First lady Michelle Obama is planning to visit Raleigh and Charlotte to meet with military families, school children and to make remarks in advance of this summer's Democratic National Convention in the Queen City.

Eleven candidates have said they will seek the office being vacated by Beverly Perdue, but one has yet to officially file. The filing period ends Wednesday at noon.

Many continue to feel the effects of the economy, and the fine arts department at East Carolina University is no exception.

Feeling like a normal kid now, Tuesday Evan Salerno was helping others recover and get healthy by raising money for the the hospital that helped him heal.

The group will examine whether unemployment fraud penalties are similar to those for other acts of fraud and how to make workforce training and job placement a key mission of the recently revamped state Division of Unemployment Security.

The group called State Review of Oil & Natural Gas Environmental Regulations made no recommendations on whether North Carolina should allow fracking, but said if it happens, state regulations would have to be prepared.

Republican Rep. Walter Jones filed the bill Tuesday, saying the federal government should remember that Cape Hatteras was established as a recreational area for people who need access to the beach.

A dog that survived a car crash in South Dakota that killed its owner has been united with the late master's three sons from North Carolina.

Lawmakers are looking to make it tougher for copper thieves to sell scrap metal, and they're getting creative about how to get it done.

Supporters say keno could boost earnings for education, while opponents say the game is highly addictive.

A businessman from just north of Charlotte who is a former ECU student body president has entered the race for governor on the Republican ticket with some innovative and unique views.

Authorities in Rockingham County have arrested two illegal immigrants living in Reidsville after sheriff's deputies seized more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana and $600,000 in cash.

A North Carolina law that allows part-time lawmakers to add an expense stipend to their base salary when calculating retirement benefits boosts their pensions by more than 30 percent.

A group that plans to mount a novel third-party presidential campaign is poised to get on the North Carolina ballot.

College graduates interested in becoming high school science, math and technology teachers now have a new option for certification.

Occupy Charlotte members are waiting the weekend for a judge to decide whether the city's new anti-camping ordinance violates constitutional rights or is reasonable ahead of the Democratic National Convention.

The N.C. Forest Service is advising residents to avoid burning yard debris because of weather conditions and the potential for increased fire danger.

Charles Kenneth Moss of Randolph County and Paul Wright of Wayne County joined the GOP race Friday when they filed candidacy papers with the state elections board.

Richard Speer of Fayetteville on Friday became the third Republican to challenge U.S. Rep Renee Ellmers for the 2nd Congressional District seat representing the central Piedmont. They face Sonya Holmes of Broadway and Clement Munno of Aberdeen in the GOP primary in May.

A seventh person has been arrested on charges related to an animal cruelty case at a Butterball turkey farm in Hoke County.

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan is against a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit gay marriage in North Carolina because she says it would harm the state's ability to recruit business and jobs and have negative consequences for families and children.

This morning's fatal fire, in which three children died, brings the number of people killed in fires in North Carolina so far in 2012 to 13. About half those victims were from Eastern Carolina.

A fire on a school bus in Charlotte earlier this month has prompted a state-wide inspection of all public school system buses.

Three vacant rental homes in the village of Waves on the outer banks caught fire in the last three weeks and all three are being called suspicious fires.

Lenoir County Schools students and staff originally were supposed to have this Friday off, but they have a make-up day for time they were forced to be out of school during Hurricane Irene.