RALEIGH (AP) — North Carolina state House Speaker Thom Tillis says he’ll enter the U.S. Senate race to challenge Democratic incumbent Kay Hagan next year.

Tillis told the Associated Press in an interview Thursday he will file campaign committee paperwork in Washington early next week. His decision marks the first high-profile Republican to announce a bid. Only Greg Brannon of Cary had publicly joined the race.

Tillis is a four-term legislator from suburban Charlotte who has led the House since 2011. He told the AP he’s seeking the GOP nomination because he’s proven he can work with Democrats to get things done in Raleigh. He says the bipartisanship pushed by Hagan has failed.

Hagan is a former state senator from Greensboro who defeated Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole in an upset in 2008.

ASHEVILLE (AP) — The Colorado brewing company known for its Fat Tire beer and other brands has delayed plans to open a plant in western North Carolina.

New Belgium Brewing Co. recently completed an addition in Fort Collins, Colo., and says the added capacity means the company does not need the brewery in Asheville so soon. The craft brewer said Wednesday it will delay construction in North Carolina by eight months.

“We don’t need the Asheville capacity as soon as we thought,” said Jay Richardson, general manager for the brewery.

New Belgium said two years ago it would build a $175 million brewery in Asheville that was planned to open in 2015 with up to 150 employees. New Belgium’s construction site in Asheville was hit by a fire in April amid a string of arsons in the city.

Richardson said the new plan calls for the Asheville operation to begin in late 2015 or early 2016.

The removal of buildings at the site is almost complete. Company officials plan to meet with city officials, its general contractor, equipment vendors and others to complete a new construction schedule, Richardson said.

“Before, the timeline was such that it was going to be a dance between the city projects and site work. It could be done, but it was taking a lot of orchestration,” Richardson said. “This might make things a little easier.”

LENOIR (AP) — Deputies in Caldwell County have issued warrants for a man who they say doused a woman’s car with gasoline and set it on fire as she and another person sat inside.

Investigators say the woman came home to find someone had broken into her house. The investigators say the woman thought she knew who broke in and went with another person to confront the person she suspected.

The confrontation led to an argument. Deputies believe the suspect threw a rock at the car’s windshield, then poured gasoline on the car while the woman and the other person were still inside. No one was hurt.

Warrants have been issued for Cloyd Wayne Burns charging him with attempted murder, burning of personal property, breaking and entering, larceny, and possession of stolen goods.

CHARLOTTE (AP) — A Charlotte woman has been charged with murder in the death of her infant daughter.

The Charlotte Observer reported that police arrested 21-year-old Krishay Mouzon on Tuesday and charged her with first-degree murder, two counts of intentional child abuse and misdemeanor obstructing justice.

Six-month-old Keyoni Boderick died in October.

Police had found her not breathing in a Charlotte hotel.

Her father, 25-year-old Todd Eric Boderick of Charlotte, was charged with first-degree murder several days after the girl’s body was found. Detectives determined that Boderick had attacked the girl, leading to her death.

It was not clear if Mouzon has an attorney.

CHARLOTTE (AP) — A former deputy has sued the Mecklenburg County sheriff, saying she was fired after she refused to contribute to his re-election campaign.

The Charlotte Observer reported former Deputy Sheriff Terri Young of Mooresville filed the lawsuit against Sheriff Chipp Bailey last week.

The lawsuit says Bailey fired Young about a month after he won re-election in 2010.

The lawsuit also says a campaign worker for Bailey created a hostile work environment for Young.

The lawsuit seeks $5 million in damages for loss of past and future earnings and benefits and past and future mental distress and medical expenses.

A spokeswoman for Bailey said Wednesday the sheriff has not seen the lawsuit and cannot talk about it.

LINCOLNTON (AP) — Lincoln County sheriff’s deputies say two men have been arrested after investigators say they tried to steal a motorcycle from the home where a woman was shot to death.

The Gaston Gazette reports the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said the men were spotted taking a Harley Davidson motorcycle from an outbuilding.

The motorcycle belonged to Terry Lee White, who is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife last Saturday.

Authorities say 65-year-old Britt Fender and 43-year-old Wesley David Bollinger are charged with felony breaking and entering a building, larceny after breaking and entering and possession of stolen goods. Both men are free on a $10,000 secured bond.

It’s couldn’t be determined Thursday if either man has an attorney.