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A demonstrator holds a sign at a community demonstration in Raleigh, North Carolina on April 23, 2021.

Andrew Brown Jr.'s family will be shown portion of body cam footage, judge rules

By Emmy Trivette | Apr. 28

On Wednesday, a North Carolina judge denied the release of the footage of Andrew Brown Jr.'s shooting to the media. Brown was sitting behind the wheel of his car at his Elizabeth City home when local officers opened fire on him the morning of April 21. The footage will be released to Brown's son, Khalil Ferebee, the attorney representing the victim and other family within one degree of kinship in the next 10 days.

South of the Border's welcome sign, known as "The Big Fellah." Photo courtesy of Julianna Villarosa and Derek Torres.

Filmmakers explore racial impact of South of the Border in paused documentary

By Sofia Lesnewski | May. 4

Located in Dillon County, South Carolina, South of the Border’s name is wordplay: it is just South of the South Carolina-North Carolina border and its Mexican theme refers to the border between the United States and Mexico.

Students of Frank Porter Graham Elementary school walk from carpool toward the school early in the morning on March 26, 2021. CHCCS have recently reopened in-person instruction, although many children are still learning virtually.

North Carolina's K-12 schools address falling student attendance due to pandemic

By Kayla Guilliams | May. 4

Almost 20 percent of K-12 students in North Carolina aren't attending school four days a week. In local school districts like Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools, these attendance rates are lower for students of color and students with disabilities.

NCGA Weekly Roundup: Gerrymandering, protest bill dominate hectic week

By Guillermo Molero | May. 4

This is part of a series that looks at bills the North Carolina General Assembly has introduced, the progress they have made in the chamber and what impact they might have on the state moving forward.

A demonstrator protesting the police killing of Andrew Brown Jr. raise their hands in front of a police line Tuesday, April 27, 2021, in downtown Elizabeth City. At least six protesters were arrested when police in riot gear marched toward roughly a dozen protesters two hours past curfew. Protesters were peaceful but refused to clear the streets. Photo courtesy of Travis Long/News & Observer/TNS

Demonstrations in Elizabeth City continue to demand justice for Andrew Brown Jr.

By David Richman | May. 3

For the past week, Elizabeth City has been filled with protests in response to Pasquotank County sheriff's deputies killing Andrew Brown Jr., a 42-year-old Black man.

Gov. Roy Cooper and First Lady Kristin Cooper announce their victory in the 2020 election on Nov. 3, 2020 on the steps of the N.C. Democratic Party headquarters in Raleigh.

Indoor mask mandate will be lifted once two-thirds of N.C. adults are vaccinated

By Sonia Rao | Apr. 28

Starting Friday, masks will no longer be required outdoors, and mass gathering limits in N.C. will increase to 100 indoors and 200 outdoors.

Names of deputies involved in Andrew Brown's death released to public

By Sonia Rao | Apr. 28

A media petition to release body camera footage of the killing of Andrew Brown Jr. in Elizabeth City last week was denied at a hearing at the Pasquotank County Courthouse Wednesday.

Camille Parker, who is from Durham, is carving a space for Black women country artists and fans. Photo courtesy of UNC Media Hub.

Meet Camille Parker, a beacon for Black women in country music

By Ruth Samuel | Apr. 27

Raised in Durham, Camille Parker is Bull City bred. It was there that she was introduced to Linda Martell, the Pointer Sisters, Charlie Pride, and notably, Rissi Palmer. Now, over a decade later, Parker is a part of Palmer's "Color Me Country Class of 2021" and released her first single called "The Flame" in March 2021. Despite challenges facing Black women trying to enter country music, Parker has burst on the scene and been embraced by Black women in the industry, such as Grammy-nominated Mickey Guyton.

NCGA Weekly Roundup: School choice, redistricting and vaccinations

By Guillermo Molero | Apr. 20

This is part of a series that looks at bills the North Carolina state legislature has introduced, the progress they have made in the chamber and what their impact might be on the state moving forward.

N.C. General Assembly's three anti-trans bills follow a recent nationwide trend

By Brian Rosenzweig | Apr. 20

In the past month, the N.C. General Assembly has introduced three bills seeking to discriminate against LGBTQ+ individuals, especially those who are transgender and gender-nonconforming, in sports, health care and gender-affirming care. Though new to the North Carolina legislature, many of these bills draw parallels, or even originate directly from, bills passed in other states. A major concern among activists is that many of these bills, both in North Carolina and across the country, seem to increasingly target transgender youth.

A resident of the Northside neighborhood reclines on their porch on Feb. 8, 2021. Chapel Hill's affordable housing plan continues to focus on Emergency Housing, public housing communities, and rehabilitation projects during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Column: Chapel Hill's affordable housing isn't affordable enough

By Ben Rappaport | Apr. 20

Affordable housing is critical to achieving social equity and economic security for everyone. Chapel Hill needs to recognize just how critical it is as North Carolina grows.

DTH Photo Illustration. As the weather warms, Chapel Hill has plenty to offer in the way of outdoor recreation.

Venture outside and explore these parks and trails in Chapel Hill this spring

By Will Weider | Apr. 19

We’ve compiled a list of places great for hiking, biking, running, picnicking and more in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area and beyond.

The first vaccine dose given at UNC’s vaccination clinic is administered in the Student Union on March 31, 2021. As North Carolina began to allow college students to receive coronavirus vaccines, UNC opened a clinic on campus where students can receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

UNC health experts weigh in on safety of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after pause

By Trevor Moore | Apr. 19

We asked some local health experts about the CDC- and FDA-recommended pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, including the risks associated with the vaccine and how the pause will affect distribution at UNC and across North Carolina going forward.

Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz applauds during Hubert Davis's introductory press conference on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.

UNC launches initiative to help North Carolina counties post-pandemic — all 100 of them

By Kennedy Rushing | Apr. 12

Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz launched the initiative Carolina Across 100 at a meeting of the Board of Trustees on March 25. Carolina Across 100 aims to extend the University’s resources to help communities deal with the anticipated challenges post-COVID-19. The ncIMPACT Initiative at the School of Government will coordinate Carolina Across 100, Dean Mike Smith said.

Nicholas, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, swims in the Dolphin Terrace habitat at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Photo courtesy of Douglas R. Clifford/Times/TNS.

Tell me somefin good: Bottlenose dolphin could be N.C.'s new state marine mammal

By Bethany Lee | Apr. 11

House Bill 2, which would make bottlenose dolphins the North Carolina's first state marine mammal, passed the House unanimously and is waiting for a Senate decision. The bill cites bottlenose dolphins' abundance, athleticism, social habits and appearance for making the animal N.C.'s official marine mammal.

Vaccine boxes lie in the walk-in freezer of the former Wendy’s in the Student Union on March 31, 2021. As North Carolina began to allow college students to receive coronavirus vaccines, UNC opened a clinic on campus where students can receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

UNC Health pauses administration of Johnson & Johnson vaccinations, will resume Saturday

By Sonia Rao | Apr. 8

UNC Health paused administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines across its clinics Thursday following adverse reactions in 4-5 patients who felt faint or light-headed at a Friday Center vaccine clinic.

The Wake County Courthouse in downtown Raleigh, NC on April 4, 2021. A bill that was recently passed in the senate about raising the minimum age for juvenile delinquency from 6 to 10 now moves to the house.

N.C. Senate passes bill to raise the minimum age for juvenile delinquency

By Kelli Rainer | Apr. 8

Of states with a specified minimum age, North Carolina currently has the lowest in the nation.

Divided N.C. House passes bill to limit governor’s emergency powers along party lines

By Guillermo Molero | Apr. 7

The Emergency Powers Accountability Act would require the governor to receive approval from a majority of the Council of State – the collective name for the heads of the state's senior executive offices – before exercising any emergency powers or declaring a state of emergency.

A young boy with a skateboard walks past the Chapel Hill Department of Housing in the Northside neighborhood of Chapel Hill on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020.

Column: Stuck in the middle

By Ben Rappaport | Apr. 6

"Chapel Hill demands housing choice. Legislation like Senate Bill 349 is how we get it."

DTH Photo Illustration: Some N.C. senators recently announced the introduction of a Hate Crimes Prevention Act that would require states and local authorities to publish data on hate crimes.

Lawmakers file new bills to increase scope and scale of punishments for hate crimes

By Susie Webb | Apr. 5

The mirrored bills would expand the definition of a hate crime and increase the scope and scale of punishments for hate crimes. The introduced Hate Crimes Prevention Acts would also require law enforcement training on how to identify and respond to a hate crime. Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue said that this act would have impacted his department’s investigation of the 2015 murders of three Muslim students, Deah Shaddy Barakat, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha.