Sanford to be featured on NC Spin

Got an e-mail today from Carolina Broadcasting & Publishing Inc. that Sanford will be the highlighted community this week. According to the e-mail, “The Carolina Community segment began as a way to inform other NC citizens of a community’s history, unique qualities, etc.”
The program will air Sunday at 6:30 a.m. on WRAL CBS (Cable Channel 3) and at 8:30 a.m. on WRAZ Fox (Cable Channel 13).

Click here for more information about the show.

Possible clue to the new Batman trailer?

Or just a clever April Fool’s Joke?

Click here to see what I’m talking about.

X Files 2 teaser (bootleg)

I’d never be one to post bootlegged movies on the Internet … but a teaser trailer? People aren’t actually paying to see the trailer, are they?
In any case, below is the bootlegged X Files 2 trailer (shot with a camcorder). I’ll have the real deal up when it’s here. Until then, this movie looks great.

Sunday column: Sales tax education

The key to being a good journalist is you must know a little bit about everything (rather than a lot about one thing).
Over the past eight years, I’ve written stories on a wide range of topics — Medicaid, crawfish, religion, racism, politics, scandals, high school basketball … the list goes on. And note, I’m not a doctor, a fisherman, a preacher, an activist, a senator, a criminal or a coach.
But I learned enough about all of these to be able to write something that helped others who know nothing about these topics understand them.
But one thing I’ve just never really seemed to grasp is our tax system. Sales taxes, property taxes, business privilege taxes … I know of them, sure, but ask me to sit down and write you a thesis on any of them, and I’ll throw my hands in the air and officially give up.
That said, I’m really trying to understand — just like many of you — the .25-cent sales tax that we’ll be voting on here in Lee County during the May 6 primary. This is what I know (please correct me if I’m wrong) — we’re going to vote on whether or not we mind spending an extra penny for every four dollars we spend on retail purchases.
I also know that our current Lee County Board of Commissioners say the tax — if passed — will generate more than $1.5 million annually, allowing them to fund about $36 million in capital requests over the next five years. In other words, $36 million in improvements, upkeep and other new things.
I also know that “capital improvements” is the only thing our commissioners have told us the tax will fund. This is according to a brochure that’s made the rounds throughout Lee County recently.
It doesn’t tell us what exactly will be funded, because, by law, the commissioners cannot make promises about future spending. So instead of interaction with voters on what they’re potentially approving, they’re only offering a worst-case scenario by saying if the sales tax doesn’t pass, property taxes will go up.
Are you with me?
Long story short, approve a sales tax that you’re not really sure about or get levied with more property taxes.
I want to see our schools (both Lee County High and the community college) get much-needed renovations and new buildings. I really do. I’m also happy that this tax is going before voters, because in a perfect world, all taxes would go before voters.
But I’m not liking the odds that this tax will pass, because what many of you don’t know is 32 counties in North Carolina presented a sales tax option before voters during last November’s election, and of those 32 referendums, only five passed.
The odds aren’t looking good, are they?
So how did these five counties pass a sales tax? Communication that went beyond brochures (in all fairness, the commissioners recently agreed to work with parents who have concerns about Lee County High School, but it’s a group that makes up a very small percentage of all local voters).
In Catawba County, commissioners worked with a citizens group, Catawba County Citizens for Tax Fairness, and worked to raise public awareness about the serious needs of the county, and, according to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, explained “how the money would be used and what are the alternatives for generating the necessary revenue (i.e. higher property taxes).”
Catawba’s needs — water and sewer lines, a business park, school funding, courthouse expansion and other smaller needs. Clearly defined, clearly communicated. Notice, no promises.
In Pitt County, the commissioners reached out to the local school board and community college board and raised more than $13,000 through a citizens group to purchase media ads, get yard signs and even create a Web site.
Clear communication. The tax passed.
And Sampson County commissioners bucked the “law” and “put out the word that we needed to build schools … build a jail, and we had other facilities that were going to be under construction,” said County Manager Scott Sauer.
It joined Catawba, Pitt, Surry and Martin counties in getting the tax passed.
The Herald has received a little criticism recently for its support of renovations at Lee County High School and for a recent editorial saying the commissioners’ intentions needed to be more clearly defined.
We’ve never come out in support or against this sales tax, however, because we would like to learn more about what the commissioners’ capital priorities are.
But we also understand — as it’s been clear from letters to the editor we’ve published this week — that many of our voters won’t approve the tax unless it’s made clear that schools will be helped. No promises needed … just some kind of notion that they have the schools’ best interest in mind.
Voters aren’t feeling that right now. Nor am I … and yes, I’m a voter, too.
The odds are against Lee County getting this sales tax passed, if history’s any indication. But that doesn’t mean we don’t need it.
If the commissioners want this passed, there needs to be a better line of communication with the voters.
The Herald’s willing to do its part to help this communication along, so local voters will know exactly what they’re voting on come May 6.

Movie Review: Flawless

Warning: Spoilers ahead

No, I did not end my three-month movie theater drought to catch the “hot new” jewelry heist flick starring Michael Caine and Demi Moore. I did, however, catch a free pre-theatrical run on HD Movies this week … and I still want my money back.
Not really, it wasn’t THAT bad.
“Flawless” stars what’s supposed to be a 38-year-old Demi Moore as a chain-smoking up-and-comer who keeps getting overlooked for “top management” at London Diamond, the most important company in the world, apparently, in the 1960s. Just as she learns she’s not only been overlooked for the next promotion, but is going to be fired, she is confronted by LonDi’s veteran janitor (Caine), who provides her an offer she can’t refuse — he can sneak into the diamond vault, scoop up a thermos jug-full of diamonds (they’ll never know it’s gone, he says), and the both of them can retire happily ever after.
One catch, he needs her help with the combination and a few other things.
Oh, and another catch … he doesn’t just steal a thermos full … he wipes LonDi clean (without her knowledge).
The rest of the movie focuses on Demi Moore’s growing nerves as she’s questioned by an investigator who takes a liking to her, and we eventually find out why Michael Caine has patiently waited 15 years to wipe the company clean.
I know it wasn’t meant to be an action-packed blockbuster, but even for a “thinking man’s” movie, I found Flawless to be long-winded, dull and kind of predictable. I was also distracted by one big continuity error in one of the first scenes, where Demi has a cigarette and everytime the camera angle changes while she’s talking, the cigarette gets longer .. then shorter … then longer … then shorter.
Flawless, it wasn’t.
Ba-dum-bum.

My grade
* 1/2 stars out of 5

More on Clinton’s stop in N.C.

Visit The Herald’s blog site for more on Hillary Clinton’s trip to Fayetteville and Raleigh Thursday.

Out of service today …

This is one of those days where I have a ton going on, and no time to type (except for what I’m doing now). I’ll be back on tomorrow with tons about Hillary’s trip to Fayetteville, upcoming stories in The Herald and a new movie review (Flawless, which was anything but).
Unfortunately, no new Lost tonight, so no Lost recap tomorrow. I hope you survive.

Coming Saturday: The Best of Lee County

Our annual section has a few new tricks up its sleeves this year, including “Herald picks” and more photos and text. The section will appear in Saturday’s Herald.

Our view: What voters would ‘trust’ is a resolution

In today’s Herald, we make the argument that the upcoming sales tax vote in Lee County (May 6) has no chance of passing without some kind of resolution dedicating funds to either Lee County High School, Central Carolina Community College or both.

CLICK HERE to read the editorial at our Sanford Herald blog site, and feel free to comment on it or send us an e-mail to share your thoughts.

American Idol: Billie Jean

I took a little flak last week for my American Idol recount last week — mostly from people who can’t stand the show.
I’m not here to say much tonight, mostly because most of it kind of stunk. One performance did stand out, though … David Cook.
I’ve made fun of Cook for trying to sound too much like Scott Stapp, the dweeb from Nickelback or any other awful rock front man. But he did a great “Daytripper” last week, and this week, he had probably the best performance I’ve seen on the show this year.
I’m a huge fan of Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean. The beat, the words, the video, the Motown dance … they all made it classic. I was about 7-8 when it came out, and it was my favorite song in the world. When I got in college, I broke out a little Michael Jackson dance during a party once and nobody ever let me live it down .. chanting “Billie Jean” years later when it came on … expecting me to do it again (it will never happen).
Tuesday night, Cook did the rock version of Billie Jean (performed originally by Soundgarden and Audioslave’s Chris Cornell) … and actually did it well. It was the best rock cover of a non-rock song I’d ever heard (and there have been plenty of bad ones). I prefer Cornell’s version of course … but this one was great.
I’ve posted the YouTube video of both Cornell and Cook’s versions … plus a dowloadable MP3 of Cornell’s version. Enjoy.

CLICK HERE to hear Chris Cornell’s version (downloadable MP3).

The YouTube Cornell video

David Cook’s “Billie Jean”