The N.C. House of Representatives removed from its budget plan proposed funding for a study of a new state port in Southport, shortly after Carolina Journal Executive Editor Don Carrington wrote an article outlining problems connected with the port proposal. Carrington discussed the port plan and former Gov. Mike Easley’s legal issues during an appearance this week with Curtis Wright on the WAAV/WFNC Radio morning show. A letter writer in the Greensboro News & Record also cited Carrington’s work on the Southport port. Two other CJ staffers earned radio airtime this week. Publisher Jon Ham discussed highlights from the new print edition of Carolina Journal and election primary results during an appearance on Chad Adams’ WLTT morning show in Wilmington. Managing Editor Rick Henderson discussed the Easley investigation, along with an e-mail records lawsuit against Easley administration staffers, during a discussion for Curtis Media Group’s “People and Politics” program. Meanwhile, CJ contributor Sarah Okeson attracted attention for a pair of articles this week. The Lincoln Tribune and N.C. Senate Republicans took notice of her exclusive article on the depletion of the state’s Escheat Fund. The Lincoln Tribune, Tar Heel Tribune, and N.C. Local Government Budget Association all promoted Okeson’s article about the new chief investment officer hired to oversee North Carolina’s $68 billion pension fund. Speaking of pensions, the Lincoln Tribune and Tar Heel Tribune picked up contributor Karen McMahan‘s article about Obama administration proposals to insert the government into more aspects of the private pension system. The Lincoln Tribune published contributor Jim Stegall‘s report on a Moore County charter school’s legal victory in its efforts to stay open, along with a press release about John Locke Foundation Director of Legal and Regulatory Studies Daren Bakst‘s latest report. It urges lawmakers to reject a bill requiring law enforcement agencies to collect DNA samples from people arrested for certain felonies. The Tar Heel Tribune and N.C. Senate Republicans promoted Video News Editor Anthony Greco‘s report about a $488 million hole in the House’s state budget plan. The Lincoln Tribune also republished a CJ interview with Mises Institute scholar Thomas Woods about the causes of the recent economic meltdown. In other news, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation promoted Associate Editor Sara Burrows‘ report on the impact the Obama administration’s war on salt could have on items such as country ham.