Campaign finance watchdog Joe Sinsheimer is urging Gov. Beverly Perdue to remove Ruffin Poole, a former top aide to Gov. Mike Easley, from the Golden LEAF board because he refused to testify at last month's state elections board hearing.

Sinsheimer, a Democratic political consultant who has emerged as an advocate of transparent government and campaign finance reforms, also said Perdue should release all reports on missing travel records from 2005. Perdue has so far refused.

In addition, he asks for a review of the permitting process surrounding a controversial cement plant near Wilmington, citing ongoing revelations about the state's environmental agency.

There was no immediate response from Perdue.

(Full text of letter follows.)

Duke broke ground today on a big new cancer center, one half of a $700 million construction project designed at least in part to enhance the health care system's global brand.

The cancer center, slated to open in 2012, follows a similar project at UNC Chapel Hill, which just opened its own cancer hospital.

The Duke facility will put cancer research and clinical services under one roof and will come as cancer rates continue to rise. The N.C. health department has predicted a 16 percent hike in cancer cases from 2006 to 2011, with a 21 percent hike in the Triangle over that same time period.

Jarring stuff, and sobering enough to prompt Gov. Beverly Perdue, who attended the Friday ceremony, to say "I don't ask if I'll be diagnosed, but when, because it's so prevalent among us."

For more, read Saturday's News & Observer.

Early this morning, Dan Kane joined in on Gov. Beverly Perdue's
conference call from Asia, where she was talking about her
economic-development trip. Dan asked about Col. Randy Glover's 1987
affair and why she appointed him to lead the state Highway Patrol. The
governor went off on our Tuesday story, as Dan has reported on newsobserver.com.

Dan Kane had an interesting story about the new commander of the highway patrol. Randy Glover took office in August amid continuing questions about sexual misconduct at the patrol, and said as recently as last month to troopers they need to be "morally and ethically beyond reproach."

Glover didn't disclose until Monday that he too had failed to live up to the patrol's standards years ago.

Campaign finance records reveal varied political pedigrees for Gov. Beverly Perdue’s newest picks for the state Board of Transportation.

Perdue is reappointing one board member who was a major contributor to her run for governor.

She is naming four new members including one who supported her Democratic primary rival -- and never contributed to Perdue’s campaign. ... [MORE]

Washington officials are bringing in some big business guns in their efforts to convince Boeing to build a new assembly plant in that state.

On Tuesday, the day that N.C. Gov. Bev Perdue visited Kinston's Global TransPark, more than two dozen executives from Costco, Alaska Airlines and other large employers in Washington released a letter to Jim Albaugh. In the letter, they practically begged the head of Boeing's commercial aircraft unit not to abandon their state.

"We pledge our support to you and your entire company in working to ensure Washington remains the single best place for you to design, build and market commercial airplanes," they wrote.

Meanwhile, officials in North Carolina, which is reported to be a competitor for a new Boeing factory, remain mum. Unlike their vocal counterparts in Washington, Tar Heel leaders, economic development officials and others still won't even confirm that they are actively wooing Boeing.

For a less emotional but still upset perspective of Tuesday's election results, you might want to try the latest column by Chris Fitzimon.

Fitzsimon, executive director of the liberal N.C. Policy Watch, argues that the diversity policy was overturned by only 3 percent of Wake County's voters. It's based on the votes for the WSCA candidates as a share of the registered voters in Wake.

A Roxboro company that makes parachutes plans to expand its Person County operations to meet increasing demand and create 375 jobs.

North American Aerodynamics will expand and renovate two existing buildings near its headquarters, about 30 miles north of Durham. The company, founded in 1964, currently has 45 employees and 55 seasonally furloughed workers.

The company makes parachutes for the sports and military markets.

The new jobs will pay average annual salaries of $23,834, Gov. Bev Perdue's office announced today.

The state will provide a $300,000 grant from its One North Carolina Fund to help pay for the expansion.

Sara Lee Bakery plans to expand its Tarboro plant and add 45 jobs.

The bakery, located about 75 miles east of Raleigh, already employs more than 800 and produces cheesecakes,  croissants and other baked goods.

The $11 million expansion will allow the company to increase production of biscuits and croissants under the Sara Lee and Jimmy Dean brands.

Gov. Beverly Pedue had her photo op today for the first day of traditional-calendar schools but it came with a lot of restrictions from the Wake school system.

Perdue's office invited the media to cover the governor's ride on the school bus this morning to Conn Elementary School and her tour of the campus. Conn was picked because it's the base school for the Executive Mansion.

Perdue got on the bus at Mordecai and Sycamore streets after talking with parents at the stop. But Wake told the governor's office that photographers could only briefly board the bus and photograph only the children at that stop whose parents were there to give permission.