National Weather Service

Hurricane Preparedness Week: High Winds & Insurance Coverage

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-Information courtesy Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations

THIS WEEK IS NORTH CAROLINA’S HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK

All week long, the National Weather Service will issue informative messages to help you prepare for the hurricane season. Today’s topics include high winds and secure an insurance check-up.

High Winds

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale classifies hurricanes into five categories based on their sustained wind speed at the indicated time. Hurricanes reaching Category 3 and higher are considered major hurricanes because of their potential for significant loss of life and property. Category 1 and 2 storms are still dangerous and require preventive measures.

It is important that you know your hurricane warning terminology – the difference between watches and warning:

• Hurricane Warning: An announcement that sustained winds of 74 mph or higher are expected somewhere within the specified area in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone. Because hurricane preparedness activities become difficult once winds reach tropical storm force, the warning is issued 36 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds. The warning can remain in effect when dangerously high water or a combination of dangerously high water and waves continue, even though winds may be less than hurricane force.

• Hurricane Watch: An announcement that sustained winds of 74 mph or higher are possible somewhere within the specified area in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone. Because hurricane preparedness activities become difficult once winds reach tropical storm force, the watch is issued 48 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds.

• Tropical Storm Warning: An announcement that sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph are expected somewhere within the specified area within 36 hours in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone.

• Tropical Storm Watch: An announcement that sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph are possible somewhere within the specified area within 48 hours in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone.

Keep in mind that even tropical storm force winds of less than 74 mph are capable of tossing around debris and causing damage similar to that seen in inland areas during Hurricane Fran especially in the Raleigh area. For this reason, you should seek shelter from the wind in a sturdy building as the hurricane moves inland and before the onset of tropical storm force winds. Tropical storm force winds usually strike hours ahead of the actual hurricane’s eye. For this reason, many emergency officials typically have evacuations completed and personnel sheltered before the onset of tropical storm force winds.

Hurricane-force winds can easily destroy poorly constructed buildings and mobile homes. Debris such as signs, roofing material, and items left outside become flying missiles in high wind. Falling trees cause extensive damage to power lines, towers and underground water lines. This can cause extended disruptions of utility services and you need roofing contractors to fix things. Damaging hurricane force winds can be just as devastating as tornadoes.

You can protect windows by installing hurricane shutters or prepare 5/8 inch plywood panels. Garage doors are also very susceptible to high wind and fail frequently in tropical storms and hurricanes when wind gusts exceed 70 mph. Reinforcing garage doors with affordable braces significantly increase structural integrity.

Things you can do before a storm threatens include assessing your home’s landscaping and assess the threat from falling trees. Trim back any dead limbs as well as large overhanging branches. Pick up all loose objects around the house including lawn furniture, grills, and potted plants. Lastly, have a plan of where to seek shelter in your home if high wind threatens you. Talk with your family and let everyone know where your predetermined safe room is in your home. Interior hallways, closets and bathrooms are the safest locations. Always stay away from windows and exterior doors.

Secure an Insurance Check-up

Call your insurance company or agent and ask for an insurance check-up to make sure you have enough homeowners insurance to repair or even replace your home. Don’t forget coverage for your car or boat. Remember, standard homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding. Whether you’re a homeowner or renter, you’ll need a separate policy for it, and it’s available through your company, agent or the National Flood Insurance Program at www.floodsmart.gov. Act now as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period. Finally, know where your insurance documents and contact information are located, and be sure to take them with you if you have to evacuate.

For more information about hurricane preparedness, please visit the following web sites: • https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare • https://www.readync.org.

U.S. Department of Justice

DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day Declared Big Success

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-Press Release, U.S. Dept. of Justice

United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announces the results of the DEA April 27, 2019, 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Nationwide, DEA, along with their law enforcement partners collected nearly 469 tons of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. In the Eastern District of North Carolina, approximately 7,229.92 pounds were collected and 8,968 pounds were collected statewide.

“Across the country and here in the Eastern District of North Carolina, we are facing a real and dangerous threat from opioids and other prescription drugs,” said United States Attorney Higdon. “We have unprecedented levels of addiction, frightening numbers of overdoses, and an alarming number of deaths because of the over-prescription and improper use of these drugs. This requires each of us to work to solve it. By properly disposing of prescription medication we do not need, we can reduce the risk that these drugs will fall into the wrong hands.”

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers.

Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. This initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications languishing in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.

DEA’s next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is October 26, 2019.

For complete results of the recently concluded Spring Take Back Day visit www.DEATakeBack.com. If you missed the Take Back Day click here https://apps2.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e1s1 to locate an authorized collector in your area.

VGCC Community Band to Perform at McGregor Hall, Raleigh Rd Outdoor Theatre

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The Community Band of Vance-Granville Community College will perform a spring concert on Monday, May 6, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in downtown Henderson. Admission is free.

The band will also perform a Memorial weekend performance at Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre, 3336 Raleigh Rd in Henderson, on Saturday, May 25 at 6 p.m. The concert will be performed prior to the showing of that evening’s feature film.

The Vance-Granville Community Band offers free membership to area musicians. The band rehearses on Monday nights from 7 until 9 p.m. during the academic year at the Main Campus in Henderson. If you are interested in joining, please contact Brian Miller at bmiller9302@vgcc.edu.

Above, the Vance-Granville Community Band performs under the direction of Brian Miller in this file photo from its May 2017 concert in McGregor Hall. (VGCC Photo)

 

Enjoy a Free Movie Night Under the Stars With Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns”

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-Information courtesy the Warrenton Festivals Facebook page

As part of Warrenton’s free outdoor movie series, Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns” will be shown in Warrenton’s Historic Courthouse Square, 109 S. Main St., on Saturday, May 18, 2019. The movie will begin at dusk.

Admission is free; popcorn and various other refreshments will be on sale.

Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy an evening of family fun.

For additional information, or to view upcoming outdoor movies and Warrenton events, please visit the Warrenton Festival Facebook page by clicking here.

 

WIZS Celebrates 64 Years of Informing & Entertaining the Community!

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John Charles Rose, owner and operator of WIZS, was on Town Talk this morning to announce this day, May 1, 2019, as the 64th anniversary of the local radio station.

On May 1, 1955, Howard V. Harrell, a tv and radio repairman from Oxford, started the station under the call letters WHVH – his initials. The station has been on the air continuously ever since bringing the community local news, sports, music and entertainment.

The call letters were changed to WIZS around 1959, shortly after the station was sold to Stan Fox and his business partners Irv Fox and Seymour Dworsky.

Rose Farm & Rentals purchased WIZS and assumed operation on June 1, 1989, under president John D. Rose, III. A month from today, the Rose family will celebrate 30 years of WIZS ownership.

“Our continuing commitment to the community and the radio staff have made it possible for us to celebrate 64 years as a station,” said Rose. “The various personalities, the various people who are very good at their jobs, and of course our loyal advertising base have all made it possible.”

Rose reminded listeners that news is free and available 24/7 at www.wizs.com and on WIZS’ social media pages.

For the last 30 years, local news has been broadcast on air on 1450AM, as well as on the more recently licensed translator 100.1 FM, at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily; mid-day news has been reported at various times throughout the years. News has been on the air at set times since day one of operation.

WIZS’ online presence grew exponentially in 2018 with 100,000 people visiting the website and daily additions of viewers who like and/or follow the station on Facebook and Twitter.

Putting the “community” in the locally owned and operated community radio station, WIZS offers approximately 250 public service announcements free of charge each month to non-profit organizations, schools, churches and government institutions. PSAs can be submitted and viewed online at any time by clicking here.

Rose also reminded listeners of the current weekday station schedule, including a mix of news, music, sports, talk and entertainment:

“Weekday Wakeup with Brandi Leigh” from 6 – 9 a.m.

Music from 9 – 11 a.m.

“Town Talk” at 11 a.m.

“Tradio” at 11:30 a.m.

“Beach Music Blast” with Trey Snide at 12 p.m.

“Sports Mayhem” with Kemp Collins at 1 p.m.

Music from 2 – 4 p.m.

“Afternoon Drive” with John Stevenson at 4 p.m.

Weekend programs include “Country Grass” with Ms. Velvet from 7 – 9 a.m. and “Choice Country Classics” from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Saturday afternoon brings a mix of Country, Beach and Oldies music for your listening pleasure.

Robert Wright provides live news, local church happenings and gospel music on Sunday mornings from 7 – 11 a.m. in a segment titled “Sounds of Jordan.” This is followed by Ms. Velvet’s “Sunday Afternoon Gospel Jamboree,” a popular variety of Country, Bluegrass and Gospel music, from 12 – 2 p.m.

“Thanks for listening to WIZS,” Rose concluded his segment. “We’re proud to know you, we’re proud to try to help you, we’re proud to try to do good things for you and we’re proud you’ve chosen to make WIZS your home on the radio.”

 To hear the Town Talk segment with John Charles Rose in its entirety, click here.

Walser Wins T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing Tournament at Kerr Lake

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-Press Release, FLW

Boater Robert Walser of Lexington, North Carolina, brought five bass to the weigh-in stage totaling 15 pounds, 10 ounces, to win Saturday’s T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) North Carolina Division tournament on Kerr Lake. For his efforts, Walser took home $5,718.

“I fished flooded bushes and trees, mid-lake, along an approximately 20-mile stretch,” said Walser, who logged his 12th career win in BFL competition – tied for second most all-time. “I used a spinnerbait early, and then I flipped.”

Walser said he used a ½-ounce white-colored Rush Lures double-willow-bladed spinnerbait with a chartreuse and silver glitter Zoom Split Tail trailer on 20-pound-test Berkley Big Game line. He flipped a green-pumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hog with a 3/0-sized Berkley Fusion 19 EWG hook and a 3/8-ounce Eco Pro tungsten flipping weight. For flipping, he opted for 20-pound-test Berkley Trilene 100-percent fluorocarbon line.

Boater Robert Walser of Lexington, North Carolina, brought five bass to the weigh-in stage totaling 15 pounds, 10 ounces, to win Saturday’s T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) North Carolina Division tournament on Kerr Lake. For his efforts, Walser took home $5,718. (Photo courtesy FLW)

“I caught more than 30 keepers. It was hard initially, but after it warmed up it got easier,” said Walser. “We had a severe cold front come through Friday afternoon and the temperatures dropped rapidly – maybe 20 degrees in 30 minutes. It rained following the temperature change, so we had a few hours of cold rain. I think it had an effect on the fish I was targeting, but after noontime I caught four or five limits.”

Walser said he ended up weighing one off the spinnerbait, and the rest from the Brush Hog.

“Some of those spinnerbait fish in the morning were at those deeper bushes, and my Garmin Panoptix showed me the submerged bushes I couldn’t see, which really helped me out,” said Walser.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Robert Walser, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 15-10, $3,718 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2nd:         Dustin Clontz, Albemarle, N.C., five bass, 14-8, $1,909

3rd:          Jake Frye, Charlotte, N.C., five bass, 14-0, $1,388

4th:          Scott Beattie, Lincolnton, N.C., five bass, 13-10, $898

5th:          Scott Hamrick, Denver, N.C., five bass, 13-8, $655

5th:          Randy Childers, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 13-8, $805

7th:          Jason Wilson, Lincolnton, N.C., five bass, 13-6, $990

8th:          Carson Orellana, Mooresville, N.C., five bass, 13-0, $513

9th:          Michael Stephens, Gastonia, N.C., five bass, 12-8, $456

10th:        Ryan Deal, Indian Trail, N.C., five bass, 12-7, $399

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Wilson caught a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $420.

Jeff Scism of Shelby, North Carolina, won the Co-angler Division and $1,709 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 12 pounds, 5 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1st:          Jeff Scism, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 12-5, $1,709

2nd:         Larry Freeman Jr., La Crosse, Va., five bass, 12-3, $1,105

3rd:          Wayne Smelser, Rural Retreat, Va., five bass, 11-1, $620

4th:          Charles Wood, Thomasville, N.C., four bass, 10-15, $609

5th:          Maverick Canipe, Kings Mountain, N.C., five bass, 10-1, $342

6th:          Dwayne Parton, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 9-13, $413

7th:          Mark Murphy, Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 9-12, $285

8th:          Barry Burford, Charlotte, N.C., five bass, 9-11, $256

9th:          Grant McPeters, Marion, N.C., four bass, 9-10, $228

10th:        John Cook, Matthews, N.C., five bass, 9-9, $199

Wood caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 4 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $210.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina, presented by Navionics. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.

The T-H Marine FLW BFL North Carolina Division tournament on Kerr Lake was hosted by the Vance County Tourism Development Authority.

The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

The 2019 BFL All-American will be held May 30-June 1 at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland, and is hosted by the Charles County Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism and the Commissioners of Charles County. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

VGCC Student Receives Top Academic Honor

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College has named student Hope Crute of Youngsville as its recipient of the North Carolina Community College System’s Academic Excellence Award for 2019. One student from each of the 58 colleges in the state system is honored with the award each year.

Crute will be officially recognized at Commencement in May when she is scheduled to graduate from the college with both an Associate in Arts and an Associate in Science. Not long afterward, she is set to graduate from Franklin County Early College High School. That challenging five-year program, along with the guidance and support of teachers and peers, has helped her develop into the person she is today.

Hope Crute of Youngsville is the VGCC recipient of the North Carolina Community College System Academic Excellence Award for 2019. (VGCC Photo)

“Vance-Granville Community College is a school that successfully brings together ambitious, hard-working students who encourage one another and challenge each other to do better academically and professionally,” Crute said. “The magical thing I have found as a student at VGCC is that the school does not just teach academic lessons, but also life lessons.”

Crute has excelled in the classroom while also taking on numerous responsibilities at home to help her family as they dealt with her father’s serious health issues. She has served as a peer tutor in the VGCC Academic Skills Center and has been inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society for community college students, as well as the National Honor Society at the high school level.

Crute plans to transfer to UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall to complete a bachelor’s degree in a scientific field.

“Hope’s determination and dedication to academic success have earned her recognition as one of North Carolina’s outstanding community college students,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, the president of VGCC.

“Thanks to her experience at Vance-Granville and at Franklin County Early College, Hope now enters the next stage of her education equipped with confidence, clarity, enhanced skills, and a thirst for further knowledge.”

Duke Energy

Duke Energy Releases 13th Annual Sustainability Report

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-Press release and additional information courtesy Tanya Evans, District Manager, Duke Energy

We are pleased to share Duke Energy’s latest Sustainability Report, which highlights how the company is charting a path to a cleaner, smarter energy future for customers. Released this morning, the report shows a company continuing to shift from coal to natural gas with a greater reliance on renewable energy, a company transforming the customer experience by investing in new technologies that help customers make smart energy decisions and save money, and a company that offers electric rates below the national average in all customer classes and all service areas for the fifth consecutive year.

A few highlights include:

  • As of year-end 2018, we owned or contracted over 7,100 megawatts of wind, solar and biomass energy. This includes 500 megawatts of solar added in North Carolina during the year, which helped the state remain second in the nation for solar capacity.
  • Our energy efficiency initiatives helped customers reduce energy consumption and peak demand by more than 16,700 gigawatt-hours and 5,900 megawatts, respectively, since 2008. This reduction in consumption is more than the annual usage of 1.25 million homes, and the peak demand reduction is equivalent to 10 power plants each producing 600 megawatts.
  • We installed 1.6 million smart meters last year, giving 62% of our total customers access to real-time information to help make smarter energy decisions.

Also reflected is how the company is contributing to North Carolina’s positive growth. During 2018, for example, we helped attract more than 4,000 new jobs and $2.4 billion in business investment here.

We continue to be proud of this important work for our customers and appreciate your interest and support. For more information on the 2018 Sustainability Report, I encourage you to view our news release included, in part, below:

Duke Energy News Release:

Duke Energy continues to generate cleaner energy at prices below the national average for its 7.7 million residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Those facts were spelled out today in the company’s 13th annual Sustainability Report – a report card on the company’s progress at meeting its sustainability goals. The report can be found here – and a PDF copy for download can be found here.

“Duke Energy is successfully reducing our environmental impact while keeping electric prices low for customers,” said Cari Boyce, senior vice president, stakeholder strategy and sustainability. “It’s not a question of clean or affordable. We’re safely and reliably achieving both.”

Among the highlights in this year’s report:

  • In the six states where Duke Energy has retail electric customers, the company’s electric rates were below the national averages, according to data from the Edison Electric Institute.
  • Duke Energy relies on a balanced energy mix that includes carbon-free nuclear, lower-cost natural gas, hydroelectric and coal. In 2018, nearly 38 percent of the energy produced by the company was carbon-free.
  • Duke Energy-owned and purchased renewable energy (wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric power) was equivalent to roughly 9.3 percent of its generation mix in 2018 – reflecting an 11 percent increase compared to 2017.
  • The company’s use of coal has dropped more than 50 percent from 2008 to 2018 – from 63 million tons annually to 29 million tons. The use of cleaner-burning and lower-cost natural gas has spurred much of that reduction.
  • Duke Energy’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions remained roughly flat in 2018 – despite producing 2 percent more energy versus the previous year. The company’s carbon intensity, the amount of CO2 produced per kilowatt-hour generated, fell 2 percent from the previous year. Overall, the company’s carbon emissions have dropped 31 percent since 2005.
  • Duke Energy established new goals in the report. One is to reduce water withdrawals by its generation fleet by 1 trillion gallons by 2030 – compared to its 2016 mark of 5.34 trillion gallons.
  • Duke Energy is also investing more in energy storage. The company is looking to install more than 400 megawatts (MW) of battery storage over the next 15 years. Today, work is underway at the Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station in South Carolina to increase its pumped storage output by more than 300 MW.

NCDA&CS: Recent Uptick in Use of Credit Card Skimmers at NC Gas Pumps

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-Press Release, NCDA&CS

As the weather turns warmer and many North Carolinians make travel plans for the summer months, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Standards Division is offering a few tips on how to stay safe at the pump after a recent uptick in credit card skimmers have been found.

In the first quarter of 2019, inspectors with the NCDA&CS Standards Division and partnering local authorities found 23 credit card skimmers in gas pumps around the state through routine inspections at the pump. That compares to five skimmers in the first quarter of 2018 and 37 over the entire year.

Also of note is that 11 of the 23 skimmers found in the first quarter were found in Johnston County. This includes five at one location in the town of Selma, and implies a concerted effort to target the Johnston County area with skimmers. Skimmers were also found in Davidson, Mecklenburg and Polk counties.

“On return visits, we found that some of the same stores were hit a second time after the first device was already removed. This leads me to believe that someone is, or at least was, actively working this area,” said Chad Parker, Standards Division measurement section manager. “We have completed our sweep and now our inspector is returning to these stores for his annual inspections.”

Skimmers are electronic devices placed inside a gas pump which collect data whenever a credit or debit card transaction is made at that pump. The owner of the skimmer then returns and collects the device, along with the credit or debit card information stored on it.

For the average customer, there is no way of knowing if there is a skimmer inside a pump, said Parker. Despite that, there are a few steps that consumers can take to reduce the risk of having their information stolen.

  • If possible, do not use a card at the pump. Paying for your gas inside, with either a card or cash, allows you to pay at a machine that has an employee watching over it all day.
  • If you do use a card outside, run it as a credit transaction, rather than debit. This way, the machine will ask for your ZIP code instead of your PIN, which leave you less vulnerable if a skimmer picks up your information.
  • Ask the store what kinds of measures they have taken to protect your information from being stolen

The Standards Division inspects gas dispensers for accuracy and fuel quality. Inspectors with the division check dispensers for the presence of skimmers by request, complaint or during routine gas pump inspection.

RV/Cabin or Day Use Upgrades? Kerr Lake Park Watch Wants Your Opinion!

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-Information courtesy the Kerr Lake Park Watch’s Facebook page

Kerr Lake Park Watch is working on updating priorities for the seven NC State Recreation Areas on Kerr Lake – Kimball Point, County Line, Bullocksville, Satterwhite Point (JC Cooper), Nutbush, Hibernia and Henderson Point. (NORTH CAROLINA PARKS ONLY, we will poll on VA & US Army Corps of Engineers parks soon.)

We want to show state parks personnel how park attendees feel about park improvements.

Please visit the Kerr Lake Park Watch’s Facebook page (click here) and respond with which of the below two options you would prefer:

OPTION #1 – Do you want more campsites that are upgraded to RV status with 30/50 AMP, room for RV slides, 13.5 ft high, room for awnings and with a defined camping area? If so, respond – RV/Cabin Upgrades to camp.

OPTION #2 – Do you want more day-use areas, swimming beaches, hiking trails? If so, respond – DAY Use Upgrades.

NOTE: If you have other park suggestions, please send an email to info@kerrlakeparkwatch.org. YOU MUST INCLUDE your name, city of residence or where you receive mail, and your email; sending any other contact information is appreciated.

Kerr Lake Park Watch will never give or sell your information to any public or private entity.