Facts about North Carolina’s 2009 inauguration:
WHEN & WHERE: 10 a.m. Saturday, in front of the Office of Archives & History Building, 109 E. Jones St., Raleigh. This will be the seventh time the building has been the site for the inauguration, dating back to 1981 and the second term of Gov. Jim Hunt. The event, which is open to the public, will begin with a concert, followed by the actual ceremony at 10:30 a.m. About 5,000 chairs will be set up for the event.
WHO: The ten members of the Council of State elected in November will be sworn in to office, capped by administration of the oath of office for Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue by state Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarah Parker. Incumbents getting sworn in for additional four-year terms are Attorney General Roy Cooper; Secretary of State Elaine Marshall; Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry; Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson; and Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.
NEWCOMERS: Four people will begin their first terms on the Council: Walter Dalton as lieutenant governor; Beth Wood, state auditor; Janet Cowell, state treasurer; and Wayne Goodwin, insurance commissioner.
CEREMONY HIGHLIGHTS: Television icon Andy Griffith, a Manteo resident, will give a special reading. William Swart, 12, of Fuquay-Varina, will lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Swart’s father is a National Guard member training to deploy to Iraq. A military flyover and 19-gun salute for Perdue also are expected. Outgoing Gov. Mike Easley, Hunt and former Gov. Jim Holshouser are scheduled to attend.
PARADE AND OPEN HOUSE: The inaugural parade will begin at 12:30 p.m. and travel up Fayetteville Street north toward the old Capitol building. The Executive Mansion, located at 200 N. Blount St., will be open to the public from 2:30-5:30 p.m.
PRAYER SERVICE: An Inaugural Service for Prayer and Worship will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the historically black First Baptist Church on Capitol Square in downtown Raleigh. The event is open to the public.
HAVING A BALL: The Junior League of Raleigh again will host the Inaugural Ball on Friday night from 9 p.m.-midnight at the new Raleigh Convention Center. A Gala Presentation for ball participants begins at 8 p.m. and features performers Branford Marsalis, Eric Church and Vienna Teng, among others. Tickets for the ball and gala are $125 and can still be purchased one hour before Friday’s event. The governor-elect’s reception is sold out. For information, go to http://www.ncgovernorsball.com or call 919-783-8863.
WHO’S PAYING: The state has a $250,000 budget for putting on the inauguration, excluding events organized by the Junior League of Raleigh. The actual expenses for these events will fall well below that amount, said Tim Crowley, a spokesman for Perdue’s inauguration. The ball and other Junior League festivities are sponsored by corporations, outside groups and individuals. Net proceeds from the League events will go to the League’s new Center for Community Leadership to benefit nonprofits statewide.
