from the Associated Press

Gov. Mike Easley said Thursday that he's disappointed in the state Labor Department's response to reports of mistreatment of immigrants who work in the poultry industry.

"I think the Department of Labor has to be more aggressive," said Easley, a Democrat. " I didn't see the level of concern that needs to be there."

In a 40-minute interview with The Charlotte Observer, Easley discussed the newspaper's series in February that said a North Carolina poultry company disguised the number of injuries that its workers suffered on the job. He said he didn't speak out right away in order to give state agencies time to fashion their own response to workplace safety issues.

The 10th Congressional District Democratic Party will be holding a district wide rally and straw poll on April 12th at 11am until 2pm at the Newton Conover Civic and Performance Place in Newton, NC. Democrats from across the district and state will have the opportunity to voice their preferences in the Presidential primary as well as those statewide offices that have Democratic primary challenges.

A large majority of Democrats seeking statewide offices (list below) have confirmed attendance and will be given an equal amount of time to address those in attendance. Political speeches will be accompanied by a barbeque lunch and live music for entertainment. The event will culminate in secret balloting with results being announced at the event, as well as being released to the media. The rally is expected to draw between 250-500 attendees from the 10th district and from areas across the state. The $10 admission will benefit the 10th Congressional District Democratic Party.

What part of job loss does John McCain not understand?

Asked this morning in Atlanta about today's terrible economic reports, McCain said the jobs numbers were "not terrible" because "the unemployment rate did not go up," even as experts reported the worst job losses in five years.

These comments come just days after McCain said the best short-term relief for families feeling the economic pinch was making Bush's budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy permanent in 2010—nearly two years from now. [AP, 3/7/08; Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08]

Maybe McCain didn't realize that oil prices hit a new record high yesterday with people in North Carolina paying up to $3.18 for a gallon of gas. That, of course, comes as home foreclosures around the country hit an all-time high in the final quarter of last year, with 3,491 families in North Carolina losing their homes.

Greensboro-High Point Named Top Small Metro Region; Two Rural Communities Also Take Top Spots

Gov. Mike Easley announced today that North Carolina placed first in the nation in Site Selection magazine’s annual ranking of states with small metropolitan areas having the most new and expanded corporate facilities. The Greensboro-High Point area in Guilford County was named the No. 1 small metro region. Lexington-Thomasville in Davidson County and Statesville-Mooresville in Iredell County swept the first- and second-place spots for rural areas.

“The latest Site Selection ranking proves that it is not just the large cities that benefit from North Carolina’s investments in education, workforce development and the state’s top-ranked business climate,” Easley said. “As industries recognize they can find the 21st century training programs and qualified workers they need in all communities across the entire state, we gain jobs and effectively compete to lead in the global economy.”

Republican State Auditor Les Merritt’s partisan bandwagon has hit the road – literally.

Mr. Merritt’s flawed review of the state transportation department ignores the reality of increased construction costs and population growth.

Meanwhile Mr. Merritt’s fee to state agencies has ballooned from $55 to $85 an hour while the budget approved by his department continues to grow.

“We know why it costs more to build roads,” said NCDP Chair Jerry Meek. “Why does it cost more for Les Merritt to run his office?”

According to the Federal Highway Administration, states across the country are experiencing “unprecedented construction cost increases”.

With rising energy prices and an economy careening toward recession, it simply costs more to build a road than it used to.

Construction material prices rose much faster in 2005 and 2006 than consumer and producer price indices. The availability of key construction materials such as Portland cement, copper, gypsum and PVC pipe became an issue in many parts of the country.

By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS and ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writers

The fate of $600-$1,200 rebate checks for more than 100 million Americans is in limbo after Senate Republicans blocked a bid by Democrats to add $44 billion in help for the elderly, disabled veterans, the unemployed and businesses to the House-passed economic aid package.

GOP senators banded together Wednesday to thwart the $205 billion plan, leaving Democrats with a difficult choice either to quickly accept a House bill they have said is inadequate or risk being blamed for delaying a measure designed as a swift shot in the arm for the lagging economy.

The tally was 58-41 to end debate on the Senate measure, just short of the 60 votes Democrats would have needed to scale procedural hurdles and move the bill to a final vote. In a suspenseful showdown vote that capped days of partisan infighting and procedural jockeying, eight Republicans — four of them up for re-election this year — joined Democrats to back the plan, bucking GOP leaders and President Bush, who objected to the costly add-ons.

The House took the first step toward overriding President Bush’s veto of a key defense bill today, which would ensure a halt to the Navy’s proposed outlying landing field in eastern North Carolina’s Washington County.

“If the Navy wants to move forward with an OLF, it should now be clear that they will need the support of the community,” Congressman G. K. Butterfield said.

Today, the House again approved the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Bill, taking the first step toward overriding President Bush’s veto. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill next week.

Last month, the conference report on the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Bill included language repealing “the authority for construction of an outlying landing field at Washington County, North Carolina.” The bill won overwhelming support from the House and Senate, but was vetoed by President Bush.