Attempted Break-In

In another break-in call from last week, the thief did not get inside the house.  Again, the Wilkes Sheriff's Dept was dispatched to an attempted B&E at a home on Mtn View Rd. It appears the suspect or suspects tried twice to enter the home through the front door. On one made entry into the home, but there were two pry marks on the left side of the door frame that appeared to have been made with a screwdriver.  Door frame damages were estimated at $50.  It is believed that the suspect left on foot walking toward 18N and possibly got into a vehicle and drove away.  That investigation is continuing.

Biking Scouts Ride Through Wilkes

Some biking Boy Scouts on a cross country trek stopped over in Wilkes on Saturday. Back in June the East Chapel Hill High School Graduates who are Boy Scouts embarked on an epic bike journey from Florence, Oregon to travel 66 days and 3,900 miles to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Their mission, to honor a schoolmate they lost to cancer and to raise awareness and funds for teen cancer programs. You can follow their trek and find out more about their mission at www.BikeLoud.org.  They are slated to end their bike journey tomorrow August 18 with a ceremony and a celebration at Blockade Runner Beach Resort in Wrightsville Beach. As the trip began in Oregon, it will close with a synchronized dip of bicycle wheels into the ocean. The public is invited to attend the August 18th event.

NC Company Cited by OSHA

A company based in North Carolina received fines for employee endangerment at their Ohio plant. For employees at a leading supplier of chicken to national fast food and supermarket brands, the dangers of amputation, electrocution and hazardous falls are all in a day’s work, and part of their employer’s long history of violating federal worker safety and health standards.  A U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation of an Ohio poultry processing facility operated by Case Farms Processing Inc. found that the company was aware of the dangers, but continued to expose workers to serious and potentially fatal injuries.  Acting on a referral, OSHA cited the company on Aug. 13 for two willful, 20 repeat, 30 serious and three other-than-serious safety and health violations. OSHA assessed $861,500 in penalties and added the company to the agency’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.  Headquartered in Troutman, North Carolina, Case Farms Processing processes 2.8 million chickens per week at seven facilities in North Carolina and Ohio. Case Farms has an extensive history of health and safety violations. Since 1988, OSHA and the Occupational Safety and Health Division of North Carolina’s Department of Labor have inspected the company 66 times at its facilities in North Carolina and Ohio, with citations issued in 42 of those inspections.

Farmers May Need to Test Corn Crop

Dry weather means that farmers are harvesting their corn a little earlier this year. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging farmers to have their corn tested for aflatoxin to prevent contamination of feeds and food. Aflatoxin is a byproduct of the mold Aspergillus flavus, and can be harmful to both humans and livestock. Some farmers may need to have corn samples tested for crop insurance or quality assurance purposes. These samples must be submitted to a grain marketing location certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The tests cost $22.20 per sample. For insurance or quality assurance purposes, farmers must submit a 5-pound sample of shelled corn by mail, UPS or FedEx to a USDA-certified grain marketing location.  Farmers who grow or buy bulk corn to feed to their own animals can have it tested for free by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Constable Laboratory in Raleigh. This Laboratory is not on the Risk Management Agency’s approved testing facility list; therefore, results from this location will not be accepted for insurance claims.

NC and WWII

Governor Pat McCrory signed a proclamation recognizing North Carolina's contributions to World War II as August 14-15, 2015 marked the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.  Nearly 400,000 men and women from across North Carolina enlisted in all branches of the Armed Forces. Of those, 26,000 World War II Veterans still call North Carolina home, and 8,500 who served did not return home. About 2 million men and women were trained in North Carolina during World War II. North Carolina was home to 24 military installations that trained and housed troops from all branches of the military. North Carolina industry contributed by building Liberty Ships at the North Carolina Ship Building Company in Wilmington. In addition, North Carolina provided more textiles to the Armed Forces than any other state. Additionally, North Carolina was home to some military firsts. Many of the female pilots of the historic Women Airforce Service Pilots flew A-24's and A-25's towing targets, flying radar deception missions, night target-towing missions, and tracking missions out of Camp Davis in Holly Ridge, N.C.  On June 1, 1942, the U.S. Marine Corps started enlisting African Americans. The first class of 1,200 volunteers began their training at Montford Point at Camp Lejeune, at New River, N.C.

Dump Truck Overturns in North Wilkesboro

The driver of a dump truck was injured Thursday morning in North Wilkesboro when his truck overturned at the bottom of Second Street Hill.  According to North Wilkesboro Police, James Ashley of North Wilkesboro was attempting to make a left-hand turn from 2nd Street on Hwy 115 just after 10 am Thursday.  As he made the turn, the load of dirt shifted causing the dump truck to overturn.  No other vehicles were involved.  Mr. Ashley was injured and taken by Wilkes EMS to WRMC for treatment.  Police cited Ashley for not wearing a seat belt and for careless and reckless driving.  North Wilkesboro Fire Dept and the NC DMV helped clear the scene and remove the dirt from the roadway.  The road was blocked to traffic for about 40 minutes.  North Wilkesboro Office Freddy Portillo investigated the wreck.

Outbuilding Thefts

The Wilkes Sheriff's Office has had a number of thefts from outbuilding reports this week with various tools and other items being stolen.  In the first report, a Millers Creek property owner said that over the course of the past few weeks he had noticed several things missing from his outbuildings.  An inventory of stolen property is being done and serial numbers of stolen items are being gathered.  There are suspects in this theft and charges are pending.  Also a North Wilkesboro victim called to report a theft from his outbuilding located near his residence.  Again, it is believed the theft happened within the past few weeks.  This time only a Stihl chainsaw valued at 60 dollars was taken.  

More Churches Needed to Pray for Schools

It's that time again and they are asking churches to help.  The 6th Annual Wilkes County - PASS or Prayer Around the School System is scheduled for Saturday, August 22^nd or Sunday, August 23^rd  .  If your church would like to participate and pray for our administration, staff, and students of  Wilkes County Schools, then please call 835-7133 to schedule a day, time and school.  The goal for the Wilkes County PASS is to have at least one church at each school for this special time of prayer. The schools that currently do NOT have any church sign up to pray are:  Boomer Ferguson, Millers Creek, Mt. Pleasant, North Wilkesboro, Ronda/Clingman, Roaring River, Traphill, and Wilkesboro elementary schools.  Churches are also needed for East Wilkes Middle, Central Wilkes Middle, East High, West High, and Wilkes Early College. Date and time may be set by church leading the prayer service at each school site. For more information or to sign up, call Amy Samples at 835-7133.  Again, Prayer services will be held at each elementary, middle, and high school on August 22 and/or August 23.  

Live in Wilkes? Take the Health Survey

Wilkes Regional Medical Center, Wilkes County Health Department, and the Health Foundation have been working closely with community members to craft our Community Health Needs Assessment. You are invited to help by taking part in the community health opinion survey.  There is a link to the Community Needs Health Assessment survey. WRMC, Wilkes Health, and the Health Foundation are asking any Wilkes County resident over the age of 18 to complete the survey. It is anonymous, it cannot be tracked back to you in any way, and will allow you the opportunity to tell them what YOU believe is important in Wilkes County. Your input, along with others in the community, will be combined and presented at a community meeting next Spring.  Survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2015WilkesCommunityHealthSurvey

Local Farmers Invited to Talk Organic Crops

The Ashe, Alleghany, and Wilkes County FSA offices are inviting local farmers to join them for the Alternative Crops Field Tour on August 20, 2015 at the Mountain Research Station. Registration is free and will begin at 8:30 AM and the program will conclude at 12:30 PM. The program will include a tour and discussion of organic and specialty crop research projects at the Station. The crops that will be discussed are:  Melons, Squash, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Stevia, & Truffles.  They will also discuss and see organic farmscaping and trap cropping.  Farmers will hear from the researchers about these projects and see the results of the studies designed to help farmers and gardeners in our region.  For more information, local farmers can contact the Wilkes FSA Office at 838-3622.