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The Walltown Children's Theatre is re-imagining the classic tale of The Pied Piper. It's called "Indigo Blue." In honor of the update, here is a portion of the poem by Robert Browning.

The nation’s largest employer plans to add 450 workers at a new perishable grocery distribution center in Mebane. The facility will serve about 120 Walmart retail stores across the region and expand the company’s workforce in the state, which current stands at about 52-thousand people. State officials touted economic expansion at a Tuesday announcement.

That's not an easy question to answer.

Earlier this week, eight Northern states filed a petition with the EPA alleging that states from the South and Midwest are producing enough smog that it's affecting the air quality downwind. But how much can be blamed on North Carolina?

On the face of it, it's likely that some of North Carolina's air pollution does seep across state lines.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation closed the Bonner Bridge last week, leaving Hatteras residents with few options for transportation to and from the mainland. In the wake of the closing, politicians have accused environmentalists of delaying construction of a replacement bridge. Activists say the blame is misplaced and the Department’s delays are at fault. 

North Carolina doesn't spend enough to keep people from smoking or help them quit. That's according to a report from a coalition of health organizations.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids report ranked North Carolina 45th in the country for spending on smoking and chewing prevention or cessation programs. The report says the state spent none of its tobacco tax revenue on those programs in fiscal year 2013.

Ricky Diaz of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says the state wants to serve its residents.

After a six-year dip in the number of traffic fatalities in North Carolina, deaths in 2012 rose by 5.5 percent. That's according to data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The federal agency says 1,292 people died in car accidents in North Carolina last year, with 33,561 fatalities occurring nationwide.

Greensboro City Councilman Zack Matheny declared his candidacy for congress Monday. He made his announcement in front of a private jet inside of an airplane hangar. He’s known as a moderate republican who will vie for the 6th congressional seat being vacated by the retiring Howard Coble.  He touted job creation, corporate recruitment and his hopes to follow Coble’s reputation for strong constituent services. Matheny was recently re-elected to his 4th term on the City Council and he’s well known in parts of the 6th district.

Angel trees are in many places in our communities: churches, malls. Each ornament on the tree has a child's name on it, and a list of gifts the child would like for the holidays. Human "angels" take the tag, go shopping, and return some of those gifts wrapped and ready in time for the holidays.

A new start-up company is trying to update the model.

"CommuniGift" is an online platform, designed to make finding and shopping for needy children and families easier.

It works a couple of different ways.

When Nyuol Tong was six years old, his family was caught in the crossfire of the Sudanese Civil War. After living in Sudanese refugee camps, and Egypt, Tong made his way to the United States. 

When Nyuol reflects on his life in Sudan and Egypt, he talks about the constant shifting he had to do in order to survive. 

"This is amazing," Audrey Brown thought. She was on a boat, speeding to Robben Island, the prison that had held South Africa's most famous political prisoner for more than twenty-five years. And the man himself, Nelson Mandela, was sitting a few feet away. Though he was South Africa's President at the time, his thoughts were personal. He talked about the first time he arrived by boat to the prison. The water that day was choppy he said. He knew that day that he would not be released for years, if ever.