Carolina Connection

UNC experts say destructive storms like Helene are becoming more severe. The UNC system has abolished its DEI efforts, which has led to what some students call a less diverse campus. A proposed N.C. constitutional amendment would clarify that non-citizens can't vote, but critics say it isn’t necessary. Some UNC fraternity members are disappointed about how organizers of "Flagstock" spent the half-million dollars they raised from GoFundMe. The Good Neighbor Initiative helps build bridges between UNC students who live off campus and their neighbors. The Ackland Art Museum is hiring its first full time art conservator.

Some UNC students are skeptical about the upcoming election, but campus leaders are hoping to boost voter turnout. Reports that Republican N.C. governor candidate Mark Robinson made lewd online comments shows that the internet can be a harsh world for politicians. Another political candidate fights for the right to take selfies with your ballot. A campus protest for Palestine leads to vandalism –- and more campus tension. UNC Campus Safety put on their pirate hats to host an emergency preparedness festival. 

A year after a fatal shooting on campus, some students are calling for more action against gun violence. UNC has disbanded its DEI programs, but administrators say they still want every student to feel welcome.  Republicans are trying to prevent students from using digital OneCards as voter IDs. Carolina Connection takes a stroll down Franklin Street, where one longtime store is leaving, and other small business owners are worried about competition from chains. 

Sports betting has been legal in North Carolina for more than a month, and state officials say more than 300,000 betting accounts have been activated in the state, enough to generate more than $60 million dollars in tax revenue in its first year. Carolina Connection reporter Hamsini Sivakumar talks with Lorelai Sykes about how sports betting is affecting college campuses.

Some job recruiters say today’s college graduates are unprofessional, and it’s hurting their employment prospects. On Earth Day, students called on UNC to cut its use of disposable plastics. Law students petition UNC to allow a classmate to participate in graduation, after she was arrested for domestic terrorism and banned from campus. Mediterranean Deli, a Chapel Hill staple, is getting close to re-opening after last year’s devastating fire. UNC’s newest barista isn’t a human, but a robot.

Students and faculty react to a new mandate that UNC System students must learn “foundations of American democracy.” The UNC System Board of Governors begins dismantling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies on the state’s campuses. Scientists eagerly await the emergence of millions of cicadas that are coming later this month. A UNC grad has formed a company that's trying to address a shortage of sports concession stand workers. Carrboro gives a big grant to an organization that helps young people. A bar in Raleigh is missing the one thing you’d expect to find: alcohol.

Citing a state law, UNC officials have told protestors to stop wearing masks at Pro-Palestinian demonstrations, but some lawyers say the law is unconstitutional. Students at St. Augustine's University in Raleigh are devastated after the school sends them home amid a crippling financial crisis. A UNC student refused to let a power outage stop her one-woman show. A Triangle organization provides free professional attire to women who can't afford it. UNC's annual Arts Everywhere day features a little bit of everything, including a poetry-writing fox.

In 1898, an 18-year-old Black man was killed by a mob of white men near the present day intersection of Old Greensboro Road and Hatch Road. Now, 126 years later, the Town of Carrboro has unveiled a historical marker in honor of his life.

In this edition of the Carolina Connection podcast, Jessica Simmons talks with Lorelai Sykes about the lynching of Manly McCauley, the reaction from the community, and the importance of memorializing negative parts of our past.

UNC plans to increase security by adding license plate readers across campus but privacy advocates are concerned. Apps like YikYak may soon be banned on campus WiFi. UNC housekeepers demand higher pay and lower parking fees. Chapel Hill’s public library has been nominated for a national award. The state wants to banish the invasive and infamous Bradford Pear tree.

An alcohol-related car accident that killed a UNC sophomore in January has led to ten arrests, including six students. It's also changing the way some students think about underage drinking. UNC extends its admission deadline because of delays in federal financial aid. Three months after former Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz’ departure, the search for a new chancellor is underway. Activists want Chapel Hill to rename Cameron Avenue, which is named after a slave owner.  Can AI help you fill out a winning NCAA basketball bracket?