National


LIFESTYLE 10/1/23 11:27am

One-man show brings African American stories to Elon University

Mike Wiley has dedicated his career to sharing stories of Black Americans in the form of educational theater. He found that there were limited roles for African American men and took matters into his own hands by creating his own performances and production company. Wiley’s unique approach to theater demonstrates an immersion of education and performance. One-man shows leave the bulk of the pressure on the shoulders of the main performer. Wiley performed in McCrary Theatre on Sept. 18 and said he alleviates this by involving the audience. 


NEWS 9/30/23 9:08pm

Burlington links Apollo Chemical to unsafe water

Apollo Chemical’s facility on Willow Springs Lane near Alamance-Burlington Regional Airport has been connected to a discharge of 1,4 Dioxane into Haw River. Burlington has fined Apollo Chemical for a violation of the city’s Sewer Use Ordinance. According to Bob Patterson, the water resources director for the city of Burlington, this was due to a pH level of 4.9 being detected — just under the required pH range of between five and 11. Patterson also said there is the potential for further enforcement action on Apollo Chemical for the leak.


NEWS 9/30/23 2:37pm

Daymond John delivers Elon University’s 2023 Fall Convocation

Daymond John, star of ABC’s “Shark Tank,” joined Elon University as the Fall Convocation speaker Sept. 29 in the Schar Center. From living in his mother’s basement to becoming an award-winning entrepreneur, John said he decided from the very beginning that if he had a passion, he would not let a lack of money hold him back. John used visual aids, music and videos to highlight his main points of what it means to “think like a shark.”


SPORTS 9/30/23 1:18pm

Elon University volleyball player turns to coaching after medical issues

Just weeks before her senior year, Presly Austin had a difficult decision to make. During volleyball conditioning, Austin slipped two discs in her back, causing her to go to the hospital. It happened again only a little while later. Austin said she had to decide to suffer through the pain to play her last year of volleyball or quit the sport she loves. Austin has been playing volleyball for 12 years and started her college recruitment process as a freshman in high school. She said she adored Elon — plus escaping the cold weather of Alberta, Canada, was a plus.


NEWS 9/29/23 7:50am

Haw River continually contaminated by Burlington companies

The town of Pittsboro is performing tests on the water it receives from the Haw River due to a 1,4-dioxane leak in Burlington — the second time in two months. On Sept. 22, the city of Burlington received a test it had conducted by its wastewater treatment plant from Sept. 14 showing 459 parts per billion of 1,4-dioxane were leaving Burlington’s wastewater treatment plant at that time. The Environmental Protection Agency’s health advisory for 1,4-dioxane is .35 parts per billion in rivers and 35 parts per billion in drinking water — meaning this contamination is 1,300 times the EPA’s health advisory levels for rivers.


NEWS 9/28/23 1:46pm

Elon University joins Reuse Pass for to-go container program

Elon University has started off the 2023-24 school year with a new method of to-go containers, now offering a free app called ReusePass. The app allows students to check out the green to-go containers for up to three days, rather than the previous years where students could trade to-go boxes for carabiners. Last year, students and faculty were limited to borrowing one to-go container at a time. Now they have the option to borrow multiple to-go containers and retain them for a period of up to three days.


LIFESTYLE 9/28/23 12:55pm

Elon University ensemble performs contemporary classical music

Elon University’s Contemporary Chamber Ensemble performed this Sunday at the Center for the Arts Black Box. The band played four songs that fell under the “contemporary music” style. The ensemble was created by director Jonathan Poquette as a way for contemporary music to be a part of Elon’s musical culture. The group consists of a cello player, a violinist, a flute player and a percussion player. The ensemble included four performers outside of the Elon faculty and also featured students in the Elon Wind Ensemble for the final piece.


LIFESTYLE 9/28/23 9:24am

Southern Maryland-based musician drops single for debut EP at Elon University

Elon junior Tabby Spell released the second single for her upcoming debut EP Sept. 21. The song is called “Fallin’” and Spell said it tells the story of a boy she fell for in her freshman year at Elon, even though people around her were telling her it was a terrible idea. Spell describes the track as “poppier” and “peppier” than the rest of the EP, titled “Young.” Spell said while there is not an exact release date for the project, she is aiming for the end of this year.


NEWS 9/27/23 2:33pm

Alamance County Community Calendar

Elon News Network compiled a brief list of events happening between Sept. 28 to Oct. 7 within the Alamance County community. The City of Burlington, City of Graham, Town of Gibsonville and town of Elon are all represented — including Elon University football games, a Gibsonville Girls Night and Alamance Pride.


NEWS 9/27/23 11:25am

Elon University falls 49 spots in U.S. News ‘national universities’ ranking

Elon University has fallen in multiple categories across multiple college ranking lists, most notably the 49 spot drop in the U.S. News and World Report’s “national universities” ranking. Elon also dropped 12 spots in “best value schools,” three sports in best study abroad programs and two spots in “most innovative,” all from U.S. News and World Report. According to an Elon University admissions website, Elon University was ranked at No. 84 in national universities in 2019 and has since dropped to No. 133, but there may be a reason for the changes. 


NEWS 9/27/23 6:43am

Town of Elon eyes road work amid Haggard Avenue study

A number of road work projects could be coming to the roads around Elon University, including the extension of the sidewalk along Trollinger Avenue and pipe work on Haggard Avenue. Elon News Network sat down with Elon Town Manager Rich Roedner to discuss these town-wide projects. The town of Elon is working on a project that will extend the sidewalk along Trollinger Avenue between the intersections of North Holt Avenue and Church Street. Roedner said the town knows it has been an issue.


NEWS 9/26/23 2:54pm

Assistant police chief of operations hopes to bring positive influence to Elon community

After six years of service with the Town of Elon Police Department, former Lt. Kedrick King was promoted to assistant police chief of operations. Within the new position, King is responsible for overseeing all patrol operations and patrol officers to ensure the safety of the town of Elon. Though promoted Sept. 11, King started working in law enforcement 10 years ago as a detention officer for the Caswell County Sheriff’s Office.


NEWS 9/26/23 10:49am

Business entrepreneur, star of ABC’s Shark Tank to speak at Elon University

Entrepreneur and CEO of the Shark Group consulting agency Daymond John will speak at Fall Convocation as part of Elon University’s 2023-24 speaker series, at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 29. John is an entrepreneur and author of six best-sellers including Powershift (2020), a book that discusses his trusted process of building influence, negotiating and nurturing relationships in order to achieve success within one’s field. Fall Convocation will take place in the Schar Center where tickets are free for students, faculty and staff and cost $15 for those without an Elon ID.  


NEWS 9/25/23 2:02pm

Writers Guild of America reaches preliminary deal in historic strike

After 146 days of striking, the Writers Guild of America has reached a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on a new contract for entertainment writers, according to an email sent out to union members that was sent out Sunday around 10 p.m. Now that a deal is on the table, the next step for the WGA and AMPTP is to work out the language for the contract. Now that a deal has been agreed upon, WGA leadership has suspended all picketing, but said members will not be returning to work until authorization by the WGA. 


NEWS 9/25/23 7:54am

Student Health Services at Elon University unable to provide allergy shots

At the end of the 2022-23 academic year, registered nurse Cynthia Moore retired after working at Elon for over 14 years. Registered nurses are licensed through the North Carolina Board of Nursing and, according to the NCBON, their role within a medical practice includes the implementation and evaluation of patient care. The NCBON was unavailable for comment. The lack of registered nurses on its staff affects what treatments health services are able to administer in patient care. Elon Student Health Services currently has two physician assistants, two primary care nurse practitioners and three certified medical assistants on staff. 


NEWS 9/24/23 5:38pm

Intersect Conference facilitates conversations about diversity at Elon University

According to Sylvia Muñoz, Director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education, before students graduate and are sent out into the world, it is important for Elon University to give them all the tools needed to succeed. Muñoz said she believes events such as the Intersect Conference achieve this goal by providing students with the skills and knowledge needed to make students global citizens. The theme for this year’s conference is “Look Out for Yourself. Look Out for Each Other. Look Out for Our Future.” 


NEWS 9/24/23 2:19pm

Students express frustrations with Elon University campus crosswalks

After multiple collisions and near-incidents have occurred on Elon’s crosswalks throughout the first month of students being on campus, students have been voicing concerns and asking for more communication from the university, according to Campus Safety and Police. Campus Police and the town of Elon have opened discussions about possible courses of action, but said with a limited budget, there is little that can be done. All roads that pass through and border campus — crosswalks included — are regulated by both Campus Safety and Police and the town of Elon. 


NEWS 9/24/23 1:11pm

City of Burlington debuts new social district

The City of Burlington debuted its new downtown social district, which encompasses seven blocks of the city’s downtown. The social district, which launched Friday, Sept. 22,  allows visitors aged 21 and up to take alcoholic beverages purchased from alcohol beverage control (ABC)-permitted restaurants and bars into designated public areas and will be open from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Participating businesses have placed stickers on their windows indicating that they are members of the social district, and drinks purchased from these establishments must be in specially-branded cups to be carried around the district. 


SPORTS 9/24/23 1:03pm

Elon University volleyball defeated by UNCW in CAA home opener

The Elon University volleyball team was unable to win its conference home opener against the University of North Carolina Wilmington as they fell 3-0 on Sept. 23. After dropping both matches to Hofstra University last weekend, today’s loss placed Elon in a three-way tie for a race to the bottom of the Coastal Athletic Association standings. Elon head coach Mary Tendler said while it was good to be playing in the Schar Center again, she felt like her team lacked energy from the outset of the match.


LIFESTYLE 9/24/23 10:47am

Multimedia artist highlights work through exhibit, presentation at Elon University

Raleigh-based multimedia artist Todd Jones inspired students, faculty and young creators through his talk Sept. 11 in Arts West. About 25 audience members listened intently as Jones took them on a journey through “The Forgotten.” Jones zeroed in on this collection, which is on exhibit in Arts West until Oct. 19. Jones’ exhibit tells a captivating story of consumerist culture and his artistic career. Attendees were able to view pieces of “The Forgotten” as Jones explained the stories and process behind his work. 



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