News

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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 9/20/25 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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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 9/17/25 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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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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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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NEWS 9/12/25 9:35am

Avid readers flock to Friends of the Alamance County Public Libraries’ fall book sale

By Miles Hayford

The crowded basement of May Memorial Library in downtown Burlington has been crawling with avid readers, resellers and Burlington residents on a mission to take full advantage of the Friends of the Alamance County Public Libraries' fall book sale. Christine Fisher, a Wilmington resident, has been coming to the book sale since 2016 and said she enjoys looking for authors she likes. "This thing is like a hunt," Fisher said. "It's like, 'Oh my gosh, what am I going to find this time?'

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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.

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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. 

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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.”

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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NEWS 9/3/25 11:30pm

Elon students, community come together at Harris Teeter College Night

By Nia Bedard

College students and Burlington residents filled the Harris Teeter located off of South Church Street for the store’s College Night, with a live DJ, food samples and a 20% discount on groceries. Elon senior Emily Dvorak also said she was excited to go to College Night and step outside of Elon’s campus. “It's a great way to show that Elon isn't necessarily just tied to the Elon campus,” Dvorak said. “We do participate in the community, and the community hopefully likes us.”

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