Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

A sampling of editorials from NC newspapers

From The Dispatch of Lexington, Nov. 11

Construction on last five-mile section of Interstate 485 loop gains funding

Ask Charlotte residents what their top concern is, and traffic will be mentioned frequently. Davidson County residents who commute to Charlotte for work or visit for dining, entertainment or sporting events can attest to the fact the roads are often clogged with vehicles. Driving south on Interstate 85 motorists often encounter tie-ups beginning at Concord Mills and continuing toward the Interstate 77 interchange and beyond.

So the announcement on Nov. 9 by Gov. Bev Perdue that construction on the last five-mile section of Interstate 485 will be accelerated came as welcome news. That section will link I-85 near Concord Mills with I-77 north of the city. Originally, construction was set to begin in 2015. Now, the segment is scheduled to be finished about that time. This will probably make traffic near Concord Mills worse in the short term when work begins there, but in the end the loop should reduce some of the bottlenecks and make the trip along I-85 much easier.

What's good news for Charlotte may not be welcome in other places of the state. Urban loops are paid for from a dedicated fund, meaning other roads, such as Interstate 295 in Fayetteville, may now be delayed. Perdue and other state transportation leaders probably figured that it's better to appease Charlotte leaders and motorists at the risk of alienating others, since the Queen City is the largest municipality in the state. Plus, few could argue that traffic isn't a major problem in Charlotte.

One of the most interesting aspects of the I-485 project is how it will be funded. The total cost is estimated at $340 million, but contractors will finance $50 million of that cost with the state paying it back over 10 years. This will allow the DOT to move forward even though the money is not yet available. Contractors eager for state business will comply with the condition, even though it will take a decade to recoup their investment.

When news came that Perdue planned a major transportation announcement on Nov. 9, hope in Davidson County was that it would involve the I-85 bridge over the Yadkin River. State officials continue to seek $300 million in discretionary federal stimulus money to pay for a much-needed replacement bridge. DOT has undertaken several steps to make the project "shovel ready," a key requirement to gain a slice of the federal pie. They have unanimous support from city, county, state and federal representatives in lobbying for the money.

That's one key difference between the I-485 announcement and the bridge project. The state DOT was able to fund the loop project itself while hoping to receive federal money for the bridge. Still, the creative financing being used for I-485 could possibly be applied to the bridge as well. DOT needs to explore all options to replace the bridge (although a toll is probably not the best route to take). The federal money may yet come through, but the more time that passes with no announcement, optimism begins to fade a little bit.

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From Star-News of Wilmington, Nov. 9

In line of fire at Fort Hood, North Carolina native did state proud

We in the Cape Fear region are used to turning out heroes. Many men and women have served honorably in the armed forces, in law enforcement and there are legions of residents who commit acts of heroism in everyday life. Even so, Kimberly Munley is a special breed.

The petite civilian police officer, born and bred right here, has been hailed for her role in stopping a horrific shooting at Fort Hood in Texas. Wounded herself, Munley nevertheless managed to continue firing until the suspect, an Army psychiatrist who apparently alarmed some colleagues with irrational or anti-American statements, was brought down.

Initially, she was credited with firing the four bullets that brought down Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, but investigators know that it often takes time to piece together facts from amid such chaos. A fuller picture will emerge; all who responded deserve commendation.

Of course, those who know Munley weren't surprised by her moxie. She earned the nickname "Mighty Mouse" from a fellow Wrightsville Beach officer after she helped subdue a violent suspect. She's tough, she's well trained and, in this case, she was determined to do her duty even at the risk of her own life.

Administrators at the hospital where she's being treated say she'll recover from her injuries. That's comforting news for her family and friends, and also for the many people who will continue to benefit from her strong commitment to her job.

Former Carolina Beach Mayor Dennis Barbour has good reason to be proud of his daughter. She is a credit to all the uniforms she has worn, civilian and military. "It was an amazing and aggressive performance by this police officer," Lt. Gen. Bob Cone told reporters.

It goes without saying that folks here in the Cape Fear region will be boasting for some time to come about the Hoggard graduate who showed tremendous bravery in a situation few of us can even imagine. The families of the 12 soldiers killed in the attack by Hasan are grieving and the injured are still recovering, but Munley's courage and that of others who attempted to stop Hasan may have saved many other lives.

Fort Hood, like this area, has its share of heroes. But there is always room for one more.

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From Asheville Citizen-Times, Nov. 8

Parkway a road to past and future of North Carolina

With much-deserved fanfare, Great Smoky Mountains National Park celebrated its 75th anniversary last summer. Now marks the kickoff of 75th anniversary events of what could be described as the companion pea in our majestic outdoor pod, the Blue Ridge Parkway.

They're both defining features of Western North Carolina, both in geography and in the minds of residents and visitors. All of WNC has close and cherished relationships with both entities; however, the parkway's relationship to Asheville and Buncombe County is unique. Looking at a map, one could say the parkway slices through the heart of Buncombe. Looking at the history and the park's impact, one could say the parkway IS the heart of Buncombe. Our lives and our livelihoods are intertwined.

Original plans for the road, which would connect Shenandoah National Park to Smoky Mountains National Park, had several route options, including a crossing of the Unaka Mountains into Tennessee before the road's junction with the Smokies. In the heart of the Great Depression, local leaders and Chamber of Commerce officials recognized the potential of the project and lobbied furiously for a route through Asheville. They were able to lean on a political heavyweight, Josephus Daniels, then U.S. ambassador to Mexico and longtime friend of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, to exert influence with the administration, and the present road began construction on Sept. 11, 1935.

All 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway are worthy of honoring, but naturally we pull for the home team and are prone to brag on our local charms, from Mount Pisgah to Devil's Courthouse, Waterrock Knob, Graveyard Fields, Craggy Gardens and the Linn Cove Viaduct. A lot of visitors seem to agree with that assessment.

And yes, there are a lot of visitors; the parkway saw about 17 million of them last year, making it the most-visited unit in the National Park Service. In one respect the parkway is all about numbers; 900 vistas, 26 tunnels and hundreds of miles of road passing through 12 Virginia and 17 North Carolina counties, bringing with it an economic impact of around $2.3 billion year in and year out. The story of the road's construction is almost as fascinating - and long - as the road itself. A lot of heavy and dangerous manual work was in play, conducted both by private contractors and by the Works Progress Administration. The community, knowing what was at stake, played no small part as well.

In his retelling of "Battle for the Blue Ridge Parkway," Fred L. Weede recalled an editorial by Robert Lathan published in this newspaper on Nov. 13, 1954. Lathan wrote: "No other project, as the Citizen has said repeatedly, has ever meant so much to this community. There was no other conceivable project by which the mountain counties could be given the opportunity to share generously in the nation's recovery. ... We do not believe that in the whole history of the mountain counties there has ever been any matter before the people here, which excited so eager an interest or regarding which, the people were so much a unit." Upcoming events will kick off the 75th anniversary of a remarkable and ongoing achievement. But in the meantime, a final thought for now. The Blue Ridge Parkway represents in many ways the best of us. It stands for who we were and who we are.

Most importantly, it stands as a challenge for what we want to become. Its lofty peaks represent lofty ideas and aspirations. The challenge we face is to live up to them.

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From Rocky Mount Telegram, Nov. 3

North Carolina audit takes Golden LEAF to task

If the purpose of an audit is to identify institutional weaknesses and to suggest improvements, the Golden LEAF Foundation was handed a fairly lengthy to-do list recently.

At the core of the scolding report released by N.C. Auditor Beth Wood is a question of whether Golden LEAF and the state are doing enough to make sure federal tobacco settlement money is being used effectively and free of political influence.

The unfavorable audit comes as the foundation prepares to celebrate 10 years since the N.C. General Assembly chartered Golden LEAF, based in Rocky Mount, to manage half of North Carolina's share of the federal settlement with cigarette companies. The foundation since then has awarded more than $393 million in grants, which are intended to boost economies in rural communities traditionally dependent on the tobacco industry.

Golden LEAF President Dan Gerlach says the foundation takes great measures to hold its grantees accountable and to ensure investments are free of political influence. He also said the foundation is willing to do more.

That's good. Because although conservative lawmakers and other opponents of Golden LEAF would have you believe this audit is a mandate for the N.C. General Assembly to dismantle the foundation, the report serves better as a playbook for making the foundation work better.

Some say the foundation, with a board appointed by the governor and legislative leaders, is too political in nature. But handing $70 million a year back over to lawmakers in Raleigh, given their recent track record, hardly seems like a step toward accountability.