Charlotte-area radio listeners learned this week about problems associated with legislation involving so-called “smart meters” for electricity use. WBT’s Tara Servatius discussed the topic after reading a Carolina Journal report from Associate Editor Sara Burrows. Also influential this week was Associate Editor Anthony Greco‘s CarolinaJournal.tv story on the dubious use of a term called “job-years” to justify North Carolina’s acceptance of federal stimulus money for high-speed rail. Another reporter told Greco that his report influenced comments from Sen. Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, about the rail funding. Watchdog.org promoted Greco’s report on the legislative progress of Ethen’s Law, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. The Lincoln Tribune also published that story, along with Greco’s update on a high-speed rail funding debate and contributor Karen Welsh‘s report on merit-pay legislation targeting the Charlotte-Mecklenburg public schools. The union-friendly KeepAmericaAtWork.com highlighted Greco’s story on a standoff between legislative Republicans and Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue over the extension of unemployment benefits. N.C. Senate Republicans’ daily press emails promoted Greco’s report on a GOP split over high-speed rail funding, Associate Editor David Bass‘ article on the potential end of taxpayer funding for a “teacher paradise,” Bass’ latest legislative preview, and Associate Editor Michael Lowrey‘s column on local government tax burdens.