BCR's Daily Fishwrap Report for January 30, 2009

• While Durham officials have lobbied the local legislative delegation to overturn the controversial and expensive Jordan Lake rules -- which could cost Durham taxpayers $300-600 million to implement -- the N&O's Jim Wise notes that other representatives have already filed such a bill in an attempt to overturn all twelve regulations. (N&O)
• The odd-ball rape/kidnapping saga that's seen charges levied against a former Durham Democratic Party official and her boyfriend took new turns on Thursday. Charges were dropped yesterday against a third person, Diana Palmer; authorities had alleged she had removed evidence from the home of Joseph Craig and Joy Johnson. (H-S)
• Meanwhile, in yet another strange turn for the case, ABC 11 is reporting that Durham P.D. Chief Jose Lopez has been interviewed in the case, as he and his wife "visited the home during the same time period the alleged victims claim they were abused, but never witnessed any suspicious activity," according to WTVD's web site. The site notes that the household had a number of parties and events due to the couple's role in politics and the community. (ABC 11)
• A Durham man Tasered by a D.P.D. officer during a traffic stop is, with his attorney, asking for further review of the department's policy on use of such devices. Reginald Woods notes that the judge in his resisting-arrest case threw out the charges due to the officer having no reasonable suspicion to pull the driver; internal affairs reviewed the case, but personnel privacy laws have been cited in the department not disclosing whether the officer's actions were found to be inappropriate or appropriate. (N&O)
• A firm that hauls sludge away under a City contract has seen one of its VPs plead guilty to a bribery charge in Detroit over that city's $1.2 billion deal. Synagro, in line for a new five-year contract, has worked with the city for eighteen years; administrators note they will look into the matter, while the company states that the charges only tained that vice president, who was terminated by the company. Durham officials also note they've been happy overall with Synagro and that the Bull City's contract is handled out of the company's Baltimore office. (H-S)
• A new state report card finds that public school teacher retention lags the state averages in a number of areas, as do high school graduation and fully-licensed teacher rates, among others. (H-S)

Comments

[duncan]

Did the Internet skip. The first three bullets repeat.

[SlyStallone'sSatan'sAlleyLeotard]

This whole satanic cult case b.s. still has me steamed because it's been a huge waste of taxpayer money. Palmer's charges were bogus from the start, and smacked of desperation by a prosecution with nowhere to go, but even the rest of the case reeks of nothing more than a misguided, trailer trash S&M adventure gone wrong. Maybe this belonged on the Jerry Springer show, but it did not belong in Durham's courtrooms.

I'd really like to know exactly WHO in the D.A.'s office made the call to file the original assault charges. I figure the decision was made either by some fundamentalist assistant d.a. who fell for a load of crap or someone after some headlines. Either reason is unacceptable. I'm sick of people wasting taxpayer money on these stupid, ultimately useless cases.

[Kevin Davis]

oops - fixed

[KeepDurhamDifferent!]

You're sick of tax money wasted on stupid cases -- like the lacrosse one? the satanic Democrats? The guy tasered without probable cause? the old woman shot to death when the police entered the wrong house on a "no knock" drug raid?

Get used to it, dude. This is Durham -- bring the crazy.

[bb]

Keep Durham Different,
You forgot to mention murderous owls and biondfury.

[Ex-Durham Teacher]

If Durham Public Schools did a better job with getting rid of a handful of pathetic principals, the good teachers might stick around a little longer.