News & Sports For June 26th

Dooley Opens To Packed House
Hundreds of people braved the rain on Friday night to see the first 2006 performance of “Tom Dooley”. A full house of 850 people was on hand as the Wilkes Playmakers opened up the new Forest Edge Amphitheater at Fort Hamby. County commissioners, along with state and national lawmakers were also in the crowd as the site was dedicated. Then the audience was treated to a performance by the Kingston Trio before the play started. As for the venue where the play took place, it cost $750,000 to build the Forest Edge Amphitheater, most of which came from grants and private donations.

Nominations Open For Southern Gospel Awards
Voting has started for this year’s Southern Gospel Music Awards. From now until midnight on June 30th, you can nominate candidates in 27 different categories like favorite male singer and also favorite small market radio station. After the deadline on June 30th, the votes will be totaled and the Top Ten Nominees in each category will be announced. If you want to nominate someone, all you have to do is log on to www.thesoutherngospel.com and click on the awards link at the top of the page.

New Plan Would Alert Parents If Sex Offender Moves In
If State Attorney General Roy Cooper has his way, parents of Wilkes County students would be alerted if a sex offender moved next door. As state lawmakers continue to debate what the final budget should look like, Cooper is asking them to set aside some extra money for a new project. He wants to create a new email service, called the NC Sex Offender Watch Program. The alert service would automatically warn people when a sex offender moves within a mile of a certain building, such as their child’s school. Inside each email there would be a photo and description, so people could recognize the offender and also a list of his crimes. If it’s approved, parents could sign up for the project and designate certain areas where they would be alerted if a sex offender moves nearby. Cooper is requesting $300,000 to get the project started in addition to over $500,000 to hire more personnel to help track child predators.

Blood Drive Coming Up Later Today
Each day 1500 pints of blood are needed across North Carolina. With that being the case, not all the supply taken in local drives can go to Wilkes County as there are more immediate needs. To help build the supply back up and lend a hand to other counties, a drive is going on today at the Pilgrim Baptist Church from 2:30-7pm. And just as a reminder, anyone who signs up and donates will be entered into a drawing for a free $1500 Citgo gas card. To call for an appointment, the Red Cross number is 838-4563.

How To Fight Against ID Theft
Over the past month, everyone from war veterans to housewives have been exposed to identity theft. Over one million troops had their information stolen from the Veterans’ Affairs office, while Wachovia customers fell victim to a potential hack of the company’s system. But a new law here in North Carolina could help protect you from being robbed of your information. The Identity Theft Protection Act is a new law that went into effect last December. It will allow you to block access to your credit records, preventing any would be thieves from gaining access and ruining your finances. There is a catch however, as you’re able to do that thanks to a security freeze. While thieves won't be able to use your credit to purchase things, neither can you. Once the freeze is placed on, no company or business can check up on your credit history until its' lifted. If you do want to fill out an application for a credit freeze or just want more information, you can log on to the state Department of Justice website at www.ncdoj.com/idtheft.

Recall Ordered Of Windsuits
This next bit of news potentially affects all families with boys from newborn to age 7. A recall has been ordered for a particular type of child’s windsuit this week. The Reebok company has issued a callback for an estimated 55,000 windsuits, a zip up jacket and pants set sold in Toys “R” Us, Babies “R” Us and Mervyns stores across the country. The problem comes from the Reebok logo which hangs on the windsuit’s zipper. In several cases it has detached from the zipper and been swallowed by the child, who picks it up and starts chewing on it. Reebok is asking that customers either cut off the rubber logo themselves or return the item for a free replacement suit. For more information you can call 1-800-873-5570 or log on to the Reebok website at www.Reebok.com

Heat Relief Available For Elderly
Summertime can mean problems for the elderly, with rising temperatures leading to sickness and possibly death. With that in mind, the Wilkes Senior Citizens Council is giving away fans this summer to any senior citizen that meets their requirements. In order to get a fan, you must be at least 60 years old, live in Wilkes and be served by Duke Power. In addition, your home situation must present a threat to your life without the fans. Applications are being taken from 8:30am til 5pm at the Wilkes Senior Citizens Council office, located at 228 Fairplains School Road. For more information you can contact them at 651-7811.

3WC Techwatch: Sniffing Out A Good Movie
The next time you’re in a movie theater, you might be able to smell what’s happening on screen, as we explain in today’s 3WC Techwatch. A Japanese company has developed “smellovision”, a new way for movie audiences to interact with the characters. When certain scenes appear on the screen, special machines under the seats release different fragrances. For an emotional scene, you might smell peppermint or for a joyful time you could smell a blend of orange and grapefruit. The idea is being tested out on Japanese audiences this summer and if it proves successful, could be coming to a theater near you by 2007.

Regional News

Taylorsville Wife Charged In Husband’s Death
One month after her husband was murdered, a Taylorsville woman has been charged with the crime. 84-yr-old Fielding Strikeleather was gunned down in the couple’s home May 21st, by what his wife told police was an intruder. She said that a man came to their door, asking for help as his car was out of gas. Her husband went to the basement to get a gas can and minutes later she heard gunshots. However after a monthlong investigation, local officials couldn’t find any evidence to prove that another man had been in the house. Now 57-yr-old Brenda Strikeleather has been charged with her husband’s murder, although Alexander County officials refuse to say what proof led to the arrest.

Three Man Facing Charges In Surry County Assault
Three men in Surry County are in jail today, charged with the vicious assault and hanging of a woman in Mount Airy. The incident happened early last week, as the woman was sexually assaulted by three men, then injected with some unknown substance before being hung from a tree. She was later released and the men ran off. Officials have now charged Mount Airy resident Jerry Gray Worrell, Raymond Max Eddy Jr. of King and Wayne Ray Lawson with the crime. Worrell and Lawson are facing charges of kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury and felony strangulation. Eddy Jr. meanwhile is only charged with kidnapping. There is still no motive for the crime.

State News

University Official Wants To Help Illegals
If one official at NC State University has his way, in state tuition will be handed out to the children of illegal immigrants. NC State Provost Larry Neilsen spoke out on behalf of the illegals during a conference held last Thursday, saying that we should do everything in our power to help them become educated citizens. Neilsen is calling for a plan to be revived in the General Assembly which would give the children of illegals access to cheaper in state tuition fees and grants if they want to attend college.

Bill Of Rights Coming Back To NC
North Carolina owns the Bill of Rights. That was the decision of a federal appeals judge late last week. At the end of the Civil War, North Carolina’s original copy of the Bill of Rights was stolen and had found its’ way into the hands of a Connecticut businessman, who put its’ price tag at $30 million. That soon became moot as federal officials raided the man’s office and seized the document back in 2003. Now the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has supported that seizure, saying that North Carolina holds the rightful possession of the document. The businessman’s attorneys are saying that their client plans to take his case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Davie County Deputy Fired
One Davie County sheriff’s deputy has been fired after being placed in the center of a state investigation. Detective Robert Trotter was suspended a month ago for what officials are calling “alleged criminal conduct”. Now the 16-yr vet of the sheriff’s department has been fired, despite no criminal charges being filed. No one is willing to say what exactly Trotter had been accused of doing.

Sports Headlines

College World Series
In college baseball last night, the Carolina Tarheels fell just short in their bid to become national champs. They lost in Game Two of the College World Series Finals to Oregon State 11-7. The Beavers of Oregon State blew up against Tarheel pitching, exploding for 7 runs in the fourth inning alone. The third and final game will go on tonight.

State To Lose Football Player
The NC State football team will be one player short when it starts playing later this summer. Quarterback Mike Greco announced last Thursday that he’s transferring out of the program. The 6’3 ft. 220 lb. Greco was a freshman redshirt last season and now finds himself behind both junior starter Marcus Stone and fellow sophomore Daniel Evans, while also competing for time with incoming freshman Justin Burke. That isn’t to say that Greco doesn’t have talent, as this spring during practice he tossed a 60-yd touchdown and also showed some speed, rushing for another 60-yd score. That athleticism had State officials considering a change of positions for the sophomore, who says that he wants to play quarterback. To do that, he’s enrolled at Pearl River Community College in Mississippi and will play with their football team the Wildcats while sorting out his options.

Duke Recovering From Injuries In college basketball, one of the ACC’s top programs should be back up to full strength by the time the season rolls around. Duke point guard Greg Paulus is almost fully healed from wrist surgery, according to team officials. The rising sophomore is expected to be 100% by August and should be able to play the full season without any complications. Also fellow sophomore David McClure is recovering from his knee surgery and is expected to be ready for the season opener.

Bobcats Narrow Down Choices
The Charlotte Bobcats are still trying to decide who will be their picks in this week’s draft. Last week, several candidates were brought in, including two ACC stars and one player from Charlotte. Wake Forest graduate Trent Strickland, Maryland’s Nik Caner-Medley, UNC Charlotte grad Curtis Withers and Georgetown’s Brandon Bowman were all brought in for a workout. Withers, a 6’8 ft. forward with a talent for rebounding, impressed team officials to the point they told him if he doesn’t get drafted, there’s a spot waiting on Charlotte’s summer league team.

Hurricane Forward Receives Award
A few days after winning the Stanley Cup, one Carolina Hurricane isn’t done picking up awards. As the NHL handed out its’ offseason awards last week, Carolina forward Rod Brind’Amour received the Selke Trophy, given out to the league’s best defensive forward. He landed over 50% of the vote, picking up 80 of the 129 possible votes. Shortly after Brind’Amour got more good news, as he signed a new five year deal which will keep him in Carolina until he’s 40 years old.

NASCAR Results
On the NASCAR circuit, it was Jeff Gordon picking up the checkered flag in the Dodge/Save Mart 350. Ryan Newman came in second and Terry Labonte rounded out the top three.