COLUMBIA — Gov. Mark Sanford on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would have expanded the use of genetic information in criminal cases, saying collecting DNA samples when suspected felons are arrested is an invasion of privacy.

“We see this legislation as a reach past that very foundation upon which this country was founded,” Sanford told legislators in his veto. He called the bill a “further encroachment on our civil liberties and privacy rights.”

The Post and Courier

And that it is, Governor.  Amen for Mark Sanford.  There were just too many problems with this bill.

The legislation required a DNA sample to be taken when people were arrested for felonies as well as for eavesdropping, peeping or stalking. Those samples could be destroyed if suspects are not convicted.

The governor cited statistics showing that only about 40 percent of people arrested on felony charges are convicted.

And how could the destruction of those samples by proved?  Would we actually be expected to trust the government?

There were some other good provisions in the bill that I would like to see passed at some point.  I favor prisoners having the right to DNA testing to prove their innocense.  There was also a condition that would have allowed family members of missing persons to have their DNA tested against unidentified remains.

DNA sampling is at the core of those efforts because of the potential for finding cold hits on old crimes and getting repeat offenders off the streets, McConnell said.

“It is the public’s civil right to be protected in their person and their property,” he said. “This bill was the single biggest thing that we could do in the battle against violent crime.”

At the expense of civil liberties, Glenn.  Wise up.

A person does not have to put flame to fuse to break state fireworks laws.

North Carolina laws regulating fireworks center on possession, said Onslow County Fire Marshal Don Decker.

“It is not necessary to be caught using illegal fireworks to be charged with having them,” he said. “If you go to South Carolina and purchase fireworks that are illegal here and come across the state lines with them, you have broken the law.”

Jacksonville Daily News

Why are fireworks illegal in North Carolina in the first place?  Oh, that’s right, I forgot.  The government has to protect you from yourself because you’re too stupid to do it on your own.  Duh!

Another reason I live in South Carolina.

McCrory’s campaign responded that he has been consistent on the lottery – preferring repeal but recognizing the budget complications that such an effort would cause. He has called for limiting advertising, such as the times when television ads can be shown.

“Pat McCrory thinks there needs to be changes to the lottery program as it exists, while it’s obvious that ‘Negative Bev’ once again supports a failed status quo,” McCrory campaign manager Richard Hudson said in a news release.

Charlotte Observer

No, the lottery should not be repealed and I frankly don’t know why McCrory is advocating such a position.  I do agree with him that the money could be better spent.

Money from the lottery helps pay for a pre-kindergarten program, smaller class sizes, new schools and college scholarships, though it remains a small percentage of state education spending.

My preference would be to stop funding head start programs and eliminate the small class size initiative because there is no imperical evidence that has shown smaller class sizes improve education.  I like the idea of college scholarships and frankly I wouldn’t mind seeing that expanded into a system similar to Georgia’s in which students with over a 3.0 GPA can attend any state university for free, paid for by lottery funds.

By Linda Daves

Chairman, North Carolina Republican Party

For Mike Easley to be given the “America’s Greatest Education Governor’s Award” just proves what the NEA really stands for.  Let’s just call this award what it is: Politician Most Beholden to Teachers’ Unions and Special Interests.  When one-third of North Carolina students are failing to graduate high school, it is reprehensible that the Governor is gloating about his “successes.”  Gov. Easley’s term has no doubt been a boon to teachers’ unions, but it has been a disaster for North Carolina’s children.  What are the criteria for giving out this award anyway?  With the abysmal graduation rate here in North Carolina, I would hate to see what the situation is in the home state of the runner-up.

It is time to look at new ideas like lifting the cap on charter schools so that parents have more choices in their children’s education. It is time to think about raising teacher pay for those teachers who volunteer to teach the most at-risk students. It is time to consider expanding vocational education so that students can learn skills that will help them get a job instead of merely getting frustrated with the curriculum and dropping out. It is time for fresh vision and a renewed commitment
to excellence in education in North Carolina. Over the past eight years, that is a test that Democrats have consistently failed.

With Bev Perdue only offering more of the same for fixing the problems facing our state’s public school system, there is a clear choice in the race to become the next Governor.  Those who refuse to protect the status quo, those who reject placing the interests of powerful unions over the interests of our children, and those who believe that we can do better will choose Pat McCrory as our next Governor.  He will be an Education Governor to truly make us proud.

RALEIGH – The first serious threat in years to a state law letting cities add residents without their approval has passed a crucial test.

A nine-month moratorium on annexations started by cities and towns cleared the N.C. House Wednesday on a 98-18 vote.

Just as importantly to its supporters, House members expanded the bill just before final passage to stop cities from taking key steps leading up to expansion.

A committee’s move to take out that part of the moratorium had “crippled the bill,” said an opponent, House Republican Leader Paul Stam.

It’s unclear whether Senate leaders who oppose a moratorium will allow the bill to be heard.

“I wouldn’t bet as much on it,” moratorium opponent Rep. Dan Blue said, “as I would be willing to bet I would be the first man on the moon.”

Asheville Citizen-Times

The passage of this ban, while temporary, just moved the state forward about a 100 years to catch up to the present.  I’ve been baffled for a long time that in a “free” country where private property rights play a large role in that framework (unless you’re a justice on the SCOTUS) how North Carolina could still have laws on the books in the 21st century allowing cities to involuntarily incorporate people’s property.  It’s just anti-American and should be common sense.

What’s with these Senate leaders by the way?  They oppose a moratorium?  Do Basnight and Rand not believe in fundamental private property rights?  Does State Representative Dan Blue also oppose his constituents having control over their own land?  If this is the case these people need to seriously be reexamined by their voters in November.

Federal agents arrested a local driver’s license examiner Friday following a six-month investigation into her activities.

Susan Honeycutt, 50, a DMV driver’s license examiner since 1991, was detained at her Mt. Pleasant home by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) officers.

Honeycutt’s charges stem from allegations she knowingly arranged for and issued approximately 150 false licenses to illegal immigrants.

Those licenses, investigators said, were based on fraudulent information and non-existent addresses.

The Stanly News and Press

The timing of this is ironic because July 1st was also the same day that the State of North Carolina began its new system of issuing driver’s license.  From now driver’s licenses will now be produced and mailed from Raleigh to the recipient.  The idea behind this is to make the process more secure so that only one entity is issuing licenses rather than 114 different offices.  Apparently, the idea behind this is to prevent exactly what happened with Honeycutt.

News&Observer

RALEIGH - The State Health Plan’s executive administrator was abruptly fired Tuesday after lawmakers discovered a $115 million loss in the fund that provides health care for roughly 650,000 employees’ and retirees.

House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman, a Lexington Democrat, and Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat, sent a letter to state Insurance Commissioner Jim Long “requesting a change in leadership,” which led to the dismissal of George Stokes. He had led the plan for roughly three years.

“We just felt that we were not informed in the way we should,” said Holliman.

Holliman said lawmakers had expected a $50 million surplus in the plan but discovered last week that there was a $65 million deficit. He said it would not affect the state budget for the current fiscal year that began Tuesday but would need to be dealt with in next year’s state budget.

He said the prior administrator, Jack Walker, has been asked to lead the health plan on an interim basis.

The letter sent to Long said that “we very much appreciate Mr. Stoke’s service to the state and regret that this action is necessary, but believe it to be essential.”

Chrissy Pearson, a spokeswoman for the state Insurance Department, said Long and other staff had no idea there were problems with the fund or with Stokes’ management.

“It has caught us by surprise,” she said.

We need help in eastern NC. After months of denying a rate increase, then denying the rate increase is due to anything other than fuel costs, ElectriCities of NC finally admitted an error. They only admitted it because we showed up and pressured them. But this mistake is very costly to the good people of eastern NC. They finally admitted, after telling us to USE FANS instead of AC to save money.

Jesse Tilton CEO “converted a portion of the debt from fixed-rate loans to variable-interest loans in 2004. The move was expected to save around $10.5 million a year in interest payments, but instead, the collapse of the subprime mortgage market caused those interest rates to climb unexpectedly. Between last December and April, the payments were nearly $4 million over budget. They have since converted that debt back to fixed rates, but the damage was done. NCEMPA’s debt service payments are rising $12 million a year, or equal to a two-percent hike in the wholesale rate.”

http://www.wilsontimes.com/News/Local/Story/Electric-rates-face-August-increase—

How much has the most refinancing of the debt cost us in total? When was it discovered to be a bad deal? Officials in Wilson told us March was when they were told but the CEO knew in October. But the people, the people who have to pay were not told until June and many city officials were not told until June. When did the CEO inform the cities, the board? March some; June most.

How long had he known when he informed them? He knew in Oct. 2007 and did not tell his board until March. He let the costs increase and did not tell.

How much did it cost during that interim? Has the refinancing of the debt been cleaned up - i.e. has it been refinanced again? How much did that cost? What percentage of the rate increase is due to the poorly managed refinancing of the debt?

Why are you not informing the ratepayers of the true costs of the rate increase? They are starting to now after lying for a while to the press and the people and even some city officials.

How much have operational costs increased (%) over the past three years? What cuts will ElectriCities make to demonstrate that they understand the burden they have placed on eastern NC?
Why is the ElectriCities Board continuing to employ a CEO who has mismanaged public money, cost the ratepayers needlessly and hidden the facts? How can you employ a half million dollar CEO who screwed up this badly along with his overpaid managers? How can you lie to the press and people time after time? And how can board members take thousands of dollars in “salary” for being on a board when they are not doing their job? WE NEED OVERSIGHT

Then we find out Sen Martin Nesbitt and Rep Dan Blue (A former ElectriCities lobbyist) get a bill passed for ElectriCities and then get a PAC contribution when they have no electric city in their district. And why would a bill pass letting this group enter into ANYTHING for any longer than 3 years when the ineptness is so OBVIOUS.

So ElectriCities says “Enrolled and on its way to the Governor’s office for signature is a bill that allows joint municipal assistance agencies to make and execute contracts for more than three years. HB 1679 entitled Joint Municipal Assistance Agency Contracts, introduced by Rep. Earl Jones (D-Guilford), was given a favorable report out of the Senate Judiciary I Committee and received unanimous support on the Senate floor.

Senator Nesbitt (D-Buncombe) explained the bill on the Senate floor and stated that he had no idea why anyone would put such a restriction on an organization trying to do business. The bill amends General Statute 159B-44 by removing the three-year limit. ElectriCities will be able to bind its members in contracts for a period longer than three years.The bill is effective as soon as the Governor signs it into law.”

We are too late now. THIS IS NOT GOOD. YOU DO NOT REWARD BAD BEHAVIOR WITH MORE AUTHORITY.

Newspapers tell us their local entrenched people pressure them into leaving this issue alone. Poyner and Spruill has pressured people cause they make millions off this place. The guy that gave the presentation at the Electricities meeting kept trying to put all of the blame on the cost of fuel. However, when confronted with the variable bonds issue and those huge losses, he had to admit that they had made a big mistake and it would take raising utilities rates to “cover” some of the losses. Their bond ratings are now at triple B and not triple A…There are now additional costs because of those lower ratings and interest costs.

There are 14 counties and 32 cities involved. We all understand the higher cost of fuel, but we also understand that there should be consequences for “mismanagement”. How come all of the people who do these things never have to suffer any personal penalties?? It is like “blanket immunity” covers all of those who do wrong and we have to pick up the tab and move on, NOT. I didn’t buy into some of the excuses that were given at that meeting, and unless that guy who is making the $500,000 salary and responsible for the “little error” has to cough up some extra dollars out of his own pocket, then I will continue to “fuss.”

Why should we pay for his mistake? And he not pay? Their salary budget is $6 million and they likely have fluff spending in the millions and that could help cities help people with this rate increase. WHY? WHY does a board keep someone who is picking our pocket?

We need some proposals for oversight. We need pressure to bear on these folks, at least in the form of questions. We hope you can help in your candidate role.

MORGANTON - As drivers travel north on N.C. 18 toward Morganton, a sign at Foothills Market suggests, “Piss off a gas company. Choke an Arab. Don’t drive. Shop local. Thank You.”

Jeff Griffiths, the owner of the convenience store, said he has only received positive responses to the sign.

Cindy Hildebran says otherwise. She was appalled by the suggestion to “choke an Arab.”

The News Herald

His property.  His sign.  His First Amendment right.  I understand the point of Griffiths’ sign and the message he is trying to relay.  Naturally, those bound by the chains of political correctness will be horrified, but they’ll get over it.  OPEC’s response to the West requesting they bump up production was pretty much “screw you.”  This further reiterates our need for energy independence.

Drill Here.  Drill Now.  Pay Less.

This morning was downright cool in the Charlotte region — cool enough to break a record that had stood for more than a century.

The temperature at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport was 56 at about 5:30 a.m., breaking the July 2 record of 58, set in 1885. The normal low for this time of year is 70.

Charlotte Observer

Quick, somebody call Al Gore!  He’s clearly not flying his jet enough!

LUMBERTON - Authorities say nine North Carolina jail inmates have been charged with making wine behind bars.

The Fayetteville Observer reported Wednesday the inmates were discovered making wine last month in the Robeson County Jail.

Assistant jailer Capt. Jeffrey Martin says the inmates used food from their meal trays, especially sweet items, to make the wine in a plastic bag.

The Times News

What genius these men must possess.  To be able to think that much outside the box and make their own wine from inside a jail cell and instead of having successful lives somewhere they are rotting behind bars.  Talk about taking the wrong path in life.  Tragic.

And if you’re curious as to how this is done, Bradwrage has all the details for you if you’re sure you really want to know.  You’ve been warned.  I have a feeling this stuff has a kick that keeps on kicking for a long time.  Now you know what to get those pesky in-laws at Christmas time.

SALUDA – Republican Party officials have canceled their float in this year’s Coon Dog Day parade after a dustup with GOP congressional candidate Carl Mumpower.

Mumpower says Polk County Republican Party officials refused to allow him on their float because of his comments about President Bush.

Mumpower had said that if elected, he would support impeaching Bush for his “failure to protect America’s sovereignty” by securing the Mexican border.

After his comments, some party members talked to his staff and “uninvited” him by phone, Mumpower said.

Asheville Citizen-Times

The Polk County Republican Party claims that a decision was made to only allow the Republican County Commissioners to ride on the float because there wasn’t enough room.  That may very well be the case, but it’s no secret that Mumpower isn’t held in the highest of light with the party establishment.  They can’t handle someone in the party giving an honest critique of Bush’s failures as a President along with the implosion of the national GOP on the heals of them deserting their traditional values.  Unfortunately for Mumpower, this constant bickering between his campaign and the powers that be in the GOP is going to cost him the election.

RALEIGH - Gov. Mike Easley said he wishes trips overseas weren’t so expensive, but that high travel bills are necessary if the state hopes to land big exhibits or recruit new business.

“It costs what it costs,” Easley said. “I wish it didn’t cost that much, but let’s be honest about it. A cheeseburger and onion rings is $60 over there. The dollar is very, very weak now. That is why we were over there, to get those Euros coming to the U.S. for tourism.”

The News & Observer

Obviously he is exaggerating, but a cheesburger and onion rings aren’t anywhere even in the realm of $60.  Try more like $11 or $12.  He can possibly make the case that these trips may result in more dollars coming back in through international tourism than what we are paying out, but he still can’t defend the excessive expenses of them.  Case and point:

Reporters pressed Easley on specific high-dollar bills such as a chauffeured Mercedes and fancy meals that included orders of leg of pheasant with homemade sausages and rabbit with black truffles and foie gras.

The cost of Mrs. Easley’s trip to Russia was $109,000.  Mike Easley could have sent me there and I could have done it for under $10,000.

The national Democratic Party began broadcasting radio commercials this week that use high gas prices to criticize U.S. Reps. Robin Hayes and Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, along with 11 other Republicans nationwide.

The ads, which feature a President Bush impersonator thanking the two lawmakers for oil company tax breaks, effectively place Hayes and McHenry in the top ranks of the Democratic Party’s targets this year. Both face challenges from well-funded opponents.

Charlotte Observer

This ad is farcicle.  Are they trying to imply that the tax breaks given to oil companies is what is causing the high prices?  So if Congress removed them the price of gas would drop?  LOL  Actually, it would do the opposite because they would pass on their additional costs to the consumer.  That’s the way the market works.  Furthermore, McHenry has supported overturning the drilling bans and Hayes is pushing legislation to build more refineries.  In fact, Hayes has put out a press release today touting his introducing of the Alternative Energy Advancement Act.

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Robin Hayes (NC-8) recently introduced The Alternative Energy Advancement Act (H.R. 6383), which seeks to use proceeds from domestic oil and gas production to increase the development of new alternative energy technologies by diverting all federal proceeds from future oil and gas leases, on and off shore, into a newly created Alternative Energy Trust Fund.

It would seem to me the two Congressmen are on the right side of the issue here.

Both Hayes and McHenry voted for the 2005 legislation that included tax breaks for fossil fuel production, as well as a variety of incentives to encourage new energy and fuel alternatives. More than 70 House Democrats also supported the bill, including Reps. Bob Etheridge, G.K. Butterfield and Mike McIntyre, all of North Carolina.

Democrats, though, had difficulty explaining how they were implicitly criticizing the Republicans for their vote on a 2005 energy bill when U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic nominee for president, voted for the same legislation.

Uh-huh.  Hypocrites.  This ad is nothing more than a sleazy cheap shot at both Congressmen trying to capitalize on the anger and frustration people have over higher gas prices.  McHenry and Hayes are hardly responsible for that.

Rose Curto, Mexican Consulate consular in charge, said the consulate was doing nothing illegal. It only provided Mexican citizens with passports and other documents and providing services, she said. “We were asked to come here, because a lot of people would like to have the services we offer in Raleigh, but they can’t travel the four or five hours” Curto said. She said the consulate does not check the residency status of people visiting the consulate. “We only certify their nationality and their identity,” Curto said. Mumpower said the visit by the consulate only exacerbates the problem of illegal immigration in the United States. “The two biggest exports from Mexico are people and drugs,” Mumpower said. “These consulate representatives are only here to support one or both of those business enterprises.”

Times-News

Now really, who does Curto think is coming to see them?  My bets are on the majority of those having an illegal presence here.  And Mumpowers is right.  Mexico is not a friend of the United States.  They have been exporting their problems to our country for decades and our own Federal government is a player in it.  It is foolish what we allow to go on in this nation.  This is just another example of how the Feds are going to have been dragged kicking and screaming by the people to step up and stop this once and for all.

Beverly Perdue says offshore drilling would not be safe.

In a statement sent to the press this afternoon, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee attacked her rival, Pat McCrory, for supporting oil exploration off the North Carolina coast. 

“North Carolina’s coast is in Hurricane Alley and has been called the Graveyard of the Atlantic for a reason,” she said. “I haven’t seen anything that proves to me that drilling there can be done safely or bring down oil prices.”

Echoing recent attacks, she also accused McCrory of “walking in lock-step” with President Bush, and said the state should focus on encouraging conservation and alternative energy sources.

The statement also cited an Associated Press article that noted this federal report said that it would take decades for offshore oil to reach the market and still might not reduce gas prices.

The N&O

Would Ms. Perdue care to guess how much oil was spilled when Hurricane Katrina roared through the Gulf of Mexico and hit the oil platforms that were there?

Would she also care to tell us just what we’re supposed to do for gas between now and the 20-30 years it’ll take to develop whatever-the-hell these “alternative energy sources” are? Are we just supposed to pay $5, $6, $7 a gallon for gas, Bev?

RALEIGH - Gov. Mike Easley accused legislative leaders Sunday of seeking to “shaft” public school teachers in favor of a tax cut benefiting the wealthy.

“The General Assembly cannot ignore reality,” said the statement attributed to Easley. “The very latest numbers verify that we remain short of the estimates that legislative budget writers are currently using. We recommended specific and sensible ways to fill the budget gap. … I am concerned that this message keeps falling on deaf ears.”

The N&O

Now, I’d like everyone to scroll down a few articles to Sam’s post about how Mrs. Governor Asshat spent over $100,000 of taxpayer money to go to Europe for a “cultural exchange”.  As you read it, please keep in mind that Mrs. and Gov. Asshat just got back from a fantabulous trip to Italy, also paid for on the taxpayers’ dime.

Somewhere a circus is missing one of their clowns. Honestly, I don’t care who replaces him- he can’t leave office soon enough.

DURHAM — Allegations that a local Democratic official and her husband were involved in Satanic rituals that included shackling people to beds, caging them and depriving them of food and water have horrified county party leaders.

Joy Johnson, 30, a third vice-chairwoman of the Durham County Democratic Party and vice chairwoman of the Young Democrats, was charged Friday with two counts of aiding and abetting.

Her husband, Joseph Scott Craig, 25, was charged with second-degree rape, second-degree kidnapping and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon for an incident in January and another in May.

During her time as a party official, Johnson was interested in trying to attract more young Democrats and get them involved in the political process, acquaintances say.

Floyd McKissick, a state senator and a Democrat from Durham, said Monday he had been told Johnson had resigned her posts with the party. He, too, reserved judgment.

“I was absolutely shocked and flabbergasted,” McKissick said. “You never would have suspected allegations that she would have had any participation in these rituals.”

The N&O