Charlotte

Schools cautious of Obama speech

bniolet — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:32:12 -0400

* Many Triangle schools were cautious about airing President Barack Obama's education speech Tuesday, requiring written parental permission for students to watch a taped version later this week.

Other schools convened hundreds of students to watch the speech and discuss the president's exhortation to try hard despite obstacles.

Obama's speech had created an outcry from some parents and commentators, who accused the president of trying to push a political agenda with his back-to-school message. In the end, the short speech was a conventional pep talk to students about setting goals, learning from their failures and taking responsibility for their education.

The message hit home in Durham for Southern High School sophomore Anthony Peaks, who admits to slacking off at school.

Peaks, whose father died when he was 8 and who has spent time in foster care, related to a story Obama told about a student from Chicago who bounced from foster home to foster home but is on track to go to college.

"I'm going to try to do better on my work, and I know now I didn't take my education real seriously," Peaks said after Obama's pep talk. The speech "was just a motivation for me to stay in school."

Outside Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va., where Obama spoke, a small group of protesters gathered, including one with a sign that said, "Mr. President, stay away from our kids." (N&O)

* Twenty years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a new rule for cities with dirty air, such as Charlotte: Show that your road-building plans will complement efforts to clean the air — or risk losing critical highway construction dollars.

But today the federal process is full of loopholes, the Observer has found.

City transportation planners changed data, made overly optimistic projections and insisted that more roads would help people drive less. Those questionable projections have helped keep highway dollars flowing to Charlotte. (Char-O)

Perdue popularity lagging in Charlotte

bniolet — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:03:45 -0400

Gov. Beverly Perdue pledged during last fall's campaign to strengthen ties between Charlotte and state government in Raleigh. Since taking office, she has made an impact in the state's largest city, just not always the impression she probably desired.

Perdue has opened a Charlotte office, the first governor to do so, that's more than a mail drop, Mark Johnson reports. Her office director routinely represents her at events in the city. She has visited Charlotte eight times in as many months. At minimum, Charlotte has seen more of Perdue than any governor in recent history.

At the same time, leaders in some parts of the city complain that her appearances have been photo opportunities instead of reaching out to important segments of the community. More widespread is the growing complaint that Perdue's promise in February to start construction on completing Interstate 485 by the end of the year is starting to ring hollow.

The economy and state revenue nosedived in the weeks after Perdue and Transportation Secretary Gene Conti promised to start work on the highway by year's end. State transportation officials most recently proposed that, in order to accelerate 485 construction, local leaders would have to agree to sacrifice another major road project – a planned improvement of Independence Boulevard.

"When I was campaigning, all I heard was '485, 485, 485.' I never heard 'Independence Boulevard,'" Perdue said in a telephone interview last week.

Dole: I'm not retired yet

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:37:32 -0400

Elizabeth Dole isn't slowing down.

North Carolina's former Republican senator was in Charlotte this morning for a fundraiser for two groups associated with Mike Huckabee, the former and possibly future GOP presidential candidate, Jim Morrill reports.

Dole said she sandwiched the appearance between a morning stop at Charlotte's Loaves & Fishes food bank and afternoon visits to the Charlotte Rescue Mission, Salvation Army and Thompson's Children's Home. She said she supports them all through the Elizabeth Dole Charitable Foundation.

On her way out, Dole, who turns 73 next month, was asked if she's enjoying retirement.

"Not retirement, no," she bristled. "Catching up on my life."

More after the jump.

Quick Hits

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:09:38 -0400

* Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum notes that he and Jesse Helms voted for Sonia Sotomayor before, but says they wouldn't again.

* Scheduler for U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx gets in trouble for a tweet about drinking "office beers" on "taxpayer time."

* U.S. Senate could take up bill regulating tobacco as soon as today, Sens. Richard Burr and Kay Hagan have vowed to fight it.

* Charlotte officials wonder if they should put in a bid for the 2012 Democratic or Republican national conventions, given a $60 million price tag.

Huckabee to speak in Charlotte

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:51:11 -0400

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will speak in Charlotte.

The one-time Republican presidential candidate will hold events to benefit a conservative advocacy group he runs, the Vertical Politics Institute, and his political action committee, Huck PAC.

The first event will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 11, at the Charlotte City Club. The cost for the private roundtable discussion is $500 per person and comes with a photograph with Huckabee.

He'll also be the guest of a private reception immediately afterward.

The cost of that event is $250 per person or $500 per couple.

Huckabee's last major appearance was at a get-out-the-vote rally in Raleigh and Charlotte in October. He was a speaker at last year's state Republican Party convention, where he notably helped save former state Sen. Robert Pittenger from choking.

Correction: The two events were incorrectly described in a previous version of this post.

Document(s):
HuckPAC invite.pdf

McCrory-town likes Perdue

bniolet — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:16:23 -0400

Charlotte likes the governor.

According to Public Policy Polling, Gov. Beverly Perdue's approval rating in the Charlotte area is better than her statewide rating in the Democratic polling firm's last three polls. It's an interesting result for a governor who defeated the city's Republican mayor, Pat McCrory in the November election. The firm's communication's director Tom Jensen says Perdue's approval rating has consistently outpaced her statewide approval.

"That's somewhat surprising," Jensen said.

In February she was at +11 statewide but +17 in Charlotte. In March it was +9 throughout the state and +13 in Charlotte. Our most recent survey showed a +1 for everyone and a +4 in Charlotte. On average that means she's doing four points better in the region than she is in North Carolina as a whole.

Perdue has been working on keeping her visibility up in Charlotte since she took office.

Perdue raises visibility in Charlotte

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:12:35 -0400

A few months ago, you wouldn't exactly call it Democrat Beverly Perdue's crowd: Charlotte's business leaders all gathered this afternoon at the Charlotte Chamber.

Among them was Perdue's erstwhile opponent, Republican Mayor Pat McCrory, who surely got the majority of votes from this hometown crowd, Jim Morrill reports.

But Perdue, who announced a handful of job training and economic development initiatives, appears to be building bridges in the city. Perdue narrowly carried Mecklenburg County, but largely on the strength of the Barack Obama vote.

Her remarks today capped visits earlier in the day to the big banks and an unemployment office. Last month she was here to announce the move of GMAC's headquarters to Charlotte and open a regional governor's office — the city's first.

"We've seen a lot of her in the first three months," said Charmber President Bob Morgan.

More after the jump.

Myrick: Tea parties encouraging

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:14:11 -0400

U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick said she was encouraged by the tea parties.

The Charlotte Republican spoke to an anti-tax protest sponsored by Freedomworks on April 4 and a second event run by a grassroots group in Monroe yesterday.

She was also invited to a tea party in Columbia, S.C., last night, but could not attend.

At both events, Myrick spoke for about 10 minutes about her concerns about the rising deficit and increased federal spending. She said she stressed that there was "blame to go around" for both Democrats and Republicans on the problem.

"When Republicans were in charge, they spent too much money, too," she said.

She said the events were a "real cross section" of Americans who are not normally involved in government.

"It was citizens who are very concerned," she said. "That's what was encouraging to me because it was grassroots America of all ages."

Kissell sought $530m in earmarks

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:56:13 -0400

U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell is seeking $530.1 million in earmarks.

The Biscoe Democrat released his list of 103 requested appropriations for the federal budget on his Web site.

The largest request is for $84.7 million to extend a road through the Fort Bragg Army base in Fayetteville. The smallest request is $35,000 for Project Fresh Start, a program to help former prison inmates.

Other notable earmarks:

* Extend Charlotte's Lynx transit system, $30 million.

* Build a sewage treatment plant in Hoke County, $21.2 million.

* Build new headquarters for the 406th Army field support at Fort Bragg, $16.5 million.

* Help N.C. National Guard prepare unmanned aerial systems, $6.1 million.

Dinner with Clinton, b-ball with Obama?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:23:46 -0400

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr wouldn't mind watching basketball with Barack Obama.

The Winston-Salem Republican was on Charlotte sports talk show "Primetime with the Packman" this afternoon.

Repeating a question from the Democratic primary last year, host Mark Packer asked if he would rather have dinner with Hillary Clinton or Obama.

"Hillary Clinton in a heartbeat," Burr said. "I've had an opportunity in the last week to have dinner with Barack Obama. I passed on that one."

Obama held a bipartisan "timeout dinner" at the White House last Wednesday with about 180 guests from Congress and his Cabinet as well as staffers and spouses.

Burr said the president is a "straight-up guy," a "tremendous athlete" and "a very disciplined individual," but he disagrees with him on the issues.

"I think what we've seen from the first 60 days is he has an agenda as to where he wants to take America," he said. "I'm not interested in going there."

Packer followed up. What about at the Final Four?

"Sporting event — I'm sitting beside Barack," he said. "No question."

Burr on Obama