A year and a half after Hurricane Helene, Western North Carolina’s recovery remains uneven, with rural and low-income communities still struggling. Barriers like geography, poverty and delayed aid hinder rebuilding and worsen health risks. Despite ongoing challenges, strong community support and resilience have emerged as lasting impacts of the disaster.
Culture
Recognition Does Not Create Identity: The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina’s Federal Recognition Story
UNC student Peyton Brooks and Lumbee voices reflect on the tribe’s 2025 federal recognition after centuries of advocacy. The milestone brings validation, new opportunities in education and healthcare, and renewed cultural pride, while emphasizing identity existed long before recognition and that future progress will require continued effort and community resilience.
Chasing Velocity: Baseball’s Pitching Analytics Revolution
What started as the “eye-test” has evolved into so much more. The analytical revolution is imbedded within America’s pastime, but are the numbers too much? Media Hub’s Grace Nugent talks to experts both past and present on how analytics have changed pitching.
How AI Could Solve Natural History’s Biggest Research Challenge
Natural history museums face massive backlogs of undigitized specimens and data. Researchers are using AI to speed up tasks like reading handwritten notes, analyzing images and processing video. While not perfect, these tools can save time and expand research, helping scientists better understand biodiversity, despite environmental costs and technical limitations.
School’s out… What’s next for students in the area?
Every year during summer break, thousands of children are left wondering where their next meal will come from, Allison Helms reports.
Eyes on the Sky
The Raleigh-Durham International Airport Plane Spotting Facebook group has reached more than 5,200 members, and some of those members have formed lasting friendships. Members take pictures, set up airside tours, and some even work for the airlines. While the airport sees over 400 flights daily, these plane spotters find something more: the chance to build meaningful relationships with others who share their passion for aviation.
Chasing the Sasquatch: North Carolina’s Bigfoot Believers
By Grace Nugent From UNC students to museum owner, belief in Bigfoot is alive across…
Young men struggle with body image and an obsession with bulking up
Story by Rachel Moody In his off-campus apartment kitchen, UNC-Chapel Hill sophomore Tate Mannell adds…
A Walk for Peace: Raleigh Welcomes the Monks
Volunteers and faith leaders gather at Greg Poole Jr. All Faiths Chapel to prepare a welcoming lunch for traveling Buddhist monks. As crowds assemble from Dorothea Dix Park to the North Carolina Capitol, Raleigh unites in celebration, fellowship, and peace, culminating in a powerful speech before thousands.