Trial Starts For Wilkes County Soldier
On Monday opening statements were heard in the court martial of a Wilkes County soldier accused of murdering his wife. Specialist Brandon Bare was arrested last July after the body of his wife Nabila Bare was found at their home on base at Fort Lewis Washington. She had been stabbed over 70 times with knives and a meat cleaver, which along with other evidence prosecutors argue proves that the crime was premeditated. Defense attorneys meanwhile have said that Bare had been going through an intensive therapy program to deal with anger management issues and appears to have suddenly snapped. Bare had returned from combat in Iraq when the murder happened, recovering from injuries he sustained in a grenade attack. Those injuries, including some to his head, caused him to be awarded the Purple Heart. Attorneys say that Bare quickly grew angry with his 18-yr-old wife’s partying and three months after his return, her body was found in their house. Bare’s trial is expected to last the rest of this week and wrap up with a decision on Friday.

Battling The Mumps Part II: How To Protect
The Mumps virus has made its’ return to North Carolinas, with reported cases in Mecklenburg, Forsyth and Guilford Counties. Be sure and tune in today as 3WC News continues its' series on mumps, as Brian will be talking with Wilkes County Health Director Beth Lovette.

Desperate Race Fans Hit Local Home
Apparently some NASCAR fans in Wilkes County were desperate to get tickets to the All Star race in Charlotte, as they broke into a local man’s home to do just that. The incident happened at a home on NC Hwy 18 South and there is a suspect in the case, as a woman had been staying with the man and his wife. When she moved out, so did the tickets. In addition, the suspect admitted to a friend that she had stolen the tickets. A criminal summons was issued for Jennifer Lynn Foster and she was picked up on a charge of larceny.

Blood Drive Later Today
With the recent string of accidents on local roads and poor turnout at recent drives, the blood supply in Wilkes remains near critical levels. To help solve the problem, the Red Cross is asking everyone who is available to please come out and give blood today at the Ronda Community Center. The blood drive will run from 2-6:30pm and is open to the public. As always you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs to give blood. The number to call to set up an appointment is 838-4563.

Gas Thieves Hit Local Business
Gas thieves hit another business in Wilkes County over the weekend, this time targeting Foster’s Grocery in Ronda. On Saturday morning, a man pulled up in a Green Explorer, pumped $40 in gas and then drove off down the road, squealing tires as he left. Information about both the vehicle and driver were turned over to sheriff’s deputies and that investigation continues.

Thieves Hit North Wilkesboro Home
A North Wilkesboro man got a surprise when he returned home over the weekend, as thieves had paid a visit. Someone had got onto the property, cutting the locks and chains off the man’s horse gate and horse trailer. The thieves then took both the horse and trailer. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Permanent Recall Ordered For Eye Solution
A certain brand of contact solution has been permanently taken off the market, after being linked to an eye infection. As 3WC News told you back in April, the Bausch & Lomb company’s newest eye cleaner ReNu with MouistureLoc was linked to over 100 cases of a fungal eye infection that can cause blindness. Now that the number of cases has reached 122, the company is completely pulling the item from store shelves and suggesting that anyone using the cleaner toss it in the trash. The CDC is still attempting to determine the specific cause of the infection, which is believed to be tied in with the unique disinfecting agent used in the cleaner.

Mailbox Vandals Hit North Wilkesboro Home
Mailbox vandals hit yet another Wilkes County residence over the weekend, with a North Wilkesboro man falling victim this time. The incident happened at a home on Statesville Road, as the man came out Saturday morning to get his mail, only to find the box had been damaged during the night. Despite the damage, no one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything during the night. That investigation continues.

Just Wanted To Have A Look Around
Someone broke into a Purlear man’s home, apparently just to have a look around. The rear window of the home on Boone Trail was shattered, but nothing was missing from inside and there was no other sign of damage in the residence. An estimated $300 worth of damage was done and deputies are continuing that investigation.

Regional News

Caldwell County To Ask State For Aid
Caldwell County doesn’t plan on spending money for Medicaid this next year, instead wanting the state to pay for it. County commissioners are expected to draft a proposal in tonight’s meeting, requesting that North Carolina cover the $4.5 million that constitutes Caldwell’s share. Under state law, counties have to share the cost of Medicaid with both the state and federal government

State News

NC In Hurricanes’ Path This Year
North Carolina could be in the path of a hurricane this year, according to the AccuWeather forecasting service. The service issued a report on Monday, detailing their predictions for the upcoming season. All total, 5 hurricanes are expected to hit the U.S., with a different state at risk at different times. In June & early July, Texas and the Gulf Coast are the most at risk. Then in late July and stretching on through August and into early September, the threat is expected to shift to North and South Carolina. Then in September til the end of the season, the focus will shift yet again, this time targeting the Northeast and south Florida.

North Carolina Not In Favor Of Bush
A new survey shows that North Carolina isn’t happy with the job being done by President Bush. The latest poll from Survey USA shows that only 35% of North Carolina residents support the president, while 63% disapprove and 3% weren’t sure. The poll was taken before President Bush spoke to the nation last night and has a error rate of plus or minus four percent.

Man Burns Down House After Snuffing Cigarette
A man in Denver North Carolina is picking up the pieces today after burning his house down with one cigarette. The man had set a bowl of paint thinner on his coffee table, before going back to work. Later on that night he came in and forget the liquid was paint thinner, attempting to put out his cigarette with it. Instead, that ignited a fire, which quickly caught some nearby papers and spread to the rest of the house. The man and his wife barely had time to get out before the entire place went up in flames. Firefighters believe that the entire place burned to the ground in less than 15 minutes.

Troutman Man Charged With Murder
A Troutman man is facing murder charges in Iredell County today. 56-yr-old Savannah Lee Campbell has been charged with second degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon and driving while impaired after a weekend wreck that claimed the life of a Statesville boy and injured another. The two boys were walking on a Statesville sidewalk Sunday night when Campbell lost control of his vehicle and it jumped the curb, hitting both boys. More charges are pending in the case.

Sports Headlines

High School Baseball Tonight
The state playoffs are in full swing and the 3WC Sports Team will be in the thick of things tonight. The West Wilkes varsity baseball team not only won the Northwest 1-A regular season title, but topped things off by claiming the conference tournament crown as well. They’ll host Albemarle tonight in round one of the state playoffs, with the first pitch set for 7pm. We’ll go on the air with the McDonald’s pregame show around 6:45pm.

Duke To Meet Gonzaga For The First Time
In college basketball, two of the top programs in the nation will meet for the first time next December. As the schedules are being released for next season, Duke and Gonzaga will match up on December 21st in Madison Square Garden. Since the year 2000, the two teams are the only ones in the nation to have won 80% of their games. Gonzaga will have a bit of an edge coming into the contest,a s they’re 7-1 against the ACC while Duke is working to replace their two top scorers in J.J. Redick and Shelton Williams.

UNC To Play In Charlotte
Some more news from college basketball, as the Preseason NIT brackets have been released. Three schools with Carolina ties are in the field, including Winthrop, UNC Wilmington and the UNC Tarheels. The Heels will open up with a game in Bobcats Arena Nov. 14th playing against Sacred Heart. Winthrop will be in the building that same night, playing against Iona. Wilmington meanwhile will be playing at the Nashville Tennessee site against Belmont in the opening round. And for all the Carolina fans who can’t make it out to the Nov. 14th game, the next night’s matchup between the first round winners will be televised.

Brackman Looking To Change
A member of the NC State Wolfpack is going on the road and looking to go through some changes this summer. Andrew Brackman, the 6-10 ft. 240 lb. basketball and baseball player, is heading out to the Cape Cod League after the season is over. Cape Cod is the top summer league for high school and college baseball players, who have a legitimate shot at the major leagues. Brackman is working to drop about 20 lbs. from the 240 he’s at now, in order to gain more mobility on the basketball court and also improve his mechanics on the mound.

NASCAR Wanting To Expand
Some more changes could be coming in the NASCAR schedule if the organization has its’ way. Officials want to hold races in each of the Top ten U.S. markets within the next few years, which could mean bad news for the smaller venues on the circuit. New York, Boston, Miami and Chicago are the among the cities that NASCAR wants to have on the schedule in the near future, along with places out of the country such as Mexico City and possibly Montreal Canada. However in each of the areas, things aren’t going as smooth as expected. In New York, the committee in charge of putting together the track has been restructured, with members leaving and others coming in. In Montreal, NASCAR is having to negotiate a deal with Formula One, to buy out the local track’s contract.