Child well-being improves, lottery slips

Foster care improving in N.C.
"... The Annie E. Casey Foundation revealed its findings in the 2007 Kids Count Data Book," according to the Asheville Citizen-Times. "Each year, the foundation chooses a topic for an in-depth essay. This year’s essay is 'Lifelong Family Connections: Supporting Permanence for Children in Foster Care.'

"The foundation produces the data book annually, measuring 10 areas of child well-being in each state and ranking the states. North Carolina jumped two places in the ranking this year, from 41st to 39th. Among the categories measured are infant mortality, poverty, teen birth rate and high school dropout rates. The report also compares a number of demographic categories, like the number of children in foster care.

"North Carolina is moving in the right direction on foster care, the report says. The state is better than the nation as a whole in the number of children per 1,000 in foster care: seven, as opposed to 10 nationally. ..."

Lottery sales fall below expectations in first fiscal year
"Ticket sales for the North Carolina lottery's first fiscal year fell well short of expectations, generating about $110 million less in education funds than legislators had projected," according to the Associated Press.

"The North Carolina Education Lottery on Tuesday put another $69.4 million in a dedicated state fund for education, making the final quarterly transfer to the fund for the year ending June 30.

"The Lottery Education Fund has now received $375.3 million since the first tickets were sold in March 2006. Fund money, which is equal to at least 35 percent of net lottery revenues, is earmarked for initiatives such as class-size reduction, preschool programs, school construction and college scholarships for needy students. ..."

Not to be cynical, but how long before the lottery is allowed to really begin marketing via ways that they claimed then never would?

Quick hits: Lottery down, Bele Chere downsizing

State's lottery revenues down
"One year after the North Carolina Education Lottery launched, revenue is 26 percent below projections," says WRAL.com.

"The state began selling its first scratch-off tickets a year ago Friday. To date, the lottery has brought in $885 million, less than three-quarters of the $1.2 billion state lawmakers expected in the lottery's first year.

"Lottery officials continue to adjust the available games to try to bring in more revenue. A $5 NASCAR-themed game that was unveiled Tuesday offers a top prize of $100,000 and gives players a chance to win NASCAR-licensed merchandise or a trip to a NASCAR race. ..."

Bele Chere scales down
"The Southeast’s largest free street festival soon could be not so large or so regional," writes the Asheville Citizen-Times.

"This year’s Bele Chere, which will run July 27-29, will likely have a smaller budget and will use more local artists, food and music.

"The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to act on recommendations from the Bele Chere board of directors that include using a greater percentage of bands from Western North Carolina, making vending booths cheaper for local artists and starting a local microbrewery booth. ..."