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Here is a sampling of links and notes about Carolina people and programs cited recently in the media:

International Coverage

Airport business poised to take off
The Vancouver Sun (Canada)

…John Kasarda, a professor at the University of North Carolina and co-author of the new book Aerotropolis: The Way We'll Live Next, said a new "urban form" of airports is appearing around the world, sometimes stretching up to 30 kilometres from the runways, acting as a powerful engine for economic development in planned smart, sustainable growth. "The aerotropolis consists of an airport city and outlying corridors and clusters of aviation-linked businesses and associated residential development," he wrote on www.aerotropolis.com.

National Coverage

Postpartum Depression Clinic The First Of Its Kind
"Weekend Edition" National Public Radio

…After childbirth, most new moms will experience some form of the "baby blues." For some women, those feelings persist and turn into postpartum depression – a serious condition that can lead to hospitalization and more. On Monday, a University of North Carolina hospital in Chapel Hill will open the country's first free-standing perinatal psychiatry unit. It's hoped the new clinic and those that follow may prevent Bruno's experience from happening to other mothers.

One Word Can Save Your Life: No!
Newsweek

…It turns out that the big blockages that show up on CT scans and other imaging, and that were long assumed to cause heart attacks, usually don’t—but treating them can. That’s because when you disrupt these blockages through surgery, you “spray a whole lot of debris down into the tiny blood vessels, which can trigger a heart attack or stroke,” says Nortin Hadler, a professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina, whose book on overtreatment in the elderly, Rethinking Aging, will be published next month.

Guest Post: When Patients Can't Afford a Medication
Forbes

Editor’s Note: The following guest post by Beth Waldron is reprinted with permission from ClotConnect, a valuable resource for patients about blood clots and clotting disorders. Waldron is the program director of the UNC-Chapel Hill Blood Clot Outreach Program.

Scientists find early traces of wood structure in plants
The Los Angeles Times

The oldest traces of simple wood have been identified in small fossil plants dating from the early Devonian period, about 400 million years ago. Before this, scientists who study fossil plants hadn't thought that plants developed wood-like structures, or secondary xylem, until millions of years later when their stems reached nearly a centimeter in diameter, said study coauthor Patricia Gensel of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Inside the List (Book Review)
The New York Times

Can a peaceable literary vegetarian from Brooklyn bring together what a bloody Southern basketball rivalry has torn asunder? That was surely the hope of administrators at Duke and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, when they chose Jonathan Safran Foer’s “Eating Animals” as the joint summer reading for this fall’s incoming freshmen. So far, the carnivore-unfriendly choice does not seem to have elicited any complaints from the local barbecue industry, though the state’s educators have courted controversy before.

Did Her Hormones Make Her Do It?
The Chronicle of Higher Education

…Biology, of course, can be a fighting word among social psychologists. Ask Diana S. Fleischman, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "When I was an undergraduate," Fleischman says, "I mentioned evolutionary psychology in a social-psychology class, and the professor said, 'Those people are idiots. They say that men prefer to see women in high heels because they think it will be easier to knock them over and impregnate them.'"

Regional Coverage

Rural areas' lack of sidewalks fueling obesity problems
The Tampa Tribune (Florida)

…How neighborhoods are designed influences people's walking, bicycling and jogging habits, according to a University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill study published in December. In rural areas, the more those long, country roads connect, the more people exercise outside, the study concluded.

Experts say proposed Ivanpah airport could become cargo base
The Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada)

…Air cargo not only facilitates trade, it creates trade and helps drive a nation's business competitiveness and economic advancement, said John Kasarda, an expert on international trade and director of Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise at the University of North Carolina. "Airports will shape business location and urban development in the 21st century as much as highways did in the 20th century, railroads in the 19th century and seaports in the 18th century," Kasarda said.

Bridge to somewhere: Eastern Arkansas town plots a path to prosperity
The Anniston Star (Alabama)

…In 2008 the project was one of 45 small-town improvement strategies profiled by a University of North Carolina study titled Small Towns, Big Ideas. The study’s authors cited Delta Bridge’s inclusive planning and implementation process as a reason for its success and a lesson for other communities. “The value of a community or strategic plan or vision document depends entirely on the extent to which a truly representative sample of the community is involved in creating the plan,” the study’s authors wrote. “Plans that are created by a subset of any community are destined to affect only the subset involved in its creation.”
Related Link:
http://annistonstar.com/bookmark/15070872-Bob-Davis-Lessons-from-Arkansas-and- North-
Carolina-%E2%80%94%C2%A0Is-this-region-ready-to-
grow-its-economy-by-playing-nice-

Does Purdue's $4.2 million flip-flop on coal plant prove costly or save millions?
The Journal and Courier (Lafayette, Ind.)

…Since 2007 more than 60 proposed coal plants have been canceled or put on hold and some universities have pledged to stop using coal. Last year University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced it will end its use of coal in the next decade and the Missouri University of Science and Technology is replacing its coal-fired boilers on campus with a biomass.

Attitude key to athletic performance (Column)
The Free Press (Mankato, Minn.)

…The science behind the power of this shift is clear. In her book “Positivity,” Barbara Fredrickson talks about the science of positive thoughts and emotions on performance. After years of research in her lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she arrived at what she calls “the positivity ratio.” This 3-to-1 ratio — three positive emotions to one negative emotion — is the point where we flourish. If this ratio is off balance, we can go into a downward spiral.

Ready for DIY soda?
The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.)

The do-it-yourself culture has inspired us to do things we never used to do. Maybe it’s the economy, or the green revolution, but there was a time when we didn’t make cabinets out of old warehouse pallets or create lamps with empty wine bottles. …But soda? Are we really making our own soda now? …Indeed, we do drink a lot of soda. A University of North Carolina study pegged the number at 50 gallons per person per year on average.

State and Local Coverage

UNC Makes Forbes 'Best Buy' List
WCHL 1360-AM (Chapel Hill)

Despite recent budget cuts, UNC still ranks among the nation’s most affordable public universities. That’s according to Forbes Magazine, which ranked UNC-Chapel Hill #12 on its list of the top 100 Best Buy Colleges in the U.S. In fact the entire UNC system ranked exceptionally well: of the 15 colleges in the UNC system, eight made the top 35.

Community effort needed for safer football (Editorial)
The Winston-Salem Journal

…The July 30 event, organized by the Matthew Gfeller Foundation along with Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Wake Forest University, Virginia Tech and UNC Chapel Hill, was a gathering of football players, medical researchers, medical staff, helmet manufacturers and former NFL players and coaches, the Journal's Jacob Carah reported. Their goal was to educate local high-school football players on ways to prevent traumatic brain injuries.

Durham developer takes post at UNC
The Herald-Sun (Durham)

The UNC School of Government has named Durham developer Michael Lemanski director of its new Development Finance Initiative. The initiative is funded with a $1 million grant from Local Government Federal Credit Union and will create opportunities for economically distressed communities in North Carolina by increasing their access to and use of innovative development finance instruments.
Related Link:
http://www.wral.com/business/briefs/story/9993385/
http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2011/08/12/greenfires-lemanski-takes-unc-post.html

Triangle patients feel national drug shortages
The News & Observer (Raleigh)

…"I don't have any specific case where I can say that has happened, but that's obviously our fear," said Dr. Thomas Shea, a professor of medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill and director of the bone marrow transplant program at UNC's Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. "There are clearly some drugs that we use in settings where we are hoping to cure people, and the drug we want to use is either in short supply or not available, and we've had to change schedules on folks or wait for a shipment to come in."

WakeMed still waiting for word on REX merger
The North Carolina News Network

WakeMed Hospital has not changed its mind on a decision to try and acquire REX Hospital. Right now, WakeMed is in wait-and-see mode while the University of North Carolina system's leaders look over the offer.

Good reading for nurturing your business
The News & Observer (Raleigh)

…To find a seminar that best suits your needs, my best recommendation would be to simply look at the advertisements in Family Business Magazine. At the top end would be university-based programs. For executive education the three that stand out are at Harvard, Northwestern and Kennesaw State University, just down the road in Georgia. Internationally, the programs at IMD and INSEAD are world renowned. On a smaller scale, UNC-Chapel Hill offers a couple of family business classes to its undergrad students.

Culture, language, country of origin vary greatly among Forsyth County's Hispanic population
The Winston-Salem Journal

…In North Carolina, the percentage is not as high. Most Hispanic children are U.S. citizens, and more than 55 percent of all Hispanics in North Carolina are authorized to be in the United States, according estimates from a 2006 study on Hispanic immigration by UNC Chapel Hill's business school.

Coping with back-to-school anxiety (Column)
The Herald-Sun (Durham)

On your child’s first day of school, he or she may worry about getting lost. Or that it will be hard to find a locker. That the new teacher will be mean. Or that something will happen to Mom or Dad during school. Such anxieties are normal and common among children, said Karen Poulos, an associate professor of psychiatry and director of the child and adolescent psychiatry residency program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.

Are North Carolina colleges best in the U.S.? (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The Herald-Sun (Durham)

…North Carolina schools rank quite favorably in Forbes when compared to the rest of the United States (see table below). Nineteen schools from North Carolina make the Forbes List of the top 650 colleges. The Tarheel State places 4 schools, all within 135 miles of each other, in the top 100 overall. Duke University, Davidson College, the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Wake Forest University all rank exceptionally well in student rated instruction quality and student retention, among other areas.

Official figures give false picture of state's poverty (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The Durham News

When you hear the word "poor," what comes to mind? A person without food, shelter, living in squalor? "Poor" has become a visceral, almost insulting term, but that has not always been the case. (Maureen Berner is a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Government.)

UNC Organization Exhibition To Go Mobile
WCHL 1360-AM (Chapel Hill)

A local organization devoted to ending sexual violence is taking one of its exhibitions on the road, thanks to a grant from Verizon Wireless. Sherene Salahshoor is a recent UNC graduate and former member and co-chair of the campus organization called Project Dinah. She says the club’s members are working on taking an exhibit entitled “Survivor Stories: These are Our Voices,” beyond Chapel Hill.

Basketball stars set to shine on the dance floor
The Chapel Hill Herald

…The main event will be a “Dancing with the Stars” style competition that will include Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue; chairwoman of the UNC faculty, Jan Boxill; Miss UNC 2010-11 Monica Doyle; Carolina’s assistant women’s soccer coach Chris Ducar; the mother of UNC basketball star Marcus Ginyard, Annise Ginyard; assistant Carolina men’s basketball coach C.B. McGrath; and Lisa Williams, wife of Carolina football assistant coach Charlie Williams.

Issues and Trends

Politics aside, UNC board sets positive tone
The News & Observer (Raleigh)

North Carolina's public universities will welcome tens of thousands of students later this month, even as they slash jobs and drop academic courses. Plenty of tough calls lie ahead, as the system cuts $414 million in state funding this year and leaders forge a future for public higher education in a new economic reality. Against that backdrop, the university's new decision-makers were sworn in this week, resulting in a Republican majority on the UNC Board of Governors, the body that sets tuition and makes policy for the 17-campus system.

Trustees name new Board of Visitors
The Herald-Sun (Durham)

A new class of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni and friends began their terms this summer on the UNC Board of Visitors, one of the most active volunteer groups at the university. The approximately 160 members of the board assist the Board of Trustees and chancellor in a range of activities that help advance the university, including marketing, top student recruitment, government relations and fund raising.

UNC Asheville enrollment drop blamed on tough economy
The Citizen-Times (Asheville)

More students having trouble paying for college in a tough economy has led to a drop in projected enrollment at UNC Asheville, school officials say. The school expects to have about 3,700 students on campus when classes start Aug. 22, down from 3,765 last year.

NCSSM donors team up to blunt cuts
The Herald-Sun (Durham)

aced with an 8.4 percent reduction in state funding — albeit the least among the 17 campuses of the UNC system — N.C. School of Science and Mathematics faced some tough decisions in making ends meet for the 2011-12 school year. Making those decisions less numerous was unprecedented private support from the school community in the recently ended fiscal year — about $950,000 in unrestricted giving, up from about $300,000-$400,000 several years ago, said Brock Winslow, NCSSM's vice chancellor for institutional advancement.

Football Coverage

UNC task force seeks academic, athletics balance
The Chapel Hill Herald

A UNC System task force believes the system’s 16 member schools will find it increasingly more difficult to balance athletics and academics because of the money and prestige associated with successful programs. Steve Ballard, the chancellor at East Carolina University who chaired the 13-member committee, told members of the UNC Board of Governors on Thursday that the pressures on athletic programs throughout the system will continue to grow.

Bill Friday scores NCAA victory on grades and games
The News & Observer (Raleigh)

Last week, some ideas championed for years by former UNC System President William Friday were implemented by the NCAA. As college sports increasingly became a big business driven by TV and coaches' salaries escalated, Friday often warned of a dangerous shift away from the academic mission of the universities. The events of last week left Friday hopeful that the pendulum is swinging back toward academics. …North Carolina Chancellor Holden Thorp, who attended the meeting, said the presidents were serious about the steps (NCAA President Mark) Emmert is taking to fix college athletics.

Signal-callers for big-time football (Column)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)

We rise in defense, as it were, of some folks for whom those of us not enthralled with big-time college sports don't often nourish much sympathy – the coaches who endeavor to lead our vaunted Blue Wolfheels to glory and who make a mint in the process. Who comes quickly to mind? Why, it could well be Butch Davis. Certainly a bright, ambitious and hard-working man, knowledgeable in his trade – that of coaching football teams to win.

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