It’s been a tumultuous and eventful year in our community. We are counting down the top newsmakers of 2015. See the top news stories here.
10. Jessica Anderson
Jessica Anderson rose from political obscurity to become the newest Chapel Hill Town Council member and higher vote-getter in November’s election. Anderson was endorsed by CHALT, the Chapel Hill Alliance for a Livable Town, a group formed to protest recent development decisions approved by the outgoing council.
9. Margaret Spellings
Margaret Spelling was elected to be the UNC System President after 10 months of acrimony and accusations. Spelling was previously the Secretary of Education for President George W. Bush.
Spellings’ election has been met with protests from students and faculty.
8. Pam Hemminger
Pam Hemminger became the first challenger in five decades to defeat an incumbent Chapel Hill Mayor. Hemminger was sworn in as mayor in December.
Listen to Part 1 of our annual Year In Review show, counting down from #10 to #8.
7. Carl Fox
Superior Court Judge Carl Fox is battling blood cancer and searching for a bone marrow donor. The “Save the Fox” campaign is urging possible to add their names to a national registry of donors, in hopes of finding a match for the 14,000 people each year in need of a transfusion.
6. Real Silent Sam Coalition and the Black Student Movement
Protesters pushed for the removal of the Silent Sam statue on the UNC campus. There were other protests regarding the election of UNC System President Margaret Spellings, recognition of student athletes as university employees, along with other grievances.
Listen to Part 2 of our annual Year In Review show, counting down #7 and #6 (and looking back at the year in sports).
5. Aziz Sancar
UNC Professor Aziz Sancar won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. He shares the award with Paul Modrich of the Duke University School of Medicine and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Tomas Lindahl of the Francis Crick Institute and Clare Hall Laboratory in Great Britain.
4. Omar Currie
To combat a bullying problem at Efland Cheeks Elementary School, third-grade teacher Omar Currie read a book called “King and King” to his class in April. The book depicts two princes getting married. Some objected to the reading of the book. Currie resigned.
3. CHALT
Members of Chapel Hill Alliance for a Livable Town, or CHALT, say they are fighting to “save the town they love, before it’s too late.” David Schwartz is one of the organizers. He says CHALT grew out of residents’ dissatisfaction with the Town Council’s recent efforts to plan growth in key areas of Chapel Hill.
In November, candidates endorsed by CHALT dominated the ballot. Pam Hemminger became Mayor. Jessica Anderson and Nancy Oates both won seats on the Chapel Hill Town Council.
Listen to Part 3 of our annual Year In Review show, counting down from #5 to #3.
2. Dean Smith
Dean Smith, the legendary coach of UNC Men’s Basketball team, passed away at age 83 on February 8.
Smith led the Tar Heels for more than three decades, retiring in 1997 with 879 victories to his name – the most in college basketball history at the time. He led the Heels to national titles in 1982 and 1993, and eleven appearances in the Final Four.
Listen to Part 4 of our annual Year In Review show, counting down #2 (and remembering those we lost in 2015).
1. Deah, Yusor, and Razan
Deah Shaddy Barakat, Yusor Mohammad and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha were killed at the Finley Forest Condos on Summerwalk Circle near the Friday Center.
Deah Barakat was a second-year student in the UNC School of Dentistry. His wife, Yusor, had planned to begin her dental studies there in the fall. Her sister, Razan, was a student at N.C. State University.
Listen to Part 5 of our annual Year In Review show, concluding with #1.
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