Your WBFJ Family Station Forecast (BEAUTIFUL) Mix of sun and clouds…High 55
The situation in Haiti…
The State Department is reporting that most of the damage from Tuesday’s 7.0 earthquake has been centered in Port-au-Prince, the capital city of Haiti.
-Rubble caused by the quake is hindering the delivery of supplies to victims.
-The Red Cross estimates that the quake has affected about 3 million people- that’s about one third of Haiti’s population.
-Eight U-S embassy personnel have been injured, four of them seriously.
The State Department has ordered the evacuation of embassy spouses,
children and non-essential personnel.
-The US is offering military and humanitarian assistance to Haiti.
-Charlotte based Bank of America just one of many companies and organizations sending financial aid Haiti.
Half of Bank of America's $1 million dollar commitment covers a grant to the American Red Cross for the Haitian Relief and Development Fund. The other $500,000 will cover long-term recovery, including restoring basic medical services and rebuilding homes and schools.
-American Airlines is flying relief supplies to the country and other companies are donating funds and their products to the relief effort.
Some Good News: The Dominican Republic was the first country to give aid to Haiti in the aftermath of Tuesday's devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake. Some tensions still exist between citizens of both countries. Dominicans recall how they were treated under Haitian rule for a period in the mid-1800s. Today, Haitians provide cheap labor in the Dominican Republic, a trend that has caused resentment on both sides, not unlike the illegal immigration debate
in the US. www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/13/haiti.earthquake.dominican.republic/index.html
More Haiti Relief info:
American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/
Text "HAITI" to 9-0-9-9-9 and a donation of ten dollars will be given
automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts
(the donation will show up on your cell phone bill).
Compassion International https://www.compassion.com/contribution/giving/disasterrelief.htm
Samaritan’s Purse
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/
Hands and Feet Project (Mark Stuart)
http://handsandfeetproject.org/home.php
Warning to Duke Energy Customers: Open electricity bill carefully: It’ll shock you. Duke power bills are reportedly triple the normal amount. Officials with Duke Energy faults the weather: a warmer than normal November followed by a colder than normal December. Read the article: http://www.news-record.com/content/2010/01/13/article/open_electricity_bill_carefully_it_ll_shock_you
The City of High Point is asking residents to reduce water useage while repairs are being made to water mains and distribution systems. The recent cold snap has really caused havoc to water systems over the past two weeks. Customers who see water main breaks are asked to report them quickly by calling (336) 883-3111.
http://www.myfox8.com/news/wghp-conserve-water-request-100113,0,5740837.story
Legendary R and B singer Teddy Pendergrass passed away on Wednesday after battling colon cancer. Pendergrass was 59 years old. Pendergrass suffered a spinal cord injury in a 1982 car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100114/D9D7FBO00.html
Back in 2007: George Hood of Burr Ridge, Illinois, pedaled his way into the Guinness Book of World Records. George rode a stationary bike 1,040 miles from 4:00 a.m. Wednesday until just before midnight on Saturday. He averaged 12.7 miles an hour for 82 hours, then kicked in gear and hit 13.5 the final three hours. George’s 85 hour bike ride was three hours longer than the previous record. Yep, said he was really tired.
Nothing new with NBC controversary and the Tonight Show: Upset because Jay Leno got "The Tonight Show" job, David Letterman left NBC back in 1993 for a $16-million contract at CBS.
SPORTS…ACC Basketball
Clemson pounding the Tarheels…83 – 64
Duke rebounding after their loss on Saturday.
Blue Devils beat Boston College…79 - 59
Traffic Update: The North Carolina Vietnam Veterans Memorial will be closed through the end of the month. Crews are doing some landscaping at the Memorial. Access to the I-85 Rest Area will be available.
