Former Gov. Mike Easley inducted more than 4,000 North Carolinians.
Between January 2001 and January 2009, the two-term Democratic governor added state residents into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine at a rate of nearly 10 a week, or more than one a day.
Notable recipients included former U.S. Attorney Janice McKenzie Cole, Broadway costumer designer William Ivey Long, architectural historian Catherine Bishir, Charlotte Observer columnist Jack Betts and painter Bob Timberlake.
A number of politicians also made the list: former state Sen. Aaron Plyler, former state Rep. Zeno Edwards Jr., former UNC system president Bill Friday, Supreme Court Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson, former Justice I. Beverly Lake Jr., former Wake County Commissioner Betty Ann Knudsen, Charlotte City Councilwoman Susan Burgess and former Wendell Mayor Lucius Jones.
A few on the list are not North Carolinians: civil rights advocate Coretta Scott King, actor Danny Glover and Navy aerobatic pilots the Blue Angels.
Also on the list: his in-laws, Ann and James Pipines, fundraiser Louis Sewell, and several members of his Cabinet. The list does not include Robert Lee Guy, however.
See anyone else interesting on the list? Post in the comments below or e-mail dome@newsobserver.com.
After the jump, the number given each year.
————
2001: 339
2002: 489
2003: 510
2004: 483
2005: 587
2006: 471
2007: 541
2008: 543
2009: 62 (through Jan. 9)
Document(s):
Easley-Pine-List.xls
Comments
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 7, 2009 - 6:47am — BitterEXdemocratYet another example of how SLEAZELY degraded the state he was elected to serve. WHEN will he be INDICTED?
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 7, 2009 - 6:38am — mmclendonGreat reporting! Sounds like a lot of trees are cut down to print these certificates. On the plus side, trees are a renewable resource. I wonder though, how many people got the Tar Heel Tater Head award during Easley's term? That is the big one!
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 6, 2009 - 10:07pm — JoeBlow39The handing out of this certificate due to connections goes way back before Easley. I know for a fact that Martin gave these out like candy in the 1990s. Two co-workers with less than 10 years experience with the state had theirs hanging on their office wall.
I asked why they were awarded the highest honor in the state and never received a straight answer. After working several years with them, I found out they both had family connections to Martin.
Bottomline, those who receive this certificate and deserve it should feel proud. To the majority of recipients, I hope you can at least make up a plausible story to tell people when they see you so proudly displaying your undeserved certificate.
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 6, 2009 - 8:43pm — cometrudolphBig deal
How many of these were State Employees with 30 years?
I see Federal Prison in the Future for Sl*Easley
May 6, 2009 - 8:13pm — vraptorWhat a sleaze ball. Speaker Black meeds some company in federal prison...
It is fun to look up Jimbo....
http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/LocateInmate.jsp
JAMES BOYCE BLACK. 50655-056. 74-White-M. Release: 03-31-2012. LEWISBURG USP
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 6, 2009 - 6:37pm — ejkaneI'm outraged and more! I wanna be a member of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine! What's the Order of the Long Leaf Pine? Never mind, everyone else is and I wanna be a member too!
P.S., Are these people who need "long leaves" to cover their "you know whats?" Just asking. ;-)
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 6, 2009 - 4:28pm — barbie50I'm outraged about this. I used to be in charge of submitting Long Leaf Pine nominations, and I was told repeatedly by the Easley folks that the only people who would be considered were employees of our department who retired with 30 years of service. We occasionally tried to submit awards for very deserving North Carolinians outside of state government, and they went no where. They told me only the governor's office could make nominations for other folks. I really didn't have that big a problem with that, assuming they were going to very special people who were worthy of the award. But, now I do. I mean -- giving his inlaws the award? I'm sure they are lovely people, but what did they do to deserve this award? They produced his wife. Maybe they are the ones who taught her how to get a high-paying state job that does virtually nothing, pay $60 for a cheeseburger and onion rings in Itally, or figure out how to get Rick Hendricks to loan her a car. Are those talents worthy of this award?
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 6, 2009 - 3:17pm — j1c2kpjdjcary, according to the article some are not from North Carolina.
But you're right, it's who you know.
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 6, 2009 - 2:46pm — jdjcaryIt is not necessary that you do something special, just if you know someone in the political system. Of course you do have to be a native. Some do deserve the award, but many only receive it because of who they know or if they have a friend who knows the person to call. Such is the story of many awards.
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 6, 2009 - 2:34pm — stevemichaelsGeez how did he find the time between his oversees "cultural" trips, getting his wife an easy gig at NCSU and deciding which free car to drive - he truly was a champion of multi tasking -
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 6, 2009 - 2:16pm — JohnPershingIt's sort of like grade inflation in the universities all over the nation.
Obama will do the gran finale with currency.
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 6, 2009 - 2:13pm — sixnineWell that sure is a slap in the face for those who really were deserving of the award.
You probably never even met the people for a hand shake!
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 6, 2009 - 2:09pm — ryanteaguebeckwith (author)Incidentally, your chief Dome blogger is not related to either of the Beckwiths that received the Order, as far as we know.
— RTB
Re: Easley inducted 4,000 into Order
May 6, 2009 - 2:08pm — j1c2kpGuess I was wrong, I thought this award was a very special, rarely given, totally deserving award. Why not just give the award to every NC born citizen? Now I'm not saying that those mentioned in the article are not worthy (don't know anything about his in-laws though it does seem strange that both would get the award) but to give out nearly 10 a week... No wonder he was not around much, he was way too busy making the list of awards each week. How many of his donors received awards? Hendrick, Bleeker, the Campbells, etc.?