State says fee limits needed to protect consumers

By Sarah Okeson | Carolina Journal

RALEIGH — State legislators last year imposed a $1,000 cap on fees companies can charge to help recover unclaimed property from the state, such as bank accounts, utility deposits, and money left over from land sold for unpaid taxes.

State Sen. Josh Stein, D-Wake, former deputy attorney general for consumer protection, was one of the sponsors of the law at the request of state Treasurer Janet Cowell. Cowell manages the state’s Escheat Fund, which collects and holds unclaimed property from residents.

State would have faced $5.6 billion shortfall in FY 2011, report finds

By David N. Bass | Carolina Journal

RALEIGH — Next year could be a perfect storm for North Carolina budget writers, according to an analysis by the bi-partisan National Conference of State Legislatures that ranks the Tar Heel State’s budget gap as the fifth worst in the nation and worst in the Southeast.

The report comes on the heels of legislators’ finalizing of a $20.6 billion budget for the new fiscal year, passed June 30, that kicks the ball down field on a number of key fiscal issues.

Congress is poised to pass a rescue package that would cover $343 million of North Carolina’s $519 million liability for Medicaid. The remaining $176 million will be filled by diverting funds from six other budget line items, including disaster relief dollars and unclaimed lottery prize money.

Lohan judge removes herself from case after prosecutor complains of improper contacts

The judge who sent Lindsay Lohan to jail has removed herself from the case after a prosecutor complained she improperly contacted experts or participants in the case privately, including a rehabilitation facility, officials said Wednesday.

Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel recused herself Friday, court spokesman Allan Parachini and district attorney's office spokeswoman Jane Robison said.

Beverly Hills Superior Court Judge Elden Fox is now handling the Lohan case.

One of Naomi Campbell's public relations team said Wednesday that her appearance at Liberian ex-leader Charles Taylor's war crimes trial aimed to be as "low-key, respectful and unfussy" as possible.

Neil Wallis of The Outside Organisation said most journalists who covered the supermodel's testimony last Thursday at the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone thought "she had come across well, as honest and persuasive".

Writing in PR Week, a trade journal for the public relations industry, Wallis said "planning began long ago" for her appearance, with the strategy drawn up in consultation with Campbell herself.

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - The angst Tiger Woods displayed in the wake of his pratfall last weekend at the Bridgestone Invitational may be nothing compared to the unease sweeping over network executives, advertisers and the handful of sponsors who have stuck with the fallen golf champ.

While ad buyers locked in months ago for this weekend's PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis., his struggles have produced a string of ratings bogeys and put the long-term confidence of marketers and both sides of the advertising fairway into the rough.

File photo

If Anthony Tolliver's basketball career doesn't pan out, maybe he can turn to Hollywood for Plan B.

He already has a hit video on his resume.

Tolliver's spoof on LeBron James' much-maligned ESPN special — titled "The Decision: Part Deux!!" — has been viewed more than 166,000 times since he posted it Friday. A relatively unknown free agent forward with 65 career games under his belt, Tolliver posted the one-minute video to announce that he chose the Minnesota Timberwolves over the Golden State Warriors.

Court officials have told prosecutors and attorneys in former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's corruption trial to gather at the courthouse where jurors are deliberating.

Defense attorneys say they've been told the judge will read a note at about 2 p.m. with a question from jurors. A statement from the court clerk's office says only that there's a hearing.

Paul Menard is taking his father's sponsorship money to Richard Childress Racing next season, giving that organization the financial security it needs to expand to the NASCAR-mandated maximum of four cars.

"When this opportunity to join RCR came about, it was a no-brainer," Menard said Wednesday.

RCR ran four cars last season, but let Casey Mears go at the end of the year when it failed to secure financing to keep that team running. As a four-car team, RCR struggled on the track and failed to put a single car in the 12-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

A decline in exports and a sharp rise in imports pushed the U.S. trade deficit in June to its widest point since October 2008, raising new concerns about the weakening economic recovery.

The $49.9 billion gap is worrying economists, who fear it means the U.S. economy grew at half the rate in the April-to-June quarter than what was first estimated by the government last month.

The trade deficit jumped 18.8 percent in June compared to May, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

Former Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, the Chicago Democrat who became the leading architect of congressional tax policy in the Reagan era but later went to federal prison for corruption, died Wednesday, a family friend said. He was 82.

Rostenkowski, who served 18 terms before losing in 1994, died surrounded by family at his home in Lake Benedict, Wis., friend Ellen Tully told The Associated Press. He had been treated for prostate cancer in the 1990s.

Profile America -- Wednesday, August 11th. The era of the personal computer made a big stride forward this week 29 years ago, as IBM introduced its model 5150 -- which quickly became known simply as the "PC." There had been consumer models of computers on sale for some years before, such as the Commodore, but the IBM machine marked a turning point. Previously, the company was famous for its pioneering, large mainframe computers. Now, more than three quarters of all adults use a computer on a regular basis, either at work or at home. In elementary and secondary schools, there is one computer for every four students and more than eight-out-of-10 schools have high speed Internet access.

By Melany Dawn Crouse

LINCOLNTON / BOGER CITY - There are wrecks that you look at and know exactly what happened and then are there others that leave those passing by unsure of what exactly happened.

The second option best describes this wreck in Boger City on Tuesday afternoon where the driver of this vehicle was seen lying on the ground after clipping a power pole on Highway 27 just east of Lincolnton.

Photo by Melany Dawn Crouse for the Tribune and ImageOneNC.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON - The day of the Apple Festival is growing close.

September 18th will bring with it not only the crafts, information booths, and delicious foods, but also the annual Apple Dish Contest.

There will be a monetary first, second, and third place prize awarded in the following categories: Main Dish (must contain meat or meat substitute); Cakes, Breads & Cookies; Pies, Pastries & Tarts; Apple Jelly, Butter and Jams; Miscellaneous (Beverages, Appetizers, Microwave, Low Calorie); and Youth (Ages 8-19).

Marshall Decries Washington as Small Businesses Starve for Credit, Growth Sputters and Senators Take a Vacation

STAFF REPORTS

Raleigh, NC – As a report by the Department of Labor showed 131,000 jobs lost in July, U.S. Senate candidate Elaine Marshall took a broken Washington to task Sunday for going on vacation and returning to districts to campaign without coming to the aid of small businesses, the engine of economic growth. The last attempt to provide tax breaks and increase lending to small businesses fell one vote short of passage July 29, when Senator Burr joined Republicans to block an up-or-down vote on the popular Small Business Jobs bill.

"This is a perfect example of what's wrong with Washington. We're losing jobs and they're going on vacation without finishing theirs," said Marshall. "They should get their priorities straight and stay until they get the tax breaks and increased lending to small businesses, so we can start putting people back to work."

A plane carrying nine people crashed amid southwest Alaska's remote mountains and lakes, killing five people on board, authorities said Tuesday. Former Sen. Ted Stevens and ex-NASA chief Sean O'Keefe were believed to be aboard.

It was unclear if the longtime Republican senator and O'Keefe were among the dead.

Rescuers arrived on helicopter early Tuesday and were giving medical care to survivors, Alaska National Guard spokesman Maj. Guy Hayes said. He offered no additional details, except that there were potential fatalities.

Murder trial of former Marine accused of killing, burning pregnant colleague starts in NC

A former Marine goes on trial for the death of a pregnant colleague whose burned body was found in his backyard in North Carolina.

Jury selection started Tuesday for Cesar Laurean, who evaded authorities for months in Mexico before he was caught in 2008 and extradited. He faces charges of first-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach of Vandalia, Ohio.

STAFF REPORTS

Raleigh, N.C. – The percentage of Democratic voters with a favorable opinion of Democratic Gov. Perdue dropped 15 percent from 55 to 40 percent since June, according to a new poll released today by the Civitas Institute.

According to the live caller poll of 600 likely voters, 40 percent of Democratic voters now have a favorable opinion of Perdue while 28 percent view her unfavorably. Meanwhile, the majority of Republicans continue to hold an unfavorable view of Perdue (23 percent-51 percent). Unaffiliated voters’ opinions are split at a 36-36 percent margin of favorability.

Kahne to drive a Toyota for Red Bull in 2011 while waiting for Hendrick ride

Kasey Kahne finally has a ride locked down for 2011, at Red Bull Racing, where he will spend one season before moving to Hendrick Motorsports.

Kahne signed on to replace Mark Martin in the No. 5 Chevrolet at Hendrick in 2012, and team owner Rick Hendrick had to find a place to keep his new driver for one season. After negotiating for more than three months with different teams, Hendrick put together a deal for Kahne to drive one of Red Bull's two Toyotas.

"The process went on longer than any of us anticipated, but I'm glad that we took our time to make sure it was right," Hendrick said Tuesday. "And although I'm not looking forward to racing against him next year, I'm comfortable knowing this is the best situation for Kasey."

By Kevin D. Starr | County Extension Director
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service

One of the best summer vegetables is okra. Although it’s known as a vegetable popular in the southern U.S., it’s actually native to Africa and is eaten in numerous cultures.

I have to confess that I like okra. My favorite way to prepare okra is to coat it in corn meal and fry it.

These days, we substitute oven-frying most of the time. Another personal favorite is a homemade soup which features okra, corn, tomatoes, and blackeyed peas.

We enjoyed all these vegetables last night, but not in soup form. That will come later when cold weather arrives. A few pods thrown into a pot of pinto beans during the last few minutes of cooking are mighty tasty. I've even been known to eat a few small pods of raw okra, a habit which I'm sure some will find distasteful. Then we can't forget about okra pickles.

Profile America -- Tuesday, August 10th. For people who love fireworks displays, there's only one place to be through Friday -- the annual convention of the Pyrotechnics Guild International at the Wisconsin International Raceway near Appleton. The purpose is to promote the design and safe display of the finest quality pyrotechnics. Along with seminars and workshops, there will be fireworks events each evening as the professionals compete for the title of "grand master."

The guild's emblem is the "green man," going back to the 17th century, when the person shooting off fireworks covered himself with fresh leaves for protection from sparks. U.S. firms make more than $331 million worth of fireworks each year -- and we import another $217 million worth, mostly from China.

But fewer discussing plans during August recess

By Rick Henderson | Carolina Journal

RALEIGH — If 2009 was, as an advertisement from the Democratic National Committee proclaimed, the summer of the “angry mob,” in the dog days of 2010, several more North Carolina lawmakers appear ready to embrace the rabble.

More members of the state’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives have scheduled (and announced) town hall meetings this summer than last. But this year, fewer have responded to queries from Carolina Journal about their plans for the August recess.

Still, in both years, the majority of the state’s House members either don’t plan to meet with constituents in an open forum — or if they do, they’re not talking about it publicly.

Federal Reserve policymakers are pondering ways to jump-start the economic recovery. The trick: making sure whatever they do or say doesn't rattle Wall Street.

U.S. stocks closed higher Monday as investors anticipated reassuring words or action Tuesday by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues on the Federal Open Market Committee. Asian shares were mixed in early trade Tuesday.

"There was some anticipation the Fed could announce additional liquidity measures like the purchase of bonds," Craig Peckham, market strategist at Jefferies & Co. "It's a little premature for the Fed to expand. We don't think they'll be any meaningful change in policy."

Today is Tuesday, Aug. 10, the 222nd day of 2010. There are 143 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Aug. 10, 1846, President James K. Polk signed a measure establishing the Smithsonian Institution.

On this date:

Indiana's advocate for utility ratepayers said Monday he is "deeply concerned" about the mounting cost of a coal-gasification plant Duke Energy Corp. is building and urged state regulators to protect Duke's customers from the cost overruns.

Indiana Utility Consumer Counselor David Stippler's comments came four months after Duke Energy revealed the cost of its southwestern Indiana plant had grown to nearly $2.9 billion, or about twice the project's original 2007 estimate.

In its April request to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission for permission to pass the higher costs onto its customers, Duke said those costs had risen $530 million, or 23 percent, since November largely due to design changes that required more materials.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Brooke Mueller, the wife of actor Charlie Sheen, feared for her life as the Hollywood star pinned her to their bed and put a knife to her throat during a Christmas Day argument last year, according to a newly released police report.

Last week, Sheen pleaded guilty to assaulting Mueller during the argument in Aspen, Colorado, and he was ordered to serve 30 days in drug and alcohol rehabilitation in California. The police report details the extent to which Mueller was hurt and tells how Sheen, star of hit sitcom "Two and a Half Men," reacted when being questioned by police.