Yesterday I was floored when an advertisement for firearms manufacturer FN Herstal came on during broadcast of one of the ACC men's basketball tournament games on the local ACC Network affiliate WMYA-40 out of Asheville. I'm not sure whether this was a network ad, sanctioned by the ACC, or a local only ad. FN Herstal, based in Belgium, owns the Winchester and Browning brands in the US, with manufacturing in Columbia, SC, and marketing in McLean, VA.
My 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid is in the shop today for the annual safety/emissions inspection and routine oil change and servicing.
Like many North Carolinians, I will pay a bit more for these services as the labor for the service is now subject to state and local sales taxes, thanks to the General Assembly.
The ongoing public catfight over school funding continues in Haywood County, even as voters head to the polls for the primary.
Critics of the General Assembly have weighed in, spurred by the closing of Central Elementary School in Waynesville They point to siphoning off of elementary students by Shining Rock Classical Academy, a Challenge Foundation charter school, as a key factor in the school board's decision to close Central.
Yes, we do need rigorous, statewide criminal background checks for those teaching our kids.
But will the legislation that Lieutenant Dan is suggesting apply to teachers in taxpayer-funded charter schools, or to teachers in private schools that receive taxpayer funded voucher funds?
Vicki Hyatt, editor of The Mountaineer in Haywood County, has penned a wonderful description of what is happening specifically in Haywood County. The Haywood County Board of Education is faced with shutting down Central Elementary School, near downtown Waynesville, in the wake of the opening of Shining Rock Classical Academy, a Challenge Foundation charter school.
A couple of weeks ago, the Haywood County Board of Education released a study that recommended closing Central Elementary School in Waynesville. Central is Haywood County's oldest elementary school facility, located within walking distance of Waynesville's Main Street. It is also the smallest, with just over 200 students. It is a highly rated school based on whatever measure of student performance is in vogue this week.
Interesting story in today's Asheville Citizen-Times about a $100 million-plus settlement from Park Ridge Hospital in Henderson County.
Apparently the hospital was playing games with physician salaries and bonuses. About 70% of the hospital's revenue (according to the article) is from Medicare and Medicaid.
And as is usually the case, no one has to go to jail.....
Rep. Joe Sam Queen (D-Haywood) sat down with Jeremy Loeb of Asheville's public radio station WCQS. This is a 45-minute or so summary from my state representative. It's worth listening to!
The summary quote:
It was a session without leadership....Where's the vision for our state moving forward? It's not in healthcare, it's not in education, it's not in economic development, it's not in resource management or thinking for the future....
With the Governor's announcement today, renewing a driver's license just became a lot easier for lots of North Carolinians.
But with driver's licenses being the main acceptable unconstitutional form of identification at the polling place, can those who really want to stuff the ballot box take advantage of this online renewal system? Call me crazy, but who is monitoring the pictures????
Apparently, the state Industrial Commission this morning approved the full amount of compensation for wrongfully convicted North Carolinians Henry McCollum and Leon Brown.
Questions remain about the process, and whether the law that sets the amount of compensation (and the cap) is outdated.
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