RALEIGH (Oct. 20) — The N.C. Appeals Court decision upholding the state's restrictive ballot access laws is "a shameful day for our state," said Dr. Mike Munger, 2008 Libertarian Party candidate for governor.

"I am sympathetic to the position the judges find themselves in," Dr. Munger said. "While we wish that the other two members of the panel had voted with Judge (Ann Maria) Calabria, the core problem here is in the General Assembly."

The Fayetteville Observer wrote an editorial today about the state's ballot access laws. The editorial gives a spot-on analysis of the problems with the current ballot access system and essentially defends the right of Libertarians and other smaller parties to have easier access to the ballot. Please read the Observer editorial and give them positive feedback for covering this article.

The Operation Free bus tour to promote renewable energy and less dependence on foreign oil passed through Fayetteville on Wednesday, according to an article in the Fayetteville Observer. The article starts with a rather biased and probably ill-conceived quote about how a vetern form the '91 Gulf War knew that we'd go back to the Middle East later because of oil.

An article ran today in the Observer that highlights the new laws and regulations concerning vehicle registration. Lawmakers have enacted legislation, that thankfully Cumberland County has been slow to comply with, that will make your vehicle property tax due at the same time as your normal vehicle registration renewal. Right now Cumberland County misses out on collecting about $3 million every year from lack of tax collecting enforcement of vehicle taxes.