NC Agriculture and Economy Forum

Trends affecting North Carolina’s economy and agriculture will be the focus of the seventh annual Ag Development Forum Thursday, Feb. 2, at the State Fairgrounds.  Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler also will deliver his annual State of Agriculture address at the forum, which will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Holshouser Building.  Keynote speakers will be Mike Walden and Blake Brown, agricultural economists at N.C. State University. The pair will highlight trends they expect to have an impact on the state’s economy and its agricultural industry.  “The forum continues to provide participants with information we hope they can use to benefit their farms and businesses,” Troxler said. “I encourage farmers, agribusiness professionals and others interested in agricultural policy and economics to attend.” Admission to the forum is free, and lunch will be provided. Registration is requested by Jan. 27. To register, go to www.ncagr.gov/agforum or call  919-707-3008.  

A Melted Pipe Helped Put Out Fire

There was minimal damage and minor injuries in a house fire last night.  Assistant Fire Marshal Nikki Hamby said that Cricket and Millers Creek Fire Departments were called out to a mobile home fire just before 10 last night.  The home is located on Reeves Lane in Cricket.  Apparently the fire started from some faulty electrical wiring on the back side of a closet.  Hamby said the fire actually melted a pipe to the hot water heater which in turn helped put out the fire.  The melted pipe served as a sprinkler in extinguishing the blaze.   The homeowner was transported to WRMC with smoke inhalation.  Fire damage was confined to the closet area with some minor smoke damage throughout the house.

If You Can't Go Through, Then Go Under

Well so far in the new year, the thieves have not decided on a career change.  Home break-ins still abound in Wilkes.  At a Piney Ridge Road residence, the thief could not get in the house through a window, so he or she entered the crawl space under the house.  According to the report filed with the Wilkes Sheriff’s Department, the homeowner found that someone had removed a screen and tried to enter through a window, but the windows were nailed shut from the inside.  Then the thief removed hinges from the crawl space door and took things from under the house.  A saw, cordless drill with charger, and a black tool box with assorted tools were stolen.  Stolen property is valued at 350 dollars.  There are no leads or suspects at this time.

Wilkesboro Business Break-In

Homeowners are not the only targets.  Early Monday morning, Sheriff’s Duties responded to a breaking and entering at the Little Market Basket on Hwy 268 in Wilkesboro.  When Deputies arrived they found a store employee standing in front of the door.  A Deputy reviewed the security tape at the store and saw that a white male wearing a camouflage coat hit the door glass twice with a rock.  When the glass broke, the man ran off.  Apparently, the security alarm caused him to leave before he could steal anything.  Just minutes after the man ran off the store employee and deputies arrived.  The suspect is described as a white male in his 20’s, 5’10’ and about 150 pounds.  There is the only information at this time; the Sheriff’s Department is still investigating.  Damages to the door at the store are listed at 300 dollars.

$2200 in Property Stolen from Garage

Nearly 2200 dollars in property was stolen from a garage on Lakeview Street in Ronda.  The break-in happened over the weekend.  The property owner works on big rig trucks and used the garage for storage.  It seems a thief or thieves entered the garage from the back.  Two boards were pulled off the back of the garage and there were tire tracks behind the building.  The suspects also turned off the outside lights.  Stolen property included 2 tractor fuel tanks,  15 batteries, 5 starters, 8 alternators, 90 pieces of aluminum, and 4 dock plates for a trailer.  Again stolen property is valued at 2200 dollars and there are no suspects at this time.  The Sheriff’s Department is investigating the break-in.

Car Windows Shot with Air Rifle

When employees arrived to work on Monday morning, they saw the 1500 dollars in damages.  In a report filed with the Wilkesboro Police Department, an employee at Myers Tire said that when he left Saturday afternoon everything was fine.  However, Monday morning he arrived to find windows damaged on two vehicles.  The side window of one vehicle was shattered with several marks on the windshield that appeared to be from an air rifle.  There were also impact marks on the windshield of another truck.  The tire store does not have video surveillance in the parking lot, so there is no information on possible suspects.  Police took photographs of the damages and collected evidence.  The investigation is still underway.

Eggs Thrown on Cars

Speaking of damage to property, the egg throwing problem is continuing.  As we first reported last week, someone in Wilkes is getting an early start on a prank that is usually reserved for late October.  Several reports were made with the Sheriff’s Department of cars being hit by eggs.  Two vehicles were damaged at a Poplar Grove Road residence overnight Sunday.  The car and a work truck at this one location sustained 350 dollars in damages.  A second resident on Poplar Grove Road reported 50 dollars in damages from eggs on his car.  Three white males were seen in the area early Monday morning and are considered suspects.  Sheriff’s Officials found broken eggs and other evidence at an unoccupied residence.  Pictures were taken and evidence gathered; charges are pending further investigation.  

...And More Eggs Thrown

Over the weekend two other reports of eggs thrown on vehicles came from residents on Germantown Road.  In one report, eggs were thrown one a Dodge pickup and caused 100 dollars in damages to the paint.  In the second report, the eggs landed on and were frozen to the back window; however, there were no monetary damages listed with that report.  The Wilkes Sheriff’s Department is still investigating these recent incidents.

More Jobs Coming to NC

More jobs are coming to the state. Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) on plans to add 1,100 jobs at its Freightliner Truck Manufacturing Plant in Cleveland, NC.  The new workers mean the addition of a second shift for the facility. The company will also add 100 jobs at its Components and Logistics Plant in Gastonia, NC.  Sen Hagan said, “Today’s news is a terrific investment in our hardworking families, and as our economy recovers, I look forward to even more demand for quality, top-of-the-line, ‘Made in North Carolina’ products.”  Daimler announced that hiring of new employees will begin in early February, and the new production shift is slated to be at full capacity by September 2012.  Interested applicants may apply at dtna.jobs.

Help to Stop Using Tobacco in NC

The Wilkes County Health Department has passed along some information for those who want to quit smoking.  QuitlineNC, the state’s toll-free telephone support service to help tobacco users quit, is making nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum or lozenges) available at no cost for a limited time for North Carolina residents.  Funds for the medication came from this year’s one-time transfer of money to the Department of Health and Human Services from the former Health and Wellness Trust Fund which was established in 2001as part of  North Carolina's portion of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.  The supply of nicotine replacement therapy includes enough for 9,500 residents and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.  North Carolinians ready to quit smoking may call the QuitlineNC at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) 6 a.m. until 3 a.m., seven days a week, to sign up for over-the-counter medication and support.  Health officials say the combination of Quitline support and medication is a proven way to increase the odds that tobacco users will quit for good.  QuitlineNC has provided North Carolina tobacco users with telephone quit coaching since 2005. More than 9,840 people used the service during 2010.