Get Horses Vaccinated for Mosquito Season

It’s the beginning of mosquito season in North Carolina, which means it’s also time for equine owners to talk to their veterinarians about vaccinating animals against mosquito-borne diseases. West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis are endemic across North Carolina and can cause illness or death in equine, but can be prevented with a sequence of two vaccines. Last year, there were two reported cases of WNV and 13 cases of EEE, but veterinarians expect that the actual number is higher. “Now is the time to vaccinate against West Nile Virus and EEE,” State Veterinarian David Marshall said. “Mosquito breeding peaks in August, so starting the vaccination protocol now gives it time to take effect.”

Tourism in NC

Governor Pat McCrory was at the Outer Banks today to celebrate "Tourism Week" in North Carolina and to discuss the newest tourism statistics from the U.S. Travel Association. The state's tourism industry broke records with the amount of visitor spending taken up in 2013. "It came as no surprise to me when I learned that North Carolina is the sixth-most visited state in the country," said Governor McCrory. Tourism Week in North Carolina is part of National Travel & Tourism Week, which also runs May 3-11. For every $1 invested by the Commerce Department's Division of Tourism in paid media advertising, North Carolina receives $191 in new visitor spending, $10.31 in new state taxes and $6.25 in new local taxes. Visitors to North Carolina generated more than $3 billion in federal, state and local taxes in 2013. State tax receipts as a result of visitor spending passed the $1 billion mark in 2013, 4 percent higher than 2012’s $970 million.

Gov Gets Support for Teacher/Education Annoucement

Following a major announcement of a sweeping array of education initiatives yesterday in Greensboro, bi-partisan support continues to grow across the state for Governor McCrory’s Career Pathways for Teachers framework.   School Superintendents from Charlotte-Mecklenburg School, Wake County, Duplin County, and Davidson County along several state officials voiced support.  State Superintendent June Atkinson said, "... I am representing 1.5 million children in our state who will someday say thank you Governor McCrory for taking this bold step to have a plan and to address the needs of our teachers in our state." The governor announced he would work to increase the base pay for North Carolina teachers to $35,000, provide raises for veteran teachers, increase funding for early childhood education, seek salary supplements for teachers who earn advanced degrees, and establish a scholarship fund for newly separated veterans for in-state tuition at University of North Carolina institutions.

Arrested for Having a Meth Lab

A Wilkes County man has been arrested in charged after Sheriff's Deputies found a meth lab in his home.  According to the Wilkes Sheriff's Office, Dwayne E. Cornett was charged with having a meth lab at a residence at 1840 Mertie Road.  Detectives from the Sheriff's Dept discovered the meth lab as the result of an ongoing investigation.  Cornett was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance.  Additional charges are also expected to be filed against Cornett.  Officials seized Coleman fuel, Sudafed packs, acid, a generator, and meth oil.  The Mulberry Fire Dept was called to stand by at the home; the SBI was called to safely remove the meth lab from the house.

A Friend of Teacher Receives Drug Charges

Charges have now been filed against someone connected with a Wilkes teacher.  A West Wilkes Middle School Teacher Denise Amick and her son were arrested on drug charges earlier this year. The Wilkes Sheriff's Office discovered that drugs were delivered to Amick's home by Steven Michael Stele of Hwy 16 North.  Charges include manufacture of marijuana, trafficking marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.  Stele is the owner and operator of Evergreen Lawncare and is believed to currently be in Detroit, Michigan. 

Letter Carrier Food Drive Is Tomorrow

Letter carriers help 'Stamp Out Hunger' thanks to annual national food drive.  The 2014 Food Drive is scheduled for Saturday, May 10.  Wilkes County non-profit organizations benefit each year from the food that is collected including The Rainbow Center of Barium Springs, Ebenezer Christian Children’s Home, SAFE, BROC, and Samaritan’s Kitchen.   Jenny of Samaritan's Kitchen tells us food can be donated at any post office or by leaving food at your mailbox.  And all the food collected in Wilkes...stays in Wilkes.  So you can help stamp out hunger in Wilkes by placing non-perishable food items in a bag at your mailbox or take them to the Post Office on Saturday, May 10.  Please only donate non-perishable items in cans, plastic bottles, bags, and boxes.  No glass.  For more information on Samaritan’s Kitchen of Wilkes or the National Letter Carrier Food Drive, call 838-5331.

WCC Student Awarded Scholarship

Adam Mitchell is the winner of the 2014 CCC Michael Salvatore Memorial Student Repair Technician Scholarship. Mitchell is a first-year student in the Collision Repair & Refinishing Technology program at Wilkes Community College. The Collision Repair Education Foundation will award the $5,000 scholarship to Mitchell to be used towards continuing his education in collision repair. “Adam exemplifies the ideal student for this program...,” says Jamie Reavis, lead instructor of Collision Repair & Refinishing Technology. Mitchell said, “My mom has been hospitalized due to complications from a long-term illness. In fact, I wasn’t really sure how I was going to break the news to Jamie today that I couldn’t afford to take summer classes. Then, suddenly today I’m surprised with the great news that I am receiving this scholarship."   For more information, visit www.collisioneducationfoundation.org.

Human Trafficking Presentation in Wilkes Today

Stand As One is a Wilkesboro based non-profit organization administered by Erin and Jessy Mitchell. Stand As One was established to be a voice for the victims of human trafficking and to equip communities with the resources to end it. Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal industries in the country. And it’s not just in the big cities. Traffickers are choosing to move their business beyond big cities into unsuspecting rural communities.  In an effort to promote awareness of the perils of human trafficking and to provide an action plan for ending it, Stand As One will be hosting a documentary about human trafficking. There will also be presentations by law enforcement and other experienced advocates.  The free presentation is today at 6:30 at Talia downtown North Wilkesboro.

High School Students Invited to Fish

Listen up high school students who like to fish.  The Bass Federation (TBF) and FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, have partnered to present the 2014 North Carolina State High School Fishing Championship. The tournament will take place on Kerr Lake in Henderson, N.C., and is open to any High School Fishing team in the entire state of North Carolina. The 2014 schedule represents a major expansion of High School Fishing by FLW and The Bass Federation due to an increased demand.  The Championship is Sunday, May 18, 2014, in Henderson, NC.  The North Carolina state championship is a two-person (team) event for students in grades 9-12. Registration for anglers and their coach, who will provide the boat they compete in, is online at www.HighSchoolFishing.org. For more information about this event call (580) 716-4251. The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.

Sen Hagan Applauds Child Protection Bill

U.S. Senator Kay Hagan, Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families, commented on the Senate’s passage of the bipartisan Kilah Davenport Child Protection Act, which will help protect children from violence by reviewing and adjusting penalties for convicted child abusers. " I'm proud to support the Kilah Davenport Child Protection Actto help protect other children from similar abuse,” Hagan said. The legislation was named after Kilah Davenport, a four-year old North Carolinian from Union County, who recently died of injuries she sustained after being severely beaten by her stepfather in 2012. The bill now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.