Hurricane Florence Coverage

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SPORTS 11/15/25 11:43pm

Elon University men’s basketball beats Gardner-Webb, fueled by 3-pointers

By Miles Hayford

The Elon University men’s basketball team defeated Gardner-Webb 95-84, thanks to a bevy of 3-pointers leading the Coastal Athletic Association in points and 3-pointers per game. Graduate student Chandler Cuthrell scored a career high 29 points during the game. ”This game, I wanted to make sure I made more of a paint presence and establish more dominance in the paint rather than just setting around the three point line, just making the defender's job easier to guard me,” Cuthrell said.

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SPORTS 11/15/25 10:37am

Transfer additions get accustomed to Elon men’s basketball team

By Benjamin Berfield

The Elon University men’s basketball team may be trying to replicate last year’s 17-16 record, but they will have to achieve that feat with an entirely different roster. This offseason, the team lost nine players to the transfer portal. Some of the notable departures included TJ and TK Simpkins, along with Nick Dorn, among other contributors. To compensate for the losses, the Phoenix added eight new transfers before the season.  Half of their additions from the portal are graduate students, as forwards Chandler Cuthrell, Kacper Klaczek and Bryson Spell, along with guard Ja’Juan Carr, all provide a ton of experience.

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SPORTS 11/14/25 11:20pm

Elon women’s soccer falls to Duke, dream season ends in shutout

By Benjamin Berfield

Elon’s dreams of extending their season following their Coastal Athletic Association championship were denied against Duke in the first round of the NCAA Division I Tournament. The Blue Devils shut out the Phoenix 3-0 with three goals. “We went up against a good team, but I’m really proud of the way we performed all season,” head coach Neil Payne said. “It wasn’t about tonight, it was about the entire season. I couldn’t be more happy with our response over the last month and postseason play.”

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NEWS 11/14/25 2:39pm

Elon University anuncia la creación de una escuela privada para niños con dislexia

By Elon News Network

La presidenta de la Universidad de Elon, Connie Book, anunció que la Academia Roberts se incorporará al campus en otoño de 2026. La Academia Roberts será una escuela privada para niños con dislexia. Será la primera escuela privada en Carolina del Norte ubicada en un campus universitario y dedicada a atender a estudiantes con dislexia. La Academia Roberts abrirá sus puertas inicialmente en una sede provisional en West Trollinger Avenue, con admisión para niños de tercero y cuarto grado. Un nuevo edificio en East Haggard Avenue abrirá sus puertas en otoño de 2028, ampliando la matrícula para incluir a estudiantes de primero a sexto grado.

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SPORTS 11/14/25 2:10pm

Elon women’s basketball team aims to take next step after last year’s improvement

By Benjamin Berfield

There is plenty of anticipation for the Elon University women’s basketball team heading into the 2025-26 season. After going from 11-21 in 2024 to 15-15 in 2025, the Phoenix is looking to take another significant step this year. In the CAA’s preseason power rankings, Elon is projected to finish fifth, which is their highest spot since the 2022-2023 season. Elon also boasts plenty of experienced players such as seniors Laila Anderson and Ruby Willard along with redshirt senior guard Kamryn Doty.

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NEWS 11/14/25 11:07am

Miembros electos del consejo municipal de Elon y alcalde reflexionan sobre las inquietudes de los votantes y planifican para el próximo mandato

By Kate Gray

El concejal Randy Orwig, que buscaba la reelección, y el recién llegado Steve Exum fueron elegidos para el consejo municipal de Elon, obteniendo el 31,97 % y el 39,88 % de los votos, respectivamente. Emily Sharpe, actual alcaldesa de Elon, ganó su reelección sin oposición con el 98,18 % de los votos. ”No es como una campaña en la que te presentas a un distrito y la mayoría de la gente no te conoce personalmente, solo han oído hablar de ti”, dijo Exum.

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NEWS 11/14/25 10:56am

Elon town council member-elects, mayor reflect on voter concerns, plan for upcoming term

By Kate Gray

Incumbent Randy Orwig and newcomer Steve Exum were elected to the Elon town council, winning 31.97% and 39.88% of the vote, respectively and Emily Sharpe, current town of Elon mayor, won her unopposed reelection bid with 98.18% of the vote. “It’s not like a campaign where you’re running for a district and a majority of people don’t know you personally, they just know of you,” Exum said. “A lot of these people knew me, and I got a lot of good responses. I felt like it was a fun, celebratory unfolding of the day as a new friend would come up, or someone I had worked for or worked with. That small town vibe is pretty satisfying.”

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LIFESTYLE 11/13/25 9:06pm

Animatronic dinosaurs, deep-dish cookies bring families to Lowe’s parking lot

By Anjolina Fantaroni

The Lowe’s Home Improvement parking lot in Mebane wasn’t just filled with cars Nov. 13 — it was filled with animatronic dinosaurs and deep-dish cookies. Hosted by the traveling food truck I Heart Cookies, the event paired a dinosaur-themed attraction with cookies baked from scratch at the company’s bakery in Wichita, Kansas. “I was like, ‘What is this?’” Burlington resident Nicole Parker said. “I have never seen this before. It is really cool.“

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NEWS 11/13/25 1:22pm

Federal cuts pull $156 million in solar funding from North Carolina

By Elissa Leka

In August 2025 the Trump administration rescinded the funding as part of its reconsideration of former EPA regulations. This action was met with attorney generals of 23 states, filing a $7 billion lawsuit against the EPA, amongst them was North Carolina’s Jeff Jackson. Elon University associate professor of geography and environmental studies Ryan Kirk said it wasn’t just money that was lost in these cuts. “This is stimulus and jobs and economic activity in these communities,” Kirk said. “Which is just one step not being placed for trying to help these communities.”

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SPORTS 11/13/25 9:51am

Elon men’s basketball seeks to maintain standards despite new roster

By Benjamin Berfield

Chemistry has been a core emphasis for the Elon University men’s basketball team. They’ve stressed building camaraderie over the offseason and into training camp with the 2025-26 season now underway. “We’ve been working hard since June,” Men's head basketball coach Billy Taylor said. “The eight weeks we had in the summertime of workouts and then our preseason have all been building to this moment.” The team will look much different compared to last year’s roster, which went 17-16 for the program’s first winning season since 2016-17. This past offseason, Elon lost nine players to the transfer portal.

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NEWS 11/12/25 11:27pm

Elon SGA hosts fall town hall event, showcases individual actions, community transformation

By Kate Gray

The Elon University Student Government Association hosted their fall town hall. More than 80 people attended the event, which was cosponsored by CrossRoads Sexual Assault Response & Resource Center in Burlington and several on-campus organizations, including the Gender and LGBTQIA Center, Department of Health Promotion and Panhellenic Association. “Tonight I saw so many different students from so many different organizations, and that made me so happy to see just a full room of people that were all eager to be here and learn from people who have created such impactful changes in their communities,” SGA Executive President Anya Bratić said.

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NEWS 11/12/25 10:07pm

NC state representatives discuss state budget, redistricting at town hall

By Miles Hayford

Democratic members of the North Carolina House of Representatives engaged with local residents and Elon University students during a town hall hosted by the NC House Democrats, Alamance County Democrats and Elon College Democrats at the Elon Community Church on Nov. 12. Key points of discussion included the state budget stalemate, Medicaid funding and redistricting. “One of our core jobs is simply to pass a budget,” Representative Vernetta Alston said. “So we've left ourselves without doing our jobs, and without a comprehensive fiscal plan for the state. It's really, really tragic and neglectful.”

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NEWS 11/12/25 2:28pm

Future of athletics uncertain with Elon, Queens University merger

By Miles Hayford

Elon University’s planned merger with Queens University of Charlotte could have lasting impacts on the two schools’ Division I athletic programs. According to Travis Smith, a consultant for intercollegiate athletics at Higher Ed Consolidation Solutions, the NCAA will consider a number of factors. Smith said that the NCAA will look at whether the campuses have different registrar offices, financial aid offices and other distinguishing features beyond the distance between the two campuses. “There has to be a pretty blatant separation to justify having more than one athletic department,” Smith said.

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SPORTS 11/12/25 9:35am

From professional basketball to the classroom: Elon athletes pursue education beyond the game

By Monika Jurevicius

A new internship opportunity in Florence will give Elon students the same chance to learn through basketball — connecting academics with the professional game. A shared commitment to education has brought together Elon University’s School of Communications; Accademia Europea di Firenze, the host institution for Elon in Florence; and Italy’s Pistoia Basketball to create a new internship program for students in Florence beginning in fall 2026. “Players are like students,” Head of University Relations for the team and Academia Europea di Fienze professor Marco Bracci said. “They are learning by doing. They are learning by practicing. I think that is a mutual, reciprocal, learning process.

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NEWS 11/11/25 9:08pm

Q&A: Retired Lieutenant General shares insights into the military world, his years of service

By Megan Walsh

As part of Veteran’s Day programming Nov. 11, Elon University hosted retired Lieutenant General Robert P. Ashley, Jr. for the second annual Carol Ann Walker International Lectureship as a part of this year’s speaker series. Ashley spent his career as an intelligence officer for the United States Army and served in the highest level of United States national security. His service includes tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ashley’s final assignment was as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency where he directly reported to the secretary of defense and the under secretary of defense for intelligence and security. 

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SPORTS 11/11/25 4:24pm

Elon University women’s basketball star guard out for season

By Miles Hayford

Elon women’s basketball star guard Jayda Angel will miss the remainder of the season after getting injured in the second game of the season Nov. 6 against the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, according to a press release from Elon Athletics. Angel, the reigning Coastal Athletic Association Rookie of the Year, fell while coming to a jump stop on a drive to the basket. “This is a heartbreaking reality that we will pull through together as Jayda’s Phoenix family,” Head coach Charlotte Smith said in the press release. “We pray for a speedy recovery for her.”

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LIFESTYLE 11/10/25 11:16pm

Washington Post reporter discusses importance of political journalism

By Evan Cooper

When working at the Burlington Times-News as a crime reporter, Elon alum Natalie Allison ’13 never expected she would one day be flying on Air Force One as a member of the Washington Post White House press team. Allison spoke to attendees at Elon University on Nov. 10 in Turner Theatre, talking with Chair of the Journalism Department Anthony Hatcher about her journey to The Washington Post, her time as a reporter, and the role of journalism in politics. “It really shows that your first job doesn't have to be in D.C., it doesn't have to be a national outlet,” Allison said. “You can really work your tail off and still get there.”

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NEWS 11/10/25 8:57pm

Government shutdown has rippling effect on local North Carolina food banks

By Emma Perman and Barbara Duran

On Oct. 1 2025, the United States government failed to pass a federal budget bill causing this government to shut down and in turn pausing federal nutritional assistance programs. The shutdown has now reached 41 days, a historic length for the United States. On Nov. 10 the Senate passed a budget bill to reopen the government. The bill will be sent to the House of Representatives to be voted on. “We're starting to actually get into school lunches. If you really delve into SNAP and the funding sources,” Jai Baker, executive director of Allied Churches of Alamance County said. “Not only are we talking about food stamps, we're talking about residual effects.” 

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LIFESTYLE 11/10/25 6:33pm

Former South African ambassador reflects on 27 years of working in diplomacy

By Harrison Narens

Former ambassador Riaan Eksteen, a diplomat from South Africa, reflected on his 27 years of experience with the Elon community, before opening the floor for students and community members to ask questions. Eksteen offered advice to students. He emphasized that students can’t rely on their degrees alone. “This is why I say degrees are not directions, we need strong fundamentals; and proper tools. I learned it the hard way” Eksteen said. “I started as a young student in political science at the University of Victoria with the greens and a lot of shelves. But what I did still have was one thing and that is extreme ownership, I stopped waiting for opportunities.” 

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SPORTS 11/9/25 10:20pm

Elon University men’s soccer advances to CAA Championship off offensive barrage

By Miles Hayford

After two straight years of heartbreak in the Coastal Athletic Association semifinals, the streak was over. This year, the emotion will come from the Elon University men’s soccer team playing in the CAA Championship instead of falling just short. Elon’s 6-4 win over Campbell University in the semifinals Nov. 9 was a chaos-filled and high-scoring affair. Elon head coach Marc Reeves said he was happy with how the offense played but called the game chaotic. 

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