Update On Katrina
As the winds die down from Hurricane Katrina and it’s downgraded to a tropical storm, officials in North Carolina continue to keep an eye on the situation. Here in Wilkes, Duke Power issued a statement warning people to be careful around creeks, rivers and other bodies of water. Western North Carolina may be out of the storm’s path, but we can expect several inches of rain and possibly some flooding along with it. Several Duke Power personnel are on standby in case we do get severe weather and they ask that if you are having problems with the electricity, to call when it happens instead of waiting til later. In addition, they ask that anyone who sees a downed power line or some other wire, don’t come near it. You can however call 1-800-POWERON for more information or if you have questions.

Gas Thieves Hit Two More Wilkes Businesses
As prices go up at the pump, it’s no surprise that some people are refusing to pay. Gas thieves hit two more businesses in Wilkes County, first at the Millers Creek Market and then at the Grocery Bag. At the Millers Creek Market, a man drove up to the pump, put in $12 worth of gas and then took off down the road without paying. Employees inside the store were able to get his car’s license plate however and also provided deputies with a description of the vehicle. Then another man pulled up to the Grocery Bag #2 in Traphill, pumping $10 worth of gas before driving off. A description of that vehicle was also turned in and the investigation in both cases is ongoing.

Gas Savers Part Two: Keeping Your Cool
Have you ever got in your car and started it up, only to notice that the gas needle had dropped since you had turned it off? As the August rays beat down on your car, they also suck up gas from inside. In part two of our 3WC Gas Savers series, we’re explaining some more ways to help save money at the pump. First try and park your car in the shade. Parking in sunlight will help your car’s gas evaporate quicker on a hot day. While storing it in the shade won’t solve the problem, it will make the evaporation process go a lot slower, saving at least part of your gas for the ride home. Also make sure your gas cap is tight. Each year, an estimated 147 million gallons of gas are lost due to misplaced or loose gas caps. Air conditioning might seem like a vacuum, draining your gas dry and your wallet too. But studies have shown that while driving on the highway, most cars are actually more efficient when the air conditioning is on, as long as you don’t go too far. Cranking it on full blast won’t get things cool any faster, but what it will do is put a drain on both your battery and gas. When you have an open window, it produces more resistance for your car to fight against, meaning that the engine has to work harder to keep up to speed and that translates into more gas being burned. Coming up tomorrow in part three of our series, we’ll tell you how the right tire can keep you away from the pump for a few more days.

Police Searching For Hit & Run Driver
A North Wilkesboro woman was driving down 421 earlier this week when suddenly a car slammed into her. The vehicle had pulled out of a side street, not paying attention to traffic and totaling both cars in the process. That second driver fled the scene on foot before anyone arrived and apparently with good reason. The car had been stolen a few hours earlier from its’ owner. Estimated damages were placed at $8000 and no one was injured. Wilkesboro police are continuing the investigation.

WCC To Hold Start Up Business Classes
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to own a business? Maybe you have questions about what’s involved, what paperwork you have to fill out and what hoops you have to jump through. Starting this Thursday, Wilkes Community College is offering a series of seminars focusing on developing small businesses. The first takes place this Thursday, from 6-9pm in Room 1110 of the Student Resource Center. There is no cost, but college officials ask that you call ahead to pre-register. The number to call is 838-6210.

BROC Holding Educational Event Today
Do you have questions about the BROC operation? What exactly is their senior meal plan? How can I sign up for programs? What are the requirements? Coming up later today, members of the Maple Springs Senior Citizens group will be out at Bojangles on Curtis Bridge Road from 11am til 2pm. They’ll be discussing the BROC agency, handing out literature, talking about the different programs and giving out door prizes. Portions of Bojangles’ sales today will go directly to BROC.

High School Students Buckle Up Or Lose It
Here in Wilkes County and across the state, a new type of program is being offered to help keep the roads safe. R U Buckled is a new initiative in 53 of the state’s high schools, including all four in Wilkes County. Under the new plan, students have to wear seat belts at all times. If they’re caught on campus without one on, their parking privileges will be revoked and they’ll have to get a ride for any school activities for the rest of the year. This was put into practice due to the fact that 63% of all 16-to-20 yr olds who were killed in traffic accidents weren’t wearing seat belts.

Mailbox Vandals Hit Traphill Home
Mailbox vandals hit another home in the Traphill area this week. On Sunday, a local man returned home to find his mailbox had been trashed, marking yet another vandalism case in the area. None of the neighbors could recall hearing or seeing anyone come around the property, however estimated damages were placed at around $30. That investigation is ongoing.

State News

Easley Opens North Carolina Up To Refugees
With so many left homeless at least temporarily because of the storm, Gov. Mike Easley has opened North Carolina up as a safe haven. Three National Guard armories across the western part of the state have been opened for use as shelters. Over ten thousand people fled their homes in the face of the hurricane and any of those without a place to go can take shelter in the armories. There is one in Charlotte, right off I-77 on West Boulevard, another in Gastonia on Robinwood Road and finally one in Asheville on Shelborne Road. Two National Guard troops have been assigned to each shelter, to assist the full time staff on scene.

Alamance Man Arrested After Four Month Operation
22-yr-old David Lee Martin Jr. was arrested this week by Alamance County authorities for stealing. When all was said and done, they had charged him with 46 different crimes after what police say has been a four month crime wave. Over the last four months Martin stole everything from a Frito Lay truck to a piece of candy from a store. He’s currently being held in Alamance under $100,000 bond after being arrested at the scene of his latest crime.

Prisoner Gets Another Chance At Freedom
Clifton Spencer has been sitting in jail for years, serving time for a murder he claims he didn’t commit. IN 1990, someone killed a waitress in Manteo and after a brief investigation, Clifton was arrested and charged with the crime. He pled no contest at the time, saying that he was pressured to do so by his lawyer, who told him there was no way he’d get a fair trial. Now an old washcloth found at the scene might prove his innocence. The cloth was used by the killer to clean up after he disposed of the victim, leaving DNA traces behind. Those traces have a man’s DNA on them, but not that of Clifton Spencer. With no other evidence linking him to the scene, Spencer will get another trial possibly by the end of this year and could be a free man in 2006. It’s unknown why he was pressured by the lawyer, as the plea of no contest was about the only thing held up as evidence.

Natural Gas Prices Set To Climb
If you think the price at the pump is bad, wait til this winter. Piedmont Natural Gas announced this week that it plans to raise rates by 14%. That means overall, the cost to heat your home could climb by as much as $200 and that’s if the winter season is a normal one. A bad winter could mean upwards of $300 extra for natural gas, leading some people to cancel their gas service and break out the axe to solve the problem the cheap way.

Durham Bulls Do Their Part For Storm Victims
With people across the country struggling to do their part to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, one North Carolina baseball team is giving up their paychecks. The Durham Bulls announced before last night’s game that all proceeds from the event will be donated to disaster relief efforts. In addition, all of the team’s food supplies left over from this homestand will be donated as well. Monday was the last game of the season for the team and officials said this was the quickest and best way they could think of to help.

Sports Headlines

Maybin Still Won’t Sign
Around the minor leagues, the cousin of former Tarheel Rashad McCants still finds himself without a team. Cameron Maybin, who was drafted as the 10th pick by the Detroit Tigers this year, continues to hold out for a better deal. Maybin, who graduated this past year from Roberson High, wants a signing bonus of about one million more than the Tigers are willing to pay. He’s already lost the chance of playing this season and will likely have to wait until spring training if he does sign, as the fall league is coming up quick. If negotiations don’t go the way he hopes, Maybin has also said he’s open to the possibility of going to a community college and then re-entering the draft next year, in hopes that some team will give him the money he wants.

Minor League Scoreboard
Around the minor leagues, Winston Salem moved back into first place after beating Salem 6-0 Monday night. The Warthogs got six shutout innings from starter Ray Liotta, who earned his sixth win of the season. Tom Collaro led the Warthogs, going 3 for 4 with two RBIs.

Panthers Announce Cuts
The Carolina Panthers lowered the axe on 11 players Monday, trimming their roster to 79. By 4pm today, the team has to cut another three in order to get down to the NFL limit of 76. Included in the cuts were Rod Rotherford, last year’s practice squad quarterback who lost a battle with fourth round pick Sefan Lefors for the third string job. Also wide receivers Taylor Stubblefield and J.R. Toliver made the list, along with tight end Chad Mustard, running back Nick Maddox and defensive tackle Omari Jordan. Cornerback Dwight Anderson and linebacker Marcus Lawrence were let go, along with linemen Bill Ferrario, Chase Johnson and Michael Watson. The team has to release an additional 23 players on Saturday, when league rosters have to be trimmed down to the maximum of 53.

Former Winston Salem Player Waived By Bills
Monday was also the end of the line for a former Winston Salem State player, as Tory Woodbury was released by the Buffalo Bills. Woodbury, the school’s all time passing leader, had been working as a quarterback, safety and special teams player for the Bills, but just barely missed the cut. This marks the third team in the last three years to release the 27-yr-old Woodbury.

NASCAR Moving To Canada?
Nascar is considering an expansion for next season, moving into uncharted territory. Plans are coming together to add a race in Montreal, taking over from the Indy car Champ races held each year at the Formula One road course. As the Champ series has one more year on its’ contract, 2007 is the most likely date for the expansion to begin, unless a buyout can be reached. It’s not been decided yet if another race will be added to the schedule, or if a track in the U.S. will lose one of their races to Canada.

Busch Driver Accused Of Cheating
A driver from the Busch Series finds himself in trouble today along with possibly the car’s owner. After the race it was discovered that the tires on Reed Sorenson’s car had been illegally soaked, meaning that they were softened with chemicals to have a better grip on the raceway. Both his crew chief and tire specialist face not only fines but possible suspensions as well. Also NASCAR officials were looking into possible fines being handed out against car owner Chip Ganassi, who some believe okayed the move. The cause for concern comes from the fact that rubber is degraded when chemicals are used on it, meaning that while it might hold traction better for a few minutes, there’s a greater chance the tire could blow during a race and create a wreck.