Arts & Entertainment

---

LIFESTYLE 9/11/25 3:12pm

Elon University Truitt Center hopes to start year with community, compassion with annual sand mandala ceremony

By Nia Bedard

Elon University’s Truitt Center for Religious & Spiritual Life welcomed Tibetan Buddhist monks Geshe Sangpo and Geshe Tenzin from the Kadampa Center in Raleigh for the center’s twelfth annual Green Tara Sand Mandala Ceremony at Numen Lumen. “It is appropriate at the beginning of the school year to conduct, to sort of allow those feelings of compassion, peace and harmony to ripple throughout our space, throughout our campus, throughout our students,” multifaith second-year leadership intern at the Truitt Center Lizbeth Torres-Tomas said. 

---

SPORTS 9/11/25 12:41pm

Elon University volleyball team enters season under new leadership

By Miles Hayford

The Elon University volleyball team is entering the 2025 season with a new face at the helm. Head coach Matt Troy is entering his first season as a coach for the Phoenix after coaching at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, where he led them to a 2019 NCAA Division III Championship amid a 151-17 record. Troy said the players immediately welcomed him in at Elon and he didn’t feel like a stranger. “There was already a solid culture coming in, the players are very connected with one another,” Troy said.

---

NEWS 9/11/25 9:10am

Alamance County sheriff to seek 7th term, faces first potential opposition in GOP since 2002

By Nia Bedard

As Alamance County and the towns within prepare for municipal elections on Nov. 4, Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson sets his sights on his seventh term in the position, running for reelection in North Carolina primary elections March 3, 2026. As the 75-year-old incumbent prepares to run for his seventh term, he is potentially facing opposition from two candidates from his own party — a challenge he hasn’t faced since his very first election. Filing for the North Carolina primary elections will open on Dec. 1. 

---

NEWS 9/11/25 9:03am

El Sheriff del condado de Alamance buscará su séptimo mandato, enfrentándose a su primera posible oposición en el Partido Republicano desde 2002

By Nia Bedard

A medida que el condado de Alamance y sus municipios se preparan para las elecciones municipales del 4 de noviembre, el sheriff Terry Johnson ya piensa en un reto mayor: buscar un séptimo mandato en el cargo, con las elecciones primarias de Carolina del Norte programadas para el 3 de marzo de 2026.  Johnson fue elegido por primera vez en 2002 y ha ocupado el puesto durante 23 años. Ahora, a sus 75 años, se prepara para otra campaña, aunque esta vez podría enfrentar oposición desde dentro de su propio partido, algo que no ha ocurrido desde su primera elección. 

---

SPORTS 9/10/25 10:53pm

Historic defensive performance lifts Elon University women’s soccer over South Carolina State

By Benjamin Berfield

The Elon University women’s soccer team defeated South Carolina State 6-0 to win their sixth game of the season, pushing the Phoenix to its seventh straight shutout. After a first half that involved lots of defense, the Phoenix scored five goals in the second half to seal the victory. Head coach Neil Payne said the team takes lots of pride in their defense and team performance. “We celebrate defending as much as we celebrate goals,” Payne said. “Every single player helps out and it’s not just defending our goal."

---

NEWS 9/10/25 8:41pm

Carolina Cowboys ride into Greensboro for professional bull riding

By Anjolina Fantaroni

The Carolina Cowboys are set to take over First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro this weekend as Professional Bull Riders Cowboy Days bucks into town. Jerome Davis, head coach of the Carolina Cowboys, said he’s excited for the Greensboro games, where the team has won its last two games at the Coliseum. “We've had some tough, tough runs at it, but our guys are starting to get back together and getting healthy, and it looks like we're gonna have a good year finishing it out,” Davis said. The Carolina Cowboys will be at the First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro from Sept. 12-14.

---

NEWS 9/10/25 3:56pm

Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk dead after shooting at Utah Valley University

By Nia Bedard and Miles Hayford

Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk has died after being shot in the neck at an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, according to a statement from Turning Point USA. According to a spokesperson from UVU, there is currently no suspect in custody. “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.  Kirk spoke alongside Vivek Ramaswamy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill while on the “You’re Being Brainwashed” Tour on Oct. 21, 2024. He also visited East Carolina University on Nov. 3, 2024. 

---

NEWS 9/9/25 9:01pm

East Haggard Avenue to close for 9 days, per Elon Town Council

By Miles Hayford

During their meeting on Sept. 9, Elon Town Council discussed an annexation petition to expand the town’s corporate limits, a resolution to sell two police vehicles and updates on town projects such as the construction on East Haggard Avenue – which will be closed during the day for nine days. Construction will begin on Sept. 11 and end on Sept. 23. A portion of the road will be closed each day, but it will be open during evenings and weekends. Both lanes of traffic will be closed. 

---

NEWS 9/9/25 7:44pm

Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation unveils historical stone at Elon University

By Anjolina Fantaroni

Elon University unveiled a stone honoring the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation and the Native American land the university is built on in a ceremony on Sept. 9. Vickie Jeffries, or Mihe Heyananhes Yattse, is a beader, basket weaver and Indigenous herbalist. She was born in Alamance County and is an enrolled citizen of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation. “You wouldn't think that it would actually happen, but it did, and all things are possible,” Jeffries said. “To know that people will finally see this stone, they can read it and read about the evolution.”

---

NEWS 9/9/25 3:10pm

Burlington Animal Services installs pet microchip scanning systems across Alamance County

By Anjolina Fantaroni

Burlington Animal Services has installed 10 pet microchip scanning stations at fire departments and sheriff’s offices across the county, giving residents a quick tool to reunite stray animals with their families. Jessica Arias, animal services director at Burlington Animal Services, said the shelter has wanted to implement the scanning stations for several years because about 80% of lost pets are found within a mile of where they live. “We know that often, pet owners have their pets microchipped for good reason,” Arias said. 

---

NEWS 9/7/25 1:33pm

North Carolina sues FEMA over freeze of $200 million infrastructure funding after severe storm season

By Alice Morrissey

Throughout the summer months, Elon students received more than 40 e alerts warning of power outages, severe weather and flood watches. North Carolina’s typical wet season was made even more tempestuous by storms such as Tropical Storm Chantal, which swept across the state. The storm raised concerns among North Carolina residents not only about damage but also about the freeze of federal disaster relief funds promised by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson filed a lawsuit against FEMA over its decision to cancel a program that provides more than $200 million to protect the state’s infrastructure. 

---

SPORTS 9/7/25 1:12am

Dominant team performance propels Elon University football to historic first win of season

By Benjamin Berfield

Nine days after their 45-17 loss against Duke, the Elon University football team made an immediate impact in its first home game of the season with a convincing 55-7 win over Davidson College. Even with multiple delays before the game due to inclement weather, Elon came out firing on all cylinders in what was the largest win of head coach Tony Trisciani’s tenure. “It was really just to be in the moment and win the moment,” Trisciani said. “These guys just went out and played one snap at a time."

---

SPORTS 9/6/25 5:42pm

Elon University football home opener postponed

By Nia Bedard

Elon University football’s home opener against Davidson College on Sept. 6 was postponed until 8 p.m. according to an e alert sent out at 6:20 p.m. The game officially started at 8:17 p.m. over two hours after the expected start time. In addition to the game being delayed, Rhodes Stadium did not open to the public until 7:30 p.m. The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory for Alamance, Davidson, Randolph and Guilford counties until 8 p.m. due to excessive rainfall 

---

NEWS 9/6/25 4:12pm

Rise Against Hunger, Elon University Kernodle Center host annual meal packaging event, package over 21,000 meals

By Kate Gray

Over 170 student volunteers gathered in Alumni Gym on Sept. 6 to package more than 21,000 meals for people facing food insecurity and malnutrition around the world. The annual event is held in partnership with Rise Against Hunger and Elon University’s Kernodle Center for Civic Life. Michaila Minto, an event facilitator with Rise Against Hunger, said volunteering is an important way to give back to the community. “Food is a safe cause,” Minto said. “It doesn’t matter what religion or what background, as humans we all have to eat.

---

NEWS 9/6/25 6:33am

Town of Elon block party builds community between residents, students

By Alannah Klingsporn

Elon University students and residents of the town of Elon gathered Sept. 5 in downtown Elon for the annual block party, which included vendors, inflatables and live music. Town of Elon Downtown Development Director Jill Weston said the block party started three years ago when they launched the social district downtown. Community events like this just bring everybody together,” Weston said. “And we're a very unique community. We have senior citizens, we have families and obviously we have students. So this is the type of event that has appeal for everybody.

---

LIFESTYLE 9/5/25 8:17pm

Elon University students paint, plant at Community Garden

By Emma Luckman

Sustainability-focused student organizations including the Garden Club, Student Sierra Coalition, an organization that focuses on environmental conservation, and Elon’s environmental fraternity, Kappa Alpha Omicron, worked with the Office of Sustainabilitygathered at Elon University’s Community Garden to paint pots and plant succulents at Planting for the Planet on Sept. 5. The event provided attendees with a way to meet new people, connect with nature and learn about climate change. “The planet is getting warmer,” Associate Director of Sustainability for Education and Outreach Kelly Harer said. ”What we do in the Office of Sustainability is bring people together because it can be really scary.”

---

NEWS 9/5/25 5:36pm

Elon University SGA announces priorities for the year in first meeting of semester

By Trista Panagakos

The Student Government Association held their first meeting of the semester, which brought the executive council, made up of Executive President Anya Bratić, Vice President Sammy Azúa, Vice President of Communications Kennedy Steiner, Vice President of Finance Ian Brecker and Speaker of the Senate Selma Maric in front of the senate to detail the five priorities they worked on over the summer. “In several years past with other execs, we’ve had really, really, wonderful priorities, but not one that necessarily been all cohesive and or surrounded around one another. That’s where we really succeeded. This year we decided that it was really important for us to all have a common goal.” 

---

NEWS 9/4/25 7:12pm

Elon University Student Organization Fair postponed

By Nia Bedard

Elon University's Student Organization Fair, which was supposed to occur on Sept. 4, has been postponed due to inclement weather. Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley wrote in an email to undergraduate students that the event was also postponed in order to prioritize safety. The Student Organization Fair has previously taken place on the first Thursday of the school year. This year the event was move back to the second week of classes. According to Dooley, Student Involvement will be working to schedule a new date for the event as soon as possible. 

---

NEWS 9/4/25 3:17pm

Tree removal crane lowered after blocking West Lebanon Avenue

By Charlotte Pfabe and Sarah T. Moore

A tree removal crane was vertical on West Lebanon Avenue after tipping backwards around 2:10 p.m. Sept. 4. Massey said the fire department is assisting in lowering the crane by using a ladder truck to pull it to the ground. According to Massey the tree removal crane was still running.  At 9:24 p.m. the crane was lowered and is no longer upright. The Town of Elon Fire Department left the scene at 9:55 p.m. Town of Elon Police and tow trucks are still on West Lebanon Avenue, which is still closed.

---

NEWS 9/4/25 2:03pm

Q&A: Orange-striped oakworms: why you probably don’t need to worry

By Lilly Molina

As orange-striped oakworms cover Elon University, professor of forestry and environmental resources at NC State Kelly Often sat down with Elon News Network to discuss these leaf eating critters. She specializes in forest health and posts content on NC State’s Extension Forestry website about bugs impact on trees. "We like trees for the shade they provide and all these other ecosystem services, but they generally don’t impact the long term tree health," Oten said in an interview with Elon News Network.

---