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Re: “Anti-municipal broadband bill passes Senate Finance”
Hoyle mentioned that North Carolina was known internationally as "business friendly." That's true. North Carolina used to be known as the one of the states business could flee to from the North so they could underpay workers and bust unions. That is until businesses realized they could do it cheaper still overseas. The flip side is that its worker unfriendly with some of the worst legislation and and anemic protection for workers of any state in the union. The labor commission is a joke when it comes to protecting workers. Hoyle's move here only serves to guarantee that communities that don't have access to broadband service to improve their attractiveness to companies and provide access to students and others to broadband internet still won't get it.
Re: “Wake County no longer covering elective abortions for its employees”
It is bad enough that "elective" abortions are not covered by Medicaid and I hope Henry Hyde is rotting in hell. But there is no legal basis for deciding that employees of a county should not be covered. Frankly, I read Stam. How come no one questioned Mr. Stam's standing to bring a lawsuit in the first place. Standing has been routinely used to deny environmentalists the right to bring suit to protect the environment and courts have interpreted that right in the narrowest way possible, why wasn't it done here? That's even assuming Stam is applicable which I don't believe it is. This move to deny women access to reproductive choice is just another right wing move to fulfill an agenda to keep poor people poorer so there's a pool of poor people to compete for lower paying jobs. Its just another method to reinstitute slavery in America.
Re: “Project Censored: The top 10 stories not brought to you by mainstream news media in 2009”
How about the decision in 2007 by the Defense Department to try to get back the signup bonuses of Iraq war vets who were wounded and disabled. The rationale was that the Defense department was entitled to get back a portion of their bonus because the soldier had not fulfilled their full commitment to the military by getting wounded. They put some soldiers into collections to try to recoup the money. This is a story largely ignored by the mainstream press.
Re: “Searching for an agreement in the Moncure Plywood strike”
Part of the problem as I understand it is that management was also insisting that workers work "off the clock." In other words, similarly to what Walfart pulled, the management insisted that workers had to punch out and then continue to work a certain amount of hours off the books, essentially for free. If they refused they were told they would be fired.
Re: “Orange and Chatham counties”
To the Editor: I am disappointed, to say the least, over your endorsement of Mike Cross over Jeffrey Starkweather in the race of Chatham County Commissioner in District 2. Cross has consistently voted against the progressive platform of the CCEC. His refusal to "pander" to the agenda of the very groups and individuals who helped him be elected is disingenuous at best. The fact is, when he ran, he mouthed what he had to say to get elected and then turned around and supported the developers after he was sworn into office. At every opportunity, he has acted against the principle of openness and public accountability in government. His support of the Republican candidate, over Tom Vanderbeck, (who incidentally the Independent endorsed) as a ploy to make himself Chair of the Commission, was contemptible. Cross engaged in closed door contract negotiations and engineered a contract, in conjunction with the Morgan cabal, that was extremely unfavorable to Chatham County. He also insisted on rushing the land transfer tax onto the ballot, which was instrumental in defeating progressive candidates for Pittsboro Commission offices. He has consistently failed to support other commissioners in either opposing or mitigating the effects of environmentally questionable development proposals. His votes in the areas of education and economic development have been equally dismal. I am hoping the Independent will reconsider its endorsement of Mike Cross in favor of a truly progressive candidate. Joshua Kricker Pittsboro, NC
Re: “35 Chinese Restaurant”
I have a particular fondness for their mussels in sauce. Their fish and vegetables with a great mixture of both spicy and mild are great.