WFU in the news: June 24-30, 2024

FEATURED NEWS

Biden and Trump age disparity ‘looked much greater on screen’ during debate
By Yelena Mandenberg | The Mirror US
U.S. President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump were locked in a head-to-head battle in the CNN Presidential Debate. The debate took place at CNN’s Atlanta studios and was moderated by Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. Nate French, an associate teaching professor of communication and an expert on political communications said, “Biden wanted to quell concerns about his age and he did not do that in this debate.” – 6/28/2024

French also spoke with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Sydney ahead of the debate and provided real-time analysis for CTV News, a CNN affiliate based in Toronto, Canada.

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Despite high demand, kidneys donated by Black Americans are more likely to be thrown away.
By Ana Iltis | CNN
As one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., kidney disease is a serious public health problem. The disease is particularly severe among Black Americans, who are three times more likely than white Americans to develop kidney failure. While Black people constitute only 12% of the U.S. population, they account for 35% of those with kidney failure. – 6/26/2024

This piece originally appeared in The Conversation and was republished in media worldwide.

Feds should have known – and been told – of water demands for Hyundai site
Savannah Morning News
“Given that such impacts should be considered, they should be considered using as good of information as you can,” said Meiburg, executive director of Wake Forest’s Sabin Family Center for Environment and Sustainability. “The conclusion might not be different, but it is reasonable to ask the applicant to submit, and EPA and the Corps to consider, accurate information.” – 6/26/2024

What Chevron’s end could mean for EPA climate regulations
E&E News
Stan Meiburg, the former acting EPA deputy administrator, said the Supreme Court could trigger “policy paralysis” by weakening Chevron and shifting policy design to courts from expert agencies. Courts “are arguably the least accessible to public opinion of any of the three branches of government,” said Meiburg, now executive director of Wake Forest’s Sabin Family Center for Environment and Sustainability. “We haven’t seen a wholesale revision — with the exception of the Lautenberg Act — to any of the major environmental statutes since 1990.” – 6/26/2024

Novo weight-loss drug Saxenda poses risk to bone health, study finds
By Sophia Vahanvaty | Bloomberg News
New research added to concerns about the downsides of shedding pounds with popular weight-loss shots. Kristen Beavers, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology in Wake Forest’s health and exercise science department, wants to conduct a study looking at osteoporosis medications to see if they help preserve bone density in weight loss patients. The reason that bone loss during weight loss has received relatively little attention so far could be due to the long timescale, according to Beavers. While muscle loss can be measured within weeks, it takes four to six months for bone to turn over, drastically extending the time frame of bone loss studies. – 6/25/2024

What are the biggest 4th of July money-wasters?
By John Kiernan | WalletHub
“I would say one of the biggest 4th of July money-wasters is overbuying food. In the United States, it is estimated that between 30-40% of the food supply is wasted. During big holidays such as the 4th of July, people tend to purchase more food than necessary, leading to significant food waste. This not only results in wasted food but also wasted money,” business professor Jai Li tells Wallet Hub. – 6/25/2024

Wisconsin constitutional amendments seek more Legislature power
By Tom Kertscher | Wisconsin Watch
Politics professor John Dinan said, “It may seem unusual to see amendments being advanced for the purpose of bypassing gubernatorial opposition or insulating policies from state court reversal because we don’t see similar amendments advanced at the federal level. But state constitutions and state constitutional amendments have their own distinctive purposes and dynamics.” – 6/24/2024

Waste management company recovers over $10M In thrown-away coins
By Jason Collins | Yahoo Finance
Economics professor Robert Whaples explains why coins are discarded nowadays. “If you lost a $100 bill you’d look for it. If you lost a $20 bill you’d look for it. If you lost a book, you’d look for it,” he added, “But a penny, you’re just not going to look for it.” – 6/27/2024

Factors that can impact whether someone tells lies, according to deception researchers
By Christian B. Miller | CNN
Prominent cases of purported lying continue to dominate the news cycle. What factors influence the telling of lies. Does a personal connection increase or decrease the likelihood of sticking to the truth? Are lies more prevalent on text or email than on the phone or in person? Philosophy professor Christian Miller tackles these questions in this piece originally published in The Conversation. – 6/25/2024

Catholic theologians engage the social dimensions of salvation
By David DeCosse | National Catholic Reporter
At its annual convention, the Catholic Theological Society of America brought the matter of salvation firmly back to earth. Professor Michael Grigoni of Wake Forest University was given the Catherine Mowry LaCugna Award for best essay by a young scholar for his work, “The Christian Handgun Owner and Just War.” – 6/26/2024

REGIONAL & TRADE

CMS superintendent expects to ‘meet 100%’ of 5-year goals. Is that realistic?
By Rebecca Noel, Luke Fountain | The Charlotte Observer
The 2024-29 plan from Superintendent Crystal Hill, hired last year, wants to improve literacy, high school math performance and preparedness for life after graduation. Education professor Donal Mulcahy weighs in on this ‘Reality Check’ piece. He cautions that test data may show success, but it doesn’t mean students know how to read and comprehend material. “I don’t think it’s likely the goals are achievable in this time frame,” he said. – 6/26/2024

Supreme Court sets stage for crucial ruling on trans rights
By Dan McKay | Law360
The U.S. Supreme Court’s plunge into the legal clash over gender-affirming care for minors could determine the fate of restrictions enacted in 25 states and shape the future of transgender rights. “That ruling will have a profound impact on the future of trans rights,” said law professor Marie-Amélie George. – 6/24/2024

LOCAL

Political science professor John Dinan discusses CNN Presidential Debate
By Rebecca Smith | WXII-TV (Winston Salem, NC)
On Thursday night, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump took the stage in Atlanta for the CNN Presidential Debate. Wake Forest political science professor John Dinan sat with WXII to discuss key takeaways and reactions from the debate. – 6/28/2024

Dinan also provided debate analysis for WXII.

NC legislature competes overriding Cooper veto of masking bill
By Richard Craver | Winston-Salem Journal
“Under the provision in the law being considered, these 527 groups could make donations to the North Carolina Republican party or North Carolina Democratic Party, which can in turn use these funds to benefit Republican and Democratic candidates for governor or other state offices,” said politics professor John Dinan. – 6/27/2024

Only one NC constitutional amendment reaches November ballot
By Richard Craver | Winston-Salem Journal
North Carolinians could have been presented in November with votes on up to five constitutional amendments. But only one — known as “citizens only voting” — made it through the state legislature. The North Carolina House and Senate are “very much at odds over the budget and other measures and having difficulty reaching agreement on a number of issues,” said politics professor John Dinan, a national expert on state legislatures. – 6/28/2024

Freedom School at Wake Forest University kicks off
By Kaela Carter | WXII-TV (Winston Salem, NC)
Nearly 70 children embarked on a six-week journey of literacy enrichment and college campus immersion at Wake Forest University’s Freedom School. Dani Parker Moore, assistant professor and executive director of Freedom School, explained more about the program’s importance in a live interview on WXII’s The Local Vibe. – 6/25/2024

Spectrum News and WGHP also covered this story and WXII ran a feature story.

“The Private Collection of Barbara Babcock Millhouse” to open at Reynolda House
By Scott Carpenter | Yes! Weekly
“Founder’s Vision: The Private Collection of Barbara Babcock Millhouse” will open in the Mary and Charlie Babcock Wing Gallery at Reynolda House Museum of American Art Saturday, August 24, 2024, and will be on view through December 15, 2024. The exhibition features works of art from the personal collection of the founder of Reynolda House Museum of American Art. – 6/28/2024

WAKE FOREST NEWS

High stakes: WFU expert previews first 2024 presidential debate
By Keri Brown | Wake Forest News
Millions of Americans are expected to watch the first 2024 presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. In this Q&A, Wake Forest University associate teaching professor Nate French, an expert on political communication, explains how this first presidential debate differs from first debates in past elections and why the stakes are so high for both parties. – 6/26/2024

Fish, the U.S. Supreme Court and the balance of power in the federal government: WFU expert explains the Loper case
By Cheryl V. Walker | Wake Forest News
By the end June, the U.S. Supreme Court must decide Loper Bright Enterprises vs. Raimondo, a case about commercial fishing and whether the federal government can compel the owners of commercial herring fishing vessels to pay for expert observers on their vessels. The case is about much more than fish, says Stan Meiburg, executive director of Wake Forest University’s Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability and an expert on environmental regulation. – 6/24/2024