Daily Deacon

Story Ideas – Meg

Chinese Lunar New Year Festival:

The Chinese Lunar New Year Festival is a cultural event occurring on campus at 3:00 PM in the barn on February 13. I’d like to get a sense of the atmosphere and then interview someone working there, someone attending, and someone from China who can explain the significance of the event and how it compares on campus.

Mi Pueblo:

Since Mi Pueblo is a local hotspot for college students, I’d like to get some information on what makes the restaurant so popular, like their top-selling dishes, drinks, and a history of it being one of Wake’s favorite places. I’d like to get the perspective of a student, but also the perspective of the manager or waiter at the restaurant.

Brandon Liu and Journalism – Meg

“I’ve learned that journalism isn’t what I thought—I always thought it was people trying to tell a story, I thought it was supposed to cause controversy,” shares Brandon Liu, sophomore at Wake Forest University from Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. A business major, Liu never thought he would end up in journalism until he found the entrepreneurship classes full and signed up for Phoebe Zerwick’s class.

In just a few weeks, his habits have changed. Before, Liu checked the news headlines maybe once a month, but now he has bought a subscription to The NY Times to browse daily. He finds the style of journalism interesting and different compared to the academic writing he is used to.

“I’m interested in world and business news,” Liu confides.

While he admits he is not interested in a career related to journalism, he hopes that the skills he learns, including precision and skepticism, will be useful in his future interests in marketing and business.

Shocking Death at Railroad – Meg

This morning, the body of a man was found at the base of a utility pole, a victim of electrocution according to the preliminary investigation by Winston-Salem Police Department.

At 8:23, officers arrived at the 3000 Block of North Liberty Street at the Norfolk Southern Railroad where a worker had been checking the tracks and discovered the body, now identified as that of Johnnie Lee Reed. Reed was found in possession of wire-cutters and other tools that indicate he was trying to cut the copper wire from the pole, according to the report.

As of now, no foul play is suspected, but the investigation is continuing.

Six-Year Old and Father Found Dead – Meg

This afternoon, Winston-Salem police officers found a six-year old and her father dead in their home.

At 3:25, officers arrived at 5356 Old Rural Hall Road and found the bodies of Iza Morris and Derek Morris, both having suffered single gunshot wounds.

According to detectives, Derek Morris was in the process of separating from his wife, Iza’s mother, and in the middle of discussing custody.

While no suspects have been summoned yet, the investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with information is advised to contact the Winston Salem Police Department.

GOP Debate – Meg

The Wake Forest University campus had a strong reaction to last night’s GOP Republican debate with the general consensus being that the seriousness was undercut by the theatrical fights between the candidates on personal issues.

Catherine O’Connor, England native and WFU freshman, thought “the candidates were not entertained by the moderators’ questions and were pinned against each other when they would rather have talked about the issues.”

The GOP debate, while bringing up the issues of gun control, tax reform, healthcare, and trade, was dominated by heated words exchanged between pairs like Trump and Cruz and Christie and Rubio.

Lindsey Graham, a junior Mathematical Economics major, found it “uncomfortable to watch a cage match” as she saw the heated, popularity-driven spat between the candidates.

Kelly Dugan, a sophomore from Huntersville, NC, wished the debate had focused on asking more pertinent national questions instead of pitting candidates against each other on character issues like Cruz’s citizenship. In her opinion, “while competition is good, so is humility and ownership of action.”

GOP Republican Debate: Student Reaction

Kelly Dugan is a sophomore at WFU from Huntersville, NC who wished the GOP Republican debate of last night had centered more on asking and answering important national questions rather than pitting candidates, especially Trump and Cruz, against each other on less urgent personal issues. In her opinion, the mudslinging created an environment making it hard to believe any particular candidate, and that while “competition is good, so is humility and ownership of action.” Through the back-and-forth between Trump and his fellow candidates, Dugan found that he is a “hothead, which would not be ideal for a President.”