Congressman Larry Kissell’s amendment to the Derivatives Markets Transparency and Accountability Act calls for more diversity on the boards that oversee commodities trading.

U.S.

Nine more stations will answer for pumping it up

By John Hinton
Winston-Salem Journal
September 18, 2008

from the Associated Press

Gov. Mike Easley said Thursday that he's disappointed in the state Labor Department's response to reports of mistreatment of immigrants who work in the poultry industry.

"I think the Department of Labor has to be more aggressive," said Easley, a Democrat. " I didn't see the level of concern that needs to be there."

In a 40-minute interview with The Charlotte Observer, Easley discussed the newspaper's series in February that said a North Carolina poultry company disguised the number of injuries that its workers suffered on the job. He said he didn't speak out right away in order to give state agencies time to fashion their own response to workplace safety issues.

The 10th Congressional District Democratic Party will be holding a district wide rally and straw poll on April 12th at 11am until 2pm at the Newton Conover Civic and Performance Place in Newton, NC. Democrats from across the district and state will have the opportunity to voice their preferences in the Presidential primary as well as those statewide offices that have Democratic primary challenges.

A large majority of Democrats seeking statewide offices (list below) have confirmed attendance and will be given an equal amount of time to address those in attendance. Political speeches will be accompanied by a barbeque lunch and live music for entertainment. The event will culminate in secret balloting with results being announced at the event, as well as being released to the media. The rally is expected to draw between 250-500 attendees from the 10th district and from areas across the state. The $10 admission will benefit the 10th Congressional District Democratic Party.

What part of job loss does John McCain not understand?

Asked this morning in Atlanta about today's terrible economic reports, McCain said the jobs numbers were "not terrible" because "the unemployment rate did not go up," even as experts reported the worst job losses in five years.

These comments come just days after McCain said the best short-term relief for families feeling the economic pinch was making Bush's budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy permanent in 2010—nearly two years from now. [AP, 3/7/08; Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08]

Maybe McCain didn't realize that oil prices hit a new record high yesterday with people in North Carolina paying up to $3.18 for a gallon of gas. That, of course, comes as home foreclosures around the country hit an all-time high in the final quarter of last year, with 3,491 families in North Carolina losing their homes.

Greensboro-High Point Named Top Small Metro Region; Two Rural Communities Also Take Top Spots

Gov. Mike Easley announced today that North Carolina placed first in the nation in Site Selection magazine’s annual ranking of states with small metropolitan areas having the most new and expanded corporate facilities. The Greensboro-High Point area in Guilford County was named the No. 1 small metro region. Lexington-Thomasville in Davidson County and Statesville-Mooresville in Iredell County swept the first- and second-place spots for rural areas.

“The latest Site Selection ranking proves that it is not just the large cities that benefit from North Carolina’s investments in education, workforce development and the state’s top-ranked business climate,” Easley said. “As industries recognize they can find the 21st century training programs and qualified workers they need in all communities across the entire state, we gain jobs and effectively compete to lead in the global economy.”