News & Sports For December 19th

Ice Storm Being Compared To Hugo
The ice storm that visited Wilkes last week left people without power for several days. Now after having time to calculate the extent of the problem, Duke Power is saying this was one of the worst storms since Hurricane Hugo in regards to the power going out. Across North and South Carolina, 683,000 saw their power kicked off by the weather, compared to 696,000 by Hugo. Tree limbs and downed power lines in sections of Wilkes and the surrounding area made it harder for workers to get things back up and running. In fact it took most of the weekend for work crews to get everything back to normal.

Local Man Killed In Wreck
The ice and snow led to at least one death here in Wilkes County. Friday morning, a man from Granite Falls lost control of his vehicle and slammed into an oncoming tow truck on Hwy 16/18 near Boomer. 24-yr-old Jose Silverio Menchu-Santizo died at the scene.

Thieves Hit Millers Creek Home
Deputies were called out to a house in Millers Creek last week, after thieves dropped by. Witnessed reported seeing two men come into the house while the owner was gone, grab some items from inside and take off. It's unclear exactly how they got inside the house, as no damage was done to the property and there was no sign of a break-in. Included in the theft was over $4000 in cash and some jewelry. One of the thieves was identified and that information was turned over to sheriff's deputies. The investigation is ongoing.

Taxpayers In Wilkes And Around State Paying For Poor Health
Wilkes County taxpayers are having to dig deeper into their pockets, in order to foot the bill for unhealthy people. That was the finding of a study released on Tuesday by Be Active North Carolina. The organization discovered that it's costing North Carolina $24.1 billion a year to pay for health insurance, with most of that due to extra expenses. For children alone the cost is $38.2 million a year. Physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes and an improper diet are to blame for the increase, according to health experts from the organization. The increase was broke down into four categories: excess weight was responsible for $9.7 billion, while physical inactivity took another $9 billion. The cost of treating people with diabetes took in $3 billion and the final $2.4 billion was swallowed by poor diet, as people didn't eat enough fruits and vegetables. The good news is that we can start chipping away at the extra cost, to the tune of $1.5 billion a year, by simply eating the right kinds of food and getting exercise.

Gun Stolen From Millers Creek Residence
Thieves broke into a Millers Creek man's home last week, stealing a gun and then running off. They got inside by breaking off the doorlock, however once in the building nothing else was damaged or even touched. The only thing missing was a .22 caliber semi-automatic. There is a suspect in the case and the investigation continues.

Booze It And Lose It Campaign Cleans Up In Wilkes
The annual Booze It And Lose It Campaign continues in Wilkes and across the state. On Friday, law enforcement released details as to how the program has gone so far. Since it began on Nov. 17th, there have been 100 speeding tickets and 40 seatbelt violations here in the county. Also 11 DWIs with two of them under 21. Also 14 drug violations. Out of the surrounding counties, only Forsyth and Watauga had more situations involving drugs than Wilkes. The program will continue until after New Year's Day.

Watch Out For CO2
With ice and snow on the ground, it's time to turn on that heater or throw a few more logs on the fire. While this will keep out the cold, it could also lead to carbon monoxide poisoning if you're not careful. Carbon monoxide is produced when items with carbon in it aren't completely burned. Here are some tips on how to prevent poisoning in your home. Even when it's cold outside, don't leave your car running in the basement or garage. The carbon monoxide put off by the exhaust can flow up into the rest of your house. Also if you have exhaust fans for any type of heater in the house, don't use them at the same time as the clothes dryer. The reason being this creates negative pressure, pulling the carbon monoxide back in.

Wilkes Cares Needs Help
During the Christmas season, we hear so much about Angel Trees and raising money for presents, but there are other needs, just as important here in the county. Wilkes Cares is facing a serious problem, as their shelves are almost empty of food and they don't have enough clothes to give to needy kids. One of the major needs is for childrens' coats, especially with winter weather constantly in the forecast. If you have any children's clothes or extra food to donate, you can drop it by to Wilkes Cares. They're located on the Elkin Hwy in North Wilkesboro. You can also call at 838-4900.

Salvation Army Offering Help
Many families can find themselves in a time of need as the holidays approach. It can be hard to pay the bills and also put food on the table. The local Salvation Army is taking applications for their financial assistance program. The program is open to anyone who can demonstrate a need for help paying utility or rent bills. However before going out, please remember that you can only be seen with an appointment, during eithr Tuesday or Thursday from 1-5pm. Also there is a limited amount of money available to help, given out on a need based approach. The Salvation Army is located in the Wilkes United Way office building, at 910 C Street in Wilkesboro. For more information or to set up an appointment you can call 651-7800.

Regional News

Several Churches Vandalized In Jonesville
Officials in Jonesville are investigating after two incidents last week at local churches. People coming into Jonesville First Baptist and Arlington First Baptist were greeted with an unexpected sight last Thursday. Windows and doors at both churches had been pried open, but nothing was missing from inside. Police are asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at 336-679-2366.

State News

More Jobs Coming To Hickory
Some good news for people who live in Catawba County, more jobs will be coming soon. 30-50 more positions will be added at Centro Plastics, thanks in part to a grant from the local county commissioners. Centro produces parts used by both John Deere and Caterpillar tractors.

Bank Of America Solves Direct Problem
Bank of America is taking the direct route to solving a problem. Over the past week, customers across North Carolina have found their accounts strangely empty. None of the direct deposits made it to their accounts, thanks to a glitch in the system. The company has since discovered the problem and promises that it will be fixed and the money will be in the right account by Monday night.

Gas Prices To Rise Again
Bad news for virtually all drivers out there. Starting next month, it will cost more to fill up in North Carolina. The state motor fuel tax will be raised by three cents, the largest hike in 16 years. The increase further raises what has already become the most expensive gas tax in the Southeast, which will now stand at 29.9 cents.

Sports Headlines

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look around the college scoreboard this weekend, it was UNC Asheville over Brevard College 82-48, also Western Carolina beat the Citadel 83-57. Winthrop took care of East Carolina 78-48, it was High Point over Longwood 88-72, UNC Wilmington knocked off Coastal Carolina 79-50 and Appalachian State beat Marshall 73-65. The Mountaineers improve to 4-5 with the win, behind DJ Thompson's 25 points. Around the ACC, it was Wake Forest over Princeton 61-42. Eric Williams put up 15 points and 8 rebounds to lead the Deacons. Also freshman Tyler Hansborough put up 14 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks to lead the Tarheels over Santa Clara 76-58. NC State had no problems with Miami as they beat the Hurricanes 81-69. Finally the J.J. Redick show rolled into town as Duke wiped out Valparaiso 104-77. Redick led the Blue Devils with 30 points while Shelden Williams had 19 points and 11 rebounds.

NCAA Division II Championship Game
They’re celebrating in Boone today, after Appalachian State won the first title in school history. The Mountaineers beat Northern Iowa 21-16 on Friday night, taking the Division I-AA championship. Appalachian took the lead for good when defensive end Marques Murrell sacked Northern Iowa’s quarterback, who fumbled the ball. Jason Hunter picked it up and ran it in for a score with less than two minutes remaining. Richie Williams came off the bench in the second half, tossing for 129 yards in his final game as a senior.

Panthers Keep On Rolling
The Carolina Panthers are sitting alone atop the NFC South after a 27-10 blowout of the New Orleans Saints. Jake Delhomme tossed for 176 yards and a touchdown while running for one more as the Panthers improve to 10-4 on the season. Up next Carolina plays host to Dallas on Saturday.

Bobcats Fall To Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are on a mission to get back to the Finals and made an example out of Charlotte over the weekend. On Saturday, Charlotte lost 103-78. Emeka Okafor led the Bobcats with 14 points and 13 rebounds, who saw their record fall to 6-18 on the season. They play host to Sacramento later tonight.

Hurricanes Beat New Jersey
In the NHL, the Carolina Hurricanes kept their winning streak alive, beating the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Saturday. The Hurricanes improve to 21-9 on the year.