Forum Today For New Voting Equipment
A public forum is going on later today at the Wilkes County office building, to let people have a look at the new voting system. All the counties across North Carolina have been ordered to replace their systems before the elections next year. Here in Wilkes, the Board of Elections has chosen a new system to use, but it first must be approved by county commissioners. That will happen after the public forum, which will go on from 2-4pm in the commissioners' room of the county office building. People will have a chance to see the equipment and also ask questions. Then early next month commissioners will vote on the request, deciding if they'll approve the purchase. The reason for such a quick decision is that a contract with the vendors has to be signed by January 20th, in order for the machines to be up and running in time for next year's elections. State leaders called for the switch after several problems came up during the 2004 campaigns, including 4000 ballots disappearing in the agriculture commissioner's race.

More Counterfeit Money Enters Wilkes
Wilkesboro police are checking into another case of counterfeit money today. Recently a man went into Dollar General and attempted to pay for his purchases with a fake $5 bill. The man told police that he had been given the money as change, while shopping at another store and didn't notice it was fake. He provided police with a list of the stores he had visited and that investigation continues.

Heat Relief Possibly On The Way
Good news today for anyone struggling to pay your heating bills. Some help could be on the way. As it stands right now, the gas tax here in Wilkes and across North Carolina is supposed to increase by 2.9 cents on Sunday. However some state lawmakers are working behind the scenes to try and prevent that from happening. At stake are several proposed breaks for citizens, including lower taxes on natural gas, oil and other things used to heat your home. Gov. Mike Easley however is against the plan, saying that North Carolina needs the extra money brought in by taxes. He also told lawmakers that he's been working with Duke Power and other utility companies, setting aside $10 million which would be used to help cover payments for low income families. How that money would be used is a little vague, as it's up to the utility companies who qualifies. An estimated 70,000 families here in Wilkes and throughout North Carolina fall into the low income category.

Car Stolen From North Wilkesboro Home
Sheriff's deputies were called out to a North Wilkesboro home on Wednesday, after the owner returned to find his car had been stolen. The vehicle had been left there while the homeowner went out of town for Christmas. The car had been left unlocked, with the keys in the ignition. Later on Wednesday night, deputies were able to locate the vehicle, which had been wrecked on Hwy 16. There are no suspects but the investigation continues.

Blood Drive Later Today
As we're less than two days away from the New Year, it's a time for celebration. But with all those holiday parties come the potential for accidents and injuries. With the local blood supply still right at critical levels, the Wilkes Red Cross is making one last attempt to prepare for the holiday. A blood drive is going on today at Baptist Home Church from 2-6:30pm. Just remember before giving, you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs. To call ahead and set up a time to give, the number is 838-4563.

Tuition Should Be Based On Income
Good news for anyone preparing for college. How much you pay for tuition could depend on what you have in the bank. Several state lawmakers are working on making changes to the tuition rates for public universities here in North Carolina. According to Senate leader Marc Basnight, the new plan would use the same concept as our income tax. Your income and any investments would determine the cost of your tuition. No decision has been made as yet, however the UNC Board of Governors are working to possibly have something in place before next fall.

Recall Of Some GM Vehicles
General Motors announced this month that it's issuing a recall of some of its' passenger and cargo vans. Both the Chevy Express and GMC Savana models from 2003-2006 have been recalled, due to problems with some seat belt buckles. GM says that warranty claims have been piling up, with people reporting issues either locking or unlocking the buckle. As a result of the recall, GM will replace the buckle assembly to solve the problem. If anyone owns either of those vehicles, you can get in touch with the dealership that ou bought it from.

Regional News

Man Killed In Wreck Near Dobson
A wreck Wednesday night near Dobson led to one man being killed. The incident happened on Zaphyr Road and it's still unclear what happened. All that's available at this time is the fact the man's vehicle flipped over and he was pronounced dead at the scene. No other vehicle is believed to be involved at this time and authorities have not yet released the man's name.

State News

Mountaineers On The Way To London
A group of Appalachian State students are on their way to Europe to celebrate the new year. The Appalachian University Band has been invited to play in the New Year's Day parade in London, one group out of the more than 100 performers involved. The band made the trip to Charlotte Wednesday night, where they took off for Europe.

Cold Medicine Could Be Harder To Come By
Some bad news for anyone struggling to get over a cold here in North Carolina. It could be harder to get medicine once the new year comes around. Beginning January 15th, all Sudafed, Drixoral, Claritin-D and other cold medicines will go behind the counter at the drug store. The reason for the change is due to the ongoing fight against meth makers, who are using the medicine to help cook up their drugs.

Missing Man Found Dead
A missing persons case has been solved in Greensboro. 66-yr-old Charles Edward Lucas, a Mocksville man who's been gone since July, was found dead this week near I-40. The man was discovered inside his truck by some deer hunters, some 60 feet from the highway. It appears he lost control of the vehicle, skidded off the road and into the woods. The search gained national attention thanks to CNN and the CBS show "Without A Trace", where his picture was shown.

Sports Headlines

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at the college scene last night, it was Auburn beating Winthrop 64-62. Kansas State knocked off Belmont 66-62 and Davidson fell to Illinois Chicago 76-67.

NC State To Possibly Lose Another One
The bad news keeps popping up for the NC State Wolfpack. As the team prepares for Saturday's bowl game against South Florida, junior offensive tackle Derek Morris announced that he's considering a jump to the NFL. Morris, a 6-6 327 lb. lineman, said that he has a lot of opportunities and will take time out to weigh his options. One of the junior's goals has been to play for a national championship, but Morris said he'll pray and ask God for guidiance before making the decision with his family.

Panthers News & Notes
The Carolina Panthers might be saying goodbye to one of their players after this season. Bretson Buckner, a defensive tackle on the team, is considering retirement. The 34-yr-old Buckner has played 12 years in the league and said this week that he's coming close to the end of his career. He said that one of his goals is to try and play three more years, to make it to 15, but he'll take time with his family after the season before coming to a decision. In other news, wide reciever Steve Smith's checkbook is a little lighter today after he caught a $15,000 fine from the NFL. Smith was fined for touching an official during Sunday's game, which he was ejected for.

NHL: Philly at Carolina
It took overtime to do it, but Philadelphia beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 last night. Despite the loss, Carolina stays atop the Southeastern Conference.

Top Sports Story Of The Year
With the clock ticking down on 2005, the Associated Press has put together their top sports stories of the year. The Patriots' Super Bowl victory made the top five, as did the steroid scandal in baseball. Lance Armstrong's seventh Tour de France victory and Hurricane Katrina's impact on the Saints were also on the list. But the top sports story, as reported by the AP was the Chicago White Sox bringing the Windy City their first championship since 1917.