97.9 The Hill News Director Brighton McConnell guest hosts on Tuesday, September 29 and shares the latest local news stories. Orange County’s two Boards of Education meet with the county commissioners, with each district facing a redistricting process in the upcoming years. In Carrboro, some popular tennis and pickleball courts temporarily close while a beloved restaurant re-opens. Jury selection is now underway in Durham for the trial of the man accused of killing Faith Hedgepeth. Binkley Baptist Church honors its recently retired pastor by starting a new fundraising effort. In sports, a UNC men’s golfer ties a major record, while the Protect College Sports Act takes a key step in Congress.

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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President and CEO of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce Rebecca Dickenson joins 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell on Tuesday, September 29. Dickenson shares some of the recent activities the Chamber held during the month of September and an exciting upcoming event right as the calendar turns. She also shares her perspective on the recent acquisition of the Chatham Mills shopping center, why the chamber is tracking an affordable housing retreat held by the county government, and what discussions she’s having with business owners who are considering joining the Chatham community.

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.

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Public Policy Analyst Alex Campbell joins 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell on Tuesday, September 29. Campbell and the North Carolina Budget & Tax Center recently published a report on the remaining economic relief needed in the state from Hurricane Helene, the most expensive storm in North Carolina’s modern history — and the biggest storm of its kind to go underfunded. Campbell shares several key stats to know, where the state and federal levels have and have not helped, and why constitutional amendments on the ballot this fall could further constrain relief efforts from natural disasters like Helene.

Click here to read the full analysis.

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.

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Chapel Hill Media Group CEO and 97.9 The Hill General Manager Aubrey Williams spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Monday, September 28. She discussed being stuck on Hatteras Island after a storm washed out North Carolina Highway 12, limiting access to the island to just a few ferries. She talked about waiting in line for a ferry before eventually deciding to wait for the road to reopen on Wednesday, 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.

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Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools Board Chair Riza Jenkins spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Monday, September 28. She discussed the recent process of filling the vacant school board seat after Rani Dasi’s appointment to the Orange County Commissioners. She also discussed welcoming new board member Tongde Wu. She discussed upcoming feedback opportunities for the community as the board considers elementary school redistricting, updates the early school year transportation situation, and more.

Speaking of Schools is our regular check-in with the public K-12 school districts in our community.  You can find conversations with leaders from Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Orange County Schools, and Chatham County Schools by clicking here.

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97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey presents the evening news. Included in this edition of the news, we hear a breakdown of the contents of the Board of Trustees meeting. We get more details on the newest member of the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. In sports, we hear from Athletic Director Steve Newmark on the recently concluded investigation into the football program, and more.

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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97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell team up on Friday, September 25 to talk hoops ahead of the WNBA postseason. With the first round set to begin on Sunday, the pair go through which of the series seem most intriguing, how the league’s star power and varied types of basketball will be on display, and who is their choice to win the championship next month. Stroman also shares why she recently started a fundraising campaign to build a basketball court down in Costa Rica.

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.

Listen:

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Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Friday, September 25, discussing town news and events. She discussed this week’s Good Neighbor Initiative Cookout. She previewed the Carrboro Music Festival, which gets started on Saturday and peaks on Sunday. She also discussed the upcoming election and the importance of preparing to vote, and more.

Mayor Barbara Foushee of Carrboro.

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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Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, September 24, discussing town news and events. She recapped the recent meeting of the Chapel Hill Town Council, which included a unanimous vote to institute a $65 library card fee for residents outside of Chapel Hill. She also recapped work and timeline for the Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO) rewrite, and more. She shared details of a $10 million gift to the town for parks and recreation, and more.

Mayor Jess Anderson of Chapel Hill.

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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In a special presentation of 97.9 The Hill’s Forum on The Hill, Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton and North Carolina State Representative Allen Buansi spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, September 23. They discussed a recent restructuring SNAP benefits, which put much of the financial and administrative burden on county governments, and more.

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