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Coverage of the meetings of the Macon County Board of County Commissioners.

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Coverage of the meetings of the Franklin Town Board of Aldermen.

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Coverage of the meetings of the Macon County School Board.

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Thursday, June 4, 2009

NC General Assembly 06-04-2009 Legislative Calender





Here is today's schedule for the
NC General Assembly...


8:30 AM
APPROPRIATIONS/Education (House)

421LOB
9:00 AM
APPROPRIATIONS/General Government (House)

1425LB
9:00 AM
SELECT COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY (Senate)

544LOB
10:00 AM
JUDICIARY II (Senate)
Public Safety Registration (S807)
Renew Concealed Carry Permit/30 Day Limit (
H1132)
Taxpayer Optimization Act (
H1377)
Crime Stoppers Tips Are Confidential (
H1447)

1124LB
10:00 AM
JUDICIARY I (House)
Clarify Local Government Evacuation Authority. (S256)
Condemnation of Conservation Easements. (
S600)

1228LB
10:00 AM
JUDICIARY III (House)
Amend Nursing Practice Act. (S356)
Removal of Electronic Monitoring Device. (
S713)
Effect of Caveat on Estate Administration. (
S724)
Migratory Game Bird Season Authority. (
S1010)
Amend Trap Sizes. (
S1011)

1425LB
10:00 AM
JUDICIARY II (House)
Commercial Real Estate Broker Lien Act. (H1356)
Video Gaming Entertainment Act. (
H1537)
Amend Prior Record Point Levels. (
H1606)
Adjust B1-E Felony Penalties. (
H1607)
Zoning Change/Property Owner Notice. (
S1027)

421LOB
10:00 AM
JUDICIARY I (Senate)
Pender/New Hanover House Districts (H1621)
Preservation of DNA & Biological Evidence (
H1190)
Charlotte/Mecklenburg School Board Police (
H538)
Increase Penalty/Remove Serial # From Gun (
H787)

544LB
11:00 AM
Session Convenes (Senate)

Senate Chamber
1:00 PM
Session Convenes (House)

House Chamber
IMMED. AFTER SESSION
APPROPRIATIONS/Health and Human Services (House)

643


Wednesday, June 3, 2009

An E-Mail From the Future

Egads!

Spammers have discovered time travel. This is not good...



Click on photo for larger image.

NC General Assembly 06-03-2009 Legislative Calender





Here is today's meeting schedule for the North Carolina General Assembly...

I'll try to get back to posting the audio at Conservative Thunder...I have been juggling a lot of duties recently.

8:30 AM
APPROPRIATIONS/Justice and Public Safety (House)

415LOB
9:00 AM
SELECT COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Senate)
Presentation by NC State’s Institute of Emerging Issues

1027LB
10:00 AM
APPROPRIATIONS/Capital (House)

424LOB
10:00 AM
EDUCATION/HIGHER EDUCATION (Senate)
Bldg. Stds./Pre-K Classes in Public Schools (H1031)
Comm. Coll. May Offer Safety Driving Course (
H391)
Reinstatement of Sick Leave/School Employees (
H482)
Purchasing Process for Community Colleges (
H490)
Bldg. Code/High Schoolers at Comm. Coll. (
H735)
Community College Construction Process (
H808)

643LOB
11:00 AM
HEALTH CARE (Senate)
Speech Language Pathologist Qualifications (H18)
Cancer Drug Coverage Changes (
H896)
Residential Treatment Facil./TBI (
H1309)
Allow Dietetics/Nutrition Bd./Recover Costs (
H886)
RVAP/Ensure Grant Eligibility (
H1342)

544LOB
12:00 PM
MENTAL HEALTH & YOUTH SERVICES (Senate)
Support for Developmental Disabilities Services (H673)
Clarify Consecutive Terms - Aging & Child Com. (
H358)
Study Existing Children/Youth Programs (
H659)
Clarify Silver Alert-All Ages (
H1129)

414LOB
1:00 PM
COMMERCE, SMALL BUSINESS, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (House)
Defer Tax on Builders' Inventory. (H852)
Res. Lead-Based Paint Hazards/Renovations. (
H1151)
Small Business Incentives Study. (
H1598)
Zoo and Zoo Funds Modifications. (
S332)
Modify NC Limited Liability Company Act. (
S412)
Home Improvement Fraud. (
S709)
Withholding on Contractors Identified by ITIN. (
S1006)

1228LB
1:00 PM
FINANCE (Senate)
Revenue Laws Tech, Clarifying, & Admin. Changes (S509)
Amend Home Inspector Licensure Laws (
S1007)
Amend Alarm Systems Licensing Act (
S1073)
Delinquent Tax - Deny Building Permit (
H563)
Guest Speaker: Brent Lane, UNC Center for Competitive Economies

544LOB
2:00 PM
ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY (House)
Alternative Fuels Tax Credits. (H906)
Income Tax Credit for Fuel-Efficient Vehs. (
H1597)
Energy Savings Contracts' Cap/Program Admin. (
S304)

421LOB
3:00 PM
Session Convenes (House)

House Chamber
3:00 PM
Session Convenes (Senate)

Senate Chamber


Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Air Quality Alert for parts of WNC Mountains
Updated with photos and a tale...


Map Source:
National Weather Service



According to the National Weather Service, an "Air Quality Alert" is in effect today for parts of western North Carolina (West Carolina).

I live in Macon County, less than a mile from the Jackson County line, but 5 or so miles by road. My question is this...will I have to wear a mask today when I go into Jackson County, or will there be a roadblock (for my safety) with people informing me of this "bad air?" /s

Here is the notice from the NWS:

Air Quality Alert
NCZ048-049-051>053-059-063>065-030230-
MADISON-YANCEY-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-NORTHERN JACKSON-
SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CHEROKEE...WAYNESVILLE...ASHEVILLE...
SYLVA...BREVARD...HENDERSONVILLE
1017 PM EDT MON JUN 1 2009

...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 9 PM EDT TUESDAY...

THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES
IN RALEIGH NC HAS ISSUED A CODE ORANGE AIR QUALITY ACTION DAY FOR
GROUND LEVEL OZONE...IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 9 PM EDT TUESDAY.

AN AIR QUALITY ACTION DAY MEANS THAT GROUND LEVEL OZONE
CONCENTRATIONS WITHIN THE REGION MAY APPROACH OR EXCEED UNHEALTHY
STANDARDS. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...PLEASE VISIT THE NORTH
CAROLINA DIVISION OF AIR QUALITY WEB SITE AT
WWW.NCAIR.ORG/AIRAWARE/FORECAST/.

$$

...and like a good little Internet surfer, I followed the link (you'd be surprised how many people are too stupid to be able to do that) and found
this notice:

Code Orange - Air Quality Action Day for Charlotte and the Asheville Ridge Tops on Tuesday, June 2, 2009!
OPEN BURNING IS
PROHIBITED in the Charlotte and Asheville regions!

Date: Monday, June 1, 2009 - 15:00 EDT

Forecast Valid: Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Today's Air Quality Conditions: Ozone is on the rise and is on track to reach the upper Code Yellow around Charlotte and the middle Code Yellow elsewhere across the Piedmont and sandhills. Ozone around Rocky Mount and the Asheville region will remain in Code Green. Particle pollution is on an upward trend but it should hold in the Code Green. For a display of the most recent air quality conditions throughout the remainder of this afternoon, please visit the NC DAQ monitoring site or the US EPA's AIRNOW web site.

General Forecast Discussion: A small high pressure system over the Midatlantic will slide off the coast tonight and weaken. Meanwhile, a weak ridge will build at the middle and upper levels over the southeastern US, which will promote sinking and warming air with little in the way of clouds. Relatively light winds will lead to a bit of stagnation and allow ozone to rise a bit higher than today. Ozone around Charlotte should reach the Code Orange tomorrow afternoon, while ozone in other forecast regions rises well into the Code Yellow. The Asheville Ridge Tops may experience Code Orange ozone tonight or again tomorrow night as high ozone blows in from Knoxville or Atlanta. Particle pollution will rise into the Code Yellow.

Outlook: The weak upper ridge will weaken by early Wednesday and a cold front will begin pushing into the Appalachians later in the day. Winds will increase and there will be a slight chance of an afternoon storm. Winds will be high enough to disperse any pollutant buildup on Tuesday, and air quality should be no worse than middle Code Yellow. The front will slowly approach the state Thursday and Friday and finally push through the state early Saturday. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a decent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Air quality is expected to reside in the Code Green.

(Witcraft - NC Division of Air Quality)


What is the point of all this whooping and hollering? The same website gives us a list of things that we could do different today (I certainly won't) on a bad air day.

I'll give you guys a full report on the condition of the air in Jackson County and if I should succumb to the bad air, avenge me!!!

**7.51am** I have arrived safely at WCU in Cullowhee. Neither my companion or I could tell the difference in the quality of the air. I snapped a few photos to document the adventure...







Knowing it might be the last time I ever looked upon the sweetness of my home county, I looked back and shed a tear for Macon County, the Land of Clean Air.






Looking from Macon County (Good Air) into Jackson County (Bad Air).




This is the view into the valley of Bad Air, where the I imagined the good people of Jackson County gasping for breath, wishing that they lived in the Land of Clean Air.





I looked up, and wondered if I was seeing a wave of Bad Air above me, in the process of descending like the Black Smoke of a Martian War Machine. I trembled a little.





I was afraid to stop in Sylva for fear of the Bad Air, so I kept moving along. I snapped this photo as I was leaving...





...and here is a photo of the darkened campus of Western Carolina University, as a wave of deadly Bad Air rolled above. Upon parking, I quickly scurried indoors, fleeing the Bad Air that, on an ordinary day, would just be a foggy morning.

**9.43am** --BREAKING NEWS-- I just spoke with a guy who has asthma...and he says I can relax...the air here is just fine. That's a load off my shoulders. Now, I can eat my lunch outside.

NC General Assembly 06-02-2009 Legislative Calender





Here is the schedule for the North Carolina General Assembly...


IMMED. AFTERSESSION
SELECT COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY (Senate)
Older Blind Individuals/VR Child Support Enforcement (Incentive Payments)

1027LB
8:30 AM
APPROPRIATIONS/Health and Human Services (House)

643LOB
9:30 AM
Sen. P. Berger
Press Room LB
10:00 AM
JUDICIARY I (Senate)
Plea Bargain Disclosure (H315)
Notice on Liens for HOA Assessments (
H806)
Executive Branch Revolving Door (
H1136)
Preservation of DNA & Biological Evidence (
H1190)
Courts-Martial Amendments (
H1412)

1027LB
10:00 AM
JUDICIARY II (Senate)
Use of Deadly Force by LEO/Collect & Publish (H266)
Magistrate Can Carry Gun in Courthouse (
H473)
Revise Elective Share Statutes (
H765)
State Fairgrounds Special Police/Mutual Aid (
H1109)
Renew Concealed Carry Permit/30 Day Limit (
H1132)
Crime Stoppers Tips Are Confidential (
H1447)

1124LB
10:00 AM
JUDICIARY I (House)
Update Funeral Expense Allowance/Estates. (S159)
Sales Tax: Reliance on Written Advice by DOR. (
S909)

1228LB
11:00 AM
COMMERCE (Senate)
Traffic Calming Devices/Res. Subdivisions (H182)
Garbage Collection Trucks Parking on Highways (
H825)
Create Exemption/Size-Weight for Sage Haulers (
H838)
Encourage Use of Military Veteran Contractors (
H912)
Insurance Guaranty Association Amendments (
H964)
UI/Severely Disabled Veterans (
H1124)
NC Risk Pool Premiums/Notice Requirements (
H1294)
NC Risk Pool Changes/Out-of-State Services (
H1392)
S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act (
H1523)
DOT Vegetation Removal Changes (
S983)

1027LB
11:00 AM
INSURANCE (House)
Insurance/Cover Hearing Aids. (H589)
Struc. Settlement Annuities/Ins. Guar. Assn. (
S780)
Workers' Comp Self-Insurance Security Ass'n. (
S893)

1228LB
11:00 AM
AGRICULTURE/ENVIRONMENT/NATURAL RESOURCES (Senate)
ABC Recycling Stay Extension (H759)
Disposal of Pesticide Containers (
H760)
Extend State Vet's Animal Disease Authority (
H1083)
Update NC Meat Inspection Act (
H1104)
Capacity Use Areas Enforcement (
H1399)

544LOB
11:00 AM
EDUCATION (House)
Make Best Use of Corporate Tax Revenue. (S386)
Affordable Housing for Teachers/Edgecombe Co. (
S498)
Establish Physician Assistant Scholarships. (
S678)

643LOB
12:00 PM
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (Senate)
VSL Nonfamily Sick Leave Donations (H213)
Oversight of Licensing Boards (
H221)
Rocky Mount/Fair Housing Ordinance (
H459)
Yancey Commissioners Election (
H633)
Avery Tax Collector Appointive (
H701)
Asheville Force Account (
H747)
Winston-Salem/Forsyth School Board Elections (
H833)
Stanly County Boards (
H870)
County Bow Hunting (
H888)
Granville/Registered Land (
H969)
Expand Membership/Currituck Game Commission (
H955)
ABC Capital Project/County Funds (
H927)

1124LB
12:00 PM
HEALTH (House)
Study Medicaid Income Levels/CAP. (H1243)
Salvia Divinorum Unlawful. (
S138)
Limit Well Water Testing for VOC's. (
S141)
Authorize Voluntary Medical Registry Program. (
S258)
Advanced Directives on Drivers License. (
S595)
Release Contr. Subst. Rep. Data To CME. (
S628)
Amend Dentistry Laws/Out of State Dentists. (
S694)
Diabetes Control Plans in Charter Schools. (
S738)
CON Changes. (
S804)
Rewrite Sanitarian Examiners Laws/Fees. (
S834)

544LOB
12:00 PM
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES (House)
Eliminate Overlap Between CAMA and SEPA. (S778)
Increase Penalty/Timber Theft. (
S990)
Ban Certain Single-Use Bags. (
S1018)

643LOB
1:00 PM
JUVENILE JUSTICE (House)
Study/Standards/Disputed Child Custody Cases. (H1174)
Legislative Study on Youth Violence/Funds. (
H1279)
Continue Child Supp./21 Yrs/College Students. (
S143)
Juvenile Records/Probation Risk Assessment. (
S1082)

415LOB
1:00 PM
ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL (House)
ABC Rules/Private Clubs. (S6)

425LOB
2:00 PM
WATER RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (House)
Reimburse Beach Nuisance Abatement Cost. (S636)
Allocate Water Cost/Landlord-Tenant Changes. (
S661)

1228LB
2:00 PM
APPROPRIATIONS/General Government (House)

1425LB
2:00 PM
STATE GOVERNMENT/STATE PERSONNEL (House)
Qui Tam/Liability for False Claims. (H1135)
State Surplus Property/New Recipient. (
S712)

424LOB
3:00 PM
Session Convenes (House)

House Chamber
3:00 PM
Session Convenes (Senate)

Senate Chamber


Monday, June 1, 2009

Thunderstorm Brewing




This is looking east into Haywood County from Jackson County.


.

NC General Assembly 06-01-2009 Legislative Calender





Another month is here, and the General Assembly is still in session, trying to squeeze every last cent out of taxpayers as they can. Here is the schedule for today...



12:00 PM
APPROPRIATIONS/General Government (House)

1425LB
7:00 PM
Session Convenes (House)

House Chamber
7:00 PM
Session Convenes (Senate)

Senate Chamber