Stolen Car Found in Car Lot

It looks like someone stole the car just to drive it around and then abandoned it.  The Wilkes Sheriff's Office was called to a Moravian Falls residence regarding the theft of a car. The car owner said that due to a ignition switch malfunction, she had left the keys in the switch and the doors unlocked.  Sheriff's Deputies checked and determined that the car had not been repossessed.  After issuing a BOLO for the stolen car, it was found in the parking lot of a used car dealership in North Wilkesboro.  The dealership was closed and the owner advised that he was unaware of this vehicle being on the car lot.  The owner was contacted and the vehicle was returned.  Nothing was stolen from the car, and there were no damages.  The reason for the odd theft or the person responsible is unknown.

More Automotive Industry Jobs in NC

Governor Pat McCrory and North Carolina Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker announced today that Linamar Corporation will be acquiring and expanding the Carolina Forge Company facility in Wilson County.  The company plans to expand the existing facility and create an additional 125 jobs in Wilson by the end of 2019 and invest $40 million in Wilson County. Linamar Corporation is based in Guelph, Ontario and is a world-class designer and manufacturer of components and systems for the automotive industry, energy and mobile industrial markets.  It is a leading supplier of engine, transmission, driveline and mobile aerial work programs. “The automotive industry is one of the key sectors in our economic development strategy,” Governor McCrory said.  Linamar Corporation will be taking over the operations of Carolina Forge Company in Wilson County. This operation includes forging and light machining of automotive components. Carolina Forge employed 145 in Wilson and those jobs will be retained by Linamar Corporation. An affiliated company, Linamar NC, currently employs 169 workers in Buncombe County. The project was also made possible in part by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund of up to $100,000. For more information about Linamar Corporation and its products and services, visit www.linamar.com.

Many IT Jobs Coming to NC

Governor Pat McCrory and North Carolina Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker announced that HCL Technologies Ltd (HCL), a leading global IT services provider will be expanding its presence in Wake County.  The company plans to expand its existing center and create an additional 1,237 jobs in Cary by the end of 2018. As part of its strategy to accelerate innovation and further enhance satisfaction for its clients, HCL sees Cary as a strategic talent hub in the Americas and will invest approximately $9 million in expanding the center. The company continues to invest in its global delivery footprint in order to enhance value for its clients by developing nearshore capabilities. “HCL has been steadily building its Wake County presence and one reason is the incredible talent pool the Triangle region has to offer IT companies," Governor McCrory said. HCL in America is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. With more than 8,000 employees in 15 states, HCL will hire computer professionals to develop, maintain and upgrade software applications and provide services to global clients. Salaries will vary by job function and experience, but the average annual payroll for the new jobs is expected to be nearly $64 million. The project was also made possible in part by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund of up to $123,700. For more information, please visit www.hcltech.com

Church Members Helping Others

A movement to use local churches to improve health care is expanding its efforts in Wilkes. FaithHealthNC is currently recruiting volunteers from local congregations to provide comfort and practical help to people grappling with illness. Pastor Nelson Granade of the North Wilkesboro First Baptist Church explains:  AIR   About two dozen local residents are already trained as caregivers. Organizers hope to double that number this fall. Free, five-session caregiver training will be offered Thursdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., starting October 2^nd at the Brushy Mountain Baptist Association office in Wilkesboro. Training will also be offered Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to noon, starting October 7^th at Wilkesboro United Methodist Church. Participants will learn about compassionate caregiving, community resources, patient privacy, and the limits and boundaries of the caregiver role. To register or to find out more about FaithHealthNC here in Wilkes, call 838-5197.

Apple Festival This Saturday in Wilkes

It’s this Saturday as it is each year on the first Saturday in October…it’s Apple Festival time. The Brushy Mountain Apple Festival is one of the largest one-day arts and crafts festivals in the Southeast. The Brushy Mountain Apple Festival is not just this club's largest fundraiser, but has become a one of Wilkes County's biggest fundraisers. Over 100 civic, church and other non-profit organizations participate in the festival. There will be four music stages including the Gospel at the JP Stage featuring several groups such as Valor III and the Bledsoes.  All the festivities get started this Saturday morning in downtown North Wilkesboro.

Wilkes Health Living Healthy Workshops

The Wilkes County Health Department will be offering free Living Healthy workshops to help individuals self-manage their ongoing health conditions. The next series October 7 and will run on Tuesdays through November 18 from 1:00pm-3:30pm at First Baptist Church of North Wilkesboro, located at 510 D Street in North Wilkesboro. There will be no class on November 11 in observance of Veteran’s Day. This free workshop is offered one time per week for six weeks, and will help participants build skills in managing symptoms with confidence, communicating effectively with their doctor and other health care professionals, making decisions, fighting fatigue and making daily tasks easier. Individuals are encouraged to register if they can attend at least four of the six sessions. Participants will receive free gifts. This workshop is open to any adults with conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease, COPD, fibromyalgia, depression, asthma or any other chronic conditions.. For more information about Living Healthy or to pre-register for a workshop series, please call the Wilkes County Health Department at 651-7449.

WCC Students and Staff Win National Awards

Wilkes Community College would like to congratulate three of its participants who won national awards in the 48th Annual National Career Development Association’s (NCDA) Poetry and Poster contest. In the Adult Student Hand-Drawn Category, Crystal Loggins of Alleghany Center placed first nationally. In the Adult Student Mixed Media Category, Amanda Huffman of Wilkes Campus placed second nationally. And, in the Open Adult Mixed Media Category, WCC instructor Lisa Arney finished with a second place national award.  Each November, schools and colleges from across the state hold local and district contests to celebrate National Career Development Month. WCC’s career counselor, Mike Roope, stated, “WCC students and instructors have now won four national awards in the past two years. Considering this contest is open to all schools, colleges and universities nationwide, WCC is showcasing some extreme talents in winning these awards.”

NC Doctor Shortage

Some current statistics show that not only is the lack of qualified doctors rapidly becoming a major problem across the U.S., but it is also becoming a problem here in North Carolina.  According to the Association of American Medical Colleges or AAMC, the United States is facing a shortage of doctors over the next decade. Just last year, a CNN Report warned that doctor shortages and increased demand could stress the entire health care system. Two North Carolina cities are ranked near the top of the list for the Top 25 US Cities that do NOT have enough Doctors.  Greensboro is ranked #5 in the U.S. for 'doctor shortage' according to the BetterDoctor.com  Health Opportunity Index, and Raleigh was next to them in the rankings at #6.  With 418 residents per doctor, Greensboro has nearly 2.5 times more potential patients for each doctor as compared to Charlotte.  By 2020, the AAMC says our nation will face a serious shortage of both primary care and specialist physicians to care for an aging and growing population.

ASU Largest Single-Day Blood Drive

Appalachian State University (ASU) students and participants get an A-plus for helping to successfully collect 1,265 blood donations in their quest to help save lives and remain the Carolinas Blood Services Region’s largest, single-day blood drive yesterday, Wednesday, Sept. 24. ASU is among several North Carolina colleges and universities that collect hundreds of units of lifesaving blood with the American Red Cross and holds the record for the largest, single-day blood drive in the Carolinas Blood Services Region. Since inception in 2007, the Annual Homecoming blood drive has resulted in the collection of more than 9000 pints which potentially has helped save the lives of more than 27,000 people as one blood donation can help save up to three lives. “Year after year, the ASU community steps up to the call for blood donations which goes toward helping to save lives locally as well as nationally,” said Sharon Pitt, CEO for the Carolinas Blood Services Region.

Illegal Use of Someone's Debit Card

It's fraud, it's ID theft, and it's a continuing problem.  The Wilkes Sheriff's Office was called recently regarding the unauthorized use of a debit card.  The Wilkes County victim reported that her debit card information had been used to make an online purchase at a business in California for about 26 dollars.  The same victim said their debit card was also used to make a purchase at Dell for over 500 dollars.  The victim was able to contact her bank and get the 500 dollar transaction stopped.  The victim is working her bank to determine any other unauthorized use of her card and with the Sheriff's Office to determine who might have obtained her debit card information.