Grass Roots NC vs. Mark Binker

Interesting controversy involving Grass Roots North Carolina and former N&R reporter Mark Binker, who now works for Raleigh TV station WRAL.

GRNC is taking issue with Binker’s recent story (video below) on concealed carry permits that included a data base of permit holders. GRNC mocks the station’s view that publishing the data base is only in the interest of ‘public information’ by publishing all the available public information not only on Binker but on WRAL station manager Jim Rothschild.

GRNC sees the story as an attempt to shame concealed carry permit holders. Some might say the same for one of Binker’s last stories for the N&R, which noted that the majority of legislative concealed carry permit holders are —you guessed it —-Republicans. Reading the story one could also infer that Republican legislators feel the need for protection from all the whackjob liberals out there harassing them. Liberals preach love and peace, but you better watch out if you cross them the wrong way.

For what it’s worth, Binker’s former boss at the N&R sticks up for him. John Robinson appears to be taking all this quite literally instead of grasping the larger issue GRNC is addressing.

RPD vs. Teamsters

Raleigh Police Chief Harry Dolan is on the defensive over his field trip to Civil War battle sites as leadership lesson for his officers. Leading the charge is Teamsters Union spokes man Chip Roth, husband of Greensboro City Manager Denise Turner Roth.

What do the Teamster have to do with the Raleigh Police Department? check it out. Turns out the field trip is but one issue over which the Teamsters and police department are doing battle.