Will Michaels

UNC Researchers Map American Eating Habits

Will Michaels — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:55:23 +0000

Researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill are gathering massive amounts of nutritional information to create a better picture of what Americans are eating.

Scientists are looking at caloric data for every packaged food on the shelves and comparing that to food sales in order to see how they work into Americans' diets. Professor Meghan Slining says the research will show how quickly manufacturers change ingredients in each product and how that changes nutrition.

Shearon Harris Shutdown Likely To Come Up At Annual Assessment

Will Michaels — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:49:07 +0000

An annual public meeting about the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant will likely raise questions about the recent decision to shut down the reactor.

NC Rep. Jones Calls For US To Stop Funding Afghanistan

Will Michaels — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:35:23 +0000

North Carolina Congressman Walter Jones is among those calling for an end to U.S. spending in Afghanistan.

Duke Study Shows No Contamination Near Fracking Wells In Arkansas

Will Michaels — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:31:36 +0000

New tests near hydraulic fracturing sites in Arkansas show no evidence of methane leaking into groundwater supplies. A study released Wednesday from Duke University found no negative effects on drinking water near fracking operations.

Aquatic Plant Pest Spreads To Eastern NC

Will Michaels — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:06:22 +0000

An invasive plant called hydrilla is spreading from the Piedmont toward lakes near the coast.

Biologists say the aquatic weed first found in Wake County is now on river banks in northeastern North Carolina and in lakes near Wilmington. Dr. Rob Richardson is a crop science professor at N.C. State University. He says the plant grows in thick patches, which can cause problems in drinking water supplies.

"Large mats have, at times, clogged turbines," says Richardson.

NC State Uses Herbs And Spices To Clean Produce

Will Michaels — Thu, 09 May 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Researchers at N.C. State say oils extracted from herbs and spices could act as a natural disinfectant for fruits and vegetables.

A joint project with the University of Tennessee aims to find an alternative to chlorine used on produce grown for mass consumption. Dr. Penelope Perkins-Veazie is a horticultural science professor at N.C. State's research campus in Kannapolis. She says pungent spices tend to be best at fighting harmful germs.

"They have a very distinct odor, like cinnamon, for instance," Perkins-Veazie says.

Duke Identifies Shortcomings In HIV Vaccine

Will Michaels — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:29:39 +0000

Researchers at Duke University are using a flaw in an HIV vaccine in order to develop new formulas to fight off the virus.

More Shoaling Slows Hatteras-Ocracoke Ferry As Summer Looms

Will Michaels — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

The state DOT says Hatteras Inlet remains impassible in some areas as ferries prepare to switch to a busier summer schedule.

A series of storms clogged the channel between Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands this winter, forcing crews to clear a longer detour. A dredge has been clearing the original route, but officials say a boat bottomed out during a trial run last week.

"It's hard to say what's causing the changes there," says Jed Dixon, deputy director of the NC Ferry Division.

NC Sports Hall Of Fame Adds 11 New Faces, Two New Sports

Will Michaels — Thu, 02 May 2013 10:26:00 +0000

Eleven new members are set to join the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Thursday night's induction ceremony and banquet marks the museum's 50th anniversary.

Hall of Fame executive director Don Fish says the class of 2013 includes hockey legend Ron Francis, who retired a year before the Carolina Hurricanes won their first and only championship.

"It changed the face of sports in North Carolina," Fish says.

Camp Lejeune Marine Clears IEDs To Evacuate A Wounded Teammate

Will Michaels — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

A Camp Lejeune Marine receives the Silver Star Tuesday for his actions of valor in Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt. Daniel Ridgeway will the get the award during a ceremony on the base. Ridgeway says he and his men were walking in line toward a stockpile of enemy weapons, which they had been ordered to clear out, when a blast knocked him over.

"My teammate ended up stepping on an IED," Ridgeway says.