A Columbus County man who said state Sen. R.C. Soles Jr. fondled him as a boy has now recanted that accusation, according to The Fayetteville Observer.

In an interview this week, Stacy Osteen Scott said he didn't tell the truth last year in a taped television interview when he said Soles fondled him 12 years ago, when Scott was 15, and then paid him $1,000 in hush money. Wilmington TV station WWAY broadcast the year-old taped interview last week.

According to an article posted on the Fayetteville newspaper's website Monday evening, Scott said he was mentally ill and on drugs when he made the accusation against the Tabor City Democrat.

Scott's earlier comments against Soles triggered an SBI investigation, which is still ongoing.

The full account of Scott's statement is available here.

Someone set fire to a Columbus County house occupied by a former client of state Sen. R.C. Soles.

Allen Strickland, 17, escaped before the house burned to the ground, WWAY-TV in Wilmington reports.

Last year, Strickland was arrested after police say he was threatening to extort the senator.

Strickland told the station that Soles paid for his house, his car, and gives him a regular allowance as part of an arrangement they had if Strickland finished school.

This week, morning anchor Kevin Wuzzardo asked the Senator about the gifts at the end of an unrelated interview. The station published a transcript of the exchange.

Kevin: "On another matter, a young man named Allen Strickland told us that you've given him tens of thousands of dollars to pay for his house and his car, as part of an arrangement that if he finishes school, you'll buy him these things. Have you given him that money?:

Soles: "I cannot hear you."

Kevin: (Louder) "A young man named Allen Strickland told us that you've given him tens of thousands of dollars to pay for his house and his car."

Soles: "I cannot hear you, speak up."

Kevin: (Louder) "A young man named Allen Strickland - "

Soles: "Speak up."

Kevin: "Do you hear me, Senator?"

The phone then went dead. The station has been unable to reach Soles again.

One of Gov. Beverly Perdue's judicial appointments had some tax problems.

Sherry Dew Tyler will be sworn in Friday as a judge for the 13th Judicial District in Bladen, Brunswick and Columbus counties.

But WWAY television reports that she owed back taxes:

When Governor Perdue chose her for the judgeship, Tyler had a huge overdue tax bill. With interest included, she owed the federal government about $76,000 in back income taxes.

"I had a federal tax lien. It's been a matter of public record for a period of time. My plan had been to take care of that. It was the right thing to do before I was being considered as a district court judge,” Tyler said.

When we caught up with Ms. Tyler outside the courthouse Wednesday afternoon, she told us she had just paid her overdue tax bill in full.

Tyler is the law partner of Sen. R.C. Soles.

Richard Moore wants three more debates before Election Day.

The Democratic gubernatorial candidate and his rival, Beverly Perdue, have faced off in a debate before the N.C. School Boards Association and twice on UNC-TV.

But he says that the UNC-TV forums are not "real debates" because they don't include rebuttals.

"It's not a real debate if there is no give and take between the candidates," he said in a statement. "We are running to be the CEO of the tenth largest state and manage a $20 billion budget. Voters deserve to hear directly from the candidates in a format that forces them to go beyond scripted talking points."

According to the Moore campaign, Perdue has turned down debates on North Carolina News 14, WRAL and WTVD in Raleigh, WITN in Greenville and WWAY in Wilmington.

The only scheduled debate is a third UNC-TV forum on education on April 24.