NC Now | 2014 UNC-TV

A St. Andrew's University program offers a therapeutic experience for participants. Researchers at NCSU look into ways to communicate with guide and rescue animals. And author Margaret Maron talks about her new book.

Broadband providers brought their ideas to Raleigh for a regional conference on high speed internet. Big Data leaders & researchers met in Charlotte to discuss the industry's impact on the economy. And UNCG has received federal recognition for its community service.

Researchers study a Wilmington-area creek to learn about protecting coastal habitats. The Army Corps of Engineers studies the health of the ocean on land and at sea. Dr. Stephanie Luster-Teasley & Dr. Radiah Minor talk about encouraging young women to take up careers in the sciences.

Tonight on North Carolina Now, we look at business in our state. Then we'll introduce you to the Charlotte Ballet's Patricia McBride - the renowned ballerina's storied career has allowed her to perform with some of the most famous dancers and companies of our time.

CCCC's Small Business Center helps entrepreneurs start & sustain a business. ArcBarks serves man's best friend while supporting its employees. And Jonathan Grinnell talks about professional resolutions we can make for our careers in 2015.

Frank Graff checks in with researchers at Duke who are creating self-healing muscles, learns how special software can test new medicines, finds out about new ways to help us all eat our fruits & veggies, & learns why the soybean is considered the miracle crop.

Jeff Smith learns about NASA's connections to UNC-CH's Morehead Planetarium, profiles Pinehurst Director of Golf Ben Bridgers, meets blind musician Shannon Williams, & tags along with Harnett Central students who are training to be firefighters as he looks back at his favorite stories from 2014.

From the historic grandeur of the Biltmore Estate & its similarities to Downton Abbey, to the traditional craftmanship of Dr. Grabow Pipes, to a legendary musician sharing his talent with children, & the adorability of baby lion cubs at the NC Zoo, Heather Burgiss shares some of her favorite stories from 2014.

Chef Kathy Leflerr of Katt in the Kitchen shares some traditional - & some non-traditional - holiday meal ideas. Historian Alastair Bruce shares some of the historical etiquette & protocol that he teaches the cast & crew in his role as a consultant to Downton Abbey.

Nnenna Freelon & the John Brown Jazz Orchestra, fiddler Bobby Hicks, cellist Shana Tucker, steel drum player Mickey Mills, UNC Chapel Hill's Loreleis, mandolin player Tony Williamson & his trio, the Asheville Bluegrass with fiddler Bobby Hicks, & opera singer Victoria Livengood perform their favorite holiday songs.

From a new way to protect hemlock trees, to how acorns gauge the health of the forest, to preserving the history of NC's plants, to tracking the nighttime movements of wildlife, Frank Graff takes science out of the lab & into the field to see what researchers are learning as they study the natural world.

We check out several NC-based businesses for some good holiday gift ideas including jewelry from Moon & Lola, bow ties from High Cotton, tasty treats from the French Broad Chocolate Lounge, & special excursions combining food & history from Creative Mountain Food Tours.

David Huppert looks at the NC Christmas Tree Industry as he tours the Big Ridge Tree Farm in Boone, talks with Jennifer Greene of the NC Christmas Tree Association, visits Studio 12 pottery in Avon to learn how they came to make Christmas ornaments for the National Tree in Washington DC, & meets wreath artist Erin Weston who is known as the "magnolia queen."

The Start A Snowball program helps youth develop charitable-giving projects. The Museum of Life & Science helps museum visitors create special holiday gifts. The Polar Express is running on the Great Smoky Mountain Railway. And Tuba Christmas events share the sounds of the season across the country.

Deep Brain Stimulation is being used to help patients with mental illness & Parkinson's. The NC Cooperative Extension is helping farmers learn how to be good environmental stewards. And author Marcie Ferris talks about her new book - The Edible South.

A look at the issue of domestic violence in NC. Scientists study released-discovered fossils of an unknown dinosaur. Another researcher looks into DNA from a T-Rex fossil. And Wake Forest Baptist is working with NASA to study the impacts of space flight on the human body.

The STEM for Kids program engages students in learning. The Wright School provides mental health treatment & education to children & families with emotional & behavioral disorders. And Dr. Rodney Shotwell is the 2015 NC Superintendent of the Year.

NC communities experience strong growth & plan for future infrastructure. Veteran's Treatment Courts provide help & mentoring to veterans charged with charged with crimes. Registered Dietitian Angie Almond talks about how to account for food sensitivities in our holiday meals & gift-giving. And the Billy Graham Library's annual Christmas celebration is underway.

Researchers are tracking great egrets to study their migratory patterns. Marine biologists are tracking gray seals. And paleontologists have discovered a new species of dinosaur.

We tour holiday light displays at the NC Arboretum, the Charlotte Motor Speedway, & "Christmastown" itself, McAdenville. Plus UNCSA Music Director Christopher Lees gives us a preview of the school's annual production of The Nutcracker.

Scientists are studying energy conservation & solar cycles' impacts on weather. Engineers are working to develop an electric-assist recumbent bike. Plus UNCC's Dr. John Connaughton releases his quarterly economic forecast.

We celebrate the season with a trip to Wake Forest University's Moravian Lovefeast. Plus we talk with the Feast's founder Jane Stroupe as the event prepares to mark its 50th anniversary. And Bob Garner looks at the rich tradition of Moravian baking at the holidays & all year round.

The Biltmore Estate & the town of Old Salem are celebrating the season by upholding the holiday traditions of their historic eras. And celebrated thespian Ira David Wood prepares for his annual production of A Christmas Carol as he is also recognized with a 2014 NC Award.

Researchers look into just how important diet & exercise are to our health. Scientists are developing miniature organs to help drug therapies work better & faster. And a new type of medical implant is being created - one that dissolves away when its work in the body is done.

We profile the Charlotte Ballet. We take in the annual Elkin Community Chorus Christmas Concert. We preview the annual Oakwood Candlelight Tour. And we talk with NC Award recipient Alan Shapiro.

Tonight on North Carolina Now - What effect might the warming climate have on our state's Christmas tree industry? And we'll talk about the annual IMPACT Awards with Katie Loovis from GlaxoSmithKline and award-recipient Beth Briggs from Dress for Success..

Historic canoes are being recovered at Pettigrew State Park. The town of Ahoskie is looking to its history to guide its future. And we conclude our conversation with US Sen. Richard Burr.

Researchers are trying out new technology to help clean up a major source of drinking water. Golfer Katherine Perry is teeing up to make the LPGA Tour. And we talk with US Senator Richard Burr.

State lawmakers hear different perspectives on school funding. Kelly McCullen discusses the issue further with Sen. Josh Stein. We continue our series of UNC campus profiles with North Carolina Central University. Beth Dehghan of Women NC & two of the group's scholarship fellows discuss this year's projects with the UN's Commission on the Status of Women.

From an archaeological dig at the site of a 16th century Spanish fort, to new research into a historic photo from the Gettysburg Address, to a laser helping conservators protect and preserve works of art, producer Frank Graff shares some of his favorite NC Science Now stories from 2013.

NCSU researchers recently traveled to Antarctica to study the glaciers. The Pop-Up Chorus offers a fun evening of music to singers of all experience levels. The NC Arboretum kicks off a new holiday light exhibit. And Dr. Landon Cox offers tips for safe cyber & brick-&-mortar shopping this holiday season.

STEM Academies are helping educate African-American boys. NC Cooperative Extension teaches niche farmers to market their products. Plus a new documentary showcases the last years of writer & anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston.

A special music therapy program helps disabled students learn to communicate. The WCU band is preparing to march in the Macy's Parade. The Wilmington Candlelight Tour is a holiday tradition. And poet Lenard Moore is a 2014 NC Award recipient.

We meet a woman who is preserving the art & craft of taxidermy in NC. We visit the Durham History Hub. And filmmaker Marco Williams comes to NC to teach.

Researchers at NC State University are creating viable implants with 3D printers. Meanwhile, NCSU's Dr. Jagdish Narayan is a leader in the field of nano-engineering. And photojournalist Janet Jarman is documenting the immigrant experience.

Some NC farmers are using Aquaponics to farm in a more environmentally-friendly manner. Duck's Field Research Facility is helping scientists study the ocean. UNC Pembroke's Dr. Ben Bahr is a leading researcher in the study of Alzheimers Disease.

The CCCC Small Business Center helped one Chatham County couple develop their home businesses. The Forge Workshop helps Guilford County entrepreneurs start businesses. GTCC's Get on Track program helps non-traditional students get back in the classroom. UNC-GA's online educational initiatives are winning national recognition.

CCCC's Small Business Center helps NC businesses get started. Two business incubators in Charlotte help inventors bring their products to market. And Robert Ingram talks about receiving a 2014 North Carolina Award.

We meet the 4 baby lion cubs at the NC Zoo. Dr. Betsy Bennett talks about receiving a 2014 NC Award. The NC Museum of Art unveils a new exhibit focusing on small works of art - the exhibit's curator, Dennis Weller, gives us a preview.

Harnett Central H.S. students are taking classes to become firefighters. The NC Wildlife Resources Commission uses controlled burns to maintain game-lands. Thistle & Shamrock host Fiona Ritchie & co-author Doug Orr talk about their new book "Wayfaring Stranger." Plus the NC Museum of History shines a spotlight on our state's film industry.

NC Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Martin talks about improving the state court system. Researchers are studying acorns to test the health of the forest ecosystem. Muscadine & Scuppernong grapes are boosting the health of both people & our state's economy.

We honor our Veterans with a look back at Fayetteville's Veterans Parade, a conversation about a Fort Bragg education program aiding military members, a discussion with Allegra Jordan about her new book on World War I, and a Carolina-born Veteran shares her personal story.