Why do gas prices come with a 9/10 on the end?

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012, 9:49am

Why do gas prices come with a 9/10 on the end?

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Some people don't even notice the price of gas comes with an extra 9/10 of a penny tacked on the end? Why?

According to AAA Carolina's, the practice dates back to the 1930's when gas companies were competing for business and a penny was actually a lot of money. The price of gas averaged around 10 cents back then. The practice has never stopped.

The thought is, people are still more likely to only notice the first few numbers in a price. That's why retailers commonly sell a TV at $799.99 for example, instead of $800.

"It's a marketing tactic that suggests that consumers really don't pay attention past the first digit of a price particularly if it's between 1 and 10 dollars," said Yvette Russell, a Marketing Professor at Johnson C. Smith University.

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Home insurance premiums rising

Submitted by Melissa Hankins

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012, 9:47am

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - The importance of comprehensive home insurance has been drilled into our minds by the tornado that tore through Cabarrus County.

But it's about to get harder to afford.

Rates have been rising slowly but surely for years. This year though will be a shock.

Homeowner insurance premiums are expected to spike 5%. It's the first time the national average premium will climb above $1,000.

A surge in destructive storms is one reason why.

Insured catastrophe losses totaled $35.9 billion in 2011 compared to an average of $23.8 billion over the previous decade, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

And insurance companies say they need to charge more to cover their costs.

They also blame the economy.

Insurers keep 70% of their assets in bonds, returns have been low, and they can raise money is by raising premiums.

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Woman accused of stealing credit cards and jewelry

Submitted by WBTV Web Staff

Monday, March 12th, 2012, 5:11pm

STANLY COUNTY, NC (WBTV) - A joint effort by officers in two counties led to the arrest of a woman Monday.

On February 26, deputies in Stanly County received a report about the theft and use of credit cards, as well as the theft of personal property including jewelry.

An investigation led deputies to believe Kimberly Teeter, 44, stole the items from the victim's home. Deputies were able to recover several items of jewelry and determine Teeter had used the victim's credit cards at several locations.

Warrants were issued for Teeter's arrest. Officers in Rockingham arrested her Monday. She was booked in the Richmond County jail, under $15,000 secured bond.

Teeter faces several charges, including two counts of financial card theft, two counts of identity theft, one count of financial card fraud and two counts of obtaining property.

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Warmer weather blowing into Carolinas, 80 degrees by Thursday?

Submitted by Nick Needham on Monday, March 12th, 2:57 pm

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Sunshine and warm weather are rolling into the Carolinas behind a line of scattered storms Monday night.

WBTV Meteorologist Ashley Batey says an upper level disturbance will bring scattered showers Monday tonight and likely into Tuesday morning.

"We may hear a few rumbles of thunder, but no severe weather expected with this next system," Batey says. "Once that moves out, we can look forward to lots of sunshine."

Temperatures will stay in the 60s for Monday but Batey says 80 degree temperatures are in the forecast for mid-week.

Lows will be in the mid-50s at night before a rainy front moves in for St. Patrick's Day, at least for a few of us, Batey says.

But the silver lining is temperatures will remain in the upper 70s through the weekend.

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ANNIE the Musical

Submitted by Donna Lepre on Friday, March 9th, 1:55 pm

William A. Hough High School Presents ANNIE the musical, this weekend in the Hough Auditorium.

The Hough Theatre Department is excited to present the school's first musical performance with the accompaniment of the Hough band.

Show times are: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, March 8th—10th at 7:00 PM; Sunday, March 11th at 3:00 PM

Tickets available at the door. Students $8 Adults $10

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WBTV's coverage of the ACC Tournament

Submitted by Nick Needham on Friday, March 9th, 11:56 am

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - WBTV will carry the ACC Basketball Tournament beginning Friday, March 9 at 12N.

WBTV will have coverage of the ACC Tournament:

· Friday afternoon (12N-4:30 p.m.) and Friday evening (7 p.m.-12:30 a.m.)

· Saturday 1-5:30 p.m.

· Sunday 12:30-3:30 p.m.

Friday afternoon CBS Soaps (Young & The Restless and Bold & Beautiful) can be seen Sunday, 3/11 beginning at 12:35 a.m.

Friday Prime Time programs that are pre-empted:

Undercover Boss – will air Saturday, 3/10 @ 2:07 a.m.

The Mentalist – will air Saturday, 3/10 @ 3:07 a.m.

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Grandmas battle droopy drawers with Granny Thongs

Submitted by Kristen Hampton

Thursday, March 8th, 2012, 12:56pm

Grandmas battle droopy drawers with Granny Thongs

CORNELIUS, NC (WBTV) - Two Cornelius sisters are hoping they can help encourage young men to pull up their pants by grossing them out.

Beverly Terry and Sandy Diehl and their two other sisters came up with a spoof campaign using adult diapers modified to look like thong underwear. They created a home video commercial to advertise the product.

"We saw the boys with the saggy baggies hanging out, and we decided how would they like it if their grandmothers had their underwear hanging out?" said Terry.

The ladies recorded their video and sent it to YouTube, as more of a joke than anything else. But they're also hoping the spoof may get them enough attention to land them on the Ellen Show. If guys just happened to pull their pants up because of it, they say, then so be it.

Click here, to see the video.

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