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Trending today: IKEA’s master plan to stay in business in perpetuity – by purchasing its own forest, to ensure it will always have a supply of lumber even if the rest of us shlubs wreck all the other trees. (You’d think more companies would actually spend some time thinking about how to stay solvent for the long run, right?)

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: Ikea Forever! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Aaron welcomes local musician Jason Bales of The Yardarm, who’s just released his debut solo EP “Watching the Pines.” Bales discusses the project and performs the title song live in 97.9 The Hill studios – and promotes The Yardarm’s upcoming show, Saturday, December 13, from noon to 2 p.m. at Boxyard RTP.

Click here to listen to the full EP and purchase it on Bandcamp.

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: ‘Watching the Pines’ with Jason Bales appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Welcome to Talking Culture! In this weekly interview series from 97.9 The Hill WCHL, you’ll hear from writers, performers, musicians and individuals involved in advancing and promoting cultural arts in our community.

This holiday season, head to Carrboro for Center Theater Company’s performance of the classic story “A Christmas Carol,” running now through Sunday, December 21.

Buy tickets and get more info at CenterTheaterCompany.com.

Aaron welcomes two cast members to discuss the show and why its message still resonates today: Jock Brocki, who’s starring as Ebenezer Scrooge, and Chandler Vance, who’s playing both Fred and Fezziwig while also designing the show’s costumes.

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 Talking Culture: Bah, Humbug! ‘A Christmas Carol’ at Center Theater Company appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today’s news: Pittsboro swears in two new town board members and asks for your feedback on the future of downtown. Also: the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board elects a new chair, while the former chair heads to Raleigh to face questions from the General Assembly; a beloved local figure earns the Order of the Long Leaf Pine; UNC staffers object to a new program designed to save money; and author/politician D.G. Martin passes away at the age of 85. And in sports: one Tar Heel football star decides to go pro, while several other UNC athletes earn postseason individual honors.

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: Pittsboro’s Future appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey speaks with CORA’s Melissa Driver Beard, TABLE’s Suzanne Tormollen, and PORCH’s Erin Riney. They discuss the new challenges facing organizations battling food insecurity in our community, and the sense that their role is becoming more permanent. They also discussed the specific challenges faced in our community around food insecurity, and what is needed to improve their effectiveness. They also talked about the sea-change moment when SNAP benefits were withheld during the government shutdown, and more.

The 2025 “Forum On The Hill” is presented by The Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Health, 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 Food Banks Step Up, But Need Help – Dec. 9, 2025 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck speaks with two UNC professors: biochemist Rebecca Berlow and art historian Victoria Rovine, who also serves as the director of Carolina Public Humanities.

This hour focuses on the state of research and scholarship on campus in 2025. There is a lot to celebrate, with significant work happening at UNC every day and radical new technologies opening the door for major advancements – but those technologies (like AI) also bring their own challenges and pitfalls. This year has also brought major cuts to federal research funding, compounded by heavy pressure against any campus programs or research projects that appear to promote (or even acknowledge) diversity, equity, and inclusiveness. Berlow and Rovine share their thoughts about where scholarship stands at UNC, in the midst of all those concerns, pressures, and opportunities.

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 Federal Impacts on Local Research Efforts – December 9, 2025 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell speaks with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Superintendent Rodney Trice and Chatham County Schools’ Chief of Technology and Accountability Mark Samberg on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Enrollment is a hot topic in both districts — but for very different reasons. Trice and Samberg discuss what the latest enrollment trends are, what they indicate for the school systems’ futures, and the needs they each face. The duo also share what external factors are top of mind when considering enrollment data and how to adjust, as well as how the districts are communicating the importance of those elements with families and local leaders. Then, Trice and Samberg close with ways that enrollment trends are currently manifesting in the classrooms, how the districts are responding, and what their ideal trends might look like a decade from now.

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 How Enrollment Data is Influencing Our Schools — Dec. 9, 2025 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Trending today: a company is purporting to offer a humanoid robot butler – but it’s not AI, it’s being operated remotely by a person. Which reminds Victor of the Mechanical Turk, an 18th-century scam that claimed to be a chess-playing automaton but was in fact just a dude in a box moving pieces from below. (Also, Aaron and Victor debate the extent to which 24-hour convenience is still a thing in the U.S.)

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: Hello, Rich Hapsburg! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Saturday, December 20, head to Hillsborough for the annual Solstice Lantern Walk along the Eno River, starting at sunset with lots of handmade lanterns. You’re invited to make your own and join the fun!

Get more info and register at HillsboroughArtsCouncil.org.

Aaron welcomes Heather Tatreau and Iva Beveridge from the Hillsborough Arts Council to discuss the lantern walk and what makes it so popular – and what you need to know if you want to participate (or just watch).

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: Hillsborough’s 2025 Solstice Lantern Walk! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today’s news: the Triangle remains under a Winter Weather Advisory, with icy roads lingering after Monday’s snowfall. Also: Aaron runs down the list of weather-related closures, cancellations and delays; a longtime local elected official says he’s stepping down next year; Orange County Commissioners consider an incentives package to bring the French manufacturer CITEL to Hillsborough; and education advocates weigh in after North Carolina’s controversial Opportunity Scholarship program hits a milestone. And in sports: Courtney Banghart weighs in after a mixed week for Tar Heel women’s basketball, and Tar Heel football and tennis stars earn individual honors.

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: Winter Weather Advisory, School Closings, CITEL in Hillsborough appeared first on Chapelboro.com.