Document Read the N.C. Forest Service’s response regarding fire crew work at Sandy Run Savannas State Natural Area (Word doc) Fire crews plowed a section of Sandy Run Savannas State Natural Area known to contain a number of rare and endangered plants, an investigation has revealed. State and federal officials are now reviewing procedures for […]
Kirk Ross
Bio: Kirk Ross is a freelance columnist for INDY Week and founded the online news and feature publication The Carolina Mercury. He lives in Chapel Hill.Link: http://www.exileonjonesstreet.comEmail: [email protected]: http://twitter.com/ExJS
Posted inNews
Redistricting decision looms
Tomorrow is the scheduled day for the First Out for redistricting plans submitted for North Carolina’s congressional and state legislature districts. First Out is explained by the Justice Department thusly: The date appearing under the heading “First Out” is the initial date by which the Attorney General must make his determination or inform the jurisdiction […]
Posted inNews
Rouzer’s contribution list packed with ag interests, lobbyists
Johnston County State Senator David Rouzer is running for congress in NC-7 and hopes to unseat Democratic incumbent Mike McIntyre in a district redrawn to be a little more GOP friendly. Since he’s running for congress Rouzer is allowed to raise money for his federal campaign in ways not allowed a sitting North Carolina legislator. […]
Posted inNews
Campaign contributions, influence and the N.C. Legislature
Here’s something else besides money the 1 percent have more than their share of: cloutspecifically, influence in Raleigh. It’s hard to imagine a time when a well-placed campaign donation didn’t nudge a bill one direction or another, but with the 2012 election cycle bearing down, early indications are that the state capital will be awash […]
Posted inNews
First General Assembly — Occupy Chapel Hill
Dispatch #1 The formal name is actually Occupy Chapel Hill/ Carrboro, but there is a strong argument that Carrboro has been “occupied” for years. Regardless, the first General Assembly of Occupy Chapel Hill, started around 2:30 p.m. Sunday after a three hour rally at Peace & Justice Plaza in front of the Franklin Street Post […]
Posted inUncategorized
Energy companies Duke, Progress lumber toward merger
The creation of the nation’s biggest electric utility company, successive rate hikes, new nukes and a virtual monopoly on the renewable energy market: These are some of the concerns about the merger of Progress Energy and Duke Energy for consumer advocates and proponents of green energy. The loudest outcry during recent hearings on the merger […]
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The New Yorker takes on Art Pope
Politics in North Carolina is drawing quite a bit of interest this morning thanks to several pages of daylight in the New Yorker. Reporter at Large Jane Mayer laid out the influence and operation of Art Pope and Co. in this week’s Money issue. Art Pope Citizens United and North Carolina Politics Yet Pope’s triumph […]
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Three weeks after Hurricane Irene, Hatteras remains in tatters
No news was bad news. You may have noticed in the wall-to-wall coverage of Hurricane Irene that it passed over the Outer Banks. But save the occasional urgent postings on social networks, news of what happened after that has been scarce. Coverage of Irene turned mainly to its impacts to the north and damage to […]
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What shenanigans are in store for the Legislature’s special session next week?
There are plenty of questions about what new laws will be made during the Legislature’s second special session of the year, but there’s little doubt as to the main theme: Republican leaders will do what they can to influence the outcome of the 2012 election. They made that goal clear as the previous special session […]
Posted inElections
Offstage, a Price-Miller battle brewing in the 4th
When redistricting plans shifted his Raleigh residence into the 4th Congressional District, Rep. Brad Miller, who represents the state’s 13th Congressional District, said he did not envision himself getting into a primary fight with his Democratic colleague, David Price of Chapel Hill. But after taking a hard look at the composition of the new 4th, […]