WFMY plagiarizes too.

GREENSBORO, NC -- I cannot criticize the News & Record for serving as a propaganda machine without noting that WFMY News2 has done the same. Here is a story from WFMY's website with the byline "Written by Nick Needham." Hardly. The portions copied word-for-word from the City's press release are highlighted.

Greensboro City Councilmember Mary Rakestraw has recommended a plan that would redistrict the current City Council district boundaries.

The recommendation requires the approval of City Council and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Guilford County, and its municipalities, is one of several counties in North Carolina required to get goverment approval anytime a redistricting proposal is presented.

Click here to see a complete list of states and counties covered under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

U.S. Supreme Court decisions suggest that if the variance between district populations - when comparing the lowest populated district with the highest - is 10 percent or less, redistricting may not be necessary according to guidelines in the 14th Amendment.

Greensboro's total variance rate is 9.2 percent, with the greatest variance existing between Districts 4 and 5.

Councilmember Rakestraw's proposal creates a population balance of 7.0 percent. The plan impacts 11 precincts, converting 10 full and one partial district into new boundaries.

While the City does not appear to be in violation of the 14th Amendment, which requires districts to be equally populated, City Council can still elect to redistrict to further reduce the existing variance and create more balance between districts.

Without redistricting, Greensboro still meets other US Department of Justice district boundary requirements, including maintaining two majority-minority districts.

Councilmember Rakestraw's proposal will be discussed during the April 19 City Council meeting.