N.C. Towns Drop Into The New Years Events

Asheville, NC:
Downtown Countdown a family-friendly celebration with fireworks at
midnight.

More
New Year's events in the North Carolina Mountains.

Blowing Rock, NC:
Appalachian Ski Mountain,
Torchlight skiing and Fireworks

Banner Elk, NC:
Sugar Mountain hosts
night skiing, and a free torchlight parade and fireworks at midnight.

Wilmington, NC:

• 
  Free Holiday Light
  Displays through January 1:
  
  
  
  • 
    
    Island of Lights -Pleasure Island (Carolina Beach/Kure
    Beach)
  
  
  • Light Up the Beach
    (Wrightsville Beach)
  
  
  • World's Largest Living
    Christmas Tree, through Dec. 31 (6-10pm) Hilton Park
    (off Hwy. 117), Wilmington.
  
  
  • Illumination of
    Riverfront Park, Historic Downtown Wilmington (Water
    Street).
  
  
  • Holiday Lights over
    the
    Battleship NC-Lit from stem to stern through Jan. 6.
    View@Riverfront Park.
  
  
  
  

Myrtle Beach, SC:
Broadway at the
Beach Fireworks Spectacular, 6pm, Free.

Raleigh lowers its acorn and Charlotte lights up its crown, but some N.C. towns find even more unusual ways to greet the New Year.
Brasstown, deep in the heart of western North Carolina, drops a possum, while in Mt. Olive, a three-foot, lighted pickle goes for a swim in the briny deep.
Brasstown, self-proclaimed "Opossum Capital of the World," has been dropping the possum at midnight on New Year's Eve for more than 15 years in front of Clay's Corner, a combination gas station and general store in the center of town.
Actually, the possum is gently lowered in a plexiglass pyramid ever since a brush with animal rights activists a few years ago.
Now the guest of honor gets the royal treatment, snacks on cat food, and is turned loose at the end of the celebration.
The Possum Drop has generated a lot of publicity for the Cherokee County town, with articles in the New York Times, the Taipei Times and all points in between, after the Associated Press put the story on the wire.
Clay Logan, organizer of the alcohol-free event, hopes to be able to continue the tradition. "We're not optimistic or pessimistic," he told reporters. "We're opossumistic."

Mt. Olive's New Year's Eve Pickle Drop, a family-friendly affair with live music and free refreshments, welcomes the year on Greenwich Mean Time. Mr. Crisp, the Mt. Olive Pickle Company mascot, drops the dill down the flagpole at Cucumber and Vine into a giant redwood pickle barrel at precisely 7 p.m.

Other Holiday Events
around North Carolina: At Carolina Beach, the Island of Lights celebration welcomes the new year with the lowering of a giant lighted beach ball and a street dance.
In the N.C. mountains, Sugar Mountain Resort, Appalachian Ski Mountain, and Cataloochee Ski Area kick off the new year with torch light parades down their ski slopes, followed by fireworks.
In Oriental, the Good Luck Dragon runs up and down the waterfront on New Year's Eve.
Elsewhere, you can welcome the New Year on Wilmington's Henrietta III Riverboat or aboard the Great Smoky Mountain Railway, at elegant evenings at the Pinehurst Resort or the Grove Park Inn.
Salisbury rings in the new year at the Old Bell Tower while the Home Moravian Church in Winston-Salem welcomes all to watch for the New Year at a traditional Lovefeast service.
These and many more holiday celebrations can be found at the N.C. Division of

insurance aims at high-risk cases

A state-sponsored insurance pool that offers coverage to the riskiest patients has begun, but administrators are trying to draw more North Carolina residents who have been pushed out of the private market.
People can qualify if they don't have employer coverage and can't get private insurance without paying an exorbitant amount.
Since October, only about 500 residents have applied for the N.C. Health Insurance Risk Pool, with a couple hundred approved for coverage beginning Thursday.
But the program's executive director, Michael Keough, said that enrollments have been accelerating.
"These are tough times," Keough said. "People are out of work. People are doing what they can to survive. This is a particularly timely thing -- a godsend for people who need it."
Officials first projected that about 14,000 people would have the insurance 10 years from now and up to 4,000 people would join the first year. Keough said he thinks that up to 180,000 people in the state would be eligible.
It's a plan intended particularly for those with high-risk health conditions, such as multiple sclerosis or hemophilia.
But the insurance is still expensive.
Premiums are set at 150 percent to 200 percent of a healthy person's private insurance. The state subsidizes the program from a few sources, mostly a tax on health-insurance premiums and an annual cash withdrawal from the State Health Plan for public-service workers. It's starting operations with a $5 million grant from the Health and Wellness Trust Fund.
Christopher Estes, 54, of Pfafftown will pay about $615 a month to get coverage under the state's new plan. But that's much better than private insurance quotes that were twice as much, rising after his diagnosis with Parkinson's disease and a major seizure that exacerbated his condition.
He said that private premiums were stressing his home budget and put him within months of draining his savings. He and his wife were closely monitoring how they buy groceries and were saving on heating bills by wearing more clothes around the house.
"It's hard," Estes said. "My wife just did the budget for the month. We were short about $2,500. That's coming out of savings."
North Carolina legislators approved the health-insurance pool in 2007. It will cover only a small portion of the estimated 1.4 million people in North Carolina who are uninsured.

PapaJohns.com Bowl: North Carolina State vs. Rutgers Football Picks

When the North Carolina
State Wolfpack take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights this upcoming Monday in the
PapaJohns.com Bowl, it might not be a battle of two of the best teams in the
country, but it will be a showdown between two of the teams playing the best
football to end the regular season. After starting the season 2-6 the Wolfpack
finished off with 4 straight wins, including victories over Wake Forest, North
Carolina, and Miami. As for
Rutgers they started the season 1-5 and the season looked over, but instead this
team rallied to win 6 straight games and finish up 7-5. So for those of you
looking to do some
NCAA football betting on this game, the oddsmakers have

Rutgers 7 point favorites over North Carolina State at BetUS.com .

The Wolfpack come fresh off their 38-28 win over the Miami Hurricanes, and
the offense has really started to click at the end of the season. Overall this
team comes in averaging nearly 24 points a game and a solid 326 yards of total
offense. The main reason for all those yards is freshman quarterback Russell
Wilson, who not only was ACC Rookie of the Year but First-Team All-ACC as well.
Wilson wound up throwing for 1,769 yards but the most impressive stat was his 16
touchdown tosses to just 1 interception. Wilson has also helped out a pretty
mediocre running game, as he ran for 342 yards and 4 more touchdowns this
season. The big playmakers for Wilson are top receiver Owen Spencer and running
back Andre Brown, as long as Wilson stays on the field we like what this unit
can do not only in this bowl game, but for the next few years as well.

The defense for the Wolfpack seems to be hit or miss this season, but after
allowing over 30 points in the first 8 games of the season, they have really
turned it on allowing just 18 points a game during their 4 game winning streak.
Overall they are giving up a ton of yards both in the passing and running game,
but as the offense has got better so has the defense. This unit has created 27
turnovers on the season, and are led by the big play making ability of Willie
Young who leads the teams with 6.5 sacks and Nate Irving who leads the way with
4 interceptions in just 9 games this season. Look for another strong outing from
this unit as they try to snap Rutgers winning streak.

Bet North Carolina State Wolfpack +7 at BetUS.com.

Just like the Wolfpack the Scarlet Knights offense has been a tale of two
different halves, as this unit is averaging 46.2 points a game over its last 5
games, after scoring just 16 points a game over the first 7. The big reason for
the Knights success is the passing game, as Mike Teel went off over the last 6
games throwing for 1,929 yards and 20 touchdowns, including a 447 yard 7
touchdown performance against Louisville in the final game of the season. Teel
has 3,099 yards on the season and needs just 56 to set the school record for
yards in a single season. The guy doing all the work on the outside is receiver
Kenny Britt who ranks among the best in the nation with 81 catches for 1,252
yards and 2 touchdowns.

On the defensive side of things Rutgers has been strong all season, as they
come into the game letting opponents score just 18.5 points a game. Its been a
little shaky against the run allowing nearly 140 yards a game, but has been
excellent against the pass, holding teams to just 185 yards a game and only 8
touchdowns all season. The big reason for the success against the pass is the
Knights pressure up front, as they have 28 sacks on the season, but one
statistic of concern is the takeaway department, as Rutgers forced just 17
turnovers all season.

Bet Rutgers Scarlet Knights -7 at BetUS.com.

Lowry’s Lean on the Game: Rutgers -7

With the way the Rutgers defense plays against the pass, and the fact that the
Wolfpack are a pass heavy offense, I have a hard time believing they can keep up
with Rutgers scoring. This team took a few games but they really got things
rolling in the right direction, and this teams only two conferences losses were
on the road to West Virginia and Cincinnati by a combined 10 points.

Predicted Score: Rutgers 38 North
Carolina State 27

Check out the latest
NCAA football picks
from our experts and grab the best
college football odds
for all the bowl games at Betfirms.

Howard man and killed, injured wife in N.C. plane crash

A North Carolina Howard
County man was killed and his wife seriously injured when the small plane he was
piloting crashed Thursday in North
Carolina, local authorities said.

Anson County North Carolina
Sheriff Tommy Allen told the News & Record of Greensboro
that Steven P. Reamer, 57, of Marriottsville died in the crash, which occurred
about 500 feet short of the runway at Anson County Airport. 

The plane had taken off from Piedmont Triad International Airport, about 90
miles north of the crash site.

Allen said Reamer's wife, Pamela, 54, was taken to
Carolinas Medical Center in
Charlotte in serious condition.

North Carolina witnesses
told officials that it looked as if the plane was trying to land when it
crashed. Allen said flight plans showed that the couple were traveling to
Florida.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are
investigating the crash.

West Virginia's Stewart eyes 2-0 bowl record

West Virginia had just dropped its second straight game, a heartbreaking
overtime defeat at Colorado, and coach Bill Stewart's critics were howling as he
gathered the team. "We were 1-2 and everybody was wanting to run us out of
town," Stewart recalled Friday. "I never got upset one bit because we're family,
you know? ... Our young men were so resilient that night in Boulder. We all
grabbed hands with tears in our eyes and hurting in such a tough way. "We bonded
as a football team — and we went on a pretty good run." The Mountaineers won
their next five games, before a 2-2 finish revived Stewart's detractors. The
late-season struggles dropped West Virginia (8-4) into Saturday's Meineke Bowl
against North Carolina (8-4),
and the questions remain about whether the longtime assistant was the right
choice to replace Rich Rodriguez in Morgantown. The affable Stewart sat at a
pizza joint in downtown Charlotte Friday, telling old coaching stories, heaping
praise on senior quarterback Pat White a day before his final game, and
insisting that he's working tirelessly to make it work with the Mountaineers. 
Just keep pounding the rock, doing what you know is right, not what you think is
right," Stewart said.  Stewart acknowledged that as he prepared for West
Virginia's bowl game a year ago, he wasn't thinking about being the permanent
replacement for Michigan-bound Rodriguez. "I wasn't going to be the head coach,"
Stewart said. But then the Mountaineers upset Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. West
Virginia removed the interim tag the next day, even though the 56-year-old
Stewart's head coaching experience consisted of going 8-25 in three seasons at VMI.
Less than a year later, Stewart will coach the Mountaineers in their seventh
straight bowl appearance in what will mark the end of an era. The dynamic White,
the NCAA's all-time leader in rushing for quarterbacks with 4,425 yards, will
try to finish 4-0 in bowls. "I just want to enjoy my last game with my
teammates," White said. "I'm not worried about four bowl wins or whatever. It's
just my last game as a Mountaineer and I want to enjoy it." There are no
questions about qualifications on the North
Carolina sideline. Butch Davis
and his thick, impressive resume from college and the NFL engineered one of the
nation's biggest turnarounds. After going 4-8 in his first season in 2007, North
Carolina started 7-2 before a rash of injuries led to losses in two of its last
three games to end any BCS bowl hopes. "When you take a look at the teams that
have played for the national championship in the last couple of seasons — the
LSUs, the Oklahomas, the Southern Cals, the Floridas, they weren't programs that
were built overnight. It didn't happen in 18 months," Davis said. "It's year
after year, solid recruiting classes, so that what happened to us this year
doesn't happen in future years. "Being 7-2, being on track, playing good, and
you lose 10 or 12 kids that are injured for the whole season. Now, all of a
sudden, that's where depth comes in." Quarterback T.J. Yates is back after
missing five games with a broken ankle, and may get his last chance to throw to
Atlantic Coast Conference receiving leader Hakeem Nicks. The junior, who has
caught 60 passes for a school-record 1,005 yards and nine touchdowns this
season, is contemplating turning pro. Davis said he's talked to some NFL teams
and will discuss it with Nicks a few days after the bowl. "He'll definitely play
a big role in my decision," Nicks said of Davis. "As of right now, I'm still a
Tar Heel. I just want to go out there and play this game first." North Carolina
is in a bowl game for the first time since a loss to Boston College here in
2004. For the Tar Heels to win their first postseason game since 2001, they'll
have to prevent a dominating game from White, who has accounted for 100
touchdowns in his career — 53 passing and 47 rushing "It's been very difficult
this last month watching him practice. The last home game was pretty tough,"
Stewart said. "This is, without a doubt, in my opinion, the greatest winner to
ever come through West Virginia University. Is he the greatest player? I don't
know. I'll leave that up to the critics. But I know he's the greatest winner."
Stewart hopes to be a winner at West Virginia, too. The New Martinsville, W.Va.,
native has a chance Saturday to go to 2-0 in bowls, following up last season's
improbable win that helped him get his dream job. "That was a great year, that
was a great bowl win," Stewart said. "But this is now."

auto insurers in neutral on rate increases

Auto insurers may increase premiums on North
Carolina drivers by up to 9.4
percent starting Thursday, but a court ruling will determine whether they can
keep the extra money.

The North Carolina Rate Bureau,
which represents 144 auto insurers that operate in the state, had asked for its
largest rate increase in 14 years - 12.9 percent. But Insurance Commissioner Jim
Long turned the tables, instead ordering a 16 percent cut.

Long ruled that the insurers submitted data to back their position that didn't
justify the increase they sought. The Insurance Department also argued that the
companies skewed their depiction of North
Carolina's market by including
claims from riskier drivers who are inexperienced or who rack up insurance
points against their license and other decisions. Those drivers are assigned to
the North Carolina Reinsurance
Facility.

Insurers revamped their requested rate increase in their appeal to the state
Court of Appeals last month and are now seeking 9.4 percent, Rate Bureau general
manager Ray Evans said.

Under state law, insurers can charge the higher rate beginning Jan. 1, but any
amount collected above the 16 percent cut ordered by Long must be placed into
escrow accounts. If insurers win their appeal, they can keep the money. If they
lose, they would have to refund the money to policyholders, plus pay interest at
the prime rate plus 3 percent.

"The commissioner ordered what he felt was appropriate. We'll let the appeals
process run its due course," said Bob Mack, deputy state insurance commissioner
for property and casualty.

A court hearing on the appeal has not been scheduled.

Evans said the insurers trimmed their rate request considering the
commissioner's projections on the rate of inflation and some other factors, such
as the frequency and severity of accidents. Long's projections were close to the
insurers' estimates but somewhat lower, and the courts generally defer to the
commissioner on such matters, Evans said.

The Rate Bureau argued in its original request for increased premiums that
rising costs for medical care and car repairs justified higher rates, along with
the slowing decline in accident rates.

Insurance rate increases regulated by the state commissioner are the maximum
rates auto insurers can charge. Competition drives insurers to charge many
drivers less than the top rate. 

Long decided not to seek re-election this year after 24 years in office. He is
being replaced next month by fellow Democrat Wayne Goodwin.

Hawksnest mountain resort goes tubing

North Carolina's Hawksnest
mountain resort has given up skiing for the more economical tubing. Resort
co-owner Lenny Cottom told the Winston-Salem Journal for a story Wednesday that
instead of covering 30 acres of mountainside with manmade snow for skiers, he
covers 5 acres and offers 20 lanes for people to ride down the mountain on heavy
duty inflatable tubes and rafts. Cottom says he also spends less on equipment
and staff. Tubing is cheaper for customers, too. Tickets for the two-hour
sessions are about $30 on a weekend or holiday compared with twice that for a
day-long lift ticket for skiing. Resorts at Beech and Sugar mountains in North
Carolina also have added tubing
runs, but Hawksnest is the only one that has gone totally tubular.

NC-based photofinishing firm to cut 300 jobs

A North Carolina company
that offers wholesale photofinishing services for retail businesses is cutting
nearly 300 jobs as it closes labs in Texas, Pennsylvania and Canada. The
Herald-Sun of Durham reports that Durham-based Qualex Inc. says it will cut 50
jobs from its headquarters in Durham. The company also will close photofinishing
laboratories in Dallas; Allentown, Pa.; and Hamilton, Ontario. Qualex is a
subsidiary of Eastman Kodak Co. Kodak spokesman Christopher Veronda said Qualex
is getting out of the photofinishing business because of declining demand. Most
stores no longer send customers' film to a lab, but instead process it onsite.
About 20 people will stay in Durham to work in a Qualex division that offers
theme picture taking at theme parks, malls and special events.

Holiday travel to fall in N.C.

The number of North Carolina
who will travel this Christmas is expected to fall slightly, AAA Carolinas says.
About 1.95 million people will travel either by auto or by plane this holiday,
AAA says, down from 1.97 million people in 2007. That would mark the first
decline in Christmas holiday travel since 2002. “The economy is the grinch in
this year’s Christmas holiday travel period,” David E. Parsons, president and
CEO of AAA Carolinas, said in a written statement. “Planes will be packed with
the airlines’ capacity cutbacks. Winter weather can trigger delays and
cancellations creating chaos and hassles at airports.” Lower gas prices mean
that travel by car will be essentially flat this year despite the down economy,
AAA says. The number of people traveling by vehicle in North
Carolina is expected to
increase by a few thousand people. But capacity cuts and high airfares mean that
the number of people who will travel by air is expected to fall, to 294,000 this
year, from 318,000 a year ago.

Four North Carolina Teens Charged in Bizarre Killing

A group of teenagers in North
Carolina suspected of murdering a friend allegedly read him his fortune from
tarot cards shortly before beating him in the head with a hammer, tying him up
and suffocating him with duct tape, according to recently released search
warrants. Investigators say they are still searching for a motive in what they
have called the bizarre killing of Matthew Silliman, an 18-year-old Eagle Scout
whose body was found in an unoccupied trailer in rural North Carolina earlier.

N.C. among fastest-growing states

North Carolina is among the
five fastest-growing states in the nation, according to the U.S. Census
Bureau. The Tar Heel State’s population increased 2 percent between July
2007 and July 2008. Utah was the nation’s fastest-growing state. Its
population climbed 2.5 percent. Arizona was the second fastest-growing
state, increasing 2.3 percent. Texas, North Carolina and Colorado
completed the top five, each with a growth rate of 2 percent.
The only two states to lose population were Michigan and Rhode Island.
Michigan’s population declined 0.5 percent, while Rhode Island’s fell 0.2
percent.
Texas had the largest increase in residents, at 483,542, followed by
California, with 379,132 new residents. North
Carolina was third, with
180,820.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North
Carolina will use the firm
behind the Zagat dining guide to run an online survey rating the consumer
experience provided by doctors, North
Carolina's largest health
insurer said Monday.

The Zagat Health Survey gives patients a way to review and evaluate four
non-medical measures of their experience with physicians: trust, communication,
availability and office environment. The survey also allows patients to explain
more about their experience in a comments section, officials said.

The survey is intended only to reflect customer experience with a physician,
not to the quality of care received. The company covers more than 3.7 million
people.

"Customer experience information offered by the Zagat Health Survey tool
complements the clinical quality, cost and other tools we provide to support
consumers' health care decision-making," said Dr. Don Bradley, chief medical
officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North
Carolina .

The move is part of a push by insurers and regulators to make the health care
system more transparent for consumers. The North
Carolina Hospital Association
started posting comparisons online last year.

The Zagat consumer survey of doctors was developed for WellPoint Inc., which
runs Blue Cross plans in 14 states, and introduced in Connecticut, Ohio and
metropolitan Los Angeles, WellPoint spokeswoman Jill Becher said Monday.
WellPoint expects to offer the service to other health plans next year, she
said.

Critics question whether limited information on doctors' personalities and
other non-medical factors will really help consumers. Some wonder whether
insurers aiming to control costs will prejudiced the data.

"Consumers have a right to know about their doctors, period," North
Carolina Medical Society chief
executive Robert Seligson said. But "any time data is available, there's
potential for it to be misused or misinterpreted. The information needs to be
accurate and reliable.

N.C. electors cast historic ballots

North Carolina Democratic
Party electors met this past week in the Old House Chambers of the state
Capitol. They were there to cast 15 electoral votes for Barack Obama for
president of the United States and 15 electoral votes for Joe Biden as vice
president.

It was an exhilarating experience for the Democratic electors. And why
shouldn't it be? Democrats hadn't cast a ballot in North
Carolina's Electoral College
since 1976, when Jimmy Carter was elected president.

It's interesting to note that history could have been a bit different on Dec.
15 if the state House had approved a bill back in 2007 that would have changed
the way North Carolina allocated its electoral votes. Obama still would have
won. But his electoral margin in North Carolina would have been just one vote.

Last year, the state Senate approved a bill that would have allocated North
Carolina's votes in the Electoral College according to how the votes went in
each of the state's 13 congressional districts. The presidential candidate
garnering the most votes in each congressional district would get that
district's vote. The winner statewide would get the state's two at-large votes.

According to a compilation by Swing State Project, Obama carried six
congressional districts in North
Carolina: The First, Second, Fourth, Eighth, Twelfth and Thirteenth.
Republican John McCain won the other seven: The Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh,
Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh. (Alamance is mostly in the sixth district).

Since Obama carried the state, the two at-large delegates would have gone
into Obama's column, giving him eight electoral votes to McCain's seven.

North Carolina Democrats in
the General Assembly pushed for the change. Republicans opposed it. It passed
the Senate, along party lines, and was set to be taken up in the state House.

Such a change could have a major effect in tight elections, such as the 2000
presidential election where Republican George W. Bush won with only one
electoral vote to spare.

The Democratic majority in the House decided to pull the electoral vote
change off its agenda for the 2007 session. They thought it might give fodder
for a similar push in California, where such a change would have benefited
Republicans.

Ironically, it was the Democrats who benefited from the decision not to
change the allocation of North
Carolina's electoral votes.

The change, had it gone into effect, would not have come anywhere close to
affecting the outcome of the presidential race nationwide. Obama got 365
electoral votes, or 95 more than the 270 he needed to win the presidency. McCain
got 173.

If you take away the seven votes that would have gone to McCain had the
change been approved, Obama still would have garnered 358 electoral votes,
compared to McCain's 180.

As it turns out, the Democrats made a smart move in pulling the change from
their agenda in 2007. It worked to their advantage in North
Carolina 2008.

North Carolina State vs. Marquette

Marquette has ridden the play of three talented guards to NCAA tournament
appearances the last three years, but an undersized power forward may be pivotal
to the team matching that success this season.

Lazar Hayward looks to continue his recent strong play as the 24th-ranked
Golden Eagles head to Raleigh to play North
Carolina State on Monday.

Hayward is third on Marquette with 16.9 points per game, and the 6-foot-6
junior is averaging a team-high 9.7 rebounds. He had a career-high 27 points in
helping the Golden Eagles (9-2) bounce back from a loss to No. 16 Tennessee with
a 94-77 victory over Western
Carolina on Friday.

The junior accounted for all the scoring in a 12-4 first-half run that gave
Marquette a 20-point lead en route to a 53-27 halftime advantage.

"Hopefully, I don't jinx it," said Hayward, who has averaged 17.3 points and
10.8 rebounds in his last four games. "But I just think it's me attacking,
playing the right way, my teammates getting me the ball."

Hayward's offensive surge has helped create opportunities for senior guards
Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews and Dominic James. McNeal hit five 3-pointers and
scored 19 points Friday, while Matthews added 18 points and James had six
assists.

"I think 'Zar is a hard guy to guard," Marquette coach Buzz Williams said.
"He becomes a harder guy to guard when our three guards are playing really well.
We've tried to get him more touches in different spots on the floor, and I think
he's getting into a rhythm."

Matthews is averaging a team-high 20.4 points and has taken 106 free throws,
making 90. McNeal is scoring 17.5 points per game and has made 43.6 percent
(24-for-55) from 3-point range, while James is averaging 10.5 points and team
highs of 5.4 assists and 2.1 steals.

Marquette, though, will be facing a North
Carolina State team that
improved to 6-0 at the RBC Center with a 78-58 win over Lipscomb on Saturday.
Brandon Costner scored 13 points for the Wolfpack (7-1), and coach Sidney Lowe
also singled out freshman Julius Mays, who had nine points and seven assists
without a turnover in his first start.

"Julius Mays ran the show and he was able to slow it down when he saw we
didn't have anything," said Lowe, who didn't play Mays in the Wolfpack's win
over East Carolina on Wednesday. "As a freshman, I think he did a great job for
us."

Mays likely will start again as Javi Gonzalez continues to recover from a
lacerated elbow suffered against East
Carolina.

Senior swingman Courtney Fells made his return Saturday after missing the
previous two games with a sprained ankle, going scoreless in six minutes.

"We knew Courtney Fells' timing would be off," Lowe said. "I wanted to get
him in for a couple minutes to help prepare him for Marquette."

The 6-6 Fells is third on the team with 11.3 points per game and is shooting
53.2 percent.

North Carolina State leads
the series 2-1 and beat Marquette 76-64 in the 1974 NCAA title game. The Golden
Eagles got their only victory in the most recent meeting during the 1991-92
season.

Hansbrough Finds Groove as Tar Heels Keep Rolling

It took Tyler Hansbrough nearly nine minutes to get his first basket
Saturday. Once he did, top-ranked North
Carolina started playing the
way it has all season.  Hansbrough finished with 25 points and the Tar
Heels shook off a sluggish start to beat Valparaiso, 85-63, at the United
Center. “I was just moving better,” Hansbrough said. “I wasn’t trying to force
it early. I kept moving and eventually I got to spots and got the ball and made
some shots.” Hansbrough, who became North
Carolina’s career scoring
leader Thursday night in a victory against Evansville, fueled runs at the end of
the first half and beginning of the second.

It was a relief, he said, to get the record — passing Phil Ford — behind him.
“There was a lot of pressure those last two games,” he said. “Everybody wanted
me to break it. It bothered me a little bit. I’m glad it’s behind me.” North
Carolina (11-0) has won all of
its games this season by double figures, tying a team record also held by the
1992-93 squad, which won the national championship.

Valparaiso (3-7) was facing the No. 1 team for the fifth straight season and
the seventh time in team history. The Crusaders are now 0-7 in those games.

“It’s the fifth year we have played the No. 1 team in the nation, and this is
probably the most dominant,” Valparaiso Coach Homer Drew said. “They’re
experienced, they got size inside. We doubled Hansbrough, and it didn’t seem to
affect him at all.” Urule Igbavboa, who had four fouls in the first half, and
Michael Rogers led Valparaiso with 16 points each.

Valparaiso lost to North
Carolina for the second straight season. Igbavboa, who helped hold
Hansbrough down early in the game, said Hansbrough was an even better player
because of his ability to step out and hit the perimeter shots.

“He expanded his game,” Igbavboa said. Hansbrough scored 8 straight points —
two free throws, a layup after a steal, a slam and a jumper — to get the Tar
Heels started on a 12-0 run late in the first half that built a 38-25 lead. They
were ahead by 41-31 at the half.

North Carolina then scored
the first 9 points of the second half to pull away. Hansbrough finished 9 for 13
from the field, scoring on a variety of shots, and moved into sixth place on the
Atlantic Coast Conference career scoring list. “He can really shoot the
basketball, and I think he showed that today,” North
Carolina Coach Roy Williams
said. “Tyler sets a great example for a lot of things that are good about the
game and the way the game is played.” One minute in the second half, Hansbrough
made a nice entry pass to Deon Thompson for a basket, then muscled his way for a
3-point play and a 15-point lead. Hansbrough followed that with a steal and a
soft jumper to put North Carolina
in control at 48-31. Hansbrough was knocked to the floor on a hard foul by
De’Andre Haskins with 3 minutes 32 seconds left. After making one of two free
throws, he left the game with his team ahead by 81-53.“It was a hard foul,”
Hansbrough said. “I’m used to it, but sometimes, it bothers me a little bit.”

NC State beats Lipscomb 78-58

Trevor Ferguson scored 14 points as North
Carolina State defeated
Lipscomb 78-58 on Saturday.

Brandon Costner added 13 points for the Wolfpack (7-1) and Ben McCauley
scored 11 points.

The North Carolina Wolfpack
broke open the game with a 14-0 run late in the first half, extending their lead
to 37-20 while holding the Bisons (4-5) scoreless for a span of 6:58. Josh
Slater ended the drought, during which Lipscomb shot 0-for-9 from the floor and
committed three turnovers, with a driving layup with 1:20 remaining in the first
half.

Adnan Hodzic led the Bisons with 18 points and 12 rebounds and Slater added
13 points for Lipscomb, which trailed 37-25 at halftime.

Homeowner insurance rates to soar along NC coast

Homeowners on the North Carolina
coast face drastically higher insurance premiums under an agreement
announced Thursday as the state tries to prepare for the cost of a major
hurricane. Insurance Commissioner Jim Long said the agreement with insurance
companies allows an average statewide increase of about 4 percent. But premiums
will soar on the coastline, with some areas facing increases of nearly 30
percent. A state-sanctioned insurance program, the Beach Plan, some $72 billion
worth of property along the coast but may not have the resources to cover losses
should a major hurricane strike. State officials have allowed coastal insurance
increases in the past with hopes that more companies may begin offering policies
there. Long said a few may do so after the new rate increase, but he's not
counting on it. "It hasn't happened all the other times," Long said in an
interview. Instead, Long said the rate hikes will improve the financial status
of Beach Plan, which was first created in 1969 to provide wind damage insurance
to homeowners on North Carolina
barrier islands who couldn't obtain coverage on the open market. The program has expanded over the years to more counties and situations and now includes 170,000 coastal properties. Lawmakers want it to return to its intended purpose: to serve as an insurer of last resort.
The Beach Plan currently charges premiums that are 5 percent or 15 percent above what
regular insurers can offer, depending on the policy. Under a previous
announcement, that gap will rise to 15 percent or 25 percent above what regular
insurers can offer. So some property owners in the Wilmington area could see
premiums jump 30 percent under Thursday's announcement and an additional
increase under the agreement to boost the Beach Plan margin to 25 percent.
Meanwhile, areas on the western side of the state could face lower premiums:
Charlotte homeowners will see premiums down 4 percent. "There are going to be a
lot of North Carolina people
who are going to get crushed by this," said Rep. Bonner Stiller, R-Brunswick.
The insurance industry had initially proposed seeking an average statewide rate
increase of 19 percent but backed off the idea when Beach Plan leaders increased
the premiums. A General Assembly committee studying the issue also met Thursday
to discuss improving the financial health of the Beach Plan. Committee members
proposed a surcharge in the event that a catastrophic hurricane depleted the
state's money but agreed to revisit the idea after discussing it further. The
Beach Plan would charge hundreds of millions of dollars in assessments to the
insurers in the case of a major hurricane. Those costs often get passed along to
homeowners outside of the coastal area. But the companies are worried because
the assessments aren't capped. In the event of an even larger disaster, the
state may lean on companies to foot the remainder of the bill, threatening the
health of the companies. Encompass Insurance, a division of Allstate Insurance,
has said it won't write any new homeowner policies in North
Carolina because of those
concerns.

Ambitious Valparaiso taking on North Carolina team

North Carolina evokes an image of college basketball royalty with an artistry and a consistency few other schools can match.
Yet even by its own lofty standards, there's something special about the North Carolina team that visits the United Center on Saturday to take on ambitious Valparaiso.
The top-ranked Tar Heels are undefeated (10-0) and a unanimous No. 1 choice in both polls. They return seven of the top eight players from last season's 36-3 Final Four team, including national Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough, who on Thursday became the No. 1 career scorer at a school that churns out All-Americans the way others produce P.E. majors.
North Carolina is outscoring their opponents by nearly 28 points per game (96.7-69.0), breezing through a first month's schedule that included Kentucky, Oregon, Notre Dame and Michigan State with an ease that has drawn comparisons to their 2005 national title team and its four first-round NBA draft picks.
"Oh my gosh, they're good," said Valparaiso coach Homer Drew, who, if he weren't known as such a fine and scrupulous man, might be accused of child abuse for exposing his nine freshmen and two sophomores to such a tested, NBA-ready roster.
"You probably have to go back to those UNLV teams of the early '90s to find a team this dominant," Drew said. "Everybody talks about the talent they've stockpiled, but Coach [Roy] Williams does a great job coaching them. They're not only talented, they're unselfish."
No one in the Tar Heels' eight-man rotation logs more than 27 minutes per game. It will be a nine-man group when defensive standout Marcus Ginyard returns from a stress fracture in his foot, and Carolina could have gone 10 deep if freshman big man Tyler Zeller hadn't broken his wrist in a tuneup for the Maui Invitational.
That's where victories over Chaminade, Oregon and Notre Dame, by an obscene total of 89 points, marked the Tar Heels as scary good. They followed with a 35-point dismantling of a supposedly strong Michigan State team in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge at Detroit's Ford Field, site of this season's Final Four. It would not have been presumptuous of Carolina to book a bunch of rooms there.
"We have to get healthy, and we have to get better on the defensive end," Williams insisted.
Hansbrough, a poster boy for all-out effort, became Carolina's career scoring leader (2,302 points) with 20 in Thursday night's win over Evansville, moving past Phil Ford (2,290). He gets a hand with the heavy lifting up front from the muscular Deon Thompson (15.4 points, 7.6 rebounds) and freshman lefty Ed Davis, a Sam Perkins in waiting.
The Tar Heels have weapons all over the floor with athletic forwards Danny Green and Wayne Ellington filling the lanes and shooting jumpers from the wings. The conductor is point guard Ty Lawson, who averages 16.3 points and 6.8 assists with a slick 3.4-1 assist-to turnover ratio. If there's a quicker guard in the game, he's drawing an NBA paycheck.
Lawson's backup is senior Bobby Frasor, the former Brother Rice standout who broke a lot of Midwest coaches' hearts when he chose North Carolina four years ago. Back and knee injuries have limited Frasor's playing time the last two seasons, but he's healthy and looking forward to a homecoming.
"I've played in the United Center—I think I was in about fourth grade and we won a tournament and we got to play there, which was pretty cool," Frasor said. "We played in a supersectional there, which didn't turn out too well, and I played there in the Roundball Classic."
Valparaiso (3-6) played Carolina in Chapel Hill last season and lost 90-58. "It was 37-37 with 17 minutes to go," Drew recalled. "I called three timeouts the next three minutes. Couldn't stop the steamroller."
Rumor has it the steamroller has made the trip.

Hansbrough Sets Scoring Record in Victory

Top-ranked North Carolina waited for Tyler Hansbrough to make history, then cruised to its latest lopsided victory.
The Quad returns to a new season of college basketball coverage.
Hansbrough scored 20 points Thursday night, breaking North Carolina’s career scoring record, and the Tar Heels beat visiting Evansville, 91-73.
North Carolina (10-0) shook off a slow start and stretched its lead to double figures shortly after Hansbrough, the reigning national player of the year, passed Phil Ford for the record midway through the first half. Ford finished his career in 1978 with 2,290 points. Hansbrough now has 2,301.
Hansbrough needed 9 points coming in and set the record with a bank shot over two defenders with 7 minutes 41 seconds to go.
After the game, the university showed a video montage of Hansbrough’s career highlights, and he briefly addressed the crowd.
“I never dreamed I’d be here and be the all-time leading scorer,” Hansbrough said as he stood alone at midcourt. “This is a great honor to be here and to represent you guys every night in this uniform.”
Ty Lawson added 16 points for the Tar Heels, and Danny Green had 14, including the 1,000th of his career.
Shy Ely had 23 points for the Purple Aces (7-2 ).

GD contracted for USS North Carolina work

Electric Boat was contracted to support the U.S. Navy's new USS North Carolina submarine during its post-shakedown availability.
The USS North Carolina (SSN-777), a Virginia-class ship officially commissioned in May 2008, was constructed by a Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding General Dynamics Electric Boat team.
The Navy awarded General Dynamics $46.5 million to perform work on USS North Carolina during its post-shakedown availability including "maintenance, repairs, alterations, testing and other activities," the release said.
Officials say the maintenance work on the USS North Carolina is expected to be completed in March 2010.

North Carolina unemployment is highest since 1983

Unemployment in North Carolina spiked in November, hitting the highest rate in 25 years as the pace of job losses accelerated.
The Employment Security Commission of North Carolina says the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.9 percent in November — the highest since 1983.
The number of workers with jobs fell by 58,621 on a seasonally adjusted basis. That drop accounts for more than half of the 112,300-job decline in the last 12 months.
“Global and national economic challenges have had an impact on North Carolina,” Employment Security Commission Chairman Harry Payne Jr. says in a written statement. “Many employers are faced with layoffs or cutting back hours.”
North Carolina’s labor force — persons with jobs and those actively looking for employment — also shrank in November by 22,793 workers.
And the labor force participation rate, which looks at the labor force as a percentage of the entire working-age population, was a historic low of 64.4 percent, ESC says, as many individuals simply gave up looking for jobs.
White-collar workers are being affected by the downturn as much as blue-collar types. According to the state’s survey of businesses, the sector that saw the biggest drop in jobs in November was “professional and business services.” That sector lost 13,900 jobs, or 2.8 percent of its payroll, on a seasonally adjusted basis in November.
Manufacturing lost 13,100 jobs, or 1.7 percent of its payroll from the previous month.
Across the United States, the unemployment rate in November was 6.7 percent.

Hansbrough sets Carolina's career scoring record

Reigning national player of the year Tyler Hansbrough has broken the career scoring record at North Carolina.
The 6-foot-9 senior needed nine points in the top-ranked Tar Heels' game against Evansville on Thursday night to pass Phil Ford for the record. He tied Ford on a jumper from the left wing with 14:05 left, then set the mark by banking in a turnaround shot with 7:41 left in the first half.
After the record-setting point, officials briefly stopped the game to allow Ford, coach Roy Williams and athletics director Dick Baddour to present Hansbrough with the game ball.
Ford finished his career in 1978 with 2,290 points.

David Pond Reappointed by Governor Easley to NC Board of Examiners

WK Dickson & Co., Inc. announced that David L. Pond, PE, Executive Vice President/COO, has been reappointed by North Carolina Governor Mike Easley to serve on the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors. This appointment is in recognition to the outstanding service David has given to the engineering profession throughout his career. He will serve on the board until 2013.
The North Carolina Board of Examiners is the governing body responsible for administration and regulation of the professions of engineering and land surveying in North Carolina. The Board reviews applications, administers examinations, licenses qualified applicants, and regulates the Professional practice of the licensees throughout the State.
"I am deeply grateful for people like you who are willing to give their time and talent to move North Carolina forward," said Governor Easley. "Your diligent and effective service has already made a difference in our state."
A graduate of North Carolina State University, David has been part of the engineering industry for more than 25 years. He joined WK Dickson in 1985 as an Associate and quickly grew into the role of Executive Vice President and later Chief Operations Officer.
David has served on various committees and in leadership roles in many state and national associations including Professional Engineers of North Carolina (PENC), the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), and the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE).
Company Information
WK Dickson is a multi-disciplined consulting firm specializing in total community infrastructure solutions including: Environmental and Water Resources Engineering; Transportation Planning & Design; Community Planning and Development; and Geospatial Technology. Their goal is to help communities improve the lives of its citizens through sound, ecologically responsible design principals. The firm has been headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina since its founding in 1929. It has grown to operate nine regional offices strategically located throughout the Southeastern United States. The company maintains offices in Charlotte, Hickory, Raleigh and Wilmington, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; Augusta, Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; and Louisville, Kentucky.

North Carolina Agrees to 4% Home Insurance Rate Hike

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Jim Long today signed a settlement agreement with homeowners insurance companies allowing an overall statewide average increase of 4.05 percent in rates beginning May 1.
This is below the statewide increase than the 19.5 percent increase originally proposed by the insurers' North Carolina Rate Bureau. Long said his deal is $238 million less in premium than what the industry sought.
"There has been a lot of speculation surrounding this homeowners rate filing, but I feel that we've reached a settlement that is fair to both consumers and insurance companies in North Carolina," said Long. "No one likes to see their insurance rates go up, but the industry made a strong case for allowing some increases this year. The silver lining is that most consumers won't see nearly the increases that were initially proposed."
The settlement also realigns several insurance territories along the coast. The realignment divides former Territory 43, which included many of the coastal counties, into two separate territories -- 43 West and 43 East.
"It makes sense to the department that homeowners who live farther inland should pay less for insurance because they have less exposure to the impact of a hurricane. The realignment of the territories kept this in mind and was a way to group the geographically-similar parts of the coastal counties, creating fairer rates for homeowners at the coast," Long said.
The insurers' filing cited rising construction and repair costs as among the reasons a rate hike was requested.
Meanwhile, a legislative panel was hearing testimony today on ways to fund and reform the state's property insurer known as the Beach Plan. The Joint Select Study Committee On the Potential Impact of Major Hurricanes On the North Carolina Insurance Industry, chaired by Sen. Tony Rand and Rep. Hugh Holliman was scheduled to hear from representatives for agents and the insurance department.
North Carolina Homeowners Rate Revision by Territory 2009
The following is the breakdown of rate changes by territory showing the counties and cities in each rating territory, followed by the approved average percentage rate change and the resulting average premium. Examples are based on a frame home valued at $150,000 and insured under the HO-3 policy, Protection Classes 1 - 6.
The overall statewide average change is a 4.05% increase.
Currituck, Dare & Hyde 6.5%; $2,122
Brunswick, New Hanover, Onslow & Pender 17.5%; $2,342
Durham & Raleigh 5.0%; $663
Cumberland 4.0%; $850
Winston-Salem & Greensboro 3.0%; $562
Charlotte -4.0%; $529
Gaston, Mecklenburg & Union -6.0%; $499
Bladen, Columbus & Robeson 12.0%; $1,059
Brunswick, New Hanover, Onslow & Pender, Carteret 29.8%; $1,616
Beaufort, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, Jones, Pamilco, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, & Pamilco 43 E 22.0%; $1,519
Beaufort, Camden, Chowan, Craven, Jones, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell & Washington 6.5%; $1,327
Anson, Montgomery & Richmond 6.0%; $676
Bertie, Duplin, Gates, Greene, Hertford, Lenoir, Martin, Pitt, Sampson & Wayne 7.0%; $853
Caswell, Granville, Person, Vance & Warren -3.0%; $587
Edgecombe, Franklin, Halifax, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Nash, Northhampton, Scotland & Wilson 2.0%; $700
Chatham, Durham, Orange & Wake 2.0%; $625
Alamance, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph & Yadkin 2.0%; $560
Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Davie, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Stoke, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes & Yancey -1.2%; $480

Source: North Carolina Department of Insurance

Fitch to Upgrade Charlotte, North Carolina's Water & Sewer Revs 2006B to 'F1+'; Confirms 'AAA'

Fitch Ratings confirms the 'AAA' long-term rating and effective Dec. 30, 2008, will upgrade the short-term rating to 'F1+' from 'F1' on the $289,795,000 City of Charlotte, North Carolina, variable rate water and sewer system revenue bonds, series 2006B (the bonds). Fitch also confirms $1.4 billion in outstanding parity water and sewer revenue bonds with a Stable Rating Outlook
The rating action is in connection with the substitution of the liquidity facility supporting the bonds. On the effective date of Dec. 30, 2008, Wachovia Bank, National Association (Wachovia), will replace DEPFA BANK plc, acting through its New York Branch (DEPFA) as the issuer of the Standby Bond Purchase Agreement, (the SBPA) providing liquidity support for the bonds.
The short-term 'F1+' rating on the bonds will expire on the earlier of Dec. 30, 2011, the Expiration Date, as defined in the SBPA, unless such date is extended, or upon any prior termination of the SBPA.
Fitch's rating definitions and the terms of use of such ratings are available on the agency's public site, www.fitchratings.com. Published ratings, criteria and methodologies are available from this site, at all times. Fitch's code of conduct, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, affiliate firewall, compliance and other relevant policies and procedures are also available from the 'Code of Conduct' section of this site.

Charity Donations Down By $26 Million In North Carolina

A just released 2007-2008 North Carolina Secretary of State Charitable Solicitation Licensing Division Annual Report states that charities licensed by the State collected almost $26 million less this year than in 2006-2007.
New statistics indicate that the generosity of North Carolinians is indeed being challenged by a tough economy. However, one bright silver lining to that news is that non-profit groups are getting more use from the dollars donated by the public.
Perhaps equally importantly though, the report shows that charities actually netted a dramatically larger amount of each donated dollar from professional fund-raising campaigns conducted this past year. This change did offset the decline in giving for the year.
The annual report specifically examines charitable groups that choose to use paid solicitors registered with the Secretary of State's Office. Data in the report breaks down how much of each dollar given by the public is used for fund-raising costs.
"First, we are very pleased to see that a high percentage of each dollar going to the non-profits is actually going for the purposes people think about when they give," Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall said Wednesday as the report was released.
"In fact," Secretary Marshall said, "this year's percentage is the highest any of us ever recall seeing. That is very good news."
Secretary Marshall added though that the decline in overall giving could not be ignored. "We have to be honest about what this economy is doing to people's pocketbooks-North Carolinians always want to help charitable causes, but people are having to tighten their purse strings now," she said. "Non-profits out there know that and most charitable groups are facing a difficult 2009 because of it."
The report covers the time frame from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008. Gross receipts in that period from "events," meaning any kind of fund-raising campaign conducted by a paid solicitor and covered by the State's charitable solicitation law, totaled $239,111,162.59. That compares to a 2006-2007 figure $264,997,561.11.
On an overall percentage basis, fund-raising companies took a much smaller bite out of each dollar raised. Last year's report showed that an average of 50.54 cents of every dollar raised went to actual charitable services.
This year's report found that an average of 59.78 cents of every dollar went to actual services, with 40.22 cents of each dollar going to fund-raising and other expenditures. This means that the charitable organizations listed in the report netted a total increase of just over $9 million more than last year.
Organizations in the report netted a total of $133,930,092.18 in 2006-2007. The new report shows them netting a total of $142,940,674.05.
"This is the second year in a row that we have seen non-profits increase their percentages in these fund-raising arrangements,"
Secretary Marshall said. "It may be that charitable organizations are learning to negotiate contracts with fund-raisers that give them better guaranteed percentages. I think we all recognize that the public does want to see good numbers in order to keep supporting specific organizations."
The amounts organizations netted from campaigns conducted by a fund raiser ranged from 0 percent, meaning that they did not net any of the money raised, to 100 percent, meaning that all of the money raised actually went to the organization.
Marshall urged North Carolinians to use the information located at the Department's website to make smart choices when giving. "You can go to www.sosnc.com and click on the 'Check Before You Write One' icon and find all kinds of information about charities and fund-raisers operating in North Carolina and read what kind of questions to ask before you write that check," Marshall said.
The Secretary of State's Office licenses charities and non-profit organizations that use professional fund-raising services for their solicitation campaigns, compensate their officers, or that raise at least $25,000 and are not exempt from state law for reasons such as being a religious institution or volunteer fire department or educational institution.
Many charities in the state are covered by these exemptions, so the report does not reflect their fund-raising or spending activities. The Department also regulates professional fund-raising companies that solicit donations from the public on behalf of charitable groups.
Marshall also cautioned people not to automatically condemn a charity and its professional solicitor for low numbers in the report. "Sometimes extensive educational efforts are an integral part of their fund-raising program as well, but that's counted as part of the expenses," Marshall said. "Also, the Annual Report reporting date may come at the beginning of a fund-raising cycle when expenses are high but not much money has been raised," she said. "In those cases when more funds are raised with low overhead, that money is counted in the next report."
Many charities raise money on their own in addition to the amount they get through a professional, she added. Donors should look at the annual reports the charities file over a multi-year period, Marshall said, to get a true picture of their relationships with solicitors. In addition, donors may request financial information directly from the charity.
"The bottom line is, if you see something in the report that disturbs you about a charity you support," Marshall added, "first get more information about what happened, and then decide if you feel they have earned your continued support."
Marshall noted the Secretary of State's report covers only a segment of charitable efforts in North Carolina as many organizations are exempt or do not hire professional solicitors.
She also noted that the dollar numbers listed in the report in some cases include monies raised in other states as well. They are included in the State report because raising donations in North Carolina was a part of that specific multi-state, fund-raising campaign covered by law.
People with questions about individual charities or charitable solicitation activities in general can call the Secretary of State's Office, Charitable Solicitation Licensing Division at 1-888-830-4989 (toll-free in North Carolina) or 1-919-807-2214.

PSNC asks N.C. for 14% rate cut

PSNC Energy has filed a request with the N.C. Utilities Commission to reduce its natural-gas rates by 14 percent.
The filing is in response to the recent drop in the wholesale cost of natural gas. PSNC adjusts the rates it charges customers based on the amount it has to pay to buy natural gas.
The change, which would take place Jan. 1, would cut about $19 from the average residential consumer’s monthly bill.
Gastonia-based PSNC is a subsidiary of Scana Corp. (NYSE:SCG) of Columbia, S.C. The utility serves a 28-county area in North Carolina, distributing natural gas to 460,000 customers in 96 communities.
PSNC’s request comes the same week that Piedmont Natural Gas Co. Inc. sought regulatory approval to cut residential billing rates 7 percent in North Carolina and between 7 and 8 percent in South Carolina.
If approved, Piedmont’s rate reductions also would take effect Jan. 1.
Piedmont says its proposed cuts reflect a decline in the wholesale price of natural gas.
Charlotte-based Piedmont (NYSE:PNY) distributes natural gas to 740,000 customers in the Carolinas and Tennessee.

NC SAVAN expanded in North Carolina

When the status of a registered sex offender changes, the victim now has one more layer of protection thanks to an updated telephone notification service operated around the clock by NC SAVAN, the Statewide Automated Victim Assistance and Notification program.
In addition to getting an automated phone call or e-mail when a sex offender is scheduled for court or has a change in custody, now the victim is notified by phone when changes occur in the status of a specific registered sex offender within the N.C. Sex Offender Registry. For example, a victim can receive a notification when any registered sex offender moves within a specified zip code.
“While the state Department of Justice offers e-mail notifications through its sex offender registry program, these expanded telephone notifications are an important piece in safeguarding victims of sexual assault and our children,” said Governor’s Crime Commission Chairman Linda Hayes. “Many North Carolinians don’t have access to computers.”
The N.C. sheriffs, the N.C. Department of Correction and the N.C. Court System’s district attorneys provide offender custody status and court case events to NC SAVAN. Phone notification in English or Spanish is accessible through www.ncsavan.org or through a toll-free number, 1-877-NCSAVAN, which is supported by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More than 220,000 people have registered for this service since mid October.
Last year, 1.7 million searches were conducted using the NC SAVAN Web site or through the automated phone center. During a four-year period, the NC SAVAN program provided 2.8 million automated phone or e-mail notifications to registered individuals.
The NC SAVAN program started in North Carolina in 1998 following the passage of the NC Crime Victims’ Rights Act. Of the 43 states with a similar program, North Carolina was one of the first to offer statewide automated information and notification services.
“For the past 10 years, the Governor’s Crime Commission has ensured that victims of crime get the help they need to transcend their trauma and move forward with their lives,” said Hayes. “Supporting the NC SAVAN program is a critical piece in achieving our mission to serve victims, victim service providers and criminal justice partners.”
The Governor’s Crime Commission administers federal Victims of Crime Act funding (VOCA) to the NC SAVAN program. The latest enhancement to NC SAVAN was paid for through a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
“This new tool gives North Carolinians another way to learn when an offender moves nearby so that families can plan for their safety,” said Attorney General Roy Cooper, who’s agency operates the NC Sex Offender Registry based on information provided by local sheriffs.
People can also continue to visit the Sex Offender Registry Web site, available at www.ncdoj.gov, to search for convicted sex offenders in their community, view maps and aerial photographs that show offenders’ home addresses, and sign up to get e-mail alerts about offenders in their area.
“We celebrate these 10 years of victims and citizens having access to information and notification,” Hayes said. “NC SAVAN and the Registry are valuable services to our community and this new service is yet another stepping stone toward the inclusion of victims and citizens along a timeline that builds upon a progressive criminal justice system.”

North Carolina may borrow to pay unemployment benefits

Increasing layoffs means North Carolina could run out of money to pay for unemployment benefits.
But officials say they do have a plan in case that happens.
State officials would borrow money from the federal government to pay jobless claims if they need to.
Officials say borrowing the money will prevent businesses from paying higher taxes for unemployment insurance.
The state unemployment rate is currently at seven percent.

Piedmont Natural Gas Files to Reduce Customer Rates in North Carolina and South Carolina

Charlotte-based Piedmont Natural Gas Company (PNY: Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. (North Carolina)News, chart, profile, more today filed for a reduction in its customer billing rates for customers in North Carolina and South Carolina. The filings with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) and South Carolina's Public Service Commission (PSC) seek to lower the wholesale cost of gas benchmark contained within the customer billing rates in each state and follow recent declines in the wholesale cost of natural gas. Earlier this month, the Company also filed a request with the Tennessee Regulatory Authority to reduce customer billing rates in Tennessee. The proposed reductions, if approved by the respective state regulatory bodies, would each go into effect on Jan. 1, 2009.
The benchmark reflects the wholesale cost of natural gas supplies purchased by the Company on behalf of its customers and can fluctuate up or down. The wholesale cost of gas represents the single largest portion of a residential or commercial customer's monthly natural gas bill, typically making up between 65 percent and 70 percent of the total bill. As a regulated natural gas distribution company, Piedmont Natural Gas is required to "true-up" or pass through the wholesale cost of gas to its customers on a dollar-for-dollar basis, without adding on any additional profit margin.
If approved by each of the respective state regulatory agencies, Piedmont's proposed benchmark reductions would have the effect of reducing residential billing rates by approximately 7 percent in North Carolina, between 7 and 8 percent in South Carolina, and by 15 percent in Tennessee.
Forward Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and information currently available and are believed to be reasonable and are made in good faith. However, the forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the statements. Factors that may make the actual results differ from anticipated results include, but are not limited to, regulatory issues, customer growth, economic and capital market conditions, the cost and availability of natural gas, competition from other energy providers, weather conditions and other uncertainties, all of which are difficult to predict and some of which are beyond our control. For these reasons, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements when making investment decisions. The words "expect," "believe," "project," "anticipate," "intend," "should," "could," "will," "assume," "can," "estimate," "forecast," "future," "indicate," "outlook," "plan," "predict," "seek," "target," "would," and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are only as of the date they are made and we do not undertake any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement, either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by applicable laws and regulations. More information about the risks and uncertainties relating to these forward- looking statements may be found in Piedmont's latest Form 10-K and its other filings with the SEC, which are available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.
About Piedmont Natural Gas
Piedmont Natural Gas is an energy services company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to more than one million residential, commercial and industrial utility customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including 62,000 customers served by municipalities who are wholesale customers. Our subsidiaries are invested in joint venture, energy-related businesses, including unregulated retail natural gas marketing, interstate natural gas storage and intrastate natural gas transportation. More information about Piedmont Natural Gas is available on the Internet at http://www.piedmontng.com.

$262K in Mattel settlement

Toy maker Mattel Inc. will pay more than $262,000 to North Carolina as part of a $12 million, 38-state settlement related to a safety recall of toys last year.
The recall involved toys made in China by Mattel and its Fisher-Price subsidiary. Tests of some of the toys found levels of lead well above what was acceptable under federal standards, according to a statement from N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper.
“Toys should help our children have fun, not put them in danger,” Cooper says in the statement. “This agreement adds extra safety measures to protect kids and give parents some peace of mind.”
Under the agreement, California-based Mattel (NYSE:MAT) says it will adhere to stricter standards for lead in its toys, and it will maintain at least four years of records for the subcontractors that make parts for its toys.

Carolina still unanimous No. 1 in AP Top 25

There weren't many changes in The Associated Press' college basketball poll on Monday as most schools took a break last week for final exams. Things could look a lot different in next week's Top 25.
North Carolina, Connecticut and Pittsburgh held on to the top three spots in the rankings and the only newcomer to the poll was Clemson, which replaced defending national champion Kansas at No. 25.
More changes may be in store next week because Saturday features five games between ranked teams, including two between teams in the top 10.
North Carolina (9-0), which beat Oral Roberts 100-84 in its only game last week, remained the unanimous No. 1 as it has been since the preseason poll. The Tar Heels received all 72 first-place votes from the national media panel.
Oklahoma, Texas and Duke all moved up one spot to fourth through sixth, respectively, while Xavier made the jump from 10th to seventh, the Musketeers' highest ranking since they were No. 7 on Dec. 9, 1997.
Gonzaga, which lost 69-64 to Arizona on Sunday, dropped from fourth to eighth and was followed in the top 10 by Louisville and Wake Forest.
Connecticut (8-0) is at Gonzaga (7-1) in one of the top 10 matchups Saturday, while Duke (8-1) and Xavier (9-0) meet the same day at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J.
The other games involving ranked teams Saturday have Syracuse at Memphis, Davidson at Purdue and Michigan State at Texas. The week's other double-ranked game has Marquette at Tennessee on Tuesday.
Syracuse was 11th followed by Notre Dame, Purdue, UCLA, Georgetown, Tennessee, Ohio State, Villanova, Michigan State and Arizona State.
The last five ranked teams were Baylor, Davidson, Memphis, Marquette and Clemson.
The No. 23 ranking for Memphis (5-2), which lost 79-70 in overtime at Georgetown on Saturday, is its lowest since the Tigers returned to the poll in the preseason voting in 2005-06.
Clemson is off to a 10-0 start for the fourth straight season and this is the third straight season it has been ranked after a seven-year stretch without cracking the Top 25.
The Tigers, who were ranked 22nd in last season's final poll, opened this season by beating Hofstra, TCU and Temple to win the Charleston Classic and their most recent win was a 90-63 victory over South Carolina State on Saturday.
Clemson opens its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule on Sunday at Miami.
Kansas (7-2) dropped out of the rankings for the second time this season following a 61-60 loss to Massachusetts in Kansas City, Mo. The Jayhawks were out for one week following a loss to Syracuse in the championship game of the CBE Classic, and returned at No. 25 last week.
The Big East has a record eight teams in the Top 25 for a third straight week. The addition of Clemson moved the ACC into second place with four teams while the Big 12 and Big Ten have three each.
The ACC (North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest) and Big East (Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Louisville) both have three teams ranked in the top 10.

North Carolina Medical Society Teams Up With Medfusion

Medfusion, a leading provider of patient-provider communication solutions for physician practices, today announced an agreement with the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) to make Medfusion's products and services available to member physicians at preferred pricing. NCMS is the state's largest physician organization.
Medfusion will be the only partner in the patient portal category, and will enable physician practices to enhance communications with their patients through a secure online portal that allows patients to pre-register, schedule appointments, renew prescriptions, assess symptoms, pay bills, access lab results and conduct "virtual" office visits.
"Our organization works to protect the quality of patient care and to improve the value of services our physicians receive," said Shawn Scott, director of member services for the North Carolina Medical Society. "We selected Medfusion because of their commitment to playing an active role in the process of preserving quality and value."
"This partnership allows us to help North Carolina physicians enhance the patient-practice experience," said Stephen Malik, CEO and founder of Medfusion. "Our goal is to help physicians utilize the self-service model to improve patient satisfaction and care while reducing overhead costs and generating additional revenue. We look forward to working with NCMS to achieve this goal."
Medfusion also offers unique Web site development solutions that allow practices of any size or specialty to easily create a branded Web presence. Features of this site development include a domain; physician CV and photo; location information; patient education; services; insurance information; patient privacy information; custom designs; and unlimited pages. For practices interested in Web site self-administration, the Medfusion Site Generator(TM) - a unique Web-based content management system - provides full control over their site's features and content.
About North Carolina Medical Society
The NCMS was started in 1849 with only two members, and has grown today to include over 11,500 members throughout the state of North Carolina. The society works hand-in-hand with all levels of organized medicine - from the National American Medical Association to the local county medical societies - encouraging membership at all three levels to best represent physician and patient needs. Active physicians, retired physicians, physician assistants, residents, fellows and medical students are all invited to become members. For more information, please visit www.ncmedsoc.org.
About Medfusion
Medfusion, a Raleigh, NC-based company, provides patient-provider communication solutions that enable healthcare providers to offer superior service to their patients while improving office efficiency and generating revenue. Medfusion's robust solutions include pre-registration, appointment requests and reminders, outbound messaging, lab results delivery, prescription renewals, online bill payment, virtual office visits, and unique web sites - virtually transforming communication with patients. For more information, please visit www.medfusion.net.

North Carolina Student Loan Program for Health, Science and Mathematics Application Will Be Available December 20, 2008

Students interested in pursuing careers in health, science or mathematics-related fields can apply for a scholarship/loan through the North Carolina Student Loan Program for Health, Science and Mathematics (HSM) for the 2009-10 academic year at the college information site, CFNC.org.
The North Carolina Student Loan Program for Health, Science and Mathematics (HSM) was established in 1945 to provide encouragement and financial assistance to qualified North Carolina residents pursuing degrees or other recognized credentials in selected health, science and mathematics programs.
HSM funds are awarded based on major, academic capabilities and financial need. Recipients must be legal residents of North Carolina for tuition purposes who have been accepted as full-time students in accredited associate, baccalaureate, or master's or doctoral programs leading to degrees in specified health, science or mathematics-related fields. Award amounts range from $3,000-$8,500 per year depending upon degree level.
Applications for the North Carolina Student Loan Program for Health, Science and Mathematics (HSM) will be available online beginning December 20, 2008 and will be processed through April 30, 2010 or until all funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.
The application is available at CFNC.org/HSM. For more information visit the website or contact the NCSEAA at 1-800-700-1775, ext. 1 or email information@ncseaa.edu.
For information regarding college planning, career information and other scholarship opportunities, contact College Foundation of North Carolina toll free at 1-866-866-CFNC or CFNC.org.

Old Dominion defeats NC Central 79-54

Keyon Carter, Ben Finney and Frank Hassell scored 12 points apiece to lead Old Dominion in a 79-54 win against North Carolina Central on Sunday.
Carter also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, notching a double-double for the Monarchs (4-3). Gerald Lee added 11 points and two blocks.
Philip Branch scored a game-high 15 points, including hitting 5 of 11 3-point attempts, to lead the Eagles (0-11).
The Monarchs shot 57.6 percent from the field (19 of 33) in the first half, earning them a 41-19 halftime lead. The Eagles were just 1 of 10 from beyond the arc in the opening half.
Old Dominion outrebounded N.C. Central 46-25 in the contest, and got 30 bench points compared to nine for the Eagles to help seal the victory.
N.C. Central is now 4-37 since transitioning to Division I to start the 2007-2008 season.

Winston-Salem, North-Carolina Listings of Divorce Lawyers Child Custody Attorneys Posted on LawyerUCLA.com

LawyerUCLA.com has posted a list of Winston-Salem, North-Carolina Listings of Divorce Lawyers Child Custody Attorneys Posted on LawyerUCLA.com on their web site. Each entry to the website includes the name, address, zip code, and telephone number of businesses around the area.

As of today, there are 49 lawyer listings for this city on the web site.

The Divorce Lawyers Child Custody Attorneys are listed in no particular order. On the web site, the most prominently listed Divorce Lawyers Child Custody Attorneys are:

Lawyer UCLA Listings

* Porter Robert W
* Morrow Alexander Porter & Whitley PLLC
* Powell Harrell Jr
* Ramsey Richard D
* Beal Christopher L
* Liner David V
* Botchin David B
* Gray Susan H
* Crumpler Freedman Parker & Witt
* Crumpler Freedman Parker & Witt
* Sanai Mitra
* Northside Legal Services
* Barber John L
* Shepard Paul C
* Searcy Philip E
* Oldaker Guy B III PhD
* Pauca Janet F
* Stroud and Panetti PC
* DeGraw William R Jr
* Drew Ellis Bo III
* Shepard Paul C
* Tash & Kurtz PLLC
* Fagerli Thomas A
* O'Hanlon Building Association
* Yokley D Blake PA
* Fischer J Clark Atty
* Tornow & Kangur LLP
* Tornow W McNair
* Gatto Joseph J
* Mann John R
* Bell Davis & Pitt
* Hatfield Mountcastle Deal Van Zandt & Mann LLP
* Creamer Amanda H
* Hatfield Weston P PA
* Van-Riel Antoinette L
* Mountcastle George C
* Hier Teresa L Law Offices
* Law Offices Of Antoinette L Van-Riel PA
* Metcalf W Eugene
* Wells R Michael
* Jenkins Gordon W
* Wilson David L Jr
* Cash Clyde R
* Kangur T Thomas Jr
* Martin Jennifer R Attorney
* Long C R (Skip)
* Metcalf & Beal Attorneys
* Miller Gordon A
* Newton T Lawson

The zip codes served by the listings on this page are: 27106, 27103, 27101, 27107.

UNC Asheville beats Catawba 84-67

Reid Augst scored 20 points and North Carolina Asheville defeated Catawba 84-67 on Saturday.
The Bulldogs (4-5) held Catawba (8-1) to 32.5 percent from the field (15 of 77) as the Division II team suffered its first loss.
Augst joined three other players in double figures for the Bulldogs as Jason Ridenhour scored 17, Eric Stubbs had 12 and eight rebounds, and J.P. Primm notched 11 points.
Donzell Williams equaled a 14 points for the Indians, while Dominick Reid added 11. Catawba's leading scorer Antonio Houston (20.1 points per game), was held to four points on 1-of-13 shooting.
Catawba was 5 of 25 from 3-point range in the first meeting of the two schools since the Indians won 74-55 in the 1983 District 26 Championship game.

For Maryland and North Carolina, Third Meeting of Year Is for Title

The N.C.A.A. Men’s College Cup final between Maryland and North Carolina on Sunday will feature two soccer teams very familiar with each other as rivals in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
In fact, Maryland (22-3) and North Carolina (15-7-1) have met twice this season. The Terrapins won on both occasions, by 2-1 in the regular-season finale and by 1-0 five days later in the quarterfinals of the A.C.C. tournament.
For Tar Heels Coach Elmar Bolowich, the jury is still out on whether playing a conference rival in the national championship game is a positive development for his team.
“Maryland, we know them well, but is it an advantage?” he said. “We’ll see. We want to win that title. Whoever steps on the field against us that day is irrelevant.”
Maryland Coach Sasho Cirovski said he and his players welcomed the challenge of trying to beat North Carolina for the third time this season.
“We know North Carolina well and have a great deal of respect for their coaches and players,” Cirovski said. “We have had a couple of highly competitive games with them already and we expect Sunday to be another great, tough battle against a team that is playing its best soccer of the year. We’re looking forward to that challenge and we’re ready.”
Each team advanced with a 1-0 victory in Friday’s semifinals. In the first game, North Carolina defeated top-seeded Wake Forest, the defending national champion, on a goal by the senior forward Brian Shriver in the fourth minute. The Tar Heels had lost to the Demon Deacons, another A.C.C. team, during the regular season.
Maryland’s win against St. John’s was more dramatic. The teams were scoreless through 104 minutes until the senior Graham Zusi scored on a free kick from about 25 yards with six minutes remaining in the second overtime.

N.C. State handles Winston-Salem State 74-46

Ben McCauley had 14 points and nine rebounds to lead North Carolina State to a 74-46 victory over Winston-Salem State on Saturday.
The Wolfpack (5-1), playing without injured regulars Farnold Degand and Courtney Fells, held the Rams to 28.1 percent from the field (18 of 64).
Trevor Ferguson added 12 points for N.C. State, which played its first game since a loss to Davidson on Dec. 6.
The Wolfpack had little trouble with the Rams (1-7), who played their eighth consecutive road game.
N.C. State shot 63 percent in the first half to take a 40-20 lead, but it was hampered by 10 turnovers. Winston-Salem State couldn't take advantage, though, going 9-for-34 (26.5 percent), including 1-for-8 on 3-pointers.
The Wolfpack led 9-5 before going on a 16-2 run, capped by Dennis Horner's two free throws 8:53 in the first half.

N Carolina rolls to 95-44 win over Coastal Carolina

Italee Lucas scored 17 points and reserve Jessica Breland had 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead No. 2 North Carolina to a 95-44 win over Coastal Carolina on Saturday.
Rashanda McCants added 14 points for North Carolina (10-0) and Cetera DeGraffenreid had 13 as all but one of 13 Tar Heels on the roster scored.
North Carolina got its 26th straight win in Chapel Hill and its 73rd straight at home against nonconference opponents. The Chanticleers fell to 0-12 against North Carolina.
Devin Rivers score eight points to lead Coastal Carolina (6-3). Amanda Stull, Coastal Carolina's leading scorer averaging 12.3 points a game coming into Saturday, was held scoreless in the first half and finished with two points.
North Carolina started with a 9-0 run and led 49-18 at the half. McCants hit her first four shots from the field and was the top scorer at halftime with nine points.
The Chanticleers hit just 7 of 21 shots in the first half and then missed their first six in the second half.
North Carolina stretched its lead to 54-18 as Breland scored six points in the first 1:16 of the second half.
Lucas hit a 3-pointer and then two free throws on two successive possessions to spark a 7-0 spurt that put North Carolina up 69-24 with 15:35 to play. Coastal Carolina never got closer than when it trailed 69-29 with 12:50 to go.
The Tar Heels took their biggest lead on Trinity Bursey's 3-pointer with 22 seconds left for the final margin.
The Tar Heels forced Coastal Carolina into 13 first-half turnovers and scored 27 points off 25 total Chanticleer turnovers.

After 15 Years, North Carolina Plant Unionizes

After an expensive and emotional 15-year organizing battle, workers at the world’s largest hog-killing plant, the Smithfield Packing slaughterhouse in Tar Heel, N.C., have voted to unionize.
The United Food and Commercial Workers, which had lost unionization elections at the 5,000-worker plant in 1994 and 1997, announced late Thursday that it had finally won. The victory was significant in a region known for hostility toward organized labor.
The vote was one of the biggest private-sector union successes in years, and officials from the United Food and Commercial Workers said it was the largest in that union’s history.
The union won by 2,041 votes to 1,879 after two years of turmoil at the plant. As a result of a federal crackdown on illegal immigrants, more than 1,500 Hispanic workers have left the plant. Its work force is now 60 percent black, up from around 20 percent two years ago.
After the results were announced, Wanda Blue, a hog counter, was among the many workers who were celebrating.
“It feels great,” said Ms. Blue, who makes $11.90 an hour and has worked at Smithfield for five years. “It’s like how Obama felt when he won. We made history.”
“I favored the union because of respect,” said Ms. Blue, who is black. “We deserve more respect than we’re getting. When we were hurt or sick, we weren’t getting treated like we should.”
“The union didn’t win by a big margin, but it’s an important positive sign for labor,” said Richard Hurd, a professor of labor relations at Cornell University. “They may be able to use it as leverage to organize other meatpacking plants in the South. The victory may be tied to the political environment. The election of Barack Obama may have eased people’s concerns about speaking out and standing up for a union.”
The United Food and Commercial Workers maintained that it lost the 1997 election because Smithfield broke the law by intimidating and firing union supporters. In 2006, after seven years of litigation, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that Smithfield had engaged in “intense and widespread” coercion.
The court ordered Smithfield to reinstate four union supporters it found were illegally fired, one of whom was beaten by the plant’s police on the day of the 1997 election. The court also said Smithfield had engaged in other illegal activities: spying on workers’ union activities, confiscating union materials, threatening to fire workers who voted for the union and threatening to freeze wages and shut the plant.
The unionization campaign this year was conducted under unusual conditions and rules, intended to reduce the vitriol.
In October, the company and the union reached a settlement under court supervision in which the union agreed to drop its nationwide campaign intended to denounce and embarrass Smithfield and the company agreed to drop a lawsuit asserting that the union’s denunciations and calls for a boycott violated racketeering laws.
The union’s pressure campaign had been intended to persuade the company to let the workers decide on unionizing not through secret balloting but through having a majority of workers sign pro-union cards.
Under the settlement, the two sides could campaign in a limited fashion, and they could not denounce each other. The agreement also allowed union organizers on the plant’s property; union organizers are generally barred from setting foot on company property, even a parking lot, unless management consents.
“We won because that gave us more of a level playing field,” said Joseph Hansen, the union’s president. “That was probably the major thing.”
Dennis Pittman, a Smithfield spokesman, said: “It was close, and the people had a chance to do what we wanted all along, to speak their voice in a secret ballot, and they spoke. As we said all along, we will respect their decision.”
Mr. Pittman said he expected that the two sides would begin negotiations early next year.
Many unions are pushing Congress to pass legislation that would enable unions to organize workers by having them sign pro-union cards. “I would say in this case, it shows that the union can win without a card check,” Mr. Pittman said.
But Mr. Hansen said the 15-year unionization fight showed how hard it was to win under the normal system.
To win the election, union organizers pushed for the cooperation of the plant’s black and Hispanic workers. At lunchtime, outspoken workers sometimes wore T-shirts saying “Smithfield Justice” and gave speeches to hundreds of workers. Several workers said that in the days leading up to the vote, some 2,000 workers had “Union Time” written on their hard hats.
Professor Hurd said one factor that helped the union was the growing percentage of black workers at the plant. “African-Americans are the strongest supporters of unions,” he said.
Lydia Victoria, who helps cut off hog tails at the plant, acknowledged that many Hispanic workers were afraid of being seen as union supporters. Illegal immigrant workers are especially worried because they fear deportation.
“A lot of Hispanic people,” Ms. Victoria said, “were scared to support the union, sometimes because of the language, and sometimes because they feel they don’t get the same treatment like the people who speak English.”
“But people came together,” she said. “People wanted fair treatment. We fought so long to get this, and it finally happened.”

Gov elect Perdue hears from NC farmers

Gov. elect Beverly Perdue took suggestions Friday from North Carolina farmers to improve one of the state's healthier industries during the recession but said she understood they're facing similar troubles like everyone else.
The 20 farmers participating in Perdue's round-table discussion mentioned strained lending markets, higher energy costs and limited access to rural high-speed Internet among their concerns.
Agriculture generates about one in every six jobs in the state and nearly 20 percent of state income, generating $8.7 billion in cash receipts, according to a presentation by North Carolina State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
"It's fundamentally a strong part of our economy," Perdue said afterward at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh. "The challenges they're having are challenges that all of our people are having."
This was Perdue's fifth stop on her "listening tour" since the Democratic lieutenant governor won the governor's race last month. She taking suggestions from the meetings to help set the priorities in her administration, which begins Jan. 10.
"I don't know if I can be a great governor that's what my intention is - with your help unless I listen," she said. "I intend for this new administration to reflect my attitude of being hands on, and open to introspection, and open to criticism and partnership."
The banking and financial crisis has got farmers worried. Kirk Mathis, a Wilkes County poultry farmer, said the bad economy could threaten companies that transport grain to farmers because bankruptcies would lead to canceled contracts with growers.

After 15 Years, North Carolina Plant Unionizes

After an expensive and emotional 15-year organizing battle, workers at the world’s largest hog-killing plant, the Smithfield Packing slaughterhouse in Tar Heel, N.C., have voted to unionize.
The United Food and Commercial Workers, which had lost unionization elections at the 5,000-worker plant in 1994 and 1997, announced late Thursday that it had finally won. The victory was significant in a region known for hostility toward organized labor.
The vote was one of the biggest private-sector union successes in years, and officials from the United Food and Commercial Workers said it was the largest in that union’s history.
The union won by 2,041 votes to 1,879 after two years of turmoil at the plant. As a result of a federal crackdown on illegal immigrants, more than 1,500 Hispanic workers have left the plant. Its work force is now 60 percent black, up from around 20 percent two years ago.
After the results were announced, Wanda Blue, a hog counter, was among the many workers who were celebrating.
“It feels great,” said Ms. Blue, who makes $11.90 an hour and has worked at Smithfield for five years. “It’s like how Obama felt when he won. We made history.”
“I favored the union because of respect,” said Ms. Blue, who is black. “We deserve more respect than we’re getting. When we were hurt or sick, we weren’t getting treated like we should.”
“The union didn’t win by a big margin, but it’s an important positive sign for labor,” said Richard Hurd, a professor of labor relations at Cornell University. “They may be able to use it as leverage to organize other meatpacking plants in the South. The victory may be tied to the political environment. The election of Barack Obama may have eased people’s concerns about speaking out and standing up for a union.”
The United Food and Commercial Workers maintained that it lost the 1997 election because Smithfield broke the law by intimidating and firing union supporters. In 2006, after seven years of litigation, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that Smithfield had engaged in “intense and widespread” coercion.
The court ordered Smithfield to reinstate four union supporters it found were illegally fired, one of whom was beaten by the plant’s police on the day of the 1997 election. The court also said Smithfield had engaged in other illegal activities: spying on workers’ union activities, confiscating union materials, threatening to fire workers who voted for the union and threatening to freeze wages and shut the plant.
The unionization campaign this year was conducted under unusual conditions and rules, intended to reduce the vitriol.
In October, the company and the union reached a settlement under court supervision in which the union agreed to drop its nationwide campaign intended to denounce and embarrass Smithfield and the company agreed to drop a lawsuit asserting that the union’s denunciations and calls for a boycott violated racketeering laws.
The union’s pressure campaign had been intended to persuade the company to let the workers decide on unionizing not through secret balloting but through having a majority of workers sign pro-union cards.
Under the settlement, the two sides could campaign in a limited fashion, and they could not denounce each other. The agreement also allowed union organizers on the plant’s property; union organizers are generally barred from setting foot on company property, even a parking lot, unless management consents.
“We won because that gave us more of a level playing field,” said Joseph Hansen, the union’s president. “That was probably the major thing.”
Dennis Pittman, a Smithfield spokesman, said: “It was close, and the people had a chance to do what we wanted all along, to speak their voice in a secret ballot, and they spoke. As we said all along, we will respect their decision.”
Mr. Pittman said he expected that the two sides would begin negotiations early next year.
Many unions are pushing Congress to pass legislation that would enable unions to organize workers by having them sign pro-union cards. “I would say in this case, it shows that the union can win without a card check,” Mr. Pittman said.
But Mr. Hansen said the 15-year unionization fight showed how hard it was to win under the normal system.
To win the election, union organizers pushed for the cooperation of the plant’s black and Hispanic workers. At lunchtime, outspoken workers sometimes wore T-shirts saying “Smithfield Justice” and gave speeches to hundreds of workers. Several workers said that in the days leading up to the vote, some 2,000 workers had “Union Time” written on their hard hats.
Professor Hurd said one factor that helped the union was the growing percentage of black workers at the plant. “African-Americans are the strongest supporters of unions,” he said.
Lydia Victoria, who helps cut off hog tails at the plant, acknowledged that many Hispanic workers were afraid of being seen as union supporters. Illegal immigrant workers are especially worried because they fear deportation.
“A lot of Hispanic people,” Ms. Victoria said, “were scared to support the union, sometimes because of the language, and sometimes because they feel they don’t get the same treatment like the people who speak English.”
“But people came together,” she said. “People wanted fair treatment. We fought so long to get this, and it finally happened.”