U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan has launched both a YouTube channel and a Twitter account to chronicle her work in the U.S. Senate.

For now, her last Tweet is from "the office of Sen. Kay Hagan," with updates posted by staff. Example: "welcoming a great group of North Carolinians for this week's Carolina Coffee," Barb Barrett reports.

Hagan had a campaign Twitter account last year, posting about her platform, her daily travels and occasional jabs at the competition ("This is what a Republican-run, special interest-based economy looks like," she tweeted a year ago.)

Her YouTube channel has a pair of videos so far. One welcomes viewers; the other features her biography.

"Tools like YouTube and Twitter will allow me and my office to share information about the most pressing issues facing North Carolina and our country and keep constituents updated about the latest news in the Senate," Hagan said in a statement. "North Carolinians can use these tools to keep up with me while I am in Washington and traveling across the state."

Also on Twitter:

Sen. Richard Burr's campaign

Rep. Virginia Foxx

Rep. Sue Myrick

Rep. Patrick McHenry

Rep. Walter Jones 

Update: Post includees Rep. Walter Jones' Twitter feed, which was inadvertently left off the list.  

Sen. Richard Burr, (left) Sen. John McCain, and Sen. Mitch McConnell at a forum at a Charlotte hospital on Tuesday.

McCain, the Republican presidential nominee in 2008 linked to the low-res photograph from his Twitter feed. McConnell is the Senate minority leader.

The event, which was not open to the public, was held at Carolinas Medical Center.

Burr, up for re-election in 2010, has offered an alternative to Democratic health care reform proposals that would give tax credits of up to $5,700 for families to pay for health insurance.

The parent company of the hospital has been a big spender on health care lobbying.

Hat Tip: JonThompsonDC 

The state Department of Transportation just announced that it will offer traffic updates on its Twitter page.

So how long before people start getting cited under the new texting while driving ban because they were checking for traffic information?

Dome can picture it now: "I'm sorry officer, the DOT made me do it."

Mindful of this potential, the department's news release trumpeting the new Twitter updates encourages travellers to check alerts before they leave home.

"The goal of this high-tech initiative is to help people 'know before you go,'" Transportation Secretary Gene Conti said in a news release.

The updates are surprisingly specific. Here's a recent post from the Triangle-area feed. 

1:57 PM, US-70 W,Boiling St: Traffic is traveling at 22 MPH at: US 70 BUS W; MM 94.4; Boiling St

For those who don't use Twitter, the department has posted instructions on how to sign up for an account and use the traffic feeds.

* Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum notes that he and Jesse Helms voted for Sonia Sotomayor before, but says they wouldn't again.

* Scheduler for U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx gets in trouble for a tweet about drinking "office beers" on "taxpayer time."

* U.S. Senate could take up bill regulating tobacco as soon as today, Sens. Richard Burr and Kay Hagan have vowed to fight it.

* Charlotte officials wonder if they should put in a bid for the 2012 Democratic or Republican national conventions, given a $60 million price tag.

* North Carolina has its first Twitterversy: Can a Democratic operative Twitter under the name of the House Republican leader?

* Greensboro blogger Ed Cone notes an old video against filibustering Supreme Court nominees that may limit Sen. Richard Burr's options.

* N.C. Republican Party chair candidate Tom Fetzer declines to participate in an online questionnaire answered by his competitors.

* Federal prosecutors subpoena the state auditor's office to find out what it knows about how Mary Easley got her job at N.C. State University.

U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry has a Twitter feed.

Dome came across the Cherryville Republican's page today while reading up on moderate Sen. Arlen Specter's decision to become a Democrat.

"It would be more newsworthy if Specter finally became a Republican ...," McHenry tweeted in response. 

Previously: Rep. Virginia Foxx twitters. 

Protesters will gather around North Carolina today.

The Tax Day Tea Party events will protest government bailouts and record federal spending, among other issues, in 30 locations around the state.

An event in Charlotte is expected to draw 1,000, including Republican Rep. Sue Myrick. Another event in Edenton will draw on a 1774 protest in that city. Protests are also planned for Raleigh, Greensboro and Asheville.

The events are being coordinated in North Carolina in part by Americans for Prosperity, a small-government advocacy group. Grassroots volunteers have also set up Facebook pages and used Twitter to promote the events.

Staffers from the John Locke Foundation and the Civitas Institute will also speak at several events.

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr has launched his campaign Web site.

The Winston-Salem Republican has made no secret that he is running for re-election in 2010, though his Democratic challenger(s) have not yet announced. 

From the site, which went live yesterday:

My work in the Senate is focused on building a stronger economy for everyone, restoring fiscal restraint in Washington, addressing the health care needs of Americans, making our country safer from the threat of terrorists, making sure our armed forces are equipped as needed, and to represent North Carolina family values in Washington.

He also has a Twitter feed at twitter.com/burrforsenate.

Hat Tip: Conservative N.C.

Gov. Beverly Perdue will present her budget tomorrow.

Perdue will hold a press conference at 11:30 a.m. to discuss her plans for state spending over the next two years. 

After her remarks and a question-and-answer period, Budget Director Charlie Perusse will also answer questions from the press.

Dome will be following the budget unveiling on Twitter with the hash tag #ncbudget and live-blogging the event here.

It's fair to say that was the first State of the State to be tweeted.

Gov. Beverly Perdue's first speech to the legislature was touted as historic because she is the state's first female governor, but it may be recalled as well as the first to be micro-blogged on the popular site Twitter.

A sample of the live reactions to the speech: 

* "who cares? It would only be interesting had Munger won." — Sam Spencer

* "Anyone else think it's ironic that the hashtag for the state of the state address is #ncsos? Guv'nah Bev's sending out an S-O-S!" — Ben McNeely

* "Perdue: "We don't have time for talk-show political posturing or petty partisan games." Not Political Connections I hope? lol" — Tim Boyum, News 14 North Carolina host

* ""Vocational, CC, or college" .... Glad to see McCrory at least influenced debate on the issue." Ryan Radford

* "Governor just called me out for twittering while she talks. Well me and people actually there" — Will Cubbison, Young Democrats labor chair

* "Great example with the flight attendant from the Miracle on the Hudson flight, but "Sheroes"? Really?" — Joe Colletti, John Locke Foundation

* "Brace yourself for a Gov. O. Max Gardner reference. Gardner was governor during the great depression, spent money rather than cut." — Mark Binker, Greensboro News-Record reporter

To read the full discussion, go to search.twitter.com and type #ncsos