Martha Quillin, one of our reporters, is going to cover the opening of the new Contemporary Art Museum, a much-celebrated addition to the downtown arts scene. Here are some photos John Rottet took the other day. If you want to read more about it, here's a story that staff writer Stacy Chandler wrote.  Staff photojournalist Robert Willett will shooting the opening. I expect we'll have a short story and photos online by mid-afternoon.

Over at Bicentennial Mall, state workers will be holding a rally around noon to urge lawmakers to hold the line on budget cuts affecting public services.  Reporter Matt Garfield will be covering, with Willett taking pics. Yep, Robert will be busy Saturday. Look for story and photos online sometime tomorrow afternoon, too.  Here's something that reporter Craig Jarvis wrote about the rally on our Under the Dome blog.

In Fuquay-Varina, we will be photographing Teen Day Fuquay at the FV Community Center. Hundreds of teens will be learning about the dangers of drinking and driving (and texting while driving) using simulators and "drunk goggles."

And it's pretty likely our sports writers will be updating the Russell Wilson story. Here is Luke DeCock's take that just went online.

We will also be updating the NFL draft. Cowboys just picked linebacker Bruce Carter from UNC. (I just added an 8:10 p.m. update for the heck of it). 

UPDATE:  Chuck Liddy, another of our stellar photojournalists, took some aerial shots today of some areas hit by the tornados that ripped through here Saturday, March 16. There are two aerial galleries, one a First Look with 65 pics, the other with eight pics. There's a third gallery with 43 images by photojournalist Shawn Rocco documenting the experience of a family whose home was damaged by the storm.

The executive director of one of the state's largest employee groups says his organization supports the personnel law reforms as introduced in a Senate bill this week.

The omnibus ethics bill introduced by Senate leaders would make salary and employment histories public for most state and local employees. North Carolina appears to be the only state that limits public personnel information to an employee's current salary or position.

Dana Cope, executive director for the State Employees Association of North Carolina, had said in our recent series about the personnel law, Keeping Secrets, that he saw little issue with making that information public. So, it was not a surprise that he raised no objections when the bill was rolled out in a judiciary committee meeting Tuesday.

"I was surprised, frankly, that the law prohibited that information anyway," Cope said today.

Cope said he would have a problem if the legislation also opened up the release of information related to disciplinary actions. He said too many employees suffer discipline for political reasons, and that pain shouldn't be compounded by making the details public.

On the other hand, he said employees convicted of criminal misconduct should not enjoy such protections.

"In criminal activity, we support the opening of those records," he said.

Gov. Bev Perdue has submitted language that would make public personnel records related to criminal behavior, but that proposal did not make the Senate bill. Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, meanwhile, is pushing to make the details of disciplinary actions public.

The Senate bill had been slated for a vote on the Senate floor only to be pulled back over concerns in an unrelated provision that would provide public financing for several statewide campaigns. It is back before the Senate judiciary committee for more discussion.

A national labor union has stepped into the Wake County school board elections to endorse candidates and fling barbs at SEANC head Dana Cope.

UNITE HERE, which represents hospitality and textile workers, issued a press release today endorsing Rita Rakestraw in District 1 and Karen Simon in District 7 for their support of Wake's school diversity policy.

UNITE HERE said it felt "morally obligated to get involved" because Cope, executive director of the State Employees Association of N.C., and Ardis Watkins, legislative director of SEANC, had formed the Children's PAC to back candidates who support neighborhood schools. They said Cope and Watkins "have done their union and the union movement a real disservice."

UPDATED WITH COPE'S RESPONSE AT END OF POST