A state trooper fired after he admitted to showing a bank teller a picture of a naked boy with a "large penis" is challenging the dismissal in state admistrative court.

Ronald G. Ezzell Jr., 43, of Beulaville, a helicopter pilot for the patrol, said the firing was unjustified and "totally disproportionate to the conduct engaged in and inconsistent with personnel actions taken by the Patrol in other cases involving far more egregious conduct," Dan Kane reports.

Ezzell also accused the patrol of releasing information protected under state personnel law.
According to personnel documents, Ezzell showed the picture on Oct. 28 while doing business at a drive-thru window of a State Employees Credit Union branch in Kinston.

He was in uniform and in a patrol car at the time. He said he showed the picture as a joke, claiming it to be a picture of him as a boy at his grandmother's house. He said he did not intend to offend anyone.

It's unclear if the photo was doctored.

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Which Cabinet appointment oversees the most money?

The Secretary of Health and Human Services, by far.

A review of the 2007-08 budget shows that the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services had by far the largest amount of spending — nearly three times as much as expenditures for the rest of the Cabinet positions combined.

Health and Human Services: $16.5 billion

Transportation: $3.5 billion

Correction: $1.2 billion

Environment and Natural Resources: $329.8 million

Crime Control: $206.2 million

Juvenile Justice: $168.8 million

Commerce: $115.7 million

Revenue: $109.2 million

Administration: $108.3 million

Cultural Resources: $82.1 million

A caveat: The figures above include money received from both federal and state sources. Nearly three-fourths of Health and Human Services funding comes from the federal government.

The revised numbers for 2008-09 are not yet available.

The Humane Society of the United States is applauding the N.C. State Highway Patrol's decision to disband its canine unit and build a new one that does not use aggressive training tactics and solely uses dogs for sniffing out narcotics.

N.C. Crime Control Secretary Bryan Beatty and patrol Commander Walter J. Wilson Jr. announced the plan on Monday, Dan Kane reports.

"We commend Secretary Beatty and Colonel Wilson for working to ensure  that all dogs employed by the North Carolina Highway Patrol are treated in a humane manner, and that all officers who handle these animals are fully and properly trained," said Amanda Arrington, the society's North Carolina state director.

The patrol suspended the unit after testimony in a personnel hearing seven months ago showed that troopers were using harsh training tactics such as swinging and suspending dogs by their leads, shocking them with stun guns and throwing plastic bottles filled with pebbles at them.

The hearing was held to determine if Sgt. Charles L. Jones should get his job back.

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Bryan Beatty gave an provocative answer about his future.

Asked by Dome through a spokesman for the N.C. Department of Crime Control whether he hoped to continue working under the new administration, Beatty did not say.

"He said he appreciates your interest, but that is between him and Gov.-elect (Beverly) Perdue," said Capt. Everett Clendenin of the N.C. Highway Patrol.

Beatty, who has been secretary of crime control since 2001, has long been rumored to be interested in staying. Of late, the speculation has been that he might take over the N.C. Department of Correction from retiring Secretary Theodis Beck.

He is the first current Cabinet member to explicitly refuse to answer the question since Dome began calling around this week.