AG awards money recovered in price fixing case to food banks

Food banks across North Carolina will get more than $740,000 in grant funds to help fight hunger, Attorney General Roy Cooper announced Tuesday at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina in Winston- Salem.

The money comes at a time when the state’s food banks are working harder than ever to meet the needs of North Carolina families hit by the economic downturn. North Carolina food banks have seen a 30 percent increase in need since 2006, according to the NC Association of Feeding America Food Banks.

The North Carolina Department of Insurance has approved the postcard mailer describing a low-cost Medicare Supplement insurance plan now available to North Carolina seniors. The postcard will be mailed to senior citizens who are eligible for Medicare Supplemental insurance.

State Mutual President and CEO, Delos Yancey III, said that North Carolina residents of Medicare age now have access to the lowest cost Medicare supplement insurance available anywhere in the nation.

Yancey said that State Mutual Insurance Company will allow Medicare-age consumers to apply for the supplemental Medicare insurance policy online, without having to talk with an insurance agent.

State budget cuts being proposed by North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue for the coming year have Macon County Department of Social Services concerned about its own budgets. Statewide, DSS directors are scrambling to come up with budgets that will anticipate these cuts, yet still be able to fund the public services they are mandated to provide. Macon County is no different.

The Macon County Department of Social Services met Monday, Feb. 14, to discuss upcoming budget concerns involving possible cuts to its revenue due to budget cuts from the state legislature. The Macon County DSS board has three members and is comprised of Chair Wendy Dalton, businessman Jim Garner and past county commissioner Mark West. DSS Director Jane Kimsey is a non-voting member and secretary to the board.

Georgia Public Policy Foundation President Kelly McCutchen joined Gov. Nathan Deal, state legislative leaders, Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Carol Hunstein and Attorney General Sam Olens at the state Capitol Wednesday, Feb. 16, for an unprecedented news conference by the three branches of government to announce a bipartisan effort at criminal justice reform for the state.

“Constitutionally, public safety is a core responsibility of state government, but that doesn’t mean criminal justice shouldn’t be held accountable for results – or that more taxpayer funds will solve the problem,” McCutchen said. “This news conference shows that our state’s leaders are willing to set aside partisanship for the opportunity to strategically build on Georgia’s early successes and transform our criminal justice system to be more effective and efficient.”