This week in history: an inventor cashes in on his greatest invention – just in time for the patent to be rescinded. Also: the U.S. purchases Alaska from Russia, the Fifteenth Amendment advances in the U.S. Constitution, a drinking song becomes the Star-Spangled Banner, and the yellow school bus makes its debut. (Also, Aaron is nonplussed by a cruise-ship trivia contest, and Scott has the best segue of all time.)

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:

The post History Matters: Hyman Lipman’s Last Laugh appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Trending today: a big spike in global saxophone sales, thanks largely – and very specifically – to retirees in China. Victor shares fun saxophone facts (including the fact that the instrument was once banned by the Vatican), while Aaron disses the trombone.

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: Surging Saxophone Sales appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Carrburritos is moving to Carr Mill Mall this summer, after 29 years in their current space on Rosemary Street! Aaron welcomes store owner Rae Mosher to officially make the announcement: they’re projecting early August for their opening date, in the spot formerly occupied by Grata Cafe and Elmo’s Diner.

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.

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 On Air Today: Carrburritos, Moving to Carr Mill Mall This Summer appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today’s news: local officials break ground on Homestead Gardens, a new affordable housing development in Chapel Hill. Also: a mental-health crisis ends sadly in Pittsboro; U.S. House Rep. Valerie Foushee says dysfunction in Congress leaves her “furious” every day; and in sports, UNC women’s basketball star Lanie Grant announces she’s hitting the transfer portal after a successful sophomore season.

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: Homestead Gardens, DC Dysfunction, and Lanie Grant appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Trending today: matcha tea, which is increasingly popular – and increasingly grown outside of Japan, despite its close association with Japanese culture. Self-confessed cultural appropriator Victor offers one possible solution: like champagne, should we only call it ‘matcha’ if it’s explicitly grown in Japan?

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: Matcha, Matcha Man appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Aaron welcomes U.S. House Rep. Valerie Foushee for an extended conversation, a few weeks out from her narrow victory in the midterm primary. Rep. Foushee reflects on that experience and what she learned from the campaign – and she also discusses (and expresses frustration about) major national issues ranging from the war in Iran to the partial government shutdown and efforts to rein in ICE. (And near the end, Aaron raises a more general pressing question: preserving democracy requires an active effort from all of us, but we won’t be willing to put in that effort if we don’t have hope for the future – so how do we ignite that hope, in people who currently don’t have it?)

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.

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 On Air Today: U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee on Iran, TSA, ICE, the 2026 Primary, and Inspiring Hope in Americans appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today’s news: a UNC student-led group helps install cost-saving solar panels at the local hunger-relief nonprofit TABLE. Also: Graig Meyer officially leaves the State Senate, with a party vote on his replacement coming Saturday; and local communities face big decisions over whether to welcome – or try to block – massive AI data centers. And in sports: UNC baseball comes away with an epic 14-inning win over Campbell; Carolina softball gets an easier win at Liberty; women’s lacrosse star Chloe Humphrey wins another big individual honor; two Tar Heel soccer stars get called onto Team USA; and Deborah Stroman weighs in on the ongoing search for UNC’s next men’s basketball coach.

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: Solar Panels at TABLE, Graig Meyer Steps Down, Data Centers Come to Counties appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Trending today: marine scientists are using drones to study whales – which is teaching us a lot more about whale behavior. Specifically, Victor shines the spotlight on one exciting new drone-based program – whose actual name is SnotBot. (Also, Victor wishes we could go back to the days when drones were just cool and not ominous, and Aaron shouts out Sigourney Weaver.)

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: SnotBot! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today’s news: local musician Joseph Terrell goes viral with an anti-ICE protest song that took off on social media. Also: an anonymous threat briefly evacuates a terminal at RDU; a federal judge upholds North Carolina’s voter-ID law; Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools faces a lawsuit over a reported incident at FPG Elementary School; Orange County Schools seek input on a future new elementary school; and Chapel Hill allocates $3 million in leftover funds. And in sports: UNC baseball jumps seven spots in the national rankings as they prepare to host Campbell at 8 p.m. in Boshamer Stadium.

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: ‘Genuine American Hero’ appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Trending today: Utah Valley University and the WAC conference fight over a couple million dollars as the school tries to leave the conference – which doesn’t impress Aaron at all. (Also: Aaron and Michael Koh do not understand basic economics.)

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: A Truly WAC-y story appeared first on Chapelboro.com.