U.S. Rep. Walter Jones has taken a lot of flak from Republican Party regulars, mainly because he has questioned the wisdom of the war in Iraq.

But while the Farmville Republican has angered some party stalwarts, there are signs the GOP establishment is not ready to abandon him.

Jones raised more than $50,000 last week at a Washington fundraiser attended by Rep. Tom Cole, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Hosting the event was Jones' North Carolina colleague, Rep. Howard Coble of Greensboro.

Catawba's tuition hikes

Tuition has increased by 56 percent at Catawba College since Bill Graham joined the board of trustees.

When Graham, a Republican candidate for governor, became a trustee in 2000, tuition at the private college in Salisbury was $13,330 -- or roughly $16,050 when adjusted for inflation.

Each year since, tuition has gone up between 5 percent and 9 percent, to $20,836 this year.

Aaron Lay, a Graham spokesman, said the increases were necessary to keep Catawba competitive.

"They've got to keep up with everyone else," he said.

Lay said the school has had to pay for major renovations and build new dorms. He said Graham, an attorney and alumnus, has given more than $1 million since joining the board.

"He's using his personal income and helping find donations to help keep tuition down," Lay said.

Catawba College's tuition is at the higher end of private schools ranked similarly by U.S. News & World Report in North Carolina: $17,880 at Belmont Abbey College, $18,000 at High Point University and $20,690 at Lenoir-Rhyne College.

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory joined the college's board of trustees in 2005. The tuition that year was $18,750.

Lottery foe's raffle

Bob Orr is raffling off tickets to the Duke-North Carolina game.

The Republican gubernatorial candidate has started a raffle on his Web site for two tickets to Wednesday's basketball game. To enter, you must contribute at least $25.

The tickets are worth $80 total, but the game is already sold out.

A random drawing will determine the winner, who must be over 18 and not employed by the Orr campaign. The drawing will be held at 10 a.m. today.

The seats are in the second row at the foul line.

But some are already calling foul. An editorial in The Winston-Salem Journal noted the irony of a candidate who is opposed to a state lottery but favors one for his campaign.

"We're assuming that Orr, a former Supreme Court justice, checked into the legality of this scheme, so basketball fans might want to consider entering," the newspaper wrote. "The odds of winning are probably much better than those for the state lottery, considering how little Orr has been able to raise so far this campaign."

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