Lorelai Sykes

CarolinaCast: Sports betting is off to a fast start in North Carolina. How are college students affected?

April 27, 2024 Lorelai Sykes

Sports betting has been legal in North Carolina for more than a month, and state officials say more than 300,000 betting accounts have been activated in the state, enough to generate more than $60 million dollars in tax revenue in its first year. Carolina Connection reporter Hamsini Sivakumar talks with Lorelai Sykes about how sports betting is affecting college campuses.

A N.C. stingray is a TikTok sensation, as scientists seek to explain her unusual pregnancy

April 12, 2024 Lorelai Sykes

The pregnant stingray named Charlotte lives in the Aquarium and Shark Lab by Team ECCO in Hendersonville, N.C. But Charlotte lives in a tank with no other rays, only two sharks. So it’s not clear how she became pregnant.

CarolinaCast: 126 years later, the Town of Carrboro has erected a historical marker to mark the site of a lynching

April 10, 2024 Lorelai Sykes

In 1898, an 18-year-old Black man was killed by a mob of white men near the present day intersection of Old Greensboro Road and Hatch Road. Now, 126 years later, the Town of Carrboro has unveiled a historical marker in honor of his life.

In this edition of the Carolina Connection podcast, Jessica Simmons talks with Lorelai Sykes about the lynching of Manly McCauley, the reaction from the community, and the importance of memorializing negative parts of our past.

FAFSA delays pose problems for students and colleges

February 9, 2024 Lorelai Sykes

The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is used by current and prospective college students to determine their eligibility for student financial aid. Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced that data from the FAFSA will not be sent to colleges until the first half of March, which is a 4-6 week delay.

Mike Pence brings his ‘anti-woke’ campaign to UNC, attracting supporters and protesters

April 28, 2023 Lorelai Sykes

Pence, who gave a speech titled, “Saving America from the Woke Left,” was the most prominent Republican politician to visit UNC in years.

Former VP Mike Pence to speak at UNC on ‘Saving America from the woke left’

April 21, 2023 Lorelai Sykes

It’s the first time in years that such a prominent national Republican politician has visited UNC.

In this UNC class, it’s okay to clown around

March 31, 2023 Lorelai Sykes

This Saturday is April Fools Day, but here’s a class that’s no joke: “Physical Comedy, Farce Techniques, and Clown,” or just clown class, is dedicated to the art of clowning around.

UNC Trustees signal their support for ban on ‘compelled’ speech

March 24, 2023 Lorelai Sykes

The UNC Board of Trustees has voted to support the new UNC System policy prohibiting compelled speech. The policy was approved by the Board of Governors in February, banning schools from forcing people to agree with certain political viewpoints as a condition of admission as a student or employment.

CarolinaCast: Cornell Watson talks about ‘Tarred Healing’

March 13, 2023 Lorelai Sykes

Nearly a year since UNC canceled the showing of the controversial photography exhibition “Tarred Healing,” the photos are on display at the National Civil Rights Museum.
On this edition of “Carolina Cast,” photographer Cornell Watson joins Carolina Connection’s Lorelai Skyes to discuss Tarred Healing and the controversy.

Chris Everett has been elected as UNC’s next student body president

March 9, 2023 Lorelai Sykes

After a contentious election, Chris Everett is UNC’s student body President-elect. He will serve in the role next school year.