News Clips for September 9, 2004

NC State University News Clips for September 9, 2004

Compiled by North Carolina State University’s News Services, a part of the Public Affairs Office. Listed below are the current news clips. Click on the headline of interest to be taken to the full text. Click on “Return to Headline List” at the bottom of each clip or use the scrollbar to be taken back to this location.

IN-STATE CLIPS

Tailgate party rules get review
Changes are likely after shootings

4th suspect arrested in tailgating deaths
Woman accused of helping suspect

Girlfriend implicated in shooting
A third person was arrested in connection with the Saturday shooting.

Many agencies were involved in shooting investigation
At least five law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation following the shooting death of two people outside of the NC State football game this weekend.

Agriculture, University Officials Discuss Security In Wake Of Fatal Tailgate Shootings
university, law enforcement and state officials to take a closer look at safety

Attorney: Accused Accomplice Helped State, Not Suspect
accomplice in Saturday's shooting

Tailgate shooting suspects appear in court
The suspects police say were involved in Saturday's shooting outside the N.C. State football game were in court for the first time Tuesday.

Lawyer: Woman cooperating
Attorney says she helped find evidence in connection with a shooting at a tailgate party

Funerals Scheduled For Tailgate Shooting Victims
Brett Harman and Kevin M. McCann, victims of Saturday's shooting

Letter to the editor: Volatile mix
Saturday's shootings

Life’s Work: Pottle Is On-the-Go Dog Groomer
College of Veterinary Medicine

2 key N.C. State home dates in limbo
Lee Fowler, athletics

Carter-Finley construction a beautiful sight for Pack
Lee Fowler, athletics

NATIONAL & REGIONAL CLIPS

Researchers keep milk free of contaminants
Dr. Geof Smith, Jim Riviere, Ron Baynes, and Ronette Gehring, College of Veterinary Medicine

Orion is decoding tobacco genome
Ralph Dewey, crop science; Charles Opperman, plant pathology and genetics

NCSU, Orion Genomics To Continue Work on Tobacco Genome
Charles Opperman, plant pathology and genetics

Orion Genomics extends deal on tobacco genome research
Charles Opperman, plant pathology and genetics

Orion Genomics and North Carolina State University Extend Tobacco Genome Initiative
Charles Opperman, plant pathology and genetics

People Must Remain At the Heart of E-Learning
Tom Russell, Office of Instructional Telecommunications

A Farewell Turns To Tragedy
Brett Harman and Kevin M. McCann, victims of Saturday's shooting

Maine South alum killed in shooting
Brett Harman and Kevin M. McCann, victims of Saturday's shooting

Notre Dame alum killed in shooting
Brett Harman and Kevin M. McCann, victims of Saturday's shooting

Remembered as 'born leader'
Brett Harman, victim of Saturday's shooting

Good Samaritans, Not Vigilantes
Saturday's shooting

Another tied to double-slaying
A second person has been charged with helping a suspect hide from authorities after Saturday's shooting.

Click here to be taken to the CLIP ARCHIVES

Tailgate party rules get review

Sept. 9, 2004
News & Observer
By TIM SIMMONS
© Copyright 2004

New rules governing tailgate parties at the State Fairgrounds are likely to be in place before N.C. State University's next home football game Sept. 18.

The changes follow the shooting deaths of two fans in a parking lot at NCSU's season opener Saturday.

NCSU interim Chancellor Robert Barnhardt and state Agriculture Commissioner Britt Cobb met Wednesday to discuss changes at the fairgrounds lot. The fairgrounds are operated by the agriculture department.

"I think everyone agrees that something has to be done," said Wesley Wyatt, who manages the State Fairgrounds. "We offered some recommendations, and now it's up to our bosses to decide what changes will be made."

Restricting access to the roughly 1,500 parking spaces at the fairgrounds is one option the group discussed. It isn't clear how that would be done, although Wyatt said the idea is to limit tailgating to those who are actually attending the game at nearby Carter-Finley Stadium.

Another suggestion includes restricting how early people can set up at the lot. Some fans currently arrive as early as Friday night to rope off areas for their friends and begin the party early.

The group also discussed ways to improve police patrols of the lot, which stretches along Trinity Road directly across from the stadium.

One of the main challenges facing the university and fairgrounds officials involves who is responsible for patrolling various lots.

About 8,000 parking spaces adjacent to Carter-Finley and near the RBC Center are the responsibility of the NCSU Campus Police Department. With contract help from other agencies, NCSU uses about 80 officers to patrol that area.

The fairgrounds lot, however, is the property of the Department of Agriculture, which uses a private police company. Fairgrounds Police Chief Matt Cleary said he typically assigns about five officers to the area.

Although the event that draws people is clearly an NCSU football game, NCSU police do not have the authority to patrol on fairgrounds property.

Similarly, NCSU trustees cannot uniformly enforce regulations on tailgate parties, because the trustees only control activities on their property.

Regardless of where people tailgate, alcohol is typically at the center of most discussions.

Drinking is common at most of the parties, and many fans say police rarely crack down on rowdy behavior or underage drinkers.

The Wake County Sheriff's Office said this week that it is still investigating the extent to which alcohol played a role in Saturday's homicides.

Timothy Johnson, 22, an NCSU senior, and his brother Tony Johnson, 20, of Tarboro, are each charged with two counts of murder. Killed were 2nd Lt. Brett Johnson Harman, a Camp Lejeune Marine, and his friend, Kevin McCann, who was visiting from Chicago.

Although family members and others at the scene have offered conflicting reports, early reports suggested that problems escalated when someone threw beer cans at a speeding car owned by Tony Johnson.

Wyatt said Wednesday's discussions focused more on short-term answers, such as restricting access, rather than on broader topics such as changes in university rules governing tailgate parties.

"The goal," said Department of Agriculture spokesman Brian Long, "is to prevent anything like this from happening again. There are issues we can address right now."

Return to Headline List

4th suspect arrested in tailgating deaths

Sept. 9, 2004
Associated Press; Charlotte Observer; Durham Herald-Sun; NBC 17; WCNC; Wilmington Morning Star; Winston Salem Journal; WRAL; WTVD; Belleville News-Democrat, IL; Chicago Tribune, IL; Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL; WAVY-TV, VA; WBBM, IL; WLS, IL; WQAD, IL; WVEC, VA
By staff writer
© Copyright 2004

RALEIGH - A second woman has been charged with helping a suspect in Saturday's double slaying at an N.C. State University football tailgate party hide from authorities.

Also, NCSU student Timothy Johnson, 22, and Tony Johnson, 20, were denied bond Tuesday by Wake County District Court Judge Shelley Devousges. Each faces two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Kevin M. McCann of Chicago and 2nd Lt. Brett Johnson Harman, a Camp Lejeune Marine from Park Ridge, Ill., both 23.

The two were killed Saturday at a tailgate party outside NCSU's season-opening football game against Richmond.

Rachel Louise French, 20, of Apex, was charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder. She had an initial court appearance Wednesday and was being held at the Wake County jail with bail set at $100,000. French was accused of assisting Timothy Johnson in escaping detection and arrest, an arrest warrant said.

Ashley Brown, 18, of Tarboro was charged with the same crime and held in jail on the same bond. Brown drove Tony Johnson to a hotel and helped him get a room, her arrest warrant said.

The two accused men were appointed two of Raleigh's best criminal defense lawyers at their first court appearance Tuesday. Joseph Cheshire V will represent Timothy Johnson, and Johnny Gaskins will represent Tony Johnson.

Family and friends of McCann and Harman said the pair did not fight with the men before they were killed.

Return to Headline List

Girlfriend implicated in shooting

Sept. 9, 2004
Rocky Mount Telegram
By J. Eric Eckard
© Copyright 2004

A third person was arrested in connection with the Saturday shooting outside a college football game in Raleigh that left two people dead.

Ashley Renee Brown, 18, of Tarboro was arrested Sunday and charged with accessory after the fact of murder. She was jailed under a $100,000 bond.

"She was picked up in Conetoe by Wake County Sheriff's deputies and U.S. marshals," said Tarboro police Lt. Keith Hale.

Brown is accused of helping one of the murder suspects flee the area following Saturday's shooting deaths of Kevin M. McCann, 23, of Chicago and U.S. Marine 2nd Lt. Brett Johnson Harman, 23, of Park Ridge, Ill. The two were killed during a tailgating party outside Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday before an N.C. State football game.

Brothers Tony H. Johnson, 20, and Timothy W. Johnson, 22, both Tarboro High School graduates, were each charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Both men were jailed without bond.

All three suspects appeared Tuesday in court.

"We're familiar with both of them," Hale said of the Johnson brothers. "We've charged them with minor drug violations, but nothing violent.

"We've been dealing with them for awhile, but nothing that would lead you to believe this would happen."

Witnesses said the four men exchanged punches earlier in the day after a carton of beer cans was thrown at Tony Johnson’s car as he sped through a crowded parking lot just off Trinity Road. The brothers returned – this time with a handgun – just after the 6 p.m. kickoff of the season opener against the University of Richmond.

McCann died at the scene. Harman died later that evening at WakeMed. Both were from the Chicago area in suburban neighborhoods just two miles apart.

Timothy Johnson, who was expected to graduate from N.C. State in May, was arrested in Raleigh later that night. His brother, Tony Johnson, who had dropped out of Wake Technical Community College this past year, apparently fled to a Wilson motel. He turned himself in to Wake County authorities on Saturday.

Brown, Tony Johnson's girlfriend, is accused of driving him to the motel and helping him get a room, authorities said.

Investigators continued Tuesday looking for more witnesses and evidence in the case, including the murder weapon.

"Those boys are extremely intelligent," Hale said of the Johnson brothers. "They had honor grades in math and science.

"It's such a waste – not only for the two men who were killed, but also for the three other people (arrested in the case)."

Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.

Return to Headline List

Many agencies were involved in shooting investigation

Sept. 8, 2004
News 14 Carolina
By Heather Moore
© Copyright 2004

At least five law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation following the shooting death of two people outside of the NC State football game this weekend.

Because of where the shootings took place, initially the Department of Agriculture was the lead investigating agency. But Fairgrounds Police asked the Wake County Sheriff's Office to take over.

More than 80 police officers, state troopers, and ALE agents work security and traffic for every NC State home football game.

But different agencies are responsible for different areas around Carter-Finley Stadium.

In the parking lots right around Carter-Finley and the RBC Center, NC State's campus police are in charge.

NC State has about seven officers patrolling the area, some in cars, and some on bikes. But the university also hires off-duty Sheriff's Deputies and Raleigh Police officers.

“We have 80 to 100 officers around the stadium. We also have 225 event staff inside providing crowd control,” Keith Nichols, a NCSU spokesman, said.

On campus property, anyone at least 21 years old is allowed to drink beer and unfortified wine but liquor is off limits.

Nichols stated, “Anyone with hard liquor is asked to pour it out or leave.”

But once you cross over Trinity Drive, you've left NC State property and you're now on the State Fairgrounds. That means a completely different policing agency and a different set of rules.

The area across the street from Carter-Finley Stadium belongs to the state Department of Agriculture as part of the State Fairgrounds and patrolled by the Fairgrounds Police.

“Usually on game day we have about five officers patrolling the area looking for illegal activity or underage drinking,” Brian Long, a State Fairgrounds spokesman, explained.

And on another side of the street, any kind of alcohol is fair game, even liquor as long as you're at least 21 years old.

You'd better obey the alcohol laws, because there are about 10 ALE agents wandering through all of the parking lots.

That leaves the parking lots on the Carter-Finley side of Trinity, between the stadium and Blue Ridge Road.

These are mostly owned or rented by the Wolfpack Club for members.

The Wolfpack Club also hires off-duty Raleigh Police officers to help club staff and parking attendants watch the areas.

On top of all of this, about 50 state troopers are working the areas around Carter-Finley, directing traffic and enforcing rules of the road.

While this system has worked well for more than 40 years, fans will likely see some sort of changes before NC State's next home football game against Ohio State.

NC State University's interim chancellor met with the state Commissioner of Agriculture, Britt Cobb Wednesday morning.

The two discussed possible changes in the security and law enforcement procedures around Carter-Finley Stadium.

Representatives from both sides said they hope to have final plans by the end of the week.

They'll be in effect before the next home game, September 18th, against Ohio State.

Return to Headline List

Agriculture, University Officials Discuss Security In Wake Of Fatal Tailgate Shootings

Sept. 8, 2004
WRAL
By Amanda Lamb
© Copyright 2004

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A deadly shooting at a North Carolina State University football tailgating party is prompting the university, law enforcement and state officials to take a closer look at safety.

Chaos, crowds and confusion fueled by alcohol is how witnesses described the scene at the football tailgating party where two men were killed on Saturday.

The incident took place on a property on Trinity Road, which is part of the State Fairgrounds and under the control of the Agriculture Department. N.C. State has an agreement to use the area for game parking.

"We cannot assume the responsibility for individuals, but we can make certain that we have a facility that's there, that's clean, that's safe and people can come and enjoy it," state Agriculture Commissioner Britt Cobb said.

"Football games and basketball games -- a lot of people congregate in a relatively small area," North Carolina State Chancellor Robert Barnhardt said. "Safety is a primary importance. As an interim chancellor, I'm going to take any actions necessary in the long-term interest of the university."

State and local leaders met Wednesday about how to handle tailgating parties.

"It's been a tragedy," Barnhardt said. " We're recognizing alcohol sometimes plays a part in that, and we're trying to address those problems."

Limiting alcohol, limiting access, and adding security are all ideas on the table -- ideas that may not be so popular.

"State campus police, Raleigh police, Highway Patrol -- I think we'll all put our heads together and see what can be done to see this never happens again," Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison said.

Other universities have imposed similar regulations in the past, but both Cobb and Barnhardt said they will do whatever it takes to ensure safety.

"We want people to enjoy these activities, they are entertainment events, but we have a responsibility to make sure it is safe," state Agriculture Britt Cobb said.

Barnhardt also plans to meet with student leaders.

Return to Headline List

Attorney: Accused Accomplice Helped State, Not Suspect

Sept. 8, 2004
WTVD
By staff writer
© Copyright 2004

When 20-year old Rachel French walked through the door and into a Wake County courtroom this afternoon, along with her, it appears, came a great deal of new information into what may have happened after Saturday night's double-murder outside the N.C. State football game.

French, a junior at Meredith College, stood before a judge, charged with accessory after the fact of murder, accused of helping 22-year old suspect Timothy Johnson escape detection and arrest.

Her lawyer, however, argued Miss French did just the opposite.

According to Attorney Robert Nunley, "She was not trying to hide him, she was trying to get him to turn himself in."

In fact, Nunley says, Rachel French has been extremely helpful in the investigation of brothers Timothy and Tony Johnson, aiding investigators in discovering critical evidence, including what may be the murder weapon used to kill Chicago-area residents Brett Harman and Kevin McCann.

"I think the state's case is a lot further along based on her cooperation. Now they have a gun, they have items of clothing with blood," Nunley says.

And other evidence, too, Nunley claims.

He also hinted French was afraid of the Johnsons.

"I think you're gonna find that there's a reason she would fear the Johnson brothers, and there's some history there, recent history in the last month or so that will come out with time," Nunley added.

The Wake County sheriff's office would not confirm or deny what Nunley had to say, referring all comments to the assistant district attorney handling the case. She said she would not comment on the facts of the case given that the investigation into it is continuing.

Another claim of the lawyers is that authorities are looking for a third person to charge with accessory after the fact of murder.

Return to Headline List

Tailgate shooting suspects appear in court

Sept. 8, 2004
News 14 Carolina
By Brett Tackett
© Copyright 2004

The suspects police say were involved in Saturday's shooting outside the N.C. State football game were in court for the first time Tuesday.

Police say Timothy Johnson, 22, and his younger brother Tony, 20, shot and killed Kevin McCann, 23, and Camp Lejeune Marine 2nd Lt. Brett Harman, 23, just before State's game at Carter-Finely Stadium.

Police also arrested Ashley Brown, 18, for accessory after the fact.

Their trip to court on Tuesday was a short one. In the end, the Johnson brothers were officially charged with two counts of first
degree murder and denied bond. Brown is facing an accessory charge and was given a $100,000 bond.

“I've known these boys for 10 years,” said Johnson family friend Tommy Moore. “I've known this family and they're good people and to be going through something like this they're just in shock and they're hurting."

"I was just completely shocked,” said Harman’s friend Havalah Backus. “I couldn't believe it."

She grew up with Harman in Illinois. “He's always been there when I needed him. He’s really, really funny, really, really sweet, and I'm just shocked about everything."

Just before court started, divers searching Jordan Lake found a gun matching the one police say the Johnson brothers used in the shooting.

"Is it the weapon? We won't know until we get all the ballistic tests and other test from the SBI,” said Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison.

While it had no impact on Tuesday’s court hearing, if police can positively match the gun it'll be a strong piece of evidence for the prosecution...if the case goes to trial.

Their next court appearance with be September 27th.

Meanwhile, the News and Observer reported Wednesday morning that a fourth person has been arrested.

Rachel Louise French, 20, of Apex has been charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

Investigators say French helped Timothy Johnson hide from police.

French is being held at the Wake County Jail on a $100,000 bail.

Return to Headline List

Life’s Work: Pottle Is On-the-Go Dog Groomer

Sept. 8, 2004
Southern Pines Pilot
By Mary Evelyn de Nissoff
© Copyright 2004

Although she was groomed to follow in the hotel business like much of her family, Mollie Pottle decided she wanted to work with animals instead.

Thus was born the seeds of “The Rebel Clipper,” a business she has owned and operated for 22 years.

Pottle’s great-grandfather, John Lang Pottle, came to Southern Pines in 1895, talked with James W. Tufts, and wound up managing the Magnolia Inn as well as another hotel where the Pinehurst branch post office is now located, and later the hotel replaced by the Pine Crest Inn.

After this experience, John Pottle built the Hollywood Hotel in Southern Pines. His grandson, George, continued operating the hotel while George’s brother, John, went to Linville to manage the Esseola Lodge. The Hollywood Hotel was torn down in 1966.

In the ’60s, Joan and George Pottle spent a year in Stuart, Fla., where he operated the Sunrise Inn. Their daughter, Mollie, attended high school there then came back to Pinecrest High where she graduated in 1971.

Pottle has three brothers — Chris, who owns a furniture sales establishment in Florida; Jock, who lives in Manhattan and was there to take pictures of the destruction of the Twin Towers on 9/11; and Tom, a plastic surgeon in Wilmington.

“I worked for Nancy Sweet-Escott (at her stable on Youngs Road) after graduation, and I picked up her English accent,” says Pottle.

After four years there, Pottle went to the Mosses’ stables where she groomed and exercised horses.

“’Pappy’ Moss taught me respect for animals,” she says.

But while freelancing at other stables, she injured her back in an accident, so she drove her Volkswagen to Arizona where she worked as a cocktail waitress.

“The bartender, who looked like Neil Diamond, told me I didn’t need to do that. One night, he came up to me and said, ‘You need to be back with your dogs.’

“The next day, I drove him and his girl friend to Phoenix, and this van passed me and on the side was painted, ‘The Galloping Groomer.’ I decided I wanted to start a similar business.”

When Pottle returned to Southern Pines, she talked with veterinarians Clifton McLean, Joe Currie and Karen Flipsie, who told her she needed to find someone to train her in grooming and handling dogs.

“The one place I could find was in Madison, N.J., so I went up there for the summer,” she says. “I had a human hairdresser who taught me how to groom different breeds in different styles.

“Back then, President Reagan had made a deal that if someone had a disability (I had dyslexia), the government would pay for your schooling.”

Pottle acquired her first van in New Jersey and drove it back down to Southern Pines.

“After four years, I got the one I have now,” she says. “It will be 19 years old this summer and has 53,000 miles on it. Mack Fields designed the inside.”

And on the outside, the van advertises itself as “The Rebel Clipper.”

While she deftly and lovingly works with the dogs, large and small, that never seem to mind being lifted from grooming table and back to be toweled and blow-dried, Pottle keeps up a running patter of helpful information and stories about other dogs to the owner seated on a bench inside the air-conditioned van.

In the ‘80s, Mollie started breeding Shetlands (Shelties). Her own black and white Sheltie, “Oreo,” was the last generation she bred.

“Bonnie was his grandmother,” she says. “Oreo had five brothers and sisters, and they all worked in the van with me.”

After Oreo died last year, Pottle found a lovely, mid-sized, mixed breed dog, Schuyler, that has a silky coat of black, white and sable fur. He now rides in the van with her.

Ten years ago, Pottle was diagnosed with diabetes, which she handles with diet.

In this area, she says, “there are a lot of Schnauzers that have diabetes. One lady, a very good customer, has one with diabetes that went blind overnight. She took the dog to the Research Center at N. C. State University and had new eyes put in, and now it’s fine.”

Return to Headline List

Lawyer: Woman cooperating

Sept. 9, 2004
News & Observer
By JENNIFER BREVORKA
© Copyright 2004

APEX -- A Meredith College junior helped investigators locate evidence from Saturday's double homicide at a football tailgate party before officials charged her with aiding a suspect in a murder, her attorney said.

Robert Nunley argued to no avail in court Wednesday that the $100,000 bail set for his client, Rachel Louise French, 20, should be lowered. Deputies said French assisted Timothy Johnson, 22, and they arrested her Tuesday night on a charge of accessory after the fact to murder.

"My argument today is based on the fact that with her cooperation, the state now has a weapon," Nunley said, referring to a gun deputies retrieved from Jordan Lake on Tuesday. "And therefore, the state is in a much better position due to her cooperation."

Nunley also said officials found bloodied clothing from the homicide after speaking with his client.

Johnson, an N.C. State University senior, was arrested Sunday on murder charges in the deaths of 2nd Lt. Brett Johnson Harman and Kevin McCann, both 23. Johnson's younger brother, Tony Johnson, 20, was also charged in the slayings, which occurred Saturday in a parking lot near Trinity Road during an NCSU football game.

Ashley Renee Brown, 18, was arrested Sunday and also charged with accessory after the fact of murder. Brown drove Tony Johnson to a hotel and helped him secure a room, according to an arrest warrant.

Nunley said police are questioning a third person who could also be charged as an accessory, but Wake County officials said only that there is a potential others would be arrested.

The Wake County Sheriff's Office referred all questions about the case to the district attorney's office. Assistant District Attorney Susan Spurlin declined to comment about the investigation while it is still under way.

"There are a lot of folks out there who we still want to talk to," Spurlin said.

Nunley said his client was not dating either Johnson brother but declined to say how French knew Timothy Johnson.

When authorities arrested Johnson, French was with him, the Raleigh attorney said. French was trying to help Johnson turn himself in to officials, Nunley said. The woman called Nunley, whom she knows through friends, and the attorney spoke with Johnson about surrendering to authorities.

"There's a lot of stuff that has yet to come out," Nunley said. The attorney indicated that new information could put his client's actions in a different light.

Nunley described his client as a scared young woman who, before her arrest, was active in programs that help troubled people. French is listed as a member of the Service Learning Advisory Committee at Meredith College, according to the school's Web site. The group is involved in promoting civic engagement.

At the Apex home where French's family lives, her mother, Shari Campbell, had little to say Wednesday night.

"My only comment is that I love my daughter," she said.

(News researcher Toby Lyles contributed to this report.)

Return to Headline List

Funerals Scheduled For Tailgate Shooting Victims

Sept. 9, 2004
WRAL
By staff writer
© Copyright 2004

One of the men killed during a tailgate party outside Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh on Saturday will be laid to rest Thursday.

Services for Kevin McCann, 23, will be held in Norridge, Ill., Thursday morning.

A memorial service for Brett Harman, 23, is scheduled for Friday.

Two brothers from Tarboro are each charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths. Two women have been charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

A fifth arrest is possible in the shootings.

Return to Headline List

Letter to the editor: Volatile mix

Sept. 9, 2004
News & Observer
© Copyright 2004

I was neither shocked nor surprised at the shootings that took place at the N.C. State University-University of Richmond game on Saturday. It is indicative of a larger problem in our society and shows that sports, alcohol, and guns together are not good for anyone.

While it would be impossible to check everyone at such a large public gathering, some form of control would be in the best interests of all involved.

Gerald A. Bowman

Richmond, Va.

Return to Headline List

2 key N.C. State home dates in limbo

Sept. 9, 2004
Charlotte Observer
By KEN TYSIAC
© Copyright 2004

They can't take away the Gator Bowl victory from the 2002 season.

But the status of two future N.C. State nonconference football games with Notre Dame is in question. So is a meeting with Louisville scheduled for 2005.

Notre Dame is examining agreements made with the ACC in the late 1990s to play home and home with North Carolina, Georgia Tech and N.C. State. Notre Dame associate athletics director John Heisler said he expects to play North Carolina at Notre Dame on Nov. 4, 2006 and at Chapel Hill on Oct. 18, 2008.

Dates with Georgia Tech on Sept. 2, 2006 in Atlanta and Sept. 1, 2007 at Notre Dame also appear solid for the Irish, Heisler said. But he said his schedule shows only a home game against N.C. State in the future.

A list of future opponents in N.C. State's media guide shows the Wolfpack scheduled to visit Notre Dame in 2009, with Notre Dame playing in Raleigh in 2010. N.C. State defeated Notre Dame 28-6 when the schools last met on Jan. 1, 2003 in the Gator Bowl.

Heisler, who handles Notre Dame's football scheduling, said he is working on the discrepancy with ACC assistant commissioner Mike Finn.

"I don't have us returning the game, but Mike at some point did have (a return trip scheduled)," Heisler said. "I'm not sure anybody knows why those things are the way they are."

Notre Dame also is re-evaluating its future schedules from a strategic standpoint.

The Irish played opponents almost exclusively home and home in the past.

Now they are trying to find opponents who will come to Notre Dame for a paid guarantee so the Irish can play seven home games each season rather than five or six.

N.C. State athletics director Lee Fowler said N.C. State doesn't have a contract with Notre Dame because the scheduling was handled by the ACC office. Finn confirmed the discussions with Heisler.

"We're just working with them to make sure the games can be played," Finn said. "That's all."

Fowler said Tuesday that Louisville is talking as though it can't play the Wolfpack in 2005, though Louisville has yet to inform N.C. State in writing. Louisville was scheduled to return a trip N.C. State made in 1994.

Efforts to reach Louisville officials who handle scheduling were unsuccessful.

"If they back out, then we'll have to get another home game," Fowler said.

Return to Headline List

Carter-Finley construction a beautiful sight for Pack

Sept. 9, 2004
Durham Herald-Sun
By AL FEATHERSTON
© Copyright 2004

RALEIGH -- When ABC brings its cameras to Carter-Finley Stadium a week from Saturday to telecast N.C. State's game with Ohio State, a large part of the nation will get to see the on-going construction work at the Pack's 38-year-old football facility.

The half-built press box looms over the west stands, an unfortunate eyesore in a season when N.C. State will be playing the most attractive home schedule in its history.

Or is it an eyesore?

"What's the eyesore?" Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato said. "Is it that the press box is not done? Oh gosh, is the cup half filled or half empty? My goodness gracious -- I don't think that's an eyesore ... it's a commitment."

Amato remembers his embarrassment four years ago when ESPN came to town to do the N.C. State-Georgia Tech game on a Thursday night.

"At the [pregame] interview, the guy asked, 'Is there anything you want us to say,' " Amato said. "And I said, 'Yeah, talk about this new facility that we're going to build.' And they said, 'We can't do that.' I asked, 'Why not?' and they said, 'We did it two years ago.'

"Now that's an eyesore. If there's construction going on, that's progress."

The new construction -- a $39 million project scheduled to be completed next year -- is just the latest manifestation of a building boom at N.C. State. Within the last four seasons, the school has started or completed five major projects at Carter-Finley for a total cost of more than $76 million.

Pretty good for a stadium that cost just $3.7 million to build.

"I think what's happened at this university over the last four years facility-wise has been unbelievable," Amato said. "Because of that, I'm a very blessed individual. I just happened to be here while it's happening. I don't know whether I had anything to do with it or if it was just time."

Bobby Purcell, the executive director of the Wolfpack Club since 1992, understands that better than anybody. The Clinton native arrived at N.C. State in 1981 as an assistant to head football coach Monte Kiffin. He got there just in time to move into the Weisinger-Brown building, a football office and training complex built in the woods behind Reynolds Coliseum.

"At the time, it was a magnificent facility -- one of the best in the country," Purcell said.

But it also was the last important improvement that N.C. State made to its football complex for almost 20 years. Purcell, who became Dick Sheridan's recruiting coordinator in the mid-1980s, saw the Pack's facilities fall out of step with its ACC rivals as North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland all made major investments.

When Purcell became assistant director of the Wolfpack Club in 1987, it became his job to raise the money and coordinate the efforts to put the Pack in the building race.

But for almost a decade, little got done.

"In the early '90s, we first planned renovations of Carter-Finley," Purcell said. "That's when we had the basketball issue. The firing of Jim Valvano was not very popular with our donors. A lot of them didn't want to give for a couple of years after that. And since 1987, we've had five athletics directors and three chancellors."

Lee Fowler, who was named athletics director in September 2000, was surprised to see the state of N.C. State's facilities when he arrived on campus.

"I was a little shocked," he said. "I came from Middle Tennessee State, and they had better facilities in a lot of areas."

Fowler found that the Wolfpack Club was ready to execute the plans to improve the situation.

"I always give credit to the Wolfpack folks who contributed to these projects," Fowler said. "It's been a real good effort, and Chuck has been the point man for everything. He saw what it takes when he was at Florida State. I think we had a lot of luck and a little leadership."

Purcell can understand the frustration of coaches looking for a tangible sign of the university's commitment to football.

"You hear it all the time, coaches say, 'We can't win without the facilities,' and you hear administrators say, 'If you won more, we could raise more money and build better facilities,' " Purcell said. "It's kind of a chicken or the egg thing -- which comes first?"

N.C. State solved the conundrum by taking a bold step, borrowing money on projected donations to begin construction.

"We had to start thinking big-time," Purcell said. "Our people were hungry for that. We began financing projects and paying them off with donations. It all started to come together."

While Amato refuses to take credit for the upgrades, Purcell said the Wolfpack coach is a major part of the process. The excitement he has generated with four straight bowl trips, the winningest season in Wolfpack history and his ebullient personality have made fund-raising easier.

"He has been a beneficiary of what we've done, but he's also played an instrumental role in creating excitement in the program," Purcell said. "Chuck has never turned us down when I've asked him to speak to a group or to a special donor."

In 1999, the last season under Mike O'Cain, N.C. State sold 23,108 season tickets. That total has climbed every year under Amato. This season, the Pack sold out 36,000-plus season tickets -- without a promotional campaign -- and even had to refund applications.

"It's almost like the north end zone project is sold out before we build it," Fowler said. "As long as we can build seats and fill them ..."

So now the "chicken/egg" thing is working in N.C. State's favor. The new facilities are helping Amato build his program, while the success he's been having has generated the excitement that has helped fuel more expansion.

"The thing is, we've raised the bar," Purcell said. "The nature of things is that somebody is going to try to beat us and sooner or later they will."

As long as N.C. State keeps building, the longer it will take rivals to catch up. That's why Amato and the Wolfpack fans see the construction zone around Carter-Finley Stadium as beautiful, not an eyesore.

UPGRADES TO CARTER-FINLEY STADIUM DURING AMATO'S TENURE

Before the 2001 season

N.C. State erected a $2.1-million scoreboard with a 24-by-32 foot video screen behind the north end zone. At the other end of the field, a grassy bank used for overflow crowds was converted into 5,864 permanent seats -- at a cost of $6.34 million.

Before the 2003 season

A new football operations building -- the Murphy Center -- was opened overlooking the south end zone. The 103,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility cost $25.3 million. At the same time, a new practice facility was built beside Carter-Finley for another $2.53 million.

Coming next season

The "Wolfpack Towers," which will combine a press facility with 51 luxury suites and 955 club seats.

Down the road

Next on the agenda will be closing in the north end zone area, replacing the aging Finley Field House with another 5,000 to 8,000 permanent seats. After that, Amato is anxious to get an indoor practice facility.

Return to Headline List

Remembered as 'born leader'

Sept. 9, 2004
Pioneer Press Online, IL
By MATT DOMINIS
© Copyright 2004

Brett Harman was remembered by his girlfriend this week as a born leader who had a naturally positive outlook on life.

Harman, a Park Ridge resident, and his friend Kevin McCann were shot to death during an altercation in Raleigh, North Carolina. Police said two brothers shot them at a tailgate party before a N.C. State football game.

Zora Popovic, 24, who graduated from Maine South High School in 1998, said Harman "had this fountain of energy and positivity. Most people have to go to therapy or really work to have the kind of outlook he naturally had."

"It was a loss to the world," Popovic said. She said she knew Harman for seven years and they had dated for about four years.

Harman was a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps and was awaiting deployment overseas, likely to Iraq, Popovic said. Harman graduated last year from the U.S. Naval Acadamy in Annapolis, Md., and had just met the 40 men of the platoon he would have commanded. "He was a born leader, Popovic said. "People wanted to follow him. You couldn't help it."

"I'm definitely a pacifist; I'm definitely anti-war," Popovic said. "But knowing a guy of the caliber of Brett would be in charge of a group of men made me feel much better."

Hartman excelled at motivating people through role-modeling, Popovic said. When they were in high school Harman motivated his entire wrestling team. "He was kind of a legend in high school," she said.

Harman rarely complained, Popovic said. "He dealt with everything in an unbelievably disciplined, unbelievably motivated way. But he was so funny, so full of stories and jokes."

Popovic was in the process of sorting pictures of Harman that will be used at a memorial Sept. 10. "In every single picture, everyone's smiling, because when you're with Brett you're smiling," Popovic said. "His smile would light up a room."

"We were just blessed to know him because he was so special," she said.

Return to Headline List

Good Samaritans, Not Vigilantes

Sept. 8, 2004
Useless Knowledge
By Claxton Graham
© Copyright 2004

I have received a number of e-mails on my post “The Consequences of Vigilante Justice”, that was published here on Useless Knowledge on September 6. Based on the feedback that I’ve received, there were not only some errors in the information that I had at the time, but there are also some misconceptions about the purpose of the Useless Knowledge site. Some clarification is in order here:

1) My opinions of what happened in Raleigh on September 4 were based on wire reports from the Associated Press, generated on Saturday evening and early Sunday morning, and picked up by several media outlets, including The Charlotte Observer and WRAL-TV 5, the CBS affiliate in Raleigh. These reports did not mention that Brett Harman or Kevin McCann were involved in trying to help the Johnson brothers, who had become embroiled in a fistfight after driving recklessly through a parking lot full of tailgaters. The reporting clearly led down the path that Harman and McCann were taking justice into their own hands, not stepping in to keep someone from getting hurt. Instead of being vessels of vigilante justice, they were murdered for merely being good Samaritans.

2) As an alumnus of NC State, I’m still sensitive to what goes on at the school, even though I live on the other side of the state. There has been more than one incident like this at the school, including a major melee that caused NC State to discontinue its annual football series with East Carolina. During my freshman year, delirious (and some drunken) ECU fans stormed the field of Carter-Finley Stadium and tore down the goalposts to celebrate a 32-6 win. And the wire reports clearly indicated that alcohol was involved in this incident, as the Johnsons’ behavior indicates.

3) Useless Knowledge is not The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal. By and large, the people who post here are not journalists, but some write for a living while others write to make their opinions heard. There are a lot of good people who post here, and while I don’t always agree with their opinions, I do respect them and have never once asked that someone retract what they’ve said. The people who e- mailed me gave me their feedback, and I’m grateful for the information they have passed on to me. I’m not so cold or callous that I cannot take in new information and see things differently. My opinions on vigilante justice are woefully out of place in this context, but I won’t apologize for that because they are my opinions, and they were formed with the information I had at the time.

Make no mistake, I do not condone the murders of Brett Harman and Kevin McCann. The Johnson brothers were not justified in killing them like they did, and they need to be brought to justice. A jury will ultimately decide whether they die by lethal injection or spend the rest of their lives in Central Prison, which, ironically, is just a few hundred yards from NC State’s main campus.

To those of you who knew Brett Harman and Kevin McCann personally, as friends or family, I offer my sympathies and my prayers. And to those who regularly read or post here on Useless Knowledge, thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my articles.

------------

About the author: Claxton Graham is an NC State alumnus who makes his living as a business systems analyst, not as a journalist. Since being invited to post on Useless Knowledge earlier in 2004, he has written over 20 articles.

Return to Headline List

Researchers keep milk free of contaminants

Sept. 8, 2004
News-Medical in Medical Research News
By staff report
© Copyright 2004

Dairy farms in the United States produced more than 170 billion pounds of milk last year. The more than 9 million cows that produced that milk occasionally need to be treated for various ailments, so researchers at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine are working to protect that important commodity by helping to keep contaminants out of the milk supply.

Dr. Geof Smith, assistant professor of ruminant medicine, is studying how long the residue of pharmaceuticals remains in cow’s milk. When a dairy cow is given antibiotics or other drugs, the milk that cow produces must be discarded until the drugs clear the cow’s mammary system.

Smith’s work is part of the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Data Bank (FARAD), a support system designed to provide livestock producers and veterinarians with information on how to avoid drug, pesticide and environmental contaminant residue problems. FARAD is a nationally funded program that is administered by three universities – NC State, the University of Florida and the University of California-Davis.

At issue is the antibiotic Ceftiofur, which is used to treat a number of problems in cows such as respiratory disease, pneumonia and lameness. Ceftiofur is approved for injection into the muscle and under the skin, but, according to Smith, some farmers have injected Ceftiofur directly into the mammary glands to treat mastitis – an infection of the mammary gland.

“That led to several violations when residue of the drug showed up in the milk of several dairy farms. There were several cases that were referred through FARAD of large losses of milk that had to be dumped because of Ceftiofur residue,” Smith said.

Smith and his colleagues at FARAD, including Drs. Jim Riviere, Ron Baynes, and Ronette Gehring, have just concluded a study that specifically addressed the practice of injecting Ceftiofur directly into the quarters, or mammary glands, to treat mastitis. Smith’s findings have just been published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “Until now, there’s been no data telling us how long that drug residue remains,” Smith said.

While there is no special issue with Ceftiofur that makes it dangerous to humans, Smith says the study is part of the effort to keep drugs out of the human food supply unless they are totally inert. “There are also drug allergy issues. It’s best to avoid any and all contamination of the food supply,” he said.

Smith’s research involved using the drug in five dairy cows located on the NC State dairy farm. “We took milk samples at milking time twice a day, for 10 days,” Smith said.

Smith then used chromatography analysis to measure the drug’s concentration in the milk and determine how long it remained present. The researchers found that Ceftiofur disappears after about seven days. “That’s longer than a lot of drugs. With some of the other drugs labeled to treat mastitis you only have to throw the milk away for 36 to 48 hours,” he said.

“Seven days is a long time, but sometimes mastitis doesn’t respond well to the other drugs. It’s better to throw away the milk from one cow for seven days than to risk contaminating an entire tanker truck of milk and face a fine of maybe six, seven or eight thousand dollars,” he said.

Smith’s study cost only $10,000 – the most expensive portion was the analysis of the data on a specialized chromatography machine. “With some rare exceptions we need to avoid expensive studies because there just isn’t the funding that there used to be. We try to be as efficient as possible,” Smith said.

“There’s been a lot of positive feedback on the research. It’s very practical and the USDA has recommended that FARAD continue this type of research. It’s research that needed to be done,” Smith said.

Return to Headline List

Orion is decoding tobacco genome

Sept. 8, 2004
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
By Rachel Melcer
© Copyright 2004

Orion Genomics, a local biotech firm, is helping to decode the genome of much-maligned tobacco - work that could make the plant more useful to scientists and, perhaps, safer to smoke.

The company, based at the Center for Emerging Technologies incubator in midtown, has contracted with North Carolina State University in a $17.6 million project paid for by cigarette maker Philip Morris USA. Orion will receive "multimillions" of dollars for its work, said Chief Executive Nathan Lakey.

The goal is to outline the genetic makeup of the tobacco plant to better understand why it grows, looks, acts and reacts as it does. As individual genes are linked with particular traits, scientists may be able to breed or genetically engineer changes.

For example, tobacco contains an enzyme that reacts during the curing process to produce nornicotine, which causes cancer. NCSU crop scientist Ralph Dewey is working to identify the gene that produces this enzyme, in hopes of removing it from the plant. If he succeeds, the result would be tobacco that is less harmful to smokers - and a potential marketing coup for Philip Morris.

"A lot of people are going to choose to smoke, whether or not it's healthy. So, it's incumbent upon the industry to make it healthier," Lakey said. "This is something someone could do with the tobacco genome, not something I'm working on or suggesting."

His mission - and that of the overall NCSU project team - is to supply the raw data. But sequencing the tobacco genome is no easy task: It is roughly 1 1/2 times as large as the human genome, containing 4.5 billion base pairs of genetic material, or DNA.

Orion's technology, called the GeneThresher, should simplify the matter. It rapidly weeds out large chunks of repetitive DNA that scientists believe is useless, so that they can focus on the active portion of the genome.

Orion believes that just 18 percent of the tobacco genome is useful.

"Orion's technology is a very big part of the project," said Charles Opperman, professor of plant pathology and genetics and leader of the initiative at NCSU.

Philip Morris gave his team 4 1/2 years to map more than 90 percent of the tobacco genome, so speed is of the essence. They are about halfway through and "very much on schedule," Opperman said.

Orion has been involved with the project since the beginning. Its success to date led last month to the expansion of its role.

In the end, the map will be available at no charge to public researchers, Opperman said.

"The vast majority of people who are interested are not working on tobacco per se. They are interested in other plant systems," he said.

Genetically, tobacco is very closely related to the tomato, pepper, eggplant, petunia and nightshade plants. Scientists will be able to use the tobacco genome to shed light on research into those species, Opperman said.

What's more, the tobacco plant may contain genes that confer traits that would be useful in other species, such as resistance to drought or particular pests. These could be isolated and genetically transferred.

Tobacco already is used as a model system in a range of plant research, because it is well understood and easy to alter. With greater information about tobacco, it could become even more useful.

Some companies and researchers already are using tobacco as a living factory to produce proteins and enzymes, which can be extracted, purified and used for pharmaceutical drugs or plastics. For example, Chlorogen, a startup in Creve Coeur, has genetically altered tobacco to produce a component of human blood plasma that may be useful in medical research and treatments.

Orion, which has 25 employees, has dedicated nearly half of its staff to the tobacco-genome sequencing project. The company also has contracts to assist in mapping sorghum, corn, white clover and ryegrass, Lakey said. Six-year-old Orion has been profitable since 2002, a rare achievement for a biotech startup.

"A lot of biotech companies get into trouble because they grow really fast and then they don't have products to support their growth," he said. Orion, by contrast, is funding additional product research with services revenue.

The company also plans to hit the road soon to raise venture capital. Lakey said he hopes to bring in $9 million by year's end.

Tobacco genome mapping

What it is: A genome is the genetic map of a living organism. Plant scientists analyze genomic data to understand how and why an organism develops, looks and acts in a particular way; and how it can change or add traits through genetic engineering or breeding.
Why tobacco is important: It's used as a model system for much early plant research. Genetically, it's closely related to peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, petunias and nightshade.
How it stacks up: It contains about 4.5 billion base pairs of genetic material; the human genome has 3 billion. Lined up, the DNA of the tobacco genome would stretch 10 feet; human, 6 feet; corn, 5 feet; soybean, 2 feet.
Who's doing it: Scientists at the North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, with help from corporate and public partners and funding from Philip Morris USA.

Sources: Orion Genomics LLC and North Carolina State University

Return to Headline List

NCSU, Orion Genomics To Continue Work on Tobacco Genome

Sept. 8, 2004
LocalTechWire, SC
By staff report
© Copyright 2004

RALEIGH – Orion Genomics, a biotechnology company, and North Carolina State University have completed the first stage of a joint project to sequence the tobacco genome, and the project will continue, Orion said Wednesday.

The sequencing work is being done for Philip Morris USA, which has agreed to pay $17.6 million to NCSU. Orion is participating as a sub-contractor.

"In the initial phase of the tobacco sequencing project, we compared several different methodologies for the discovery of most of tobacco's genes," said Charles Opperman, professor of plant pathology and genetics at NCSU and leader of the project, in a statement. "We've determined that Orion's GeneThresher technology rapidly and accurately separates coding from the so-called 'junk DNA' that makes up most of the tobacco genome."

Orion said its technology should identify “up to 90 percent” of the tobacco genes.

The project was launched in 2007 and is expected to be finished by 2007.

Return to Headline List

A Farewell Turns To Tragedy

Sept. 8, 2004
Des Plaines Journal, IL
By MICHELLE ORRIS
© Copyright 2004

Park Ridge resident Lt. Brett J. Harman, 23, and his close friend Kevin M. McCann, 23, of Chicago were killed Saturday evening while tailgating outside a North Carolina State University football game in Raleigh.

Police told the Harman and McCann families that the suspects appeared to mistakenly target Harman and McCann for revenge after an altercation outside the stadium.

According to Rob Harman, a brother of one of the victims, police told the families that 22-year-old Timothy Wayne Johnson and 20-year-old Tony Harrell Johnson careened through tailgaters, hitting a car and almost hitting a young girl.

The brothers appeared to be drunk, and a crowd stopped the car and confronted them, police said. McCann and Brett calmed an altercation and helped the brothers out of the area, Rob said.

About 30 minutes later, the suspects returned to the scene with a gun and broke a bottle on a car. The suspects went after McCann, Rob said, and Brett defended him and was cut across the face with the bottle. Brett tackled a suspect into the car, and the suspect's brother shot Brett in the shoulder. The bullet tore into Brett's heart and liver.

In response, McCann tackled the shooter and was shot in the face, Rob said.

The suspects immediately fled in their car, and one of Brett's friends jumped on the roof and yelled for people to record the license plate.

Police told the Harman and McCann families that 30 eyewitnesses corroborated similar versions of the story, Rob said.

"They died because they were trying to protect each other; they were great people," Rob said. Kevin was a 1999 graduate of Notre Dame High School in Niles and Brett of Maine South also in 1999.

Rob said the families and police speculated that because Brett and McCann have distinctive tattoos, their faces may have stuck out in the suspects' minds when they sought revenge.

On Saturday at about 3 p.m., Zora Popovic, who has dated Brett since high school, spoke with him on the cell phone while he was tailgating. They chatted briefly, she said, and he did not mention an altercation.

Several of Brett's friends came to visit him that weekend for the North Carolina State University football game. Brett was a marine at Camp LeJeune, preparing for deployment to Iraq. McCann worked at Mesirow Financial in Chicago.

At the time of publication, suspects Timothy and Tony were scheduled for a first appearance in Wake County, North Carolina Tuesday at 2 p.m. The brothers were charged with first degree murder, a charge that can warrant the death penalty in North Carolina.

Timothy is a junior psychology major at NCSU and Tony is a resident of Tarboro.

A teenage woman charged as an accessory after the fact was also scheduled for a Tuesday appearance.

A wake for McCann will take place today (Wednesday), Sept. 8 from 3 to 9 p.m. at Cumberland Chapels in Norridge. A funeral service for McCann will take place Thursday, Sept. 9, 9:30 a.m., at St. Monica Catholic Church in Chicago.

A funeral service for Brett will take place Friday, Sept. 10, 9:30 a.m., at Park Ridge Presbyterian Church.

Return to Headline List

Orion Genomics extends deal on tobacco genome research

Sept. 8, 2004
St. Louis Business Journal, MO
By staff report
© Copyright 2004

Orion Genomics has completed the first state of its tobacco genome sequencing agreement with North Carolina State University and has extended its agreement, the company said Wednesday.

The extension more than doubles payments to Orion under its subcontract for part of the $17.6 million that Philip Morris USA is paying NCSU as part of the 4.5 year Tobacco Genome Initiative, designed to give public and private plant scientists tobacco genome information.

Under the new agreement, the Tobacco Genome Initiative will use Orion's GeneThresher technology to develop an overall map of the tobacco genome to identify up to 90 percent of tobacco's genes.

St. Louis-based Orion Genomics, based in the Center for Emerging Technologies, develops and commercializes intellectual property and advanced genome analysis tools used to develop diagnostic and therapeutic products to treat cancer and other diseases, and to improve crops.

Return to Headline List

Maine South alum killed in shooting

Sept. 9, 2004
Pioneer Press Online, IL; Arlington Heights Post
By JENNIFER JOHNSON AND JIM EDISON
© Copyright 2004

Brett Harman and Kevin McCann grew up together, sharing a love of wrestling that spelled success at their respective high schools, Maine South in Park Ridge and Notre Dame in Niles .

On Saturday, the two friends died together.

The two 23-year-olds - McCann, of Chicago's Edgebrook neighborhood, and Harman, of Park Ridge - were shot to death in the parking lot outside the North Carolina State University football stadium. McCann's funeral was this morning; Harman's is tomorrow.

Two brothers, Timothy Wayne Johnson, 22, and Tony Harrell Johnson, 20, both of Raleigh, North Carolina, have been charged with two counts of first degree murder. The Johnsons could face the death penalty in convicted.

Two other subjects, Ashley Renee Brown, 18, of Tarboro, North Carolina, and Rachel Louise French, 20, of Apex, North Carolina, were also charged with accessory after the fact of murder. Both are being held on $100,000 bond.

Timothy and Tony Johnson were apprehended within hours of the shooting which occurred around 6 p.m. local time.

Brown was arrested on Sept. 5, and French on Sept. 7.

The Wake County, North Carolina, Sheriff's Office provided little information about the incident, and spokesperson Phyllis Stephens stated that what prompted the shooting was still under investigation.

In an email sent to the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate, Rob Harman, Brett's older brother, stated that investigators told him that a fight broke out when one of the Johnson brothers drove a car recklessly through a crowd of people attending the tailgate party. Rob Harman stated that his brother and McCann intervened in an effort to break up the fight, and later the Johnson brothers returned with a gun. (See story on page 8).

A gun matching the description of the weapon the Wake County Sheriff's Office had been searching for in connection with Saturday's shooting was found Tuesday in a lake approximately 22 miles west of Raleigh, the Sheriff's Office reported. The gun has been sent to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations for ballistic testing.

Harman, a U.S. Marine, was stationed in North Carolina and scheduled to be deployed to Iraq in January. McCann and other friends had traveled from Chicago to visit him over the Labor Day weekend.

Harman and McCann were long-time friends and top wrestlers for their high schools, from which they graduated in 1999.

Former coaches remembered the two young men fondly.

"Brett was a hero to so many wrestlers that followed him here at Maine South," Maine South wrestling coach Craig Fallico said. "And Kevin was a terrific young man.

"The bottom line is that it was just not their time," he continued. "This terrible tragedy ruined so many lives."

Fallico said Harman's parents separated when he was young, and Harman's mother moved Brett and his brother to Park Ridge.

"Brett was his own man, always. He was his own dad," Fallico recalled. "He did a great job emulating and taking the best things from the men around him."

Harman, who had also played football at Maine South, returned to the school in mid-July where he gave an inspirational talk to players attending football camp prior to leaving for Marine duty.

"I knew Brett was a fine young man as well as an excellent athlete," said varsity head football coach David Inserra. "I decided to ask him to come and talk to our football players.

"He gave a truly inspirational talk," Inserra said. "It wasn't so much about wins or losses, it was about being dedicated and working hard."

Feelings were much the same at Notre Dame in Niles, where longtime wrestling coach Augie Genovesi talked about McCann.

"Kevin was not only one of the best wrestlers I ever had," Genovesi said, "but he was one of the greatest kids we ever had here.

"I knew both boys very well and I don't think either one of them had a serious bone in their bodies. They were such happy-go-lucky kids. They didn't like to lose, but they never got angry or upset. They just got re-focused on their goals."

Kevin was 140-pound wrestler and made it Downstate as a junior. His senior year he was 29-0 and injured his shoulder just before the start of the state tournament.

Harman placed fifth in the state as a senior at Maine South.

McCann also had ties to Maine South High School as his father, Dennis McCann, is a school counselor and assistant wrestling coach.

A funeral Mass was held this morning for McCann at St. Monica Catholic Church in Chicago. Memorial services for Harman will take place tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. at Park Ridge Presbyterian Church, 1300 W. Crescent Ave.

At Tuesday night's Park Ridge City Council meeting, Acting Mayor Michael MaRous led a moment of silence for Harman and McCann.

Staff writer Matt Dominis contributed to this story.

Return to Headline List

Notre Dame alum killed in shooting

Sept. 9, 2004
Pioneer Press Online, IL
By JENNIFER JOHNSON AND JIM EDISON
© Copyright 2004

Kevin McCann and Brett Harman grew up together, sharing a love of wrestling that spelled success at their respective high schools, Notre Dame in Niles and Maine South in Park Ridge.

On Saturday, the two friends died together. McCann's funeral was scheduled for this morning.

The two 23-year-olds - McCann, of Chicago's Edgebrook neighborhood, and Harman, of Park Ridge - were shot to death in the parking lot outside the North Carolina State University football stadium.

Two brothers, Timothy Wayne Johnson, 22, and Tony Harrell Johnson, 20, both of Raleigh, North Carolina, have been charged with two counts of first degree murder. A third subject, 18-year-old Ashley R. Brown, was charged with being an accessory after the fact of murder.

Timothy and Tony Johnson were apprehended within hours of the shooting which occurred around 6 p.m. local time.

A report in the News & Observer, a Raleigh area newspaper, said a fight broke out between the Johnson brothers and Harman and McCann during a tailgating party. Investigators reported that Timothy Johnson later returned with a gun and fired shots at Harman and McCann.

Other published reports said that McCann and Harman only tried to break-up a fight between the Johnsons and two other men.

Harman, a U.S. Marine, was stationed in North Carolina and scheduled to be deployed to Iraq in January. McCann had traveled from Chicago to visit him over the Labor Day weekend.