* As unemployment hovers at record highs and the recession lingers, state authorities say a growing number of companies are falling behind on paying unemployment insurance taxes.

State officials say about 6 percent of the businesses that contribute payroll taxes were delinquent at the end of June. The delinquent businesses owed a total of $13.5 million.

With unemployment across North Carolina at its highest rate in decades, tens of thousands of workers trying to claim benefits were stymied by two days of computer problems.

The problems involve an online system that people receiving benefits use to confirm they are still looking for a job so they will continue to receive unemployment checks. With 200,000 North Carolinians out of work, the outages that started Sunday and continued Monday caused significant disruption.

"There's no time that's a good time for this to happen," Moses Carey, chairman of the state Employment Security Commission, said Monday. "People rely on this money." (N&0)

Some of Gov. Beverly Perdue's smaller donations are also interesting.

As previously noted, Perdue raised $17.8 million through the end of 2008 for her successful campaign for governor, including a number of political action committees and big donors.

But some of the smaller donors from her final campaign finance report are also worth noting: 

* Former Supreme Court Justice Burley Mitchell gave $2,000.

* Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner and his wife Jane gave $2,000. 

* Former Sen. Lauch Faircloth gave $2,000.

* Perdue's recently appointed general counsel, Eddie Speas, gave $1,750.

* Administration Secretary Britt Cobb gave $1,000 on Oct. 28. He is the only member of Gov. Mike Easley's Cabinet to remain under Perdue.

* Former Orange County commissioner Moses Carey gave $300. Perdue appointed him chairman of the Employment Security Commission.

* Perdue's deputy campaign manager, David Kochman, and communications staffer Kennetha Smith each gave $250.

* The head of Perdue's gubernatorial endowment effort, Tom Lambeth, gave $200.

* Former U.S. Sen. Robert Morgan gave $200.

* Noted Washington, D.C., political consultant Donna Brazile gave $100.

State Sen. Ellie Kinnaird announced today she is running.

As recently as yesterday, the six-term senator, a Carrboro Democrat, had been coy about whether she planned to run for re-election, saying she had until February to decide, Lynn Bonner reports.

But potential successors had been announcing their interest in the seat, including Orange County commissioners Moses Carey and Mike Nelson, and Carrboro Alderman John Herrera.

Herrera said he will honor his promise and drop out of the race since Kinnaird has decided to run again.

Carey said he's still in.

"The fact that she's changed her mind doesn't mean I'm going to change mine," he said.

Kinnaird had discussed her retirement with potential candidates, but made it known she wanted a woman to run to replace her.

Kinnaird's campaign sent an announcement Tuesday saying that she wanted to work for affordable health insurance for everyone, focused economic development efforts in needy areas, and a ban on executing the mentally ill.

Update: Nelson said he's also out of the race.

Sen. Ellie Kinnaird wants a woman to succeed her.

The Carrboro Democrat has not announced whether she will run again, but she says that she has asked nine women if they would run for her seat if she retired. All turned her down.

Meantime, a diverse slate has stepped up, including a black man, a gay man and a Hispanic immigrant.

Carrboro Alderman John Herrera, a native of Costa Rica, announced he would run for the District 23 seat. He joins Orange County Commissioners Moses Carey and Mike Nelson.

If Kinnaird does run again, Herrera said he would drop out of the race.

Kinnaird said she will keep looking for a female successor, because women are interested in serving the people "and not the business interest and special interest."

"Some people will say, 'What is this, ethnic or gender politics?'" she said. "What I would say to this is, When I went in 11 years ago, there were seven women." (N&O)