State says foul on school bond referendum support
By Jennifer Garlesky • Staff Writer
After investigating the actions of the Macon County School Board for the past two months, officials at the North Carolina State Board of Elections have determined that the school district violated two campaign finance statutes.
Restaurant owners scramble to comply with mandatory recycling law
By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer
Landfills in North Carolina should become a lot emptier due to a new law requiring nearly 8,000 restaurants to start recycling alcoholic beverage containers.
Smathers aims for state’s second-highest political job
By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer
As mayor of Canton, Pat Smathers has overcome his fair share of obstacles — most notably the floods that devastated this Haywood County community in 2004. Now, Smathers is gearing up to face perhaps the biggest challenge of his career — attempting to become the first Western North Carolinian in more than three decades to win a high-level state office.
State, local well regulators on the way
No one knows how many wells are planted in the mountainsides of Western North Carolina.
The right choices for healthier air
Roughly 45 percent of people (more than 2.9 million) in North Carolina lives in an area with unhealthful short-term levels of particle pollution ....
— The American Lung Association
Last week was Air Quality Awareness Week, and surprisingly, there is some news about air quality. At least one recently released report noted a decrease in smog in many areas of North Carolina.
State considers controls on steep slope construction
Local governments balking at controlling development on steep mountainsides would be forced into action if the General Assembly passes a state bill introduced earlier this month.
Easley’s budget goes wrong way on lottery
Gov. Mike Easley’s proposed budget would decrease the portion of lottery proceeds going to education — before legislators have a chance to fix an already unfair funding formula that shorts the western part of the state — a gamble that citizens throughout the state just shouldn’t support.
Easley urges legislature to fix Medicaid woes
For years, county leaders have been lobbying law makers in Raleigh to stop packing off a portion of Medicaid costs on counties. They hope this year might finally be the year.
Harrah’s success should prompt state to allow live dealers
Gambling at the Harrah’s casino in Cherokee is wildly successful. That success — and the state’s own actions — makes Gov. Mike Easley’s resistance to the use of live dealers slightly ridiculous and enormously hypocritical.
Haywood pushes legislative agenda
Creation of a one-half cent local option sales tax to support building needs at Haywood Community College and tax relief from spiraling property values are among the issues Haywood County commissioners are urging legislators to address when the North Carolina General Assembly convenes in January 2007.
