The State Executive Committee, the party's ruling body, is likely to take up a resolution stating its regrets when when it meets at Elon University on Saturday.

"We have to be honest about our role as a party in that particularly sad part of our history," said state Democratic Chairman Jerry Meek.

New attention was drawn to events of 1898 when a state commission did a report last year outlining some of the events that led to the the overthrow of the elected government of Wilmington and the death of an unknown number of black residents. Wilmington was then North Carolina's largest city.

The events in Wilmington were the culmination of a racist campaign by the Democrats to retake control of the state legislature from a biracial coalition of Republicans and Populists.

Several North Carolina newspapers, including The News & Observer, have apologized for their role in serving as the propaganda arm of the white supremacy campaign.

Benton stepping down

Dempsey Benton is leaving his post as chief deputy secretary of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources at the end of the month.

Benton, 61, who was Raleigh's city manager from 1983 to 2000, was not available for comment.

A department spokesman said Benton is leaving to "pursue other interests."

Bill Ross, the department secretary, issued a statement praising Benton's work as the No. 2 man in the department.

Among other things, Ross lauded Benton for his handling of the chemical fire in Apex last year, his efforts to help create an Ecosystem Enhancement Program, his work on landslide mapping following the 2005 hurricane season and his budget work.

Jones spearheads measure

U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, a Farmville Republican, last week introduced a resolution calling on President Bush to get congressional approval to use military force against Iran -- except in the case where the U.S. is attacked.

"Today there is a growing concern -- justified or not -- that some U.S. officials are contemplating military action against Iran," Jones said in a statement. "This resolution makes it crystal clear that no previous resolution passed by Congress authorizes such use of force."

Edwards on the road

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards continues to make the rounds after announcing his candidacy last month.

Edwards delivered the Martin Luther King Sermon at the famed Riverside Church in New York on Sunday.

Last week, Edwards appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live," on NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," and on "The Ed Shultz Show," a nationally syndicated talk show broadcast out of North Dakota.