May 27, 2004

Carolina in the News

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

National Coverage

The Middle Class Rose, as Did Expectations
The Washington Post
After the bombs rained down on Pearl Harbor, America's mission was clear. The country would show that freedom would prevail over fascism and, as President Roosevelt said in asking Congress for a declaration of war, "with the unbounded determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph."...The veterans who took part in the protest were empowered by their military service, said Kenneth Janken, an associate professor of African-American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Focus on safety sharpens
The Baltimore Sun
Johns Hopkins coach Dave Pietramala could not begin to recount the number of times he has been hit hard by a lacrosse ball....Willie Scroggs, an associate athletic director at the University of North Carolina who chairs the rules committee, said the game's culture might have to go through significant alterations.

State & Local Coverage

Jury rules that Lexington teen's hands were dangerous weapons
N.C. Associated Press
A Lexington teen who assaulted an 83-year-old man was so much stronger than his victim that his hands and arms were dangerous weapons, prosecutors argued successfully in a Forsyth County case...."If this case arose in the assault context, I don't think there'd be any doubt that his hands would be found to be a weapon," said Jessica Smith, an assistant professor of public law and government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

County faces difficult choice
The Charlotte Observer
As they debate how to finance five new schools, Cabarrus County commissioners will face a tough choice...Particularly in fast-growing areas like Cabarrus County, it's not unusual for county governments to borrow money to pay for school construction and improvements. But more counties are shifting to a combination of debt and annual tax dollars to pay for new schools, said Bill Rivenbark, an assistant professor at UNC Chapel Hill's Institute of Government.

Dispute on process masks real issue (Editorial)
The Chapel Hill Herald
The latest crossfire between Chapel Hill and UNC officials highlighted what's emerging as the most significant disagreement the two sides have over the planning process for Carolina North.

Dividing Catholics by politics (Opinion-Editorial)
The News & Observer
--In 1928, when Al Smith, the Catholic governor of New York, ran for president against Herbert Hoover, it was said that if Smith were elected, he would find it necessary to take orders from the pope....Joseph J. Kalo is a Graham Kenan professor of law at the UNC School of Law. William J. Turnier is the W.P. Mangum professor of law at the school.

'Peggy' Blanchard, UNC prof, dies at 60
The Chapel Hill Herald
Margaret "Peggy" Blanchard, a UNC journalism professor, has died following a two-year bout with cancer. She was 60....She worked at the UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication for 30 years, where she was affectionately known as "Ma Blanchard" by her students, who called themselves "Peggy's people."

Issues & Trends

Study Faults Colleges on Graduation Rates
The New York Times
As growing numbers of Americans enter college, most colleges and universities have failed to ensure that those students will graduate, according to a study released yesterday by the Education Trust in Washington.
Related link: http://newsobserver.com/news/story/3614172p-3214819c.html

UM med school expansion set at $100 million
The Baltimore Sun
In an effort to raise its profile as a top research institution, the University of Maryland School of Medicine plans to spend up to $100 million over the next five years for 100 new scientists as well as support staff and equipment.

Employees' calls for pay raise falling short
The News & Observer
After 11 years as a correction officer, Bobby Brown of Asheboro still works part time as a nursing home orderly to support his wife and 13-year-old son. His state salary is $26,000 a year, and last year the Correction Department eliminated special pay for working odd hours.

Agencies await budget verdict
The News & Observer
When Gov. Mike Easley proposed a $15.9 billion spending plan this month, officials with public universities, human service agencies and other groups breathed a collective sigh of relief. They escaped with few or no cuts after years of budget reductions because of a slumping economy.

Note: If you have any questions about Carolina in the News, please call Russell Campbell at News Services, (919) 962-2091, russell_campbell@unc.edu, or Mike McFarland in University Communications, mike_mcfarland@unc.edu

Note: Web links on this page are time-sensitive, so stories might not be available after the day they first appeared.