Tag search result

A business partly owned by U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan's husband is suing the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority.

Charles T. "Chip" Hagan is a managing member of Hydrodyne Industries LLC, according to a Dec. 31 filing with the N.C. Secretary of State's office.

The Greensboro firm is one of four companies that own hydroelectric dams on the Deep River which are suing the regional authority, arguing they will lose money if it draws water from the river.

John Kime, the authority's executive director, told the Greensboro News-Record that plaintiffs are seeking millions of dollars in damages.

A trial is set for this summer.

Hat Tip: Rhino Times

* N&O editor John Drescher remembers another side of former Gov. Bob Scott — the politician who refused to answer a difficult question from a reporter.

* Greensboro News-Record columnist Doug Clark wonders why the public campaign finance system should spend $200,000 to elect a powerless schools superintendent.

* WUNC radio reporter Laura Leslie mourns the end of NBC-17's "At Issue" weekly political news show, praises hard work of anchor Kim Genardo.

* Blogger Dr. Frank argues that the legislature's balanced budget requirement may be too restrictive during a recession since suggested cuts aren't even close.

* Rep. Bruce Goforth writes a bill that would extend legislators' terms from two years to four, says it would cut PAC influence, fundraising.

* U.S. Sen. Richard Burr makes the rounds, appearing on Fox News and WPTF, at press conference and on Senate floor to speak against SCHIP, stimulus package.

* Greensboro News-Record columnist Doug Clark says Senate Republican leader Phil Berger should go over legislators' heads and talk straight to the governor.

* Conservative, gun-owning NRA member Katy Benningfield speaks out against bill allowing hunting on Sundays, cites personal safety while mountain biking.

* U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick delivered the opening prayer at a closed-door meeting between President Obama and House Republicans on the stimulus package.

* Conservative commentator John Hood gives suggestions for the legislature to really cut spending and make government more transparent.

* Liberal commentator Adam Linker wonders whatever happened to the second of two promised audits of the State Health Plan from former Auditor Les Merritt.

* Greensboro News-Record reporter Mark Binker rounds up what to expect from the upcoming session, notably the budget, the budget and the budget.

Doug Clark said Gov. Mike Easley's exit interview was an example of why his administration has had problems.

In a post on his Off the Record blog, the Greensboro News-Record columnist said that a recent series on probation was not a "hatchet job" just because it told the public about an ongoing problem.

"Sorry for not being nice about this, governor, but that is a legitimate news story," he writes. "It's a matter of public interest when violent criminals who ought to be locked up are allowed to run loose endangering innocent people."

Clark also criticized Easley's remark that the real solution is to restart capital punishment.

Yeah, that's it. Execute them.

Just one problem: Probationers are NOT convicted murderers. People who are convicted of capital crimes and sentenced to death are NOT put on probation.

It's just an inconvenient legal necessity to hold the death penalty until AFTER one is convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to die.

But nice try, governor.

Gov. Mike Easley said the "24/7 press cycle" has led to criticism of him.

In an exit interview with Mark Binker of the Greensboro News-Record, Easley said that the increased demand for news online had led to "gotcha" journalism.

"There's a 24/7 press cycle now," he said. "People calling all night long. They want access to the governor all the time ... So that's created a lot of competition, especially on the print side the pressure has been downsizing and original content. Original content is gotcha stories."

Easley said the Charlotte Observer and the Raleigh News & Observer had been hardest on him of state media because his administration would not release e-mails relating to personnel matters and corporate recruiting.

He said a recent series on problems with the probation system was a "hatchet job" on Correction Secretary Theodis Beck, though he argued that probationers killings are better than they used to be said the death of Eve Carson was being unfairly blamed on the system.

"Some young lady gets brutally murdered by a couple of probationers ... it's now the probation officers fault," he said. "When are we going to start holding some of these people accountable and get some of these executions going again?"

Easley said he tries to be fair to the media for his part.

"I try to keep my side of the window clean,"  he said. "My job is to be nice to other people and their job is to be nice to me. Just 'cause they're not doing theirs, doesn't mean I shouldn't do mine."

Rep. Alma Adams is in the running for a Perdue post.

The Greensboro Democrat's name has been raised several times for a possible appointment to the cabinet of Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue.

The most recent tip comes from the Greensboro News-Record's Inside Scoop column, which quotes Rep. Earl Jones, also a Greensboro Democrat.

"She probably will get offered a position by Perdue," Jones told the newspaper.

Adams had no comment, but she would be an interesting pick. During the Democratic primary, she cut a TV ad defending Perdue against charges of not opposing racism strongly enough by state Treasurer Richard Moore.

She also was one of the prominent critics of the diversity of Perdue's original transition team.

The News-Record notes N.C. Spin's claim that Adams is in the running for head of the state Department of Administration.

Update: Adams, an art professor, may also be considered for secretary of the state Department of Cultural Resources.

Previously: Names in the mix for Perdue's Cabinet

Doug Clark says Jim Hunt will stay put.

The Greensboro News-Record columnist blogs that the former governor will not take a position in Barack Obama's education department in Washington because he's needed here:

Hunt has been a mentor to North Carolina Gov.-elect Bev Perdue, and she'll need him in Raleigh a lot more than Barack Obama will need him in Washington. Perdue proclaimed herself the "new sheriff in town," but she's not new, nor has she established her authority to police the very powerful state legislature. If she hopes to make state government as honest and transparent as she promised during her campaign, she'll need some advice on how to manage the mob on Jones Street.

He adds that losing to Sen. Jesse Helms dashed Hunt's "national ambitions."

Related: College buddy of Hunt's leading Perdue's transition team.

In a new ad, Democratic Senate candidate Kay Hagan criticizes negative ads from Sen. Elizabeth Dole and notes her record on illegal immigration.

What the ad says: The ad shows images of Dole's ads and Hagan talking with law enforcement officers and voters. Narrator: "Now she's crossed the line. Newspapers are condemning Elizabeth Dole's shameful attacks. A lie born of Dole's desperation. Worse than dishonest. And now new lies about Kay Hagan's immigration record. The facts: Hagan voted to ban driver's licenses for illegal immigrants. Kay's been endorsed by 53 sheriffs, who know she's cracked down on a crisis Washington created. It's time for the truth. And a change." Hagan: "I'm Kay Hagan and I approve this message."

The background: The ad makes several claims about the Senate race.

EDITORIALS: Three major North Carolina newspapers wrote editorials chastizing Dole over a recent ad about Hagan's ties to a member of the Godless Americans PAC.

The Wilmington Star-News wrote that it was "shameful even by today's threshold for slime" and "smacks of desperation." The Charlotte Observer wrote that it was "a lie born of Dole's desperation in a race in which she has trailed for weeks."

And the Greensboro News-Record said it was "worse than dishonest" in depicting Hagan as "godless."

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: Starting in 2000, state Republicans pushed legislation to make it impossible for illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses.

The state Senate's Democratic leadership sent all of the bills to die in committee, but a provision in the 2001 budget made it slightly more difficult for illegal immigrants to get a license.

Other Republican bills died in committee over the next several years. In 2006, the House amended a Senate bill to make it impossible for illegal immigrants to get licenses.

Hagan voted for both bills, but she played only a supporting role in the process and did not intervene when earlier Republican measures were pushed aside.

She also cosponsored a 2008 bill requiring employers verify information on new employees and helped pass the 2007 budget, which included $750,000 to help promote a deportation program.

SHERIFFS: In late August, 53 of North Carolina's 100 sheriffs endorsed Hagan, according to the Associated Press. About two-thirds of the sheriffs are Democrats, and none of the Republican sheriffs endorsed her.

Is it accurate? It's overstated. It's true that Hagan voted to ban driver's licenses and supported other measures, but she hardly led a crackdown on illegal immigration. The claims about newspaper editorials and sheriff's endorsements are accurate.

— Ryan Teague Beckwith