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NEWS 10/8/25 10:09am

‘Iryna’s Law’ may spark return of death penalty in NC

By Miles Hayford

After going almost two decades without carrying out executions, North Carolina is inching toward a return to the death penalty with the passage of HB 307, a new criminal justice law, in the North Carolina General Assembly. “Iryna’s Law,” signed into law Oct. 3, eliminates cashless bail in some circumstances, establishes a new mental health evaluation protocol and restricts pretrial conditions for the release of violent offenders. But it also contains an amendment from Senate leader Phil Berger that would direct the state to find another form of execution if lethal injection.

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NEWS 10/8/25 10:09am

La “Ley Iryna” podriá reactivar la pena de muerte en Carolina del Norte

By Miles Hayford

Tras casi dos décadas sin ejecutar ejecuciones, Carolina del Norte avanza lentamente hacia el regreso a la pena de muerte con la aprobación de la HB 307, una nueva ley de justicia penal, en la Asamblea General de Carolina del Norte. La "Ley de Iryna", promulgada el 3 de octubre, elimina la fianza sin pago de efectivo en ciertas circunstancias, establece un nuevo protocolo de evaluación de salud mental y restringe las condiciones previas al juicio para la liberación de delincuentes violentos. Además, incluye una enmienda del líder del Senado, Phil Berger, que ordenaría al estado buscar otra forma de ejecución en lugar de la inyección letal.

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NEWS 10/7/25 11:25pm

NC State professor encourages Elon students to be disruptors in sustainability

By Lily Mosbacher

Students and faculty gathered in McKinnon Hall Oct. 7 to hear North Carolina State University professor Jessica Yinka Thomas, director of the Business Sustainability Collaborative, deliver the keynote address, kicking off Elon University's Sustainability Week. The Business Sustainability Collaborative at NC State works to integrate environmental and social responsibility into business, education, and industry partnerships. Yinka Thomas discussed B Corps, which are companies that demonstrate high social and environmental performance.“Their vision is to build an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system for all people and the planet,” Yinka Thomas said.

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NEWS 10/7/25 9:18pm

Elon skatepark committee looks to break ground with redesign following failed grant application

By Miles Hayford

Since being named the chair, Scott Ingalls, member of the town of Elon skatepark committee, has helped lead the committee one step closer to building Elon’s first ever skatepark.The skatepark has been several years in the making and initially began with an 8,000 to 10,000 square foot design that would cost around $600,000, according to Ingalls. To make up for this money, the committee applied for a North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant from the state of North Carolina but did not receive it. 

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NEWS 10/7/25 9:59am

Suspects arrested after shooting in Green Level

By Fiona McAllister

The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference to announce arrests from a shooting that happened Sept. 20 in Green Level, North Carolina. Five people were injured by gunfire. The sheriff’s office has made two arrests in relation to the ongoing investigation. Cedric Lamont Watson Jr., 20, has been charged with 18 counts. Javiya A. Parker, 19, was also arrested in relation to the shooting and has been charged with one count of felony accessory after the fact of assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill. Parker’s bond was set at $50,000, but Parker has been released after posting bond.

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NEWS 10/6/25 4:16pm

Elon University prepares for homecoming 2025

By Logan Davila

Elon University is gearing up for Homecoming Weekend on Oct. 9-12. Among the events are tailgates, open houses and receptions. “Freshman year, I grew a big bond with the senior class,” Elon junior Jackson Choma Choma said. “I'm just really excited to have them come back and see them again once they’ve settled in with their adult life.” Alumni will also have the chance to tour campus on Friday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 11. The tours will begin at Martin Alumni Center at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. respectively. In addition, an All-Alumni Tailgate will be hosted on Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. at the Schar Center.

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SPORTS 10/5/25 4:39pm

Elon University redshirt freshman quarterback grows in first year as starting player

By Benjamin Berfield

As the Elon University football team prepared for the season, redshirt freshman quarterback Landen Clark spent the summer competing for the starting quarterback position. The previous season, Clark had played only four games where he was occasionally used as a runner. Elon had also signed Iowa quarterback Marco Lainez through the transfer portal in December. Even with the inexperience and competition, Clark said he refused to let any outside noise get to him over the offseason.  “It was just to focus on myself,” Clark said. “Don’t let anything get in my way.”

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LIFESTYLE 10/4/25 8:56pm

Alamance Pride celebrates its 10th year

By Venus Soto Castaneda

For drag queen Stormie Daie, who has hosted Alamance Pride since its creation, reaching a milestone of 10 years is something deeply personal. She said she remembers the first afternoon when the crowd came together. “Alamance Pride has always been like a ley line or an energy drawing, I think, for the queer and marginalized and progressive of Alamance County,” Daie said. Ten years later, Daie described the growth as something almost spiritual. “It feels like those bulbs you plant in the winter or that plant that comes back every year,” she said.

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NEWS 10/4/25 12:32pm

‘Peace, Love and Unity’: The Wailers spread their mission of hope to Burlington

By Megan Walsh

“Peace, love and unity” is the mission statement behind The Wailers, the former band of reggae star Bob Marley, now focused on spreading hope to the younger generations. The Wailers performed in downtown Burlington. For band leader Aston Barrett Jr., carrying on The Wailers’ message is about more than just encouraging the people of the world, but also about carrying on the legacy of his family. "If there's anything going on in the world that you need as a revolutionary song that could unite the people and keep their minds straight, if you see them going like this, we already wrote those songs so you could sing those songs,” Barrett said.

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SPORTS 10/3/25 11:54am

Elon women’s soccer battle to draw in intense conference match

By Lennox Franks

Elon University women’s soccer fought to a hard earned 1–1 draw in their latest conference game against the University of North Carolina Wilmington, which featured aggressive play and impressive goalkeeping on both sides. Elon head coach Neil Payne emphasized the importance of ball control as a primary strategy to neutralize Wilmington's aggressive defensive style. “It was important that we try to control the ball and try to take the physicality out of it,” Payne said.

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NEWS 10/2/25 3:28pm

Las comunidades de la Universidad Elon y la Universidad Queens de Charlotte buscan respuestas tras el anuncio de la fusión prevista

By Elon News Network

La presidenta de la Universidad de Elon, Connie Book, anunció una propuesta de fusión entre Elon y la Universidad Queens de Charlotte. Si la fusión se aprueba para finales de 2025 y la colaboración entre ambas universidades avanza satisfactoriamente durante la primavera, Jim Piatt, vicepresidente sénior de Desarrollo y Asuntos Externos, afirmó que Elon buscaría comenzar a operar en Queens el 1 de agosto de 2026. "En todas estas conversaciones que se han estado llevando a cabo, conversaciones sobre balances y finanzas, se trata de servir a los estudiantes y a nuestras comunidades de la mejor manera posible", declaró Piatt. "Queremos ser competitivos a nivel nacional y tener arraigo local".

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NEWS 10/2/25 3:28pm

Elon University, Queens University of Charlotte communities look for answers after intended merger is announced

By Elon News Network

Elon University President Connie Book announced a proposed merger between Elon and Queens University of Charlotte. If the merger is approved by the end of 2025 and work between both universities goes well through spring, Senior Vice President of Advancement and External Affairs Jim Piatt said Elon would look to begin operating at Queens by Aug. 1, 2026. "In all of these conversations that have been happening, conversations about balance sheets and money, this is about serving students and serving our communities in the best ways that we can,"Piatt said. "We want to be nationally competitive and locally rooted."

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NEWS 10/2/25 9:53am

North Carolina expands anti-hazing law; Students, faculty and staff involved with hazing will receive more severe penalties

By Nia Bedard

Everything changed for Lianne Kowiak when her son Harrison died in a hazing incident. Now “Harrison’s Law” will go into effect in North Carolina on Dec. 1 and includes major changes to anti-hazing law in the state. North Carolina now defines hazing as any serious physical or psychological damage as part of initiation for or as a prerequisite to join any organized school group. Now any students who are found guilty of hazing can receive a Class A1 misdemeanor, which has a maximum punishment of 150 days in jail and is the most serious misdemeanor offense a person can receive.

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SPORTS 10/1/25 8:26pm

Elon University men’s soccer reaches draw after a hard fought physical battle

By Blair Mitchell

The Elon University men’s soccer team put up a gritty performance against the No. 10 ranked team in the country, the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, on Sept. 30 resulting in a 0-0 tie to chalk up their current record at 5-1-4 this season. “I was pleased with our performance, just the result was not what we wanted,” head coach Marc Reeves said. “But that, again, that's college soccer, the parody, it's really close, all teams are prepared and ready to play, and you have to compete and kind of force a way to win.”

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NEWS 10/1/25 1:32pm

Gov. Stein signs executive order to implement AI in North Carolina government

By Trista Panagakos

As artificial intelligence becomes more prominent in the lives of students, workers and everyday citizens, the North Carolina state government is tapping into the transformative technology. Gov. Josh Stein signed an executive order Sept. 2 that focused on how artificial intelligence can enhance the state government and technology sector of North Carolina. The executive order established an AI leadership council, an AI accelerator, oversight teams for each state agency and training programs for AI literacy and fraud prevention.

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NEWS 9/30/25 11:43am

Elon Town Council discusses a new pump station through Gibsonville, new retirement benefits, updates on new appointments

By Alannah Klingsporn

Elon Town Council discussed retirement benefits, new parking available for community establishments and an additional education awareness in Beth Schmidt Park during their meeting on Sept. 29. Elon Town Council is planning to give employees who have served for over 25 years a $5,000 retirement bonus.  “The fact that we have people that have given their whole careers to a town, this is the least that we can do for them, is to show them that we appreciate all the hard work that they've done and that they have made a commitment to this community,” Council member Stephanie Bourland said.

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NEWS 9/29/25 3:48pm

Popular reggae band to perform in Downtown Burlington

By Megan Walsh

The Wailers, the former band of Bob Marley, will fill downtown Burlington with music Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Burlington Food Hall. “I hope that from this, it opens the door not only for the food hall, but for downtown as a whole to maybe become more involved,” Wellsley Robinson, owner of the Burlington Food Hall, said. “North Carolina is growing so fast. I mean, Elon's growing, everybody's growing right in our state, and so maybe it would give us the opportunity to become more and more involved in things that are happening statewide, because there's a lot going on.”

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NEWS 9/29/25 3:48pm

Banda de reggae The Wailers se presentará en el centro de Burlington

By Megan Walsh

Tras un cambio inesperado de lugar, The Wailers, la legendaria banda que acompañó a Bob Marley, llenará de música el centro de Burlington el viernes 3 deoctubre a las 7 p.m. frente al Burlington Food Hall. Wellsley Robinson, dueña del Burlington Food Hall, contó que hace alrededor de un mes le propusieron organizar el evento, después de que la agrupación supiera que el lugar original en Greensboro seguiría en construcción. Al enterarse de esa situación, The Wailers se acercaron a Robinson para llevar el espectáculo a Front Street, justo frente al food hall. Tras coordinar con la ciudad, Robinson y sus socios descubrieron que la zona resultaba ideal para conciertos de esta magnitud.

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NEWS 9/29/25 11:43am

Elon University anatomy teaching assistants open lab to visitors for Family Weekend

By Virginia Vance

The Edler family came to Elon University’s open anatomy lab to see what their child, Julia, was learning in anatomy class. “I was impressed that my daughter actually knew the anatomy for the sections that she’s already learned,” Michelle Edler said. By contrast, Elon biology professor Matthew Clark was shocked that more people don’t know their own anatomy. “It’s amazing to me how so many people don’t really understand what’s inside the human body,” Clark said. “It’s almost like a mechanic who, when you go to take your car to the auto shop, you really don’t know what’s under the hood.”

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LIFESTYLE 9/29/25 7:12am

Instant Laughter performs for Elon University Family Weekend

By Logan Davila

As the auditorium filled with students and parents, Elon University’s Instant Laughter refined their performances, excited to entertain their evening audiences. The improv troupe performed at Yeager Recital Hall Sept. 27 for Family Weekend. The show consisted of games where cast members are given prompts that they have to act out and build off of. “It really is a pleasure to just have something to laugh about, especially nowadays,” Elon senior and member of the troupe Seth Upchurch said.

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