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This Week:

James Whalen is an experienced appellate attorney in private practice at Brooks Pierce LLP. Earlier this year, he was part of the legal team that defended Justice Allison Riggs’s win and stopped a dangerous attempt to overturn a free and fair election. He previously served as an attorney in the NC Department of Justice, where he fought gerrymandering in the U.S. Supreme Court and held domestic abusers accountable. He has argued cases in the NC Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, and the US Court of Appeals. Prior to law school, he served as a fellow on President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign and managed winning political campaigns. James is a graduate of UNC Asheville and UNC School of Law. Originally from Charlotte, he and his wife now live in Raleigh with their son, dog, and cat.

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: James Whalen, for NC Court of Appeals appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck speaks with local musicians Shirlette Ammons, Azul Zapata, and Dave Hedeman (who’s also the co-founder of local label All Y’all Records).

This hour focuses on the state of the Triangle music scene. Chapel Hill has long been known for its music, and that’s just as true today as ever – but there are also many challenges facing musicians and venues, including a post-COVID drop in attendance at live shows, the difficulty of earning a living in a Spotify-dominated world, and of course the rise of AI. Ammons, Hedeman, and Zapata weigh in with their thoughts on the joy and the difficulty of being a musician today – and what the local scene might be missing.

The 2025 “Forum On The Hill” is presented by the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Health, Wegmans, Coleman Merritt Murphy & Rainsford P.C., and The Law Office of Chris Barnes. Listen to the panels live on 97.9 The Hill WCHL the week of Dec. 8-12 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., or revisit them the day after on-demand at Chapelboro.com, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

The post What’s On Local Musicians’ Minds? – December 12, 2025 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

 D.G. Martin

Author, UNC Administrator and Radio Show Host, D.G. Martin passed away earlier this week. Leading a remarkable life, D.G. was a cherished contributor to 97.9 The Hill WCHL, and a treasure to this community, and the State of North Carolina.

In D.G.’s honor, we are airing one of his favorite holiday episodes of Who’s Talking,  a 2009 interview with retired UNC-Chapel Hill professor, Thomas Warburton, explaining the power of Handel’s Messiah.

The post December 13, 2025 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey speaks with North Carolina Poet Laureate Jakie Shelton Green, Carrboro Town Council Member Fred Joiner, and Executive Director of Orange County Arts Katie Murray on Friday, December 12. They discuss the challenges facing the arts community both generally and locally. They also discuss the role of arts in times of political division. They discuss the economic, social, and personal impact of having art in non-traditional spaces. They look ahead to 2026, and more.

The 2025 “Forum On The Hill” is presented by the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Health, Wegmans, Coleman Merritt Murphy & Rainsford P.C., and The Law Office of Chris Barnes. Listen to the panels live on 97.9 The Hill WCHL the week of Dec. 8-12 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., or revisit them the day after on-demand at Chapelboro.com, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

The post Arts in Uncertain Times – Dec. 12, 2025 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell welcomes Gayane Chambless, Jennifer McFarland, Kyle Shipp, Rachel Valentine and Breah Woolson on Friday, Dec. 12 for a conversation about the local nonprofit community. Donations are largely down in recent years, as is volunteerism. With people’s philosophies and habits around nonprofit giving or participation changing, how are our nonprofits adjusting their approaches? The group discusses what issues have been front of mind in the last year, successes and struggles in fundraising, and the importance of partnerships over competition for dollars. The panel also closes by myth-busting some traditional narratives or misconceptions around running nonprofits.

The 2025 “Forum On The Hill” is presented by the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Health, Wegmans, Coleman Merritt Murphy & Rainsford P.C., and The Law Office of Chris Barnes. Listen to the panels live on 97.9 The Hill WCHL the week of Dec. 8-12 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., or revisit them the day after on-demand at Chapelboro.com, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

The post External Changes Are Changing Nonprofits’ Approaches — Dec. 12, 2025 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

This holiday season, what is your Christmas wish – and how can that inspire you for a romantic date night? Aaron’s wishing for peace on earth and good will toward men, while Brad just wants the Hurricanes to win a Stanley Cup. It works out either way.

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.

Listen:

The post Date Night: If I Had Just One Christmas Wish appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Trending today: a man attempts to steal a Faberge egg by swallowing it, but biology (eventually) gets in the way. (Aaron wonders: does the whole ordeal make the egg less valuable, or more?) Michael Koh fills in for Victor.

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.

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

The post What’s Trending: The Poop Egg appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Aaron welcomes Jack Daoud of Olmaz Jewelers, which is back open in Eastgate Crossing after recovering from the flooding of Tropical Depression Chantal. They’re fully operational and ready for the holiday season, with gift options at all price points – including custom designs.

Conversation presented by Olmaz Jewelers.

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.

Listen:

The post On Air Today: Olmaz Jewelers, Back at Eastgate and Ready for the Holidays appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today’s news: UNC’s system president says course syllabi should be public records, and Hubert Davis praises Caleb Wilson. Also: Carrboro celebrates longtime town leader Braxton Foushee with a “Day of Service,” Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam challenges U.S. House Rep. Valerie Foushee in next year’s Democratic primary – and Orange County Commissioners sign off on financial incentives for the French manufacturer CITEL, who’s moving their U.S. headquarters from Florida to Hillsborough. And in sports: UNC wrestling hosts West Virginia, UNC women’s basketball hosts Louisville, Tar Heel gymnastics is picked fourth in this year’s ACC preseason poll, and the schedule is out for defending NCAA champ Carolina women’s lacrosse.

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.

Listen:

The post The Morning News: Braxton Foushee Day, UNC Syllabi, Nida Allam, CITEL, and Caleb Wilson appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell moderates a discussion between Shereese Alston, Beverly Scarlett and Hudson Vaughan of the Orange County Property Tax Justice Coalition, and Marilyn Carter and Amy Fowler of the county’s Board of Commissioners on Thursday, Dec. 11. This spring’s revaluation cycle saw plenty of property values rise in Orange County, many of which were significant. But the data consistently shows some of the most significant increases were in historically Black neighborhoods, which have many longtime residents aging in place. These changes threaten to overburden them with property taxes, causing the Coalition to spring into action. The group discusses the trends, what the organization and county government are doing to address it, and how to best communicate the process with community members.

The 2025 “Forum On The Hill” is presented by the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Health, Wegmans, Coleman Merritt Murphy & Rainsford P.C., and The Law Office of Chris Barnes. Listen to the panels live on 97.9 The Hill WCHL the week of Dec. 8-12 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., or revisit them the day after on-demand at Chapelboro.com, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

The post Reforming and Contextualizing Orange County’s Property Assessments — Dec. 11, 2025 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.