CHARGE ON: U.S. Attorney George Holding, saying he believes it is "outrageous" that the state overlooked laws requiring it to release 20 violent offenders with life sentences, said he will look for federal charges that could keep the inmates behind bars. (N&O)

NOT BORED: A year after losing re-election, former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole spends her days working through her foundation and caring for her ailing husband, former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole. (N&O)

AFFAIR TO REMEMBER? The head of the highway patrol, who is charged with ending a string of sexual misconduct cases involving troopers, had an extra-marital affair in 1987. Commander Randy Glover says he has paid his dues and corrected his 20-year-old mistakes. (N&O)

Elizabeth Dole isn't slowing down.

North Carolina's former Republican senator was in Charlotte this morning for a fundraiser for two groups associated with Mike Huckabee, the former and possibly future GOP presidential candidate, Jim Morrill reports.

Dole said she sandwiched the appearance between a morning stop at Charlotte's Loaves & Fishes food bank and afternoon visits to the Charlotte Rescue Mission, Salvation Army and Thompson's Children's Home. She said she supports them all through the Elizabeth Dole Charitable Foundation.

On her way out, Dole, who turns 73 next month, was asked if she's enjoying retirement.

"Not retirement, no," she bristled. "Catching up on my life."

More after the jump.

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* A Facebook group backing Cal Cunningham for Senate now has more members than one for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

* Former Republican Congressional candidate Will Breazeale says he's ready for a rematch against U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre, who beat him 68-32 percent.

* Former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole joins husband Bob and other VIPs at 65th anniversary of D-Day event in France.

* U.S. Sen. Richard Burr criticizes CNN for report on flavored "smokeless products," receives criticism from liberal blogger. 

Pepsi and Viagra: Yes. NutriSystem: No.

Former Sen. Bob Dole may have endorsed a soft drink and a prescription drug, but he and his wife Elizabeth are not hawking a diet plan.

Mrs. Dole, a former North Carolina senator, mentioned at a lecture Sunday that the couple was going on the NutriSystem diet plan, which has had former NFL coach Don Shula and Go-Go's lead singer Belinda Carlisle as celebrity spokespeople.

But a representative of NutriSystem said the Doles are not getting paid.

"NutriSystem doesn't have any plans to sign them up as spokespeople, but we're thrilled that they're going on the program," spokeswoman Regan Preston told Dome.

Former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole remembered Jack Kemp Sunday.

Speaking with her husband Bob at a lecture at the University of Kansas, Dole told a crowd of between 500 and 1,000 students that the former Congressman was full of energy and enthusiasm when he helped her campaign in North Carolina.

"Jack believed in what he was doing with all his heart," she said, according to the Topeka Capital Journal. "He will be truly missed."

Kemp, a former Congressman who was Bob Dole's vice presidential pick, died of cancer Saturday. In October, he campaigned on a bus tour for Elizabeth Dole's re-election with Sen. Richard Burr in five mountain counties.

She also said she was disappointed with Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's decision to switch parties and with the recent tone in Washington.

"In recent years, it's become much more raucous," she said, according to KTKA TV. "You feel like it's almost combat now. I do think we have to work hard at getting that civility back."

Dole added that she and her husband also plan to go on the NutriSystem diet plan.

HEALTHY CHOICE? The State Health Plan will stay afloat. After much deliberation, the state House and Senate agreed to fixes that will keep the health insurance plan for state workers and teachers in the black. No one was really happy about the final plan, but both chambers agreed it was only a short-term solution.

BLEAKER NEWS: Former Gov. Mike Easley revealed a new defense in the case of his son's SUV. In filings with the State Board of Elections, Easley's lawyer argued that the SUV was a campaign vehicle in 2003. Meantime, it was revealed that the Robert Bleecker's car dealership paid taxes on the car during that time.

VERN MALONE: Four-term Democratic state Sen. Vern Malone died last weekend. A school board member and county commissioner, he had played a key role in merging the Wake County and Raleigh school systems. A funeral was held Thursday, by which time jockeying had already begun to fill his seat in the state Senate.

IN OTHER NEWS: Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski gave President Obama leadership advice, but admitted he was right about the NCAA championship. ... Former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole will join her husband Bob for a speech in Kansas. ... U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan's husband, meantime, is suing the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority. ... Forget about offshore drilling. The new talk in energy circles is offshore wind farms, and North Carolina could see some under new federal rules.

Former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole and her husband Bob will speak in Kansas.

The two former senators will give a rare joint interview on May 3 as part of an annual lecture at the University of Kansas.

"These two individuals have had independently extraordinary careers dedicated to public service," said Bill Lacy, director of the university's Dole Institute of Politics in a statement. "Yet together, the Doles’ successes are even more remarkable."

The title of the lecture is "Unlimited Partners," also the name of a book written by the two during Bob's presidential run in 1996.

Bob Dole has given one of the lectures before, but the institute has been trying to get both of them to appear together. The lecture series commemorate his recovery from wounds suffered in World War II.

The event is free and open to the public.

Sen. Elizabeth Dole gave her farewell address on the Senate floor on Wednesday.

The North Carolina Republican used her final floor speech to pay tribute to many mentors, beginning with several family members such as her grandmother, whom she called Mom Cathey, her parents, siblings and nephews, Lisa Zagaroli reports.

Dole thanked several presidents as well: Richard Nixon for her years on the Federal Trade Commission, Ronald Reagan for her appointment as secretary of transportation, and George H.W. Bush for her job as secretary of labor.

"We've worked hard," she said in thanking her Senate staff. "We had some fun along the way too. And we made a positive difference for North Carolina and America."

Of her husband, Bob, the former senator from Kansas, she said he was a constant example that "a leader should have not only a strong backbone, but also a funny bone."

"I could never have dreamed of the people I've been privileged to meet, the jobs I've been privileged to hold or the issues I've been privileged to influence," said Dole, who lost her re-election bid to Kay Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat.

Quoting Theodore Roosevelt about working hard at "work worth doing," Dole said, "While I don't know what awaits me in life's journey, what will come next, I pray that I'll find a way to continue to work hard at work worth doing."

Sen.-elect Kay Hagan is getting to know Washington.

The Greensboro Democrat said she doesn't know yet which wooden desk she'll use in the Senate chamber, but she knows it'll be in the back right — a rather crowded area for Democrats these days.

During a tour, she looked for the desk belonging to her uncle, former Florida Sen. Lawton Chiles. It's not uncommon for such desks to be handed down, as Sen. Elizabeth Dole used the desk that belonged to her husband, Bob.

In several days of orientation, Hagan saw the electoral college counts from the disputed Jefferson-Burr race, learned about ethics rules and looked for a house to rent or buy near the Capitol.

She said she plans to keep Dole's office in Raleigh open and may hire some of her state staff as well. (N&O) 

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole was back on Capitol Hill today for the lame-duck session going on this week.

The Salisbury Republican attended the weekly GOP luncheon in the U.S. Capitol with colleagues, walking past swarms of reporters on her way inside, Barb Barrett reports. (Her husband, former Sen. Bob Dole, also attended, though he did not walk in with her.)

Later, in an hours-long Senate Banking hearing, Dole told Detroit auto executives of her skepticism about lending billions of federal taxdollars to bail them out of trouble.

Dole, who lost re-election to Democratic challenger Kay Hagan, opposed the $700 billion federal bailout approved in September. She said she doesn’t think much has come of it so far.

"Like so many North Carolinians I've heard from, I continue to be very skeptical of this newly enacted law is turning out to be the 'blank check' that so many of us feared," Dole said in her opening statement.

She added later: "Without fundamental changes in the automotive industry, we'd just be throwing taxpayers' dollars at firms that will inevitably go under."