This is an audio story about the increased investment into college baseball, focusing on the recent leasing of the Trajekt pitching machines by UNC Chapel Hill and Wake Forest. This move by both teams highlights the ever increasing popularity of analytics and technology in baseball and the increasing investment into college sports.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youths in the United States, and the rates continue to escalate. Many youths in crisis are directed to the emergency department but end up waiting for days in the ER for a psychiatric bed. But what if the signs of mental distress in youths can be caught early and avoid an ER visit altogether? Embedding mental health services in schools offers a solution.
Rising housing costs are reshaping how young adults approach financial planning, often delaying investing and homeownership. UNC students collaborating with Vanguard explore how UX design can make financial tools clearer and more trustworthy. As affordability strains budgets, financial literacy, transparency and personalized planning become essential for navigating an increasingly expensive transition into adulthood.
This story takes readers inside the evolving partnership between the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, showing how one of the nation’s most influential journalism philanthropies is helping shape the future of media education. Through interviews with foundation leaders, faculty, and administrators, the piece explores how Knight’s investments go far beyond funding — supporting research centers, innovative classrooms, and faculty positions that directly respond to the challenges facing journalism today, from the collapse of local news to the rise of artificial intelligence and changing audience habits.
Embryo donation allows unused IVF embryos to help others build families, with about 1.5 million frozen in the U.S. While it offers hope for infertility, it raises emotional and ethical concerns about genetic ties. Growing awareness, support networks and medical advances continue shaping decisions around this complex family-building option.
Every year during summer break, thousands of children are left wondering where their next meal will come from, Allison Helms reports.
When school ends, thousands of Durham children lose a critical source of daily nutrition. With participation in summer meal programs low and barriers like transportation and awareness limiting access, families are left to fill the gap. Community programs are working to respond, but the break enables greater issues surrounding childhood hunger.
Baseball scouting evolved from skepticism toward technology to heavy reliance on analytics. Early resistance to tools like radar guns faded as their value became clear. The 2015 launch of StatCast accelerated data use, transforming player evaluation and development across all levels, boosting performance while introducing new risks associated with data-driven training.
North Carolina maintains over 18,000 bridges with limited crews and funding, making repairs challenging, especially in rural areas. Geographic factors like coastal erosion and mountain storms worsen conditions. Despite constraints, only 6.8% of rural bridges are in poor condition, and inspectors prioritize safety while balancing budget, staffing and urgent infrastructure needs statewide.
UNC Media Hub is a cohort of students from various concentrations within UNC-Chapel Hill’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media who collaborate to produce top-tier integrated media packages covering stories across North Carolina.
