At Fourth of July parades and barbecues around the Tar Heel state, Jesse Helms’ supporters recalled this father of the conservative movement as the man who stood up for traditional values and the defeat of Communism _ but still had time to help his constituents.

The University of South Carolina said it committed nine NCAA secondary violations between January and June.

The Carolina Hurricanes have traded forward Erik Cole to the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Joni Pitkanen. The deal was one of a series of moves Carolina made Tuesday, the first day of the NHL’s free agency period.

A South Carolina man convicted of killing three social workers more than a decade ago has been executed after he asked to drop his appeals.

Rep. Brad Miller is endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

THE RACE: The presidential race for Democrats in North Carolina

A group whose automated phone calls to North Carolina residents provided misleading information about voting in Tuesday’s primary election apologized and said it will stop making the calls.

Emergency workers responding to a 911 call Saturday discovered the bodies of four people in and around a suburban home. They had been shot to death.

Not since 1988 has North Carolina had much of a voice in choosing a presidential nominee. Back then, it joined several Southern states to help pick Al Gore, a neighbor from Tennessee.