The state's top liquor regulator on Wednesday proposed shrinking the number of local ABC boards in the state through mergers and putting them under the thumb of county governments. Local elected officials would have to answer for how well their liquor stores operate.

Children's advocates in North Carolina who lost a political tussle over corporal punishment in the public schools last year are trying again this year by focusing on a spanking ban for children with disabilities.

Responding to complaints from state Sen. Marc Basnight about bureaucratic obstacles to a replacement for the deteriorating N.C. 12 bridge over Oregon Inlet in Dare County, an environmental group says Basnight himself is to blame for delaying the project.

The eldest son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said in a North Carolina political appearance that he doesn't expect his father to make a run for president in 2012.

For many California areas, unemployment rates moved persistently higher in January, indicating that the national economic recovery hasn't yet translated into jobs for the Golden State.

Police investigating the death of Kathy Taft will not have to immediately release otherwise public information from the 911 calls, incident report and search warrants related to the case.

After heavy budget cuts from the state and an unprecedented leadership crisis last year, N.C. State University has become "risk averse," said incoming NCSU Chancellor Randy Woodson, vowing to jolt the university out of that defensive posture.

Because of planned state funding cuts and increases in retirement and health-care costs, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system is looking at furloughs, reduced supplements and other ways to slash $5.2 million from its budget for the 2010-2011 school year.