Legislation that could change the state Department of Transportation's relationship with North Carolina cities has been shelved while DOT and city leaders try to become better friends.

DOT officials drafted the measure, which would make changes aimed at easing the department's cash flow problems and reducing state maintenance costs for city streets, Bruce Siceloff reports.

One provision would reclassify an estimated 4,700 miles of minor state-maintained roads inside city and town limits across the state, and start a process of shifting them to local government responsibility. Local elected officials have lobbied against that plan because it did not include  money to cover the added local road maintenance expense.

The bills also would change a once-per-year schedule used by DOT to distribute so-called Powell Bill funds for street maintenance costs to local towns and cities. DOT wants to spread out the payments to twice a year.

"We've parked that bill for the year — we're not going to run it," Sen. Clark Jenkins of Edgecombe County, sponsor of the Senate measure, said today.

More after the jump.

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It's not exactly signing up with the enemy.

But the former deputy campaign manager for unsuccessful Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Moore has taken a new job with some unusual connections.

Julie White, best known among reporters for her hard-driving persuasive efforts and her fact-finding efforts at work, is joining the N.C. Metropolitan Coalition.

The advocacy group was founded in the late 1990s, but was notably revitalized in 2000 by Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory and others.

Who, it almost goes without saying, is running for governor against Moore's old rival, Beverly Perdue.

"Ms. White's energy, enthusiasm, and experience will be of great benefit to the Coalition as we advocate for livable, environmentally sound, and economically viable urban areas," said Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy in a statement.

White starts Aug. 18. 

Richard Moore has filed a complaint with the State Board of Elections on an ad being aired by the National Education Association.

The 60-second radio spot touts the work of Moore's rival for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, Beverly Perdue, though it does not mention her current campaign.

But Moore argues that the ad is not "grassroots lobbying," as claimed by the NEA, and instead is a political ad that would be governed by different state laws.

"This is a political ad pure and simple," said Moore's deputy campaign manager Julie White, in a statement. "Claiming it is 'grassroots lobbying' insults everyone’s intelligence and a breaks state campaign finance laws."

Moore asked the state board to demand the NEA stop airing the ad immediately.

The national teachers group has said it will spend $360,000 on the ad campaign. Click here to listen to the ad or here to read a script.

Richard Moore's campaign says that their final score was a joke.

Earlier, Dome wondered about the unusually low score — 52 to 46 — that he submitted in his Final Four bracket. 

Deputy campaign manager Julie White told Dome that the numbers were a play on the percentages that they hope to win by in the May 6 primary. 

"The press corp is usually very witty with a high level of sophistication in their humor.  I cannot believe everyone is missing the humor in the score," she writes. 

Scores in the 70s would be more likely these days, although that would not have been unusual before the advent of the shot clock. As noted previously, before that, UNC would often use a "Four Corners" strategy to hold the ball until time ran out.

Another missed joke: Moore's been accusing Beverly Perdue of doing the same thing with debates. 

Richard Moore has recently become very accessible.

The Democratic gubernatorial candidate has held two open-ended press conferences in recent weeks in which he answered questions from reporters.

In the first case, the subject was his economic stimulus package. At the second, it was an endorsement by a state union.

But in both cases, he stayed late to field questions on a variety of other subjects, including the impact of the presidential race, his thoughts on Eliot Spitzer and the failure of mental health reform.

At the end of the second press conference, Moore made a point of noting his openness, referring to deputy campaign manager Julie White.

"Did you notice Julie didn't try to cut anybody off or keep you all away from me?" he asked, rhetorically.

Moore's openness offensive is a deliberate attempt to draw a contrast with rival Beverly Perdue, who has been the least accessible gubernatorial candidate. (Not to mention Gov. Mike Easley, who's had some access problems of his own.) It dovetails nicely with his call for more debates.

And — caveat lector — it could also be an attempt to cultivate a better relationship with the press.

Still, gambit or no, it's a welcome effort by any candidate.

Richard Moore has pulled a YouTube campaign ad.

The Democratic gubernatorial candidate had posted an ad attacking Beverly Perdue over a bridge in New Bern that he claimed was a boondoggle.

About a minute into the ad, "Life in the Fast Lane" by the Eagles played briefly over shots of congestion in Charlotte, the Triad and the Triangle.

Prompted by a reader question, Dome called some entertainment lawyers to ask about copyright, online video and campaign ads. Word made its way to Irving Azoff, the manager of the Eagles, who told one of Dome's contacts that the song was definitely not approved.

Moore's campaign said they would rework the ad to take out the song.

"We certainly don't want to get crossways with Eagles," wrote Deputy Campaign Manager Julie White in an e-mail to Dome. 

Moore is not the first North Carolina politician to get in hot water with the Eagles. Don Henley was so upset by a bill on copyright sponsored by U.S. Rep. Howard Coble that he wrote the 2000 song "Inside Job" attacking it.

Coble later helped repeal the measure. 

Beverly Perdue says Julie White did not act alone.

A spokesman for the lieutenant governor said others working for state Treasurer Richard Moore were involved in a public records request. 

“It’s clear from the documents that others in the office were involved and that the problem was more widespread," said communications director Tim Crowley. "The Treasurer owes a deeper explanation than what has been given so far."

Earlier, Crowley said Moore's counter-claim to state Auditor Les Merritt was a "campaign stunt." 

Previously: Moore will discipline White. 

Richard Moore says he will discipline a staffer who used a state computer for campaign work.

In a statement released to the Greensboro's News & Record's Mark Binker (but, mysteriously, not to Dome), the state treasurer is quoted:

"It was brought to my attention this afternoon that Julie White, an employee of our Department, sent public records requests using a private email account from a state computer under the name of one of her relatives. To our knowledge, no laws were broken. However, Ms. White has violated departmental policies. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken."

White works part-time for the treasurer's office and part-time for his gubernatorial campaign. 

Previously: Records were requested in the name of White's relative.