UNC Campus Connections

Complete coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels Campus Connections.

A local treasure turns 40: Light Years celebrates four decades in Chapel Hill

In 1985, Light Years Jewelry first opened its doors to the Chapel Hill public, offering earrings, rings, trinkets and more. The shop is still there amid the changing storefronts of Chapel Hill. For Shannon Joyce, who has shopped and worked with Light Years since 2003, officially taking over as owner in 2022, the milestone is both professional and personal. (Daily Tar Heel)

Mediterranean Deli reopens on Franklin Street two years after fire: 'A gathering place'

Mediterranean Deli, a restaurant on 410 W. Franklin St., officially reopened Tuesday night after it closed following a roof fire in July 2023. Shortly after the fire, the local community organized a GoFundMe to support restaurant employees. The restaurant received an outpour of phone calls, kind notes, flowers and more, owner Jamil Kadoura said. (Daily Tar Heel)

Tyler Hansbrough, Marvin Williams, Other UNC Alumni Buy Professional Pickleball Franchise

Palm Beach will make history as the Palm Beach Royals become the city's first major pro sports franchise, joining Major League Pickleball as its 23rd team. Hyperspace Ventures, a group of UNC alumni and entrepreneurs, acquired the team for a record $16 million. The ownership group includes former UNC basketball stars Tyler Hansbrough and Marvin Williams. (WPTV)

Tar Heels Take Part In Annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb

Hundreds of Tar Heels participated in the annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, hosted by the UNC AROTC in Kenan Stadium on Thursday morning. Participants climbed 2,071 stairs to commemorate the bravery of firefighters and other first responders who ascended the World Trade Center towers to save lives on Sept. 11, 2001. The message: Never Forget. (GoHeels.com)

UNC welcomes largest first-year class ever

UNC enrolled its largest first-year class in school history, a milestone that reflects record interest in a Carolina education. A total of 6,191 new students, 5,094 freshman students and 1,097 transfer students are beginning their Tar Heel journeys. Students were selected from a record 84,317 applicants, a 15% increase from 73,192 applicants in 2024. (UNC.edu)

After 2 Years, Mediterranean Deli Set to Reopen Chapel Hill Location With Dinner Hours

Mediterranean Deli’s pita bread machine was up and running again Tuesday morning, filling the West Franklin Street space with the smell of cooked dough instead of construction materials. On the other side of the kitchen’s the swinging doors, dozens of employees quickly moved around the counters preparing catering orders and training newcomers. (Chapelboro.com)

Honoring Chapel Hill’s Black Builders: UNC Landmarks and the Local Faces Who Built Them

Maps are storytellers, but they can exclude certain narratives. University of North Carolina graduate student Fowota Mortoo said that’s the case for Chapel Hill’s Black builders. Although instrumental in designing and constructing the University’s buildings, walls, and pathways, she said their contributions to the university often go unnoticed. (Chapelboro.com)

'You'd really come home': Mama Dip's Kitchen closes after 49 years

Mildred Council opened Mama Dip’s Kitchen with $64 in 1976. After 49 years of serving the community as a local institution, the restaurant permanently shut its doors in July. Spring Council was 19 when she first started working at her mother’s restaurant. She said in the beginning, the Councils were waiting for people to discover the delicious food. (Daily Tar Heel)

Memorial site dedicated to UNC professor Zijie Yan two years after shooting

Before his death, UNC associate professor Zijie Yan, a beloved teacher, colleague and friend, studied how to organize nanoparticles with light. On Thursday, exactly two years since Yan was killed in a campus shooting at Caudill Laboratories, community members gathered to honor his memory with the unveiling of a new memorial site. (Daily Tar Heel)

UNC’s architecture illustrates historical trends

With more than 250 buildings, the University’s evolution is reflected in the architectural styles spread across campus. In its earliest days, UNC consisted of just eight structures clustered around the Old Well. These early buildings were built in a colonial style. As the University expanded further south, its architecture became more modern. (Daily Tar Heel)

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