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Most Memorable Stories Of 2016

2016
Alan O'Rourke
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Flickr Creative Commons

As the year draws to a close, we take a look at some of the stories and interviews of 2016.

These stories gave us a glimpse of life in North Carolina, explained big economic and political issues and helped us understand new aspects of our community. Throughout the year, WUNC reporters, producers and hosts worked on hundreds of these stories – long and short – for both broadcast and digital publication.

Here's a look at some of the biggest North Carolina stories from the year, as well as some lesser-known favorites from our staff.

Months After ICE Arrests, Durhamites Write To Undocumented Teens In Detention

 Ivan Amonte writes a letter of support to Acosta, a family friend.
Credit Rebecca Martinez / WUNC
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WUNC
Ivan Amonte writes a letter of support to Acosta, a family friend.

“My favorite of my stories is this feature about a letter-writing campaign to support Wildin Acosta while he was in immigration detention. I appreciate that it was a softer snapshot in a complicated ongoing story. I think coverage of Acosta’s case was instrumental in his ability to be released on bond before his appeal, even as he awaits a longer-term decision. I felt fortunate to get a candid recording of Acosta on the phone from detention.” - Rebecca Martinez

Monument Remembering African Americans Unveiled At Old Chapel Hill Cemetery

Old Chapel Hill Cemetery, Chapel Hill, Blacks
Credit Leoneda Inge / WUNC
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WUNC
Minister Robert Campbell, right, and Tre Shockley, President of the UNC Black Student Movement, unveil new monument at Old Chapel Hill Cemetery.

“I loved and respected the space – an old, segregated cemetery on the campus of the oldest public university in the country. So many stories. I also loved hearing the African American students serenading their ancestors on this special day. Very touching.” - Leoneda Inge

Schools Respond To Election Results

students with laptops in classroom
Credit Enokson / Flickr/Creative Commons
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Flickr/Creative Commons
File photo of students working on laptops in a classroom.

“This was my very first two-way, and my first time being on air. The story was memorable to me for that reason, but even more so because of the topic. There was so much division and emotion surrounding this year’s presidential election among adults in this country. What many people maybe didn’t realize was that it affected kids, too. We saw this in anecdotal reports that Latino students were staying home from school in the days following Nov. 8. We heard this from parents reporting bullying against Muslim and immigrant students. Locally, we heard this in the anti-Trump rant of a Durham teacher to her middle school students. This conversation with Frank covered all of this, and what local school systems were doing to cut through the tension and uncertainty following the presidential election.” - Lisa Philip

Black Man Running Group Races To Change Racial Stereotypes

The Black Man Running group jog in Wilmington.
Credit Courtesy Black Man Running
Wilmington's Black Man Running group is working to counter stereotypes surrounding black men in public space.

"Black Man Running, a story about how people of color move through public space and participate in visible healthy activities like jogging, was a real eye opener and definitely my favorite segment of the year. We heard from a lot of listeners who were challenged to think about how black men and women experience their surroundings very differently than white people. We also got the chance to learn about the ways black men 'signal,' often subconsciously, that aren't a threat when running in public, by doing everything from wearing obvious sweat gear to waving at neighbors."  - Laura Pellicer

Life, Death, And Faith Collide: Prosperity Gospel Scholar Kate Bowler Faces Stage 4 Cancer

Image of Kate Bowler with her son and husband
Credit Courtesy of Kate Bowler
Kate Bowler with her son and her husband Toband Penner in 2013. Bowler is a scholar of the prosperity gospel currently facing stage 4 colon cancer.

"This interview with Kate Bowler was part of our 'Monday Meet' series, where we spend an hour with one individual talking about their life, work and how the two things intersect. Kate studies the prosperity gospel, the idea that God grants health and wealth to those with the right kind of faith, so when she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer last year, her first thought was 'isn’t this ironic?' In this interview she talks so beautifully about how her work as a religious studies scholar has shaped her own beliefs about death and dying, and how she is navigating this tumultuous time during which she has no idea how much time she has left. This is one of the rare pieces that I’ve produced that I have gone back and listened to multiple times—lots of gems of wisdom in this one!" - Anita Rao

'Not Worth It': Why NC College Students Are Turning Away From Teaching

UNC-Chapel Hill senior Jailen Wallis (center) loves the idea of teaching, but the pay and the working conditions loomed too large as drawbacks to the profession.
Credit Credit Courtesy of Jailen Wallis
UNC-Chapel Hill senior Jailen Wallis (center) loves the idea of teaching, but the pay and the working conditions loomed too large as drawbacks to the profession.

"I chose this feature because I think the issue itself is really important. It’s not specific to North Carolina, but certainly is talked about in school districts that are already struggling to staff their schools with qualified teachers. Most people can agree that one of the most important factors in a strong education system is having well-trained, effective teachers. The sharp decline in young people wanting to pursue a teaching career is a very distressing sign for the future of education. I think Jaelin’s comments really capture the tension many young people feel who love the idea of teaching, but are deterred by the pay, and by some of the popular narratives around what public schools are like in America today." - Jess Clark

'Blindfaller' Hits Close To Home For Mandolin Orange

Mandolin Orange
Credit Scott McCormick / Sacks & Co.
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Sacks & Co.
Mandolin Orange

"I first saw the duo Mandolin Orange playing outside a small shop in Carrboro called Johnny's a few years ago.  Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz were young and shy, but full of a quiet, determined potential.  During a recent return to the Triangle, they headlined a series of sold-out shows in Raleigh, Durham, Carrboro and Saxapahaw after playing their way across America.  A half dozen albums in, it was their first tour with a full band, the same one they incorporated into their latest recording 'Blindfaller.'  In this interview, they talk about the process of working with a band, taking an honest look at the region where they grew up - celebrating the good in that, while calling out injustice when they see it in the song 'Wildfire,' which they realized in hindsight has the same chord progression as 'Sweet Home Alabama'...listen for it, but don't miss the lyrics." - Eric Hodge

How Gerrymandered Districts Helped GOP Keep Veto-Proof Majority
 

Despite winning just 54 percent of the total popular vote, Republicans will hold 64 percent of the legislative seats
Credit Preliminary 2016 election results / N.C. Board of Elections
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N.C. Board of Elections
Despite winning just 54 percent of the total popular vote, Republicans will hold 64 percent of the legislative seats.

“My favorite story from this year was on the election results at the General Assembly level. The story itself wasn’t that long, but the work behind it was a deep look at the data from all 170 legislative races. I thought the graphics really tell the whole story, which is one of the goals of any good data story. In short, it showed that Republicans were able to win 64 percent of legislative seats while winning only 54 percent of the popular vote. This was due at least in part to gerrymandered districts.” - Jason deBruyn

Sampling Through Hip-Hop's History With 9th Wonder

An image of Durham-based music producer 9th Wonder
Credit Creative Silence
9th Wonder is a Durham-based music producer and Grammy-award winner.

"I liked it because it demonstrated the importance in hearing from an influential and knowledgeable voice in hip-hop about the creative art form's foundations. Hip-hop is an evolving part of American culture, and hearing samples from its roots from a creative person like 9th Wonder was powerful.” - Charlie Shelton

NC Lawmakers Poised To Strip Executive Powers

Protests erupted Thursday at the N.C. General Assembly
Credit Jess Clark / WUNC
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WUNC
Protests erupted at the N.C. General Assembly on Thursday, December 15, 2016.

"I like this story because it captures, even if for only a few minutes, the political theater and chaos - real or perceived - that is North Carolina. We are one of the most divided and divisive states, where the tug-of-war for power has been on display in recent years and will continue into 2017. Protesters,  including two grandmas, a veteran and a man dressed as Santa are arrested. Lawmakers strip the Democratic Governor-elect Roy Cooper of some powers. And in turn, Roy Cooper defiantly threatens to see them in court." - Jeff Tiberii

Cary Mayor: We're An NCAA Championship City With No NCAAChampionships

WakeMed Soccer Park
Credit Jarrett Campbell / Flickr Creative Commons
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Flickr Creative Commons
WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary would have hosted this year's women's soccer final had the event not be relocated as a result of HB2.

"Especially given what we know now, this is an interesting conversation to look back on. Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht talks about all the elements within the conversation about HB2, including gender, (non)discrimination, and public safety, among others. But he also gets at this question of who is to 'blame' for HB2 and its fallout. Interestingly enough, he points at both parties - the Charlotte City Council and the legislature - and takes a personal position on it." - Will Michaels

Researchers Work To Identify Bones Of Americans Who Died In Korean War

Harold Ivey holds the military medals of his brother Charles, who died in the Korean War.
Credit Jay Price / WUNC
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WUNC
Harold Ivey holds the military medals of his brother Charles, who died in the Korean War.

“Like many people, I really like a good scientific mystery, and this story details how one that once seemed hopeless was finally cracked, after new technology was blended with classic techniques. The K208 project is perhaps  the greatest case of commingled remains ever solved in the history of forensic medicine, and we were able to get windows into the story at both the DoD lab in Hawaii that solved it — and that rarely allows media in — and we were on the scene to describe what the results of  that difficult scientific quest truly means, when one of the men identified was returned to his last surviving brother here in North Carolina … after more than half a century.” - Jay Price

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