Governor frees up money for state agencies that was held back due to budget concerns

    RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Three North Carolina state agencies will receive a combined $34 million more because Gov. Beverly Perdue’s administration is freeing up funds it initially held back this year due to budget worries.
    Perdue’s office announced Friday it was loosening partially her August order that 5 percent of the money allocated in this year’s state budget be held back to ensure government had money to pay its bills.
    The community college system will receive $19.5 million more to handle an influx in jobless students seeking to be retrained. The Department of Health and Human Services will get more money for some social service programs and the Smart Start early childhood initiative.
    Perdue’s budget office also freed up $4.7 million for the court system.