Oct. 27, 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

Study: Mammograms helped lower breast cancer death rates
The New York Times
Addressing a major unknown in the long-standing debate over mammograms, a study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute finds that the screening test contributed to a pronounced drop in the death rate from breast cancer. ...More than 80 percent of women 40 and older get mammograms now, and Russell Harris, a professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina, said the new finding meant that women could feel confident the screening played a role in preventing breast cancer deaths.

Rx From Marlboro Man: Device That Delivers Drugs, Not Smoke
The Wall Street Journal
For years scientists at Philip Morris USA have studied how the human lung delivers a highly addictive chemical, nicotine, to the smoker's brain. ..."A new device is badly needed," says James F. Donohue, chief of the division of pulmonary and critical care at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, who sits on the medical advisory boards of 16 drug companies.

The Best Executive MBAs
Business Week
...Rounding out the top five were the University of Michigan, a school newly considered for ranking this year that catapulted into the No. 4 slot, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which held onto its No. 5 ranking. Michigan grads applauded the caliber of their classmates and the instructors' ability to make the most of students' knowledge -- on both measures, Michigan beat No. 1-ranked Kellogg. At UNC, grads gave high marks for teaching quality and responsiveness on logistics.

State & Local Coverage

No line in sand, court says
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Oceanfront property owners in North Carolina can't bar public access to beaches in front of their property, the N.C. Court of Appeals has ruled. ...David C. Owens, a professor of public law at UNC-Chapel Hill, said the rulings have not answered critical legal questions about rights to the public beach. But he said the ruling has not restricted public rights.

'An apple a day' is still good advice (Commentary)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Fall is apple season. It's a good time to rekindle your interest in apples because of their substantial nutritional value, good taste and practicality as one of the most portable snack foods around. ...Suzanne Havala Hobbs is a registered dietitian and a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy at UNC.

Issues & Trends

Bowles takes quiet tour of 5 UNC campuses
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
UNC President-Elect Erskine Bowles is making the rounds. Quietly. With little fanfare, Bowles has already been to Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. Central University in Durham, N.C. A&T State University in Greensboro, UNC-Asheville and Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

Investigators: Cigarette started fire that killed 2 NCSU students
The Charlotte Observer
A cigarette discarded on a couch apparently started a fire that killed two North Carolina State University students and injured a third, according to fire investigators. ...Nine years ago, a fraternity house fire in Chapel Hill killed five people and injured three just hours before graduation ceremonies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Harrison Q&A: Work on buffers 1st-term feat
The Chapel Hill Herald
Could you tell UNC "no" on Carolina North if you didn't find the plans acceptable? Yes, and I'm assuming a lot of the council would as well. I don't believe the current council or the next likely council has anyone who agrees with the concept for Carolina North at this point. This sort of suburban research campus, with the often-quoted 17,000 parking spaces, is not something that fits within the whole complex of fully developed Chapel Hill.

Many now see downtown Chapel Hill as unsafe and unclean
The Chapel Hill Herald
...Alexander pointed to a diverse group of people in general as a key asset, while Bill Farley said the medical schools at both UNC and Duke often are overlooked as factors shaping downtown and the town in general. Those schools mean a high number of doctors living in the area, and the wealth that often comes with that profession shapes the local economy, he said. Frank Webb drew applause when he said he'd like to someday see Franklin Street open only to pedestrians, or perhaps having just one slow lane for vehicles. Betty Maultsby described UNC students as a source of constant rejuvenation, and she called on the town to tap more into students' ideas and energy.

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.