It's hard to measure a legislator's impact.

From the individual votes to the behind-the-scenes support, a state lawmaker can affect a wide variety of issues at the legislature.

As the General Assembly remembers Sen. Vern Malone, we at Dome took a look at a few of the laws and resolutions he wrote in his four terms:  

EDUCATING MILITARY KIDS: A 2008 bill entered North Carolina into an interstate compact to help military children enroll in school.

ALLOWING SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS: A 2006 bill allowed school boards to enter into partnerships with developers to build new schools.

CHANGING BOARD OF EDUCATION: A 2009 bill allowed the governor to name another public school employee to the State Board of Education. 

HONORING WENDELL: A 2003 resolution honored the founders of the town of Wendell on its 100th anniversary.

LIMITING NUTRIENT OFFSETS: A 2006 bill limited certain nutrient offset payments required of developers whose projects may affect rivers.

In addition, Malone was the prime sponsor of another 39 bills still pending.

The state Employment Security Commission edited Wikipedia entries on "Babylon 5," cookbook author Sandra Lee and the town of Wendell.

The most interesting change, however, was an October 2006 edit to the entry on UNC-Chapel Hill football coach Butch Davis, who was then under consideration for the job.

An ESC employee wrote that it was a "failed program." 

If Davis takes the job he will be rebuilding a program that has bottomed and is on life support. The aluminum glare from the stands from the lack of fan interest is indicative of UNC's support of football.

On another occasion, someone at the same computer undid vandalism to N.C. State coach Chuck Amato's entry. Another ESC computer, meantime, was used to vandalize Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul's entry.

The previously anonymous changes were revealed using Wikiscanner.