Gov. Pat McCrory has appointed Supreme Court Justice Mark Martin to the Chief Justice seat on North Carolina’s highest court, effectively making Martin the incumbent in his General Election race against Superior Court Judge Ola Lewis. Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson analyzes the appointment, as well as a subsequent appointment to fill Martin’s vacant seat – which also impacts the dynamics of the November ballot. The governor could have issued a press release to announce the appointment of Mark Martin to replace retiring Chief Justice Sarah Parker. Instead McCrory hosted an announcement event in the old House chambers of the State Capitol, with comments from McCrory, Martin, and supporters from both major political parties. You’ll hear highlights from that event. Then we turn to a years-long legal battle over political advertising. Raleigh attorney Gene Boyce recently settled his 14-year legal battle with N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper. Though Boyce did not have chance to make his libel case against Cooper in court, he did share details of that case during a public presentation this summer. That’s followed by an in-depth look at North Carolina’s plans to begin issuing permits for hydraulic fracturing in 2015. Critics say fracking is unsafe and shouldn’t be allowed. But N.C. Energy Forum chairman Algenon Cash disagrees. He discusses the potential economic benefits from hydraulic fracturing for shale gas, as well as the prospects for offshore energy exploration. And finally, we look at myths about fracking, particularly when it comes to the chemicals used in the process. John Locke Foundation Director of Regulatory Studies Jon Sanders discusses what’s in the water that’s pumped into wells and why advances in well construction have proven successful in keeping fracking safe and environmentally sound.