Chapelboro.com

Michael Koh joins Aaron to preview tonight's College World Series finale, with UNC baseball facing Oklahoma for the NCAA title. The post On Air Today: Michael Koh in Omaha, with UNC Baseball Seeking the CWS Title appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Trending today: a major labor shortage in the aviation industry inspires Aaron to develop the one big idea that'll solve all our problems. The post What’s Trending: The Harvard of Aviation appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

UNC's Marisa Marraccini discusses a new report on the best way to reintegrate students into school after mental health crises. The post On Air Today: Getting Students Back to School After Mental Health Crises, with UNC’s Marisa Marraccini appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today's news: Orange County Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford passes away at 67, and UNC baseball goes for a College World Series title. The post The Morning News: Jamezetta Bedford and UNC Baseball appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Nora Gaskin This Week: Author Nora Gaskin is a lifelong resident of the Durham-Chapel Hill area. Her latest is novel is “Lammie Loves Cubby”. Nora has a bachelor’s degree in English with Honors in Creative Writing from UNC, and a Masters in English from the University of Washington in Seattle. She spent over 24 years as a stockbroker and financial advisor in the Durham office of a major investment firm. She retired in 2005 to focus on writing. She is the publisher at Lystra Books and Literary Services and the author of three novels and one nonfiction book. She lives and writes in Chatham County, inspired by her native landscape, her husband, and dogs. Her favorite word is “gratitude.” 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: Nora Gaskin – Conjuring Crime Stories appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Judy Miller’s Not Ready for the Farm navigates our universal journey of aging — consciously, realistically, and with a great attitude. Through candid conversations with professionals, authors, and everyday people, Judy Miller and her sidekick, Jess Anderson, with humor and compassion, deep dive into the issues we confront as we grow older. No holds barred as we explore money, relationships, living life to the fullest, family dynamics, finding our purpose, third acts, retirement, health and health care, longevity, activities, travel, community, loneliness, quality of life and dying. Often painfully honest. Empowering and inspirational. With laughter and tears. How do we make every moment count? What’s your journey? What’s your plan? Hosts of Not Ready For The Farm, Judy Miller (right) and Jess Anderson (left) This week – Judy and Jess sit down with Hunter Beattie of Endswell Funeral Home to explore how a moment of reflection sparked by Desmond Tutu led him to a complete rethinking of modern death care. Hunter shares the origin story behind Endswell and what it means to be a “modern” funeral home, grounded in sustainability, transparency, and more human-centered practices. Not Ready for the Farm is proudly presented by: Purple Puddle, Clarity Legal Group, Health Source Chiropractic, HOPE Renovations, and The 79°West Innovation Hub. Listen:  The post Judy Miller’s Not Ready for the Farm: All’s Well That “Endswell” appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

This week, Dr. Deborah Stroman and Hassan Pinto, UNC soccer alumnus and entrepreneur, discuss the World Cup. The post June 20, 2026 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. Talking Culture is proudly sponsored by Duke Graduate Liberal Studies; a 30-hour, self-designed liberal arts master’s program at Duke University, offering an interdisciplinary graduate experience tailored to your interests and life experiences. Welcoming students from all walks of life, learn more here! This week, Aaron welcomes local musician Matty Frank, who’s playing one final show in the area before moving back to New York. That show will be Wednesday, June 24, at Rubies on 5 Points in downtown Durham (with Tenderqueer and Bee Million opening). Follow Matty Frank on Instagram. Matty Frank stopped by 97.9 The Hill studios to discuss his move and next Wednesday’s farewell show; he also performed his song “Myrtle-Wyckoff Blues” – which is named after a Brooklyn subway station. 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 Talking Culture: Farewell, Matty Frank! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Trending today: a New York news outlet investigates the one driver who's responsible for a big percentage of the city's speeding tickets. The post What’s Trending: You Got A Fast Car appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Celebrate Juneteenth with Chapel Hill and Carrboro on Friday, June 19, from 4-8 p.m. at the Hargraves Community Center on Roberson Street, The post On Air Today: Juneteenth 2026 in Chapel Hill and Carrboro! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Founder and CEO of Therapy Smarts Avani Shah and N.C. District 20 Sen. Natalie Murdock speak with 97.9 The Hill on Monday, June 15. The post Therapy Smarts and Sen. Natalie Murdock on How HB696 Impacts Children and Families — On Air Today (June 15, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Steven Fenberg This Week: Writer Steven Fenberg discovered Jesse Jones was reputedly the most powerful person in the nation next to President Franklin Roosevelt during the Great Depression and World War II. As chairman of the federal government’s Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC)—the nation’s indispensable infrastructure bank—Jones initiated and managed massive New Deal agencies that saved and expanded the nation’s economy and then shifted the RFC’s priority from domestic economics to global defense to fight and win WWII. Fenberg told this remarkable story as executive producer and co-writer of the Emmy Award winning documentary film “Brother, Can You Spare a Billion?” that was narrated by Walter Cronkite and broadcast nationally on PBS. Fenberg then wrote the biography “Unprecedented Power: Jesse Jones, Capitalism, and the Common Good.” 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: Steven Fenberg – What Funded America’s Infrastructure? appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Judy Miller’s Not Ready for the Farm navigates our universal journey of aging — consciously, realistically, and with a great attitude. Through candid conversations with professionals, authors, and everyday people, Judy Miller and her sidekick, Jess Anderson, with humor and compassion, deep dive into the issues we confront as we grow older. No holds barred as we explore money, relationships, living life to the fullest, family dynamics, finding our purpose, third acts, retirement, health and health care, longevity, activities, travel, community, loneliness, quality of life and dying. Often painfully honest. Empowering and inspirational. With laughter and tears. How do we make every moment count? What’s your journey? What’s your plan? Hosts of Not Ready For The Farm, Judy Miller (right) and Jess Anderson (left) This week – Scammers are getting smarter and increasingly targeting older adults — but you can stay one step ahead. In this episode, we sit down with Amy Nofziger from the AARP Fraud Watch Network, who brings 20+ years of experience helping victims and tracking emerging scams. She breaks down the most common schemes hitting seniors today, how criminals use emotional manipulation and even AI-generated voices, and how you can spot a scam before it happens. You’ll also learn exactly what to do if you or a loved one falls victim, plus the free resources available to help protect your family.  This episode also includes bonus radio content, a compelling interview with Chapel Hill Police Chief Celisa Lehew weighing in on the topic. This is an essential conversation to share with anyone at risk. Not Ready for the Farm is proudly presented by: Purple Puddle, Clarity Legal Group, Health Source Chiropractic, HOPE Renovations, and The 79°West Innovation Hub. Listen:  The post Judy Miller’s Not Ready for the Farm: Stop Senior Scams appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

This week, Dr. Deborah Stroman shares her thoughts on the NBA Finals. The post June 13, 2026 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Island Moons (Brandon Harwood) stopped by Live & Local this week, ahead of the release of his debut full-length album, “Dreambell.” Follow Island Moons on Instagram. “It’s been years in the making, if not a lifetime,” Harwood says of the album – which can also be read as two EPs, the more heavily-produced “Dream” followed by the mostly acoustic “Bell.” Both sides, in different ways, capture the hazy, folky, almost psychedelic vibe that’s implicit in Harwood’s writing, songs that capture the feel of half-recalled memories. In fact some of his songs are directly about half-recalled memories – like his latest single, “Madeleine,” which was also the last track added to the album. “I knew I had four that I wanted to record (for side B), but we had five songs for side A and I kind of liked the idea of symmetry… (so) I was like, ‘what is the fifth one going to be?’” he says. “And that summer I had my high school reunion, it was my first time being back home since a classmate of ours (had) passed away, and I was at this reunion and (a friend) said something about her – and it brought to the forefront this memory that I had written a song right after she passed away. And just him mentioning that, (and) knowing that I had a recording session booked – I was like, ‘this is the perfect inspiration. This is the fifth one.’” With that final track added, “Dreambell” is now complete, with vinyl pressed by Pour House in Raleigh. (The remaining tracks on the acoustic-only side B will only be available in that vinyl form for now: Harwood says he still thinks of those tracks as demos, and he has plans to record full-band versions soon.) How does he feel, now that the full album is ready to go out into the world? “I would love to tell you that I welled up with tears and gratitude and appreciation – (but) it was this really difficult conundrum of emotions that I couldn’t even process,” he says. “Paul Simon (says) ‘the nearer your destination, the more you’re slip siding away,’ and there’s something to that. There’s this insidious side of creativity that’s like, ‘no, it’s not done yet. Don’t let it go.’ I even was like, ‘I think I’m just going to scrap this. Scrap it and let’s start over.’ I can’t believe I even thought that.” Having fought off those impulses, Harwood’s now prepared to unveil Island Moons’ first full-length LP – and he’s marking the occasion in a big way, with not one but three album-release shows in the Triangle. The first is Saturday, June 13, at Lapin Bleu in Chapel Hill; then he’ll be at Pour House in Raleigh on Wednesday, June 17, and Stanczyk’s in Durham on Thursday, June 18. As for that title? Harwood says he thinks of a “dreambell” as the opposite of an alarm, a sound that signals the beginning of a dream rather than the end. “We all know what an alarm bell is, it’s not a fun sound to hear,” he says. “(So) the concept of a dreambell was really cool to me: what if there was a sound that started your dream? I like the French interpretation of belle as beauty, I like the idea of ‘ringing a bell’ in Johnny B. Goode, or (the) Liberty Bell and freedom, or (being) ‘clear as a bell.’ That’s kind of the idea of this acoustic side too: there’s no hiding, man. These tracks were done on one track, the vocals and guitar are married together, there’s no polishing. They’re clear as a bell.” Brandon Harwood stopped by Live & Local to discuss “Dreambell” and play three songs: “Madeleine,” “The Great Blue Deep,” and one still-unrecorded song, “It’s All A Movie.” Listen: The post Entering the ‘Dreambell’: Live and Local with Island Moons! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, June, 12, discussing town news and events. She talked about the passage of the town's budget the night before, discussions around everywhere to everywhere greenways, downtown development, and more. She talked about the end of the school year in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, previewed some upcoming events, and more. The post Chapel Hill: Budget Passes, End of School Year, Upcoming Events appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Founding-era leader Roger Sherman takes center stage, for contributions both around the Revolution and the framing of the Bill of Rights. The post History Matters: Roger Sherman of Connecticut appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Trending today: Nike tries to reverse a decline in Chuck Taylor shoe sales by making them actually comfortable for once. The post What’s Trending: Dancing on the Grave of Chuck Taylors appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

The arrival of summer means big events in Mebane: Kelly previews Saturday's Juneteenth celebration and looks ahead to July 4 festivities. The post Positively Mebane: Budgets, Juneteenth, and the Fourth of July appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today's news: Buc-ee's breaks ground on their giant new gas station in Mebane, set to open in November of 2027. The post The Morning News: Buc-ee’s Groundbreaking, Orange County Fire, Surplus Sid’s Sign Returned, UNC Baseball in Omaha 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. Talking Culture is proudly sponsored by Duke Graduate Liberal Studies; a 30-hour, self-designed liberal arts master’s program at Duke University, offering an interdisciplinary graduate experience tailored to your interests and life experiences. Welcoming students from all walks of life, learn more here! This week, Aaron welcomes local musician Brandon Harwood, whose solo project is Island Moons. Their debut full-length album “Dreambell” comes out this month, and they’re celebrating with a trio of shows in the Triangle: Friday, June 13, at Lapin Bleu in Chapel Hill; Wednesday, June 17, at the Pour House in Raleigh; and Thursday, June 18, at Stanczyk’s in Durham. Follow Island Moons on Instagram. Island Moons stopped by 97.9 The Hill studios to record a segment for “Live & Local,” which will air later this week. This morning, we give you a sneak preview: a live performance of “The Great Blue Deep,” a still-unreleased track on the new album. 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 Talking Culture: ‘The Great Blue Deep’ with Island Moons! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

The band Overton stopped by Live & Local this week, ahead of the July 10 release of their self-titled debut EP. Visit the band’s website at Overton.band. With a heavy sound that draws influences from punk and metal alike, Overton may be a brand-new entity in town – but it’s the product of three guys who have been around for a very long time. Shayne Miel (Future Kings of Nowhere), Nathan Buchanan (Bellafea), and Dante Bruno (Night Battles) have not been together as a trio for long, but they’ve known each other for many years. “We’ve all been playing music in Durham and Chapel Hill and Raleigh for a while,” Miel says. “Nathan and I became friends like 17 years ago, 15 years ago…and because we’re both musicians and we both like the same kind of music, we constantly talked about, ‘Hey, we should start something. We should play something.’ But it never worked out. We all had different things going on. Then a couple years ago, we both found ourselves free (and) decided to start putting these songs together…and then when Dante joined, it really became something special.” “I was a huge Bellafea fan, a huge Future Kings fan – and then they were amazing dudes too,” Bruno adds. “So it was great to be social with them – and then (the) music has just blown my mind.” Recorded at Durham’s Last Chance Studio, Overton’s debut EP is a tour de force of driving hard rock, with lyrics that plunge into existential depths forged not just out of the everyday experience of living in America in 2026 (which is existentially deep enough as it is) but also from Miel’s own personal experience of confronting death head-on – and winning, at least for now. “Fifteen years ago, I was very, very sick,” he says. “I had cancer and was close to dying. So there’s a lot of (the) idea of mortality and PTSD and these themes. And then at the same time, society seems very, very sick right now. It seems so much worse than it ever has been. We’re watching this institutional decay. (We’re) weaving those two things together into something semi- cohesive – (that’s) the goal.” Follow Overton on Instagram. The EP is not out until July 10, but you’ll have a chance to see Overton live later this month: they’re playing at Motorco on Friday, June 26. Dante Bruno, Nathan Buchanan, and Shayne Miel stopped by Live & Local this week to discuss the new EP and play three songs: “High on Faith,” “Colony Claps,” and a new song not on the EP, “Pig Heart.” Listen: The post ‘High on Faith’: Live and Local with Overton! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Terri Mitchell This Week: Terri Mitchell is the founder of Accelerate Success, a program to help women develop the confidence, skills, and networks needed to thrive in STEM careers. She is a former IBM executive with more than 30 years of experience in the technology industry. Starting as a graduate of Le Moyne College with a degree in Computer Science, she held leadership roles across hardware, software, and systems businesses, culminating in her role as Vice President and IBM Integration Executive. Following her retirement from IBM in 2018, Terri became a founding member of Triangle Women in STEM and began the Accelerate Success program. 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: Terri Mitchell – Mentoring Women in Tech 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. Talking Culture is proudly sponsored by Duke Graduate Liberal Studies; a 30-hour, self-designed liberal arts master’s program at Duke University, offering an interdisciplinary graduate experience tailored to your interests and life experiences. Welcoming students from all walks of life, learn more here! This week, Aaron welcomes Jon Dawson, Doug MacMillan, and Brandon Ruth of the band Third of Never. Their latest album, released last year, is actually a soundtrack for the film “Damage the Pearl,” which also stars Dawson and MacMillan – and this Saturday, June 6, they’re playing at Local 506 in downtown Chapel Hill, along with fellow Triangle bands Erie Choir and Scivic Rivers. Visit ThirdOfNever.com. 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 Talking Culture: ‘Rolling Down a Hill’ with Third of Never appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

This Week: Carl Nordgren is a best-selling novelist, a teacher, and an imaginal cell. After 25 years as an entrepreneur, he taught Creativity at Duke for 14 years. He’s a two-time TEDx speaker and hosts the weekly radio show ‘Exploring your Creative Genius’ on 97.9 The Hill. His calling is to help each of us and all of us grow our creative capacities and develop our entrepreneurial instincts and behaviors, a calling that informed his book "Becoming a Creative Genius (again)". His new book, "Common Ground for US" continues that work and offers new perspectives on governance and policy making for political and community leaders. You can attend his book launch event at Golden Fig Books in Carrboro on June 4, by clicking the show title above. The post On the Porch: Carl Nordgren – Creativity Can Unite US 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. Talking Culture is proudly sponsored by Duke Graduate Liberal Studies; a 30-hour, self-designed liberal arts master’s program at Duke University, offering an interdisciplinary graduate experience tailored to your interests and life experiences. Welcoming students from all walks of life, learn more here! This week, Aaron welcomes local musician Tre. Charles, who’s just released a new single, “Stay in the Light.” He’s also got a live show this weekend, opening for Yasmin Williams at Cat’s Cradle Back Room on Saturday, May 30. Follow Tre. Charles on Instagram. 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 Talking Culture: ‘Stay in the Light’ with Tre. Charles appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, May 14, discussing town news and events. She discussed the recent public hearing on the town's proposed budget, which saw many community members speak on library funding and more. She also discussed upcoming events in the community and more. The post Chapel Hill: Budget Update, Timeline, Library Funding, and More appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

This week marks the anniversary of the 1771 Battle of Alamance and the start of the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The post History Matters: A Golden Corral of History appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Michael and Aaron talk biopics: do you prefer movies that focus on a specific moment in a person's life, or movies that try to cover it all? The post What’s Trending: With Timothee Chalamet as the Ghost of Vincent Van Gogh appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

This week, Kelly previews upcoming community events in Mebane and discusses city manager Richard White's budget proposal. The post Positively Mebane: Music on 4th, Juneteenth, and Budget Plans appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today's news: the Pittsboro town board votes to cancel its contract with Flock Safety for license-plate reader cameras. The post The Morning News: Flock Cameras Turning Off in Pittsboro appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, May 14, discussing county news and events. She discussed Tuesday's public hearing on the budget and the feedback the board received from the community. She also looked ahead to Thursday's work session on public education, and more. The post Orange County: Budget Decisions, State Impacts, Upcoming Events appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, May 13, discussing town news and events. He discussed the town budget proposal, which includes no tax increase, but does have a water and sewer rate increase. He also talked about the town board's decision to impose a 60-day moratorium on the construction of data-mining facilities as town staff looks at updating land use ordinances. He also congratulated longtime wastewater plant operator Shawn Maines who is set to retire after 28 years with the town, and more. The post Hillsborough: Budget Updates, Data Center Moratorium, Longtime Employee Retires appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, May 12, discussing town news and events. He gave an update on the town budget, discussed the cancellation of the town's Flock camera contract, and celebrated the town picking up another statewide ward for its public space improvements downtown. The post Chatham County Roundup: Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp on Town Budget, Another Public Space Award, and Flock Cameras 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 week, Aaron welcomes Sarah Madry, whose book “Second Son: The Man in the Iron Mask” attempts to resolve a 300-year-old mystery: who was that mysterious masked French prisoner, whose identity has eluded scholars and fascinated millions for centuries? After over a decade of research and multiple trips to France, Madry says she thinks she might have an answer – one that draws on medical knowledge as well as European history, scouring old documents for long-hidden clues. 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 Talking Culture: Uncovering the Man in the Iron Mask, with Sarah Madry appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Filling in for Victor, Michael Koh eschews actual trends to ask: what's the longest you've ever stood in line for food? The post What’s Trending: I Will Wait, I Will Wait For Food appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today's news: budget talks continue both locally and at the state level, and Chapel Hill promotes biking as a form of getting around town. The post The Morning News: Bikes, Budgets, and Baseball appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Kelly Davis, Matt Dietz and Nora Dicker join 97.9 The Hill to share details of the first Hillsborough Chamber Golf Classic set for Sept. 1. The post Introducing the Hillsborough Chamber Golf Classic at Treyburn Country Club! — On Air Today (May 12, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Local hip-hop artist ElBart stopped by Live & Local this week, following the release of his latest EP, “Slide’n on Friday.” Follow ElBart on Instagram. Originally from Caswell County, ElBart (whose stage name is a Simpsons reference, if you’re wondering) has been a constant figure in the Triangle music scene since 2019. He released two full albums last year alone, plus several standalone singles – including one that made 97.9 The Hill’s list of the top 50 local songs of 2025. “My uncle does music, I used to grow up watching him do it, and then I just had it in me,” he says. “I just (always) had a passion for music.” But “Slide’n on Friday” – a powerhouse collection of six songs, led by the stellar back-to-back tracks “Chains” and “Knew It” – represents a step forward for ElBart, who collaborated on the EP with a new DJ/producer, Friday Beats. “I met this new producer and she let me preview some tracks she had, and I caught some vibes instantly,” he says. “They all danced around my vibe and the new sound I was working on… It hit home because I (had) danced around those type of vibes when I first started making music – but it was hard for me to find those type of beats, so I had to expand (and) build my craft. But she had the vibes that I was looking for a long time ago, so I had to get back in touch with it.” ElBart stopped by Live & Local this week to chat about “Slide’n on Friday” and play two tracks: “Really Meant” and “Knew It.” Listen: The post ‘Slide’n on Friday’: Live and Local with ElBart! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Trending today: Victor is amused by the word gymnastics of a new spicy Jolly Rancher candy that advertises "a chili-inspired finish." The post What’s Trending: Want a ‘Chili-Inspired Finish’ On Your Wyngz? appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today's news: graduation day for thousands of UNC students, and budget season for numerous local governments. The post The Morning News: UNC Commencement, Local Budgets, Carrboro Bike Crash appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

This Week: Lisa Sorg is the North Carolina reporter for Inside Climate News. A journalist for 30 years, Sorg covers energy, climate environment and agriculture, as well as the social justice impacts of pollution and corporate malfeasance. She has won dozens of awards for her news, public service and investigative reporting. In 2022, she received the Stokes Award from the National Press Foundation for her two-part story about the environmental damage from a former missile plant on a Black and Latinx neighborhood in Burlington. Sorg was previously an environmental investigative reporter at NC Newsline, a nonprofit media outlet based in Raleigh. She has also worked at alt-weeklies, dailies and magazines. Originally from rural Indiana, she lives in Durham, N.C. The post On the Porch: Lisa Sorg – Data Centers appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill's Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell chat on Friday, May 8 about the recent expansion of the NCAA Tournament for men's and women's college basketball. The post NCAA Tournament Expansion is Good Business …Or Is It? – Stroman on Sports (May 8, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

It's graduation week, so Aaron asks: how can you take an ordinary date night idea and 'graduate' it to the next level? The post Date Night: Every Brilliant Thing appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Jay Hammond of Trippers & Askers stopped by Live & Local this week, ahead of the release of his latest album, “Tried To Do’s.” Learn more about Trippers & Askers via Sleepy Cat Records. “(My) last record was a concept album about Octavia Butler’s novel Parable of the Sower,” Hammond says, “and I thought I was going to make a record about (her sequel) Parable of the Talents. But the thing went in a different direction in the end.” What emerged instead, Hammond says, was a collection of 11 tracks that engage with the process of grief. The title, “Tried To Do’s,” refers not to Octavia Butler but to a line from the revolutionary Black poet Nikki Giovanni: “I really don’t think life’s about the I-could-have-beens; I really think that life is all about the I-tried-to-dos.” “I was thinking about different religious traditions, the Buddhist tradition, Christianity, just different ways that different traditions move through that experience,” he says. “The very last song is a traditional (Christian) tune called ‘Old Churchyard,’ but the first one is called ‘No Coming, No Going,’ and that one is based on the (Buddhist) writings of Thich Nhat Hanh. It’s something that helps me, is therapeutic for me, and I hope will be true for people who listen… “I think the reason that ‘Old Churchyard’ was interesting to me was that it felt like a sort of lost art of really looking death in the face, in this almost kind of haunted way. I felt like there was more in common with what I had been learning about Buddhist practice, where the idea is that you really experience the pain and the suffering – not just to wallow in it, but as a way of transforming it into something new.” Listen to the album and order it on Bandcamp. It was a journey for Hammond to transform those songs into reality, both in time and space: he says he started recording all the way back in 2019, with numerous recording sessions over the subsequent years in Brooklyn as well as the Triangle. The result is a stellar collection of 11 tracks, a showcase for Hammond’s signature dreamlike acoustic sound. Co-produced by Michael Hammond and Wye Oak’s Andy Stack, the album also features a powerhouse lineup of musicians – including Chessa Rich, Libby Rodenbough, Casey Toll, Joe Westerlund, Joseph Decosimo, and many more. “I call Trippers And Askers a collective,” Hammond says. “I always involve many, many people in the creation of the music. I write the song, the lyrics and the chords and all that, but the recording process is extremely collaborative…I try to bring people in who are great players, and I love putting a song in front of them, that they’ve never played, and get them in a nice space and just roll.” That’s a fitting approach for a project that’s named after a line from “Song of Myself,” the famous Walt Whitman poem that’s both radically individualistic and radically all-inclusive at the same time. “I was grappling with what it meant to be choosing a life as an artist,” Hammond says, “and that line, “Trippers and askers surround me…but they are not the Me myself” – I think it’s a way of pointing to the fact that what I’m doing is me, you know, but it’s also not me.” Now that the album is out, Hammond will take his collective onto the stage, with an album-release show Saturday, May 9, at the Pinhook in downtown Durham. Joseph Decosimo, one of the musicians who appears on “Tried To Do’s,” will open with a set of his own music. Visit ThePinhook.com for tickets and more information about Saturday’s album-release show. Jay Hammond stopped by Live & Local to discuss “Tried To Do’s” and play three songs: “Kin,” “Closeness,” and “Old Churchyard.” Listen: The post All About the ‘Tried To Do’s’: Live and Local with Trippers and Askers! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

This week in history: the Morehead Planetarium opens in Chapel Hill, and a bad student paper leads to a Constitutional amendment. The post History Matters: Where You Are in the Universe appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Trending today: Victor discovers the wild world of competitive fishing, which one man is trying to unite under one grand flag. The post What’s Trending: Tilapialooza! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

In today's news: Orange and Chatham County leaders get next year's budget proposals, and a bank is robbed in Hillsborough. The post The Morning News: Orange and Chatham County Budgets, Hillsborough Bank Robbery appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton speaks with 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell on Wednesday, May 6. The post Orange County: Details of the Budget Presentation and Tough Decisions to Make — (May 6, 2026) 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 week, Aaron is joined by local author Melissa Bourbon, whose new novel (written as Ivy Cassidy) is “House of Spells and Secrets.” Inspired by real-life events but diving headfirst into the supernatural, “Spells and Secrets” tells the story of three magical sisters who find themselves drawn to their old family house (itself alive) after the death of their mother – and get pulled into a mystery that calls across generations and oceans. Visit IvyCassidyBooks.com to read more about “House of Spells and Secrets” and order your copy today. 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 Talking Culture: ‘House of Spells and Secrets’ with Melissa Bourbon! appeared first on Chapelboro.com.