National

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NEWS 9/23/25 7:11am

2025 Family Weekend Events Calendar

By Lily Mosbacher

Elon University is hosting its annual family weekend from Sept. 26-28. Parents, grandparents, and siblings will gather on campus for a weekend filled with events that everyone can enjoy. For freshmen the weekend represents an important chance to reconnect with family while showing off the place they now call home, including for freshman Maddie Levis. “I’m really excited for them to see the campus more in depth,” Levis said. “And for them to meet all my friends and just show them around.”

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NEWS 9/22/25 7:04pm

Charlie Kirk’s killing at Utah Valley University sparks online threats, free speech debates

By Anjolina Fantaroni

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, setting off waves of shock and speculation across multiple social media platforms. That same night and into the next morning, anonymous posts on social platforms like Fizz and YikYak appeared, with some sending love, but others sending political shame or threats. “In anonymous apps, some of the questions relate to ‘how public is this speech?’” Director of the Imagining the Digital Future Center Lee Rainie said. 

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NEWS 9/22/25 12:46pm

Elon Town Council to give bonuses for staff with college degrees

By Miles Hayford

The Elon Town Council will now give out annual bonuses to any municipal staff member with a college degree that exceeds the minimum requirements of their position, one of many recruiting techniques that the town is employing to stay competitive with other communities. “We have been working for the last several years on rewarding employees for going beyond the minimum,” Elon Town Manager Rich Roedner said. “We're working to try and identify those types of certificates or skill sets that are not just part of the everyday job, but mark somebody from being a step above deserving of a financial bonus.”

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NEWS 9/22/25 10:25am

Alamance-Burlington schools labeled low performing for first time since 2014

By Anjolina Fantaroni

The Alamance-Burlington School System has been designated as “low performing.” This is the first time ABSS has received this designation since the Department of Public Instruction began using its A-F grading system in 2014. The grade identifies ABSS as low performing out of North Carolina’s 115 public school districts for the 2024-2025 academic year. With more than half of its schools receiving a failing grade, ABSS is the largest district in the state to carry that title. The DPI grades schools on a number of factors including enrollment, attendance, performance and test scores. 

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NEWS 9/21/25 10:46pm

Students, community members attend Charlie Kirk vigil at Elon University

By Miles Hayford

Candles, flowers and American flags were strewn across a table set up at Medallion Plaza, honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk during the College Republicans’ vigil for Kirk at Elon University. The Elon College Republicans hosted the event along with students planning to organize a Turning Point USA at Elon. Junior Parker Stevens, a new member of the College Republicans, led a prayer for both Kirk and his family, but also for forgiveness for Kirk’s killer. “This is where we need to speak. Universities are supposed to be places where we can come and we can talk about different opinions,” Stevens said.

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NEWS 9/21/25 4:57pm

Elon University student organizations react to new funding request model

By Trista Panagakos

As student organizations prepare to host events and welcome new members, many have already been affected by the new funding model the Student Government Association is utilizing for funding requests. SGA receives a portion of the student activity fees students are charged to distribute to organizations.  The funding request model was changed last spring to follow a quarterly system, where organizations will have to request money in advance for events and celebrations they wish to hold. The previous model allowed for organizations to request funds on a rolling basis. 

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LIFESTYLE 9/20/25 8:57pm

Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff celebrates culture, identities at Elon University

By Sarah T. Moore

Music filled Medallion Plaza as two Salsa dancers counted out steps for the crowd as pairs of students followed along. Hips swayed and feet tapped along the brick as attendees danced. The dance lesson was part of Elon University’s Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff event Sept. 19. Peiwei Cobo and James Cobo are dancers and instructors at CoboBrothers Dance Company in Raleigh. “A lot of people do hear about it, but they don't get to actually experience it,” Peiwei said. “It is a big difference when you see it on social media, when you see other people doing it, then being a part of it.”

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NEWS 9/20/25 6:24pm

Elon University hosts town hall for staff, faculty about proposed merger with Queens University of Charlotte

By Kate Gray

Elon University President Connie Book and members of the team involved with the potential merger with Queens University of Charlotte hosted a town hall for faculty and staff. Book shared that the decision to pursue a merger came from ensuring Elon remains successful through enrollment decreases, mainly caused by the impending demographic cliff, and national discussions around return on investment for college. Elon is also looking to expand its graduate programs while allowing the main campus to focus on undergraduate education. Queens and Elon will also merge their endowments, which are $170 million and $420 respectively, according to Book.

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LIFESTYLE 9/20/25 11:23am

More than cars: Alamance County’s lowriders bring culture, community

By Keely Garcia and Lilly Molina

Lowriding is a car culture, significant within Mexican-American culture, that involves customizing cars with hydraulics in order to move them up and down. To spectators, this might seem intriguing, but to Maria this is a way of life. Maria Leon and her husband Salvador are members of the Lowyalty Car Club, Alamance County’s lowriding car club and have a a light gold 1989 Lincoln Town Car. Despite having the Lincoln for two years now, Maria and Salvador joined Lowyalty a month ago.

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LIFESTYLE 9/20/25 11:23am

Más que autos: los “lowriders” de Alamance County aportan cultura y comunidad

By Keely Garcia and Lilly Molina

El lowriding es una cultura automovilística, importante en la cultura mexicoamericana, que consiste en personalizar los autos con sistemas hidráulicos para moverlos hacia arriba y hacia abajo. Para los espectadores, esto puede parecer intrigante, pero para María es una forma de vida. María León y su esposo Salvador son miembros del Lowyalty Car Club, el club de lowriding del condado de Alamance, y tienen un Lincoln Town Car dorado claro de 1989. A pesar de tener el Lincoln desde hace dos años, María y Salvador se unieron a Lowyalty hace un mes.

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SPORTS 9/20/25 7:42am

Elon men’s soccer team hopes to build on solid 2024 season

By Benjamin Berfield

Elon University men’s soccer team is zeroing in on a fresh start, following a year in which they went 10-7-1. Head coach Marc Reeves said in order to repeat last season’s strong performance, they must put aside any talk about the previous year. He acknowledged the team’s four-win improvement from the year before was something to be proud of, but emphasized the importance of handling expectations. “It’s a brand new team,” Reeves said. “If we talk about what we did last year and just expect that to replicate, it won’t be the case. You have to reset standards.”

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NEWS 9/19/25 11:31pm

Elon Police investigate claims of handgun in car traveling through Elon

By Nia Bedard

Elon Police are investigating a post made to Snapchat and Fizz where a driver appears to have a hand gun on the dash board of a car traveling through South O’Kelly Avenue, according to an e alert sent at 11:04 p.m. on Sept. 19. According to the alert there is no credible information of any danger at this time. According to another e alert sent at 3:07 a.m. on Sept. 20, it has been determined that the person was not on Elon's campus.

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NEWS 9/19/25 3:44pm

Elon University common reading author shares her experiences as a first-generation Latina with community

By Megan Walsh

Author of Elon University’s 2025 common reading, “First Gen,” Alejandra Campoverdi visited campus and spoke Sept. 18 as part of this year’s Speaker Series. “My biggest hope for ‘First Gen’ when I was writing it was that it would be something that could be used as a resource, and something that would make people feel less alone and more seen,” Campoverdi said in an interview with Elon News Network. “To know that it will reach, and has reached now, such a wide variety of young people of different experiences is everything I would have hoped for.”

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NEWS 9/19/25 2:12pm

Elon University students react to death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk

By Fiona McAllister

Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on Sept. 10 during a campus event at Utah Valley University. Kirk had built a reputation for traveling both across the United States and internationally to engage in debates at colleges and universities as well as starting Turning Point USA, a group originally started by Kirk that aims to promote conservative politics to young people. His death has sparked reflection among students at Elon University about the role of political discourse and gun control.

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LIFESTYLE 9/19/25 11:16am

Elon University’s fall play explores the concept of truth

By Emma Perman and Megan Walsh

Audiences will grapple with the concept of truth and reality in Elon University’s fall play “Describe the Night.” “Describe the Night,” written by Rajiv Joseph, takes place across different periods of time, such as the 1920s Soviet Union and Russia in the 2010s. The show will run with evening shows at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3, 4, 6 and 7 and afternoon shows at 2:00 p.m. Oct. 4 and 5 in Roberts Studio Theatre in Scott Studios. Ticket reservations will be available on the Elon Performing Arts website on Sept. 26.  

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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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