HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut lawmakers Wednesday approved raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2017, the highest for any state in the country and the same rate President Barack Obama wants for the federal minimum wage.

Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who recently appeared with Obama and several New England governors to tout the proposal, applauded Wednesday's votes, saying he'll sign the bill into law at the same New Britain restaurant where Obama dined earlier this month during a visit.

“I am proud that Connecticut is once again a leader on an issue of national importance,” Malloy said.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mayor Patrick Cannon was getting ready to close the deal with the big-time developer, but was reluctant to take a briefcase containing $20,000 while sitting in his city office.“I just got to be conscious about that kind of stuff here, you know,” Cannon told the fictitious developer, who was, in fact, an undercover FBI agent.Yet when the “developer” left, the briefcase, given to Cannon in exchange for his offer to pull strings with city officials, stayed behind, according to court documents.Cannon was arrested Wednesday and accused of accepting more than $48,000 in bribes from undercover FBI agents. He resigned Wednesday evening, less than six months after taking office.