NCCU to test new alert

DURHAM — North Carolina Central University has installed a new Emergency Siren, part of the university’s crisis communication plan and emergency notification system.

It targets people outdoors who may not have access to other Eagle Alert notification methods such as e-mail, text messages or the emergency web site.

NCCU will conduct its first test of the system October 15, 2009, from noon to 3 p.m.

When the system is activated, it will emit a siren tone, followed by a voice message announcing, “This is a test of the NCCU Emergency Alert System. This is only a test.”

When the test is complete, you a second siren will sound and an announcement will signal “All-clear. Resume normal activities.”

University Police will activate the system periodically for testing and to alert the campus community about immediate life-threatening emergencies such as an armed and dangerous person on campus, a major chemical or biological hazard, or a tornado sighting.

The sirens are mounted on three, 40-foot-tall galvanized poles. They are at the north side of Benjamin Ruffin Residence Hall near the corner of Lawson and Concord streets; the south side of Alfonso Elder Student Union on Nelson Street by the loading dock driveway; and east of the track by New Residence II and the Leroy T. Walker Complex.

WTIK hosts radiothon

DURHAM — Radio station WTIK-La Mega (1310 AM) will participate in a radiothon Thursday and Friday to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital that is targeting the Hispanic community.

The radiothon will encourage listeners to donate to St. Jude in support of the Memphis-based hospital’s mission of finding cures and saving children by calling 1-800-998-VIDA (8432) from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The goal of the event is to motivate the Hispanic community and to inform them about St. Jude, which provides medical care to thousands of sick children regardless of their family’s ability to pay.

WTIK is one of more than a dozen Hispanic radio stations around the country participating in the two-day national radiothon.

Last year, WTIK raised more than $24,600 for St. Jude, one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centers.

Citizens Coalition to meet

DURHAM — Durham Citizens Coalition is launching a new approach to providing information to residents of Durham.

This series, with kicks off with a meeting Oct. 28, aims to bring citizens and city departments into closer contact, and to give the members and guests an opportunity to hear from the managers that provide the services residents need.

The October meeting will be the kickoff and will feature City Manager Tom Bonfield as the speaker.

The city manager’s office will work with the DCC board to bring the department managers to future meetings for the purpose of closer engagement between citizens and city government.

The meeting is in the auditorium at the Main Library and begins at 7 p.m.

Refreshments will be available for those who arrive around 6:30 p.m. Oct. 28.

For additional information go to www.durhamcitizenscoalition.org.

— From staff reports