People

Ex-envoy George Mitchell to speak in Charlotte

Former peace envoy George Mitchell will discuss "Turmoil in the Middle East and its Effect on American Policy" Wednesday at UNC Charlotte Center City. Mitchell, a former U.S. Senate majority leader from Maine, will speak at 6 p.m.

The event is free. The public is invited, though reservations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Email clas-event@uncc.edu or call 704-687-0085. Jim Morrill

South Carolina

Duke's S.C. electric rates will rise 7.1% for residences

Electric rates for Duke Energy's 600,000 customers in South Carolina will go up an overall 6 percent on Feb. 6, the S.C. Public Service Commission ruled Wednesday.

Residential rates will go up 7.1 percent, representing an additional $6 a month on typical bills. Commercial and industrial rates will both go up about 5 percent.

The commission agreed to a settlement reached earlier among Duke, the S.C. Office of Regulatory Staff, which represents public interests, and a large commercial customer, Walmart Stores East. That agreement pared the 15 percent rate hike Duke initially requested. Bruce Henderson

Colleges

Overall 8.8% tuition hike proposed for UNC system

UNC President Tom Ross has recommended average in-state undergraduate tuition and fee increases of 8.8 percent systemwide for 2012-13 and 4.2 percent for 2013-14.

Under Ross' plan, released Wednesday, no campus would see an increase of more than 10 percent for next year, and the systemwide average would be smaller than the 9.3 percent increase enacted for the current academic year.

Ross recommended increases that were smaller than requests from trustees on seven of the 16 UNC campuses.

Recommended increases would mean roughly $680 more per in-state student next year at N.C. State and UNC Chapel Hill. In-state tuition would increase $417 (7.8 percent) at UNC Charlotte and $506 (9.3 percent) at Appalachian State. (Raleigh) News & Observer

Raleigh

U.S. Rep. Brad Miller won't seek re-election

Rep. Brad Miller, who has spent a decade in Congress working for consumer protections, said Wednesday that he would not seek another term rather than run against his longtime political ally and friend.

"My only two options are to run in a primary with David Price or not to run," Miller said. "I have talked to a lot of friends who have supported David and me. Some would support David. And some would support me. But none of them want to see a primary between us."

The state's Republican-led legislature redrew the Triangle's districts this summer, turning the 13th into a strongly Republican district and making the 4th District, which Price represents, a Democratic stronghold. Franco Ordoñez