The online music industry could be facing yet another bump in the saga to determine rights and fees. The Copyright Royalty Board recently called for a substantial increase in sound-recording royalties paid by Internet radio services, bringing into question the future of online radio.
Michael Nifong, who last year charged three former Duke University lacrosse players with rape, issued a much-demanded apology Thursday. "To the extent that I made judgments that ultimately proved to be incorrect, I apologize to the three students that were wrongly accused,'' said Nifong, Durham County district attorney. The admission of faulty judgment came one day after state Attorney General Roy Cooper dropped the remaining charges of kidnapping and sexual assault against the athletes.
When Jim Dickens, a Rocky Mount businessman, printed and distributed "UNC-Rocky Mount" bumper stickers in the fall, he was certain that his town soon would enjoy the educational and economic benefits of a UNC-system school. Dickens has pushed for the conversion of N.C. Wesleyan College into the 17th UNC-system school for years, so he was disappointed when a state-appointed study committee issued a report Monday rejecting the proposal. "I think if we had a university here, we could have people to lift the overall soul of the area," he said.
DURHAM - A crowd of about 800 gathered Tuesday at N.C. Central University for a tribute to the life of Benjamin Ruffin, the first black chairman of the UNC-system Board of Governors and an NCCU graduate. Ruffin died in December. The tribute was held in B.N. Duke Auditorium and was followed by the naming ceremony of the Benjamin S. Ruffin Residence Hall. Formerly known as the New Baynes Residence Hall, the building opened in fall 2005 and cost $15 million to construct.
Traditional rose bouquets, chocolates and heartfelt greeting cards, step aside. This Valentine's Day, companies are targeting the single, cynical market, contesting the idea that Feb. 14 is just a day for romantic couples. Frank Cirillo, public relations specialist with American Greetings, a greeting card company, said the U.S. Census Bureau reported that the number of married couples has declined by about 2 percent in the past year, and that America is home to nearly 96 million singles.
The U.S. House this week will vote on a bill that could cut interest rates on undergraduate Stafford Loans in half within the next five years. Stafford Loans, aimed at middle-income students and families, are paid for by the federal government. Shirley Ort, director of the office of scholarships and student aid, said about one-third of UNC students take advantage of the loans. "We realize that the bill will help a lot of students," she said. "And it's important to send a message to Congress that we are willing to do anything to help our students."
When pilots are fatigued, communication isn't clear, teamwork breaks down and important procedures aren't followed - sometimes with disastrous results. Hospitals face many of the same obstacles, which is why, three years ago, UNC Hospitals hired Celeste Mayer, an active pilot, to fulfill the role of patient safety officer. "Aviation has a well-established reporting system that is similar to ours in the UNC Health Care system," Mayer said.
Health care in the state is on the verge of a breakdown, said one Orange County legislator. Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, gave a presentation Tuesday in the UNC Michael Hooker Research Center about the priorities and issues of health care policy. She presented her ideas to about 50 college students during a class. Kinnaird has served four terms in the N.C. legislature advocating for education, the environment and campaign finance reform and is up for re-election in the November midterm.
Four openly gay college students wouldn't take no for an answer Thursday morning when they were refused enlistment into the Army. The students conducted a sit-in at the Greensboro Army Recruitment Center. Three of the four, Matthew Comer, Jessica Arvidson and Alexandria Nini, were arrested and charged with second-degree trespassing. The fourth demonstrator, Stacey Booe, left when the police threatened arrest. "We cannot push anyone into doing something that they are not comfortable with," said Comer, Greensboro's Soulforce organizer.
