North Carolina's Governor Easley encourages permanent water fix

The latest water crisis plea from North Carolina's Governor Easley is for NC towns and cities to solve water problems now before it is too late. Numerous pleas have been made during the worst drought in the state's history for everyone to take the new trend seriously and reduce water consumption. Neglecting this problem will result in water shortages at least throughout 2008 and probably well beyond since rainfall has not replenished regional water supplies and unchecked growth continues to place more strain on available resources.

A variety of ideas on reducing water consumption have been suggested ranging from simply cutting back on water use to reducing or eliminating lawn watering to using rain barrels to capture rain water for outside watering. Changing shower heads to low-flow ones and eliminating small leaks in sinks and toilets will help reduce consumption and reduce water bills.

Another simple step everyone should take is to make a quick check for leaks in water pipe systems. A small leak will waste a substantial amount of water and can greatly increase water and sewer bills. We recently noticed that our water bill had not decreased in the four months following the end of summer garden watering and discovered our bill had doubled and was growing. After opening the cover to our water meter box we discovered that even with everything turned off inside the house the water meter dial was still turning! This is a definite indication of a leak in the pipe system. After crawling under the house and checking all the pipes and joints we knew there were no leaks and no water seeping from areas where pipes were out of view. This was an immediate indication that the underground pipe from the house to the water meter had begun leaking. The underground pipe is now being replaced and we expect it to cut our water bill by at least one half.

Read more about the urgency of finding solutions for the water crisis and reducing consumption...

News 14 Carolina
Updated: 01/14/2008 08:05 PM
By: News 14 Carolina Web Staff

Easley calls for 'permanent' water fix

GUILFORD COUNTY -- Gov. Mike Easley called on North Carolina towns and cities to attack the state's water problems now before it becomes too late.

"Let's make this a permanent fix," Easley said. "Think in terms of, 'How do we fix this this year that fixes the problem for any drought that we might see in the future, any drought weather that we might see in the future.'"

Easley outlined three things he said would get the state started in the right direction. He said towns need to make sure they tap into additional water resources now. He promised that if those towns need extra monies, he would do all he could to make sure they got them.

"The state has $8 million in low-interest loans available for cities to create backup supplies," added Easley.

Water audits were also a big part of the governor's plan. He said as much as 25 percent of the water North Carolina uses every day is lost because of leaks in pipes. He said that number is unacceptable and called for water audits across the state to find and fix the leaks.

Finally, Easley said it's important for towns and cities to move to water conservation rates. A lot of times, these are tiered rate structures that charge the customers that use the most water more per gallon.

"Mayor Meeker in Raleigh suggested this, and he came out with a plan. The City Council is studying that. He was met with some resistance, there's no doubt about that," Easley continued. "But if you think people are upset when you hit them with conservation rates, they're going to be really upset when they run out of water."

Easley also called on residents to do their part to conserve. He said everyone can easily do water audits on their own homes to make sure they aren't losing water.

"Check your homes. If you turn off your water spigots, go outside and check your water meters," said Easley. "If it's running, you've got a leak somewhere."

"It's a nice time to practice conservation, before you really have to do it, added Joe Hudson, with Statesville Water Resources. "I would advise people to look around and see how they use water, and see if they can cut back."

Officials also warn that water will probably not be available next summer for typical outdoor uses like lawn irrigation

"You should not even think about reseeding or sodding your lawn," said Raleigh Utilities Director Dale Crisp.

The workshop was held at the Pinecroft-Sedgefield Fire Department. When they answer a call, they have to use water, but at the station, they conserve like most residents.

"Just like everyone else, we try to be good stewards and not use any more water than we have to," said fire Chief Tim Fitts.

They're only washing fire trucks when it's really needed, and they've installed low-flow shower heads, one of the changes officials are proposing North Carolinians make by March 1.

Easley said if North Carolinians can conserve between 25 percent and 30 percent and all the water leaks are sured up, the state will easily conserve 50 percent of the water that is currently used.

"It keeps it in people's minds that we have to change the way that we think about water," said Easley. "It's not as plentiful as it always was. We have the same amount of water as we've always had but a lot more people in the state."

Currently, all of North Carolina's counties are facing a drought, and 69 counties are in the most severe drought level. Original source...

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How much is your water worth

How much is your water supply worth to you?

Residents of North Carolina will no doubt be debating this new issue in for years to come as weather conditions and severe drought become a significant factor in the area. Water availability must be considered when planning new development and will be a major issue as the state's population continues to grow. Even the cost of water has become a raging debate as municipalities consider raising water rates in the wake of poor results to encourage conservation and stop wasteful watering practices.

Western states live with these problems in every day life since water resources are limited and citizens deal with problems locating new sources and sharing existing supplies. A couple of years ago while visiting in Colorado the scarcity of water was clearly demonstrated at an area horse farm north of Fort Collins. The residents of a small ranch for rescued horses made frequent trips to a neighbor's ranch pick up water from a deep well using a large tank mounted on a trailer to provide water for horses and people on the site. North Carolina residents have not reached this point so far but are beginning to plan for capture of alternative water in rain barrels to use for outside watering and other purposes beyond health and living needs. This will become a routine consideration going forwards to continue providing water for many neighborhood activities such as gardening, landscaping and washing cars. Our primary water supply may have reached a point where water will not be available for these activities unless new methods are added to our lifestyles.

Read the commentary about new problems with available water supplies and efforts to provide solutions for our future...

Winston-Salem Journal

Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Opinion article

The worth of water

North Carolina has not typically worried about water shortages, except for the occasional drought. But water won’t be as plentiful in the future, and North Carolinians will soon be required to adopt the kind of conservation that other Americans consider a fact of life.

Unfortunately, North Carolinians might also become accustomed to the intra-community struggles that Westerners regularly encounter as they search for new sources of water and try to preserve their traditional supplies.

Changing weather patterns may, or may not, lead to reduced rainfall in North Carolina. The more certain strain on our water resources, however, will come from the explosion of the state’s population. We’ve just gone over the 9 million mark, and there are no signs that this growth will end any time soon. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the population will hit 12 million in less than 25 years.

The more people who come here, the more water we’ll need to meet their needs.

But as North Carolina water systems search for new sources to quench their customers’ needs, they’ll encounter resistance, whether it comes from folks downstream or from those who don’t want their lakes and reservoirs tapped by outsiders.

Questions of interbasin transfers and riparian rights may soon become as much of the public-affairs lexicon as terms associated with taxes, pollution and traffic are today.

To its credit, the N.C. Environmental Review Commission has started a yearlong study of state water policies and supplies. The commission, which is a legislative advisory panel, wants to hear from the public in the process.

The need for such studies is new to the Southeast, but it is not unique to North Carolina right now. Both South Carolina and Georgia are suffering from the same drought that grips us, and their leaders are also searching for solutions.

While the states will, no doubt, cooperate in some ways, they will also compete for what is a finite resource. South Carolina has already sued to stop a plan to divert 10 million gallons of water from the Catawba and Yadkin rivers to the growing towns of Kannapolis and Concord.

In the short term, ordinary North Carolinians can do their best to conserve water, both by adapting more efficient practices and by installing water-saving devices. As time goes on, we might all have to become more aware of the many issues involved in water rights so that we can make the best decisions for our community.

When it comes to water, things are changing, and we must prepare for that new reality.

NC business goes for $925 million

One of North Carolina's home grown businesses sells for $925,000,000!

Burt's Bees has been on the market for one month and Clorox corporation plans to purchase it for $925 million. The deal will close by the end of 2007 and will remain in Durham, NC, and keep it's current chief executive, John Reploge. Burt's Bees has a strong reputation in health and wellness directions and compliments Clorox company's new Green Works line of natural cleaning products.

News & Observer
October 31, 2007
Vicki Lee Parker

Clorox to buy Burt's Bees for $925 million

Just over a month after being put up for sale, Burt's Bees, the Morrisville-based maker of natural personal-care products has a buyer.

Clorox Co., of Oakland, Calif., said this morning that it plans to purchase Burt's Bees for $925 million.

Clorox executives said the purchase will allow it to expand beyond its core business into the fast-growing consumer care market.

"The Burt's Bees brand is well anchored in sustainability and health and wellness," Donald R. Knauss, Clorox chairman and chief executive said in an statement. "Combined with our new Green Works line of natural cleaning products, and Brita water filtration products, we can leverage Burt's Bees extensive capabilities and credibility to build a robust, higher-growth platform for Clorox."

The company also reported said that Burt's Bees, which was founded in 1984, will remain based in North Carolina and continue to be headed by John Reploge, its current chief executive.

The deal is expected to close by the end of the year and is subject to regulatory approval. Original article...

Report of NC DOT incompetence hidden from public

An alarming new report provides more evidence that NC's DOT organization is poorly suited to meet transportation needs of the state and reveals the organization is withholding a major consultant review of the DOT paid for by taxpayer dollars. The DOT continues to reflect the incompetence of director Lindo Tippett, appointed by Governor Easley, and the inability of DOT staff in managing thousands of state employees responsible for maintaining NC's road infrastructure and planning what is needed to handle the unprecedented growth in state traffic.

It is clear that the time has come to demand that the DOT director step down and a replacement be appointed that has the knowledge and ability to manage the organization and facilitate planning and funding of what is needed to build and maintain an adequate transportation infrastructure that will allow the state to be competitive.

Results from a comprehensive survey of some 13,000 thousand DOT workers and interviews with at least two dozen key legislators, state officials, business executives and local transportation officials, along with information from follow up discussions, strongly suggests a lack of understanding within the organization about the mission of the DOT and tells of poor use of funds and inadequate project plans and schedules. Mark L. Foster, the department's chief financial officer, confirmed that "DOT employees complained that they lack a shared understanding of their mission." He briefly described other criticisms: "Road projects cost too much time and money. It's hard to figure out who is responsible for any DOT project."

Read the report and learn more about the lack of a "unified vision", deception and confusion in the state's DOT organization...

News and Observer
September 29, 2007
Bruce Siceloff, Staff Writer

Consultants review of DOT under wraps
McKinsey & Co. was asked to prepare a sweeping evaluation of the transportation agency, but DOT and the company are keeping a tight rein on the information

State Department of Transportation officials are paying a consultant $2.5 million to help make the agency more responsive, accountable and transparent.

They are keeping much of the work secret.

Attorneys for DOT and McKinsey & Co., an international management consultant hired in April to evaluate DOT, blacked out several pages of contract details and stamped other pages "CONFIDENTIAL" before DOT released them to The News & Observer.

Other contract documents indicate that McKinsey initially was asked for a candid, sweeping assessment of DOT's "strategic direction and organizational structure." It was expected to file reports in May and June.

DOT has declined to release a word of its consultant's findings. The April 11 contract includes an unusual pledge that DOT will seek McKinsey's permission before making public references to McKinsey or releasing any "reports, analyses or other such materials" it receives from McKinsey.

DOT officials now say they did not request or receive any written reports from McKinsey, whose contract ends in mid-October. Read more...

Wake County Schools - Handling the Growth

While much of the debate this year has been on whether to move to year-round schools and require compliance by all parents and students, the Wake County School Board doesn't seem to be considering all the options. Perhaps this reflects the likelihood that most, if not all, of the school board members are from private or business environments where solutions are brought about by throwing more money at problems without being creative to find alternative solutions.

Here are a couple of possibilities the county might consider that could make a big difference in using existing schools and resources that haven't seen the light of day in public discussions.

In the world of manufacturing, factory sites have long been operated in multiple shift arrangements in order to get more out of fixed assets and resources. Many operate on two or three shift arrangements to use the existing facilities and investment without building more brick and mortar structures. This has always been an alternative when production demands grow and simply adding more manpower and using good management allows companies to be much more productive and spread costs over more product. It may not suit all families for schools to operate on two shifts but such an arrangement would certainly allow the physical resources to be more effectively used by adding more teachers and staff and scheduling sessions to allow students be accommodated when parents might work on corresponding shifts in businesses, etc. Many businesses operate with two shifts and surely the second shift parents would consider having heir children attend school on the same shift when they work.

Another area where costs could be addressed would be to eliminate busing students all over the county simply to achieve racial and socio-economic balance. The cost to provide cross county busing to provide "better education for all" is a worn out idea and costs the county and state a fortune in additional fuel and driver costs and there is also a possibility that the number of buses needed might even be reduced if this wasteful process were eliminated. Students might even be able to get up at reasonable times and have more time with their families. Cross county busing gets much more costly each time the cost of fuel increases and this problem will not go away in our lifetime.

Perhaps if more citizens were participating in producing creative solutions for schools and growth there would be more cost effective ways to provide more capacity and handle some of the growth. As this issue grows to affect more areas in the state no doubt there will be more ideas generated and solutions found.

JP

NC traffic among worst in nation

More bad news about trends in NC during Governor Easley's administration. A new study places traffic in North Carolina among the worst in the nation.

On top of frequent news about problems and delays in major road projects and insufficient funds to build new roads and repair existing ones, NC can't seem to keep up with growth in traffic anywhere in the state. This may be just a sign of the times but it is likely the DOT organization simply doesn't have the knowledge and leadership to properly plan for growth or find ways to produce funding for what is needed. It is most likely a top down issue and is consistent throughout the state. News articles frequently place blame for problems and construction delays on lower level staffers and never suggest that leadership is at fault.

Poor roads, sloppy maintenance and heavy traffic are visible all around the state. The quality of roads in neighboring states generally seems to be better than in NC and it seems that this trend continues to worsen.

The following AP article from the Winston-Salem Journal compares the best and worst state locations and indicates traffic in NC continues to worsen.

June 28, 2007
Associated Press

Study ranks NC traffic among worst in nation

WASHINGTON - Motorists in California, Minnesota, New Jersey and North Carolina have been stuck in some of the worst traffic in the United States, according to a study released today.

North Dakota and South Carolina roads rated highest in the study's overall rankings, while New Jersey roads ranked the lowest. The study ranked Montana highways as the deadliest in the nation.

The study, based on data from 1984 through 2005, found that while road conditions have improved in recent years, traffic congestion and highway fatalities have increased slightly.

The state-by-state evaluation of highways was conducted by UNC Charlotte and financed by the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank based in Los Angeles.

With the federal highway fund running short of money for major highway projects, state governments are faced with having to pick up a greater share of the cost of building and maintaining highways.

Dr. David T. Hartgen, the highway study's lead author, says the results show that states need to prioritize, directing their transportation money to projects specifically designed to reduce congestion.

"Gridlock isn't going away," Hartgen said.

The study ranked highway systems in each state according to their cost-effectiveness, which was determined with several factors including traffic fatalities, congestion, pavement condition, bridge condition, highway maintenance and administrative costs. Evaluations were done on highways and all state-owned roads.

The five states with the most cost-effective roads, according to the study, are North Dakota, South Carolina, Kansas, New Mexico and Montana. The bottom five states are New Jersey, Alaska, New York, Rhode Island and Hawaii.

The study found that traffic fatalities rose by less than 1 percent between 2004 and 2005. Montana had the deadliest roads, with 2.3 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. Massachusetts roads were the safest, with 0.8 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles.

Congestion rose by a similar amount. According the study, almost 52 percent of the nation's urban interstate highways were regularly congested in 2005, the last year included in the evaluation.

In a statement, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said that congestion has nearly tripled in metropolitan areas during the past 25 years despite increases in spending over that period. Resolving the issue has been a priority for the department, which last year announced a plan to combat gridlock through long-terms investments in key corridors.

"It's so important to get our transportation policies headed in the right direction - away from the federal government and back to the states and localities where innovation in America has always originated," she said.

Congress will have to find new sources of revenue if it wants to tackle the problems, said Matt Jeanneret, spokesman for American Road and Transportation Builders Association. His group estimates that Americans spend 47 hours a year stuck in traffic.

"This illustrates the capacity crisis that is facing this country, which is only going to get worse if trends stay the same," Jeanneret said. "We are bursting at the seams with motor vehicles and we're not adding capacity to that."

Janet Kavinoky, who works on transportation issues at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, says the nation's traffic woes are at crisis levels. "There's more bad news coming," she said. "You hate holiday traffic? Pretty soon it's going to be business as usual."

Outsourcing - hire older workers

Outsourcing jobs out of the country continues to be popular as a strategy to reduce costs, but businesses should take a strong look at hiring older workers already available nearby to supplement or increase the workforce. There are plenty of highly skilled experienced candidates in all regions of the country and many, if not all, want to continue being part of the workforce on a part-time or full-time basis. Hundreds of thousands of older people with skills in production, design, management, accounting, marketing and many other areas have been removed from business and corporate payrolls in recent years and many are available for half-time or more work.

Downsizing companies in an effort to reduce costs has added a large number of older employees to the retired and unemployed universe. Many have 20, 30 or more years of business skills and valuable talents that can make businesses more productive without relying on overseas workers. Many would even be willing to work at lower pay levels than when formerly employed now that they have part-time income from retirement or other sources.

Read the following complete story on benefitting from hiring older workers from the Fayetteville Observer...

Fayetteville Observer
June 17, 2007
Harry Payne - Chairman, NC Employment Security Commission
Employers can benefit from hiring older workers

Today’s concept of an “older worker” no longer is the stereotype of an individual nearing retirement.

Older workers now are vibrant, talented individuals whose years of expertise are highly valued and are being looked upon by employers as respected and knowledgeable individuals in the prime of working life.

Just take a closer look in your own community. The new business owner down the street, the consultant hired by your firm — chances are they are older workers.

Eighty-four percent of baby boomers (ages 37 to 55) currently participate in the labor market, and baby boomers make up nearly 50 percent of the work force. As the baby boomer population ages, the growth rate of the workforce between ages 55 to 64 will be the highest in the United States.

By 2008, one in six workers will be over 55. By 2030, more Americans will be over the age of 65 than under 18. Most of these individuals will still be working — some out of necessity and some by choice. Consequently, as our state’s work force becomes older and more experienced, North Carolina employers will benefit from hiring older workers whose skills, work ethic and leadership will be reaching an aging customer base.

The N.C. Employment Security Commission encourages employers to recognize the attributes that older workers can bring to their businesses. These include loyalty and dedication to the company, commitment to doing quality work, dependability, solid performance record and experience in a job or industry, and the ability to get along well with co-workers.

There are so many false assumptions about older workers and their ability to perform well on the job. The fact is older workers provide stability. They have a lower turnover rate than younger employees do. And, as the population ages, it will be a strong advantage to have older employees who can relate to older customers.

The ESC has older worker specialists in most of its 93 offices across the state who serve as a resource for this important group, assisting in job placement and referral, resume and interview preparation, and identifying suitable training options.

Over the past year, the ESC has placed thousands of older workers in new jobs. For more information about employment services for older workers, contact your nearest ESC office.

Harry E. Payne Jr. is chairman of the N.C. Employment Security Commission.

New direction for Dix

In the latest attempt to save the Dix land near downtown Raleigh the city has offered $10.5 million for the campus so it can be turned to a destination location for the area. This is perhaps the best chance for saving a large parcel near the city that could be used as a great recreation area.

This is a rare and perhaps the last opportunity for Raleigh to save a large tract of land near the heart of downtown. For this to become a reality the Governor would need to encourage the Legislature to approve the plan during the 2007 session and allow the land to be sold to the city.

Your support and encouragement could make the difference in getting this approved so the land won't be lost to development interests. Contact your state representatives and let them and the Governor know you want this to be approved. Go to the Member Lookup section of the Legislative website to find your representative and let them know you want the site preserved under this plan or contact the Governor's office.

News and Observer
june 14, 2007
David Bracken, Staff Writer

City offers $10.5 million for Dix

RALEIGH - The city of Raleigh is offering $10.5 million to purchase the Dorothea Dix Hospital campus from the state, Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker said today.

Meeker said the city wants the property to be appraised as parkland to determine its worth. He estimated the 306-acre site, which overlooks the central business district, is worth $10.5 million as parkland.

State legislators would have to approve the sale of the campus and 150-year-old state psychiatric hospital, which is scheduled to close by late November.

Meeker said the city is asking the state to sell all the Dix property for use as a destination park. The city also wants the historic buildings on the site to be restored and used only in ways that are compatible with an urban park.

The state Department of Health and Human Services would be able to keep existing office employees on the site for three to five years without paying rent, under the city's proposal.

Joining Meeker at today's press conference were representatives of three advocacy groups: Friends of Dorothea Dix Park, Dix Visionaries and Dix 306, who hope to form a public-private partnership to develop the park.

Gregory Poole Jr., president of Dix Visionaries, said his group plans to raise more than $7 million from private donors to go toward the development of the park.

The group also announced that its members are sending a letter to Gov. Michael Easley to ask him to encourage the General Assembly to approve the sale of the property during this session.

They also are seeking Easley's assistance in creating a land conservancy to help plan and develop the park.

Staff writer David Bracken can be reached at (919) 829-4548 or david.bracken@newsobserver.com. Read the original article...

Clayton high school principal denies student right to wear military uniform to graduation

Clayton High School principal stops graduating student from wearing Marine uniform at graduation. Principal Jerry Smith insisted Eric Hile follow school rules and not wear his uniform and that he conform to standard graduation attire. On top of that Mr. Hile just wanted to wear the uniform under his graduation gown.

What a sad day when a North Carolina school denies a student serving his country the honor of wearing his military uniform for graduation. His choice to join the Marines lets him wear the uniform, protect his country and provide the freedom to make choices but the school principle has chosen to deny the student the freedom to choose to wear his uniform!

This ranks right up there with the NC Legislature's refusal in the 2007 session to stop corporal punishment in North Carolina schools. NC sometimes look pretty bad in some regards compared to more progressive states.

The complete news story follows...

News and Observer
June 8, 2007
Marti Maguire, Staff Writer

Clayton Marine won't graduate in uniform

CLAYTON - A military mom is incensed that her Marine son won’t be able to wear his uniform when he graduates from Clayton High School tonight.

Pfc. Eric Hile, 17, graduated from the school in January, but returned from his training to walk across the stage and take his diploma.

He wanted to wear his dress blues under his gown, but Principal Jerry Smith insisted he follow school rules, which require that all graduating students wear khaki pants, a dark tie and a white shirt.

“We have a standard policy,” Smith said. “Everyone dresses the same for graduation.”

But Elizabeth Hile, Eric’s mother, said wearing his uniform is an important show of patriotism.

“I can understand that some kids want to wear shorts and a T-shirt. I get that,” Hile said. “But he is a United States Marine. It’s a show that he is so proud to be in the U.S. military.”

Elizabeth Hile, whose parents and husband served in various branches of the military, said her son would violate military rules against defiance if he were to wear the uniform.

So Eric will likely compromise. He’ll go to school in his uniform, but wear only the pants with a white shirt and a tie under his gown. Then, after he’s thrown his cap, he’ll change back.

Staff writer Marti Maguire can be reached at (919) 829-4930 or marti.maguire@newsobserver.com

Read original article...

Meg Scott Phipps out, doesn't regret choices

You would think after being convicted for extortion, mail fraud and conspiracy that Meg Scott Phipps would leave prison with a more humble attitude than she appears to have. In a News and Observer commentary on her release, her remarks hint that she doesn't feel that her conviction was right and she stated "The only other regret I have is that I haven't been able to make the same speech that the Duke lacrosse young men got to make."

She "stopped short of saying she was unfairly targeted. But her words Monday differed greatly from a remark she made in 2003 after a jury found her guilty on state charges of perjury and obstruction of justice."

Serve on, Meg, while under house arrest... here's hoping your attitude won't get you sent back for the rest of the term.

News and Observer
April 24, 2007
Sarah Ovaska, Staff Writer

Phipps has few regrets after prison
Ex-ag commissioner to serve out sentence under house arrest

HAW RIVER - Meg Scott Phipps, the former North Carolina agriculture commissioner and fallen heir of a political dynasty, left prison Monday with no apologies for the scandal that put her away for more than three years.

Phipps, 51, walked out of a federal prison camp in Alderson, W.Va., Monday morning and drove to Greensboro, where she visited her parole officer to pick up an ankle bracelet for the four months she'll spend under electronic house arrest. From Greensboro, she headed to her home in the Alamance County town of Haw River, where a barbecue dinner was planned with her husband, Robert, their two teenage children, her mother and her father, former North Carolina Gov. Bob Scott.

Phipps said she has no regrets other than missing out on her children's teenage years. She referred to the three Duke University lacrosse players who were exonerated earlier this month when N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper declared they were falsely accused of raping a woman at an off-campus party.

"The only other regret I have is that I haven't been able to make the same speech that the Duke lacrosse young men got to make," she said. Read more...

Free tuition for the favored - more on unethical practices

In 2003 a tuition grant clause was slipped into the state budget favoring certain students by granting free tuition at UNC campuses for graduates of the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics, the prestigious state boarding school in Durham. The provision was slipped in during budget planning by a Senator chairing the appropriations committee.

Sen. Kay Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat, is the driving force behind the tuition grant. She used her influence as chairwoman of an appropriations committee to insert the grant into the budget.

The provision is unfair to the state's other high-achieving high school graduates. This is yet another example of unethical practices in the legislative process that representatives use to slip in bills favoring selected groups and is both unethical and a conflict of interest. Read the entire news release...

News and Observer
April 6, 2007
Jane Stancill and Lynn Bonner, Staff Writers

Free tuition facing scrutiny
Law's origins, premise under fire

DURHAM - For the third time, opponents are lining up against a law that grants free tuition at UNC campuses for graduates of the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics, the prestigious state boarding school in Durham.

This time, the deal may get the scrutiny that opponents say it deserves. A bipartisan bill in the state House seeks to repeal a law that has granted free tuition to 577 students since 2004 at a cost of nearly $1.9 million. Once fully phased in, it will cost taxpayers more than $2.7 million. Read more...

Raleigh listed as top spot for business

Raleigh has been listed by Forbes magazine as the top spot in the US for doing business and advancing a career. Durham is listed as number seven.

News and Observer
April 5, 2007
Business editorial

Raleigh is the top place in the nation to do business and advance a career while Durham is close behind at No. 7, according to Forbes magazine.

In it's annual Top Ten Places for Business and Careers list, Forbes notes that Raleigh and Durham, like much of the Southeast, boast strong job growth and low business costs. North Carolina and Tennessee are the only states to count two cities on the list.

Last year’s No. 1 spot, Albuquerque, N.M., fell to sixth place due to slower household-income growth. Still, most economies in the West outperformed their peers in the Northeast and Midwest, but have seen a dramatic increase in living costs. Criteria for rankings include job and income growth, business and living costs, education of the workforce, migration trends, and quality-of-life issues such as crime rates and cultural opportunities.

UnitedHealthcare puts more NC clients at disadvantage

UnitedHealth care again makes it harder for thousands of North Carolina clients to get to doctors so it can improve its profit margin. As many as 100,000 clients of UnitedHealthcare will no longer be able to use doctors at Wake Radiology in addition to losing access to WakeMed hospitals.

UHC recently broke off negotiations with WakeMed in a dispute over how much would be paid for medical charges leaving clients struggling to find other resources for hospital services. The insurance company claims WakeMed charges too much and refused to agree to new contract terms. Now the carrier is dropping more problems on its clients while again claiming Wake Radiology also charges too much.

Unfortunately all this big business squabbling leaves customers struggling, many with no alternatives, while UHC goes on its merry way. A news report in the News and Observer gives more details on what the insurer is doing...

News and Observer
April 4, 2007
Anne Krishnan, Staff Writer

Insurer to end another contract
United will drop Wake Radiology

UnitedHealthcare has split with another large Wake County health-care provider, a move the insurer says will allow it to lower premiums for local employers and workers.

United plans to terminate its contract with Wake Radiology May 1. But even as that change threatens to disrupt care for thousands of local patients, officials with the insurer have re-opened negotiations with WakeMed, which United terminated March 1 amid a dispute over rates. Read more...

Golden Leaf Foundation to be abolished, funds passed to NC Rural Economic Development Center

The Golden LEAF Foundation was created in 1999 as a non-profit foundation to receive one-half of the funds coming to North Carolina from the master settlement agreement with cigarette manufacturers and distribute the funds to help areas that were heavily tobacco income dependent. The Foundation is supposed to help North Carolinians make the transition from a tobacco-dependent economy through grants and investments that would positively affect the long-term economic advancement of the state.

Recent complaints that Golden LEAF was not doing enough to help counties hurt by the loss of tobacco production has prompted introduction of legislation to abolish the Foundation and direct money now disbursed by Golden LEAF into a trust fund to benefit "tobacco-dependent communities." That money would be distributed by the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center. Sen. Clark Jenkins, D-Edgecombe, said many projects were approved in areas, including western counties, that did not rely on tobacco.

News and Observer
March 30, 2007
Jerry Allegood, Staff Writer

Control of tobacco millions may shift
Bill would kill LEAF Foundation

More than half the state Senate has endorsed legislation that would abolish the Golden LEAF Foundation, which distributes millions of dollars from the state's settlement with tobacco companies.

The legislation, introduced Monday by Sen. Clark Jenkins, D-Edgecombe, would direct money now disbursed by Golden LEAF into a trust fund to benefit "tobacco-dependent communities." That money -- now about $600 million -- would be distributed by the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center, a private not-for-profit organization that works with rural areas.

Jenkins said the legislation was prompted by complaints that Golden LEAF was not doing enough to help counties hurt by the loss of tobacco production. He said many projects were approved in areas, including western counties, that did not rely on tobacco. Read more...

Oh the pain of fire ants...

If you haven't had the experience of touching a fire ant mound and had a swarm of them run onto your foot to sting you, make sure you keep your distance when you see them. The experience is one you will not soon forget.

Fire ants have been imported into North Carolina in loads of pine needles and other products brought in from other states and the creatures continue to spread into many areas of the state. So much so the state is stepping up efforts to try to slow the spread and is now quarantining movement of materials that the ants can be found in. Read more about the continuing problem...

The Raleigh Chronicle
Staff and Wire Reports
March 28, 2007

Fire ant movement sparks quarantine expansion

The continued movement in North Carolina of the imported fire ant, which can inflict very painful venomous stings, has caused the state to expand its quarantine on movement of hay, logs, sod, dirt, and soil equipment in several more counties including Granville County which is just north of Durham.

The NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said this week that it is expanding the quarantine for the imported fire ant "in a continuing effort to monitor and slow the spread of the pest."

The state says that with the expansion, the quarantine now includes portions or entire areas of 61 counties. Read more...

Don't even think of letting your cell phone get lost...

Lucy dukes received a cell phone bill for almost $11,000 after not reporting it missing. She's a Raleigh school teacher, doesn't use her phone often and simply did not think there was a problem even though the phone had been missing since January 23rd.

When she got around to reporting the missing phone to the service company they informed her someone had been using it. She decided to get another phone with the same number and soon after began receiving calls from people speaking french from the Congo. Police have now traced use of the phone back to a native of Kinshasa, Congo, and charged him with using Dukes' phone to call his homeland.

Read the complete article...

News and Observer
March 28, 2007
Thomasi McDonald, Staff Writer

This 'roaming' phone delivers $10,733 bill
Police say stolen cell used to call Congo

RALEIGH - Lucy Dukes now realizes she should have called the cell phone company the same day the darn thing turned up missing.

But Dukes, a teacher at Broughton High School, rarely used the Cingular/AT&T Wireless phone that was lost Jan. 23 and figured it was somewhere in her home. She didn't call the company for two weeks.

"I called Cingular and told them, 'I think I lost my phone in the house,' " Dukes said. "They said, 'No, someone has been using it.' "

A day or so later, Dukes received a phone bill for nearly $11,000. Read more...

NC aiming for more jobs - recruiting airplane builders

North Carolina efforts to get companies to move to the state now include trying to get airplane builders, parts manufacturers and engine manufacturers to create more jobs and revenues. A recent announcement included a new Honda airplane building facility in Greensboro that would bring 483 new jobs.

Read how recruiting efforts for these new manufacturers could help the state's job climate...

News and Observer
March 23, 2007
Jonathan Cox, Staff Writer

Recruiters aim for the skies
Goal is aviation jobs with higher-than-average pay

North Carolina is trying to live up to its tag line: First in flight.

Recruiters are stepping up efforts to attract plane builders, engine makers and parts manufacturers to the state that claims the birthplace of aviation. Their goal is to win industry jobs that pay double the average weekly wage in North Carolina.

In the past two months, Gov. Mike Easley has announced 483 new positions in the aviation industry. Honda Aircraft Co. in February said that it will build a jet plant in Greensboro, and Smiths Aerospace this month said it will expand in Asheville.

More could be on the way. Rolls-Royce, one of the world's largest jet-engine makers... Read more...

Rural NC areas continue losing people, businesses

Ten eastern NC counties lost population from 2005 to 2006, continuing an alarming trend. Of the counties that lost population, a dozen had fewer people than in 2000. Ten of the 12 are in Eastern North Carolina.

Lost industry and jobs in those areas has fueled the migration of people away from these areas and efforts to draw new businesses to the region has not helped as expected even after the state spent millions of dollars to attract new companies and jobs.

The N&O report paints a gloomy picture for that part of the state. "We keep hoping things are going to get better, but it hasn't happened," said Claudia Cahoon, a Hyde County native who works nights at Hyde Correctional Center and runs a struggling seafood business during the day. "You've got to love it to stay here."

The article further states that "eastern North Carolina leaders say the biggest challenges lie ahead for counties that are too far from the coast to attract tourists and retirees and too far from urban centers to attract commuters. Without the textile plants and small tobacco farms that once fueled their economies, some say, there are few prospects for growth."

News and Observer
March 22, 2007
Kristin Collins and Jerry Allegood, Staff Writers

Rural East losing people
Ten Eastern counties are among 15 in the state that lost population from 2005 to 2006, new estimates show

SWAN QUARTER - Jobs at the state prison are all that separate many

How much would you pay to save your pet?

Would you pay a significant amount to save your pets life or help it recover from a major injury? The news article below describes just such a situation. The decision of what to do pulls at the very strings of your heart and when an event takes place where you must choose between losing your pet or helping it live many would simply pay whatever it would cost to save the animal.

We have had two experiences when we decided our family animals (one was a pet and one was a show horse) were worth saving with costly surgery. In one case our cat walked up to a Border Collie that was our daughter's pride and joy and reached out and scratched the dog's eye. Unfortunately the cat did more than just scratch the surface of the dog's eye and we ended up rushing the dog to a regional veterinary clinic almost 200 miles away. After two surgical procedures and weeks of recovery we ended up with a dog that had one good eye and one glass eye and a major bill for the services.

The second situation brought on even more trauma when our daughter's show quarter horse rolled over while in training in Florida and poked a rigid piece of grass into its eye. This really brought on a dilemma and another difficult decision about what to do to help the horse. Fortunately we had taken a step to purchase insurance on the horse since it was a significant investment but we discovered the insurance would only cover the horse if it had died. Once again we made a decision to go ahead and have a veterinarian specializing in equine eye surgery take care of the horse and after months of specialized treatment the eye healed but had only about eighty percent of normal vision. But having that care allowed the horse to continue being a show horse for a little more time.

Was it worth it? If you have animals that become part of the family you would say yes. If you are a person that thinks of animals as property then perhaps you would say no.

Having gone through two situations where we had to decide to spend big bucks to save and treat animals we would agree with the steps Jane Phipps has gone through in helping take care of her dog Tony. Looking back we would make the same decisions again to provide the help needed for our animals. And we are sure Jane would do the same again for her pet. Perhaps help will come to her from people that read her story and she can have help with the bills she is facing. Only time will tell. Read the account from the March 21 N&O...

News and Observer
March 21, 2007
Benjamin Niolet, Staff Writer

Would you pay $25,000 to save a pet?
Price is no object for some when it comes to saving their animals

About a month ago Tony, a dog, ruptured a disc and started fighting to breathe. His owner, Jane Phipps, rushed him to a veterinary hospital. He underwent surgery and spent 30 days on a ventilator.

Tony pulled through, although he still needs physical therapy.

And now Phipps needs $25,000 to cover her vet bill. So far, her only plan to pay it down is a yard sale. She's put more than $16,000 on a credit card.

"Some people think I'm a lunatic for spending that kind of money," said Phipps, 53, a nurse who reviews medical charts for an insurance company. "My priorities are my family, and he's a part of my family. Read more...

NC using flawed formulas to calculate benefits from give-aways?

According to a study by the N.C. Budget & Tax Center in a March 21, 2007, article by Jonathan Cox at the N&O, the method NC uses to estimate benefits to be gained from large give-aways to lure business to NC is flawed. This means lawmakers making key decisions to give away future income and tax benefits to companies in exchange for building in NC are based on misleading information that does not accurately predict the benefits of the deals.

"Instead of pumping millions of dollars into state coffers, some economic development deals might actually be costing revenue and hurting taxpayers, according to the study by the N.C. Budget & Tax Center, a non-profit group that advocates for the poor."

Read the complete article...

News and Observer
March 2q1, 2007
Jonathan B. Cox, Staff Writer

Report challenges N.C.'s incentives formula

State officials overestimate the benefits gained from companies that get rich incentives to expand in North Carolina, a report says.

Instead of pumping millions of dollars into state coffers, some economic development deals might actually be costing revenue and hurting taxpayers, according to the study by the N.C. Budget & Tax Center, a non-profit group that advocates for the poor.

At issue is a computer spreadsheet that Department of Commerce officials use to assess economic development deals. They plug in variables -- from the number of jobs expected to the amount of sales an operation will generate -- to determine whether future benefits will outweigh the costs.

The report says that the model is flawed and that officials too often use inflated assumptions that make projects look better than they are... Read more...