Wilkesboro Town Commissioner Dies
A Wilkes Town Commissioner is was laid to rest yesterday, as funeral services were held for Tommy Bumgarner. The 64-yr-old Bumgarner died on Friday at Wilkes Regional Hospital and was buried in a service Monday at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church on Hwy 16 North. He was the owner and president of Falcon Insulation Technology and also a Wilkesboro Town Commissioner, having served just over 10 years. Flowers are being accepted or memorials can be sent to the Ebenezer Gardens Christian Childrens’ Home.

Wilkes Students Receive Incomplete Grades
Wilkes County students are going to be waiting a while for their report cards. Usually schools around the state send out report cards in the middle of January, but due to some changes the kids will have to wait a few more months to find out their grades. The state social services curriculum has been altered, as the end of course tests in both history and civics have been replaced. Students who took U.S. History or Civics & Economics last semester have had their tests sent off to Raleigh, where they are being analyzed. After processing the tests, the state board of education will use the scores to determine what it will take to pass in the future. For high school seniors here in Wilkes, they were granted an exemption, with the EOC test kept out of their final grade. In addition, all student athletes are currently being allowed to play based on their grades going into the fall term. Once the new report cards are released, any athletes who fall below the line will be pulled from his/her team. State officials say that they expect the analysis to be finished within a few weeks and students should get their report cards by the first of March.

Gas Thieves Hit North Wilkesboro Run-In
With the price of gas being predicted to climb, some thieves in North Wilkesboro took the opportunity to fuel up for free. A white man pulled up to the Run-In on Statesville Road over the weekend, pumped $49 worth of gas and then took off down the highway without paying. Employees inside the store were able to get both a description of the man and also the car’s license plate, which they turned over to deputies. There is now a suspect in the case and the investigation continues.

Thieves Looking To Clean Up
Who could steal two washing machines and not leave behind any evidence? That’s what a Roaring River man is wondering today. He went out this weekend to check on his two rental properties, each of which had a washer and dryer inside. There was no sign of a break-in, however the washing machines in both homes had been taken, along with the dryers. The thieves had apparently also attempted to remove the heating systems, but couldn’t disconnect them. Over $1800 in damage was done to the property and that investigation continues.

Dog Stolen From Millers Creek Home
A bulldog was stolen over the weekend from a Millers Creek home. The homeowner had tied up the animal outside and went to the grocery store. Witness reports then state that a man came to the home, grabbed the dog and drove off in a Chevy pickup. A description of the thief was turned over to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation continues.

3WC Healthwatch: Cough Syrup Can Cause Problems
The cough medicine you give your kids could actually be bad for them, as we explain in today’s 3WC Healthwatch. A study was released by the Academy of General Dentistry last week, linking cough syrup to tooth erosion. According to Dr. Carolina Covolo Da Costa, who was in charge of the study, children need to brush their teeth immediately after being given the medicine. The reason for this is due to the fact that most cough syrup is generally acidic with no fluoride or any other materials to protect teeth. Once this gets into the mouth, it can start eroding your teeth over time. 70 different samples of tooth enamel were tested and exposed to cough syrup. Those with a cough medicine that didn’t contain fluoride almost immediately showed signs of decay. The cough syrup with fluorine however barely affected the enamel at all. Scientists recommend that parents use cough syrup with fluoride in it, but if not, just have the kids brush their teeth after taking the medicine. And if you want to read the whole article it will be appearing in the February edition of General Dentistry.

Pistol Stolen From North Wilkesboro Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a house in North Wilkesboro over the weekend, after thieves ran off with the homeowner’s gun. He had left the pistol secure under a pillow earlier in the day, but came back that night to find it was gone. Information about the 9mm pistol was turned over to deputies and there is a suspect in the case.

Chainsaw Thief Looking To Stay Warm
Thieves ran off with over a thousand dollars worth of tools after breaking into a building in Purlear. The homeowner lives in Clemmons and uses the house only in the summer, but came by to check up on it over the weekend. He found that masterlocks on two of his storage buildings had been broken and all the tools inside were missing. Included in the theft was a generator, four chainsaws and two drills. There is however a suspect in the case, as locals saw a man around the property. His name and description were both turned over to deputies and the investigation continues.

Regional News

Concern Over Unemployment Leads To Prayer
Caldwell County has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, currently holding at 8%. Concern over the local economy brought together people from around the area this weekend, to hold a day of prayer. 200 people took part in the event Saturday at the local fairgrounds. Caldwell Sheriff Gary Clark was on hand, as was Congressional Representative Patrick McHenry.

Caldwell Man Dies In Fire
A fire over the weekend in Caldwell County led to the death of one man. The 78-yr-old victim was home alone when the place caught fire and neighbors called 911. By the time firefighters arrived on the scene however, flames had completely engulfed the house and the homeowner was found dead in the kitchen. The man had been home alone due to his wife being in the hospital. It’s still unclear what started the fire.

State News

Hickory Gas Station Issues Warning
A warning is being sent out to anyone who bought kerosene at a certain Hickory station in the last week. A delivery driver mistakenly filled up the kerosene container at the Hickory Citgo Fuel Center with regular gas when he came by January 15th. The store is located at the intersection of Fairgrove Church Road and Highway 70 and is asking anyone who bought kerosene since January 15th to give them a call. The number is 1-828-464-9084 and you can return the gas for a full refund.

Evidence Uncovered In Search For Lee County Woman
Officials in Cumberland County have discovered more evidence they believe could possibly lead to a missing Lee County woman, kidnapped earlier this month. 23-yr-old Michelle Bullard was visiting a friend on January 2nd when a masked man burst into the house, took a few items and grabbed her when he left. Now authorities have found a wallet belonging to Bullard’s friend, abandoned along with a ski mask, some check stubs and a pair of socks at a remote stretch of highway. Officials are offering a $10000 reward for anyone with information that leads to an arrest or Bullard’s safe return. The number to call is 1-910-323-1500.

Secret Deal Raises Questions In Morrisville
Questions are being raised today in Morrisville, about a secret meeting where $1 million in tax breaks were approved. The computer company Lenovo bought out the local IBM personal computer business last year. In return, Morrisville town commissioners held a secret meeting back in August and authorized $1 million in tax breaks for the company, a move that is legal according to state law. The secret meeting was only disclosed after the deal with Lenovo was completed. Now critics are saying that such practices erode the public trust in government. Under state law, the public isn’t allowed to listen in on discussions as to how taxpayer money will be used as incentives.

Sports Headlines

Wilkes County Boys Dominate Swim Meet
It was all Wilkes County over the weekend at the Mountain Valley Conference swim meet. In the individual races, it was Nathan Griffen and his teammate Barry Mitchell finishing 1st and 2nd in the 200 IM, separated by just 22 seconds. It was North Wilkes’ Ryan Wyatt taking first place in both the 50 and 100 meter freestyle events. Chris Bridges from Wilkes Central came in third in the 50 and finished just under four seconds behind Wyatt in the 100 meter. In the 500 meter freestyle, Barry Mitchell from Wilkes Central took 1st place, while his teammate Kyle Ray-Smith followed up in third. Ion the 100 meter backstroke, it was Dane Ricketts of Wilkes Central taking first place. In team competition, it was Wilkes Central taking the 200 medley relay over Forbush and Surry Central, then following that up with a win in the 200 free relay as well. North Wilkes came in behind at a close third. Central walked away with the overall win at the meet, having 149 points to Forbush’s 130. North Wilkes finished fourth with 42. On the girls side of the pool, it was Surry Central taking the overall win. Wilkes Central finished fourth with a score of 43 and North Wilkes came in sixth with a score of 15.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at some college basketball last night, it was Chattanooga over Davidson 65-59, it took overtime but Elon beat Furman 81-77, Birmingham Southern beat High Point 74-58, NC A&T took care of Morgan State 60-42. UNC Greensboro beat the Citadel 65-46, it was Charleston over Western Carolina 67-59 and Appalachian State knocked off Georgia Southern 90-84 in overtime. Appalachian got 33 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists from DJ Thompson as the Mountaineers improve to 8-11 on the year.

Bobcats Lose May Possibly For Season
The Bobcats got some bad news on Friday, as rookie forward Sean May went under the knife again. May had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, the second procedure done on the knee in the last four months. Team physician Dr. Glenn Perry removed some torn cartilage from the leg and believes there shouldn’t be any long term effects. However the surgery usually takes about eight weeks to recover from and the Bobcats don’t want to take any chances, so a date for his return hasn’t been set.

NHL: Montreal vs. Carolina
The Carolina Hurricanes got back to their winning ways Monday night, with a 7-3 win over Montreal. Eric Staal had one goal and two assists to lead Carolina, who improves to 33-11 with the win and maintains a nine game hold on the Southeastern Conference.

NASCAR News & Notes
Tony Stewart is ok. The reigning Nextel Cup champion told reporters that he won’t be slowed down by his crash this week, despite the cast on his right arm. Stewart wrecked while driving a Chili Bowl midget car during a race in Tulsa Oklahoma. He’s still expected to suit up and drive in the Daytona 500. Meanwhile 64-yr-old Morgan Shepherd has landed a ride for the upcoming season. Shepherd will drive the #89 Ford for Victory in Jesus Racing, a group of Christian businessmen looking to get involved in the sport.