Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

In the news ...

The following two news articles of interest popped up in my Facebook feed this morning:

Rep. Robert Brawley has filed a bill to once again allow lobbyists to give unreported gifts to N.C. legislators. House Bill 640 "would roll back many of the ethics reforms passed by state lawmakers in the wake of the Speaker Jim Black scandal of 2006," reports WRAL.com. "The measure would repeal bans on gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers and relax requirements that lobbyists disclose such gifts."

Click here for WRAL's full story. I have asked Brawley for a response on Facebook; I'll post an update if he responds.

*** Edited: Rep. Brawley responded on Facebook last night. Here's what he said: 

"All the ethics laws passed after Jim Black went to jail, did nothing but make crooks out of honest people. If a person has integrity they will not be involved in unethical behavior, If they do not have integrity then no law will make them ethical, so I propose to allow people to deal with each other and report it. If the public considers the dealings unacceptable then they can speak with their vote. Much better than forcing it underground and acting as if it does not exist."

Also in the news this morning, WSOC-TV reports that due to contaminant levels, people should limit the number of fish they eat from Lake Norman and Mountain Island Lake. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, according to the report, says the water itself is safe, but it recommends that people eat no more than two meals a month of large-mouth bass and one meal a week of striped bass from Lake Norman. Also from WSOC's report: "The department also recommends that people not eat any channel catfish from Mountain Island Lake ... (and) that pregnant women and young children shouldn't eat largemouth bass or blue catfish from the lake, and everyone else should eat those fish sparingly."

Friday, April 5, 2013

Another woman accuses Iredell deputy of sexual abuse

A third woman has stepped forward, accusing Iredell County Sheriff's Deputy Ben Jenkins of sexual abuse.

The woman - who called the sheriff's office in 2009 to report a domestic dispute with her husband - later decided she did not want her husband to be arrested but wanted deputies to make him stay somewhere else for the night, according to tonight's report on WSOC-TV. The woman - referred to as "Jane Doe 2" - said "Jenkins told her the only way that could happen is if she stripped down naked while he took pictures of her to prove that she had not been physically abused."

For more on this story, click here.

Royal resigns

Chris Royal has resigned, effective immediately, from her post as Iredell County's animal services manager, according to a press release issued by County Manager Ron Smith this morning.

For more, click here.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

County to release statement re: animal-services manager

More details on Iredell County Animal Services Manager Chris Royal should be released tomorrow.

Human Resources Director Sandra Gregory declined to comment on Royal's current employment status with the county. Royal was suspended with pay on March 15 pending an investigation into an anonymous letter that alleged Royal has improperly euthanized animals and sold county-impounded livestock for her own personal gain.

Gregory said Iredell County Manager Ron Smith will issue a press release tomorrow afternoon.