Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, December 7, 1993 TAG: 9312070025
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ray Reed
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A: The phone system is flat out of area codes - for now.
It has assigned all 144 of them.
You'd think a three-digit number would contain 1,000 possibilities. Area codes don't, though.
In the first place, have you noticed these codes never begin with 0 or 1? Those digits are used for dialing operator and long distance.
In the second place, the middle digit MUST be 0 or 1, because of restrictions placed on it.
The third digit can be anything. The mathematical possibilities therefore add up to 160. Some of those are reserved; 911, 800 and 900 all have special uses.
When 910 was installed in North Carolina, it was the 142nd area code. The remaining two, 610 and 810, have been assigned in Michigan and Pennsylvania.
What happens next? Restrictions on the middle digit go out the window, adding 640 new possibilities for area codes.
The next one will be effective in January 1995. It'll be 334, in Birmingham, Ala., said Barbara Kaufman of Bellcore, the New Jersey research arm of Bell's 10 regional phone companies.
In North Carolina, phase-in of the 910 area started Nov. 14. The biggest city affected is Greensboro.
After Feb. 13, we can reach there only by dialing 910. Until then, we can get through by dialing either 910 or 919.
The eastern region, from Raleigh to the Outer Banks, keeps the 919 number. Area 704 in western Carolina is unchanged.
\ Lotto's `talent' people
Q: Who are those folks that rotate on the Lotto drawing on TV on Wednesdays and Saturdays? Do these people have real jobs, or what? Are they state employees? R.L.,
A: They're real people with full-time jobs. The show only lasts a moment, but no chances are taken in bringing us that million-dollar minute.
The Lotto hosts are Bill Bevins, who's a radio DJ in Richmond, and Lisa Geisz, who works for an advertising agency there and has experience in TV productions.
Their backup is Shari Draper, a buyer for Virginia Power. Like the others, she got the job by submitting a tape and surviving an audition.
About 1 1/2 hours of their time goes into each live, statewide broadcast. Every movement is rehearsed, the machines are tested, and the directors and camera operators go through their paces. Pay for the "talent" is in the $100 neighborhood, with some variance for seniority, said lottery spokeswoman Paula Otto.
"There really is a lot of pressure to make sure everything goes right," Otto said.
\ Got a question about something that may affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.
by CNB