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Monday’s NFF Chalktalk – March 9, 2015,

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The NFF continues to promote FootballMatters.org, a powerful new addition to the organization’s campaign to highlight the good in the game and the lifelong benefits to those who play it. The NFF launched the first FootballMatters.org eNewsletter, which will periodically highlight some of the top stories on the site.

Recent headlines on the site include:

The site focuses on the stories that evoke the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal, character building and the drive for academic excellence that exemplifies many of the young men who play football and the families who support them. You can learn more about the site and watch a video featuring NFF Chairman Archie Manning and NFF Board Members Jack Ford, Archie Griffin, Kevin Plank and Rod West by clicking here.

The site is the latest addition to the NFF’s #FootballMatters Campaign, which began in 2013 and provides people from border-to-border and coast-to-coast a voice in highlighting the positive impact that football has had on their lives. The campaign encourages participation via a series of national television spots with high-profile former players who subsequently achieved remarkable success later in life. The TV spots urge people to utilize social media platforms and the hashtag: #ImAFootballPlayer to share their football stories, which become part of the Twitter feed on the NFF website.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME HAPPENINGS

LAST WEEK: The College Football Hall of Fame officially joined the Atlanta CityPASS program, joining the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola, among others.

VISIT THE HALL: The new College Football Hall of Fame opened its doors Aug. 23, 2014, in the heart of Atlanta’s sports, entertainment and tourism district. Adjacent to the Georgia World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park, the new Hall provides visitors with a highly immersive, interactive and engaging experience using a blend of historic college football artifacts and state-of-the-art, interactive multimedia exhibits. To plan your visit and purchase tickets, visit www.cfbhall.com.

THE BLITZ

Georgia Southern will welcome NFF Chairman and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Manning (Mississippi) at Hanner Fieldhouse on March 24 as part of the university’s Leadership Lecture Series. Manning will also speak at the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony on Aug. 4 at the Knoxville Convention Center.

NFF Board Member Donna Shalala, who will step down as the University of Miami (Fla.)’s president at the end of the 2014-15 school year, will become the next CEO of the Clinton Foundation, a philanthropic organization started by President Bill Clinton.

NFF Board Member and CEO of BP Capital Management T. Boone Pickens will be among the featured speakers during The Wall Street Journal’s 2015 ECO:nomics executive conference March 25-27 at the Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara, Calif.

2015 College Football Hall of Fame electee Ricky Williams (Texas) hosted a football skills camp for middle school and high school football players in Abilene, Texas, over the weekend.

2015 College Football Hall of Fame electee Brian Bosworth (Oklahoma) was profiled by the Sporting News in advance of his 50th birthday.

Youngstown State President and 2015 College Football Hall of Fame electee Jim Tressel (Youngstown State, Ohio State) will be the featured speaker at the Men’s Challenge fundraising kickoff dinner Thursday at the McKinley Grand Hotel in Canton, Ohio. Men’s Challenge is a Christ-based nonprofit organization that addresses root causes of poverty by assisting unemployable men to achieve sustainable employment.

Tressel will also be the keynote speaker at Ohio University College of Business’ 17th Annual Schey Sales Symposium on April 14 in Athens, Ohio. Then on April 23, Tressel will be the keynote speaker at the Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods’ 13th community fundraiser and banquet at St. Michael Family Life Center in Canfield, Ohio.

College Football Hall of Famer Woodrow Lowe (Alabama) will be inducted into the Reese’s Senior Bowl Hall of Fame on March 19. Joining him in the 2015 class are former Auburn fullback Tony Richardson and former LSU defensive tackle Kyle Williams.

College Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson (TCU) is partnering with 2012 NFF Hampshire Honor Society member and Baylor Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III to open a new sports training and therapy facility in Waco, Texas.

College Football Hall of Famer Dre Bly (North Carolina) will take part in FOX Sports South’s Emmy Award-winning original series ‘The Panel presented by Hyundai Equus’ on Sunday, March 22 at 9 p.m. ET, which features some of the nation’s top college football players answering tough questions from a panel of former players.

The Tulsa World recently profiled College Football Hall of Fame quarterback Glenn Dobbs and the impact he had at Tulsa.

2014 Campbell Trophy winner John Urschel (Penn State) competed in the 2015 Pittsburgh Open chess tournament over the weekend.

NFF Program Updates

The NFF Scholar-Athlete of the Day, presented by Fidelity Investments, is a daily segment honoring the 2014 National Scholar-Athlete Award candidates, who also comprise the list of semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments. Today’s honoree is Austin Graves, a defensive lineman at Idaho State who graduated in December 2014 with a 3.95 GPA in philosophy.

OVER THE MIDDLE

NASA Astronaut and current commander of the International Space Station Barry Wilmore, who is currently orbiting the earth, delivered a special taped message and the official welcome at the NFF Middle Tennessee Chapter Banquet in Nashville on March 3. A former linebacker at Tennessee Tech, Wilmore has been an active supporter of the efforts of the Middle Tennessee Chapter for several years.

The NFF Greater Cincinnati Chapter held its Scholar-Athlete Banquet on March 3 at the Westin Hotel. Cincinnati head coach Tommy Tuberville was the guest speaker. The chapter awarded its Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award to former Southern California and Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle Anthony Muñoz, the father of 2004 Campbell Trophy winner Michael Muñoz from Tennessee.

The NFF Portland (Ore.) Chapter held its 54th Annual Scholar-Athlete Banquet on March 8. Among the presenters were Oregon State head coach Gary Andersen, George Fox (Ore.) head coach Chris Casey and Pacific (Ore.) head coach Keith Buckley. Former Willamette (Ore.) coach Mark Speckman was the featured guest speaker.

The NFF Orange County (Calif.) Chapter will host its 45th Annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner tonight at the Anaheim Convention Center. The guest speaker will be former Southern California quarterback Mark Sanchez, who was honored as a scholar-athlete by the chapter in 2004. The chapter will honor 68 high school and two collegiate scholar-athletes.

The NFF Capital District (N.Y.) Chapter will hold its Scholar-Athlete Banquet tomorrow at the Turf Inn in Albany, N.Y.

The NFF Essex County (N.J.) Chapter will host its 50th Scholar-Athlete Banquet Wednesday at Mayfair Farms in Orange, N.J.

The NFF Greater Baltimore Chapter will hold its Scholar-Athlete Banquet on Wednesday at Martins West.

The NFF Sacramento Valley (Calif.) Chapter will host its Scholar-Athlete Banquet on Thursday at the Elks Club in Carmichael, Calif.

The NFF Rio Grande Valley (Texas) Chapter will hold a Golf Tournament Friday at the Tierra Santa Golf Course in Weslaco, Texas.

The NFF Los Angeles Chapter’s Scholar-Athlete Banquet is scheduled for Friday at the Culver City Double Tree.

The NFF Valley of the Sun (Ariz.) Chapter will hold its 34th Annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet on Saturday at the Hilton Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Ariz. 2014 NFF National Scholar-Athletes Austin Hasquet (Northern Arizona) and Taylor Kelly (Arizona State) will be honored as the College Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

The NFF Riverside County (Calif.) Chapter will host its Scholar-Athlete Banquet on Sunday at the Eagle Glen Country Club in Corona, Calif.

The NFF Toledo (Ohio) Chapter’s Scholar-Athlete Banquet is scheduled for March 16 at Seagate. Toledo head football coach Matt Campbell will be the guest speaker.

The NFF Tom Lombardo/St. Louis Chapter will hold its monthly luncheon on March 25 at Lombardo’s Airport Restaurant. St. Louis Rams Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams will be the guest speaker. The luncheons are an important part of the chapter’s fundraising goals.

TWO-MINUTE DRILL

New Football Schools

Lyon (Ark.) has seen great support for its football team that will begin play this fall…

Scheduling

Illinois’ 2015 season opener versus Kent State has been moved to Friday, Sept. 4…

People

Missouri announced Mack Rhoades has been appointed its new Director of Intercollegiate Athletics…

Rule Changes

The NCAA’s Playing Rules Oversight Panel has tabled a proposal that would have altered the ineligible receiver downfield rule. The panel did approve several rule changes, including allowing, but not requiring, conferences to use eight officials rather than seven; expanding the purview of instant replay to allow officials to determine whether, on onside kicks, a kicking team player blocked a receiving team player before the ball traveled 10 yards; adding an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for players who push or pull opponents from piles; running 10 seconds off the game clock if a defensive player’s helmet comes off in the final minute of a half; a return to issuing teams a sideline warning before penalizing them for leaving the team bench area; requiring players with illegal equipment issues to leave the field for one play; prohibiting “nonstandard/overbuilt” facemasks; requiring teams be given at least 22 minutes for pregame warm-ups on field; and resetting the play clock to 40 seconds if it reaches 25 seconds before officials have spotted the ball…

Awards and Honors

Former First Team All-American and current WWE star John Cena will be enshrined into the Springfield College (Mass.) Athletics Hall of Fame on April 18…

Donations

Ohio announced a gift of $500,000 from alumni Tom and Gwen Weihe that will support the construction of the Perry Sandy Sook Academic Center…

Facilities

Arizona State released a revised look at its renovation plan for Sun Devil Stadium… Northern Illinois is tweaking its Facilities Master Plan to focus on how students, not just student-athletes, will use the facilities… Rice will break ground on its new $31.5 million, 60,000-square-foot Brian Patterson Sports Performance Center tomorrow. Patterson is a former Owls football player…

Marketing Uniforms

Nike and Kentucky agreed on a contract extension through 2025… Old Dominion announced a five-year partnership with Under Armour…

Miscellaneous

UAB has created a task force that will gauge fundraising and ticket interest in reviving the school’s football program… Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh had a busy week, serving as a special guest instructor for the Oakland A’s in a spring training game and assisting victims of a bad car crash…

Obituaries

Former Texas AM head trainer and associate athletics director Billy Pickard passed away March 9. He was 81… Former Notre Dame defensive tackle Ed Hudak passed away Feb. 16. He was 86… Former Maryland football player Buzz Irvine passed away Feb. 27. He was 81… Former Purdue All-America football player Tom Bettis passed away Feb. 28. He was 81… Former Dartmouth football player Donald Smith passed away March 1. He was 62… Former Ball State football player Richard Roberts passed away March 6. He was 86… Former Idaho football player, longtime high school football coach and supporter of the NFF Southern Arizona Chapter Larry Hart passed away last week. He was 83… Former Oregon football player Brett Young passed away. He was 47…

SUPPORT THE NFF

The National Football Foundation relies, in part, on the support of individuals to fulfill our mission of “Building Leaders Through Football.” The NFF accepts gifts in a variety of forms. In addition to one-time cash gifts, which can be put to use immediately, pledges also allow donors to make more substantial commitments over a longer period of time in support of our programs. Stock and other property which can be easily liquidated are also options when considering a gift. By making a gift of appreciated stock or property, one may reduce or avoid capital gains. Gifts to the National Football Foundation are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Join us! For more information about how you can support the NFF, call 972-556-1000 or click here.

Each year, the NFF invites universities, colleges, conferences and bowl games from across the country to provide support for the NFF programs through its Institutional Academic Membership Program. The program allows the NFF to greatly enhance the power of football’s collective voice while actively building a stronger national platform for the game with community leaders, educators and the media. The program is open to all football-playing institutions and conferences at every level of college football and all bowl games, and it has reached new levels of support in 2014. Email Ron Dilatush at rdilatush@footballfoundation.com to learn about the benefits and how your institution can become a member. Click here for the 2014 Institutional Academic Members.

The NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association provides a powerful vehicle for past honorees to remain in the vanguard of the NFF’s present efforts. Click here to see the members of the 2014 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association. For more information on the program or to enroll for 2014, please email Ron Dilatush at rdilatush@footballfoundation.com.

 

NFF KEY DATES

Sept. 24, 2015 – Announcement of the 2015 semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy – Irving, Texas

Oct. 29, 2015 – Announcement of the 2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments – Irving, Texas

Dec. 7, 2015 – Presentation of the Asa S. Bushnell Cup to the Ivy League Football Players of the Year at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New  York City

Dec. 8, 2015 – NFF Chapter Awards Luncheon, presented by Under Armour, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City

Dec. 8, 2015 – 58th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Press Conference at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City

Dec. 8, 2015 – 58th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City

Dec. 8, 2015 – 26th presentation of the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments and prominently displayed at the NYAC, to the nation’s top football scholar-athlete at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City

Dec. 8, 2015 – Induction of the 2015 College Football Hall of Fame Class at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City

Jan. 8, 2016 – Announcement of the 2016 College Football Hall of Fame Class – Scottsdale, Ariz.

Jan. 11, 2016 –College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship at University of Phoenix Stadium – Glendale, Ariz. 

NFF INFORMATION

Advertising in NFF publications will put your organization in front of key decision makers in football including key administrators, coaches, players, former players, as well as other key sports business executives throughout the year. To inquire about the print advertising opportunities available to your organization, please contact Phil Marwill at 972-556-1000 or pmarwill@footballfoundation.com.

Become a fan of the National Football Foundation on Facebook – Upload your game day photos, check out pictures of the NFF Annual Awards Dinner and chat with other college football fans.

You can keep up with the NFF on Twitter at Twitter.com/NFFNetwork and on Facebook.com/NFFNetwork.

Stay involved with the game. Become an NFF member by clicking here.

For more information on the NFF and college football, including announcements from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and NCAA Football, please visit http://www.footballfoundation.org.

Notes

The NFF would like to thank NFF correspondent Bo Carter for his contributions to this report.

NFF Chalktalk items are welcome, and should be submitted to news@footballfoundation.com.

 

2015 College Football Hall of Fame electee Brian Bosworth (Oklahoma) was profiled by the Sporting News in advance of his 50th birthday.

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Staunton businessman brings slice of music as radio host

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STAUNTON, Virginia — For John Huggins, there are two passions — music and food. And he has perfected a recipe, in which business and leisure are in just the right measure.

Huggins is the host and radio DJ for the Shenandoah Valley Local Music Hour that airs at 11 a.m. Saturdays at Star 94.3 FM in Staunton. And along with his wife, Cheryl Jessup Huggins, he ran Shenandoah Pizza in downtown Staunton, until the couple sold it last year. They continue to run Shenandoah Hops, a store in the wharf district that specializes in local and regional craft beers, microbrews, cider, wine, imports and even gluten-free beer.

Even before the radio show, Huggins had been a music promoter, bringing new acts to the Valley.

Now in its third year, the show, with help from Cassandra Johnson, the station’s program director, features local talent. Segments include interviews, tracks by songwriters and bands, updates on live shows, albums and music events. The station reaches listeners from New Market to Lexington.

“Melissa Mesko and I started the show,” says Huggins. “And what we did was pick songs from local artists and played them and told the story behind it. It evolved into a live show where there were in-house guests. Melissa moved out of town so I stayed with show and then Karen Lawrence came in for a while from the Staunton Music Guild. Karen didn’t have time to continue with the show, so then I just took it over myself.”

“Karen and I also did a lot of charitable events and fundraisers at Shenandoah Pizza when I did a term on the Staunton Music Guild,” says Huggins.

“We had a nice background of artists we could choose from,” says Huggins. “It evolved into a 30-minute show, but we brought live guests in and we’ve had as many as one person to five in here at one time. We even had all 12 guests from the VSDB bluegrass band in here.”

“We all gather around the mic, and I ask the artists questions,” says Huggins. “We have three different segments and each segment ends with a song.”

Huggins says what makes the show so special is “the rich history we have here with local musicians. It is nice that we are able to showcase them and it’s great for the community.”

“I’m a music fanatic,” says Huggins. “I like being to find out what makes musician tick. I like the up close and personal feeling.”

In a childlike smile, Huggins says, “For me, it’s really fun.”

His tone shifts and he begins to calm down as he shares his love for music and doing the show. “People have hobbies. Me being a 24-hour businessman, I don’t have much time for myself, so this is my release. I get to come in here, and as you know I talk real fast, I’m pretty hyper, but when I come in here I seem to slow down a little bit so I think this is sort of therapeutic for me.”

Then just as quick, he returns to his fast-talking self and adds, “It also keeps me in the know when I’m booking bands and people are looking for music.”

For Huggins, the best thing about his radio gig is “getting lots of feedback. I get nice comments clear across the country.”

Music is also one more way to connect with the community. “I grew up in a family that was very community driven,” says Huggins, whose parents also operated a small business.

“Usually what you give, comes back to you,” he says. “But I just generally like being involved with people.”

Among the efforts he is proud of include collecting instruments for musicians at the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind. “I found instruments for the whole band. People donated guitars, you name it, everything you can think of, we found for the VSDB bluegrass band. A lot of good things came out of that, and I always thought that was a worthy cause.”

Born in Lumberton, North Carolina. Huggins went to Louisburg College and then to North Carolina State University. He lived in Raleigh for 15 years and then moved to the Outer Banks where he met and married Cheryl.

“I convinced her to open a pizza restaurant with me, and that’s how we moved to Staunton,” says Huggins. His love for music didn’t take long to find a stage, and the pizza shop became a place where musicians could play every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Then Huggins started doing festivals. First, he helped start the Wine and Jazz festival, now he promotes the Blues and Brews and Good Times festivals.

“I’ve also done local events in town, like Boogie on Beverley and Jazz in the Streets,” adds Huggins.

Huggins was part of the SDDA, Staunton Tourism and still continues to work with the Augusta Chamber of Commerce.

John doesn’t just love music, he loves food — both making it and eating it.

He will proudly tell you, “I love barbecue and I make my own slaw. I’m part chef, a pizza guy, gourmet guy. All of the recipes at Shenandoah Pizza were mine.”

Now the co-owner with his wife Cheryl, Huggins manages Shenandoah Hops. It seems to be a good fit with his personality. People take their time there, and Huggins likes to not just answer a customer’s question but get to know them. The shop has a cozy atmosphere and carries items for sale by local artisans — pottery, foodstuffs, photography, paintings, jewelry, teas, homemade soaps — so you can linger while until you are ready to pick your beverage.

Not surprisingly, John found a way to bring music to his new home away from home. Every Friday night, the shop offers free tastings from craft brewers while local talent plays music to add to the atmosphere that says stay a while, meet some new people, laugh a little, enjoy the music, what’s the hurry. And Huggins and his wife makes sure everyone knows kids are welcome. There are couches, floor space, games and people can bring in food and enjoy a fun evening out without having to find a babysitter, book tickets in advance or spend a lot of money.

Thinking about the future is something that is part of Huggins’ makeup. He’s got his hands in many different pots, and he’s cooking up ideas and hoping for new opportunities to keep the community of Staunton thriving and fun.

“I hope to be involved with the new Sunspots Pavilion more in the future,” says Huggins. “I was involved in the Pump’tober Fest.”

Most importantly, family means everything to John and Cheryl. In Swoope, they have a daughter and two grandchildren ages 3 and 11. Huggins’ father died recently.

“My dad’s passing definitely put a different perspective on life and just made me realize how short life is and that’s why I’m having fun doing what I’m doing besides working all the time,” shares John.

Information from: The News Leader, http://www.newsleader.com

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Legislators push for school calendar flexibility – Winston

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Ed Hanes

Posted: Saturday, March 7, 2015 9:39 pm

Legislators push for school calendar flexibility

Arika Herron/Winston-Salem Journal

Winston-Salem Journal

Legislators who want to change state law that dictates the start and end dates for public schools are hoping there is power in numbers, just not the ones with dollar signs in front of them.

Since 2004, school districts have had to plan school calendars within strict windows for when the academic year can start and stop: the opening date for students may be no earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26; the closing date may be no later than the Friday closet to June 11. School officials say it gives them very little flexibility when planning their calendars, and they’d like more.

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Saturday, March 7, 2015 9:39 pm.

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Peace Corps temporarily suspends its program in Jordan

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Messier Sr. M.D., Robert Henry

Robert Henry Messier Sr. M.D.Robert Henry Messier, Sr., M.D., Roman Catholic, father, husband, uncle, brother, patriot and physician died peacefully on March 5, 2015 at the age of 86 surrounded by his children and daughter-in-law in Raleigh, N.C.Dr. Messier grew up on 5 Sawyer St. in Nashua, NH, and graduated from Nashua High School in 1946. He was awarded his bachelor’s degree cum laude from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, where he received his calling to the Healing Arts after studying briefly to become a priest. When the Korean Conflict erupted in the early 1950’s, and inspired by his heroic eldest brother Richard, Dr. Messier completed Officer’s Candidate School and subsequently spent two years as a munitions second Lieutenant in South Korea as well as various other stations in the Far East. After a short foray into private industry, he applied simultaneously to both of Georgetown University’s Schools of Foreign Service and Medicine. He was accepted on the spot to the School of Medicine at the conclusion of his interview, matriculated immediately and graduated as Vice President of the 1958 Class. He completed an Internal Medicine residency at Georgetown, and practiced Industrial Medicine at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories in Oak Ridge, TN for a year, corresponding routinely with such leaders in the field as Edward Teller. When the opportunity was afforded him, he enrolled in and graduated from a Cardiology fellowship at Georgetown under the tutelage of Drs. Proctor Harvey and Charles Hufnagel.Upon finishing his fellowship, he moved to Elizabeth, NJ, the birthplace of his beloved wife Jane Donahue Messier whom he had met while a medical student. There he practiced Cardiology and Internal Medicine, tirelessly carrying his black bag and making house calls throughout Union County for over 20 years. He tragically lost his dear wife in 1980 after a ten year battle with breast cancer, having connected his doctor’s office to his home in order to always be near her.A stalwart in the Roman Catholic Church and a pillar of the local medical societies, Dr. Messier assumed leadership roles in the Alexian Brothers health system where he was an admired, trusted and highly respected confidante. He became an outspoken advocate of Roman Catholic causes, both locally and occasionally on the Northeast Regional scene. At the outbreak of the Persian Gulf War, Dr. Messier was called up to full-time duty, serving at the McGuire Air Force Base and caring for active military personnel stateside. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel at the conclusion of Operation Desert Storm.On the return to private life, Dr. Messier redirected his efforts to important Catholic issues and was Knighted to the Order of St Gregory the Great by Pope Saint John Paul II. Having taken on administrative roles as Chief Medical Officer in the Alexian Brothers Hospital, and subsequent leadership positions within the product of the Alexian Brothers and Elizabeth General Hospital merger, Trinitas, Dr. Messier retired completely in 2000. He had been instrumental in stabilizing the difficult reorganization of Elizabeth’s urban healthcare system which became plagued with overwhelming financial challenges. The last one and a half decades of his life were spent in Hillside, NJ, with his second wife Louise Klimovich Messier until her death in 2014. They served the community and practiced their Faith together in the Catholic Church, patiently mentoring his two children and their families. Many revered Dr. Messier as a strong and trustworthy friend who judged no one and responded eagerly to anyone who sought his help, particularly the needy, poor and meek.Dr. Messier is survived by a son Dr. Robert H. Messier, Jr, a Heart Surgeon practicing in Myrtle Beach, SC and married to Dr. Janice Hong Messier of Wake Forest, NC, his identically green-eyed daughter and light of his life Deirdre Donahue Messier, her husband Perry Houston Henderson of Alexandria, VA, sole grandson Robert Henry Messier III (Trey), one brother and former Mayor of Bedford, VA E. Thomas Messier and his wife Constance of Bedford, Virginia.He was predeceased by his parents Theresa Eva (Gagnon) and George Henry Messier, his two treasured sisters Marie Crowell and Beatrice Duplisse and Word War II Navy fighter pilot brother George Richard Messier.Uncle Bob will be forever remembered fondly by his numerous and beloved nieces and nephews, and special cousin Paul. Pappa’s memories and stories will live on through his namesake and adored grandson Trey.Viewing will be at Growney Funeral Home, 1070 North Broad Street, Hillside, NJ, March 10, 2015 from 7-9 PM and March 11, 2015, from 8:30-9:30 AM. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church 1000 N Broad St., Hillside, NJ at 10 AM followed by burial at St. Catharine’s Cemetery, Sea Girt, NJ with military honors.In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Dr. Messier may be made to the Office of Campus Ministry at Saint Anselm College, Office of College Advancement #1738, Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, NH. 03102.A service of Bright Funeral Home Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC 27587. (919-556-5811)www.brightfunerals.com

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IS destroying another ancient archaeological site in Iraq

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IS destroying another ancient archaeological site in Iraq

Antonio Castaneda

IS destroying another ancient archaeological site in Iraq

FILE – In this July 27, 2005 file photo, a temple to the Shamash sun god still stands over 1,750 years after the Sassanian empire razed the Mesopotamian city of Hatra, 320 kilometers (200 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq. Iraq’s minister of tourism and antiquities told The Associated Press, Saturday, March 7, 2015, that the government is investigating reports that the ancient archaeological site of Hatra in northwestern Iraq is being demolished by militants from the Islamic State group. The group has already looted artifacts from Nimrud, another ancient archaeological site, on Friday and bulldozed it in a move UNESCO deemed “a war crime.” (AP Photo/Antonio Castaneda, File)

IS destroying another ancient archaeological site in Iraq

Antonio Castaneda

IS destroying another ancient archaeological site in Iraq

FILE – In this July 27, 2005 file photo, the face of a woman stares down at visitors in the Hatra ruins, 320 kilometers (200 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq. Iraq’s minister of tourism and antiquities told The Associated Press, Saturday, March 7, 2015, that the government is investigating reports that the ancient archaeological site of Hatra in northwestern Iraq is being demolished by militants from the Islamic State group. The group has already looted artifacts from Nimrud, another ancient archaeological site, on Friday and bulldozed it in a move UNESCO deemed “a war crime.” (AP Photo/Antonio Castaneda)



Posted: Saturday, March 7, 2015 1:40 pm
|


Updated: 3:15 pm, Sat Mar 7, 2015.

IS destroying another ancient archaeological site in Iraq

Associated Press |

BAGHDAD (AP) — Islamic State militants continued their campaign targeting cultural heritage sites in territories they control in northern Iraq, looting and damaging the ancient city of Hatra just one day after bulldozing the historic city of Nimrud, according to Iraqi government officials and local residents. The destruction in Hatra comes as the militant Islamic group fended off an Iraqi army offensive in Saddam Hussein’s hometown and fought pitched battles in eastern Syria in an area populated by predominantly Christian villages.

Iraqi officials in the northern city of Mosul said Saturday that Islamic State militants have begun demolishing Hatra, a move UNESCO described as “cultural cleansing.”

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Saturday, March 7, 2015 1:40 pm.

Updated: 3:15 pm.



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What endures at UNC-Chapel Hill

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The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has never lacked for pride, and rightfully so. The nation’s first public university is also one of its best. It excels in medical research, its men’s basketball team has won five NCAA national championships and its alumni have enriched every corner of the state and beyond.

Yet now UNC-CH also seems deserving of another emotion: sympathy. The school on the hill is getting hammered from both sides. On one, it’s coping with a years-long academic-athletic scandal that has converted its reputation for competing with the highest integrity into a reputation for using phony courses to keep players eligible. The Carolina Way has become The Carolina Wayward.

On the other side, the university is being pummeled by the state legislature. Republicans who control the General Assembly have cut funding, forced tuition increases and appointed a Board of Governors that has ham-handedly fired the university system president and closed a center devoted to studying poverty because the center’s leader criticized state policies.

No doubt there’s more to come on both fronts. The NCAA could impose severe sanctions on the athletic program. Meanwhile, legislative leaders will continue to tighten funding and punish academic critics at a place they regard as padded with high-salaried administrators and as a hotbed of liberalism.

Roots of troubles

It’s enough to make one feel sorry for this grand institution even though UNC-CH brought much of its troubles on itself. It let athletics, particularly basketball, become central to its identity, and the athletic department became an operation that went unexamined and unchecked. The university grew fat during the boom times of higher education funding, its campus sprouted cranes as new buildings went up, salaries grew and spending soared. The “university of the people” became elite and, in the eyes of many, smug. A reckoning was due. Now it has arrived from two directions.

The humbling of UNC-CH may be welcomed by its critics and its rivals, but the schadenfreude should not be savored. Ultimately, the university is not about liberal Chapel Hill or outspoken professors or championship banners. It is about the state that created it and supported it and sees in its achievements its own. In the end, what hurts Carolina hurts North Carolina.

The university’s suffering has tested its character and revealed the good along with the bad. Out from under the athletic department’s skullduggery, the administration’s denials, the alumni’s defensiveness and the faculty’s lack of vigilance has come evidence of integrity and conscience. Administrators have been forced out, athletic academic advising has been moved under the provost and alumni, faculty and retired faculty have published statements condemning the athletic abuses and have defended academic freedom against the Board of Governors’ witch hunting. And there have been instances of personal courage as whistleblowers have stepped forward to assert and defend the university’s values.

UNC alumni and all who are discouraged would do well to take a journey back to a day when the university’s ambitions, its excellence and its value were unquestioned. That day was Oct. 12, 1993, Founders Day and the university’s bicentennial. The occasion was celebrated in Kenan Stadium and highlighted by a visit from President Bill Clinton.

It is impressive to see the video of famous alumni and leaders on stage – CBS journalist Charles Kuralt, UNC President Emeritus Bill Friday, former U.S. Sen. Terry Sanford – and to hear a salute to coach Dean Smith and UNC’s 1993 national championship. All of them are gone now, but Kuralt made the moment enduring with remarks that began with, “What is it that binds us to this place as to no other …”

What echos loudest now was Kuralt’s praise of former university president Frank Porter Graham. He said Graham performed “a miracle” by fostering from 1930 to 1949 a university of high standards and lofty ideals in a state beset by poverty. Graham called the state to greatness, and it answered with an institution that towered over neighboring public universities and drew national admiration.

UNC as a moral center

Kuralt (UNC Class of 1955), said, “Here we found something in the air, a kind of generosity, a certain tolerance, a disposition toward freedom of action and inquiry that has made of Chapel Hill, for thousands of us, a moral center of the world. This was the atmosphere that Frank Porter Graham created and left behind him, the liberating and liberalizing air of Chapel Hill.”

Then Friday spoke about an earlier presidential visit by President John F. Kennedy on Founders Day 1961. A film of Kennedy speaking appeared on the stadium screen. JFK said, “North Carolina has long been identified with enlightened and progressive leaders and people, and I can think of no more important reason for that reputation than this university which year after year has sent educated men and women who have had a recognition of their public responsibilities as well as their private interests. This is a great institution with great traditions and with devoted alumni and with the support of the people of this state.”

Carolina is enduring tough times now, but beneath its troubles is a dedication to doing what is right and uplifting the state that supports it. Carolina will correct the balance between sports and academics and, through the strength of its traditions and a renewed commitment to its values, will outlast those who would diminish it.

Editorial page editor Ned Barnett can be reached at 919-829-4512, or nbarnett@newsobserver.

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A day at the SoCon Tournament: Brutal and beautiful

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ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Each word seemed more painful than the last for Will Wade.

The Chattanooga coach struggled to express his thoughts after his second-seeded Mocs lost a stunner to No. 10 seed Furman in the Southern Conference quarterfinals.

Will Wade, left, and Ronrico White (Ryan Fagan/SN)

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“Obviously, just a …”

Pause.

“… devastating night for us.”

Pause.

“I thought we were poised to play very, very well. We had a great week of practice.”

Pause.

“I’m just …”

Pause.

“… really hurt for Rico …”

Pause.

“… and Lance and …”

Pause.

“… Martynas.”

Pause.

“Just devastated.”

Pause.

“I don’t know how else, uh, to put it.”

Ronrico White, Lance Stokes and Martynas Bareika are Wade’s three seniors. His Mocs came to Asheville with a ton of confidence. They had already knocked off the tournament’s top seed, Wofford, on the Terriers’ home court during the regular season, and their only three SoCon losses were by a total of nine points. Two of those three were overtime losses.

They expected to win this tournament. They expected to give their single-digit seed opponent everything it could handle in the NCAA Tournament. And they had every reason to expect these things to happen.

Instead, their dream ended.

——————————–

This year’s SoCon Tournament in Asheville is a shining example of the stark contrast between essential, basic elements of every mid-major conference tournament.

On one hand, this tournament is endlessly exciting and entertaining. On Saturday, the games stacked up back-to-back-to-back-to-back — one contest went to overtime, another featured a big upset and the other two featured quality teams and competition. There will be two more games on Sunday and the championship game on Monday.

For basketball junkies, it’s perfect.

For the fans who make the trip, it’s a celebration. U.S. Cellular Center, where the tournament is held, is in the heart of downtown Asheville. If you’ve ever been to Asheville, you know what that means — a wonderful variety of restaurants, bars, art galleries, music venues, craft breweries and anything else you could want in a growing mountain community.

It’s hard to have a bad time in Asheville (unless the wait to get into the original Tupelo Honey gets past the hour mark, which can be the case for that iconic restaurant).

This is the fourth year the tournament has been back in Asheville, and this event has been embraced by local businesses as the unofficial kickoff to tourism season. With so many options within a 10-minute walk from the arena, it’s been a mutually beneficial situation.

Basketball fans are welcomed in Asheville. (Ryan Fagan/SN)

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For the SoCon, it’s home, again. The tournament was played in Asheville every year from 1984 to 1995, but it moved out when the basketball facility fell below acceptable levels, and the event moved around from city to city. In North Carolina, the tournament was held in Greensboro and Charlotte. In South Carolina, it was in Greenville and Charleston. It was held a couple different years in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

In an ideal world, SoCon commissioner John Iamarino wanted a more permanent home. 

He wanted to return to Asheville, so a deal was struck. In exchange for a commitment to bring his tournament here (with an opt-out clause after one year, if that one year was a disaster), the facility would be given a major facelift. The seats in the lower bowl needed to be replaced. The locker rooms needed a complete overhaul. The lobby had to be spruced up. Message boards had to be added. 

Obviously, that opt-out clause wasn’t exercised. 

“They’ve done everything they promised to do, and it’s been a great partnership,” Iamarino told Sporting News, while sitting in one of the new meeting rooms, as Western Carolina and East Tennessee State played in front of an animated crowd. “This is the way it ought to work. They did the renovations because we committed, and we committed because they were going to do the renovations.”

The tournament is locked into Asheville for two more years, but Iamarino says that both sides have expressed a desire to extend that commitment. Expect that to happen. 

Why wouldn’t it? For a league the size and feel of the Southern Conference, a town the size and feel of Asheville is the perfect fit.

——————————–

But then, there’s that pesky other hand. 

While so much of the attention for these mid-major tournaments is on the positive — the upstarts like Furman that pull off out-of-nowhere upsets, the schools that punch their ticket to the big dance, the enjoyable time had by fans who attend — there is the painful reality Wade and his Mocs experienced. “I thought we were going to win the thing,” Wade said. “We were good. I thought we were going to win the thing.”

The reality is mid-major conference tournaments are where most dreams get squashed. Only one team leaves truly happy; the others experience various levels of devastation. 

With the NIT giving regular-season champs an automatic invite (if they don’t win the league autobid) and the CBI and CollegeInsider.com tournaments now, these things aren’t necessarily win-or-go-home events anymore. Last year, for example, five of the SoCon’s 10 teams played after the tournament in Asheville was finished. 

Still, there isn’t a single SoCon team that arrived in Asheville this week hoping for a shot at the CBI. The dream is to go dancing at the biggest dance — the NCAA Tournament — and it doesn’t matter where your dreams sit on the reality scale, whether you’re a 22-win Chattanooga program or a 10-win UNC-Greensboro squad.

Wes Miller, the former UNC guard who coaches the Spartans, watched his team cut a 16-point second-half deficit against No. 1 seed Wofford to just seven points as the clock slipped under the eight-minute mark.

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UNCG was in the game. Anything could have happened at that point. But it didn’t happen for the Spartans, and that hurt. “I’m really disappointed that we couldn’t keep this thing going,” Miller said. “We’ve played so well these last four to six weeks. I really did think we had a chance to beat anybody in this league.”

Wade’s Mocs had beaten everybody in this league during the regular season, so for them, it wasn’t a matter of what might have been if they played their best game. It was watching what they felt was theirs disappear in a flurry of Furman free throws down the stretch (it must have seemed like the Paladins, who made 27 of 32 for the game, never missed). 

Wade, who’s usually pretty good at finding the right words in the locker room after a tough loss, admitted that he had no idea what to say to his team after the game. 

“I just love our guys,” he said, at the end of a long, meandering answer to a question he probably didn’t even remember by then. “And I’m heartbroken for them.”

That’s the brutality — and the beauty — of a mid-major tournament. It really is something special.

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Iraqi minister concerned over IS looting 3rd ancient site

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Messier Sr. M.D., Robert Henry

Robert Henry Messier Sr. M.D.Robert Henry Messier, Sr., M.D., Roman Catholic, father, husband, uncle, brother, patriot and physician died peacefully on March 5, 2015 at the age of 86 surrounded by his children and daughter-in-law in Raleigh, N.C.Dr. Messier grew up on 5 Sawyer St. in Nashua, NH, and graduated from Nashua High School in 1946. He was awarded his bachelor’s degree cum laude from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, where he received his calling to the Healing Arts after studying briefly to become a priest. When the Korean Conflict erupted in the early 1950’s, and inspired by his heroic eldest brother Richard, Dr. Messier completed Officer’s Candidate School and subsequently spent two years as a munitions second Lieutenant in South Korea as well as various other stations in the Far East. After a short foray into private industry, he applied simultaneously to both of Georgetown University’s Schools of Foreign Service and Medicine. He was accepted on the spot to the School of Medicine at the conclusion of his interview, matriculated immediately and graduated as Vice President of the 1958 Class. He completed an Internal Medicine residency at Georgetown, and practiced Industrial Medicine at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories in Oak Ridge, TN for a year, corresponding routinely with such leaders in the field as Edward Teller. When the opportunity was afforded him, he enrolled in and graduated from a Cardiology fellowship at Georgetown under the tutelage of Drs. Proctor Harvey and Charles Hufnagel.Upon finishing his fellowship, he moved to Elizabeth, NJ, the birthplace of his beloved wife Jane Donahue Messier whom he had met while a medical student. There he practiced Cardiology and Internal Medicine, tirelessly carrying his black bag and making house calls throughout Union County for over 20 years. He tragically lost his dear wife in 1980 after a ten year battle with breast cancer, having connected his doctor’s office to his home in order to always be near her.A stalwart in the Roman Catholic Church and a pillar of the local medical societies, Dr. Messier assumed leadership roles in the Alexian Brothers health system where he was an admired, trusted and highly respected confidante. He became an outspoken advocate of Roman Catholic causes, both locally and occasionally on the Northeast Regional scene. At the outbreak of the Persian Gulf War, Dr. Messier was called up to full-time duty, serving at the McGuire Air Force Base and caring for active military personnel stateside. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel at the conclusion of Operation Desert Storm.On the return to private life, Dr. Messier redirected his efforts to important Catholic issues and was Knighted to the Order of St Gregory the Great by Pope Saint John Paul II. Having taken on administrative roles as Chief Medical Officer in the Alexian Brothers Hospital, and subsequent leadership positions within the product of the Alexian Brothers and Elizabeth General Hospital merger, Trinitas, Dr. Messier retired completely in 2000. He had been instrumental in stabilizing the difficult reorganization of Elizabeth’s urban healthcare system which became plagued with overwhelming financial challenges. The last one and a half decades of his life were spent in Hillside, NJ, with his second wife Louise Klimovich Messier until her death in 2014. They served the community and practiced their Faith together in the Catholic Church, patiently mentoring his two children and their families. Many revered Dr. Messier as a strong and trustworthy friend who judged no one and responded eagerly to anyone who sought his help, particularly the needy, poor and meek.Dr. Messier is survived by a son Dr. Robert H. Messier, Jr, a Heart Surgeon practicing in Myrtle Beach, SC and married to Dr. Janice Hong Messier of Wake Forest, NC, his identically green-eyed daughter and light of his life Deirdre Donahue Messier, her husband Perry Houston Henderson of Alexandria, VA, sole grandson Robert Henry Messier III (Trey), one brother and former Mayor of Bedford, VA E. Thomas Messier and his wife Constance of Bedford, Virginia.He was predeceased by his parents Theresa Eva (Gagnon) and George Henry Messier, his two treasured sisters Marie Crowell and Beatrice Duplisse and Word War II Navy fighter pilot brother George Richard Messier.Uncle Bob will be forever remembered fondly by his numerous and beloved nieces and nephews, and special cousin Paul. Pappa’s memories and stories will live on through his namesake and adored grandson Trey.Viewing will be at Growney Funeral Home, 1070 North Broad Street, Hillside, NJ, March 10, 2015 from 7-9 PM and March 11, 2015, from 8:30-9:30 AM. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church 1000 N Broad St., Hillside, NJ at 10 AM followed by burial at St. Catharine’s Cemetery, Sea Girt, NJ with military honors.In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Dr. Messier may be made to the Office of Campus Ministry at Saint Anselm College, Office of College Advancement #1738, Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, NH. 03102.A service of Bright Funeral Home Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC 27587. (919-556-5811)www.brightfunerals.com

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Medical examiners get boost in McCrory’s budget proposal

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Gov. Pat McCrory’s new budget proposal seeks nearly $4 million in new funds to fix North Carolina’s troubled medical examiner system.

Under the proposal, rolled out last week, the state’s 350 medical examiners would get training and higher pay for each case they handle, and the state would hire more than a dozen professional investigators over the next two years.

The plan helps McCrory keep promises made after an Observer series last year revealed that medical examiners have conducted thousands of flawed investigations into homicides, suicides and other suspicious deaths.

After the series, McCrory and other lawmakers vowed to overhaul the medical examiner’s system, which he said had been “ignored for far too long.”

McCrory’s plan would raise spending for the office even as many state agencies were asked to trim their budgets by up to 2 percent. The administration said the proposal would lift the examiner’s office’s state funding from $6.3 million last year to $10 million, a 17 percent jump.

But the proposal doesn’t come close to addressing all the problems that N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Aldona Wos and other state officials laid out less than six months ago. The governor’s budget, for example, doesn’t offer any construction money to replace outdated buildings where autopsies are performed. No money is earmarked to address a statewide shortage of experienced forensic pathologists, who perform the autopsies.

McCrory’s budget represents his recommendations for state spending. It goes to lawmakers, who will offer their own plans during a process expected to last through June.

State Sen. Jeff Tarte, a Cornelius Republican, said he will introduce a medical examiner bill that would replace volunteers, who are now paid $100 per case, with full-time trained investigators. The legislation would also require medical examiners to go to death scenes in more cases, he said. Unlike states and counties with top-notch medical examiner systems, North Carolina investigators rarely visit scenes to look for clues.

Tarte said McCrory’s proposal is a positive step, but falls short of what’s needed to repair a system that has become “an embarrassment around the country.”

“We need more than incremental improvements,” Tarte said. “We need to transform it.”

A failed system

Medical examiners – usually doctors and nurses who look into deaths in their spare time – are supposed to determine the cause of suspicious and violent deaths, such as shootings, suicides, auto wrecks and drownings. Their findings are used to help solve crimes, identify public health trends and settle life insurance payouts.

But North Carolina’s system is one of the worst-funded in the nation and recent events have highlighted the consequences. When an elderly couple died the same night in 2013 inside a Boone hotel room, the local medical examiner did not go to the scene or alert the state toxicology lab in Raleigh about the unusual circumstances.

It took the state nearly six weeks to determine that carbon monoxide killed the couple. After the medical examiner’s office failed to warn the public about the findings, the poisonous gas leaked into the hotel room again and killed 11-year-old Jeffrey Williams.

In a separate case, the N.C. Industrial Commission last month awarded a widow more than $63,000 in damages because a state medical examiner did not take basic steps to find out how her husband died. The incorrect ruling after a fatal auto wreck prevented the woman from collecting life insurance payouts she deserved.

It marked the second time in less than a year the commission ordered the state to pay survivors. The state reached a settlement in January in another case involving a living man incorrectly declared dead, zipped in a body bag and sent to a morgue.

Increased spending?

McCrory’s budget proposal would provide money for ideas recommended more than a decade ago after a previous Observer investigative series.

Among the plans:

▪  Raise the pay for medical examiners to $250 per case. Experts said paying $100 per case gives examiners almost no incentive to drive to death scenes or ensure thorough investigations.

▪  Hire 14 professional investigators based at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh. Using state employees, experts said, increases accountability.

▪  Provide an unspecified amount of money to conduct training and seek accreditation from the National Association of Medical Examiners.

Playing catchup

In September, officials from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services presented a legislative committee with a lengthy list of needs. It would cost the state about $6 million more per year.

Among suggestions were mandatory training for medical examiners and spending money to replace aging autopsy centers in Winston-Salem and Greenville and upgrades in technology.

Officials also called for the state to help pay for renovating Mecklenburg County’s medical examiner’s office, which opened in 2008, and constructing two new autopsy centers.

The legislative committee endorsed the ideas but warned that the state’s finances could prevent them from providing immediate funding.

North Carolina spends only about 93 cents per capita on its system – much less than systems with accreditation. Leading state and counties typically spend about $3 per capita in death investigations, according to a study.

Tarte said it will likely take at least five years to come up with the $35 million to $40 million needed to reform the system.

Dr. Patrick Lantz, a Winston-Salem forensic pathologist who performs autopsies for the state, said the governor’s budget proposal was disappointing. He hopes legislators will allocate more money.

“It’s been so underfunded for so long, it hurts to catch up,” he said.

Clasen-Kelly: 704-358-5027

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2015-16 State Transportation Map now available

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The 2015-16 North Carolina State Transportation Map was unveiled Thursday as part of the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Centennial Celebration and is now available free of charge.

The State Transportation Map is funded and produced by NCDOT. It is distributed by VisitNC, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. It can be ordered online at visitnc.com/statemap or by calling 1-800-847-4862 (VISIT NC). Maps will also be available at welcome centers, rest areas and NCDOT offices across the state.

First published in 1916, the state map is NCDOT’s most popular publication, with two million copies in this year’s initial printing.

North Carolina has one of the largest highway systems in the nation, and the new map details the more than 106,000 miles of public roadway that span the state. That includes 79,585 miles of state-maintained roads.

The cover of the new map features a montage of North Carolina scenery, including the Blue Ridge Mountains from the peak of Mt. Jefferson, a trail wandering through Clemmons Educational State Park in Clayton, the statue that stands outside the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy, the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway and Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head.

The map also includes information on Governor McCrory’s 25-Year Vision for transportation in North Carolina, North Carolina’s State Parks and Forest Service—both of which also turn 100 this year—and Governor McCrory’s Art That Moves You initiative, which uses texture, landscaping, original artwork and lighting to improve infrastructure, bridges and gateways to promote tourism and economic development.

A full-size PDF of the map is also available online.

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