Conversations with the Mayors

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, September 8. He discussed the closure of a longtime downtown business and the general state of local businesses in the downtown area. He also previewed next week's meeting of the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners, as they begin their regular fall meeting schedule. He also previewed upcoming events, and more. The post Hillsborough: Town Board Reconvenes, Hog Day, Community Survey appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, September 11, discussing town news and events. She talked about the Second Fridays ArtWalk happening downtown tonight, and the vibrancy that provides the downtown area. She also discussed a new community composting program that provides compost drop-off locations around the county. She previewed the coming Tuesday's Town Council meeting, which will be the first since early in the summer, and more. The post Carrboro: Council Meeting Preview, Community Composting, Second Fridays ArtWalk appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson joined 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey in studio on Thursday, September 10, discussing town news and events. She discussed the upcoming football home opener, which features a pre game concert by Shaquille O'Neil (as DJ Diesel) on campus at 10 a.m. on Saturday. She also talked about the town council's return to regular meetings, with Wednesday night's work session focused on specific aspects of the LUMO document, and more. The post Chapel Hill: LUMO, Football Home Opener, Shaq appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chair of the Orange County Commissioner Jean Hamilton spoke with 97.9 The hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, September 9, discussing county news and events. She previewed several upcoming gatherings of the Orange County Commissioners over the next week, which includes a Thursday work session, a Monday retreat and a regular Tuesday meeting. She also previewed upcoming events and more. The post Orange County: Preview of Work Session, Retreat, and Business Meeting appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, September 8. He discussed the closure of a longtime downtown business and the general state of local businesses in the downtown area. He also previewed next week's meeting of the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners, as they begin their regular fall meeting schedule. He also previewed upcoming events, and more. The post Hillsborough: Dual Supply and Downtown Businesses, Board Meeting Preview, and More appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, September 4, discussing town news and events. She discussed a stormwater assistance program from the town, a round of street resurfacing that the town is doing ahead of fall, a call for oral histories of Carrboro, and more. The post Carrboro: Street Resurfacing, Stormwater Assistance, Oral Histories appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, September 3, discussing town news and events. She debriefed the impact on the town from this week's meeting of G20 leaders at the Carolina Inn. She also talked about upcoming business of the Town Council this fall, including the rest of the process of finishing the Land Use Management Ordinance rewrite, and more. The post Chapel Hill: G20 Debrief, LUMO, Labor Day appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, September 2, discussing county news and events. She recapped the recent meeting of the Board of Orange County Commissioners, which included the formal decision to name the county's new Crisis Diversion Center after late board member Jamezetta Bedford. That building is due to be constructed in the near future. She also outlined the purpose and origin of the facility, discussed the appointment of Amy McLamb to the role of Register of Deeds, and more. The post Orange County: Crisis Diversion Center Named for Jamezetta Bedford, and More appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, September 1, discussing town news and events. He talked about this year's community survey, which went out to residents this week. He also outlined the Labor Day holiday and relevant closures and schedule changes. He also looked at the town falling back into the rhythms of fall with school starting last week and local governments getting back to their regular meetings, and more. The post Hillsborough: Community Survey, Labor Day, Fall Schedules appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, August 28, discussing town news and events. She talked about the first week of school in the community and recounted her participation in welcoming students to Northside Elementary. She also discussed last weekend's memorial service for late Orange County Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford, recounting key moments and takeaways from the celebration of her life. She outlined the work a tree expert is doing for the town in assessing tree health in public spaces around town, and more. The post Carrboro: First Week of School, Remembering Jamezetta Bedford, Town Tree Health appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, August 27. She discussed some recent economic development awards won by the town. She also talked about the first week of school playing out in our community, previewed some upcoming events, and more. The post Chapel Hill: Economic Development Awards, G20 Meeting, Back to School appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton speaks with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, August 26. The post Orange County: Welcoming Rani Dasi and Honoring Jamezetta Bedford (Aug. 26, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell speaks with 97.9 The Hill News Director Brighton McConnell on Tuesday, August 25. The post Hillsborough: An Early Look at the Town’s Affordable Housing Strategy (Aug. 25, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, August 21, discussing town news and events. She discussed the return of k-12 students to the classroom next week, previewing a clap-in she'll be attending at Northside Elementary and urging caution as you drive around town next week. She also gave some general updates of longtime town projects including the Unified Development Ordinance, the Downtown Area Plan, and more. She also previewed upcoming events, including this weekend's Fiestas en la Calle, and more. The post Carrboro: Back to School, Unified Development Ordinance, Downtown Area Plan, Upcoming Events appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, August 20, discussing town news and events. She looked ahead to the start of school for k-12 students in the community next week. She also previewed the town council's priorities and business going into the fall. She also updated some ongoing parks and rec projects, including the reopening of the tennis courts at Cedar Falls Park, and more. The post Chapel Hill: Council Look Ahead, Parks and Rec Updates, Back to School appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton speaks with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, August 19. The post Orange County: Jamezetta Bedford’s Memorial and Federal Grant Distribution (Aug. 19, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, August 18, discussing town new and events. He recapped the weekend's water main break which led a boil water notice for the downtown area. He also previewed next week's meeting, discussed some upcoming events around town and more. The post Hillsborough: Boil Water Notice, Meeting Preview, Upcoming Events appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, August 14, discussing town news and events. She talked about the upcoming fall festival season in Carrboro, with a highlight the Carrboro Music Festival, which was just announced this week. She also previewed the upcoming La Feistas en La Calle, West End Poetry Festival, and more. She also discussed the upcoming return of students to the area, and the return to school for local public school students. She talked about a Teen Center pilot program at the Drakeford Library Complex, and more. The post Carrboro: Music Festival, Back to School, Teen Center Pilot appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, August 13, discussing town news and events. She previewed the upcoming Inter-City visit with the Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill Carrboro, where they will visit Charlottesville, VA. She also discussed the start of school for both UNC and CHCCS. She talked about the plans for a rebuild of First Station 4 on Weaver Dairy Road, previewed some upcoming LUMO outreach, and more. The post Chapel Hill: Students Returning, Fire Station 4, LUMO Workshops appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Vice-Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Amy Fowler spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, August 12, discussing county news and events. She talked about the Tax Assessment Work Group, which is examining how tax assessment is done in the county. She discussed the work that group is engaged in and the timeline for sharing their findings. She also talked about administrative costs of SNAP benefit administering, and new steep fines being levied at counties who have error rates. She also looked ahead to the August 25th meeting of the county commissioners and more. The post Orange County: Tax Assessment Work Group, Upcoming Events, and More appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, August 11, discussing town news and events. He discussed the recent meeting of the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners, which saw a review of the town's strategic plan. He discussed the purpose of the strategic plan, and how it helped the town navigate Tropical Storm Chantal disruptions last year. He also talked about the upcoming Government 101 series of classes available to the public, and more. The post Hillsborough: Board of Commissioners Meeting, Government 101, and More appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

  Chapel Hill Town Council Member Louie Rivers joined 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, August 6, discussing town news and events. He discussed his time on the council so far, including what has been surprising, and what has been most exciting. He shared his priorities for the council for the rest of the […] The post Chapel Hill: Town Council Member Louie Rivers appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, August 4, discussing town news and events. He shared details of a trio of National Night Out events being hosted throughout the community by Hillsborough Police. He looked ahead to priorities for the Fall. He also detailed some new code enforcement in town, and more. The post Hillsborough: National Night Out, Look Ahead to Fall, Code Enforcement appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, July 31, discussing town news and events. She talked about upcoming thunderstorms, hurricane season, and the need to be prepared for bad weather. She also discussed a pilot solar program from the town, planning for National Night Out on Tuesday, and more. The post Carrboro: Weather Preparedness, Solar Energy Pilot, National Night Out appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, July 30, discussing town news and events. She talked about a chamber event on growth and development she had attended earlier that day, which included updates on the North South Bus Rapid Transit project, and more. She also shared updates on UNC's Carolina North Plans, the Legion Road property and pond, and more. The post Chapel Hill: Growth and Development, Carolina North, Legion Pond appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, July 29, discussing county news and events. She talked about the appointment of Rani Dasi to the board of commissioners, the strengths Dasi brings to the role, and her take on the process of naming a replacement. She also went through a few items from the consent agenda at Tuesday's board meeting, discussed the reopening of the Eno Art Mill, and more. The post Orange County: Welcoming Rani Dasi, Consent Agenda Items, Eno Arts Mill appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, July 28, discussing town news and events. He discussed the recently adopted state budget and some of the implications for Hillsborough that town staff have found in the budget. He also discussed raises for some community members contained in the budget, and more. He also previewed this weekend's Last Fridays Art Walk, and other upcoming events the town is planning through the end of the year. The post Hillsborough: State Budget, Last Fridays Art Walk, Upcoming Events appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, July 23, discussing town news and events. She discussed the recent inclement weather, and discussed preparedness for future inclement weather as we get further into hurricane season. She also talked about the Land Use Management Ordinance re-write, and the opportunities for public feedback on that draft document. She previewed an upcoming public information session, National Night Out, and more. The post Chapel Hill: Weather Update, LUMO Draft Availability, Public Info Session appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Vice-Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Amy Fowler spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, July 22, discussing county news and events. She reacted to the Orange County Democratic Party's selection of Rani Dasi to fill the vacant seat on the Orange County Commissioners. She also talked about that process. She also discussed a feasibility study which is collecting community feedback on converting an existing rail line through the county into something more public. She also shared details of the upcoming memorial service for Jamezetta Bedford, and more. The post Orange County: Reaction to Selection of Rani Dasi, Feasibility Study, Jamezetta Memorial appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, July 21, discussing town news and events. He discussed the increase in water and sewer rates that were approved in the budget, which will start to show up on folks bills in August. He also discussed the latest on the levels at the reservoir, which are still comfortably above the water restriction limits. He also went over the protocols for reporting leaks to the water treatment plant, and more. The post Hillsborough: Water Rates, Reservoir Check, Leak Reporting appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, July 17, discussing town news and events. She discussed a new feasibility study, which includes several opportunities for public feedback. She also highlighted a CHCCS program providing meals for kids over the summer, looked at some other summer events, and more. The post Carrboro: Rail to Trail Feasibility, Summer Meals for Kids, Summer Weather appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, July 16. She discussed the release of the town's long-awaited rewrite of the town's Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO). She outlined the key tenants of the current document, and also recounted the history of the document and the reason for the rewrite. She previewed some community outreach on the document and talked about the timeline going forward. She also previewed some upcoming events and more. The post Chapel Hill: The Land Use Management Ordinance Rewrite Draft Goes Live appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Orange County Commissioner Sally Greene spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, July 16, discussing county news and events. She recapped the board's July 9th meeting, which was their first since the passing of active commissioner Jamezetta Bedford. She discussed Bedford's legacy and how she was remembered at the meeting. She also talked about some proposed changes to the county's Longtime Homeowner's Assistance Fund, the upcoming schedule for the commissioners, and more. The post Orange County: July Meeting Honoring Jamezetta Bedford, Changes to to Longtime Homeowners Program appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, July 14, discussing town news and events. He discussed the summer heat, and detailed resources available in Hillsborough for folks who need relief on particularly hot days. He also talked about the state budget and the potential for getting Chantal Recovery funds from that budget. He shared details on a large sewage spill from over the weekend, and more. The post Hillsborough: State Budget, Heat Plan, Sewer Spill appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, July 10, discussing town news and events. She discussed the recent string of town-planned events, which included their program of Juneteenth events, Pride Month events, and their annual 4th of July celebration. She also looked ahead to the town's schedule through the traditional down time of late July and early August. She also discussed the lasting impacts of Tropical Storm Chantal, and more. The post Carrboro: Revisiting Recent Events, Look Ahead to Summer, Chantal One Year Later appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, July 9, discussing town news and events. She talked about the after effects of Tropical Depression Chantal. She also talked about the passage of the state budget, which could includes potential Chantal Relief funds, and more. She also talked about the summer schedule for the town council, which includes some community outreach on LUMO, an more. The post Chapel Hill: Chantal Anniversary, State Budget, Summer Schedule appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell speaks with 97.9 The Hill News Director Brighton McConnell on Tuesday, July 7. The post Hillsborough: Storm Anniversary and Impacts, NCDOT Projects and 18th Century Graves appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Town Council Member Wes McMahon speaks with 97.9 The Hill News Director Brighton McConnell on Thursday, July 2 as he substitutes for Mayor Jess Anderson. The post Chapel Hill: Wes McMahon on His First Six Months on Town Council, Anniversary of Chantal Flooding, and July 4th appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners Jean Hamilton speaks with 97.9 The Hill News Director Brighton McConnell on Wednesday, July 1. The post Orange County: Extreme Heat, Crisis Diversion Facility, Tax Administrator appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, June 30, discussing town news and events. The conversation focused on a deep dive into the upcoming 'Together We are America" festival at River Park in downtown Hillsborough on July 4. The celebration will include live music, crafts, living history demonstrations, family activities, and more from 10am to 9:30pm.  The post Hillsborough: July 4 in Hillsborough appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, June 26, discussing town news and events. She discussed the town council's meeting from June 16, previewed July 4th festivities in the town, updated Tropical Storm Chantal Recovery as the one year anniversary nears, discussed Jamezetta Bedford's legacy, and more. The post Carrboro: Council Update, July 4, Jamezetta Bedford appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, June 25, discussing town news and events. She shared details of a proclamation recognizing County Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford after her death earlier in the week. She also talked about recognition for B3 and their work with people with disabilities. She also updated the town's progress on the Land Use Management Ordinance rewrite, previewed upcoming events including July 4, and more. The post Chapel Hill: Jamezetta Bedford Remembered, LUMO, Upcoming Events appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, June 24, discussing county news and events. She shared the personal, professional, and public service impact of fellow commissioner Jamezetta Bedford, who passed away earlier in the week. She also outlined the legally mandated process for filling the empty seat on the county commissioners, and more. The post Orange County: Remembering Jamezetta Bedford, Open Seat Protocol, County Events appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, June 23, discussing town news and events. He recapped the recent meeting of the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners, which revisited the data center moratorium, and more. He also continued to look ahead to the town's July 4th celebration, discussed reservoir capacity, and more. The post Hillsborough: Board Meeting, America 250, Reservoir Capacity appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, June 19, discussing town news and events. She recapped the recent meeting of the town council, which included several updates, including on the complete communities initiative. She also discussed an upcoming meeting added for Monday to discuss the town's LUMO rewrite. She previewed Friday's Juneteenth activities, and more. The post Chapel Hill: Council Meeting Recap, LUMO, Juneteenth appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, June, 12, discussing town news and events. She talked about the passage of the town's budget the night before, discussions around everywhere to everywhere greenways, downtown development, and more. She talked about the end of the school year in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, previewed some upcoming events, and more. The post Chapel Hill: Budget Passes, End of School Year, Upcoming Events appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, June 9th, discussing town news and events. He talked about he passage of the town's budget, which ultimately did not include a tax increase, instead pulling from the town's fund balance. He discussed the process that lead to the decision, and more. He also previewed several plans the town is making for this summer's "America 250" celebration, and more. The post Hillsborough: Budget, No Tax Hike, America 250 appeared first on Chapelboro.com.