Where Have We Been--Part A Technology and Ticker

Technical Issues Plague Dispatch as Ticker Delays Commitments

Click Here For Ticker Post on Personal Blog

Faithful followers may have wondered if we were really cranking up again, and especially what happened to the promised series on the perjury complaint. In our continuing attempts to upgrade what we offer, something went haywire and impeded our ability to post in a normal manner. We were faced with ( a) spending time to resolve the problem keeping intact the upgrade, (b) abandoning the upgrade and work on resolving the problem or (c) finding the workaround. This was interrupted by the ticker delay.

The dramatic rise in unemployment in Lee County means more than 4,000 people are without jobs and that does not include those who have become discouraged and stopped looking. This has led to a decision to offer our job listings and related sections on maintaining mental well being and free technology on an independent community site as well. Government, non-profit, community, and individual sites can then promote these resources. This will mean that organizations, businesses, and individuals who want to link to these resources will be able to do so without any appearance of endorsing the style or philosophical bent of our reporting.

Here are some short takes on what has been happening around the county:

Shook Takes Party Chair

The 80 or so Littiken supporters among the 8,000 Republicans in Lee County turned out to elect Commissioner Linda Shook and an exclusively Littiken slate to the local executive committee. The Republican Party's local elected official, Sheriff Tracy Carter, and many of his grass roots volunteer organization were not in evidence at the convention. The only excitement was that the turnout in Shook's precinct was almost 2-1 for John Bonardi, resulting in Shook not being a delegate. A last minute stand-in after concerns arose because of Mike Stone's uncertain status given his handling of first hand information in the Kelly Suborning Perjury Scandal, she is to be credited with quickly distancing the party from Littiken's attack blog which was embarrassing state chair candidate Chad Adams and has produced a new web site for the party. Shook's style and personality seem to fit a county chair's role--one that may be needed with Ty Stumpf becoming her counterpart.

But Move Puts Political Future In Doubt

Linda Shook's new role puts a big question mark in her political plans. The state party plan of organization says that she must resign as chair if she merely announces her intention to run. There is an escape clause by which 2/3 of the executive committee could allow her to remain if no one filed against her. At last count, two men and one woman were considering taking her on in the primary. The rule could put her at a disadvantage as she could not begin any efforts while one or more of her opponents are considering announcing their attention in the near future. This, of course, assumes that she doesn't find the wider range of issue and greater flexibility of action of the chair more enjoying
than her role as commissioner.

Griffin's Departure Doesn't Add Up

Chalking up Wednesday's ad-hoc departure of Lee County Emergency Director Eric Griffin to budget cutting doesn't seem to be the whole story. First, such budget cuts are usually announced at one time. Secondly, from a scope of responsibilities and knowledge of position, a reorganization that fit the fire marshal position (and we are just talking positions here folks) up into the Emergency Management Position seems to make more sense. Finally, if the cuts were to start, their are other places that have been much more obvious for longer than Griffin was employed. Of course, the current commissioners choose to let attrition be the primary guiding factor in the reduction in personnel--a common but pathetic management practice--so what the patchwork quilt will look like when all is done is anybody's guess.

Don't Miss the Other Sections

News - Includes regional and national news with Fox News, Raleigh News and Observer, WRAL, The New York Times, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, ESPN, Politico, and Under the Dome

Opinion - Includes columnists Cal Thomas, George Will, David Broder, and Ann Coulter

Raleigh Report - Latest report from Representative Jimmy Love

Seeing Red Again - Official NC GOP Blog

Little Red and White Signs Still Impact Lee County Politics

Mike Stone Caught in Own Words

It was turning out to be more than he had bargained for--Steve Thomas didn't think that falsifying an election report was too big a deal. When a reporter from the Sanford Herald started asking questions that very night he began to get that nagging feeling in his gut he had got more than he bargained for when he agreed to his role in a conspiracy to cover for one of the people involved with some little red and white signs. When Thomas heard from Herald reporter Gordon Anderson that Jamie Kelly denied even knowing him, he could see the plan was to leave him holding the bag.

He turned to his friend and budding business partner in the purchase of Goodfellows, Mike Stone, and gave him the story. Whether the idea to call the "victim", Herb Hincks, to apologize and say he had made a mistake was Stone's or Thomas's, we may never know. Meanwhile, the pressure mounted as the e-Lee Dispatch had tracked him down by phone.

Stone himself made at least three calls: one to the e-Lee Dispatch and two prominent office holders - one that night and the other the next morning. There is no question in the minds of the office holders that Stone said Thomas had told him that Sanford City Detective Kevin Bryant was one of "two close friends". The story is further confirmed by District Attorney, Susan Doyle, who clearly remembers being called while on vacation at the beach about the matter.

By mid-morning the next day, when contacted for more information, Stone said Thomas had retained prominent Sanford attorney, Jonathan Silverman, and Thomas had "clammed up". So it turned out, had Mike Stone. Despite his claim the previous night of hearing it from the horses mouth, he dismissed that as "just a rumor" saying he had to be have been misunderstood. A check with the others he had talked with found each one recalled that Stone was clear that he got his information directly from Thomas.

As time passed, this change in position began to trigger other questions. If Thomas told Stone one of the names of the friends, wouldn't human nature seem to make it likely that Thomas had told Stone both names? Other questions arose: As a city councilman, taking an oath to uphold the law, did he not have an obligation to turn his first-hand information over to the city manager and chief of police? Faced with such a claim neither of them could no longer dismiss the matter as just a rumor.

Was Stone covering for his friend and business partner whose best chance seems to "cut a deal" by giving up the names of the friends who approached him? After all, suborning perjury is a more serious crime than the perjury committed when Thomas signed the form. And Kelly's filing of an accurate form the day after Thomas did showed that Kelly, not Thomas, had ordered the signs leaving Thomas holding the bag.

Others have speculated that when you own a small grocery store that does a big business in beer kegs, a wine store, and now a night club, he might want to avoid a confrontation with a powerful police chief who is accountable to no one. A chief with no desire to hear first hand questions about a detective so closely associated with him politically. Otherwise, how would he sweep it under the rug as "rumor."

As more and more people learned of Stone's involvement, plans for him to be the Littiken candidate for county chair began to be more risky. He was personally and indirectly urged to bring it to the attention of the proper authorities on his own. Finally, about a month ago, he and Littiken twisted arms of some GOP leaders and others to meet at a Jonesboro restaurant. For the first time, Stone produced someone he claimed "was with him" when he made the phone calls to collaborate that he never attributed his source of information directly to Thomas. Yet, he claimed to have a "pretty good idea" who the other person was--a name already in circulation as rumor but neither confirmed or denied to us.

Why wouldn't a city councilman because of his oath and office disclose the direct information he has? At some point he may have to answer the question of what his friend and business partner told him under another kind of oath. All this just adds more mystery to a case with so much known and yet so many unanswered questions.

Government Report Hints at Job Shift

A new government report says that the US economy continues to lose jobs at monthly rates not seen in six decades. There's still no end in sight to the severe recession that has so far cost the US more than four million jobs.

• The assumption is that these jobs will return to the economy once the recession is over. Visit our Job Shift Section on the upper navigation bar and see why that may not be true and what it may mean for us.


• Check our "Editor's Reader" to see the official government report detailing which industries are losing the most jobs and which areas are actually gaining.


• The Rasmussen Poll , also in our "Editor's Reader" looks at who is still reading print newspapers compared to online versions and were the public is getting its news.
  
  

Where's The Sign-gate Perjury Case--You'll Be Surprised

Just Like A Picnic, The Ants Never Go Away:

• What Steve Thomas Doesn't Want You To Know
• Is Another Elected Official on the Hot Seat?
• Why the District Attorney Will Decide This Case

After months of investigation, conversations, and research, they'll be no passes for perjury.

Starting next week in the e-Lee Dispatch.

Herald Partners with Boys & Girls Clubs

SPECIAL OFFER to Benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sanford

In recognition of B&GC Week and the work our local clubs do in the community, The Herald is offering a special promotion to all non-subscribers: purchase a 3-month subscription at the regular price of $38.25 and we'll donate $20 of your purchase price back to our local clubs during their fund drive. For information, call our Circulation Department at (919) 718-1233. Offer expires April 8 and is available only if you've not been an active subscriber for the past six months.

From A Message via  Herald Facebook by Bill Horner III

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Love' Bill Binds Commissioners To Party's Recommendation

Bill Gives Members Reason to Participate in Local Conventions

Veteran Representative Jimmy Love has introduced House Bill 435. This bill would require that vacancies to the board of commissioners and in the office of sheriff would be recommended by the party executive committee and then must be appointed. Such a law is already on the books for 45 other NC counties. A law is already on the books that makes the same requirement for Registers Of Deeds.

Under rules in both parties, executive committee members are barred from active roles in primary campaigns giving them less influence on the direction of the philosophy and positions of candidates for office which they are bound to support when nominated. Passage of Love's bill would make a membership truly important if a vacancy occurred. This may give Republicans more reason to turn out Monday night (March 30) and Democrats at their April convention.

The bill might have avoided much controversy in the filling of the District 2 seat originally held by Amy Stevens. In the first go round, Richard Littiken reported the Lee County Republican Executive Committee nominated Kirk Smith. Smith frequently wrote letters to the editor strongly supporting conservative views with constitutional arguments. Commissioner Jamie Kelly nominated retired Broadway police chief George Bates, but Bates withdrew at the last minute and Smith was elected.

Ironically, according to an article by Herald reporter, Gordon Anderson, in early September, at the time of Smith's recommendation, Lee County had no official Republican Party recognized by the state GOP. Littiken claimed it was a matter of paperwork, but actually he had failed to conduct a convention in March as required under party rules. With the sudden departure of Kirk Smith at a time while their was no recognized Republican party, Kelly recommended John Quiggle, a Republican serving on the school board. This motivated local and state officials to call a convention allowing the GOP executive committee to properly recommend Harry Undy, a individual long active in Carolina Trace organizations. Despite the GOP efforts, the commissioners passed over Undy and selected Quiggle.

According to Rep. Love, the bill will not have any difficulty being passed.

Rate Of Job Loss: Time To Consider Job Shift

Understanding "Job Shift" May Be Key To Helping Unemployed

The unemployment rate in Lee County jumped to 13.4 percent in January, according to numbers released Thursday by the state Employment Security Commission. The rate for Lee County in December was 10.9 percent.Statewide, the unemployment rate jumped to 9.7 percent, up from 8.1 percent in December. – Sanford Herald Facebook email 3:18 pm.”

A crisis in finance markets has rapidly become a global jobs crisis. Jobs are being eliminated and so unemployment rising. Businesses, local and global, are going under. Our blog includes a section called “Job Shift” and a download to a 1994 Fortune cover story based on a William Bridges’ provocative book, Jobshift: How To Prosper In A Workplace Without Jobs.(Google Version) Its premise is that one of the single most significant factors in adult life, “the job,” is disappearing, and that our individual and national well-being require a radically different perspective on how to make a living. Consider these brief quotes (with emphasis added) from noted economists and commentators:

“This is not an ordinary recession that differs from other recent episodes simply by being somewhat more severe. It differs in kind.” Axel Leijonhufvud, VOX, March, 13, 2009.

“These jobs (651,000 more jobs disappeared in February) aren’t coming back,” Job Losses Hint at Vast Remaking of Economy”, New York Times, March 6, 2009

“this isn't likely an economic crisis that most of us have ever witnessed in our lifetimes. Are We on the Verge of Structural Unemployment?-Charles Lemos, MYDD,March 9, 2009

What if the crisis of 2008 represents something much more fundamental than a deep recession?Thomas L. Freidman, “The Inflection Is Near”, New York Times, March 8, 2009

That perspective is nothing less than a new way at looking at the world of work so differently it will require a paradigm shift that requires we look at everything in our lives and society with a totally new view. When a paradigm shifts, those who recognize it early and work on its assumptions emerge as leaders. The 13% of our workers would have a better chance at regaining work (if not a job), and our local economy improve greatly. Our Job Shift section is designed to help individuals, businesses, and leaders accept the realities of the coming change and prepare for it now. A new second video has been added. If you have not seen both, we highly recommend them. One has been seen by more than 3,000,000 viewers.

Editor's Note: This is an abbreviated version of the post on the Job Post section. We encourage everyone, but especially community leaders to visit the site for more detailed information including expanded quotations for the articles above.