Parsons Pleads Guilty
The case involving former Wilkesboro police chief Gary Parsons has come to a close, after a plea deal was reached on Wednesday. Parsons plead guilty to five counts of private use of a public vehicle and one count of willfully failing to quit his duties as police chief. As part of the agreement Parsons won’t have to serve any jail time, however he will be placed on 18 months of supervised probation, during which time he won’t be allowed to own a gun. Also he has to pay all court costs associated with the case, along with $6000 in fines and turn in all property he has that is associated with the Wilkesboro Police Department. As one final condition of the agreement, Parsons has to give up his law enforcement certification, which will be suspended indefinitely. The move ends a nearly 6-month long process which began in September of last year with the SBI investigating complaints from Wilkesboro officers. Parsons had stood accused of12 separate felony & misdemeanor counts including obtaining property by false pretense, using officers to do personal work for him while on city time, misuse of a public vehicle and embezzlement. However as part of the agreement, the felony charges were dropped.

Fire Ban Off Thanks To Rain
The rain and snow over the past few days has been a bonus for people here in Wilkes. It helped bring water levels back up from their previous drought status and as a result, the burning ban has been lifted. Fire Marshal Nikki Hamby said yesterday that the ban has temporarily been lifted, but could just as quickly be re-imposed if we go through another dry spell. The chances are good for Wilkes to get wet the rest of this week, with the possibility of snow and rain in the forecast. However if we don’t see any raindrops for a week or more, the burning ban could be back on.

Vandals Hit Brushy Mtn. Baptist Association
Vandals hit the Brushy Mountain Baptist Association this week, causing several hundred dollars in damage. The vandals climbed in through a shattered window and appeared to go wild. Fire extinguishers throughout the building were either damaged or set off and one of the interior windows was busted as well. Just under $300 worth of damage was done and that investigation continues.

Focus On Foxx
With the recent controversy over port operations and now possibly our military equipment being made by other countries, the U.S. finds itself in a catch-22. Should we continue to farm out operations to our allies or will that be setting ourselves up for trouble later on? Congresswoman Virginia Foxx will be Brian’s guest this week for Focus on the Foothills, as they’ll be discussing some current bills before Congress and also what can be done about outsourcing. That’s coming up today at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Thieves Hit Wilkesboro Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out this week to a home in Wilkesboro, after thieves decided to go on a shopping spree. The incident happened at a rental property on Foster Mill Road. Somehow thieves broke in while the renter was away, stealing a flat computer screen and a 9mm rifle. It’s unclear exactly how the thieves managed to get inside, as there was no damage done to the residence. Deputies however were able to track down the missing merchandise and arrest the man who had taken them. 18-yr-old Jesse Contner was arrested and charged with breaking & entering.

3WC Healthwatch: The Road To Lower Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can be a problem for anyone from nine to ninety two. But it turns out one simple activity might dramatically reduce high blood pressure in senior citizens. In today’s 3WC Healthwatch, a report was recently released from the Oregon Research Institute that found the road to good health may be laced with stones. Researchers did a study of 108 volunteers over a 16 week period and found that after just 30 minutes of walking each day on cobblestones, the group’s blood pressure dropped significantly. Moreso than the control group, which had been walking on regular pavement. The reason for the difference? The group doesn’t have a clear answer, but believes the smooth and uneven surface of the stones help stimulate nerve points in the body that don’t get used as often otherwise. With these nerves running at full steam, it takes pressure off other areas and allows the body to relax. More tests are being conducted but the group suggests that if you want to lower your blood pressure, make a walkway of your own. Find some smooth but uneven stones, possibly in your creek bed, put them into the ground as a walkway and go over them for about 30 minutes each day. Within a few weeks your blood pressure could take a nose dive back into the normal range.

Check Road Conditions Before Leaving
With snow and ice in the forecast, it’s important to know what road conditions are like across the county. For people in Wilkes that can be accessed now on the internet by visiting the state DOT webpage at www.ncdot.org/traffictravel. Once there you can click on the real time travel information option and it will let you know what roads are like and how long a delay you can expect on your drive into work.

Wal-Mart Orders Recall Of Rocking Chairs
It could be dangerous to lean back in your rocking chair, if you recently bought it from Wal-Mart. The company has ordered a recall of an estimated 643,000 Mainstay love seats and porch rocking chairs. This is due to a problem in the furniture’s construction that can cause it to fracture in places and possibly become unstable. So far there have been 45 reported injuries across the country due to the problem, some serious enough to involve hospital care. Three models of rocking chairs are involved in the recall. They are the Mainstays Love Seat Rocker, which has a model number of IT-13380 and is wooden & white in color. Also two versions of the Mainstays Porch Rockers, which was sold in either white or light brown. The models included are IT-13379 and IT-13270. In all three cases, you can find the model number by looking on the rocker’s packaging or any sticker it may still have on it. Customers are asked to return the rockers for a full refund and you can get more information by calling Wal-Mart at 1-800-925-6278.

State News

Counterfeit Money Found In Lincoln County
Officials in Lincoln County are working with the Secret Service to determine how hundreds of dollars in counterfeit money has started flooding into the area. The latest incident happened recently at a small town market in Lincoln County, where forgers passed off a fake $20 bill for their purchases. Across the western part of the state, thousands of dollars in counterfeit cash has popped up. Officials say they believe the money is being brought over from Tennessee but still don’t know how it’s being distributed.

FBI Asking For Help In Robbery Investigation
The FBI is asking for help in tracking down a bank robber today. A man walked into the Bank of the Carolinas in Harrisburg Monday morning and left with a sack full of cash. The suspect was wearing a mask, but has been described as a 6’1 ft. black male, between 180 and 200 lbs. In addition he was wearing a light grey sweater, dark dress shirt and yellow tie. Anyone with information is being asked to call the FBI at 1-704-331-4555.

Major League Baseball Still A Possibility
Good news for fans of major league baseball in North Carolina, as Charlotte has a chance to bring a team in. Mecklenberg County Commissioners included the discussion in their meeting on Tuesday, voting and approving a new proposal on one condition. Supporters of the proposal now have until April 1st to prove the Florida Marlins are in fact interested in moving to Charlotte and learn what it would take to get them here. Most experts believe that Charlotte is 10-15 years away from being able to support a major league team but if the deal goes through, the Marlins could be suiting up in Charlotte as early as 2010. If the project fails however, there is a backup plan. The minor league Charlotte Knights would move into the new stadium, to be built in Center City, with the possibility left open for major league expansion later on.

Officials Looking For Animal Arsonist
A fire that tore through a petting zoo in Rowan County this week was probably set on purpose. That comes from fire marshals and sheriff’s deputies, who are investigating the case. On Sunday night, a fire ignited at Dan Nicholas Park, killing over 40 animals at the petting zoo there. After shifting through the damaged park, officials have put together enough evidence to open an investigation.

Restaurant Sold For A Dollar
A Hickory restaurant that has become more famous for what it doesn’t have was sold this week for $1. Buffalo’s Southwest Café is known throughout the state for it’s lack of a parking lot, thanks to several giant sinkholes which have swallowed cars and other items. The property, located on Hwy 70 in Hickory, will have some major repair work done thanks to the new owners, Steve Mason Enterprises, cleaning up both the sinkholes and the busted drainage pipes that originally caused the problem.

Film To Premiere At Lowes Speedway
Fans of a different sort will be filling up Lowes Motor Speedway in May, as Pixar announced plans this week to debut its’ latest film there. The animated film “Cars” will have its’ world premiere at the speedway, a place owned by one of the actors in the film. Track owner Humpy Wheeler plays Tex in the movie, one of the national racing circuit sponsors. The film will open up at Lowes on May 26th and then make its’ national debut less than a month later on June 9th.

Sports Headlines

Softball & Teeball Signups This Week
As we head into spring, it’s time once again for softball and teeball. Signups are being held later today at the Austin Community Center for boys and girls ages 5-15. The signups last from 6:30 til 8:30pm and are one of two signup periods going on this month. You can also sign your child up this Saturday, March 25th from 12 noon til 3pm.

Awards Keep Coming For Carolina
The good news keeps coming for Tarheel basketball fans, as Roy Williams was named Coach of the Year this week. Williams took a UNC team of mainly freshmen and built them into the 2nd-ranked team in the ACC, finishing with a 23-8 record. Meanwhile one of Williams’ star pupils this year, freshman Tyler Hansbrough, was named Freshman of the Year by the Basketball Writer’s Association. Hansbrough put up 18 points and 7 rebounds a game during his first year at Carolina.

Redick In Running For Award
With Duke getting set to take on LSU in the Sweet 16, one member of the team learned he’s in the running for another type of trophy. J.J. Redick was picked this week as one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy, given out each year to the best player in all of college basketball. Allan Ray of Villanova, Rudy Gay of Connecticut and Adam Morrison of Gonzaga were the other three finalists. A winner will be announced on April 2nd.

NBA: Charlotte vs. Cleveland
In the senior circuit of the NBA last night, it went into overtime but the Charlotte Bobcats fell just short as they lost to Cleveland 120-118. Charlotte was led by Raymond Felton, who had 30 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds. The team drops to 19-50 with a game coming up on Friday against Miami.

NHL: Carolina vs. Buffalo
On the ice last night, it was the Carolina Hurricanes beating Buffalo 4-3. The win snapped a two game losing streak for Carolina, as the team improves to 46-17.

Panthers Sign McCadam To Contract
The Carolina Panthers added another piece to the puzzle this week, signing free agent safety Kevin McCadam. What may make the signing sweeter for Panther fans is that McCadam comes to Carolina from the rival Atlanta Falcons, for whom he played 54 games during his four year career. He’ll compete for a starting job with newly signed Shaun Williams and possibly take the place of Dante Wesley on special teams.