People say there's nothing like Southern hospitality. Perhaps they should take a trip to Texas.
During the Charlotte Chamber's trip to Austin last week, trip planner Marilyn Monson surprised the 130 participants with a shindig at a 300-acre ranch owned by Austin developer Bill Duvall.
As the sun set in the rolling hills, a mariachi band serenaded the city, county and business leaders as they emerged from three tour buses into the main house. It featured an open bar and lots of windows overlooking the Colorado River.
Out back, guests lounged in easy chairs next to the swimming pool, fire pit and around tables at several carriage houses on the property.
But the star attraction was Bevo. Duvall, a University of Texas booster, arranged a special appearance by the university's beloved longhorn mascot.
Ranch hands used ropes to keep the 1,200-pound steer from hooking guests as they lined up to take photos.
Republican Mayor Pat McCrory teasingly offered to pay Bevo to nudge councilwoman Susan Burgess. But the steer
ignored him and actually struck a pose for the Democrat as she smiled for her snapshot in a suede cowboy hat. -- victoria cherrie
Democrats want just 1 job for Merritt
The N.C. Democratic Party is trying to nudge State Auditor Les Merritt, a Republican, into retiring from his outside gig.Democrats said they dropped off a "retirement cake" at Merritt's office about noon Friday. They want him to keep a promise to quit his outside job as a financial planner, a career he began before he was elected auditor in 2004. Merritt has drawn criticism for continuing the work, and his office told the Triangle Business Journal last month that he would quit June 30.
No doubt that Democrats want him to "retire" from another job, too, beginning in January 2009. Merritt is running for re-election. No challengers have announced. -- David Ingram
Thompson met by spending message
S.C. Republicans weren't the only ones waiting to greet would-be presidential candidate Fred Thompson on a steamy day in Columbia this week. So was the OreoMobile.
The OreoMobile is a yellow van with Vermont tags and a trailer pulled behind. On the trailer is a three-dimensional bar chart of plastic, tire-sized Oreo cookies stacked to depict categories of federal spending. The highest pile: Pentagon spending.
The point of the mobile display, sponsored by a group called Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, is that defense spending could be reduced. The group was founded a few years ago by Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream.
Said Aaron Rubin, the self-described Oreo-wrangler, "It's a sweet message for South Carolina." -- jim morrill
