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Friday: Catching Up
posted at 2007-04-13 21:28 | Last modified 2007-11-14 10:38
Between Duke Lacrosse, the slavery apology, and any number of investigation rumors, there were a few entertaining stories that managed to slip through the cracks this week.
But first - speaking of investigations - the Charlotte Observer's Mark Johnson picked up the story I did last Thursday on the Legislative Black Caucus's Scholarship Fund. And Greensboro's Mark Binker will have a more comprehensive story on it this weekend. Stay tuned.
But enough of that. It's Friday, so on to the fun stuff!
The barbecue battle
It's as fundamental as paper or plastic, IBM or Apple, toilet paper under or over. The quintessential North Carolinian question - tomato or vinegar? - resonated in the august halls of Jones Street this week.
In years past, a long list of lawmakers have run bills trying (and failing) to name either Eastern-style (vinegar) or Piedmont-style (tomato) as the state's official barbecue. This time, Davidson Republican Jerry Dockham came up with a novel end-run around the age-old standoff - a bill to make the Lexington Barbecue Festival the official State Food Festival.
Eastern lawmakers, however, were quick to see through the ruse. Harnett Co. Republican David Lewis worried that an unwary citizen might take the "State Food Festival" designation as an indirect endorsement of "off-colored" barbecue. But his fellow Easterner, Rep. Louis Pate (R-Wayne), appealed to Lewis's higher nature. Lewis's comeback was priceless. Hear it here.
In the end, the measure did pass the House - albeit with no end of heartburn from the vinegar contingent, who expressed their condolences to anyone who considers tomato-based 'cue to be food. Can't wait to see what the Senate does with it.
A case of the vapors
Senate Dem freshman Steve Goss led the charge this week to outlaw "Alcohol without Liquid" devices, which allow users to inhale alcohol beverages without inconveniences like frequent restroom visits or hangovers (or so they say). This wasn't an issue till a Triad company went into business selling the things. The presumption is that AWOL devices will attract younger users who want to get drunk quickly. Greensboro's Mark Binker has been following this far more closely than I have - check his blog for more info.
Goss and the Senate leadership are proclaiming the AWOL ban a major victory in protecting kids from booze. Not to be disingenuous, but how big a problem is this, really? Seems like most kids these days are still ingesting alcohol the old-fashioned way - as liquid, in vast quantities, via their legal-age friends and relatives. Maybe that should be getting more attention.
Miller v. Dole?
It's never too early to start shopping for 2008, at least for NC Dems. Anytime a politician hints s/he might consider running against Dole, it inspires a poll. That's what happened this week, when 13th Congressman Brad Miller didn't deny outright that he's maybe, just possibly, considering a Senate run. Public Policy Polling put out data showing Miller within 11 points of Dole, which they say is enough to qualify him as a serious contender. See the PPP release here.
Tastes like chicken
Fun story of the week: Research by an NC State scientist has led to the discovery that Tyrannosaurus Rex was, in fact, related to modern birds - something scientists have long suspected, but couldn't really prove till this point. So who you callin' chicken? The N&O's Catherine Clabby has the whole story here.
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