BROADBAND

Opinion: Broadband access could hold economic key for N.C. When running for governor in 2008, Beverly Perdue often spoke about modeling her approach to the office after O. Max Gardner, her favorite political figure in North Carolina history. He led the state through the onset of the Great Depression, investing public money in infrastructure to create jobs and cultivate economic development, actions that offer Perdue some useful lessons.Surely Gardner would have shared Perdue’s enthusiasm for North Carolina winning federal grant funding for a dramatic expansion of broadband Internet access through the state’s rural corners.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Over 100 North Carolina legislative candidates sign pledge (Aug. 12 news release) Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina today announced that 122 candidates for the North Carolina General Assembly have  signed a series of pledges to fight tax increases, promote school choice, support private property rights, and support political speech rights. Candidate signers include: two Democrats, five Libertarians, 115 Republicans, and one unaffiliated candidate.

GOVERNMENT

N.C. seeks stay of Davidson campus police ruling The State of North Carolina on Thursday filed notice of an appeal with the N.C. Supreme Court and asked the court to delay enforcing a recent lower-court ruling that said Davidson College’s campus police cannot enforce state laws because it is a religious institution.