Beyond their road trips, John Locke Foundation research experts influenced policy debates in other ways this week. Roy Cordato, using his alias “Ray,” explained to the News & Observer that a federal jobs bill is both fiscally irresponsible and “just a silly policy.” The Fayetteville Observer labeled Daren Bakst, Director of Legal and Regulatory Studies, as a “friend” of annexation foes. Bakst also has four-legged fuzzy friends, as he demonstrated with his submission of an official comment (pdf link) to the N.C. Division of Environmental Health as it discusses potential rule changes linked to taking dogs to North Carolina restaurants. Bakst also sent a letter (pdf link) to the Cleveland County Attorney to register a complaint about the local sheriff’s efforts to chill campaign speech from election opponents who work in the sheriff’s office. The Shelby Star posted Bakst’s letter to its Web site and interviewed him for a follow-up story. The Salisbury Post promoted Bakst’s upcoming speech to the Rowan County Republican Party on annexation reform, while the Greenville Daily Reflector also mentioned Bakst’s upcoming speech to the Pitt County Republican Party on potential constitutional, legal, and congressional challenges to the recent federal health-care reform legislation. In other news, Joseph Coletti testified this week before the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee. He shared highlights from JLF Adjunct Scholar David Hartgen‘s new report on potential reforms to the state’s transportation funding distribution system. The News & Observer and Charlotte Observer reported Coletti’s comments, while the Cape Fear Business News reprinted a JLF press release on the issue. Meanwhile, the annual By The Numbers report from Policy Analyst Michael Lowrey continues to attract media attention. WFMY Television picked up the report, as did the Pundit House blog. Pundit House also promoted Roy Cordato’s recent research about North Carolina’s Clean Smokestacks Bill.