Laurinburg City Manager Ed Burchins is just two months into his new job, but he’s already making some changes in city government. In a recent meeting, Burchins told city council members about the consolidation of several city departments. "We have completed the reorganization of the street, beautification and cemetery departments. They all have been merged…

ElectriCities CEO: Energy bill costly The potential for the trading of carbon allowances to drive up electric costs is the top issue affecting electric utilities, the chief executive officer for ElectriCities told the Elizabeth City Rotary Club Monday. ElectriCities CEO Graham Edwards said the Waxman-Markey Bill — the “cap-and-trade” climate change legislationpassed by the U.S.…

ELIZABETH CITY Electric rates are dominating debate leading up the Oct. 6 City Council election. Other issues include concern about youths, jobs and gangs. Eight of 17 candidates vying for two seats in each of four wards cite high electric rates as the city’s biggest problem and vow to make changes despite an ironclad contract…

The comment below was copied from the comments section of the Rocky Mount Telegram regarding a recent article about a new citizens group promoting a change in Policy and Procedures regarding Rocky Mount Public Utilities. Here’s the real deal regarding these comments:  The Facts are just WRONG! Rocky Mount City Councilman Andre Knight (WARD 1)…

Group seeks new policy on utilities Rocky Mount Telegram Tuesday, September 08, 2009 A citizens group wants the city of Rocky Mount to abolish a policy allowing it to cut off electricity in homes where residents are on life-support machines. People attending a reunion of the Around the “Y” community on Saturday were asked to…

The Commissioners have decided not to meet on a monthly basis anymore.  They have decided that it is really not cost effective and thus will be meeting on an “as needed” basis. (what ever that means).  Some members were upset over the idea, but in the end, enough members agreed to make it happen. T.…

Aug. 25–North Carolina’s power-supplying cities, including Wilson, need to become more competitive in price with the state’s private utilities, ElectriCities CEO T. Graham Edwards said Monday. But narrowing that difference will take years, not months. "How do you move an elephant? An inch at a time," Edwards said during the Wilson Rotary Club’s meeting. Edwards,…

Rocky Mount, Wilson & Tarboro could have done this (still can for that matter) and it could be effective.  Instead, small groups with  many different agenda’s form to address utility concerns.  There’s really nothing necessarily wrong with this, other than each group having to start at square one, learning the history of how we got…

Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on, this is just good TV. It’s so rare to get an honest answer and an off the cuff response.  Check it out. Click on the video.

Electric utilities in North Carolina have asked state regulators to delay a law that requires them to generate energy from pig or chicken waste. The News & Observer of Raleigh reported Tuesday that Progress Energy, Duke Energy and other providers are asking the North Carolina Utilities Commission for a one-year delay. The 2007 law requires…