Hurricane Florence Coverage

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NEWS 9/19/25 12:23am

Elon University president answers questions about Queens University of Charlotte merger

By Fiona McAllister

Elon University President Connie Book answered questions from Elon’s Student Government Association about the potential merger with Queens University on Sept. 18 and how it will affect sports, potential transfer students and staff. Book said this idea began at the beginning of this academic year as she was visiting other colleges and universities in the area. Book said she is looking to gauge more questions and feedback about this potential merger from students and staff. In addition to Book answering questions about the merger with Queens, Elon class of 2029 senators, president and treasurer were also sworn in at the meeting.

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NEWS 9/18/25 1:18pm

Puestos municipales en juego para las elecciones de noviembre

By Miles Hayford

Los preparativos para las elecciones municipales del condado de Alamance de noviembre están en marcha, y la inscripción de candidatos ya está completa a medida que se acerca el día de las elecciones. El voto en ausencia por correo comienza el 3 de octubre y la votación anticipada el 16 de octubre, según la Junta Electoral de Alamance. La votación por correo finaliza a las 5 p. m. del 21 de octubre y la votación anticipada a las 3 p. m. del 1 de noviembre. El registro de votantes para las elecciones de noviembre cierra el 10 de octubre a las 5 p. m.

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NEWS 9/18/25 1:18pm

Municipal positions up for grabs in November elections

By Miles Hayford

Preparations for the Alamance County municipal elections this November are underway, with all candidate filing finalized as Election Day inches closer. Absentee voting by mail begins Oct. 3 and early voting begins Oct. 16, according to the Alamance Board of Elections. Voting by mail ends at 5 p.m. Oct. 21 and early voting ends at 3 p.m. Nov. 1. Voter registration for the November election closes Oct. 10 at 5 p.m. To find out what voting precinct you live in and the available polling locations, visit the Alamance Board of Elections’ website.

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LIFESTYLE 9/18/25 7:33am

Exrepresentante de Carolina del Norte forja un camino para la defensa de derechos latinos

By Anjolina Fantaroni

El exrepresentante estatal de Carolina del Norte, Ricky Hurtado, es hijo de dos inmigrantes salvadoreños que huyeron de la guerra civil del país en 1980. Hurtado es cofundador de LatinxEd, una organización sin fines de lucro que promueve el desarrollo del liderazgo y la equidad educativa en Carolina del Norte. Comentó que la Universidad de Elon ofrece varios recursos que apoyan a la comunidad latina tanto dentro como fuera del campus. "Algunos estudiantes han realizado prácticas con nosotros, utilizan este recurso cuando lo necesitan, y siempre encontramos maneras de colaborar con otros programas e iniciativas que se llevan a cabo en el campus", dijo Hurtado.

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LIFESTYLE 9/18/25 7:33am

Former NC representative forges path for Latino advocacy

By Anjolina Fantaroni

Former North Carolina state Rep. Ricky Hurtado was born to two Salvadoran immigrants who fled the country's civil war in 1980. Hurtado is the co-founder of LatinxEd, a nonprofit that promotes leadership development and education equity across North Carolina. He said Elon University offers several resources that support the Latine community both on and off campus. "Students have interned with us, use this as a resource as needed, and we always find ways to collaborate with other programs and initiatives happening on campus as well," Hurtado said.  

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LIFESTYLE 9/17/25 10:06pm

Labubus make their entrance onto Elon University’s campus

By Lilly Molina

From Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter World Tour to Elon University’s campus, junior Andrew Kochman’s Labubu has been with him every step of the way. “She goes everywhere with me — in the car, on campus, on a plane,” Kochman said. “She’s been to four states.” Though Pop Mart, a Chinese company that sells collectables, introduced the toys in October 2023, during this past summer, only one thing has been coming up on students' social media: Labubus. The plushies come in different series or themes and due to high demand, each blind box can range from $30 to $100. 

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NEWS 9/17/25 4:58pm

‘What does it mean to be human?’: Elon University, RTI International host conference on AI, humanity

By Nia Bedard

Since 2021, the number of large-scale artificial intelligence systems has increased in the United States by 3,775%. With AI becoming more prevalent, Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center and RTI International, a research institute based in the Research Triangle, hosted a conference Sept. 17 reflecting on what it means to be human in the age of AI. “All institutions must seriously address the coevolution of humans and digital systems and work to reimagine the animating human spirit of organizations, workflows, communication, teaching, learning and research activities,” Elon University President Connie Book said. 

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NEWS 9/17/25 8:02am

Siembra NC strives to protect immigrants in the workplace, build community support

By Kate Gray

Siembra NC was founded in 2017 in response to growing fears about deportation and a gap in support and resources for Latine communities. Maria Mejia, a philosophy professor at Elon University, first became involved with Siembra NC when she attended a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement verification training at a local church. She worked with organizers to plan a similar community preparedness session at Elon University in May 2025. “I knew that students at Elon wanted to do something, and they were upset about the fact that there weren’t a lot of spaces where this was being talked about," Meija said. 

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NEWS 9/17/25 8:02am

Siembra NC se esfuerza por proteger a los inmigrantes en el lugar de trabajo, fortalecer el apoyo comunitario

By Kate Gray

María Mejía, profesora asistente de filosofía en la Universidad Elon, se involucró por primera vez con Siembra NC cuando asistió a un entrenamiento de verificación de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de los Estados Unidos. en una iglesia local. Trabajó con los organizadores para planificar una sesión similar de preparación comunitaria en la Universidad Elon en mayo de 2025. “Yo estaba conectando con estudiantes que estaban realmente preocupados por esta retórica anti-inmigrante, y no solo retórica, sino las redadas que estaban ocurriendo”, dijo Mejía. “Sabía que los estudiantes en Elon querían hacer algo, y estaban molestos por el hecho de que no había muchos espacios donde se hablaba de esto”.

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SPORTS 9/16/25 11:28pm

Elon men’s soccer controls match to stay undefeated

By Benjamin Berfield

The Elon University men’s soccer team beat Davidson College 2-0 to win their fifth game of the season. It is the fifth consecutive win for the team after tying their season opener against Old Dominion 0-0. Elon controlled the majority of the match, leading for almost the entirety of the game. Head coach Marc Reeves said he was proud of the team’s ability to lead the game wire-to-wire for that extended amount of time. “Coming away with the win feels really good and to know that we are leading most of the time just helps build our confidence,” Reeves said.

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SPORTS 9/16/25 6:08pm

Los Carolina Cowboys suben en la clasificación por equipos de los Professional Bull Riders

By Sarah T. Moore

El Coliseo First Horizon en Greensboro suele hospedar conciertos y partidos de baloncesto. Pero del 12 al 14 de septiembre, el Coliseo se llenó de tierra mientras los jinetes de toros captaban la atención del público. Con una mano en la cuerda del toro y la otra en el aire, los jinetes animaban al público mientras un cronómetro contaba hasta ocho segundos. Cowboy Days es un evento anual de tres días que se celebra en el Coliseo First Horizon. Cada día se disputan cinco partidos con un total de 10 equipos. 

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SPORTS 9/16/25 12:55pm

Sophomore running back embraces high expectations before Elon University's football season

By Benjamin Berfield

Sophomore running back TJ Thomas Jr. enters this season as one of the notable returning skill positions for Elon University football. As a freshman, Thomas made an immediate impact as the second running back on the depth chart behind senior Rushawn Baker, accounting for 696 total yards from scrimmage. Despite a shoulder injury that cut Thomas’ freshman campaign short, he has his sights set on a comeback. “I want to just do what I do,” Thomas said. “Don’t even think about anything. Just keep my mind on football and get the job done.”

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NEWS 9/16/25 10:31am

Elon University announces merger with Queens University of Charlotte

By Nia Bedard and Monika Jurevicius

During College Coffee on Sept. 16 Elon President Connie Book announced that Elon University would be merging with Queens University of Charlotte.Book, who is currently in Charlotte, said to College Coffee attendees in a prerecorded video that Elon will assume operational oversight of Queens and the university will become a new home for Elon graduate students. Elon University currently has multiple programs based in Charlotte including a flexible law school program, a sport management program and a physician’s assistant program set to open in 2027. 

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SPORTS 9/16/25 7:08am

Elon University cross country enters 2025 with a sense of direction

By Kathan Gandhi

After a year defined by both growing pains and promising steps forward, Elon University’s cross country team enters the 2025 season with something they lacked in 2024: consistency. Elon was under the guidance of first-year head coach Mark Rinker in 2024, who was hired from the University of Eastern Michigan after the departure of head coach Kevin Jermyn, who had been in the position for seven years. “Obviously, we are disappointed to have not won the women’s conference championship,” Rinker said. “Finishing third is not what we wanted, but we had a really young team and a lot to look forward to.” 

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NEWS 9/15/25 11:06pm

NC College Voter Summit returns to Elon, encourages voting in local elections

By Kate Gray

The 10th annual NC College Voter Summit was held at Elon University and involved students and staff from 16 schools across the state. It was co-organized and co-sponsored by members of the NC Campus Voting Coalition. “A lot of college students, especially if they're not from the city or the state that they're going to college in, might feel like they don't necessarily have a role to vote in that community,” Samantha Delap said, a program coordinator for North Carolina Campus Engagement. “That's not true, because it's your electricity bill, it's the sidewalks that you walk on."

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NEWS 9/15/25 10:07pm

Alamance County Commissioners approve ABSS grant applications, consider health department consolidation

By Miles Hayford

The Alamance County Board of Commissioners approved five applications for needs-based grants to the Alamance-Burlington School System and decided to move forward with a plan to consolidate the county’s health department. The grants, which ask for funding from the state, include one for a roofing project at Southern Alamance Middle School that would cost the county $700,000 because the county must match 25% in funding of the total project cost. The four other grants were for heating, ventilation and air conditioning repairs at Southern Alamance High School, Western Alamance High School, Graham Middle School and Eastern Alamance High School.

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SPORTS 9/15/25 12:40pm

Elon University women’s soccer uses 2024 turnaround as fuel for fall

By Benjamin Berfield

Elon University women’s soccer team saw a huge turnaround during the 2024 season. After winning just three out of 17 games during the 2023 season, they improved their record by 10 games en route to an appearance in the Coastal Athletic Association semifinals. Looking back at their turnaround season, redshirt junior forward Isa Murdock and junior defender Grace Gelhaus said they believe the team was able to use its mindset to their advantage on a consistent basis. “The mindset is there now,” Gelhaus said. “It’s more competitive and we’ve learned from our mistakes in the past two seasons.”

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LIFESTYLE 9/15/25 10:28am

‘You think you’re invincible until you’re not’: Student returns to Elon University after medical leave

By Charlotte Pfabe

Lexi Rogers didn’t expect to have to celebrate her 21st birthday back home. “Worst 21st birthday ever,” Rogers said. Rogers finished her first round of chemotherapy right before her birthday in February. Rogers was later diagnosed with a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma called primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma. "If I can even help one person just realize that something’s wrong and go to the doctor, even if they don’t have lymphoma, just to go to the doctor and get everything checked out, like that’s all I could really ask for,” Rogers said.

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NEWS 9/15/25 6:53am

Elon community comes together with Walk for Hope

By Alannah Klingsporn

Elon University students gathered Sept. 12 on Medallion Plaza to close out Suicide Prevention and Life Awareness Week with the Walk for Hope around Lake Mary Nell. Participants held signs with phrases such as “You matter” and “The world is better with you in it,” written on them. Sophomore and Vice President for Active Minds Phoebe Struminger said she came to the event to spread awareness. “There's never enough information out there,” Struminger said. “It's become a super big stigma, which definitely needs to be broken as many people struggle with it.”

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SPORTS 9/14/25 2:44pm

Carolina Cowboys move up in Professional Bull Riders team standings

By Sarah T. Moore

The First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, typically hosts concerts and basketball games. But from Sept. 12 to 14, the Coliseum was filled with dirt as bull riders captured the crowd’s attention. With one hand on a bull rope and the other in the air, the riders had the audience cheering as a timer counted up to eight seconds. “Being able to see them do something that matters so deeply and that they put their entire life into — risking their lives on a day-to-day basis — that was the best part,” High Point University student Kylin Starr said. 

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