Your student newspaper
THE APPALACHIAN Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Blalock was ‘very intoxicated’ night before his death
TheAppalachianOnline.com
Washington D.C. house is ‘app-ed out’ by KATELYN BYNG
Intern News Reporter
by STEPHANIE SANSOUCY
Senior News Reporter
F
by ANNE BUIE
Managing Editor
University police have concluded their investigation into former university student Tyler Blalock’s death. Witnesses told university police Blalock was “very intoxicated” the night of Sept. 28. Blalock drowned Saturday morning, at approximately 2:30 a.m. according to the medical examiner. His body was discovered face down in Kraut Creek in Durham Park on campus around 8 a.m. Sept. 29. The area was secured and university police began investigating his death. Officers found a wallet in his pants containing two IDs with contradicting information. One was a university AppCard with Blalock’s name, but the North Carolina driver’s license belong to another person. Other documents in the wallet implied Blalock was the individual found, but the driver’s license photo resembled Blalock as well. Throughout the investigation, university police interviewed several of Blalock’s friends who said Blalock had attended a party in a “somewhat intoxicated state.” He left the party to purchase beer at a local store, but then returned to the party before heading to a nearby bar with some friends around 11:30 p.m., according to witnesses. Witnesses told police Blalock left the bar around 2 a.m. and was last seen walking toward campus. University Police have shared information from their investigation with the N.C. Department of Public Safety’s Alcohol Law Enforcement division, which is conducting an independent investigation to determine if any alcohol laws were violated. “Alcohol may be possessed or consumed on university property only by persons 21 years of age or older in their dorm rooms or in appropriately licensed and/or approved campus facilities. Persons are expected to assume responsibility for their own behavior while drinking and must understand that being under the influence of alcohol in no way lessens their accountability to the university community,” according to the university policy manual. Blalock was 19-yearsold. A candlelight vigil will be held in honor of Blalock Monday Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Gazebo in Durham Park.
Vol. 87, No. 12
Photo Courtesy | Appalachian State University
The App House in Washington D.C., located on Capitol Hill, houses Appalachian students completing internships in the city. The house can accommadate up to nine students at a time.
or students living in Boone, N.C., internships are not always easy to come by. So, when an opportunity comes to intern in Washington, D.C., it’s hard to pass up. The App House in Washington, D.C. is designed for current students to live in while doing internships in Washington. The house is similar to the New York Loft in downtown Manhattan, N.Y., although it’s lesser known. Currently, university alumnus Tommy Ratliff is working at a government consulting agency in Washington, D.C. During his internship, Ratliff is living in The App House. “If I didn’t go to App State I don’t know if I would have an opportunity like this,” Ratliff said. The house can accommodate a total of nine students, although the house is not currently full. Current resident Dani Ianelli interns at the Student Conduct Office at Georgetown University, and said she loves “every-
thing about living here.” “I think my one of my favorite feelings is walking into the house and feeling at home,” Ianelli, junior communication studies major said. “It’s amazing. The house is completely ‘App-ed’ out and it just gives off that community feel you get when you’re at school.” The house is located on Capitol Hill, within walking distance of the Congressional offices. Senior social work major Kristie Combs interns with North Carolina Congresswoman Virginia Foxx. “I would encourage every student at Appalachian to attend the D.C. program,” Combs said. “This is more than an internship, it is lifechanging experience.” Combs said living in Washington, D.C. has allowed her to see many misconceptions of politicians. “What is seen on TV is very misleading, and when you experience Capitol Hill you don’t see Congress -- you see people pushing for what they believe in,” Combs said. Students interested in living in The App House during the spring 2013 semester need to submit applications by Nov. 9. For more information on The App House, visit dc.appstate.edu.
Students celebrate homecoming weekend
Olivia Wilkes | The Appalachian
Olivia Wilkes | The Appalachian
Paul Heckert | The Appalachian
Paul Heckert | The Appalachian
Freshman communication major Carson Rich acts as the Appalachian Hulk by pulling the Lovill Hall float down King Street at the Homecoming parade Saturday morning (top left). Junior wide receiver Andrew Peacock completes a pass from quarterback Jamal Jackson to run a 3rd quarter touchdown (bottom left). Members of the Appalachian Swing Dance Club, junior secondary mathematics education major Steven Hailey and sophomore special education major Madelyn Rindal, jive down King Street for the homecoming parade Saturday morning (center). Junior theater major Pami Cuevas receives her ribbon from Chancellor Peacock at half time on Saturday’s Homecoming game against Elon (right).
Past in prison helps App professor give students insight by JOSHUA FARMER News Reporter
Dan Murphy is an associate professor in the Department of Government and Justice Studies with first-hand experience in prison. After multiple back surgeries and a car accident, Murphy was taking an increasingly large number of painkillers. Desperate for relief, he found that smoking marijuana was the only thing that
kept his back pain in check, Murphy said. But, the man from whom he had been buying marijuana soon stopped his operation. So, Murphy began growing his own. He took seeds and planted them in a rural area where he used to hunt and fish, Murphy said. Murphy knew the owner of the land. The owner wasn’t using it because the government was paying him not to grow corn to in-
sure the price of corn would stay higher, he said. Law enforcement inspects land not being used to insure no corn is being grown, Murphy said. One inspection took place the day after Murphy planted the marijuana. Law enforcement then set up surveillance and captured Murphy entering and leaving the field, he said. Murphy then found himself put in prison for five years start-
ing in 1992. “I had pulled two years - I had three years to pull, yet,” Murphy said. “I wrote a letter to my sister and said, ‘I am living insanity. This is crazy. You people have no idea what’s going on. This is straightup nuts.’” While in prison, Murphy told his sister he wanted to go back to school, get a graduate degree, and see PRISON, pg. 3
ON THE WEB www.facebook.com/theappalachian
@theappalachian theappalachian.tumblr.com
Photo Gallery View our online photo gallery from Saturday’s Homecoming game at TheAppalachianOnline.com.
Follow our blogs at TheAppalachianOnline.com/blogs. Your source for the latest styles, product reviews and fashion news on campus and across Boone!
Model Through It