Several subcribers were surprised to pick up their N&O today wrapped in a plastic bag with Elizabeth Dole's name on it.

Is the N&O endorsing the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate? Doesn't seem likely, since the editorial page supported her opponent, Democrat Kay Hagan.

The bag actually was a paid advertisement, placed on Dole's behalf by the National Rifle Association. The paper frequently sells space on its bags to commercial advertisers, but it's apparent that some subscribers don't see it that way when they pick up a politically labeled newspaper.

"The fact that your newspaper was used to advertise anybody in that way, it’s really, really not right. It’s really unfair," said one caller, who did not identify herself.

Jim McClure, The N&O's vice president for display advertising, said the ad bag was screened and approved by newspaper management.

"In three places across the top of the bag, it clearly is marked as Paid Political Advertising, and the bag clearly states who paid for the advertising," he wrote in an e-mail. "In every way, it meets our guidelines. Kay Hagan or any other candidate or group could have purchased the bag today, but the NRA reserved the date first."

I can see why Hagan partisans might be surprised, or miffed, to see their opponent's name on their N&O. But newspapers are in the business of promoting free speech, not squelching it.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole said today that Raleigh will receive a $2,805,600 federal grant to help buy land for a planned Capital Area Transit bus maintenance and operations center on Poole Road.

CAT has outgrown its 30-year-old maintenance garage on Blount Street, which was designed to handle 50 buses. Now with about 90 buses carrying more riders every month, the city transit agency is planning a new $20 million facility that can handle 150 to 250 buses.

“We’re hoping to move in the next two to three years,” said David Eatmon, city transit administrator. “We need to move now.” [Updated 4:50 pm]

The grant will cover about 80 percent of the purchase price for the planned 23-acre site. Raleigh will seek more federal money to help build the bus maintenance and operations center.

CAT buses carried 450,000 passengers in August, the agency’s busiest month on record.

Dole, who is up for re-election this fall, also said Greensboro will get $2 million to buy land for a new bus maintenance shop, and Fayetteville will get $1.6 million to buy buses and vans and to renovate its maintenance shop.

"Especially with high fuel prices, mass transit is playing an important role in supporting energy efficiency and providing people with transportation options,” said Dole.  “Strong transportation infrastructure also is vital to economic growth and job creation, and I applaud these cities for securing these funds.”

The school board will chat with the county's congressional delegation during a breakfast meeting today.

Rosa Gill, chairwoman of the school board, said that U.S. Reps. Bob Etheridge, Brad Miller and David Price have all agreed to attend. You can expect discussion about No Child Left Behind and federal education funding.

Don't look for U.S. Senators Richard Burr or Elizabeth Dole to be there as they didn't get invites. It's doubtful they would have been able to come anyway due to the GOP Convention this week.

Today's meeting is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. in the board conference room, 3600 Wake Forest Road in Raleigh.