Here’s a check of the latest from WataugaOnline.com.
For the 15th year in a row, WataugaOnline.com is teaming up with Dr. Howard Neufeld, Appalachian State’s “Fall Color Guy,” to track the season with daily photo updates from Grandfather Mountain starting Oct. 1. In the first report, hints of fall color were appearing at higher elevations, including blueberry bushes turning red near Linville Peak, though the overall landscape is still mostly green. The area has seen many sunny days and cool nights recently, which is helping prompt the seasonal transition. Neufeld’s recent scouting trips along the Blue Ridge Parkway found an unusually warm September has delayed color at high-elevation spots like Graveyard Fields and Craggy Gardens, and he now expects peak color at those sites to be delayed by at least a week, pushing into mid-October. As a general guide, color moves down the mountain by elevation: the highest peaks turn first, followed by Beech Mountain and Rough Ridge in early October, Banner Elk the second week, and Boone, Blowing Rock and Price Lake around the third week of October.
Beginning Oct. 1, the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles no longer issues license plate stickers or automatically mails printed registration cards, as the state moves to a digital vehicle registration system directed by the N.C. General Assembly. The core registration process stays the same — customers still get a renewal notice 90 days before expiration, still need inspections, and still pay fees and taxes the same four ways: by mail, in person, online, or at a kiosk. At the end of each transaction, customers now get a receipt with a barcode inspection stations can scan, plus a link to download a digital registration card to a phone or print at home. A printed copy is available instantly at any license plate agency, or by mail for a $5 fee. “Only the physical sticker and printed registration card are going away,” said NCDMV Commissioner Paul Tine. Law enforcement already verifies registration electronically, making the physical card unnecessary for enforcement.
The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General is warning the public about a fast-growing scam that uses QR codes and barcodes instead of cash or wire transfers to steal money. The scam typically starts with a call or text from someone claiming to be a police officer or federal agent, saying the victim owes a fine or that a family member has been arrested and needs bail money — scammers increasingly use voice cloning, so victims may even hear what sounds like a loved one’s voice. Rather than asking for cash, the scammer texts a barcode or QR code and instructs the victim to visit a retail store, load money onto it, and read the code back once paid; some victims have lost thousands of dollars this way. Law enforcement and government agencies will never demand payment by barcode or QR code. Officials recommend hanging up, never trusting a call transfer, and calling the agency directly using a number from its official website. Scam attempts can be reported at ssa.gov/scam or the SSA OIG Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
The N.C. Department of Transportation has launched Projects Near Me, an interactive online tool for tracking transportation projects that are underway or planned statewide. The map is searchable by address, by project ID in the State Transportation Improvement Program, or by county or NCDOT Highway Division, with filters for project type — highway, bridge, bicycle and pedestrian, rail, aviation and more. Clicking a pin brings up a local map, a description of the work, funding milestones and contact information. The map doesn’t show real-time travel impacts; for that, NCDOT still points drivers to DriveNC.gov.
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— WataugaOnline