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Despite a public blasting from state and local officials, the Southern Environmental Law Center says it plans to move forward with a lawsuit opposing replacing the Bonner Bridge.

"We have no plans to drop this lawsuit," said Derb Carter, Director the SELC North Carolina offices. "We're filing briefs next week. We are doing everything we can to make sure the case proceeds promptly to a conclusion."

An advisory group that’s analyzing options for a new state law on shale gas drilling may recommend to lawmakers that they not require energy companies disclose all the chemicals they use when extracting gas. 

Franklin Graham is joining many well known North Carolinians in expressing his condolences on the passing of Nelson Mandela. The Christian evangelist and son of Billy Graham spoke with WUNC News Friday.  The younger Graham said he will remember Mandela as a freedom fighter, and man of forgiveness.  "The South African regime under Apartheid was afraid of him." says Franklin Graham.  "But they didn’t need to be afraid of him. Because when he came out of prison he never, never tried to be vindictive. He never tried to go back and get even. Nelson Mandela looked forward looked forward not backward.

North Carolina State University recently beefed up its toxicology database, which could help revolutionize pharmaceutical research.

NC State's Comparitive Toxicogenomics Database already cataloged the harmful health impacts of environmental chemicals, like arsenic. Then pharmaceutical giant Pfizer collaborated with the CTD to add unintended side effects of therapeutic drugs.

When NC NAACP President William Barber sparred with state budget director Art Pope about the state’s political policies, it made headlines. The exchange spun off of a press conference where Barber announced plans to picket stores owned by Pope.

Kat Robichaud was a musician long before she got her big break on this season of NBC’s  “The Voice.” She was in a cover band for years before landing a spot on the hit television series. She was eliminated from the show a few weeks ago, but said on the State of Things today that her time there was a highlight of her career.

"It was a dream come true," she said. "It was amazing."

If you use a cell phone to call 9-1-1 from your home or office, there's a good chance the dispatch center will receive inaccurate coordinates to your location. That's according to a report from the Federal Communications Commission.

Wireless providers deliver location information to 9-1-1 centers with each call. Land line calls include a name and address. The FCC established location accuracy standards when people generally used land lines at home and cell phones on the road. But now, 70 percent of 9-1-1 calls come from cell phones.

How much would you pay for Six Geese-a-Laying?  What about a Partridge in a Pear Tree?

An economic analysis by PNC’s Wealth Management Division crunches the numbers and highlights just how much a loved one could end up spending this holiday season.

“On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me, a Partridge in a Pear Tree," sang members of the North Carolina Master Chorale Chamber Choir.

North Carolinians are joining leaders around the world in remembering Nelson Mandela's legacy. The former South African president died Thursday in Johannesburg. He was 95. Those who watched Mandela emerge from decades of captivity to national leader say he brought a charm  not found in most political figures.

James Joseph is professor emeritus at Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy. He served as U.S. ambassador to South Africa during much of Mandela's presidency.

Every college football season, there’s usually one team that turns out to be a surprise. This year, it’s Duke.

The Blue Devils have won ten games-- the most in school history. It’s a big turnaround for a team long overshadowed by basketball and a laughingstock of the Atlantic Coast Conference. But now, Duke is headed to the ACC championship game.

The team earned its invitation to the ACC over the weekend, after it beat UNC.  At a sports bar near campus, lifelong Duke fans Larry Goss and Bobbi Harris hugged each other with tears in their eyes.