TECHNICIAN
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Raleigh, North Carolina
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Jadrien Brown, a junior in industrial engineering and a member Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., stands at the Bell Tower in preparation for the annual MLK Jr. commemoration march Wednesday.
‘A dream realized’ Students honor Martin Luther King Jr. in light of the inauguration of President Barack Obama Samuel T.O. Branch Deputy News Editor
The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration March took place Wednesday night, seemingly just like last year. But this commemoration had a different feel to it — the event was just one day after the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. After the parade, which the Eta Omicron chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha organized, the group went to the Witherspoon Student Center. Once there, Demetrius Marlowe, assistant director of the academic support program for student athletes, took the podium to speak about the events that lead to the election on the first black president in American history. Kadeem Myrick, a junior in business administration and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, said the inauguration put a different light on this MLK Day. “It puts a lot of things in perspective. You can look back and compare, and it’s amazing how we got to this point,” Myrick said. Myrick said the movement for equality has been very inspirational. “When you look back on it and see the things [King] stood for, it is a tremendous jump to now [with a black president],” Myrick said. A black man in the White House is truly a dream come true, Marlowe said.
Hillsborough Street’s renovation begins this year with the addition of two roundabouts. The intersection of Pullen Road and Hillsborough Street is the location for one of the planned roundabouts. The renovation will take place between the intersections of Oberlin Drive and Hillsborough Street as well as Gardner Street and Hillsborough Street.
Economic crunch hits Hillsborough Street Plans for improvements and community involvement continue despite economy Derek Medlin Managing Editor
T he major economic downturn that hit the United States hard in Oct. 2008 has also had an impact on businesses up and down Hillsborough Street. Some of the higher-priced restaurants and businesses with higher-end products have felt the brunt of students and faculty alike spending less money. Alan Lovette, the owner of Melvin’s Hamburgers, said he has noticed the
slow economy’s impact on Lovette said the higher Hillsborough Street despite priced restaurants have seen his business not feeling the the biggest impact. direct effect of the slow“I haven’t seen too many down. probLovette said lems his sales have but then actually gone again, up s l i g ht l y I’m sellsince last fall. ing a “The less exbusinesses pensive w it hin t he prodHillsborough uct,” he Street par tsaid. “At nership held a MelAlan Lovette, owner of meeting about vin’s, Melvin’s a week ago to we sel l discuss plans a hamfor the street,” he said. “A burger, fries and drink for couple of businesses admit- $3.99 and people are always ted that their sales are down. looking for a deal.” One couple said that their Lovette said those customsales are down 14 percent.” ers looking for good deals
“A couple of businesses admitted that their sales are down. ”
have helped businesses with lower prices. “Students and faculty alike are looking for bargains right now,” he said. “The upper end restaurants are actually suffering a little more, most likely.” Despite the fact people are spending less money in some cases, Lovette said the plans for improvements to the street remain on schedule. “The project is going to happen starting in May,” he said. “Nothing has been taken out of the budget that I know of.” Lovette said construction is scheduled to begin May 11. Another important part of Hillsborough Street imECONOMY continued page 3
MLK continued page 3
insidetechnician
Yow continues fight with cancer Professors cancel
classes due to cold
Women’s basketball coach continues to fight cancer
Tompkins Hall temperatures prove too cold to hold some classes
Staff Report After the battle, a louder voice See page 5.
The ultimate routine: balancing the books and the mats See page 8.
viewpoint science & tech classifieds sports
4 5 7 8
Women’s basketball coach Kay Yow was admitted into a hospital last week as she fights stage-four breast cancer. The University did not release the hospital’s location. Yow stepped away from coaching her team last month after fatigue kept her from coaching at the level she thought necessary. “Steppi ng away f rom coaching is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make,” Yow said during the press conference when she stepped down for the rest of the season. As Yow has continued to fight metastatic breast cancer, her fatigue was getting too much to handle, even after stepping away from coaching, according to Mark Kimmel, assistant director of media
Derek Medlin Managing Editor
WILLIAM ALLIGOOD/TECHNICIAN ARCHIVE PHOTO
Coach Kay Yow gets her team fired up during a time out at last year’s game against St. John’s. Yow was admitted to a hospital last week for closer monitoring of her condition.
relations in a news conference Wednesday. Yow was not feeling well in her home, which led to the doctor’s decision. Kimmel said Yow’s oncologist, Dr. Mark Graham, had suggested the coach reside at a hospital for the time being for proper care, WRAL reported.
Associate coach Stephanie Glance has stepped in as the interim coach in Yow’s absence. Despite her illness, Yow remains under contract with the University until 2012. Yow has coached the Wolfpack in 34 seasons.
Professors canceled several classes in Tompkins Hall Wednesday morning due to an apparent problem with the building’s heating system. While classes did not begin Wednesday until 10 a.m. because of the snow Tuesday, the temperatures inside the building were cold enough for some professors to cancel classes. John Morillo, an associate English professor, said he noticed the cold temperatures as soon as he got inside Tompkins. “When I came in at 9:30 a.m., the temperature on my floor in the secretary’s office
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was 47 degrees,” he said. “I’m pretty sure the warmest office was around 55 degrees.” Morillo said he decided to cancel his 10:15 a.m. class because he didn’t want students to not focus because of the cold. “Having sat in my office and being cold, I wouldn’t want to be in a seat as a student worried about how cold it is,” he said. “It made much more sense to send them on their way.” Garden Freeman, a superintendent of maintenance for University Facilities, said Wednesday afternoon he was unaware of any problems with the heating system in Tompkins. “It hasn’t been reported,” Freeman said. “I am not aware of any problems with the building not being heated.” Morillo said he checked TOMPKINS continued page 3