Emma Perman

Recent Articles

NEWS 5/1/26 10:19pm

Educators march through downtown Raleigh to demand action

By Emma Perman and Elissa Leka

The front lawn of the North Carolina Legislative Building in downtown Raleigh on May 1 was filled with the voices of frustrated educators and their supporters. The North Carolina Association of Educators held a rally at Halifax Mall, bringing together representatives from 18 school districts across the state, including Alamance County. Attendees said they came to advocate for increased funding for public schools and to push lawmakers to pass a long-delayed state budget. 

NEWS 4/9/26 10:59pm

Dystopia to hope: New York Times columnist urges a shift in public mindset

By Emma Perman

Dystopian worlds have defined modern culture, through survival dramas like Squid Game to zombie-filled television shows. Some of today’s most popular stories imagine societies collapsed and filled with distrust and scarcity. Negative narratives have set themselves in everyday life. The same outlook appears in public opinion, according to New York Times journalist and best selling author Frank Bruni. Bruni delivered the James P. Elder Lecture on April 9 in Whitley Auditorium at Elon University. He talked about how pessimism has shaped Americans’ views of the country and their role within it, themes all relevant in his book “The Age of Grievance.”

NEWS 4/8/26 11:18am

Elon Town Council proposes property tax increase to offset rising costs

By Emma Perman

Residents in Elon may soon see an increase in their property taxes from 35 cents to 40 cents as town officials work through the upcoming budget. Town Manager Richard Roedner has proposed a 5-cent increase in the property tax rate as part of the draft budget for the 2026 fiscal year. It comes as officials face rising costs including the town’s waste and water operations.

NEWS 11/10/25 8:57pm

Government shutdown has rippling effect on local North Carolina food banks

By Emma Perman and Barbara Duran

On Oct. 1 2025, the United States government failed to pass a federal budget bill causing this government to shut down and in turn pausing federal nutritional assistance programs. The shutdown has now reached 41 days, a historic length for the United States. On Nov. 10 the Senate passed a budget bill to reopen the government. The bill will be sent to the House of Representatives to be voted on. “We're starting to actually get into school lunches. If you really delve into SNAP and the funding sources,” Jai Baker, executive director of Allied Churches of Alamance County said. “Not only are we talking about food stamps, we're talking about residual effects.” 

LIFESTYLE 10/21/25 10:45am

Elon alumni bring original plays to NYC audiences

By Emma Perman

Two Elon University alumni are making their off-Broadway debut with plays inspired by their own lived experiences. From the halls of a convent in Peru to the reunions in a prison visiting room, these works dive into faith, queerness, familial trauma and complex love. Mallorie Sievert ’24 graduated from Elon with a bachelor of fine arts degree in music theatre. Sievert said she never imagined her undergraduate honors thesis, “The City-Women” would one day be read aloud on a New York City stage. Madelyn Slattery ’24 graduated from Elon with a degree in drama theatre studies and English, bringing her off-broadway debut with “Mom Play.”

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 05/01/2026 10:19pm
Educators march through downtown Raleigh to demand action

The front lawn of the North Carolina Legislative Building in downtown Raleigh on May 1 was filled with the voices of frustrated educators and their supporters. The North Carolina Association of Educators held a rally at Halifax Mall, bringing together representatives from 18 school districts across the state, including Alamance County. Attendees said they came to advocate for increased funding for public schools and to push lawmakers to pass a long-delayed state budget. 

LIFESTYLE 05/01/2026 9:31pm
Elon Community Garden hosts annual Strawberry Festival

Elon Community Garden hosted its annual Strawberry Festival on May 1. Students and community members were able to enjoy lemonade, ice cream and live music and more activities. Students and attendees were able to adopt a plant, a tradition for the festival, and also got to enjoy balloon flowers, a strawberry hunt and painting tote bags. Later in the festival attendees got to sit down and enjoy live music.

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