The End to Burnout + Shots Fired Near Carrboro High + Hillsborough's First Jazz Fest

I almost rescheduled this interview after hearing about the day Ruth Pearce had. It was a Wednesday evening — she'd just driven her brand-new electric car all the way to Asheville for a conference, couldn't get into her hotel room until 6 PM, and had spent an hour and a half in a session on powers of attorney that left her, in her words, "done." I could just imagine the exhaustion I would feel, and I offered to push our call to the following week. But she said something that tells you everything you need to know about Ruth Pearce:

"I enjoy talking to you, and I don't find it draining."

That sentence — that ability to be fully present with another person even after the worst kind of day — is Ruth's superpower. And over three interview sessions, I watched her struggle to name it, own it, and finally say out loud what everyone around her has been saying for years.

The Moment She Said It →

Women In Networking (WIN) Durham welcomes Elana Etten, Principal Consultant and Fractional AI Strategist at Identity Marketing U.S., LLC, as its featured speaker this Thursday, April 16. Etten will be speaking on how small businesses can use AI as a tool to grow without losing the human touch that makes them special.

WIN Durham meets every Thursday at 8:30 AM at People’s Coffee (7830 NC-751, Suite 120, Durham). Visitors are welcome to attend up to three times — no membership required.

WIN Durham is also hosting a Visitor Day on June 4th — think speed dating for small businesses. Members lead short table sessions where they share what they do, and visitors rotate through. If you've been curious about the group, this is the day to show up. For more information, contact WIN Durham President Ruth Pearce at [email protected].

Catch Her on the Airwaves

Etten's episode of Hear Where You Belong with Dea Irby just dropped on Tuesday, April 14. The conversation — titled Building Smarter, Not Harder: Entrepreneurial Success — is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and YouTube. She was also recently featured on On The Porch with host Randy Voller, airing Sundays on WCHL 97.9 and streaming at chapelboro.com.

April 16-30

Thu–Sun, Apr 16–19 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival | Carolina Theatre & venues, downtown Durham | 49 films from 31 countries. Opening night: The Oldest Person in the World by Sam Green. Single tickets available. If you've never been, this is one of the best film festivals in the country — and it's right down the road. | fullframefest.org

Sat, Apr 18 Eliza McLamb | Cat's Cradle, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | catscradle.com

Mon, Apr 20 The Moss w/ Hotel Fiction | Cat's Cradle | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | catscradle.com

Thu, Apr 23 Easy Honey / Homemade Haircuts | Cat's Cradle Back Room | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | catscradle.com

Fri, Apr 24 Krooked Kings | Cat's Cradle | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | catscradle.com

Sat, Apr 25 Superchunk | Cat's Cradle | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | Carrboro's own. If you know, you know. | catscradle.com

Wed, Apr 29 Fishbone | Cat's Cradle | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | catscradle.com

Sat, Apr 18 Hillsborough Jazz Festival (Inaugural!) | Moorefields, 2201 Moorefields Rd, Hillsborough | 1pm | The first-ever Hillsborough Jazz Festival — a fundraiser for Moorefields and community radio station WHUP (104.7-FM). Featuring Sam Fribush, Angela Bingham Quartet, and Durham Jazz Workshop. Food trucks, artisan market, all-ages. $29.15 adults, kids 12 and under free. | chapelboro.com

Through Apr 26 Steel Magnolias | PlayMakers Repertory Company, Paul Green Theatre, UNC Campus | Six sassy southern women, a beauty salon, and two and a half hours of laughing and crying in equal measure. Starring Emmy-nominated Sharon Lawrence. Hot ticket — get in before it closes. | playmakersrep.org

Fri, Apr 25 Hillsborough Last Fridays Art Walk — Season Opener | Downtown Hillsborough | 6–9pm | The 2026 season kicks off — galleries, boutiques, live music, poetry. Free and walkable. | hillsboroughartscouncil.org

Sun, Apr 19 Carrboro Day + Earth Day Celebration | Town Hall, Town Commons & Weaver Street | Noon–4pm | Free | Car-free streets, live music (Honey Magpie, One after 919, Wake Moody), Latin dance by Takiri Folclor Latino, eco-friendly activities, and all the good energy that makes Carrboro, Carrboro. This year they're celebrating both together. | carrboronc.gov

Sun, Apr 19 38th Bi-annual Carrboro CD & Record Show | Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St | Noon–6pm | If you still spin vinyl (or want to start), this one's for you.

Sat, Apr 18 Carrboro Farmers' Market Kids Seedling Day | Carrboro Town Commons | 18th annual — kids pick a free seedling from heirloom varieties donated by Market farmers, plus poetry with Carrboro's Poet Laureate and live music. Celebrates Earth Day and National Poetry Month.

Wed, Apr 22 Keep Carrboro Beautiful / Earth Day Cleanup | Drakeford Library Complex, 203 S. Greensboro St, Carrboro | 5:30–7:30pm | Grab some gloves and help clean up Carrboro for Earth Day. | carrboronc.gov

Wed, Apr 29 2026 Small Business Milestone Celebration | Drakeford Library Complex, 203 S. Greensboro St, Carrboro | 10:30am–12pm | Free | National Small Business Week kick-off. A chance to celebrate the businesses keeping our town ticking. | carrboronc.gov

Sat, Apr 18 Youth Fishing Clinic | Hank Anderson Park Pond, 302 NC Hwy 54 West, Carrboro | 9–11am | Free. A great Saturday morning for kids who want to learn to fish.

Thu, Apr 30 Storytime and Playtime | Drakeford Library Complex, 203 S. Greensboro St, Carrboro | 10:30am–12pm | Free | Little ones, books, and open play. That's the whole pitch.

Wed, Apr 29 Pickleball Play Day (NEW!) | Wilson Park Tennis Courts, 101 Williams St, Carrboro | 9–11am | Free | The town's new pickleball play day — bring a paddle or borrow one.

Fri, Apr 17 Senior Spring Fling Social | Dr. MLK Jr. Park, 1120 Hillsborough Rd, Carrboro | 2–4pm

Mon, Apr 27 Senior Bingo | Drakeford Library Complex, 203 S. Greensboro St, Carrboro | 2–3:30pm

Mon, Apr 20 Eat at Panera, Support MRCF | Panera Bread, 213 W Franklin St, Chapel Hill | 4–8pm | The Monet Richardson Community Foundation is partnering with Panera — 25% of your order goes to supporting local youth with backpacks and school supplies. Use code FUND4U online, in the app, or in-café. Can't make it? Donate at monetrichardsoncommunityfoundation.com/donate

Starting Apr 20 Road Closure Near I-40 | A section of a rural Chapel Hill road above Interstate 40 will close for consecutive days starting April 20, according to NCDOT. Plan alternate routes if you use that corridor.

Carrboro High School Lockdown: What Happened Tuesday

Shortly before noon, Carrboro High students were outside for lunch when they heard gunshots. The school locked down immediately. Some students ran inside; others scattered into the surrounding neighborhoods. Culbreth Middle and FPG Bilingüe went into secure mode. Police responded fast. By 1 p.m., the all-clear was given — no one was hurt, and no shots were fired on any school campus. Two juveniles (ages 16 and 17) were later charged with felony possession of a handgun with an altered serial number. The incident happened in the woods near apartments next to the school. Superintendent Dr. Rodney Trice visited before dismissal. On the way in, he saw backpacks left behind on the ground where students had run. Counseling and support will be available going forward.

School Board Approves 19 Staff Cuts — Saves Three

The CHCCS board voted 4-2 last Thursday to cut 19 central office positions — projected to save $1.5 to $2 million a year. Board members fought to keep two mental health specialists and one autism specialist off the chopping block, and won. The district has lost about 1,500 students since 2020. One bright spot: new data from Carolina Demography suggests enrollment losses may not be as steep as projected once new housing developments are factored in.

Aldi Reopens Today at Eastgate

Your wait is over. Aldi celebrates its grand reopening at Eastgate Crossing today, April 16 — another milestone in Eastgate's long comeback from the July 2024 flooding that caused an estimated $11 million in damages. Welcome back.

Chapel Hill Transit Lands $8.8 Million Federal Grant

Chapel Hill Transit just received $8.8 million from the Federal Transit Administration — enough to purchase up to 13 replacement buses and the system's first-ever driver training simulator. The grant was part of a $32 million regional package that also included funding for GoTriangle and Durham.

UNC Hosts First AI for Public Good Conference

UNC-Chapel Hill held its inaugural AI for Public Good Conference on April 13 at the Friday Center — a full day of panels with university researchers, government leaders, and tech industry voices focused on how AI can serve communities without losing the guardrails. Healthcare, education, agriculture, and economic development were all on the table.

Chapel Hill Insider is your weekly guide to the people, places, and stories that make our community special. Know someone we should feature? Have a story tip? Reply to this email.

That's your week, Chapel Hill. Hug your kids. Support a local nonprofit. Go hear some jazz. And if you're a CHCCS family processing what happened Tuesday — you're not alone.

Until next time,

Be in the know!