The two major gubernatorial candidates will appear at a summit next month.

Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory are both slated to speak at a Manufacturing Summit sponsored by the North Carolina Chamber on June 10 at the Grandover Resort to Greensboro, Jonathan Cox reports.

The summit will also feature panel discussions with Scott Ralls, president of the N.C. Community College System; Brad Wilson, Rep. Becky Carney and Sen. David Hoyle of the 21st Century Transportation Committee; and experts on economics, health and legal issues.

One breakout session has an interesting title: "Keeping North Carolina Union Free." 

Rep. Thomas Wright was on paid leave.

The Wilmington Democrat was one of 15 state lawmakers who were paid for the two-day special session even though they didn't show up for at least one day, according to a story in the Wilmington Star-News.

As per his usual routine, Wright did not return calls to a reporter.

According to the Wilmington Star-News, checks were sent to Wright and Reps. Becky Carney, Jerry Dockham, Phil Haire, Hugh Holliman, George Holmes, Edgar Starnes, Russell Tucker and R. Tracy Walker and Sens. Katie Dorsett, Eddie Goodall, Malcolm Graham, Jim Jacumin and Clark Jenkins.

Reps. Jeff Barnhart and Ric Killian were absent and asked not to be paid. Rep. Karen Ray missed the second day and asked not to be paid for it.

Two lawmakers — Reps. Ty Harrell and Grier Martin — were present, but asked not to be paid anyway.

Correction: The absences are based on final roll-call votes on the second day of the session. Sens. Jacumin, Dorsett and Goodall were in session on Sept. 10, according to votes taken that day. No roll calls were taken in the House on Sept. 10.

A dozen legislators were absent from yesterday's special session.

On the House side, nine representatives had excused absences, according to a roll call of the vote on the session's rules. They include House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman, who is recuperating from surgery, and Rep. Thomas Wright, who is recuperating from self-inflicted political damage.

Others are Reps. Jeff Barnhart, Becky Carney, Jerry Dockham, Phil Haire, Ric Killian, Edgar Starnes and Russell Tucker. All had voted for the second reading and conference report on the original bill, except Tucker, who had an excused absence on the latter.

On the Senate side, three members had excused absences, according to a roll call of a vote on a measure commemorating Appalachian State's win over Michigan.

They are Sens. Malcolm Graham, Clark Jenkins and Don East. Graham and Jenkins voted for the second reading; East against.

Correction: An earlier version of this post named the wrong senators.

Some of the state's top political leaders have cracked open the high-school yearbook for an arts documentary.

The 10-minute film, "Arts Education=More Than You Think," extols the benefits of classes in art and music for young children. It features former Govs. Jim Hunt and Jim Martin, State Board of Education Chairman Howard Lee and others talking about their experiences.

The video, produced by Minnow Media, is for ARTS North Carolina.

Martin brags, tongue in cheek, about his time on the school band.

"I played for five years, as I like to say, first chair in tuba," he recalls. "Of course, you only have one chair. But I was it."

In other parts, Lee credits his lessons in singing and oratory for giving him self-confidence, Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker reminisces about playing a street urchin in the opera "Carmen," and Rep. Rick Glazier notes his mother's disappointment that he didn't become a pianist.

State Rep. Becky Carney says theater taught her about politics.

"All the world's a stage, as we all know," she says, quoting Shakespeare. "What I do now in lawmaking, it is like being on stage sometimes, it is performing."