Neighbor Saw Break-In Suspect

A neighbor saw someone around the house but did not realize it was a home break-in in progress.  A Millers Creek resident left home on Friday for about 2 ½ hours.  In that time, someone came to the house, pried open the back door, and stole over 2300 dollars in property.  The homeowner returned home and found the back door open.  Inside, they realized a Sony DVD player, Playstation III, and Dell laptop had been stolen.  A neighbor told Sheriff’s Deputies that they say a white female walking around the house.  The unknown female also drove a white 4-door older model car.  This is the only information on the suspect and the investigation is continuing.

NC Governor and China

Gov. Bev Perdue last week joined by North Carolina business leaders celebrated the opening of the Suzhou Industrial Park International Commodities Exhibition Center.  SIP International  located in China allows small- and medium-sized businesses an easy and cost-effective way to gain access to China, the second largest market for North Carolina exports after Canada.  “Expanding opportunities for North Carolina businesses to sell their goods and services overseas translates into jobs, which remains my top priority,” Gov. Perdue said.  Visiting Shanghai last week, Governor Perdue said that North Carolina and China both have seized economic opportunities by focusing on education and innovation.  The University of North Carolina has a long-standing relationship with China’s Fudan University dating to 1981, when Appalachian State University became one of the first US universities to partner with a Chinese university.  Since 2004, the University of North Carolina system has had an international collaboration agreement with Fudan, leading to student and faculty exchange, joint programs and research partnerships. 

People Outraged at Killing of Deer in NC

Many are outraged and are wanting action from NC Governor Perdue following the slaughter of some deer being kept on private property.  On September 20th, armed North Carolina Wildlife Agents came to a farm in Randolph County to kill nine deer, including 7 fallow exotic deer that were owned by Mr. Wayne Kinley and 2 white tail deer that were still in rehabilitation from injury or abandonment. All 9 deer were slaughtered.  According to a news release on change.org, Kinley was given no warning, and there was no appeal process. The deer were peacefully living on the enclosed property of Wayne's farm.  There was a similar incident closer to Wilkes in neighboring Surry County.  Back in August, Wildlife Agents went to the Dobson farm owned by Freddy Snow where Agents shot and killed 2 fawns that Snow was nursing back to health after their mother was hit and killed by a car.   Snow was quoted as saying that he didn’t know it was illegal to help deer.  All these deer on private property were killed by wildlife agents, State Officials explained, to test for Chronic Wasting Disease. There is no method to test live deer for the disease. However, this disease that affects wild deer has never been found in North Carolina but rather is prevalent in Rocky Mountain States.  Online petitions have been signed by tens of thousands who demand an investigation and protection for tame, rehabilitated deer.   Kinley is to appear in Court today for operating a farm to help deer without a license.  Snow was only fined and not given a court date.  

Removing A/C Units to Break-In

This time of year, many people will remove window air condition units because the weather is getting cool.  However, crooks will often remove a window A/C unit to get inside the house and steal.  So was the case with a residence on Old Hwy 421 in Wilkesboro.  The homeowner returned home from work this week and found the air conditioner had been removed from a window in the house.  When the thief got inside, they took 2 Tom-Tom GPS units, a gold and diamond ring, and a ladies watch.  Stolen property was valued at nearly 900 dollars.

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The Sheriff’s Department was also called to a possible break-in at an abandoned house on Cane Creek Road in McGrady.  When the Deputy arrived, he found a whole in the wall of the house where an air conditioning unit had been and the door to the storage building had been kicked in.  The stolen A/C unit was valued at 500 dollars.  Damages to the storage building are listed at 100 dollars.  The owner, who lives out of town, said the house had been unoccupied for some time.  The Sheriff’s Deputy secured the house; there are no suspects in either break-in.

It's A Homicide

It’s a homicide.  The  32-year-old man who was found dead in his home Tuesday night was murdered.  Wilkes County Sheriff Chris Shew told 3WC News today that the autopsy came back shortly after 12 noon on Friday and showed the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head.  This past Tuesday night, Justin David Alexander was found deceased in his mobile home at 121 Triplette Hollow Road in Hays.  Alexander was last seen alive one week ago today.  At this time, there is a person of interest in the homicide.  As to the weapon used or any information on the person of interest, Sheriff Shew would not comment.  He only said the investigation is continuing.  The SBI is also assisting in this homicide investigation.

Grants for Farming Families

$225,000 in grants will be awarded to independent family farms in North Carolina for new farming enterprises that demonstrate innovative opportunities in production, processing and marketing.  The grant program, known as the Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund, (is managed by the Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI), a non-profit organization based in Pittsboro.  The grant program) is designed to keep farmers in farming and to maintain the economic base of North Carolina’s rural communities. There are awards up to $10,000 to individual farmers and for collaborative farmer projects.    To be eligible:  Farmers must earn at least 50% of their household income from their farm,  projects need to demonstrate a way to replace lost tobacco income, and high priority is given to innovative projects that show a new direction or opportunity in farming.  Over the past three years, 367 grants totaling $3.6 million for farmers statewide have been given that created approximately 4100 new jobs and invested over 733 million additional dollars in our state’s rural economy.   Deadline for applications: December 15, 2011.  Applications and guidelines can down loaded from: www.ncfarmgrants.org.  Local workshops will be held to help local farmers understand guidelines and get questions answered.  The closest workshop for our area is Surry County at the Cooperative Extension Office on November 8, 2011. 6pm

Left Keys in the Door and Was Robbed

I have done it myself, because my hands were full or I just wasn’t thinking….I have unlocked the door to my house and then accidently left the keys in the door.  Unfortunately, a homeowner on Moravian Mill Road left their keys in the door and was robbed.  In a report filed with the Sheriff’s Department this week, a victim stated that they came home late from work, left the keys in the back door, and went to bed.  The next morning, the victim found the back door open, their keys missing, and 100 dollars in cash was stolen from her wallet.  There are no suspects in and the Sheriff’s Department is investigating.

A List of Suspects in Business Break-In

There are a list of suspects in a break-in at the Miller’s Creek Carwash.  The Wilkes County Sheriff’s Department was called last week to investigate.  The owner said that someone broke the window to the carwash office and stole some cash from inside the office.  The motion detector had been turned off, and apparently the thief knew where the cash was kept.  Again Sheriff’s Officials have a list of suspects in this break-in and charges are pending further investigation.

It Was One Week Ago Today

It was just one week ago today that President Barack Obama was in Wilkes to promote his American Jobs Act.  Many people asked, “Why did the President come to Millers Creek”  The President said he wanted to hit the open road and come visit some of the most beautiful parts of this great country of ours.  Following the President’s visit we spoke with US Senator Hagan from North Carolina.  The President called for Democrats and Republicans to work together.  Recently, Senator Hagan a Democrat from North Carolina has teamed up with Republican Senators including Richard Burr, John McCain, Scott Brown, and Lindsey Graham on a number of bills in the Senate.  We asked the Senator if she believed others in Congress are ready to work together in a bi-partisan way.   The Senator said this is no time for bipartisanship when people back home are hurting.  Some is hoping more will start working together.  All of Senator Hagan’s remarks can be heard on our website as a podcast at www.hometownchristianradio.com  

Reminder from SAFE of Domestic Violence Awareness Month

3WC has this reminder that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and there is a local agency in Wilkes with various programs for assistance and prevention.  Sheltered Aid to Families in Emergencies or SAFE is a non-profit agency that has been in Wilkes for 31 years to provide assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.  They provide temporary shelter at their SAFE house location and one of the most important services is the 24/7 crisis hotline.  Again, that 24 hours a day, 7 days a week crisis line is 838-SAFE or 838-7233.  Find out more about SAFE and their services at www.safewilkes.org.