Broughton event is special for senator

State Sen. Fred Smith had a homecoming of sorts this week.

The Republican gubernatorial candidate held a free barbecue Wednesday for about 250 supporters at Broughton High School, where he graduated in 1960.

He plans to hold one in each of North Carolina's 100 counties.

"Political wisdom is that you go to the high population counties and run TV ads," Smith told Dome. "I don't think that's right. Every county is important."

Smith said the Broughton event was special.

In his speech, Smith talked about growing up in Raleigh and playing for the Broughton Capitals football team. Afterward, he said it was a "humbling moment."

"I was hoping I'd get through that first part without tearing up," he said.

His school yearbook's 11 pages of football lore note that he led a 22-13 victory over the Fayetteville Bulldogs with an intercepted pass at the 30-yard line, and kicked two extra points in a 26-0 blowout over Garner.

A 200-pound, crew-cut tackle, Smith was chosen to play for Raleigh in the prestigious Shrine Bowl against South Carolina and the East West Game his senior year. He was also chosen by News & Observer sports reporters for the all-state team.

God is OK'd for certificates

God has returned to the Capitol.

After gripes about the ban on "God" on flag certificates from the U.S. Capitol, the acting architect of the Capitol said Thursday that he will allow religious references on the certificates. Among those complaining about the policy was U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, a Waynesville Democrat.

The papers are part of a constituent program that permits people to have flags flown over the U.S. Capitol and then mailed to them with accompanying certificates.

After news stories this week about the policy, which had been in place since 2003, Shuler sent a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi expressing his concern.

Foundation gets a Winner

Leslie Winner will head the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.

UNC President Erskine Bowles announced Thursday that the foundation had "stolen" the vice president and general counsel for the UNC system.

The news prompted a standing ovation from the UNC Board of Governors, which was in the middle of a presentation about university curriculum. Winner said she was excited about her new role.

"I am really, really thrilled to have this opportunity to serve North Carolina," she said.

$210 debt in Perdue's past

Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue's company once had its license suspended because of $210 in unpaid state taxes. The Democratic gubernatorial candidate's Quail Woods Village had its business license suspended for five months in 2004.

David Kochman, Perdue's deputy campaign manager, said the suspension came about because the real estate development company failed to pay $210 in state franchise taxes in 1996.

That year, Quail Woods Village did not have any income because it did not sell any land. Perdue and her co-owners did not file a tax return, but they still owed a small tax as a company. They weren't notified about the problem until 2004, however. "They got the notice, and a short time later, they paid it," Kochman said.

Secretary of State spokesman George Jeter said that such delays, while not typical, have happened. Sometimes they are because of the Department of Revenue and sometimes they are because of the Secretary of State's office, he said.

"We hope there aren't that many delays for that long," he said.

Jenna has a fan in Clay

Clay Aiken was spotted at a Jenna Bush book signing.

According to a piece in The New Yorker, the former "American Idol" singer and current UNICEF ambassador "was hiding in a corner" at a launch party for Bush's book, "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope."

He was impressed with the book, which tells the story of an HIV-infected teenager in Latin America.

"I read it on the plane to Afghanistan," he said of the book. "I was quite impressed. I remember thinking she must have had a ghostwriter, but she didn't. She did it herself."