Learn more about the settlement

The proposed class action settlement will resolve 22 suits filed against Mattel and Fisher-Price and major retailers on behalf of millions of families who bought defective toys as gifts before they were taken off the market.

In the settlement, Mattel and Fisher-Price agree to provide
refunds or other reimbursement to those who purchased the Chinese-made toys. The reimbursement varies by the circumstances of purchase and return of the toys.

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Potter was the featured speaker at NC Policy Watch’s Crucial Conversation luncheon Tuesday afternoon.

"In this country there are seven very large for-profit companies that one out of three Americans is enrolled in one of their plans.  It's a cartel in many ways.  A lot of (non-profit) Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in other states have such a dominant share, there's very little competition.  We need to have a public option to compete against this oligarchy," said Potter.

A public option would give government the ability to sell insurance in competition with private insurers.

Opponents suggest it would squeeze out private insurers.

Supporters say it’s the only way to keep private insurance costs in check.

“You’d get better value and that would force insurance companies to also give you a better rate and price health plans more competitively," said Potter.

Potter left his 15-year career in corporate communications at Cigna and is now a Senior Fellow at the nonprofit advocacy group the Center for Media and Democracy.

So how about North Carolina insurance giant Blue Cross and Blue Shield?

The company's leadership supports health reform, but not the public option.

 “We believe in building on what works—that is, the employer based system that already serves 160 million Americans.  We believe the government has a role to play in assisting those who cannot afford insurance on the private market,” said Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Communications Executive Lew Borman.

 The Senate Finance Committee killed the public option in its bill mark up Tuesday, but it’s still alive in House legislation.

 Following Potter’s address, a group representing the NAACP, NC Justice Center, NC Health Care For America Now and the AFL-CIO delivered more than 5,000 petitions to Senator Kay Hagan’s office in Raleigh supporting a strong public option for progressive health care reform.

See the highlights in our NBC 17 News story in the video monitor above.

The warrants reveal that Raymond Cook had a blood alcohol level of 0.19, which is more than twice the legal limit for drunk driving, when he hit Elena Shapiro.

On Monday morning, a grand jury indicted Cook on second degree murder charges for killing Shapiro.

Police believe he was drinking at two different establishments before the accident.

Full Coverage: DWI Accident Claims Life Of Ballerina

The Sheriff's Office received a report on August 25 that a suspicious man was attempting to persuade children at a bus stop to get in his vehicle.

After several tips from citizens, deputies were able to find the person in question and interview him. It was found that the man was in the area at the time, but had no criminal intentions.

"The person in question is a law abiding citizen with no criminal history," stated Sheriff C.A. Winders in the press release.

Sheriff Winders adds, "Thankfully this matter was innocent but the children and citizens all should be commended in reporting what they considered suspicious activity. We would much rather investigate something that proves to be innocent than to learn about it after a tragedy."

Read Previous Article: Authorities Say Man Tried To Lure Children Into His Car

The State Department of Transportation opened up bids for the Glenwood project Tuesday.

Next month the NCDOT will accept bids for Wade.

State transportation officials said in previous years there were too many cracks in the budget to pave the roads.

"We would ideally like to be resurfacing roads between a 12- to 15-year cycle," Wally Bowman, DOT Division Engineer, said. "There's just not enough money to do all the roads during that cycle."

This year the state is using its regular allotment of repaving money to fund the Glenwood project, while Wade Avenue is being funded through federal stimulus dollars.

"Our funds are pretty good right now as far as resurfacing," Bowman said. "Not as much as we need for all the many roads across North Carolina, but the stimulus money helped us."

Officials hope to have the roads completed by June of next year.

The economy has forced the SPCA to react quickly with a number of programs to help animals and pet owners in need," said Mondy Lamb, SPCA Marketing Director. "Our Pet Food Pantry and AniMeals programs help keep pets in their homes and out of shelters. We hope the discounted adoption fees will make it easier to place homeless pets into new homes.

"In one respect, we are just another merchant dropping prices in an all out effort to attract customers," Lamb continued. "The difference is that we are trying to save more lives. For every animal we send home, that's one life that is saved and one less animal that dies. Our sale is the same but our stakes are much higher."

Adoption Fees reduced through 2009:

Dogs: $50.00 - $115.00
Cats: $30.00 - $47.50 (through Labor Day) $30.00 - $95.00 (through 2009)

All adoption fees include a wellness exam, spay/neuter surgery, deworming, flea protection, disease testing, basic vaccines, and a microchip which is over a $300.00 value.

For more information regarding the adoption fee discount, please call the SPCA Adoption Center at 919-772-2326 or visit www.spcawake.org. Founded in Raleigh in 1967, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Wake County is dedicated to creating a more humane community where every adoptable animal has a home.

State lawmakers have approved a bill that bans anything that covers your license plate.

The goal is to make it easier for the police to identify drivers.

The measure now heads to the governor's desk. If signed, violators face a $100 fine.

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The federal minimum wage rises Friday by 70 cents to $7.25 an hour. The labor-friendly Economic Policy Institute estimates that about 167,000 workers in North Carolina will benefit from the minimum wage increase.

The federal minimum began increasing two years ago, when it was $5.15 per hour.

Supporters of the wage change say it will increase consumer spending by up to $5.5 billion as the economy tries to recover. But some economists say small businesses strapped for cash will be forced to lay off some of the same workers who might benefit.

Jasper was turned into the North Carolina schnauzer rescue two weeks ago. Since his birth Jasper has been paralyzed from the waist down.

Organizers say donations are needed to help Jasper live a normal life as possible. Area vets are testing to determine if physical therapy will help, or fit Jasper with a doggie wheelchair.

Best ways for people to contact regarding donating or helping Jasper:

Fifteen years after his college career ended, Montross is teaching local kids the joy of giving back through the Eric Montross Father's Day Basketball Camp.

"This is a basketball camp," Montross said. "That's the draw, but the benefits are much further reaching than just basketball."

It started after a simple meeting at North Carolina's Children's Hospital in 1993.

That's when Montross met Lindy Clark's son Jason, a young boy who had cancer.

"Jason was a light," Clark said. "When he walked into the room, he really was (a light) and he's still shining here with all these kids."

Jason eventually lost his fight with cancer, but he inspired Montross to start this camp, where 100 percent of the proceeds go to benefit the children's hospital.

The weekend brings fathers and their kids closer together, but the significance of helping others is always present.

"We have so much fun," Mark Stone, a ten year veteran of the camp and father of three kids, said. "We love basketball, but that we can help the children's hospital is really good for us."

Through the camp, Jason's spirit lives on.

"He once said heaven has Carolina blue sky, really good food, sports and more good food," Clark said.

Because of that meeting 15 years ago, these kids get to experience a little heaven on earth.

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"A few months back - I had someone come along and register an account ... used a very similar name to me ... and tried to pretend that they were me and tried to fool people into listening to what they had to say," Beal said. "They basically followed a whole bunch of people hoping that they would follow them back and their whole goal was to piggy back off of my reputation - my brand - to try and sell their eBook."

Beal is an expert at social media strategy. He's co-author of the book "Radically Transparent, Monitoring and Managing Reputation Online."

"We live in a radically transparent world where everything you do could potentially end up on the web," he said. "With about 48 hours, they were able to identify the imposter. They were able to remove it."

But Beal's imposter was a bit crafty.

"He came back and registered new accounts. Andy_beal or andy_beal1 and started the process all over again," he said. "It was like a game of Whack-a-Mole until, ultimately, Twitter found a way to stop him from permanently coming back."

Beal said social networks have policies in place that will protect you from imposters. Facebook, for instance, has a page in its Help Center section where you can identify the imposter's URL.

"You start wondering what else do they know about you. If someone's created a profile and stolen your name and identity, the initial reaction is - what else do they know about me? Do they know my banking details? Do they know my credit card information," he said. "Typically, they don't."

Beal said even people who don't use social networking sites should check in every once in a while to make sure they, too, don't have impersonators.

"Just make sure there's not somebody impersonating you because in absence of you having an official profile it makes it even easier for someone to come along and pretend to be your mom or pretend to be my brother or something like that because there's not already an established profile there," he said.

Beal said most imposters are usually in it to create spam. But users should be careful and cautious.

"For the most part - nobody is going to take money out of your bank account. Nobody is going to do much harm that said - you don't want to let it sit there," he said. "It could be a hacker who wants you to click on a link that downloads a virus to your computer - perhaps goes through your contacts in your e-mail and then e-mails them."

He also stressed how important it is to protect your real account.

"It is important to have a very secure password. It's very important not to have something that's easy to guess," he said. "Have something that's very complex with a mixture of letters and numbers."

He also said people make mistakes when they pick a hint question.

"Normally people pick ‘where were you born?' In this day and age it's pretty easy for me to figure out where you were born. I can go into Google, find out where you went to school ... find out from there, perhaps, where you were born. All of a sudden - I know the answer to your hint question - I can perhaps get access to your profile."

 Related Story: Using Social Networking To Your Advantage

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The Senate Health Care Committee voted Wednesday, 17-4, to prohibit

smoking at all restaurants and bars, but no longer prohibits smoking at all work sites.

The original bill was intended to protect employees from second hand smoke.

Senator Bill Purcell, (D) Scotland County, the bill’s chief supporter, said the scope of the bill was narrowed so he’d have the votes for passage.

The broader bill was withdrawn from the floor last week.

The measure creates exceptions for cigar bars, and private clubs.

Committee members clarified that under this version of the bill smoking is still allowed in country stores.

“A large number of workers in our state will be able to breathe easier with this legislation,” said Betsy Vetter, Director of Government Relations for the American Heart Association and Chair for the North Carolina Alliance for Health.

“Unfortunately, the same protections afforded to white collar workers, Senators, and all state employees will not translate to many of the everyday workers around our state.” We intend to keep fighting to protect the health of as many North Carolinians as possible,” said Vetter. “The Senate must acknowledge its duty to protect the health of all workers in our state.”

It now goes to the full Senate for consideration.

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The City plans to have an open call for design ideas, conduct a juried conceptual design competition to select the winning design, and develop and implement a master plan for Moore Square. Two objectives of the project are to create a world-class public space and urban experience for the 21st century and to engage broad public participation throughout the process and in the future.

Deidre Albert, the Director of Marketing for "Marbles Museum," said making Moore Square a more purposeful space would complement area businesses and make the area more inviting and welcoming.

"I think now that we've got the convention center and that there are plans for another destination for live music to be held you know elsewhere that we could really make this the family corner of the city," Albert said.

But for some local business owners, like Angie Holder who owns the relatively new "Remedy Diner," said her business gets a lot of foot traffic from Moore Square and believes it is fine the way it is.

"I don't see what else could be done to make it any better other than having more events there," Holder said.

Sarah Pluckette, who helps with the homeless food ministry in the area, has some concerns about revitalization.

"I think it depends on what course they take, if they're keeping the homeless in mind I think it can help them out," Pluckette said.

No matter how Moore Square changes in the future, some people like painter Jason Byars, said they can change with it.

"If they're trying to revitalize this place, that's a good thing, because a lot of people enjoy it," Byars said.

The City hopes to approve a final design plan for Moore Square in early 2010, a master plan for the park by the summer 2010. The State of North Carolina, which owns Moore Square, will have to agree to the final design before construction could begin in 2011 or later, depending upon the economy.

Today, the City Council approved the first three phases of the six-phase project to redesign Moore Square --- planning, strategy and start-up activities; open call for ideas and juried conceptual design competition.

An open call for ideas will kick off the public's participation in the project, and is scheduled to be held from May to September. A series of three planning events will be held to solicit design ideas for Moore Square. Anyone will be able to submit design ideas, including residents, students at local schools and universities, neighboring landowners, park advocates and environmental groups. All ideas will be summarized, mounted and displayed in an exhibition in Downtown Raleigh. The juried conceptual design competition will start in September and include impaneling a jury to review design ideas. A ceremony will take place in early 2010 to announce the winner of the competition.