Affordable Care Act Deadline

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Less Than a Week Left for North Carolinians to enroll in Affordable Care Act

January 31 is the final deadline to enroll in coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplace and avoid paying a fine of $695 or more

RALEIGH – January 31 is the final deadline for North Carolinians to enroll in coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace during the third Affordable Care Act open-enrollment period. With just six days left, the clock is ticking and North Carolinians should act now to make sure they have time to shop around, consider their options, and enroll in the plan that best fits their needs and budget.

The North Carolina Navigator Consortium and Enroll America are urging North Carolinians to check out Affordable Care plans, which cover what they need and meet their budgets so they can have peace of mind knowing that in an event of medical emergencies they would be covered.

“The Affordable Care Act insurance continues to help many North Carolinians,” said Jennifer Simmons, North Carolina Navigator Consortium Director. “We have talked to consumers who have undergone life-saving surgeries using their coverage. The marketplace plans are affordable and meet consumers’ budgets. We encourage uninsured North Carolinians to check out their options before the January 31 deadline so they can get covered.”

“So far, more than 569,000 North Carolinians have signed up for coverage during this open enrollment period – but there are still many who stand to benefit and need to take action before January 31,” said Get Covered America North Carolina State Director Sorien Schmidt. “Last year, we saw an unprecedented surge of interest leading up to the final deadline, and we expect to see the same this year as we approach the end of the month. That’s why we are encouraging people to start the process now to make sure there’s plenty of time from them to find the best plan for their family.”

To help North Carolinians learn about their options, there is free, in-person enrollment help available in communities across the state. Consumers can sit down face-to-face with unbiased local experts who can answer questions and help them make the best coverage decision for them and their families. They can also help people change plans if they are already insured through the Affordable Care Act and want to explore the new options available to them this year. North Carolinians can find someone near them by calling 1-855-733-3711 or using the Get Covered Connector tool at www.getcoveredamerica.org/connector.

During this open enrollment period, there are new plans and new prices available on the Health Insurance Marketplace, so North Carolinians should shop the options available to them. All Marketplace health plans are required to cover the basics – from preventive care, emergency services, prescriptions, and more. And quality protection comes at an affordable price for most North Carolinians, thanks to the financial assistance available to lower the cost of plans. In fact nearly 9 in 10 of the North Carolinians who have signed up so far are receiving financial help.

Those who don’t have health insurance in 2016 may face a fine of $695 or 2.5% of their income – whichever is greater. And that’s on top of having to pay out of pocket for routine medical care and unexpected emergencies. North Carolinians shouldn’t delay and risk paying the fine and high medical bills when they can have quality, affordable health insurance that will cover the essentials and protect them from the unexpected.

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The NC Navigator Consortium is a group of 14 health care, social service and legal aid organizations that helps North Carolina consumers enroll in affordable health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act. The consortium is led by Legal Aid of North Carolina, a statewide, nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to low-income North Carolinians. Members of the consortium are Access East, Capital Care Collaborative, Cape Fear HealthNet, Care Ring, Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Cumberland HealthNet, HealthCare Access, HealthNet Gaston, Legal Services of Southern Piedmont, MDC, Partnership for Community Care, Pisgah Legal Services and United Way of Greater Greensboro.

Enroll America is the nation’s leading health care enrollment coalition. An independent nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, Enroll America works with more than 6,700 partners in all 50 states to create cutting-edge tools, analyze data, inform policy, and share best practices in service of its mission: maximizing the number of Americans who enroll in and retain health coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

 

(Information provided to WIZS in the form of a Press Release from Legal Aid of North Carolina.)

National School Choice Week

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Parents encouraged to apply for Opportunity Scholarships Now

Raleigh, NC – Parents of more than 280,000 students choose non-traditional education options in North Carolina.  This week is National School Choice Week.  “I have been a strong advocate for parental school choice during my tenure in the North Carolina General Assembly,” said Representative Paul Stam.  “I believe that parents should have school choice options among traditional public schools, public charter schools, private schools, and home schools,” he continued.  Competition and choice work for schools just like it works for any other business or industry.  Where school choice exists, all schools improve.

The legislature passed the Opportunity Scholarship program that allows families to receive up to $4,200 per year to attend a participating private school of their choice.  There are scholarships remaining for the spring semester of the current school year.  Applications for the current school year must be completed by January 31, 2016.

The application period opens for next school year (fall 2016- spring 2017) on February 1, 2016.  The priority application period for next school year ends on March 1, 2016.  The application period will remain open as long as funding is available.  There is funding for approximately 6,000 scholarships per year.  Parents may complete a scholarship application by going to the website of the North Carolina Education Assistance Authority at www.ncseaa.edu.

To be eligible for the scholarship the student must have attended a public school the previous school year. The prior public school experience is waived for students entering kindergarten or first grade.  Also, parents must meet income limits to be eligible for the scholarship.  The income limits varies based upon the number of people in the household.  For example, for a family of four the household income must be less than $59,667 per year.

“I encourage eligible families to apply now for the Opportunity Scholarships,” said Representative Stam.  If they have any questions, they may contact the North Carolina Education Assistance Authority at 1-855-330-3955 (toll-free).

(This information came to WIZS in the form of a Press Release from N.C. Rep. Paul Stam of Wake County.)

News 01/26/16

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News 01/25/16

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WIZS Marketing Press Release

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Kevin Bullock, Senior Marketing Consultant at WIZS radio, has successfully met the requirements to earn the designation of Certified Radio Sales Manager (CRSM) as certified by the Radio Advertising Bureau.

The CRSM designation is awarded to managers who have completed a comprehensive training program and successfully passed a final exam that tests their knowledge and management skill sets. The certification was developed and administered by the Radio Advertising Bureau.

This is Bullock’s fourth marketing certification from the RAB.

The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) is the sales and marketing arm of the Radio industry. Today RAB constituents number nearly 7,000 members including some 6,000 stations in the U.S., and over 1,000 associate members in networks, representative firms, sales and international organizations. RAB leads and participates in educational, research, sales, and advocacy programs that promote and advance Radio as a primary advertising. medium.

Winter Weather

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Check Back for additional Closings and Delays

 

Send Your Closing or Delay to:
johncharles@wizs.com
or text to 2524320774

 

Closings & Delays

Schools

  • Crossroads Christian Schools – CLOSED Tuesday, January 26.
  • Granville County Public Schools – CLOSED Tuesday, January 26, for all students and school system employees. This Saturday, January 30 will be a make-up school day. School will open on an early release schedule on this day. Making up instructional hours this Saturday will help protect our calendar for the remainder of the year.
  • Vance County Public Schools – CLOSED Tuesday, January 26, for all students and school system employees.
  • Vance-Granville Community College – All VGCC campuses will open at 12 noon on Tuesday, January 26.
  • Victory Christian School and Daycare – CLOSED Tuesday, January 26.

 

Court

  • The District Attorney’s offices – in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties will open at 9:30 am on Tuesday, January 26, 2016.  Franklin County District Court, Vance County District Court and Vance County CMS Court will begin at 10:30 am on Tuesday, January 26, 2016.  Granville County Superior Trial Court will begin at 11:00 am on Tuesday, January 26, 2016.  Anyone who missed his/her court date Monday, because of court cancellations, will be mailed a notice by the Clerk of Court notifying of a new court date.

Winter Storm Jonas Update

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Winter Storm Jonas continues to make travel difficult throughout Vance County.

Snow fall totals received thus far are approximately three inches with localized higher amounts in certain areas of the County.

Additional snow accumulation on Saturday is expected to total three to four inches before the last the system moves out of the area.

Vance County did not receive the amount of ice accumulation that was forecast, which was very fortunate.

Only a few power outages were reported to the 911 Center and Emergency Operations Center, according to Brian Short, Director of Emergency Management for Henderson and Vance County. Duke Energy reports that there are currently no outages in Vance County.

Roadways continue to be dangerous and residents are still encouraged to stay at home unless they absolutely must venture out.

A local Proclamation of a State of Emergency remains in effect for Vance County.

Presently there are no shelters open, and Short says he does not foresee the need to open any at this point.

The 911 Center is currently overstaffed and will remain so throughout the event.

(Information received in the form of a press release from Brian Short, who wrote the majority of the above script.)

News 01/22/16

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NCDOT and Highway Patrol Implement “Quick Clearance Law” Due to Impending Winter Storm

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NORTH CAROLINA STATE HIGHWAY PATROL·THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

For the safety of the traveling public and to ensure that plow, salt and sand trucks can effectively work to clear roads, NCDOT is working closely with the State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement to identify and move abandoned vehicles that are blocking travel lanes or constitutes an immediate safety hazard.
Under the current state of emergency and North Carolina’s Quick Clearance Law, NCDOT’s IMAP (Incident Management Assistance Patrol) trucks are moving cars to the shoulder when possible. In other cases, the Highway Patrol and local law enforcement are coordinating with towing companies to have the vehicles removed.
Troopers, National Guard soldiers, other law enforcement and IMAP crews will be checking all abandoned vehicles to ensure they are not occupied. Drivers whose vehicles are abandoned within a city limits need to call their local police department. If the vehicle is off the roadway and is not considered a safety hazard, it will NOT immediately be towed.
For drivers to locate abandoned vehicles outside city limits, please visit NCDPS – Towed / Stored Vehicle Search.
NCDOT crews will be working to clear roads and restore safe driving conditions as quickly as possible as the impending winter storm approaches.

Local Governments Declare State of Emergency

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Local Proclamation of a State Of Emergency Winter Storm Jonas

PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY

The following Proclamation is issued by the Mayor of the City of Henderson and the Chairman of the Vance County Board of Commissioners:

WHEREAS, information from the National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other sources indicate that a significant winter storm is approaching North Carolina and is likely to produce considerable frozen precipitation; and

WHEREAS, this frozen precipitation is expected to be comprised snow, sleet and freezing rain, which is expected to cause power outages; and

WHEREAS, there is a high probability that this storm will create travel and other hazards for the citizens of Vance County and the City of Henderson within the next several hours; and WHEREAS, the weather conditions associated with this winter storm are such as to constitute a potential and imminent threat to life and property;1

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority contained in Article 1 of N.C.G.S. Chapter 166A, Article 36A ofN.C.G.S. Chapter 14, and Section 5 of the Local Emergency Management Ordinance, I, Eddie Ellington, Mayor of the City of Henderson, and I, Gordon Wilder, Chairman of the Vance County Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim that a State of Emergency exists within the City of Henderson and County of Vance.

I further proclaim that the ordinances set forth below, which are contained in Section 5 of the Local Emergency Management Ordinance of Vance County are necessary in order to maintain an acceptable level of public order, services, and protection of lives, safety and property during this emergency, and that the same shall be in effect within the City of Henderson and County of Vance until this Proclamation
expires or is rescinded. I hereby order all City and County law enforcement officers, public safety personnel and all other emergency management personnel subject to my control to cooperate in the enforcement and implementation of the emergency ordinances
set forth below.5

A. General Emergency Protective Measures are in place. No public restrictions are imposed at this time.

I further proclaim that the Emergency Operations Plan adopted by the City of Henderson and County of Vance, and all applicable mutual assistance compacts and agreements are in effect and shall remain in effect until this proclamation expires or is rescinded. All emergency personnel are hereby ordered to cooperate in the implementation of the provisions of the Emergency Operations Plan and all applicable mutual assistance compacts and agreements, and to furnish assistance thereunder.

I direct that copies of this Proclamation be disseminated to the mass
communications media for publication and broadcast, and that a copy of this Proclamation be posted in City Hall as well as the Vance County Courthouse and other public buildings as appropriate.

This Proclamation shall be effective immediately and shall remain in effect for a Period of five days unless sooner rescinded pursuant to a.s. 14-288.16.

(This document as supplied to WIZS News is signed by Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington and Gordon Wilder, Chairman of the Vance County Board of Commissioners.)