Washington, DC –Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (NC-5) announced today that she has been appointed to the House Page Board by House Republican Leader John Boehner. Rep. Foxx will serve alongside Rep. Bob Bishop of Utah through the end of the 110th Congress.

“It is an honor to serve on the board that works to ensure these young men and women have a great educational experience in the safest possible environment,” Foxx said. “These students have the opportunity of a lifetime to learn about their nation’s government and I look forward to continuing my lifelong career as an educator on this Board.”

Rep. Foxx is an experienced educator. Her career includes her work as a sociology instructor at Appalachian State University as well as her service as the Assistant Dean of the General College at ASU. Foxx also served as the President of Mayland Community College. She currently serves on the House Education Committee.

McHenry Calls Tax Increase “Immoral”; NC Taxpayers to pay $2,672 more next year

WASHINGTON – In a press conference conducted with local news reporters via phone from Washington on Friday morning, Representative Patrick McHenry expressed his opposition to what he termed “the largest tax increase in history”.

McHenry, a Republican who is in his second term in Congress representing the 10th District of North Carolina, is a member of the House Budget Committee.

The committee earlier this week considered the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget which would roll back tax cuts from 2001 and 2003 and includes an additional $683 billion dollar tax increase on Americans.

McHenry told reporters that he was opposed to the budget and had offered a number of amendments to prevent any tax increase.

Longtime campaign partnership ends

One person managed each of Pat McCrory's seven mayoral campaigns. So in some ways it was natural when he decided to run for governor, he turned to Victoria Smith once again.

She managed his campaign for six weeks. Until this week.

The reason for the sudden departure is unclear.

Two weeks ago, McCrory hired former state party chairman Jack Hawke as his campaign's chief strategist. -- jim morrill - Charlotte Observer

By Sarah A. Reid, Fayetteville Observer
Staff writer

EAGLE SPRINGS — When considering whether she would run for state Senate, Cindy Morgan didn’t consult North Carolina Republican leaders.

“I did not even have the urge to,” Morgan said. “I didn’t even think about it.”

That’s not surprising considering to whom she is married.

Morgan, a Moore County commissioner, is the wife of former House co-speaker Richard Morgan. Her husband lost in the 2006 Republican primary to Joe Boylan after many party leaders turned their backs on him.

Read more: http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=286936

Washington, DC –Congresswoman Virginia Foxx released the following statement today after the House leadership refused to consider bipartisan Senate legislation that passed the Senate two weeks ago by a vote of 68-29:

“It has been more than a week since the House left town without voting on critical intelligence legislation. This bipartisan legislation would have permanently fixed the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, FISA, and enabled our intelligence community to effectively monitor foreign terrorists’ electronic communications.

By Lois Alley, Raleigh Chronicle Political Reporter 15.FEB.08

WASHINGTON DC - "The Daily Show", a political satire show on the Comedy Channel, had a little fun with NC Congresswoman Virginia Foxx's questions during baseball player Roger Clemens' testimony to Congress.
Read more: http://www.raleigh2.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdet...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Sue Myrick (NC-9) announced that she has cosponsored the Military Freedom Act (HR 5462). Congressman Louis Gohmert of Texas introduced this legislation in response to the City of Berkeley, California. They obstructed military recruiters from doing their duty, and labeled them “unwelcome intruders.”

“The men and women in the military protect us and our freedoms. They did not deserve the unbelievably poor treatment they received in Berkeley. This legislation will makes towns like Berkeley think twice before they disrespect our military and their recruiters,” said Rep. Myrick.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Third District Congressman Walter B. Jones (R-NC) introduced H. R. 5441, legislation that would amend the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 to extend the special survivor indemnity allowance to survivors of service members who die on active duty. Five of Jones’ colleagues on the House Subcommittee on Military Personnel joined as original cosponsors of the resolution.

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which became law on January 28, 2008, slightly increased the amount a surviving beneficiary would receive upon the loss of certain service members or retirees. However, that increase does not apply to survivors of service members who die on active duty. Congressman Jones’ legislation would rectify this problem by ensuring that survivors of service members who die on active duty would also receive an increased benefit.

Stephens: Education system is failing

By BOB MONTGOMERY
Staff Writer

Two years ago, 1st District Congressman G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., coasted to re-election without a Republican opponent.

This year, Dean Stephens hopes to ensure Butterfield doesn't do any coasting.

Read more: http://www.dailyadvance.com/local/content/news/stories/2008/02/01/0201St...

MARK JOHNSON
Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory has hired a veteran Republican strategist, who is a former chairman of the state GOP, to run his campaign for governor.

Jack Hawke, who stepped down last week as president of the conservative Civitas Institute think tank, on Tuesday agreed to join McCrory's campaign as general consultant and chief strategist. Hawke ran the N.C. Republican Party from 1987 until 1995, including during the GOP's takeover of the state House of Representatives in 1994.

http://www.charlotte.com/109/v-print/story/491440.html

By James Romoser
JOURNAL REPORTER

Dale Folwell, a Republican state legislator from Winston-Salem, said today that he has decided not to run for state treasurer. Instead, he will run for re-election to his seat in the N.C. House of Representatives.

Folwell announced his intention to run for treasurer last year and has been traveling around the state for months, making campaign stops and raising money. But he said that many of his supporters have told him that they wish he'd stay in the House, where he has had unusual success (especially for a member of the minority party) in getting bills heard and passed.

Read More: http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FW...

By Jason Saine

LINCOLNTON – The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners took a step on Monday night to enact a restriction on firearms in Lincoln County.

Enumerating a number of concerns with regards to firearms, East Lincoln Commissioner Marie Moore offered up the “Lincoln County Firearm Ordinance”.

The ordinance seeks to regulate the “discharge of firearms in a fashion likely to endanger the citizens of Lincoln County.”

The ordinance would make it unlawful for anyone to discharge a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling or other building or structure that is “designed to be occupied by human beings”. The ordinance would effectively prevent the discharge of a gun in most areas of the county.

Read more: http://www.lincolntribune.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8068

CHARLOTTE – UNC Charlotte is launching the first academic center in the Southern Piedmont to focus on the evolution of the southern United States. The Center for the Study of the New South will promote the study of the American south from the end of the Civil War to the present day.

Encompassing geographic region, social movements, cultural changes, and political issues, the New South is an emerging conversation topic in both a public forum and academic context. The Center offers scholars at UNC Charlotte and other universities a place to have their research and observations deliberated. These important dialogues can shape contemporary culture and influence ideals.

By JOHN HOOD

RALEIGH – Pat McCrory may just be the mayor of one North Carolina city, but he’s already demonstrated statewide influence – by moving the Republicans’ primary date from May to June.

Smith says McCrory may as well be a Democrat

Charlotte mayor touts his record, but focuses on hot-button themes
DAVID INGRAM, dingram@charlotteobserver.com

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, who won his current job seven times in a city that leans Democratic, has benefited from a reputation as a centrist. He has attracted independent voters and even some Democrats, while fending off occasional challenges from Republicans dissatisfied with his positions on passenger rail and other issues.

All that might now be a liability.

Read more: http://www.charlotte.com/112/story/464905.html

NAACP-sponsored event to be broadcast Monday

DURHAM - Before an attentive audience in a Baptist church, four candidates for governor said their records show they are the best to tackle issues important to the NAACP.

State Treasurer Richard Moore and Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue -- both Democrats -- and Republican Bob Orr, a former Supreme Court Justice, were joined Saturday by long-shot candidate Dennis Nielsen, a retired Air Force colonel and Democrat who has so far been snubbed on debate and forum invitations.

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/905529.html

RALEIGH - Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and State Treasurer Richard Moore were about even financially entering the final months of their Democratic primary campaigns for governor, with each reporting Friday more than $4.5 million in their coffers to begin 2008.

Perdue reported raising slightly more than $2 million for the second half of 2007, compared to $1.77 million raised by Moore, according to officials for each of their campaigns.

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/905476.html

A memorial service will be Wednesday for former Charlotte City Council member Don Lochman, who died of a massive heart attack last week.

The service is at 11 a.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3115 Providence Road.

Read more: http://www.charlotte.com/breaking_news/story/465153.html

By Rob Christensen, Staff Writer
Charlotte Mayor Patrick McCrory said he wanted to run a "garage band" campaign for governor.

But after last week's fiasco, McCrory may want to consider hiring someone who knows the difference between a bass guitar and an amp.

McCrory might have made the worst entry into a political race since U.S. Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, who spent the first days of his presidential campaign explaining how he didn't mean to be patronizing when he described Illinois Sen. Barack Obama as articulate and clean.

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/622/story/891882.html

By Paul O'Connor
JOURNAL COLUMNIST

RALEIGH — In baseball, a team without a good farm system is usually a team that doesn’t win many championships. In politics, it’s no different.

Ever wonder why North Carolina Republicans have barely dented the wins column in state-government elections while their counterparts in neighboring states have had so much success? One explanation is the heretofore lack of a good state GOP farm system.

Full column: http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FW...