June 4, 2002

Carolina in the News

State and Local Coverage

Limit proposed for teen drivers 
Teens could have one passenger under 21 under the plan. 
In an effort to reduce the number of distractions facing young drivers, state children's 
advocates on Friday recommended limiting the number of passengers these novice 
drivers can carry...
...Studies show that the risk of crashes among young North Carolina drivers significantly 
increases when there are passengers in the car, said Rob Foss, a researcher at the 
University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center.
http://newsobserver.com/news/nc/story/1427092p-1460051c.html

N.C. has long history of telling stories to kids
The North Carolina Collection Gallery has a story to tell about children’s literature in 
the Tar Heel state. It’s a tale that winds from 1900 to today and that started with books 
for children of a moralistic or instructional nature to books that were written more for 
their reading pleasure. 
http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-233059.html

Tilling the soil to soot the soul
Senior citizens from Charles House, an adult daycare facility, turned back the clock 
as they planted thyme last week at the N.C. Botanical Garden. Ruby Kirkendoll, 75, 
slowly scooped out some rich, brown dirt from a plastic container with her fingers and 
gingerly sprinkled it around the freshly planted thyme in a bed of culinary herbs. 
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/Issues/2002/06/02/town00.html

If school is a priority, health is too (Opinion-Editorial Column)
Gov. Mike Easley recently vowed to veto the 2002-03 state budget if it harms public 
school classrooms. We urge him to make a similar veto pledge about budget cuts that 
harm health and human services. Why? Because there is a powerful, immediate and 
inevitable connection between what's happening in students' lives outside the classroom 
and their ability to succeed inside the classroom.
http://newsobserver.com/editorials/story/1434284p-1467010c.html
(Note: Donald Stedman is former dean of the UNC School of Education.)

Parents can learn to recognize breakdowns in learning (Opinion- Editorial Column)
Sooner or later every mind will emit signals to announce what it is wired for. But is 
anyone listening and responding to that revealing declaration? 
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/Issues/2002/06/02/opinion02.html
(Note: Mel Levine is director of the Clinical Center for the Study of 
Development and Learning. His most recent book, "A Mind at a Time," currently 
ranks first on The New York Times best-seller list for non-fiction.)

Philosophical donor (Letter to the Editor)
Your article on May 27 about the Horace Williams property in Chapel Hill and the 
university's philosophy department ("Deep thinker's deep pockets pay off") might have 
noted that in the philosophers' negotiations with the administration, Marvin Schiller, a 
Raleigh lawyer and a 1970 Ph.D. graduate of the department of philosophy, generously 
donated his legal services and personally paid all the expenses the philosophers incurred.
http://newsobserver.com/editorials/letters/story/1430230p-1463065c.html

Issues and Trends Affecting Carolina

Education leaders voice budget woes 
Education leaders from across the state have been summoned to Raleigh today to discuss 
how budget cuts could affect everything from kindergarten to university doctoral programs.
Despite the mantra "Don't hurt the classroom," administrators say it may be too late. 
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/nc/story/1434411p-1466988c.html

Colleges must wait on budget decisions
Winston-Salem Journal
Administrators at North Carolina's community colleges and public universities waited 
nervously this week as the General Assembly returned to Raleigh to write a state budget.
http://www.journalnow.com/wsj/news/education/MGBY6ROHV1D.html

The N.C. budget (Editorial)
Charlotte Observer
During most of the 1980s and '90s, lawmakers returning to Raleigh often found it difficult 
to decide exactly how to spend the increased revenue that poured into the state treasury. 
Even during economic slowdowns revenue continued to grow, and so did the state budget.
This year lawmakers are back in Raleigh to review the state's finances and perhaps reduce 
the operating budget for the first time in 30 years. If it was difficult deciding how to spend 
more money each year, imagine the difficulty of deciding how to spend less.
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/opinion/3394885.htm

Diverse coalition builds to fight lottery 
On any other day, they might not have anything in common when it comes to politics.
But Monday, leaders representing a diverse array of interests -- conservatives, liberals, 
the poor and merchants -- gathered with one common goal: to stop support for a statewide 
lottery. They said the lottery would bring an unstable source of revenue and unfairly target 
the poor.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/nc/story/1434415p-1466990c.html

Maps rejected 
A Superior Court judge, acting under the authority of the state Supreme Court, rejected 
legislative districts approved by the General Assembly and adopted plans Friday that 
overhaul the state Senate map and make smaller changes in the House map. 
http://newsobserver.com/news/story/1427010p-1460073c.html

UNC should yield on S. Columbia St. (Editorial)
UNC Chancellor James Moeser and Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy have been making a 
show recently of their warm personal relationship and improving relations between the 
university and town. It's a good thing; their new amity will be put to the test soon over the 
issue of widening South Columbia Street
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/Issues/2002/06/02/opinion00.html

Council critical of UNC request
Some council members say the chancellor's move for a new study of S. Columbia Street 
stalls work on the street and reopens debate. When it comes to the debate over widening 
South Columbia Street to help speed up traffic, some Town Council members and residents 
say that UNC's request for a new study of the road doesn't widen the debate and just 
slows down needed improvements. 
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/Issues/2002/06/02/news00.html

Voices from the Hill (Person-on-the-Street Opinion)
Do you think it's appropriate for UNC to have given several administrators pay raises?
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/Issues/2002/06/02/opinion05.html

Spring bus ridership up nearly 29% 
The ridership gains Chapel Hill Transit recorded after launching fare-free service on Jan. 2 
held up throughout the spring semester, town officials say. Boardings in the first four months 
of the year rose by almost 29 percent, compared to the same period a year ago. Commuters 
used the system roughly 1.5 million times
http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-233644.html

UNC building plans put residents on alert (Letter to the Editor)
On May 15, I attended a meeting of the Chapel Hill Planning Committee and representatives 
for UNC's Facilities Services Support Facilities, who were introducing a proposal to 
develop a 23-acre tract of land north and west of Elkin Hills neighborhood for a Ground 
Services and Print Services complex. Much local and vocal opposition was in place, with all 
the usual and very real and true fears: increase in noise, increase in traffic, loss of trees and 
wildlife, loss of neighborhood quality ...
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/Opinion/columns/letters/latest.html (Note: Chapel Hill News 
publishes all letters to the editor on the same web page. To view this letter, please scroll down 
to the botttom of the web page.)

Note: If you have any questions about Carolina in the News, 
please call Cathleen Keyser or Mike McFarland at News Services, 
(919) 962-2091 or news@unc.edu or mike_mcfarland@unc.edu