Here are some of the stories we're following today:
N. Carolina General Assembly Completes Votes On Final Budget
The General Assembly finally has a North Carolina state budget to hand to Gov. Pat McCrory.
The Legislature completed voting on the two-year spending plan to run state government early Friday just past midnight, when the House agreed the second time to a proposal developed after a nearly three-month standoff between House and Senate Republicans over policy and spending.
The Senate already formally signed off on the measure earlier in the week.
McCrory says he's prepared to sign the budget bill into law before the third temporary government spending provision this summer — a symptom of the unusually lengthy negotiations — expired late Thursday night.
The final House vote was 81-33, with 11 Democrats joining all Republicans voting in support of the agreement.
Bike Lanes And Beehives In Final Bill
The General Assembly has finished work on changes to local government regulations ranging from restaurant sanitation and vegetative buffers to land use planning and beehive ownership.
The Senate and House voted separately Thursday for the assorted changes found in a compromise measure that was almost as notable for the items left out than what was kept in.
The final bill removed efforts to restrict bike lanes on municipal streets and roads and appears to tamp down previously considered restrictions on pollution-preventing buffers along some river basins. Local governments won't be able to exceed buffer requirements starting in 2017 unless the Environmental Management Commission approves exceptions.
Cities and counties also would be unable to regulate anyone possessing five or fewer beehives.
House Speaker Says There's Support For All March Primaries
It sounds like North Carolina Republican legislative leaders are ready to move all 2016 primaries — not just the presidential election — to mid-March.
House Speaker Tim Moore told reporters early Friday there's consensus with Senate leaders to put all primary elections on the same date — that's March 15. It was an idea GOP lawmakers confirmed recently they were considering to save expenses and streamline elections.
Primaries for governor, U.S. Senate and the legislature are currently set for May. Republicans already are moving up Democratic and GOP presidential primaries to wield more influence in nominations.
Bill Approved Requesting Rev. Graham Statue In US Capitol
A proposal for North Carolina to place a statue of the Rev. Billy Graham inside the U.S. Capitol has received the final OK from the General Assembly.
The Senate voted unanimously Thursday after little debate for the measure asking a congressional committee to approve Graham's likeness as one of the two the state contributes to the Capitol.
The 96-year-old evangelist grew up in Charlotte and lives in Montreat. He's often near the top of most-admired lists and was the leading face of the evangelical movement during the late 20th century.
NC State's Moxley Back To Work After Offseason Health Issue
North Carolina State men's basketball assistant coach Rob Moxley is back to full duties after a life-threatening offseason health scare.
The 46-year-old Moxley was hospitalized for several days in May and was on medical leave for a time, though the school didn't specify the nature of his medical issue. In his first public comments Thursday, Moxley said he had complications from diabetes that ultimately led to him going into cardiac arrest in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. He also had "a few strokes."
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