Attorney General Roy Cooper raised $2.8 million in his successful re-election campaign.

Cooper, a Democrat, reported raising $282,193 from Oct. 19 to the end of the year, according to campaign finance disclosures.

Cooper's largest contributors for the quarter included Charles Barker, chief executive of Concord-based ACN, Inc., a telecommunications company; Thomas Belk, chief executive of the Belk department store, Jim and Ann Goodnight; and Michael DeMayo, a Charlotte lawyer.

Cooper also received significant contributions from committees affiliated with Citigroup, GlaxoSmithKline and Smithfield Foods.

Cooper spent $2.5 million on his run for Attorney General. He has $367,000 left in his campaign account.

Gov. Mike Easley and First Lady Mary Easley handed out the annual North Carolina Awards Monday evening to leaders in public service, science, fine arts and literature.

Author Charles Frazier, philanthropist Ann Goodnight, former Gov. Jim Martin and former UNC mens basketball coach Dean Smith are among the recipients.

The awards recognize leaders in the state in each of those fields, and this year is the 45th presentation of the gold medalion suspended from a red, white and blue ribbon. The state legislature created the awards in 1961, and the first set was handed out in 1964.

Past recipients include poet Maya Angelou and singer/songwriter James Taylor.

Below, a complete list of winners and their achievements.

Three members of the State Board of Education are in line to travel to China in November, if a few companies open their checkbooks.

Board members Wayne McDevitt, Patricia N. Willoughby and  Melissa Bartlett are invited to a conference of “education ministers” as part of the board's exchange program with China’s Jiangsu Province.

Board chairman Howard Lee said he was looking to raise up to $20,000 for their trip from GlaxoSmithKline, Lenovo, and Jim and Ann Goodnight. Jim Goodnight is the SAS Institute CEO.

The state board and the provincial education department formally agreed this year to collaborate on classroom and student projects, hold joint conference and host exchanges for students and teachers.

Teachers from China visited North Carolina last spring. The N.C. Center for International Understanding sent 23 teachers and principals to China last year. No state money was used for their travel.

This November's conference registration fee includes sightseeing on the final two days, including a visit to the Great Wall, the Olympic stadium and Tiananmen Square.

McDevitt said board members may not be able to stay for the days that include trips to tourist attractions because they want to visit partnership schools.

The partnership aims to give North Carolina students the chance to work on projects with students from other countries, learn other languages and engage in other activities they’ll need for the workplace, said Stephanie Caplan, the center’s spokeswoman.

The Democratic candidates for state treasurer are releasing their fundraising numbers.

Buncombe County Commissioner David Young started it off Wednesday with the announcement yesterday that he raised $437,857 as of Dec. 31, including more than $230,000 in December alone.

His donors included Raleigh real estate executive Steve Stroud, former ambassador Jeanette Hyde, philanthropist Walter Davis and Raleigh community leader Ann Goodnight.

Raleigh attorney Michael Weisel announced later that day that he raised $464,000 as of Dec. 31.

The other Democratic contender, state Sen. Janet Cowell, released her numbers today. She said she raised $209,000 during the final quarter of 2007.

The actual campaign finance reports will not be available until the end of the month. All figures are based on campaign press releases.

No word so far on fundraising from the two Republican candidates in the race, Reps. Bill Daughtridge and Dale Folwell.

David Young, a Democratic candidate for treasurer, raised more than $60,000 at fundraiser Wednesday at the home of former Ambassador Jeanette and Wallace Hyde in Raleigh.

Among those who attended were Wake County Commissioner Betty Lou Ward, philanthropist Ann Goodnight; Blue Cross/Blue Shield CEO Bob Greczyn; former Lt. Gov. Bob Jordan; former Glaxo chairman Charlie Sanders; former state Democratic chair Wayne McDevitt; former Texas oilman Walter Davis, and Raleigh real estate executives Steve Stroud and Roddy Jones.

Young, a Buncombe County commissioner, raised the money in the home town of two his opponents — Raleigh attorney Michael Weisel and state Sen. Janet Cowell. They are seeking to succeed incumbent Richard Moore, who is running for governor.

New members of the UNC Board of Governors will officially begin their service July 1, but they were sworn in Friday by N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarah Parker.

The new members are: Frank A. Daniels Jr. of Raleigh, former publisher of The News & Observer; Ann Goodnight, a philanthropist from Cary; Clarice Cato Goodyear, a business executive from Matthews; Ronald Leatherwood, a businessman from Waynesville; Cheryl Ransom Locklear, a dentist from Pembroke; and Marshall Pitts Jr., former mayor of Fayetteville.

Not sworn in was Purnell Swett, a former educator from Pembroke, who declined to assume a seat on the board when a controversy arose because of his criminal record, Jane Stancill reports.

Swett, who was elected to the board in April along with other new members, was accused in 1997 of paying himself an extra $13,000 from the school system where he was superintendent.

He resigned and was charged with embezzlement and conspiracy, which are felonies. He ended up pleading guilty to a misdemeanor misconduct charge. The judge gave him a suspended sentence and ordered him to repay the money.