Letters to the Editor

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LIFESTYLE 2/19/24 11:11am

Abusua dance concert at Elon University explores Black narrative

By Ruth Cruz

Elon University’s Performing Arts department presented “Abusua” in honor of Black History Month. The performers reflected a narrative of the struggles within the Black community. They incorporated realistic experiences that captivated the audience with a mixture of contemporary and Jazz. The dedicated and passionate performers explored the beauty of Black culture through traditional African dance at McCrary Theater on Feb. 16 and 17. They used the term Abusua to represent their idea of family, according to artistic director Keshia Wall. This was a recurrent theme throughout the performance which reflected their values as a diverse group.

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SPORTS 2/19/24 7:23am

Online sports betting comes to North Carolina in March

By Miles Hayford

Starting in March, sports wagering in North Carolina will be undergoing a historic transformation. After being signed into law in June 2023 by Gov. Roy Cooper, House Bill 347 will be put into effect on March 11, and online sports betting will be legal for those 21 and older in the state for the first time ever. After almost 40 states legalized online sports betting, North Carolina has joined the rest of the country. Sport management professor David Bockino said he always expected for the state to eventually legalize sports betting.

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NEWS 2/18/24 5:53pm

Kernodle launches new volunteer opportunity for Boys and Girls Club

By Aidan Powley

The Kernodle Center for Civic Life started providing a new transportation service for students who would like to volunteer at Elon’s long-standing partner — the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club of Alamance County — on Feb. 16. The Kernodle Center’s transportation service plans to run every Friday from 3 to 5:30 p.m., providing Elon students rides to the Boys and Girls Club of Alamance County. According to Associate Director of the Kernodle Center Kyle Anderson, Elon has given students the opportunity to volunteer at the local Boys and Girls Club for decades. 

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NEWS 2/17/24 11:38am

Alamance Crisis Diversion Center to open later this year

By Cap Henneman

Dr. Mark Quale, an emergency medical physician at Alamance Regional Hospital and EMS medical director in Alamance County, said he estimates that he sees one overdose patient each day on average. Quale said what would have been a normal dosage of heroin for an unsuspecting opioid addict turns lethal when mixed with even the smallest amount of fentanyl. Fentanyl is a drug often other drugs are laced with, it’s difficult to attribute the exact number of overdoses to fentanyl. The Alamance Crisis Diversion Center, a project announced in September 2022 and set to open early this year, is hoping to add more proactive resources.

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LIFESTYLE 2/16/24 10:59am

Phoenix Flavors vending machine opens in Truitt Center

By Jordyn Forni

The Truitt Center, located in the Numen Lumen Pavilion, is introducing a new dining option to Elon University's campus which includes kosher, halal and pareve food: the Phoenix Flavors vending machine. The machine is currently in a pilot period, but there is already a lot of excitement from students — according to Interim Assistant Dean of Multifaith Engagement Hillary Zaken. Kosher is a dietary restriction that is based on the Jewish religion, while Halal is based on the Islamic religion. Pareve foods — which are often vegan except for fish products — can be eaten with either meat or dairy products and still be kosher.

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LIFESTYLE 2/16/24 8:03am

African Diaspora LLC creates community on campus

By Kymani Jackson

Freshman Adrianna Stapleton was skeptical about what her social life would look like at Elon University due to the lack of diversity. That’s why she applied to live in the African Diaspora Living Learning Community for her first year. Elon’s African Diaspora LLC provides a residential space where students can live while learning about the Diaspora. The African Diaspora refers to the descendants of Africans who have migrated across the world, whether voluntarily or forcefully. This LLC highlights African American, Black and African cultures worldwide. 

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SPORTS 2/15/24 10:57pm

Elon University men's basketball pulls off upset against Delaware

By Miles Hayford

Elon University men's basketball team pulled off an incredible upset against the defending Coastal Athletic Association champions, defeating Delaware 73-67 on Feb. 15 at Schar Center. It was an upset no one saw coming with Elon missing star player graduate student Rob Higgins and coming off a brutal loss at Towson on Feb. 12.  The win was Elon’s first win against Delaware since 2019, and represents a turning point for the program. Elon will play next at University of North Carolina, Wilmington at 7 p.m. on Feb. 17 in Trask Coliseum.

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NEWS 2/15/24 3:28pm

Traffic on West Trollinger Ave; South Holt Ave; West Summerbell; Johnson Street to be blocked Feb. 19, 20

By Ryan Kupperman

Traffic will be blocked on West Trollinger Avenue, South Holt Avenue, West Summerbell and Johnson street on Monday, Feb. 19 and Tuesday, Feb. 20 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to an E-Alert sent on Feb. 15. Residents who live on South Holt Avenue, West Summerbell and Johnson Street will be allowed to access their homes from South Williamson Avenue at West Trollinger Avenue. Residents in the 200 to 600 blocks of West Trollinger will need to utilize Church Street, Summers Drive and Ball Park Avenue.

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NEWS 2/15/24 11:08am

Elon Women’s Basketball, Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority host annual breast cancer awareness game

By Fiona McAllister

Pink was everyone’s favorite color this Sunday, Feb. 11. In collaboration with the Elon Women’s Basketball team, the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority hosted their annual “Play4Kay” in honor of breast cancer awareness. The motto “Play4Kay” is in commemoration of former Elon Women’s Basketball coach Kay Yow. Yow was a huge advocate for breast cancer awareness — as she continuously fought her own battle. In 2009, Yow passed away after struggling with breast cancer for 22 years. The charity proceeds from this event went to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. This cause has raised a total of $65 so far with a goal of $500.

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NEWS 2/15/24 10:33am

Sustainability, shadow of greenwashing

By Cailey Cetani

Though environmentally friendly initiatives have been around for years, we are only now seeing how it is impacting the environment, both positively and negatively. Pew Research Center reported in a 2023 study that around 61% of Americans polled believe that climate change is impacting their local community, although only 37% say that it should be the top issue being addressed by the government. As noted by Matthew Flacksenburg, a sustainability intern at Elon University, there has been an uptick in ethical consumerism, which has played a key role in how products are being marketed and produced.

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NEWS 2/15/24 8:29am

Elon University’s Student Government Association asks students to vote on new constitution

By Reagan Sizemore

Elon’s Student Government Association released a newly revised constitution for the student body to vote for or against on Feb. 16. Since March of 2023 the SGA has been working on a new constitution and on Feb. 1 the Senate approved it. On Friday, Feb. 2, Jon Dooley, vice president of student life, sent an email out to all undergraduate students encouraging students to read the new constitution and vote on PhoenixConnect. Dooley — in his email — urges everyone to take part in the democratic process on Elon’s campus.

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NEWS 2/14/24 8:15pm

Elon life trustee dies at 94, leaves mark on university community

By Ryan Kupperman

Elon Life Trustee Warren “Dusty” Rhodes died at the age of 94 on Monday, Feb. 12, according to an email sent to faculty by university President Connie Book. Rhodes served on the board of trustees for 14 years before being elected a life trustee in 2011. According to Book, Rhodes was “one of Elon’s most dedicated and passionate friends for more than 25 years.”  A celebration of Rhodes' life will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16 at St. Mark’s Church in Burlington, and a burial will follow in the church cemetery.

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NEWS 2/14/24 10:23am

Elon Town Council approves hotel tax, deliberates green space

By Lauren Winslow

Elon Town Council approved a local occupancy tax, set at 3%, for hotels in Elon. During its meeting on Feb. 13, Elon joined the Alamance County Municipal Tourism Development Authority alongside Burlington; Mebane and Graham have yet to vote on the matter. The tax is set to be put into effect on July 1. With the Inn at Elon being one of the only hotels in town, this tax would draw from university revenue made through the Inn. The council also debated extending the lease for Toasty Kettlyst's location on North Holt Avenue’s green space.

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NEWS 2/14/24 10:17am

Ripple Conference hosts interfaith discussions on Elon University’s campus

By Monika Jurevicius

Elon University hosted 130 people of all religious and spiritual faiths during the ninth Ripple Conference — which was held in McBride Gathering Center — under the theme of “Interfaith Around the World.” Nine total universities, from both in and out of state, attended the event. Conference co-director Lucy Sneader said the event included religions and identities from around the world. Guilford College professor and keynote speaker Diya Abdo spoke about her work with refugees and her initiative to help rehouse them back on her campus.

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NEWS 2/14/24 7:46am

Mediterranean Deli expected to open early March

By Michael Leung

Mediterranean Deli is expected to open the first week of March, according to owner Jamil Kadoura. The original Mediterranean Deli was located beneath Park Place. When it closed in fall 2022, members of the Elon community were disappointed by the facility’s closure. But on July 22, 2023, there was a fire at the Mediterranean Deli location on Chapel Hill. After the fire, Kadoura chose to prioritize the repair of the Chapel Hill location, and pushed back the opening of the Elon location. Now, Mediterranean Deli will replace the Acorn Coffee Shop, which moved to Belk Library.

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NEWS 2/13/24 8:17pm

Sen. Galey requests investigation into ABSS financial decisions by General Assembly committee

By Joseph Navin and Sophie Rosenthal

The Alamance-Burlington School System discussed a revised financial reduction plan at a work session held Tuesday, Feb. 13, days after State Sen. Amy Galey requested an investigation into the school system’s finances. The investigation request comes after a year of financial hardship for the school system. In summer 2023, ABSS spent nearly $26 million on cleaning up 32 of its 36 schools after a mold outbreak. School board chair Sandy Ellington-Graves declared that the school district was in financial crisis in November 2023. At the end of January, superintendent Dain Butler announced a plan to lay off and reduce hours for over 50 employees.

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NEWS 2/13/24 8:32am

‘You’re creating Black history’: Elon’s Black trailblazers inspire new university research

By Naomi Washington

Elon senior Jasper Myers said a common misconception she hears is current students don’t think they are a part of history. That’s why she started a ‘Homecoming History’ submission form for current students, alumni and community members to submit personal photos, videos and documents to the university’s archives. Myers said the goal for this project is to make information from previous research reports — such as the “Black Lumen Project” and the “Elon History and Memory Report” — more accessible to current students. Alongside the project, she created an edited campus tour focusing specifically on Elon's Black history.

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LIFESTYLE 2/12/24 5:00pm

Elon University’s sold-out production of ‘A Chorus Line’ brings Broadway classic to campus

By Sarah T. Moore

Freshman Eric Pettit remembers auditioning for Elon University’s music theatre program, trying to stand out among his peers in hopes of getting in. For his first Elon show, Pettit said he found himself channeling that energy again as he played Mark Anthony in “A Chorus Line.” The Broadway classic “A Chorus Line” premiered in 1975 and won a Pulitzer Prize the following year. While there have been a wide variety of “A Chorus Line” productions and revivals, Pettit said Elon’s production was intentionally very reminiscent of the original Broadway production.

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SPORTS 2/12/24 12:21pm

Elon sports management professor sees diversity grow within industry

By Benjamin Berfield

Khirey Walker has seen a lot of change within Elon University’s sport management department since coming back as a professor. The former Phoenix defensive lineman graduated from Elon in 2011 before returning in 2022 to teach sport management. One aspect that has particularly grown in the general field of sport management is the number of increasing opportunities for Black professionals. Walker said he’s starting to see more organizations apply a bigger emphasis on diversity. Even though Walker has recognized the current progress being made, he believes there are also additional ways to further expand the chances for Black people in that particular arena. 

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NEWS 2/12/24 7:54am

Elon University’s Advancing Equity Requirement focuses on bringing diversity into education

By Lilly Molina

Freshman Julia Swartz considered herself to be a fairly open-minded person before coming to Elon. Yet when Swartz decided to take WGS 1100: Sex and Gender Studies course her first semester, she found her perspective challenged in ways she hadn’t considered. WGS 1100 fulfills Elon’s new advancing equity requirement which are classes that help promote diversity, equity and inclusion within an educational setting. Through this course, Swartz said she was exposed to historical and modern feminists from various backgrounds — something she hadn’t learned about until coming to Elon.

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