Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Add Reply
Blog and Media Roundup - Friday, Feb 13, 2009; News Roundup
Topic Started: Feb 13 2009, 06:20 AM (459 Views)
abb
Member Avatar

http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/durham/4-1096106.cfm?

Officials seek local-option sales tax
By Ray Gronberg : The Herald-Sun
gronberg@heraldsun.com
Feb 13, 2009

DURHAM -- Area legislators have once again asked the General Assembly to give Triangle governments the same authority officials in Charlotte have to finance transit construction with a referendum-approved, local-option sales tax.

Supporters filed parallel bills in the House and Senate this week. The Senate version's local co-sponsors include state Sens. Floyd McKissick, D-Durham, Bob Atwater, D-Chatham, Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, and legislators from Wake County.

The House version has sponsors from Wake and Orange legislators but, so far, none from Durham. State Rep. Paul Luebke, D-Durham, and other members of Durham's House delegation are known to oppose the expanded use of sales taxes.

But supporters are optimistic about getting a bill through the General Assembly this year, in their second try.

"We're very far behind in our transit planning," said state Rep. Verla Insko, D-Orange. "This is an important bill to get us started, to make that commitment that we're really going to do this."

The bill is in most respects the same as the one supporters pushed for last year.

The major difference is that at the behest of freshman Sen. Josh Stein, D-Wake, this year's version includes language that requires local governments receiving subsidies from a proposed state "congestion relief" fund have to promote the development of low-cost housing near transit stations.

Planning for that should include the identification of resources to house any low-income residents displaced by transit construction, and an effort to see that at least 30 percent of the housing within half a mile of a station is affordable to families making below 60 percent of the region's median income, the bill says.

"The intent is to ensure that as we build transit systems, we factor in the increase in property values to ensure that schoolteachers, police officers, nurses and firefighters, people who are essential members of our society, are not priced out of the areas around transit centers," Stein said.

The housing language wouldn't apply to the use of any revenue from a local option tax, but as transit planners here have assumed that the state would have to help subsidize projects here, it would nonetheless have an effect.

It was not immediately clear how the bill's stipulations might play out in places like the Ninth Street district or Chapel Hill, where relatively high-cost homes already bracket station areas.

Old West Durham Neighborhood Association President John Schelp said his group would study the proposal.

"We've supported affordable housing in the past," Schelp said. "We need to look at the details and talk about it."

Chapel Hill-area officials like Kinnaird and Town Councilman Bill Strom indicated that they didn't see any problem with Stein's addition to the bill.

Strom, who's also chairman of Triangle Transit, noted that at least one private-sector developer in his town has already hit the target Stein is proposing.

He also said Cherokee Investment Partners, the company Triangle Transit will work with to develop stations, is willing to explore having low-cost housing be a part of its projects.

"It's doable if you get the right projects, if you get the right projects designed," Strom said.

But McKissick said it's possible that legislators will tinker with Stein's housing proposal.

"I could see where it could potentially be tweaked or revised to look at on a more system-wide basis," he said.

Like Insko, N.C. Sierra Club State Director Molly Diggins voiced optimism about the bill's chances of moving this year. She said her group is "agnostic" about the propriety of using sales taxes but to date hasn't seen any good alternatives.

"If legislators who are concerned about that funding mechanism have other, equally viable proposals to put forward, we'd be equally happy to support those," Diggins said. "But nothing has emerged so far that would raise anywhere near as much money."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
abb
Member Avatar

http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/durham/4-1096113.cfm

People's Alliance panel to meet

DURHAM -- The People's Alliance Housing and Planning Committee is meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the home of Tom Miller, 1110 Virginia Ave.

Among the topics for discussion: inclusionary zoning and creating a neighborhood advocate position.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
abb
Member Avatar

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1404254.html


Published: Feb 13, 2009 12:30 AM
Modified: Feb 13, 2009 01:22 AM

Guns, drugs seized in Durham arrests
Stanley B. Chambers Jr., Staff Writer Comment on this story
DURHAM - More than 12 pounds of drugs and three guns were confiscated during two incidents in Durham on Wednesday.

Officers confiscated 303 grams of cocaine after a traffic stop on Interstate 85 near Sparger Road. Marcelino Cerezo, 32, of Fredericksburg, Va., was charged with trafficking, possessing and transporting cocaine.

Three guns and 12.5 pounds of marijuana were recovered from 932 Stone Lion Drive. Jonathan Butler, 23, of Smith Creek Parkway in Raleigh and Christopher Barrow, 25, of Cheverly, Md., face trafficking and possession charges.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
~J~ is in Wonderland
Member Avatar
~J~ is in Wonderland
http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/durham/4-1096101.cfm?

Police chaplain service may expand to corps

Offering an ear and spiritual guidance.

It's what retired Durham police Capt. Phil Wiggins has done for the past 25 years as chaplain to the Durham Police Department.

Now, Police Chief Jose Lopez is hoping to expand that service, creating a chaplain corps that would offer more resources to police officers and the community.

The corps would consist of Durham pastors who would ride along with officers and be available to help them when problems that require counseling arise.

"We hope we might be able to get a clergy assigned to a district or police substation where they could come in and meet some of the officers in case there are any specific needs," Wiggins said. "They would have a contact person in the clergy to give them some assistance."

Wiggins was an officer in the Police Department from 1969 to 1974, when he left to attend college at Campbell University and then seminary at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX. He returned to the department in 1983 as an officer and volunteer police chaplain, retiring five years ago as a captain. He continues to serve as a volunteer chaplain.

Creating a chaplain corps "would be beneficial to all of us, really, because with a department as large as Durham's is, it's kind of hard for just one person to cover all the bases," Wiggins said. "So, I could see it changing by having someone responsible for different districts, and making more people available to help officers if they need someone to talk to."

"But it's going to be a long process," he said, "because officers are not going to talk to just anybody unless they get to know them. The pastors are going to have to do some ride-alongs and try to build a relationship with these officers so if something does come up, and an officer needs somebody to talk to, they'll have a personal relationship with this person."

In addition to having someone with whom police can share their problems, the chaplains would be available to help counsel families who have lost a loved one in a traffic accident, for example.

"The chaplain is there to give assistance where an officer normally has to go in and make the announcement, and then he has to leave to get back in the street and answer more calls," Wiggins said. "The chaplain could go in and spend some time with the family until their own clergy came in to give them assistance. It would be a big benefit just having somebody available to help families, and I think it would be tremendous public relations for the community."

Wiggins said having more chaplains, who would represent all faiths, can help officers deal with the stress of a dangerous, high-pressure job.

"Officers are always under stress, whether it's from job-related issues with the economy or family issues, dealing with the public, and responding to calls and crises," he said. "There's constant stress, and there's a need for an officer to find somebody to relate to and talk with so they won't keep the stress all inside."

Lopez said he's working to make the chaplain corps a reality, and believes it will help his officers.

"I think it's very positive to have all avenues possible for officers to be able to get counseling and help, especially during extremely emotional times and traumatic situations they encounter."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
~J~ is in Wonderland
Member Avatar
~J~ is in Wonderland
http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/orange/10-1096099.cfm?

"Idol's' Anoop Desai says Eve Carson motivated him to audition



CHAPEL HILL -- Anoop Desai, the first singer selected on "American Idol" to the top 36, said his motivation to try out for the popular star-making television show came from the death of his friend, Eve Carson.

Desai, 22, a graduate of East Chapel Hill High School and UNC Chapel Hill, spoke in an interview that appears on the "American Idol" Web site. In it he said that after Carson's death, he and his friends decided they should do more with their lives to fill the hole left by her passing.

Carson was UNC's student body president and a fan and friend of the Clef Hangers, the a cappella singing group at UNC of which Desai was a member. She was shot and killed last March in Chapel Hill.

When asked what motivated him to try out for "American Idol," Desai said his friends and family encouraged him.

"One of my friends was murdered in March. Her name was Eve," Desai said. "She was one of those people that everyone wanted to know and she wanted to know everyone, too."

Carson made the world a better place, Desai said.

"When she died, everyone sort of decided that we needed to up our game," he said. "We needed to do something to make up for the huge hole that was left by her passing.

"It definitely motivated me to do stuff that I was previously uncomfortable with or didn't think I could do," Desai said. "I just had to do more."

The 36 semifinalists have been divided into groups of 12 each. The dozen singers in each group will compete against each other for three spots in the finals. Each week, one male singer, one female singer and the next top vote-getter from each group of 12 will move on in the competition.

In the fourth week, the singers who have not made it to the next stage will compete for one wild card spot for a total of 10 contestants.

The Internet has been abuzz with new sites about Desai. One Web page is called anoopdesaistreetteam.com, and its stated mission is to promote Desai. On the site, people are encouraged to hold "American Idol" watching parties, post fliers telling people to vote for Desai, and encourage all their friends to vote for Desai.

"Convince all your friends (even if they don't like the show) that Anoop is different, just a normal guy with an amazing voice," the site states.

Facebook has several pages devoted to him, with thousands of members. Many people, including those in foreign countries, have become fans of his, saying they love his amazing voice and his honest and appealing personality. In the comment section, they vow to wear their telephones out voting for him.

And on YouTube, videos of the Clef Hangers with Desai singing lead on several songs, are receiving thousands of plays. One song, "Angel of Mine," which is dedicated to Carson -- "one of our greatest fans" -- has received nearly 57,000 hits.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
abb
Member Avatar

http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2009/02/13/News/Alumni.Reflect.On.A.Defining.Moment.In.Duke.History-3629563.shtml

Alumni reflect on a defining moment in Duke history
The 40th Anniversary of the Allen Building Occupation
By: Julius Jones
Posted: 2/13/09
February 13, 1969 was in many ways a normal day.

The weather was typical of that time of year-cold and dry-and the campus was buzzing with students already planning their spring break excursions.

Nevertheless, Feb. 13, 1969 is remembered as one of the defining days in Duke's history.

Forty years ago today, approximately 50 to 75 black students entered the Allen Building, asked the three-person staff present to leave and took control of the building, which they renamed the Malcolm X Liberation School, according to past Chronicle accounts and library records. The students hoped to draw attention to inequitable treatment of the black community on campus and bring about change.

"Someone once said to me that the Allen Building [incident] gave Duke a soul," said Dr. Brenda Armstrong, Trinity '70, who was part of the protest and is now the director of admissions at the School of Medicine. "But I like to think it gave Duke back its soul."

The Allen Building incident was an explosion of racial frustration that had been building since 1963, when the first black undergraduates were admitted to the University. By the Spring of 1969, the total number of black undergraduates at Duke had increased from three in 1963 to just less than 100. The change in Duke's culture, however, was nonexistent, students at the time recalled.

"The overwhelming problem was that Duke admitted black students in small numbers, but nothing was done to accommodate us," said the Rev. William Turner '70, who is now a professor at the Divinity School. "It was like the administration said, 'We'll add a few dark faces, but everything stays the same.'"

Black students at Duke said they had no spaces to socialize. Spending too much time on campus meant being subject to racism and harassment, Turner said.

"If we were walking around campus at night, the campus police would stop us and ask for proof that we were Duke students. For proof that we 'belonged' here," he said.

To avoid being where they felt they were not wanted, many black students socialized off campus, Armstrong said. Whenever possible, they would make their way to North Carolina College at Durham-now North Carolina Central University-or to a local black church.

"The people in housekeeping and dining [at the University] would take us to church and open up their homes to us," Turner said. "They treated us like family."

Although Duke's black employees reached out to black students, Armstrong said both teachers and students often discriminated against her.

One incident that stands out in her mind is when a white student walked up to her and rubbed her face while she was using the sink in the bathroom. When Armstrong asked the young woman why she had touched her, she replied, "I've never been this close to a n-, and I wanted to see if the color rubbed off."

Alan Ray, Trinity '69, who was the editor of The Chronicle at the time, said he remembers a more inviting vibe on campus.

"The atmosphere was mostly cordial and friendly," Ray said. "Students were not overtly racist, but after a few years the black students became very separatist."

Despite the differing views on the amount of racism on campus, many students-black and white-felt that change was needed.

Prior to the takeover, the black student organization on campus-known then as the Afro-American Society-had been meeting with Duke officials for more than a year to discuss issues concerning black students. But little progress had been made, Armstrong said.

After careful consideration, Turner said the students decided more "radical" methods were needed to bring their concerns to administrators' attention. They packed into a rented van, drove up to the Allen Building door and enacted their plan, which had been in the works for months.

When news broke of what was taking place, classes were canceled and a large crowd formed outside.

"Across the campus, people were shocked that the black students felt so left out," Ray said.

Ray noted that The Chronicle, however, was well aware of the plight of the black students. This helped the paper get information on what was going on inside the Allen Building.

"The Chronicle news staff back then was radical and was sympathetic to the black students," Ray said. "The black students felt comfortable talking to us."

Over the course of the nine hours the students were barricaded inside the building's records office, the faculty were in a state of panic. After much deliberation, then-president Douglas Knight agreed to address the black students' 13 demands if they left the building. When the administrators' decision was announced, the students exited the building and walked off campus with the blacks from the community who had gathered to protect them, Turner said.

But as he was walking off campus, Turner said he saw police and guards gathering in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens.

"By the time the police and the national guard came in, they were ready to bust some heads," Turner noted. "They didn't know who was who and turned on the students outside even though the students who were actually in the Allen Building had left."

What ensued was a riot. Police used teargas and batons to disperse the crowd, forcing the administration to cancel classes for three days following the incident. Knight later resigned.

"I think it's safe to say it was handled poorly," Ray said. "There was an immediate outrage and disappointment with the police reaction. The reaction caused the students to be much more sympathetic to the black students."

The Board of Trustees blamed the paper for inciting the Allen Building incident because of the sympathy it showed to the black students, Ray said. At the time, The Chronicle was not independent of the University, and the Board held a vote on whether or not to continue funding the paper.

"It failed just by one vote," said Ray. "I think that would have set a bad precedent for censorship and control over the media at Duke."

For the students who were involved in the protest, the ordeal did not end when they left the Allen Building. There was a trial for those who were considered the leaders of the takeover, including Armstrong, she said.

"We considered [the sentence] a victory," she said. "It took the cloak of invisibility off of us and made people recognize who we are and that we deserve to be here."

Turner noted that the students who staged the protest have gone on to successful careers in medicine, law, the priesthood and academia. Both Armstrong and Turner said the experienced helped define who they are today.

"The Allen Building showed us that there was nothing we couldn't do," Armstrong said. "What it did was validate what our parents sent us to Duke to do. They sent us here to be the next generation of leaders. In many regards, we owed the Allen Building to them."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
abb
Member Avatar

http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2009/02/13/MLacrosse/Duke-Kicks.Off.Season.Saturday-3629580.shtml

Duke kicks off season Saturday
By:
Posted: 2/13/09
No. 6 Duke renews its quest for its first national championship when it kicks off its season Saturday at noon against Bucknell in Koskinen Stadium.

The Blue Devils return six starters and 36 letterwinners from a squad that finished 18-2, won the ACC title and was shocked in the Final Four after sitting atop the national polls all season.

Third-year head coach John Danowski will look to senior Ned Crotty, a stalwart in the midfield the last two seasons, who figures to attract more attention without Matt Danowski, the NCAA's all-time leading scorer, and Zack Greer, the NCAA's all-time leading goal scorer.

Junior attackman Max Quinzani ranked second on last year's team with 61 goals and third with 69 points. He could serve as Crotty's top target from the midfield.

Senior faceoff specialist Sam Payton, junior defenseman Parker McKee and senior midfielder Brad Ross are other Blue Devils that have garnered preseason honors.

After taking on Bucknell, Duke hosts Colgate and Harvard next weekend.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
abb
Member Avatar

http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2009/02/13/WLacrosse/After.Scrimmages.Duke.Prepared.For.Openers-3629577.shtml

After scrimmages, Duke prepared for openers
By: Harrison Comfort
Posted: 2/13/09
Forget about scrimmaging the best in the country. No. 3 Duke prepared for its regular season by playing the best in the world last weekend.

With North Carolina, the Blue Devils co-hosted the annual South of the Border tournament, playing England and the United States' national teams to prepare for their season opener Friday against No. 19 Denver at 7 p.m. in Denver, Colo. Duke will continue its opening weekend Sunday at 12 p.m. against California, also in the Mile High City.

And if Duke's performance this weekend is anything like it was last weekend, the plane ride home might seem as short as a bus ride from Chapel Hill.

"Playing against international teams is always a little different," head coach Kerstin Kimel said. "The styles of play are different and they tend to be very physical and fast... not quite as skilled as American teams, though nonetheless, they are very good."

In the tournament's first game, Duke defeated England 15-11 in an impressive showing against the country that finished third in the 2005 World Cup. The Blue Devils maintained a strong offensive attack throughout the scrimmage, led by preseason All-American Carolyn Davis, who scored four goals. Fellow senior Megan Del Monte added a hat trick and Caroline Cryer and Sarah Bullard netted two goals each.

The scrimmage provided the team the chance to compete with the world's best players and gain international experience. Receiving exposure to the foreign style of play will strengthen the Blue Devils as it has already done in the past-and Cryer, Bullard and junior Lindsay Gilbride would agree.

The three are members of the U.S. Elite squad, a 23-member developmental team training for the 2009 World Cup. After a brief hiatus from Duke for their national obligations, Cryer, Bullard and Gilbride all rejoined the team this past weekend.

Their return paid large dividends for Duke, which needed some more field time with the entire squad together to ensure that it has solid chemistry for tonight's opener against Denver. And last weekend, the Blue Devils did not disappoint.

"I was happy to have the whole team together and able to put our starting group on the field, which includes Lindsay, Caroline and Sarah," Kimel said. "We wanted to show what we have been working so hard on in practice and I thought we executed well, and overall, it was a good showing."

Duke finished up the weekend playing against the U.S. national team, of which Cryer and Bullard are members. For the scrimmage, the pair switched jerseys to represent the American squad.

For the Blue Devils, the chance to play against two of their teammates created an ironic situation that the team initially found comical.

"It was fun. At first we were laughing that we had to play against them, but it was serious come game time," Kimel said. "The [U.S. team] is very fast and athletic, and playing against the national team really exposes things that we need to continue to work on as the season progresses."

But because of last weekend's scrimmages, Denver and California may not be able to expose very much at all.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
abb
Member Avatar

http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2009/02/13/Columns/40.Years.Later-3629584.shtml

40 years later
guest commentary
By: Black Student Alliance
Posted: 2/13/09
We seized the building because we have been negotiating with Duke administration and faculty concerning different issues that affect black students for two and a half years and we have no meaningful results. We have exhausted the so-called 'proper channels.'"

These words show the sense of urgency and desperation characterizing the 50 to 75 students who took over the Allen Building 40 years ago today. They occupied the most prominent office on campus in order to force the administration to consider their concerns. After presenting the University with a set of demands-many of which had been voiced in preceding years-they waited to see how the University would respond.

Although their critiques of the University were aimed at demonstrating the prevalence of wrongs being committed, the students also encouraged positive change that could eventually transform the institution. The University had only admitted its first black students in 1963 and segregation still permeated the South. The demands were issued during these tenuous times because black students were systematically excluded from the University community and now they refused to be ignored.

Despite the passage of time, the impact of the takeover and the resulting demands are still felt today. We see a University commitment to diversity and access expressed in the strategic plan, numerous student groups seeking to support and advocate for the cultures that exist at Duke and a variety of initiatives striving to recognize the importance and perspective of the cross-sections of our community. Although the University has made significant steps forward, we also see a University where some students feel discrimination and distance.

It is clear that there is still work to be done. The demands 40 years ago were a critique on the Duke community, an amalgam of individuals, thoughts and actions that continues to change with each new class. Today, we also provide a critique in honor of our predecessors, hoping the future environment of Duke University will be improved for all students.

Not only do we still face matters of black and white, but also of class, gender and sexual orientation, among others. With these differences come new opportunities, which are too often misconstrued as problems. At Duke, we have the amazing opportunity to live within a microcosm of society with people of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles. It is unfortunate that we often resist engaging in the true diversity that surrounds us. Whether this retreat into ourselves and our comfort zones is purposeful or subconscious, we believe it is important to take deliberate steps to learn, live and grow with people from all walks of life. This problem is not unique to Duke, but we have the unique opportunity to inspire a change that will hopefully go beyond our four years.

Although it may not be necessary for us to take over the Allen Building today, it is our collective responsibility to actively resist the temptation to remain content with a detached understanding of what, or who, is "different." Differences in race, culture, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or any other classifying characteristic should not indicate a hierarchy of access, but a spectrum of experiences. These differences bring us together as a Duke community, and should be celebrated rather than ignored. Too often we focus on eliminating the differences between us when we should be openly recognizing them with a sense of respect. This is the effort of student groups that celebrate cultures and of academic programs that seek to educate students about the cultures of the world. We must engage in what makes us unique, rather than be ashamed of admitting that we are not all the same.

How does that translate for Duke today? Participate in the events sponsored by groups to which you may not superficially belong. Take classes in a variety of departments and actually engage in cross-cultural learning. Talk to someone you don't know on the bus. Have an open conversation about race without being afraid of the controversial issues that may come up. Support a culture that may not be your own. Take the time to understand what your identity means to you, and celebrate it. Never be ashamed of who you are. You must allow yourself to be uncomfortable if your goal is to truly learn, understand and appreciate.

So, has the struggle that inspired the Allen Building Takeover ended? No. It has just begun. We all have the opportunity to bring about positive change at the University and it begins with us.

Brandon Roane, Trinity '09, is the president of the Black Student Alliance; Ashley Banks, Trinity '09, is the chief of staff; Kristina Broadie, Trinity '10, is the director of academic affairs; Ayrenne Adams, Trinity '10, is the director of communications; Charrise Phillips, Trinity '09, is the director of finances; Amanda Turner, Trinity '11, is the director of programming and Aisha Turner, Trinity '09, is the editor of the Talking Drum.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
abb
Member Avatar

http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2009/02/13/Editorial/From-The.Outside.Looking.In-3629581.shtml

From the outside looking in
By:
Posted: 2/13/09
Last weekend some current and former members of the Board of Trustees came to the University for a closed-door meeting about the recession and how the University can best respond to it in the future.

The public knows almost nothing specific about the meeting. Representatives-including Chair Robert Steel, Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, and Executive Vice President Tallman Trask-acknowledged to The Chronicle that the meeting occurred and that its focus was the University's financial situation.

But as to who was there, what specifically was discussed, why the meeting was necessary and what the University's general strategy will be in the recession-mum's the word.

And although it is encouraging that the University appears to be acting in a proactive manner, it is disconcerting that the information coming from University administrators was so vague and that the meeting itself was seemingly secret.

Of course, it is not unusual that a small number of Trustees would meet between the scheduled full-body meetings: the Executive Committee does so regularly. It is also normal for the University to solicit financial advice from experts, as it did over the weekend.

Finally, it is expected that those in charge of the endowment and financial prospects are concerned about the University's financial position in this recession, especially given the recent news that the annual spending budget faces a $130 million deficit.

The crucial issue here is the University's effective public communication of its position.

It may be that University officials are waiting for a full meeting of the Board of Trustees to release information. But generally, a lack of communication often leads the people who are left on the outside looking in to assume the worst. In this case, too, based on the financial profiles of our peer institutions, things could be very bad.

In fact, from the beginning of the financial crisis last year, most of the Ivy League universities have been far more forthcoming about their financial plans than has Duke. Nearly all of the Ivies have released plans to suspend large building projects. Some have already implemented concrete plans for hiring freezes, salary freezes and departmental funding cuts. A few have begun to lay off or buy out some employees.

In this context, the announcement of significant financial losses even beyond those already reported would not be a sign of weakness for Duke. We would only be joining the club.

This situation builds on the University's inconsistent statements late last semester on the state of the endowment. Until early December, Steel, President Richard Brodhead and others maintained that Duke was stable financially. But in mid-December, faculty and staff were informed that the endowment had lost about 20 percent of its value.

In the end, it is understandable that, in order to function effectively, a board of trustees at a private university will need to keep many matters secret. But there are some subjects-and this is one of them-about which a board of trustees should make every effort to inform the many people in the Duke community who are invested in the University and whose livelihood depends on it.

No one is demanding the minutes of last weekend's meeting: a coherent and public statement of strategy would do just fine.

Chelsea Allison recused herself from this editorial.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
justice4all
Member Avatar

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=dw-bjjohnson021309&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

And justice for Billey Joe?

By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports

LUCEDALE, Miss. – Surrounded by a crowd full of shock and suspicion, Annette and Billey Joe Johnson Sr. embraced on the steps of George County’s red-brick courthouse and cried again over their dead son.

Minutes earlier a grand jury had determined Billey Joe Johnson Jr., a 17-year-old major college football recruit, had accidentally shot and killed himself with his 12-gauge shotgun during a Dec. 8 traffic stop.

The grand jury cleared the only known witness to the shooting, sheriff’s deputy Joe Sullivan, claiming a combination of forensics, witness testimony and other evidence, proved he “could not have shot and killed Billey Joe Johnson.”

Without any identifiable killer on the scene the only remaining causes of death were suicide or accident.

The grand jury went with the latter, claiming the powerful gun he often hunted with “accidentally discharged” at close range of his left ear, ripping off part of his head as he stood outside his Silverado.

It was a decision that, while designed for closure, left many with more questions than answers and left two parents in the middle of a hell from which they know no escape.

“I ain’t buying that,” Annette said of the accidental shooting determination. [snip]

[snip] That Billey Joe was black and Deputy Sullivan is white was simply a coincidence according to the grand jury. To others, it wasn’t. Everyone can wish it weren’t the case, but race was a major factor in how this incident was and will be viewed. For many blacks, century-old distrust in the police and the judicial system were stirred up.[snip]

[snip]And so the grand jury’s decision quickly was dismissed. It didn’t matter that the 20 people who have heard from the most witnesses and reviewed the most evidence unanimously had agreed.[snip]

[snip]As such, there were talks of appeals. A civil suit remains a possibility, with the family already employing the Johnnie Cochran Law Firm.

Others promised the organization of a march that would “wash Lucedale out with 70,000 people.” There were pledges to make this a national cause. Every bit of the grand jury findings will be combed through.

“We’re going to let them know that you can’t just feed us any kind of information,” said onlooker Bobbie Jones. “This is 2009, not the 1900s.”[snip]

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Kerri P.
Member Avatar

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/4536872/
Feds detail death penalty decision in UNC murder case
Posted: 16 minutes ago
Updated: 8 minutes ago
Greensboro, N.C. — Federal prosecutors say Demario James Atwater fired the final shot that killed the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's student body president nearly a year ago.

In a notice of intent to seek the death penalty that was filed Friday in U.S District Court, prosecutors said Eve Marie Carson was "particularly vulnerable" when Atwater "fired a single shotgun round from close range through the victim's hand and into her brain."

She had already been wounded by four small caliber gunshots, the notice said.

It does not indicate whether investigators believe Atwater might have fired any of the other shots. According to Chapel Hill police search warrants returned last June, investigators believe both Atwater and Laurence Alvin Lovette Jr. shot Carson.

An autopsy found Carson, 22, was shot with a shotgun to the right temple and also sustained a wound to her right hand – likely because she had raised her right arm to protect herself.

Atwater, 22, was indicted in October on a federal carjacking charge resulting in death in connection with Carson's slaying.

Last month, federal prosecutors announced they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted.

Chapel Hill investigators believe Atwater and Lovette, 18, kidnapped Carson and forced her to withdraw $1,400 from ATMs before killing her in the early morning of March 5.

Police found her body in a neighborhood several blocks from the UNC campus while responding to reports of gunshots.

According to Friday's filing, which outlines the federal government's reasoning for seeking the death penalty, Atwater killed Carson "to eliminate her as a possible witness to other offenses, including, at least, kidnapping, carjacking and robbery."

Orange County District Attorney Jim Woodall has said he is also seeking the death penalty for Atwater on state charges related to the crime, which include first-degree murder, robbery and kidnapping.

It's still unclear whether Lovette will face any federal charges.

He is ineligible for the death penalty under a U.S. Supreme Court ruling because he was under age 18 at the time of the crime of which he is accused.

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Kerri P.
Member Avatar

http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/4535303/
Durham police seek man on theft charges
Posted: Today at 2:22 p.m.
Updated: 28 minutes ago

Durham, N.C. — Durham police are looking for a 40-year-old man on charges that he stole and used a debit card less than two weeks after he had finished serving a five-month sentence for credit-card theft.

Police said they believe that Calvin Lewis Davis, of Elizabeth Street, took the debit card and other items from a purse in an office at 115 Market St. Tuesday. Someone then used the debit card at a convenience store on Alston Avenue.

Davis was charged with financial card theft, obtaining property by false pretense, identity theft and larceny.

Davis is known to frequent the areas of Strebor Street, Linwood Avenue, Barnes Avenue and Camden Avenue.

Davis was released from prison Jan. 29 after serving five months for credit-card theft, according to state Department of Correction records. Since 1990, he has spent more than 12 years behind bars for first- and second-degree kidnapping, larceny, nonpayment of child support and drug violations.

Anyone with information about where Davis might be was asked to call Investigator A.C. Rogers at 919-560-4406, ext. 270, or Crime Stoppers at 919-683-1200. Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards for information leading to arrests in felony cases, and callers never have to identify themselves.
Edited by Kerri P., Feb 13 2009, 05:28 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Kerri P.
Member Avatar

http://www.wral.com/news/national_world/national/story/4535522/
Calif. polygamist gets life term for family crimes
Posted: Today at 2:42 p.m.
Updated: 39 minutes ago

MURRIETA, Calif. — A self-proclaimed polygamist was sentenced Friday to seven consecutive life prison terms for torturing some of his 19 children and falsely imprisoning two of his three wives.

Mansa Musa Muhummed, 55, also was sentenced to additional terms totaling 16 years and eight months by Riverside County Superior Court Judge F. Paul Dickerson III, who said Muhummed's treatment of his family amounted to "a reign of terror over defenseless children."

"If his appeals are exhausted and he does not prevail, he will die in prison," said Peter Morreale, Muhummed's attorney.

Muhummed was convicted in June of seven counts of torture, two counts of false imprisonment and additional charges of child endangerment and spousal abuse.

At his trial, several of Muhummed's children and stepchildren testified against him, telling jurors they had been beaten, starved, strung up by their feet and forced to eat vomit and feces.

"I'm still having nightmares and flashbacks," said Marlon Boddie, 29. "He don't need no mercy. He don't need no type of mercy. He knew what he was doing."

Muhummed - whose given name was Richard Boddie - denied the charges and blamed one of his wives for the alleged abuse. He was a convert to the Muslim faith, which he said gave him the right to have multiple wives.

snip...
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · DUKE LACROSSE - Liestoppers · Next Topic »
Add Reply