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Headline Roundup: Family Dollar Shareholders Vote Postponed; McCrory Names Poet Laureate; More

Today, a shareholder vote on Dollar Tree's acquisition of Family Dollar was again postponed due to a lack of support for the move. The buy-out is now scheduled to be considered in late January.

Some shareholders say Family Dollar has not adequately considered a competing offer from other rival Dollar General. And a stock advisory firm has echoed those concerns.

A November vote on the merger was also postponed. Virginia-based Dollar Tree has offered $8.5 billion in cash and stock to acquire Matthews-based Family Dollar. Dollar General's hostile all cash bid is worth $9.1 billion. 

McCrory Names Poet Laureate After First Choice Stirred Controversy
After his first choice stirred more controversy than praise, Governor Pat McCrory has made a second pick for North Carolina’s poet laureate. Shelby Stephenson is a retired English professor, an award-winning writer and former editor of a literary magazine. He is also in the North Carolina Literary hall of fame.

McCrory's original choice, a self published poet, resigned a week into her two-year appointment. McCrory says he recognizes the traditional process was not  followed in selecting Valerie Macon in July but says Stephenson's appointment comes with strong recommendations of the Department of Cultural Resources and a literary selection panel.

Inspectors Find Paint From Bank Of America Stadium In Uptown Creek
Water inspectors - with at least a working knowledge of college football teams - have found paint from Bank of America stadium has been discharged into an uptown creek possibly since the stadium opened in 1996.

The Charlotte Observer reports earlier this month water quality inspectors discovered a section of Irwin creek in uptown was running white. On subsequent visits the colors changed, most notably they saw the colors of Florida State and Georgia Tech. The two schools played for the ACC football championship on December 6.

The paint is used to mark the field and decorate the end zones. The discharge is illegal but seems to be accidental and likely due to a plumbing problem. 

Unaffiliated Voters On Rise In NC
The number of unaffiliated voters, those not registered with any political party, surged during last month's election. Data from the North Carolina State Board of Election shows the number of unaffiliated voters accounting for nearly two-thirds of the more than 250,000 additional votes cast this fall compared with the midterm in 2010.