North Carolina Newspapers

laili) (Jar Mrri HALIFAX FROM PAGE 1 UNC’s help. Past and present problems Early in October, the town hosted Harvest Days, an annual three-day festival on the fields of the old county poorhouse, which was converted to a 4-H center in the 1980s. On one side of the field, food vendors selling pig skins and Polish sausage gave way to bleachers and a rodeo pen. And in the distance, on top of a hill, a camp of Confederate and World War II soldiers prepared to re enact battles. “On a good year, we’ve had thousands of people come out to this, but you can’t do anything about the weather,” said Joe Long, director of the 4-H Rural Life Center, nodding to the thick clouds overhead. Stepping on hay that had been thrown over deep ruts in the muddy earth left by pickups and trailers, he headed for a row of antique tractors parked near a sawmill. Long explained how revolution ary the tractors were for an agricul tural economy and the workings of an old gas-powered sawmill while three men cut boards from pine tree trunks. “My grandfather had a mill just exactly like this, but it was powered by a big steam engine,” he said. “We say history’s a long time ago, but it’s not that far back.” Though the town is happy to showcase its history, Long said Halifax’s future is the local focus. “Probably the biggest problem we have here is education,” he said. “A lot of your good students that go off to college, they stay off.” The educational divide Shawn Guy, a junior informa tion science major at UNC, is one of only 39 students enrolled in the University from Halifax County. His decision to attend UNC was influenced by two outreach pro grams offered by the University. Through Project Uplift, he was able to spend two days touring the campus with minority students from all over the state. Then, during the summer, he participated in Upward Bound, a program that allowed him to stay on campus and take classes for six weeks. He said that he enjoyed growing up there, but that having three edu cational systems divided students and caused a lot of confusion and problems. “Wealthier people in Halifax County usually go to private schools in Halifax County or they go to the Roanoke Rapids school district. “The Roanoke Rapids district is predominantly white, and most people expect it to have corporate sponsors. They have better materi als to start people toward a career ... and probably more opportuni ties because those resources are available.” Guy said most of the county’s minority students are educated in the other two school districts, which aren’t funded as well as the Roanoke Rapids district. Teacher turnover is also a prob lem. Guy said that his high school had to hire on average 25 new teachers a year to replace the ones that left. “A lot of the teachers I found there that were great teachers came from the Teach for America program, but usually they only stay there for their two years,” Guy said. He said he thinks the county should offer teachers more incen tives to stay in the area. Once education in the county improves, more jobs will become available, HALLOWEEN FROM PAGE 1 community. Now in its 33rd year, New York City’s Greenwich Village Halloween Parade is attended by more than two million people. Jeanne Fleming, artistic and producing director for this year’s parade, said the small village activity steadily grew into today’s giant pup pet- and costume-filled parade. She added that the parade works extensively with area college stu dents who want to run public events or sign up as volunteers. Alexandra Palmer, a sopho more at New York University who attended the parade last year, said that while some of the actions at the parade might not always be family-appropriate, the event is a visually stimulating experience. “A lot of people from Greenwich Village come out,” she said. “It real ly is a village thing that we all look forward to.” For these reasons Fleming said she considers Halloween the true national holiday. “It’s a holiday of the heart,” she said. “You don’t have to go home to your family to be with your new family.” Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu. | laiSfa j 111. j’TWjjk- |jv 1H ! 11 1 \ jiO DTH/JOE COUEVECCHIO Henry Clay, a provost guard in the army of Northern Virginia, stirs beans during a reenactment during Halifax's Harvest Days festival. attracting college graduates to the county. “I plan to move away,” he said, laughing. “I plan to move to an area where there are more oppor tunities for me in my field.” The county has lost 5,000 man ufacturing jobs in the last 10 years as industry has moved overseas. Recently, farmers have stopped planting peanuts, once a major crop in the area, because cheap er shipments from China have depressed prices so much they are no longer profitable. Building a brighter future In an old barn near a restored farmhouse, J. Rives Manning Jr. walked among old cotton plant ers and drying tobacco displays. Manning, a Halifax County com missioner, stopped in front of a black-and-white picture of the Davie house and crossed his arms. “We have educated a lot of peo ple that have gone on to bigger and better things,” he said. “Too often we can’t get them to come back. That’s why we need the industry. “I think we’re on the threshold of taking off,” Manning said. “We’re going to see the growth in eastern North Carolina that we saw in the Piedmont.” Cannon fire from the Confederate camp punctuated his words, but he didn’t flinch as the concussions echoed across the field. “We have good transportation,” Manning said. “We have railroads. We have adequate water. We have adequate sewage. We have a natu ral gas line. I feel like we have an awful lot going for us. And we have good leaders that can make it hap pen.” He said the county is building even more infrastructure in an attempt to attract more industry; the problem is finding enough money to complete the projects. The county is severely ham pered by the state’s requirement that it supply a portion of its residents’ Medicaid payments, he said. North Carolina is the only state that makes counties pay a portion of Medicaid. For Halifax, Cv, - * wj||!|M| SMoku Mato* for free. games wBP pRIZBUDOkK Sudoku To p|a y. c °m piete i . the grid so that a' 'j 2 6 5 every 3x3 * 3oX ' row 2 the digits 1 to 9. —— Just use logic to 6 9 8 3 solve. No number is —— repeated in any col- O 4 umn, row or box. "7 Solution to Friday's — § 1 7! 4 j_Blll9 j 516 2 3 ft Q 162974 3 158 23845 1 3 7 6812945 _ _ £ 981 3514762 7ft1254 9 6 7 8 3 1 i U §862439517 ft A O A | 4 9 3 5 7 1 2 8 6 u I I 1 I I° I I KIS 1 712 8 613 9 4 THE Daily Crossword Edited by Wayne Robert Williams ACROSS 1 Existed once 4 Cable market news org. 8 Los NM 14 Clay, nowadays 15 Ethereal 16 FDR center 17 Practical joke 18 Distinct mus. tones 19 Actor Coleman ' 20 Dundee denial 22 Golden oldie 24 Bailey or Buck 26 Asian holiday 27 Carbon compounds 30 2000 British film, "Billy 32 Egyptian god of plea sure 34 Melville's "Typee" sequel 35 Lumberman's tool 36 Trigger's lunch 38 Cpl. aspirant 39 Protectors of Gotham City 42 Spanish uncle 43 Vegas machine 44 Singers John and Bonnie 46 Money every thing! 48 Ulna site 49 Main or Maple 50 Medley meals 52 Extinct bird 54 Gull cousins 55 Marine facilities 57 Work unit 58 Charles de 60 Latin way 62 Nest-egg $ 65 Martini garnishes 66 Queue 67 Stimpy's cartoon buddy 68 Bear witness 69 Art print, briefly 70 Destiny DOWN 1 Tail wiggle 2 Carte preceder 3 Three Bats 4 Lawyers' burdens 5 Hoops event 6 Leaflike plant part 7 Three Bats 8 Piles on 9 Period of tenancy 10 Unpigmented 11 Three Bats c l A l ß l ß l l l A l G l E HM s l T l A l F f r [ l O L E A N D E Blf EASES A £ TA I N S||R ARE S T J A I | S E E s|a R O u sTe ±£Ai.l U n I W T EN□ E R NO£AD|ANDE.R s o n s ® 8.1 Si 6E.a.1 Hi il S E A S LUg|mX.SH.APS 11111 m Ml I c ii 15. M. 1 N A V A H o|h A Y j L XM a GNOMOnHaP E O B S I P I £ IJL JL e H s 111*111 LADLE b|t R 1 P W T B E aislslelslsHelslslelnlcleTs From Page One that amounts to about $5 million a year. “What could $5 million do for a small county?” he said. “A lot. Somehow or another, we need to get Medicaid funded.” Manning said he thinks the state should pass a half-percentage sales tax increase that will go strictly to funding Medicaid. “That is one place that the state can help Halifax County, and every other small county in North Carolina,” he said. “Help us convince Sen. Tony Rand and the other senators to relieve the coun ties of the Medicaid burden.” Manning also said the county lacks private and industrial invest ment. “We need money; we need UNC alumni’s money to help restore that home,” he said, pointing to the photograph of the Davie house. “They have to remember that he was a father of the University. This is not a tree that can die on the Chapel Hill campus. This is a living house.” Manning said the county is open to any suggestions as to what it can do to fuel growth. Anita Brown-Graham, a pro fessor in the UNC School of Government, co-authored a paper in September 2002 that evaluated the economic competitiveness of Halifax County and three other economically stifled counties. “The issues that prevailed (in 2002) continue,” Brown-Graham said. “Ultimately, that’s what it takes, an infusion of private invest ment in these counties. “The real stressor for us is North Carolina is recognizing the stub bornness of poverty in these com munities,” she said. The October festival celebrated Halifax County’s wealth of history, talent and potential. Long said he thinks reviving Halifax’s economy will not be much different than organizing the festival. “What it takes is teamwork,” he said. “Everyone working together, just like this festival. Everyone working together to get on one page.” Contact the State £? National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu. 12 The lonliest number 13 Salty sauce 21 Turn up 23 Mr. T's outfit 24 MPH part 25 Snob 28 Islands in the Norwegian Sea 29 Part of SSA 31 Choreographer Tharp 33 Mixes 37 Disseminator 40 Sally Field movie," Rae" 2 r“Bp 15 16 [7-H |9 10 111 112 113 ~ ~ “jUtiT" “ K ‘ 2* 25 BE _ 2O 29 30 ' 3^ _ Hp.f s^BBTs Ijjjlp " ~ 40 42 hmhs gnn ™ 46 "””"■■49 “ 50 " S^TMIS4 ■Hi” uMHS 58 59 “ 61 ■■pF - ’ 63 64 _—- - - ■ Miw," ■ ~ _ “““ "" |B'69“ “ jB/T* “ PAGEANT FROM PAGE t Floyd, a journalism major from Dallas, N.C., and a Carolina Week reporter, has competed in pag eants since 10th grade. She’s been crowned Miss Gastonia 2005 and Miss Charlotte 2006. But not all of this weekend’s contestants have a crown collec tion at home. According to pageant rules, the only requirements to enter are that contestants must never have been married or given birth, need to be residents or full-time N.C. college students and are between the ages oflßand26. This weekend was Nunley’s first pageant. “I wanted to become Miss North Carolina so that I could be a role model for young girls in North Carolina and hopefully get a chance to be a role model for girls nation ally” she said. “Usually in mainstream media you see one kind of generic type of beauty, and I just wanted to change that,” she said. Competing does not come cheap. Each contestant raised about SI,OOO for entry fees and paid for outfits, makeup, accessories and professional photos. Some hired coaches and fitness trainers. “It’s real expensive, but when you look at it, the experience you get from it, it’s worthwhile,” Nunley said. Money was not the only cost. For months Nunley went to the gym three times a week and attend ed aerobics classes twice a week. Floyd wore ankle weights to class and cut back on her Facebook.com and instant messenger time to pre pare for the pageant, she said. In the dressing room after the competition, she munched on a Peppermint Pattie and complained that her 5-inch heels cut off circu lation to her toes. All of this in pursuit of a state title and package of goodies, includ ing free cosmetic dentistry, casting opportunities and a full scholarship to High Point University. And then there’s the ultimate prize: A chance to win the 2007 Miss USA pageant. Contestants were judged in three categories swimsuit, evening gown and personal interview. A panel of five judges chose the winner. “You are looking for the total package,” said judge Gervase Peterson, a former “Survivor” star who now spends some of his time judging pageants in Louisiana, Minnesota and North Carolina. “If you don’t look good in your bathing suit then that is harder to work with,” he said. “That’s what pageants are about your looks.” But Floyd took a different stance during her 90-second on-stage interview. “Your inner beauty is what actu ally makes you beautiful on the outside, so that’s what’s real impor tant to me.” Contact the Features Editor atfeatures@unc.edu. Senior steps Senior class officers assess their platform progress at the midpoint of their terms. See pg. 3 for story. Radio stars Smith Middle School students launch a radio show with music and news. See pg. 4 for story. Tenure tracks Study shows a gap between the number of men and women in pro fessorships. See pg. 6 for stoiy. Mixed music A student-led project seeks to compile a CD of local music acts. See pg. 7 for story. Pressed power A report states that press free dom in the U.S. has decreased. See pg. 7 for story. (C)2006 Tribune Media Services. Inc. All rights reserved. 41 Even more calamitous 42 Shakespearean con traction 45 Ave. crossers 47 A dozen 51 Marketing figure 53 Mr. Addams on TV 56 For fear that 58 Himalayan gazelle 59 Keyboard key 61 Largest part of the U.K. 63 Auto pioneer's initials 64 Tiny colony critter MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2006 Wf KJm K I DTH/SIMONWESCHIE Board of Elections chairman Jim Brewer (center) confers with Student Attorney General Candace Debnam at a Supreme Court hearing Sunday. SUPREME COURT FROM PAGE 1 the district three violation because the breach was found prior to the end of the campaign, unlike the district sue problem, which wasn’t discovered until after votes were cast. “Since there was no way to sanc tion the violation before the end of the election, there’s no way to know how votes would have been affected,” she said. Jim Brewer, chairman of the elections board, said the board couldn’t certify one seat in the dis trict six election but not the other, per McLamb’s request. He cited the 2005 case in which The Daily Tar Heel filed a com plaint against the elections board. In that case, the court ruled that each district’s election stands on its own as a complete unit. “A re-election can only be held if the results of a previous election are voided," Brewer said not just the results for one of the two seats. In the second case, the elec tions board argued that Congress’ Facebook Protection Act is illegal on three counts. Elections board member Kris Gould argued the board’s first point, stating that the passage of the bill represented an interpre tive act —and that interpreting the Code is a power reserved for bodies such as the elections board, not Congress. “What they said is that Facebook Brand New 20 Bed Salon, Largest in the A'"" 1 • Open 7 Days,, Week • UNC Students show your DESIGNER SKIN UNC ID for a discount Sclcfi&e Salo#t 105 A Rams Plaza • 968-3377 f Chill with ijour £rien<)s! 'freshltj 'Tossed Salads! > rcsse ©rinWs! '/ ? + A / / I Pastries! ! / f=>ff 213 W - Franklin Street | J -l —f fTjL Just in front of Granville Towers j phone _ 929-9189 /TV' Tj * 1 / /"pVTV Fax - 929-9186 l\ / ,4 —\v-f j Mon-Thurs6:3oam-9pm Fri/Sat 6:3oam-10pm i I I \ | Sunday 7:3oam-9pm | 'free §agel | j Save 3 1.00 j j With purchase of j j On any ______ j j any Espresso Drink. j j Sandwich. j I.C. Drink, or | j Salad or \ Hot Chocolate. ! ! "You-Pick-Two.' ! I ! ! J Valid at Pancra Breed locations in the Triangle. J J Valid at Pancra Bread locations in the Triangle. } j Valid through November 6,2006. j j Valid through November 6,2006. is not a Web page," Gould said. “They do not have that power.” The second point of the elec tions board’s case was presented by Debnam, who argued that Congress should have appealed the board’s decision rather than pass ing legislation to circumvent it. “Congress knew what they should have done and chose not to do it,” she said. Brewer argued that the bill undermines the board’s authority and ability to hold fair elections. Gould, Debnam and Brewer played audio clips from Congress meetings to support their points that members were aware that they were committing an inter pretive act and knowingly decided not to address the board s decision through the proper channels. Congress Speaker Luke Farley defended the body’s actions. “Was this interpretive in nature? No bills are not interpretive, they are interpreted,” he said. “An incorrect appeal? No Congress conducted oversight, and from that oversight wrote the bill. “Congress recognized that the interpretation of the board was cor rect and recognized the only way to change that was to write a bill.” The Court said it would release its written opinion on the McLamb case at noon today and issue a ver dict in the Congress case in the coming days. Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu. 5