Morning Headlines: Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Bill For Legislative Session Goes Beyond Charlotte Ordinance

North Carolina lawmakers are returning to work to consider halting implementation of Charlotte's new non-discrimination ordinance before it takes effect April 1.

Republican General Assembly leaders scheduled a one-day special session today. They are responding to worries from constituents and conservative activists about provisions related to transgender people and restrooms. Gay-rights groups say the ordinance should stay intact.

The Associated Press reports draft legislation would prevent other local governmetns from passing similar acts.

Coal Ash Landfill Permit To Be Discussed At Public Hearing

A public hearing is scheduled to be held in Eden to discuss Duke Energy's plans to build an industrial landfill that would handle coal ash and other waste.

The hearing planned for Wednesday evening will focus on a draft solid waste permit for Duke. The meeting will be held in Eden Town Hall.

Use Of Provisional Ballots Increases

The Guilford County Board of elections says more than three times as many people cast provisional ballots this year compared to four years ago. Those are ballots cast when a voter's eligibility is in question. They can be counted later once that eligibility is validated.

Elections director Charlie Collicutt says more than 1,000 provisional ballots were cast.

Collicutt says many of those provisional ballots came from people not registered to vote. Some also voted at precincts where they weren't assigned to vote.

He says he thinks the state's new Photo ID law may have played a part, but couldn't pinpoint how much that factored into the increase.

Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak Plans Regular High Point University Visits

The personal computer pioneer who co-founded Apple is planning to be a regular visitor at High Point University.

Steve Wozniak is scheduled to visit the school today. The university named Wozniak its first "Innovator in Residence." The role means Wozniak is expected to visit the campus at least annually for the next three years and communicate remotely more often.

University spokeswoman Pam Haynes says Wozniak on Wednesday will visit a robotics workshop with physics and math students and hold a discussion session with students in entrepreneurship, education and other disciplines.

Possible Cannon Unearthed Beneath Downtown Wilmington

What may be a historical cannon has been unearthed by construction crews in Wilmington.

Wes Horrell, a superintendent for Atlantic Construction, says that he was digging with a machine Tuesday afternoon and pulled out a large metal piece from 6 to 8 feet underground directly in front of the Alton Lennon Federal Building on Water Street.

Wilmington police spokeswoman Cathryn Lindsay says the bomb squad has called in experts from Fort Fisher's archaeological society to examine the possible cannon. The experts will work to determine whether the cannon is still loaded or explosive.

University of North Carolina at Wilmington professor Chris Fonvielle says the cannon appeared to be a Colonial or Revolutionary War-era cannon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.