Gov. Bev Perdue and several other Democratic Party leaders are scheduled to attend a Thursday fundraiser in Raleigh for a group that's hoping to wrest control of the Wake County school board away from the Republican majority.

The stated goal of the fundraiser for the Wake Citizens for Good Government PAC is to benefit Wake school board candidates "who support high quality public schools for all children." The PAC was formed in 2009 and unsuccessfully ran a television attack ad against Republican-backed school board candidates.

The PAC was formed by Dean Debnam, president of the Democratic-leaning polling firm of Public Policy Polling. PPP has recently conducted surveys on Wake school issues for what the firm says is a private client.

Two Wake senators have filed legislation to block the N.C. Turnpike Authority from doing what it says it doesn't want to do anyway:  build a new turnpike through the town of Garner.

Senate Bill 165 proposes that the planned Triangle Expressway Southeast Extension "shall not be located north of an existing protected corridor established by the Department of Transportation circa 1995, except in the area of Interstate 40 East."

That means nothing north of a widely favored path known as the Orange Route, which would take TriEx well south of Garner to extend the turnpike across southern Wake County from Holly Springs to Interstate 40 near the Johnston County line. ... [MORE]

Businessmen Art Pope and Jim Goodmon are out in the financial forefront when it comes to backing candidates for Wake County Board of Commissioners.

As noted in today's article, the latest round of campaign reports show that  Pope and his family have given at least $32,000 to Republican candidates for commissioner. Campaign reports also show that Goodmon and his wife have given at least $13,000 to Democratic candidates for commissioner.

“It’s a contributor referendum on the school board,” said Democratic candidate Jack Nichols.

The Coalition of Concerned Citizens for African American Children will discuss some hot button issues at an information session for the public on Saturday.

The CCCAAC will discuss the proposal from state House Democrats to establish the N.C. Commission on Diversity in Public Schools. The commission is being praised by critics of the Wake County school board majority's elimination of the diversity policy.

Another topic is the role of county commissioners in the school system. With four of the seven commissioners running for reelection this fall, it should be a heated political battle.

You've got a member of a George Soros-backed group and a Carolina Hurricanes hockey player among the donors in the District 1 Wake school board race.

Rita Rakestraw's donors include Gene Guerrero, a senior policy analyst for the Open Society Institute, who gave $250. The institute's founder and president is liberal billionaire George Soros, who is not exactly a favorite of conservatives.

Chris Malone has got some star power, namely a $250 contribution from Rod Brind'Amour, the team captain for the Hurricanes. Brind'Amour's ex-wife lives just outside Wake Forest with their three young children.

UPDATE

The Board of Elections says Karen Simon doesn't have to file until Sept. 28 because she hasn't spent more than $3,000 yet.

A woman who lost to Rosa Gill for a seat on the Wake County school board in 1999 now hopes to replace her.

Doris Burke, a retired educator, is the only applicant so far to fill the vacancy caused by Gill taking a seat in the General Assembly. Gill had beaten Burke to win her first term on the school board.

"I would welcome this opportunity to continue to help meet the elementary and secondary educational needs of Wake County by serving in this position," Burke wrote in her cover letter.

The executive committee of the Wake County Democratic Party has named Rosa Gill to fill the state House seat being vacated by Dan Blue.

Gill narrowly defeated Bernard Allen Jr. this evening, picking up 21 votes, one more than needed. Gov. Bev Perdue still needs to appoint Gill but under state law she has to take the Democratic Party's choice because Blue is from that party.

The school board will now have to pick a replacement for Gill's District 4 seat, which covers Southeast Raleigh. The other eight members will appoint a replacement to finish out Gill's term, which expires November 2011.

The age of school board chairwoman Rosa Gill may hurt her bid for higher office.

Gill, 65, wants to fill the state House seat being vacated by Dan Blue. She's one of four announced candidates who will speak at a forum Saturday sponsored by the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association.

From the RWCA's press release, you get an idea they're looking for a young candidate.

Rosa Gill won't be leaving the school board quite so soon.

The executive committee of the Wake County Democratic Party chose state Rep. Dan Blue tonight to fill the state Senate seat of the late Vernon Malone. Gill was nominated by fellow school board member Lori Millberg, but she declined it and instead backed Blue.

Gill might still be in the running for Blue's House seat when it's filled at a later date by the executive committee.

We'll find out tonight whether Rosa Gill will be leaving the school board for a seat in the state Senate.

The Wake County Democratic Party will meet tonight to pick a replacement for the late Vernon Malone. Of the eight candidates, state Rep. Dan Blue was endorsed by the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association.

Even if the Democratic Party picks Blue, there's a chance that Gill would be asked to fill his state House seat. Paul Terrell, the Republican candidate who was beaten by Blue in November, says he'll run against Gill if she's in that seat.

If picked for either post, Gill's seat on the school board would be filled by the other eight members. The new board member would serve the rest of Gill's term, which expires November 2011.