F.Y.I.: April 2006

Monday, April 17, 2006

Gone April 14th through the 18th. (Jury Duty!)
"Let Them Eat Cake..."Black says he has support of most Democrats~ The Durham Herald-SunAll but a handful of Democrats support keeping Rep. Jim Black as speaker of the House in advance of their caucus meeting next week, his spokeswoman said Wednesday. Spokeswoman Julie Robinson said Black believes 55 of the 62 other House Democrats don't want him to resign, despite a series of legal troubles. House Democrats plan to meet next Tuesday in Raleigh to discuss the General Assembly session beginning May 9, and probably Black's future.
Follow The MoneyState-financed group pays big bonuses; why?~ The Raleigh News & ObserverA state audit of a regional economic development partnership that serves northeastern North Carolina found little accountability for hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars spent on bonuses, consultant contracts and staff pay. The audit, released Wednesday, also found that the partnership's former president, Rick Watson, had a conflict of interest by seeking to work for a private project to develop an entertainment complex near Roanoke Rapids while continuing to lead the partnership. A spokesman for State Auditor Les Merritt said the findings are triggering audits of six other regional partnerships.
Take A Stand! Speaker Series 2006Christopher Hitchens - LIVE in AshevilleThe John Locke Foundation and NR 570 WWNC cordially invite you to a luncheon with one the best-known and most controversial figures within the contemporary American media. A prolific author and writer for Vanity Fair, The Nation, Slate, and many other publications, Hitchens is known for his provocative and often irreverent take on current events. Monday, May 15th.Tickets are only $25, which includes lunch at the Grove Park Inn.DON'T WAIT - PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS TODAY!!!
Going... Going... Gone!Wal-Mart site hunt toughens~ The Asheville Citizen-TimesWal-Mart Stores might have a tough time finding a spot for another Supercenter inside Asheville city limits. City Council probably will consider whether to make it harder to locate the largest big-box stores in the city after Wal-Mart pulled its proposal for a 184,000-square-foot Supercenter in West Asheville on Tuesday. Some council members say they have misgivings about stores the size of a Supercenter in general. "City Council is in effect causing the urban sprawl they claim to hate,” Buncombe County, county planner Jim Coman said.
Giving Away AmericaIllegal immigrants cause trouble, officials sayAlso: Mexicans hurry to cross border before any change in U.S. policy~ The Winston-Salem JournalIllegal immigrants are overwhelming local governments, schools and law enforcement, said officials testifying yesterday at a meeting of a congressional subcommittee in Winston-Salem. Meanwhile, a shelter's manager said he has not seen such a rush of migrants since 1986, when the United States allowed 2.6 million illegal residents to get American citizenship. Illegal migrants are hurrying to cross over in time to qualify for a possible guest-worker program - and before the journey becomes even harder.
Spring Into Action! Learn how you can get involved!
Render Unto Caesar...Tax restructuring to cost Hendersonville~ The Hendersonville Times-NewsHendersonville will sign off on an agreement in which the city will pay the county about $151,000 each year to keep the same sales tax distribution method. Henderson County needs to find a way to cover the tab for a new elementary school and major renovations on another campus. But the towns and cities will face a financial crunch. So county leaders pitched a compromise Monday: the “per capita” method remains, but the towns and cities agree to pay back the county two-thirds of the difference.
Sexuality in the SchoolsTeens to fight ban on gay-straight club~ The Charlotte ObserverTwo days after the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education voted to ban the Gay-Straight Alliance as a club at South Rowan High School, club members said they planned to challenge the decision, which they called illegal. "We are definitely going to try to fight back and do something about this," said Brittany Sharp, a 16-year-old junior at South Rowan and co-founder of GSA, which she said promotes tolerance of diversity. "They are breaking the law and banning us from having our club

Monday 04/03/06
Arbitrary Zoning Decisions Questioned
Second Democrat calls for Black's resignationAlso: Cumberland Democrat calls for caucus on Black
WNC wants fair share of lottery proceeds
Lacrosse team out of control
Water-fee fight abandoned
What the bleat do 'they' know?
Committee stirs conflict within NC GOP
Also: Republicans increasingly critical of Bush

Court inaction lets adult clubs remain
Housing boom also leads to high foreclosure rate in N.C.
Helms' wife says he has dementia, in convalescent center
Americans divided about immigration
McCain softens language on Jerry Falwell
Iran calls test of new missile successful
Couric to anchor 'Evening News'
Tourists release roster for this season