Electoral College votes could be divided

North Carolina's presidential votes could soon be split.

The House tentatively passed a bill Thursday that would give one Electoral College vote for each of the state's 13 congressional districts and the other two to the statewide winner. (Currently, the popular vote winner in the state takes all 15 electors.)

Maine and Nebraska have a similar system.

House Minority Leader Paul Stam, an Apex Republican, said the bill was a "pure political grab" that would nonetheless backfire on state Democrats.

"We will have less influence than Wyoming or Delaware," he said.

Rep. Earl Jones, a Greensboro Democrat, said it wasn't fair that his vote for president often goes to the opposing party, even though his district is primarily Democratic.

"It's a much fairer system than what we have now," he said.

Jones wants QB suspended

U.S. Rep. Walter Jones wants the NFL to suspend Michael Vick.

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback, as any sports fan now knows, was indicted last week and charged with illegal dogfighting in Virginia.

Jones, a Farmville Republican, and U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield, a Kentucky Republican, wrote a letter this week to Commissioner Roger Goodell of the National Football League.

"We have read in horror the federal indictment of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick," the letter states. "In it, multiple witnesses allege that Mr. Vick barbarically gambled on dogfights on his 15-acre property, in which animals were tortured and then ordered executed -- including one that was doused with water and electrocuted."

The letter goes on:

"Unless and until Mr. Vick can clear his name in what can only be classified as a disgraceful and sadistic criminal pursuit, he should be suspended from play in the NFL."

Basnight losing counsel

State Senate leader Marc Basnight's general counsel is leaving.

Tonya Williams, who has worked for the Manteo Democrat for five years, will be heading the intellectual property policy division for GlaxoSmithKline in North and South America.

As counsel, Williams, 34, has drafted legislation, given advice on bills and done legal analysis, working on legislative redistricting, election law changes and tort reform, among other things.

She said she will likely leave after the session ends and start work at GlaxoSmithKline's Research Triangle Park office not long afterward.

"I had a wonderful offer from a great multinational company," she said.

Song inspired by Berry

Cherie Berry may want to redesign her campaign signs.

The state's labor commissioner can now consider adopting the logo put forward by Raleigh musician Dan Bryk, whose song "Cherry Berry" celebrates her appearance in elevators.

The song is a hidden track on his new album, "Discount Store."

In keeping with his penchant for evasiveness, the musician does not list the song by name, but rather with a logo of a cherry and a strawberry on the cellophane wrapper.

Etheridge works on 9/11 bill

U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge will help write the final version of the 9/11 bill - the first bill Democrats submitted after taking over Congress. The bill would implement recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, which was organized after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Etheridge, a Lillington Democrat, sits on the House Homeland Security Committee and asked Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be on the conference committee. It will be his first time serving on such a committee.

A spokeswoman said Etheridge's top priority will be ensuring that the final bill contains programs for interoperable communications for first responders.