* The Greensboro News-Record's Mark Binker cautions casual political fans not to expect too much too soon from the legislature.

* The House selects new Democratic whips: Reps. Larry Bell, Larry Hall, Jean Farmer-Butterfield, Deborah Ross and Bruce Goforth.

* More cutbacks in the field of journalism: UNC-TV will no longer pay political analysts who appear on its "Legislative Week in Review" show.

* Liberal blogger Andrea Verykoukis says the state's anti-sodomy law "has been used to persecute ... certain parties with certain proclivities" for centuries.

A few more bills from the House today:

H.B. 84: No Bail for Certain Illegal Aliens, Reps. Justin Burr, Pearl Burris-Floyd

H.B. 87: DOL Enforcement Positions/Funds, Reps. Beverly Earle, Jennifer Weiss, Angela Bryant, Jean Farmer-Butterfield

H.B. 88: Healthy Youth Act, Reps. Bob England, Susan Fisher, Alma Adams, Winkie Wilkins

Who's in the Tobacco Growers' Caucus?

After Dome noted which legislators represented major cigarette manufacturing employers in North Carolina, a reader noted that others represent tobacco growers.

According to records at the N.C. Department of Agriculture, 11 counties each produced more than $20 million worth of tobacco in 2007: Sampson, Johnston, Wilson, Wayne, Nash, Pitt, Lenoir, Harnett, Greene, Edgecombe and Duplin.

That means the following members represent growers:

In the House: Reps. Larry Bell, James Langdon, Leo Daughtry, Jean Farmer-Butterfield, Joe Tolson, Van Braxton, Efton Sager, Lucy Allen, Angela Bryant, Randy Stewart, Marian McLawhorn, Edith Warren, Arthur Williams, William Wainwright, David Lewis, Jimmy Love, and Russell Tucker.

In the Senate: Sens. Charlie Albertson, David Rouzer, A.B. Swindell, Don Davis, Clark Jenkins, and Harris Blake.

During a 2007 House vote, Reps. Bell, Farmer-Butterfield, Allen, Bryant, Wainwright, Love, and Tucker voted for a smoking ban, while Langdon, Daughtry, Tolson, Braxton, McLawhorn, Warren, Williams, and Lewis voted against it.

Sager and Stewart were not in the House at the time.

Four state Democrats want the legislature to honor John McCain.

But not that John McCain.

State Reps. Jean Farmer-Butterfield of Wilson, Joe Tolson of Pinetops, Marvin Lucas of Spring Lake and Martha Alexander of Charlotte filed a bill to honor Dr. John L. McCain, a Wilson County physician who died in 2005.

Dr. McCain has at least one thing in common with his namesake. Like the Republican presidential candidate, he served in the Navy, although it was during World War II, not the Vietnam War. 

Unlike the other McCain, he was once appointed to a national advisory board by President Jimmy Carter. 

Who is the fifth recipient of a scholarship from the N.C. Legislative Black Caucus Foundation?

We don't know, but we do know who it could be. There are 28 members of the Black Caucus. Of them, we know that scholarships went to the granddaughter of Rep. Earline Parmon, the son of Rep. Larry Womble and the daughter of Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield, and the daughter of Rep. Alma Adams.

That leaves 24 possible members. Check back here this afternoon for a running list of who has said it wasn't a relative of theirs.

In addition, Adams said she would leave the decision up to the legislator, so we can rule out those who have died: Sen. Jeanne Lucas, Sen. Robert Holloman, Rep. Howard Hunter, Rep. John Hall and Rep. Bernard Allen.

First, Rep. Dan Blue was not in the legislature at that time, and Rep. Linda Coleman said it was not any of her relatives ... a staffer for Rep. Mickey Michaux said it was not him, although he personally refused to answer ... Rep. William Wainwright said it was not him ... Rep. Larry Hall said it was not him ... a staffer for Rep. Marvin Lucas said it was not him and that he designated his scholarship money for students from local churches ... Rep. Angela Bryant was appointed in January so it's not her either ...

If your legislator tells you that it wasn't them (or was), please contact us at dome@newsobserver.com.

Rep. Alma Adams confirmed that her daughter was the recipient of a scholarship from the N.C. Legislative Black Caucus Foundation.

In an interview with reporters on the House floor today, the Greensboro Democrat said that her daughter, Jeanelle Lindsay, was one of the five recipients of scholarships from the nonprofit.

She did not elaborate, saying that she had to make a committee meeting before the House reconvenes at 3 p.m.

She did, however, say that press coverage has been inaccurate, though she did not explain how.

 "My real problem with the press is that you all don't quote things accurately," she said.

The foundation is reviewing its process for awarding scholarships. Scholarships also went to the granddaughter of Rep. Earline Parmon, the son of Rep. Larry Womble and the daughter of Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield.

It is not known who the fifth recipient is.

Correction: An earlier version of the post incorrectly used Lindsay's maiden name.

Relatives of five members of the N.C. Legislative Black Caucus received scholarships from its nonprofit foundation in 2005 and 2006.

According to a statement issued this afternoon by caucus chair Rep. Alma Adams, roughly $5,400 in scholarships given in those two academic years went to relatives of legislators.

"To the best of the Foundation's knowledge, the scholarship funds benefited students with financial and academic promise, and there was no intention to improperly benefit a legislator," she wrote.

In 2007, the Foundation gave out more than $12,000 in scholarships, none of which went to legislators' relatives, according to the release.

The foundation is reviewing its process for awarding scholarships. Scholarships went to the granddaughter of Rep. Earline Parmon, the son of Rep. Larry Womble and the daughter of Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield.

It is not known who the other two recipients are.

A granddaughter of state Rep. Earline Parmon may have also received a scholarship from a nonprofit affiliated with the N.C. Legislative Black Caucus.

Parmon declined to talk to a reporter today, but an announcement in an April 24, 2006, education column in the Winston-Salem Journal shows that a woman with the same name as her granddaughter received a $1,000 scholarship from the Black Caucus Foundation.

The following Winston-Salem students were recently awarded scholarships by Rep. Earline Parmon on behalf of the N.C. Legislative Black Caucus: (snip)

Shalonda Ingram received a $1,000 scholarship. She studies at Winston-Salem State University.

Other articles confirm that the Winston-Salem Democrat has a granddaughter named Shalonda Ingram. A May 12, 2003, feature about Ingram notes that she studied at a charter school run by her grandmother, Rep. Earline Parmon, and a Nov. 6, 2002, photo shows Parmon hugging her "granddaughter Shalonda Ingram."

The daughter of state Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield and the son of Rep. Larry Womble also received scholarships from the Black Caucus Foundation.

Neither Ingram nor Parmon could be reached for comment.

Update: Ingram confirmed on Thursday, June 28, that she is Parmon's granddaughter.