More than 100 children in North Carolina died from gun-related injuries in 2022 alone, a 147% increase in child gun deaths since 2017, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
A 2023 study from the department’s injury prevention report shows that gun deathsamong children aged 0 to 17 have increased every year since 2017. That year, 45 children died from firearm-related injuries. By 2022, the number had climbed to over 100. Most of these deaths were homicides, but unintentional shootings and suicides also played a significant role. In fact, most firearm deaths among non-Hispanic Black, Native American, and Hispanic children were homicides, while suicides were more prevalent among non- Hispanic White and Asian children. The 2023 report is the state’s most recent analysis of childhood gun deaths, although such fatalities have continued.
One of the 2024 fatalities was 5-year-old Karter Rosenboro, who was fatally shot by his sibling in a home north of Greenville. The firearm, a 9mm Taurus handgun, had reportedly been left loaded and unsecured, leading to an accidental discharge. In response to incidents like this, Pitt County Schools have begun educating parents and guardians about safe firearm storage. The school system’s website provides links to resources emphasizing theimportance of keeping guns locked, unloaded, and stored separately from ammunition toprevent unauthorized access by children.
Kristen Hunter, public information officer for the Greenville Police Department, says the city has a problem with guns being stolen from unlocked cars, often by juveniles. While the city has not recently experienced any child-related firearm deaths, she said. The Greenville Police Department works closely with East Carolina University Police to educate both the student population and the wider community about firearm safety.
Travis Knight, a 14-year Army veteran and owner of Knight’s Defense, a firearm shop in Sanford near Raleigh offering firearm safety and carry courses, says gun retailers have a role to play in reducing firearm-related incidents involving children. “We practice with dummy rounds and go over the basic use of firearms,” Knight said. “The most important thing I teach my students is how to handle a firearm safely, like always pointing it in a safe direction and keeping their finger off the trigger.”
Although Pitt County does not have the highest rate of child firearm-related deaths in the state, it has seen a significant number of overall firearm deaths. Between 2016 and 2018, the county recorded 55 firearm-related deaths (including adults and children), with a rate of 10.3 per 100,000 residents. By comparison, Robeson County had a firearm death rate of 26.7 per 100,000, with Halifax County close behind at 24.1 per 100,000.
Advocates say one shortcoming is that North Carolina lacks a universal safe storage law. While the state has penalties for allowing minors to access firearms, advocates argue these measures fall short. Efforts to strengthen gun safety laws such as mandating locked storage in homes with children have stalled in the legislative committee or failed to gain enough bipartisan support to pass.
In fall 2023, Carol Hernandez transferred from Sandhills Community College to East Carolina University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in photography. She chose to live on campus, but her experience was not what she had hoped for.
Her dorm, Legacy Residence Hall, was one of the oldest on campus. Hernandez said the bathroom conditions were unsettling and there was no proper air conditioning or elevators in the building. She also struggled to connect with her roommate, which sparked her interest in off-campus housing.
Hernandez came up with a plan. She would find a potential roommate to split rent with and get a job to help cover bills. But after researching her options, she realized that apartments were far too expensive. After struggling to find a job and finding no apartments in her budget, she ultimately decided that leaving ECU was the best choice for her.
“Nothing worked out in my favor while I was over there,” Hernandez said. “I felt like any decision that I made to try to better my situation, it just made my situation worse.”
According to the ECU Off-Campus Student Services website, student off-campus housing prices typically range from around $505 to over $1,200 per month, depending on location, amenities and whether the rent is per room or per unit.
In Greenville, Rentable, a platform for finding and listing rental properties, reports an average cost of $700 per month, Apartments.com lists an average of $909 and Apartment Home Living shows an average of $843. While some listings advertise lower rates around $400 to $500, most student friendly options tend to fall closer to the higher end.
In addition to rent, students are responsible for other living expenses such as electricity, water, gas, internet and phone bills. According to Amber Student, a student housing platform, the average monthly cost for utilities ranges from $155 to $160 for an apartment. While higher end student housing typically include utilities in their overall rent, the more “affordable” options typically do not.
Jaliyah Armstrong, a business administration graduate student, said she spent most of her undergraduate years living on campus. For her final semester, she decided to move off campus to get a taste of what it was like to live in her own apartment.
“I told my parents I wanted to move off campus and my mom said she wouldn’t support it unless it was walking distance from campus,” Armstrong said. “So I started looking and the price was very shocking, apartments near campus were way more expensive than I thought they would be.”
ECU Off-Campus Student Services lists Yugo Greenville Campus Towers as one of the closest housing options to campus, with monthly prices ranging from $719 to $1,109 per person. Other nearby options include The Province Greenville, with rents between $720 and $2,960 per bedroom and Proximity at 10th, where rent starts at around $800 per bedroom.
Armstrong chose to live downtown, a 20 minute walk from campus. She works as an International Enrollment & Engagement Office Assistant at ECU Global Affairs, earning $15 per hour. Her monthly expenses include $853 for rent and approximately $300 for other living costs. This brings her total monthly living expenses to around $1,153.
Armstrong said she initially thought her financial aid would be enough to cover her expenses. However, once those funds ran out, she was left with no choice but to rely on her credit card to pay her bills.
“Every month I would put the rent on my credit card and then just use my job to help pay it down,” Armstrong said. “It’s still not paid off and at this point I don’t know when it’s gonna be paid off.”
Porschea Perry, a sophomore education student at ECU, said she balances three jobs alongside her classes to cover the costs of school and housing. She said she usually gets paid around $1,000 to $1,200 biweekly, depending on her hours.
Perry said her rent is currently $1,019, up from the original $974 when she first signed the lease, and the apartment isn’t near campus. She said while utilities are included in the rent, expenses like gas, insurance, groceries and other necessities quickly add up.
“There are times when it feels like I might sink,” Perry said. “You never know when prices will suddenly rise or change and that makes it even more challenging.”
Kevin Sutton, director of Financial Wellness at ECU, said in an email, the financial situations students face affect many areas of their lives, including academics and mental health.
Sutton said his organization sees students increasingly seeking independence from their parents and family members as they approach graduation.
”We recommend students have direct conversations with their financial support system,” Sutton said.
Kansas Boykin graduated from ECU with a degree in elementary education and has firsthand experience searching for an apartment both during and after graduating. She said not only is off-campus housing super expensive but some have quality issues.
“Instead of making the places where students live nicer,” Boykin said, “those in charge would rather not fix anything and just have students pay high prices for terrible living spaces.”
Boykin said while she wanted to live off-campus, she knew it wasn’t possible. She thought about getting a job, but her internship, which ran from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., along with classes, took up all of her schedule.
Boykin said even after choosing to stay on campus, she still had the risk of being homeless. She said since her financial aid didn’t cover all of her expenses, she depended on loans to be able to have a place to live.
“I graduated with about $23,000 worth of debt,” Boykin said. “But I think that’s on the lower end because it’s even more for other students, especially if they live off campus.”
The Education Data Initiative, a research group that tracks trends in the U.S. education system, reports that the average student loan debt nationwide is about $38,375 per borrower. In North Carolina, that figure is slightly higher, with the average borrower owing around $38,695.
Betty Curry, an affordable housing advisory commission representative for the town of Carrboro, said in her role, she is focused on promoting housing equity while addressing the deep historical injustices that have shaped the community, especially for Black residents.
Curry said the need for affordable housing in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area far surpasses what has been developed. She said while recent projects are helping, they struggle to keep up with the rapid gentrification and increasing rents.
“College students face major housing challenges like high rent, limited availability and competition with families,” Curry said. “While the Chapel Hill-Carrboro primary focus is on vulnerable residents and families, students are part of this ecosystem and their needs should be part of the affordable housing conversation.”
Curry said she has seen many cases where residents were living paycheck to paycheck and even a minor incident could lead to eviction. She said homelessness in the community is not the result of personal choices but a reflection of the lack of availability of affordable housing.
“For college students or young people trying to find affordable housing, start early and do your homework,” Curry said. “Get involved, attend town council meetings, learn about local housing policies and advocate for more inclusive solutions.”
Many East Carolina University students are upset that DEI courses, or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion courses, are no longer a graduation requirement.
According to the ECU course catalog, 374 courses offered in the Fall 2025 term fall under this category. The Office of the Chancellor announced that the UNC System suspended all general education and major requirements for classes that are believed to meet DEI standards. The announcement came after the Trump administration threatened to revoke the federal funding of universities that did not comply. As a result, ECU determined that these courses would no longer be required for graduation. The new guidelines have had an effect on many academic programs, including the School of Communication.
School of Communication Director Dr. Laura Prividera said that lifting the requirement of DEI courses impacted a “diversity pod” of required courses in the Interpersonal and Organizational Communication concentration, as well as the Public Relations and Media Studies concentrations. “Those courses are still available, but students can choose from a variety of electives,” Prividera explained.
Previously, School of Communication majors were required to take at least one course that fell into the DEI category. These courses included Gender and Communication, Intercultural Communication; and Race, Ethnicity, and Media.
The purpose of DEI courses is to teach students about issues surrounding discrimination and bias, as well as help them gain a better understanding of different cultures, races and ethnicities, as well as gender. The courses expand on inequalities of various minority groups as well as teach students how to effectively communicate with these groups. One goal of the courses is to teach students to become more inclusive in their professional and personal lives.
Although classes that fall under the “DEI” category are no longer required for graduation, some still see the classes as beneficial and do not agree with the UNC System suspension.
Grace Cedeno, a 2024 ECU graduate who studied communication and sociology said she took a number of DEI classes and gained a lot from taking them. “I think it’s a shame students are no longer required to take these courses,” Cedeno said. “I myself benefited by them and felt that they strengthened both my curriculum and post-graduation experience.”
Aside from taking Gender and Communication, a course that was previously part of the required diversity pod for communication majors, Cedeno also took Race, Gender, and Class for her sociology major, another class that falls under the DEI rules. “Through these classes I gained a deeper understanding of the world and people around me,” Cedeno said. “[They] allowed my eyes to open to the experiences of people who might come from different backgrounds than I do.”
Brynn Knight, a senior communication major concentrating in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication, also took Gender and Communication last fall. “I needed another credit and thought it would be interesting and different from other courses I had taken,” Knight said.
Knight said despite the university’s decision to no longer require these courses, students should take them. “I think it’s beneficial for these courses to be required,” Knight said. “I also think in life you are going to have to be aware of topics presented in DEI classes, so I do not understand not wanting to take them.”
These courses are not only important to students, but instructors and professors also find the courses valuable. Dr. Adrienne Muldrow, a communication professor at ECU, teaches Race, Ethnicity, and Media. “I love these courses because they allow students to grow,” Muldrow said. “They can bring their own cultural heritage because we all have culture.”
Muldrow not only enjoys teaching the course, but also hopes that students walk out with knowledge about different cultures to help them in the future. “Eventually, you will probably hit somebody’s culture in a workplace and then not know how to manage that or talk to them,” Muldrow said. “It alleviates the making of mistakes that belittle people, even though you didn’t mean to.”
As of Feb. 6, students who were enrolled in a class that fell under the prior diversity requirement were given the option to drop the class, as it was no longer a graduation requirement. Students who had yet to take a DEI class are no longer required to take a course that falls into this category. “If a student was missing that class, now they do not have to worry about it as long as they have their credits,” Prividera said.
Dr. Eric Shouse, the Faculty Senate representative for the School of Communication, said that though these courses are no longer required, only 21 students across the university dropped what was considered a DEI course following the Feb 6 announcement. “I think the majority of people are happy to take [the classes],” Shouse said.
Though these classes are no longer required for students, they will still be available for students to take. “Overall, those courses are available to communication students–majors and minors. It’s just up to them which of those courses they may choose to take for their profession and career development,” Prividera said.
While the targeted classes were previously a part of a School of Communication diversity pod, they are now a part of a general elective pod. However, if a class doesn’t attract enough students in the absence of the requirement, it is generally not offered.
(Office of International Enrollment and Engagement ‘Where have you come from? map. Photo by Darian Hale)
East Carolina University lags behind every state university in North Carolina in terms of International students. While universities across North Carolina welcome thousands of international students.ECU remains a quiet outpost for global learners.
Despite this, ECU’s international number of students is growing. During the last academic school year, ECU has had the largest number of international students since the COVID-19 pandemic.
In fall 2024, ECU had 243 international students and 240 this spring semester 2025. This number is almost 100 more than during fall 2020, when ECU had only 160 international students enrolled.
With only around 240 international students enrolled this spring, ECU’s international presence is noticeably small compared to state peers like Duke University and NC State, each of which hosts more than 4,000 students from abroad, according to a Duke international enrollment report.
The university with the largest number of international students in the state is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. According to the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs, during the 2022-2023 academic year UNC Chapel Hill had over 2,600 international students.
“If you look at UNC, Charlotte or NC State, the vast majority of their international students are graduate students,” said Kathy Knudson, director for International Enrollment and Engagement at ECU.
This is because other universities have a different funding model that provides more opportunities compared to ECU, explained Knudson.
Knudson added that the most popular countries for international students who come to ECU are Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
Knudson said the Saudi students are often supported by government sponsorship and funneled into programs such as the School of Hospitality Leadership, while Nigerian students often find ECU through word of mouth.
“If we’ve noticed an uptick in applications from a specific country, then we’ll look more closely to see why,” said Knudson. Sometimes this can come from a tie to an ECU professor or other reasons.
Knudson said the population of Nigerian students has grown exponentially during the past five years. According to the ECU data, in the fall 2020, ECU had only two international Nigerian students compared to the 10 such students now at ECU.
The biggest hurdle for international students has to do with affordability.
“The biggest challenge in recruiting international students is the high cost and lack of scholarships, especially at the undergraduate level,” Knudson explained. “Graduate students have more funding options, including graduate assistantships and [paid] tuition. . . which are not available for undergraduates.”
While international student tuition and spending contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to North Carolina’s economy, Duke University accounts for $273.5, according to Duke University’s Global office.
ECU’s contribution is far smaller, reflecting its limited international footprint with fewer students.
But for students like Hasan Alghafli, a hospitality management major from Saudi Arabia, ECU’s small size and approachable campus were part of the appeal.
Hassan Alghafli outside the International House. Photo by Darian Hale
“I chose ECU because it had the program I was looking for, and it seemed like a welcoming and affordable place to study,” Algahfli explained. “It’s not a huge, overwhelming campus, it’s easier to adjust and focus on school.”
That sense of welcome, however, sometimes competes with feelings of isolation.
“I expected more [international students],” Alghafli noted. “You do see international students around, but it’s not as many as I thought for a university this size.”
That perception is backed by the numbers. According to College Factual, international students represent less than 1% of ECU’s total enrollment, compared to Duke’s 20% and NC State’s 12%.
Office of international enrollment and engagement. Photo by Darian Hale
Kehinde “Kenny” Olufowobi, a graduate student from Nigeria studying accounting and data science, found that the lack of an international student community has made his transition harder.
“It can be a bit isolating at times, especially when you’re trying to adjust and find your place in a new environment,” said Olufowobi.
Knudson noted that ECU is working to provide more tailored support through cultural programming and community-building events.
“We sponsor coffee hours every semester, open to both international and domestic students,” Kudson said. “We also organize cultural trips to places like Washington D.C., and the Outer Banks to give students meaningful experiences.”
Olufowobi acknowledged the existence of support structures like the Office of Global Affairs but said they are not always accessible or well-promoted.
“Finding cultural or community spaces that reflect my background can be a bit difficult. Unless you actively go looking or already know someone, it’s easy to feel disconnected,” said Olufowobi.
He noted that events like International Week and cultural fairs are valuable but often lack strong participation from the wider campus.
National flags hang over ECU’s Office of International Enrollment and Engagement. Photo by Darian Hale.
“It sometimes feels like these events are attended mostly by international students ourselves, rather than being a campus-wide celebration.”
Recent institutional changes may further challenge ECU’s international recruitment efforts, such as the upcoming closure of the University’s Language Academy, according to Hamid Alz, another hospitality major from Saudi Arabia.
“That shows there might not be much focus on bringing in more students from abroad,” he said. “And yes, there seem to be fewer international students here than I expected, especially when compared to other universities.”
Despite these challenges, Knudson emphasized that ECU has a strategic plan in place to do more.
“We operate on a three-year recruitment plan, targeting countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Colombia and Vietnam,” Knudson explained.“We base our approach on organic growth, faculty ties, and purchasing power in those regions.
Despite these challenges, ECU has earned national recognition for its global engagement efforts, including the 2023 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization. The university also reported a 24% increase in international enrollment for fall 2024.
Still, as universities across North Carolina compete to grow their global influence, students say ECU must do more than offer degrees and support services.
“It’s about building a community,” said Olufowobi, “and making international students feel seen beyond the classroom.”
North Carolina has seen an alarming increase in sexually transmitted infections over the past decade, particularly among those ages 15 to 24 in rural areas posing the biggest risk. In 2023 alone, the state reported over 26,000 cases of gonorrhea, with those disproportionately occurring in rural areas, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
A combination of limited healthcare access, inadequate transportation, and lack of comprehensive sex education contributes to this public health crisis. Many rural areas lack nearby clinics, and young people often struggle with the cost and management in seeking care. As a result, infections frequently go undiagnosed and untreated, increasing the risk of long-term complications and further transmissions, according to the Health and Human Services department.
Dr. Kristina Simeonsson, a public health professor at East Carolina University and pediatrician, connects rising STI rates to modern hookup culture and the stigma surrounding sexual health. “The use of dating apps has given more people access to partners they didn’t have before,” she explains. She adds that because young adults engage in risky behaviors and conversations surrounding sex are often stigmatized, this often leads to young people avoiding seeking care, even when something is wrong.
Image from CDC about Sexually Transmitted Infections
The problem is compounded by the fact that many STIs are asymptomatic. “Most STIs are spread when people don’t have symptoms and assume they’re in the clear,” says Brian Cavanaugh, a sexual health professor at East Carolina University. “That’s why regular screening is so important, especially in communities where access to healthcare is already limited.”
Cultural barriers and medical mistrust further isolate young people from essential resources. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that young people of color in rural areas often face providers who lack cultural competence or awareness of their specific needs.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has called for more resources in underserved areas, while public health advocates continue to push for better education, outreach and culturally competent care.
As rates continue to rise, experts say addressing the gaps in care and communication could help reduce infections and protect long-term health outcomes, especially for young people in rural communities who remain the most at risk.
On a calm Saturday afternoon inside HK Tattoo in Greenville, a client prepared to get her dream tattoo: a “Bulbasaur” from the beloved Pokémon franchise. The soft hum of the tattoo gun filled the air as it glided across the client’s forearm, bringing a cherished part of their childhood to life. In just an hour or two, what had once been an image on paper became permanent art on skin. The studio transformed into a quiet space of trust, creativity and a little pain, but for most customers it was all worth it to see the final result.
Moth tattooing a rib piece
The artist behind the needle: Moth.Doodlez, a Greenville tattoo artist known for their colorful, anime-inspired and illustrative style. Their journey into tattooing began at East Carolina University’s College of Business. “Although my degree is in business, my entire life has been a pursuit of art,” said Moth, who goes by Moth.Doodlez and uses she/they pronouns and declined to give a last name. From glassblowing and painting to ceramics and sewing, they explored every form of creative expression they could find.
“What led me to tattooing specifically is my background as a cosplayer,” they add, referred to as the act of dressing up as a character from a work of fiction. Today this cosplayer with a degree in entrepreneurship has become one of five go-to artists at Harm the Karma Tattoo, bringing beloved characters from shows like “Pokémon” and “Gravity Falls” to life?
The entrance of Harm the Karma in Downtown Greenville
Moth works tirelessly to bring their clients’ vision to life. They ask about inspiration, preferences, and limitations, adjusting designs based on what can realistically be done within a given timeframe. “I go through a checklist: no tangent lines, proper color theory, and at least one-third of the design has black ink or shadows,” they explain.
Moth tattooing the side of a customer’s head
Some tattoos stand out more than others. “My most memorable ones were the circle I gave my future mother-in-law, and a client who’s been with me since the beginning,” they say. “I tattooed a perfect circle on her ribs, which is notoriously difficult, and I still get invited to family functions!” they said, laughing. “As for the other client, I was only two months into tattooing when she first came to me. I’ve done over a dozen pieces for her since, and her joy and excitement make me incredibly happy. She still chooses me to be her artist.”
Beyond the art, Moth has made it clear that their studio is a safe and welcoming space for all. “Around the time of Trump’s election, many of my queer friends were facing physical and verbal assault from emboldened voters,” they say. As someone who identifies as queer, Moth made a choice: her space would be different. “I refuse to tattoo anyone who expresses homophobia, sexism, xenophobia or transphobia,” they say. “At the very least, I knew I could create an LGBTQIA+ safe space to let others in town know they’re not alone.”
Moth’s impact isn’t just felt through her clients; it resonates in the tattoo community itself. “They take art seriously, but doesn’t take themselves too seriously,” says Stephanie, who declined to give a last name who goes by batbitepiercings on Instagram, a body piercer who works alongside Moth at HK Tattoo. “From coming in groggy in the morning to being the energy unicorn of the shop, there never seems to be a dull moment when she’s here.” She adds that Moth does a great job at interacting with other artist at the shop. “Her ability to reach out to other tattooers and book guest spots all over is incredible. I’m an introvert, so seeing her talk to people like it’s nothing, it’s awesome.”
In a small city like Greenville, where creativity can sometimes feel limited, Moth finds a way to shine. They share some of their dream projects that are high on their tattoo wish list: “I would love to do a large back piece featuring the legendary ‘Johto Pokémon Ho-oh’ and ‘Lugia’ in a traditional Japanese style, or a Wonderland or deep-sea girl ‘Hatsune Miku’ half sleeve.” From colorful anime characters to intricate designs, Moth.Doodlez’s tattoos are works of art.
As it slowly gets closer to 7 p.m. on any weekday, ECU students can be seen making their way to the basement of Christenberry Memorial Gym. At the bottom of the stairs, rap music blares off the speaker, jump ropes connect with the concrete floor, and the sound of gloves hitting the heavy leather bag reverberates. This routine has been typical for ECU Club Boxing members for the past couple of years, but the hard work is finally paying off with their eyes now set on competition for the first time in the club’s history.
Aaron Lutz, the co-president of Club Boxing, joined the club soon after arriving at ECU. “I showed up with no expectations, and I fell in love with the environment and the people,” said Lutz, a senior marketing major. Lutz became co-president after expressing interest in running the club’s social media account.
Lutz wanted to make the club feel like a family but also give the members who wanted to take boxing seriously a platform to do so. This would lead to creating a competitive boxing team, which started this semester. Lutz said that he and the club’s coach, Jacob Gillem, hand-selected the members that would be part of the competitive team.
Lutz said that having a coach takes the stress off the club officers, so they have time to focus on their classes and not on running practice. It also gives the 52 members a different perspective rather than what the club officers already know.
Gillem, the club’s boxing coach, is a former club member, who joined his freshman year at ECU in 2017 until he graduated in 2023.
Gillem became the coach in 2024 after he asked a previous club president if he could help the club somehow. Gillem offered to help for free but is paid for his services by the club. When he is not the club’s boxing coach, Gillem works as a maintenance supervisor for Keystone Management’s maintenance department, which manages apartment complexes in Greenville.
During practice, Gillem has his boxers do conditioning drills that are specific to the sport of boxing. These drills help the boxers to exercise the muscles they will use during a match to help avoid fatigue and build muscle memory. After the conditioning, they practice boxing techniques to help advance their knowledge of the sport.
“My biggest thing is networking. I’m a young coach, and a lot of boxing coaches are usually in their 40s or 50s,” said Gillem. Networking helps Gillem make connections with other people in the sport to help benefit the club. One recent experience that Gillem used to network was when the club visited Burgess Boxing in Spring Lake, North Carolina. The club’s competitive team visited Burgess to spar in preparation for competition.
Gillem had trained at Burgess Boxing during his own time as a boxer, but this time he returned as a coach. “Learning how to balance out their nerves as well as my own was hard,” Gillem said, describing his boxers. After each of the clubs’ boxers had a chance to spar, Gillem said his nervous emotions subsided.
One of the boxers Gillem said has improved the most since he has been coaching is Donte Whitehead, a sophomore psychology major. Whitehead will compete in his first amateur fight at 195 pounds in Asheville, North Carolina, on April 12. Whitehead said he first heard of the club after former club president James Dimalanta approached him at the ECU Student Center. “He kind of talked me into it, and then I decided to give it a chance,” Whitehead said.
Since starting to box, Whitehead said he lost weight and gained muscle, improving physically and mentally in his development as a boxer. “The mindset really changes when you want to compete because then you have to prepare for a lot more. You have to sacrifice a lot more,” Whitehead said.
Greenville ranked fifth in reported car crashes among all North Carolina cities with populations topping 10,000 in the two most recent years statistics are available.
The only cities that outranked Greenville were Greensboro, Lumberton, Charlotte and Asheville, according to crash data from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles.
Kristen Hunter, public information officer for the Greenville Police Department, said the city’s rapid population growth is one factor in its number of car accidents, but the city’s engineering division has been part of a task force to try to drive those numbers down.
In 2023, the North Carolina DMV reported 12,938 car crashes, 32 of them fatal, and 3,282 non-fatal injury crashes. In that same year, drivers experienced 3,309 car crashes in Greenville. Of that number, 10 were fatal, while over 1,000 resulted in injuries.
That same year, 41 pedestrian accidents happened in Greenville, with five resulting in fatalities. In Winterville, the next town over, only three pedestrian accidents and one fatality were reported that year.
Hunter said that, on average, Greenville Police respond to about 400 accidents a month. Areas in Greenville that are common for accidents are on Greenville Boulevard. The intersection of Arlington Boulevard and Fire Tower Road is the highest location for crashes in Greenville.
Five-year comparison for pedestrian crashes in Greenville. Information provided by Kristen Hunter.
As for pedestrians, most pedestrian accidents happen near the East Carolina University campus on 10th Street, Hunter said. Improvements have been made in recent years with the addition of crosswalk lights and pedestrian signals, but “pedestrians have to use those in order for them to be effective,” Hunter said, adding that pedestrians should cross streets only on crosswalks and use the signals. Pedestrians should also make eye contact with drivers before crossing the road to ensure safety.
A student crossing the crosswalk on East 10th Street outside of Umstead Residence Hall.
Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, experienced far fewer pedestrian accidents than Greenville, even though it is also a college town and has far more students. In 2023, according to data from the North Carolina DMV, Chapel Hill had 23 pedestrian crashes. Of those 23, all resulted in injury, and one resulted in death. According to data from the North Carolina 2023 Traffic Crash Facts, Chapel Hill had a total of 3,845 crashes.
Most ECU students probably don’t know that President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education is an education is an East Carolina University graduate, but faculty in the university’s Department of Foreign Languages and Literature do.
That’s because Linda McMahon was a French major before graduating from ECU in 1969. Since then, her McMahon Family Foundation established the Linda McMahon Distinguished Professorship in Foreign Languages at ECU in 2009. She was also the ECU’s commencement speaker in 2018.
President Trump wants McMahon to lead a department he has pledged to eliminate, with scores of employees already ordered on to administrative lead and other staff being pressured to voluntarily quit.
McMahon was born in New Bern and attended Havelock High School while her parents worked at Marine Air Station Cherry Point. She met her future husband, Vince McMahon, at 13, and after graduating high school, the two got married when she was 17. She then pursued her education at East Carolina University where, in 1969, she received ECU’s “Outstanding Senior Award.”
The couple moved to Connecticut and primarily lived there in the beginning of their marriage. As an only child, McMahon seemed to thrive as CEO for the professional wrestling promotion company her husband founded, WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment. In 2016, McMahon told Sports Illustrated, “I grew up as my father’s son and my mother’s daughter,” which she believes contributed to her success in the male dominated industry.
After almost 30 years with WWE, McMahon ran as a republican for U.S. Senate from Connecticut, but lost.
While McMahon doesn’t often publicly discuss Pirate Nation, she agreed to an interview in 2006 with Kristin Murnane, who wrote for The East Carolinian. In the interview, McMahon described her memories of “sitting in the stands and cheering” and has “all fond memories of being at East Carolina.” She added that in the years she attended, “it was just a nice, sleepy college town” with fewer than 10,000 students.
(Office of International Enrollment and Engagement ‘Where have you come from? map. Photo by Darian Hale)
