Environmental group makes Raleigh municipal race endorsements

The Capital Group Sierra Club has announced its endorsements for the Raleigh municipal elections set for Oct. 9:

* For Raleigh mayor, the group has endorsed incumbent Charles Meeker, who's running unopposed.

*In District A, Sierra's choice is Nancy McFarlane, who's challenging incumbent Tommy Craven.

* In District B, it endorsed Rodger Koopman, who's running against incumbent Jessie Taliaferro, as well as another challenger, Angel Menendez.

* The group declined to make any endorsement in District C, where incumbent James West is running unopposed.

* In District D, it endorsed Thomas Crowder, the incumbent who's running unopposed.

* It didn't make any endorsement in District E, where incumbent Philip Isley is running unopposed.

* And in the at-large race, Sierra endorsed incumbent Russ Stephenson. Also running for one of the two at-large seats are Paul Anderson, Mary-Ann Baldwin, Will Best, Helen Tart and David Williams.

To learn more about the candidates and the issues, check out the Independent's endorsements online here. The Independent also endorsed the $88.6 million parks bond issue that will be on this year's ballot; that money will be used for projects including greenway acquisitions along the Neuse River.

For more details about the upcoming election, including a copy of the composite ballot and a list of one-stop voting sites, visit the Wake County Board of Election's Web site.