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(12/02/08 5:00am)
Trees are a quintessential element of Christmas but thousands of Fraser fir Christmas trees in North Carolina are threatened each year by a root-rotting pest.With North Carolina's Christmas tree business the second largest in the nation various researchers at N.C. State University have committed the years to finding a cure for Phytophthora.If discovered a cure would help the estimated 50 million Fraser fir Christmas trees growing on more than 25000 acres of N.C. land which produces more than 19 percent of Christmas trees in the United States.In Ashe County alone where the disease killed 77124 trees in 2006 growers can pull in about $55 million per year in tree sales and another $7 million with wreaths and garlands said Della Deal the agriculture extension agent for the Ashe County Christmas Tree Association.Phytophthora presents a potential danger to many growers in the state affecting about 9 percent of fields and causing an estimated $1.5 million in damage each year.Since 2004 when three hurricanes came through the state the disease has been worse.The mold which N.C. State plant pathology assistant professor Dr. Kelly Ivors and her research team have been studying for two years is a water mold which attacks the root system of the tree" eventually causing it to die.""The branches will start growing orange and the grower will realize he has a problem"" said Jeff Owen, an area extension forestry specialist with N.C. State who also researches Christmas trees.Owen said that once established, the spores of the disease can stay in the soil for years and that the farmer might have to move tracts of land.Ivors' team began experimenting with a possible breakthrough with mulch to prevent those circumstances.Owen said the enzymes that break down the mulch also break down the cell walls of the disease. The mulches seem to be helping in some fields"" said N.C. State plant pathology professor Michael Benson.The study, however, will not be concluded for another three to four years, he said.There is also a genetic approach to fighting Phytophthora — methods such as root grafting and looking at natural resistance in other types of fir trees, such as the Turkish fir.I don't think that one particular thing is going to be the entire answer"" said John Frampton, a professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at NCSU, who has been researching Phytophthora for a decade.To combine the approaches will help us combat this root rot problem.""Owen said the research revolving around the mulch is particularly innovative.""It's exciting because it is an organic approach to reduce a disease problem.""Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
(11/25/08 5:00am)
Due to a reporting error in this story the process for federal recognition of American Indian tribes is incorrectly explained. Tribes must go through the Bureau of Indian Affairs process for federal recognition. The Lumbee tribe is currently seeking a congressional act for recognition because an earlier federal bill denied it making it impossible to go through the Bureau of Indian Affairs process.In the same story the caption with the photo incorrectly identified the group photographed. The dancers are the Stoney Creek drum group.The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the errors.The oldest population presence in state history is today struggling with some very contemporary challenges.November is American Indian Heritage Month in North Carolina and President Bush declared Friday Native American Heritage Day. The recognition brings attention to a population that remains a distinct entity" despite thousands of years residing on N.C. land.""We have to continue to address the problems of lack of inclusion in the policy making process"" said Greg Richardson, executive director of the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs, which works to preserve cultural identity and advocate for the rights of American Indians.We still have to deal with the problem of racism."" According to the 2000 Census" about 100000 American Indians live in North Carolina — the largest population east of the Mississippi and the eighth-largest population in the country.Tribes face the same challenges as any other American demographic although they retain some autonomy from the U.S. government. Some of the problems such as education and health care are exacerbated by a lack of government funding.New faces in political office could usher in changes Richardson said.He said he is hopeful that President-elect Barack Obama and N.C. Governor-elect Bev Perdue will appoint American Indians to their administrations.North Carolina has eight tribes that are either state or federally recognized. The largest non-federally recognized tribe is the Lumbee Tribe based in Robeson County.Tribes want federal recognition because with that comes funding from the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs and the right to operate gaming facilities on tribal land.Gaming is a lucrative industry for American Indians that provides revenue and creates jobs for tribe members.Many of the problems American Indians face stem from how much money the tribes receive from the federal and state governments. The Eastern Band of Cherokee are the only federally recognized tribe in the state. They operate a gaming facility in Cherokee located in the western edge of North Carolina. The facility has become the largest employer in the western part of the state.Federal recognition requires a U.S. Congressional act and is something that the Lumbee Tribe has long been advocating for.Sen. Elizabeth Dole R-N.C. tried to pass the most recent Lumbee recognition bill last year but failed because of significant opposition from other states.One of the biggest challenges for American Indians today is education — only a little more than half graduate from high school said Clara Sue Kidwell director of the American Indian Center at UNC-Chapel Hill.This is in large part because of low funding for schools in areas populated by American Indians she said.Organizations such as the intertribal Wake County Indian Education Program offer tutoring services for American Indian students who are at risk for dropping out and are struggling to fit in said coordinator Gwen Locklear.Many tribes have trouble accessing adequate health care also in large part due to a lack of federal recognition.Federally recognized tribes have more current health care data and structural support for medical care said Shannon Fleg project co-coordinator of UNC's Native Health Initiative" which addresses inequalities in the American Indian population.Fleg said cultural boundaries and insensitivities also play a role.""People need to understand the difference in tribes to understand culture on all levels"" she said.Despite disparities that have yet to be resolved, Richardson said he is optimistic about the future of the N.C. American Indian population.We are getting more and more opportunities than we have in past years. Hopefully in '09 we will be able to get out there even more.""Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
(11/07/08 5:00am)
The morning after Barack Obama was declared president four students spray-painted death threats on the walls of N.C. State University's Free Expression Tunnel.The campus held a rally Thursday afternoon and a speak- out that night to address the hate messages which were covered with white paint shortly after they were discovered.The messages which threatened to assassinate Obama and called him racial epithets" were met with calls for unity across the campus.""We're one of the few campuses that allow this type of free speech and anytime you allow this there is something bound to be written that is hateful"" said Kelli Rogers, president pro tempore of the N.C. State University Senate. The remarks brought in the U.S. Secret Service for an investigation. N.C. State police and the school decided not to press charges because the incident did not involve a direct threat to the president-elect.Campus policy states that messages must contain fighting"" words to warrant an immediate response.""It was more than offensive language" it was threatening which is a lot of the reason why it was painted over Rogers said.Many students disapproved of the messages.I believe that they have a right to express their opinion but I believe they should use a proper outlet to do that said N.C. State junior Dianna McTernan.More than 300 people showed up for the rally Thursday afternoon.The purpose for the rally was to speak out in opposition to hate speech and racism" said Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Thomas Stafford. I think we accomplished that in an effective manner.""Speakers emphasized the importance of the Campus Response to Hate Speech document" drawn up by student leaders earlier in the semester. It states that there is no tolerance for hate speech on the campus.Adam Cloninger chair of the Student Government Diversity Commission" said they want to use this situation for discussion.""The crowd was very supportive"" said Cloninger. There were lots of signatures on the document.""The document also is in response to messages for a Ku Klux Klan meeting found earlier this semester.Despite the negative incident" Rogers said the election yielded positive reactions from some students.Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
(11/07/08 5:00am)
The morning after Barack Obama was declared president four students spray-painted death threats on the walls of N.C. State University's Free Expression Tunnel.The campus held a rally Thursday afternoon and a speak- out that night to address the hate messages which were covered with white paint shortly after they were discovered.The messages which threatened to assassinate Obama and called him racial epithets" were met with calls for unity across the campus.""We're one of the few campuses that allow this type of free speech and anytime you allow this there is something bound to be written that is hateful"" said Kelli Rogers, president pro tempore of the N.C. State University Senate. The remarks brought in the U.S. Secret Service for an investigation. N.C. State police and the school decided not to press charges because the incident did not involve a direct threat to the president-elect.Campus policy states that messages must contain fighting"" words to warrant an immediate response.""It was more than offensive language" it was threatening which is a lot of the reason why it was painted over Rogers said.Many students disapproved of the messages.I believe that they have a right to express their opinion but I believe they should use a proper outlet to do that said N.C. State junior Dianna McTernan.More than 300 people showed up for the rally Thursday afternoon.The purpose for the rally was to speak out in opposition to hate speech and racism" said Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Thomas Stafford. I think we accomplished that in an effective manner.""Speakers emphasized the importance of the Campus Response to Hate Speech document" drawn up by student leaders earlier in the semester. It states that there is no tolerance for hate speech on the campus.Adam Cloninger chair of the Student Government Diversity Commission" said they want to use this situation for discussion.""The crowd was very supportive"" said Cloninger. There were lots of signatures on the document.""The document also is in response to messages for a Ku Klux Klan meeting found earlier this semester.Despite the negative incident" Rogers said the election yielded positive reactions from some students.Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
(10/31/08 4:00am)
UNC Young Democrats threw an early voting party Thursday with music, face painting, cookies for change"" pumpkin painting, a doughnut-eating contest and celebrities.Students gathered at Morehead Planetarium for Baracktoberfest" a celebration of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and the last days of early voting.Poll workers praised the number of students who already turned out.It stays busy until four o'clock" poll worker Karen Tinker said. The students are tremendous.""The event's main attraction was the appearance of Golden Globe-nominated actress Ashley Judd and vice presidential candidate Joe Biden's sister"" Valerie Biden Owens.""My job is to talk about how great my brother is" but this is so much more than that. We are electing the leader of the free world" said Biden Owens. Obama and Biden have the same understanding and can feel in their bones what people are feeling today.""Sophomore Faye Fang had already voted"" but said she came out to hear the speeches.""I thought it'd be a great opportunity to get out here and see what Valerie Biden had to say about her brother"" Fang said.Judd, a University of Kentucky alumna and avid basketball fan, made a bold pledge.You give North Carolina to Biden and Obama"" and I will sit in the Tar Heel student section.""Judd described voting for the first time as a ""rite of passage — a sacred moment in a person's citizenship"" and chanted Yes we can"" with students before leaving. CHiPS" UNC's improv comedy troupe performed sketches. One gave students voting advice" fielding questions from the audience on policy issues and answering them as different stereotypical voters.""I think all the activities affect the people who thought about (voting) but have not gotten out there yet" said sophomore Kevin Ziechmann.Sophomore and Young Democrats member Caroline Hampton said students' voting patterns will be important on Election Day.Students can be unreliable and this is an election that we cannot afford to be unreliable" she said. We really need their votes.""However"" Judd did not seem worried.""I got the sense that (UNC students) are very keen and attentive — and they have the desire to do the right thing"" Judd said.
(10/28/08 4:00am)
People interviewed after voting at Morehead Planetarium on Tuesday said they had no trouble understanding how to vote a straight party ticket" but that it could be confusing nonetheless.Some voters received ballot instructions while others had to request them.The straight party voting option has raised concerns about voter disenfranchisement because of confusion with the N.C. ballot.""Generally the confusion comes from voters about what it means to vote on the straight party ticket"" said Jenn Frye, associate director of Democracy North Carolina, a nonpartisan election watchdog group.Straight party voting allows voters to cast a ballot for candidates along their party lines with three choices: Democratic, Republican, or Libertarian.That option doesn't include the U.S. president and vice president, unaffiliated candidates, nonpartisan offices or issues.However, those exceptions are not prominently noted — they are the last item listed in the straight party voting explanation on the ballot.N.C.'s ballot is believed to be a cause of undervoting, when voters don't vote for president but vote for other races.Bob Hall, executive director of Democracy North Carolina, said that 51,492 N.C. voters did not cast a vote for president in 2004, suggesting that confusion about straight party voting led to partisan votes that neglected the presidential office.The decision to have a straight party voting option distinct from presidential voting was made by N.C. Democrats in the 1960s.Both the N.C. State Board of Elections and Democracy North Carolina are working to resolve straight party voting confusion, especially when it comes to voting in a presidential election.Sophomore Erica Young, who voted for the first time ever Tuesday at the Morehead Planetarium, said that even though she didn't have any difficulty understanding the ballot, people could easily misunderstand voting procedures if they weren't explained properly.It is confusing having the president separate from the rest of the ballot"" Young said.The state board mandated this year that instructions on how to vote be passed out at the polls.Other organizations took initiative to create their own voter guides.Ann DeMaine, from the Orange County Democratic Party, stands outside the Morehead Planetarium handing out a sample ballot with the group's preferences.We also have voter guides for people who want to study up on their candidates" she said.Frye said that other counties could have more problems with voting.The question is whether voting is being explained well in other counties" said Frye.Democracy North Carolina has made a statewide voter guide, and the group is taking calls from voters who encounter voting problems to help answer questions.UNC Center for Civil Rights and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law will operate a hotline Nov. 4 for voters to report perceived disenfranchisement.Some positive measures are being taken by state and local elections officials" Hall said.But with about 20000 elections officials working the polls and more than 4 million voters expected this year" we're going to have some human error."" Click here for a sample ballotContact the State & National Editor stntdesk@unc.edu.
(10/21/08 4:00am)
UNC-Charlotte has begun efforts to revitalize the teaching of culture and arts and the role they play in the community.The university will unveil its new College of Arts and Architecture today with presentations by the departments brought together in the new school.Art and art history music theatre and the School of Architecture will all be launched at the opening ceremony.The college which officially opened July 1" has been in the works for the past seven years. UNC-C's Board of Trustees officially announced it this past February.""The basic goals are to bring arts and creative leadership to a more central place in the identity of our university"" said Ken Lambla, dean of the new college.UNC-C Assistant Professor of Art History Jae Emerling said he is excited about the opportunity.By combining the schools it allows for us to look at all aspects of visible culture in a collaborative way"" he said.Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Architecture Lee Gray said there has always been a tradition of collaboration between the creative disciplines on campus. The dance, theater, music and architecture departments already collaborate on an annual performance.As we look forward we realized that having all these units in the same college would provide greater opportunity for us to think about the collaborative efforts" Gray said.Emerling said that the college offers an opportunity to make the teaching of art new again. There is a sense of excitement in how everything can be rethought. It comes with starting new and seeing what works and what doesn't" Emerling said.Lee Keesler, president and CEO of the Arts & Science Council in Charlotte, served on the board that researched the feasibility of the College of Arts and Architecture.One of the things the university wants to do is to connect itself to the community"" Keesler said.The university provides talented students and instructors as well as campus resources, all of which benefit the arts environment of Charlotte, Keesler said.Many other universities are exploring similar programs and expanding into their local communities.Arts do that more effectively than any other discipline"" he said. One of the most important things a university can do is focus on the arts.""Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
(10/07/08 4:00am)
The 65th annual N.C. NAACP convention begins today in Raleigh with an eye turned toward Nov. 4.Entitled Engaging in the Methods of Change: Power" Justice Freedom and the Vote Then and Now" the convention aims to highlight N.C. NAACP's 14-point agenda, as well as the importance of the upcoming election.The agenda addresses key concerns the organization feels are fundamental to the development of North Carolina, including health care, education, the death penalty, rights of workers and the economy.We hope to make an impact" not just as a convention but in policy matters across the state" said the Rev. William Barber, president of the N.C. NAACP.While the NAACP doesn't endorse particular political candidates, it does endorse certain changes implemented through public policy, Barber said.It is about knowing how to exercise political power as a grass-roots civil rights movement.""Barber said the N.C. NAACP plans to stimulate those efforts by seriously evaluating the needs for reform featured at the convention.""Every state is different. What is great about Rev. Barber is" he knows what is going on in his state" said Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP Washington Bureau.It was a long" cumbersome but important process" Barber said of planning for the convention, which will feature presentations by the new NAACP President and CEO Ben Jealous, actor Danny Glover, AT&T; of N.C. President Cynthia G. Marshall, Shelton and others.This year is different because it is an election year"" said Eugene Farrar, president of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP branch.The convention plans to focus on the election and the policy changes it can prompt.We are registering people to get out and vote" to vote early and to vote often" Farrar said. This is one of our most vigorous campaigns ever."" Farrar said he is attempting to reach people and churches by canvassing and holding events such as a pilgrimage march"" which seeks to unite blacks and whites in dismantling the lingering discrimination.Barber also made note of the importance of voting in the upcoming election.""Voting is a civil rights victory. One way or another" this is a historic election" he said. The N.C. NAACP is encouraging people to get to the polls for early voting on Oct. 16 with the Millions Voting March.On a national level, the NAACP is working to get Americans excited about voting before Election Day by implementing an online voter registration process. The initiative has already registered 60,000 people in two weeks. This is an election where the White House is going to change in one way or another"" Shelton said. People have to decide which candidate meets their interests by casting an unfettered vote.""Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
(10/02/08 4:00am)
When Chancellor Holden Thorp headed to the coast Thursday he wasn't there for a beach day. He was there for his fifth stop on a week-long state tour. He visited UNC-Wilmington the N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores and the Institute of Marine Sciences" a satellite campus of UNC-Chapel Hill.His began by meeting with UNC-W's Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo and visiting the UNC-W Center for Marine Science.""It is really an interesting and energetic place. They are really building a campus that is an exciting place for students"" Thorp said.Dana Fischetti, manager of media relations at UNC-W, emphasized the potential for partnership between the two universities.The two schools have always collaborated. Research" academia and administration are areas where we work well together Fischetti said.DePaolo did a similar state tour when she first became chancellor. A trip such as this is a common very good first step to meeting counterparts in the system Fischetti said.Thorp also visited the N.C. Aquarium's marsh site with students from the UNC-CH Institute of Marine Sciences.We hope that Chancellor Thorp can see things firsthand — how the marshes are affected by climate change and development and what we are dealing with on the coast" said institute Director Rick Luettich.While there, Thorp examined different fish, attended a marine sciences lecture and participated in a laser scan to evaluate beach erosion.After three days away from campus it was great to see Carolina students"" Thorp said.Thorp then moved on to the UNC-CH Marine Science Institute in Morehead City, where UNC undergraduate students have the opportunity to learn and experiment in the field of environmental studies.We are really interested in doing everything we can to protect the North Carolina coast. The institute is really visionary"" Thorp said.Students typically spend one day a week conducting field research, two days in class and two days interning with local establishments or taking part in field research. Luettich said that he is thrilled that Thorp is making this trip around the state after holding the position of chancellor for only a few months.The single biggest issue we are interested in is how we can do more for the University and the state"" Luettich said. We are always looking to better ourselves when dealing with the many coastal issues that our institute is not able to address.""Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.