North Carolina

8/12/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today signed into law Senate Bill 847, “An act to add agricultural workers to those protected against retaliation in the workplace and to direct the Pesticide Board to adopt rules requiring licensed pesticide applicators to record the specific time of day when each pesticide application is completed, as recommended by the Governor's Task Force on Preventing Agricultural Pesticide Exposure.” This new law, along with funding approved by the legislature in the governor’s budget, will help protect agricultural laborers, farmers and applicators who work with and around pesticides.    » read more »

July 16, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of nine soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died of wounds suffered when their outpost was attacked by small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades from enemy forces in Wanat, Afghanistan, on July 13.

They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503d Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy.

Killed were:

1st Lt. Jonathan P. Brostrom, 24, of Hawaii.

Sgt. Israel Garcia, 24, of Long Beach, Calif.

Cpl. Jonathan R. Ayers, 24, of Snellville, Ga.

Cpl. Jason M. Bogar, 25, of Seattle, Wash.

Cpl. Jason D. Hovater, 24, of Clinton, Tenn.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Friday, July 18, 2008 -- Jesus Perez-Laguna, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court in Columbia, S.C., on charges stemming from a sex trafficking ring involving at least one teenage girl. Perez-Laguna was sentenced to over 14 years imprisonment and ordered to pay $52,500 in restitution to his victims. After his release from prison, Perez-Laguna will be on federal supervised release for the rest of his life.

As a condition of supervised release, U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Anderson ordered that Perez-Laguna be surrendered to immigration officials for deportation proceedings and further ordered that Perez-Laguna not return to the United States while on supervised release.    » read more »

Change follows Virginia Tech tragedy, campus safety review

June 9, 2008 -- Raleigh -- Patients deemed mentally ill by the courts have no business carrying guns in North Carolina, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper said Monday in advance of a legislative hearing.

A bill that would keep guns out of the hands of those who have been involuntarily committed is scheduled to be heard Thursday, June 12, before the Senate Judiciary I committee.

Senate Bill 2081, sponsored by Sen. Tony Rand, D-Cumberland, would require court clerks to enter mental health commitments into a national database, which would provide the information for gun permit background checks.    » read more »

June 3, 2007 -- Raleigh -- Reports of crime across North Carolina rose by 0.1 percent in 2007 while violent crime dropped by 0.7 percent, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced today.

“While no level of crime is acceptable, law enforcement’s work to keep the rate of violent crime down is much needed,” Cooper said. “But as any cop on the beat will tell you, when the economy goes down, crime goes up, and we’re troubled to see even a small increase in North Carolina’s overall crime rate."

The overall rate of index crime per 100,000 persons in North Carolina increased 0.1 percent compared to 2006.    » read more »

Reminds Citizens That Worsening Drought Conditions Mean Conservation Still Important

5/29/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today said worsening drought conditions in western North Carolina should be a warning to citizens that the state has not fully recovered from the drought. He also advised citizens to continue using water wisely since a hot, dry summer is likely.

Falls Lake, North Carolina: Photo by Kevin Greene (CC)    » read more »

North Carolinians Urged To Remember Sacrifices Of Those Who Died Serving The Nation

5/23/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today declared Monday, May 26 as Memorial Day 2008 in North Carolina. Easley directed that state flags be flown at half staff on Memorial Day at all state facilities. He urged citizens to honor the men and women of the armed services who died in service to the nation.    » read more »

Meets With Local Emergency Response Officials And Tours Tornado Damage In Onslow County

5/14/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today sent a letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) requesting a disaster declaration for residents in Bertie County who suffered damage from the tornado that hit on Sunday. The declaration makes residents and business owners in Bertie County eligible for low-interest loans to assist with repairs. Easley also met today with local emergency response officials and conducted an aerial tour of tornado damage in Onslow County.    » read more »

5/13/2008 -- Raleigh - RALEIGH – North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today met with local emergency response officials and conducted an aerial tour of tornado damage in Bertie County that occurred Sunday evening. Today he also sent teams of Small Business Administration officials to Bertie County to determine if the county is eligible for an SBA disaster declaration. If the county is eligible, uninsured residents whose homes were destroyed or received major damage would be eligible for low interest loans to use for home repair.    » read more »

5/12/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley this morning dispatched damage assessment teams comprised of state and local officials to Jones and Bertie counties to begin the process of assessing damage from the storm that swept through the area Sunday. The Jones team also will assess the damage in Onslow County.

“The evaluations of the damage assessment teams are important to the recovery of communities that have suffered damage and to help people start to get their lives back to normal,” Easley said. “I remind everyone to be cautious and not put themselves or others at risk by avoiding downed power lines, flooded roads, rain-swollen waterways and other areas of potential danger.”    » read more »

5/8/2008 -- NCTA President & CEO Kyle McSlarrow: “NCTA has previously indicated our support for the concept of a test market, and the cable industry has been working closely with broadcasters and other stakeholders to ensure that the February 2009 transition is seamless for television viewers. We applaud Commissioner Copps for proposing the concept of a market trial, and we look forward to working closely with the FCC so that local cable operators are able to help make the Wilmington test pilot – and the full February 2009 broadcast transition – a good experience for consumers.”    » read more »

5/9/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today dispatched damage assessment teams comprised of state and local officials to Guilford, Forsyth, and Davie counties to begin the process of assessing damage from the storm that swept through the area late Thursday and earlier today.

“Sending these damage assessment teams is a vital step in the recovery process, and one that will help get life back to normal,” Easley said. “I ask people to take caution so as not to put themselves or others at risk by avoiding downed power lines, flooded roads and rain-swollen waterways.”    » read more »

May 07, 2008 _-- Chicago, IL - The day after Barack Obama's commanding victory in North Carolina and tight finish in Indiana, three superdelegates today endorsed Barack Obama. The three previously uncommitted superdelegates endorsing Obama are North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Meek, North Carolina DNC member Jeanette Council, and California DNC member Inola Henry.

Barack Obama speaks at a rally in Butte, Montana: Photo by Barack Obama campaign (CC)

These endorsements brings the total number of superdelegates to endorse Obama to 261. Senator Obama is 170 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.    » read more »

7 May 2008 -- In the U.S. presidential race, Democrat Barack Obama won a convincing victory Tuesday in the North Carolina primary. Rival Hillary Clinton claimed victory in a close race in Indiana.

Senator Obama regained his political footing with his win in North Carolina and a strong showing in Indiana, and took a major step toward securing the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.

Barack Obama: Photo by Barack Obama campaign

Obama increased his lead in the delegate count and told jubilant supporters in North Carolina that his win was a victory against the politics of division and destruction.    » read more »

April 30, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

They died April 28 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their forward operating base with indirect fire.

Killed were:

Pfc. Adam L. Marion, 26, of Mount Airy, North Carolina. He was assigned to the 171st Engineer Company, North Carolina Army National Guard, Saint Pauls, N.C.

Sgt. Marcus C. Mathes, 26, of Zephyrhills, Florida. He was assigned to the 94th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), located at Fort Polk, La.    » read more »