Pete Kaliner

Pete Kaliner

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Pete's Prep: Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Stone to collect $140k in final month

Another development in the Buncombe County embezzlement scandal, and it means county taxpayers are stuck with the bill.

The Citizen-Times reports the former (short-term) County Manager, Mandy Stone, who was appointed to replace disgraced (and federally indicted) Manager Wanda Greene, will draw more than $140,000 dollars in her final month of employment.

In a single month amid her abrupt  retirement, former Buncombe manager Mandy Stone will make more than half  of her annual base salary, cashing in on unused paid leave and a retirement benefit to make six figures in two paychecks.

Records  obtained by the Citizen Times this week show Stone will be paid  $140,183 by the end of the month. The longtime county employee used paid  time off to cover her final weeks of employment, along with leave and  banked holiday time, and will receive compensation for leave payout and a  six-figure retirement benefit.

Stone's annual base salary was $220,311.

This is why they call it "public service," right?

After all, Stone got a retention bonus last year - to keep her around. And now she's getting a $110,000 retirement benefit that was designed for select employees who worked for the county for 25 years.

I got into the wrong line of work!



Stature of the Big Cat will remain

Well, this is awkward...

David Tepper may be the new owner of the Carolina Panthers, but he's powerless to remove the statue of previous owner Jerry Richardson.

Tepper spoke to reporters Tuesday after finalizing  his purchase of the team Monday. During the press conference, he  revealed he's "contractually obligated" to keep Richardson's statue  outside Bank of America Stadium, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).

Richardson put the Panthers up for sale after Sports Illustrated reported he'd paid settlements to employees who accused him of misconduct.



A new front in the NC's BBQ war

In an apparent attempt to incite a civil war inside the Old North State, WRAL reports that Eastern BBQ is superior to Western BBC.

If you're looking at which is healthier.

It's not just the sauce (or lack thereof) that keeps eastern-style barbecue on the lighter side. According to BCBSNC, in the east, the entire pig is used, utilizing both white meat and dark meat.

Western-style barbecue features only the pork shoulder, which is 100 dark meat, making it rich, moist and more fatty than eastern-style barbecue.

You can read the review here.

Well, at least we can all agree that both Eastern & Western NC BBQs are better than South Carolina's BBQ.



Wrestlers come to Rep. Jordan's defense

From the Columbus Dispatch:

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan’s supporters are waging an enthusiastic campaign to defend the Urbana Republican against claims he knew about potential sexual misconduct at Ohio State University during his time as assistant wrestling coach and did nothing about it.

At the same time, former Ohio State administrators said Tuesday they weren’t aware of problems involving the doctor in question nor allegations of abuse.

Fifteen Ohio State University wrestlers issued a joint statement Tuesday defending Jordan against accusations by seven former Ohio State wrestlers that Jordan was aware of sexual impropriety by former team doctor Richard Strauss and did nothing about it. That statement came one day after eight former coaches — including two who’d previously defended Jordan — issued a statement coming to Jordan’s defense.

As wrestlers came to Jordan’s defense, a pair of former Ohio State administrators also said they weren’t aware of allegations of sexual misconduct by Strauss.

Former Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee told The Dispatch in a statement Tuesday that he had no recollection of Strauss or allegations against him, and indicated he has been in communication with investigators handling the Strauss probe.

If I'm Rep. Jordan, I'd be looking into a defamation lawsuit.



President Trump rips Germany at NATO meeting

First, I think it's about time an American President issued this kind of tough talk to our European allies about their deals with Russia. Watch the video:

Second, this is the Donald Trump I remember watching on Celebrity Apprentice.



But, wait! There's more!

Two campaign staffers quit their jobs on a NC Republican candidate's Congressional campaign after allegations of domestic violence surfaced.

A TV news anchor who accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct was demoted and blackballed from her own newsroom. 



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