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Utilities not ready to run on animal waste

Submitted by bniolet on August 18, 2009 - 5:55am.

North Carolina's electricity providers say poop-to-power isn't ready for prime time.

Progress Energy, Duke Energy and other providers have asked state regulators to delay and modify a 2007 state law that requires them to generate a minimum amount of energy from pig or chicken waste. The law, designed to promote renewable energy and efficiency, requires utilities to begin getting some energy from pig and chicken litter by 2012.

The utilities have been seeking proposals for waste-to-energy projects, but say they've gotten only limited and expensive bids. (N&O)

* The White House has indicated that it could accept a nonprofit health-care cooperative as an alternative to a new government insurance plan, originally favored by President Barack Obama. But the cooperative idea is so ill-defined that no one knows exactly what it would look like or how effectively it would compete with commercial insurers. (NYT)

* A Chatham County man and convicted sex offender is challenging a state law that took effect in December that forbids registered sex offenders from being within 300 feet of a school, playground, day care or children's museum.

James Nichols, 31, served six years in prison for indecent liberties with a teenage girl and attempted second-degree rape. A Chatham County sheriff's deputy arrested him in March for going to church because the church runs a day care. Nichols had disclosed his crimes to his pastor. (N&O)

Sex offender bill raised questions

Submitted by bniolet on May 12, 2009 - 3:24pm.

House members had concerns about a bill that would add teachers who are convicted of having sex with students to the sex offender registry.

Currently teachers or school employees are added to the registry if they are convicted of taking indecent liberties with a student younger than 16. The bill would cover all K-12 students.

Rep. Curtis Blackwood, a Matthews Republican said he was worried about a scenario in which high school students are dating. One student graduates and goes to work for the school.

"He or she is going to be labelled a sex offender for continuing the relationship," Blackwood said.

Rep. Rick Glazier, a Fayetteville Democrat, said the indecent liberties law includes a provision that the incident is a felony only if the age difference is four years or greater.

"This statute is about a teacher having sex with a student," Glazier said.

More after the jump.