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JOURNAL STAFF AND WIRE REPORT Published: July 15, 2010 Updated: 07/15/2010 01:05 am Utilities want renewable law to count chips CHARLOTTE -- North Carolina electric utilities want a state law requiring them to use renewable fuels to count wood chips tossed into a coal-fired power plant. The N.C. Utilities Commission heard opinions yesterday about what kind of wood should be burned to generate power. Two environmental groups have challenged Duke Energy' Corp.'s plans to burn wood with coal at a Rowan County plant. The Environmental Defense Fund and Southern Environmental Law Center said that the state energy law refers to "wood waste," not cutting down trees. Utilities wouldn't have to replant trees. The N.C. Sustainable Energy Association said that burning wood with coal is very inefficient and most of the energy goes up the smokestack. -- AP WFU law school names Reynolds as executive associate dean Suzanne Reynolds, a professor of law at Wake Forest University, has been named as the law school's executive associate dean for academic affairs. She replaces Ron Wright, who will become the law school's institutional researcher. Wright had been the executive associate dean for the past three years. Reynolds teaches family law at the law school and ran unsuccessfully for the N.C. Supreme Court in 2008. "Suzanne's respect in all segments, including the law school, university at large, and legal community, ensures her success in the passion and the law school's continued ascension," said Blake Morant, the dean of the law school. -- Michael Hewlett Bats in cabin lead anti-drug camp to send children home HENDERSONVILLE -- Children attending a summer camp in the North Carolina mountains are going home after bats moved into a cabin and a recreational building. The anti-drug camp that Sheriff Rick Davis of Henderson County runs for youths has been canceled for this week and next. Davis said that the camp sponsored by his agency's Drug Abuse Resistance Education program closed because of the risk that children might be exposed to a rabid bat. The DARE camp was being held for the first time at Camp Pinnacle near Hendersonville. a spokeswoman said that the camp's location in the woods has never had a bat problem before. -- AP UNC Charlotte offers students the option of renting textbooks CHARLOTTE -- UNC Charlotte is giving students the option of renting rather than buying textbooks in the fall semester. The university is offering textbook rental with Barnes & Noble College Booksellers. The school said that students will be able to rent textbooks for 45 percent of the cost of buying them. Students may highlight or mark the rented books, which must be returned within 10 days of the last day of finals, either in person or by mail. they can convert their rental to a purchase during the first two weeks of classes. -- AP Benefit motorcycle ride, festival planned Saturday at speedway NORTH WILKESBORO -- Dream Ride 2010, a benefit motorcycle ride and festival, will begin and end Saturday at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Riders will register from 8 to 9:30 a.m. and depart on the ride at 10 a.m. The festival will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will feature displays by NASCAR, IndyCar and Orange County Choppers; car shows , with Wilkes County Cruisers as the host; plane and motorcycle stunts; music by classic-rock cover band Black Glass; a children's area; and more. The festival will include the first local showing of the custom Window World chopper, designed and built by Paul Teutul Sr., the owner of Orange County Choppers and a star of the TV reality show American Chopper. The motorcycle ride is open to all licensed riders. Ticket prices are $25 for riders and $10 for passengers. Admission to the festival only is $10, with children 12 and younger free. Proceeds benefit Ebenezer Christian Children's Home and Window World's charitable foundation, Window World Cares, which supports St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Window World is based in North Wilkesboro. For more information about the festival, visit dreamride2010.com or call 336-667-5683. -- Journal staff

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