In today’s news: longtime Orange County Register of Deeds Mark Chilton announces he’s stepping down, a few months before the end of his term. Also: UNC students return to Chapel Hill ahead of the start of the fall semester; Chapel Hill town officials move ahead on plans for a new Fire Station 4 in the northern part of town; a former Chapel Hill police officer is released from custody after being accused of planning a mass shooting in New Orleans; the Carrboro Music Festival sets a date; Pittsboro names a new planning director; and Hillsborough’s town board gets an update on their strategic plan.

And in sports: Carolina women’s soccer gets the UNC fall athletics calendar started with a season-opening win over Fairfield; Tar Heel men’s soccer drops a preseason exhibition at Maryland; a Tar Heel football star gets a preseason honor; and UNC’s head wrestling coach gets a contract extension.

97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every weekday morning, 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck recaps the day’s news, from local government to business developments to UNC sports. Click here to listen back to all of Aaron’s daily news reports, which you can hear live during “This Morning with Aaron Keck” every weekday from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m.

You can also listen to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” on Spotify. Click here to follow Aaron and listen to all his segments, from local news to fun features to hard-hitting interviews.

Listen:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
‹
What's Open or Closed on Labor Day? Holiday to Impact Local Government Services
Monday marks the observance of Labor Day, which is meant to celebrate the contribution of workers and employees across the United States. With that, the local governments in Orange County will be giving many of their employees the day off, which will affect certain local government services. Ahead of the holiday on Monday, Sep. 7, […]
Orange and Chatham County School Districts Celebrate Performance Milestones for 2025-26 Year
The Orange County, Chatham County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City school districts are celebrating positive performance trends demonstrated in the latest accountability report from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. All 13 Orange County Schools earned a performance grade of “C” or higher for the 2025-26 school year, marking the first time since 2017 that […]
How OWASA's Reclaimed Water System Extends the Lifespan of Local Water Sources
Built 17 years ago to improve the community’s drinking water resilience, it has saved the county billions of gallons of drinking water. 
Orange County: Welcoming Rani Dasi and Honoring Jamezetta Bedford (Aug. 26, 2026)
Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton speaks with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, August 26.
Rani Dasi Sworn in as New District 1 Orange County Commissioner
Dasi was one of six people who threw her hat in the ring for the District 1 position, and was ultimately selected by the board to serve out the rest of Bedford’s term.
Orange County Sheriff: Student Assaults Staff Members at Partnership Academy
A School Resource Officer from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office detained a student at Hillsborough’s Partnership Academy Tuesday after the student allegedly assaulted two staff members, per a release. The sheriff’s office says the SRO will now coordinate with the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention regarding legal consequences. After the assault, […]
Orange County Sheriff's Office Locates Missing 19-Year-Old in Rougemont
The Orange County Sheriff's Office sent out a missing persons alert Monday for Bryce Howerton of Rougemont, a high-functioning autistic man.
Dale Edwards on The News of Orange County's Top Summer Stories – On Air Today (August 19, 2026)
Dale Edwards, the managing editor for the News of Orange County, speaks with 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell on Wednesday, August 19.
NCDOT Installing All-Way Stop at Rural Orange County Intersection
Crews from the North Carolina Department of Transportation will install an all-way stop at the intersection of North Carolina Highway 157 and New Sharon Church Road in northern Orange County. The installation is expected to take place Wednesday, Aug. 26 at the rural intersection, located northeast of Hillsborough. In a release, the NCDOT says it […]
The Morning News: Mark Chilton Retiring, UNC Returning
In today's news: longtime Orange County Register of Deeds Mark Chilton announces he's stepping down, a few months before the end of his term.
›