‘Features’ Archives

Veteran newscaster returns to UNC

by Mike Rodriguez

Many famous journalists have come out of UNC, from Pulitzer Prize winners to reporters on TV and the radio. Carl Kasell is one you might be familiar with.

The North Carolina Press Association named him the 2013 North Carolinian of the Year, and that’s just his most recent achievement.

Kasell was an NPR newscaster for thirty years, helped launch WUNC radio and worked at WCHL.

He visited UNC, and I sat down and spoke with him. I asked him to share his favorite memory at the university.

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UNC student bags $10,000 on game show

by Logan Martinez

A trip to a conference in Los Angeles turned out to be unusually lucrative for UNC pharmacy student Katie Traylor.

She and three of her friends decided to join the audience for a taping of “The Price is Right” game show. Traylor was selected from the audience to go on stage and she made the most of her opportunity, winning $10,000 and other smaller prizes.

Logan Martinez reports.

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Alumnus raises money for children’s music lessons

by Wesley Graham

A member of one of the country’s hottest bands came back to North Carolina to help out some underprivileged kids. Joe Kwon is from Durham, graduated from UNC, and plays the cello for the Avett Brothers. He was in Chapel Hill to help raise money for Musical Empowerment — a student group that gives music lessons and instruments to children who wouldn’t be able to afford them.

Wesley Graham has more.

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Poor sleep habits take toll on students’ health

by Zach Mayo

The last day of class has come and gone, but final exams are right around the corner. Ideally, college students would study all week for their exams instead of cramming the night before… but that’s not always the case.

Students frequently stay up late to study… sometimes all night. As the semester comes to an end, these poor sleep habits might catch up to them.

Zach Mayo reports.

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UNC marching band updates its repertoire

by Andrew Tie

The UNC marching band has been around for more than a hundred years, keeping the crowds pumped with Hark the Sound and other pep songs.

But under a new head football coach, the marching band has been making changes to its music, uniforms, and halftime shows.

Andrew Tie has the story.

Category Features |

Life without a cell phone: Sometimes peaceful, sometimes lonely

by Mike Rodriguez

When most college students leave their apartment or dorm, they have at least three things on them — their wallet, their keys, and — just as important — their cell phone.

While it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t have a mobile phone, they do exist. And despite the challenges to not being digitally connected to the rest of the world, it’s not always a bad thing.

Mike Rodriguez found one student who deals with the ups and downs of not going mobile.

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PC maker hopes to break students’ Mac attraction

by Logan Martinez

UNC began selling MacBook Pro computers through its Student Stores more than two years ago. Lenovo’s ThinkPad, which was the only option for students previously, soon saw its sales dip with the competition from Apple. For this upcoming school year, Lenovo is introducing a new line of computers in hopes that they can regain control of the market.

Logan Martinez reports.

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Students, community aid disabled at Arc

by Jennifer Brodish

Roughly 13 percent of the population in North Carolina have disabilities.  The ARC of Orange County is an organization dedicated to assisting those with developmental and intellectual disabilities locally.

Jennifer Brodish reports.

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Residents say goodbye to historic dorm

by Logan Martinez

Residents of Odum Village are getting ready to bid farewell to the place they’ve called home.

Odum Village opened in 1963 and has long served as an on-campus housing option for married couples and other U-N-C students who want to live in an apartment-style residence. UNC will close Odum Village in a few years because the apartments don’t meet the fire safety codes.

Logan Martinez reports.

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Users ride ups and downs of ‘bitcoins’

by Stirling Little

The dollar bill, peso, and euro are all different types of currency. You can hand them over to a cashier or put them in your wallet.

But online currencies are gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional money.

Stirling Little introduces us to Bitcoins, one of the most popular of those currencies.

Category Features |