Researchers head to the coast for wind power workshops

As the N.C. Utilities Commission collected public comments this week on a proposed wind energy project off the Beaufort County coast, the John Locke Foundation hosted a pair of workshops in Wilmington and Morehead City to dispel wind power myths. Vice President for Research and Resident Scholar Roy Cordato moderated a panel discussion, while Daren Bakst, Director of Legal and Regulatory Studies, served as a panelist. Cordato reviewed the workshop and discussed air quality issues with Chad Adams on the WLTT Radio morning program. The N.C. News Network aired at least two different wind power stories in the past week quoting Bakst. Bakst submitted an official comment (PDF) to the Utilities Commission, and the Carteret County News-Times also promoted the Morehead City workshop. In other research news, a Durham News column cited JLF opposition to local governments’ use of taxpayer dollars to promote sales-tax referendums. The News & Observer and its “WakeEd” blog both highlighted comments from Terry Stoops, Director of Education Studies, about the likely changes associated with a new Democratic majority on the Wake County school board. The Mooresville Tribune and Richmond County Daily Journal both published Stoops’ recent column on the failure of public schools to educate a group of students dubbed “The Forgotten Half.” Russia Today interviewed Fergus Hodgson, Director of Fiscal Policy Studies, about his recent column discussing free trade as preferable to sanctions in dealing with Syria. Hodgson has converted a recent English-language commentary on taxing sodas and sweets into Spanish. Hodgson discussed his experience as a child laborer in New Zealand during an appearance with New Orleans radio host Jeff Crouere. The Gates County Index published an article citing data from JLF’s annual By The Numbers report. (“I recently read a report from the John Locke Foundation that addressed the per capita taxing of each citizen in each county. and Gates County was the lowest per capita taxed county in the entire state,” [county manager Toby] Chappell said. “There’s something to be said for that.”)