Listen to ‘News on The Hill each week to hear the latest Conversations with the Mayors! The elected leaders of the Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough and Orange County governments join 97.9 The Hill to discuss the latest stories from around town and our community. Listen to each episode below, or on your favorite podcasting service!
Conversations with the Mayors is presented by The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro.
To listen to interviews with the Pittsboro mayor, and leaders from Chatham County Government, visit the Chatham County Roundup page of Chapelboro.com.
Carrboro: Community Reaction to Possible Police Merger, Halloween, and More
Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Friday, October 30, discussing town news and events. She talked about Halloween activities around Carrboro this weekend before getting into the public meeting at the Drakeford Library Complex on Thursday. The meeting was to get community feedback from residents after a proposed plan to explore merging the Carrboro Police Department with Chapel Hill’s. She recounted the feedback, process going forward, expected timeline around the conversation, and more.
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Chapel Hill: Halloween Weekend, Hedgepeth Reflection, LUMO Update
Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, October 29, discussing town news and events. She talked about the upcoming Halloween weekend, featuring subdued celebrations compared to previous years in Chapel Hill. She also reflected on the Chapel Hill Police Department’s role in the Faith Hedgepeth investigation and trial, as well as its impact on the community. She recapped the latest meeting of the Town Council, which saw more work on the Land Use Management Ordinance rewrite, and more.
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Orange County: Vice Chair of the Commissioners Amy Fowler on Election, New Tax Adminstrator
Vice-Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Amy Fowler spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, October 28, discussing county news and events. She talked about the recent groundbreaking for the Jamezetta Bedford Crisis Diversion Care Center. She also talked about the county’s newly hired Tax Administrator, and the process around making that hire. She discussed the upcoming election and the importance of voting, and more.
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Hillsborough: Auman Village, Early Voting, Halloween Weekend
Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, October 27, discussing town news and events. He discussed early stages of construction at Auman Village. He discussed early voting and the implications of the upcoming election for Hillsborough. He also previewed Halloween Weekend and other upcoming events in Hillsborough, and more.
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Carrboro: Roy Cooper GOTV Rally, Rogers Road Townhomes, Police Department Discussion
Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Friday, October 23, discussing town news and events. She recapped the West End Poetry Festival before discussing a special Get Out The Vote Event Roy Cooper is holding at a new venue presented by Cat’s Cradle–107 Brewer Lane. She also reviewed this week’s town council meeting, including approval of over 80 townhomes on Rogers Road, and more.
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Chapel Hill: Rezoning Approval, LUMO Updates, Howard and Lillian Lee Park
Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, October, 15. She recapped her time with the Metro Mayor’s Coalition in Asheville last week. She also recounted the most recent Chapel Hill Town Council Meeting which included an update on the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and more. She also recognized Karen Michael, this year’s recipient of the W. Cal Horton Service Award, and more.
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Orange County: Rezoning on Old Lystra Rd, Managing SNAP Finances, Crisis Diversion Center
Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, October 21, discussing county news and events. She recounted a joint meeting with the Chapel Hill Town Council and subsequent vote to approve a rezoning for a church and some affordable housing off of Old Lystra Road. She also discussed SNAP funding at the county level, the groundbreaking for the Jamezetta Bedford Crises Diversion Center, and more.
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Hillsborough: ICE Detention for Local Resident, Police Summit, Early Voting
Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, October 20, discussing town news and events. He revisited the ongoing detention of Isaac Gallegos by ICE, and his decision to release an official statement calling for Gallegos release. He also recapped a recent Police Summit held by the Hillsborough Police Department in order to communicate with the community and more. He also discussed the early voting period, which continues in Hillsborough and the rest of the community, and more.
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Carrboro: Unpacking The Proposal, Discussion of Merging Police Departments (October 16, 2026)
Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee speaks with 97.9 The Hill on Friday, October 16 about a proposal to consolidate the town’s police department.
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Chapel Hill: Metro Mayors Recap, Parks and Rec Master Plan, Community Recognition
Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, October, 15. She recapped her time with the Metro Mayor’s Coalition in Asheville last week. She also recounted the most recent Chapel Hill Town Council Meeting which included an update on the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and more. She also recognized Karen Michael, this year’s recipient of the W. Cal Horton Service Award, and more.
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Click here for the full Conversations with the Mayors archive.
