Severe weather season is underway in the Carolinas and the National Weather Service is looking to train severe weather spotters in our area.

The first of two classes in our area will be offered Thursday evening, May 16, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Iredell County Agriculture Center. Classes are about two hours long and covers the basics of thunderstorm development, fundamentals of storm structure and how to identify potential severe weather features.

The class is free, but you will need to register by calling 704-878-5097. For directions and more information, click here.

The next class will be offered in Union, SC on Tuesday, May 21st.

For more information on the SKYWARN program, click here.

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CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- Having grown up just down the road in Spartanburg, the new Carolina Panthers cornerback DJ Moore is glad to be back in the south.

Training camp is several weeks away, but Moore's been in Charlotte for a few weeks now. He says he is ready to put in the work to call the Queen City his permanent home.

When he comes to training camp, the 26-year-old needs to be in top condition if he wants to claim a starting spot.

"I think everybody is on an even playing field right now and I feel like anybody can step up and play," said Moore.

Last season, the Panthers had one of the worst defensive secondarys in the NFL.

But instead of drafting a star out of college, the team signed the former Chicago Bear.

"It does feel good because once you see a guy picked in your position especially in the high round you already know that wherever you were at you were just bumped back," said Moore.

A bill broadening so-called conscience protections and the number of employers who can refuse to provide contraception services in health insurance coverage has been approved by a North Carolina House committee.

The bill approved Wednesday allows any medical professional to refuse to participate in an abortion and allows any business to refuse to provide contraception coverage on religious or moral grounds.

The bill expands so-called conscience protections beyond doctors and nurses to include people such as pharmacists and technicians.

The contraception provision expands existing law that exempts religious organizations to any private or nonprofit company.

The bill also outlaws health care plans that include abortion services from future online marketplaces of private plans offered under the federal Affordable Care Act.

Opponents say the bill tramples women's rights.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.