7 North Carolina men charged with terror conspiracy, accused of advancing ‘violent jihad’

RALEIGH, N.C. — A father, his two sons and four other men living in North Carolina are accused of mililtary-style training at home and plotting “violent jihad” abroad, federal authorities said Monday.

Duke Energy seeks to increase SC rates by an average 9.3 percent for residential customers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Duke Energy said Monday that it will ask South Carolina regulators to boost rates by an average 9.3 percent for residential customers to help recover costs for pollution control equipment, new generation and transmission and distribution systems.

Lorillard 2nd-quarter profit climbs as market share for Newport cigarettes increases

RICHMOND, Va. — Tobacco seller Lorillard Inc. said Monday that its second-quarter profit climbed 32 percent, more than twice the increase Wall Street expected, as the company raised prices and sold more cigarettes.

Autopsy says 3 workers killed in NC Slim Jim factory collapse were crushed to death

RALEIGH, N.C. — Autopsies show three workers killed in the collapse of a Slim Jim factory in North Carolina were crushed to death.

ATM glitch affects some Washington Mutual customers looking to withdrawal money

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Some Washington Mutual customers were unable to access their money through WaMu ATMs for about 90 minutes early Friday morning.

Bank of America names chief accounting officer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bank of America Corp. said Thursday that Neil A. Cotty will become chief accounting officer, returning to a job he held before.

NC sheriff’s deputy uses Chevrolet Corvette Z06 with top speed of 198 mph to stop speeders

RALEIGH, N.C. — At least one sheriff’s deputy in North Carolina won’t have any trouble catching speeders. Multiple media outlets reported Wednesday that the Wake County Sheriff’s Department has a Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Chevrolet said the car has a top track speed of 198 mph, with a base sticker price of $74,875. Its V8 racing engine generates 505 horsepower.

SC Gov. Sanford arrives in Europe for 2-week family vacation, a month after revealing affair

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and his family have arrived in London for a two-week European vacation.

Reynolds American 2nd-qtr profit rises 4 percent, lifts full-year adjusted earnings forecast

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Reynolds American Inc. said Thursday that its second-quarter profit climbed 4 percent even as sales at the nation’s second-largest cigarette company ticked down slightly.

Wells Fargo posts 2nd-quarter profit of $2.6 billion, helped by Wachovia acquisition

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Wells Fargo & Co. joined other big banks in announcing a big second-quarter profit and tempering the news by reporting it is still contending with losses from failed loans.

Mayfield court filing claims independent test negative for methamphetamines

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An independent drug test on Jeremy Mayfield was negative for methamphetamines, contradicting the results of a NASCAR test taken 40 minutes earlier, the driver claimed in court documents filed Tuesday.

VF to issue regular quarterly dividend of 59 cents, payable on Sept. 18

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Apparel maker VF Corp. on Tuesday declared a regular quarterly dividend of 59 cents, payable on Sept. 18 to shareholders of record as of Sept. 8.

VF says it continues to expect revenue to decline in 2009, due to weak economy, strong dollar

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Apparel maker VF Corp. on Tuesday reiterated its expectations that 2009 earnings and revenue will fall in 2009, due to the weak economy and the stronger dollar.

Outer Banks travel guide looking for visitor photos

MANTEO, N.C. — The Outer Banks Official Travel Guide could feature you next year.

Germany’s Continental to expand NC brakes plant despite worldwide slump in automobile sales

RALEIGH, N.C. — A subsidiary of German auto parts maker Continental AG plans to expand operations at a North Carolina brake systems plant as it looks ahead to North American automakers eventually revving up production again.

Cox Enterprises agrees to sell 13 North Carolina newspapers to Cooke Communications

GREENVILLE, N.C. — Cox Enterprises Inc. said Monday it has agreed to sell more than a dozen North Carolina newspapers to a company headed by the son of late billionaire Jack Kent Cooke.

Ray Shaw, former AP staffer, chairman of American City Business Journals, dies after bee sting

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ray Shaw, a former Associated Press newsman and chairman of American City Business Journals, has died of complications from an insect sting. He was 75.

Analysis: Sotomayor’s words in Senate hearings don’t count once she joins the Supreme Court

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Once Sonia Sotomayor is confirmed to the Supreme Court, all those hours of predictable questions and cautious replies at her Senate confirmation hearings will be filed and forgotten as she judges the way she sees fit. Nobody can hold her to what she’s said.

BofA posts profit of $2.4 billion, beating estimates, in sign banks may be recovering

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bank of America joined other major banks in reporting better-than-expected second quarter income Friday, earning $2.42 billion even as losses from failed loans continued to rise.

BofA posts 2nd-quarter profit of $2.4 billion, beating Street, in sign banks may be recovering

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bank of America joined the nation’s other big banks in reporting better than expected earnings, posting a $2.42 billion second-quarter profit even as losses from failed loans continued to rise.

A GOP appointee, US attorney in NC keeps chasing big-name Dems, whose party won’t push him out

BEAUFORT, N.C. — Having swapped his hip-holstered Blackberry for fishing pliers, the U.S. attorney for eastern North Carolina watches closely from the captain’s chair aboard the 45-foot “Jolly Mon” as his crew prepares for a day on the water.

Investment banking gains vault JPMorgan Chase to $2.72 billion profits; Credit losses increase

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The banking industry has another winner.

Man calls 911 to report he’s robbing a bank, gets no money but insists on being arrested

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. — A man insisted on being arrested after he walked into a western North Carolina bank while on the phone with a 911 operator to report that he planned to commit a robbery. The Asheville Citizen-Times reported the man insisted on being arrested after an officer walked in behind him Wednesday at the Wachovia bank branch in Waynesville.

NC woman’s 4 pieces of 18th-century jade set ‘Antiques Roadshow’ record with $1M appraisal

RALEIGH, N.C. — Jinx Taylor always thought her father had impeccable taste. Now she knows it’s true.

JPMorgan Chase posts 2nd-quarter profit of $2.72 billion helped by investment banking business

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — JPMorgan Chase & Co. posted a 36 percent jump in second-quarter profit Thursday, easily surpassing analysts’ expectations, as strength in investment banking offset higher credit losses.

Madoff arrives at NC federal prison to begin 150-year sentence

BUTNER, N.C. — Bernard Madoff’s life of luxury is a thing of the past. The disgraced financier blamed for what is believed to be the largest Ponzi scheme in history arrived Tuesday at a federal prison in North Carolina to begin a 150-year sentence in a cell with two bunk beds, a toilet and a sink.

NC investigates why slain man suspected of becoming SC serial killer was released from jail

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina parole officer overloaded with cases should not be blamed for failing to tell jail officers to keep behind bars a career criminal who later killed five people, authorities said Tuesday.

Explore themed driving trails in Fayetteville, NC, from adventure to history

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — The site of Babe’s Ruth first professional home run and a hotel visited by the Marquis de Lafayette are two of the many historic attractions on a dozen themed trails in and around Fayetteville, N.C.

CIT Group shares tumble as it talks with regulators on ways to improve its near-term liquidity

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Shares of diversified lender CIT Group Inc. plunged Monday even as U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner indicated there could be help for the ailing company.

NASCAR: Driver Jeremy Mayfield’s latest drug test still being analyzed

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR was still analyzing Jeremy Mayfield’s latest drug test Friday, four days after demanding the driver submit to a random test.