North Carolina Now; North Carolina Now Episode from 01/27/1995

The tonight the legendary doc what is it. Good evening everyone I'm Mary into her charge glad you could be with us tonight as we wrap up this work week will also wrap up the first couple of days of this new legislative session. Adam Hochberg takes

a look at some of the more than 100 pieces of legislation that have already been proposed. Meanwhile in Washington the House has passed legislation regarding a balanced budget amendment. We'll speak with North Carolina's first district representative Eva Clayton about that amendment and how well she as a Democrat believes both parties will work together. A story you'll sure to enjoy tonight is our visit with folk musician Doc Watson. First though let's head to Raleigh to check on the General Assembly. In just this first week state lawmakers have already introduced more than 140 proposals to change our laws here in North Carolina. Adam Hochberg looks at some of those ideas. For the past few days these printing machines have been working extra hard. They're churning out copies of all the legislation. Members of the General Assembly opposed. So far most of the legislation introduced in the House has come from Republicans reflecting the promises they made before the election to cut taxes reform the welfare

system and fight crime. But as legislators scurry around the house chamber soliciting support for their bills the new leadership has put them on notice for the first time legislators will be prohibited from introducing more than 10 bills apiece. We're trying to vet and needless bills run on bills bills that are pork barrel nature and when you introduce a bill that makes you focus on the idea that you are trying to espouse and past years some lawmakers introduced dozens of bills and Democrats claim the new 10 bill limit violates the constitution they're threatening to file suit against the Republican House leadership to have the rule overturned. I think it's an insult to the people. Carolina because it tails the people in North Carolina there's a finite number of good ideas they can possibly have. It also limits their elected representatives to what they can put forward. If I have 12 people in my district that want me to put an idea forward this rule prohibits it. I think it's

unconstitutional. I found at least six provisions in the state constitution that say it's illegal. Well that fight plays out in the House Senate members face no limits on the number of bills they can introduce. And already senators have come up with so many ideas that their bills have overflowed from the racks outside the Senate chamber on to some tables down the hall. Some of the bills that have been introduced in the Senate are similar to what's been introduced in the house. Welfare reform education reform tax cuts. But there also are some measures that address some prominent issues. This bill is designed to update some old laws that have been on the books for decades. It clarifies for instance that there are now 50 states in the union not 48 that the Spanish milled dollar is no longer used for money in North Carolina and that the government no longer has a department of the Navy or Department of War. I've always advocated We need the special session of Gen. imma just repeal all laws because a lot of archaic laws on the books that need to be eliminated and if a person look at this bill they would see an awful lot of things like reference to the Department of Army Department of Navy

and those those overseas have been abolished. In fact the Department of Defense replacing part of the army. Among the other Senate proposals is one that would require some sex offenders to post a sign outside their house warning their neighbors that they've committed a crime. There is one that would allow you to set up a legal trust so that your pets would be taken care of after you die. And Senator fountain Odom has a plan to spice up your license plate with the logo of your favorite sports team. Well there are a lot of sports fans in the state of North Carolina. And my bill would allow any professional sports in North Carolina to work with motor vehicles and to establish a special plate plate for that particular team. The state can make a lot of money. All told after two days in Raleigh lawmakers have introduced more than 140 bills. They're scheduled to begin debating all those ideas early next week. The Republican House leadership says it wants to concentrate over the next few weeks on

passing the legislation promised in its so-called contract for North Carolina. Things like tax cuts and welfare reform but many of the bills introduced this week by both parties deal with other issues. For more than four decades Doc Watson has been making great traditional music a native of deep gap in the North Carolina mountains that might have spent his whole life in the Blue Ridge. But fate stepped in and he was pulled somewhat reluctantly into the spotlight. Liz and Lynn Shaw hosts of you in SI TV's Great American Music Company series had a chance to meet the Watsons and some of the talented musicians who gather each year at the Merle Watson memorial festival. Again picking on a homemade banjo and set out across the cove learning old time music and banjo player during one of those pickin sessions. Doc was introduced to just two young

men and she had more sense than I did in a month I was about 22 and I was in the house and spoke to him played music with him before her dad and Rosalie turned around said hello and you might as well hit in the head with a brick. I never like sense after that. I had to have that girl so as to. That's so I'll say about it. That's the way it happened. But he was an accomplished working musician. His take these and fancy lead lines on the guitar to the southern Appalachians. John Briley I mean musicologist wrath really for crisscrossed the country in the mid knocking hundreds capturing the original field recordings of her additional artists for the Smithsonian. When I was home one of these record the bright Clarence rationally that happened upon our fell

one I sat on the back of a pickup truck and Doc and some of the other musicians were inside and keep myself company I played the banjo and Doc heard me play my version of Yankee old time rapping style banjo. Finally got out and popped up on the back of the truck himself and said Let me see that band you said and he played Tom Dooley and I just couldn't believe my ears. He just played the hell out of it. Rob convinced Don to take his music and storytelling on the red plane coffee houses and festivals from New York and California and in the summer of 1964 Doc's son Merle decided to give up drumming and take up the guitar. SA showing how hard some time and sighing with him and I strung along and picked Haiti and in I guess about three or four days he was no inlaid work on songs like never Osan the end little song and several songs just that he just picked up that fast

and ate fixing Ma left to join doc and prime right manager chauffeur and backup guitarist father and son embarked on a journey that would span 20 years and in Doc's word over two million dues pay in mind I didn't overload my ideas were discussed things and when he wanted to add something to the set he was welcome whether it was blues I never played or what. And somebody asked him once he said this and morals and do you have to practice a lot and he said I've learned a lot of teams on the stage but he was good. You could say that now the heart's a summertime Preston's when they ask my son you think you can learn to pick that. I went to them. We drove up there North Carolina.

Alls I can say is that when Doc put his hands on that coffin and said you know we'll see you later son Earthshock. Since morals death in 1995 family friends fellow musicians and fans of acoustic music have gathered in North Wilkes Park to celebrate the Martin Watson memorial festival. First of all the thing that has you know well-known artists like stags Rice rouse but it also has great old time people like you who would tell Thompson. Company singers

Badger pickers and festival just what it should be to make a statement about this family in this region. I think it's what morrow will locked onto you and I am. Was it. Now if you'd like to enjoy some more of the moral Watson Morial festival tune in to un see TV Saturday evening at 9:00 for picking for moral. This one hour special features highlights of the 1992 festival with memorable performances by Doc Watson Tony Rice Ricky Skaggs and Emmylou Harris. How safe are you in your community. Michel Louis will have the results of a national survey and a summary of the news from around the state next. Plus stick around for my conversation with U.S. Representative Eva

Clayton. Good evening I'm Michel Louis. Here's a review of the top news stories from around the state. The state parole board held a hearing today for the man judged responsible for the deaths of dozens of workers at the chicken processing plant he owned. Emmett row was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for the 1991 fatal fire at the Imperial food products plant in Hamlet. Twenty five people lost their lives when they became trapped in the deadly blaze because Rowe had ordered the plant

doors locked from the outside. Plant workers told State Bureau of Investigation agents that the doors were locked because Rowe suspected employees were stealing chickens Rowe's lawyers say it's time for Rowe to be freed because of his efforts to get insurance claims paid for survivors and victims families. A new survey ranks Raleigh Greensboro and Charlotte among the country's safest cities. The survey based on 1993 crime statistics reported to the FBI lists Raleigh in 16th place Greensboro 24th and Charlotte 80th among 93 cities or metropolitan areas across the nation. The rankings are based on six categories violent crime murder rape aggravated assault robbery and property crime. Two political foes are joining forces to support Smart Start Democratic governor Jim Hunt has enlisted the help of a former adversary Republican David Flaherty to sell one smart start preschool program. Flaherty who lost a hunt in the

1976 race for governor and who has been an outspoken critic of hunt will join the governor this weekend to testify for Smart Start during the National Governors Association meeting in Washington. There is no word whether Flaherty will also top the program in Raleigh where it may face heavy opposition from the Republican controlled state House speaker Harold Brooks-Baker says Smart Start won't be expanded this year and many Republicans want to eliminate it entirely. The state coastal resources Commission has agreed to let the Department of Transportation move several miles of NC 12 to the sound side of PR Island. The highway is the only road to Hatteras Island and it's forty nine hundred permanent residents and C 12 is overrun several times a year by storm tossed waves and tons of sand. The new road will be designed to last 15 years. The state Republican Party chairman Jack Hawke says he will resign earlier than expected. Hawke had originally stated he would leave his post when his current term expires in mate but

now Hawk plans to resign on February 4th when the party's executive committee meets. He moved up his departure date he says to build his lobbying career and make a living for his family. Party leaders must now decide whether to seek an interim chairman or pick among the three candidates already running for the post. Jim Hastings of Boone and E. wells of hickory and Herb Billy of Raleigh. The Charlotte Hornets want to buy or lease the Charlotte Coliseum from the city. Team President Spencer stop and says the move is necessary in order for the financially successful NBA franchise to remain competitive. The Hornets want to renovate the coliseum to add more luxury sky boxes and club seating Stolpe and city officials are downplaying any tension between the Hornets and Charlotte team and city officials have been discussing various options since last spring. Today the skies were cloudy except in the northeast corner of the state where the sun was out eyes were mostly in

the 40s and 50s but the northern mountains saw highs only in the 30s. Tonight rain is predicted statewide and it may turn to sleet in the Boone area. Lows will be mostly in the 30s but in the Greenville and Wilmington areas it'll be about 40 degrees. Tomorrow rain should continue Stade wind and in the northeast that rain may turn to sleet late in the day. Temperatures will be in the 40s and 50s statewide to New Jersey pharmaceutical companies are building a 35 million dollar manufacturing plant and High Point banner farm caps and its sister company Chase pharmaceutical will make soft gelatin capsules and gelatin coated tablets at the plant. The new production complex will employ 300 people and is scheduled to begin operations by 1996. The two firms will also build their headquarters in High Point. The parent companies of the Raleigh based Texas Gulf have decided to sell the company's stock to the public. If approved by regulators the stock offering could raise nearly

400 million dollars for the two parent firms. Texas gulf owns and operates a phosphate mine and processing facility in a row along the Pamlico River. In 1986 the state fined a Texas Gulf I've point seven million dollars for violating environmental regulations. The fine was the largest of its kind ever levied in North Carolina since the case was settled. The company installed a wastewater treatment plant which reduced by 90 percent the amount of phosphorus discharged into the river. The company has also attempted to restore marsh land destroyed by years of mining. The stock market was mixed in heavy trading today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 12 and a half points to close at thirty eight fifty seven point ninety nine gainers lead decliners by 4.3 340 million shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The Standard Poor's 500 index was up two points and the Nasdaq composite index was up over a point. Despite the drop for the Dow industrials the Dow transportation index was up 12 and a half points and the

utilities index gained one and a half. Analysts say except for cyclical stocks many issues we're doing well. And now for some stocks of North Carolina interest. With the Earth. With us tonight via satellite from Washington D.C. is the congresswoman from North

Carolina's 1st District will review with her this week's State of the Union address by President Clinton. Representative Eva Clayton will also discuss other issues being debated in Congress this week. And Representative Clayton thank you so much for joining us this evening. Thank you for providing the opportunity for me to communicate with the citizens. I want to talk a little bit about the state of the Union address. Earlier this week by President Clinton many people said that he had to be strong in this speech sort of proving once again getting his presidency back in line and getting his agenda back in line do you think he succeeded in doing that. Well I think he took the time and to make sure people understood that he had a sense of understanding where people were and also he took the time to kind of remind people of his core values. I think he succeeded and convincing people he understood their needs. And I also think he was sucessful in redefining what he has always been about and what he's willing to do.

Additionally I think he also extended to the Republicans an opportunity to work bipartisan on those issues where there was some concurrence on his part. He gave some bottom lines as to areas he felt there was no retreating on. And also he extended forward his commitment for the working family and terms of their desires and his willingness for tax breaks for preferred So I think he tried to be comprehensive and I think he succeeded in defining who he was and he will continue to be and how he will work in the future. He also spoke last night about shrinking the underclass and he reiterated his support for increasing the minimum wage now. I know that you said that you would go down fighting for that cause is that something you still feel very strongly about with. Well I just think all of us in America need to have opportunity if we give a full day's work to be working a minimum of the least

support your quality of life. Obviously all of us will not ever have a same scales but it would seem to be in the best interests of our communities our business and all. So I give to businesses the opportunity for them to make as much profit as they can usually make in reasonable goals. I also want for the workers of those businesses to have an opportunity to move in a forward manner that means that they are least have. As we increase inflation all the costs of necessities. I think the base Sarra needs to increase and so I'm pleased to be fighting for working families and moving from the bottom up in my industry. I have no reservation of knowing that we have a large on the US and those personnel are not necessarily just who own welfare. Those of people who are struggling every day and some guy working two jobs just to make ends meet and even two jobs one

person or three jobs between the two members and they still are not able to revive the fairness of a quarter of a year is not too much to acts that we consider as we try to respond to the needs of working families. Well let me ask you this then of course there's a lot of talk about the Contract with America by the Republicans. What in that contract could you support. Well already I have supported and I'm sure the concepts in the contract are not bad. I mean who would argue with personal responsibility. I you know I am a mother of four and a grandmother of three. My life has been exemplary of my taking responsible to hopefully I've taught my children the same. So responsibility is a concept you use. You believe in it has been a hallmark of your life so concepts that are there easily to embrace it is the implementation. In the reform. I voted for many of those reforms or the Republicans put forth the

first day. And I served as press in the freshman class where reform was a part of the agenda. In fact the bill that they they celebrate by accountability our class was a sponsoring of that provision. We passed in the House passed it again. It was the Republicans who failed to let us pass it in the Senate so some of this is just simply to have only your craw sucess. No. Should I object simply because they put them forward. I think that would be unworthy of me to do that. So if there are areas where I can agree with them I will. Now a constitutional amendment for a balanced budget. Do I support a balanced budget You bet I do but do I support a constitutional amendment for balance. I do not. Why. I don't think you need a constitutional amendment to balance the budget. I think using the Constitution as a way to get at something you should be doing is simply is a

a in a skate for making the hard decision what revenues you need to raise or better still what expenses you need to do without what programs you will cut what programs you eliminate what programs will you keep those a hard decision when you have a constitutional amendment. You postponed those decisions. And now should I disagree with the Republicans who say we should balance our budget they are correct in all persons who say we should are correct and I agree with that. I've been a county commission where I've had to balance a budget it was mandatory. But that's not to say the furlough government where we cood Social Security where were included the fence where we include debt service and I kept Travon as a balancing a budget as a goal is listed opportunity by year 2002. If anyone believes that if anyone believes that all you have to begin to say is take 18 percent of the budget off the table that Social Security take defense

off the budget. You take our debt service off the votes. That simply means you now have about 44 percent that you must balance the budget all the programs that we know about of children. Safety in our street those programs would be at peril. So these are concept this home very good and all things we should approach if we're going to cut the budget. Why not tell the American people we're going to make those cuts. One fundamental in the office is to be truthful with the American people. Representative Clayton thank you so much for joining us I know that these are many issues that we want to hear more about from you. So we would appreciate having you back on our show sometime in the near the lawyers have had the opportunity. Thank you very much thank you so much. Thank you. We want to keep in touch with you so simply call our viewer comment line at 9 1 9 5 4 9 7 8 0 8. Or write us at P.O. Box 1 4 9 0 0 RTP and see 2 7

7 0 9. You can fax a message to 9 1 9 5 4 9 7 0 4 3 0 4. Try our Internet address UN CTV at 8 0 0 0 dot com and please give us a daytime phone number in case we need to follow up. Coming up on Monday's show I think you're really going to enjoy meeting our guest Sherry Reynolds She's a young author was just published her first novel. It's a very powerful story based in the south dealing with the woman's strength and struggle to overcome hardship. Also next week we'll take you to the now kitchen where our Dawn Mauer will whip up a tasty but low fat treats or get those recipe cards handy. Now you don't have to go anywhere tonight just stay right here on NEW and see TV because it 8:30 on and see people we go on location with William Friday to they go metals in Durham. Well learn about the creations made by Francis Vega using the old techniques of metal smithing of course we rebroadcast that show this Sunday at 5:30. Then

at 10:00 o'clock tonight we'll present our hour long wrap up of the legislative activities that's legislative week in review that's tonight at 10:00. Now at midnight tonight Charlie Rose will host a roundtable on Auschwitz with doctors the poor Hagar hellion Jack Schwartz and Michael Byrne bomb. He'll also talk with Lynne Cheney and Alan Brinkley about the Enola Gay and lastly he'll visit with Camille Paglia. So we've got the whole evening planned for you. So sit back relax have a great weekend and we'll see you again on Monday night. Good night everyone. With with with with with rightly with.