North Wilkesboro To Hold Public Hearing
The way elections are held may be changing in North Wilkesboro. A public hearing will go on September 13th to determine if the town will continue holding partisan elections or primaries. Currently North Wilkesboro is one of only seven across North Carolina to have such elections, but that may change if Mayor Steve Foster has his way. Foster received approval last week from the town board to hear what the public has to say about the proposal. If it passes, the move would save thousands of dollars, as primaries routinely cost around two to three thousand dollars. Instead all candidates would move forward to the general election, where people could vote for whoever they choose, regardless of party affiliation.

Shots Fired At Wilkesboro Residence
Deputies are investigating a shooting that took place in Wilkesboro over the weekend. A local man was sleeping in his living room when he heard gunshots outside. Then seconds later a second round of gunfire ripped through his home, hitting him on the left side. The man was taken to Wilkes Regional, where he was reported to be in good condition. Deputies went to his home and found eleven shell casings outside the home and several more within, They were able to match the bullets to a 9mm weapon and are continuing the investigation.

Counterfeit Money Found In Wilkesboro
Wilkesboro police were called out to the Lovette Company late last week, after $20 in counterfeit money was discovered. Company officials told police that they had no idea how they got the cash, which was found when they made a deposit at the bank. This marks the second time in under a month that counterfeit money has been turned in by a local business and the investigation is ongoing.

Blood Drives Across County
1500 pints of blood are used in hospitals and emergency rooms every day to treat accident victims, deal with disease and perform surgery. With accidents and other injuries constantly in the news, Wilkes County’s blood supply continues to hover around the critical level. In order to help solve the problem, the Red Cross has organized two more blood drives in our area. The first will be this afternoon from 2-6:30pm at the Lovette Company. Then one hour later Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church will host a drive, from 3-7pm. Before donating, just remember that you must be at least 17 years old, weigh no less than 110 lbs and be in good health. To set up an appointment you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

Attack Of The Video Game Bandits
A North Wilkesboro man called out sheriff’s deputies late last week, after thieves broke in. He had returned from work to find several hundred dollars worth of merchandise gone from the home, including a Playstation 2 and nine games. There was no damage done to the property and no sign of a break-in however. There is a suspect in the case, as the man believes the thief had a key to the house. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Local Businesses Fall Victim To Break-in
Two businesses in Wilkesboro fell victim to thieves late last week. Someone had busted through part of the cinder block wall in both locations, making a hole just big enough to get through. In Bestway, the thieves stole two Dell laptop computers and some employee files. An estimated $1500 worth of damage was done. Less than a few feet away, the thieves struck again at Go Wireless, busting in and causing $2450 in damage. However unlike in Bestway, nothing was taken from the store. Wilkesboro police are continuing the investigation.

Always Keep Your Car Doors Locked
It’s never a good idea to leave your car doors unlocked. A Millers Creek woman learned that the hard way after several thousand dollars worth of money & merchandise was stolen from inside. The woman returned from a local store to find that thieves had been inside and stolen her wallet, $3800 and seven credit cards. There are no suspects but Wilkesboro police are continuing the investigation.

ABCs of School
Late last week, the results were released for this year’s ABC testing program. The grades of each school were made public by the state Department of Public Instruction and here in Wilkes, there was both good and bad. Today we’re taking a look at the elementary schools throughout the county. Eight of the thirteen elementary schools met state expectations and several even exceeded them. Four county elementary schools were named as Schools of Distinction. CC Wright, Mulberry, Ronda Clingman and Wilkesboro. CC Wright also made the list of schools making higher than expected growth, joining Traphill, Mulberry, Ronda Clingman and Boomer Ferguson. Two schools in the county were named as Honor Schools of Excellence, Traphill and Mountain View while Boomer Ferguson and Moravian Falls were both named Schools of Progress. Tomorrow we’ll go over the middle schools, explaining which ones made the cut and which ones didn’t.

State News

One North Carolina School Keeps Indian Name
Seventeen universities across North Carolina will be looking for a new mascot this year, after being told to make a change. The NCAA announced that all schools with an Indian mascot would have to find a new one, however there was one exception. UNC Pembroke gets to keep its’ name, a decision that has several groups up in arms. The NCAA said the exception was given because Pembroke was exclusively an American Indian school for 67 years and so was given preferential treatment. The change was ordered in the first place because groups have complained that the use of a Native American mascot is scary and intimidating to some, while seeming to be hostile to others.

Missing Greensboro Man Found
The search is over today for a missing Greensboro man. 84-yr-old Frank Rasche was found just a few miles from his home, dead in the woods. A teenager came across the body while looking for a missing cat. Deputies said that it appeared the man died of natural causes, but an autopsy has been ordered just to be sure. The 84-yr-old went missing during the last week of July when it’s believed he wandered away from home.

Search Is On For Hit & Run Driver
The search is on today for a hit & run driver in Winston Salem. A local man was walking near Bowman Gray Stadium when he was hit by a van speeding through the intersection. The man, Randall Lee Beougher died at Baptist Hospital. Officials have obtained a description of the van, labeled as a light colored vehicle with damage to the right front section. Police are asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at 336-727-2800.

Jobs Coming To Winston
Good news for people in the Winston area, as some jobs will be coming in over the next three years. AGL Logistics announced plans this weekend to lease a warehouse near the new Dell plant, providing supplies for the plant as needed. 50 workers will be hired to run the warehouse, dealing with shipping and other issues as needed. The jobs will be open to anyone, as the company is posting employment information on its’ website www.apllogistics.com.

Budget Agreement Will Be Announced Today
Finally after several months of debate and discussion, a state budget will be officially unveiled later today. The two year plan comes as both parties have agreed to compromise. The cigarette tax will be increased to 30 cents on September 1st, then by this time next year it will increase five more cents. State employees will also get an $850 increase in pay, while teachers’ pay will be raised 2.4 percent.

Sports Headlines

Heels Lose Member Of Their Team
Up the road in Chapel Hill, the news wasn’t good for the Tarheels, who saw a member of their offense leave. However Vince Wilson decided to leave all on his own. Wilson, a 5-9 sophomore, announced that he was transferring from the school because he felt he wasn’t being used enough by the team. He sat down and talked with Coach John Bunting through the week before finally coming to the decision. The move however leaves North Carolina with a very inexperienced backfield. None of their halfbacks have ever carried the ball during a college game. Barrington Edwards, who transferred in last year from LSU, becomes the starter with freshmen James Arnold and Richie Rich backing him up

Duke Loses Kicker
Up the road in Durham, Duke’s football team is rushing to find a kicker today, after Alex Feinberg announced he would miss this upcoming season. Duke coach Ted Roof said that Feinberg told him the decision was made for personal reasons. Now with the season less than a month away, freshman Joe Surgan will take over kicking duties. As a high school senior, Surgan was ranked number four in the nation.

Minor League Scoreboard
Taking a look at the minor league scoreboard, it was Hickory falling against Delmarva 7-6. Despite having the tying run less than 90 feet away at third base, the Crawdads couldn’t drive him in during the ninth inning. The news was better however for the Winston Salem Warthogs, as they beat the Fredrick Keys 12-3. Warthogs reliever Fraser Dizard got his fourth win of the year, giving up one run in three innings of work.

Jones Retires From Panthers
For the second year in a row, a free agent of the Panthers has retired without playing a down. Tight end Freddie Jones retired on Sunday, saying that it was in the best interests of his family. He also said that he looked forward to whatever God has planned for him during his retirement. With Jones gone, the Panthers have three tight ends on the roster. Veterans Kris Mangum, Mike Seidman and second year player Michael Gaines.

NASCAR Results
Tony Stewart took the checkered flag at yesterday’s Allstate 400. Kasey Kahne was second, Brian Vickers third, Jeremey Mayfield fourth and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five. With the win, Stewart takes over the lead in points, 75 in front of Jimmie Johnson and 111 ahead of Greg Biffle.