UNC Campus Connections

Search continues for retired UNC professor who went missing during swimming competition

The search continues Saturday for retired North Carolina professor Dr. Charles Van Der Horst, who reportedly went missing while he was competing in a swim in the Hudson River near the George Washington Bridge. Officials say at some point, fellow competitors in the "8 Bridges Hudson River Swim" noticed the 67-year-old swimmer went missing on Friday. (ABC 11)

The Best Breakfast Sandwich in Every State (North Carolina): Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen, Chapel Hill

North Carolina Sandwich: Chicken Breast Biscuit with Egg & Cheese. Restaurant: Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen. An oversize homemade biscuit is the basis for this classic Southern breakfast sandwich, but Sunrise — a drive-through and counter-service operation — will substitute a bun or whole wheat bread upon request. (24/7 Tempo)

The Chapel Hill Shooter Pleaded Guilty To Killing Three Muslim American Students In 2015

The North Carolina man who fatally shot three Muslim American students in their Chapel Hill home in 2015 pleaded guilty to murder on Wednesday. Craig Stephen Hicks pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder for killing 23-year-old Deah Barakat; his wife, Yusor Abu-Salha, 21; and her 19-year-old sister Razan Abu-Salha. (BuzzFeed)

Fourth of July Fireworks Moving From Kenan Stadium

Chapel Hill will be introducing a new Fourth of July celebration and fireworks show this year at Southern Community Park in Southern Village. In years past, the celebration was held at Kenan Stadium on UNC’s campus, but Chapel Hill Fire Chief Matt Sullivan said the new artificial turf field at Kenan Stadium was a safety hazard and costly to protect. (Daily Tar Heel)

It was a rough year for some Franklin Street businesses. Here’s why

It's risky business for restaurants on Franklin Street. After Silent Sam protests and a somber football season, some businesses say this was their worst year yet. Kristian Bawcom, the owner of Four Corners, said they had three and a half years of growth until the end of August 2018. Then, they were down double-digit percentages up until November. (Daily Tar Heel)

Southern chef Mama Dip, civil rights leader Harold Foster honored in Chapel Hill

Mildred Council opened for breakfast in 1976, a moment that would spark a legacy in Southern food. Over the next four decades, her restaurant Mama Dip’s became a Chapel Hill institution and she a community leader and activist. Council’s name was added to Chapel Hill’s Peace and Justice Plaza, along with that of Harold Foster, one of the Chapel Hill Nine. (Durham Herald-Sun)

UNC student creates app that connects users with free or affordable healthcare

A new phone app created by a local student connects people to their nearest free or affordable healthcare clinic. Aneesh Agarwal is a junior at UNC with an interest in technology and public health. The app introduces users to the free or affordable clinics that are closest to them, because many people aren't aware of the available healthcare options. (WRAL.com)

Remembering D-Day

Retired UNC professor Michael Berkut used to spend the anniversary of one of his most trying days at home, relaxing in his easy chair. It’s a state of mind that couldn’t be more different than the one he experienced seven decades ago. On June 6, 1944, Berkut was one of more than 150,000 Allied troops who landed in Normandy, France, as part of the D-Day invasion. (UNC.edu)

New Jeopardy Champ Emma Boettcher Has UNC, Orange County Ties

Emma Boettcher has defeated reigning “Jeopardy” champion James Holzhauer after his historic run on the game show. A resident of Chicago, Boettcher works for the University of Chicago as a user experience resident librarian. Boettcher attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she worked as a library account manager. (Chapelboro.com)

UNC Masters Alumna Knocks Off 32-Day Jeopardy! Champion James Holzhauer

Emma Boettcher made history Monday, knocking off 32-day, $2.5 million dollar Jeopardy! champion James Holzhauer. Boettcher won $46,801, which she plans to use to pay off student loans and give back to UNC's School of Information and Library Science, where she earned her master's degree in 2016 writing about predicting the difficulty of trivia questions using “Jeopardy!” clues. (Chicago Tribune)

James Taylor's life became subject of his songs

James Taylor’s famously introspective lyrics have been partly a way of coping with the severe depression that has plagued the singer-songwriter for most of his life. Taylor was born in 1948 in Boston but moved to Chapel Hill in 1951. Dr. Isaac Montrose Taylor, who was James Taylor’s father, became dean of the School of Medicine at UNC in 1964. (Daily Advance)

Best-selling young adult novelist, UNC alum Sarah Dessen is back with a new book and a Netflix deal

Over 23 years, Chapel Hill author Sarah Dessen has published 14 novels for young adults. As her books have become best-sellers, she has become a teen icon in the literary world, as well as online. Dessen, who will turn 49 next month, has racked up plenty of awards, too. Among them is the prestigious Margaret A. Edwards Award. (Durham Herald-Sun)

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