Duke Energy

Duke Energy Warns Customers to Beware of Utility Scams

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-Press Release, Duke Energy

The phone rings. It’s Duke Energy. We’re on the way to disconnect your electric service unless you pay us over the phone right now. You follow the instructions and – just like that – you’ve been scammed.

Sadly, this is not an uncommon phone call. That’s why Duke Energy has again joined forces with utilities across the continent to bring awareness to these criminal scam tactics on the fifth annual Utility Scam Awareness Day on November 18. Utility Scam Awareness Day is part of the week-long International Scam Awareness Week, an advocacy and awareness campaign focused on educating customers and exposing the tactics used by scammers.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it’s absolutely critical to remind all utility customers to beware of impostors attempting to scam them,” said Jared Lawrence, Duke Energy’s vice president of revenue services and metering. “We’ve made great progress as an industry in getting the word out the past few years, and the numbers continue to improve. But so do the scammers, and that’s why we must continue to keep our customers informed and aware so they don’t become the next victims. Together, we can stop scams.”

Recognized annually, Utility Scam Awareness Day was created by Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS), a consortium of nearly 150 U.S. and Canadian electric, water, and natural gas companies and their respective trade associations.

Scamming through the pandemic

Duke Energy – a founding member of UUAS – and the consortium’s other member companies have seen an increase in scam attempts appearing to take advantage of the uncertainty of the pandemic. In addition to the frequent impostor scam, some new tactics include bogus COVID-19 references to steal personal information. Although impostors continue to target utility customers, UUAS members and partners have succeeded in taking nearly 9,400 scam telephone numbers out of operation.

“At the height of the pandemic, scammers preyed on Duke Energy customers with an alarming frequency,” Lawrence said. “The good news? Most people didn’t fall for it.”

When the UUAS campaign started in 2016, more than nine percent of Duke Energy customers who reported scams lost money, and so far this year less than three percent have reported falling for scams. That’s still nearly $400,000 of hard-earned money lost to scammers in less than a year, and the reason why more work needs to be done to get the word out.

“Customers need to be on high alert as we continue to see impostor utility scams rise across North America,” said UUAS Executive Director Monica Martinez. “Scammers demand money or personal information on the spot – usually with threatening language – and indicate that service will be disconnected immediately. Anyone and everyone, from senior households to small business owners, is at risk of being targeted.”

UUAS advises customers who suspect that they have been victims of fraud or who feel threatened during contact with a scammer to contact their local utility or law enforcement authorities. Here are tips to protect yourself from falling victim to utility scams:

Common scam tactics include:    

  • Threat to disconnect: Scammers may aggressively tell a customer their utility bill is past due, and service will be disconnected—usually within an hour—if a payment is not made.
  • Request for immediate payment: Scammers might instruct a customer to purchase a prepaid card, cryptocurrency, or to send funds via a mobile app to make a bill payment.
  • Request for prepaid card or payment through certain mobile apps: Customers are instructed to pay with a prepaid debit card. The impostor asks for the prepaid card’s number, which grants instant access to the card’s funds. More recently, customers have also been instructed to send a payment through a mobile app. Duke Energy currently does not accept payments through the Cash App, Venmo or Zelle apps. However, customers can make payments on Duke Energy’s mobile app available in the Apple App Store for iOS and the Google Play Store for Android.
  • Personal information: During the COVID-19 crisis, criminals are promising to mail refund checks for overpayments on their accounts if they can confirm their personal data, including birthdays and, in some cases, Social Security numbers. Duke Energy will apply refunds as a credit to customers’ accounts and will not contact customers to verify personal information by phone, email or in-person in order to mail a check.

Protect yourself

  • Customers should never purchase a prepaid card to avoid service interruption. Utility companies do not specify how customers should make a bill payment and always offer a variety of ways to pay a bill, including online payments, phone payments, automatic bank drafts, mail, or in person.
  • If someone threatens immediate service interruption, customers should be aware. Customers with past due accounts receive multiple advanced notices, typically by mail and in their regular monthly bill. Utilities will never notify of a disconnection in one hour or less.
  • If customers suspect someone is trying to scam them, they should hang up, delete the email, or shut the door. The utility should be contacted immediately at the number on the most recent monthly bill or on the utility’s official website, not the phone number the scammer provides. If customers ever feel that they are in physical danger, they should call 9-1-1.

Visit Duke Energy’s brand journalism site, illumination, to learn more about Lawrence’s involvement in founding Utilities United Against Scams and to download a call from a customer who reported being scammed.

NC State Board of Elections

NC Counties Finalize Election Results; Several Steps Remain in Process

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

About 10 county boards of elections in North Carolina are meeting early this week to finalize their 2020 election results, with a few counties correcting discrepancies in election results discovered during the post-election canvass process.

Results reported on election night are always unofficial. Canvass is the official process of determining the votes have been counted and tabulated correctly, resulting in the authentication of the official results.

Most county boards of elections certified their results late last week. However, a few are still working with State Board staff to ensure all votes are counted properly before they complete their canvass. Counties may delay canvass for a “reasonable time” if all aspects of the canvass process were not completed on Friday.

As counties continue their canvass processes, unofficial results will be updated accordingly on the State Board’s Election Results Dashboard.

“The canvass process exists to ensure votes are counted accurately,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “This is the process working as it is supposed to work. This election will not be certified until we are certain the results are accurate.”

Please see below for information about counties that will meet early this week to complete their canvasses.

Recounts

After all counties have completed their canvasses, any mandatory recounts would be conducted by county boards of elections. For statewide contests, the vote difference must be 10,000 votes or fewer for a candidate who is the runner-up to demand a recount. For non-statewide contests, the difference between the candidates must be 1 percent or less of the total votes cast in the contest.

Requests for recounts in most single-county contests are due by 5 p.m. Monday. Such requests in statewide and multicounty contests are due by noon Tuesday.

If a recount is demanded, the State Board of Elections office would issue a schedule, and the counties would conduct recounts individually during open meetings.

Counties would re-run every ballot through a tabulator and the results of the recount would be compared to the results of the original count.

State Board Audits

Prior to state canvass scheduled for November 24, the State Board conducts various audits of election results, including the “Voter History Audit.” Here’s how that audit is conducted:

When a voter checks in to vote at an early voting site or an Election Day polling place, or submits an absentee by-mail ballot, the voter receives a voter history record for that election.

When ballots are run through tabulators, tabulation software provides election return data that identifies the number of ballots cast in that election.

The “Voter History Audit” compares the “voter history” number with the number of physical ballots cast in that election. These two numbers should generally match, but may be slightly off for valid reasons, such as if a voter checks in at a polling place and then decides not to vote.

This audit is designed to identify certain problems or fraud, such as ballot stuffing, erroneous manual entries, user error, or certain ballot coding issues.

The State Board conducts additional audits summarized here: https://www.ncsbe.gov/about-elections/election-security/post-election-p…

The State Board will not certify results unless evidence from the audits show the results are accurate.

State Canvass

The State Board of Elections will certify statewide results for all federal, statewide, multi-district and judicial contests at a public meeting held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24. Results in each contest are not considered official until certified by the State Board. After state canvass, the board of elections with jurisdiction over each contest will issue a certificate of election to the prevailing candidate.

Electoral College

The Electoral College meets at noon on December 14. Electors’ names will be announced when the Secretary of State receives certified election results from the State Board and notifies the governor of the electors’ names. For more about the Electoral College, go here: https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/electoral_college.

Henderson Christmas Parade

Majority of Local Christmas Parades Canceled; Oxford’s Still A Go

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

The Vance County Arts Council has announced that the Downtown Henderson Drive-Thru Christmas Parade originally scheduled for Saturday, December 5, 2020, has been canceled.

Likewise, the Town of Warrenton has also canceled its annual parade.

The Town of Louisburg has also announced that the Louisburg Christmas Parade originally scheduled for Sunday, December 6 has been canceled “due to COVID-19 concerns and the inability for the public and participants to social distance.”

As of the time of this posting, Oxford still plans to hold a “Reverse” Drive-Thru Christmas Parade on Friday, December 4.

In this “reverse” parade to be held downtown, floats, dancers and cars are stationary and spaced apart. Spectators can drive-through and enjoy from the safety of their vehicles. Candy will not be distributed.

The Oxford parade line up will start at 5 p.m., with the parade beginning at 6 p.m.

The public is reminded that plans change quickly with new COVID updates released daily. Please check WIZS and the respective organization’s webpage and social media sites for updates on holiday events.

NC State Board of Elections

Four Facts About the Vote-Counting Process in NC

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

The State Board of Elections is releasing the following facts about the post-election vote-counting process in North Carolina, in part to address rapidly spreading misinformation. These processes are required by law.

  1. It’s the Law. The post-election “canvass” process occurs after every election. Canvass is the entire process of ensuring votes have been counted correctly and required audits have been completed, culminating in the certification of results during meetings of every county board of elections. By law, these meetings will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 13. Also pursuant to state law, the State Board of Elections will meet at 11 a.m. November 24 to finalize the results. N.C.G.S. § 163-182.5.
  2. All Eligible Ballots Must Be Counted. In 2020, county boards of elections must count absentee by-mail ballots postmarked on or before Election Day that arrive in the mail by 5 p.m. November 12. Ballots from military and overseas voters received by 5 p.m. November 12 will also be counted, as required by state law. N.C.G.S. § 163-258.12. During the post-election period, county boards also conduct research to determine whether to wholly or partially count provisional ballots. All eligible provisional ballots are counted during the canvass process. N.C.G.S. § 163-182.2. The post-election period ensures that the ballots of eligible voters will be counted as long as they meet statutory deadlines and comply with all other laws. This allows more eligible voters to lawfully exercise their right to vote.
  3. Results Must Be Audited. After each election, the State Board randomly selects two precincts in every county, where paper ballots must be counted by hand for the highest contest on the ballot – the presidential race in 2020 – and compared with the tabulated results. Called the “sample hand-to-eye count,” this audit recounts the ballots in the random precincts to ensure reliability of machine-tabulated results. Bipartisan teams at county boards of elections have been conducting these audits during the past week. The State Board of Elections conducts additional audits to verify the accuracy of the count. The results of all audits will be submitted to the State Board as part of the final certification of the election. For more information, see the Post-Election Procedures and Audits webpage.
  4. Elections Officials Do Not “Call” Elections. Many North Carolinians have contacted elections officials to ask why certain contests have been “called” for a particular candidate, while others have not. The state and county boards of elections have never – and will never – “call” or project a race for any candidate. Projections are made by media and/or candidates using unofficial results, typically based on the vote difference and the number of votes yet to be counted in a contest. In some cases, including the North Carolina governor’s race and North Carolina U.S. Senate race, the trailing candidates “conceded” when they realized they could not make up the vote differential with the ballots still uncounted. The State Board will certify final results on November 24. After that, the boards of elections will issue certificates of election to the prevailing candidates. N.C.G.S. § 163-182.15.
American Flag

WIZS to Honor Veterans With Special ‘Heroes We Remember’ Program

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Veterans make up a special part of our nation, state and community. In honor of Veterans Day, WIZS Radio presents a special program this Saturday, November 14, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. featuring music performed by the President’s United States Marine Band.

Titled “Heroes We Remember,” this program, sponsored by JM White Funeral Home, will feature music and a message that will inspire and give thanks to those who have served this country.

Be sure to listen live this Saturday at 1450 AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

NC Forest Service

N.C. Forest Service Offers Discount to Military Members for Seedling Orders

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-Press Release, N.C. Forest Service

In recognition of the service and sacrifice of members of the armed forces, the N.C. Forest Service is offering a 20 percent discount on tree seedling orders placed by active, honorably discharged or retired military personnel during the month of November. The discount applies to the first $500 of all new orders, up to a $100 discount.

“We are proud to offer this discount to our active military personnel and veterans,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Growing new forests and re-growing forests after harvest are critical to the long-term success of our forest industry in North Carolina. Our active military members and veterans are important partners in that success.”

To qualify for the discount, proof of service is required. A valid military ID, Department of Defense Form 214/215 or National Guard Bureau Form 22/22A is acceptable. Standard shipping rates still apply. 

Tree seedlings may be ordered by calling 1-888-NCTREES or by visiting www.buynctrees.com.

The N.C. Forest Service Nursery program ensures that residents of North Carolina have access to the best native trees and genetics available for use on their land. Current available inventory includes longleaf pine, loblolly pine, white pine, a variety of hardwoods and native understory grasses.

For more information, contact County Ranger Rob Montague at the Granville/Vance office of the N.C. Forest Service at (919) 693-3154 or at rob.montague@ncagr.gov.

NCDHHS

NCDHHS Releases New Guidance for Thanksgiving Celebrations, Black Friday Shopping

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The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services released new guidance for Thanksgiving celebrations and Black Friday shopping to help North Carolinians gauge the risks, protect their friends and loved ones, and slow the spread of COVID-19.

“The best way to protect loved ones during Thanksgiving is to limit travel and gatherings with anyone who does not live in your household,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. “If you do plan to get together, there are important steps you can take to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 to your family and friends.”

Because North Carolina is experiencing high numbers of COVID-19 cases across the state, NCDHHS urges caution when gathering for Thanksgiving and other holiday celebrations, especially for gatherings that include people who are at a higher risk of developing complications from COVID-19, such as anyone over the age of 65.

If people do plan on traveling or gathering, they should consider having a screening COVID-19 test three to four days ahead of time. A screening test can help someone know if they have COVID-19 even if they do not yet have symptoms. However, a screening test can miss some infections. Furthermore, a negative test only gives you information for that point in time.

Screening tests are available at state-funded community testing events. Call ahead to other testing sites to see if they offer screening tests at their locations. Community testing events and other testing sites are listed online at ncdhhs.gov/testingplace.

“Consider getting a screening test ahead of your Thanksgiving travel or gathering. If you test positive, stay home and isolate. If you test negative, it’s not a free pass. Wear a mask and practice all 3Ws, including keeping 6 feet of distance from others and washing hands often,” Secretary Cohen said.

People who have been recently diagnosed with COVID-19, have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been around a person with COVID-19, should not host or participate in any in-person gatherings until they complete their isolation or quarantine period.

For a full list of guidance about traveling and gathering during the holidays, along with a chart outlining low, medium and high-risk activities, see the NCDHHS Interim Guidance for Thanksgiving Holiday.

During Black Friday shopping, it is strongly recommended individuals do not participate in any traditional Black Friday shopping where customers gather in large groups waiting for the store to open or are in crowded stores for extended times.

Any large gathering of people poses an increased risk of spreading COVID-19. People at high risk for COVID-19 complications should limit in-person shopping. And people who have recently been diagnosed with COVID-19, have COVID-19 like symptoms or who have been exposed to COVID-19, should not shop in person until their isolation or quarantine period is over.

Individuals who do shop in person should follow the 3Ws and remember stores are limited to 50 percent capacity. For further Black Friday guidance, including step-by-step tips for how to reduce risk while shopping, see the NCDHHS Interim Guidance for Black Friday Shopping.

NC State Board of Elections

State Board Releases County-by-County Provisional Ballot Numbers

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

Under state law, elections officials must release the number of provisional ballots cast in each county by noon two days after the election. The State Board surveyed the 100 county boards of elections across North Carolina and provides the provisional ballot numbers by county below.

Provisional ballots cast on Election Day must still be researched to determine voter eligibility. Provisional ballots are cast when an individual’s name does not appear on the poll book or other questions arise about that person’s eligibility to vote or to vote a particular ballot.

After Election Day, each county board of elections meets before certifying the results to make decisions on provisional applications submitted by voters. If the board determines that the voter is eligible, the provisional ballot is counted. If the voter is eligible for some contests on the ballot but not others, the eligible contests will be counted for that voter. These ballots will be added to the results during the canvass process.

Ballots determined to be cast by eligible voters will be added to the results after county board absentee meetings scheduled through November 13. The State Board is compiling a schedule of county board meetings and will release it as soon as possible.

County # of Provisionals
Alamance 868
Alexander 175
Alleghany 33
Anson 100
Ashe 103
Avery 114
Beaufort 132
Bertie 87
Bladen 129
Brunswick 869
Buncombe 737
Burke 116
Cabarrus 1049
Caldwell 310
Camden 32
Carteret 460
Caswell 122
Catawba 442
Chatham 156
Cherokee 48
Chowan 52
Clay 52
Cleveland 552
Columbus 286
Craven 447
Cumberland 1842
Currituck 106
Dare 176
Davidson 928
Davie 165
Duplin 321
Durham 1277
Edgecombe 167
Forsyth 1500
Franklin 249
Gaston 987
Gates 53
Graham 58
Granville 220
Greene 73
Guilford 1228
Halifax 188
Harnett 803
Haywood 217
Henderson 200
Hertford 71
Hoke 323
Hyde 22
Iredell 341
Jackson 336
Johnston 892
Jones 58
Lee 150
Lenoir 264
Lincoln 353
Macon 83
Madison 108
Martin 100
McDowell 126
Mecklenburg 2483
Mitchell 104
Montgomery 156
Moore 389
Nash 544
New Hanover 1200
Northampton 32
Onslow 1074
Orange 247
Pamlico 69
Pasquotank 311
Pender 340
Perquimans 53
Person 121
Pitt 1091
Polk 49
Randolph 536
Richmond 248
Robeson 1472
Rockingham 516
Rowan 441
Rutherford 488
Sampson 202
Scotland 143
Stanly 319
Stokes 167
Surry 341
Swain 48
Transylvania 91
Tyrrell 12
Union 933
Vance 55
Wake 3437
Warren 72
Washington 40
Watauga 260
Wayne 573
Wilkes 234
Wilson 276
Yadkin 81
Yancey 62
Total 40766
NC State Board of Elections

How to Know Your Vote Counted in North Carolina

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

North Carolina elections officials wish to remind Election Day voters that it may take a few weeks before their “voter history” is updated to reflect their recent vote in their voter record available through the State Board of Elections’ Voter Search tool.

“If you voted in person and inserted your ballot into a tabulator, your selections were immediately recorded on a memory card, and your votes were reported on election night as part of the unofficial results,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “We respectfully ask that voters trust their bipartisan boards of elections across North Carolina. We are here to make sure your votes count, and they will.”

The State Board of Elections and county boards of elections are inundated with questions from voters about whether their ballot was counted in the 2020 general election. In almost every single case, the answer will be yes.

However, if you voted on Election Day, it will take time for your voter history to reflect the fact that you voted, as county boards of elections must first complete post-election processes.

Voters may confirm the status of their ballot in the following ways through the State Board of Elections’ Voter Search tool: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/. Simply enter your first and last names and county (if desired) and follow the instructions below based on your voting method.

If you voted in person on Election Day…

When you inserted your ballot into a tabulator, your selections were recorded on a media card in the tabulator. These results were counted and reported publicly on election night.

For further confirmation that your ballot was counted, use the Voter Search tool.

Your ballot status will show up in the “Voter History” section (see screenshot below) as soon as your county completes the post-election process of assigning voter history to your record. This may take a couple of weeks or longer after the election.

Please be assured that your county board of elections will complete this process as promptly as possible amid the other post-election tasks that must be completed, including post-election audits and certification of the results.

If you voted in person during the one-stop early voting period from October 15-31…

You can find that your vote counted in the “Your Absentee Ballot” section (see screenshot below) of the Voter Search database.

Under North Carolina law, all early votes – by-mail or in-person – are considered absentee votes. If you voted during the early voting period, your “Absentee Status” will show “VALID RETURN,” the “Return Method” will be “IN PERSON” and your “Return Status” will be “ACCEPTED.”

Your ballot status also will show up in the “Voter History” section as soon as your county completes the post-election process of assigning voter history to your record. This may take a couple of weeks or longer.

If you voted absentee by-mail…

Once your ballot is received by your county board of elections, you can find that your vote counted in the “Your Absentee Ballot” section of the Voter Search database. “Absentee Status” will show “VALID RETURN,” the “Return Method” will be “MAIL” and your “Return Status” will be “ACCEPTED” or “ACCEPTED – CURED”.

Your ballot status will also show up in the “Voter History” section as soon as your county completes the post-election process of assigning voter history to your record. This may take a couple of weeks or longer.

If you cast a provisional ballot…

You will be able to check the status of your ballot 10 days after the election through the Provisional Search tool: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegProvPIN/. You must fill out all four fields in the form and click “Search.”

What is “voter history”?

Voter history includes the election date, the voting method and your county. For primary elections, it also includes the ballot style (Republican, Democratic, nonpartisan, etc.) that you voted. It will not show who you voted for. That is always confidential.

State elections officials urge voters to use the options above to ensure their ballot was counted. We also urge voters to be wary about what they read online and on social media about elections. In these days after the election, a lot of misinformation is spreading on social media.

 “Please be patient as your county boards of elections work extremely hard to ensure all ballots are counted and results are audited and certified,” Brinson Bell said. “With these options, voters can have peace of mind that their voice was heard in this election.”

Warren County Logo

Warren County Donates Equipment for VIPER Tower Improvements

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

Warren County completed the final task in its latest partnership with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) and the Warren County Firemen’s Association- the donation and handoff of approximately $174,000 of equipment to make public safety improvements to the VIPER towers (owned and maintained by NCSHP) in Warren County.

Currently, only Warren County EMS and the Sheriff’s Office have the equipment to communicate on the VIPER network. With the county’s support to fund grant writing assistance, the Warren County Firemen’s Association applied for and received a $702,900 federal grant – matched by $66,900 from Warren County in FY 20 – to purchase updated radio equipment for all volunteer fire departments to communicate on this network. The equipment on the VIPER towers still needs to be upgraded in order for these radios to work.

“This partnership with NCSHP is another level of growth in emergency services infrastructure for Warren County citizens,” stated Warren County Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Tare Davis. “This much-needed advancement of new-age communication allows our fire departments to have what is necessary to keep us safe and respond to our county’s needs.”

The funding for the equipment was included in the FY 21 budget in fire protection. The county was required by NCSHP to purchase this equipment in order for these improvements to be made; by donating the equipment to NCSHP, the equipment will be maintained and upgraded by the state moving forward.

“Warren County has chosen a prudent course for designing a reliable interoperability communication system among all public safety agencies within Warren County by partnering into the state-owned VIPER system,” stated Dennis Paschall, Director of Warren County Emergency Services. “This phase will bring VIPER interoperability into volunteer fire departments that is a critical component in having VIPER capabilities within all the public safety agencies for natural and manmade responses.”

“As a county commissioner and fire commissioner, I’m grateful we have entered into this commitment for our brave men and women of our fire departments who volunteer every day,” Davis said.

For more information, contact the Warren County Manager’s Office at (252) 257-3115.