Winston-Salem Journal
Edwin Duncan Hall, a 42-year-old building on the campus of Appalachian State University, is an important part of the university, and according to its supporters, it’s an important part of the long-term health of North Carolina’s public-school system.

As the headquarters of Appalachian State’s respected education program, it prepares many of the teachers who go on to teach in classrooms all over the state.

But Duncan Hall, after years of renovations, has a shortage of classrooms and has had a variety of maintenance problems. The university is looking to the state legislature to provide $34 million this year to pay for a new building. Read full article

Asheville Citizen-Times
A talented engineer, Charles W. Gadd worked for 39 years in General Motors’ automotive safety and research laboratories. He also was accomplished in music and craftwork, and nine violins and five violas crafted by Gadd will now help music students in the mountains. The instruments have been donated by his widow, Frances Gadd of Hendersonville, to Appalachian State University’s Marian Cannon Hayes School of Music. Read full article

Asheville Citizen-Times
Students will be able to earn a degree in dance studies at Appalachian State University beginning in August. Read full story

Fuel efficiency losing its appeal as gas prices keep dropping

Winston-Salem Journal
As gas prices have eased, consumers have resumed their love affair with spacious, high-performance vehicles. The rise in gas prices was more easily absorbed by the public than most economists expected, said Todd Cherry, an economics professor at Appalachian State University. “There was evidence that people responded in all the ways one may expect, such as changing the car they drive, using public transportation and living closer to work,” Cherry said. “But as prices came back down, people responded by not doing these things as much.” Read full story

Auto club offers its own insurance
Winston-Salem Journal
A wholly owned subsidiary of AAA Carolinas is offering deep annual-rate discounts to long-term members and a concierge service to persuade motorists to switch their auto insurance. David Wood, a professor of insurance at Appalachian State University, said that Member’s Insurance is more likely to attract existing AAA Carolinas members than new customers. “It’s a very competitive market for auto insurance in the Carolinas,” Wood said. “The customer-service value will be what attracts new customers and members. “It’s just another way for AAA Carolinas to try and meet its members’ entire auto and travel needs.” Read full story

Asheville Citizen-Times
An Appalachian State University junior will be in Raleigh Jan. 24 for the opening session of the N.C. General Assembly. But vocal performance major Anna Eschbach won’t be at the capitol to watch state government at work. She’ll be singing the national anthem for the General Assembly. Read full story

Tallahassee Democrat
In his final weeks as governor, Jeb Bush did the right thing by halting all executions in Florida after a botched lethal injection. The mistake would be for the state to ever again resume capital punishment. While there are logical arguments in favor of the death penalty in theory, capital punishment does not exist in theory. The reality of the death penalty, as it is practiced in the real world, makes it a nonsustainable criminal-justice policy. Matthew Robinson is associate professor of criminal justice at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., and author of “Death Nation: The Experts Explain American Capital Punishment.” He earned his Ph.D. in criminology and criminal justice from Florida State. Read the full article

Raleigh News and Observer
North Carolina’s economy will outpace the nation’s this year, but the outlook isn’t quite as rosy as last year. After expanding by an estimated 3.1 percent in 2006, the state economy will slow to a growth rate of about 2.7 percent over the next 12 months, said Harry M. Davis, chief economist for the N.C. Bankers Association and a professor of finance at Appalachian State University. He said declines in housing and auto manufacturing will darken the national picture for spending, jobs and wages. Read the full article