Fire Rages Out Of Control Near Liberty Grove
Firemen from six Wilkes County departments spent most of Tuesday battling a blaze near Liberty Grove Church Road. The fire went up near 152 Liberty Drive and quickly spread, causing the forest service to fly in buckets of water and officials to completely shut down the Liberty Grove Road. For several hours Tuesday afternoon, people could get out but no one was allowed in as firemen battled the blaze. Wind gusts reaching up to 25 mph at times didn’t help the situation, as they only fanned the flames.

Wilkes County Schools Practice For Severe Weather
Students will be taking time out of class today to prepare for something that hopefully never happens. At 9:15 this morning tornado drills will begin here in Wilkes and across the state, as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week. Government offices are included in the drills as well, in order to test how prepared we are in case of a major storm. Last year North Carolina was a severe storm magnet, reporting over 24 tornados, 116 flash floods and over 300 severe thunderstorms. As severe storm week continues, coming up tomorrow on the 3WC News we’ll take a look at some precautions you can take in case of a major storm.

Blood Drive Later Today
Poor turnouts have plagued the recent blood drives here in Wilkes County, to the point that more are needed just to keep the supply out of critical levels. A drive is going on today at West Wilkes High School from 9am til 2pm. No appointments are needed, but if you want to avoid the traffic as students go to and from class, you can call and set up a time to give. The Red Cross’s number is 838-4563.

Thieves Arrest Car Thief After Chase
A Millers Creek man was in bed Monday night when he heard his car start up. Looking outside he saw someone drive off down the road in the truck and called sheriff’s deputies. That same vehicle was spotted a few minutes later by deputies on Hwy 16 North. The suspect attempted to outrun the deputies in the truck and when that failed, tried to swerve and hit their vehicle. Speeds over 80 mph were reached as the chase continued on side roads before finally ending at a home on Parsonsville Road, where the suspect gave up. 20-yr-old Paul Ronald Brown Jr. was arrested and charged with car theft, fleeing to elude arrest, assault of a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon and larceny for stealing a bow & arrow set that was inside the car.

Focus On Girl Scouts
This is National Girl Scouts Week, in honor of the organization that was founded almost 100 years ago. Wilkes County Girl Scouts director Angela Day will be Brian’s guest this week for Focus on the Foothills, as they’ll be talking about the history of the organization, how scouts earn their badges and about how girls can join a local troop. That’s coming up Thursday at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

3WC Healthwatch: Vitamin D Is The Key
So are you loading up on fiber to try and prevent cancer? You can lay off the bread as there's another way to possibly prevent the disease, as we explain in today's 3WC Healthwatch. Officials at the University of California at San Diego have released a study showing that Vitamin D plays a larger part than previously thought in the battle against cancer, reducing the risk by as much as 50%. The study appeared in the February edition of the American Journal of Public Health. Vitamin D helps balance calcium and phosphorous in your blood, but what many people don't know is that it also helps regulate cell growth and determine what a cell becomes. A lack of the vitamin weakens the body's defense, as there's nothing left to regulate the cell and it is more susceptible to cancer. So how can you get enough Vitamin D? People age 19-50 should get about 200 IUs a day of the vitamin, which balances out to at least two glasses of milk. People 50-70 should get 400 IUs and those 70 and older should get 700. In addition to milk, you can get enough vitamin D by taking walks and getting exposed to Vitamin D put off by the sun. Also it can be found in yogurt, cheese, orange juice and fatty fish. For example, one serving of salmon has 360 IUs, while a tablespoon of cod liver oil holds 2400.

Recall Ordered For Classic Sandwiches
You might want to hear this next bit of news before picking up that egg salad sandwich to eat tonight. Classic Delight Inc. has ordered a recall of all of their Egg Salad Sandwiches on Vienna Bread, due to a possible contamination. The company found out that certain sandwiches contained Listeria, a dangerous bacteria that can cause health problems in children and the elderly. All of the affected packages had a lot code of 5355 and were distributed out of Cincinnati Ohio. North Carolina was one of 31 different states the sandwiches were shipped to. A hotline has been set up for anyone with questions at 1-800-274-9828.

Hungry Thieves Hit Traphill Home
Some apparently hungry thieves targeted a Traphill woman’s home this week. Monday evening, the woman returned to find that the screen on her front window had been raised and food was missing from inside. Neighbors informed her that they saw two women inside the house earlier in the day. Taken in the theft was a loaf of bread and a 12-pack of Coke. There are suspects in the case and that investigation continues.

Regional News

Missing Hikers Found
A group of missing hikers has been found in Caldwell County, after they vanished Monday afternoon. The group was out hiking in Wilson Creek when they realized they were lost. Fortunately one of the hikers had a cell phone and used it to call authorities. Within several hours search parties had been organized as volunteers from over six different fire departments came out to help. Shortly after 8pm the group was located at a mountainous area near Collettsville.

State News

Steer Clear Of I-85
If you’re planning to head to Charlotte for a Bobcats game or maybe want to catch some NCAA action, expect to wait a little while. Both sections of I-85 North in Rowan County are undergoing road repairs this week and it’s led to some massive traffic jams. That section of I-85 is expanding to a four lane highway and impatience with the construction has led to several traffic accidents. There have been so many accidents in fact that the highway patrol is fining drivers who speed through the section an automatic $350 each, not counting insurance costs.

Officials Looking For Help In Bank Robbery Case
Officials in Cary North Carolina are asking for the public’s help in solving a case. On Monday afternoon, a man entered the Wachovia Bank on Walnut Street and threatened a teller, running off with an undisclosed amount of money. Security cameras and witnesses describe the suspect as a white male in his late 30s, about 5’8 ft and weighing around 165 lbs. He also has either light brown or dirty blonde hair. A reward of $2500 has been put out by the local Crimestoppers in Cary for information leading to the man’s arrest. Anyone with information can call Crimestoppers at 1-919-226-2746.

No Jobs Lost Due To Fire
Good news for workers at one Rockingham County plant. A fire that ripped through the building on Monday didn’t do any significant damage, meaning that production will go on as planned and no jobs will be lost. There had been concern that due to the fire, officials at Southern Finishing would terminate some jobs to save on cost as they repaired. But damage from the fire was limited to the back of the building and shouldn’t take long to fix.

New Clues Found In Missing Persons Case
More evidence has been uncovered in the case of a missing Lee County woman. 23-yr-old Michelle Bullard was kidnapped at gunpoint from a friend’s house in Lee County and hasn’t been seen since. Now investigators have found Bullard’s wallet & license, on a road in nearby Cumberland County. The evidence was found near the home of David Wilson’s family. Wilson committed suicide the same day as the kidnapping, when he was approached for questioning by officials from Harnett County. Wilson fit the description of the alleged kidnapper however no physical evidence has been discovered to link him to Bullard. A $10,000 reward is being offered for any information leading to Bullard’s recovery and people are being asked to call the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 1-919-775-5531.

Sports Headlines

Baseball Coming Up Tonight
High school baseball is in full swing and we’ll be out at East Wilkes tonight, as the Cardinals take on the North Wilkes Vikings. This will be the teams’ second meeting this season, with North Wilkes winning the first one. Bragging rights are on the line and we’ll go on air with the McDonald’s pregame show at 6:45pm then turn things over to Ken Byrd and Keith Briand at 7pm for the first pitch.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at college basketball last night, it was UNC Charlotte over Georgia Southern 77-61. Curtis Withers had 20 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocked shots to lead the 49ers, who advance into the second round of the NIT tournament. They’ll go on the road Friday to take on Cincinnati.

NBA: Charlotte vs. Washington
In the senior circuit of the NBA, it was Washington over Charlotte 119-114. Jumaine Jones had 18 points to lead the Bobcats, one of seven Charlotte players to score in double figures. With the loss Charlotte drops to 18-47 on the season.

Former UNC Charlotte Player Getting Chance
A former member of the UNC Charlotte 49ers is getting his shot at the NBA. Guard Eddie Basden was drafted in the second round by the Chicago Bulls and then sent to the Developmental League. Now Bulls forward Darius Songaila is out for the rest of the year and the team is calling up Basden to take his place. The rookie’s first game was last night, as

NHL: NY Rangers vs. Carolina
On the ice last night, the Carolina Hurricanes snapped their two game losing streak with a 5-3 win over the New York Rangers. Doug Weight led the Hurricanes with two goals and an assist, as the team improves to a league best 44-15.

Panthers Continue Changes
In the NFL, the Carolina Panthers continue to retool for next season. On Monday, they signed former first round pick Damione Lewis to a two year deal. Lewis, who was drafted by the St. Louis Rams back in 2001, is an athletic and quick defensive tackle able to help stop the run. With Lewis joining the team, it completes a revamp that began on Friday. Now there are six defensive tackles on the roster, all of which are under 30 years old.