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THE PENDULUM
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 Volume 50, Edition 25 Elon, North Carolina
ASIAN BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS GRAPPLE WITH
PANDEMIC DISCRIMINATION
Elon sees increase in applicants, admissions, despite
Changes to the admissions included test optional applications and a decrease in touring families Sara Merullo
Elon News Network
SAMANTHA HESS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Aaron Tom’s business, Shanghai Restaurant, had to alter the way it operates and faces changes in the perspective of the Asian-American community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asian-owned businesses in Alamance County seek balance amid concerns of racial discrimination Samantha Hess Elon News Network
A
ARON TOM WIPES HIS forehead as he stands over the steaming grill at the back of Shanghai Restaurant while making his family’s lo mein recipe. He moves instinctually, having made this dish for years, creating his livelihood by serving
others. Tom’s routine working hours are spent facilitating every aspect of his business, whether that’s attending to customers or helping in the kitchen. Tom said the restaurant industry is a stable and predictable line of work for him — one that never made him worry about possible failure. But recently, that’s changed. The coronavirus pandemic has drastically changed the way many local businesses operate. In a study conducted by Business Wire in October 2020, 43% of small to mid-sized businesses in the United
States reported significant or severe impact since the beginning of the virus, resulting in layoffs and closures. For Asian businesses the economic hardships of the pandemic has an added layer. “The pandemic has changed a lot of people’s perspectives on the Asian community, and it makes me nervous sometimes going to new places around town,” Tom said.
See BUSINESS | pg. 3
The pandemic-altered years of 2020 and 2021 have amplified the difficulty of the college application process. This year’s class of high school seniors will be making decisions on where to continue their education with COVID-19 regulations augmenting their campus visits, and the deadline of May 1 to commit to most schools is fast approaching. Nearly 18,000 students applied to Elon University this year, and 13,841 students have been accepted for the 2021-22 academic year. This is an increase in both size and acceptance rate compared to last year, in which about 15,300 students applied and 10,975 were accepted, according to the University factbook. The university remains open with active tours running on campus. However, fewer families are visiting this year because of the pandemic. Virtual visits are allowing Elon to connect with a wide range of students, but the experience is not the same as an in-person visit, according to Greg Zaiser, vice president for enrollment. BY THE NUMBERS
13,841
students have been accepted for the 2021-22 academic year thus far.
Geese police organization works to relocate geese Two North Carolina bird control services help Elon’s geese relocate during nesting season Ellis Chandler
Social Media Coordinator | @ellis__chandler
Elon has a goose problem. It’s not that the fowl act overly foul, but take a gander around the university and you’ll see — and possibly smell and step in — their presence at the various campus lakes. Enter the Geese Police, an organization that began working on campus two months ago to remove the geese who have taken up residence at both Lake Mary Nell and Lake Verona. Goose nesting season takes place from the end of February through May, but the Geese Police come to campus
year-round because their work is similar to a landscaping service. “This is a very busy season. They get very stubborn when it’s nesting season because their brain tells them, ‘I nested here last year, this is where I’m going to nest this year,’” Geese Police dog handler Mary Beth Soto said. Director of landscaping and grounds Scott Stevens said Canada geese can also be rude, noisy, bold and sometimes aggressive around community members, especially if they have baby goslings. He said the geese have become a nuisance on campus over the past decade, and the university began using contractors who rely on border collies for Canada geese removal in 2003.
See GEESE | pg. 6
Canada geese are nicknamed “guilty suspects” by the Geese Police.
ELLIS CHANDLER | SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
NEWS • PAGE 6
LIFESTYLE • PAGE 10
LIFESTYLE• PAGE 11
Small businesses
Local florist industy is
Performing arts
look for better future
blooming
takes on “Macbeth”
2
extras
Wednesday april 14, 2021
THE PENDULUM MACKENZIE WILKES A PUBLICATION OF
GRACE TERRY JACK NORCROSS ELLIS CHANDLER
Established 1974 Volume 50, Edition 25 Elon News Network is a daily news organization that includes a newspaper, website, broadcasts and podcasts. Letters to the editor are welcome and should be typed, signed and emailed to enn@elon.edu as Word documents. ENN reserves the right to edit obscene and potentially libelous material. Lengthy letters may be trimmed to fit. All submissions become the property of ENN and will not be returned.
Executive Director of Elon News Network Managing Editor of The Pendulum
News Director of Elon Local News
Social Media Coordinator
MADALYN HOWARD
Chief Copy Editor
AVA GIRARDI
New Member Coordinator
NYAH PHENGSITTHY
Design Chief
CLARE GRANT
Photo Editor
KIERAN UNGEMACH
Politics Editor
MIRANDA FERRANTE
Lifestyle Editor
KYRA O’CONNOR
Enterprise Story Coordinator
BEN MUSE
Analytics Coordinator
ANNEMARIE BONNER
Sports Director
In the April 7 edition of The Pendulum, the number of parties filing a lawsuit to remove Graham’s Confederate monument was misstated. ThereAcross are nine parties total. Elon News Network 1. Black regrets this error.
The Pendulum publishes weekly on Wednesdays
Elon Local News broadcasts Mondays at 6 p.m.
ELN Morning broadcasts Thursdays at 10 a.m.
ENN Radio Podcast publishes Friday at 8 a.m.
CORRECTIONS POLICY:
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: ENN is committed to accurate coverage. When factual errors are made, we correct them promptly and in full, both online and in print. Online corrections state the error and the change at the top of the article. Corrections from the previous week’s print edition appear on this page.
Jacob Kisamore, Ted Thomas, Andrew Zagari, Henry Zinn, Caroline Bunder, Livy Smith, and Emma Farrell contributed to the design of this edition. Amelia Arcaro-Burbridge, Max Crider, Thomas Denome, Miranda Ferrante, Molly Jenks, Kyra O’Connor, Olivia Romano and Sophie Rosenthal contributed to the copy editing of this edition.
corrections
WHEN WE PUBLISH:
EDITORIAL POLICY: ENN seeks to inspire, entertain and inform the Elon community by providing a voice for students and faculty, as well as serve as a forum for the meaningful exchange of ideas.
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crossword $$$
By Thomas Denome | @tddenome
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NEWS
Wednesday april 14, 2021
3
Asian-owned Alamance County businesses adapt to changes
SAM HESS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Shanghai Restaurant, owned by Graham resident Aaron Tom, is located in Graham.
BUSINESSES | from cover In a report by Stop Asian American and Pacific Islander Hate, studies showed that 35.4% of anti-Asian hate crimes occurred in Asian-owned businesses, the primary site for this type of discrimination. A Raleigh native currently living in Graham, Tom said his Asian American heritage is what prompted him to start his business. His restaurant in Graham promotes authentic Chinese food and provides services in both English and Mandarin. As a result of the pandemic, it has reduced its capacity limits for indoor dining and only hosts dine-in customers four days a week. Tom said the move to Graham was a shift for him, and his restaurant has helped him find a place within the community. Despite this, Tom said the community can feel a bit isolating sometimes. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Asian residents make up only 1.7% of the population in Alamance County. Asian-owned businesses make up only 2.1% of the county’s businesses as well. “Most Asian businesses in town are restaurants or spas,” Tom said. “There’s not a lot of Asian-owned businesses around town, but I feel like we’ve made space for ourselves here.” Tom said he hasn’t dealt with too much confrontation or discrimination in his time running his business. He said the most common issue he faces are the microaggressions he encounters on a daily basis. “It’s funny the comments some customers make. I think some comments are intended to be polite but don’t come off that way,” Tom said. “I can tell in our restaurant reviews especially, that’s where people don’t hold what they have to say back.” Tom said he’s felt more disheartened these past few weeks after seeing some of the most recent headlines about Asian-owned businesses but that he isn’t concerned about his restaurant being targeted. Jenny Jiang, an assistant professor
“
ENCOURAGING AND PROMOTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE ASIAN COMMUNITY AND OTHER ETHNICITIES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUPPORTING THESE COMMUNITIES. JENNY JIANG ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF COMMUNICATION DESIGN
of communication design at Elon, said she felt sad upon learning of the most recent attack in Atlanta, where, on March 16, 2021, eight people were killed, six of whom were Asian women, and fears this is a widespread, national issue. Jiang was a journalist in China before she moved to the United States for her education, and she currently resides in Alamance county. “I am not familiar with many other Asians in Alamance County. I only know less than 10 Asians in Alamance County, and they are all Elon faculty,” Jiang said. “But I never heard any complaints from my Asian friends in Alamance County. I think, although we are really a minority here, we are well accepted in Alamance County.” In a study conducted by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, the number of hate crimes reported to the police decreased in 2020 by 7% in 11 of the U.S.’ largest cities. But, when looking at minority-specific hate crimes, this same study found that anti-Asian hate crimes in 16 of the largest cities increased by 149%. Tom said his life in Graham is much different than his life in Raleigh was and believes that big cities have a tendency to isolate these minorities from the rest of the community. “Raleigh is a big city, and while I had a solid support system for me there, I never felt that I was a part of the community at-large” Tom said. “I found my way with the Asian community there, but not much bigger than that.” Jiang also said the discrimination against Asian Americans is a much more widespread, national issue that has been amplified as a result of the pandemic. While these issues can be addressed on a local level, she said there need to be more opportunities provided for these communities specifically. The movement “Stop Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Hate” began in March 2020 as a result of increased hate crimes against the Asian community stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. This surge comes from the initial days of the pandemic, when the virus began in
BY THE NUMBERS
1.7%
of the population in Alamance County is Asian, according the U.S. Census Bureau
Wuhan, China, and started spreading to other Asian countries. Many state and local communities have come together to support this movement as well. In March 2021, there was a Stop AAPI Hate demonstration in downtown Graham, and there have been multiple demonstrations in larger cities like Charlotte and Raleigh within the past two months. According to the NAACP, raciallymotivated hate crime laws in North Carolina have increased penalties, making them one of 44 states in the country that does so. “Encouraging and promoting communication between the Asian community and other ethnicities are essential for supporting these communities,” Jiang says. “Offering more job opportunities to Asian people is another efficient way to increase the sense of belonging of Asian communities in Alamance County.” According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Asian Americans have been the fastest growing minority population in North Carolina since 2010. Jiang believes promoting this growth is integral to seeing more justice and acceptance for minorities within the community. Tom hopes to see this growth in the community as well and said seeing more incorporation of Asian Americans in Alamance county would allow for more diversity of business and customer base as well. “I think there’s a lot of opportunity around here for local businesses specifically, even despite the pandemic,” Tom says. “We’re in this difficult moment now, but I think with some of the work we’re seeing done, I’m confident that we’ll see changes.”
4
Wednesday April 14, 2021
| PHOTOS OF THE WEEK |
extras
ELLIS CHANDLER | SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
A great blue heron stands on the bank of Lake Verona. Great blue herons are found statewide in North Carolina.
LUCAS CASEL | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Sun shines through the trees of the Historic Neighborhood at Elon University on April 9, 2021.
GRAYSEN SHIRLEY | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Freshmen outfielders Alex Iadisernia and Justin Cassella celebrate Iadisernia’s three-run first-inning home run against the College of William and Mary on April 10.
Kailee Follette gets the ball back and takes it upfield for the Phoenix. They would go on to beat Virginia Commonwealth University 19-3 on April 11, 2021.
LUCAS CASEL | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
extras
| PHOTOS OF THE WEEK |
Wednesday April 14, 2021
5
Freshman starting pitcher Spencer Bauer starts off the baseball game off for the Phoenix on April 10, 2021. He would pitch 5.1 innings allowing 5 runs against The College of William & Mary.
LUCAS CASEL | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
LUCAS CASEL | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Freshman Alison O’Dea serves against the University of North Carolina at Greensboro on April 9, 2021.
A tree’s flowers are in full bloom in front of the Inman Admissions Building at Elon University on April 9, 2021.
GRAYSEN SHIRLEY | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THOMAS DENOME | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Sophomore catcher Carley Davis throws to freshman infielder Grace Kiser during an April 3 softball game against the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Elon forward Mason Duval maneuvers around William & Mary forward Diba Nwegbo on April 10, 2021. The Phoenix would go on to beat The College of William & Mary in overtime 2-1.
LUCAS CASEL | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
6
NEWS
Wednesday april 14, 2021
ELON SEES INCREASE IN APPLICANTS DESPITE PANDEMIC When asked about the admissions process this year during the pandemic, Zaiser wrote in an email to Elon News Network that the most difficult part has been articulating Elon’s unique community for families unable to visit the campus in person. “Seeing and feeling is believing,” Zaiser wrote. “I’m very proud of the staff, as unlike other schools, we have been hosting visitors since June 1 — and a lot of schools have not.” Many students could not take the SATs or ACTs this year, causing Elon and the 900 other schools that accept the Common App to enact test optional admission. In previous years, Elon would travel to high school college fairs, hold special interest sessions and host Fellows Weekends and information sessions on campus. “Everything we do had to be reimagined virtually,” Zaiser wrote. “We also couldn’t host our large accepted student programs like Rising Phoenix Weekends.” Elon is looking ahead to more in-person experiences for students this spring. However, the likelihood of having all students visit Elon for campus tours is low. Zaiser said it is difficult for students to make a decision without seeing what Elon has to offer for themselves. “I talked with an admitted student from MA today who is deciding between four schools — three of them are in CT,” Zaiser wrote. “He was amazed by Elon during his time here today and had almost ruled Elon out given the distance from home.” The admitted students sessions at Elon have currently enrolled students on panels to discuss their experience at the university. The admitted student from Massachusetts felt differently about Elon after hearing from an enrolled student from California. “When the admitted student heard her talk about how many Elon students come from great distances and then touring the campus, Elon became his first choice,” Zaiser wrote. Elon’s new acceptance rate remains undetermined considering the May 1 deadline and the number of students who commit to Elon will determine if the administration will
ELON UNIVERSITY ADMISSION NUMBERS FROM 2013-2022 20000
NUMBER OF APPLICANTS ACCEPTED APPLICANTS
NUMBER OF STUDENTS
ADMISSIONS | from cover
15000
10000
5000
13- 14
15-16
17-18
19-20
21-22
APPLICATION SEASON Numbers for the 2021-22 Admission’s year are not final. The numbers in the graph reflect the most up to date numbers as of publication.
accept more students off the waitlist. Zaiser said it is possible, though not likely, that the university will accept more students. “The wait list has nearly 500 students on it,” Zaiser wrote. “Although our application deadline was January 10, we always receive up to a couple hundred apps after that time. More often than not, students who are admissible are
offered a place on the waitlist until we know if we can admit more students.” While the official acceptance rate has not yet been finalized, Elon has admitted around 77% of applicants thus far, an increase from last year’s acceptance rate of around 71%. Elon pays close attention to their acceptance rate, but Zaiser said the most important element of the
SOURCE: GREG ZAISER
process is admitting students who demonstrate how they can be a successful student at Elon. “We want a class full of talented students from all backgrounds, and we seek to admit a class that reflects the community we all expect from Elon,” Zaiser wrote. “I’d rather be inclusive than exclusive, and the lower admit rates reflect exclusivity.”
Local Elon businesses hope to see a better future in 2021 As vaccines roll out across North Carolina, businesses in Downtown Elon are expecting sales to increase in the next few months Jacqueline Vontersch Elon News Network
Downtown Elon’s businesses, stretching from Pandora’s Pies in the northeast to MaGerk’s Pub and Grill in the southwest, are watching closely as COVID-19 vaccines are administered around North Carolina and the weather heats up. The owners of the assortment of shops across the street from the School of Communications are hoping the events of the next few months, including graduation, will increase sales. Michaelle Graybeal, the owner of All That JAS, a custom and sorority apparel boutique, only sees the trajectory of her business and profits increasing. “We’ve had a good spring with recruitment … we’re on an upward incline,” Graybeal said. “The goal would be that next fall would improve and that more people would feel comfortable coming in the store.” This message of optimism was echoed by Melissa Troutman, the owner of Simply Oak, whose store has seen an increase in sales since the start of the year 2021. She is even planning to remain open over the summer with reduced hours. These hopeful predictions follow the decline in sales business suffered in the year of 2020. Last spring, All That JAS’ sales decreased by 70% percent from March to September.
Simply Oak, a boutique located in Downtown Elon, is one of the small businesses looking to increase sales as the pandemic continues.
To fight the losses, the brand released new designs and various deals on their online store with options for curbside pickup and shipping. However, by Thanksgiving their sales were still down — nearly 50% from the year before. “We were down half of last year from 2019, so it can go nowhere but up,” Graybeal said. “We’re just fortunate to still be here.” The reopening of Elon’s campus has played a vital role in Graybeal’s business’ ability to stay open. She said her store had been closed for more than four months and
could only be sustained through online sales on the store’s Etsy page until students returned to campus. Similarly, when Elon allowed students to participate in greek life recruitment in February, Graybeal was encouraged. “It really didn’t improve until we knew that we were going to have recruitment cause nobody came in at Christmas, nobody did any of that,” she said. Now, she is hopeful for the increase in sales typical of graduation, especially compared to last year, when All That JAS
GRACE TERRY | MANAGING EDITOR
lost that revenue since graduation was held online, and the campus was empty. Vivian Splawn, an employee at All That JAS, said this Easter, she saw touring families coming in droves compared to last year. Graybeal added that most of All That JAS’ sales have been non-student customers; the exception being purchases related to greek life and big/little reveals. Both Troutman and Graybeal said they thought the increased rate of vaccinations are making people feel more comfortable with coming outside.
NEWS
Wednesday april 14, 2021
GET THE FLOCK OUT!
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GEESE | from cover “Geese are attracted to the lakes on campus because there are no natural predators to be fearful of and our lake edges are clear cut down to the edge of the water,” Stevens said. “The grasslands around the lakes serve as easier access for the geese to get in and out of the water, a place for the geese to feed and to nest.” Stevens said if the geese population were allowed to persist, the result of their constant grazing and debris would cause several maintenance issues, as well as possible health issues. Soto agreed that she and her team see a lot of goose droppings near the water. “Each bird will leave a pound and a half of droppings a day, so that’s a lot of a lot of waste,” Soto said. “It can carry giardia, which is a bacteria that will cause amazingly tragic diarrhea and intestinal infections in dogs and people, so it’s very important to not have geese on your property.” Soto said she doesn’t like it when her dogs roll in goose droppings, but it is sometimes effective because they end up smelling like the geese and can sneak up on them without the geese smelling them right away. The droppings also allow the dog handlers to tell when the geese were last on campus so they know what time to return the next day. Herding the geese is a process which typically consists of two to three years of bothering the geese in a particular place before they fully relocate. Geese Police’s work is backed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and Soto said they work within nature. “We don’t do anything that doesn’t normally happen to them,” Soto said. “If we prevent eggs from hatching, foxes eat them, snakes take them, turtles, you know what I’m saying? Some companies will take the geese and destroy them, they will take the geese and physically, you know, displace them. None of that happens in nature.” Working with the geese is all about imprinting, a form of learning in which an animal gains its sense of species identification, which is why the Geese Police visit Elon’s campus and their other clients every day. The geese return to the same locations often, so they have to be taught to avoid the area. Border collies become “predators” to the geese and were originally bred to herd livestock, but, as Goose Masters dog handler Gwen Kuykendall said, the dogs are famous for using the “eye” — a tactic that involves staring intensely at members of a gaggle of geese to intimidate them. “It’s a stalk-like gaze,” Kuykendall said. “They use their eyes, and that mesmerizes the geese into flight both on land and in the water. So the dogs, they go around and they herd, basically. It’s not a chase, it’s a very methodical, professional approach to working the geese.” She said the geese feel the presence of the dog, get unnerved and fly off. It’s about getting the geese to move on rather than catching them. Kuykendall and her Goose Masters team previously handled the geese at Elon before Geese Police, and she said getting them to move away from Lake
Border collies like the ones that work with Geese Police stay on their leash before going on the boat or running around Lake Verona.
ELLIS CHANDLER | SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
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THIS IS A VERY BUSY SEASON. THEY GET VERY STUBBORN WHEN IT’S NESTING SEASON BECAUSE THEIR BRAIN TELLS THEM, ‘I NESTED HERE LAST YEAR, THIS IS WHERE I’M GOING TO NEST THIS YEAR’ MARY BETH SOTO GEESE POLICE DOG HANDLER ELLIS CHANDLER | SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Abby, a border collie with Goose Masters, swims in Lake Mary Nell to herd the geese away from campus.
Mary Nell was the hardest part. Now, it’s more about maintenance. “Sometimes we’ll find them grazing on the common areas,” Kuykendall said. “They like to pluck up the new grass if, you know, there’s some seeded areas with straw. They tend to gravitate towards those little areas.” Stevens said the border collie is the choice breed and an environmentally safe way to control the geese in a campus environment. Both Kuykendall and Soto said people love to see the dogs work and they find the Elon community friendly. Soto said she uses Scottish commands when working with the dogs because they aren’t known as well as “sit” or “stay,” but the dogs still get distracted and visit with
students on the job. “The idea being nobody’s supposed to be able to tell your dog to calm or sit or anything, but they’re dogs. If a person pays attention to them, they’re gonna go over there,” Soto said. Both companies feel like they are “doing justice” to both the Canada geese and the Elon area. They try to move the geese to safer areas during nesting season because Elon is busy and sees a lot of traffic. “If they hatch, they’re walking in the parking lot and they just walk so slow and I’ve seen people run them over on purpose before,” Soto said. “The reason we do this job is we not only love the dogs, we love the geese, and we see the same ones every year.”
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NEWS
Wednesday april 14, 2021
INTERACTION GUIDE FOR VACCINATED STUDENTS The CDC and Elon University have released guidelines to follow once fully vaccinated Ava Girardi
Elon News Network | @AvaGirardi6
All Elon University students are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in North Carolina, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises individuals who receive the vaccine to still follow many of the same guidelines they followed prior to getting their vaccine. According to the CDC, in public situations, people who are fully vaccinated should still wear a mask and physically distance. One should still avoid medium and large-sized gatherings, and individuals will still be required to wear a mask when using public transportation. On Elon’s campus, COVID-19 safety precautions are still required, including wearing a mask, physical distancing and limiting capacity in public spaces. According to Ginette Archinal, medical director of student health at Elon, the COVID-19 vaccine is effective in protecting one from getting sick, but vaccinated students should not let their guard down. “There are no really clear guidelines from the CDC as to how long we can regard somebody as immune,” said Ginette Archinal,
medical director of student health at Elon. Even though vaccinated students should follow guidelines that have been implemented throughout the pandemic, receiving the vaccine gives them a little bit more freedom in how they interact with people. According to the CDC, when one has been fully vaccinated — meaning it has been two weeks since they received both of their doses of Pfizer or Moderna or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine — they can gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask or maintaining a 6-foot distance. Vaccinated individuals can also visit indoors with low-risk, unvaccinated people from a single household without masks or maintaining a 6-foot distance. If an individual has been around or exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, they do not need to stay away from other people or get tested unless they start to experience symptoms. In terms of travel, the restrictions are less strict for individuals who are fully vaccinated. When traveling within the United States, individuals do not need to get tested before or after they travel, and there is no need to quarantine before seeing other people. International travel slightly differs from domestic travel in that one does not need to get tested before leaving the country unless the country they are traveling to requires it. However, people still need to show a negative test or documentation of COVID-19 recovery before boarding the flight back to the United
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THE FIRST DOSE DOES NOT GIVE YOU GREAT PROTECTION. IF IT DID, YOU WOULDN’T NEED A SECOND DOSE. IF YOU HAD YOUR FIRST DOSE OR EVEN IF YOU HAVE HAD YOUR SECOND DOSE AND YOU ARE NOT AT YOUR 14 DAYS, YOU ARE STILL AT RISK OF CATCHING OR TRANSMITTING THE VIRUS. GINETTE ARCHINAL MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF STUDENT HEALTH AT ELON
States. At Elon, students are encouraged to receive the vaccine wherever it is available to them. After students receive one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine, they must upload their vaccination documentation to opt out of weekly COVID-19 testing for 90 days. Fully vaccinated students will no longer have to participate in campus testing or quarantine if they were in close contact for 90 days. Archinal warned that when receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, it is critical that students receive both doses. “The first dose does not give you great protection,” Archinal said. “If it did, you wouldn’t need a second dose. If you had your first dose or even if you have had your second dose and you are not at your 14 days, you are still at risk of catching or transmitting the virus.” Research is still being conducted on the vaccines, and the CDC is still learning about the effects of each vaccine and how they can prevent one from getting severly sick. The Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are currently effective against SARSCoV-2 variants, but they might not be as effective against the B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1, B.1.427 and B.1.429 variants. As new research and information is released, the CDC will continuously update the public on how to protect and keep their community safe even after receiving the vaccine.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER AFTER GETTING VACCINATED Can you gather indoors?
Do we still have to physically distance?
In public situations, people who are fully vaccinated should still wear a mask and physically distance. One should still avoid medium and large-sized gatherings, and individuals will still be required to wear a mask when using public transportation.
How many vaccines does it take to have full immunity?
According to the CDC, people are fully vaccinated two weeks after they have received both of their doses of Pfizer or Moderna or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Fully vaccinated students also will no longer have to participate in campus testing or quarantine if they were in close contact for 90 days.
Vaccinated individuals can gather indoors with other vaccinated people and with low-risk, unvaccinated people from a single household without masks or maintaining a 6-foot distance.
CAROLINE BUNDER | DESIGNER
NEWS
Wednesday april 14, 2021
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Alderwoman earns 2020 Main Street Champion Award In recognition of the Frontline Fund she created last year, Emily Sharpe is one of 806 recipients of the award Kyra O’Connor
Enterprise Story Coordinato | @ko_reports
Emily Sharpe loves to walk through Downtown Elon. From visiting local businesses to enjoying the outdoor seating and Carolina blue skies, Sharpe said she often finds herself downtown at least once, if not twice a day. When Sharpe saw both frontline workers and the downtown businesses struggling at the beginning of the pandemic, she wanted to do something. “I wanted to do anything that I could to make sure that our businesses made it through the pandemic,” Sharpe said. For her efforts in launching the Frontline Fund, an effort that raised over $5,000 to buy food from downtown restaurants and serve meals to frontline workers, Sharpe earned a 2020 Main Street Champion award from North Carolina Main Street. Presented at this year’s virtual NC Main Street conference, Sharpe is now one of over 800 award winners across the state. “I’m humbled. I didn’t do it for an award, I didn’t even know the award existed,” Sharpe said. “That’s really what it all came down to — supporting our restaurants and then also supporting the frontline workers.” The money raised from a GoFundMe Sharpe started with $1,000 of her own salary. It was used to buy food from Pandora’s Pies, Smitty’s Homemade Ice Cream, Tangent Eat+Bar, The Root Trackside , Oak House, Mediterranean Deli, Paulie’s Pub and Grill and the Fat Frogg Bar & Grill. Sharpe said
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THERE’S A TERM CALLED HEART AND SOUL, WHICH IS REALLY ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT YOUR BASIC STRUCTURE OF A COMMUNITY IS SOUND, AND THAT’S WHAT SHE IS WORKING ON WITH DOWNTOWN, MAKING SURE THAT IT IS A VIBRANT PLACE, IT’S A PLACE PEOPLE WANT TO BE. RICHARD ROEDNER TOWN MANAGER
Alderwoman Emily Sharpe presented with the Main Street Champion award.
all restaurants were bought from at least twice, and the food was given to the town of Elon post office, public works department, police and fire departments, town hall, Alamance County Public Health and Alamance Regional Hospital. Kathleen Patterson, Elon’s downtown development administrator, said Sharpe’s initiative helped remind people in the town of Elon that downtown businesses were open and available for carry-out options, even when other places were closed. “It helped remind our residents that we have restaurants, so don’t just order from Domino’s, order from Pandora’s Pies, order from Tangent,” Patterson said. “That also helped, getting the word out, don’t forget that you have these local businesses in your town.”
KYRA O’CONNOR | ENTERPRISE STORY COORDINATOR
Patterson said the town of Elon considered helping businesses by providing small grants or loans, but the Frontline Fund helped by providing business to restaurants, rather than loaning money that would have to be repaid at a later date. While Sharpe was recognized specifically for her efforts with the Frontline Fund for the award, Town Manager Richard Roedner said by doing everything from weeding flower beds to organizing litter cleanups, Sharpe is a champion for downtown. “There’s a term called heart and soul, which is really about making sure that your basic structure of a community is sound, and that’s what she is working on with downtown,” Roedner said. “Making sure that it is a vibrant place, it’s a place people want to be.”
Board of Aldermen discusses adopting local non-discrimination ordinance The board discussed the idea of a non-discrimination ordinance, and approved an additional member to the arts advisory board Kyra O’Connor
Enterprise Story Coordinato | @ko_reports
The Board of Aldermen discussed adopting a local non-discrimination ordinance at the regular meeting held April 13. At the meeting the Aldermen approved the addition of Elon University Dean of Student Development Jodean Schmiederer to the arts advisory board and heard from Jeff Stein, chair of Ready & Resilient Committee, regarding the university COVID-19 update. In 2016, House Bill 2 established what constitutes discriminatory practice in employment and public accommodations in the state of North Carolina. Until December 2020, local governments were prohibited from creating their own ordinances defining discrimintaion in private employment or public accommodations. Local governments are currently allowed to adopt their own ordinances. Alderman Quinn Ray asked the board to discuss what that could look like at Elon. “It’s great that we post everywhere that our town does not accept this, we do not condone discrimintation,” Ray said. “But I feel like you need to put your actions behind your words.” Mayor Jerry Tolley said that the proclamation issued following the proTrump caravan addresses that the town does not accept discrimination, so he does not support an ordinance. “I’m objecting to an ordinance,” Tolley said. “An ordinance is a law.” Town of Elon Manager Rich Roedner said enforcing a non-discrimination ordinance could be difficult. While other municipalities have adopted nondiscrimination ordinances, such as Chapel Hill on Jan. 14, the town of Elon is smaller and has a smaller town staff — both
KYRA O’CONNOR | ENTERPRISE STORY COORDINATOR
Board of Aldermen meets April 13 2021.
factors Roedner said impact enforcing the ordinance. The board asked staff to research what action other municipalities are taking as well as creating a committee of board members and community members, and the discussion will continue at next month’s meeting. Schmiederer was approved by the aldermen to become the fourth member of the arts advisory board. Schmiederer, who has an undergraduate degree in fine arts, planned the art installation following the 2020 presidential election that appeared
on East Haggard. Because she lives outside of the town of Elon, her application was subject to the board’s approval. “Art and public art has always been a personal interest,” Schmiederer said. “I love to get our students more engaged in community art, and just the arts in general.” The arts advisory board announced the 2021 Repurposed Art Contest open to raise awareness of environmental issues and to support the arts. The context is open to all residents of the town of Elon, including Elon University community members. Entries will be accepted through April 16.
Stein addressed the board at the regular meeting. Stein informed board members that according to self-reported numbers, 4,200 undergraduate Elon University students and 850 employees have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination. Stein said the university believes that this is a low number, and said the university vaccination clinics have reached a “saturation point,” with many of the vaccinations being administered at walk-in appointments. The next Board of Aldermen meeting will be May 11.
Wednesday, april 14, 2021 | page 10
LIFESTYLE
LOCAL FLORIST INDUSTRY IS BLOOMING, BUT SUPPLY CAN’T KEEP UP As celebrations of life, marriage and holidays resume, local floral wholesalers and florist shops are facing a supply shortage Cate McCahill
Elon News Network | @CMcCahill21
On a warm Friday afternoon in April, business inside Roxie’s Florist was in full bloom. Within the store’s gray walls, the entire staff snipped a colorful array of flowers, greenery and bows. Sherri Pass, a Roxie’s employee, hurriedly assembled a funeral arrangement, hoping to finish up before nightfall. “We were just thinking this week that maybe things were starting to slow down a bit, but then the weekend hit,” Pass said. “We have two casket sprays and a small wedding on top of the funeral work, so that makes it even busier.” Local florists in the Burlington area, including Roxie’s, are experiencing an increase in demand as events resume. However, the surge in business has left the florist industry facing a major supply shortage. Longtime Roxie’s employee Wendy Grady said the pandemic didn’t decrease the demand, but it did decrease the supply. “We’ve had more and more difficulty getting all the flowers that we want, getting the plants that we want and getting materials like vases and baskets,” Grady said. “COVID has affected the floral industry because there weren’t as many people planting flowers, there weren’t as many people to harvest the flowers and they planted less flowers.” Local florists order their flowers, plants and other materials mostly from wholesalers or farmers. Carolyn Renfrow, secretary and treasurer of Cyn-Mar Wholesale Florist & Greenhouse located in Pine Level, NC said many of their flowers and supplies come from outside of the United States. Fresh-cut flowers and plants are grown in South America, while baskets and pots are imported from China. Renfrow said the industry’s reliance on imported floral materials has made acquiring these items now harder than in the prepandemic past. “With Ecuador and these other countries where things were shut down for so long, people were out of work and they weren’t able to replant,” Renfrow said. “We are seeing a big shortage right now on cut flowers. It’s really hard to get, and the prices have really gone up.” The shortage impacts the florists at the local level, Renfrow said, as wholesalers may no longer be able to provide every flower or material florists might need. “You order something, and it may be six weeks before you get it, or it may be two months — you just never know,” Renfrow said. “And if I don’t have it, there’s a good chance another wholesaler isn’t going to have it. There’s just a shortage across the board.” Several local florists receive products from the same suppliers and wholesalers, which is making the shortage even more difficult. Filo’s Creation Florist owner Filo Sousa-Rosa said another supply issue arises from the amount of time and communication needed to fulfill
Employees at Roxie’s Florist in Burlington finalize an array of sold flower bouquets.
international flower orders. “We need to place orders months ahead and as the orders come in, we figure, ‘OK, I’m going to need 500 more roses or 250 more,’” Sousa-Rosa said. “[Vendors] have to be prepared to take our big orders because they have to order from South America, where most of these flowers come from.” In an attempt to navigate the shortage from international growers, Filo’s and Roxie’s florists have tried to buy locally grown flowers and fresh-cut flowers from California.
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BUSINESS HAS INCREASED, AND I JUST THINK IT’S BECAUSE IN HARD TIMES PEOPLE SEND FLOWERS AND PLANTS. THEY MAKE YOU FEEL HAPPY. CAROLYN RENFROW SECRETARY AND TREASURER OF CYN-MAR WHOLESALE FLORIST & GREENHOUSE The decrease in floral supplies is also in response to the increasing demand. “Business has increased, and I just think it’s because in hard times people send flowers and plants,” Renfrow said. “They make you feel happy.” After over a year of quarantine and limited interaction with family and friends, people
are wanting to connect again, and part of expressing that missed connection is through flowers, according to Sousa-Rosa. She also said this year’s Valentine’s Day and Easter sales were some of her highest ever. The recent increase in weddings — as many were postponed or canceled due to the pandemic — is also responsible for the influx in floral demand. Grady said Roxie’s had to complete three wedding orders in one day as the weddings were previously paid and scheduled for different dates but were all renewed for the same day. At Roxie’s Florist, Pass often assembles wedding floral arrangements and said “weddings are something that have definitely picked up, for sure, because no one could do anything last year.” Funerals are also contributing to the strain on florists’ supply. “Last year, people were not buying flowers to put on their parent’s graves,” Sousa-Rosa said. “But this year, everybody started to put flowers on their parents’ graves or their loved ones.” The increase in funeral flower arrangements, Grady said, is pandemic related. As of April 9, there have been 252 COVID-related deaths in Alamance County since the pandemic began, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. “No doubt about it, we did a lot of funeral flowers, and they’re still coming.” Grady said. Roxie’s Florist was one of the few local florist shops that stayed open throughout the entire pandemic. Grady said she immediately requested Essential Business and Operation Designation from the state of North Carolina, and it took a few days to get a response and certification that her business was considered essential and thus not required to cease operation. “We have not lost any business,” Grady said. “Unfortunately, there were a lot more funerals that we provided flowers for — lots of ‘get well,’ lots of ‘thinking of you,’ lots of ‘happy
CATE MCCAHILL | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
birthdays.’ We stayed busy.” Grady said navigating the supply issue while still trying to please customers has been a challenge. “We’re really having to struggle to talk [customers] through an order, and tell them what I might have to change,” Grady said. “A lot of people want exactly what they see in a picture and it’s very difficult sometimes. Some customer’s orders and envisioned floral arrangements have to be adjusted. Grady said Roxie’s has been using their “professional purview” to make necessary changes. “Some people want something very specific — it might’ve been a specific pink rose that they wanted — and you can’t do it. We had to get something different,” Grady said. “I’m just hoping I can sway them to get something to enjoy longer than a cut flower arrangement if that shortage prevails.” In some cases, there is little that the florists can do if they don’t have the exact flower, color or plant a customer wants. “You make it with what you got, and if you don’t have it, you don’t have it,” Sousa-Rosa said. “There’s nothing we can do.” Looking forward, Mother’s Day is less than a month away, and floral wholesalers and local florists are concerned about how the supply shortage will affect one of their typically busiest holidays. “With the cut flowers, we are going to be seeing this [shortage] all through the summer, and it’s not going to get much better until the fall, which is going to be a challenge,” Renfrow said. “Especially with Mother’s Day coming up, I think it’s going to be a challenge to get through the summer.” Grady is hopeful that the increase in demand will encourage a more plentiful supply for the upcoming season. “I tell my vendors all the time, ‘but I need this, but I need that,’ so I’m hoping that they will understand it’s okay to get stuff, don’t hold back, get it, because there are other people like me that need these plants or these flowers,” Grady said.
lifestyle
Wednesday april 14, 2021
SPRING PRODUCTION OF “MACBETH” BREWS STYLISTIC PROPHECY
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Amid a year of political turmoil, the cast and crew of “Macbeth” altered their production to make it feel more like fantasy than reality Anna Terry
Elon News Network | @atterry63
A few weeks prior to the start of rehearsals for “Macbeth,” Elon Performing Arts’ spring 2021 play, a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol building in an attempt to overturn former president Donald Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election. Five people died and $30 million in damages were inflicted. “Macbeth” is a Shakespearean production based on the idea of how power corrupts, but following the insurrection at the country’s capital, the play’s director, Kim Shively made it a priority to convey the work in a way that did not bear any resemblance to the political discrepancies occurring in the US. “I realized that I was exhausted by the news cycle, and we decided to lean into the horror aspect of the story and place the world in a realm of fantasy,” Shively wrote in an email to Elon News Network. “The truth of the story still remains, but I don’t want it to feel real.” Junior music theatre major Andrew Edelman is the assistant director of “Macbeth,” and he said to portray the play in this manner, the directors heightened its plot and made it more surreal. “The aesthetic of the show is extremely creative,” Edelman said. “We have found a way to sort of flip it on its side and make it that much more interesting to draw the audiences. In a way it still is sort of a form of escapism from what I would say is, arguably, more of a depressing reality.”
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I WAS EXHAUSTED BY THE NEWS CYCLE, AND WE DECIDED TO LEAN INTO THE HORROR ASPECT OF THE STORY AND PLACE THE WORLD IN A REALM OF FANTASY. KIM SHIVELY “MACBETH” DIRECTOR
One of the elements added to the production to achieve this goal is the introduction of Butoh, a Japanese style of dance. Throughout the scenes, the three witches in “Macbeth” will move using this technique. Sophomore Hayley Covington, who plays one of the witches, said Butoh rejects the Western style of dance. “It’s not a pretty style of dance. It’s honestly really creepy,” Covington said. “If you’ve seen ‘The Ring’ or ‘The Grudge,’ those kinds of creepy movements, like when the girl comes out of the TV. That’s what the Butoh movement is like.” This use of Butoh is a style choice that Edelman said adds to the aesthetic of the show, which he described as, “a crossover between Japanese anime and steampunk.” The casting for Elon’s production includes several gender bends: roles traditionally played by one gender that are played by the opposite. Macduff and Malcolm, two central characters in the play that are traditionally portrayed by male actors, are being played by women. In addition, male actor and sophomore Bret Sherman is playing a witch in the production, a role typically filled by women. “I think gender just adds a whole ‘nother
COURTESY OF WESTON LECRONE
Actors partake in a dress rehearsal of Elon’s production of “Macbeth” on April 12, 2021.
layer to it,” Edelman said. “It’s a really interesting way to bring the show into modern day.” While rehearsing, the cast avoids using the production’s title due to a historic superstition within the acting community that saying “Macbeth” outside of an actual performance is bad luck. Instead, when a line in the script includes the name Macbeth, actors say the word “Mackers”. “As a young actor, you hear people joke about it, but there’s a long history of mishaps — of light’s falling on actors, of people getting injured by set pieces — just very unfortunate mishaps, which some people believe to be a sign that the show is cursed,” Edelman said. During rehearsal, there are many COVID-19 safety protocols the cast follows in addition to wearing masks and physically distancing. Actors are only allowed to touch their own props, and the cast and crew leave their rehearsal space to clear the air out every one hour and 20 minutes. In the case that someone is required to quarantine during rehearsal, they use Zoom to call into practices. As an extra precaution, every role has an understudy in case a cast member is a close contact or tests positive for COVID-19. When trying on costumes, all pieces must sit untouched in a garment bag for at least 72 hours before and after they are tried on. This rule has made the fitting process longer for the costume designer, Jack Smith, and the costume shop manager, Heidi Jo Schiemer. During alterations, along with their normal face coverings, Smith and Schiemer wear a face shield, lab coat and rubber gloves as an extra precaution. Tailoring costumes while in vinyl gloves is a skill Smith said has not been easy to master. “I have a new respect for surgeons that I perhaps would not have had before,” Smith said. In each of his designs for this show, Smith has worked to incorporate personal protective equipment into the costume. The warriors in play each have a face mask with an emblem of an animal on its side known as a totem. Each totem created for the show features an animal that has qualities that its designated character also possesses. With help from assistant technical director Joshua Bothwell, Smith also created 3D printed masks for outdoor fight scenes. Bothwell designed these masks to look somewhat distressed in an attempt to frame the toxic environment seen throughout the
A cast member of Elon’s production of “Macbeth” prepares her makeup for dress rehearsal.
play. “If you’re outside of a castle or a home, the environment is very toxic and it just corrodes the mask. If you’re inside the world is still very toxic, but it is less corrosive,” Smith said. “We created a world where PPE made sense, and then we embraced that.” Without the ability to touch each other, Edelman said the use of body language and eye contact has been important for actors while performing. “It’s amazing how much of a story you can tell just through your eyes,” Edelman said. After the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted last year’s spring play, “Hamlet,” Edelman said producing another work from Shakespeare held extra meaning for him. “It really was sort of an emotional blow to
COURTESY OF WESTON LECRONE
the department to have to shut down before the show could be mounted,” Edelman said. “So then a year later to circle back to Shakespeare and be able to breathe new life into it — I think it was a nice full circle moment.” The time spent apart from one another throughout the pandemic has also made “Macbeth” mean more to the cast. “I think to come back together and be in a show together, there’s really nothing more meaningful than that for us,” Edelman said. “‘Macbeth’ really represents so much more than just being the spring play.”. The actors have been practicing for this production since early February and filmed the play on April 10. The play will air on the Elon Performing Arts website on April 16 at 7:30 p.m. and will be available for two weeks.
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lifestyle
Wednesday april 14, 2021
THE ELON BITE IS A COLUMN THAT REVIEWS RESTAURANTS AND FOOD VENDORS IN THE LOCAL AREA
THE ELON BITE
Fried Chicken: Ending the chicken sandwich wars
Jack Chambers
Senior
This week, I ate a lot of fried chicken. I set out to try as many chicken sandwiches from local restaurants as possible. After having tried five sandwiches, though my heartburn is killing me, I think I have an answer to which fast food fried chicken sandwich is superior. The fried chicken sandwich has become a point of controversy all over social media, among official brand accounts and random chicken sandwich enthusiasts. I visited Bojangles, Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, Popeyes and Zaxby’s to come up with a resolution. First, not all chicken sandwiches are created equal. Some are better than others, and that is just how it is. Second, when offered the option, I always go for a spicy chicken sandwich. Spicy versions are always packed with more flavor and generally taste better, in my personal opinion. So unless you are terrified of heat, always go for the spicy option. In last place with the worst chicken sandwich is Zaxby’s Signature Sandwhich. Personally, I think Zaxby’s
is not good in general, and I avoid it like the plague. It just lacked an X-factor and was subpar. After Zaxby’s falls the Bojangles Cajun Filet Biscuit. The chicken was spicy and the biscuit was tasty, but the meat was dry and made me want to drink a gallon of water after. Of the final three, it is really a toss-up as to which anyone likes more: Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s and Popeyes. In a close third for my rankings is the Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich from McDonald’s. It was surprisingly juicy and tender, and it had an adequate amount of pickles and sauce, which, in my findings, is actually rare for a chicken sandwich. The new potato roll McDonald’s uses is quite good as well. In first place, Chick-fil-A edges out Popeyes because it sat better in my stomach, and the overall taste with the signature sauces worked together just a little better. Still, I think the top three are close, and McDonald’s was a dark horse as I typically associate it with burgers and fries. I cannot say I will eat fried chicken again soon, but I know where I will go next.
Jack Chambers’ third favorite meal, the Crispy Chicken Sandwich from McDonald’s.
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