Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Nov. 10, 2004, edition 1 / Page 7
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Sattij ®ar Mrrt Rep. lobbies for regulation of businesses Luebke wants limits put on incentives BYAMYEAGLEBURGER STAFF WRITER Before this year’s elections, N.C. Rep. Paul Luebke promised that, if re-plected, he would reintroduce a bill that would prevent a conflict of interest between businesses and state departments. On Nov. 2, Luebke regained his seat and got to work. The bill states that if a busi ness has a contract with the state that involves altering economic incentives, it should be prohibited for two years from working with another business seeking to use those incentives. “If you are going to do the one, you can’t do the other,” said Luebke, who is from Durham County and serves as co-chairman of the House Finance Committee. Luebke will introduce the bill soon after the N.C. General Assembly con venes in January. He proposed the bill during this year’s short session, but it was left in the House Rules Committee until session ended. He said he was prompted to write the; bill after the Carolina Journal broke a story about a seminar hosted by the consulting firm Ernst & Young, which previ ously had a contract with the N.C. Department pf Commerce. The company studied North Carolina’s competitors to see how the state cotild become of greater interest to corporations. Linda Weiner, die commerce department’s assistant secretary of communica tions and external affairs, said one of the decisions that came out of that study and others was to begin to offer incentives to companies. “This is just an example of one of the tools North Carolina was miss ing,” she said. “North Carolina was losing jobs, and we weren’t winning some of the big projects.” The seminar held in Georgia was designed to helpporporations take advantage of existing incentives programs in different states. “One of the handouts actually said that corporations should view state government as a cash cow i.e., milk it for money,” Luebke said. “The whole seminar was how to basically manipulate politicians so they are willing to make major payouts to your company.” VAGINA MONOLOGUES AUDITIONS November 12-13th Sign-up in Student Union Resource Hub Contact hartmaas@eroail.unc.edu [ for more information. is pleased ||| nil*. ■ ; da ■ approved and specifically engineered to effectively remove pt unwanted liair. , • Diode Laser is safe. V/ s comfortable, - "V *' affordable and most jH tx>dv mens can be ' treated. ; Please call Aimes at ilB to schedule paur free consultation. ; tpr He said holding such a seminar after having a contract with the state was a conflict of interest that could result in corporations taking unfair advantage of state incentives. If a company were found to be in violation of Luebke’s bill, it would forfeit its compensation from the state and the other business. It also would be barred from advis ing both parties for two years. Luebke will propose his bill in the aftermath of what some say is the state’s biggest economic gain in months. Legislators decided last week on a $242 million incentives bill to lure Dell USA to the state. The company announced Tuesday that it will locate a plant in the 'Wad, bringing 1,500 manufac turing jobs to die area Luebke said his bill seeks to ensure that North Carolina’s incen tives are not exploited and that the state’s best interests are protected. “These companies don’t care how much they deplete the treasuries of the state,” he said, adding that his bill is not a sweeping reform but rather of symbolic value. “It makes a statement about how state governments shouldn’t be played with by out-of-state corpora tions,” he said. “The people of North Carolina deserve better than this.” Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu. ..JIT* SEE IMPORTANT ON FOLLOWING RAGE. PLEASE READ IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: The contraceptive patch contains hormones similar to those in birth control pills. Hormonal contraceptives are not for evervbodv Most side effects of the contraceptive patch are not serious and those that are, occur infrequently. Serious risks, which can be life threatening, include blood clots stroke or heart attacks and are increased if you smoke cigarettes. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects, especially if you are over 35. Women who ~c hormonal contraceptives are strongly advised not to smoke. Some women should not use the contraceptive patch, including women who have blood clots certain cancers a history of heart attack or stroke, as well as those who are or may be pregnant. The contraceptive patch does not protect against HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases News Council forwards facilities plans BY BRIANNA BISHOP STAFF WRITER The few concerns town officials aired about Chapel Hill’s plans to improve its sidewalk and bicycle facilities will be considered for mally now that the Town Council has referred them to other groups. After a public forum Monday at which no members of the pub lic spoke, the council decided that all comments from the meeting be referred to the town manager and various committees, which now have the task of creating a follow up report. The town’s long-range principal planner, Gordon Sutherland, said Monday that the preliminary rec ommendations were shaped by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan and adopted as part of the town’s Comprehensive Plan on Oct. 27. The action plan calls for improve E. coli outbreak reaches Orange County Three children in county confirmed ill BY KATHRYN REED STAFF WRITER Newly confirmed cases of E. coli in a Glenwood Elementary School student and two preschool-aged children are the first reports that the statewide outbreak of the infec tion has come to Orange County. Community Health Services Supervisor Judy Butler said the Glenwood case was confirmed Friday and the other two cases were confirmed Monday. The county typically sees only one or two cases of E. coli bacteria per year, she said. All three children had visited the petting zoo at the N.C. State Fair, which has been identified by state ment of sidewalks, cross-walks, off road paths and some bicycle routes and facilities. It also suggests that the town carry out small-area studies of certain intersections. “The action plan really sets out a long-range vision for the town,” Sutherland said. One of the main goals of the plan is to improve areas that would connect schools, businesses, recreational areas and transit sites, he added. The goal of the construction plan is to fill in missing bits of sidewalk that prevent people from getting from “point a to point b,” Sutherland explained. “Our recommendation was that town funds should be used on town-maintained streets,” he said. The town has $600,000 in funds from general obligation bonds avail able for sidewalk construction. “I think sidewalk improve- health officials as the source of the outbreak, Butler said. Though the children are recover ing well, officials are awaiting test results for 13 other suspected cases of E. coli in the county, she said. Most of these potential cases are children. “Young children are most at risk for developing more serious side effects,” she said. Kim Hoke, spokeswoman for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, said the district is responding to the confirmed cases in the schools. “The school nurses are avail able, at least on a part-time basis, at every school and are keeping tabs on children who exhibit some WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 ments are a very admirable goal,” said Wayne Pein, a member of the town’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Pein cited a lack of crosswalks on Airport Road and at other locations as one of the important issues facing pedestrians. But he said he did not agree with some aspects of the action plan. “I actually am against most of the recommendations of the com mittee,” he said. Some ideas in the plan, such as adding new bike lanes, might seg regate bikers from the drivers who should use the same road spaces, Pein said. He added that he thinks widening existing lanes or adding new ones, at least where feasible, is a better option. The report provides a list of both town- and state-maintained streets where improvements might be of those symptoms,” she said. Nurses are encouraging students who show symptoms of infection to stay out of school and are offering tips on how to prevent the spread of the infection. While no cases have been con firmed in county schools, spokes woman Anne D’Annunzio said the school system is taking precaution ary measures as well. “The health department has sent to all our nurses information about the E. coli cases and what protocol we need to follow, and the nurses have been distributing it through out the schools,” D’Annunzio said. “Teachers are certainly promot ing hand washing, particularly now.” Butler said the health depart ment is working to control the needed. Areas along Legion Road, McCauley Street and University Drive, as well as Rosemary Street, are on the list of town streets. The list also includes state-maintained thoroughfares such as Airport and Culbreth roads. But the town will not be the only entity to make decisions about which roads need attention. Many local roads are main tained by the N.C. Department of Transportation. The report rec ommends that the town request that NCDOT investigate possible improvements. At the Dec. 6 Town Council meeting, the council will be pre sented with a follow-up report and further discuss the plans. Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu. spread of E. coli by increasing surveillance of symptoms and pro viding information about ways to control against infection. Day care centers and physicians also are being alerted, she said. Anyone who is identified as a suspect for E. coli is counseled on how to keep the infection from spreading, Butler added. Symptoms of infection include diarrhea, that may or may not be bloody, abdominal cramping, nau sea and dehydration. Infected persons may also develop a low-grade fever. Officials recommended that anyone who has these symptoms contact a physician. Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu. 7
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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