2024_Oct24_TEC by Pirate Media 1

Carolinian

The East Carolina University football team (3-4, 1-2 American Athletic Conference) returns to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina, this Saturday, Oct. 26, to take on the Temple University Owls (2-5, 1-2 AAC) for the first time after firing former Head Coach Mike Houston.

"After a comprehensive evaluation of our football program, I informed Mike Houston this morning that we are making a change in leadership," ECU Director of Athletics Jon Gilbert said in regards to dismissing Houston. "This was a very difficult decision. Mike has led our program the last five plus seasons with tremendous class and has positively impacted so many student-athletes. After earning back-to-back bowl invitations, we looked poised for continued success. Unfortunately, we have not seen the results we all want, and a change is needed to move the program forward. We have high expectations and those are not changing.”

The team is searching for a spark as it enters the season's homestretch to make one last push to secure a bowl game. Temple is coming off its first win after a two-game skid against the University of Connecticut (4-3) and Army (7-0, 6-0 ACC).

The Pirates were also handled by Army 45-28. A win this week

Clubs at East Carolina University have been busy preparing for the upcoming homecoming festivities, but competition is rising between them and Greek life.

Most feel that the way homecoming is organized, most of the spotlight goes to Greek life, leaving no chance for the other clubs to contend. Some clubs feel the scales are tipped towards Greek life due to their size and the extra funding they have.

Kyrstin Rollins, president of the scuba diving club, explains that it's hard to compete with Greek life because “they have certain standards where they can require members to donate,” as opposed to her club, which simply encourages it.

Rollins said it makes it even harder when they pair together, and she wishes they would not let them do that because it gives the other clubs so much less of a chance to compete. Rollins remembers last year putting around $500 into the canned food drive, and they didn't even place.

Rollins had a reversed experience with the changes this year as she said they “opted to not compete in medium org, because of not being able to do a float, because it's only car decorations for medium float.” This was a difficult decision based on their member involvement, because they have many people registered for their club, but only around 30 members who consistently show up and help with things such as homecoming.

So, despite knowing it would be a challenge to compete in the large group with less involved members than most, they didn't have much of a choice,

is crucial for any hopes of a bowl game, as the Pirates also have a game against undefeated Navy (8-0, 6-0 AAC) later in the season. To become bowl eligible, ECU would have to win three out of their next five games.

ECU sophomore quarterback Katin Houser could potentially start once more after getting the nod at quarterback for the Pirates last week against Army. Temple similarly has had their own quarterback change between Forrest Brock and Evan Simon with having a solid week as they won 20-10 vs Tulsa and it seems like he could get the nod again this week.

Temple has a key wide receiver that defenses have to guard against. Temple senior Dante Wright has over 40 catches and 500 yards for four touchdowns. ECU has three receivers with over 300 receiving yards: graduate student Winston Wright, sophomore Chase Sowell and senior receiver Anthony Wright , as well as graduate student running back Rahjai Harris providing well over 400 yards on the ground.

Kickoff is set for 2 p.m., and the game can be viewed on ESPN+. The Pirates will remain at home next week as they face the Florida Atlantic University Owls (2-5, 2-2 AAC).

because they wanted to do a float. “That was the only aspect that we didn't like, because you didn't fully get to feel like you were competing with everything else,” Rollins explained. However, she did acknowledge how this is “a really great opportunity for other clubs who haven't done this before,” and “clubs that want to be involved, but not do the whole nine yards of it all.” Nonetheless, all the clubs have been working hard in hopes of winning. Rollins says they are very motivated because they've tried to break the stigma around Greek life winning everything. Rollins

and her club have been put in 10-12 hours a week, consistently working on the banner.

The president of The Yoga Club, Autumn Gollick, said, “they get more recognition, but that's because they are much larger and have a lot more funding.” Gollick feels it does give them an advantage in being able to do more of the competitions and explained how The Yoga Club was only able to do the banner because ECU provided most of the supplies.

University of North Carolina institutions will waive application fees for all students from 39 disaster-declared counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians during College Application Week, Oct. 21 to 27, according to a press release from ECU. College Application Week is a statewide initiative to encourage high school seniors to pursue higher education, and many colleges and universities in North Carolina waive their application fees during this period. For more information about application fee waivers and other resources for applying to college, see the NC Countdown to College at cfnc.org.

The institutions offering free applications to high school students from disaster-declared counties are: Appalachian State University, NC State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Greensboro and University of North Carolina Wilmington.

“UNC System universities want to ease one small burden for students and families as they try to recover from this disaster,” said Dr. Bethany Meighen, the UNC System’s vice president for academic and student affairs. “We encourage all students to take advantage of the fee waivers during College Application Week.”

In addition, the following UNC universities will waive application fees for all North Carolina high school students next week regardless of where they live: East Carolina University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina Central University, University of North Carolina Asheville, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Western Carolina University and Winston-Salem State University.

Several universities will also extend fee waivers beyond College Application Week for students from the disaster-declared counties, including NC State, UNC-Chapel Hill and UNCW. More information is available on each university’s website.

The disaster-declared counties are Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Nash, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin and Yancey and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

The application fee waiver will be extended to any counties that may be added to the federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Helene prior to the end of College Application Week on Oct. 27, 2024.

BRIEFS

Symposium to rally for language, literacy, learning

East Carolina University will host a symposium at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 25, which aims to unite eastern North Carolina parents, educators and researchers in an exploration of creative approaches to assist those with language, literacy and learning challenges. The goal of the symposium is to foster student success, particularly in rural parts of eastern North Carolina.

“The idea is to develop partnerships between those with access to resources and those who need them,” Dr. Yolanda Holt, the Bremer Distinguished Professor and symposium director said. “There is a lot of need in the East, but there are just as many people and organizations available and excited to do the work and bridge those language, literacy and learning gaps in the community.”

Quarteto Nuevo to bring eclectic fusion to ECU

Quarteto Nuevo will make their way to ECU as they take the stage for the second performance for the 63rd annual S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series at East Carolina University. Quarteto Nuevo showcases a fusion of Western classical, Eastern European folk, Latin and jazz. Their instrumentation of soprano saxophone, alto flute, cello, guitar and hand percussion enhance their wide-ranging collection.

Quarteto Nuevo will be on SRAPAS’s stage on Friday, Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the A.J. Fletcher Recital Hall. The tickets are available for individual performances at $40 for the public, $30 for faculty and staff and $10 for students. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling ECU Central Ticketing Office at 252-328-4788.

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

If you feel there are any factual errors in this newspaper, please contact Jaylin Roberts at editor@theeastcarolinian.com.

CRIME LOGS

Editor's Note: The East Carolinian Crime Logs are derived from East Carolina University Police Department’s (ECU PD) public crime logs accessible to all individuals. Crime Logs are not done within the partnership of ECU PD and The East Carolinian, as this publication is meant to act as an additional resource for Pirate Nation. Below are listings of criminal activity that has occurred on or within proximity of main campus.

Oct. 15, 2024

Between 12:05 and 12:15

a.m., Possession of Marijuana < ½ oz., Carrying a Concealed Weapon and Transport Open Container took place at Cotanche St. and 7th St. This situation was Cleared by Citation and Prosecution Declined.

At 11:22 a.m., Possession of Heroin and Possession of Methamphetamine took place at Paris St. and Chestnut Ave. This situation was Cleared by Arrest.

At 6:35 p.m., PWISD Schedule 2 took place in Greenville, NC. This situation is an Open Investigation.

At 11:13 a.m., Hit and RunFailure to Stop took place at Curry Court PVA. This situation was Cleared by Citation.

Oct. 18, 2024

At 3:29 p.m., Possession of Fraudulent Identification took place at Jarvis Residence Hall. This situation was Cleared and the Prosecution Declined.

At 2:14 a.m., Damage to Real Property took place at Reade St. Lots R1. This situation is an Open Investigation.

Greenville’s CCC expand support to community

Community Crossroads Center is a nonprofit homeless shelter that has been operating in Greenville for more than 30 years. Now, it is expanding and renovating to provide more help to the surrounding community members struggling with homelessness.

Charles Young, executive director of CCC, said the funding comes mainly from donors, the city and the county, which Young says is the basis for the improvements.

“The county gave us a million out of their ARPA allotment, which goes directly to this building. And the city gave us 700, 000 or has allotted 725, 000 for renovation of this facility. So those two are the cornerstones of

She said their “dues just cover the shirt they get, the instructor they bring in, and the monthly events,” so they don't have much more funding to spend on homecoming.

Gollick said The Yoga Club has “interactive members that want to do things, so [they’re] going to capitalize on that because that's not always the case with smaller groups.” She stated it's mainly been a fun thing to do and a good way to show off their club, but “obviously, it'd be great if we win,” she added.

Reagan Evans, president of the Women's Soccer Club, thinks that although Greek life does get most of the spotlight, “they're bigger and have more people to help out,” so it's easier for them to do more in each event than most

our funding for this building.”

The new building will be a resource center of 13,720 square feet. It will have administrative offices, classrooms, a learning center and a large storage area for the shelter's donations. Additionally, it will serve as a free clinic.

“We're also going to have our Greenville Community Shelter Clinic, which is a free clinic that's been in operation almost as long as we have. It's run by the Brody School of Medicine,” said Young. “They operate now out of mobile exam rooms here, two nights a month. And we've got a full-fledged clinic with two exam rooms, a laboratory and a storage room for them to have a clinic back in there.”

Once the resource center is complete, renovations in the old office building, which

clubs, therefore “it's warranted” she said. Evans says most of the soccer club's work has gone into their banner, and they have high hopes about winning, because with the new organization system they feel they have a better chance.

This year, ECU has changed the organization of homecoming groups, and clubs have had mixed feelings on whether it's for the better or worse. According to Evans “it's mainly divided up by size, and then you have to pick three events you want to help with, but one of them has to be the parade.” This caused issues for their club because they haven't required the parade in the past, and she said it was difficult to get everyone on board with it since “it's a lot of work, and they had to get the trailer and everything, which they don't really have the resources to do that.”

Another problem Evans ran into was the

will become six new family rooms, will begin.

The budget for the new building and renovations is $3.5 million, of which the shelter has already raised $3.2 million. The shelter still needs $300,000 to meet its goal. Donations can be made at communitycrossroadscenter.org, but this isn’t the only way to donate.

“You can hit the capital campaign button to donate directly to the capital campaign, they can mail us a check, drop a check by, anyway they want to do it. And we do take cash as well,” says Young. In-person donations can also be made at the shelter.

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.

requirements they made for organizations of different sizes. She said they've done the dance every year, and that this year members had to be a large organization to participate, but the major reason they couldn't register as large was the float. Large groups are required to have a float, and she said it would have been too difficult for them. “We've never had to do the float before, so that was kind of a bummer, because we do really like doing the dance,” Evans said. Regardless of the obstacles her club faced this year, Evans expressed the new organization system is for the better, “especially for the smaller groups.” She also stated how they might have a better chance of winning as a medium organization, rather than a large one with all the frats and sororities.

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.

Report finds ECU fuels region, state’s economy

A recent economic impact report highlights how East Carolina University’s operations significantly benefit the region and the state.

The report, stated in a press release and generated by Drs. Meghan Millea and Vera Tabakova in ECU’s Department of Economics, tallies a total economic impact of $2.3 billion in eastern North Carolina and $2.5 billion statewide during fiscal year 2023. The report emphasizes several key components of ECU’s impact:

University operations alone accounted for $1.5 billion, over half of the total impact. Campus operations include salaries, scholarships and the expenses of supplies and utilities.

• Student spending on housing, dining and other purchases totaled $531 million, helping support area businesses and services.

The university’s investments in research initiatives foster innovation and attract partnerships with industries. In 2023, ECU’s research activity reached $85.6 million in grant funding. The costs associated with conducting research at ECU exceeded $125 million.

• Visitors to ECU for sports and arts entertainment, campus visits, orientations and graduation ceremonies spent $111 million in the region.

• Alumni entering the workforce in North Carolina contribute to ECU's impact through their degrees and increased salaries. In-state alumni generated dividends exceeding $100

million for the state.

• ECU spent $18.9 million in capital projects, which included buildings, machinery and equipment, general infrastructure, computer software, leased services and other nonrecurring expenditures.

“ECU is an important economic engine in our community, our region and our state,” said Chancellor Philip Rogers. “This report highlights the magnitude of the university’s impact, whether it’s through our own operations, the research funding our faculty members bring in, or the spending of our students, visitors and alumni. We remain committed to maximizing quality of life for the people we serve by training the workforce of tomorrow and by applying our expertise to address the pressing challenges of today.”

ECU and its related economic activity

increased the region’s personal income by $963.2 million in the fiscal year, according to the report, showcasing the university's vital role in enhancing the region's financial landscape.

“This report underscores how ECU drives economic growth to improve quality of life in the region and state,” said Dr. Sharon Paynter, ECU’s chief innovation and engagement officer. “The knowledge and skill development students achieve at ECU translates into higher income as they graduate and move into the workforce. So, ECU is making a difference from the perspective of short-term immediate impact as well as longer term sustained economic prosperity across communities in North Carolina.”

COURTESY OF EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

Students walking next to each other on ECU's main campus near the Bate and Flanigan Buildings.

MARK ROMAN I FOR THE EAST CAROLINIAN

Charles Young, Executive Director of Community Crossroads Center, looks at a plan for the layout of the new building that will become a resource center.

MARK ROMAN I FOR THE EAST CAROLINIAN

A three dimesional rendering of planned renovations for the new expansions.

MARK ROMAN I FOR THE EAST CAROLINIAN

The Community Crossroads Center is a homeless shelter in Greenville.

Opinion

OUR VIEW

Early voting for North Carolina began on Thursday, October 17 and will end on Saturday, November 2, 2024.

We, the editorial staff of The East Carolinian believe that many should be encouraged to get out and vote for the presidential and local elections.

This election has been one of the most talked about elections yet and voting on the people that will be leading the country and states is an important decision that everyone should be a part of.

Besides the presidential election, the state elections should also be prioritized as well and North Carolinians have an important decision to make. Investigating the policies and beliefs of the leaders that are making the decisions for the people inhabiting the country is something that everyone should be interested in learning about.

The leaders of this world directly affect every single person living even if many might think that they don’t.

The vote that many cast does matter and if people want to see change within the world they should consider how their vote could affect that state of the country.

In Greenville, NC and local areas many can participate in early voting at the Ayden Community Building, ECU Student Center, Eppes Recreation Center, Farmville Community Center, H. Boyd Lee Park, Pitt County Agricultural Center and the Winterville Community Room.

The votes of many are private if wanted so everyone should vote according to what they truly believe down to their core. Many should also think about how they want their future to look like.

PIRATE RANTS

rush defense in the AAC.

Firing Mike Houston was 100% the correct thing to do in my opinion.

The Pirates didn’t beat any of the North Carolina programs during his six years here, the program had only two bowl appearances, one of which was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic and had been constantly in charge of a team stagnant on offense and a defense that had got 11 rushing touchdowns scored on them in two weeks.

Hiring the right coach to take his place will be crucial. The names have already started being flown around by multiple news outlets: Joey Sloan, Garrett Riley, Tre Lamb, Skip Holtz and many others. But what does a good ECU team look like, at least one that doesn’t just settle for being bowl-eligible? The American Athletic Conference (AAC) outside of Memphis, Tulane and years like this one where Army or Navy, sometimes both rise to the occasion, should be ECU’s for the taking.

Instead it’s trying to not finish at the bottom as it did in 2023 with a 2-10 record. The defense has regressed significantly where last year the offense was the problem. Now the offense has a punch, but the rush defense for ECU is near the bottom of the conference. It was the best

Some could argue the passing defense is also regressing, but statistically they’re around the same yards allowed as they were last year, and that’s on top of losing ECU standout defensive back Shavon Revel Jr. early.

One of the more infuriating aspects for the Pirates has been a lack of stability at the quarterback position. While replacing Ahlers wasn’t going to be easy, it made it even harder when Houston would constantly pull quarterbacks when the defense–Houston was a defensive minded coach– weren’t playing the worst. The constant back and forth between former quarterbacks Mason Garcia and Alex Flinn in 2023, and the change in the Charlotte game just two weeks ago felt similar.

While ECU junior quarterback Jake Garcia and the offense wasn’t moving the ball well, he still had 111 passing yards for a touchdown and one interception. Those are great numbers, but it felt like Houston was using the quarterback change for a spark, which would have been fine had the defense not given up 31 points in the first half. That instead, felt like trying to shift blame.

If interim Head Coach Blake Harrell wants to be successful, he needs to do three things.

Firstly, The defense needs to see

improvement quickly. Harrell was the defensive coordinator after all, so the blame should also be with him for the abysmal performances the last two weeks. If he can help rebuild those performances back to where they were in the first couple weeks of the season, the Pirates can build on that. Secondly, making adjustments in the second half when needed. Too often was the team either down and struggling to fight back into games or when they did have the lead, they would have to fight to keep it. ECU’s next four games are against Temple, FAU, Tulsa, North Texas and Navy. Outside of North Texas and Navy, ECU should be favored to win those games, as FAU and Tulsa are at the bottom of the conference, and Temple is just slightly above them. If they go down against three of the bottom feeders, can Harrell prove he can make the adjustments necessary to get the Pirates back into it?

Lastly, the team has to buy into itself. Charlotte players told the media after their blowout win over the Pirates that they saw multiple players give up. ECU still has three winnable games to become bowl eligible. Capping off this season with a bowl victory would at the very least be a good ending to the year, and a potential way that Harrell himself could keep himself on the staff.

Clearly someone doesn’t know how opinion pages work?? Other than the editorial, columns used to come in from students, campus leaders and the community and are pulled from national outlets. As an alum I even remember TEC having a regular conservative columnist that was an ecu student.

So, I’ve overheard folks say that the fellow known as “Pope Francis” may actually be “Antipope Bergoglio.” Has anyone else heard this? Perhaps this merits further research . . .

While we focus on physical recovery for any national disasters, let’s not ignore the mental health resources. For example, people who were affected by Hurricane Helene need mental health resources to help them overcome the loss and the pain that they have gone through.

Many people experience this tragedy in western, Nc and the damaged is just not material or physical. People were affected mentally and emotionally after going through to this catastrophe and we cannot ignore the mental health and everyone deserves access to this help immediately.

i’d actually love to read some columns from students on campus. Surely this generation has opinions they’d like to articulate.

Generative artificial intelligence, or GenAI, keeps making headlines. Every day, we hear more success stories about how GenAI is transforming sectors such as health care, infrastructure, business and commerce, education and research. We can applaud this technological progress, but is there anything we should be concerned about?

Much has been said about how GenAI systems can threaten the integrity of research, de-skill the workforce, redefine our jobs and abuse our personal data— but these are potential consequences. Regardless of where and how GenAI is employed or what the consequences might be, the development and deployment of these models come with enormous social and environmental impacts — a topic that does not receive enough attention.

Here are three reasons why concern is called for.

First, GenAI requires hardware known as graphics processing units, or GPUs. Nvidia, a multinational corporation based in California, is the leading producer of GPUs. As an example of its impact, Nvidia is building a new production facility in Taichung, Taiwan, a city comparable to Chicago in population, that, once completed, will consume nearly 25% of the city’s electricity and 6% of its water. These GPUs will have to be housed in data centers. In 2022, data centers consumed1% to 1.3% of global electricity demand. This consumption is projected to grow by 160% by 2030, leading to an estimated 2.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

In a recent development, Microsoft and G42, United Arab

Emirates’ top AI firm, agreed to jointly invest $1 billion in building a data center in Kenya’s Olkaria region — a well-known geothermal hot spot that can provide affordable energy for the data center. Nevertheless, locals remain concerned about the pollution caused by geothermal energy production and its negative impacts on air, water and soil quality. The data center itself is expected to have negative impacts on the physical and psychological health of nearby communities, based on reports from places such as Chandler, Arizona.

Second, GenAI needs to be trained by data and humans who should label the data and supervise the process. Thousands of workers who train commercial GenAI models are based in lowand middle-income countries, where they are underpaid and work in conditions often described as modern-day slavery.

The East Carolinian does not endorse the statements made

Pirate Rants.

Classifieds & Puzzles

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is an 8 — Follow your heart. You won’t defer gratification forever. Have fun without spending a fortune. Take advantage of perfect conditions to advance a passion project.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 — Make structural repairs or improvements. Resolve a domestic breakdown. Discover unexpected inexpensive solutions upon investigation. Collaborate with family. Align words and actions with love.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Express your creativity or risk an explosion. Write, paint and share. Request to be heard. Prepare promotions. Act quickly to grab a lucky break.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Challenge assumptions. Unexpected expenses or a financial challenge could raise the stakes. Keep doing what you know works. Generate positive cash flow. Energize actions.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Your actions and words could conflict with feelings. Pamper yourself. Avoid crowds or noise. Lay low and take it easy. Grab a lucky break.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 6 — A formidable barrier blocks the path. Take care. Find a private spot to recharge and consider plans. You can see what wasn’t working. Make adjustments.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Collaborate around a team challenge. Review plans. An unexpected opportunity is worth pursuing. Discuss options and align on solutions. Share common passion. Love triumphs.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Monitor professional developments for opportunities. Talk about what you want. Determine what skills you lack. Plan your moves. Set aside excess baggage. Provide excellence.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — Expect delays with travel and exploration. Slow down and smell the roses. Make unexpected discoveries. Uncover buried treasure where least imagined. Learn valuable tricks.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Collaborate to maintain positive cash flow. Keep generating income. Avoid silly arguments. A challenge or delay could block an objective. Patiently adapt. Walk outside.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Focus on shared commitments. Prioritize relationships over winning an argument. Go for clarity, simplicity and compassion. Defuse tension with humor. You could get lucky.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 9 — The excellent work you’ve been doing reflects you well. Slow for a tricky turn. Sometimes the best move is rest. Don’t force anything. Prioritize health.

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Arts & Entertainment

EVENTS North Carolina State Fair kicks off in 2024

TODAY

Creepy Crawly Fall Fest

River Park North

1000 Mumford Road, Greenville, NC 27834

6 to 7:30 p.m. (252) 329 - 4560

ECU Percussion Ensemble

ECU A. J. Fletcher Music Center

102 A. J. Fletcher Music Center, Greenville, NC 27858

7:30 to 9 p.m. (252) 328 - 6851

Farmville Ghost Walk

Farmville Community Arts Council

3723 N. Main Street, Farmville, NC 27828

10 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. (252) 753 - 3832

Live Music Thursdays

5th Street Hardware

Restaurant and Taproom

120 W 5th St, Greenville, NC 27858

7 to 10 p.m. (252) 364 - 8921

Tomorrow

Alexander SeriesQuarteto Nuevo

ECU A. J. Fletcher Music Center

102 A. J. Fletcher Music Center, Greenville, NC 27858

7:30 to 9 p.m.

(252) 328 - 6851

ECU Chamber Singers

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

401 East Fourth St., Greenville, NC 27858

7:30 to 9 p.m. (252) 752 - 3482

Festival of Fright

Wildwood Park

3450 Blue Heron Drive, Greenville, NC 27858

7 to 10 p.m. (252) 329 - 9453

School of Art and Design

Studio Crawl

ECU School of Art and Design School of Art and Design, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858

5 to 7 p.m. (252) 328 - 6665

Spooktacular Screenings

Nauti Dog Brewing Co.

210 Main Street, Winterville, NC 28590

5:30 to 10:30 p.m.

(252) 227 - 4231

Starry Night

A Time for Science

226 W 8th St, Greenville, NC 27858

7 to 9 p.m.

(252) 364 - 2862

Thankfully Departed

Local Oak Brewing Co.

2564 Railroad St, Winterville, NC 28590

7 to 9 p.m.

(252) 364 - 8815

The Breakfast Club

The State Theatre

110 West 5th St , Greenville, NC 27858

7:30 to 9 p.m.

Saturday

Cooper Greer Live

Buccaneer Music Hall

2120 E Fire Tower Rd, Greenville, NC 27858

9:30 to 11:30 p.m.

(252) 756 - 5505

Diego Lerma TEC STAFF

October has arrived in North Carolina, bringing colder temperatures and the annual return of the North Carolina State Fair. The N.C. State Fair, like every year, has many new additions, but there are some mainstays that have been coming back for decades.

Rhonda Calhoun is the owner of Amish Fudge, which was started at the fair and has been in business for 53 years. The family-owned business was started by Calhoun’s mother, Wanda Loudermilk, who has since passed away. Calhoun took over the business after her sister, Sandra, passed away.

“Our fudge is a little different from the other fudge on the fairgrounds because it’s made with real cream and butter. No artificial ingredients,” said Calhoun when reflecting on her business. “It’s a smooth, creamy fudge made by the Amish.”

Another family-owned business is Andrew Mlamba’s Safari Eatz. The Afro-fusion cuisine is located in Durham and is inspired by Mlamba’s native country of Kenya. Safari Eatz started in May 2019 as a catering company and launched their food truck in 2021.

“We are known for our beef samosas. That’s our most traditional meal,” said Vanessa Fluckus, the wife of Andrew Mlamba. Safari Eatz has a buffalo mac bowl explicitly made for the fair.

Johnathan Graham and his wife, Cynthia, own Graham’s Goods LLC, a veteran-owned business specializing in custom woodworking. The Grahams started their small business around nine years ago.

Graham said his favorite part of the fair is the people he meets. He said he most enjoys the people enjoying his work and seeing the joy it brings them.

This was their second year attending the fair, and he described this year’s turnout as outstanding compared to his first year. “The number of people,” said Graham when reflecting on this year’s success. “There are just more people this year based on the stats from the fair.”

Although the North Carolina State Fair started on Oct. 17, patrons have 10 days to enjoy the festivities, with the last day set for Oct. 27. More information about the fair can be found on their ncagr.gov.

There are 15 new foods at the North Carolina State Fair:

• Korean BBQ Kimchi Nachos

• Chamoy Pineapples

• Pickle Dr. Pepper

• Hot Cheeto Funnel Cake

• Fried Cheesy Croissant

• Mexican Street Corn

• Turducken Burger

• Jerk Pork Belly Bao

• Fried Tofu

• Sweet Maple Bacon Iced Tea

• Mangonada

• Bacon Cheeseburger Corn Dog

• Buffalo Oyster Mushroom Sandwich

• Deep Fried Loaded Cheese Puffs

• Philly Cheese Egg Roll

ECU to host Poet Laureate Natasha

The East Carolina University’s Contemporary Writers Series, housed in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Department of English, will welcome Pulitzer prize-winner and United States Poet Laureate Natasha Tretheway. She will be coming to campus at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 in the Main Campus Student Center Ballroom

C as stated in a press release from ECU.

“Natasha Trethewey, by any measure, like her literary heroes Toni Morrison and Rita Dove, is an indispensable writer,” said John Hoppenthaler,

co-director of the series and professor in the Department of English. “Equally profound and moving as a poet and memoirist, she is an engaging reader whose words will linger with our students, faculty and members of the community at large long after the event has ended.” Trethewey served two terms as the 19th U.S. Poet Laureate from 2012 to 2014. She is the author of five collections of poetry, including “Native Guard,” which she was awarded the 2007 Pulitzer Prize and most recently, her nonfiction collection, “Monument: Poems New and Selected.” In addition, she authored “Beyond Katrina:

Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” a memoir, “Memorial Drive” which became a New York Times Bestseller and was one of Barack Obama’s Favorite Books of 2020; and her most recent book, “The House of Being,” a collection of meditative essays. The event is free and open to the

GRAPHIC BY PARKER SMITH

The East Carolinian Sports experts predict this week’s events

Trevon McGlone

TEC Sports Editor

ECU VS. Temple

Score Prediction?

ECU 28-27

Why?

Regime change for coaches usually fires up a team. After all the emotions were high following Mike houston being fired, the players are going to find motivation to win. Temple will face the brunt of it. The fourth win of the season comes Saturday.

Cannon Gates

WZMB Station Manager

ECU VS. Temple Score Prediction?

ECU 38-21

Why? After a tough 45-28 loss to Army and Mike Houston finally getting the boot we play Temple in DowdyFicklen for Homecoming this week. Temple is a team on paper we should beat and I do believe we will.

Nick Green WZMB Sports & News Director

ECU VS. Temple Score Prediction?

ECU 35-13

Why?

ECU is looking for a breath of fresh air after 2 devastating losses to Charlotte and Army and firing head coach Mike Houston. With Blake Herrell at the helm it will be interesting to see how the team looks under new leadership. I hope to see the offense control the game against Temple.

RJ Felton gets the nod for preseason American Athletic Conference First Team

East Carolina’s senior guard RJ Felton gets the preseason all conference first team nod after an impressive 2023-2024 season. Felton led the team in scoring (17.3), Steals (1.8), and Bocks (0.6) per game last season.

Voting was done by all 13 of the conference’s head coaches. Who were not allowed to vote for their own team or players. ECU was selected to finish ninth overall in that poll.

Felton, along with Jayden Gardner (2018-2021), is one of two players to earn preseason all AAC honors in back to back seasons, as well as a preseason AAC first team selection.

Felton is now the 34th player in school history with over 1000 points. He is also the first pirate since former ECU standout and NBA player, Theadore Edwards in 1989 to have back to back 30 point games.

The Pirates finished last season with an overall record of 15-18 (7-11 in conference play). The season opens up at 7:00 pm at Minges Coliseum against NC Wesleyan on Monday, Nov 4. Conference play will begin Tuesday, Dec 31 at South Florida.

The AAC preseason polls are listed below.

Preseason All-Conference First Team

Yaxel Lendeborg, Sr., F, UAB*

RJ Felton, Sr., G, East Carolina

PJ Haggerty, R-So., G, Memphis

Tyrese Hunter, Sr., G, Memphis

Jamal Mashburn Jr., Gr., G, Temple

ECU’s football team suffers fourth loss against Army

On Saturday, the East Carolina University football (3-4, 1-2 American Athletic Conference) were defeated by the No. 23 ranked team in the country, the Army Black Knights (7-0, 6-0 American Athletic Conference) on Saturday, Oct. 19 in West Point, New York.

The Pirates decided to make a switch at the quarterback position, starting sophomore Katin Houser. Army came into the game looking to extend their 10 game winning streak to 11 dating back to last season. ECU got the ball first but did not do much. They punted the ball to Army after going three and out. Army’s first offensive play from scrimmage resulted in a 37-yard completion between senior quarterback Bryson Daily and senior wide receiver Casey Reynolds. The Black Knights went on to score in five plays, with senior running back Miles Stewart on the receiving end of a 13-yard passing touchdown from Daily.

The Pirates would then punt to the Black Knights. Army would then go on a 14-play drive, running the ball 11 times

and it resulted in a field goal at the beginning of the second quarter giving them a 10-0 lead. ECU had to punt once again and Army would score their second touchdown courtesy of a run by Daily. On the Pirate’s next possession they would go for it on a fourth and one from their own 31-yard line and come up unsuccessful. Army wasted no time tacking on another touchdown as Daily rushed into the endzone on the first play of the drive making it 24-0. The score would remain the same until halftime.

Army would open the second half with another touchdown by none other than Bryson Daily who walked into the endzone for his third rushing score of the game. ECU was finally able to get on the board on the following drive thanks to a 53-yard completion from Houser to sophomore receiver Chase Sowell, both gaining their first touchdown of the year. Army responded quickly with another rushing touchdown by, you guessed it, Bryson Daily to make it 38-7.

On the ensuing possession Houser led his team to the one yard line facing a fourth and goal and put his head down and lunged in the end zone resulting in a touchdown. The ECU

defense would cause Army to go three and out and force a punt. Houser then threw a gorgeous ball to senior wide receiver Anthony Smith, who made a toe tap catch for a touchdown. The pirates then failed a 2-point conversion making the score 38-20. A failed onside kick by ECU would result in Bryson Daily’s fifth rushing touchdown which set the all time school record in rushing touchdowns in a season. It also tied the school record for most rushing touchdowns in a single game. Houser would tack on one more passing touchdown to graduate student Winston Wright Jr. and convert a 2-point conversion. The scoring would end there making the final tally 45-28.

Following the loss against Army, the Pirates will play at home in Greenville, North Carolina at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium against Temple University (2-5, 1-2 AAC) on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. The game

Tyler Buonocore FOR

Caleb Johnson FOR THE EAST CAROLINIAN

The Grass Whisperers:

Who

is behind ECU’s football fields?

It’s a Wednesday morning, as the cool breeze hits your face the gentle hiss and pumping beat of a spray gun can be heard as you walk onto the field at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. With the morning dew still on the grass, Joey Perry and two of his crew members are out painting the lines of the field.

Perry is the Assistant Athletic Director for Internal Operations and Facilities and has worked at East Carolina University for 24 years.

“So I’ve always done the fields outside. I was like the sports turf manager and all that stuff and then it kind of transitioned to the last couple of years that I’ve been in a more, you know, been in administration as well, like an assistant athletic director and, you know, having more responsibilities.” Perry says.

Perry and his grounds crew take care of the athletic facilities and fields at ECU, maintaining and keeping them ready for all the teams. Painting is only a part of the five day process that goes into keeping the field safe and playable for anyone who steps in it.

Monday consists of mowing and applying fertilizer onto the field, Tuesday they mow again and prepare the lines to be painted. The lines, yard markers and yard numbers are all done on Wednesday and all the color is painted on Thursday. Friday everything is finished up and the field won’t be mowed again until after a game.

consists of mainly students Perry says. “So, I have, uh, I have a full time assistant, and then I have a lot of, uh, actual students that go to ECU, that’s, that’s my workforce, is basically students, student workers.”

With so much detail going into the care of the field, the hard work done by Perry and the grounds crew doesn’t go unnoticed both by fans or rival teams.

I mean, you know, the best comments you can get is people think it’s fake, we have teams come here, or we have people come here and they, you know, say, how long you had, artificial turf or something like that. I’m like, no, this is real grass.” Perry says.

But playability and safety is the main priority for Perry and the grounds crew, and they ensure this by having a great foundation for the grass to grow on, keeping it well nourished all throughout the season.

For Perry, taking care of the fields is more than just a job, it’s something he loves saying, “But I guess I just like growing things. That’s my, uh, that’s my passion is to see things grow and to do things people say you can’t do.”

You can see some of Perry and the grounds crew work on their Instagram page @ecugroundscrew. Or better yet come witness it yourself and come to one of the many great athletic events held here at ECU.