News & Sports For October 14th

Preparing For Winter

We’ve all heard horror stories about how the price of heating our homes this winter is going to skyrocket. Now this week Duke Energy confirmed that for people of the Piedmont, saying that their electricity costs would rise by 9% over this same period last year. With prices climbing, here are some tips on keeping your power bill down. First, replace all the old insulation in the attic. Doing that now can save you up to 10% on energy costs this winter, as heat is retained. Also if you have ceiling fans, they can actually help as well. Reverse the blade direction and have it go in a counter clockwise motion. That’ll bring the warm air down from the ceiling and circulate it around the room. Finally for a few dollars, you can install weather stripping around the windows, blocking the cracks that allow air to escape.

Thieves Go Shopping At Millers Creek Home

Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a residence in the Millers Creek community on Wednesday, after over $900 worth of material was taken. The homeowner had locked up and left earlier in the night, but returned to find one of the windows had been opened. Included in the theft was a DVD Player, a CD box, Sony Playstation II, Nintendo Gamecube and several other items. There is a suspect in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Animal Adoption Fair This Saturday

If you’re looking for a pet to take home, the Wilkes Animal Shelter wants to help you find one. Coming up on Saturday, they’ll have an adoption fair going on at the shelter from 10am until 2pm. That’s located at 408 Call Street in Wilkesboro, just below the new courthouse. In addition, the shelter has started a “Pet Look Alike” contest. From now until November 1^st, you can mail in pictures of you and your pet to the shelter and a winner will be announced on November 12^th. Included in the mailing you need your name, address, phone number and the name of your pet. You can mail that to the Wilkes Animal Shelter at 408 Call Street, Wilkesboro North Carolina 28697. For more information you can give them a call at 903-7688.

Wreck On Curtis Bridge Road Totals Two

It’s not a good idea to drink and drive. A Dayton man showed why on Tuesday, as he caused a wreck on Curtis Bridge Road in Wilkesboro. A North Wilkesboro woman had slowed down to turn off the road, but the driver behind her was too intoxicated to slow down in time and crashed into her vehicle. Estimated damages in the accident were placed at $2000, however thankfully no one was injured. 39-yr-old Christopher B. Vaughn was arrested and charged with DWI.

Tech Report: Protecting Cell Phones

Some new equipment is coming out that will help cell phone users in Wilkes and across the world, as we take a look at it in our 3WC Tech Report. For anyone that has a cell phone or laptop, a new addition could be helping stop theft as soon as next year. Scientists in Finland have created a device that monitors the specific way a person moves, such as walking patterns and hand movements, of which each of us has a different style. Once attached to the laptop or cell phone, the device would be programmed to only respond to the person who bought it. If someone tried to steal the device, it would lock up and send out a signal allowing officials to track it down.

Break-In At DJ’s Carwash

Thieves broke into a Wilkesboro business earlier this week, causing over $900 worth of damage but not taking a thing. Someone cut the alarm at DJ’s Car Wash, attempting to pry open the front door and then when that failed, attempting to bust the lock off the Coke machine. After failing at both, the would be thieves took off into the night. That investigation is still ongoing.

Benefit Coming Up Tomorrow In North Wilkesboro

Coming up tomorrow you can have a good time and help a great cause. A benefit will be going on to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, beginning at 10am at the Bowman Branch Farm in North Wilkesboro. For a $5 donation, you can take part in a horseback scavenger hunt, pony rides, face painting and horseshoe painting. Also for an addition $5, you can enter in the Chili Cookoff, with a cash prize awarded for first place. For more information or to get directions to the farm, you can call 984-3862 or 838-8382.

More Identity Theft In Wilkes

A Wilkesboro woman got a surprise when she checked her bank account this week. Someone had been using her debit card. Several purchases had been made in her name over the last few days, despite the fact she had the card in her possession. It’s unknown exactly how thieves gained access to her information, however deputies are continuing the investigation.

Health Department Offering Car Seat Help

85% of child safety seats across Wilkes County were not installed correctly, according to the local SafeKids organization. While this is slightly lower than the national average, it’s still high enough for concern. To help teach parents and other caregivers the right way to install them, a safety seat check goes on during the third Wednesday of the month. In October that falls on next Wednesday the 19^th and it will be held at the Wilkes Health Department. The check will be done by certified technicians between 12 noon and 1pm at the department. For more information, you can call Jean Edwards at the Health Department. Her number is 651-7478.

State News

Former Transportation Director Pleads Guilty To Fraud

The former transportation director for Wake County schools pleaded guilty this week to committing fraud. Vernon Hatley billed taxpayers in the area for almost $4 million in expenses over a one year period between 2003 and 2004. Hatley then used the money on personal items. Hatley had joined the transportation department out of the U.S. Army in 1994, where he had served as a colonel.

Back To Basics

In Carteret County, officials have had enough of election controversies. So for at least the present, they’re reverting back to paper ballots. It took town officials about 2 ½ hours on Tuesday to count the ballots from this week’s primary, the first time since 1980 that paper ones have been used. Last year over 4000 votes were lost after one of the electronic machines malfunctioned.

Some Rides Unsafe At State Fair

There might not be a lot to choose from when people head out to the state fair tonight. Less than one third of the event’s rides pass state safety inspections, according to reports on Thursday night. A new company, Wade Shows, was used this year to supply the rides, which is why officials from the Labor Department believe they didn’t meet standards. Only 28 rides, out of the 111 on the site, will be available due to safety concerns. That will change over the weekend, as repairs are made.

Travel Agent Takes People For A Ride

Be careful when choosing a travel agent. Fayetteville police are issuing that warning to people today, after a case involving Hummingbird Tours. Eleven people have come out and accused the company of stealing $18,000 from them. They each paid $154 for a bus trip and then an additional $615 for a cruise. However the bus tickets never showed up and when they called the cruise line, their names weren’t in the system. As always before choosing an agent, check first with the Better Business Bureau.

Duke University On Front Lines Of Terror Fight

Duke University will soon be on the front lines of the fight against terror. A $22.25 million donation, given to the school by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will be used to create an anti terrorism center. The goal of the center is to create new drugs to treat the effects of radiation and also determine how much radiation a person has been exposed to. The Duke center is one of eight being built around the country.

Former Representative To Face Jail Time

A former member of Congress will now face jail time, after a trial in North Carolina. Former state congressman Frank Ballance was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of embezzling money from the nonprofit group he created. The John A Hyman Memorial Youth Foundation, an anti-drug agency, was created by Ballance in 1985 and as a congressman, he send $2.3 million of taxpayer money directly to it. But over the last two years, he had been sending money out of it as well, to the tune of $100,000. The money helped buy his son a new car and balance the books at his law firm, among other things. Ballance was originally elected to Congress in 2002 and stepped down two years later, citing health concerns.

Sports Headlines

Friday Night Football

Coming up tonight the varsity football teams from three of our local high schools will be in action. West Wilkes will play host to Alleghany in their homecoming game, while North Wilkes is on the road against North Surry. In our 3WC Game of the Week, Wilkes Central will play their homecoming game, taking on Surry Central. In addition before the Eagles’ game, there will be a homecoming parade going on at 6:30 in Wes Steele Stadium. Kickoff for all three games is set for 7:30pm, while we’ll go on the air with the pregame show at 7:15.

Charlotte 49ers Land New Recruit

Despite being just a junior this year, Oak Hill forward Michael Beasley knows exactly where he wants to be in college. The 6-9 230 lb. Beasley, already one of the top recruits in the nation, has committed to UNC Charlotte. Part of the reason he said, was due to the fact one of his friends is an assistant coach at the school, but Beasley also liked the chance he’d have at Charlotte to earn a spot as one of the starting five, an opportunity that might not come his way at Cincinnati or some of the bigger schools out there. Beasley will put on the 49er uniform in 2007.

Clemson Beats Wolfpack In Blowout Fashion

There was no doubt about the outcome in Thursday’s game. Clemson’s James Davis ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns while quarterback Charlie Whitehurst threw for two more. Clemson improves to 3-3 while NC State drops to 2-3 on the season. In order to get into bowl contention, State now has to win four out of the last six games.

Crocker Moving To Trucks

In NASCAR, plans have changed for Erin Crocker. The female driver from Evernham Motorsports, she was supposed to race a full schedule next season on the Busch Series, before moving up to the Nextel Cup circuit. But after finishing no higher than 30^th in her Busch races, Evernham announced that Crocker would split time between the Busch and Truck Series, to help her get used to the different tracks on the circuit.

Injuries To Panthers Cause More Roster Moves

In the NFL, it’s beginning to look a lot like last year for the Carolina Panthers. Six players were listed as questionable for this weekend’s game against Detroit, including running backs Deshaun Foster and Steven Davis. In all, the top four running backs on the depth chart are all nursing injuries for the Panthers, leaving just two healthy backs on the team in Nick Goings and Jamal Robertson. Goings subbed in last season and put up just over 800 yards, so he’ll get the start Sunday if Davis and Foster can’t suit up. Davis has had some swelling in his surgically repaired knee, while Foster is having knee injuries of his own. To add some depth on the roster, Carolina signed running back Alex Haynes to the practice squad. Haynes played at Central Florida University, before signing with the Baltimore Ravens earlier this year.

Bobcats Lose To New Jersey

Playing short handed thanks to injuries, the Charlotte Bobcats lost in preseason action to New Jersey 95-76. Out of those who did play, forward Antonio Meeking had 14 points for the Bobcats, while rookie Raymond Felton added 10. Next up is Miami later tonight.