Politics

The General Assembly could block certain future federal railroad grants offered to North Carolina in a bill given initial House approval. Full story...

North Carolina lawmakers are going home for the weekend without an agreement on premiums for the health insurance plan for state workers, teachers and retirees. Full story...

Republican senators say directing North Carolina's Democratic governor to join South Carolina and Virginia in a compact on energy production and offshore exploration would give the state a seat at the table to get its share of energy royalties. Full story...

North Carolina lawmakers have suspended a plastic bag ban for the Outer Banks to help a grocery store chain whose distribution center was destroyed by last weekend's deadly tornadoes. Full story...

Property owners who don't want their land swallowed up by a North Carolina municipality against their will may soon have a new method to stop it. Full story...

President Barack Obama has called the manager of a Sanford home improvement store who managed to get 100 people safely to the back of the store as a tornado ripped the roof off the building. Full story...

An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Full story...

Gov. Bev Perdue is vetoing legislation that would keep unemployment benefits flowing for about 37,000 long-term jobless workers but also force her to accept a double-digit budget cut. Full story...

Republican legislative leaders and Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue are weighing who'll get the blame if unemployment benefits for about 37,000 long-term jobless workers are cut off. Full story...

The leader of the North Carolina House says he's trying to alleviate the concerns of teachers and retired workers over their state health care plan that led Gov. Bev Perdue to veto a proposal to close a projected half-billion-dollar spending gap in the plan over the next two years. Full story...

House members want to limit the number of coastal jetties that could be built if legislation passes allowing coastal communities to build hardened structures. Full story...

Disagreement among Republicans about how far to go to get bipartisan support means North Carolina lawmakers are taking a new look at legislation that would expand charter schools. Full story...

House Democrats say the $1.2 billion in proposed education cuts next year rolled out by Republican counterparts this week are reckless and could lead to more than 20,000 job losses unless the GOP agrees to extend some of the temporary taxes set to expire. Full story...

Markley: "We understand the current economic situation and we are prepared to deal with severe budget cuts. However, the Draconian level of cuts proposed by the House will do irreparable harm to the students in North Carolina's public education programs and New Hanover County Schools will not be able to meet the goals we have established for our school system." Full story...

A deadline is looming for about 37,000 jobless North Carolina workers within days of losing their unemployment checks as Republican legislative leaders and Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue fight over the cost of keeping the money flowing. Full story...