The face-off between longtime Orange County allies Sen. Ellie Kinnaird and Sen. Howard Lee in the Sept. 10 Democratic primary has been deemed the most costly race in the county's history, according to election officials. Both state senators spent more money on this campaign than on any of their past ones, with Kinnaird spending $69,618 and Lee spending $320,894.
North Carolina's budget crisis might worsen under President Bush's new economic stimulus package, through which the state could lose up to $192 million in tax revenue and see a rise in the cost of municipal bonds, experts say. One section of Bush's $674 billion plan, which he unveiled Tuesday, suggests eliminating income tax on dividends to encourage consumer spending and investment in the stock market.
Despite a looming deadline, a legislative commission charged with reviewing the UNC-system Board of Governors has not met and probably will not convene before the holidays, officials say. The N.C. General Assembly voted to create the commission in October 2001 after several legislators questioned the board's size and its impact on the system's two research universities -- UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State University.
Edwards Pitches Plan For Tuition-Free Year Employed students eligible for funds By Kathryn Roebuck Staff Writer Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., outlined last week a higher education plan that would make college more affordable for deserving students, but its cost could keep it from becoming reality. Edwards, often rumored to be a 2004 presidential candidate, unveiled his plan Thursday in a speech at the University of Maryland-College Park.
UNC-system officials will take over the search for a professional administrative assistant for the UNC-system Association of Student Governments -- but ASG leaders say the shift will not impede their self-governance. The search was removed from the responsibility of student leaders because of a change in the employee classification of the assistant. The position, titled Administrative Secretary II by state classification, should be filled by early 2003.
Pre-existing marital problems and frequent relocation were the causes of several murders committed at Fort Bragg this summer, according to reports released last week by the U.S. Army. The report contested that the five murders, which all involved enlisted people killing their spouses and sometimes themselves, cannot be attributed to negative side effects from the anti-malaria drug Lariam as previously thought.
Student leaders say students across the state can expect a more organized and fair judiciary process if the UNC-system Board of Governors passes a policy creating minimum standards for campus judicial proceedings. The board will consider a revised policy for campuses' judiciaries at its Nov. 8 meeting. The policy would outline guidelines for how certain cases should be handled.
Despite the accidental death of an Amusements of America employee at the N.C. State Fair on Thursday, the fair's police department reported no change in attendance or atmosphere for the remainder of the event, which ended Sunday. Ervie Allen, a Philadelphia native, was struck by a foot rest on the Banzai ride last Thursday about 10:55 a.m. and was reported dead when an ambulance arrived five minutes later. Despite the tragic event, N.C. State Fair Police Chief Matt Cleary said he couldn't tell any difference in atmosphere or the number of people attending the fair.
The American Jewish Congress is suing the federal agency that oversees AmeriCorps and other volunteer organizations because it claims volunteers taught religion in sectarian schools. The Jewish Congress stated in an Oct. 3 press release that the agency is violating the Constitution by sponsoring the teaching of religion in sectarian schools. The Corporation for National and Community Service, which denied the charges, was created in 1993 by then-President Clinton to oversee AmeriCorps and other programs.
U.S. Senate candidates Democrat Erskine Bowles and Republican Elizabeth Dole often evaded the issues at hand during Monday's lackluster pretaped debate, political pundits say. The first debate held since the two candidates won their respective parties' nominations was taped Monday morning at Meredith College in Raleigh. Other than the two mediators from local television stations, no audience or media members were allowed at the taping.
