Across the southeast

Bowles is ready to fill top post at UNC system

RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina's university system is getting both sides of Erskine Bowles, who takes over this week as the 16-campus system's new president.

There's the political Bowles, a former Clinton White House chief of staff and two-time failed candidate for the U.S. Senate.

There's also businessman Bowles, who brokered deals on Wall Street and sits on four corporate boards.

Though Mr. Bowles, 60, officially succeeded retiring UNC President Molly Broad on Sunday, he hasn't been sitting around waiting for the new year to get to work.

He has already toured the 16 campuses and met one on one with chancellors, UNC board members and legislators. He has talked with professors, students and university workers. And he has picked the brains of other university presidents in the United States and abroad.

Soldiers return after spending year in Iraq

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - About 260 soldiers who spent nearly a year providing security and reconnaissance in Iraq and supporting coalition forces have returned to Fayetteville.

The soldiers, who are members of the 3rd Attack Battalion, 3rd Aviation Brigade, were greeted Saturday by family and friends in a hangar at Simmons Army Airfield.

About 90 members of the unit are pilots and the rest are mechanics and support personnel, said Capt. Todd Thornburg, rear detachment commander.

Teacher creates tea group for young girls

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. - As a fifth-grade guidance counselor at Kannapolis Intermediate School, Erin Messmer knows how hateful 10- and 11-year-old girls can be to each other.

"I recently had a mother who came to me and told me that her daughter wanted to be friends with one of the most popular girls in school," Ms. Messmer said. "The popular girl told her daughter, 'I will only be your friend if you pick a pencil up from the cafeteria floor with your mouth.'"

To prevent such unpleasant encounters, Ms. Messmer created the group "Tea Time for Girls."

Since Nov. 9, six fifth-grade girls have gathered around a table, nibbling chocolate chip cookies and sipping tea from Ms. Messmer's delicate china set, to discuss experiences and interactions they've had with their female classmates.

Ms. Messmer said the most common form of female aggression involves exclusion. Ms. Messmer said the group helped female students mediate with their own friends in conflicts outside of class.