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The state employees association announced today it has settled its lawsuit against the state Treasurer’s Office over a public records request.

The State Employees Association of North Carolina in 2007 had sought records after Forbes magazine published an article that asserted then-Treasurer Richard Moore, a Democrat, had a fundraising advantage in his campaign for governor thanks to investment managers who did or could do business with the state’s pension fund.

SEANC dropped its lawsuit and signed a settlement agreement on March 9 because current State Treasurer Janet Cowell has “sufficiently satisfied the association’s public records request,” according to its statement.

Conservative talk radio host Frank Roche entered the race for state treasurer Wednesday, just before the filing deadline. He said he is a "trained financial market economist" with experience as a trader and analyst. He promised a "new vision" if elected.

The Cary resident is a former unsuccessful GOP Congressional candidate known for his fiery rhetoric. Roche spoke at a Orange County Republican event earlier this month and called Barack Obama a "post-American president," claimed the White House nudged aside Gov. Bev Perdue (which both sides deny) and said this election "is about no more Mr. Nice Guy."

One other Republican filed for the party nomination for treasurer: Steven Royal of Elkin. The winning candidate will face Demcoratic incumbent Janet Cowell, whose work has earned the praise of GOP House Speaker Thom Tillis.

North Carolina's chief investment officer Shawn Wischmeier announced his resignation Friday after the markets closed.

Wischmeier is leaving to take a similar position at the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies in Minnesota. He served in his role for less than two years, after replacing Patricia Gerrick who was fired amid questions about her expenses.

State Treasurer Janet Cowell appeared Friday on Good Morning America as part of an ABC segment on unclaimed money.

Cowell stood in a gymnasium at the Arapahoe Charter School with ABC's Elisabeth Leamy to present three checks from unclaimed property. (See the clip here. North Carolina's part starts at 3:20.)

Democratic State Treasurer Janet Cowell's campaign announced a list of supporters Tuesday that will help deter a serious Republican challenger

Cowell is one of two statewide elected officials not yet facing an announced challenger. Her list of supporters includes a number of top Democrats, including former Gov. Jim Hunt, Lillian's List founder Jan Allen, Harvey Gantt, Crandall Bowles and retired state Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry Frye.

But it also includes a few Republican donors, such as Fred Eshelman, a leader in the Real Jobs NC political group with Art Pope; Tim Clancy, a Raleigh builder; and former Wachovia Chairman John Medlin, who is politically unaffiliated.

"I am honored to have the support of so many individuals, from both political parties, that care deeply about North Carolina and have shown tremendous dedication to our state," said Cowell in a statement.

The latest version of a debt affordability study issued by State Treasurer Janet Cowell again concludes that North Carolina has exhausted its debt capacity for another fiscal year, the Insider reports. 

The study recommends that state lawmakers avoid additional borrowing for the 2012-13 year to keep the state's debt service at the recommended level of 4 percent of General Fund expenses. "The slow recovery, in combination with the reduction of the state sales tax rate, has resulted in another year of no debt capacity," Cowell said.

Democratic State Treasurer Janet Cowell is removing her name from a list of possible candidates for governor after Gov. Bev Perdue's impromptu exit today.

In a statement to Dome, Cowell says: "I intend to seek re-election as state treasurer. In a year with so many unknowns, the most valuable role I can play is ensuring the stability of our state's finances and continuing the important work of the office."

So with Attorney General Roy Cooper and Secretary of State Elaine Marshall also not seeking the state's top post, it appears at this point that Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton is the only statewide elected official with an eye toward the governor's mansion. 

State Treasurer Janet Cowell is touting a rating agency's decision to upgrade the outlook for some of the state's largest cities and counties.

Moody's Investors Service revised the outlook from negative to stable for AAA-rated Winston-Salem, Greensboro and the counties of Durham Guilford, Mecklenburg, New Hanover and Wake.

"These seven North Carolina local governments are among the most financially secure and well managed governments in the nation," Cowell said in a statement. "This decision by Moody’s is confirmation not only of the strength of these units, but also of the sound local government financial management laws and systems in place in North Carolina."

As Senate Republicans and the Democratic governor waged war last week about an economic development project that went south, a curious moment of bipartisanship went largely unnoticed.

In case you missed it, Republican House Speaker Thom Tillis gave a major compliment to Democratic State Treasurer Janet Cowell during a town hall in Asheville on Friday.

According to the Mountain Express: "On another tack, when asked whether the state pension fund was assuming overly large returns, Tillis replied that State Treasurer Janet Cowell is one of the most competent elected officials he knows. Voicing his confidence in her, he said, "I don't believe all Democrats are incompetent."

Now here's a job every politicians wants to do: hand out big checks.

Envy Janet Cowell, the state treasurer, who visited the Mountain State Fair in Fletcher to return $800 to Arden resident Joe McKinney.

Her office set up a NC Cash booth at the fair to allow locals to search a database and see if the state owed them money. Those who searched found $70,000 to reclaim.

This is Cowell's official line -- "The Mountain State Fair was a great opportunity ... to reach out to citizens who may have unclaimed funds" -- but the grin in the photo says even more.