Beverly Earle

In the past couple of weeks, we've seen an assault from Republican media and the Charlotte Observer on the character of our mayoral candidate, Beverly Earle. But it's clear that she's above the bunk being thrown at her lately:

Sitting there in a stylish, dark-green outfit, eyes sparkling, Earle radiates a surprising level of confidence and fire, especially for a candidate who, having hardly gotten out of the gate, has already been raked over the coals by the Observer for minor finance reporting oversights.

Her recent experience with the press is evidently on her mind when she says, chuckling, "Pleased to meet you ... I think."

Darn, it's hard to get back in the blogging saddle. I feel like I've completely lost touch with what's going on. To ease back in, I thought I'd do a little roundup of what's going on in this area.

Some of you might remember when I mentioned the group that doesn't want Mecklenburg residents to have funds to provide adequate public transportation. They call themselves SCAT. Jay Morrison is the man who started the petition drive to repeal the half-cent transit sales tax by putting it on the ballot this fall. Repealing that tax would take money from all mass transit, not just the light rail system.

This has been embargoed until the filing today, but NC State Rep. Beverly Earle (D-NC-101) just filed the papers necessary to run for Mayor of Charlotte. She is in her seventh term as a state representative and has served as the Democratic Whip and Caucus Chair.

From the Observer:

Earle, who is in her seventh term, was the first black woman elected to the N.C. House from Mecklenburg County. She has been an advocate for women, children and mental health reform. She has been a leader in the N.C. Legislative Black Caucus and is past president of the Carolinas Association of Black Women Entrepreneurs.