Focused: 2024 Election — Technician 10/10/24

WEATHER

The power of student voices in the wake of Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene brought mass devastation to western North Carolina, flattening entire towns in its wake. Spruce Pine is just one of several towns in the western part of the state recently affected by the record-breaking floods.

Located a few miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway, Spruce Pine is a small town with a strong community. It’s also where Tyra Frye, a fourthyear studying English and women’s, gender and sexuality studies, grew up.

Frye said the devastation could be seen from the 10-foot floodwaters downtown to her own neighborhood.

“Our neighbor’s house is completely gone,” Frye said. “There’s multiple neighbors on our street that don’t have homes to go back to, or even any remnants of a home, you just see the foundations of homes, sitting there. And it’s kind of like a memory of what was once there.”

Frye’s mother’s home also flooded, but her neighbors helped her mother escape the fastmoving water to higher ground. She has now evacuated and is safe.

Despite the complete devastation, communities in Spruce Pine and other affected towns are coming together to support each other.

“The community is really taking care of each other, which is, I think, something that’s beautiful about it,” Frye said. “My mom said that, after the flood, the neighbors brought her breakfast and they walked across what was left of the bridge. And someone who lives above her brought her a portable phone charger because they knew that she was sleeping in a house without power that was covered in mud.”

Frye also warned that the devastation of Spruce Pine could have global implications. The town is one of the only places in the world producing high-quality quartz used to make semiconductors. Semiconductors are the basis for most electronics and are necessary for technological products like mobile phones and laptops.

“It’s sad that you have to talk about — like the thought of what we exploit from the area is what is most important about it, ” Frye said. “But it’s important also to let people know that this isn’t just an isolated event. It could potentially have global impacts, especially on our technology.”

As the floodwaters recede, hundreds of people are still missing. For those who have been able to get reception, social media is being used to locate family members, assess the damage of nearby towns and stay up to date on future weather patterns.

Ethan Clark, a fourth-year studying environmental science and meteorology, runs the North Carolina Weather Authority, which reports the state’s forecasted weather on Facebook, Instagram and his own website. He started the page when he was in seventh grade.

Since Hurricane Helene, Clark has been reporting extensively on rural communities hit hard by the storm, documenting the devastation and passing along news sent to him by his followers.

Before the hurricane hit western North Carolina, Clark was sounding the alarm for Southern Appalachia. While other media outlets focused on Florida, where the hurricane was projected to hit as a Category 4, Clark was warning North Carolinians that there would be widespread, lifethreatening flooding.

“One of my big things was, ‘Don’t focus on the cone, focus on the impacts,’” Clark said. “And that was a very hard messaging struggle. I even sat down and spent probably six hours trying to figure out how to message, ‘Don’t look at the cone.’ And apparently some people said it worked, because someone, like one lady, said she convinced her family to leave.”

Frye also heard from her community in Spruce Pine that it was specifically Clark’s messaging that allowed some people in her town to evacuate successfully.

The North Carolina Weather Authority’s Facebook has amassed over 550,000 followers, reaching an age demographic of 25-65 year-olds.

Clark said one of the biggest goals of the page is to keep things personal, responding to comments and focusing on rural communities that get less media coverage. As a result, Clark started receiving information from followers about the status of towns like Chimney Rock and Old Fort, as well as Mitchell, Avery, Yancey and Ashe counties.

As many individuals in these areas still have no cell service or internet, there have been rumors that another hurricane is projected to hit western North Carolina. Clark said this is misinformation.

“In the future, we’re heading into a drier period for the next week or so, lots of sunshine,” Clark said. “There’s been a lot of misinformation about another hurricane. At this point, there is not a current forecasted hurricane. There was a TikTok that basically had the same cone and people were trying to profit off hype, because people are scared and nervous. It was probably sent to me a thousand times, like, ‘Is this happening?’ So I posted in all caps, because I just want to shut it down, because people are trying to take advantage of people.”

A week after Helene made landfall in western North Carolina, whole communities are assessing the damage while still living without necessities like food, water and a place to sleep.

To help individuals affected by Hurricane Helene, Student Government is collecting disaster relief materials in Talley 4251 for Triangle Mutual Aid. The American Red Cross and the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund are also accepting donations.

COURTESY OF YANCEY COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT

COURTESY OF YANCEY COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT

Savannah Woodman Staff Writer

NC State is offering services to both students at NC State and institutions in western North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Scan this QR code to read about it on technicianonline.com

Nitrous Oxide: The evolution of galaxy gas in Raleigh

A trend of inhaling nitrous oxide from whipped cream chargers — also known as whippets — is raising concerns about substance abuse among young people, including on college campuses.

Galaxy Gas is a company that sells whipped cream chargers legally marketed as culinary products. They contain nitrous oxide, and recently, trends and social media videos have popularized inhaling the gas to get high, particularly among teens and young adults.

While people have been using nitrous oxide as a drug for decades, Galaxy Gas has been criticized for using designs that are appealing to young people and selling nitrous oxide with various flavors.

Social media posts are giving the drug wider exposure. Google searches for nitrous oxide and Galaxy Gas were at an all-time high this September.

Now the products have made their way to NC State — two four-corner stores and smoke shops surveyed on Hillsborough Street sold Galaxy Gas and another sold whippets of a different brand.

Jeffery Fay, alcohol and other drug education coordinator for Prevention Services, said the fast-acting drug can cause fits of laughter and decreased awareness.

“It leads to dizziness,” Fay said. “Sometimes people laugh on it, which is why [it’s called] ‘laughing gas.’ It eases pain. Some research has said that it might even act on opioid receptors. So it has been used in some trials to assist with opioid withdrawal. It just changes your perspective.”

Fay said misusing nitrous oxide causes a range of lasting health issues.

“The repeated use of nitrous oxide can impact you neurologically,” Fay said. “It also impacts B-12, which leads to a lot of medical issues like neuropathy, nerve pain. It can impact the way that you walk. It impacts your memory. It impacts your mood. If you use a large quantity, it can induce a mental health crisis. You’ll see people who go to the emergency room because they’re having hallucinations, tactile, verbal,

auditory hallucinations — psychosis.”

Patrice Nealson, a professor in marketing, compared Galaxy Gas’ advertising strategy to tobacco mascot Joe Camel. The mascot was portrayed with motorcycles or cars and the advertising was also placed in magazines for young people.

Nealon said some of the branded merchandise Galaxy Gas sells, such as space-themed lunchboxes and ice buckets, speak to a younger demographic. She said she was not entirely sure if Galaxy Gas was targeting college students who want to get high on laughing gas.

“But just looking at the advertising message, it doesn’t sync with their supposed target market,” Nealon said.

The complex issue of AI in the classroom

As generative AI platforms — a form of artificial intelligence that produces human-like responses — and tools become more accessible in the classroom, professors express a variety of concerns while adapting to the new presence.

Kathryn Stolee, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science, said AI analyzes existing data to create and develop a response.

“It’s effectively large models of code that have been trained on large amounts of data that’s in the public domain, which is to say they’ve built models of the language that people have used based on what is available and out there,” Stolee said. “And so what it’s able to do is recall connections between things. So if you ask it a question, it can go back and generate, using multiple data sources, things that are common to produce to you.”

Concerns about generative AI’s role in academia have been contested, with critics arguing it enables plagiarism. However, many NC State

professors have embraced generative AI as a learning tool.

Paul Fyfe, an associate professor in the Department of English, integrates generative AI

into his curriculum, using it to show students the challenges and limitations of the software.

“I’ve asked students to go ahead and use it to cheat on their final papers and then to fol-

low up with writing reflections about well, did it even work?” Fyfe said. “What was it like to work with this as a writing partner? Do you feel like the content was your own? To what degree is this your writing? And this exercise where students engage with it actually reveals better than I could the limitations and problems of working with AI, as well as, for some, the real opportunities of how it might help them in particular ways.”

GRAPHIC BY SITKA MAZZAN

GRAPHIC BY SITKA MAZZAN

Bastian Hauser, Grace Turschak Staff Writer, Correspondent

Autumn Walser Staff Writer

Rocking for relief: The Portal HQ hosts Hurricane Helene relief show

Myles Jackson Correspondent

The Portal HQ, a new event venue in Raleigh, held a benefit show on Friday that raised over $3,000 for Hurricane Helene victims in Western North Carolina. Performances by Satellite Dog, Bell Tower Blues and Zamloch were featured at the event.

Eight days after Helene made landfall, the venue on Hillsborough Street had a packed house of at least 250 concertgoers whose ticket purchases went towards emergency relief. Attendees donated further by purchasing merchandise or simply scanning one of the many QR codes posted around the venue.

Doors opened at 7 p.m. and the first act, Zamloch, energetically opened the show at 8:10 p.m. with a fiery set that included song covers such as “Murder on the Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis-Bexter and original music. The band unexpectedly volunteered to play as they only found out two days before the show, according to Chandler Martin, the lead singer of the Raleigh-based band.

“We were in band rehearsal on Monday and our bass player’s family lives in Boone and he said, ‘We need to put on a benefit show,’” Martin said. “Then two days later,

a dude from another band calls me and he said ‘We’re putting on a show at The Portal to help all the victims,’ and we replied, ‘We’re in. Let’s do this.’”

After Zamloch, Bell Tower Blues hit the stage and struck the crowd with their rockin’ blues, funk and soul music that hypnotized the crowd, opening with a mesmerizing Jimi Hendrix classic. The band’s lead vocalist, Sam Coury, beautifully belted their music, creating an impactful resonance in the atmosphere and showcasing their raw talent.

Jake Berline, a co-owner of The Portal HQ, recently graduated from NC State in May. He recounted organizing the show on short notice and wanting to support a

good cause.

SOPHIE BURGESS/TECHNICIAN

“I got a call on Monday night from the organizers,” Berlin said. “The Portal didn’t have a show booked for Friday. They said, ‘Let’s have a show. Let’s raise funds for this good cause on Friday.’”

Berlin worked with the Bell Tower Blues and Satellite Dog previously, which made it easier to coordinate the event and have fun simultaneously.

The headliner of the show, Satellite Dog, went on last and performed a medley of their music and extended the chill vibes in the crowd. Music brought a community together to acknowledge and rally behind all victims of Helene. This art discipline historically and contemporarily has

numbed the pain and devastation many feel during times of destruction. The show served as a reminder and inspiration that anyone and everyone has the opportunity to support those affected by unfortunate events.

“I hope they can see that art and creativity can bring people together and that even under the worst circumstances, something as simple as music can bring people together, getting the right stuff together,” Berlin said. “It can bring such a good change without having it to be a charity event that is sad and just people giving money, you can have something creative and incredible for a good cause.”

For

The Silent Witness Exhibit: A new perspective for domestic violence awareness to be heard

As the sudden appearance of the mannequins on Oct. 1 attracted the attention of students, the information that decorated each figurine served as an informative way of bringing awareness to domestic violence in North Carolina.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the Women’s Center at NC State has events and exhibits planned throughout the month to raise awareness. The Silent Witness Exhibit is one form of educational efforts that will last for the entire month.

Each mannequin was paired with a story of a person or family from North Carolina who was murdered as a result of domestic violence in memory of the victims.

The exhibit is inspired by the Silent Witness National Initiative, which aims to spread awareness for victims of domestic violence murder. In 2013, NC State held its first Silent Witness Exhibit. In years past, plain red wooden mannequins were only placed in Talley Student Union. This year, the Women’s Center wanted to create and expand the exhibit to make it more engaging and accessible to students.

Delana Epps-Avery, the associate director for Interper-

sonal Violence Services at the Women’s Center, said their goal was to reimagine the exhibit to bring the stories of the mannequins to life in a more personal and impactful way.

“We incorporated visual elements that really convey who these people were, not just how they died, but just who they were,” Epps-Avery said. “We wanted to humanize each person so that their stories resonate more deeply with the public and people were able to have a better understanding and empathy for them.”

The decoration of the mannequins and their location on campus pertain to each life and story that the mannequin represents. They are found in eight different locations, such as Talley Student Union, the Multicultural Student Affairs Center, the LGBTQ Pride Center, the African American Cultural Center, Campus Health and more.

These locations match the story of each mannequin and facilitate the display of the diverse local communities affected by domestic violence.

Kylin Adams, assistant director for Interpersonal Violence Prevention, Education and Training at the Women’s Center, said another main focus of the reimagined Silent Witness Exhibit was to educate students on how domestic violence can impact the community they resonate with.

students impacted by Hurricane Helene, scan this QR code for the support spaces available during October with on-site counselors.

Lola Houston Correspondent

SILENT WITNESS continued page 6

LILY MCCABE/TECHNICIAN

A painted mannequin decorated to honor the memory of Samuel Haugh, 21, sits outside the LGBTQ Pride Center at one of the Silent Witness Project exhibits in Talley Student Union on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. The Women’s Center hosts the Silent Witness Project exhibits every year to raise awareness of the impacts of domestic violence. Each mannequin is decorated to be paired with the story of a person in North Carolina who was murdered as a result of domestic violence.

Leading the charge: Energy Week at NC State and the path to a greener future

Myles Jackson Correspondent

NC State’s fifth annual Energy Week began Sept. 30, with events highlighting the University’s energy use, research and opportunities in shaping a clean energy future.

This year’s line-up included on-campus events like research competitions, showcases of art and electric vehicles, building tours, an introduction to the sustainable labs program, a workshop and a conversation with Henry McKoy.

McKoy is the senior advisor to the undersecretary for the U.S. Office of Science and Innovation, where he works on community-based innovation through the National Laboratory system. The fireside chat focused on exploring the future of clean energy and its impact on our environment.

“Life as a whole has been driven for the last century by fossil fuels, which support economic growth, but have also created greenhouse gas emissions that have wreaked havoc on the environment,” McKoy said. “The idea of clean energy is finding a way to create energy that powers cars, homes, corporations and manufacturing that doesn’t utilize fossil fuels, or dirtier fuels, but instead looks at things that are renewable.”

For many non-STEM majors, sustainability usually refers to recycling and limiting plastic bag usage; however, the social goal extends beyond those practices. McKoy approaches sustainability as a standability form, where Generation Z’s work today impacts Generation Alpha and subsequent generations.

“I’ve always connected sustainability to the ability of something to persist and sustain over time,” McKoy said. “I was working on something earlier and thinking about an indigenous saying that is about living your life to support seven generations in front of you. This notion that it’s not just about living and experiencing now at this moment, but what

SILENT WITNESS

continued from page 5

“We were very intentional in that we wanted to research stories about people who had unfortunately lost their lives to domestic violence in our local communities,” Adams said. “We also wanted to highlight the ways that domestic violence impacts different communities in a variety of ways.”

This reimagined form of the Silent Witness Exhibit has allowed the Women’s Center to share information with students in a larger way. As students get to read and feel the stories of the victims on the mannequins, they can also read about resources that the Women’s

Sarah Hall, Director of the Institute for Emerging Issues, laughs during an Energy Week conversation at Partners I on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. The conversation was titled Leading the Clean Energy Transition and featured a discussion with Henry McKoy, senior advisor to the Undersecretary for the U.S. Office of Science and Innovation, focused on the future of sustainable energy and community impact.

are we going to be leaving to those behind us?”

The Business Sustainability Collaborative, an academic initiative in the Poole College of Management, organized the chat with McKoy. Malhar Shah, the founder and CEO of microWatt Energy and NC State alum, facilitated the discussion. According to Rachel Haynes, the manager of the Business Sustainability Collaborative, the initiative sought McKoy to highlight innovation within the energy industry.

“He embodies ‘Think and Do’ with everything he’s worked on,” Haynes said. “He’s responsible for dispersing a large sum of federal funds to various programs. Hearing about his career path leading up to his current

Center and campus provide to help and support victims, survivors and witnesses of domestic violence.

The Women’s Center holds many other events throughout October to raise awareness of domestic violence. These activities range from therapeutic art for domestic violence survivors to training for staff and faculty. A list of these activities can be found on the Women’s Center website.

Epps-Avery said this year’s acknowledgement of Domestic Violence Awareness Month is special because the center has taken a more intentional and transformative approach to how they honor the victims and engage the community.

“This year, it’s not just about raising awareness — it’s about creating space for storytelling,

role shows our students that the path is long, but it can lead to really amazing outcomes where you can have impacts on building a more sustainable future, especially in clean technology.”

The Business Sustainability Collaborative teaches a more inclusive model of sustainability through a holistic lens. The model is commonly referred to as a triple bottom-line approach that includes people, planets and profit. A Certified B Corporation, which signals a company meets a high standard of social and sustainability impact in accordance with students’ future businesses, is also taught. Students from all disciplines are welcome to attend any events.

reflection and action in a way that feels more personal and impactful,” Epps-Avery said. “By integrating survivor voices, visual art and interactive elements, we’re encouraging people to connect emotionally and intellectually with the issue of domestic violence, sparking conversations that lead to meaningful change.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing relationship violence, sexual violence, stalking or any other form of interpersonal violence and are in need of advocacy services, the NC State Women’s Center has trained advocates available to offer crisis intervention, emotional support, resources and referrals.

Sustainability is one of NC State’s core values. According to Lani St. Hill, communications and engagement coordinator for the University Sustainability Office, the University continues to make progress in sustainability efforts by tracking greenhouse gas emissions, creating and implementing sustainable courses and advancing research through the Sustainable Labs program.

“Climate affects everyone, and climate is an energy mission, so part of the University’s mission is to tackle global challenges and that is done through research and the development of innovative ideas and implementing solutions on campus,” Hill said. “Sustainable labs that will tackle energy use but also look at water conservation and waste minimization and look at purchasing and helping people who work in labs.”

Practicing sustainability in the community is not an overnight fix, but with gradual steps any member can make a difference off and on campus. There are many different and easy approaches to sustainability like following graphic guidelines on most University-owned trash and recycling bins, choosing to bike or ride the Wolfline and thrifting clothes, books and household items.

More importantly, attending and participating in sustainable-focused events and organizations on campus goes a long way. Research what items your local recycling center is currently accepting. Lastly, advocacy is the community’s best friend.

“As young voters, who can elect people at the local, state and national levels, be very clear that you know the kind of people that you want in leadership roles,” McKoy said. “Like every generation, I hope that the next generation will do everything they can to create a better world for the next, so you have to pick up the mantra, take the relay baton and keep running this race and make sure your voice is heard.”

Students can contact the 24/7 Sexual Assault Helpline at 919-515-4444 or email ncsuadvocate@ncsu.edu to schedule an appointment with an advocate.

Advocacy services through the NC State Women’s Center are available for all students inclusive of all gender identities and sexual orientations. For more information on advocacy services, please visit go.ncsu.edu/ supportsurvivors. If you would like to talk to a confidential resource, you can also connect with the NC State Counseling Center at 919-515-2423

You may also visit go.ncsu.edu/ safe for additional information on resources and reporting options.

ROZE SCHENSTROM/TECHNICIAN

focused

Early voting opening soon in Talley Student Union

Early voting in North Carolina for the upcoming election begins Oct. 17, and NC State’s campus offers students and Wake County residents an accessible and convenient option to cast their ballots ahead of election day at the heart of NC State’s campus.

Talley Student Union will serve as an early voting site, open to any registered Wake County voter, from Oct. 17 to Nov. 2. The site will be available on the second floor of the building, next to Port City Java.

Gerry Cohen, a Wake County Board of Elections member, said the county is committed to accessibility.

“Wake County has about 850,000 registered voters, the largest county in the state, and we try to run an election that can be of service to voters and candidates,” Cohen said. “We have early voting that runs the whole 17 days. It’s going to be at 22 sites in Wake County, the most we’ve ever had.”

Will Cowan, a fourth-year studying political science and co-leader of Pack the Polls, an organization focused on voter engagement and communication, said without early voting, he wouldn’t be able to vote at all.

“I have stuff all day Tuesdays,” Cowan said. “Even though I do all this work to promote early voting and civic engagement, I wouldn’t be able to take part myself.”

To vote early, individuals must be registered to vote in the county where their site is located and have an approved ID, such as a driver’s license from any state, passport, approved student ID or state-issued ID.

Those with an NC driver’s license can register to vote online before Oct. 11.

Director of the Wake County Board of Elections Olivia McCall said if students miss the online registration deadline they can register in person during the early voting period.

“One of the positive parts of early voting is because it does give you that option, starting on the 17th through that Saturday before Election Day and you can actually register and vote at the same time,” McCall said. “It gives another opportunity for voters that may have missed that voter registration deadline.”

Address changes can also be made at early voting sites. Neither of these adjustments are available to voters on Election Day.

“It’s probably the one issue students face in the spring,” Cohen said. “For instance, a lot of students voted in the primary, but chances are from one academic year to another, a quarter and a half of students have moved to another address. In early voting, you can update your address within Wake County.”

Proof of address is required for regis -

tration or address changes made during in-person early voting, such as an ID or a utility bill. On-campus students can use a printed copy of their MyPack portal as proof.

Wake County has 212 Election Day precincts and 181 different possible ballots based on district. Every early voting site has every version of the ballot available.

While this might be overwhelming, Cohen said students can see a sample of their ballot by going to the State Board of Elections website.

“If you feel like you need to do research, you can see your ballot in advance online,” Cohen said. “We don’t post all the different ballots on the wall [on site.] If you don’t look in advance, your first sight of it will be when it’s handed to you.”

Miroslava Colan, a graduate assistant of the student leadership and engagement office in the Civic Engagement Office, said Pack the Polls offers ways for students to experience voting before the official election through “voting toolkit” sessions.

“It got initiated last year with the primary election because many students had many doubts about what they need to vote,” Colan said. “The main objective is to [teach] students [about] different voting requisites and methods that they need to go to the polls.”

Students can access voting toolkit sessions through the Pack the Polls website or the University calendar. Sessions last 45 minutes.

For a third option of voting, McCall said using absentee or mail-in ballots works.

“If you’re not going to be here during the early voting period, or you can’t make it, or maybe you just don’t want to come in contact with lines, you could vote absentee,” McCall said.

McCall said early voters can have every confidence in the security of their vote. Each ballot cast goes into a tabulator but does not actually get counted until when polls close on Election Day.

“You can actually see the closing of the polls, or the machines that are used at the early voting sites, actually at our office in a live viewing,” McCall said.

Colan said that whichever method is chosen, it’s important to vote.

“As a person who escaped from a dictatorial and authoritarian regime like Venezuela, personally, I think that, from a person whose right to vote was taken away, the right to vote is one of the roots of democracy,” Colan said. “And if we are not participating, then we will not be able to request a change.”

Talley Student Union is not an Election Day site. Students can view Pack the Polls’s website for more details about operating hours, materials and how to best prepare.

A voter’s guide to the responsibilities of state and local offices

The second-highest elected official in the state and the only one with powers in both the legislative and executive branches.

Serves as President of the State Senate, casting tie-breaking votes when necessary and is a State Board of Education member.

Assumes the role of Acting Governor when the Governor is absent or incapacitated.

Serves as the state’s chief legal officer. Represents state agencies in legal matters, advises state officials and prosecutors and leads the North Carolina Department of Justice. Defends the state’s interests in legal proceedings and has the authority to intervene in matters affecting the public interest.

Leads the North Carolina Department of Labor. Enforces workplace safety regulations, oversees occupational licensing programs and administers the state’s wage and hour laws.

Responsible for auditing state agencies, institutions and programs to ensure proper use of public funds.

Conducts financial audits, performance audits and investigations to promote accountability and efficiency in state government.

Manages business registrations, maintains state records and archives and oversees various licensing programs.

Play a role in elections by certifying certain election results and maintaining campaign finance records.

Leads the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. They oversee agricultural policies, food safety regulations and consumer protection programs related to agriculture and food products in the state.

Leads the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Responsible for implementing state education policies, overseeing curriculum standards and managing the state’s public school system.

Regulates the insurance industry in North Carolina. Responsible for licensing insurance companies and agents, investigating consumer complaints and ensuring the solvency of insurance providers operating in the state.

Manages North Carolina’s financial assets, including pension funds and state investments.

Oversee the state’s debt management and serve on various state financial boards.

Matthew Junkroski, Dae Reed Correspondents

Matthew Burkhart News Editor

Reeves Peeler is knocking on Raleigh’s door

Kate Denning Editor-in-Chief

Nothing quite encapsulates Reeves Peeler’s Raleigh roots like running into his brother’s former high school band mate while knocking on doors for his city council campaign.

Peeler, a Broughton High and NC State grad, is a born and bred Raleighite who plans to live in the city for the rest of his life. That’s just one reason he’s running for one of Raleigh’s at-large city council seats this election season.

In-person canvassing has become a hallmark of Peeler’s campaigning efforts. Michael Altman, Peeler’s campaign manager and a second-year studying sociology at NC State, said they have been knocking on doors for nearly 15 weeks straight and reached over 15,000 voters. In an era that values in-person interaction less and less, Peeler appreciates the personal nature that knocking on doors entails.

“When you want to talk about an issue in the city that’s important to you, say it’s housing and transit and parks, the best ways to hear someone’s true feelings and opinion on it is to be looking them in the eye, face-to-face, and also in a place they feel comfortable, which is on their doorstep,”

Peeler said.

Peeler has served as a member of Raleigh’s Planning Commission, which advises local officials on everything from zoning changes to community development, for the last year and a half, which he said made it clear how Raleigh’s city planning strategy could be improved.

While canvassing on Oct. 3, a retired couple answered Peeler’s knock. Through a brief conversation, the couple said they took issue with the city’s permitting process after their neighbors next door were allowed to add garages to their brand new houses, but they were not due to the age of their home. Peeler said this is an example of how the city prioritizes new developments.

“Often our permitting and zoning rules do not favor people who’ve lived here a long time,” Peeler said. “It favors the new developers who want to tear something down and build some big, fancy place, and that’s what he was getting at. So often, when people don’t even know the details or the background, they’ll have a take like that, and you’re like, ‘Yeah, you have experienced it correctly.’ They might not know why, but they’re usually correct.”

Peeler’s platform places an emphasis on public transit and pedestrian-friendly design. While Raleigh may seem like a city developed to its fullest potential, Peeler said there’s room to grow.

“I live three blocks from Moore Square, and there’s no sidewalks on my street,” Peeler said. “So in a lot of ways, we don’t have urban infrastructure in places that really need it. Now we have it in nice parts of town. In working class parts, we don’t have a lot. You go out to North Raleigh, even a mile past the beltline, in some places there’s no bus service at all. So a lot of parts of what you call ‘outside the beltline Raleigh’ don’t have any of this bikeable, pedestrian-friendly, bus-friendly infrastructure.”

In addition to a reverence for his hometown,

Peeler values the nonpartisan aspect of Raleigh’s city council, which allows officials and voters alike to solely focus on such policies. While some candidates may choose to run under the name of a particular party, that affiliation does not show up on the ticket.

“The partisan nature of a swing state like North Carolina — Democrats versus Republicans in our two party system are just banging heads all the time,” Peeler said. “I think a lot of that is why we see no good legislation get passed for working class people, because it’s really a silly dichotomy of party politics. What’s nice about municipal politics where it’s nonpartisan is that it really takes that out of it. It’s more down to the issues.”

Peeler is openly endorsed by the NC chapter of Democratic Socialists of America and the NC State chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America, so while he may not be running as a candidate for one party, he doesn’t mind embracing labels.

Although he’s always been a registered Democrat, Peeler said he generally stayed on the sidelines for much of his life. It was Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign that inspired him to become more politically active.

During that period, Peeler got involved with a DSA chapter to advocate for renters’ rights and affordable housing after experiencing trouble paying his own rent while he lived in California.

“I just saw that the politics of working class people really jived with what I turned out to be taught by my parents, what values I had, like everyone matters and people really deserve a good life, good pay, good benefits, good time off,” Peeler said. “I think that’s where socialist values really run important and true for me.”

Peeler said people don’t always notice that DSA backs him, but he stands by the endorsement proudly because he doesn’t believe the politics of working class people, such as advocating for labor unions and higher wages, belong to the left or right.

“I would take that same message to the most rural part of North Carolina, most right wing part of North Carolina,” Peeler said. “Everyone sees this as a problem — that corporations have too much power in America and labor has too little power.”

In addition to working on the Peeler campaign and being a student, Altman has his own history of political organizing.

Altman and Peeler met while Peeler was working at Down Home North Carolina, a nonprofit working to organize working-class people in rural communities, and Altman was aiding in the unionization efforts at Garner’s Amazon warehouse. Altman began working on Peeler’s campaign this spring and, after a shift in personnel, stepped up to serve as the campaign’s sole manager at just 20 years old.

“Reeves has been the best mentor for me,” Altman said. “I definitely have a lot of organizing instincts as is, and I had some of the experience, but Reeves is always there to give advice. He’s just a good person to learn from. I tell everybody I still have no idea what I’m doing, but it’s about doing

A Reeves

sign

on

hope is to build a future where Raleigh is affordable, green, walkable, safe and a place where everyone can thrive.

it — that’s the biggest thing.”

This is the first year Raleigh city council elections have taken place during a presidential election year, so the pair expects a record turnout. But, that also means they have little idea of how many votes are needed to win. As Election Day inches closer, Peeler and Altman are both focused on maintaining the momentum of their campaigning efforts and finishing the race strong.

Ultimately, Peeler’s campaign comes down to

making Raleigh be a city that works for everyone.

“Yes, we might have some councilors that are doing an okay job, and they’re nice people, but we can do better,” Peeler said. “We deserve better as a city, and working people in this city deserve the best. We’ve got to change the status quo, and having hundreds of thousands of voters see that isn’t easy. That’s the hurdle, but we think we can do it.”

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

Reeves Peeler, a candidate running for an at-large seat on Raleigh City Council in 2024, sits outside of Cup A Joe on Hillsborough Street on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. Peeler hopes to build a future where Raleigh is affordable, green, walkable, safe and a place where everyone can thrive.

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

Peeler

sits on Shepherd Street in Raleigh

Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. Peeler’s

How the Harris campaign is targeting NC,

Every four years, campaigns and ads sweep North Carolina up in a frenzy of swing state discourse and debate. Analysts, politicians and voters alike cite the state’s purple demographics and convince themselves this could be the year North Carolina flips blue.

2024 is no different. The hype for the HarrisWalz ticket has taken the state by storm. But Democrats haven’t tasted general election success in the state for over 16 years. Is the tide really set to turn this year, or will Democrats fail to entice the full coalition of young voters needed to swing the state?

State politics dominated by decades of successful Republican operatives like Tim Moore had hampered any sign of life for blue organizers. Enter 26-year-old Anderson Clayton, the youngest state political party leader in the country, and the NC Democrats seem to have taken a breath of fresh air for the first time in years.

Clayton, hailing from rural Roxboro, North Carolina, has revived the state party’s energy and entirely redirected its priorities. The 2023 elected chair has emphasized reaching voters in parts of the state overlooked by Democrats in recent years and platforming issues important to mobilizing young voters.

The national party has taken notice and followed suit.

Harris’ first campaign stops after her September debate were held in Charlotte and Greensboro — her ninth visit to the state this year. Harris and high-profile members of the campaign have held a presence in the state ever since, and the vice president has been to North Carolina twice already since Hurricane Helene. For Democrats, the state is very much in play.

The Harris campaign has set up 28 field offices across the state, with an extended presence in rural communities missing in previous elections. The campaign has amassed over 30,000 volunteers in North Carolina and has more than 340 staffers stationed in the state.

According to the Harris campaign, North Carolina operatives are especially focused on mobilizing young voters. Over 80 members of the campaign staff are dedicated to turning out the vote on college campuses and have held almost 200 events in the state to engage students.

Logan Lowery, a first-year studying political science and Park Scholar, is a campus fellow for the North Carolina Democratic Party at NC State. Lowery said people in her camp are comparing this election cycle to 2008.

“There’s just a lot of energy that we haven’t seen in the past few years,” Lowery said. “People are excited to vote for Harris, people are excited to vote for Josh Stein, and that pushes them to go vote rather than some voter apathy that we’ve seen the last few years.”

Lowery pointed to Clayton and her initiatives as a representation of how the party is going to be successful in North Carolina.

“The Democratic Party is going to have to reach out to rural voters and young people and the people who are often marginalized on both sides,” Lowery said. “I think we do a really good job of that right now. I think people are really starting to feel represented.”

Comparisons to Obama’s campaign in 2008, the last time a Democratic ticket took North Carolina, are the talk of the town in national news syndicates. Obama was able to create a coalition in the state that took advantage of changing youth and racial demographics, delivering North Carolina for Democrats for the first time since 1976.

In 2020, Trump’s North Carolina victory was his slimmest in the country. Just 1.3% of the vote — a margin of less than 75,000 votes — edged the state for Trump, a number down from 3.6 points in 2016. Combined with the possibility of up-and-down ballot fallout from Mark Robinson’s campaign controversies, as well as polls showing Harris and Trump neck and neck, the state appears to be there for the taking.

Lowery pointed to Harris being a young, biracial candidate who’s highlighting issues young voters in particular are passionate about. The

could come up short The Queen’s Gambit?

and where it

campaign has emphasized “meeting young voters where they are and uplifting issues that are on the ballot for young voters,” citing reproductive freedoms, climate change and affordable housing.

Ryan Sedlacek, a third-year studying chemical engineering, is the president of NC State’s Progressive Student Task Force. Though Sedlacek aligns with these issues and plans to vote for Harris, he noted his disappointment in the party’s efforts with affordable housing and food insecurity.

“Look around — the amount of unhoused people across the country and North Carolina is going up because there aren’t any incentives focused on the lower to middle class,” Sedlacek said. “There’s nothing that’s really been put into place that’s uplifting these people. Every policy that’s put into place is treating the symptoms, not the root cause. So while I will endorse the Democratic Party, I’m still very disappointed in the policies we see going forward.”

Sedlacek said most in the organization plan to vote for Harris and adamantly for Democrats down the ballot, but called the choice a vote for the lesser of two evils. Harris’ policy and rhetoric towards the conflict in Gaza do not align with his progressive ideals.

“Both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are very pro-Israel,” Sedlacek said. “There is no candidate that’s supporting the Gazan people. There’s no one supporting Palestinians. So right there, it’s a huge deficiency, especially with the arms they’re giving to Israel.”

Sedlacek believes young voters could be dissuaded from voting for Harris because of her position on Israel and worries it might have negative down-ballot effects for other Democratic candidates.

“Outside of the organization, just from people I talk to, there is a lot of sentiment out there of, ‘I’m not sure if I’m willing to vote for Kamala Harris,’” Sedlacek said. “I think it’s a very fair sentiment. … So what I’ve been telling people is, ‘I understand if you are hesitant voting for Kamala Harris, but the most important thing is voting down ballot for Democrats.’”

John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Institute of Politics and advisor for the Biden campaign in 2020, told the Washington Post that the Israel-Hamas war was among the lowest-ranking issues for young voters. Volpe said there is a disconnect between the coverage of demonstrations from college students and what the majority of young people actually think about the conflict.

The same cited poll found the majority of young Americans support a ceasefire and 44% disapprove of Israel’s response to Oct. 7. A later poll from the same organization noted 32% of young voters are in favor of an arms embargo on Israel and 44% of respondents were unsure.

Pooyan Ordoubadi, co-chair of the North Carolina Abandon Harris campaign, is a Triangle-based lawyer who is currently representing students from multiple UNC System schools who were arrested in pro-Palestine campus protests. He believes young people have an apathetic outlook on the election this year.

“I think that the main concern for the Democrats isn’t necessarily young people voting against them, [but] young people not showing up and voting at all,” Ordoubadi said. “I think more of them are disgusted by our political system in general and probably not going to be taking part in it. That seems to be my impression.”

Especially with the razor-thin margins of swing states like North Carolina, Ordoubadi doesn’t think the Harris campaign fully grasps the potential implications of overlooking organizations like his.

“I think she’s made the calculation that our community probably is not organized, and that it’s a risk that she’s willing to take,” Ordoubadi said. “I don’t think it’s the best political move, especially given the fact that the vast majority of Democrats actually want a ceasefire. I think it’s a question to ask Harris that, if the Trump presidency is such a threat to our democracy, why is she risking the Trump presidency by continuing a genocide?”

GRAPHIC BY ELLIE BRUNO

Justin Welch Managing Editor

They’re your classmates. They’re your neighbors. They’re your friends. They’re voters.

In this series of portraits, Technician explores the political values of the Pack. The NC State community is a varied array of backgrounds and beliefs, a microcosm of the American electorate. This series of profiles seeks to platform a comprehensive picture of those in the voting booth ahead of the 2024 Election.

portraits packof the

the voting advocate

Ethan Bakogiannis Managing Editor

“I think democracy’s on the line in a way, and that is something huge at stake,” said Saila Buser.

Buser, a third-year studying political science and international studies, is set to vote in her first presidential election in November. However, Buser is no stranger to voting. In fact, she’s a staunch supporter of the right to vote, advocating for Americans — especially young ones — to vote in what she said is the most important election yet.

Buser emphasized how much power she and other students at NC State have over elections in a swing state such as North Carolina. Buser wants to make sure others know they can create the future they want by voting.

“I think that our generation is the future, and if we want our future to be one that we want to inherit, we have to make sure our voices are heard, and we have to make sure we’re electing people we trust with that future and that we trust to pursue our vision,” Buser said.

An Asheville, North Carolina native, Buser is a registered Democrat planning to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. In high school, Buser said she learned the importance of voting from her work with local political campaigns and because of Asheville’s position as a blueleaning hub in a predominantly red district.

There, she learned her vote could make a difference. Now, Buser is a member of Vote For Equality, an organization belonging to the Feminist Majority Foundation that educates voters and actively supports the Harris campaign.

Buser said Harris aligns much more with her political values, ideologies and vision for her future as an American citizen.

“I do think Kamala Harris represents more of what I want to see in the future than Donald Trump does, and I think there’s so many things on the line with this election,” Buser said. “I feel like she’s the only option that I can elect and then live in a country that I can feel proud of and safe in.”

Buser said while no candidate is perfect — citing Harris’ support for Israel in the IsraelHamas war — Harris supports causes that are critically important to her. These issues include climate change, affordability, LGBTQ+ rights

and reproductive rights.

“I think the way that the country has moved away from protecting women’s rights to their bodily autonomy has just been really scary to watch for me,” Buser said. “And that’s definitely a really big issue, because if Kamala Harris doesn’t win, I’m scared to see what that would look like in regards to women’s rights and abortion rights. I think women have the right to choose what they do with their body, and I don’t think the government’s place is in that at all. I think that should be left between a woman and her doctor.”

While a registered Democrat, Buser was admittedly nervous about President Joe Biden potentially serving another term. She and many others felt a jolt of energy when Harris was announced as the new Democratic candidate after Biden dropped out.

“It honestly made me so much more energized for this election, because seeing Joe Biden, seeing him in the debate, it just made me nervous,” Buser said. “I don’t think we should be electing politicians that old to office — we have a retirement age for a reason. … When he dropped out, the switch, the energy was so immediate. You could feel it on the internet, you could feel it in conversations with people. People were just energized.”

Buser said it was important for women, especially young girls, to see a woman in a position of such power — another aspect of Harris’ campaign that has energized her.

While Buser emphasized the importance of the presidential race, she also urged voters to take part in local elections like the North Carolina governor’s race, because of their increased impact on the average citizen.

Whether it’s a mayoral race for your small town or what she thinks is the most important presidential race in history, Buser said everyone’s voice matters and can have an impact. She urged voters to cast their ballots to make a change, to help create a world they want to live in.

“Whether we like it or not, politics and government is how we make change in the world,” Buser said. “Think about the world you live in, think about the world you want to live in and think about who would be able to make the world you live in now seem more like the place you want to.”

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

Saila Buser, a third-year studying political science and international studies, sits for a portrait in Caldwell Lounge on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. Saila was interviewed as a part of Technician’s “Portraits of the Pack” series, in which students were asked questions regarding their political views.

the undecided registered republican

Kate Denning Editor-in-Chief

Rudy Delacuesta, a fourth-year studying social work, doesn’t know who he’s voting for.

A child of immigrants from Mexico and firstgeneration college student, Delacuesta admittedly doesn’t resonate with much of former President Donald Trump’s rhetoric. But, he said growing up in rural North Carolina influenced his politics, placing him to the right on certain issues.

It was when he moved to Raleigh for school that he began to identify with traditionally left-leaning causes. It’s this juxtaposition that has caused Delacuesta to split his ticket in years past, voting for a Republican president and a Democratic governor one year and vice versa the next, and likely in 2024 too.

“As far as this year goes — it’s strange because I don’t really care so much about the presidential election, because I feel like people get too caught up in that,” Delacuesta said. “I believe the governor’s race will have more of an impact on North Carolinian lives than any president ever will.”

Delacuesta said he’s made up his mind on the 2024 gubernatorial race.

“I really don’t like to judge people on their past, you know, but I just feel like Mark Robinson’s probably digging himself a hole you can’t climb out of,” Delacuesta said.

For president, he still finds himself on the fence with less than a month to spare. He voted for former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton when she ran against Trump in 2016, citing Trump’s rhetoric surrounding deportation. While Delacuesta did not see that occur in his own community, he did notice another kind of shift.

“There was a lot of, ‘Trump’s gonna do A, B or C, and if he gets elected, then my family and my loved

Pierce Bruns Correspondent

ones are gonna get deported,’ like all the horror stories,” Delacuesta said. “And it turns out none of those came true. If anything, I had a lot more money in my wallet during his first four years than I have these past four.”

As for Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris, while he is not opposed to a Harris

presidency and does not question her qualifications for the top office, Delacuesta takes issue with the way she received the nomination, given she did not initially run in the primaries. In terms of policy, he wishes the Biden-Harris administration would have enforced stricter security at the border and provided more resources and increased pay for

the pragmatic fashionista

As the Nov. 5 deadline quickly approaches, the airwaves are filled with campaign ads from both sides of the American political aisle. Yet, as the leaves start to fall, so do the moral levels of attack ads.

Over the last few months, high-profile insults have been flying, with candidates commenting on their opponents’ laugh, or saying the other candidate is ‘just plain weird.’ Policy, agenda — these matters fall by the wayside.

Or so Alexis De Castro, a second-year studying fashion textile management, believes.

“I haven’t seen anything positive in politics at all, if I’m being honest,” De Castro said. “Even if I see things in national politics that are supporting one candidate, it’s usually not really talking about that candidate and what they’re doing, but more so pointing fingers at the other candidate.”

Yet, that finger-pointing doesn’t trickle down to De Castro, who views elections and differing perspectives as less-than-existential differences in judgment and beliefs.

“At the end of the day, I realized that at least stuff like that doesn’t really come into play every day for everyone,” De Castro said. “So I understand when people don’t agree with me or don’t feel the severity that I do sometimes with issues.”

Raised in a small town, De Castro was challenged in her youth to think about her values and find what issues are truly important to her. A conversationalist at heart, she values surrounding herself with diverse opinions.

“On NC State’s campus, I feel like I have a big, diverse pool of opinions that I hear every day, and I really do enjoy it,” De Castro said.

Despite entertaining perspectives from across the political spectrum,

De Castro said Trump’s campaign appears uninviting for her vote this November.

“I’m a person of color, and it hasn’t always felt inviting to be someone who votes for Trump in that sense,” De Castro said. “I feel like a lot of just integral things about my identity and who I am aren’t things that he agrees with or is very supportive of.”

Politically, De Castro has been turned away from Trump’s rhetoric on the two most important issues to her — reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights. However, De Castro admitted her doubts that much will change no matter what happens on Election Day.

“I feel like I used to be super invested in politics, especially when I turned 16 … I still feel like that, but I have realized that life doesn’t change that much depending on who’s in office,” De Castro said.

A pragmatist, De Castro views the world through a lens of practicality. This attitude extends from her participation in politics to her career aspirations.

“I definitely want to do something with fashion, or at least marketing,” De Castro said. “But I don’t really care who I work for. I know a lot of people are super picky, like, ‘Oh I want to work for a luxury brand’ — I don’t really need all that. I’d be fine working for anyone in the U.S. or elsewhere.”

This sensible outlook is the underlying force that drives a cautious, but optimistic view of politics for De Castro.

“Someone else may be different, but I feel like if things stay the same or nothing changes, that’s also not necessarily a bad thing,” De Castro said. “Because things could always be worse.”

those on border patrol.

Delacuesta’s primary concern going into this year’s presidential election is what he sees as an issue of resources not being dispensed to the American people.

“It doesn’t sit well with me that we’ll have money to send rockets to Mars or send money to foreign adversaries,” Delacuesta said. “And I know that’s just how politics work, but I’d rather those funds get directed to the people that truly need it, for example, the hurricane victims or homelessness, childcare for single parents.”

Beyond that, he has concerns about the economy.

“That’s more for selfish reasons, but I think everyone votes a little bit because of that,” Delacuesta said. “If a candidate could assure me that I would have 20, 30% more money in my wallet each time I go out, they would get my vote every year, or that party whether it’s Democratic or Republican. That’s just the selfishness — I don’t even want to say selfishness, but it’s what’s best for you.”

As a social work major, Delacuesta tries to not let his future career interact with his voting habits, although he finds it difficult.

“I try not to let it intertwine too much, but it’s kind of hard, especially whenever my major is advocating for people,” Delacuesta said. “So as someone who advocates for people, I should do everything in my power to make sure people are in the best position to better themselves or come out on top, per se. And part of that due diligence is with voting, not just as a social work major, but as an American citizen in the United States.”

Delacuesta said he will sleep on the decision the night before Election Day on Nov. 5, when he plans to vote.

their political views.

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

Rudy Delacuesta, a fourth-year studying social work, sits for a portrait outside of the 1911 Building on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. Rudy was interviewed as a part of Technician’s “Portraits of the Pack” series, in which students were asked questions regarding their political views.

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

Alexis De Castro, a second-year studying fashion textile management, smiles for a portrait outside of Witherspoon Student Center on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. Alexis was interviewed as a part of Technician’s “Portraits of the Pack” series, in which students were asked questions regarding

12 TECHNICIAN

Matthew Burkhart News Editor

the small-town conservative

‘little rocket man.’”

Paul Lewis, a second-year studying engineering, a student senator and a self-identifying conservative, is preparing to vote in his first general election. His vote may offer a glimpse into the future of the Republican Party.

Growing up in a tiny coastal community of just 300 people, Lewis was shaped by small-town conservative values and a strong Christian faith. However, his experiences at NC State and involvement in campus politics have broadened his perspective.

“I’m not a Republican, I’m not a Democrat, I am unaffiliated,” Lewis said. “That’s what I think most Americans are.”

Still, Lewis leans conservative on most issues and plans to vote for former President Donald Trump, despite some reservations about Trump’s rhetoric and character.

“I try to push the point that you’re not voting for the person,” Lewis said. “You’re more so voting for the policy.”

For Lewis, the economy is the most pressing issue. He worries about high inflation eroding the purchasing power of fixed-income seniors in his hometown and jeopardizing his own generation’s financial future.

“We’re coming into a period where this is one of the first times the future generation isn’t going to have it as good as the previous generation,” Lewis said.

He believes Trump’s economic policies, including tax cuts and deregulation, would benefit young professionals like himself entering the workforce. Lewis also supports Trump’s tough stance on illegal immigration and emphasis on law and order.

However, Lewis acknowledges Trump’s controversial statements and tweets have often been unhelpful or offensive. As a Christian, he struggles to reconcile some of Trump’s past comments with his faith.

“Trump has made plenty of comments, very derogatory comments, especially in relation to women,” Lewis said. “I think he’s become more presidential … I think he learned that it’s better for America, it’s better for foreign relations, for him not to go up there and call Kim Jong Un

the grad student

On social issues, Lewis holds traditional conservative views but is open to some compromise. He opposes late-term abortions but could support allowing the procedure early in pregnancy.

“My ideal belief … is somewhere between heartbeat and first trimester,” Lewis said.

As vice president of Turning Point USA at NC State, Lewis is actively engaged in campus politics. However, he laments the polarization he sees among his peers.

“I encourage them to talk about an open discourse,” Lewis said of liberal classmates. “You’ll be very surprised on how much we actually agree on.”

Lewis brings a unique perspective as an aspiring coastal engineer. A high school project addressing local flooding sparked his interest in infrastructure and led to a $250,000 state grant to fix drainage issues in his hometown.

Now, he hopes to return to the coast after graduation to work on bridges, drainage structures and other critical infrastructure. While he acknowledges climate change is occurring, Lewis is skeptical of dire predictions and believes America is already doing more than most countries to address the issue, referencing a lack of evidence from his hometown.

“We have docks where we are, and these docks have been there over 100 years,” Lewis said. “The average tide still falls where the dock is. It really hasn’t changed.”

As Election Day approaches, Lewis remains conflicted about some down-ballot races, particularly the North Carolina governor’s contest. He admires Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein’s record of taking on corporations but also agrees with many of Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s economic policies.

Ultimately, Lewis represents a new generation of young conservatives — more moderate on some social issues, deeply concerned about the economy and willing to overlook character flaws in exchange for preferred policies.

Matthew Junkroski Correspondent

Call them the future of higher education, medicine or research. Regardless of what they stand for, graduate students contribute to academia and the future as a whole through their studies. Their work today determines the identities of future academic and field experts.

Combine that work with the fact that in 2020, nearly 80% of registered NC State students came to the polls, it’s clear that as they continue to vote, grad students’ impact ripples beyond academia, deep into the political.

Brian Carss, a graduate student studying communication, has been at NC State since his undergraduate years, but his love of history and politics predates his arrival at NC State, stretching back to high school.

It’s his love of politics that helps Carss stay informed during election years. During the 2016 election, Carss said Donald Trump caught his eye as an interesting candidate.

“At the time, I was like, ‘Oh, you know, he’s something new,’” Carss said. “Maybe it’ll be good.”

Carss said one important question he keeps in mind during electoral years is, “Are you better off than you were four years ago?”

“I was taking classes at home because we got sent off campus, and Trump was flown to the hospital because he got COVID, and the economy sucked and there was all this debate over stimulus checks,” Carss said. “I feel like people have kind of forgotten what four years ago was actually like compared to now.”

Carss said for him, the answer to this question was simple. Things were bad.

“I think it’s good that maybe we have increased standards now, but I still think we need to have some perspective,” Carss said. “When Biden took office, things were really bad.”

As we move into a new electoral year, Carss plans to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. He said while he leans liberal, his position stems more from a shifting of Republican ideals.

“I tend to lean toward the liberal side,” Carss said. “I usually vote for Democrats, not all Democrats, but usually Democrats. I think a lot of it the past couple of years has come more out of feeling like Republicans have moved away from where I am, especially since Trump has been elected.”

While Carss supports Harris’ views, he said the election is also about preventing Trump from reentering office.

“Every election, every politician says this is the most important election of their lifetime,” Carss said. “I do think it’s kind of an inflection point, though, because we’ve seen some Democratic backsliding in the US and abroad the last couple years.”

Carss said Harris’ policies made him feel “confident” compared to Trump’s.

“You hear [people] talk about Project 2025 a lot,” Carss said. “How much of it will actually happen? What if stuff in it happens? What does that mean, versus the more certainty you get with Harris and just a continuation of, not perfect, but policies where I feel like we have good stability, and I can feel confident in where I’m going in life.”

In 2018, a surge of student voting during midterms proved hopeful for future elections, but a decline in student voting in 2022 seemed to prove that student turnout isn’t staying high.

Despite this, graduate students vote more often than undergraduates, with 45% of graduate students voting in 2018, a number nearly 10% higher than that of undergraduates.

Carss said he believes the decision to return to school informs grad students’ views, which he believes are, on average, more liberal.

“If you’re in grad school, you’re exposed to more ideas, more points of view,” Carss said. “I think being exposed to more people tends to make people change their worldview a little bit.”

Carss said regardless of views, graduate students need to vote.

“A lot of people come to grad school looking for jobs, looking for more money,” Carss said. “And I think the current stability we have right now is very important for that.”

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

Paul Lewis, a second-year studying civil engineering, poses for a portrait in Talley Student Union on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. Paul was interviewed as a part of Technician’s “Portraits of the Pack” series, in which students were asked questions regarding their political views.

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

Brian Carss, a graduate student studying communications, sits for a portrait outside of Winston Hall on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. Brian was interviewed as a part of Technician’s “Portraits of the Pack” series, in which students were asked questions regarding their political views.

Justin Welch Managing Editor

What comes to mind when considering a caricature of an NC State frat boy? Privileged, ignorant, regressive. Barbaric, maybe. Someone who can conjure a constructive analysis of the most intricate and contentious international political situation of the century? Probably not.

At the intersection of Greek life and global political consciousness, you can find Deven Desai.

Former secretary, vice president and president of his fraternity, Desai is a seasoned veteran of Greek Village and Glenwood Avenue. But you can’t possibly box him into the conventional frat boy frame.

Desai is a first-generation American whose parents were both born in India. Both of his parents went to NC State, and his brother is on the way in the spring — being a part of the Wolfpack has always been in his blood.

Desai is intimately engaged in politics and the world around him. Though he is a registered Democrat, Desai doesn’t view that as a proper framing of his political identity. Both domestically and overseas, candidates from the left side of the aisle aren’t effectively addressing issues important to him.

Desai highlighted issues like child poverty and women’s right to their bodily autonomy.

“I feel like if these rights aren’t protected, if these challenges aren’t addressed, then you can’t narrow that framing of, ‘I’m just going to vote blue no matter who,’ because if this money isn’t going to places that need it, then I feel like you’re not going to earn my vote,” Desai said.

the conscientious frat boy

Deven Desai, a fourth-year studying international studies, poses for a portrait in the Court of Carolinas on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. Deven was interviewed as a part of Technician’s “Portraits of the Pack” series, in which students were asked questions regarding their political views.

Desai isn’t just blowing smoke either. He is a fourth-year in international studies and plans to start his career in Washington D.C. after graduating this upcoming summer.

“If I’m looking at it holistically, I want to look back and know that I’ve made a positive impact on the community,” Desai said. “Whether that’s at a micro level or macro level, I just want to have touched as many people as possible in a positive way.”

Desai’s central concern this election season is the

conflict in Gaza.

“I would characterize it as a genocide that has lasted over a year,” Desai said. “This is something that’s been going on for the last 70 years. And Oct. 7, I think this goes without saying, was a tragedy. It’s something that is horrible humanitarianly … but that doesn’t justify the year of genocide that’s also been occurring.”

Desai believes the United States has had a central role in mediating the conflict, and has failed

to address the “scale of humanitarian violence and displacement” the world is seeing. He doesn’t sympathize with the perspective that things could get worse under one candidate than the other.

“That takes advantage of our vote because rather than addressing the issue, you’re simply taking the lesser of two evils, rather than seeing the current administration for how it’s dealt with the conflict in the past year,” Desai said. “You can say all you want that Trump is going to make it worse, but you’ve had the power to change it in the last year. And what’s happened in the last year? 60,000 plus deaths in Gaza and now countless deaths in Lebanon, and it’s only going to get worse unless the actual administration steps up and mediates the conflict.”

Desai sees the conflict as having ripple effects far beyond the domestic situation in the Middle East and hitting closer to home.

“The crisis in Gaza has now spread throughout the Middle East, and it’s been allowed by the United States to escalate to a point where it’s not only a humanitarian catastrophe, but a growing threat to regional and global stability,” Desai said. “So if you’re voting in the 2024 Election and your priority is the economy, your priority is trade, you cannot fail to address the humanitarian crisis going on.”

Though Desai is planning to vote up and down the ballot this year, he doesn’t blame those who are refraining.

“If the affairs in the Middle East is your main issue and that is close to your heart, and you have a protest vote, it is not my job or my right to try to sway you from that based on the atrocities that have occurred in the last year,” Desai said.

State Senator Rachel Hunt seeks to ‘repair the dignity’ of lieutenant’s governor office

As North Carolina gears up for a pivotal election, State Senator Rachel Hunt is making her bid for the lieutenant governor’s office, emphasizing a need for greater attention to women’s and children’s causes. Hunt, daughter of former Gov. Jim Hunt, the longest-serving governor in North Carolina history and namesake of James B. Hunt Library, has strong ties to NC State. Hunt said she recalls fond memories of watching NC State basketball games with her father, including the iconic 1983 championship. Although Hunt graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill, her connection to NC State runs deep, with Hunt’s son having graduated from the University’s mechanical engineering program.

With a background as a family law attorney and college counselor, Hunt entered politics in 2018, propelled by concerns over the Trump presidency and what she perceived as attacks on her father’s legacy, particularly in education funding. She served two terms in the North Carolina House before moving to the Senate, where she currently serves.

Hunt said her campaign for lieutenant governor is built on three main pillars — protecting women’s reproductive rights, fully funding public education and ensuring accessible childcare.

On reproductive rights, Hunt said she expressed grave concern over the state’s current 12-week abortion ban, which she said is effectively much shorter due to the three-visit rule.

“We have lost a lot of those [rights] here in North Carolina,” Hunt said.

Regarding education, Hunt said there is a need for comprehensive funding “all the way up and down,” from early education through post-secondary options. She pointed to North Carolina’s low national ranking in K-12 teacher pay, a stark contrast to the state’s former status as a destination for teachers.

The campaign is also emphasizing the need for accessible childcare, which Hunt said is crucial for the state’s economy and workforce participation.

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

COURTESY OF ZACH GODWIN

Matthew Burkhart, Ally Tennant News Editors

OPINION

Michele Morrow is a threat to North Carolina’s public education system

In the upcoming state superintendent race, candidates Mo Green and Michele Morrow are fighting for control over the public institutions of North Carolina. Morrow, the Republican candidate who surpassed the incumbent Catherine Truitt in the primary election, is severely underqualified and poses a threat to the quality and safety of our public schools in North Carolina.

Morrow’s only experience with the public school system is her enrollment in it as a child. After attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she became a nurse — a noble occupation but one without much overlap with the public school system.

She claims teaching experience within what she calls “parent-led micro-schools,” or small groups of students who are being homeschooled by their parents.

Homeschooling itself is certainly not a problem, but in the context of the state superintendent race, this experience is not as relevant as Morrow makes it out to be.

As a representative of public schools across North Carolina, our state superintendent should at least hold some experience within a public school classroom. To truly understand

the functions and needs of the public school system, our state superintendent should have experienced them first hand. Morrow has not.

Not only is Morrow underqualified for the position, her stances also pose a threat to the current state of public education in North Carolina.

As a supporter of the Parents’ Bill of Rights, Morrow is in favor of rules that remove the autonomy of the school system.

The Parents’ Bill of Rights is a controversial bill passed in the General Assembly in August 2023. In the contexts of public instruction, it is meant to allow the parent to “direct the education … of [their] child.”

Schools are meant to teach students things that they could not learn otherwise, and by allowing parents to influence what schools can and can not teach, they are undermining the purpose of educational institutions themselves.

Morrow also believes schools should not teach America’s history as a “racist and oppressive nation,” a notion that is incredibly flawed. If we choose to ignore the mistakes that our country made in the past, we will never grow into a greater, more united nation in the future.

For a candidate that stresses a system of education that promotes “fairness, equality and unity,” it seems that she would rather protect

the sanctity of the American image and brush the mistakes of the past under the rug.

Morrow deems social-emotional learning, an aspect of K-12 education that stresses the building of interpersonal relationship-building skills and emotional self-management, as “non-academic” and a “waste [of] money.”

Social and emotional health is taught throughout K-12 education. While learning academic-related subjects, students are also taught how to make connections with their peers, how to manage and regulate their emotions and how to function as a person in society.

Social-emotional learning is intertwined with our academic curricula and it would be detrimental to exorcize this from the public school curriculum.

Another major part of public education is the education of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Morrow has publicly stated that students with intellectual and developmental disabilities will “never be able to compete” with the “gifted and talented” students. This is extremely problematic and is her justification for advocating for the removal of inclusion programs in classrooms.

Intellectual and developmental disabilities exist on a wide spectrum of conditions, severties and impacts on a person’s life. This

broad generalization by Morrow shows not only that she is largely uneducated on the issue but also that she does not care for a large portion of students within North Carolina.

While the superintendent of state mostly impacts K-12 education, there is some impact on the public institutions of higher education, such as NC State. As the person at the forefront of educational-policy advocacy, the superintendent of state has the ability to call for new policy that can impact the sanctions placed on universities as well as the funding given to them by the government.

The position also less-observably impacts the students that are applying to and entering universities. As the nature of the K-12 public school system changes, so will the education and condition of incoming students.

When considering who is qualified and has the best intentions in mind for public education in North Carolina, I urge you to consider the information presented here.

Morrow poses a major threat to the safety and autonomy of our schools, as well as the populations of students within them. If we strive to have a higher standard of public education in our state, we must work together to ensure that we place individuals with the necessary experience and strength of character at the forefront of our institutions.

In North Carolina, one man does not equal one vote

North Carolina has a long history of voter suppression. Notorious for gerrymandering and constantly in court for reforms to voting laws, it is clear that our state does not value the importance of this country’s greatest freedom.

Most recently, state Republicans have successfully passed a bill that’s been tied up in lawsuits since 2018. The law requires photo identification for any person voting in-person. A separate law also requires photo IDs for any person voting via mail-in ballot.

The three-day grace period typically allotted for mail-in ballots was cut. Ballots received after 7:30 p.m. on Election Day this year will not be counted.

This doesn’t come as a surprise considering the GOP in North Carolina swiftly passed a restrictive voting law following

the Shelby v. Holder decision in 2013. The decision ruled Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act unconstitutional. 40 out of 100 counties in North Carolina were subject to this section requiring federal approval before making any changes to voting laws.

The bill passed in 2013 shortened the early voting period by a week and ended pre-registration for 16 and 17-year-olds.

It’s been extremely frustrating to watch as time and time again the political process I’m told to revere is tainted with partisan attempts to maintain majorities and cling to power. Nearly every election in my recent memory has been riddled with scandal. In my hometown, District 9, the 2018 congressional election had to be held twice due to a salacious voter fraud incident nullifying the original results.

As controversial as was the indictment of several Republican operatives on charges of illegal ballot tampering, this didn’t pose nearly the same threat that gerrymandering does in our state.

Both parties are guilty of gerrymandering. Following the 1990 census, North Carolina needed to add a 12th congressional district, and the outcome was a predominantly Black district that extended from Charlotte to Durham. Shaw v. Reno in 1993 ruled the district a form of racial gerrymandering.

The 2022 decision in Harper v. Hall resulted in the North Carolina State Supreme Court rejecting congressional maps on the basis that they violated the state constitution. In that year’s election, Republicans gained a majority on the state bench and submitted another gerrymandered map to the State Supreme Court. This time, it was approved.

The case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and in 2023, the court reversed the previous decision, stating, “State courts may not transgress the ordinary bounds of judicial review such that they arrogate to themselves the power vested in state legislatures to regulate federal elections.”

In other words, the North Carolina State

Supreme Court in 2022 was acting in excess of their power by enforcing remedial maps to replace the gerrymandered maps submitted by the Republican legislature.

The NAACP filed a suit last December claiming the GOP in North Carolina violated the same federal law Democrats in the state violated over 30 years ago.

The pressure to remain politically engaged while living in a swing state is palpable. I’m acutely aware that my vote is more valuable than one in California or New York, for instance. My hometown is a “battleground for democracy,” yet I can’t be certain we’ve ever had a true democracy. Especially in North Carolina.

I feel petulant admitting this — the right to vote is one my ancestors have fought hard for. It’s a right my family overseas does not have. The painstaking effort that’s been made to protect this freedom is constantly under attack and unfortunately the only solution is being suppressed.

Jacob Smith Staff Writer

Rocky Berhe Assistant Opinion Editor

GUEST COLUMN SATIRE How to utilize Pack the Polls this voting season

Will Cowan Co-leader of Pack the Polls and fourth-year studying political science

If you read nothing else, just know this: Early voting is available at Talley Student Union from Oct. 17 to Nov. 2 for Wake County voters. If you need to update your registration, you can do so with same-day registration. You will find a wide range of events, information and resources at the Pack the Polls website, and if you have more specific questions about logistics and eligibility, look to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Can I vote if I’m an out-of-state student? How do I check to see if I’m registered? How do I know who’s even running and what they stand for? These are just a few of the hundreds of questions that I’ve been asked and answered as a member of the Pack the Polls Ambassadors.

For four years now, I’ve been helping folks around NC State get the information and resources they need to be informed voters. Pack the Polls is a nonpartisan student organization under the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement. We aim to promote voter information and civic engagement on campus by developing and delivering events centered around voter information, our signature voter workshops, various presentations, tabling and more.

Over the years, I’ve probably spoken with hundreds, if not thousands, of students about how they can become more engaged in the electoral process. Now, serving as one of the co-leaders of the group, we’ve been able to develop some exciting events and partnerships with other groups in the community. We do all of this because we truly believe that voting and being civically engaged is one of the most important things anyone can do to maintain a democracy that is truly representative and works for everyone.

In keeping with this, we are excited to announce that we have a plethora of events and resources to share with the Wolfpack community.

One of our signature events is our voting toolkit workshops. These workshops have been developed by our graduate assistant Miroslava Colan, my fellow co-leader Millie Walkenhorst, myself and numerous other members of our team. They are a one-stop shop for just about

anything you’d want to know about voting and are especially helpful for first-time voters. We currently have two more of these workshops scheduled for Oct. 24 and 30, and more information can always be found on our website.

Another new event that we’re excited about is on Oct. 17 and is our City of Raleigh Candidates Living Room Conversations. Thanks to the hard work of Pack the Polls, many of the candidates for Raleigh City Council have agreed to come to campus to have what we call “living room conversations.”

These are structured conversations around all kinds of important issues designed specifically to allow each person to understand each others’ perspectives and think in ways they might not have before. We believe this will be a fantastic opportunity for students to get to know the people who are running for offices in local government, positions that have a high impact on our day-to-day lives.

For any resources that you may need to learn more about voter registration, candidates who are running in your precinct, upcoming deadlines and really anything else, be sure to check out the Pack the Polls website. If you have more specific questions, be sure to reach out to us and we’d be happy to help.

If you want to share these resources with a class or organization, we do presentations that can be specially catered towards your group. You will see our ambassadors tabling around campus and at different events leading up to Election Day, so again, please feel free to come talk with us.

Thanks to the work and advocacy of the Pack the Polls Ambassadors, Talley Student Union will serve as an early voting site from Oct. 17 to Nov. 2. The dedicated people running these polls are specifically trained to help NC State students successfully cast their ballots. For anything else, look to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

The resources and opportunities are there for you to have your voice be heard. Everyone knows about the stereotype that young people don’t vote, so I challenge you to break that norm and set a new precedent that our generation does care and won’t be pushed around. I know that getting into politics might be intimidating, but it’ll all be easier if we do it together. See you at the polls, Wolfpack.

Mark Robinson forced to carry unviable campaign to term

Conner Kahn Correspondent

Editor’s Note: This is a work of satire. It should not be taken seriously or applied literally.

In one of the most sudden and complete campaign implosions in modern American political history, current North Carolina gubernatorial candidate and former competitive gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson has been exposed for a litany of actions he would probably describe as “degenerate, anti-western, globalist deeds designed to undermine America.”

The aforementioned actions have marred his election hopes and have forced him to carry an unviable campaign to term. Such actions include: enjoying transgender pornography, being a self-professed “perv,” being active on pornography forums, formerly being exposed for funding an abortion for a child he had out of wedlock, peeping on women showering in public showers and having an Ashley Madison account.

And conversely, lots of actions and statements that can be charitably be considered, at best, “Nazi-adjacent,” such as expressing support for the reinstatement of slavery, wanting to own enslaved persons, saying he’d prefer Hitler over the leadership of the 2012 Obama administration, denying he’s in the KKK — not because of ideological differences, as that would be impossible, but rather because they do not admit Black people — using slurs that have not been uttered since the Reconstruction era and praising Mein Kampf.

After being exposed, Robinson is now walking back on his staunch pro-life stance. This is due to the realization that he will be forced to carry his now unviable campaign to term.

Current snap polling data suggests Josh Stein holds a nearly triple-digit probability of winning the campaign, causing election

experts to change the election outcomes from “Slight D Edge” to “Massive D Advantage,” which is a double-whammy to Robinson as “Massive D” is also his favorite category of transgender pornography.

The legislation forcing him to carry his campaign to term, despite its unviability, was passed under his leadership and scrutiny while he was lieutenant governor. The aforementioned “Robinson-No-Deep-StateAnti-Choice-Spitters-Quitters-We-MustSecure-The-Existence-Of-Our-People-AndA-Future-For-The-White-Children-I-WishI-Could-Have” Bill, or sometimes shortened to the Anti-Sophie’s-Choice Act — due to Robinson’s frequent comments against both the existence of the Holocaust and women’s bodily autonomy — has been criticized due to how vague and wide-reaching its language is.

Legal scholars highlight sections such as 14H which states, “Once an individual has begun an action that takes on average nine months, they are forbidden to stop such an action” and 88H stating that “Any violation of Section 14H carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 40 years in prison” as being overly broad to a point of farce.

The bill has had wide-reaching effects on a myriad of seemingly disparate groups that are not the intended group such as women who seek to terminate their pregnancy prematurely. Richard Cox, a 50-year-old who was training for a marathon, was arrested last week due to him quitting over health concerns. Tina LaToya, a 21-year-old college student, was taken in due to her questionable situationship ending three months before they usually acrimoniously flame out. Robinson, continuing his commitment to never help the public, has refused to drop out, an act that would see him arrested and spend the rest of his life in prison. He compared the bombshell report to a “digital lynching” which is demonstrably false, as if it were the case, Robinson would have been in attendance, in his finest Klan robes.

Why we should invest in space exploration

Sophia Robertson Correspondent

At the end of the Cretaceous Period, an asteroid caused one of the most dramatic mass extinctions Earth has ever seen. The dinosaurs went extinct, in addition to roughly 75% of animals on our planet. In an instant, a solar storm or asteroid could take down our entire civilization. We all know the story, so do we actually believe this can’t happen again?

Yes, it’s unlikely — but it’s certainly not impossible.

For the sake of the human species, we need to take measures to journey through the galaxy and eventually settle our solar system.

Brand Fortner, astrophysicist and physics research professor at NC State, said space exploration is necessary for the long-term survival of the human species.

“All our lives are balanced between longterm and short-term,” Fortner said. “There are some benefits today, but most of them will show up hundreds, thousands of years from now. We need to protect and support our lives here on the planet, but we need to plan for a spacefaring future.”

survive as a species is that eventually we become spacefarers.”

An investment now will also benefit us in the long-term economically, whether that be from space tourism or resource extraction. Recent figures indicate that space tourism globally could generate $4 billion in revenue each year. The transition from developmental to commercial enterprises is one reason for this economic impact. For example, Virgin Galactic, a British-American spaceflight company founded in 2004, began taking reservations for commercial flights, with each ticket costing more than $200,000.

Although existential threats such as asteroid impacts are very unlikely, they are extremely high-impact, meaning they have the power to destroy the entire human species. It would be irresponsible not to prepare future generations for these events.

1997 XV11 — predicted to approach Earth on Oct. 26, 2028 — was identified as a potential threat but later determined it will just miss our planet.

In fact, near-miss asteroids are relatively common. A two-kilometer asteroid named

“One way or another, the cosmos will get us,” Fortner said. “The cosmos is a dangerous place, and the only way that we can

The modern college kid is a curmudgeon

The phrase “college is the best four years of your life” echoes in the minds of many young college students, mine included. I’m a third-year, and it seemingly takes five to seven business days to plan a night out with my friends.

My college experience has been nothing like what I was promised. Times have changed. What happened to spontaneity? More often than not, my plan suggestions get shot down or straight-up ignored. Several of my friends have canceled our dinner plans hours beforehand. All the talk of wild nights with friends and building dad lore feel more and more out of reach as the semesters go by.

Before I go any further, I’ll clarify that I love my friends and respect their decision not to go out, but I wasn’t expecting this reaction in college.

I’m not known to be a partier, and I came to college expecting to be the curmudgeon who shuts down plans. The fact that I’ve been the one suggesting ideas and persuading my friends shocks me.

On my 21st birthday, a majority of my friends only stayed for the pregame, and only two made it to downtown Raleigh with me.

A few weeks ago, I invited one of my friends out on a Friday night. His response? He hates going out. I was told that’s not supposed to be the response until after I graduate.

NC State’s Yik Yak posts about traditional college activities get downvoted and attacked, which tells me it’s not just my friends and more of a pattern than my own isolated experience.

Not being able to go out on a weeknight is understandable. But even weekend plans have become rare, and once plans are offi-

cially in place, we don’t go out for very long. It’s not exclusive to partying, either. Even brunches or coffee runs are impossible to organize. Don’t get me wrong — I tend to stay in too, but I’d like to go out on occasion. Alone time is healthy when properly balanced with an active social life, but, like with anything, too much alone time can be detrimental to one’s health. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy found that around half of U.S. adults experience severe loneliness.

The effects of loneliness extend beyond boredom. Isolation can cause heart prob-

lems, dementia and a range of other issues. Unfortunately, outings have steadily become more expensive, so it can be hard to think of budget-friendly activities with friends.

The good news is that inexpensive activities are possible to find. Raleigh has an Azalea Garden and farmer’s market if you’re looking for daytime activities. Dinner plans don’t have to be expensive either; Coco Bongo offers tacos for less than $2 on Tuesdays.

Disregarding expenses, some of this loneliness among young adults is self-inflicted. Post-COVID, Gen-Z has struggled with socializing and prefers staying home to minimize the risk of feeling awkward. Luckily, outings don’t have to revolve around partying or big crowds, but could be as simple as going to lunch with a friend or small group. Compared to what everyone told me about college, the reality hasn’t lived up to expectations. Partying doesn’t have to — and shouldn’t — consume every waking hour, but I’m disappointed with how it’s hardly consumed any at all. This is the perfect time for us to go out and have fun, but it seems like we’re prematurely acting like grandparents.

GRAPHIC BY HENRY O’BRYAN

GRAPHIC BY WYLIE PHU

Grace Turschak Correspondent

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Backcourt bond: NC State women’s basketball’s inseparable duo of Rivers and James

Colby Trotter

Sports Editor

CHARLOTTE, N.C., — You can’t spot one without the other. Last week in red and white striped overalls they hyped up Carter-Finley Stadium with chants of “Wolfpack” before NC State football’s game against Wake Forest. Earlier in the summer they attended Kelsey Plum’s DAWG Class and did pilates with pups.

Off the court, they’re inseparable. On the court, they make up one of the best guard duos in women’s college basketball. Senior guards Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers are entering potentially their final seasons with NC State and are looking for an encore after a dream run to the Final Four last season.

James and Rivers’ emergence came as a surprise to many last season — even head coach Wes Moore. It was their first season starting and while both had success off the bench, especially Rivers, who was the ACC Sixth Player of the Year her sophomore season. There there were questions about how they’d handle starting roles, so much so that NC State was picked to finish eighth in the ACC.

“We knew they were going to be great players and have special years,” Moore said. “But to say I knew they were going to do exactly what they did — I think Saniya had a great year. And then Aziaha, I think she just took off and got so hot in the NCAA Tournament. I thought she was a big reason that we were able to make that run.”

Rivers didn’t take long to let the world know who she was. In the Wolfpack’s second game of the season against then-No. 2 UConn on national television, she scored a career-high 33 points to go along with 10 rebounds and five assists, outperforming UConn guard Paige Bueckers, one of the best players in the country.

Meanwhile, James was NC State’s leading scorer for the regular season but put her name on the map during the postseason. Across five NCAA Tournament games, James averaged 23.4 points on 47.5% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. In the Sweet 16 against Stanford, James went off for 29 points along with five assists. She then followed that up with 27 points on 7-9 from beyond the arc in the Elite Eight against Texas to send NC State to its second ever Final Four.

While it took until last season for the college basketball world to realize who James and Rivers were, internally they saw this coming all along.

“I truly believe that we’re one of the best backcourt duos in the country,” Rivers said. “What we did last year proved it. We believed we were before this past season but now we’ve just shown it.”

ALEX MANUEL/TECHNICIAN

For James and Rivers, last season was rewarding because of the patience and hard work they put in to accomplish what they did. James came off the bench her first two seasons despite being the No. 21 player in her class. Rivers was relegated to the sixth player her first season with the Pack, even though she was the No. 3 player in her class transferring from South Carolina.

Both could have transferred and got starting spots at a number of colleges, but decided to stick it out with the Wolfpack. It speaks to the culture that Moore has built at his program where players are willing to sit back and learn while waiting for a shot at a starting role.

“I’ve been here for four years and just the journey that I have been on, that felt so good,” James said on what last year’s starting nod meant to her. “It just shows me all the work I put in. It really paid off.”

“I think it was definitely well-deserved, well-earned,” Rivers added. “A starting spot is not something that’s given to you. It’s something that’s earned. It took three years to get here, and we’re definitely looking forward to keeping our spot because anybody can take it at any given time.”

No moment exemplifies the strong bond James and Rivers have more than what happened in the waning minutes of NC State’s Round of 32 win over Tennessee in Reynolds Coliseum last season.

In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Rivers had two trips to the free throw line where she could’ve put the game out of reach but missed the front end of the attempts both times. Before she attempted her second free throw on both trips, James got in her ear and encouraged her. Rivers then sank her second free throw after James’ pep talk.

“I’m so happy that I came here and was able to make that relationship with Aziaha,” Rivers said. “She’s like a sister to me. We gelled quickly, whether it was with TikTok dances, going to grab food, like we just have the same hobbies. ... So obviously that off the court bond quickly translated on the court.”

For James, who’s a little more laid back, Rivers has brought out an extroverted side of James that wasn’t seen in her first couple of seasons with the Wolfpack. Last year, James and Rivers were the hype women of the team, whether it was bumping chests with each other or hyping up the crowd, it was clear they fed off each other.

“Me and Saniya are irreplaceable,” James said. “So just finding each other on the court is very easy because of our bond.”

While Rivers and James will be starting alongside each other again this season, it’s going to look a little different than last year. Instead of starting in the backcourt next to James, Rivers will be playing any-

where from point guard to center with the departures of last year’s frontcourt of River Baldwin and Mimi Collins.

“I take pride in being a versatile player because I’m very unselfish,” Rivers said. “I want to be able to put my team in a position to win so whatever I need to do to help contribute to the wins, that’s what I’m going to do. So if coach needs me to control the team, then I’ll play at point. If coach wants to run five guards, then I’ll go to the post and wall up with the post. I got to be a little stronger. It’s a mentality switch as well.”

Of course James thinks Rivers is going to play this role perfectly. The belief they have in each makes Rivers and James one of the top backcourts in the country.

“Her game is going to excel even more after this,” James said. “It’s just the little things that make her a great player.”

Whatever position they play, Rivers and James won’t be catching any teams by surprise this upcoming season. They’ll be 1A and 1B on opponents’ scouting reports, but they understand that and are ready to step up to the challenge.

“Now we’re held at a higher standard,” Rivers said. “We have higher expectations for us individually but as a collective too so we have to keep playing off of each other, and I’m excited about what this season has to come.”

Senior guards Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James share a laugh during the ACC Tipoff event at the Hilton Charlotte Uptown in Charlotte, North Carolina on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. During the event, the pair of guards along with head coach Wes Moore previewed the season and answered questions about the team coming off a final four run.

COLUMN

The door to an ACC Championship is officially shut for NC State football

With NC State football’s recent 34-30 loss to Wake Forest, its ACC Championship aspirations are officially over. Even in a season of constant surprises, including a week in which five of the top 11 schools in the nation were upset, Saturday’s loss to its Tobacco Road rival felt like a nail in the coffin for the Wolfpack.

NC State, once projected to be one of the stronger teams in the ACC, has fallen incredibly short of the lofty expectations set for the program. With hopes of its first 10-win season since 2002, the Wolfpack must win every single game for the remainder of the season just to reach double digits. But judging by its recent play, chances of that happening are slim to none.

Part of NC State’s preseason appeal was its impressive transfer class, headlined by graduate quarterback Grayson McCall. However, over the past year, McCall has been injured three separate times. After suffering a seasonending concussion last season, McCall came to Raleigh with hopes of a strong finish to his collegiate career. However, an undisclosed injury against Louisiana Tech ruled McCall out for the following two games.

McCall made a surprise return against Wake Forest, but on his first drive of the game, he suffered a vicious hit that forced him to be carted off the field and taken to WakeMed Hospital. Head coach Dave Doeren confirmed McCall was released from the hospital later that day but tests confirmed that he had another concussion, an ominous injury for an

already concussion-prone player.

As a result of McCall’s injuries, freshman quarterback CJ Bailey was thrust into the starting position. Though 2-2 in games where he’s played the majority of snaps, Bailey’s playing time has been one of the few bright spots for the Wolfpack. The true freshman was originally set to sit behind and learn from McCall for his first season and take over the reins next year, but injuries accelerated the timetable.

Through his four games played, Bailey has acquired valuable playing time and irreplaceable experience. Sitting behind McCall would’ve done well for Bailey’s game, but

nothing is better for quarterback development than actual game experience. Bailey has already had to face two conference rivals and play in harsh environments such as Clemson’s Death Valley, where he made his first collegiate start.

Because he has appeared in more than four games, Bailey can no longer redshirt for the remainder of the season, meaning if or when McCall misses any more games, Bailey will have full control of the offense. Though an ACC Championship is out of the question at this point, the rest of the season can still be used for Bailey’s development as he settles into

the offense.

One of the biggest contributions to NC State’s lackluster season has been its defense. For the first four games of the season, it appeared as though it had gotten too acclimated to the presence of Bednarik Trophy winner Payton Wilson. In its first four games since the star linebacker entered the draft, the Wolfpack allowed over 37 points per game, including 59 points allowed to Clemson, the highest points allowed of Doeren’s tenure.

The Wolfpack finally got things under control, allowing just 17 points to Northern Illinois and forcing four turnovers, but such should be the standard against Group of Five competition. Against Power Four schools, the NC State defense has allowed over 46 points per game. Not all of the Wolfpack’s transgressions are against the defense, but 46 points per game to Power Four schools is simply unacceptable. There’s not an offense in the country that can consistently outpace that, especially NC State’s offense.

LAILA BUSH/TECHNICIAN

Redshirt junior safety Rente Hinton tries to pull down the ball carrier during the football game against Northern Illinois at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. The Wolfpack beat the Huskies 24-17.

Connor VanDerMark Assistant Sports Editor

Matthew Burkhart News Editor Record:

Justin Welch Managing Editor Record:

Colby Trotter

Ethan Bakogiannis

Connor VanDerMark

Aidan Carlson

Jakob Halbur

Kate Denning Editor-in-Chief Record: 25-17

REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM IN NOVEMBER

JOSH STEIN FOR GOVERNOR

KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT