THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, WE’RE COMING UP WITH CREATIVE GIFTS THAT COST NINE DOLLARS OR LESS.
  IN WALLET WATCH: THESE FRUGAL FOOD GIFTS ARE FROM FRUGAL LIVING DOT COM.

PLEASE THE COFFEE LOVER ON YOUR LIST WITH CHOCOLATE SPOONS.
  YOU CAN ALSO GIVE CHOCOLATE- DIPPED PRETZELS OR MARSHMALLOWS: THEY ONLY TAKE MINUTES TO MAKE.
    HOMEMADE BREAD IS HARD TO BEAT.
  TRY SOMETHING FANCY LIKE PEANUT BUTTER, PUMPKIN OR BANANA BREAD.
  A READY- TO- GO MEAL TURNS YOUR GIFT OF FOOD INTO A GIFT OF TIME.
  DISHES LIKE CHILI, SPAGHETTI AND LASAGNA FREEZE WELL, AND THEY DON’T HAVE TO USE THEM RIGHT AWAY.

As it gets closer to Christmas you may be struggling to get gifts for family and friends and not break the bank.
Until Christmas Eve in a special Holiday Wallet Watch, we are full of ideas to buy a gift for 9 dollars or less.
For instance, go to the local garden store and buy an inexpensive poinsettia plant. How about wrapping up a bag of gourmet popcorn and flavored oil.  You could also try some Bar-B_Que sauce from your favorite Bar-B-Que restaurant.
And what about waffle mix with real maple syrup wrapped in the Sunday Funnies.

And a member of our staff, Alex Poindexter came up with several ideas that can be personalized to the person you like most.
For instance, she says how about paying for a 9-dollar gift card to Starbucks for a coffee lover or   how about a 9 dollar card for a haircut for a guy friend.

You can also pre-pay a ticket to a museum visit, movie or to get an oil change. But if your friend is into gaming, then what about going on line to buy a used “Play Station two” game at http://www.gamespot.com.

North Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week continues this Thursday.  Today’s focus includes more potentially life-saving information:

COLD TEMPERATURES AND THE DANGERS OF FIRE AND IMPROPER HEATING

COLD TEMPERATURES ARE A FACT OF WINTER. WITH THESE COLD TEMPERATURES COMES AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HOUSE FIRES. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION… A HOUSE FIRE IS REPORTED TO A FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES EVERY ONE AND A HALF MINUTES… AND SOMEONE DIES IN A HOUSE FIRE EVERY TWO AND A HALF HOURS. STRUCTURE FIRES CLAIMED NEARLY THREE THOUSAND LIVES IN 2007 NATIONWIDE. EIGHTY FOUR PERCENT OF THESE FIRE DEATHS OCCURRED IN THE HOME.

HOUSE FIRES FROM HEATING MATERIAL WITHIN THE HOME RANKS SECOND FOR THE MOST DEATHS AND PROPERTY LOSS FALLING BEHIND IMPROPERLY DICARDED SMOKING MATERIAL. CHIMNEY FIRES ARE THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF HOME HEATING FIRES AND ARE TYPICALLY THE RESULT OF A POORLY MAINTAINED CHIMNEY WHERE CREOSOTE IS ALLOWED TO BUILD UP. PORTABLE AND FIXED SPACE HEATERS… INCLUDING WOOD STOVES… ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THE HOME HEATING FIRE DEATHS. SPACE HEATERS ARE TYPICALLY INVOLVED IN 25 PERCENT OF HOME HEATING FIRES BUT ACCOUNT FOR 74 PERCENT OF THE DEATHS.

THE AMERICAN RED CROSS RESPONDS TO MORE THAN 68,000 DISASTERS EACH YEAR… THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE SINGLE-FAMILY FIRES. AT LEAST TWO OF EVERY THREE DEADLY HOME HEATING FIRES IN THE U.S. ARE ATTRIBUTED TO SPACE HEATING EQUIPMENT. ALL TYPES OF COMMON SPACE HEATING EQUIPMENT ARE INVOLVED IN THESE HOME FIRES… ELECTRIC HEATERS… KEROSENE HEATERS… WOOD STOVES… FIREPLACES… AND GAS HEATERS. COMMON CAUSES OF SPACE HEATING HOME FIRES ARE PLACING SPACE HEATERS TOO CLOSE TO COMBUSTIBLES… AND FUELING ERRORS INVOLVING LIQUID OR GAS FUELED HEATING EQUIPMENT.

THE RED CROSS RECOMMENDS TAKING THE FOLLOWING PREVENTIVE MEASURES TO HELP MINIMIZE THE CHANCE AND IMPACT OF FIRE:

1) BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WITH CANDLES. COLDER TEMPERATURES USUALLY RESULT IN MORE BURNING OF CANDLES DURING THE WINTER SEASON THAN ANY OTHER TIME OF YEAR. WINTER STORMS AND POWER OUTAGES FURTHER INCREASES THE USE OF CANDLES AND OIL LAMPS IN THE HOME. KEEP CANDLES AWAY FROM COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS. NEVER LEAVE CHILDREN UNATTENDED IN A ROOM WITH LIT
CANDLES. KEEP CANDLES…MATCHES AND LIGHTERS OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.

2) INSPECT FIREPLACES AND WOOD STOVES. HAVE YOUR CHIMNEY CONNECTIONS AND FLUES INSPECTED BY A PROFESSIONAL AND CLEANED IF NECESSARY PRIOR TO THE START OF EVERY HEATING SEASON.

3) USE A STURDY SCREEN OR DOOR IN FRONT OF YOUR FIREPLACE WHEN BURNING FIRES.

4) BURN ONLY WOOD, NEVER BURN PAPER… INCLUDING DISCARDED GIFT WRAP… OR PINE BOUGHS.

5) DO NOT HANG HOLIDAY DECORATIONS FROM OR ON YOUR FIREPLACE IF YOU PLAN TO USE IT AS A HEAT SOURCE.

6) CHECK SMOKE DETECTORS. MAKE SURE DETECTORS ARE WORKING PROPERLY AND THAT NEW BATTERIES ARE INSTALLED.

7) BE AWARE OF OVERUSE OF ELECTRICAL OUTLETS. DON’T OVERLOAD YOUR ELECTRICAL OUTLETS AND BE CAREFUL OF EXTENSION CORDS THAT PRESENT HAZARDOUS WALKWAYS.

8) HAVE ONE OR MORE WORKING FIRE EXTINGUISHERS IN YOUR HOME. MOST FIRE DEPARTMENTS WILL PROVIDE TRAINING ON HOW TO USE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. MANY PEOPLE FALL VICTIM TO FIRES IN THEIR HOMES DURING THE WINTER. THIS FACT MEANS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. MAKE YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER IS FULLY CHARGED. ALSO BE SURE TO TEST SMOKE DETECTORS AND REPLACE ANY BROKEN DETECTORS AND DEAD BATTERIES.

Gannon Medwick
Storm Team 9 Meteorologist

EVEN THOUGH THE TIMES ARE TOUGH: THERE’S NO NEED TO BE A SCROOGE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
  THIS MONTH IN WALLET WATCH: CHANNEL 9’S SHARING GIFT IDEAS FOR NINE DOLLARS OR LESS.
  OUR MARKETING DIRECTOR COURTNEY FOUND THESE DEALS ONLINE.
  ON MAGAZINES DOT COM: FIVE ISSUES OF SOUTHERN LIVING MAGAZINE FOR NINE DOLLARS.
AT THINGS REMEMBERED DOT COM: A SILVER STAR ORNAMENT YOU CAN ENGRAVE WITH A MESSAGE: ON SALE FOR 7.99
AND AT ORIENTAL TRADING COMPANY, A SNOWMAN BOWL FOR A FESTIVE DINNER,  7 DOLLARS AND FORTY NINE CENTS.

North Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week continues this Wednesday.  Today’s focus is:

SAFE WINTER TRAVEL

WE ALL KNOW HOW HAZARDOUS DRIVING CAN BE WHEN ICE AND SNOW ARE ON THE GROUND. SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF ALL WINTER WEATHER RELATED DEATHS OCCUR ON THE ROAD… EITHER IN ACCIDENTS OR BY PEOPLE BECOMING STRANDED. OBVIOUSLY…WHEN THE WEATHER IS BAD AND DRIVING CONDITIONS ARE POOR…THE BEST BET IS TO STAY AT HOME. HOWEVER… IF YOUR MUST VENTURE OUT… THE FOLLOWING TIPS COULD MAKE FOR A SAFER JOURNEY.

1) MAKE SURE YOUR CAR IS IN GOOD RUNNING CONDITION. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR BATTERY… ANTIFREEZE… WINDSHIELD WIPERS… IGNITION AND THERMOSTAT ARE ALL IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. BE SURE YOUR TIRES ENOUGH TREAD. REPLACE ANY OF THESE ITEMS IF NECESSARY.
2) IF YOU MUST GO OUT WHEN SNOW AND ICE ARE ON THE GROUND…LET SOMEONE KNOW YOURDESTINATION AND WHEN YOU PLAN TO ARRIVE.
3) CLEAN SNOW AND ICE OFF ALL PARTS OF YOUR CAR BEFORE YOU DRIVE AWAY.
4) KEEP YOUR GAS TANK AS FULL AS POSSIBLE. THIS WILL NOT ONLY GIVEYOU ADDED PEACE OF MIND…IT ALSO INCREASES THE WEIGHT OF YOUR CARAND THIS WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRACKING.
5) KEEP THE FOLLOWING BASIC ITEMS IN YOUR CAR: WINDSHIELD SCRAPER AND BRUSH… BOOSTER/JUMPER CABLES… A TOW CHAIN OR ROPE… BAG OF SAND OR SALT… BLANKETS… FLASHLIGHT… FIRST AID KIT AND ROAD MAP.
6) OVERALL… DRIVE SLOW. DRIVING AT EVEN POSTED SPEEDS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN SNOW AND ICE ARE ON THE ROAD. MANY VEHICLES WILL LOSE TRACTION ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER SPPEDS RESUTING IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND VERHILE ROLL OVERS.
7) STEER YOU CAR INTO A SKID. IF YOUR VEHICLE LOSES TRACTION AND BEGINS TO SKID… STEER THE FRONT TIRES INTO THE DIRECTION OF THE SKID. NEVER HIT YOUR BRAKES AS THIS WILL RESULT IN A MORE SERIOUS SKID AND SPINNING OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN YOUR VEHICLE SKIDS KEEP YOUR COOL AND REMAIN CALM. AGAIN… DRIVING AT SLOWER SPEEDS WILL HELP YOU RECOVER FROM A SKID.

IF YOU GET STRANDED ON THE ROAD…

1) STAY IN YOUR CAR. DO NOT SEEK ALTERNATE SHELTER OR A TELEPHONE UNLESS THEY ARE CLOSE BY OR ALREADY VISIBLE. YOU CAN EASILY BECOME DISORIENTED IN HEAVY SNOW AND COLD TEMPERATURES. CARRY A CELL PHONE WITH YOU WHEN YOU TRAVEL IF POSSIBLE.
2) PERIODICALLY TURN ON THE CAR ENGINE FOR BRIEF PERIODS. THIS WILL HELP PROVIDE HEAT TO THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. HOWEVER, TO AVOID CARBON MONOXIDE GAS BUILDUP, CLEAR THE EXHAUST PIPE OF SNOW AND LEAVE A DOWNWIND WINDOW SLIGHTLY OPEN FOR VENTILATION.
3) MAKE YOURSELF VISIBLE BY TYING A COLORED CLOTH TO YOUR ANTENNA OR DOOR, OR BY TURNING ON YOUR DOME LIGHT WHEN RUNNING THE ENGINE.

BEING PREPARED FOR WINTER WEATHER MEANS HAVING THE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. WEATHER FORECASTS PLAY A LARGE ROLE IN THIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RECOMMENDS THAT YOU REGULARLY TUNE INTO NOAA WEATHER RADIO… LOCAL TELEVISION AND LOCAL RADIO IN ORDER TO KEEP ABREAST OF WEATHER FORECASTS.

Thanks for checking out my blog!

Gannon Medwick
Storm Team 9 Meteorologist

  TIMES ARE TIGHT, BUT YOU STILL WANT TO CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS IN STYLE.
  IN TONIGHT’S SPECIAL HOLIDAY EDITION OF WALLET WATCH: NINE ON YOUR SIDE IS SHARING GIFT IDEAS THAT COST NINE DOLLARS OR LESS.
  THESE COME FROM BETTER BUDGETING DOT COM.
GIVE DECORATIVE NAPKINS AND NAPKIN RINGS; EVERYONE CAN USE THEM.
FANCY CHOCOLATE BARS TIED WITH A RIBBON ARE SURE TO BE A HIT WITH THE CHOCOHOLICS ON YOUR LIST.
AND OFFER MOVIE THEATER GIFT CERTIFICATES TO THOSE WHO LOVE TO SEE A GOOD FLICK.

With the economy the way it is, we want to help you find some inexpensive ways to buy or make gifts for Christmas that cost 9 dollars or less.

We’ve been getting ideas from our staff as well. For instance Nicole Notargiacomo in our promotions says, what about an inexpensive wooden or foam picture frame Paint it, decorate it and personalize it. Or how about buying an inexpensive photo album; Hand decorated it and include pictures of you and the person who gets is.
 
Or, how about this for those who life to putter around the garden. Buy an inexpensive set of gardening gloves and a plant or flower seeds. You could also try a special coffee mug filled with jelly beans.

Until Christmas we will be looking for ways to help you save a dollar or two with gifts that cost 9 dollars or less.

North Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week Continues this Tuesday.  Today’s focus is:

IS YOUR HOME PREPARED FOR WINTER?

WE THINK OF OUR HOMES AS THE PLACE WE WANT TO BE WHEN THE WEATHER TURNS COLD AND BLUSTERY. HOWEVER…IF CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN BEFORE A WINTER STORM STRIKES…LIFE AT HOME CAN BE JUST AS MISERABLE AS THE WEATHER OUTSIDE.

SEVERE WINTER STORMS PRODUCE CONDITIONS WHICH CAN ISOLATE YOU IN YOUR HOME FOR SEVERAL DAYS. PROLONGED LOSS OF POWER AND TELEPHONE SERVICES CAN SEVERELY LIMIT YOUR ABILITY TO HEAT YOUR HOME AND CALL FOR HELP. IN SEVERE WINTER STORMS…OBTAINING SUPPLIES OF FOOD AND OTHER NECESSITIES CAN BE HAMPERED OR PREVENTED BY POOR ROAD CONDITIONS. THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME HELPFUL HINTS TO MAKE YOUR HOME A SAFE HAVEN DURING WINTER WEATHER.

DO STOCK AN EMERGENCY SUPPLY OF FOOD AND WATER PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF A WINTER STORM. INCLUDE FOOD ITEMS WHICH REQUIRE NO COOKING SUCH AS CANNED MEATS…PEANUT BUTTER AND OTHER NON PERISHABLES. ALSO DO NOT FORGET TO HAVE NECESSARY MEDICINES AND BABY ITEMS ON HAND. A THREE TO FIVE DAY SUPPLY OF FOOD AND MEDICINE IS GENERALLY SUFFICIENT. ALSO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A MANUAL CAN OPENER.

DO KEEP AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF HEATING FUEL (FIREWOOD…KEROSENE…ETC.) AT YOUR HOME. USE YOUR FUEL SPARINGLY AS SUPPLIES MAY BE IN SHORT ORDER DURING WINTER STORMS. USE HEATERS AND FUELS PROPERLY AND SAFELY IN ORDER TO AVOID DEADLY FIRES AND CARBON MONOXIDE.

DO KEEP ON HAND A FLASH LIGHT…BATTERY POWERED RADIO…EXTRA BATTERIES AND A FIRST AID KIT.

DO PREVENT WATER PIPES FROM FREEZING BY WRAPPING THEM WITH INSULATION OR NEWSPAPER COVERED WITH PLASTIC. IN REALLY COLD WEATHER…LET YOUR FAUCETS DRIP SLIGHTLY TO HELP AVOID FREEZING. IF YOUR PIPES DO FREEZE…REMOVE THE INSULATION AND WARP THE PIPES IN RAGS. OPEN EVERY FAUCET IN THE HOUSE AND POUR HOT WATER OVER THE RAG WRAPPED PIPES. ALSO KNOW HOW TO SHUT OFF YOUR HOMES WATER SUPPLY SHOULD WATER LINES BREAK.

DO KEEP GENERATORS WELL AWAY FROM THE HOME. NEVER RUN A GENERATOR IN YOUR GARAGE OF ANY OTHER ENCLOSED AREA. CARBON MONOXIDE FROM THE EXHAUST OF THE GENERATOR CAN BE A SILENT KILLER. ALSO MAKE SURE YOUR GENERATOR IS PROPERLY WIRED TO YOUR HOME.

DO PRACTICE CARBON MONOXIDE AND FIRE SAFETY IN HOME HEATING. NEVER HEAT YOUR HOME USING A CHARCOAL GRILL…GAS GRILL OR CAMP STOVE. GRILLS AND CAMP STOVES CREATE DEADLY CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES THAT WILL BUILD UP WHEN USED IN YOUR HOME. ALWAYS USE GRILLS OUTSIDE. STRUCTURE FIRES CLAIMED NEARLY THREE THOUSAND LIVES IN 2007 NATIONWIDE. EIGHTY FOUR PERCENT OF THESE FIRE DEATHS OCCURRED IN THE HOME. FIRE IS A REAL DANGER SO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY FAMILY MEMBER KNOWS HOW TO EVACUATE THE HOUSE IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE. MAKE SURE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY DESIGNATE AN OUTDOOR MEETING PLACE IF YOU DO HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR HOME QUICKLY BECAUSE OF A FIRE. BEING PREPARED FOR WINTER WEATHER MEANS HAVING THE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. WEATHER FORECASTS PLAY A LARGE ROLE IN THIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RECOMMENDS THAT YOU REGULARLY TUNE INTO NOAA WEATHER RADIO… LOCAL TELEVISION AND LOCAL RADIO IN ORDER TO KEEP ABREAST OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND FORECASTS THIS WINTER.

Thanks for keeping up with my blog series on winter preparedness this week!  More topics will follow in the coming days.

Gannon Medwick
Storm Team 9 Meteorologist

THIS IS A TOUGH ECONOMIC TIME, BUT THERE’S NO NEED TO BE A SCROOGE.
  THAT’S WHY IN WALLET WATCH THIS MONTH: WE’RE GIVING YOU GIFT IDEAS THAT COST NINE DOLLARS OR LESS.  HERE ARE A FEW FROM BETTER BUDGETING DOT COM:
  GET A BASKET, AND FILL IT WITH DELI CHEESE, FRUIT, JAMS OR MUSTARDS.
  FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO DRAW, KNIT OR SEW: FILL A BASKET WITH CRAFT SUPPLIES.
  ANOTHER IDEA: BUY HOLIDAY SERVING BOWLS OR PLATTERS, MANY INEXPENSIVE ONES ARE AVAILABLE AT DISCOUNT STORES.

Warner Brothers is back with one more volume of laughs from the vaults with the sixth volume of shorts. It is also, sadly, rumored to be the last of the Golden Collections. Even if this collection truly is the last, fans can be happy knowing that the collections ended on a high note. This collection boasts a large handful of the most well known shorts, as well as some of the lesser known—and even least known—shorts. The box set is said to have sixty more shorts. But in reality, with the total bonus shorts, fans can enjoy a grand total of eighty shorts.

Some of the bonus shorts are ones that gained fame even without the help of Warner Brothers’ most famous characters. For example, there is the famed short, “Punch Trunk”, about a tiny elephant that scares the populace of a city simply by walking around the city. The most hilarious moment of that short comes when a drunken man stumbles from a bar, checks his watch, and tells the tiny elephant that it’s late. Warner Brothers fans also love the exploits of one Ralph Phillips. There were only about two shorts with this young man. He later was presented in the war-time cartoons that were meant only for the military during WWII. But the most famous of Ralph’s shorts is “Boyhood Daze”, which is included in this box set, too, as a bonus short.

Speaking of the wartime shorts, this collection boasts a very large handful of those shorts on the second and third disc. Many of them had very racist overtones, especially when portraying the Japanese and African Americans. These portrayals are the only feasible reason for placing an advisory on the back of the box. The advisory in question states that the collection is intended for adult collectors only. But if the collection is intended only for adult collectors, it should not be placed in the “Kids & Family” section of any store.

Advisories aside, Warner Brothers has given longtime fans what may be one last blast from the vaults. There is rumor that Warner Brothers is working on something big for 2009. Perhaps there will be more collections, only under a new name. In the meantime, fans can now watch some of the best Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes cartoons of all time in a fitting end to a wonderful idea from the people at Warner Brothers.