McCready’s Choosing the Battlefield (NC-09)

July 16, 2018 By in Fayetteville Politics, NC Politics Tags: 1 Comment

Andrew Dunn over at longleafpolitics.com wrote an interesting post criticizing Dan McCready’s response to controversy surrounding a sermon given by his opponent, Mark Harris.  McCready (D) and Harris (R) are set to battle it out in November for North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District.

Harris gave the sermon in 2013, but it found its way to the internet and made national news.  In sum, it lays out traditional “biblical womanhood” with man as “head” and woman as “helper” and criticizes society’s treatment of young women:

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N.C. Republicans Gasping For Power

June 26, 2018 By in NC Politics Tags: 1 Comment

If you ever fish a blackwater river in Eastern North Carolina this time of year, you’ll come across an interesting phenomenon.  Bowfin (aka blackfish, dogfish, or grindle) are a prehistoric fish that can survive in hot, oxygen-starved water by inhaling air into a swim bladder that works like a lung.  In short, they can breathe if they have to.

Pull your boat into any oxbow on a really hot summer day, turn off the motor and sit still.  You’ll soon see and hear the bowfin rising to the surface, holding onto life, one gulp at a time.  Pull up on Jones Street on a hot day this week.  Listen.  You’ll hear something similar.

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Do Downtown Stadiums Create New Growth?

June 22, 2018 By in Fayetteville Politics Leave a comment

400-06208163c_998_380According to the City of Fayetteville’s website:

“The baseball stadium is expected to be an economic home run for the local Fayetteville area.”

The UNC School of Government has cited a recent study that suggests that it may not be.  The study tracked the economic impact in sixteen cities that placed minor league stadiums in their downtown areas.  A summary of the findings:

Stadiums can revitalize a city’s downtown, but data suggests they merely concentrate development around the new stadium and don’t create new growth. 

The gist is this:  a new downtown stadium works like a magnet, drawing people in from other parts of the city and leaving vacancies where they once lived and worked.  There is little net impact to a city’s economy as a whole.

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Judicial Election Preview (Cumberland)(UPDATED)

June 18, 2018 By in Fayetteville Politics 2 Comments

AR-170529089UPDATE:  On June 29, the last day of the filing period, District Court Judge Lou Olivera withdrew from the race for Cumberland County’s multi-seat Superior Court District 12C.  Olivera backed out after a change in the law forced him to choose which sitting Judge to challenge, Jim Ammons or Mary Ann Tally.

Not wanting to face either in a head to head match, Olivera packed it in.

There will be no Republican candidate in District 12C.

Don’t Pick the Player Without Knowing the Game

June 12, 2018 By in Fayetteville Politics 2 Comments

By:  Andrew Porter

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Last week, I wrote a post about how the local Democratic Party is setting fire to the “big tent” philosophy of the Party by endorsing judicial candidates with a questionnaire vetting process; instead of endorsing all Democratic candidates like they have in the past.

The folly of this approach can already be seen in the selection process for the vacant City Council District 2 seat. The Cumberland County Democratic Party executive board decided very early in the selection process, before all candidates were known, to support Fayetteville State Attorney, Patricia Bradley. A mistake that ultimately cost Democrats the seat. Don’t get me wrong; Mrs. Bradley is a fantastic candidate and more than qualified for the position. However, when you select your player without knowing the game, you’re bound to lose.

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