunteers provide on-site emergency medical support at Carolina home basketball and football games. (L-R: David Silfen, Sri Manivasagam, Ellie Rogers) Photo courtesy of David Silfen

How did you get into EMS?

I left the New York fashion industry in merchandising, sales and management over 30 years ago. It’s going to sound lame, but it was very unfulfilling. I switched careers to become a medic. I made a quarter of the income doing EMS, but it was a thousand times more rewarding. You can’t beat that!

What’s something important about SORS that most people don’t see?

South Orange has a strong social structure, which I think is missing today. Most Sunday mornings, I hold a group gathering where I invite doctors, EMS crews and SORS members to coffee to learn how to network. I still speak to SORS members from 30 years ago. What’s more, you can find former SORS members all over the country. When I’m in Alaska visiting my kids and grandkids, I also visit a former student and SORS member!

What motivates you to stay involved with SORS and EMS in your retirement?

After being a paramedic, EMS educator and Deputy Operations Officer for Orange County EMS, I feel like I can mentor young people. I like to be around them — I love their energy. I still volunteer on the truck, mostly at sporting events. At 71 years old, I like to be in bed by 11! When I’m not riding, I’m teaching. I teach all levels of EMS and love it. If anyone has an interest in medicine, EMS is a fantastic introduction. Doctors and nurses don’t make house calls anymore, so unfortunately the medical profession misses the environment their patients come from. EMS providers see it all.

[That insight helped David play a pivotal role in the development of the county’s fall Prevention Program, Stay Up and Active, in 2013, which evolved into the Community Health and Safety Bureau within the Orange County EMS Division.]

SORS Member David Silfen also volunteers with the Orange County Caregiver Awareness, Respite, Education & Support (OC CARES) team. (L-R: Silfen, Heather Palmateer-Elliott, Stephen Slagle and Jennifer Melvin) Photo courtesy of David Silfen

The South Orange Dispatch is a monthly column on Chapelboro by the South Orange Rescue Squad: an all volunteer, 501c3 non-profit providing EMS and technical rescue services in the Carrboro-Chapel Hill area of Orange County since 1971.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

The post The South Orange Dispatch: Preparing the Next Generation of EMTs appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

The Town of Pittsboro issued a townwide Stop Work Order for Google Fiber construction activities Monday afternoon. The order comes after three utility line strikes across two workdays. Workers broke a gas line in the Chatham Forest subdivision Friday, Oct. 23, resulting in work shutting down for the remainder of the day. The following Monday, Oct. 26, another gas line break occurred in Chatham Forest, as well as a water line break on East Street.

According to a release from the town, those three incidents “follow previous compliance concerns and utility strikes associated with Google Fiber contractor work.” The town previously issued Corrective Action Notices and Stop Work Orders to Google Fiber contractors to “reinforce requirements that all applicable procedures, protocols and permit conditions be followed.”

The town says this latest order will remain in effect through the end of the week. Staff plan to meet with representatives in from Google Fiber in an “All-Hands Safety Briefing and Work Plan Review” next Monday, Nov. 2 to review the utility strike incidents and determine whether construction activities may resume. The briefing is open to Pittsboro residents and will begin at 7:30 a.m. outside Town Hall on East Street. The town says it will provide an update when the Stop Work Order is lifted and when it is determined when and where construction activities may resume.

The Town remains committed to protecting public infrastructure, ensuring compliance with applicable agreements and permit requirements, and minimizing disruptions to residents, businesses, and the community,” read the release from the town government. “While state and federal law require the Town to allow telecommunications providers, such as Google Fiber, access to public rights-of-way on an equal basis, the Town holds all providers accountable for adhering to applicable safety standards and protecting vital infrastructure.”

The town sent another update Tuesday afternoon, saying staff conducted field inspections of work sites in the morning which identified unfilled holes, open vaults and cable left out at the sites. According to the town, crews will be working around town during the next 24 hours to clean up the sites.

Residents and businesses experiencing issues or concerns related to the Google Fiber construction are encouraged to contact the Town of Pittsboro at 919-542-4621 and request to speak with staff in the Development Services or Public Works departments. To report a site that needs attention, contact Development Services Director Maie Armstrong at 984-282-6706 or at marmstrong@pittsboronc.gov.

Featured image via Chapel Hill Media Group/Brighton McConnell

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post After Multiple Line Breaks, Town of Pittsboro Issues Stop Work Order to Google Fiber appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

After collecting a career-high 16 tackles in UNC’s 31-30 overtime loss to Syracuse Saturday, Derek McDonald was named the ACC’s Linebacker of the Week.

Of McDonald’s 16 total tackles, 11 came after halftime, including a three-yard tackle for loss in the overtime period. A Syracuse transfer, McDonald played 81 of UNC’s 89 defensive snaps and earned an 82.8 grade from Pro Football Focus, his highest of the season.

Currently, McDonald leads all ACC players and ranks sixth nationally with 72 total tackles. He is the only ACC player to average more than 10 tackles per game. Right behind McDonald is teammate Peyton Seelmann with 64 total tackles. Seelmann, another transfer, was named the ACC Linebacker of the Week last week following UNC’s win at Duke.

This is the second time this season McDonald has been named ACC Linebacker of the Week. He also took home the honor after UNC’s win against TCU in the season opener in August.

McDonald, Seelmann and the rest of the Tar Heels will be back in action Saturday when they host No. 1 Miami at Kenan Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

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The town government shared an alert on social media Monday telling community members to expect noise from blasting at the construction site of Auman Village off U.S. Highway 70A near Meadowlands Drive. Monday was reportedly the first day of that stage of site clearance, with Hillsborough saying construction crews will sound an alarm before each blast.

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Auman Village is the latest project in Hillsborough by the Habitat for Humanity of Orange County. The nonprofit purchased nearly 11 acres of property off U.S. Highway 70A, which were previously home to longtime community members Glenn and Henrietta Auman, in 2020. The project will bring a 75-unit townhome community to the area — 60 of which will be reserved for first-time homebuyers earning between 30-80% of the average median income. Additionally, Habitat for Humanity and the advocacy group Orange County Justice United are partnering to raise $2 million to provide ten units for families on the lower end of that scale. The remaining units will be marketed as workforce housing and sold around 80-120% AMI.

Auman Village broke ground in June 2025 and construction is anticipated to last for several years, with the nonprofit not having publicly shared a projected completion date. Meanwhile, the blasting at the site is expected to continue through early November, according to the Town of Hillsborough. The construction team being used by Habitat for Humanity completed a pre-inspection of nearby homes ahead of the explosions and any homeowner who believes their building is effected by a blast can request a post-inspection, according to the nonprofit.

Featured photo by Brighton McConnell/Chapel Hill Media Group.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post Hillsborough Warns Residents of Blasting at Auman Village Construction Site appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

This week, Aaron welcomes UNC public policy professor Anna Krome-Lukens, whose new book examines the troubling history of North Carolina’s notorious eugenics program – a program that also saw manifestations in many other states as well.

The book is “Strong State, Weak Links: Eugenics and the Southern Politics of Welfare,” out now from UNC Press.

Many of us are at least somewhat familiar with North Carolina’s eugenics program, which lasted into the 1970s – but Krome-Lukens adds an additional insight, exploring how that program was grounded in a larger ideology that also pervaded many other aspects of human life and society and public policy as well.

97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news and local voices in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every weekday morning, 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck chats with government officials, UNC scholars, business and nonprofit leaders, area musicians, and others in our community as they share their thoughts, their experience, and their expertise on the central issues of today. Click here to listen back to all of Aaron’s conversations – and tune in to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” at 7:30 a.m. on 97.9 The Hill to hear those conversations live.

You can also listen to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” on Spotify. Click here to follow Aaron and listen to all his segments, from local news to fun features to hard-hitting interviews.

Listen:

The post Tell Me Something: Eugenics in North Carolina, with UNC’s Anna Krome-Lukens appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Saturday, November 7, you’re invited to Chapel Hill’s Emerson Waldorf School for their annual Autumn Fair! From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the school will open their 54-acre campus and farm for a celebration of the season that’s fun for the whole family – including hands-on learning activities and games for the kids, plus food and handmade crafts for adults. It’s also a great chance to check out the Emerson Waldorf School, an innovative school that’s been a staple in Chapel Hill for the last 42 years. (It’s also the only Waldorf high school anywhere between Washington, DC, and Atlanta.)

Aaron welcomes two guests to discuss the school, the virtues of a Waldorf education, and the Autumn Fair on November 7: Emerson Waldorf’s enrollment and outreach director Joe Balintfy, and Klickly CEO Cooper Harris, who’s both an Emerson Waldorf alum and the parent of a current student.

Conversation presented by the Emerson Waldorf School. Visit EmersonWaldorf.org for more on the school and November’s Autumn Fair.

97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news and local voices in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every weekday morning, 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck chats with government officials, UNC scholars, business and nonprofit leaders, area musicians, and others in our community as they share their thoughts, their experience, and their expertise on the central issues of today. Click here to listen back to all of Aaron’s conversations – and tune in to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” at 7:30 a.m. on 97.9 The Hill to hear those conversations live.

You can also listen to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” on Spotify. Click here to follow Aaron and listen to all his segments, from local news to fun features to hard-hitting interviews.

Listen:

The post On Air Today: The 2026 Autumn Fair, at Chapel Hill’s Emerson Waldorf School appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Trending today: a popular bumper sticker from the 1980s winds up in the Smithsonian Institution. Michael Koh and Aaron wax nostalgic about famous bumper stickers of past decades, and Aaron drops knowledge about Forrest Gump – and the Canadian national hero that partly inspired him.

Want to know what folks are talking about on social media? Every weekday on 97.9 The Hill’s “This Morning with Aaron Keck,” Victor Lewis scours the Internet for the day’s top trending stories, from weird news to wacky crimes to odd business ventures and everything in between. Click here to listen back to all our past What’s Trending segments – and tune in to “This Morning” on 97.9 The Hill every weekday at 7:45 to hear What’s Trending live on the air.

You can also listen to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” on Spotify. Click here to follow Aaron and listen to all his segments, from local news to fun features to hard-hitting interviews.

What’s Trending is made possible by Dynamic Electric. Listen now:

The post What’s Trending: The Twitter of the Roads appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every weekday morning, 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck recaps the day’s news, from local government to business developments to UNC sports. Click here to listen back to all of Aaron’s daily news reports, which you can hear live during “This Morning with Aaron Keck” every weekday from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m.

You can also listen to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” on Spotify. Click here to follow Aaron and listen to all his segments, from local news to fun features to hard-hitting interviews.

Listen:

The post The Morning News: Midterm Approaching, Carrboro Fire, Pittsboro vs. Google Fiber appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

UNC will get a shot at the No. 1 team in the country when the Miami Hurricanes visit Kenan Stadium Saturday. Miami enters the game with a 7-0 overall record and 5-0 mark in the ACC, having blown out Pitt 52-23 at home last weekend.

Leading the Canes in his fifth year as head coach is Mario Cristobal, a former player who won two national titles at Miami in 1989 and 1991. Cristobal served on staff at Miami in two separate stints before getting the head coaching job close by at Florida International. After leaving FIU for a staff job at Alabama, Cristobal headed to Oregon in 2017 where he began as co-offensive coordinator and later was named head coach in 2018. Cristobal led the Ducks to a 12-2 season in 2019 before his alma mater came calling.

Since coming back home, Cristobal has turned the Hurricanes back into the college football powerhouse they were in the 1980s and early 1990s. Since 2024, Miami is 30-6 overall and is coming off a run to the College Football Playoff National Championship last winter.

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal stands on the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Pittsburgh, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

What’s the history?

UNC leads the all-time series with the Hurricanes 16-11 and are 12-8 against them since Miami joined the ACC. That includes an active five-game winning streak, a run of seven wins in eight meetings and an upset of No. 4 Miami on a last-second field goal in 2004 — to this day, UNC’s highest-ranked win ever.

Familiar foes

Miami was the subject of a high-profile offseason story when it plucked quarterback Darian Mensah from Duke via the transfer portal. Duke clearly felt slighted by the move, as it sued Mensah to prevent him from heading south, alleging he had violated the terms of his NIL contract. The case was eventually settled, and Mensah moved on to Miami. To add insult to injury, Miami also took one of Duke’s top receivers, Cooper Barkate, with Mensah.

The Tar Heels got good looks at both Mensah and Barkate when the pair visited Kenan Stadium last season with the Blue Devils. Mensah completed 20-of-33 passes in Duke’s 32-25 win, though UNC held him to a season-low 175 passing yards. Barkate caught two passes for 26 yards.

Since arriving in Miami, Mensah has established himself as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Through seven games, Mensah leads all FBS quarterbacks with an 81.4 completion percentage and an 89.7 QBR. He also ranks in the nation’s top 10 in passing yards, touchdowns and fewest interceptions. Mensah’s “worst” game of the season came at Clemson — when he completed 18-of-27 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown, then added another score on the ground in a 41-13 win.

“He’s got NFL-type talent,” UNC head coach Bill Belichick said of Mensah. “Good arm, athletic, sees things well, makes good decisions, takes care of the ball. He’s got a lot of production and very few negative plays… he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the country. I haven’t seen them all, but he’s gotta be right up there. Can’t imagine there’s too many playing better than he is.”

‘He’s good at everything’

Mensah’s statline is certainly NFL-worthy, but he’s arguably not even the biggest star on his own team. That would be receiver Malachi Toney, who rose to national prominence when he helped lead the Hurricanes to the CFP title game. In just his sophomore season, Toney has gotten even better: his 9.4 receptions per game, 136 receiving yards per game and 11 touchdown catches all rank in the nation’s top five. Toney has 66 total catches on the year, nearly triple the next-highest Hurricane (Barkate), and is already nearing the 1,000-yard plateau for the season. To put that in perspective, UNC’s two most productive receivers – Jordan Shipp and Trech Kekahuna – have a combined 55 catches.

“He sees a lot of double coverage; that doesn’t stop him,” Belichick said of Toney. “He can kill you on a screen pass, he can kill you on an intermediate play, he can kill you on deep balls.”

But Toney is just as effective even when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands, and Belichick said as much during his Monday press conference.

“He’s good at everything,” said Belichick. “He’s a good blocker. He’s tough. A lot of guys that play that position don’t have that… I don’t see any weak points in his game.”

Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Pittsburgh, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Points, points and more points

With dynamic weapons like Mensah and Toney, it’s no surprise that Miami fields the best offense in the ACC by a comfortable margin. The Hurricanes rank No. 1 in the league in scoring, yardage and passing offense, and are only four yards per game behind Louisville for the league’s top ground game.

Miami is averaging a jaw-dropping 49 points per game, and their 46 touchdowns are 10 more than the next-best ACC team. The Hurricanes have scored no fewer than 33 points in any game, have topped 40 points six times and 50 points three times. UNC, meanwhile, just scored 30 points against an FBS team for the first time since 2024 — and it took overtime to do so.

What are the odds?

At the time of publication, Miami is a 15.5-point favorite in the game.

Featured image via Associated Press/Rebecca Blackwell

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As a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Adams School of Dentistry, Heidi McNeilly recently led a team that developed a patient simulation chatbot meant to help dental students navigate sensitive scenarios. At the October 20 panel, she described the dental school’s first AI avatar, Joe. 

“He’s a black male,” McNeilly said. “One of the questions students hesitate to ask [patients] is ‘Do you do drugs or smoke?’ Because it’s awkward to ask if you do drugs. ‘That’s scary, why do I need to know that?’”

If the AI is trained well, McNeilly said it offers fairly comparable results as if students were interacting with a real patient. She said if students ask Joe if he does illegal, illicit, or recreational drugs in a hushed, rushed, or self-conscious manner, the avatar will get offended, believing he is being stereotyped.

“And [the students] thought that was an accident,” McNeilly said. “So I said, that’s very intentional – because if you don’t ask that question correctly, you could actually kill someone. Some of these drugs could interact with the anesthesia they use, and they need to learn that.”

Heidi McNeilly shares examples of her work a UNC Research Week panel on October 20. This year, she was named the UNC Center for Faculty Excellence’s Faculty Fellow for Generative AI and Clinical Education. (Image via Emma Cooke/Chapel Hill Media Group.)

Also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in UNC’s School of Social Work, McNeilly said the chatbots are a safe way to create critical learning experiences for students across disciplines. But with the rise of generative AI technologies, Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Development Eric Rice stressed how there is an increasing need for conversations about how people are using AI tools, as well as guardrails surrounding its use.

Having founded the University of Southern California’s Center for AI in Society, Rice’s current work explores how AI technologies can assist persons living with homelessness and the organizations that serve them. His AI assessment tool has already been used by nearly 15,000 people to help with housing resources in Los Angeles. However, Rice said one of the biggest AI-related concerns among social workers stems from increasingly popular cloud-based platforms like ChatGPT and Claude.

“The reality is that you’re working with a client who has very sensitive data that’s protected by laws like HIPPA or other privacy concerns,” Rice said. “If you cut and paste a piece of your case notes and throw it into ChatGPT to ask it for some suggestions about how to help this person, that was a really well-intentioned, very terrible decision because you’ve now put this very private data up into this space.”

Right now, Rice said there are no rules to the game, explaining how few social service agencies have guidelines for what workers can or cannot use AI for. Most of the time, he said social workers view AI with an understandable resistance, namely due to ethical concerns, the potential for job loss, and the irreplaceable value of human interaction. It is typically the lower-resourced communities that are enticed by it.

For example, Rice said county governments with more resources have the means to keep staff employed and systems going in traditional ways. But particularly for counties desperate to keep employees, he said he sees AI largely being used to accelerate administrative tasks or for therapist-like chatbots. Rice said sometimes interacting with chatbots is preferable among patients with social anxiety or those who feel they may be stigmatized by another human.

“I do often say that social work is going to be a great field for folks to get into because it is so profoundly relational,” Rice said. “And I don’t think that most social workers are going to be replaced by AI, I think the tasks we do on a day-to-day basis may change, but we as social workers interact with clients. We’re a workforce that’s not going anywhere.”

An associate professor in the School of Social Work, Hsun-Ta Hsu described AI in social work as an “ethical dilemma” with no correct answers. But he explained how his philosophy is knowing the tradeoffs and understanding whether they are acceptable by someone’s personal standard and also the code of ethics as a social worker. 

Hsu’s work focuses on using AI to redesign a housing priority tool in Missouri, adopting a community-engaged data science approach that uses community input and lived experiences to create a more efficient and equitable housing tool. He emphasized the need for policy and regulations moving forward, stating how he does not want to miss the opportunities technology can provide by deeming all AI use as unethical.

“Another thought is how do we keep humans in the loop,” Hsu said. “How do we not make AI dictate what’s being communicated, but rather when certain signals are showing up in discussions, like disclosing about suicidal thoughts, how that can be connected with professionals. Are we okay with that [AI] being trained to address those issues?”

According to McNeilly, sometimes the most ethical use of AI is to not use it altogether. But she said she believes that decision should stem from a place of education, intentionality, and knowledge, rather than a fear or avoidance for the tool. 

“Being able to ignore AI, to say I’m not going to use it, is coming from a place of privilege,” McNeilly said. “Much like [Rice] was saying with these agencies that can say, ‘Nope, we don’t need to use that,’ is actually privilege, and our code of ethics as social workers says we cannot do that. We have to represent those populations, we have to be there for them and advocate for them.

“We do not necessarily have to be fully AI literate,” she continued. “But we do have to be literate enough to advocate for those clients and make sure we know what’s going into the models so you know how to interpret them.”

Featured image via Emma Cooke/Chapel Hill Media Group

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There isn’t a Carolina football fan out there who hasn’t imagined themselves making the game-winning play for the Tar Heels. That includes District Attorney Jeff Nieman, who back in 2004 was a law student at UNC. After one of Carolina’s most dramatic wins ever, Nieman and his friends simply didn’t want the night to end.

UNC celebrates after Connor Barth’s field goal to beat No. 4 Miami in 2004. (Image via UNC Athletic Communications)

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An alert from the town said Carrboro Fire-Rescue units were on-scene at 515 South Greensboro Street, where a structure fire was burning at Public Storage. The fire response began at roughly 9 a.m. on Monday and lasted roughly an hour. By 12 p.m., Carrboro fire trucks began leaving the scene and no more smoke came from the site, which appeared to be up the hill at the Public Storage property.

A release from the town government shortly after 4 p.m. shared more details — saying multiple storage units were part of the two-alarm fire. While no civilians reported injuries from the blaze, one firefighter suffered an injury and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Carrboro did not specify which department the first responder works with.

A total of 54 firefighters were on-scene at Public Storage on Monday, with the Chapel Hill, White Cross, New Hope, North Chatham and Durham fire departments supporting Carrboro Fire and Rescue. Orange County Emergency Medical Services, South Orange Rescue Squad, and the Carrboro Police Department also assisted with the incident, while Orange Rural Fire Department provided coverage for Carrboro Fire while its crews were occupied.

As of Monday evening, the cause of the fire remains under investigation and the cost of estimated damages has not yet been publicly shared.

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with more details following Carrboro’s 4 p.m. release.

Featured photo by Henry Taylor/Chapel Hill Media Group.

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97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news in the greater Chapel Hill and Carrboro community. Every weekday afternoon, 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey recaps the day’s news, from local government to business developments to UNC sports, and everything in-between. Hear compelling stories, breaking news, and more. Find all of Andrew’s Evening News Reports by clicking here.

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DETROIT (AP) — Former President Barack Obama on Saturday seized on what he described as cruelty and indecency coming from President Donald Trump and his Republican allies, stepping into one of the nation’s ugliest midterm fights as he worked to rally Democratic voters in two Midwestern battlegrounds.

First in Ohio, Obama took aim at Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who has doubled down on an advertising campaign featuring the estranged mother of Democratic rival Dr. Amy Acton. Trump and Vice President JD Vance have also defended the ad, even as Republican leaders across Ohio, including Gov. Mike DeWine, have called for its removal.

“In recent days, we’ve seen there is no line he will not cross, no low he will not sink to,” Obama said of Ramaswamy, noting that Acton has “spoken movingly about her painful childhood and all she’s experienced: abuse, neglect and homelessness.”” alt=”” />

Later in Michigan, Obama condemned critics of Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, suggesting that they’re using his name or his faith to tear him down.

“We have seen this movie before. I starred in it,” Obama told a packed high school gym in Detroit. “I’ve got a long-form birth certificate to prove it.”

“Abdul is as Michigan as it gets,” he added.

Obama, 65, remains the Democratic Party’s best motivator nearly a decade after leaving the White House. And he’s taking his star power on the road in the final days of the midterm elections, which will help determine the balance of power in American politics on Nov. 3.

Former President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign rally for Democratic Ohio Senate candidate Sherrod Brown on Saturday, October 24, 2026, in Cleveland. (Photo via AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki.)

Trump cast his own ballot on Saturday in Florida, where he defended the Ramaswamy ad, which has emerged as a national flashpoint a little more than a week before Election Day.

“The mother said that Amy Acton is a liar, and she’s no good,” Trump said. “And you know what? I don’t think you can get a better reference on that.”

The Ramaswamy campaign video features Acton’s birth mother, Donna Arthur, calling her “a liar” and insinuating she has mental health issues.

Acton, Ohio’s COVID-19-era health director, has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child. Arthur lost custody of her children after their stepfather, Arthur’s husband, was indicted on a charge of rape involving Acton.

The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978. Cledith Arthur failed to show for a court appearance and became a fugitive. Donna Arthur remained married to him until his death in 2004.

Appearing before Obama, Acton spoke as if addressing Ramaswamy directly.

“My opponent has chosen to exploit, intentionally, my childhood to save his stumbling campaign, but it’s not going to work,” she said. “Decency still matters.” She added: “Mr. Ramaswamy, you are not just out of touch, you are out for yourself and you are a danger to my state. Apparently there is no low to which you won’t stoop.”

Although Ohio has become more reliably Republican, it’s been a hotly contested battleground this year. Trump and Vance have both visited the state in recent weeks to drum up support for Sen. Jon Husted and Ramaswamy. And the controversy over Ramaswamy’s ad has ratcheted up the already high temperature.

Michigan, too, is a critical state this midterm season, with high-stakes contests for the Senate and governor.” alt=”” />

While Obama addressed both races, he offered a passionate defense of El-Sayed, a former public health official running against former Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican.

The former president pushed back against those who call El-Sayed a radical, declaring that “Abdul shares my values.” He also acknowledged that El-Sayed was critical of him after his 2012 reelection for not following through on all of his progressive campaign promises.

El-Sayed wrote that Obama “was not the right choice — he just wasn’t the wrong one.”” alt=”” />

“Some of these folks say, well, you know, Abdul didn’t like some of the things you did as president,” Obama said in Detroit, wearing a blue shirt with no tie, his sleeves rolled up. “You know who else doesn’t agree with everything I do? Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama, about five times a day.”

Democrats hoped that Obama’s appearance in the city, which is three-quarters Black, could bolster support for El-Sayed among Black voters. In the primary, his opponent Haley Stevens won Wayne County, which includes Detroit, by about 6 percentage points. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian vice president, campaigned for El-Sayed in September.

Cheryl McWilliams, 67, said Obama’s speech “pumps you up to vote,” and she’s hoping to see high turnout in the midterms.

“If Detroit doesn’t vote, whoever’s running is going to lose, period,” McWilliams said. “I’m just hoping we can reach voters that don’t vote. They think it doesn’t matter, and it does.”

Chunnika Hodges, who lives in Detroit and canvassed for El-Sayed on Saturday, said some Black voters are supporting Rogers because they don’t think anything has changed after years of voting for Democrats. Some are also wary of El-Sayed because of his progressive policies, Hodges said.

“We don’t lean to the conservative, but we have seen that within our community,” Hodges said. “There are conservative Blacks, conservative Democrats.”

While Obama talked up Democratic candidates in Ohio and Michigan, he also spoke at length about Trump.

He accused the Republican president and his family of rampant corruption and called out his inability to lower costs, noting that Trump has instead focused on building a new White House ballroom and helipad on the South Lawn.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he seems very focused on home renovation,” Obama quipped. “He should be on HGTV.” He went on: “There’s gold everywhere. He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.”

The former Democratic president acknowledged that the nation has Trump for another two years, until his term ends. But voters are not stuck with Trump’s allies, he said.

“We’re not stuck with a spineless Congress and Republican governors who are handling lawlessness and carelessness and cruelty and indifference for working people,” Obama said. “After two years of chaos and cruelty and corruption and incompetence … you get a chance to say enough is enough.”

Obama will headline a rally in Georgia next week with Sen. Jon Ossoff and candidate for governor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Trump, campaigning in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday evening with their Republican rivals, made several references to Obama’s Michigan event, insisting “the place was empty.”

The post Obama, in Midwest, Assails ‘Cruelty’ and Indecency From Trump and His Allies in the Midterm Campaign appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

This series of posts will be made weekly on Chapelboro with a full schedule of UNC sports contests, both in Chapel Hill and elsewhere. Note that game times and broadcast information are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors.

The week of Halloween means several UNC sports will be wrapping up their regular seasons and getting ready for upcoming conference tournaments. Meanwhile, men’s basketball hosts its final exhibition, football hosts a primetime game on national TV and volleyball looks to continue its strong run of play.

Tuesday, Oct. 27

In its final non-conference match of the regular season, men’s soccer will host William & Mary at Dorrance Field at 6 p.m. TV channel: ACC Network Extra

Over at the Dean Smith Center, the men’s basketball team will put a bow on the preseason when it welcomes Charlotte to Chapel Hill at 7:30 p.m. TV channel: ACC Network Extra. Radio broadcast available on 97.9 The Hill.

Thursday, Oct. 29

The final regular season home match for women’s soccer sees the Tar Heels host SMU at Dorrance Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. TV channel: ACC Network Extra

Friday, Oct. 30

Up in Blacksburg, VA, the cross country teams will compete in the ACC Championship at 9:40 a.m. TV channel: ACC Network

Down the road in Durham, field hockey will end the regular season with a rivalry matchup at No. 7 Duke at 6 p.m. TV channel: ACC Network

After its thrilling upset of No. 15 Stanford, volleyball will look to stay hot when it hosts Syracuse at 7 p.m. TV channel: ACC Network Extra

And at Dorrance Field, men’s soccer finishes its regular season when it hosts rival NC State at 7 p.m. TV channel: ACC Network Extra

Saturday, Oct. 31

Halloween night sees football welcome in top-ranked Miami to Kenan Stadium at 7:30 p.m. TV channel: ABC. Radio broadcast available on 97.9 The Hill.

Sunday, Nov. 1

The wrestling team will compete at the Southeast Open in Salem, VA. TV channel: FloWrestling

Finally, volleyball will host Boston College at Carmichael Arena at 2 p.m. TV channel: ACC Network

Featured image via Atlantic Coast Conference/Nell Redmond

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This month on “The Changemakers” join for a discussion with Ladson Brearley and Rakesh Khan of ARtx, a company working at the intersection of engineering, technology, and construction to make infrastructure smarter, stronger and more sustainable.

Both Brearly and Khan have prior experience in civil structural engineering, and after working through large-scale projects and pondering the requirements to push the envelope into new technologies and methods to further advance infrastructure engineering, ARtx was born.

“It’s a long development cycle because these are life safety structures,” said Brearly. “It takes a long time to develop the technology. We don’t even have building codes yet, so we’re developing the building codes. We knew it was gonna take a while. We were targeting a 2028 go to market for our product, and it’s hard to fund yourselves for about five years with no revenue. What we focused on with Launch Chapel Hill was get to market now. We stepped back and thought, we’ve developed a lot of knowledge over the last three years as we developed this technology. Surely there’s some way that we can apply that now.”

According to the ARtx site, the pursuit of 3D concrete printing — referred to in abbreviated form as “3DCP” — seeing wide adoption and efficient, safe implementation is the end-goal of the systems being developed.

“For 3DCP to reach its full potential, production and quality control processes must be developed that allow automation of field-based production over a wide range of ambient environmental conditions, material properties, equipment configurations, and construction applications. ARtx is focused on developing technology to automate these processes.”

Aaron Keck, Rakesh Khan and Ladson Brearley

Listen above for the full conversation, and click here for information about ARtx!

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Against the Bears Friday, the Tar Heels used a key 4-0 run to break open an 11-11 tie in the opening set and eventually won the set by that four-point margin, 25-21. It was Cal who started the stronger in the second set though, as the Bears led 10-5 before head coach Mike Schall called timeout. Cal still lead 23-20 before Carolina fought back to tie the set at 23-23, 24-24 and 25-25, but consecutive points by the Bears gave them the set and evened up the match.

The Tar Heels had far less trouble in the third, using a 9-2 run midway through to open up a 17-9 lead. Cal would cut that deficit to as little as four points but would get no further, as kills from Lauren Schutter, Addison West and Laynie Smith saw out the 25-17 win and put Carolina a set away from the match win.

Another Schall timeout changed momentum in the fourth. After trailing 8-4, UNC won nine of the next 10 points following the timeout to lead 13-9, and would not give up that lead for the rest of the evening. Two late Jackie Taylor kills helped the Tar Heels win the set 25-20 and the match 3-1.

Sunday night against the No. 15 Cardinal, the Tar Heels started out strong in their bid to beat Stanford for the first time since 2015. A 7-1 run midway through the first set helped Carolina open up a comfortable lead, one which grew to as large as nine points on the way to a 25-17 UNC win. But Stanford flipped the script in the second and third sets, leading the entire way in a 25-17 win in the second and winning four of the final five points in a 25-20 third-set victory.

One set away from its first home loss of the season and trailing 12-10 midway through the fourth set, the Tar Heels put together five consecutive points to swing momentum back in their favor. With the score 20-19 in favor of Carolina, consecutive kills from Smith sparked a 5-1 run to end the set, keeping UNC alive and forcing a first-to-15 fifth.

Carolina again had to overcome a deficit in the final set, as the Tar Heels trailed 5-2 early. But again, a key run flipped the scoreboard: eight consecutive UNC points, punctuated by a Safi Hampton kill, put Carolina ahead 10-5 and just five points away from the match. Stanford would get as close as 10-8 but could not take the lead back, and two Cardinal service errors served as UNC’s final two points in the thrilling win.

Taylor was a best all night, totaling 13 kills alongside 14 blocks, the third most in a single match in program history. Safi Hampton’s 15 kills were a team high.

Sunday’s win is UNC’s first against a ranked opponent this season. The Tar Heels are now 14-4 overall and 9-1 in ACC play, tied with Pitt for second place in the league. Carolina is also 7-0 at home this year and will look to improve upon that record when it hosts Syracuse at Carmichael Arena Friday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.

Featured image via UNC Volleyball on Twitter

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The post UNC Volleyball: Tar Heels Beat Cal, Upset No. 15 Stanford in 5 Sets appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell and Curran Campbell fill in on “What’s Trending” on Monday, October 26. Campbell brings some of the best names playing men’s college basketball this upcoming season, sharing his favorites.

Want to know what folks are talking about on social media? Every weekday on 97.9 The Hill’s “This Morning with Aaron Keck,” Victor Lewis scours the Internet for the day’s top trending stories, from weird news to wacky crimes to odd business ventures and everything in between. Click here to listen back to all our past What’s Trending segments – and tune in to “This Morning” on 97.9 The Hill every weekday at 7:45 to hear What’s Trending live on the air.

You can also listen to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” on Spotify. Click here to follow Aaron and listen to all his segments, from local news to fun features to hard-hitting interviews.

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97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every weekday morning, 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck recaps the day’s news, from local government to business developments to UNC sports. Click here to listen back to all of Aaron’s daily news reports, which you can hear live during “This Morning with Aaron Keck” every weekday from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m.

You can also listen to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” on Spotify. Click here to follow Aaron and listen to all his segments, from local news to fun features to hard-hitting interviews.

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The post Hedgepeth Family Speaks After Conviction; UNC Football Fumbles Its Momentum – The Morning News (October 26, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

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Aaron welcomes Paul Burgess, the senior pastor at University Baptist Church, who organizes the Franklin All-Nighter every year.

97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news and local voices in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every weekday morning, 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck chats with government officials, UNC scholars, business and nonprofit leaders, area musicians, and others in our community as they share their thoughts, their experience, and their expertise on the central issues of today. Click here to listen back to all of Aaron’s conversations – and tune in to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” at 7:30 a.m. on 97.9 The Hill to hear those conversations live.

You can also listen to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” on Spotify. Click here to follow Aaron and listen to all his segments, from local news to fun features to hard-hitting interviews.

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It was already close to Sunday morning by the time Bill Belichick stepped the podium following UNC’s stunning 31-30 overtime loss to Syracuse. Belichick’s program had taken all the positive momentum built up over the last few weeks and promptly squelched it in front of a sellout Kenan Stadium crowd.

One way to describe Belichick after losses is taciturn. And Saturday night was no exception.

“Not too much to say about this one,” Belichick said. “They made a couple more plays than we did today, and that was the difference in the game.”

When Belichick says he doesn’t have much to say, he means it. The head coach’s press conference lasted all of 3:21, and his postgame radio hit with Jones Angell on the Tar Heel Sports Network a mere 1:36.

The players weren’t much more talkative. In a game where Carolina seemingly had every opportunity to send the Orange packing, the Tar Heels simply could not make the plays which had won them close games against TCU, Pittsburgh and Duke. Syracuse, on the other hand, finally won a close game after gut-wrenching losses to the likes of Cal, Virginia and Louisville.

“It’s just football,” receiver Jordan Shipp said of the Tar Heels’ offensive struggles in the second half. “You want to convert every time you’re out there… it is what it is.”

As for Carolina’s defensive struggles which let the Orange back into the ballgame, linebacker and Syracuse transfer Derek McDonald took a similar tack.

“Those flaws that I’m talking about, it’s just football, to be honest with you,” McDonald said. “Some days you do a little bit better at them than other days, but the only thing you can keep doing is keep getting better at them and keep attacking them every practice every week. So that’s what we’re gonna do.”

One play from 5-2, UNC is now 4-3 with the unenviable task of hosting top-ranked Miami at Kenan Stadium Halloween night. The Hurricanes’ high-powered offense was no doubt licking its chops watching a quarterback who hadn’t played since September slice and dice his way through the Tar Heels’ defense.

Carolina had been trending up since its own comeback wins against the Panthers and Blue Devils earlier in October. Belichick had even started to win back some of the fans who had abandoned ship amid the disastrous 2025 season. But one should never underestimate the ability of the Tar Heels to halt their own momentum. And that’s not simply a reporter taking a cheap shot: Shipp said so himself.

“I think we’re holding ourselves back,” he said. “Some self-inflicted wounds. Some small stuff. It’s one small detail that could spring a play for a 60-yard touchdown.”

On the brink of a potential breakthrough, UNC now finds itself going back to the drawing board with a college football blue blood coming to town Saturday. Should the heavily-favored Hurricanes indeed beat the Tar Heels, that would drop Carolina to 1-3 at home — with the only win coming against FCS East Tennessee State. Belichick has only one home win in his two seasons in charge against an ACC opponent: Stanford.

Kenan Stadium fans have been let down before. Many times, in fact. So maybe we shouldn’t be at all surprised the Tar Heels choked a game away they had every chance of winning. As Shipp and McDonald both said, that’s just football.

Or more specifically, that’s just Carolina football.

Featured image via UNC-Chapel Hill

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It’s a very light week for local government, with only a handful of meetings. One of them is a big one, though: the Chapel Hill Town Council has a work session on the town’s Land Use Management Ordinance, or LUMO for short. Town staff are working to tweak the final draft of a new LUMO, with a final vote scheduled for November.

Here’s a rundown of local government meetings this week in Durham, Orange, and Chatham Counties:

The Chapel Hill Town Council is holding a work session on the town’s Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO) Wednesday, October 28, at 6 p.m. in Town Hall. Staff have been working to craft a new ordinance, which will be the town’s first entirely new LUMO since 2003 – and they’re nearing the end of the process, with a final vote scheduled for November. Click here for the full agenda, including links to the latest draft, a document summarizing recent changes, and several documents collecting the public comments that town staff have already received.

The Chatham County Board of Education has a special meeting at 4 p.m. Thursday, October 29, to review and approve School Improvement Plans. Click here for details.

And Durham County Commissioners meet at 7 p.m. Monday, October 26, with a light agenda that includes various appointments to county boards and commissions. Get the full agenda here.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

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UNC split a pair of weekend games as it draws near the end of the regular season. The Tar Heels dropped a hard-fought game to No. 10 Wake Forest on Senior Day at Karen Shelton Stadium Friday, but rebounded Sunday by traveling up to Boone and dominating Appalachian State.

Against the Demon Deacons, Ryleigh Heck scored twice in the first half to give the Tar Heels a 2-1 lead at halftime. But it was Wake who came out the stronger in the second half, scoring in the first minute of the third quarter and then again later in the period to take a 3-2 lead. Coco Courtright leveled the score again at 3-3 in the fourth quarter before Wake Forest answered again, scoring the game winner with 2:59 to go. Charly Bruder had UNC’s last and best chance to tie the game in the final two minutes, but her shot was saved.

The Tar Heels took out their frustrations on the Mountaineers Sunday. Carolina scored three goals in a span of 4:03 late in the first quarter, then held that 3-0 lead until Reese Anetsberger and Courtright both added goals in the fourth quarter for the 5-0 win.

UNC outshot Appalachian State 27-3 overall, had a 20-2 edge in shots on target and a 13-0 edge in penalty corners. The +24 shot differential tied for Carolina’s best all season, while the +18 differential in shots on target and +13 differential in corners both were season highs.

The Tar Heels are now 10-6 overall and 5-2 in league play. UNC will visit No. 7 Duke in the regular season finale in Durham Friday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m., but fans will still have a chance to see the team in Chapel Hill after that. The ACC Tournament begins the following week and will be played at Karen Shelton Stadium for the first time ever.

Featured image via UNC Field Hockey on Twitter

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The 2026 general election is Tuesday November 3, but the early voting period runs until Saturday October 31 at 3 p.m.

Where Can I Vote In Person?

Orange County

There are six early voting sites in Orange County:

• Orange Works at Hillsborough Commons (113 Mayo Street)
• Drakeford Library (203 South Greensboro Street in Carrboro)
• Chapel Hill Public Library (100 Library Drive)
• Chapel of the Cross (304 E Franklin Street)
• Seymour Senior Center (2551 Homestead Road)
• Efland–Cheeks Community Center (117 Richmond Road in Mebane)

All Orange County polls are be open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m; Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. (Click here for more information on early voting in Orange County.)

(Image via Orange County Government.)

Durham County

There are ten early voting sites in Durham County:

• North Regional Library (221 Milton Road)
• East Regional Library (211 Lick Creek Lane)
• Durham County Main Library (300 North Roxboro Street)
• South Regional Library (4505 South Alston Avenue)
• Southern High School (800 Clayton Road)
• Durham County Board of Elections (3825 South Roxboro Street)
• NCCU – Turner Law Building (640 Nelson Street)
• Duke University – Karsh Alumni Center (640 Nelson Street)
• Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (4907 Garrett Road)
• Little River Community Complex (8307 North Roxboro Street in Bahama)

Polls are open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Sundays from 2 p.m to 6 p.m. (Click here for more information on early voting in Durham County.)

Chatham County

There are five early voting sites in Chatham County:

• The Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center (1192 U.S. Highway 64 West Business in Pittsboro)
• CCCC Chatham Health Sciences Center (75 Ballentrae Court in Pittsboro)
• Earl B. Fitts Community Center (111 S Third Avenue in Siler City)
• Goldston Town Hall (40 Coral Avenue)
• Hollands Chapel Church (360 Burgess Road in Apex)

Polls are open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Voting sites are closed on Sundays. (Click here for more information on early voting in Chatham County.)

Do I Need an ID to Vote?

Yes, you will need to show a photo ID in order to vote according to North Carolina law.

Acceptable photo IDs include: driver’s licenses; passports; military IDs; student and employee IDs from UNC, Durham Tech and NC Central; student IDs from Duke; and employee IDs from Orange County, Durham County, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. You can also receive a free photo ID from your county elections office.

How Can I See Wait Times?

If you are worried about wait times when going to vote, Orange County is running an early vote wait-time tool, which can be accessed here. Durham County has its own website tracking wait times as well, which can be found here.

How Can I Vote By Mail in North Carolina?

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 5 p.m. Those wanting to vote by mail are encouraged to request their ballot as early as possible. When sending it back, voters’ respective county board of elections must receive mailed ballots no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. (Click here for more information on voting by mail.)

Where Can I Learn More?

The Orange County, Durham County and Chatham County websites have more information that could be helpful to voters and residents during the general election cycle. Additionally, Orange County voters can text 919-246-8773 at any time to ask questions before they head to the polls.

Click here for the Orange County elections site.

Click here for the Durham County elections site.

Click here for the Chatham County elections site.

You can also find more voter resources and information on the North Carolina Board of Elections website.

Stay up to date on local election news by visiting the Local Elections page on Chapelboro.com, where you’ll be able to read all our election coverage including introductions to the local candidates.

Featured image via AP Photo/Adam Bettcher.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post Early Voting in the 2026 General Election: Where to Go in Orange, Durham, and Chatham Counties appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Faith Hedgepeth is dead. According to the state of North Carolina, she was killed by Miguel Salguero-Olivares. According to the State of North Carolina, he raped her as well. The state does not know which order these crimes occurred in. Neither do we, and we certainly don’t know why.

According to a jury of Miguel’s peers, he does know. According to a jury of his peers, he is responsible for her death and for her rape. He didn’t look particularly surprised when the verdict was read, at least according to me. It was as if he had steeled himself for this moment years prior, maybe before he was caught. Or maybe it took nothing to show nothing.

Faith Hedgepeth has been dead for 14 years. I’m 24-years-old, and that is the majority of my life. She was murdered when she was 19-years-old. In five years, she will have been dead as long as she was ever alive. I have already lived five years longer than she did. At the age of 24, I was tasked with covering the end of her life. Covering the trial. Covering the pursuit of truth.

Our ships crossed in the dark night leagues apart and long before my task. Half a town over I was likely asleep, or maybe not, 10-years-old watching the stars in my father’s painting of my family squirm like bugs in the dim light of my room, or not. Either way I was unaware that half a town over she was dying. Half a town over she was being murdered. Half a town over she was being raped.

I first learned her name when I was a teenager, morbidly curious about the most heinous crimes which had taken place just miles away from where I grew up. There was her image on my screen, one of three or four or so you’ve likely seen as well. A happy young woman smiling towards the lens, unaware. Unaware of why we’d be looking at her image, learning her name.

Miguel hadn’t been caught yet when I first learned about Faith. When he was arrested a couple years later, the idea of being a journalist was just beginning to form in my head. I didn’t game it out. I didn’t know I’d be one of many writers trying to tell the story. I was already one of the untold thousands waiting and wanting to see its conclusion.

We know he did it because a jury decided he did. A jury decided he did it because the state said he did. The state said he did it because the experts said he did. The experts said he did it because his DNA matched the semen left inside of Faith Hedgepeth, matched the skin cells left on the Bacardi bottle that crushed her skull. The DNA was matched because investigators had his sample. Investigators had his sample because he had been arrested. He had been arrested because he decided to drive drunk. He drove drunk because…

We don’t know why. We don’t know why.

According to the State of North Carolina, Miguel Salguero-Olivares killed Faith Hedgepeth because he was rejected. Or insulted. Or both. He was rejected or insulted or both, presumably as Faith tried to guide her drunk roommate into their shared apartment, while he was also drunk at a cookout on the other side of the parking lot. The exchange the state says likely sealed her fate may have lasted just a moment. Her death will last forever. We’ll never know what was said, if anything at all. We only know what resulted.

That’s what the State of North Carolina says happened. Miguel’s defense attorneys didn’t lay out a narrative with a beginning, middle and end. They poked holes. Maybe that’s the best they could do. Maybe those holes were really holes. Maybe the jury has it all wrong. Maybe I have it all wrong too, because I think he did it. But to think that, I have to trust the attorneys. Trust the experts. Trust the evidence. Trust myself to tell the story. Trust is as intangible to the naked eye as DNA. We know it exists, and we have ways to measure it. But it can’t be seen. It can’t be grasped.

To cover on a murder trial is to spin a narrative spun off of narratives. Investigators pick up the pieces to make sense of them. Defense attorneys arrange them in the way that best serves their client. Prosecutors arrange them in a way that will get a conviction. Reporters pick up the pieces from both sides and present both arrangements with the hope that the truth exists somewhere at the center of it all.

There are a thousand filters between myself and the fleeting truth. A thousand ways the story feeding on that truth could be told. A thousand people trying to tell it best. I feel as if I’m orbiting something black in the void. It is there. It is both an absence and a presence, and it has gravity. The only way to make sense of it is to evaluate everything closer to it than I am, so that I can relay that information to those further away than me. An awful game of telephone is the best we’ve got.

Faith Hedgepeth is dead, and Miguel Salguero-Olivares will spend the rest of his life in prison. Catharsis is an end, and catharsis is an answer. We have an end, but we don’t have an answer.

I don’t know why. I don’t know why.

Featured images via the Hedgepeth Family and the courthouse press pool.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post On Covering a Murder Trial: A Perspective from Chapelboro’s Henry Taylor appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

On an almost perfect night in Chapel Hill and on the doorstep of getting the national spotlight, UNC football lost a game it should have won.

In a truly bizarre evening before a joyous capacity crowd in Kenan Stadium, the Tar Heels blew another double-digit lead. The loss was punctuated by a two-point conversion call that might have been right or wrong, but was upheld by officials who faced a potential riot by students in the Tarpit. Had this been an SEC or Big Ten game, who knows what might have ensued.

Instead, the bewildered crowd walked back to their cars for an interminable drive home or trudged across campus to dorms, apartments or Greek houses to begin a weeklong celebration of Halloween that will end against the No. 1 team in the country on another Saturday night at the Old Lady in the Pines. That one doesn’t figure to be as close as the loss to Syracuse, but Carolina may need a great performance to recapture the sense that team had a sure bowl bid in the making.

Miami swamped Pitt behind ACC Player of the Year favorite Darian Mensah, the $8 million quarterback who completed 31 of 37 passes for 387 yards and four touchdowns. If Carolina finishes that game with a 4-4 record, the Tar Heels will need to find at least two more wins at UConn, at Virginia, at home vs. Louisville or vs. N.C. State on Thanksgiving weekend.

All of those opponents are interesting. Connecticut, 4-3, similarly lost to Syracuse by one point in OT and to Maryland which has subsequently fired its football coach. Virginia has lost three of its last four. Louisville is the best of the bunch with a 4-3 record that masks their talent, and N.C. State fired David Doeren halfway through his 14th season after Friday night’s loss at Stanford. The Wolfpack, which carries a four-game winning streak against UNC, is already eyeing All-American alumni quarterback and former NFL star Philip Rivers as its next coach.

The Carolina apologists are already ripping officials about the two-point conversion ruling, and there aren’t many videos showing that they are wrong. But with how UNC performed in the second half, Bill Belichick is already back on the hot seat after leading 20-10 in the fourth quarter against the 3-4 Orange. Yes, the loss comes after two straight close wins at Pitt and Duke — both creating positive feelings around the direction of the 2026 team. The Tar Heels had some great performances on Saturday, especially pass-catchers Jordan Shipp, Jenali Thurman and Trech Kekahuna who combined for 19 catches and 212 yards off throws made by QB Billy Edwards Jr. But the truth is: Edwards continues to be inconsistent and completed only 27-44 passes and threw some bad balls. Carolina running backs carried only 21 times but averaged almost six yards per carry, so that balance needs to improve. After all, Belichick no longer has Tom Brady at quarterback.

Linebacker Derek McDonald, a transfer from Syracuse, led the Tar Heels with 16 tackles, followed by LB Peyton Seelman and DL Xavier Lewis. Their bend-don’t-break style of play was arguably tested more by the Orange than in the previously two weeks and UNC missed two or three interceptions it seemed to be grab-able. The offense under Bobby Petrino continues to struggle in recent games; instead of turning 10-point leads into three-touchdown advantages they find themselves in down-to-the-wire affairs. And you just can’t win all of those games. They will need to find a way to do that to get to a bowl and keep the conversation off Belichick’s future for another year.

Besides the dynamic C.J. Carr of Notre Dame, UNC had not faced particularly talented quarterbacks this season. On Saturday, Syracuse’s Steve Angeli, who is still recovering from a gruesome injury four games into last season, outplayed BEJ and didn’t turn the ball over like he had earlier this year. Angeli connected with receiver Umari Hatcher on a 76-yard touchdown pass against double coverage that put ‘Cuse back in the game and hit another highly-touted recruit Calvin Russell III on the fourth-down touchdown pass and the controversial two-point conversion. The workhorse of the game, out of both teams, was junior running back Ahmad Miller, who had 30 carries for 125 yards in his football-bicycle padded helmet.

The effervescent Syracuse coach Fran Brown, 44, was a hot commodity last season before Angeli got hurt and looks to be regaining the Syracuse tradition of getting big name recruits. Understandably, he was a breath of fresh air on the sideline compared to the soon-to-be 75 Belichick who keeps his eyes glued to the iPad when he is not complaining to officials. With SMU, Clemson, N.C. State, Boston College and Notre Dame left on their schedule, the Orange may be out of the bowl contention this season. But they showed Saturday that they can have a puncher’s chance in high-scoring games and look to have a bright future in years if they can replace their Angeli at quarterback.

Can the same be said for Carolina? We’ll see next week when the Hurricanes come to town.

Featured image via UNC Athletics Communications.

Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs on 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro during football and basketball seasons.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post Art’s Angle: Deflating appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Dan Kane

This Week:

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Randy Voller

Come on up to the porch to have a chat with Randy Voller — former mayor, real estate developer, musician, man-about-town and more — in a recurring conversation and slice-of-life program presented by VRC Limited. If you love great conversations and amazing anecdotes, then come on up and join us…On the Porch!

The post On the Porch: Talking News with Dan Kane appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Syracuse scored a touchdown on 4th and goal and then made good on a game-winning two-point conversion to stun UNC 31-30 at Kenan Stadium Saturday night. The final score was the first time the Orange had led all night.

“Not too much to say about this one,” head coach Bill Belichick said afterward. “They made a couple more plays than we did today, and that was the difference in the game.”

Carolina led 10-0 early and 20-10 in the fourth quarter before Syracuse mounted its final comeback. The Orange had a chance to take the lead in regulation, but a missed extra point after a touchdown run late in the fourth quarter preserved a 23-23 tie. UNC had a chance to drive down the field and win the game late, but Billy Edwards took a sack on 4th down in Orange territory to turn the ball over on downs.

In overtime, UNC got the ball first and scored on an Edwards touchdown to Demon June. Syracuse’s ensuing possession saw the Orange convert a 3rd and 11 and then 4th and goal before the game-winning two-point try, which was upheld following replay review.

“It all just comes back to fundamentals,” said linebacker Derek McDonald. “We preached that all week. We could’ve tackled better. We had a lot of leaky yardage we let them get. Missed tackles. Could’ve covered better, had better eyes.”

McDonald, who transferred from Syracuse to Chapel Hill in the offseason, ended the game as UNC’s leading tackler with 16. His 16th and final tackle resulted in a loss of two for Syracuse and brought up 4th and goal from the 4-yard line. Needing a touchdown to extend the game, quarterback Steve Angeli found receiver Calvin Russell over the middle for the touchdown. The Orange then went for two and the win, and Angeli connected with Russell again to win the game. Russell, a freshman, finished with eight catches for 86 yards, while teammate Umari Hatcher brought in four catches for 103 yards. Angeli totaled 256 yards and two touchdowns in his first game back since Sep. 17.

Edwards’ 44 pass attempts were a season high. He completed 27 of those attempts for 271 yards and two touchdowns, though the Tar Heels only scored three points on their final four possessions of regulation as Syracuse mounted its comeback.

“I think we’re holding ourselves back,” said receiver Jordan Shipp, who caught eight passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. “Self-inflicted wounds. Some small stuff. It’s one small detail that could spring a play for a 60-yard touchdown.”

Defensively, UNC struggled to contain the Orange rushing attack. Three Syracuse running backs combined for 190 yards on the ground, with Ahmad Miller toting the ball 30 times for 130 of those yards.

“They were just running hard,” McDonald said. “They kept driving their feet on contact and kept getting those extra yards.”

Saturday’s loss drops UNC to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in ACC play. The Tar Heels will be back in action when they host No. 1 Miami at Kenan Stadium next Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Featured image via UNC Football on Twitter

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post Syracuse Mounts Comeback, Stuns UNC Football in Overtime appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Despite a 29-point showing from freshman Kate Harpring, UNC fell 72-68 at No. 20 Maryland in its final exhibition game of the preseason.

Harpring paced the Tar Heels on offense, as only one other teammate reached double figures: sophomore Nyla Brooks, who scored 14. Harpring took more than a third of UNC’s field goal attempts (22 of 61) and showcased her all-around capability with six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block in her 37 minutes of action. She ended the afternoon as Carolina’s leading rebounder.

Nevertheless, Maryland controlled the glass against the Tar Heels with a 44-33 rebounding advantage. Carolina had a hard time stopping senior forward and Stanford transfer Nunu Agara, who finished with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. Half of Agara’s points came in the first quarter.

UNC trailed 19-16 after that first quarter, but nine points from Harpring in the second helped the Tar Heels lead 33-32 at halftime. The game was tied at 48-48 late in the third before the Terrapins’ Rainey Welson drained consecutive three-pointers in the period’s final minute. Maryland led 54-48 entering the fourth quarter.

The Tar Heels kept it close in the fourth but never led, cutting the deficit to 58-57 with 6:04 remaining but getting no closer. Harpring knocked down a three with 37 seconds to go to bring UNC within 70-68 and then missed a shot to tie the game with four seconds remaining. Maryland’s Addi Mack then made two free throws to seal the Terps’ exhibition win.

UNC is now done with its preseason schedule. The Tar Heels will open the 2026-27 regular season Monday, Nov. 2 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time at the Adidas Arena in Paris against No. 21 Oklahoma. The game is part of the “Oui Play” event and will be televised on ESPN2.

Featured image via UNC Women’s Basketball on Twitter

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The post Harpring Scores 29 as UNC Women’s Basketball Loses Exhibition at No. 20 Maryland appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

The event was the first concert at the new Cat’s Cradle venue, located at 107 Brewer Lane in Carrboro. The space features an extensive balcony, high ceilings, a separate bar and merch area and large, modern bathrooms.

97.9 The Hill’s Henry Taylor attended the rally. Here’s what he captured:

Featured image via Henry Taylor/Chapel Hill Media Group.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post Photo Gallery: Roy Cooper Holds “Get Out The Vote” Concert at New Cat’s Cradle Venue appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

UNC will look for its third consecutive win when it hosts Syracuse at Kenan Stadium Saturday night. The Tar Heels have won their last three meetings against the Orange by a combined 75 points.

If you aren’t attending the game in person, here’s how you can follow along at home:

Broadcast Schedule

Those hoping to listen on the radio with Jones Angell on the call can do so at 97.9 FM and 1360 AM, or by streaming the radio broadcast on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s radio coverage of the game will begin at 4:30 p.m. with The Carolina Football Hour on Franklin. At 5:30 p.m., stay tuned in for Countdown to Kickoff.

At 6:30 p.m., the broadcast will shift over to Jones Angell and the Tar Heel Sports Network for their pregame coverage. They will also carry postgame coverage for approximately 90 minutes after the conclusion of the game.

Per college football broadcast restrictions, you can access the stream (computer, tablet or phone) through Chapelboro.com, TuneIN or most streaming apps, but you must be within 75-miles of Chapel Hill and have your location services for your device turned on.  This 75-mile rule applies only to Tar Heel Sports Network pre-game, game, and post-game broadcasts (one hour before kickoff until one and a half hours after the game ends). This does not apply to the Inside Carolina Live pre-game show, which you can stream anywhere.  If you live more than 75 miles outside of Chapel Hill, you can access the Tar Heel Sports Network game broadcast stream through the Varsity Network.

For more information about 97.9 The Hill WCHL’s sports programming, click here.

TV Schedule

Television coverage of the game begins with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network. As of today, Spectrum, DirecTV AT&T, Dish Network and Xfinity all carry ACC Network.

What if I don’t have cable?

A live stream will be available through the ESPN app or on ESPN.com. You will need to enter TV provider information to access this stream. Additionally, several cord-cutting options carry ACC Network.

YouTube TV costs $83/month and carries all of ESPN’s channels, including ACC Network. A Sports + News package, which also includes ACC Network, is slightly cheaper at $72/month.

Hulu TV goes for $99/month and includes ACC Network, but does not carry NBA TV or NFL Red Zone.

For monthly packages, Sling TV is the cheapest at $57/month for the Orange + Sports Extra package. An Essentials + Sports Extra package, which includes ESPN and ACC Network, is even cheaper at $31/month. Be sure to avoid Sling Blue, as that package does not carry ESPN or ACC Network.

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post UNC Football vs. Syracuse (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Kickoff Time appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

The Carolina Football Hour on Franklin UNC Football Pre-Game Show is presented by Chapel Hill Tire, Now open Saturdays at their Crabtree and University Place Locations.

As UNC football returns for its first home game in two weeks, the Tar Heels are now riding a winning streak. 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell and Michael Koh preview Carolina’s matchup vs. Syracuse on Saturday, October 24 — while also discussing how the Heels have already met and exceeded many expectations at the halfway point of the 2026 season. Plus: Beckett Brantley of the Daily Tar Heel joins the show to discuss the mood on campus after UNC’s win over Duke.

The Carolina Football Hour is your home for football insights from the staff of the flagship station for Tar Heel Sports! Now part of the pregame coverage, hosts Brighton McConnell and Michael Koh prepare UNC fans for the upcoming game by sharing the latest reporting, insight, and analysis on the team — as well as hear from guests covering the program. Tune in Saturdays three hours before kick-off on 97.9 The Hill WCHL and listen on-demand afterward on your favorite audio apps, like Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Listen:

The post Halfway Through 2026, Optimism and Opportunity Are There for UNC — The Carolina Football Hour (Oct. 24, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Both UNC soccer teams were in action Friday night. At Dorrance Field, the Tar Heel women rebounded from a loss at Wake Forest with a 1-0 win vs. No. 7 Stanford, while over in Durham the men played to a 2-2 draw at Duke.

In the women’s match, Bella Devey’s goal in the 70th minute of the action proved to be all the difference the Tar Heels needed in the highly competitive affair. Carolina had controlled the majority of the chances in the first half, firing seven shots to the Cardinal’s two. Devey’s goal came somewhat against the run of play in the second half, as UNC keeper Peyton Trayer had to make three saves in a span of less than eight minutes to preserve the 0-0 score.

At the beginning of the UNC move which led to Devey’s goal, she was the only Tar Heel in the attacking half of the pitch. After receiving a long pass, Devey took on two Cardinal defenders before firing a low shot past Stanford keeper Caroline Birkel. It was Devey’s 16th goal of the season.

Trayer had to make two more saves in the 78th and 80th minutes to see out the match, upping her total on the night to a season-high seven. Stanford outshot the Tar Heels 10-6 in the second half, and the two teams finished the match even with seven shots on target apiece.

Friday’s win is the second of the season for UNC against a top 10 foe. It’s also the first time the Tar Heels have defeated the Cardinal as a conference foe. Carolina is now 13-2 overall and 6-1 in ACC play, two points ahead of second-place Wake Forest. UNC returns to action Thursday, Oct. 29 when it hosts SMU at Dorrance Field at 7 p.m. It is the final home match of the regular season for the Tar Heels.

In Durham, UNC trailed twice but found equalizers both times to play Duke to a 2-2 draw. The Blue Devils, who entered the night occupying last place in the ACC, had gone ahead within the first quarter-hour of action after UNC keeper Alan Rutkowski committed a foul in the penalty area and Duke’s Ethan Congleton converted the penalty kick.

It took barely five minutes for UNC to answer, as Vermont transfer Nico Loebus scored his first goal as a Tar Heel in the 20th minute. Duke would take the lead back before halftime off the foot of Congleton again, and Carolina trailed 2-1 entering the locker room.

Luca Nikolai found the equalizer in the 64th minute, converting a penalty kick of his own after Joschi Schelb was fouled in the penalty area. But that would be UNC’s final shot on target of the night. In fact, the Tar Heels would only manufacture one shot total in the match’s final 27 minutes, an off-target effort from Schelb in the 72nd minute.

With Friday’s result, UNC is still unbeaten in its last six matches, though it had won the previous five. Carolina is 7-2-4 overall and 3-1-3 in ACC play and will be back in action when it hosts William & Mary at Dorrance Field Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m.

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Dalton Wainscott

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Moments after the sentencing was read for Miguel Salguero-Olivares — life in prison for the 2012 murder of Faith Hedgepeth — the members of the Hedgepeth family in the room began embracing each other and letting out tears that had welled up since the jury read its verdict.

Amid the moment of release, Faith’s mother Connie saw Chapel Hill Police Chief Celisa Lehew approaching her.

“Celisa said to me,” Hedgepeth recalled, “that she was sorry that it took this long, over 14 years, for justice. But I told her, ‘Don’t be sorry. It’s God’s plan. I thought when it happened, we’d have the answers soon. It was over 14 years…but I say, ‘Everything has a purpose.’ And I think her death has served its purpose, because so many people know her story.”

Hedgepeth and her family, as well as Lehew, state investigators, and the prosecution team, shared public thoughts with the media on Friday after court proceedings finished. Family members had changed into t-shirts with the message “Faith Over Fear,” which they sold as fundraisers to help cover travel and lodging costs during the trial. Despite not knowing who was responsible for more than a decade after the Hollister, N.C. resident’s death, Hedgepeth’s family and community have long sought to show a unified front in sharing the story of her life before her death. To a person, they described Hedgepeth as someone who brought joy to each person she knew.

“We [collectively] tried to represent Faith for the whole trial,” Hedgepeth’s father, Roland, said. “Not just as individuals, but we tried to represent her with dignity.”

Now with some resolution to the tragedy, Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry thanked the Hedgepeth family for trusting the investigators and prosecutors with the case and for “holding our feet to the fire” to ensure justice was served.

“We’ve become close with them,” Deberry said about the Hedgepeth family and her office. “This case is personal for me because at the time we really started working on it, my youngest daughter was a 19-year-old at UNC-Chapel Hill and she had just moved off-campus. And I could not imagine what it would feel like to get that telephone call. We just all knew that we could not let this family down.”

Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry (center) speaks to the gathered media on Friday, October 23, after the conviction and sentencing of Miguel Salguero-Olivares in the murder of Faith Hedgepeth. Chapel Hill Police Chief Celisa Lehew (left) and Faith’s mother, Connie Hedgepeth (right) stand nearby. (Photo by Brighton McConnell/Chapel Hill Media Group.)

Deberry said the prosecutorial team started preparing for the trial of Salguero-Olivares “daily” about two years ago — but she credited some of the origins of that preparation to a Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. Its funding helped add prosecutors Angela Garcia-Lamarca and Charles Sole as the office called in specialists Lisa Coltrain from the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys and Brooks Stone from the Alamance County District Attorney’s Office. Together, they formed the team that argued to the jury that the DNA and forensic evidence left at the crime scene proved Salguero-Olivares was the man responsible for Hedgepeth’s murder and rape.

While Salguero-Olivares’ defense team brought no witnesses themselves in front of the jury, they used their cross-examination opportunities to question whether the evidence was handled correctly in 2012 and the ensuing years as investigators requested new tests. Lehew said she stood by how the department conducted its investigation — and thanked all the law enforcement employees who worked “countless hours” to honor Hedgepeth by holding her killer accountable.

“This was definitely new for us, in terms of how long the case [lasted],” said Lehew. “It really impacts me when people say, ‘Oh, it was a cold case.’ Faith’s case was never cold. We literally worked it every way we could for those 14 years, and I’m just so proud of the team. There was never really a doubt that our work was good, and we did the best we did, and that we would have a conviction.”

Faith’s niece and close friend Alexis Evans acknowledged the time, resources, and attention around Hedgepeth’s case are not something afforded to all victims. Because of the 19-year-old being a UNC student, the crime happening in Chapel Hill, and the details slowly released as investigators sought suspects, the murder drew significant attention from across the community and country. Evans was quick to point out how indigenous women experience violence in their life at a significantly higher rate — four out of five women — than other demographics and how Faith was one of them.

“I want to speak to all the families and individuals who are secondary victims of homicide [or people] who are missing and murdered,” Hedgepeth’s niece said. “Today we have seen justice for [Faith]. And that fight will continue today and beyond…through every appeal, through every trial, through anything that presents after this. But today we have a semblance of peace. And I want to recognize every story that isn’t able to be heard up here.”

And yet, at least for a few hours, the Hedgepeth family was able to begin feeling a semblance of closure with an answer to whether justice would bookend Faith’s story.

“Today’s guilty verdict brings accountability for Faith’s death — that matters, and we have worked hard toward this day for a very long time,” Lehew said to punctuate her comments. “We hope today brings some of the answers you have waited so long for, and will we continue to stand beside everyone. Above all, today is about Faith: the life she lived, the people she touched, and the future she deserved.”

Featured image by Brighton McConnell/Chapel Hill Media Group.

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The post ‘Represent Her With Dignity’: Faith Hedgepeth’s Family, Investigators Find Closure in Conviction After 14 Years appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

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97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news in the greater Chapel Hill and Carrboro community. Every weekday afternoon, 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey recaps the day’s news, from local government to business developments to UNC sports, and everything in-between. Hear compelling stories, breaking news, and more. Find all of Andrew’s Evening News Reports by clicking here.

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Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Friday, October 23, discussing town news and events. She recapped the West End Poetry Festival before discussing a special Get Out The Vote Event Roy Cooper is holding at a new venue presented by Cat’s Cradle–107 Brewer Lane. She also reviewed this week’s town council meeting, including approval of over 80 townhomes on Rogers Road, and more.

Conversations With the Mayors is an ongoing series on “News on the Hill” where host Andrew Stuckey visits with the local government leaders who help shape our communities in Chapel Hill and the surrounding area. Each Tuesday he visits with Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell; Wednesdays feature a conversation with Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton; Thursdays feature Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson, and Fridays include a conversation with Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee. You can listen to previous “Conversations With the Mayors” here.

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The jury made its decision after hours of deliberation on Friday — the first full day of deliberation after roughly an hour of deliberation on Thursday.

Salguero-Olivares slightly shook his head, looked to the gallery behind him and then discussed with his representation after the announcement was made. He declined to comment to the courtroom afterward, with his attorney James Rainsford saying his recommendation was not to do so.

Minutes later, after members of the Hedgepeth family addressed the court, Superior Court Judge Keith Gregory sentenced the Durham resident to life in prison on the first-degree murder charge, without the possibility of parole. The additional sentences — ranging from 64-89 months on the burglary count to 240-348 months for both the rape and sexual offense charges — will run consecutively.

“The facts bear it out that this is the appropriate sentence,” Gregory said to Salguero-Olivares, after reading the final sexual offense punishment. The judge also will require the 33-year-old to register as a sex offender for the rest of his natural life. Salguero-Olivares indicated to both his defense team and the court he wants to appeal the decision.

“Faith Hedgepeth was just 19 years old when her life was taken,” Durham District Attorney Satana Deberry said in a release from her office after the verdict. “She had a bright future ahead of her, a family who loved her, and a community that has mourned her loss for more than fourteen years.

“While nothing can restore the life that was lost,” she continued, “today’s verdict represents an important moment of accountability. I am profoundly grateful to the prosecutors, investigators, forensic scientists, and everyone who worked tirelessly over the years to bring this case before a jury. Their dedication reflects our commitment to pursuing justice in every case, no matter how much time has passed.”

Content warning: this article contains mention of sexual assault and details some readers may find disturbing.

On Thursday, Sep. 6, 2012, Hedgepeth and her roommate Karena Rosario went out for the night at a club in Chapel Hill called The Thrill. Rosario got drunk, and was later driven home by Hedgepeth who was acting as a designated driver. Around 4 a.m. the next morning, Rosario got picked up from the apartment by a fellow student named Jordan McCrary. Hours later Rosario was preparing to head to Friday classes and attempted to get in contact with Hedgepeth to make sure their apartment was unlocked, as they shared a key. She was then driven back to the apartment by their mutual friend, at which point she entered and found Hedgepeth dead in their shared bed. Someone had killed her using a glass Bacardi rum bottle and she died as a result of severe blunt force trauma. She was also raped by an unknown individual, as investigators found semen both on and inside her body. The case remained cold for nine years, despite investigators identifying a single DNA profile present on Hedgepeth’s body, the murder weapon, and other items found at the scene.

Faith Hedgepeth, in a photo publicly provided by her family.

In 2021, Miguel Salguero-Olivares was arrested for drunk driving, at which point both a DNA sample and prints were taken by officers. The DNA sample was found by investigators to be a statistically significant match to the profile found across the crime scene, and he was subsequently arrested. He had never been named as a person of interest in the case by investigators before his DNA was collected.

The trial took place at the Durham County Courthouse and with testimony beginning on Oct. 7. The prosecution’s team was Assistant District Attorney Angela Garcia-Lamarca, Assistant District Attorney Brooks Stone, and Homicide and Arson Resource Prosecutor Lisa Coltrain. Salguero-Olivares’ defense team was made up of attorneys from Coleman, Merritt, Murphy & Rainsford, P.C., a Hillsborough-based law firm. Attorney James Rainsford took the lead on the defense.

In North Carolina, first degree rape is defined as nonconsensual vaginal intercourse, while first degree sexual offense is any other kind of nonconsensual sexual act. The state brought evidence that Salguero-Olivares’ DNA was identified by investigators on a vaginal swab taken from Hedgepeth’s body, which is the basis of the first degree rape charge. The state also brought evidence that they found his DNA on an anal swab, which is the basis of the first degree sexual offense charge. Both swabs were specifically positive for the presence of semen. North Carolina legal precedent states if semen is found within either the vagina or anus, it is proof penetration took place.

His final charge was first degree burglary. In North Carolina, first degree burglary is the nonconsensual entering of an occupied dwelling at night with the intent to commit a crime. Even though Karena Rosario testified she left the apartment door unlocked, the state successfully argued Salguero-Olivares entering without consent fit the bill for first degree burglary.

The state’s case centered on DNA evidence, as well as prints found on items which experts found to be a match to the defendant. Latent print analyst Summer Maffett with the State Crime Lab testified on October 13 and 14 that in 2014, she found a partial left palm print and thumb print left on the blue Riesling wine bottle found in the bedroom where Hedgepeth was likely killed. Her testimony was followed by that of Erin Ermish of the North Carolina State Crime Lab, who testified to the statistically significant likelihood that the defendant’s DNA profile was a match to the previously unknown profile she found across the crime scene. The state also called former UNC students from Hedgepeth and Rosario’s social circle, a former coworker and distant relative of Salguero-Olivares who testified he dropped the defendant off at the Hawthorne at the View apartment complex, and the young women’s neighbor from across the street who held a cookout the night of Sep. 6, 2012, which lasted until the early morning hours of the 7th.

In the state’s closing arguments, Garcia-Lamarca and Coltrain argued Salguero-Olivares attended the cookout, which was put on by fellow Guatemalan immigrants. They theorized that when Hedgepeth and Rosario returned from The Thrill, Salguero-Olivares approached the two young women and got into some form of verbal altercation which caused him to become angry. Feeling insulted, rejected, or both, the state said he entered the apartment and killed and raped Hedgepeth, before leaving a vulgar message written on a white takeout bag. The message reads, “I’m not stupid. Bitch. Jealous.” Coltrain brought up the fact that one of the state’s witnesses testified Salguero-Olivares was in English classes at the time, and posited that he got the order of noun and verb wrong in the message as a result of being a native Spanish-speaker. Thus, the message should have read. “I’m not stupid, jealous bitch.”

While the defense initially planned to call witnesses and enter its own evidence, the team changed tact, instead opting not to present a case so it could retain the right of last argument. In North Carolina, if a defendant’s attorneys don’t present any evidence, they are allowed to deliver closing arguments after the state, which typically gets the first and last word to the jury. In the defense’s closing arguments, Rainsford and fellow attorney Jason Murphy did their best to poke holes in the state’s case and identify potential inconsistencies that could lead the jury to have reasonable doubt. Although the defense was barred by the court in a pretrial hearing from arguing Karena Rosario was implicated in the crimes, they still pointed to pieces of evidence which may cast her in a suspicious light. Namely, McCrary told investigators and later testified Rosario had said she didn’t know why there was blood on her hands after he picked her up, referring to a red stain on her fingers. She said she did not remember having a conversation about blood. Both Rosario and the state argued this was the remnant of vomit, as she had been drinking red alcoholic drinks that night and red vomit was found in a trashcan at the crime scene.

Superior Judge Keith Gregory speaks to the jury after the verdict was shared on Friday, October 23. (Photo via press pool footage.)

Miguel Salguero-Olivares leaves the courtroom following the verdict and sentencing after being found guilty on all four charges. (Photo via press pool footage.)

Featured image via the courtroom press pool.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

The post Jury Finds Miguel Salguero-Olivares Guilty of Murdering UNC Student Faith Hedgepeth appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

“Viewpoints” is a place on Chapelboro where local people are encouraged to share their unique perspectives on issues affecting our community. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work, reporting or approval of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com. If you’d like to contribute a column on an issue you’re concerned about, interesting happenings around town, reflections on local life — or anything else — send a submission to viewpoints@wchl.com.

The Future of Our Schools: A Shared Opportunity & Responsibility

A perspective from Dr. Rodney N. Trice

Over the past year, CHCCS schools have shown what’s possible when we combine great teaching, strong relationships and a shared belief in what students can achieve. Our graduation rate is up to 93.8%. Our academic proficiency is nearly 14 percentage points higher than the state average. More CHCCS schools are earning A and B grades for overall performance, and more students are exceeding growth expectations. We’re not just maintaining strong outcomes in our district, we’re improving them.

At the same time, our community has wrestled with difficult questions about the future of public education, including the enrollment and economic realities that face many school districts across the nation. Most recently, those conversations culminated in the CHCCS Board of Education’s decision to close Glenwood Elementary School after the 2026-27 school year.

While it was a most difficult decision to close a beloved school, we must recognize that this one vote does not define our district or even conclude the work before us. The data show that the enrollment and financial challenges that led to this decision are likely to persist. Like school districts across North Carolina and the nation, CHCCS continues to navigate how to provide the best possible educational opportunities for all students while remaining fiscally sound. Addressing those challenges will require continued diligence, thoughtful planning, honest conversations and, sometimes, tough choices.

It will also require something even more important: the combined efforts of our entire community.

Providing every young person with a high-quality public education delivers benefits here at home and in our broader society. Likewise, ensuring the future success of our local schools rests on all of us – district leaders, educators, families, staff members, students, alumni, community partners, municipal leaders and residents. Public education is a community investment. The strength of our schools helps shape the strength of our community.

Now is the time to show the best versions of ourselves through the community-oriented collaboration that makes CHCCS the envy of other public school districts.

As we move forward this fall with revising school attendance boundaries for elementary-age students, a process known as elementary school redistricting, we must be intentional about building welcoming school communities. We know from experience that transitions can be challenging and that students and families need to feel accepted, valued and connected as they move into new school communities. Preserving what is special while creating something new will require care, patience and deliberate effort.

We have an opportunity to model the values we hope to foster in the next generation: respect, empathy, kindness and a commitment to working through differences. We can and should choose to listen, to welcome new neighbors into our school communities, and to focus on what unites us rather than what divides us. Most importantly, we must choose to keep students at the center of every conversation and decision.

No one should underestimate the challenges ahead, because change is difficult and transitions are rarely seamless. There will be questions to answer and concerns to address, but there is also a strong case for optimism. This community has a long history of caring deeply about its schools, and the passion we have witnessed over the past year comes from a shared belief that our children deserve the best opportunities we can help create for them. That common commitment -one that I see firsthand every day as superintendent- remains our greatest strength.

The chapter ahead will not look exactly like the chapter behind us. But if we approach one another with empathy, engage in good faith, and keep our focus on the success of current and future generations of students, we will emerge stronger than before, continuing the legacy of success CHCCS is known for across the state.

That is why I ask all of us to help ensure that the next chapter of public education is one defined by deep community collaboration. Let’s move together with a sense of purpose and partnership that will make all of us proud to call Chapel Hill-Carrboro our home.

“Viewpoints” on Chapelboro is a recurring series of community-submitted opinion columns. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work or reporting of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com.

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97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news and local voices in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every weekday morning, 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck chats with government officials, UNC scholars, business and nonprofit leaders, area musicians, and others in our community as they share their thoughts, their experience, and their expertise on the central issues of today. Click here to listen back to all of Aaron’s conversations – and tune in to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” at 7:30 a.m. on 97.9 The Hill to hear those conversations live.

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