Welcome to Talking Culture! In this weekly interview series from 97.9 The Hill WCHL, you’ll hear from writers, performers, musicians and individuals involved in advancing and promoting cultural arts in our community.

Talking Culture is proudly sponsored by Duke Arts Presents. The 2025–26 Duke Arts Presents season is here! With 40 performances from September through April, the Duke Arts Presents season is packed with wide-ranging, joyful, and thought-provoking art for all audiences. Pick–4 packages are on sale now, build your perfect season at dukearts.org!

 This week, Aaron welcomes Elizabeth Woodman, the creator of a podcast called “27 Views” that’s inspired by a series of books about North Carolina towns. Their latest installment is a four-part episode called “Who Killed Rachel Crook?” that takes a deep dive into the still-unsolved 1951 murder of the original owner of Chapel Hill’s Crook’s Corner – with fascinating insights into what life and society were like in our community, three quarters of a century ago.

Click here for more on the podcast and the Rachel Crook episode, at EnoPublishers.org.

97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news and local voices in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every weekday morning, 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck chats with government officials, UNC scholars, business and nonprofit leaders, area musicians, and others in our community as they share their thoughts, their experience, and their expertise on the central issues of today. Click here to listen back to all of Aaron’s conversations – and tune in to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” at 7:30 a.m. on 97.9 The Hill to hear those conversations live.

Listen:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill: Banana Ball, Science Expo, Lumo
Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, April 9, discussing town news and events. She gave a recap of the most recent meeting of the Chapel Hill Town Council, which saw updates on economic development, the Land Use Management Ordinance rewrite, and more. She also talked about a busy weekend coming up in Chapel Hill, which includes two sold out "Banana Ball" games at Keenan Stadium, the UNC Science Expo, and more.
Police: 12 Vehicles Broken Into at Chapel Hill Apartment Complex; Residents Asked to Stay Alert
The Chapel Hill Police Department is asking community members to exercise caution amid a string of vehicle break-ins around town. Officers say they found 12 vehicles broken into Wednesday at the Hartley apartment complex at 540 South Elliott Road, and estimate the break-ins happened around 2 a.m. The department says it has received 95 reports […]
The Town of Chapel Hill Selects Design For New W. Cameron Avenue Bike Lanes
The Town of Chapel Hill announced it has chosen an option for how it will improve bicycle infrastructure on West Cameron Avenue.
The Casual Pint of Chapel Hill to Reopen Under New Ownership, Targeting May 1
Under a new ownership group, The Casual Pint of Chapel Hill will reopen at its former location at 201 South Elliott Road.
North Carolina’s Electoral Future May Hinge on Rural Black Voters Who Feel Ignored by Democrats
Roughly 4 in 10 Black voters in North Carolina’s last presidential election said they live in small towns or rural communities.
Local Municipal Offices to Close for Observance of Good Friday
Local government offices and services around the community will be closed to observe Good Friday on April 3. Here’s a rundown of what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill The Town of Chapel Hill’s government offices will be closed Friday, and some facilities will also be closed Easter Sunday, April 5. Residential trash collection […]
Groundbreaking for Chapel Hill's Homestead Gardens Marks Milestone for Significant Affordable Housing Project
In a mulched clearing at the edge of the woods on Mar. 27, dozens of people donned hard hats and waited their turns to take part in a ceremonial groundbreaking for the future Homestead Gardens neighborhood. There are so many stakeholders involved that people were split up by organization to come take turns […]
‘Mind Your Business’: Local Openings, Closings and Updates in January-March 2026
The start of 2026 featured some early closures, openings and plenty of returns to business in Chapel Hill, Carrboro and beyond.
The Evening News - No Kings Protest, Mebane Growing, Caleb Wilson to NBA
The Hill's Andrew Stuckey presents the afternoon news. Included in this edition of the news, Henry Taylor reports from this past weekend's No Kings Protests. We hear from a joint meeting between Orange County and Mebane, and more. In sports, UNC Women's Basketball concludes their season, Caleb Wilson declares for the NBA draft, and more.
Chapel Hill And Carrboro Hold Third No Kings Day, Joining Communities Nationwide
Chapel Hill and Carrboro residents participated in the third No Kings Day on Saturday, Mar. 28, protesting President Donald Trump.
›