orange-county -

Orange County appoints former Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP president as new commissioner

By David Richman | September 6

With the appointment of Anna Richards to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, six of the seven commissioners are now women, and three are ...

Orange County commissioner receives state award for work on opioid settlement

By Charlotte Easley | August 23

The $26 billion settlement came in response to lawsuits by a bipartisan group of state attorneys general — including North Carolina's Josh Stein — ...

New census data shows people of color driving growth in Chapel Hill

By Kalley Huang and Ella Layn | August 16

Chapel Hill's population grew by almost 5,000 over the past decade, the result of a boom in racial and ethnic diversity. Since 2010, North Carolina ...

Orange County reinstates indoor mask mandate, citing rise in COVID-19 cases

By Kayleigh Carpenter | August 10

Orange County reinstated a countywide indoor mask mandate, which will go into effect Wednesday at 5 p.m., according to an email from the county.

New Orange County Housing Director Corey Root hopes to normalize department's work

By Trevor Moore | June 24

Corey Root is the new director for the Orange County Housing and Community Development Department. "Corey is absolutely focused on trying to balance this ...

Orange County Commissioner Mark Dorosin to step down; Penny Rich considering role

By Emily Shih | June 14

Dorosin was reelected to the BOCC in November after beating Rich in the primary by a seven-vote margin. Rich said she is considering a run particularly ...

Compass Center fills the gap in emergency housing for victims of domestic violence

By Kayleigh Carpenter | June 14

The center started the Safe Homes, New Lives program last summer after a community needs assessment determined that emergency housing was one of the most ...

Israeli-Palestinian conflict inspires protests, vigil in Raleigh and faculty statement

By Isabella Reilly and Audrey Selley | May 23

People in North Carolina have shown support for Palestinians during the Israeli attacks, from protests in Raleigh to a statement signed by faculty from ...

Orange County follows Cooper's decision to lift mask mandate, other restrictions

By Kelli Rainer | May 18

Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger announced that Orange County will follow Gov. Roy Cooper's decision to lift the statewide mask mandate and other COVID-19 ...

Chapel Hill residents experience power outages on first day of UNC final exam period

By Kelli Rainer | May 7

Over 4,000 Chapel Hill residents along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard experienced a power outage Friday, the first day of finals for UNC students.

Gentrification may be causing long-time Chapel Hill residents to have higher property tax

By Chloe Teachey | May 4

An disproportionate increase in property values for homes in minority and rural Orange County communities has raised concerns from groups like the Marian ...

The OC Voice: The perspective of a local musician during the pandemic

May 2

The OC Voice is a portion of the OC Report newsletter where local residents may have a platform to talk about local issues they care about. Del Ward is ...

Local gyms see an increase in patrons as COVID-19 vaccine distribution expands

By Kelli Rainer | April 29

Local gyms, like O2 Fitness in Carrboro and Orangetheory Fitness, have seen an increase in the number of people coming in to work out as more vaccines ...

Orange County Historical Museum will take you on a date, 20th century style

By Hannah Kaufman | April 19

“I think the most exciting part is seeing the way love is portrayed in different decades, because now I feel like love is portrayed in a solid, social ...

Editorial: Sexual harassment and violence resources in Chapel Hill

By Editorial Board | April 18

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and UNC-Chapel Hill is no stranger to the sexual assault epidemic that plagues college campuses. Here are ...

Orange County Animal Services receives $25,000 grant to help kitten fostering program

By Cloris Huan | April 18

The grant from Petco Love will go toward necessary medical care, such as medication and vaccinations, for kittens in Orange County Animal Services' foster ...

Orange County Health Department creates community health and racial equity webpage

By Caroline Kelly | April 15

The webpage, which comes after nearly four years of collaboration and input from the community, features content that is updated with information and ...

Bonnie Davis' legacy to be honored in name of new county agriculture building

By Graham Hill | April 14

Davis, who worked for NC Cooperative Extension from 1950 to 1990, dealt with segregation and racism in the workforce while simultaneously managing to ...

Open letter calls for FCC investigation in digital redlining, N.C. politicians sign on

By Will Weider | April 14

The focus of this letter calls for an investigation into “digital redlining,” a practice that perpetuates socioeconomic inequality through lack of ...

HVAC units stolen from historic Cedar Grove Ruritan Club, sheriff offering $1500 award

By Chloe Teachey | April 11

The Cedar Grove Ruritan Club has been saving up for around three years for these units. Buck Curtis, a club member and former president, said the organization ...