Janet Cowell Caves

NC State Treasurer Janet Cowell, who is also chair of the board of trustees for the State Health Plan, has announced that controversial changes to the state employees health plan for 2018 have been taken off the agenda for the board's meeting tomorrow.

Janet Cowell is a Democrat. In a surprise move late last year, she announced that she would not be running for reelection, or for anything else.

Sometimes, public pressure works.

Wal-Mart Buys In On N.C. State Government

Wal-Mart Corp., which has heretofore been content to concentrate on national politics, warning its store managers to warn its workers that Obama is the Antichrist, has evidently decided that it needs also to buy favor among a few state legislators too, just to be on the safe side.

The company's PAC has given some $54,000 so far this election cycle to N.C. politicians. A partial list:

* Hugh Holliman, D, Lexington, $1,000
* Nelson Cole, D, Reidsville, $500
* Harold Brubaker, R, Asheboro, $250
* Jerry Tillman, R, Archdale, $1,000
* Kay Hagan, D, Greensboro, $250
* Phil Berger, R, Eden, $500
* Roy Cooper, D, attorney general candidate, $1,000
* Janey Cowell, D, state treasurer candidate, $500
* Pat McCrory, R, candidate for governor, $3,500