News & Sports For June 20th

Violent Crime Up In Wilkes County
Some mixed news for Wilkes County citizens today, as the State Attorney General has released the annual list of Crime Statistics. Here in Wilkes, property crimes, such as larceny and burglary actually went down in 2005, with 2602 reported in the area. That’s down from the year before, as 2657 property crimes were reported in 2004. Violent crime however is on the rise, according to the attorney general’s report. In Wilkes this past year, there were 261 violent crimes reported, covering incidents such as murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. The rise in violent crime was marked across North Carolina, as the state saw a 9.5% increase in homicides alone last year, with the number climbing from 508 in 2004 to 582 by the end of 2005.
Despite the climb in statistics, North Carolina still has a 22% lower homicide rate over this same period a decade ago.

Commissioners To Get Economic Update
County Commissioners will hold their meeting tonight and will focus mainly on economics. Economic Development Director Don Alexander will present his report to the commissioners, updating them on the different projects going on in Wilkes County. Also County Manager Gary Page will present the 2006-2007 budget for approval and the contracts for both Moravian Falls and Broadway Volunteer Fire Department will be discussed. The public hearing is set for 6:45pm and the actual meeting will get underway at 7pm, in the commissioners’ room of the county office building.

Deputies Bust Crack House In Moravian Falls
Sheriff’s deputies went out to a home in Moravian Falls Sunday night, discovering drugs and money inside. Responding on a tip, deputies got a search warrant and went to the home on Barr Street. Once inside, they found a glass jar that held six grams of cocaine. Also a marijuana cigarette was uncovered, along with $682 in cash. 64-yr-old Homer Wayne was arrested and charged with drug possession with intent to sell & distribute along with maintaining a dwelling for the sale of drugs.

Just Walked In To Do Some Shopping
Thieves broke into a house on the Oak Grove Extension this weekend to do some shopping. The homeowner returned to find his back door had been pried open and the computer missing from inside. Nothing else was taken or even touched inside the residence. There is a suspect in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Car Stolen From Local Home
It’s never a good idea to leave your keys inside the car. A Ronda woman found that out the hard way Saturday night, as thieves drove off with her vehicle. She had parked the car at her home on Luffman Road and then went inside. About an hour later, there was a noise outside and her car was pulling out of the driveway. Highway Patrol officers discovered the vehicle shortly after, wrecked and abandoned on Macedonia Church Road. An estimated $2500 in damage had been done and deputies are continuing the investigation.

3WC Healthwatch: Better Living Through Chocolate
It turns out eating chocolate might not be a bad idea, as we explain in today’s 3WC Healthwatch. Chocolate can actually be good for you, according to a study recently done in the Netherlands. The study, examined 470 men age 65 and older and found that those who ate the equivalent of 1/3 of a chocolate bar each day had lower blood pressure. That includes things like chocolate pudding and hot coca drinks, as well as the candy. It’s believed that flavanols, particles found in the chocolate, increase nitric oxide in the bloodstream and improve the way blood vessels function. However the doctors warn that while a little chocolate can be healthy, too much can cause health problems.

Gun Taken From Local Man’s Truck
Be careful what you keep inside your vehicle. That’s the lesson a Moravian Falls man learned over the weekend, after thieves broke into his truck. The vehicle had been parked at the man’s home on Old Orchard Road in Moravian Falls, however he had left it unlocked and forgot a few things inside, namely a Rossi .38 caliber revolver. He came back out Saturday morning to find the glove box was open and the gun missing. That investigation continues.

Local Business Targeted By Thieves
Deputies were called out to a business in Millers Creek over the weekend, after several would be thieves targeted the VIP Laserwash. Employees came in early Friday morning to find that someone had attempted to pry open the control units, which help operate the self-service carwash. They were apparently looking to gain access to the money stored inside but weren’t able to get the job done, instead causing several hundred dollars in damage. The investigation is ongoing.

Always Lock Up Before You Leave
Thieves walked right into a North Wilkesboro man’s storage building this weekend, leaving with a $3000 carburetor. The building had been left unlocked and it appears that thieves came in and took what they wanted. There is however a suspect in the case, with a name and description provided to deputies. The investigation continues.

State News

State Jobless Climb Thanks To Grads
North Carolina’s unemployment rate climbed as we hit the end of May, rising to 4.6%. That’s up from 4.3%, where it stood at the end of April. ESC officials are putting the blame on students for the hike in unemployment, as both college and high school grads are out looking for work. With the increased number of people in the market, the jobless rate is back to where it stood in February and officials aren’t sure when or if it’ll be able to bounce back.

Former Nurse Accused Of Stealing Patients’ ID
A former nurse is facing jail time today, after being convicted of stealing her patients’ information. 53-yr-old Susan Pugh White was arrested earlier this year and charged with stealing personal information from her patients at Randolph Hospital. She then took the information and used it to run up an estimated $60,000 in credit card debt. White has now been found guilty and sentenced to two years and ten months in federal prison, after telling the judge she doesn’t remember committing any of the crimes.

Picking Up The Pieces In Salisbury
Officials at Dan Nicholas Park are still picking up the pieces today, more than a year after sections of the area burned down. An arsonist torched the park’s petting zoo, causing an estimated $30,000 in damage and killing most of the animals. However with the help of donations from across the U.S., the park in Salisbury North Carolina is rebuilding. Zoos from around the country have called in, offering to give replacement animals and people have raised $17,000 to go towards the project. The park hopes to be reopened later this year and as a precaution, it will include both security cameras and a sprinkler system, to guarantee that the arsonist can’t strike again.

Highway Patrol Heading For The Mountains
North Carolina’s Highway Patrol is heading to the mountains. Additional Highway Patrol units are being sent out to the mountain counties, to help in slowing down drivers. Speeding has become a major issue in the North Carolina mountains this summer, as the number of both motorcycle accidents and deaths has risen. The main focus for Patrol officers will be US Hwy 129, known in biking circles as the “Tail of the Dragon”. It starts in Tennessee and then winds through the North Carolina mountains, with 318 curves in between.

Sports Headlines

Wilkes Players Fill Up Baseball’s All-Conference List
Taking a look at the high school scene, the All Conference teams have been announced in spring sports, with several Wilkes County players making the list. In baseball, Chris Roberts made the all conference list for North Wilkes, joined by Garrett Absher, Zach Broyhill, Caleb Johnson and Josh White from Wilkes Central. In the Northwest 1-A Noah Johnson from East Wilkes made the cut, along with Chris Barger, Justin Spears, Drew Ward and Josh Zumbrook from West Wilkes. Several Blackhawks also picked up awards, as Drew Ward was named the Northwest 1-A player of the year and his teammate James Absher was chosen as conference tournament MVP. Blackhawks Coach Daniel Ward was named Coach of the Year in the conference. Four local players also made it on the Honorable Mention list. They were Nathan Byrd and Chad Garrett from Wilkes Central, along with Adam Speaks and Brent Whittington from North Wilkes.

Soccer Lists Loaded With Wilkes County Kids
In high school soccer, players from all four schools made All-Conference. For Wilkes Central, it was Allee Olson, Leslie Warren, Annie Gustafson, Emily Gustafson, Tiffany Ashley and Katie Andreski making the team. Andreski was also named Player of the Year in the Mountain Valley Conference. Emily Billings and Erika Dowell also made the list for North Wilkes while Wilkes Central players Sabrina Ashley, Barbara Gray, Courtney Hibbard, Katie Horrell and Merrie Levi all made the honorable mention list. Lady Eagles Coach Uwe Ehrilich was chosen as the Mountain Valley’s Coach of the Year after leading his team to the state championship game. In the Northwest 1-A, Cristine Hamlin, Selena Holleman, Lindsay Mize, Kasi Shew and Amanda Williams were named to the all-conference squad from East Wilkes. Williams also was named the Conference Player of the Year. West Wilkes had five girls on the list, with Patricia Clay, Angelica Nichols, Kassie Oller, Lauren Overton and Jessica Whitby being honored. Lady Blackhawks Coach Carsten Lyck also received the Coach of the Year award.

Softball, Tennis And Golf Players Make The List
Wilkes county players also made the list in other sports as well. In golf, West Wilkes’ Daniel Walsh was named to the Northwest 1-A All Conference team, while Grayson Cheek from Wilkes Central received honorable mention in the Mountain Valley 2-A. In softball, Nicole Lopez from North Wilkes landed a spot in the Mountain Valley 2-A list, with honorable mention going to her teammate Kimberly Triplett and also Andrea Jarman from Wilkes Central. Also in softball, the all conference list in the Northwest 1-A included East Wilkes Lady Cardinals player Jeannie Blevins, along with Adrian Collins and Brittany Parsons. In tennis, Wilkes Central had four players on the all conference team. They were Phillip Brame, Zeb Campbell, Andrew Huggins and Jay Snipes. Phillip Brame also received Player of the Year honors in the conference while Central coach Perry Snipes shared Coach of the Year honors with Dustin Webb from Surry Central. North Wilkes also had two tennis players making the list in Cody Poplin and Nathan Poteat. In the Northwest 1-A, it was Elliot Johnson, David Murphy, Brent Poplin and Kyle Welburn making the all conference squad from East Wilkes. Their teammates Ryan Emric and Bret Lyon received honorable mention.

Track All Conference List Includes Wilkes Players
Finally for track and field, several Wilkes County players made the list. In the Mountain Valley Conference, it was Nick Whittington and Loren Meador representing Wilkes Central. Their teammates Greg Howell, Josh Oliver, Justin Watkins and Aaron Wilkins received honorable mention, along with Josh Johnson and Dustin Probst from North Wilkes. On the girls side of the conference, it was Kayla Branciforte and Ashley Wilcox making the list for North Wilkes, as Ashley was also named of the Conference Athletes of the Year. For Wilkes Central, it was Lindsey Groce, Mattie Hayes, Erin Koon, Dierdra Morrison, Danielle Weston and Amy Will making the list. Their teammates Alex Hayes and Melinda Lackey received honorable mention. Over in the Northwest 1-A conference, the East Wilkes Cardinals had 11 players making the list. Eric Blackburn, Ryan Blackburn, Nathan Bryan, Derek Cleary, Chas Deal, Kevin Dobbins, Lance Householder, Nathan Jordan, David Shew, Derek Shoemaker and Landon Walker represented East High on the All Conference team. They were joined by Steven Branch, Wesley Scercy and Trey Bryan of West Wilkes. On the girls side, it was Anna Hayes and Amanda Williams representing East with Amanda Davis, Melanie Frye, Tiffany Upchurch and Meredith Wingler joining them from West Wilkes. Amanda Davis of the Lady Blackhawks was also named as the Conference Athlete of the Year.

Heels Move On To Next Round
Switching gears to college baseball, the Carolina Tarheels are moving on to the next round of the College World Series. Now all they have to do is wait and find out who they’ll be playing. The Heels take the field Wednesday afternoon at 5pm, however their opponent has yet to be determined. They’ll face off against the winner of tonight’s game between the Clemson Tigers and Cal State Fullerton. The winner plays Carolina and the loser’s season is finished.

State Lands Another Prospect
On the college basketball scene, NC State has landed another prospect for 2007. Farnold Degand, a guard from Iowa State, has announced his plans to transfer and join the Wolfpack for the 2007-2008 season. Degand was a redshirt with Iowa State last year and is described as a quick and very athletic 6’4 ft. guard who’s able to run the point and also play shooting guard.