Secretary Gene Conti has announced that state and local law enforcement officers cited 2,957 motorists for driving while impaired during the “Booze It & Lose It” Labor Day campaign, which ran Aug. 19-Sept. 5. A total of 96,827 traffic and criminal citations were issued statewide.

“It is important to educate motorists about the dangers of drinking and driving,” Secretary Conti said. “The Governor’s Highway Safety Program, along with state and local law enforcement officers, worked hard during this Labor Day to remove drunk drivers from our great state’s highways. Removing violators makes our roadways safer, and safety is our top priority.”

Duke Energy has launched an initiative to encourage customers to sign up for the company’s Paperless Billing program and help others in the process.

Dubbed the “Go, Get, Give” initiative, Duke Energy’s goal is to sign up 140,000 new paperless billing customers, while, at the same time, contributing $3 per enrollment to various assistance funds that help customers pay their heating bills each winter.

Between now and Dec. 31, 2011, Duke Energy customers who currently receive their monthly bills via U.S. mail can sign up to GO paperless and begin receiving their monthly bill electronically.

The proposed merger of utility giants Duke Energy and Progress Energy is steadily advancing, after the two corporations reached a settlement with the Public Staff of the North Carolina Utilities Commission on Sept. 2.

The deal requires both power companies to share approximately $650 million in fuel savings with their customers— a deal that Public Staff officials say will benefit power consumers over the next five years should the merger be approved.

We have either lived through the trauma or seen the photos and video of the devastating one-two punch that water and high winds delivered in the name of Irene.

The storm that seemed to park over North Carolina for more than 24-hours has left untold damage throughout our coastal areas and eastern region. Many of these counties have not yet recovered from the April tornados.

Homes and businesses were destroyed and crops have been ruined. Schools, colleges and universities have been forced to temporarily close. And parts of the Outer Banks are completely cut off.