* The N.C. Bear Hunters Association tells Gov. Beverly Perdue it'll help out next time she has a run in with a bear.

* Local governments in Transylvania County are interested in building homes to provide to local school teachers.

* Consultant Gary Pearce tells a fascinating story about oilman Walter Davis sending $20,000 in cash to Jim Hunt. (They sent it back.) 

* Liberal columnist Chris Fitzsimon hails a survey of CEOs by Chief Executive Magazine that finds North Carolina No. 2 for business climate.

Walter Royal Davis, a Pasquotank County farmer's son who became a Texas oil tycoon and returned to North Carolina as a philanthropist and an influential figure in politics and higher education, died Monday night at his home in Chapel Hill.

He was 88, Bruce Siceloff reports.

Davis was a major benefactor and supporter of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a trustee for 16 years, including two years as chairman of the board.

He donated money for scholarships and fought to claim $32 million from the state legislature from the sale of university utilities. Part of that money went to the construction of the university's high-rise Walter R. Davis Library, which opened in 1984.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

David Young raised $449,038 by the end of 2007.

The Democratic candidate for state treasurer raised $435,246 from large donors, including developer William Allen, Home Trust Bank CEO Edward Broadwell and retired oilman Walter Davis, according to a campaign finance report filed with the State Board of Elections today.

He also raised $384 from donors who gave less than $50, and $13,408 from political action committees, including the BB&T PAC, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and the Asheville Anesthesia Associates PAC.

At the same time, Young spent $20,483 on office expenses and consulting.

That left him with $420,058 in cash on hand.

Update: The contributions include $110,000 Young gave his campaign as a donation—not a loan—and $3,158 transferred from his county commissioner campaign.

Walter Dalton raised $855,382 by the end of 2007.

The Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor raised $764,637 from major donors, including retired oilman Walter Davis, lottery commissioner Charles Sanders, and state Sen. Martin Nesbitt.

He also raised $1,895 from donors who gave less than $50 and $88,750 from political action committees, including the Bank of America, R.J. Reynolds, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Progress Energy and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, according to a campaign finance report filed with the State Board of Elections last week.

At the same time, he spent $134,100 on secretarial services, campaign consulting and event sponsorship.

That left him with $904,191 in cash on hand.

The Democratic candidates for state treasurer are releasing their fundraising numbers.

Buncombe County Commissioner David Young started it off Wednesday with the announcement yesterday that he raised $437,857 as of Dec. 31, including more than $230,000 in December alone.

His donors included Raleigh real estate executive Steve Stroud, former ambassador Jeanette Hyde, philanthropist Walter Davis and Raleigh community leader Ann Goodnight.

Raleigh attorney Michael Weisel announced later that day that he raised $464,000 as of Dec. 31.

The other Democratic contender, state Sen. Janet Cowell, released her numbers today. She said she raised $209,000 during the final quarter of 2007.

The actual campaign finance reports will not be available until the end of the month. All figures are based on campaign press releases.

No word so far on fundraising from the two Republican candidates in the race, Reps. Bill Daughtridge and Dale Folwell.

David Young, a Democratic candidate for treasurer, raised more than $60,000 at fundraiser Wednesday at the home of former Ambassador Jeanette and Wallace Hyde in Raleigh.

Among those who attended were Wake County Commissioner Betty Lou Ward, philanthropist Ann Goodnight; Blue Cross/Blue Shield CEO Bob Greczyn; former Lt. Gov. Bob Jordan; former Glaxo chairman Charlie Sanders; former state Democratic chair Wayne McDevitt; former Texas oilman Walter Davis, and Raleigh real estate executives Steve Stroud and Roddy Jones.

Young, a Buncombe County commissioner, raised the money in the home town of two his opponents — Raleigh attorney Michael Weisel and state Sen. Janet Cowell. They are seeking to succeed incumbent Richard Moore, who is running for governor.

State Sen. Walter Dalton raised more than $100,000 in Raleigh Wednesday night in his race for lieutenant governor.

The event, held at the home of Wallace and Jeanette Hyde, a former U.S. ambassador, showed Dalton's support among the Democratic establishment, Rob Christensen reports.

The event included glowing comment from Senate boss Marc Basnight, who called Dalton "a forward thinking leader."

Among the sponsors were Sen. Vernon Malone, Progress Energy CEO Bill Johnson, Red Hat CEO Matthew Szulik, BlueCross/BlueShield CEO Bob Greczyn, former Lt. Gov. Bob Jordan, UNC benefactor Walter Davis, former N&O publisher Frank Daniels Jr., former Glaxo CEOs Bob Ingram and Charlie Sanders, and former state Democratic chairs Tom Hendrickson and Betty McCain and Barbara Allen.

The other Democrats running for lieutenant governor are Durham lawyer Hampton Dellinger, Winston-Salem Councilman Dan Besse, and Canton Mayor Pat Smathers.