Abigail Hines

Managing Editor of ElonNewsNetwork.com

Abigail Hines ‘27 is an Honors Fellow studying journalism. She currently serves as the Managing Editor of ElonNewsNetwork.com and has previously served as the Video Production Manager. Hines is passionate about reporting on local issues and connecting with members of Alamance County. Outside of ENN, she loves playing Scrabble and watching documentaries about sharks. 

Recent Articles

NEWS 9/10/26 8:02pm

Graham couple receives community support after lightning strikes house

By Abigail Hines

Kayla Gray was driving back to Graham, North Carolina, in the middle of a thunderstorm Aug. 21 when she received a frantic call from her mom. Twenty minutes before the call, Gray said her mother, Janet, was sitting in her kitchen when she heard a loud boom that sounded like a bomb. The whole room turned bright orange, and almost immediately she smelled smoke coming from the bedroom. 

NEWS 5/6/26 12:16pm

New HealthEU building sees phased construction process

By Abigail Hines

The new HealthEU building, recently named the Slattery Center, has reached its tallest point as it nears its anticipated grand opening in fall 2026. On the north side of the building, facing the Colonnades Neighborhood, workers have begun laying the traditional Elon red brick on the structure's outer walls. The south side has a finished structure, but no exterior walls have been added as of May 5. 

SPORTS 4/23/26 12:22pm

Elon University dance team wins 2 national titles

By Abigail Hines

The Elon dance team huddled on stage with linked arms, waiting to hear their placement in Division I pom at the 2026 National Dance Association’s College National Championships. When the announcer proclaimed Elon champions, the dancers burst into cheers, realizing they’d secured Elon’s first pom category win in program history. The next day, they became two-time national champions with a first place finish in Division I hip hop. 

SPORTS 3/11/26 11:10am

Elon dance team builds confidence ahead of national competition

By Abigail Hines

Less than two months from their performance at the National Dance Alliance Collegiate National Championship, the Elon University dance team has one thing in mind: topping last year’s record-breaking performance. Captain and senior Bella Marrone remembers the moment clearly when she realized their pom routine at the 2025 national competition secured their highest placement in program history. 

SPORTS 3/10/26 8:57am

‘Always willing to learn’: Softball captain’s insight boosts Elon’s performance, morale

By Abigail Hines

Elon softball captain and junior Greta Hessenthaler’s role this season looks a lot different than when she first joined the team in 2023. As their lead-off hitter, it’s her job to read the pitcher and communicate back to her team and coaches what she observes at the plate. Named a captain as a sophomore, Hessenthaler quickly grew into one of the team’s lead voices. She said her understanding of the game makes her a stronger leader. Head coach Kathy Bocock points to Hessenthaler’s loyalty to the team as a characteristic of a good captain. 

LIFESTYLE 3/6/26 5:30pm

Local quilt guild creates community through craft

By Abigail Hines

Dressed in patchwork sweaters, carrying hand-stitched shoulder bags and wearing name tags made from scrap fabric, the Alamance Piecemakers Quilt Guild meets every month at the Burlington Elmira Community Center. The group, made up of about 50 women, shares their latest crafts, plans upcoming workshops and discusses new techniques they’ve learned. The guild, for many of these women, is about more than quilts; it’s about kinship and collaboration.

LIFESTYLE 3/3/26 2:51pm

Author discusses father’s bookstore, identity in lecture

By Abigail Hines

Laurence Roth, professor of English and director of Jewish studies at Susquehanna University, talked about his father’s experience owning a Jewish bookstore during his lecture March 2 at the McBride Gathering Space. Roth read several passages to the audience from his book “Unpacking my Father’s Bookstore”. The book follows Roth’s father’s journey moving from New York City to Los Angeles in the 1960s, opening the bookstore and becoming an important part of the local Jewish community.

LIFESTYLE 1/20/26 1:57pm

Hundreds gather in Burlington for annual MLK Day celebration

By Abigail Hines

Dancers, singers, and guest speakers took the stage at the City of Burlington’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration Jan. 19. The event took place in the Mayco Bigelow Community Center and welcomed around 450 people. Recreation Center Supervisor for the North Park, Zion Cash, helped coordinate the day’s program. He said the main message from the day was unity, keeping the hope alive and knowing the work’s not done. 

NEWS 7/28/25 7:17pm

N.C. House and Senate Republicans prepare to override Gov. Stein’s vetoes

By Abigail Hines

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein’s 14 vetoes from this year’s legislative session could  be overridden by the North Carolina House of Representatives and Senate when the legislative bodies reconvene on July 29. The Senate and House would need to obtain a three-fifths vote from present and voting members in order to successfully override Stein’s vetoes. Currently, Republicans hold a three-fifths majority in the Senate. House Republicans gained a supermajority in April 2023 when Rep. Tricia Cotham, elected as a Democrat, switched parties during her term.

NEWS 5/20/25 7:13am

North Carolina House pushes bill to restrict cell phone access in the classroom

By Abigail Hines

The members of the North Carolina House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted 114-3 in favor of House bill 87, or the Cell Phone-Free Education bill. As it stands, the bill would require all K-12 public schools in North Carolina to adopt a policy eliminating or severely limiting student access to cell phones in the classroom. This bill could make North Carolina the 16th state to ban or restrict cell phone use in classrooms. The bill itself does not specify how each school must implement its own policy.

LIFESTYLE 5/2/25 3:32pm

Music at the Plaza kicks off 2025 season

By Abigail Hines

Music at the Plaza returns to the downtown Elon plaza for its 2025 season at 6 p.m. on May 2. The bimonthly event brings live music and a lively crowd to the plaza every first and third Friday of the month. The event runs throughout May and June and then returns from August to October. GreenHawk Corporation is a sponsor of the event, and downtown development director Jill Weston said the partnership provides them a larger budget. The first event of the series will feature The Fandinos, a pop-rock band based in North Carolina. 

More Articles by Abigail Hines »

Recent Media

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Latest

SPORTS 09/12/2026 9:32pm
Elon women’s volleyball gets back on winning track

Elon women’s volleyball team beat the University of South Carolina Upstate Spartans 3-1 at Schar Center — closing out a three-game homestand. The Phoenix were hoping to get back into their winning ways after falling to Appalachian State University and Davidson College earlier in the week. Head coach Matt Troy said he wanted his team to start stronger than in the previous games. Junior Anna Sewell got the Phoenix going in the first set as she slammed the ball past two defenders to get Elon on the board, grabbing an early 3-1 lead. As the set continued, the Spartans went on a 4-point run after an Elon ball crashed into the net. 

LIFESTYLE 09/12/2026 3:21pm
Graham community gathers for annual 9/11 commemorative 5K

Nearly 500 runners and walkers gathered behind the Graham Fire Station on Sept. 12 for the city’s sixth annual 9/11 Commemorative 5K, honoring the lives lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The event included a 5K run and walk, a noncompetitive one-mile course, the First Responders Team Cup and a new Community Team Cup. Attendees could also participate in a blood drive, visit first responder vehicles and take part in a range of other activities.

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