Electric Companies Warn About Power Outages
As winter weather hits the county, both Duke Power and Blue Ridge Electric are asking people to be careful in case the power goes out. With the ice and snow expected to keep falling until later this afternoon, power lines can snap. If you do have a power outage to report this morning, you can call Duke Power at 1-800-769-3766 or Blue Ridge Electric customers can call 1-800-448-2383. Stay tuned here to 3WC and we'll have weather updates for you throughout the day.

East Bend Woman Falls Victim To ID Theft
A woman from East Bend got in touch with the Wilkesboro Bank of America branch this week, after noticing that she was missing money from her bank account. Just over a thousand dollars in fact. Apparently someone had gained access to her ATM card and used it to go on a spending spree in California. The case has been turned over to California authorities and the investigation continues.

How To Protect Yourself On the Roads
With ice and snow covering the roads today and more possibly coming, it's important to remember several things when driving. First and foremost, plan your driving route. When winter weather hits, the side roads and shortcuts that might get you to work quicker could also cause you to be in a wreck. The reason being that those side roads aren't plowed and salted as often as the highways and other big traffic areas. Also be sure to keep your windows and windshield clear at all times. Just seeing the road in front of you isn't enough, especially at intersections where a driver could lose control and you'd never see the car if your windshield is frozen. If nothing else, don't be afraid to pull over and clean the windows by hand. It's more time consuming but it could also save your life. Finally, be a defensive driver. Just take it slow and be careful, you might not get to work as quick, but better late than never.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Unfortunately for one Wilkesboro woman, the phrase no good deed goes unpunished proved true this week. A woman had come by her office, asking if she could use the phone and call for a ride. She handed over the phone and went to take care of some business. When she returned, the other woman was gone, along with the wallet from her purse. Inside were several credit and debit cards, along with her personal information and social security card. After getting in touch with the companies, it turns out the thief was already on a spending spree. Her credit cards had been used at local stores, with several hundred dollars being charged to the account. The suspect was caught on video and Wilkesboro police are continuing the investigation.

Mailbox Vandals Return To Wilkes
Sheriff's deputies were called out to investigate another case of mailbox vandalism this week over in Westwood Hills. A woman walked out of her house on Tuesday morning, to discover both the mailbox and the post it had been sitting on were damaged and lying in the yard. There were also tire tracks from where a vehicle had ran over the box and then took off. Despite the evidence, no one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything during the night. That investigation is ongoing.

Focus On Children
Hundreds of children are abused and neglected by their parents here in North Carolina. We hear about what happens to the parents, as they enter prison or rehab facilities, but who is looking out for the children? North Carolina's Guardian Ad Litem program is responsible for taking care of the kids and acting on their best interests. Eva Hendershot from the Wilkes branch will be Brian's guest today for Focus on the Foothills. They'll be talking about the organization, what exactly they do and how you can get involved if you're interested in doing so. That's coming up today at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Broke Lock But Couldn't Get The Money
Thieves left the Run-In store on Statesville Road empty handed this week. Someone had damaged the lock on the building's Coca-Cola machine, attempting to gain access to the money changer. But while the lock was broken, the thieves apparently couldn't figure out how to open the door, as nothing was missing from inside. Damage was placed at $50 and the investigation continues.

Last Today For Marine Toy Drive
Time is up if you want to donate a toy for a needy child here in Wilkes. Today is the last day of the local Marine Corps detachment's toy drive. If you are out, braving the winter weather today, there are drop-off locations at the Hardees on 421, the Lowes Foods on 421, the Brushy Mountain Smokehouse and Creamery and Lowes Foods at Midtown Plazza. All the toys must be new and unwrapped and will be given out to children here in the county. For more information you can call the Marine Corps at 667-0204.

Climbed In To Have A Look Around
Vandals hit a mobile on the Breeze Hill Road this week. A man came by to check on his rental property and found that someone had already paid a visit, causing $150 in damage. A side window to the home was shattered, but nothing was taken or damaged inside. There is a possible suspect in the case and the investigation continues.

State News

Police In Salisbury Catch The Sock Bandit
Several weeks after the sock bandit began his crime spree, Salisbury officials have put him behind bars. A man has been robbing businesses in the area armed with socks on his hands, giving people the implication that he had a gun. However when he tried to rob a bowling alley on Tuesday night, the employees weren't fooled. They grabbed and held him there until police arrived. Richard Simmons is now sitting in the Salisbury jail awaiting his day in court.

Raleigh McDonalds Drawing Controversy For Sign
A McDonald's sign is Raleigh is drawing criticism and complaints today. It reads "Merry Christmas. Jesus is the Reason for the Season." Several of the protestors said that they were offended because it only names Jesus as the reason for the holiday and quote "doesn't give credit to anyone else". McDonald's managers said that the sign has actually been good for business, with church groups coming in to eat.

Winston Salem Company Will Help You Manage Money
Good news for anyone out there who needs help managing their finances. A new company in Winston Salem can help you do just that for under $20. Simplifi.net works with families to plan ahead, taking your monthly income and using it to prepare a map for the future. An interactive program called Sophie will offer suggestions, explaining what to do now to get where you want to be financially. The service is set up with a free 30-day membership and after that is $13 a month or $75 a year. The company's CEO said that he created the program because he realized that most financial planners only work with the rich, not those in the middle.

You Can Control Winston Student's Christmas Lights
Do you get fascinated, watching Christmas lights turn on and off? A student in Winston Salem has created a new project, that allows people to go on the internet and control the Christmas lights at his house. By logging on to www.controlthesnow.com, people can flip the switch and turn the 30,000 light display on and off. People get one minute each to control the lights, starting at 5:30pm and going on til midnight. People can also sponsor a light by making a donation to the Ronald McDonald House through the site.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
Taking a look around the high school scene last night, it was East Surry over the West Wilkes Blackhawks 67-40. Poor shooting troubled the Blackhawks all night long, as they fell behind by 18 at the half and just couldn't close the distance. Chad Lankford led West with 9 points. The news was better however for the East Wilkes Cardinals, as they knocked off Alleghany 66-51 behind 18 points from Brent Poplin. The Cardinals improve to 2-5 on the season. On the girls side of the ball, it was East Surry over West Wilkes 58-38. Erin Hollars had 14 for the Lady Blackhawsk, who drop to 1-5.

NCAA Scoreboard
Around the college basketball scene last night, it was Coastal Carolina knocking off South Carolina State 72-57. NC A&T lost to Campbell 93-72 and it was the NC State Wolfpack beating UNC Asheville 86-56. Illian Evtimov led State with 19 points, as the Wolfpack improve to 7-1 on the season.

Bunting Closer To Naming Offensive Coordinator
The UNC Tarheels are one step closer to having a full coaching staff once again, as Coach John Bunting announced some of the candidates he s been interviewing for the vacant offensive coordinator position. Former offensive coach Gary Tranquill retired at the end of the season. Now former East Carolina coach Steve Logan has been mentioned as one of the frontrunners. Logan is currently working as a quarterbacks coach in NFL Europe, after guiding the ECU Pirates to five bowl games and 69 wins in his 11 seasons. Also making the list was Fresno State offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti, the brother of NC State coach Curt Cignetti.

Wake Punter Named All-American
Wake Forest punter Ryan Plackemeier became only the fourth player in team history to make the All-American team this week. On Tuesday, Plackemeier was named to the squad, after setting an NCAA career record punting average of 45 yards.

Charlotte Breaks Losing Streak
It was a great night for Bobcats fans, as Charlotte ended their losing streak by beating New Jersey 91-83. The Bobcats were led by Emeka Okafor, who had 14 points, 13 rebounds and 6 blocks on the game. Leading scorer Gerald Wallace sat out his second straight game
with an injury to his scoring hand.

Hurricanes Send Down Ward
The Carolina Hurricanes made a roster move on Wednesday, sending down one of their rookies for some more seasoning in the minor leagues. Rookie goalie Cam Ward has been sitting on the bench after struggling through the last month, where he gave up 21 goals in three games. The 21-yr-old Ward will report to the Lowell Lake Monsters, in hopes of bouncing back to the Canes by January. He s also competing in tryouts for
Team Canada s Olympic squad.