This weeks version of the new North Carolina voting laws include changes to the identification section of the bill yet again. Earlier, it was allowed to bring not only a photo ID, but you could instead bring in a copy of a utility bill that included your name and address. Now that provision is gone, and a photo ID is the only acceptable form in the latest version. Also in talks is the possibility to reduce the number of petitioners …
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Tuesday Open Line
Seems all the buzz surrounds Mr. Weiner’s admission that he did send naughty pictures to a 21 year old college girl. I did enjoy listening to some of his entertaining speeches on the floor in the past, but does this necessitate people calling for his resignation? He did lie about it outright, but maintains that he did nothing illegal. Even if Weiner’s statements were accurate about no House or legal violations, under the “Official Code of Conduct” for lawmakers and …
Senator Doug Berger Message
No compromise The Senate passed its version of the budget bill on Thursday, and the House approved it over the weekend. It is now headed to the Governor’s office where hopefully she will veto the bill. This bill has been called a compromise between the Governor’s proposal from earlier this year and the original draconian House budget, but it is no compromise. It’s a direct assault on public education with nearly $1 billion in cuts. The reductions will put North …
Gov. Perdue restores jobless benefits for 47,000
Gov. Bev Perdue restored unemployment benefits for thousands of North Carolina families who have been used as pawns by Republican leaders in the legislature. For weeks, Gov. Perdue has called on legislative Republicans to pass a clean bill that restores the unemployment benefits–which are paid entirely with federal money. Instead, Republicans have used these families as leverage in an attempt to force Gov. Perdue to accept budget cuts that would inflict severe and unnecessary cuts to our schools and other …
Monday Open Line
As a follow up to our brief last week, Mr. Obama gave his weekly address Saturday from a Chrysler plant in Ohio. This weekend, we received a reader comment in our email from Stan that reads: Found several one/five gallon cans of old paint/stain. Took them to the dump and gentleman there said they will only accept if dried out. So I went to the landfill and learned from the kind lady there that Vance County does not have a place …
Friday / Weekend Open Line
The Obama administration has released a detailed report on “The Resurgence of the American Automotive Industry” for June, 2011. The report discusses the jobs created in the sector, the turnaround of the companies that are now turning a profit, and how entire communities have been revitalized by a strengthened auto industry. Or that’s the blurb they want us to print. I see no mention of the other big news the admin said on Wednesday that the government will lose about …
State Board of Education approves resolution towards legislators
Today, an unanimously approved resolution by the State Board of Education at its June meeting today was released. In it, members urge legislators to support the elements of the public school system that are most important for student success. Also, State Board of Education Chairman Bill Harrison discusses how the Senate budget will harm North Carolina public schools in his latest blog available at http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/stateboard/ . The budget was approved by members of the Senate today. House members are expected …
Thursday Open Line
President Obama has declared June to be national Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month noting: NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2011 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity …
Wednesday Open Line
The first day of June and it’s already targeting a 96 degree high for today. Be sure you stay cool. My dryer broke over the weekend so yesterday I bought a clothes line for about 20 bucks and hooked it up myself. The high temps should get the clothes dry in about 5 minutes I figure. And for free. John Edwards is making the news again with prosecutors and Mr. Edwards arguing over the definition of the words donated and …
Tuesday Open Line
We hope everyone enjoyed the weekend, and took some time to honor Memorial Day. Did the gas prices prevent any out of the area trips your family hoped for? Gas has come down quite a bit in the last few weeks, but don’t get your hopes up yet. Summer is just about to start, and prices will increase up to $5.00 a gallon if predictions by Goldman Sachs live up to the hype. It makes you wonder what exactly is …
Funds For Beacon Light to be Demolished
Reporter – Leigh Hester – After a three year wait, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has deposited grant funds into the City of Henderson’s escrow account for the demolition of the Beacon Light apartment complex. Located on the 300 block of Boddie St, the dilapidated complex has been a blight on the community and a target for arson for years. In October of 2009, the Henderson City Council voted to proceed with a demolition order after …
NC budget must move state forward
A kindergartener explained it: “Our teacher can’t do it alone.” Gov. Perdue visited an elementary school in Carteret County on Friday, and the child’s comment highlighted the governor’s message to the legislature: balancing the budget on the backs of teacher assistants is bad for North Carolina. The Senate’s budget would eliminate 14,000 classroom positions, part of a proposed mass firing of 20,000 public education employees. “This state cannot afford to go backwards,” Gov. Perdue said after her visit to Newport …
Senator Richard Burr Message
This September marks the ten-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks that killed 2,977 unsuspecting citizens in Manhattan, Pennsylvania and the Pentagon. This attack on our homeland sharpened our collective world view and thrust our society into a new phase, a Post-9/11 America. After that day, thousands of young men and women from all walks of life were inspired to join the Armed Forces and dedicate themselves to protecting our way of life and preserving the exceptional freedoms we enjoy as …
Vance County Board of Education Meetings
PUBLIC NOTICE OF SPECIALLY CALLED MEETINGS OF VANCE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION The Vance County Board of Education will meet in specially called meetings on the following dates and at the following times: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 beginning at 4:45 p.m. Thursday, June 2, 2011 beginning at 4:45 p.m. Friday, June 3, 2011 beginning at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, June 4, 2011 beginning at 9:15 a.m. All meetings will be held at the Holiday Inn Express, 200 Simmons Drive, Henderson, N. …
Animazement Convention in Downtown Raleigh This Weeked
This Memorial Day Weekend, Raleigh hosts North Carolinas largest anime convention. Beginning Friday, the new Raleigh Convention Center will host a 3 day event full of fun for all ages. Over 7,000 people attended this convention in 2010, traveling from all over the world to partake in the activities. Such activities include panels and sessions with industry workers from Japan and locally. North Carolina has a large number of acting studios that provide voice overs for imported anime and some …
New and Standing Members Approved for City Boards
Reporter: Leigh Hester – Henderson City Council Members voted Monday night to approve new a few new Committee members and to reinstate several currently standing members. Among those who filled out applications and were approved for service to Henderson were: Martha Zollicoffer to continue serving on the H. Leslie Perry Library Board until June 30, 2014 Horace Bullock to continue serving on the Clean Up Henderson Committee until June 30, 2014 Judy L. Bell to serve on the Clean Up …
Ruin Creek Animal Rescue joins with Advocates for Vance County Shelter Animals
Ruin Creek Animal Rescue held its first meeting on Tuesday May 24th, 2011. Brandon Boyd founder was on hand to discuss the groups’ direction as it begins and continues to grow. Ruin Creek Animal Rescue is operated entirely by volunteers. The group began as Advocates for Vance County Shelter Animals to rescue shelter animals at risk of euthanasia due to over population at the area shelter. The two groups are now joining as one to rescue at risk animals and …
Summer Enrichment Camp
Vance County Schools again this summer will be operating its Summer Enrichment Camp, June 20 – August 5, at Dabney Elementary School. Children ages 5 to 12 may enroll in the camp for child care services as well as experiencing age appropriate enriching learning opportunities and physical activities. Under the direction of an experienced adult staff, children will be able to enjoy arts and crafts, special speakers and presentations, activities through educational software and Internet resources in the school’s computer …
Friday / Weekend Open Line
Vermont became the first state to lay the groundwork for single-payer health care on Thursday when its governor signed an ambitious bill aimed at establishing universal insurance coverage for all residents. Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin said “Here’s our challenge. Our premiums go up 10, 15, 20 percent a year. This is true in the rest of the country as well. They are killing small business. They’re killing middle-class Americans, who have been kicked in the teeth over the last several …