Gov. Bev Perdue is a blogging, Flickr-ing, social networking kind of governor.
But in an area where she has touted transparency, an outside group found opaqueness.
The state Web site that gives information on how federal stimulus money is being spent ranked 32nd in the nation, according to Good Jobs First, a Washington nonprofit.
The organization looked at how well state Web sites convey information about spending categories, spending in different parts of the state, stimulus project details and jobs produced or saved.
The North Carolina site gives basic details on where the money is going, available on spreadsheets. But it is no Maryland, which the Washington group ranked No. 1.
The Maryland stimulus site includes maps and detailed information on how the money is used.
Hagan rates approval of 29 percent in poll
U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan's approval rating is 29 percent, according to new poll results.
The survey, conducted by Public Policy Polling, found that 42 percent of North Carolina voters disapprove of Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat.
As PPP's Tom Jensen notes, 90 percent of the voters who disapprove of Hagan's performance were also opposed to the Democratic health care plan, which suggests her current unpopularity may be tied to that issue.
"Hagan won in a Democratic year and her popularity has declined with voters turning away from her party," Jensen wrote on PPP's blog.
The poll of 678 North Carolina voters was conducted Jan. 15-18 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
Marshall backs a new consumer agency
Elaine Marshall, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, has started an online petition urging Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr to support the creation of a Consumer Finance Protection Agency.
Marshall, North Carolina's secretary of state, said the act would "add simplicity and transparency to financial transactions." The measure has the backing of the Obama administration and has been strongly supported by Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Miller of Raleigh.
It is opposed by most Republicans and by banking and business interests who view it as another Environmental Protection Agency.
Marshall also backed administration efforts to impose fees on banks to recoup public money paid out during the bailout. And she supports Glass-Steagall-style legislation that would restore the limits on the activities of banks.
"After receiving bailout funds," Marshall said, "most Wall Street banks invested them for quick profits to pay off the debt instead of lending to businesses to help the overall economy. Now, Wall Streeters are patting themselves on the back with record bonuses once again."
State employee challenges Neal Hunt
Charles Malone, a state employee active in Democratic politics, has announced his plans to challenge Republican state Sen. Neal Hunt of Raleigh.
Malone, 62, who has been campaigning for months, said he would stress kitchen-table issues such as reducing unemployment, small business failures, bankruptcies and home foreclosures.
He said he would work across party lines. "We need a person who will bring a new perspective to the N.C. Senate by putting people before political party loyalty," Malone said.
Malone is the equal opportunity director in the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. He has worked in several businesses and campaigns.
Senate District 15, which includes parts of North Raleigh and Wake Forest, is considered a swing district, it has long been in Republican hands.
Neal, a real estate manager and former Raleigh City Council member, has represented the district since 2004.