Technician
wednesday march
14 2012
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
Raleigh increases sustainability efforts downtown With an amped up sustainability effort, Raleigh welcomes an urban garden Shawn Thompson Staff Writer
Downtown Raleigh will welcome its first urban garden, as Raleigh City Farm begins converting vacated downtown space into farmland. The urban farm will be located on a one-acre lot on the corner of Franklin and Blount Street. This location will give the community access to local produce, and also increase awareness and knowledge of the benefits of producing and consuming food from a local environment.
Not only will the farm give visitors a chance to purchase fresh food, but it will also serve as a new resource for local residents to learn about growing their own produce through demonstration growing techniques. The emphasis is on a ‘restorative and local food system’. “Because I don’t have a meal plan, I normally purchase my food from Harris Teeter or the Farmers Market when I get a chance, but having an additional resource to buy fresh produce is great,” Arthur Juliani, junior in psychology, said. According to its website, the mission of Raleigh City Farm’s is to “transform unexpected downtown spaces into beautiful and nourishing farmland. We will engage city dwellers in the process of growing food, sparking
imaginations about agriculture in the and families to visit while learning city. These highly-visible spaces will be about fresh produce. I support the downtown garden,” an educational tool to Sharka Holmes, judemonstrate responnior in agricultural sible, intensive growbusiness manageing techniques as we ment, said. “I work move toward a restoras a landscaper, so I’m ative, communityalways happy to see based food system.” more green-friendly O f t e n, fo o d i s area than buildings.” shipped from distant Erin Bergstrom, locations. Creators of co-founder of Raleigh the Raleigh City Farm City Farm, started are hoping to change seeing great feedback this by establishing Sharka Holmes, junior on the project from self-sufficiency for in agricultural business supporters during a residents by equipmanagement previous report. All ping them with the the great reactions i n for m at ion a nd served as confirmation to proceed techniques to grow their own food. “I think it’s a nice place for couples with a fundraising opportunity.
“I think it’s a nice place for couples and families to visit while learning about fresh produce.”
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“Local supporters are nurturing ideas and taking an active role in everything from tool drives to initial seed plantings in their own homes,” Bergstrom said. “We are overwhelmed by the amazing support we have received from health advocates, restaurants, parents, educators, and neighboring citizens of all ages — their enthusiasm has brought us to this critical point of fundraising.” Raleigh City Farm is a North Carolina not-for-profit corporation; therefore, any financial donations are essential to supporting the project. The farm is hoping to demonstrate sustainability in its business model through the sale of products and services. This business approach is
Farm continued page 3
Fair play an integral part of Student Government elections Rules, regulations are important for candidates to follow while campaigning.
Jordan Moore/Technician
Amidst the campaigning signs, Kristen Harris looks for students interested in summer jobs in the Brickyard Tuesday. Harris works with the Fund for the Public Interest, an organization that works with agencies across the nation, creating jobs and work experiences.
Invisible Children make appearance on campus Organization seeking to end child soldiers gets students involved. Jessie Halpern Deputy News Editor
An organization to raise awareness for child soldiers in Northern Uganda has made its way to campus with the help of some very involved students. “Invisible Children” began in 2003, when three filmmakers went to Africa in search of their next great documentary. When they discovered how involved children were in the war of Northern Uganda, they found more than a documentary- they found a cause. Only two years after their trip, the first documentary, “Rough Cut”, was completed. In 2006, Invisible Children Inc. became an official non-profit organization. Invisible Children Inc. has traveled to many high schools and organizations, presenting their documentary and engaging students with the stories of children their age forced to fight a war they were born into. Kate Finegan, a freshman in biology, was one of those high schoolers just a year ago. “They came and screened a documentary at my high school, and I
started a club there to help other students get involved,” Finegan said. “It’s a really great cause and for me, it’s about the children who haven’t gotten a chance to live a normal childhood.” Finegan got involved on campus when she heard about some events that were being planned to raise awareness. One of those took place on Monday, when students showed a screening of the organization’s newest documentary “Kony 2012.” “Their big thing is really just trying to get Joseph Kony put in jail,” Finegan said. Joseph Kony, the leader of a guerrilla group in Northern Uganda, is most infamous for his mistreatment of children, specifically his order that sent over 66,000 children into sex slavery and war. According to their website, Invisible Children Inc. focuses less on funding and more on increasing awareness. They call themselves storytellers who try to pressure the government for change by making others aware of what’s going on in Africa. “We are visionaries, humanitarians, artists, and entrepreneurs. We are a generation eager for change and willing to pursue it,” their website says.
Ian Peterson, a junior in public relations, became involved after a trip to Africa and a screening of the organization’s first documentary. “I’ve been planning a benefit concert with N.C. State’s five different a capella groups; they were all thrilled to participate,” Peters said. A member of Grains of Time, Peters had an easier time getting his peers to bring the cause to campus. Seeking support from other organizations, however, was more of a challenge. “It was a lot of effort and getting a hold of Greek life was incredibly difficult. It essentially just became a networking game and then finding people who were passionate enough to help out,” Peters said. In the end, though, he was successful. The benefit concert for the Invisible Children organization is set to take place on Tuesday March, 20 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Talley Ballroom. “To me, if you don’t take basic measures of human decency than you don’t get to claim to be decent,” Peters said. “This organization has had tremendous success in promoting human decency, and I hope to help get the message across with this concert.”
their reports,” Guttenberger said. Rules for Facebook groups are a little different, Guttenberger said, since it is a free resource that anyone can access. “Facebook groups are always fair Elise Heglar game for candidates,” Guttenberger News Editor said. Emerson Barker, senior in political As the Student Government election races begin, candidates have a science and Student Senate president laundry list of rules and regulations pro tempore, said it becomes a race to consider as they run their cam- between candidates to announce their candidacy first. Since many candipaigns. The list of official regulations is dates are vying for a similar type of about four pages long and details voter, Barker said, it is important for everything from sign restrictions them to get their name out as a canto where active campaigning is didate as soon as possible. “Typically, once one candidate puts permitted. Though official on-campus cam- [their candidacy] up online, it pushes paigning did not start until Tues- other candidates to put theirs up,” day, due to restrictions, candidates Barker said. There are currently no rules against were permitted to announce their intentions to conduct campaigns making a Facebook page of website online before then. Several candi- concerning a candidacy in the official dates announced their intentions to campaign rules. According to Barker, this is largely berun through Facecause the rules were book or self- made written before the websites before Internet was mainTuesday. stream and could be “Technically, subject to change in electronic camthe coming election paigns are allowed years. before campaign“When they wrote ing officially bethe original rules, g i n s ,” Jac k s on the Internet wasn’t Guttenberger, rea lly an issue,” junior in political Barker said. science and chair Jackson Guttenberger, chair of While it would be of the Elections Elections Commission ideal for candidates Commission, said. to follow all of the W hi le ca nd idates are permitted to do online campaign rules perfectly, this is not campaigning, Guttenberger said always the case. Campaign violations they must pay close attention to can be reported by students to the any labor time and expenses that Elections Commission, according to might have been used to create on- Barker. Although many violation reports line resources. “Candidates must be sure to re- come from students not directly incord the amount of time and money volved in the elections, Barker said it they spent on making any type of is not uncommon for opposing candidates to point out violations from website,” Guttenberger said. Candidates who make their own their competition. In the event of receiving a violawebsites do not have to worry as much about filing these details in tion report, candidates first receive a their expense reports, according to warning. If a second violation occurs, Guttenberger, since the labor was candidates are fined by the Elections something they handled them- Commission. A third violation gets them ejected from the race entirely. selves. Robert Narron, junior in chemistry, “If they don’t make their own website, they must allot time to whoever made the site for them in election continued page 3
“Technically, electronic campaigns are allowed before campaigning officially begins.”
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PONY 2012
Read about one student’s quest for what he deserves. See page 4.
Chick-fil-a transcends changes on campus See page 3.
Business side of fashion relates to all N.C. State students See page 5.
NC State Class Ring
Hill strives for cross country national championship See page 8.
Breaking down the big dance. See page 8.
viewpoint features classifieds sports
LAST CHANCE TO ORDER! 3/12-3/14 11am to 6pm at NC State Bookstore
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