Medicare Deadline Approaching
Time is ticking down for senior citizens who want to enroll in Medicare. An estimated 43 million Americans qualify for the program, 90% of whom have already signed up for a drug benefit plan. However if you are in that final 10%, there are some things you might want to know. First of all if you don’t sign up by Monday and decide to change your mind later on, there will be complications. For each day that you wait, a penalty will be added to your premium, one that will stay with you as long as you’re on the Medicare plan. The longer you wait, the higher the penalty gets. As it stands now, no Medicare plan can have a deductible higher than $250 this year. But beginning May 16th, penalties will start to be added to that. Also if you wait to sign up, it will take longer for your coverage to take effect. To sign up or for more information about what plans are available, you can log on to www.medicare.gov or talk to someone at 1-800-MEDICAR.

John Wishon Named To The Top Five
The list of Top Five Finalists have been released for the Singing News Fan Awards and our own John Wishon made the list for Favorite Small Market DJ of the Year. Ballots for the final round of voting will be released in the July issue of the Singing News magazine. Then the winner for Small Market DJ and the other categories will be announced during the National Quartet Convention in Louisville Kentucky September 14th.

Thieves Break Into McGrady Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a McGrady home this week, after thieves paid a visit. The incident happened at a home on the North Ridge Road, as thieves broke in through a side door and caused over $2000 worth of damage. Walls were dented, doors were broken and almost $300 in material was stolen from the home, including a ceiling fan and the home’s water heater. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Recall Ordered For More Volvo Cars
Bad news for some Volvo owners out there, as another recall has been ordered. Volvo is calling back all of its’ XC90 cars from the 2003 to the 2006 model. The problem is that poor manufacturing on some of the SUVs can lead to a deformity in the outer tie rod ball joint. If too much weight is applied, over time the deformity can grow into a fracture for the joint, making it hard to maneuver with the vehicle. Owners can bring back the vehicle for a free repair to the dealer they got it from. Also you can call the Volvo company with any questions at 1-800-458-1552.

Vandals Target Boomer Residence
Vandals hit a home in the Boomer community this week, causing an estimated $100 in damage. The incident happened at a residence on the High Rock Road Wednesday afternoon, as deputies found someone had shattered a window and broke into his storage building. Nothing was taken in the theft and that investigation continues.

Bikes Stolen From Local Shed
Thieves broke into some property on the Hamby Mtn. Road earlier this week, running off with two mountain bikes when they left. The bikes had been stored in a shed on the property, but it hadn’t been locked up. No one in the area could recall seeing or hearing anyone near the shed on Wednesday, when the theft was noticed. That investigation continues.

Blood Drive Going On Later Today
Over the past week wrecks and injuries have depleted the county’s blood supply, dropping it down near critical levels. To help solve the problem, a blood drive is going on today at the New River Behavioral Healthcare Center from 9:30am til 12:30pm. The only way to give is by appointment for this drive, so if you want to set up a time, the number to call is 838-4563. The Wilkes Red Cross asks that all donors eat well and drink plenty of fluids before coming and be sure to bring a picture ID with you.

Deer Takes Out Local Woman’s Van
A local woman’s van was totaled after an accident Wednesday night on Hwy 18 North. The incident happened at the Woodfield intersection, as a deer came running out of the woods and directly in her path. She couldn’t slow down in time and slammed into the animal, causing an estimated $1500 worth of damage. Thankfully the woman walked away without any injuries.

State News

Hunt Continues For Escaped Inmate
The hunt is on for an escaped Haywood County inmate. Michael Glen Trivette was arrested and charged on Sunday with six different offenses, including breaking & entering, assaulting an officer and possession of a stolen car. However due to a cut the man had on his arm, he was taken to the hospital, where his handcuffs were removed for the X-ray machine. When Trivette didn’t come out of the room deputies went in, only to find he had disappeared.

More Changes Requested In Lottery Spending
Groups are coming out of the woodwork to request money from the state’s new education lottery. In addition to public schools, officials from charter schools around the state are asking for a share of the proceeds. Currently there are 97 charter schools in North Carolina, all of which are controlled by independent groups instead of school districts. Under the current guidelines, each of these schools get state funding on a per student basis, but they want that to change with the lottery money coming in.

Jobs And Money On The Way To Burlington
Some good news for workers at one Burlington plant. While in most parts of the state, textiles are suffering, Special I Hosiery Mills has just landed a major contract. The company signed a deal this week with the Department of Defense worth an estimated $7 million, to provide the troops with special socks and boots that can protect against microbacteria.

North Rowan Teacher Resigns
Charges are pending against a North Rowan High School teacher, as he stands accused of supplying alcohol to teens after the prom. Paul Edgar, a social studies teacher at the school, was arrested for driving while impaired on Sunday, with a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit. According to parents, several teens were invited over to Edgar’s home after the prom, where he supplied the alcohol. Edgar has resigned this week as the investigation was made public. Salisbury police say they expect to have charges brought in the next few days.

TB Found In Mecklenburg County
Officials in Mecklenburg County are dealing with a case of tuberculosis today, after the local health department confirmed that a student had the disease. One of the students at Mountain Island Elementary has tested positive for TB, causing the county to order testing on all the school’s students. That’s set to go on next Tuesday and in the meantime parents are being asked to keep a close eye on the kids for any symptoms.

Minutemen Have To Cancel Rally
The Minuteman Project had to cancel their rally on Wednesday night, which was set to be held in Greensboro. The reason was they couldn’t find a location that would allow them to come in. The group, which organizes patrols at the Mexican border to keep out illegal immigrants, wanted to start a North Carolina chapter. If and when the rally is rescheduled, some protestors are already guaranteeing to be there. The western North Carolina chapter of the International Socialist Organization has announced plans to protest, saying they want the Minutemen to know the people don’t want them here.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
Around the high school scene, a new conference champion was crowned last night in varsity baseball. West Wilkes beat East Surry 8-4 in the Northwest 1-A conference championship. Blackhawk pitchers kept East Surry off balance all night, only giving up 5 hits in route to the win. With the win, West wraps up this part of the season with a 21-4 record, heading into the state playoffs.

Changes Coming For High Schools
In other high school sports, some changes will be coming next season in the way playoff teams are decided. North Carolina’s High School Athletic Association approved some changes we first told you about last month on the Sportsdesk. In their meeting last week, the association agreed to expand the playoff brackets in baseball, basketball and softball along with volleyball. Also there will be a change in the way wildcard teams are selected, as it will be based on just the team’s conference record, and not their overall schedule. All of these changes will take effect in the fall.

Sidney Lowe Filling Out His Staff
Taking a look at the college scene, new NC State men’s basketball coach Sidney Lowe is wasting no time in putting together his staff. Lowe welcomed back assistant coach Larry Harris, who had been part of Herb Sendek’s staff for the past ten years. In addition, Quentin Jackson, a former point guard for the Wolfpack, will take over as director of basketball operations. Since ending his playing career with the Harlem Globetrotters, Jackson has worked as a coach for Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh and also the Raleigh Elite AAU team.

Appalachian Football Team Honored
Switching to college football, members of the Appalachian State football team were honored this week by North Carolina lawmakers. The House & Senate invited the team to come out for a special joint session, where they passed a resolution in honor of Applachian’s first ever national championship.

Date And Time Set For Car Care Bowl
The date and time has been set for at least one of the postseason bowl games. The Meineke Car Care Bowl, which is played here in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, will be held this year on Saturday December 30th. Thanks to recent sellouts the bowl is gaining attention, as it’s averaged just under 64,000 people the last four years. This year ESPN will be on hand as well, broadcasting the event. Until this season, the lower watched ESPN2 had been the station covering the matchup. Kickoff will be a little later in the day as well, scheduled for 1pm.

Another NC Football Player Signs With NFL Team
Around the NFL, another football player with ties to North Carolina has signed a free agent deal. NC A&T offensive lineman Walter Stith went undrafted in April, but has come to terms on a contract with the Cleveland Browns. Stith impressed team officials during their first minicamp last week after a college season that saw him ranked in the top 15% at his position. The 6’8 ft. 320 lb. Stith will fight for a spot in the starting lineup when training camp begins later this summer.