Chapelboro.com

Dr. Jim Crawford            Dr. James Wood

This Week:

Born into a blue collar and agricultural clan in rural Pennsylvania, Dr. Jim Crawford was the first in his family to graduate from college. Earning his PhD from the University of North Carolina, he taught US and World History at several universities in the piedmont North Carolina for several decades. He served as chairman of the Chatham County board of commissioners. He is a firm believer in American democracy and trusts that the constitution will hold firm now as it has in past crises despite the broken, distempered electorate.

James Wood is currently Professor of Latin American and modern world history at North Carolina A&T State University. He is the author of The Society of Equality: Popular Republicanism and Democracy in Santiago de Chile, 1818-1851 and the co-editor of Problems in Modern Latin American History: Sources and Interpretations, now in its fifth edition with Rowman and Littlefield. As a Fulbright scholar for Chile in 2016 he was a visiting professor at the Universidad Diego Portales in Santiago (where he observed Chilean student activism up close).

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: Dr. Jim Crawford and Dr. James Wood – Local Historians Consider 2025 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Dr. Deborah Stroman is joined by Dr. Robert W. Turner II, Duke University professor and co-founder of the Men’s Health Initiative.

The post January 24, 2026 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell chat on Friday, Jan. 23 about one of the top sports stories of the week: quarterback Darian Mensah being sued by Duke University for entering the transfer portal and potentially breaking his contract with the football program. As Duke tries to prevent Mensah from reportedly jumping to an ACC rival, Stroman shares her thoughts on how the case could set a precedent for both schools’ and players’ future negotiations and navigation of roster construction. Debby also shares her thoughts on the increasing trend of basketball players with professional experience using their remaining college eligibility to join college programs mid-season.

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.

The post Mensah v. Duke Reflects Ongoing Professionalization of College Sports — Stroman On Sports (Jan. 23, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Winter Storm Fern is almost upon us – so what’s a good way to stay romantic in the middle of an ice storm? Brad and Aaron both offer suggestions that also allow you to support local businesses while staying safe in the process. (And isn’t staying safe and supporting local businesses what romance is really all about?)

Are you looking for romantic date-night ideas in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and the greater Triangle community? Memorable restaurants, cultural experiences, special events, great places to get outdoors? Every Friday morning at 8:30, Aaron Keck and his husband Brad Bednar go on 97.9 The Hill and offer their recommendations during “Date Night” on This Morning with Aaron Keck. Click here to listen back to all their past segments – and tune in to This Morning every Friday at 8:30 to hear “Date Night” 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.

Listen:

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Trending today: Apple is finally giving in to the right-to-repair movement and providing replacement parts for iPhones – at a price, of course. (Also, Victor waxes nostalgic about his beloved cell phones of the distant past.)

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: Right To Repair, Sort Of appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today’s news: Winter Storm Fern approaches, with meteorologists warning that the Triangle will likely get significant ice accumulation. Also: jury deliberations are underway in the Woods-Clark murder trial; UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts weighs in on future development at Carolina North and what a new basketball arena needs to have (wherever it goes); Chapel Hill approves amendments to its Land Use Management Ordinance to promote “missing middle” housing; the Walk For Peace passes through Chatham County; Tar Heel women’s basketball gets a road win over Georgia Tech; and UNC athletics leads the Learfield Director’s Cup standings as the best overall program in the nation.

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: Winter Storm Fern, Woods-Clark Murder Trial, Carolina North, LUMO, and Women’s Basketball appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

District 54 Representative and North Carolina House Minority Leader Robert Reives spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, January 22. He discussed the ongoing budget debacle at the state level, which he expects to see little movement on until after primaries. He also reflected on 2025 for the state legislature, and looked ahead to what he expects to be some of the dominant storylines of 2026, and more.

Robert’s Rules is our regular check in with Representative Robert Reives, representing Chatham County in North Carolina’s 54th district, and leading the Democratic caucus in the state house. Every two weeks Rep. Reives shares the latest news from the General Assembly in Raleigh, and his unique perspective on state and national political news.  On Air Today features 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 Robert’s Rules: Rep. Robert Reives Discusses What Comes Next for State Budget, 2026 Likely Priorities appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey presents the afternoon news. Included in this edition of the news, we update the Ross murder trial in Hillsborough, which has concluded arguments and moved to jury deliberation. We also continue to keep an eye on the winter storm coming to North Carolina this weekend, which includes possible record levels of freezing rain. We also learn more about UNC’s plans for their Carolina North Campus, and more.

97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. 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 5:00 News Reports by clicking here.

The post The Afternoon News: Closing Arguments, Ice Storm Coming, Basketball Wins appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, January 22, discussing town news and events. She talked about the upcoming winter weather and the preparations being made as the town expects snow and ice over the weekend. She also discussed the most recent town council meeting which saw the passage of amendments to the town’s Land Use Management Ordinance. She talked about UNC’s announced plans for the Carolina North campus, 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 Chapel Hill: Storm Prep, LUMO, Carolina North appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was this week – a reminder that social movements are rarely, if ever, popular in their own time. Also: Scott and Aaron look back on the first Winter Olympics, the passage of the 24th Amendment (banning poll taxes) and the 20th Amendment (moving the presidential inauguration date), and the accidental invention of the Frisbee.

97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news and local voices in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every Thursday morning, local historian Scott Washington joins 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck for “History Matters,” a look back at notable events and significant figures from this week in history, ranging from pioneers to writers to inventors to civil rights champions and more, locally, nationally, and beyond.

Click here to listen back to the full History Matters archive – and tune in to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” Thursday mornings at 8:30 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:

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