Leader of state Medicaid office leaving

The acting director of the state's Medicaid office told co-workers Monday he is leaving the job.

Dr. William Lawrence, who has been in the position for about a year, said in a e-mail message to staff at the state Department of Health and Human Services that he wanted to return to clinical work.

Lawrence, a pediatrician, was left with much of the fallout from the bungled mental health reforms of 2001. He was the main person dealing with the federal government in its audit of payments to private companies providing a low-level mental health service called community support.

"I think we've implemented some significant policy changes in regard to a rather difficult time with the reform package," he said in an interview.

Lawrence, 40, is the third person in a little more than a year to quit as the state's Medicaid leader. He has worked at DHHS for four years.

Dole, Hagan a toss-up

Two top national analysts say the Senate race could go either way.

The Rothenberg Political Report says the race between U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole and Democrat Kay Hagan is now a "toss-up."

"Elizabeth Dole has been damaged by a barrage of Democratic attacks," the report notes, adding that Dole is in "the fight of her political life for a second term."

Meanwhile, Congressional Quarterly's CQ Politics has moved the race to "No Clear Favorite," saying that recent polling "suggests that Dole does indeed have her hands full in fending off Hagan."

It notes that Dole has a resume and a nearly universally recognized name that are advantages, but that may not be enough. The report says Dole's resume may have been a positive in 2002 when she won the open seat of former Sen. Jesse Helms, but it "is less of a bulwark in an election year in which the presidential nominees of both major parties, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain, are campaigning on platforms of 'change' and pledges to shake up the Washington political establishment."

Moore's office reimbursed

A state workers group has reimbursed Richard Moore's office.

The State Employees Association of North Carolina paid the state treasurer's office $6,000 in legal fees over a public records dispute that led to a lawsuit.

During the lawsuit, SEANC tried to set up a deposition of Moore shortly before one of his debates in the gubernatorial primary. A Superior Court judge denied the motion, giving Moore the right to reimbursement of legal fees related to it.

"It is unfortunate that this unnecessary lawsuit has cost SEANC members, who are hardworking state employees, so much money and energy," said Moore spokeswoman Sara Lang.

Another Superior Court judge dismissed the case in July, but SEANC has appealed it to the N.C. Court of Appeals. General Counsel Tom Harris was asked how far the group would appeal the case.

"As far as we have to," he replied.

The book of Howard Lee

We have a local entry for the political biographies section in bookstores.

Howard Lee, chairman of the State Board of Education, has published his biography, "The Courage to Lead." Lee was elected the first black mayor of Chapel Hill in 1969. He is a former state senator.

Lee said he worked on the self-published memoir for about five years, and trimmed his first draft of 800 pages to 240.

He has 15 book signings scheduled across the state.

McCrory event in Raleigh

Pat McCrory will host a fundraiser in Raleigh today.

The Republican gubernatorial candidate will hold a "business casual" event at the law offices of former Raleigh City Council member Kieran Shanahan from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

The fundraiser is being hosted by Shanahan and his wife, Tina; former City Council member Tommy Craven and his wife, Nancy, and Jamie and Matt Martin.

Other hosts include council member Philip Isley, developer Gregg Sandreuter, Republican donor Art Pope, lawyer Tom Ellis and UNC-Chapel Hill law professor Arch Allen, according to a copy of an invitation received by Dome.

Tickets to the event range from $30 for a guest to $1,000 for a host.