Abigail Hobbs

Copy Chief

Abigail Hobbs '25 serves as copy chief at Elon News Network and is passionate about reporting, writing and copy editing. She is a journalism and strategic communications double major and a political science minor. Find her work at abigailhobbs.com. 

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Recent Articles

LIFESTYLE 5/14/25 9:07am

Alamance Letter Writers Society keeps tradition alive through handwritten notes

By Abigail Hobbs

Denise Schweiss became interested in letter writing as a child, when her grandmother would send her letters at 3 years old. Schweiss has maintained this value throughout her life and continues to do so with the Alamance Letter Writers Society. The Alamance Letter Writers Society was founded in 2022 to share the love and tradition of letter writing. Once a month, the group meets and writes letters to military members serving overseas, retirement communities and friends and family. The Alamance Letter Writers Society meets at 6 p.m. every second Tuesday of the month at the Mebane Public Library. 

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NEWS 4/8/25 11:10am

Nonprofit Indigenous organization fights the development of Buc-ee’s

By Abigail Hobbs

North Carolina's first Buc-ee's will be constructed in Mebane on the Occaneechi-Saponi's Great Trading Path. 7 Directions of Service — a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for Native land and rights, particularly for the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation — is fighting Buc-ee’s development. “It's not just a trading path, or it's not just a historical thing, but it still has ties to our people today,” Coda Cavalier, a youth coordinator for 7 Directions of Service, said.

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NEWS 3/12/25 11:27am

Southeastern Indigenous Coalition Environmental Conference gives space to share issues facing Native communities

By Abigail Hobbs

The Southeastern Indigenous Coalition Environmental Conference, held March 7 and 8, saw around 200 participants looking to learn about the environmental issues facing Native communities today. The conference was hosted by 7 Directions of Service, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for Native land and rights and headquartered in Mebane. The two-day event took place at Rockingham Community College in Wentworth and the Haw River State Park in Browns Summit — both in the land of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, which covers a majority of Alamance and Orange counties, including the land that Elon University sits on.

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NEWS 2/26/25 9:55am

New Alamance County library label brings LGBTQ+ controversy

By Avery Sloan and Abigail Hobbs

Books containing violence, underage drinking and drugs or sexually explicit content at the Alamance County libraries will be labeled with a parental guidance suggested sticker, if the Alamance County Commissioners vote to approve the label. The Alamance County Library Committee voted at its Feb. 11 meeting to bring the issue to the commissioners. The label brought controversy after the committee considered labeling LGBTQ+ content in books, according to the minutes from the Nov. 12 meeting.  The American Library Association recommends against labeling books with LGBTQ+ themes as it can draw negative attention. 

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NEWS 2/21/25 4:42pm

Elon prepares for federal DEI changes amid UNC repealing requirements

By Abigail Hobbs

A memo was sent out to all University of North Carolina system chancellors announcing that all course requirements related to diversity, equity and inclusion taught at UNC System schools are suspended on Feb. 5. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Jan. 21 titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” or Executive Order 14173, which requires removing all diversity, equity and inclusion programs and requirements from federally funded organizations. This includes all universities, public and private, that accept federal aid, which includes Elon University. 

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LIFESTYLE 2/10/25 9:31pm

Elon art exhibition highlights gender identity, representation

By Abigail Hobbs

Melissa Wilkinson introduced her art exhibition “Queens and Monsters” on Feb. 10 at Gallery 406 in Arts West. About 50 spectators watched as Wilkinson described her inspiration for the exhibit, which features celebrities, roller skates and classic ’80s motifs. The exhibition looks at gendered gaze, noting how the surveyors are typically masculine and the surveyed is feminine. Wilkinson said she wanted to change the dichotomy in this work. The exhibition will be displayed in Gallery 406 in Arts West until March 13.

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NEWS 1/23/25 9:49am

Elon University prepares to enact anti hazing law through training, transparency

By Abigail Hobbs

Starting this year, all colleges participating in the Title IV program must collect statistics on hazing incidents that are reported to police for their annual security reports — including Elon University. President Joe Biden signed the Stop Campus Hazing Act in late December, amending the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include requiring institutions participating in the Title IV program to track and include hazing in their annual security reports. The annual security reports track all crime that has occurred on campus and within buildings owned by the university as part of the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, which states that all institutions that participate in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 are required to disclose campus crime statistics and security information. For the 2026 annual security report, all reported hazing incidents from 2025 will be included. 

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LIFESTYLE 12/26/24 12:03pm

Alamance County film school opens in January

By Abigail Hobbs

After 33 years working for some of the biggest names in Hollywood, Dean Jones returned home to Alamance County eight years ago. Now an Emmy-winning makeup artist, producer and director, Jones said he felt like he had to move to California to continue his career. Because of his hardships moving away to find work, Jones saw the need for a local film school in Alamance County to build the labor force in the state. The North Carolina Film & Television Working Arts School will start its first semester with five students Jan. 21, 2025.

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NEWS 11/6/24 2:39am

Amy Galey wins North Carolina State Senate District 25

By Abigail Hobbs

North Carolina State Sen. Republican Amy Galey won her reelection campaign for District 25’s state senate seat. Galey won against Democrat Donna Vanhook with 60.34% and Vanhook received 39.66% of the votes. Galey previously told Elon News Network she works to serve all of her constituents — even those who did not vote for her. 

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NEWS 11/6/24 1:18am

District 17 judge seat results

By Abigail Hobbs

Republican Bryan Ray won the first of five of North Carolina’s District 17 Court Judge seats. Democrat Larry Brown Jr. won the second of five of North Carolina’s District 17 Court Judge seats. Republican Craig Turner won the third of five of North Carolina’s District 17 Court Judge seats. Democrat incumbent Kathryn Overby won reelection for the fourth of five of North Carolina’s District 17 Court Judge seats. Republican Meredith Tuck Edwards won the fifth of five of North Carolina’s District 17 Court Judge seats.

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NEWS 11/6/24 12:46am

Three board of commissioners candidates elected

By Abigail Hobbs

Three candidates — Pamela Thompson, John Paisley Jr. and Ed Priola were elected to the Alamance County Board of Commissioners. They respectively received 18.13% of the votes, 17.89% and 17.37%.

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LIFESTYLE 10/31/24 9:13am

Original Hollywood Horror Show puts on film-quality sets

By Abigail Hobbs

Dean and Starr Jones were 7 years old when they had their first taste of special effects makeup when their parents pulled them out of school to watch the production of the 1968 movie “Killers Three.” After growing up watching horror movies and doing haunted houses for church and boy scouts, the duo went on to Hollywood and garnered a combined total of two Emmys, six Emmy nominations and 162 makeup credits for both movies and shows — most notably “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and several of the Star Trek movies.

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NEWS 10/29/24 10:47am

Elon Poll finds Hurricane Helene motivates voters this election

By Abigail Hobbs

The third Elon Poll of the 2024 election season found that Democrat Josh Stein now has a 21-point lead in the governor race against Republican Mark Robinson and North Carolina is still in a deadlock for the presidential election. The poll also found that Hurricane Helene is motivating North Carolinians to vote, which Director of Elon Poll Jason Husser said is usual after natural disasters. The poll was made up of 800 registered North Carolina voters, conducted from Oct. 10 to 17.

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NEWS 9/27/24 4:45pm

Elon’s Fall Convocation speaker speaks on finding happiness

By Abigail Hobbs

Arthur C. Brooks is speaking at Fall Convocation at 3 p.m. Sept. 27 in Alumni Gym. Brooks is the Parker Gilbert Montgomery professor of the practice of public and nonprofit leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and professor of management practice at Harvard Business School. Brooks writes The Atlantic column “How to Build a Life” and has written 13 books including the 2023 #1 New York Times bestseller “Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier ” with co-author Oprah Winfrey, and the 2022 #1 New York Times bestseller “From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.”

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NEWS 9/23/24 11:27am

North Carolina Latino organizations work to mobilize community

By Abigail Hobbs

From 2010 to 2020, the Latino population in North Carolina grew by almost 40%, far more than the national growth of 23%. However, in 2022, Latino voter turnout actually decreased after having increased in the past two midterm elections, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Kelly Morales is co-director of Siembra NC — a grassroots organization defending the North Carolina Latino community, particularly with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and wage theft. The organization has registered 5,600 Latinos by touring across the state.

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LIFESTYLE 9/14/24 11:35am

Hillsborough tattoo shop celebrates Friday the 13th with discounts

By Abigail Hobbs

With 56 people coming to get tattooed on Friday, Sept. 13, shop owner and tattoo artist Lillian — aka “Honeybadger” — said Friday the 13th specials started as a way to lean into the negative stereotypes that come with tattoos. Inkognito Tattoo Studio — a minority and woman-owned studio — offered $31 tattoos with $13 tips from a set of designs called flash. Elon juniors and roommates Ash Crouse and Brooke Boozer got their first tattoos at the event due to the discount. Inkognito will be hosting another Friday the 13th discount event Dec. 13.

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NEWS 9/12/24 9:34am

Elon students struggle to find parking on campus

By Fiona McAllister and Abigail Hobbs

For three years, senior Ashland Sutton has been commuting to Elon’s campus with no issues. Now, she is accustomed to the sight of the full Innovation Quad parking lot and cars circling the lot. Living half an hour away, Sutton now gets up at 6 a.m. to guarantee a spot before her 8 a.m. class or risk parking further away in the Danieley parking lot. Sutton contacted Campus Police so they would be aware of the problem, Chief of Police Joe LeMire sent photos of available parking spaces throughout the day with timestamps.

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LIFESTYLE 9/9/24 8:47pm

Artist showcases consumption habits through art

By Abigail Hobbs and Megan Walsh

David Hamlow has been collecting his own trash for almost 40 years, taking up space in his attic, basement and storage locker. He uses the trash — typically clear plastics, paper cardboard and thicker cardboard — to create art installations. Hamlow said he considers these pieces self portraits because most of it is his personal trash. Hamlow created an art installation for Elon’s Arts West Gallery 406 and hosted an artist talk Sept. 9. The exhibit will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday until Sept. 27.

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LIFESTYLE 9/3/24 4:12pm

Sophomore brings Music For Dementia to Elon

By Abigail Hobbs

Her hands were the only thing in frame, dancing across the keys as she played a complex, classical piece on the piano. She hadn’t played in 20 years, and though there was no songbook on the music stand, she remembered the piece clearly. Sophomore Aidan Fishkind received a video of their 90-year-old aunt with dementia playing the piano from her live-in caretaker. Fishkind, who was involved in Music For Dementia in their high school, brought the organization to Elon — officially creating its first out-of-state chapter in spring 2024.

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NEWS 8/27/24 4:13pm

Elon Poll shows voter concern over fair, accurate election

By Abigail Hobbs

Less than half of North Carolina voters said they have confidence that the national vote count will be fair and accurate in the 2024 election, as found by a poll conducted by Elon Poll in partnership with The Charlotte Observer, The News & Observer and The Durham Herald-Sun. This is a major decrease from the 2020 poll, where 69% of voters were confident in the election process. Jason Husser, director of the Elon Poll, said the lack of confidence in the integrity of elections is a new phenomenon.

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