Interesting enough for a Monday: Cuba and video slots
This story from today's paper looks at the ongoing fun and games over video poker in North Carolina:
RALEIGH — The bill was simple enough. It would have affirmed the legislature’s intent to outlaw video poker in all its forms without making changes to existing law.In particular, backers of the measure are frustrated that a video poker variant based on a sweepstakes computer system continues to thrive in the state and wanted to send a message to law enforcement and the courts.
“We’re really displeased with the way this law is being circumvented,” said Rep. Ray Rapp, a Mars Hill Democrat and one of the bill’s sponsors.
But moments before the measure was to be heard Thursday, a clutch of legislators hurriedly conferred and pulled it from consideration by a House Judiciary committee.
“Some folks had some reservations,” said Rep. Ronnie Sutton, the committee’s chairman. Those reservations, he said, revolved around worry the state could be interfering in an ongoing court case.
Click here for the full story.
Also from today's paper, a chat with Rep. Mel Watt about his recent trip to Cuba:
When U.S. Rep. Mel Watt traveled to Cuba earlier this month, he was curious to meet President Raul Castro , the younger brother of the island’s long time leader, Fidel.During his previous trip to Cuba in 2004, Watt said, one rarely heard about Raul , who ran the military but was not much of an up-front figure.
“I thought he would be a lot more restrained and a lot less outgoing” than his older brother, Watt said. “But, you know, Cubans like to talk. Raul is just as outgoing and loquacious as Fidel is.”
Watt, who represents parts of Guilford County, was part of a seven-member Congressional Black Caucus trip to the island.
The trip was a timely one, as Watt and other members of the delegation returned only days before President Barack Obama lifted some travel restrictions on Cuban Americans traveling to the island.
Click here for the full story.
As the story says, the CBC trip was a timely one because the whole area of Cuban-American relations appears to be ready to shift. More info on recent developments in U.S.-Cuba policy comes from the Miami Herald and N.Y. Times.
Due to recent automated spamming attacks on our blogs, we are temporarily requiring commenters to authenticate themselves via TypeKey® before posting comments to any News & Record blog in order to prevent denials of service. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.