Raleigh

An update to last week's post, "Everyone knows mass transit is key: CLT, Raleigh GOPers scramble to assure constituents."

The funding for light-rail projects in Charlotte is back -- at the request of Speaker Tillis. Why? Because everyone knows mass transit is key. You can tell by the way the GOPers scrambled to explain the potential cuts to their Charlotte and Raleigh metro constituents. Lordy be... there's a good feeling that comes 'round from being right.

More after the jump...

(Crossposted from Sex, Cash & Politics)

A new study from the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis (HCRA) at the university’s School of Public Health provides as much reason as we’ve ever had before to support efforts to build public and mass transit systems.

Just as the North Carolina Senate unveils and debates their Charlotte-light-rail-stripping proposals — and as Charlotte and Raleigh GOP politicians scramble to assure their constituents that such projects are still viable — this new study shows a direct correlation between increased traffic congestion and public health costs stemming from premature deaths and other health risks resulting from air pollution caused by vehicle emissions, in particular fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx).

From Ima Ghast in Washington

Incoming freshman legislators of all parties stunned their leadership by unanimously petitioning for revisions in the federal employee’s pension system as applied to members of Congress. Rand Paul, Senator-elect from Kentucky, said “if we’re going to look at raising the retirement age for Social Security and reducing benefits, Congress needs to share in that pain.”

The statewide Pride event is happening all this weekend. There is a full schedule of events from Thursday through Sunday across the state, but of course the big event is the rally and parade in Durham.

11: 55am National Anthem for Opening Ceremony
NOON "Pride Rally with Speakers and Dignitaries, Parade Marshall and special performances"
12:45- 2:15pm PARADE LINE UP TO MARCH with Bagpipes
1pm Parade Begins (Official Reviewing Stand at Madhatter's Cafe at the corner of Main and Broad St.
1pm - 4pm Viewing Party

Rep. Justice is a Republican and I like her. She is smart, incisive, responsive and tough. When peple email her they actually get an answer...a real answer...with no flowery words to conceal the truth.

I won't quote the whole letter but this part says it all:

Raleigh tries to turn lemons into lemonade:

With the jungle gyms and slides keeping them busy, the kids playing Saturday at Wake County's newest park didn't take much notice of the giant, grassy hill nearby.

But the park's namesake hill, and the 5 million tons of trash it took to build it, are exactly what sets it apart.

These conversions have been all the rage for the last 2-3 decades, and communities have embraced them all across the country. But are they really as safe as we'd like to believe?

Lawrence Lessig is coming to Raleigh on June 22nd. He's scheduled to talk from 11 to noon at 16 W. Jones Street and then from noon to 1 at 225 Hillsborough St. Thought I'd check that in Google maps to see how far he'd have to run.

Imagine my surprise to see that 16 W. Jones Street is labeled as the Asheville Citizen-Times! Last time I was downtown, it was the General Assembly Building.

Maybe I can get home delivery for the Citizen-Times now!

See below the fold for info on the Lessig event. I've long been a fan and am eager to hear him in person.

Last week the Greenway expanded to connect downtown Raleigh to Pullen Park, NCSU, the N.C. Art Museum and Umstead Park. The half mile extension known as the Little Rock Greenway Trail follows the Little Rock Branch creek from Chavis Park to McMakin St. in S.E. Raleigh. The Greenway was originally conceived in 1974, it now extends over 63 miles and incorporates 3000 acres, all of which is open to the public for outdoor recreational activities. Personally I've used the Greenway quite a bit, I can remember using the older parts of the trail with my father for weekend bike rides. Recently though our new border collie Alice, loves to go for hikes on the trail around NCSU. The new trail also connects downtown Raleigh to the Walnut Creek Wetlands Center, the facility offers educational opportunities for children and students studying undeveloped floodplains.

So the Sierra Club is hosting some great activities this weekend. I want to take a moment and mention them, and hopefully encourage you all to come out and participate.

On Saturday the 20th, Bill Bracey and a number of devoted Sierra Club members and neighborhood groups are going to work on the Bolin Creek Habitat Restoration Project off Hillsborough St. in Chapel Hill. Since the fall, this group has been working to remove invasive shrubs like Chinese Privet, Bittersweet, and Wisteria from the trail. Its a long term plan that will hopefully reintroduce a number of native species to the habitat. If you're up for some rewarding hard work, you should come lend a hand. For more information call Bill Bracey at 919-942-9934 or by email at arbornet@mindspring.com

For immediate release
Joyce McCloy, North Carolina Coalition for Verified Voting 336-794-1240

Please join the NC Coalition for Verified Voting for our Annual Voting Integrity Meetup
In celebration of the fourth anniversary of SL-323the Public Confidence in Elections Law
Wednesday August 26, 2009
6:00 - 7:30 PM
at the Busy Bee Cafe in Raleigh
in the upstairs room
225 South Wilmington Street
(plenty of FREE Parking nearby)

The NC Coalition for Verified Voting invites you to join other election integrity supporters in celebrating the fourth anniversary of the Public Confidence in Elections Law, SL 323.

Agenda

Introduction - North Carolina passed one of the strongest verified voting laws in the country four years ago.
"Legislator of the Year" award.
Guest Speaker: David Allen, member of the Joint Select Committee on Electronic Voting