Technical Issues Plague Dispatch as Ticker Delays Commitments
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.
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.
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.
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Seeing Red Again - Official NC GOP Blog
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 UpChalking 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.
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