Searching for a new department head position: communication 
Amy Wadsworth Contributing Writer 

The College of Fine and Applied Arts recently announced a nationwide search for the new communication department head. 

Dr. Sharon Pennell, assistant professor of the communication department, is the chairman of the search committee.  Yesterday there was a reception in Wey Hall for one of the potential candidates. 

Students and faculty in the Department of Communication were encouraged to come meet potential candidates. 

“The receptions for each of the candidates are opportunities for students to meet the candidates and for candidates to meet our students,” said Dr. Janice Pope, assistant professor of the Department of Communication.  

The beginning date for the position is July 1, 2000.  Pennell sent out a job description for the position, which stated that the applicant should have a doctorate in a communication field, be an academic leader and have excellent managerial skills. The position also requires teaching for half of the time. 

The Department of Communication has a faculty of 21 and almost 750 majors with concentrations in advertising, broadcasting, journalism and applied communication.  
 

Mike and Willy's offers a new entertainment opportunity 
Lauren Romano Contributing Writer 

Bright lights, music, arcade games and big screen entertainment has come to Boone.  Mike and Willy’s Sports Cafe on Howard St. had its grand opening on Feb. 18.  The restaurant and bar was filled with a variety of ages, but when 11 p.m. came around, only people 21 and older were admitted and hit the dance floor.  Some were interested in the fun arcade room which includes air hockey, pool and other arcade games. 

Co-owner Mike Shubert was very excited about the opening.  “We felt like there was a real need here for a sports cafe and we felt like this was a great opportunity for us,” Shubert said.  The establishment had a wide array of televisions which had a satellite system to pick up many games of different sports. There were also cameras in the DJ booth which televised the dancers on the floor. 

So, if you are looking for a new hangout in Boone, Mike and Willy’s is the place to be.  Don’t miss out on all the food and fun. 
 

High bidders spotted at SGA annual date auction 
Caitlyn Payne SGA Beat 

The Student Government Association held its second annual Date Auction last Thursday, hosted by Jimmy Moore and Curtis Lily. 

The date auction is a fundraiser for the Academic Affairs Committee of SGA.  Members of SGA (and this year, also non-SGA members) signed up to be auctioned off to the highest bidder to go out on a date. Anyone was allowed to bid on the participants. 

The auction started at 7 p.m., but the actual bidding could not start until 7:30 because so many people attended the auction. “It was packed,” said SGA President Sam Searcy. SGA made 140 bidding paddles, 80 of which were supposed to be extras. They used every single one. Deanna Gouge, Academic Affairs Chairperson and Coordinator of the auction, said she “never dreamed” there would be so many people in attendance. The estimated crowd size was over 200 people. 

All bids started at $2, and then went up from there. Several of the bids were creative and original. “Brian Boyer got into a fierce bidding match,” said Searcy. Brian was finally auctioned for $126, for which the crowd gave him a standing ovation. It was the highest bid of the event. 

Amy Sarno received a bid all the way from Virginia. Her boyfriend, a student at the University of Virginia, called on a cell phone to bid for her. He eventually bought a date with his girlfriend for $71. 

Four girls from the ASU Women’s Field Hockey team were auctioned off in pairs.  It was “great to see student-athletes” involved with SGA, Searcy said. Several door prizes were also awarded. 

The highest bidder received a gift basket with gift certificates for local establishments in Boone, said Gouge. 
The auction was a great success and “one of the most successful events I’ve seen in the past two years,” Searcy said. “There was such an electric atmosphere.” 

“Everything went off without a hitch,” said Gouge. “The whole thing was hilarious.” 

All of the money raised by the auction, which totaled $1,046, will be used by the SGA Academic Affairs Committee to host its annual faculty appreciation breakfast later this spring. 

On the scene with Boone's Weekend Excursion 
Ian Hutchinson Contributing Writer 

The first time I saw Weekend Excursion at Legends last year, I was pleasantly surprised. 

Weekend was opening for Cravin’ Melon that night and it was the first time I had witnessed a crowd packed front and center for an opening act. Considering that countless other opening acts at Legends have been ignored, the fact that WE had a mob at its command said something about Weekend’s music. When the band played its rendition of “The Devil Down to Georgia,” the applause and cheering were almost deafening. After Weekend was done, Cravin’ Melon seemed tame by comparison. 

For five years now, Weekend Excursion has grown from relative obscurity to a band on the verge of something much bigger. WE has gained momentum from playing at fraternity functions, college venues and Ziggy’s, sometimes opening for acts such as Edwin McCain. Just recently, the band’s music has been featured in two episodes of the WB hit television show “Dawson’s Creek,” exposing their music to a brand-new audience. Weekend has also experienced a recent change in its lineup by adding the talents of Sam Fisher after the departure of  Aaron Shepard, the previous lead singer late last year. I caught up with Weekend Excursion guitarists Jeff Foxworth and Chris Groch to ask them about the future and their upcoming March 28 release, “Radioactive.” 

Regarding the band’s sound, both Foxworth and Groch felt that it has become more defined and mature over the years. They said that the songs on “Radioactive” have better arrangements, more edge, better production and stronger pop than their previous efforts. 

Concerning the addition of Fisher, Groch said, “His dedication (to the music) matches ours, so we can focus more on the music.”  “(Sam) has brought a new level of energy to the band,” said Foxworth. Fisher’s contributions will not be overlooked on the new CD. After his addition, the band reworked the songs to add his vocals and musical influence to the band’s current sound. 

When asked about their recent national exposure through “Dawson’s Creek,” Groch said, “It’s weird to know that millions of people have heard us. They’ve put a lot of faith in our music, which strengthens what we do.” Weekend also has big plans for the future.  After the members graduate from ASU and UNC this May, the band plans to base its operations in Raleigh and expand the fan base by playing as much as possible. 

As for the big leagues? “We’re waiting to be signed,” said Groch, “Right now, we would like to concentrate on our fans.” Groch also said that while the recent exposure on “Dawson’s Creek” has piqued the band’s interest in the music industry, Weekend would like to have at least one more independent release before the band is signed. 

Want to catch Weekend Excursion live? Below are some upcoming dates. 

For times, check out www.weekendexcursion.com. 
 

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