July 12, 2005

Carolina in the News

Here is a sampling of links and notes about Carolina
people and programs cited recently in the media:

National Coverage

For Girls Only: What Mom, Dad and a Good Report Card Can Do for You
The New York Times
A new study has found that adolescent girls who have good grades and girls who perceive that their parents strongly disapprove of their having sex are less likely than others to contract sexually transmitted diseases by the time they reach young adulthood. ..."Our research shows that efforts to reduce S.T.D.'s among young adults cannot rely on efforts aimed at delaying sex among teenagers," she said. Dr. Carol Ford is an associate professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of North Carolina.
UNC News Release: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/jun05/sti062905.htm

Preschoolers' Prep --- Courses Help Kids Get Ready For Kindergarten, Which Is Like First Grade Used to Be
The Wall Street Journal
On a bright summer day, Hank Barnes settles into a chair across the table from his tutor, a pile of work between them and an hour's lesson ahead. ...But most researchers maintain that preschoolers aren't learning enough. About 70% of 4-year-olds are in group care, says Donna Bryant, a University of North Carolina child-development expert. "It's a wasted opportunity not to" teach them, she adds.

Two new dental devices in use to help prevent cavities
National Public Radio, "Morning Edition"
Dr. James Bader, research professor and dentist in the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, was featured on Monday's episode of "Morning Edition." Bader, who studies the lifetime diagnosis and management of dental cavities, suggests that these instruments should not be used in isolation.

Blagojevich moves to block changes to fighter wing
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Asserting his role as commander-in-chief of the Illinois National Guard, Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday challenged the legality of a Pentagon proposal to move F-16s from the 183rd Fighter Wing in Springfield, Ill., to Indiana. ...Richard H. Kohn, former chief historian of the Air Force and now a history professor at the University of North Carolina, said the issue could end up in court as a way of delaying base closings.

State & Local Coverage

Grant to help Isabel-damaged states prepare for disasters
The Associated Press (N.C.)
Disadvantaged communities in six states that suffered damaged when Hurricane Isabel struck in 2003 and the District of Columbia will receive help preparing for disasters through a $1.5 million federal grant. The grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will go to Chapel Hill-based MDC Inc., a private, nonprofit economic and work force research organization that focuses on the South, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
UNC News Release: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/jul05/fema071105.htm
Note: WUNC-FM aired a story on this topic this morning.

Researchers Studying Who's At Risk For Liver Problems
WRAL-TV (CBS, Raleigh)
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill want to find out who is at-risk before potentially fatal liver problems start. ..."So what we're doing is trying to identify people who've had this severe liver injury due to drugs so that we can study them and try to figure out why they are different. Why they had this problem," said Dr. Paul Watkins, director of clinical research at UNC.
UNC News Release: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/may05/liverinjury052705.html

Energy drinks booming, but questions remain
The Greensboro News & Record
Scott Hill works nine-hour days as production manager at The Printery. ...When caffeine is consumed in small amounts, it can have a positive effect, increasing mental focus and alertness, according to Dr. Barry Popkin, a professor of nutrition at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Issues & Trends

Speedy Growth in Career Schools Raises Questions
The New York Times
The fastest-growing segment of higher education in New York State is not the immense public universities, the State University of New York and the City University of New York, nor the well-known private campuses like Columbia and New York University, but a raft of lesser-known commercial institutions often advertised on city subways.

Scientists get research lab on Outer Banks
The Charlotte Observer
Scientists who research the rare environment of the Outer Banks now have a lab on the barrier islands where they can work close by. The University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute officially opened the modest, 4,935-square-foot center earlier this week.

UNC president could earn $450,000
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
In a meeting that sounded at times like an auction-house bidding contest, a UNC panel recommended Monday that the system's next president make between $350,000 and $450,000.
Related Links: http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-625568.html
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/12109099.htm

UNC accountability (Letter to the editor)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
We appreciate the historical insights offered by Professor John Sanders ("A 19th century lesson in harming UNC," June 24).

Produced by News Services, Carolina in the News is an e-mail sampling of current news media coverage about Carolina people and programs, as well as issues and trends that affect the university. Stories usually will be online and available free for a limited time - often one to two weeks. Expiration dates before stories move to archives vary by media outlet. Some outlets require free user registration or a subscription.

Carolina in the News is also posted daily to the News Services Web page, http://www.unc.edu/news/clips/index.shtml.

Please share any questions, comments or suggestions at news@unc.edu.