In years past, some candidates waited until the last minute to file with the State Board of Elections -- the better to surprise their opponents.

Gary Bartlett, executive director of the elections board, said former congressional candidate Vernon Robinson was famous for last-minute filing. But Bartlett's favorite story involves four District Court judges from Cumberland County who all showed up in person on the last day of filing.

Each of the four was determined to file for a Superior Court post if any of the others did, Bartlett recalls. But none of them would make the first move. As the minutes ticked toward noon, they sat in the lobby in a standoff until finally one stood up.

With blogs and e-mail keeping political activists in touch, Bartlett said, it's increasingly hard to keep the lid on a candidacy until filing day.

"Now that we're in the open information age, the surprise element has pretty much gone out the window," he said.

Wright hearing still on

A Wake County judge on Thursday put state Rep. Thomas E. Wright, already under criminal indictment, on course to make more inglorious history next week.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to bring him up on ethics charges.

Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway on Thursday refused Wright's request for a temporary restraining order against the special House committee hearing.

The ruling cleared the way for House members to sit in the uncomfortable position Monday of judging one of their own and potentially expelling him. The General Assembly hasn't thrown out a member in 130 years.

The judge ruled that it would be an "encroachment" and "intrusion" for the court to interfere with the House's disciplining of one of its own members.

Wright's lawyer, N.C. Central University law professor Irv Joyner, said he and Wright will consider an appeal.

Wright's criminal trial also was scheduled to begin next week, but the judge in that case on Monday agreed to a delay to allow Wright's lawyer more time to prepare. A new date for the trial has not been set.

The ethics charges and the criminal case both stem from the same allegations that Wright fleeced corporations, banks and campaign contributors out of $185,000 in unreported campaign donations, $160,000 in fraudulent bank loans and $8,900 in contributions intended for a charitable foundation.

Meanwhile, Wright filed for re-election Thursday.

Hackney honors Silk Hope

House Speaker Joe Hackney has donated a $10,000 leadership prize he won last year to the school that taught him the three Rs.

The money goes to Silk Hope Elementary School in Chatham County to build an outdoor classroom and dining space, and to purchase a new projector and screen. The school has 440 students and recently celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Hackney, an Orange County Democrat, grew up on a farm near Silk Hope and graduated from its school in 1963, which then served first- through 12th-graders.

The money comes from the National Conference of State Legislatures and the State Legislative Leadership Foundation, the source of Hackney's 2007 Excellence State Legislative Leadership Award. The money is intended to go to the winner's charity of choice.

"Silk Hope School played an important part in my life and in helping to make me a leader," Hackney said in a news release. "I think it's more than appropriate that I try to pass that gift on to the children who are there now."

Miller weighs in on HIV bill

U.S. Rep. Brad Miller was one of about 20 lawmakers who met with President Bush at the White House on Thursday to hear a report about Bush's recent trip to Africa and to discuss legislation to fight HIV/AIDS on that continent.

Miller, a Raleigh Democrat, traveled to Africa last year.

The House foreign affairs committee this week passed legislation to spend $50 billion on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in Africa in the next five years. It now goes to the full House floor, and then to the Senate.

The bill includes language from Miller that tries to ensure that the money is spent according to the latest scientific knowledge about treatment and prevention. Miller has a separate oversight bill on the issue as well.

That one echoes scientific language in the authorization of funding, and also would require a five-year strategic plan on improving operations of the HIV/AIDS program.

UNC-CH's list stands at 20

Members of a UNC-Chapel Hill search committee have interviewed about 20 candidates for the university's top job.

"We're very pleased with that pool, and I think it bodes well for the rest of the process," said Nelson Schwab, the search committee's chairman, Thursday in brief remarks before the committee went behind closed doors to discuss those candidates.

The committee is looking for a replacement for James Moeser, who has been UNC-CH's chancellor since 2000. The university hopes to have Moeser's successor in place by July 1. Bill Funk, a headhunter assisting in the search, credited the search committee for spending the time to interview that many candidates.

"This is the way all searches should be done," Funk said, adding that universities often hold face-to-face interviews with only about eight finalists.

The committee has not publicly identified any candidates.

Three join Public Policy

The N.C. Center for Public Policy Research has added three board members.

Ken Eudy, chief executive officer of Raleigh public relations firm Capstrat; Natalie English, senior vice president of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce; and Betty Craven, president of the Warner Foundation, have been elected to the center's board of directors.