Johnston County Municipal Elections 2015

Fellow Johnstonians: Here is a list of who has filed to run in the 2015 municipal elections.  Note that I decided not to run this time around, although I was asked numerous times to do so.
http://www.johnstonnc.com/joconcelections/econtent.cfm?page_desc=cands2010

I was interviewed by a documentary film maker today

A documentary film student from Wake Forest University interviewed me today about NC Stop Torture Now, Aero-Contractors, and the protests that have been centered here in Johnston County.  I look forward to seeing the finished product.

Here is the audio of my podcast that I did five years ago on the big protest that was here in NC.  Some of the audio may make it into the documentary.

Listen to internet radio with troylaplante on Blog Talk Radio

My TV rant on JCATS

I have written about the local county transportation system before in this blog post.  This is the TV rant on that topic that aired this evening.

This was sad to hear on the radio this afternoon

From WTSB Radio's web site:

County Commissioner Wade Stewart Dies

Johnston County Commissioner Wade Stewart passed away suddenly Monday morning at his home near Four Oaks.  Stewart was hospitalized last week after suffering a heart attack, family members said.  He returned home from the hospital just a few days ago.

Stewart was sworn in as a Commissioner in December 1998, representing District 3. He won reelection to his fourth term in 2010, which was scheduled to have expired in 2014.

Stewart was President of Keener Lumber Company. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Campbell University in 1966.

He was very active in public service, with a passion for serving citizens, emergency workers, veterans, and building schools for the children of Johnston County. He loved his family, helping people, and the game of baseball.


In a statement from Jeff Carver, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners he said, “Our entire Board and staff are mourning the loss along with his wife and family.”
“Commissioner Stewart was a bronze-star recipient in Vietnam who never shied away from a fight.  During the financial crisis, he was the Chairman that led with great foresight and was not afraid to make tough decisions.  Mr. Stewart had a significant impact on Johnston County and a genuine love for the citizens.  “
“He loved his family and spoke of them often…they should be proud of his dedication and service to the citizens of Johnston County,” he said.
“During his continuous service to the County people respected his opinion, including myself.  He was not only a fellow commissioner, but my personal friend and confidant and I will never forget him,” Chairman Carver said.

“Wade had great passion for the County and he was one of the hardest working Commissioners I have ever known,” Commissioner Tony Braswell told WTSB. “He was special to me. He was a mentor to me. We bonded because of that and our Vietnam experience.” Both Stewart and Braswell were Vietnam Veterans.

"Sometimes he expressed things only the way Wade could do,” Braswell said. “He will go down as one of the greater commissioners. His legacy will be remembered in the school building era for a long long time.”

"He was a strong advocate for Veterans. He started the Family Veterans Advisory Committee when he was Board Chairman. He felt like the County should do all we could for Veterans,” Braswell added.

Stewart was currently serving on the Juvenile Crimes Prevention Council, Nursing Home/Adult Care Advisory Board, Tobacco Farm Life Museum, and Veterans Service Advisory Board. 

Stewart was Chairman of the Board of Commissioners from 2008 to 2010.  He served as Vice Chairman from 2004 to 2008.  He had previously served on the Criminal Justice Partnership Advisory Board, Social Services Board, Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee, and Local Emergency Planning Commission.

"Wade Stewart was a fine man. I learned so much from him," Johnston County Manager Rick Hester said Monday. "He enjoyed being a county commissioner, because he loved helping people. I will miss him greatly."

"Johnston County has lost a great Commissioner who was truly dedicated to serving others," Commissioner Cookie Pope said Monday. "Like John Wayne, he was a giant of a man whose love for "country store" politics made him a champion of the ordinary man.  Doing for others was one of his greatest joys and no request was too small."

"Wade Stewart loved nothing more than a challenge so he could prepare for the battle that he fully intended to win," Pope said. "No man ever loved his family, friends and County more. What a legacy!"
Funeral services will be held at 3:00pm on Thursday, January 17 at First Baptist Church in Four Oaks. Burial will follow in the Four Oaks City Cemetery with full military honors. Visitation will be held Wednesday, January 16 from 6:00pm until 9:00pm at Rose & Graham Funeral Home in Four Oaks.

Here is the N&O article. 
The Smithfield Herald article.
The WRAL story
Though News 14 has the story on their broadcast, it isn't online. 

Your tax dollars hard at work

I read an article within the past few weeks on the Johnston County Area Transportation System (JCATS). I lamented the possible expansion of tax dollars to further subsidize the poor.  I asked the question, "When is enough, enough?"  I made it into a TV show for "LaPlante's Rants".



Yesterday I saw a news story from WTSB Radio about JCATS getting a matching grant.  More subsidies for the poor at the expense of the producers.  We can't afford this!

County Approves JCATS Grant Match
Area transit system receives $74,556 in local funds

Johnston County Commissioners approved a $74,556 matching grant for the Johnston County Area Transit System.

JCATS Transportation Director Lynn Lamberth requested the funds at Monday's commission meeting.

The total grant from the state Department of Transportation is $598,556. It's the major administrative and capital grant with which JCATS operates.

JCATS' transportation services include medical trips in county and to destinations out of county, workplace and job training, senior centers, child care centers, social services, public hearings and dental care.

Lamberth told commissioners that JCATS provided 110,000 rides last year and that their vehicles traveled over 1 million miles.

She said JCATS provides quite a bit of transportation for Johnston Community College and would love to contract with JCC for additional services.

Will Johnston County Schools Ban Gideons?

Will Johnston County Schools Ban Gideons?

Proposed policy will prohibit group from distributing Bibles on school campuses
 
For generations, Gideons International has distributed New Testaments at Johnston County Schools. If a new school board policy is passed, that era is over.

The Board of Education, at its Tuesday meeting, is scheduled to vote on a policy regarding the distribution and display of non-school materials.

Johnston County Schools spokesperson Tracey Peedin Jones confirmed the new policy will affect the Gideons.
"If this new policy passes," Jones said, "the Gideons will not be able to distribute Bibles."

Jones said no school policy exists directly related to the distribution of literature by outside agencies.

The Board has been utilizing case law and Supreme Court rulings in making decisions.
"At this point, Jones said, "the Board believes that the school system needs to implement their own policy that complies with the latest mandates of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court."

The proposed policy states, "Only school-sponsored and curriculum-related publications and materials may be distributed or displayed during the school day, on school grounds or at school activities."
At least one area pastor expressed disappointment in the proposed policy.
"Having worked with the Gideons all my life I am aware that it is becoming more and more difficult for them to get into our schools," Micro First Baptist Church Pastor Tim Stevens said.

“It would certainly be sad if at the same time that the Gideons are finding new opportunities in Russia and China to distribute Bibles they were excluded from doing so in our own public school system,” Rev. Stevens said.

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Troy's commentary:  If the policy passes, I hope that ALL such stuff will be stopped.  We get constant coupons for circuses, restaurants, fliers, and marketing materials that come home with our son THROUGH THE SCHOOL.  I find these items far more offensive than a Gideon's New Testament.

UPDATE: The Johnston County Superintendent of Schools has said that this was in response to the ACLU making a stink about an agnostic group that was denied access to the schools to pass out their literature. Basically, the school system, rather than standing up to them, wants to knuckle under to their pressure.

MORE NEWS COVERAGE: NBC17

The case for which I had jury duty.

For the second time in two years, I got tagged for jury duty. Last week I spent Monday and Tuesday at the court house while a jury was picked for a criminal case. I never did get chosen since all 12 plus an alternate were seated before I got called from the jury pool. I found the case disposition online today.

DA's Office Convicts Two Habitual Felons
Both Defendants Found Guilty Of Eluding Deputies
A Johnston County man was sentenced to 80 to 105 months in jail on Wednesday after being found guilty by a Johnston County jury of speeding to elude arrest during a chase with Johnston County deputies. Jimmie Wayne Banks attempted to avoid a traffic stop by Deputy David Hildreth. Banks drover his car at a high rate of speed several times around a CVS Pharmacy parking then onto Highway 42 and Cleveland School Road before crashing and overturning his car. Banks had previous convictions for felony possession of cocaine and felony assault inflicting serious bodily injury.

Tax hike alert!

Johnston County property owners are about to take it on the chin again. I have no frickin' idea how construction costs can suddenly go up by 50%, but I do believe we are getting hosed. Now we are going to pay for it. Thanks, Johnston County. My taxes are about to go up yet again. I just got an increase in property taxes two years in a row from Selma. My electricity bill just went up 11% or so. My trash collection just went up another $2 a month. Now our property taxes for the county are about to go up because of a school being built with 50% cost over runs. Thanks. From WTSB's news page:

$30 Million Loan Will Pay For New Cleveland High School
Johnston County Commissioners have agreed to borrow $30 million to pay for a new Cleveland High School. However, in borrowing the money, the county can’t rule out a possible property tax increase to cover the debt. Higher costs for steel and petroleum products have pushed prices way up for proposed high schools in Cleveland and Corinth Holders. Voters had approved $60 million in a 2007 school bond referendum to pay for both schools at a price tag of $30 million each. However, construction cost estimates have risen to about $45 million for each school. By shifting most of the money from the bond to the Corinth Holders project and borrowing $30 million for the Cleveland High, both schools can be built and opened by the fall of 2011. But it could come with as much as a three cents tax increase. “Certain financial models show the possibility of that,” County Manager Rick Hester told WTSB, “but in the past we have been fortunate enough to absorb that, and we hope to do that this time.” The County will borrow $30 million from First Citizens Bank at 4.14 percent and repay the note over a 19-year period. Commissioners hope to use lottery funds to make the annual payments, however the county’s proceeds from the state lottery vary each year. Commissioners unanimously approved the loan with Commissioner Jeff Carver recusing himself due to being a board member of First Citizens Bank.