CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- The North Carolina Senate released its state budget proposal late Sunday night.

It's a  $20.6 billion dollar plan that includes adjustments to Medicaid, education reform, and a big change for the State Bureau of Investigation.

Senate leaders have been looking for ways to trim costs, and to prevent any tax increases, and they're proposing consolidation as a tool to do so.

But the SBI proposal is starting to look like a convoluted case.

Attorney General Roy Cooper stood with a dozen law enforcement officers today to oppose the move. Cooper says putting the SBI under McCrory's control could create a conflict of interest, and that it would cripple the organization's independence and investigative techniques.

The SBI currently handles public corruption cases, and in the past it's investigated more than 500 public officials, including the past two governors' administrations.

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.

Copyright 2013 WBTV.  All rights reserved.

MORGANTON, NC (WBTV)- A Morganton woman was convicted on drug charges in an incident that stemmed from a traffic stop in 2011, according to a release from the District Attorney's Office.

Charity Michelle Lyons, 29, was convicted of felony possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia after a one-day trial in Burke County Criminal Superior Court.

The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before returning the verdict of guilty, the release states.

Lyons is being held without bond in the Burke Catawba Detention Confinement Facility. Her sentencing is scheduled for June 3.

The offense occurred on May 25, 2011, in Morganton and arose out of a traffic stop in which officers located 1.6 grams of methamphetamine, officials said.

Copyright 2013 WBTV. All rights reserved.