Triangulator, Indy Week

War and NASCAR: America-F&#$-Yeah

Will Huntsberry — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:57:00 -0400

Dear NASCAR,

You are from North Carolina and as such I respect you. Your outlaw origins in running moonshine are badass.…

EPA to hold public meeting tonight about water contamination in Wake Forest

Lisa Sorg — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:29:00 -0400

Federal and state environmental officials will hold a public meeting tonight about an area of suspected water contamination in Wake Forest.

The meeting, hosted by the EPA and N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is scheduled for 6—8 p.m. at the Stony Hill Fire Department, 7045 Stony Hill Road, in Wake Forest.…

New AFL-CIO report evaluates worker health and safety

Elizabeth Van Brocklin — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:08:00 -0400

Working could be hazardous to your health.

In "Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect," an annual report released last week, the AFL-CIO evaluated the health and safety of American workers.…

Indeed, Cardinal Innovations receives federal funding

Billy Ball — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:32:57 -0400

As an addendum to today's story, Cardinal Innovations spokeswoman Rachel Porter confirmed after deadline Tuesday that her agency—known in official lingo as a managed care organization—does indeed receive federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

That information is key because it confirms the state-funded Cardinal Innovations, formerly known as Piedmont Behavioral Health, is subject to the findings of a federal investigation into whether Cardinal has broken federal law by denying mental health care reimbursements for the treatment of undocumented immigrants in its 15-county service area, which includes Orange and Chatham counties.…

One N.C. county says "no" to fracking

Billy Ball — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:03:00 -0400

Expect the debate of local vs. state control over fracking to only swell.

Tuesday night, commissioners in Anson County approved a 5-year fracking ban as they gather more information on the drilling and its prospective pros and cons.…

Hofmann Forest sale sparks protest

Will Huntsberry — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:22:00 -0400

Continuing backlash against the proposed sale of Hofmann Forest has reached Chancellor Randy Woodson's doorstep, where protestors installed a mini-installation of the forest Monday morning.

The proposed sale of the forest has had to jump through several bureaucratic hoops over the past several months, but is nearing completion.…

Better late than never for Rogers Road community center

Billy Ball — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:22:00 -0400

It may have taken a few decades, but the landfill-blighted Rogers Road community in Chapel Hill is getting some recompense.

Orange County commissioners unanimously approved a vote Tuesday night authorizing County Manager Frank Clifton to award a construction bid for no more than $650,000 to build a long-promised community center in the historically black, low-income neighborhood.…

In Orange County, trash gets its day

Billy Ball — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 08:00:00 -0400

The future of Orange County's celebrated recycling program is before county commissioners tonight.

County commissioners will consider a number of proposals—including the widely-reviled prospect of privatization—when they meet at 7 p.m. in Hillsborough.…

Last chance to publicly support Dix park

Will Huntsberry — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:19:00 -0400

After today, the fate of Dorothea Dix park will likely be out of your control.

The second and final public hearing of Wake County’s delegation of general assembly members is scheduled for 4 pm today at the legislature.…

Rachel Maddow calls N.C. GOP "amazeballs"

Billy Ball — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:27:57 -0400

For the liberals out there: Rachel Maddow—the oh-so-sharp host of MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show"—has heard your cries.

On Thursday's show, Maddow panned the ominously-numbered Senate Bill 666, a measure that—for all intents and purposes—appears geared to curb North Carolina's college vote.…

House subcommittee approves rollback of renewable energy

Jane Porter — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:58:00 -0400

The Affordable and Reliable Energy Act (House Bill 298), which would repeal the provisions in 2007's Senate Bill 3 mandating that a portion of electricity sold by utilities companies be from renewable sources—is gaining traction in the General Assembly.

At a public hearing today, the Commerce and Job Development Subcommittee on Energy and Emerging Markets approved a revised version of the bill by an 11-10 vote.…

Background checks for poor people, just not teachers

Will Huntsberry — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:56:00 -0400

Just a quick post here to take note of two bills moving quickly through the general assembly that reshape the idea of who should face criminal background checks.

One would mean that all residents applying for food stamps or welfare undergo a criminal background check.…

N.C. Republicans seek exemption from U.S. Constitution (reality to follow)

Will Huntsberry — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:19:00 -0400

GOP lawmakers haven’t floated the idea of secession yet, but that may be what’s next.

A joint resolution filed by Reps. Harry Warren and Carl Ford argues that the establishment clause of the First Amendment does not—read NOT—apply to North Carolina, or any state for that matter.…

N.C. State reaffirms position as Triangle's leading college for general bigotry

Will Huntsberry — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:19:00 -0400

Update, March 27: O'Rear lost his bid for Student Body President, coming in third with 12 percent of the vote.

…

Raleigh Chamber comes down against county commission

Will Huntsberry — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:17:15 -0400

In defending county commissioner’s hostile takeover of school ownership, commission chair Joe Bryan recently told INDY Week that the measure had widespread support, going back years.

He was quick to say the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce had pushed such a proposal in the mid-2000’s—as if the Chamber’s blessing signals that all reasonable people should agree.…

North Carolina: No Medicaid dollars for undocumented mental health

Billy Ball — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:12:00 -0400

Addendum: It seems that Cardinal Innovation's approach on mental health care for the undocumented community is not unique.

N.C. Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Julie Henry notified INDY Week after its print deadline Tuesday that undocumented immigrants are only eligible for emergency service coverage under Medicaid rule, echoing the comments of Cardinal leaders in today's story.…

Legislature wants to renege on Dix park deal

Will Huntsberry — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 16:01:00 -0400

Apparently, when you sign a contract with the State of North Carolina, the ink never dries.

In December, then-Gov. Bev Perdue and the North Carolina Council of State voted to lease Dorothea Dix campus to the City of Raleigh for 99 years, so the city could create a massive public park.…

The slow, painful road to voter ID

Will Huntsberry — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 08:59:00 -0400

Let the perfunctory public hearings begin.

On Tuesday, lawmakers in Raleigh listened to more than 100 speakers debate the pros and cons of a law that would require North Carolinians to produce a photo ID on Election Day.…

Cities could be banned from regulating greenhouse gases

Will Huntsberry — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:09:00 -0400

Currently, no municipalities or counties in North Carolina directly attempt to regulate greenhouse gases. And a bill that stalled in a Senate committee today would ensure they never do.…

Carrboro aldermen to hear CVS plans Tuesday

Billy Ball — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:18:24 -0500

Much-discussed plans for a two-story CVS in downtown Carrboro will be back before town leaders Tuesday night.

The pharmacy bigbox's latest plans for a 24,590 square-foot store at the intersection of Greensboro and Weaver streets are likely to draw the usual share of ire from some Carrboro protesters, who argue the store will clog the town's center with traffic congestion, destroy historic homes and otherwise disrupt town life.…

Number of Durham homeless increases

Elizabeth Van Brocklin — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 10:54:00 -0500

On a late January evening, despite heavy rains and fierce winds, at least 759 people in Durham had no place to call home.

The figure was announced last week as a result of the Point-In-Time Count, an annual one-night tally of the homeless.…