News & Sports For July 20th

Staying Cool As Weather Heats Up
As the temperature continues to hit the mid 90s across Wilkes, staying cool has become the number one priority. With that hot weather expected to stick around for the rest of this week, there are some things that might help ice down your home. First make sure to close any drapes or shades during the day. That can drop the temperature by ten degrees or more. Also for anyone with an air conditioner, clean the filter every month. A dirty filter on your AC will force it to work harder, raising your energy bill while not exactly keeping things cool. Also be sure and check your weather stripping. A properly sealed door can keep most of the hot air outside and away from you. Finally, make sure to turn down your fans to the low setting when it’s humid outside. The reason being is that slower movement can allow the fan to pull moisture out of the air, basically acting as a buffer to drain that humidity and make things more comfortable.

Warrant Issued As Prisoner Escapes
Sheriff’s deputies issued a warrant on Monday for the arrest of 26-yr-old Daniel Boone Call Jr. after he disappeared from a work release program. Call had done this once before, to be with his wife when she was taken to the hospital, but in that case had called and cleared things with the officers. This time however no one heard from the man and deputies had no idea as to his whereabouts. Warrants were issued for the 26-yr-old Call, who is described as a white man standing 6’2, weighing 168 with brown hair and brown eyes.

Check For Oncoming Traffic
A wreck on Cherry Street totaled two vehicles this week. A woman from Moravian Falls was driving down Cherry Street when she was suddenly hit by another vehicle, The second car’s driver hadn’t noticed anyone coming and pulled out from College Street, slamming directly into the other vehicle. Both cars had to be towed away, however thankfully nobody was injured in the crash. Total estimated damages were placed at $16,000.

Ebenezer To Hold Benefit Tournament
The Ebenezer Christian Childrens Home is gearing up for their annual benefit golf tournament. This year the tournament will be at Oakwoods Country Club on Saturday August 13th. There will be morning and afternoon flights. The format for the tournament is 4-man's captains choice and there will be over $50,000 in prizes up for grabs. Entry fee is $75 per person and if you pay by August 1st you will automatically be eligible for a 3 day- two night vacation. To sign up or for a brochure you may call the Home at 667-5683, that's 667-LOVE.

Mailbox Vandals Go One Step Further
Over the past few months, cases of mailbox vandalism have continued to pop up around Wilkes County. But now the practice has been taken to another level, as a Wilkesboro man came home earlier this week to find his mailbox had been stolen. Both the plastic mailbox and the post it was on had been ripped up from the ground and taken. No one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anyone nearby however deputies are continuing the investigation.

Time Ticks Down For Beginning Of School Year
While most kids prefer not to think about it, we are getting closer to the end of summer vacation. School here in Wilkes County officially begins on August 15th and orientation programs will be going on the week before that. At West Wilkes High, that will go on Thursday, August 11th starting at 6pm. The event will last for an hour and will be held in the gym. Parents of the incoming students are also requested to attend. To get more information about the orientation, you can call the school at 973-4503.

Thieves Break Into Millers Creek Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a Millers Creek residence on Monday, after the homeowner returned to find that someone had paid him a visit. Over $200 worth of merchandise was stolen from the home, including a car speaker and $5 in change. There were no signs of a break-in and nothing damaged at the residence. However there is a suspect as a local man had been seen around the home before the break-in. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Just Drove Off With The Car
Never leave your keys inside your vehicle. A Hickory man learned that the hard way this week after thieves jumped into his truck and drove off down the road. The man had been working at a construction site on Hwy 16 South when he turned around and noticed the vehicle was missing. Also stolen was a table saw and generator that had been in the truck. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

State News

Police Searching For Would Be Kidnapper
Officials in the Charlotte area are searching today for a would be kidnapper. Around 12 midnight Tuesday morning, a young white male tried to grab a 7-yr-old girl in the lobby of the Omni Hotel. She resisted and took off, while the would be kidnapper quickly made himself scarce. A description of the man has been released however, using footage from the video surveillance cameras. The man is about 5’7, weighing around 150 lbs. and is believed to be between the age of 23 and 27 with hair dyed blonde and done in a buzz cut. If anyone has information you can call Crimestoppers at 704-334-1600.

Meth Lab Destroyed And Charlotte Woman Tied In
Families were evacuated from a South Charlotte neighborhood Monday night as law enforcement destroyed a meth lab that had been operating in the area. Officials also called in DEA agents along with members of the Hazmat unit to help with the destruction. An arrest has been made in the case, as 25-yr-old Eva Piatt was charged with the possession and manufacturing of methanphetamines. Despite an extensive lab and large supply of chemicals found inside, neighbors said nothing was unusual about the place and they would have never given it a second thought.

Companies Say Fluid Swap Not Their Fault
Earlier this year, hydraulic fluid was swapped out with traditional cleaning fluid at two Durham hospitals. Doctors then used the fluid to clean their surgical tools with before performing operations, leading to complications for the recovery time of some patients. Now as the companies responsible for putting out the cleaning fluid are being sued, they’re trying to cast blame on someone else. Cardinal Health Incorporated said that as an Ohio company, they shouldn’t be sued in North Carolina, denying any responsibility for the mistake despite being the one who returned the mislabeled containers to the hospital to be used. The other company, Automatic Elevator of Durham, is believed to be responsible for mixing up the fluid in the first place. Aside from saying they weren’t responsible, the North Carolina company had no comment.

House Plugs In Another Band Aid Instead Of Budget
North Carolina is still lacking an official budget today, despite several weeks of negotiations between Republicans and Democrats. With that being the case, the House approved a measure Monday night that would extend the current spending bill, allowing the state to keep paying bills for another two weeks. After those two weeks are up however, state officials will be right back where they started, fighting over one major issue and several others that have popped up as negotiations stretch on. A grand total of ten cents separate Republicans and Democrats on the issue of a cigarette tax, but lawmakers can’t seem to bridge the gap. The current spending measure will expire on August 5th.

Smell Brings out Officials To Fayetteville
A Fayetteville company got an unwelcome surprise on Tuesday after strange smells started coming out of a package that had arrived from South Carolina. The package was supposed to contain personal items from a military family, but after workers started smelling the odor, they began to get dizzy and nauseated. Authorities were called out and some of the workers had to be decontaminated. Details on what exactly was in the package hasn’t been released by local officials.

Area Shut Down Near Morrisville After Spill
Portions of I-40 near Morrisville North Carolina had to be shut down on Tuesday, after fluid spilled out on the highway. 330 gallons of cleaning fluid was spilled after the truck that was carrying it became involved in a traffic accident. The spill stretched out for almost a quarter of a mile and led local officials to call in members of the EPA. However there was no danger to the area, as EPA agents said that nothing had been contaminated by the fluid. After a few hours of clean up, the fluid was removed and things went back to normal.

Sports Headlines

Duke And Carolina Lock Up Prospects
Some good news from the football side of things for Duke and Carolina, as the two schools locked up several prospects for the 2006 season. Ed Barham, a tight end from Dendron Virginia committed to UNC this week, fulfilling a childhood dream. The 6-4, 230 lb. Barham signed up literally minutes after receiving the scholarship offer from the Tarheels. Up the road in Durham, Duke also bolstered their tight end ranks by adding Brett Huffman, a 6-4 recruit from Ohio. Huffman, who also has a 3.8 GPA in the classroom, might be starting as a freshman due to the fact Duke may lose it’s current group to graduation and possibly the NFL.

Transfers And Suspensions
The news wasn’t all good however for the Tarheel football squad, as one member announced his plans to transfer and another may be kicked off the team. Sophomore guard Donnell Livingston declared that he would be transferring to another school, although he didn’t say where he’d be going. Meanwhile incoming freshman Mark Paschal will find out if he’ll be on the team this week, after Coach Bunting determines his fate. Paschal, a 6 ft. 220 lb. fullback, was arrested last week and charged with assault, resisting arrest and drunk & disruptive behavior after an incident on Franklin Street. The police report said that Paschal tossed another man to the ground, before punching him in the head and face. A decision is expected on his future in the next week.

Maybin Holding Out For More Money
Every baseball player dreams of one day making it to the major leagues, but for one high school player in Asheville, those dreams have been put on hold. Cameron Maybin was selected by the Detroit Tigers in this year’s draft, taken with the 10th selection. But while other members of his draft class have already suited up and started making their way toward the big leagues, Maybin is holding out in a contract dispute. The issue is the amount of a signing bonus given out to the #10 pick. The Tigers have offered him $2 million, but Maybin’s camp thinks he deserves a bonus of $3 million. Time is also ticking away for Maybin this season, as he only has until August 25th to join a rookie league team, or be forced to sit out until spring training of next year.

Minor League Scoreboard
Around the minor leagues last night, it was Winston Salem dropping a second straight game against Lynchburg 12-7. The Warthogs rallied from being down 9-2, but just couldn’t close the gap in the final innings. Winston starter Ryan Wing got the loss after giving up four runs in three innings of work.

NBA Scoreboard
In NBA summer league action, the Charlotte Bobcats got their third win in four games, knocking off the San Antonio Spurs 84-62. Sean May led the Bobcats with 22 points and seven rebounds, while Raymond Felton had six assists, four points and four rebounds before getting hit in the chest during the third quarter. Felton was knocked to the ground while fighting through a screen and was slightly bruised. Coaches held him out of the rest of the game as a precaution.

Roush Racing To Partner With Former NFL Player
Tim Brown retired on Monday from the Oakland Raiders, ending a 17-yr career in the NFL. One day later he began arranging plans for a new line of work, one that involves cars going around a track. Plans are being finalized to have Brown partnering up with Roush Racing to field a new NASCAR team out of Charlotte. The proposed team would start competing next season if the deal goes through. An official announcement is expected in the next few weeks. Brown said that he wanted to get involved with NASCAR and help bring in different types of people who might not otherwise take a look at the sport.