Carolina Journal Weekly Report

For the week of September 01, 2006 - carolinajournal.com

Reaction of the Week

Air in the Research Triangle has been almost completely free from harmful impacts of ozone this summer. That’s according to a new analysis of state data from the John Locke Foundation.

“The Triangle is doing exceptionally well this year,” said Dr. Roy Cordato, JLF vice president for research and resident scholar. “Last year, at this time, the Triangle had experienced six high-ozone readings at monitors throughout the region. This year, we’re looking at two for the entire Triangle area.”

The news is even better for Wake County, according to Cordato’s analysis. “Wake County has had no high-ozone readings this year,” he said. “This is the most populated county in the Triangle, and it has had no high-ozone days, despite what some newspaper reports have suggested.”

Fears about ozone might be playing a larger role than ozone itself on days when the temperature hits high marks, Cordato said. “It’s interesting that people get a psychological perspective and don’t look at the reality,” he said. “The fact is that very warm temperatures will bring on respiratory problems for some people. What you find is that some people will blame those respiratory problems on high ozone – even when the ozone isn’t high.

“Very often, we’ve seen days predicted to have high ozone, and it turned out that the prediction did not come true,” he added. “That’s happened on several days this season. The fact is that people are probably experiencing respiratory problems caused by high heat and humidity, not the ozone. It’s actually been quite low.”

CJ: Tall ships trouble continues
RALEIGH — The New York-based organization that sanctioned the July Tall Ships event in Beaufort says it is planning legal action against the North Carolina organization that hosted the event, alleging that it failed to share revenue according to a contract. William Wendler, president of Americas’ Sail of Glen Cove, N.Y., said in a prepared statement yesterday that that Pepsi Americas’ Sail LLC, a North Carolina organization set up to handle ticket sales and sponsorship revenues, has paid his organization nothing. Wendler claims that his organization was due 20 percent of the gross ticket-sale revenue on July 6 based on a contract between the two groups.

CJ: NC roads need $12 billion-plus
RALEIGH — North Carolina needs to spend more than $12 billion to clear congested urban roads and prepare for traffic growth in the next 25 years, according to a national study released today by the Los Angeles-based Reason Foundation. The study also describes traffic congestion in Charlotte and the Triangle as “severe.” The numbers suggest new traffic lanes would be less expensive and more effective than public transit in fighting congestion. “North Carolina ranks eighth out of 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of most lane-miles needed to deal with congestion,” said David Hartgen, the study’s lead author. “The state also ranks 11th in the total cost of those improvements.”

CJ: Court dilutes covenant authority
RALEIGH — In a potentially significant ruling, the N.C. Supreme Court has restricted the power of homeowners’ associations to amend their covenants. In a decision Aug. 18, the court held that any revisions must be “reasonable,” given the purpose of the original declaration of covenants. The ruling came in a case involving an association that gave itself unlimited authority to impose assessments despite the original covenants providing for only limited powers for the association.

N.C. elections board dismisses complaint
RALEIGH — The State Board of Elections dismissed a complaint Wednesday against a Republican group accused of using mailings to attack GOP House members who had allied with Democrats at the General Assembly, determining that the group barely avoided breaking the law. By a vote of 4-1, the board determined that Republican Legislative Majority of North Carolina, a so-called “527” group, didn’t violate the state law.

Water trustee is leaving post
RALEIGH — Gov. Mike Easley’s office asked a Wilmington developer to step down from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund board last month over an apparent conflict of interest involving land in Caldwell County, sources say. Trustee Nick Garrett, an Easley appointee, said he wouldn’t seek reappointment days after a meeting with the governor’s staff.

Monday, September 11, 2006 at Noon
A meeting of the Shaftesbury Society
with our special guest Jon Ham
What’s This Blogging I Keep Hearing About?

Monday, September 18, 2006 at 12:00 Noon
Headliner Luncheon in Raleigh, NC
with our special guest Wilfred M. McClay, Ph.D.
The Complex Roots of American Patriotism

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 at 12:00 Noon
Headliner Luncheon in Asheville, NC
with our special guest Lt. General Thomas McInerney, USAF (ret.)
The Blueprint for Victory in the Global War on Terrorism

Capital Quotes

“We have a crazy system where you can give money to a politician, then do business with the same politician.”
— Bob Hall, Executive Director of Democracy North Carolina, talking to WRAL-TV about the nature of politics in North CArolina. Hall’s comments were in reference to the legal practive of State Treasure Richard Moore accepting donation from people associated with companies with which Moore invests the state’s money.

“That wasn’t exactly what was envisaged.”
— Camden County Commissioner Carolyn Riggs, describing to The Daily Advance, the situation surrounding the possibility of a Food Lion opening in the county. Though previously announced, the store has been thrown into question as Food Lion now wants to keep a portion of the sales tax revenue the store would generate. There currently are no grocery stores in Camden County.

“You can basically get a million-dollar mortgage easier than you can get Medicaid.”
— Joe Raymond, Forsyth County’s director of social services, talking to the Winston-Salem Journal about new Medicaid requirements that went into effect on Sept. 1. To obtain Medicaid, an applicant must be able to prove they are a U.S. citizen by present their passport; an original birth certificate plus driver’s license; or certain other document(s).

“It’s an old jail. I don’t know what you’re going to do.”
— Yadkin County Sheriff Mike Cain, as quoted by the Winston-Salem Journal, addressing the Yadkin County Commission about the condition of the local jail. Cain moved all inmates out of the facility recently after temperatures reached 100 degrees in the building. The plumbing is also problematic. County commissioners have not yet committed to building a replacement facility.

This week on C J Radio…
This week former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr explains “standing” – what the courts require for a taxpayer to file suit against an unconstitutional law. Then author George Leef discusses the state of the labor movement and why overall membership is declining. That’s followed by author Brian Latell, a speaker at the recent Raleigh International Spy Conference, offering perspective on Cuba’s post-Fidel future. Finally, Wake Forest Professor John Moorhouse discusses gun control’s impact on crime rates.

This week on NC Spin…
Join moderator Tom Campbell for another week of political discussion and debate on the most intelligent television talk show in the state. Topics this week include: a costly Medicaid settlement for the state; public dollars and the NC Research Campus; tougher DWI laws; and low cost housing for teachers. Panelists this week include: John Hood, president of the John Locke Foundation; Chris Fitzsimon of NC Policy Watch; political analyst Theresa Kostrzewa; and former Speaker of the House Dan Blue.

This week on At Issue…
Triangle viewers can tune in weekly as host Verna Collins is joined by Carolina Journal’s Donna Martinez and The Carolinian’s Cash Michaels for another round of “At Issue,” a weekly round-up of news and issues facing the Triangle area and the state.  This week, the panel debates issues arising from a school shooting in Orange County by a teenager who allegedly shot to death his father before taking aim at the high school. Then the focus turns to the newly available “morning after” pill approved by the FDA for sale to women 18 and older without a prescription. Guests include Christopher Hollis of Planned Parenthood, Stephen Daniels of the North Carolina Family Policy Council, and Lindsey Bickers Bock of Duke University.