97.9 The Hill's "Forum On The Hill"

What’s On Local Musicians’ Minds? – December 12, 2025

97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck speaks with local musicians Shirlette Ammons, Azul Zapata, and Dave Hedeman (who’s also the co-founder of local label All Y’all Records). This hour focuses on the state of the Triangle music scene. Chapel Hill has long been known for its music, and that’s just as true today as ever – but there are also many challenges facing musicians and venues, including a post-COVID drop in attendance at live shows, the difficulty of earning a living in a Spotify-dominated world, and of course the rise of AI. Ammons, Hedeman, and Zapata weigh in with their thoughts on the joy and the difficulty of being a musician today – and what the local scene might be missing. ---------------------------------------- The 2025 “Forum On The Hill” is presented by the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Health, Wegmans, Coleman Merritt Murphy & Rainsford P.C., and The Law Office of Chris Barnes. Listen to the panels live on 97.9 The Hill WCHL the week of Dec. 8-12 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., or revisit them the day after on-demand at Chapelboro.com, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! The post What’s On Local Musicians’ Minds? – December 12, 2025 [https://chapelboro.com/wchl/forum-on-the-hill/whats-on-local-musicians-minds-december-12-2025] appeared first on Chapelboro.com [https://chapelboro.com].

Arts in Uncertain Times – Dec. 12, 2025

97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey speaks with North Carolina Poet Laureate Jakie Shelton Green, Carrboro Town Council Member Fred Joiner, and Executive Director of Orange County Arts Katie Murray on Friday, December 12. They discuss the challenges facing the arts community both generally and locally. They also discuss the role of arts in times of political division. They discuss the economic, social, and personal impact of having art in non-traditional spaces. They look ahead to 2026, and more. ---------------------------------------- The 2025 “Forum On The Hill” is presented by the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Health, Wegmans, Coleman Merritt Murphy & Rainsford P.C., and The Law Office of Chris Barnes. Listen to the panels live on 97.9 The Hill WCHL the week of Dec. 8-12 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., or revisit them the day after on-demand at Chapelboro.com, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! The post Arts in Uncertain Times – Dec. 12, 2025 [https://chapelboro.com/wchl/forum-on-the-hill/arts-in-uncertain-times-dec-12-2025] appeared first on Chapelboro.com [https://chapelboro.com].

External Changes Are Changing Nonprofits’ Approaches — Dec. 12, 2025

97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell welcomes Gayane Chambless, Jennifer McFarland, Kyle Shipp, Rachel Valentine and Breah Woolson on Friday, Dec. 12 for a conversation about the local nonprofit community. Donations are largely down in recent years, as is volunteerism. With people’s philosophies and habits around nonprofit giving or participation changing, how are our nonprofits adjusting their approaches? The group discusses what issues have been front of mind in the last year, successes and struggles in fundraising, and the importance of partnerships over competition for dollars. The panel also closes by myth-busting some traditional narratives or misconceptions around running nonprofits. ---------------------------------------- The 2025 “Forum On The Hill” is presented by the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Health, Wegmans, Coleman Merritt Murphy & Rainsford P.C., and The Law Office of Chris Barnes. Listen to the panels live on 97.9 The Hill WCHL the week of Dec. 8-12 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., or revisit them the day after on-demand at Chapelboro.com, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! The post External Changes Are Changing Nonprofits’ Approaches — Dec. 12, 2025 [https://chapelboro.com/wchl/forum-on-the-hill/external-changes-are-changing-nonprofits-approaches-dec-12-2025] appeared first on Chapelboro.com [https://chapelboro.com].

Reforming and Contextualizing Orange County’s Property Assessments — Dec. 11, 2025

97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell moderates a discussion between Shereese Alston, Beverly Scarlett and Hudson Vaughan of the Orange County Property Tax Justice Coalition, and Marilyn Carter and Amy Fowler of the county’s Board of Commissioners on Thursday, Dec. 11. This spring’s revaluation cycle saw plenty of property values rise in Orange County, many of which were significant. But the data consistently shows some of the most significant increases were in historically Black neighborhoods, which have many longtime residents aging in place. These changes threaten to overburden them with property taxes, causing the Coalition to spring into action. The group discusses the trends, what the organization and county government are doing to address it, and how to best communicate the process with community members. ---------------------------------------- The 2025 “Forum On The Hill” is presented by the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Health, Wegmans, Coleman Merritt Murphy & Rainsford P.C., and The Law Office of Chris Barnes. Listen to the panels live on 97.9 The Hill WCHL the week of Dec. 8-12 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., or revisit them the day after on-demand at Chapelboro.com, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! The post Reforming and Contextualizing Orange County’s Property Assessments — Dec. 11, 2025 [https://chapelboro.com/wchl/forum-on-the-hill/reforming-and-contextualizing-orange-countys-property-assessments-dec-11-2025] appeared first on Chapelboro.com [https://chapelboro.com].

Checking the Area Housing Inventory – Dec. 11, 2025

97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey speaks with Vice President of Advocacy for the Chamber For a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro Ian Scott, Policy Director for Carolina Forward and Chapel Hill Town Council Member Theodore Nollert, and President of the Orange and Chatham County Association of Realters Randy Voller. They discussed the current housing inventory in the Chapel Hill area, including how much and what type of housing is still missing, and what tools the community has to encourage more housing. They also discussed what they hope to see different in the area’s housing market in 2026, and more. ---------------------------------------- The 2025 “Forum On The Hill” is presented by the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Health, Wegmans, Colman Merritt Murphy & Rainsford P.C., and the law Office of Chris Banes. Listen to the full panels live on 97.9 The Hill WCHL the week of Dec. 8-12 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., or revisit them the day after on-demand at Chapelboro.com, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. The post Checking the Area Housing Inventory – Dec. 11, 2025 [https://chapelboro.com/wchl/forum-on-the-hill/checking-the-area-housing-inventory-dec-11-2025] appeared first on Chapelboro.com [https://chapelboro.com].