The deaths of three North Carolina icons and a superstorm that left a lasting impression are among the Tar Heel State's top stories of 2012.
Andy Griffith, folk musician Doc Watson and University of North Carolina system President William Friday all died this past year.
Another well-known North Carolina figure went through an embarrassing criminal trial last spring but avoided prison time. A jury acquitted former Sen. John Edwards of a campaign finance charge and deadlocked on five other felony counts, prompting the judge to declare a mistrial.
Superstorm Sandy didn't come ashore in North Carolina, but it chewed up N.C. Highway 12 on Hatteras Island, shutting down the highway for almost two months and leaving taxpayers with a tab of $8 million to $10 million for a temporary fix.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Posted: 05/07/2013 - The North Carolina Attorney General says just requesting information online for a payday loan can put your information and your money at risk.
Updated: 03/12/2013 - Federal officials have helped the family of a Raleigh woman recover $45,000 of the nearly $200,000 that she lost to Jamaican scammers who told her that she had won a lottery prize.
Posted: 01/15/2013 - The N.C. Attorney General's Office says they received more than 600 calls in 2012 about getting telemarketing calls pitching alarm systems.
Updated: 12/14/2012 - Wayne County deputies have charged two men and a woman for scamming people into donating to Toys for Tots and local fire departments.
Updated: 11/15/2012 - A startling message is popping up on computers everywhere claiming to be from the FBI saying your computer is locked and you're under investigation.
Updated: 11/08/2012 - As you get started on your holiday shopping list, online shopping can be a great way to snag a great deal. However, not all internet merchants are created equal, and low prices can blind consumers from spotting counterfeit items.
Posted: 08/23/2012 - With less than three months until the election in November, election-related scams are popping up. Here's one to avoid.
Updated: 08/17/2012 - The Federal Trade Commission wants parents to know that many school forms require personal and sensitive information that, in the wrong hands, could be used to commit fraud in your child's name
Updated: 08/01/2012 - The Pitt County Board of Elections says if a woman claiming to work for the agency knocks on your door, you're asked to call the board.