BALANCING
PARALLEL PASSIONS!
Elon graduate student loves photography and physical therapy
ELONTHON: FOR THE KIDS
Elon students raise money and awareness by dancing
24 hours for Duke Children’s Hospital g
The Pendulum
N, NORTH CAROLINA | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011 | VOLUME 37, EDITION 11
Construction
projects impact
Town of Elon
Melissa Kansky
Assistant News Editor
Construction projects throughout the
Town of Elon Influence university students
in addition to Elon residents. Projects are
not restricted to Elon University, but also
involve the Town of Elon and the North
Carolina Department of Transportation.
University projects include The Station
at Mill Point, an expanding Moseley Center,
the Global Village, the Multi-faith Center,
additions to downtown Elon and a renovation
of the newly-named Francis Center.
“The university pretty much let the town
know several years ago that they did not
intend to expand to the maximum it could
and wanted to stay within 6,000 students,"
said Mike Dula, Elon town manager. “Mostly
everything they have built has been on the
property they have owned or next to the
property they have owned.”
University Drive north of campus and
the railroad on south campus represent the
confines of the campus, according to Dula.
Nevertheless the university construction
impacts the town, said Jerry Tolley, mayor
of Elon.
“1 think they'go hand in hand,” he said.
Dula sees the development of downtown
Elon as testament to the connection between
the school and the town.
“The idea was to develop the downtown
where the students will use it and be
welcome to use it, but it wouldn’t just be for
the students,” he said. “1 think that will only
create interest for citizens in the town and
the surrounding areas to visit the Town of
Elon."
The construction on Williamson Avenue
also benefits the town because of the
expected revenue the retail stores will
attract, he said. In previous years, Elon has
been below average in Alamance County in
terms of retail, but Dula said he predicts the
new project will enhance the Town of Elon.
"Anything that generates retail sales, we
get some retail tax off of that," he said. "It's
See CONSTRUCTION I PAGE 2
www.elon.edu/pendulum
Williams leads panel discussion
of national challenges facing
society for spring convocation
HEATHER CASSANO | Photo Editof
Brian Williams, managing editor and anchor at NBC Nightly News, moderated a panel discussion at spring
convocation of pressing national issues including religious extremism, partisanship in politics and fiscal
responsibility. Williams was joined by national leaders David Gergen, David Walker, .Shirley Ann Jackson,
Eboo Patel and David Levin, who each focused his or her responses about a specific theme, from the subject of
education to the issues of national debt. See CONVOCATION full story I PAGE 2
Possible N.C. cell phone ban looks to eliminate handheld talking
Sam Parker
Senior Reporter
North Carolina lawmakers
are debating a ban that would
make talking on cell phones
while driving illegal unless an
individual is using a hands
free device, such as a voice-
activated phone or a Bluetooth.
If passed, the ban would
override North Carolina’s
current cell phone driving
law, which allows individuals
over the age of 18 to use hand
held devices when driving a
vehicle.
The proposed legislation
would still allow individuals
to use handheld devices in
emergency situations, but
if caught using one outside
of an emergency situation,
individuals would face a $100
fine.
Chuck Gantos, director
V.
- rtfi his cell Dhone phone while driving. Lawmakers are
^STbI^°tha" would make these actions illegal, unless a har.ds-^ device is us^
of Elon University s Campus texting
Safety and Police, said cell
phone usage while driving has
not been a huge problem on
Elon's campus, but rather the
problem lies more in students
or talking on their
cell phones and not paying
attention when crossing
walkways.
Gantos said he thinks the
new legislation would prevent
many local fender-benders,
as he has seen problems of
talking while driving more in
off-campus locations, since
students are more prone to
drive instead of walk.
Freshman Kelsey Harris, a
North Carolina native, said she
uses Bluetooth technology in
her own vehicle while driving.
She said she believes the
proposed ban is targeting the
right idea by banning hand
held cell phone usage instead
of restricting both hands-free
and hand-held devices, talking
is allowed but Harris said she
is hesitant about the law’s
potential effectiveness.
“I think, in theory, it will
help,” Harris said. “But I just
feel like the police will have
a hard time catching a lot of
people on their phones because
a lot of people do it, so maybe
it won’t make a big difference
at first, but maybe down the
road it will.”
Talking on hand-held
cell phones is easily visible,
Gantos said, and the proposed
legislation would allow law
enforcement to more easily
ticket reckless drivers using
their cell phones. He said if an
individual is currently caught
and proven guilty in North
Carolina, he or she could face
a fine between $240-280.
Freshman Kimberly
Edwards, a New Jersey resident,
said she is accustomed to
cell phone restrictions while
driving because New Jersey
passed strict legislation
banning hand-held cell phone
use by all drivers three or four
years ago.
“As far as driving is
See PHONES I PAGE 2
• ELON.EDU/PE
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