Vol. No. 1
October 2005
Elizabeth City, North Carolina
New Orleans evacuee attends ECSU
Hurricane Katrina’s Devastation
By Keria Miller
Staff Writer
Katrina, one of the most
devastating storms in recent
history, is said to be the most
drastic incident that has
happened in the United States
since 9/11. Katrina was the
eleventh named tropical storm,
fourth hurricane, and third major
hurricane.
Warnings and alerts
were announced to the world
when the hurricane was a
category one, and by August
29, at 7:00pm,Katrina reached
^ a category five, destroying
■1
everything in its path with winds
of 160 mph .
The Bahamas, South
Florida, Louisiana, New
Orleans, Mississippi, Alabama,
Florida Panhandle, most of
Texas, and most of Eastern North
America have been affected.
Many areas were left flooded,
houses were destroyed, and total
damages were estimated as high
as $200 billion.
Katrina left people with
no choice, other than to evacuate
and stay with a friend or close
relative. Some of the victims
from the hurricane are staying in
shelters, colleges, and stadiums;
most people didn’t want to leave
behind their homes because it
was all they knew. Family
members, waited around, hpping
to find missing relatives, who
were lost from the storm.
Katrina left many homeless,
missing, and killed; there were
more than 1,204 deaths and the
total is still rising.
Antwanette Degree, an
evacuee, now attending
Elizabeth City State University,
is from Aliegies, New Orleans.
Degree and her family lost their
home and everything they
owned.
“It’s hard to stay
focused when you’re used to
living in a place all of your life
and not being around my family,
but I feel it is very important. My
mother keeps me focused and
gives me the ability to keep
going,” she says.
Antwanette‘s family is still in
New Orleans with nowhere to
go. Her family is going from state
to state to different hotels.
?-2e
* jT' ,
Antwanette Degree
“....I was devastated. I
didn’t know what to do
next”
After the hurricane, Degree and
her family stayed home. They
were then forced to leave, so they
Antwanette Degree (right) and friend Shante Branch are both evacuees from New Orleans
Degree is staying with her supplies, and all kinds of games
stayed in a shelter for eight days. shante Branch and her to keep everyone entertained.
After being forced to leave, family, she says, she loves Rescuers are out on boats every
moving from place to place, school, the environment, the to find missing people.
hungry, and with little money, people, and she plans to There are concerts, football
Antwanette and her family slept Elizabeth City. games, movies, and many other
in her family’s four-door car for People in the United events around the US being held
two days. “My family and I States are doing whatever they that are donating percentages of
couldn’t find each other for three contribute, and their whatever is made. All over the
weeks; I was devastated. I didn’t progress is slowly getting things world people are working
know what to do next. If it back to normal. Many people are together, so that they can return
weren’t for my friend I don’t helping out by give donations; to a normal life as quickly as
whpt TM ” such as clothes, shoes, school possible
Accident claims the life of
ECSU student,
injures another
By Kimberly Lilly
Editor-in-chief
On Wednesday,
September 14, as residences
closed and classes were
canceled, a car accident claimed
the life of our own Jynetty Allen,
while traveling to her home in
Raleigh, NC.
The accident took place
in Zebulon NC, around 4:15pm
while rains from an expected
hurricane Ophelia hit the area.
According to a news
report,troopers say “the driver of
the SUV, lost control and crashed
into a tree on highway 64.”
Driver Renauldo Hilliard, also an
ECSU student, thankfully
survived.
On the website of the
mortuary that held Allen’s
funeral service, members of the
Viking family such as instructors
and students left notes of
condolences to the family.
One of Allen’s
professors Ms. Jordan wrote:
“Dear Allen Family, My
prayers are with you. I was
jynette’s Composition &
Literature I instructor during her
first year at ECSU. Truly my
heart was touched to hear of your
loss and heaven’s gain. A mature
freshman, I admired her focus on
faith, her goals, and her family.
Ecclesiastes,tells us to
‘Remember now thy Creator in
the days of thy youth...’ Though
God does not always reveal
“why” things happen, I thank
God that you raised Jynette to
confidently know Christ at a
young age. As you are
strengthened, please join me in
praying for students and the
young & old that remain, that
they would remember their
creator and pursue a relationship
with Christ while they still have
time. We love you and are truly
praying for Christ’s peace to
surround you each and every day.
With Love & Prayers, Ms. L.
Jordan.”
Notes of condolences
were also left on behalf of the
ECSU cheerleading squad,
women’s basketball team,
WRVS 89.9, and the Viking
Family. Student Shawanya
Ebron wrote: “I was and still am
saddened by the loss of a fellow
student at ECSU.
Even though I didn’t
have a personal relationship with
Jynette, I did see her around. I
mourn with you and your family.
Look to the hills from which
cometh your help. Your help
cometh from the Lord.
Remember there is no sadness
heaven can’t heal. You are in my
prayers.”
After returning to
school, many students attended
a Candlelight Ceremony in
memory of Allen. During the
ceremony. Miss Elizabeth City
State University, Carleta Ricks,
sang a song, to show her
respects. Direct causes of the
accident are yet to be known,
Jaynette Allen was 19 years old.
ECSU reveals economic impact study:
$100 million annually infused into north
eastern North Carolina
By Kesha Williams
Elizabeth City State
University held a press
conference at 11 a.m., October
4, 2005 at the K. E. White
Graduate Center to reveal new
findings from an economic
impact study conducted by the
law firm of Holt, York, McDarris
& High, now known as Smith
Moore LLP, in Raleigh, North
Carolina.
ECSU Chancellor
Mickey L. Bumim and Attorney
Clyde Holt III of Smith Moore
LLP introduced the study and
presented key figures from the
ECSU Board of Trustees, the
ECStJ Foundation, area
government agencies and
surrounding organizations
involved in economic
development and commerce.
Chancellor Bumim and Attorney
Hol,t elaborated on the study that
revealed the major economic
impact ECSU has on
northeastern North Carolina.
Some of the points the economic
impact study addresses includes.
ECSU directly spends more
than $45 million annually
through its operating budget in
the Albemarle area, a rate that
exceeds any other single
business or institution.
In addition to the $45 million,
additional funds are invested in
capital projects.
Elizabeth City State
University’s direct and indirect
or “domino effect” impact on the
region’s economy is estimated at
more than $100 million.
ECSU students, alumni, visitors
and employees spend additional
money in regional cities and
towns. Those funds contribute to
local and state economies.
“....direct and indirect
or domino effect impact
on the region’s economy is
estimated at more than
$100 million.”
ECSU is one of the top
three employers. In addition, the
university creates hundreds of
jobs through contracts and
. partnerships.
As the only public
institution in the region offering
baccalaureate and master’s
degrees, and a doctor of
pharmacy degree program in
collaboration with UNC-Chapel
Hill, ECSU is a major source of
research and development. Area
government, non-profit and
commercial businesses and
individuals benefit from that
research.
During the press
conference. Chancellor Bumim
and other officials commented
on the ways the study will be
used to strengthen current
relationships and establish new
partnerships to enhance
economic development in the 21
surrounding counties.