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Charles J. Shields' "Mockingbird, A Portrait of Harper Lee," really tells the story of two books.

One, of course, is "To Kill a Mockingbird," the Pulitzer prize-winning, best-selling American novel of the 20th century -- the only novel published by the publicity shy Harper Lee.

The second is "In Cold Blood," Truman Capote's chilling account of the murders of a wealthy Kansas farm family and following events culminating in the hangings of the two killers.

Probably like many other readers, I was already generally familiar with the history of "To Kill a Mockingbird." Nelle Harper Lee, a young woman from a small town in southern Alabama, left home and family in 1949 to pursue a writing career in New York. Barely supporting herself with clerical jobs, she made little progress until friends presented her with a Christmas gift of enough money to take off a year and devote herself to her fledging novel. The result, after many drafts, was a classic of American literature, the compelling story of discovery focusing on three young children set against a background of racism and ignorance. Shining through is the noble, courageous character of Atticus Finch, closely modeled after the author's father, attorney and businessman A.C. Lee.

Much more fascinating, however, is Shields' carefully researched presentation of Lee's work as Capote's research assistant in Garden City and Holcomb, Kan., where Capote was dispatched by the New Yorker magazine to write about the slayings of Herbert, Bonnie, Nancy and Kenyon Clutter in their isolated west Kansas farmhouse. The result would be Capote's masterful series in the New Yorker, which sent magazine sales through the roof, and later the dramatic nonfiction book.

Lee and Capote were childhood friends. Capote was portrayed as "Dill" in "To Kill a Mockingbird." When Lee accepted Capote's offer to help with research in Kansas, she had completed "Mockingbird" and was waiting for publication.

Shields makes a strong case that Lee played an indispensable role in the creating of "In Cold Blood." The small-town Kansans found the eccentric Capote arrogant and, well, odd. They took to Lee, who was bright, outgoing, small-townish. It was Lee who made important connections with key people, who opened doors, who helped Capote conduct interviews, who took notes, who joined him in planning and reviewing step after step.

In the end, although Capote dedicated "In Cold Blood" to Lee (and to his lover), he made no mention of her contributions in his acknowledgments.

Why not? By that time, Lee was a literary sensation, more famous and acclaimed than Capote. She had the Pulitzer and National Book Award he never did. There's a case for simmering, spoiled jealousy.

Ironically, Shields reports, Lee's sudden success with "Mockingbird" raised suspicions among some critics who thought its real author, or at least a major contributor, must have been Capote. To his shame, Capote never vigorously refuted such rumors. Shields dismisses them absolutely. "Mockingbird" is like none of Capote's work; it's Lee's.

Why didn't she write another? Shields can't give a definitive answer to that question. She tried, and for years said she was working on another. And then talk of a successor ended. Nothing came forth. "Mockingbird" was Lee's one great story.

She didn't grant interviews to Shields, and in fact stopped granting interviews altogether many years ago. Perhaps she no longer wanted to answer the question: Why no next novel? But, if Shields' assertions are correct, she was instrumental to the publication of a second great book: Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood."

This could drive me crazy:

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

The saying is credited to various sages such as Benjamin Franklin or Albert Einstein.

It's repeated so often I'm sure some people believe it's true.

If it were true, any ancient barbarian who tried to bash in the gate of a fortress with a battering ram was loony tunes.

You've seen this played out in countless epic motion pictures. The invaders slam their battering ram against the heavy wooden gate of the fortress, initially to no effect as defenders rain down arrows, stones and boiling oil -- yeow! It sure looks insane. But they keep hammering away, further weakening the barrier with every blow until the defense is breached, the hordes pour in and wanton slaughter and mayhem ensue.

I guess someone wasn't so insane after all. In fact, it turns out that the barbarians were practitioners of that annoying admonition some adult tormented you with every time you fell trying to learn how to ride a bicycle: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." (Probably made you want to scream, "That's the definition of insanity, you big idiot!"

But on that score we encounter another pithy little pearl: "Practice makes perfect." Not true in the case of my youthful piano playing (thanks for trying, Mom) or any other endeavor, really. But the point is, it's hardly insane to do the same thing over and over again (practicing your golf swing, for example) and expecting a different result (making better shots). It's the key to self-improvement.

In some situations, yes, repeating the wrong approach will not yield the right outcome. You might be insane if you persist despite all the evidence pointing to the inadequacy of your method. But for some jobs, nothing beats the battering ram.

Another week, another dedication of something new at High Point University.

This evening it was Phillips Hall, the home of the Earl N. Phillips School of Business.

How classy is this $24 million building, designed by High Point architect Greg Mercer and constructed by High Point firm R.K. Stewart & Sons? There are two fireplaces in the richly furnished front foyer.

The Phillips School was named in 1973 for Earl N. Phillips, a High Point businessman and one-time mayor. Phillips Hall, the school's first home of its own, comes in part from a lead gift by Earl N. "Phil" Phillips Jr. and his children.

It's part of what will amount to 800,000 square feet of new building and $200 million in new investment on campus, HPU President Nido Qubein said.

Results? The freshman class has doubled in two years. The incoming MBA class has doubled since last year.

Qubein is riding high, and flying the flag. American flags are raised all over campus. High Point University, founded by the Methodist Church, is all about God and country.

About the flag, "While I'm president, nobody will burn it or tear it," Qubein said.

The business school philosophy? "It's about free enterprise, it's about capitalism, and we ought to teach it proudly."

No shortage of pride in Phillips Hall, or anywhere else on campus.

State Sen. Kay Hagan of Greensboro will be an excellent candidate for higher office.

Mark Binker reports she's thinking of running against U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, whom she regards as "vulnerable."

I agree Dole, a Republican, is vulnerable. She's been a disappointment. Like one-term senator John Edwards, she doesn't seem to have put North Carolina interests at the top of her agenda. Edwards probably would have lost a re-election bid in 2004 if he hadn't been on John Kerry's ticket, and Dole could lose in 2008.

But top Democrats have been afraid to take her on.

Hagan isn't timid, but she told me months ago that the fund-raising demands for a U.S. Senate campaign are daunting. She'd have to raise an average of $100,000 a week for more than a year, and doing that would consume half her time, she'd been advised.

Also, to say that Dole is vulnerable is not to imply she doesn't enjoy big advantages in name recognition or that she'd be defenseless. While Hagan, in my view, has few if any personal negatives, as a Democratic member of the N.C. General Assembly, she could be tarred with the scandals giving that institution a very bad smell.

True, the fires have been in the House, not the Senate where Hagan serves. But senators pretended they didn't even see the smoke. And it's yet to be investigated how much the Jim Black pay-to-play culture infests the Senate ruled by Black ally Marc Basnight.

I suspect that Hagan would have preferred for Congressman Brad Miller to take on Dole, giving Hagan an opportunity to run for Miller's U.S. House seat.

It also would be logical for Hagan to bid for Howard Coble's seat in Congress when Coble decides to retire -- maybe in 2010?

Hagan is a very talented leader who's capable of rising to higher office. But her odds of beating Dole probably aren't great. Is it better to fight a tough battle and lose or to wait for a better opportunity later? That question kind of answers itself.

Guilford County Commissioner Steve Arnold has been having business problems for years, but today's news is stunning. And sad.

There might be gloating in some quarters. After all, politics can be rough-and-tumble around here. Lots of people don't like Arnold's brand of conservatism.

But I hope his critics refrain. Let's keep things in perspective.

Arnold isn't charged with public corruption. He wasn't caught toe-tapping in an airport bathroom.

For more than 20 years, Arnold has been a conscientious and honorable elected official -- as a High Point city councilman, state representative and, since 1990, as a county commissioner. He was the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor in 1996. He's always been popular in his district, if not so much with some of his political adversaries on the board of commissioners.

All that said, I'm sure that Judge John O. Craig III, a fellow High Pointer, wouldn't declare Arnold in contempt of court and order his arrest without a very good reason. It looks like Arnold has made some serious mistakes. Maybe it will be best for him to resign his seat on the board of commissioners to devote himself to straightening out this mess, but it's hard for anyone but Arnold to make that call right now. The rest of us should hold off from making more assumptions and judgments than the available facts support.

I hope Arnold can fix his problems and work his way out of trouble. He's not someone I could imagine going to jail for any reason.

What a blessing to have good neighbors.

In fact, good neighbors may be your best defense against crime.

Speaking of which, check out the DDLP Neighborhood Watch blog: "Dellwood Park, Dogwood Forest, Lawndale Homes, Pershing Court home owners keeping in touch with each other."

Great idea.

My sense immediately before Thursday evening's mayoral forum hosted by the Guilford County Democratic Women was that Milton Kern didn't have many votes in the room.

My view didn't change as the event progressed. I'd think Yvonne Johnson would get nearly unanimous support. After all, she's a Democratic woman.

But Kern, who's also a Democrat, probably won the respect of audience members. And he certainly said little or nothing to provoke a disagreement -- with listeners or his opponent.

As Margaret reported in her story, the two candidates pretty much expressed the same views about the issues.

This made for a pleasant evening, but it disappointed me a bit (a more robust debate would have been fun), and it may frustrate voters who want more of a clear distinction when they decide who will serve as Greensboro's mayor for the next two years.

The Democratic Women aren't a typical Greensboro audience. Questions raised more concern about trees and global warming than about crime or jobs. In fact, no one asked the candidates about crime at all. Only two questions touched at all on jobs. One was expressing concern about the lack of shopping and dining opportunities in southeast Greensboro; the other revealed the questioner's view that money devoted for economic incentives would be better directed to the Civil Rights Museum.

In his answers, Kern endeavored to establish himself as a supporter of trees and green initiatives and an advocate for the Civil Rights Museum. When asked about the need to raise more revenue for government programs, he said property taxes and fees already are putting too heavy a burden on the public, but alternative revenue sources -- like sales taxes on services such as lawyers' and doctors' fees -- should be explored. (That would require state legislative action).

My take, based strictly on Thursday's forum, is that Johnson and Kern are about equally "progressive" on the issues. That view might change as the campaign moves on and the discussion addresses other subjects. But it could be that more conservative voters -- are there some in Greensboro? -- will feel a bit left out.

Remember High Noon, that suspenseful western starring Gary Cooper as the lonely lawman standing up against the gang of bad guys seeking revenge?

That's our governor, Mike Easley. Monday -- at 2 p.m., not high noon -- state legislators are riding into Raleigh aiming to gun Coop ... I mean Easley down for vetoing a $40 million incentives deal lawmakers approved for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in Cumberland County.

Just as "High Noon" was more than a formula shoot-'em-up, this showdown is a lot more important than one bad bill. It has to do with the proper functions of two branches of state government and the influence of the powerful over the general good.

As you can guess, if Easley's playing the Gary Cooper role, he must be the good guy. So if he ends the day lying in the dust -- meaning the House and Senate override a gubernatorial veto for the first time in state history -- it will be an unhappy conclusion for North Carolina.

All right, let's dispense with the High Noon analogies. Easley rejected the Goodyear measure because it was misguided at best. The company could earn $40 million in incentives by expanding and upgrading its Cumberland County manufacturing facility -- a good thing -- even if it cut as many as 750 jobs -- definitely not a good thing.

The governor proposed something better: a plan to provide incentives for business expansion for companies that maintain or enlarge their work force, pay decent salaries and benefits, don't violate environmental regulations and so on.

Adopting a clear policy like that would put all businesses on a level playing field and eliminate politics from the equation. Goodyear was offered this deal because of the influence of powerful Sen. Tony Rand, who represents Cumberland County. What about a county than lacks an influential senator or representative, either because that legislator belongs to the wrong party or because he or she doesn't play ball with the legislative leadership? Out of luck. But why should economic development in the district of a powerful legislator be given higher priority than economic development in the district of a nobody legislator? Aren't all North Carolinians deserving of the same consideration by their state government?

Along those lines is this question: Who sets economic development policy in North Carolina, the state Commerce Department, which answers to the governor, or the legislature? Whom do you trust to set fair, consistent policies intended to benefit the state as a whole?

I'd go with the Commerce Department on that one. All you have to do is look at how the House of Representatives operated under Jim Black's leadership, where policy was influenced by special interests and money.

If the legislature overrides Easley's veto, it will be free to continue on this course of handing out economic incentives according to the whims of the most powerful senators and representatives. And the credibility of the Commerce Department will be totally undermined.

Politically this is an odd situation because Easley is opposed by members of his own Democratic Party. Yes, in High Noon, Cooper's friends deserted him. Here, it's more about power and principle than party. Most Republicans, who generally oppose incentives, are likely to back the governor. But the outcome could go either way.

You probably know how "High Noon" turns out. We'll see whether the governor can survive his showdown Monday.

I introduced my Tarheel Top Ten rankings of North Carolina football teams in the comment string of this blog post last week.

I'm taking it to the surface this week. Here goes:

1. Carolina Panthers, 1-0 (No. 2 last week)
2. Appalachian State, 2-0 (No. 1 last week)
3. Wake Forest, 0-2 (No. 4 last week)
4. East Carolina, 1-1 (No. 6 last week)
5. UNC, 1-1 (No. 3 last week)
6. Catawba, 3-0 (No. 8 last week)
7. Guilford, 2-0 (No. 7 last week)
8. N.C. Central, 2-1 (not ranked last week)
9. Elon, 1-1 (not ranked last week)
10. Wingate, 3-0 (not ranked last week)

As you can see, the biggest shift comes at the top where the Panthers displace ASU as No. 1. Last week, the Panthers had just concluded a lackluster preseason, while the Apps stunned Michigan in Ann Arbor. The Mountainers held form against overmatched Lenoir-Rhyne yesterday, while Carolina was impressive in beating the Rams in St. Louis, 27-13, today. Furthermore, Michigan's horrid performance against Oregon yesterday deflates the App win just a little. However, there's no doubt that, right now, Appalachian State is by far the best collegiate football team suiting up in the state of North Carolina.

I moved Wake Forest up to third despite the Deacons' second straight loss to begin their post-ACC title season. This tells you something about the strength of collegiate football in the Old North State. However, Wake gave visiting Nebraska a very tough game, falling 20-17. One fewer mistake and the outcome could have been different.

Teams playing into the Tarheel Top Ten this weekend were N.C. Central, Elon and Wingate. Falling out were Winston-Salem State, N.C. State and Davidson. But it's still early in the season, and we'll see lots of churning in the Tarheel Top Ten for a while.

In the meantime, I'll be happy to consider pleas for teams I've overlooked or under-ranked. But no votes for Duke, please.

Seven decades ago or so, when he was a boy, my father-in-law delivered the Asheville and Charlotte papers in his hometown of Columbus, N.C.

Later, after returning home from service in World War II, then college and law school, he faithfully took both papers.

Many years ago, however, the Charlotte Observer stopped home delivery in Columbus.

Now the Asheville Citizen-Times has done the same.

For the first time, Pop doesn't have a newspaper in his front yard when he gets up in the morning. And he isn't happy about it. (Don't even suggest he read the AC-T online; he's not going there.)

Asheville's about 35 miles up I-26 from Columbus. The Citizen-Times said it was losing money sending papers all that way. I don't doubt it, especially because fewer Polk County residents were taking it anyway. The economics of delivering newspapers, especially over a long distance in areas where customers are spread out, are deadly.

The Citizen-Times doesn't even have a rack at the Columbus post office. I went over there yesterday and picked up a copy of the Hendersonville Times-News for Pop. Also available is the Spartanburg Herald-Journal.

The Hendersonville Times-News, edited by my Carolina journalism classmate and one-time Thomasville Times reporter Bill Moss, has improved a lot since I saw it last. Hendersonville's only about 15 miles up I-26 from Columbus, and Pop might decide to subscribe. But he's used to the Citizen-Times. After 70 years, I'd say so.

These are unsettling and challenging times for the newspaper business. It's a shame, though, that when it's harder than ever to retain our customers, a newspaper would drop a loyal reader who'd like nothing better than to keep it coming every morning.

My wife and I drove through Walnut Cove recently on our way home from Hanging Rock State Park, where we spent a relaxing hour paddling around on the small lake.

There wasn't much activity in Walnut Cove.

So I was more than a little surprised to learn that the town board had just passed an ordinance requiring permits for public gatherings of five or more people.

I'd think leaders in the Stokes County hamlet would encourage crowds.

They seem to be trying to get a handle on sidewalk preaching, but Burlington Times-News editor Madison Taylor takes a critical view.

By the way, the town board consists of a mayor and four commissioners -- five in all.

Do they now need a permit to hold a meeting?

Ridiculous.

So much for my High Noon analogy. This time, Gary Cooper faced up to the bad guys and said, "Now, boys, no need for hostilities. Let's go rob the bank together!"

Guilford College is hosting the next One Guilford program, sponsored by the News & Record, on Wednesday, Oct. 17.

We've lined up a strong group of people to lead the program, including Paul Gibson, Stanley Battle, Don Kirkman, Andy Brod, Amos Quick and Julianne Malveaux.

The event runs from 9 a.m. until noon in Dana Auditorium on the Guilford College campus. The program is free and open to the public.

Please click on the jump for more details.

My column today:

Back in February, a delegation from Durham visited the News & Record's editorial board. Mayor Bill Bell and leaders from the Chamber of Commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureau and other organizations were on the road to talk up the city's image across the state.

One thing they didn't want to talk about, however, was the story that, for the past 11 months, had done more to shape public perception of Durham than anything else.

It was a story not even mentioned in a brochure produced by city government titled, "Durham Year in Review 2006."

Anyone else might think that Durham's year in review for 2006 would acknowledge the infamous Duke lacrosse rape case, but the subject was just too sore.

It still is, which is why the Durham City Council recently called off an independent investigation of its police department's role.

Yet, the city, its political leaders, its media, its voters and Duke University can't wish away their part in creating and prolonging a disgraceful travesty. ...

It struck me in reading Lanita Withers' Campus Notebook column today that institutions sometimes set policies in order to satisfy people but don't necessarily intend to carry them out in all instances.

My theory might not apply to Guilford College, which has expanded its Nondiscriminatory Policy Statement to include "gender identity" and "gender expression" after a lobbying effort by student David Norton. But if this means, as the policy implies, that "access to programs or activities for its student population" can't be denied on the basis of "gender identity," then it seems to me that a man would be allowed to identify as a woman for the purpose of playing on the women's basketball team. But, of course, in reality he wouldn't be allowed to do that. For one reason, if it included a male in its lineup, the women's basketball team wouldn't be allowed to compete against other women's teams. Nor would a man be allowed to prowl women's restrooms if he claimed to be feeling feminine at that particular time.

The policy also rejects discrimination in hiring and admission of students on the basis of "mental disability." But, in selecting faculty and students, mental ability is an important qualifying characteristic. While this doesn't refer only to intelligence, some mental disabilities clearly warrant evaluation with discrimination. For example, if Virginia Tech had been fully aware of the mental disabilities of Seung-Hui Cho, it likely would have sought his removal from campus. That would have been discriminatory, but it could have saved 33 lives.

Enforcing a nondiscriminatory policy on the basis of religion also could be awkward in regard to hiring a campus ministries coordinator. Would it really be helpful to have an atheist in that position?

I'm not trying to pick on Guilford, because almost all colleges have similar policies. I just question whether such policies are practical in all possible applications.

My family vacationed several times at Ocean Isle Beach, but this really turns me off.

Not that I pitched cabanas, tents, canopies or awnings, but I wasn't bothered by people who did.

With concerns about skin cancers, creating a little shade on the beach is a health issue. If OIB doesn't rescind this action, it will deserve to lose a lot of summer business.

The National Resources Defense Council predicts a significant increase in bad air days in three North Carolina cities, saying rising temperatures will produce more ozone.

The three cities are Raleigh, Asheville and Wilmington. The report doesn't include Triad cities, but one would expect the same conditions to apply here.

If this dire prediction is true, it will mark a strange reversal of recent trends. According to actual air-quality data, ozone readings in the Triad even during this super hot and dry summer have been significantly better they were a decade ago (although not as good as 2003-2006).

Through Sept. 8, Triad reporting stations registered 82 level green, or good air-quality, days. Back in 1997, only 65 green days were recorded for the entire reporting season, which covers only the warmer months. There have been seven level orange days in 2007, compared to 23 in 1997. Those numbers reflect the highest reporting station.

Orange is an area for concern, but levels rise to red and then purple. The Triad's last red day was registered in 2003.

One of the hottest summers before this one occurred in 1998, when the Triad recorded only 55 green days, 28 orange days and one red day. It looks like we've made a lot of progress since then.

State air-quality officials attribute improvements to emissions reductions at power plants, less-polluting vehicles, increased use of biodiesel and other efficiencies. Over the next four decades, the period covered by the pessimistic NRDC prediction, I'd expect many more efficiencies, expanded use of mass transit, wider utilization of telecommuting and development of alternative energy sources to further alleviate air pollution, whether temperatures increase or not.

The West Virginia alleged kidnap-torture-rape case requires deliberate investigation and, if warranted, prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.

Calls for "hate crime" charges are getting a lot of attention but miss the point. The charges already filed can bring severe punishments with conviction.

Meanwhile, the Charleston Gazette reports that the victim previously brought charges against her parents that turned out to be false. Authorities say that has no bearing on the current case.

If early reports are accurate, this is a case of utter depravity and savage cruelty. But it doesn't need to become another prosecution driven by media frenzy and public hysteria. Gather the facts and take fair, appropriate action in the pursuit of justice.

I'll go out on a limb and say that Fidel Castro's tale about saving Ronald Reagan's life is estupido.

How did Cubans learn about a plot to assassinate Reagan in Charlotte in 1984?

How were arrests made without any public disclosure? What happened to the would-be assassins?

Why would Castro want to save the life of the fiercely anti-communist American president?

This story reminds me of an old, old joke: Why does Castro wear a beard? So he can't be called a bald-faced liar.

At the risk of sounding defensive on behalf of the N&R, I'd like to take issue with one statement in Jean Rodenbough's letter today:

"Although the Truth and Reconciliation Commission made international and national news, and was the first in this country to develop such a process, the efforts have received scant attention in the Greensboro community."

The fact that Rev. Rodenbough was writing a Counterpoint in response to an N&R news story belies her assertion that T&R Commission efforts have "received scant attention in the Greensboro community."

The N&R has covered the T&R process consistently, exhaustively and, in my opinion, redundantly as well.

Furthermore, I have to question the suggestion that the T&R Commission's work received more national and international news coverage than it did locally.

The news coverage archive at the T&R Commission Web site isn't current, but it includes very little in the way of national and international coverage. Most of the archives link to Greensboro news media and blogs.

Same for the Latest News listed at the Greensboro Truth and Community Reconcilation Web site.

A Google search yields quite a few national stories about Greensboro Truth & Reconciliation over the years, but I don't find consistent or continuing coverage by any media organization. If there's been much international news, I don't know where it is.

Furthermore, what national news coverage there was seems to have peetered out.

Perhaps Rev. Rodenbough should put up some links on the Greensboro Truth & Community Reconciliation Project Web site so people in Greensboro can catch up with the national and international perspectives on this.

But it looks to me like the N&R has covered Greensboro T&R more extensively than any other sources.

That doesn't mean readers are going to assign it a higher priority than all the other concerns in their lives, or even read and care about it.

Maybe that's the real source of frustration for some people.

Margaret's front-page story today, "At-large seats elude blacks," is interesting.

She reports that only two of the 13 candidates running for at-large seats on the Greensboro City Council live in District 1 or 2 and notes that some people worry that issues affecting the poor and minorities receive short shrift when most council members comes from the more affluent and predominantly white parts of the city.

Some thoughts:

* You can't win if you don't run. Yvonne Johnson, who lives in District 2, has been bold enough to run at-large, and she's won seven times. Now she's running for mayor. If she were afraid to run as a black woman in a predominantly white city, she'd get nowhere.

* There's too much focus on race in politics. Greg Woodard, the District 1 resident who's running for an at-large seat, explained in our editorial board interview that he was told he couldn't win as a district candidate. He's white, and District 1 is predominantly black. It's a shame if members of a "minority" race feel excluded in local elections, whether they're a minority in their particular district or in the city as a whole. And where does that leave Hispanics or Asians, who don't constitute a majority anywhere?

* If people do vote according to race, Joe Venable, the District 2 resident running at-large, actually might have a decent chance to win. He's black, and if he receives nearly all of the black vote, he should finish in the top six in the primary and advance to the general election. Then, as Commissioner Skip Alston suggested, "single-shot" voting by black voters could help Venable win one of the three seats available. However, I would really have to question whether electing one person would be worth giving up two other votes, and therefore having no influence over the election of the other two at-large council members. The strategy presumes that it's all important to the black community that a black person hold one of those seats, and not at all important which of the white candidates win the other two. That's illogical, but there's a lot about racial politics that strikes me as illogical.

* One of the real problems here is the difficulty of running for a City Council seat, especially at-large, and serving on the City Council. Greensboro is a large city, and any candidate who wants to win an at-large election has to work very hard and spend some money to build name-recognition and get his or her message out. Then, even if he or she wins, serving as an elected official requires a big commitment of time and energy, for which there is little monetary compensation. Someone who has to work 40 hours or more per week in a regular job and has a family would be very hard-pressed to 1) run and 2) serve. Not many people of working age can afford to do that, and that might be especially true in Districts 1 and 2 where average income levels are lower. There's no real fix for that, because Greensboro residents simply expect their elected representatives to work hard on their behalf.

Fortunately, this year's election has drawn 33 willing candidates, and the voters will have good choices across the city. The field of 13 at-large candidates might not be balanced geographically, but every voter has an equal say in the election of the at-large representatives and the means to hold those representatives accountable, no matter where the candidates live. But to do that, the voters have to ... vote.

I was occupied with a medical procedure yesterday and didn't attend the mayor's press conference regarding grand jury indictments of two Greensboro police officers.

Reading his remarks, however, gives me the sense that Mayor Holliday was a bit incautious. While he noted that Tom Fox and Scott Sanders are "presumed innocent until proven guilty," he added that "the grand jury's finding of probable cause for the indictments indicates a real basis for concern regarding the alleged activities."

While I wouldn't necessarily disagree, I also would heed the statement of attorney Seth Cohen, representing Sanders: "If there is one thing the media and public hopefully have learned over the past few years, it is that it can be a serious and embarrassing mistake to assume that because someone has been indicted, that person is in fact guilty of a crime."

Cohen obviously was referring to the Duke lacrosse rape case, in which a Durham grand jury returned indictments against three individuals based on what turned out to be no credible evidence.

It's a common expression in North Carolina legal circles that a prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich for killing the pig. The grand jury only hears the evidence a prosecutor wants it to hear. The defendant is not present; there is no cross examination of prosecution witnesses; there is no transcript of the proceedings.

Ironically, Holliday invoked the Duke case as a reminder of "the pitfalls of bowing to pressure to speak before the facts are known." He was speaking about the City Council, which remained publicly silent about details of the long police investigation. But the mayor should be careful not to assume the role here that Duke President Richard Brodhead played in Durham when he was so quick to agree that the Duke lacrosse players were guilty of very bad behavior, if not the actual crimes charged.

Here, the public was led to believe that charges stemming from this investigation would go much higher than one sergeant and one officer. Maybe they will yet. Sometimes prosecutors start with the small fish and work their way up by cutting deals to pry incriminating information out of those first indicted. On the other hand, I've also heard that this might be it. If it ends here, does that mean that a scandal that's been laid at the feet of former Chief David Wray really was much more limited in scope?

The council will meet tonight and should agree to release much more information to the public. Eventually, for all this to settle down, people need to see proven, established facts -- not just indictments that may or may not stand up in a court of law.

Congratulations to the League of Women Voters for its outstanding mayoral forum today at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

A good crowd attended the brisk-paced Q&A session featuring candidates Yvonne Johnson and Milton Kern. Questions were submitted in writing, screened and presented in an even-handed manner. I couldn't detect a trace of gender bias from the Women Voters.

This discussion differered from the forum hosted by the Democratic Women last week in that some differences emerged between the candidates.

Kern said he would not favor any budget increases until the city's financial situation improves through economic development, and added that he would propose a tax-increase moratorium for two years. Yet, asked if he would recommend budget cuts he said, "Not at this time."

Johnson advocated a hard look at increased spending in the police department to address community safety issues. On the subject of budget cuts, she said it might be possible to reduce spending for equipment and parks and recreation.

Johnson said she supports economic incentives, but applies strict criteria when considering requests: the number of jobs, whether the company will pay a "liveable wage," and how much it will invest in the community.

Kern said he's "not totally against incentives but not really for them." He said local businesses and small businesses should receive help first.

Asked about the treatment of former police Chief David Wray. Kern said he's a friend of both Wray and City Manager Mitch Johnson. "It makes me sick to see how this has unfolded," he said. In response to yesterday's indictments of Officer Scott Sanders and Sgt. Tom Fox, he said: "Is that all there is to it? I thought they were going after David Wray."

Johnson noted she has had the privilege of having listened to the tape of Mitch Johnson's conversation with Wray the Friday before Wray resigned, and it is clear to her that the manager was polite and fair in handling Wray. "There are no winners in this, no joy in having officers indicted," she said. "It's a dark time in our history and we need to heal."

Kern ducked a question posed about possible next steps in dealing with the Truth & Reconciliation Commission report. He said he's just getting around to reading it and would refrain from making judgment calls. Without elaborating, he also said, "I have some problems with it."

I'll look forward to more exchanges between the candidates.

And to next Monday evening's LWV forum for at-large candidates in Royce Reynolds Family Student Life Center at Greensboro College.

The 27 people who attended last night's District 1 forum, excluding six City Council candidates, were nearly unanimous in their view that city government is letting them down.

The town hall-style meeting, hosted by the N&R's Allen Johnson and Eddie Wooten, surprised me. I didn't expect so many people to come out, nor did I anticipate the depth of their unhappiness.

Maybe people who are content don't show up for events like this, but the folks who attended the 75-minute session at the Glenwood library seemed closely connected to their communities and very well informed.

Many say the city is not providing adequate police protection or respondinig to calls for help. A woman is bothered by "crackheads" knocking on her door at 2 a.m. A man can't sit on his front porch anymore because of all the panhandlers. A woman won't go to a neighborhood store because the parking lot is filled up with drug dealers. A man won't bother to call police about drug dealers in his neighborhood because he's afraid he'll end up talking to a cop who's in with the drug dealers. Another man said he's worried about calls for more police because they'll end up arresting kids who need other kinds of help.

In sum, the feeling was that there aren't enough police to reduce crime, and the police can't really be trusted anyway.

Some people blistered the city for wasting money, like on the Friendly median, or for not collecting parking fines. Heads nodded when a man complained that the city has no business trying to annex 10,000 more residents when it can't provide adequate services for its current population. He quipped that Greensboro might be better managed if it were annexed by High Point. The City Council doesn't show any leadership but simply takes direction from the city manager, someone said. All the incumbents need to be voted out, another said.

Wow. There's a message here, and the city's elected officials ought to pay attention.

Thursday evening's District 3 meeting at the Benjamin library, drew about 60 people, including seven City Council candidates but no incumbents, and just like at Tuesday's District 1 gathering, folks had plenty to say.

Some were critical of the N&R, a couple saying they've gotten more reliable coverage of Police Department issues in the Rhino. There were requests for more election coverage in the paper, including details about who's making campaign donations to candidates. Our Web site isn't easy enough to use, someone said. And several folks thought the meeting was going to give them an opportunity to question candidates. They were disappointed that the candidates were not invited, or allowed, to speak.

Still, the harshest words, again, were directed at the city. Had any sitting council members attended, they might have been squirming. This is starting to look like a good year to be a challenger.

Following is a sample of comments:

* Developers are pushing multifamily housing out to the edge of the city. This is bad for the environment and contributes to congestion and sprawl. The City Council gives in to them time after time. He'd like to hear the council say no once in a while (many in the audience incidate support for these views).

* Will the City Council supervise the city manager instead of letting him tell the council what to do? He obviously made a bad hire with the former police chief and maybe not such a good one with the present chief.

* Somebody needs to really investigate the police issues and get the facts out.

* "What do we have to do to get Wray back and straighten out this mess?" When moderator Allen Johnson asked how many people think David Wray should still be chief, at least half raised their hands.

* We don't want candidates to talk in generalities. For example, they should say whether they agree or disagree with each of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission's recommendations."I don't like City Council members who sit there like bobbing heads." Each council member should have to state his or her view on every issue before the council.

* When a neighborhood opposes a proposed rezoning, we want our council representative to support us, not vote against us.

* It's important to vote. When there's a low turnout, the candidates of special interests get elected.

* "A lot of these folks, the developers put them in there."

* "Welcome to Greensboro."

* There aren't enough police officers patrolling the city..

* "I can tell you nightmares about lack of response by Greensboro police."

* Why are they spending so much money for parks and recreation when they don't have enough money for police?

* Amen.

* And we're about to annex.

* That makes sense.

* The mayor makes the front page (talking about police indictments) and there's only a small report when a teenager is murdered.

* People moving here don't know how bad the murder rate, crime rate and gang murders are here.

* They're got to get the politics out of the Police Department.

* Good luck.

* Teenagers need more things to do here in Greensboro. We need to look at this from more of a balanced perspective. ... Moved from Wake County, which has a larger population but less juvenile crime. ... This is supposed to be a nice, safe family community.

* There's a lack of openness in city government, an unwillingness to share information about the Wray affair. The City Council will let it out in dribs and drabs when it suits them. Mike Barber's motion to release information was only supported by Yvonne Johnson and Sandra Anderson Groat.I find that unconscionable.

* The city still hasn't solved its water problems.

* There should be a moratorium on extending services to one more customer until we have enough resources.

* It seems commercial gets a little faster track when it comes to rezoning.

* Seems?

* Big businesses get incentives. What about small businesses that really could use help? Where's the accountability for money the city gives to organizations like Project Homestead and the Civil Rights Museum?

* Unless you vote to get out those who are in, you won't get any change.

Again, strong feelings. Lots of reason for city leaders, and prospective leaders, to listen.

The candidates who attended Thursday night were Cyndy Hayworth (D 3), Sidney Gray (AL), Greg Woodard (AL), Janet Wallace (AL), Joe Wilson (D 3), Berkley Blanks (D 3) and Zack Matheny (D 3). Gray, Woodard and Wallace also attended the District 1 meeting, which conflicted with a City Council meeting.

At Olympic High School in Charlotte Wednesday, a 17-year-old student became "verbally and physically agressive" toward a teacher and was restrained by the SRO. He was carrying a loaded, concealed handgun.

Here's the Charlotte Observer report.

How would it feel to be that teacher?

How would it feel to be that teacher if there were no police officer nearby?

By the time Wake Forest fell behind Maryland 24-3 Saturday, I'd about decided to suspend my Tarheel Top Ten football rankings for lack of qualified contenders.

The state of college football in North Carolina is disappointing, to say the least.

But the Deacons wouldn't give up, staging a huge comeback to force overtime, then to defeat Maryland by a final score of 31-24.

With Appalachian State's loss to Wofford, Wake Forest moves up to the No.1 sport in my revised rankings (eliminating the Carolina Panthers in deference to critics who pointed out that the Panthers play in the NFL. Who knew?) So, here we are. It's still pretty hard to fill out a Top Ten (Duke might have vaulted into this unimpressive lineup if the Blue Devils could have overtaken Navy).

1. Wake Forest, 2-2
2. Appalachian State, 3-1
3. Wingate, 4-0
4. Catawba, 4-0
5. Elon, 2-1
6. N.C. Central, 3-1 (penalized three places for bad behavior at A&T Saturday)
7. Guilford, 3-1
8. East Carolina, 1-3
9. UNC, 1-3
10. State, 1-3

The nooses found hanging at Andrews High School Friday remain front-page news in the High Point Enterprise today and reportedly were discussed with some passion by school system officials over the weekend.

City Councilwoman Bernita Sims weighed in today in a letter to the Enterprise, calling for prosecution "to the fullest extent of the law" and asking that "non-minority leaders in this community speak up and let the African-American community in High Point know where you stand."

As a High Point resident, I'm happy to state where I stand: The act of hanging nooses anywhere, but particularly at a high school, is disgusting. I was appalled and dismayed at the news.

Before I agree with Sims that this is a display of racism, bigotry and hate, however, I'll wait to see what the police investigation discovers.

The uproar over the Andrews incident is understandable, but it's also in stark contrast to an event at A&T last week, which we reported Thursday:

"On Monday, A&T officials removed five or six nooses and accompanying statements that were set up around campus to raise awareness of a Jena Six rally at the school, spokeswoman Mable Scott said.
"Sullivan Welborne, vice chancellor for student affairs, sent at e-mail to the entire university Tuesday warning against sensationalism outweighing educational value.
" 'Though were was no malicious intent to the statement,' Welborne wrote, 'the varied reactions around campus have proven to create anger and confusion where conversation and controversy were intended.'
"The incident remains under investigation, Scott said."

Apparently different circumstances surrounding a similar act. No one at A&T seems to think the hanging of nooses demonstrates racism, bigotry and hate, or that those responsible should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

If the perpetrators at Andrews turn out to be teenage pranksters -- and black -- talk of racism, etc. and prosecution to the fullest might be dropped quickly.

Andrews isn't like the high school in Jena, La., where nooses were hung last year from the infamous "whites only" shade tree. Black students are in a large majority at Andrews, the principal is black, the climate is not one of prejudice or intimidation toward black students. It's possible the nooses there will turn out to be a warped attempt at a joke, not a hate crime.

But until police identify suspects and uncover motives, we won't know for sure and shouldn't pronounce judgments.

I don't get it.

About 50 A&T students picketed in front of our building today carrying "Stop the Bad Press" signs.

The "bad press" was reporting of a state audit that found former A&T Chancellor James Renick improperly authorized the use of $380,000 for commissioned art work, an annuity for a faculty member and travel for Renick's wife.

The money was supposed to be used for things like student scholarships.

The students should have been picketing in front of their administration building with signs asking, "Where's Our Money?"

It's strange to me that current members of Greensboro City Council didn't attend last night's forum for at-large candidates sponsored by the League of Women Voters.

The exception was Sandra Anderson Groat, who's a candidate for re-election.

I'd think others would want to hear what the contenders have to say about the city and what questions voters are asking.

Of course, there were some criticisms of the council's performance voiced. There wouldn't be so many new candidates if everyone were happy with the state of things in Greensboro. But it shouldn't hurt to listen.

Well, maybe they were all home watching Ken Burns' new documentary about World War II.

My column today on the subject.

Related: today's editorial, "A state of tension."

It's time to get over it, folks. Find ways to help, not hinder.

The FBI confirms what we already knew from the city's report: Violent crime increased in Greensboro last year.

Meanwhile, the police department is slow in reporting crime stats for this year. Its Web site provides numbers only through June. In the past, reporting has been more prompt.

Homicides Monday and Tuesday remind us that the violent crime numbers must be adding up again this year.

Yesterday afternoon's shooting of a 70-year-old clerk at Angie's Hats is especially disturbing. What possible reason could there be for killing an elderly woman? What was the big haul that was worth her life? What threat did she pose to her killer?

No wonder crime is such a concern for city voters this year.

Correction: Betty Sibert Thomas was the owner of Angie's Hats, not a clerk, per Scott Hoffmann's update.

Yesterday, I wrote about the poor relationship between High Point City Council and the Guilford County Board of Education.

Today, Morgan reports on tension between the school board and county commissioners.

This is why initiatives like our One Guilford series are so important. Please come and participate in our next program, Oct. 17 at Guilford College. Let's learn and talk about our common future here in Guilford County.

We need to think in different ways. Give up territorialism. Forget old grievances. Look for opportunities to cooperate and collaborate. Move forward.

I like the location of the Oct. 17 One Guilford program. While we're over at Guilford College, maybe we can all learn something about peacemaking.

High Point's voluntary water restrictions have had no effect on consumption, Mayor Becky Smothers said the other day.

I don't doubt it. On my early morning runs, I still see lawn-watering systems blasting at full force, some of them washing streets and sidewalks.

Mandatory restrictions are coming soon, Smothers added.

Why wait? There's no rain in the forecast. The lake levels are dropping daily. The sooner we start using less water, the longer our supply will last.

"We can drink water, but be careful how often you bathe," the mayor quipped.

I've let my yard die, but I don't want to give up showering every day. If everyone does his part, maybe I won't have to.

John Edwards has taken another "principled stand," just when it happens to suit him.

He'll accept public financing for his presidential campaign, abiding by spending limits, and he urges Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to do the same, The N&O reports.

Edwards rejected the idea earlier this year, but since then he's been clobbered by Clinton and Obama in fundraising and trails badly in the polls.

"I think that is what underdogs do when they are behind in the race for money," Peter Francia, a political science professor at East Carolina University, told The N&O. "They will call on an opponent to take public funding to equalize the playing field. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will be laughing at the suggestion."

They ought to laugh, because this is just more phony moralism from Edwards, the guy who condemns subprime lenders although he's invested in them, condemns hedge funds' offshore tax shelters although he's taking a big salary from one, condemns Rupert Murdoch although he accepts an overly generous book deal from a Murdoch company, and so on.

This is also why I oppose public financing. I don't think tax money should be used to keep afloat the campaigns of sinking candidates.

Amy's story about a dog attack in Burlington points out that the city prohibits keeping more than two dogs on a property.

Here's the citation in city ordinances:

Sec. 5-19. Limit on number per owner.

No owner shall keep, maintain or harbor more than two (2) dogs twelve (12) weeks old, or older, within the corporate limits of the city at any time. It is the purpose of this section to prohibit the keeping of more than two (2) dogs of such age upon the premises of any property owner or tenant at any time, and the fact that ownership of more than two (2) such dogs is claimed or divided among two (2) or more owners shall not be construed to allow the keeping of more than two (2) dogs upon the same premises at any one time, it being the intent of this section that the keeping of more than two (2) dogs at any one location is unlawful and prohibited. The provisions of this section to the contrary notwithstanding it shall be lawful of a person to maintain a kennel within this city in conformity with the provisions of section 5-26.

Any violation of this section shall subject the offender to a civil penalty in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00). Any duly authorized local government official is authorized to issue this civil citation and the violator shall pay the penalty to the city tax collector's office within ten (10) days of receipt. The failure of such violator to pay the civil penalty within the specific time shall subject such violator to a civil action to collect all penalties and costs for such violation and any civil penalty that has not been paid which delinquent notice was sent shall carry an additional late payment penalty of twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Continued violation or continuing violations shall subject the violator to separate, distinct and successive civil penalties.
(Code 1959, § 3-11; Ord. No. 95-17, § 1, 5-16-95)

Is that overly restrictive? There's no such limit in High Point (or Greensboro). My next-door neighbor has three dogs, and they create absolutely no problems. You'd hardly know they were there.

On the other hand, a former across-the-street neighbor had eight to 10 dogs at one time. They made a helluva racket, and some of them occasionally ran loose. One, an aggressive Doberman male, finally was shot by a police officer. That wasn't necessarily a function of how many dogs he had, but of how responsible he was for controlling them.

I would not support a two-dog limit.

West Henderson and Avery are playing football tonight.

Maybe that will divert attention from the contrived racial controversy at West Henderson High School.

The Asheville Citizen-Times reported today that people were upset about a dummy dressed up like an Avery football player in the grasp of a big bird's talons. The school's mascot is a falcon.

"When I got over to the school, I went straight to the cafeteria, and I saw the thing hanging from the ceiling, and it looked like an African-American hanging from the ceiling," said Mekia Waters, whose 15-year-old son, Daquan, attends the school.

Several people apparently came up with the same interpretation, leading the principal to take down the effigy and schedule a community meeting Monday evening to discuss it.

Good grief. It doesn't look to me like it's depicting a lynching of an African American or anyone else. It would be ridiculous to portray an Avery player as African American, anyway. Avery High School's student body is all of 1 percent black.

The Hendersonville Times-News gives this story more context and fairer treatment:

"Jones (the principal) said the students who raised the effigy had no malice. He said the students weren't finished putting up the display. The head, a pink face with blue eyes, had not been set out yet."

I guess the principal and the insensitive students responsible will get a good scolding anyway. From now on, no more such provocative displays of hostility toward football opponents will be tolerated. Someone is sure to take it the wrong way.

But is it still OK to play the game?

A winless week for the Big Four didn't hurt Wake Forest, which was idle and holds its top ranking in my Tarheel Top Ten. Appalachian looked strong in outscoring Top Ten rival Elon.

1. Wake Forest, 2-2 (No. 1 last week)
2. Appalachian State, 4-1 (2)
3. Catawba, 5-0 (4)
4. Guilford, 4-1 (7)
5. Elon, 2-2 (5)
6. East Carolina, 2-3 (8)
7. Wingate, 4-1 (3)
8. Davidson, 3-1 (NR)
9. North Carolina, 1-4 (9)
10. N.C. Central, 3-2 (6)