• Controversial Sex-Ed • Ruling Has Charters Pushed, P. 8 Smiling, P. 9 Group’s Left Heritage, P. 16 C A R O L I N A Open-Space Bonds, P. 17 Statewide Edition A Monthly Journal of News, Analysis, and Opinion from March 2008 • Vol. 17, No. 3 the John Locke Foundation www.CarolinaJournal.com JOURNAL www.JohnLocke.org Parton, Watson Had Plans for More Theaters at the news conference, Parton acknowl- Locations sought in edged that the theater concept was Watson’s idea. “Rick Watson saw this Illinois, Missouri, and dream before anybody else,” he said. Watson was the president and CEO of Bertie County, N.C. the state-funded Northeast Commis- sion, a regional economic development organization, whose headquarters are in By DON CARRINGTON Edenton. Records show Watson began Executive Editor working with Parton in August 2004 or RALEIGH before. In March 2006, Watson’s board andy Parton says that for three of directors terminated him over con- years he dedicated his life to mak- flict-of-interest issues that arose over his ing the Roanoke Rapids theater a business relationship with Parton. Rsuccess, but after he signed the contract with the city Parton also tried to launch theaters in Bertie County, Illinois, and Bertie County theater Missouri. One month after signing the the- “For nearly three years Deb and I Randy Parton (left) listens as Rick Watson speaks during a press conference on Feb. 8 at The Umstead hotel in Cary. (CJ photo by Don Carrington) ater contract with Roanoke Rapids, Par- worked with the city to get the Parton ton presented James C. Alberts of Cape Theatre up and running. We dedicated Documents obtained by Carolina Jour- projects, in 2005 Parton met with Belk Charles, Va. a contract to become the our lives to this project,” he told reporters nal show that Parton, his wife Deb, department store executives in Charlotte developer of an entertainment district in at a press conference Feb. 8 in Cary. and his business partner, Rick Watson, to discuss launching a Parton family Bertie County. Alberts told CJ that in 2005 But Parton’s pursuit of other the- pursued other business activities after clothing collection. None of the other he looked at land to develop in Bertie ater projects indicates that he was not the Roanoke Rapids theater project was theater projects or the clothing line got giving exclusive attention to making announced off the ground. the Roanoke Rapids project a success. In addition to the other theater After some prodding by a reporter Continued as “Parton,” Page 2 Special Triangle Commission Proposes $2 Billion Transit Plan By DAVID N. BASS create 56 miles of rail lines by 2020 con- Associate Editor “It will improve air quality, lower congestion on the roads, necting cities throughout the Triangle. RALEIGH “It will improve air quality, lower he Triangle’s two metropolitan encourage business, and give people a choice.” congestion on the roads, encourage busi- planning organizations have ness, and give people a choice — you can joined forces to bring an ambi- George Cianciolo be a two-car family or a one-car family,” Ttious mass-transit system to the region Special Transit Advisory Commission Cochairman said George Cianciolo, a commission that could cost $2 billion, but critics say cochairman and pathology professor at the new proposal is worse than a previ- Duke University Medical Center. “The ous rail-transit plan that failed because details of the plan have yet to be hashed and federal dollars to supplement the Triangle will stop growing out and start of lack of federal commitment. out, but taxpayers could contribute $2 overall cost. The plan also calls for $600 growing in around areas that are served The Special Transit Advisory Com- billion or more for the system via a million in taxpayer financing. mission approved nonbinding recom- half-cent sales tax increase, an annual In addition to other initiatives, the mendations for the new plan Feb. 4. The $10 vehicle registration fee, and state plan would beef up bus services and Continued as “Special,” Page 3 Should illegal immigrants be able 80to attend community colleges and The John Locke Foundation NONPROFIT ORG. public universities in N.C.? Contents 200 W. Morgan St., #200 U.S. POSTAGE Raleigh, NC 27601 PAID RALEIGH, NC North Carolina 3 PERMIT NO. 1766 Interview 7 Education 8 Higher Education 12 No 68 % Local Government 16 Yes 25 % Books & the Arts 20 Not Sure 8 % Opinion 24 Parting Shot 28 John% William Respondents Pope Civitas in June Institute Civitas Poll, Institute Feb. Poll2008 CAROLINA C A R O L I N A North Carolina JOURNAL JOURNAL Parton, Watson Had Plans For More Theaters Richard Wagner Continued from Page 1 Editor Don Carrington County but that he didn’t sign Parton’s Executive Editor offer. “They were being ridiculous, so we did nothing,” he said. A fax cover sheet shows that North- David N. Bass, Mitch Kokai, east Commission lawyer Ernest Pearson Michael Lowrey prepared the contract and transmitted it Associate Editors July 29, 2005 to the Partons and Watson at the Northeast Commission office in Chad Adams, Shannon Blosser, Edenton. “Randy and Deb call me about Roy Cordato, Paige Holland Hamp, the attached letter of intent, with Rick at David Hartgen, Sam A. Hieb, Lindalyn your first conveniences,” Pearson wrote Kakadelis, George Leef, on the cover. Karen McMahan, Karen Palasek, Susan Robinson, Marc Rotterman, Modeled after the Roanoke Rapids Mike Rouse, Jim Stegall, project, the Bertie project was to have George Stephens, Jeff Taylor, been an entertainment facility and af- Michael Walden, Karen Welsh, filiated entertainment district. Accord- Hal Young ing to the contract, Alberts would pay Contributing Editors Parton’s Moonlight Bandit Productions $50,000 upon signing and $200,000 Abby Alger, Brittany Bussian, upon “the execution of the definitive Katie Bethune, Clint Atkins, documents.” Josh Harper, Geoff Lawrence, The contract put a heavy burden Randy Parton (left) his manager, Scott King (center), and his lawyer, Nick Ellis (right), Kelsey Mitman, Kristina Mitten-Sanders, on Alberts and few definitive responsi- prepare to attend a daylong mediation conference in Raleigh on Feb. 25 with Roanoke Michael Moore bilities on Moonlight Bandit. According Rapids officials. (CJ photo by Don Carrington) Editorial Interns to the agreement, Alberts would have project on land he was developing in has turned out. been responsible for negotiating with the Chicago area. Gatling told CJ he is According to the St. Joseph News- government officials, arranging financ- Published by originally from Seaboard, a Northamp- Press, the local Chamber of Commerce The John Locke Foundation ing for the entertainment facility and ton County town 12 miles from Roanoke paid to fly the groups to Missouri and 200 W. Morgan St., # 200 district, and marketing the district to Rapids. various private companies and “even Raleigh, N.C. 27601 complimentary businesses. Moonlight Bandit documents in- average residents paid to feed them.” (919) 828-3876 • Fax: 821-5117 He would have been responsible dicate that Pearson prepared a contract One meal paid for by the city cost $257.31, www.JohnLocke.org for building and equipping the theater for Gatling in December 2005, but CJ including $49.50 for alcohol. and leasing it to Moonlight Bandit. was unable to get a copy of the agree- The paper reported that the deal Jon Ham Rental payments would have been used ment. Gatling said that he attended the “unraveled” when city officials “couldn’t Vice President & Publisher to retire the debt and after the debt was groundbreaking ceremony but that he get assurances about how its $500,000 in satisfied, Moonlight Bandit would have did not sign a contract with Moonlight initial funds would be spent.” John Hood had the right to purchase the facility Bandit. “Illinois is not a great market for Chairman & President for $1. country and western music,” he said. Alberts was to have reimbursed Parton clothing line Bruce Babcock, Herb Berkowitz The Missouri activities took place Parton for all expenses from the date of after Watson had left his job with the Efforts to launch the Parton cloth- Charlie Carter, James Culbertson signing the “definitive documents,”and Jim Fulghum, Chuck Fuller Northeast Commission. St. Joseph ing collection took place while Watson to have provided Moonlight Bandit $3 Bill Graham, Robert Luddy Mayor Ken Shearin said he and other was still the head of the state-funded million in entertainment facility start- Assad Meymandi, Baker A. Mitchell Jr., community leaders initiated contact Northeast Commission. Carl Mumpower, J. Arthur Pope up costs, according to the contract. with Parton in May 2006. The Parton On Sept. 7, 2005, Cathy Scott, a Tula Robbins, Thomas A. Roberg Alberts was to have been responsible team visited St. Joseph at least twice in commission contract employee work- David Stover, Robert Stowe III for payment of an annual artist fee, to the fall of 2006. ing directly for Watson, wrote House be determined at a later date. Andy Wells Shearin and other St. Joseph of- Speaker Jim Black aide Meredith Norris Alberts was to have given Moon- Board of Directors ficials said that Watson claimed Parton saying, “Rick and Randy/Deb would light Bandit 15 percent of gross sales and he had secured a theater site in the like to meet with a high-ranking official Carolina Journal is a monthly journal and gross lease revenues derived from Chicago area. with Belk, preferably a corporate officer. of news, analysis, and commentary on state all development in the Bertie County Parton; his wife; Watson; and We thought that Speaker Black might be and local government and public policy issues entertainment district. Brenda Womble, a friend of Watson, able to help us arrange such a meeting.