Three North Carolina localities are ready to build, set up or relocate a liquor store and get their alcohol revenue flowing.

But they have had to put their plans on hold because there is no one in Raleigh to give them approval to proceed.

The state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission consists of a single commissioner at the moment. Two of the three seats, including that of the chairman, are vacant and have been since May. The commission needs two members to hold monthly meetings where it hears liquor law cases and approves new stores.

Gov. Beverly Perdue has not appointed anyone to fill the empty seats, but administration officials said Friday that an announcement could come as early as this week.

In North Carolina, liquor stores are run by local boards, not the state. The state commission runs the warehouse from which all stores buy their liquor, gives final approval for opening a store and hears cases of ABC law violations.

State commission member Mike Joyner of Charlotte stepped down last year. Then-Chairman Doug Fox of Wilmington resigned in May, at the request of Perdue, after Fox forwarded an e-mail message to friends and associates containing a racist illustration. That leaves only commission member John Lyon of Wake Forest. (N&O)

* At least 44 retired North Carolina judges are offering their time to keep courtrooms operating when judges call in sick or juggle a family emergency.

The problem is simple. Like most state agencies, the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts had to make tough choices about what the state could afford this year with a skimpier budget.

The legislature cut 6 percent of the agency's budget, shaving $30 million from funds used for expenses such as salaries and training for judges, prosecutors and clerks.

On the chopping block: money to pay substitute judges. One by one, retired judges raised their hands to come back onto the bench as volunteers. (N&O)

State law has been contrary to the Americans with Disabilities Act because it says deaf jurors cannot be seated as jurors. In practice, the Administrative Office of the Courts has advised judges and other court officials to allow deaf people to remain in jury pools and to have an interpreter assigned to them.

Opponents of the bill, primary lawyers, have expressed concern that the bill could force lawyers to seat a deaf juror.

"if you're going to be in court and you're going to have your case heard, you want to make sure you're being heard," said Rep. Bill Faison, an Orange County Democrat.

Faison said his concern was over whether the change would force a lawyer to use one of their limited supply of peremptory challenges that allow a lawyer to reject a juror for any reason.

Rep. Rick Glazier, a Fayetteville Democrat, said opponents were making much out of a bill that needed to pass.

"This is simply a conforming change that we're required to do since our state has been out of compliance and illegal under the ADA," Glazier said.

More after the jump.

   Comments (4)

Anyone who has ever spent time in a courthouse has glimpsed the mountains of paper printed every day.

Perhaps that helps explain why the judicial branch's consumption of office supplies has been averaging between $200,000 and $300,000 a month.

The branch cut that bill in June down to $50,000, according to Judge John W. Smith, director of the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts. In July the court system hasn't spent a dime on office supplies.

Cutting back on office supplies and printing is one of several austerity measures ordered because of uncertainty over the current budget crisis. One of the largest savings has come from not filling vacant positions. 

The decision to temporarily suspend rotation of Superior Court judges would save between $16,000 and $22,000 a month, Smith said.

The state constitution requires that judges rotate. Of course sending them all to their home districts for a month is technically a rotation so there wouldn't be any conflict with the constitution, judicial officials say.

A new administrative director has been named for the state court system — Special Superior Court Judge John W. Smith.

Smith replaces Judge Ralph A. Walker, who retires on New Year's Eve, Dan Kane reports.

As director of the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts, Smith will oversee administrative services for the state's unified court system. Gov. Mike Easley appointed him a special Superior Court judge in 2001 to work out of Wilmington. Smith has also been a district court judge, certified juvenile court judge, chief district court judge and an assistant district attorney in North Carolina.

"Judge Smith has served with excellency and dedication to the North Carolina court system," said state Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarah Parker in a statement. She made the appointment. "He brings enormous commitment to the administration of justice both within the judicial branch and to the citizens of the state."

The position pays $126,738 annually.