If you live anywhere near a college campus and don’t have a compelling reason to attend the half-dozen or so graduations going on in the Triangle and Triad, this might be a good weekend to get out of town. Tens of thousands of family and friends are set to descend on Durham, Raleigh, and Greensboro for commencement events throughout the weekend.

There seems to be strong investor demand on the New York Stock Exchange for North Carolina-based Quintiles.

Trading began today for the drug-testing company at $40 a share, and by mid-day – shares were up to almost $44.  The price closed at $42.

Phil Bridges, a spokesman for Quintiles, says this is an iconic moment in the company's history.

Senate lawmakers have passed a bill that would allow patients to compare prices for medical procedures.
Senate Bill 473 would require hospitals to make the cost of common inpatient and outpatient procedures public.

The State House has passed a bill that would require basic standards of care for commercial dog-breeding operations.

The "puppy mill bill," as it's known, would apply to facilities with more than ten breeding females. Breeders would have to provide food and water, exercise, appropriate housing, vet care, and humane euthanasia if needed.

As the details about three rescued women in Cleveland, Ohio unfolds, we offer a story from contributor Scott Carrier. He lived in Salt Lake City when 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was abducted and then lived basically in plain sight for months. He says that we can be blind to what is right in front of us.

  The Rhino Times has been the signature conservative newspaper in the Triad since January of 1992. But it’s recently announced its closing, after 21 years of service. In other news, today marks the centennial anniversary of the joining of Winston and Salem, to become Winston-Salem.

Music production is often considered a very “human” creation. But scientists have recently discovered the songs of mice, elephants, and other animals that human ears are unable to capture.  Scientists and musicians in Greensboro have been exploring the world of biomusic, music produced by nature, beneath the ocean surface.

Veryan Khan has devoted the last decade to researching terrorist groups across the globe. Trackingterrorism.org is a database created by Khan, to curate information about different terrorist groups.

Campbell University students will become the first in North Carolina to take courses toward a major in Homeland Security.  About 50 students are already on the path to the four-year undergraduate degree. The courses will familiarize them with domestic and international terrorist groups and delve into the background of countries where terror organizations have historically formed.

Trading on the New York Stock Exchange begins Thursday for North Carolina-based Quintiles.

The company announced late Wednesday that it is selling about 23.7 million shares of its common stock to the public at $40 a share. That would raise nearly $950 million in this initial public offering for the bio-pharmaceutical services company.