Archive for June 2006
Hugh Morton
Hugh Morton, who died this week, was one of the most maddeningly persistent men I ever met. He was also one of the sweetest souls I ever knew. Hugh about drove me crazy when he pushed and pushed to get Jim Hunt and Jesse Helms together to save the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. He got it…
Read MoreThe Most Interesting Thing in State Politics…
…is the way the Senate Democrats are hammering House Speaker Jim Black. Marc Basnight, the Senate leader, is one of the all-time North Carolina political powerhouses, wheeler-dealers. He is also interesting. Because he has the ability to surprise. Basnight’s surprise this year is all the punches the Senate is throwing at House Speaker Black. First,…
Read MoreThe Chancellor’s New Home
N.C. State University is going to spend $3.5 million to build a 12,300 square foot ‘house’ for its chancellor (News and Observer, 5/21/06). Similar ‘McMansions’ have been built at UNC-Wilmington, UNC-Charlotte and Appalachian State University. There’s a lot to be proud of about NCSU but it’s a shame they’re trying to match other colleges by…
Read MoreTTA – Raleigh’s New Developers
The TTA can’t get the first dollar out of Washington to build its lite-rail boondoggle. But Mayor Meeker and the Raleigh City Council have voted to approve a TTA station on five acres at the State Fairgrounds. There’s no lite-rail. There’s no funding coming from Washington for lite-rail. But taxpayers are buying land for the…
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