Here are some of the stories we're following today:

Panel Revising Common Core Standards: Change Requires Money

Part of the lawmaker-created panel revising Common Core academic targets that North Carolina's public school students must meet says schools need more money to deliver strong academic results.

The Academic Standards Review Commission was scheduled Monday to hear draft reports on how to revise math and English language lessons. Its recommendations are months away.

A committee that reviewed the English standards says changes will have to include money for conforming textbooks, summer school for students at every grade who need help catching up, and enough teachers and teaching assistants in reasonably sized classrooms.

Still No Agreement On Spending Levels In Late NC Budget

Top legislative leaders at the North Carolina General Assembly are still working toward reaching a milestone in their negotiations on a state budget that's nearly seven weeks overdue.

House and Senate Republicans exchanged proposals late last week that seek to finalize how much the chambers would agree to spend in the two-year plan. House Rules Chairman David Lewis of Dunn said Monday his chamber was waiting to hear back from the Senate on their latest offer.

The legislature has passed two temporary spending measures to operate state government in the meanwhile, with the latest expiring Aug. 31.

Ex-NC Rep. Laroque To Begin Serving 2-Year Prison Sentence

A former North Carolina state legislator is ready to serve time for the crime of stealing money from a federally funded rural development organization he founded. But he's not going quietly.

Former House member of Stephen LaRoque says he had to report to the federal prison in Butner by midday Tuesday for his two-year sentence.

LaRoque pleaded guilty in January to one count of taking $150,000 from East Carolina Development Co. Prosecutors argued he used the money for personal benefit. The Kinston Republican distributed a statement to media outlets over the weekend. He says he only took money owed to him in deferred salary that he planned to repay after getting an inheritance.

LaRoque called his prosecution a "witch hunt" and accused prosecutors of targeting him for his political activism.

Rower Who Crossed Atlantic Rescued Off North Carolina

An American rower who crossed the Atlantic to raise AIDS awareness was rescued off North Carolina while rowing north on the final leg of the journey up the East Coast.

Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Canup says a Coast Guard vessel aided Victor Mooney on Thursday night. Mooney set off a locator beacon after taking on water near the Alligator River.

He hopes to row another 400 miles to the Brooklyn Bridge. He had left the Canary Islands off Africa in February and reached the Caribbean island of St. Maarten in late June.

Tiger Woods To Play In Greensboro This Week

 

Tiger Woods will play the Wyndham Championship for the first time.

In an email to The Associated Press on Monday, agent Mark Steinberg confirmed that Woods will play in Greensboro this week.

That ends a few days of uncertainty around Sedgefield County Club, the site of the final tournament of golf's regular season.

The first round begins Thursday.

 

 

 

 

 

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