The local newspaper down in Tallahassee reports that James Ammons, the former boss here at N.C. Central University, had a heck of an inaugural bash down at Florida A & M University last week, to the tune of $288,000.

 The party, much like the $162,000 installation UNC Chapel Hill threw recently for new chancellor Holden Thorp, was paid for by private donations, not state money. Still, that's quite a party, isn't it?

 Ammons called his seven years in Durham a "detour" on his road to the presidency at his alma mater. One might remark that he left just in time, given the mess he'd be dealing with here if he had stayed in Durham.