North Carolina Now; North Carolina Now Episode from 01/26/1995

The Tonight the first day of work for freshmen lawmakers. Good evening everyone I'm Mary Lou. Thanks for inviting us in this evening. The North Carolina legislators you voted into office in November got to work today and we'll have a report for you about today's activities at the General

Assembly and on the heels of Kermit Smith execution earlier this week. We'll speak with someone who opposes the death penalty. Former chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court Jim. I also discussed other issues with him and we'll bring you that conversation a little later in the show. And stick around because you don't have to look far to find incredible musical talent in this state like world class saxophone player Jim Holik who teaches at the School of the arts. Maria Lundberg spent some time with him recently. Lots to do so let's get started this evening. It has begun the first full day of work for state lawmakers in the 1995 session of the General Assembly. It's unusual for committee assignments to be made on the first day but the new Republican speaker of the house Harold Breaux Baker wants to get the General Assembly's work started as soon as possible. He made his committee appointments this morning and Senate President Pro Tem Mark bad night also anxious to get things moving made his this afternoon. Elizabeth Hardie has this report on how the process went in both chambers today.

Republicans in the house are all smiles with Speaker bird Baker at the helm in the symbolic pieces of wood going out exclusively to members with are behind their names. Today the gavels of power were given to the men and women who will control House committees key positions that Republicans have been waiting over 100 and 20 years to fill chairmen and women can control bill's fate. Proposed legislation has to make it out of committee before it has a chance of becoming law. It means that we have the hammer to apply it hopefully effectively accurately in an accountable manner to the various programs that exist around here. So I'm very happy today and very excited and extremely honored to have been selected for this prestigious position. In both chambers are made until somewhere around 10 days after the sessions begin today's assignments made here on the second day. So according to House leaders they're ready to start early and finish early but lack of experience indicates a truly short session maybe wishful

thinking. I tend to question so many freshman Chaman especially after listening to the speeches yesterday and and the feeling that I got was that they didn't trust their freshman members to make decisions. So when you listen to that rhetoric on one day and then the next day you given chairmanships it's sort of interesting says there are so few Republican lawyers with legislative experience. Freshman Representative Chuck Neely would cheer one of the Judiciary Committee's most freshmen are cautioned about making public comments. I knew we didn't have a lot to say about his appointment. They're not nervous about it at all. Looking forward to the challenge. Wrong time or Leo Daughtry seems more confident about the Republicans who will reign. We have a very able and competent caucus. We've got people there with great talent and what we lack in experience we go

with hard work and common sense. The chair Senate Democratic controlled Senate also got a jump on radio assignments no real surprises. Democrats will control their committees as they have done in the past. So far 39 bills have been introduced in the Senate and 34 in the house. Of course all these bills will have to go through committees that were named today. Many relate to the Republican contract and tomorrow night. Adam Hochberg will bring us a report on some of those bills including the Taxpayer Protection Act. If you think back on your days as a student there are probably several teachers who stand out in your memory the ones who stimulated your desire to learn and challenge you to do your best. Music students at the North Carolina School of the arts have a teacher who certainly fits that description as Maria Lundberg shows us. He also has a worldwide reputation as an outstanding artist. Now it's gotten way but if you can keep that distance and create

this it's a very different idea than on the D again please. Over the past twenty four years Professor James Holik has been a teacher mentor role model and friend to music students at the North Carolina School of the arts. His unique approach reflects his desire to learn as well as to teach. And we get here. I thought you came and you missed the chance to go. OK. It's a cycle. That's what makes it so beautiful there's a seamlessness here. I go out and I practice in the morning if I can. Then I come to teach with any luck I make some discovery in the morning that I find myself sharing in the afternoon and in the process of sharing that discovery is expanded by one or two steps and I come away aching to get home to apply what it is I learned in the context of sharing with my students. While he's very serious about preparing his students for careers in music his

primary goal is to help them grow as human beings. They come so different in their strengths and weaknesses. But we're looking for them to have some kind of a centered productive life. I want them to be happy people I don't teach the saxophone I teach people and that's what I'm about when I'm teaching I'm learning. I mean when I'm playing I'm learning what to teach. And so there is no there are no barriers there are no lines at all and you have so teaching as enriching as it can be. Jim Hall ex-teacher takes many forms whether it's working with at risk children or with this class a future music professionals. He conveys his passion about the power of music to change people's lives. Sometimes music in a sense does. It has social value but I think it has deeper value we're talking about spiritual and even more importantly some organic level. People learn in different ways and for some people music can be a tool for learning. And we begin to see

that it can be used far more effectively in education and in helping people to feel good about themselves to access their true potential. Each summer Jim Hall it taps the potential of saxophone students who attend his annual retreat in the mountains near Little Switzerland. Here are serious students of the instrument have an opportunity to learn from a master teacher. Most come because of his reputation. I've admired his playing for many years and always wanted to study with him in some way or another. So this camp was a good way to do that a good outlet for that. The saxophone is a very evocative instrument. It makes sounds that are so incredibly wonderful that really touch people. These fortunate students experienced that first hand. I don't think I chose to be a musician I think it chose me.

Your powers and you are skills reveal themselves and you evolve and even if you didn't want to be here you are now. And I think I've sort of just evolved in this kind of way. And what a privilege not only an outstanding teacher here at the School of the arts but he also has quite an impressive performing career and is internationally recognized as one of the best saxophonists in the world. At this rehearsal with the Winston-Salem symphony Jim Holik practices a concerto called the upward stream by Greensboro composer Russell. The piece was written for Holik 10 years ago. Since then he has performed it all over the world. Now I can of course play the piece in an exquisite way but he has a kind of a stage presence that's very very unique and that quality also contributes to his popularity. He's probably the world's premier classical tenor

saxophonist and is recognized as such so that goes a long way toward credibility that transfers to my piece a little bit and so I welcome that. When I played Austin's piece I am a hero. That's what I mean I'm not a real wife but I think through music I can portray experiences I've never had and then when I place I can think of parts of that piece and it's just it's rocky on the top of the steps OK. But that's I put myself in that mode physically intellectually spiritually and I practiced the music to achieve that and I think that message you write to the army. Of course it's wonderful to be a communicator to be the conduit between the music the written music and the audience to put to tell that story as it were. You

can feel the way feel feel. Well that was something James Holik has performed as a solo artist around the world from Tokyo Warsaw Berlin and London to New York City's Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. He loves performing and teaching and feels fortunate to have such a full rewarding career. That was fun. Well coming up a look at Hollywood North Carolina is the rising star in the film industry that more statewide news with Michel Louis.

And right after that my conversation with former Chief Justice Jim Xom. Stay right there. Good evening I'm Michel Louis. Here's a review of what's been happening across the state. North Carolina lawmakers got down to business today on this first full workday of the General Assembly. Among the bills introduced today is one that would order sex offenders to register with police. The legislation being proposed by Representative George Miller of Durham would require convicted rapists to post a warning sign on the front of their homes. Miller sends the public wants to

know if a sexual offender is living nearby. Miller says the law is needed because many sex offenders repeatedly commit the same crimes. The youngest person to stand trial as an adult in the history of North Carolina has been convicted today. A Wake County jury found 13 year old Andre Greene guilty of attempted first degree rape first degree sexual assault and first degree burglary during last year's crime session state lawmakers lowered the age limit for trying a juvenile as an adult. From 13 from 14 rather down to 13. This is the first time the new law has been implemented. Greene was sentenced to life plus 15 years. U.S. Marine stationed at Cherry Point have returned to North Carolina. The Marines have been in Bosnia since November participating in Operation Deny Flight. The Marines were supporting a United Nations mission to prevent flight activity over the war torn country. North Carolina will have to go back to the southeast compact commission for more money to continue developing a low level radioactive waste storage site in our state the state low level

radioactive waste management authority. Ask the compact commission early this month for an additional 12 million dollars to complete extra testing on the site. It received only five point four million regulators have not yet issued the permits to allow the low level waste storage facility to begin operations. They are concerned that the site is underlaid with thousands of rock fractures through which radioactive waste could seep over time. The executive director of the authority John McMillan says the request for the additional funding will be made in the fall. McMillan says the money will get North Carolina through the critical period of assessing the site and answering questions posed by state regulators. The state office of waste reduction will offer free disposal of old fishing gear at various sites across the state. Fishermen can help in the cleanup effort by bringing their old crab pots and fishing nets to specially marked trash bins from now until February 5th blue highway signs will mark the sites that have trash bins for the fishing gear. All crab pots should be flattened and stacked in the designated areas. North Carolina see

Grant officials say crabbers in North Carolina dispose of nearly a quarter of a million crab pots each year. Governor Jim Hunt has appointed actor and director Dennis Hopper to serve on the North Carolina Film Council created the council last May to help the state expand its presence in the film industry. The council will advise the governor and the Commerce Department on filmmaking activities in recent years North Carolina has been second only to California in filmmaking business. The film industry generated three hundred fifty seven million dollars for North Carolina during 1994. The Council's first meeting will be held January 30 first in Raleigh. Today's skies were clear and sunny across all of North Carolina. Most of the states saw highs from the mid 40s to the low 50s. However in the northern mountains it only got into the upper 30s. Tonight skies will be clear across the state but clouds will move into the mountains as the night goes on. Lows will be in the 20s statewide with even colder temperatures in

the northern mountains. Tomorrow it'll be cloudy in the mountains with a chance for rain possibly changing to snow or sleet later in the day. Eyes there will be in the 30s and 40s. The rest of the state will see partly cloudy skies with temperatures mostly in the 50s. Girls welcome says the 14 billion dollar merger offer from rival pharmaceutical house Glaxo is too low. Welcome is advising shareholders to look for bigger offers. It's not clear if that means they want to work with Glaxo on boosting its bid or if they plan to court other offers Glaxo had called its offer final but said it reserve the right to boost it if rivals raise the ante. What cobia has introduced a low rate secured credit card for people seeking to repair a damaged credit history and for foreigners who wish to establish credit in the U.S. the walkover has secured visa will be offered in North Carolina Georgia and South Carolina. The card will be secured by a deposit from the card holder to be

held in an interest bearing savings account. The stock market changed a little today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost a point to close at thirty eight seventy point forty four gainers lead decliners by 11 to 10 as about three hundred four million shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The Standard Poor's 500 index was up nearly a point while the Nasdaq composite index lost three and a half points. Analysts say investors awaiting for some sign on the direction of interest rates with the Federal Reserve policy setting body meeting next week. Investors also awaiting Friday's release to the fourth quarter gross domestic product data. And now for some stocks of North Carolina interest. Thanks Lou. Thanks

thanks thanks thanks. Our guest tonight is Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court for the past eight years Justice Jim XOM retired this past December and he's with us tonight to talk about his ears on the court and his plans for the future and Judge thank you so much for joining us this evening. It's a pleasure. I'm interested to know from the years that you were on the bench and some of the cases that were presented to you before the court what perhaps were some of the most significant cases that you saw for folks here in North Carolina. Well over a period of 20 years it's always hard to go back and picked out the most of both of them.

But I think one of the most significant areas the court got into during my tenure was in the area of brown lung disease Orbison osis a problem that is prevalent was prevalent and the text tool mills work was breathing the cotton dust in the textile mills. And how we go about compensating these workers on worker's compensation law when they had been exposed to the non job related substances such as cigarette smoking or they may have had asthma or long problems that were not related to their work. And how you go about allocating. The measure of compensation to which they are entitled under the circumstances. These were you know these were sort of there were number of these cases that were sort of known as the brown log cases and I think the court gradually

through a number of decisions in this area worked out a formula for compensation that was both fair to the manufacturers the employers and to the workloads. And I might say that in the interim the textile industry I think has done a good job in cleaning up this cotton problem from there from the mills and although it's going to be inevitably going to continue to be something of a problem. There has been a good effort I think on the part of this industry to clean up the problem but they were difficult cases for the Corps. Well I know another one Judge Jackson that was very difficult for you while you were on the bench was also the death penalty issue and with that case on our mind so much now on in the recent execution of Kermit Smith. I know that your feeling on the death penalty is actually a very practical one. Would you share that with me. Well I've always felt that the death penalty was not

unconstitutional. People could have it if their legislative representatives wanted to have it and I'll all but I've also felt that the death penalty from a practical standpoint was not good public policy. I think it's it's it's bad for people who oppose the death penalty all policy grounds and practical grounds as I do somehow get saddled with being soft on crime bill with nothing good be further from the truth as far as I'm concerned I believe in strong law enforcement and always have. My belief is that if you're really interested in strong law enforcement having the death penalty may be one of the worst things you can inflict on your criminal justice system because it consumes so much time energy and money for implementing and imposing this penalty. It absolves so many of our criminal justice resources both in

the courts and in our appellate courts in implementing this penalty. Resources it seems to me we could better spin and more effectively spend all day fighting homicides and fighting assaults and robberies and other kinds of crime. So that's one of the reasons why I think it's bad public policy. I think we'd be better off having a life imprisonment without possibility of parole and that would be an effective deterrent and would be a more viable and less expensive alternative. I know that you don't apologize I know that you also advocate judicial reform. What type of reform are you talking about and why is it necessary. Well we need to do several things. One of the things I've advocated over the years is we need to change the way we select our judges. We now

select our own partisan political balance and judges Ron as a Democrat so Republicans I think that's wrong. They judge is partisan affiliation has nothing to do with the judge's job. Laws are apolitical. Our laws are not Republican laws or Democratic lawyers they are just laws they are politically neutral. Judges have to enforce apply and interpret these laws and what judges what political party a judge may be affiliated with is absolutely irrelevant to anything the judge does and so I have advocated changing. Getting our judges all of these along partisan political balance and having them selected in some other way either strictly a Pawnee of system would be my preference. But certainly a non partisan system or perhaps

what we call a retention system full or judicial selection and retention. Well it sounds like you're staying active as well in your retirement now. What might you enjoy here for the next many many years to come. Well I'm looking forward to just relaxing and doing some reading. Riding my motorcycle a little more. Enjoying being at home. Basically just going into a period of my life when I'm not going to be so busy and have so many things to occupy myself. I'm just looking forward to not having very much to do for a while. But I think I'll get active maybe in the future and some way. Doing a little bit. I have a mediation that I'm involved in. I have a consultation on an appeal that I'm involved in and I think for a while I'd just like to do sort of these odd jobs but not have a

regular schedule that I have to meet. That's what I'm really well that's what retirement is all about and we hope that you relax and enjoy it and thank you so much for joining us this evening Jackson. Thank you. What a pleasure. 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. We're right at that he'll box 1 4 9 0 0 RTP NC 2 7 7 0 9. You can fax a message to 9 1 9 5 4 9 7 0 4 3. Or try our Internet address UN CTV at OLB dot com and please give us a daytime phone number in case we need to follow up. Hope you enjoyed tonight's show we're working on another good one for you tomorrow night including spending some time with legendary North Carolina folk singer Doc Watson. And how are state lawmakers trying to improve your life. Adam Hochberg will review some of the bills which have already been introduced in the first few days of the General Assembly.

And we'll show you how that legislation may affect you. Also tomorrow Democratic First District representative Eva Clayton will join us via satellite from Washington D.C. We'll see what she has to say about the Republican Contract with America and get her reactions to President Clinton's State of the Union address earlier this week. And tomorrow night at 10:00 p.m. tune in for the first edition of legislative week in review. You and see TV's hour long look at the week's events from the General Assembly. That's tomorrow night and every Friday night at 10:00. While the legislature is in session and for you late night Charlie Rose viewers tonight at midnight. Charlie will spend his entire hour with actress Susan Sarandon I think that's going to be a wonderful treat for you. We'll see you back here tomorrow night at 7:30 and 11:30. Thanks for being with us Bye bye.