US Senators from NC Team Up on Bipartisan Bill

United States Senators Kay Hagan and Richard Burr from North Carolina are calling for Democrats and Republicans to put politics aside and vote in favor of legislation that will crack down on China’s currency manipulation.  Unfair currency manipulation costs American jobs.  North Carolina alone has lost over 100,000 jobs to unfair trade with China.  “I’m drawing a line in the sand for North Carolina. China’s currency manipulation costs America jobs,” said Hagan.   On September 22, Hagan joined Senator Richard Burr and a bipartisan group of senators in unveiling The Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Act of 2011. The bill makes changes to U.S. trade law to counter the economic harm to U.S. manufacturers caused by currency manipulation. It would ensure tools that could be used to counter the economic harm to U.S. manufacturers caused by currency manipulation.

Vandalism at Wilkes County School...Again

Last weekend, there was vandalism at East Wilkes High School.  This week, vandals did a painting at North Wilkes Middle.  In a report filed with the Wilkes Sheriff’s Department, the vandalism at North Middle was discovered and reported Sunday afternoon.  Apparently, someone spray painted the parking lot, the side of one column in front of the building, and on the side of an outbuilding.  Only symbols were painted on the property.  Any information of the identity of the vandal or vandals is unknown.  Damages were minimal.  

Vehicle from Boone Stolen in Wilkes

A vehicle belonging to a car dealership in Boone was stolen in Wilkes this past weekend.  In a report filed with the Sheriff’s Department, the victim, who is employed by Kohn Auto and Salvage, had a ’94 blue Chevy van parked in his driveway.  He was gone from home for a short time, and when he returned, the van was gone.  The Chevy conversion van valued at 1500 dollars has a bungee cord on it to hold the driver’s side fender light together.  Sheriff Officials had the Comm Center to issue a BOLO for the van.  The keys had been left in the vehicle.  No one suspicious was seen in the area, and there are no suspects.

Damage to Vehicles

A couple of reports of damages to vehicles came in to Sheriff’s Officials this weekend.  The first came in from a self-employed man on North Holiness Road in Wilkesboro.  A pickup belonging to a North Wilkesboro resident was left at his business to be worked on.  Sometime overnight, someone threw a rock and broke out the back glass of the ’88 Ford truck.  Damages are estimated at 250 dollars.  Then a North Wilkesboro woman called to report damages to her vehicle.  The victim stated that she was driving down Byrd Ridge Road when something hard hit her windshield.  Reportedly, someone was seen standing off the road before the object hit the woman’s windshield.  No description was obtained of the suspect.  Damages to the ’98 Honda CRV are listed at 100 dollars.

Weekend Break-Ins

Gun, knives, TV, and jewelry are just some of the things taken in local break-ins recently.  A resident on Edgewood Road reported that while they were gone from home, someone broke out a back door window to unlock the door and get inside the house.  The thief stole a Smith and Wesson .357 revolver, a knife collection, and a Sony 32-inch flatscreen TV.  Stolen property is valued at 1400 dollars.  Then a victim on the Wilkes Yadkin Road called to report a break-in.  While they were at work, someone entered the house by breaking the lock on the back door.  Family members saw the kitchen door open and called 911.  Several drawers were gone through and  over 3500 dollars in jewelry was stolen along with a Wachovia bank book.  TV’s and computers were left untouched.  A Windy Gap Road resident reported coming home to find that someone had broken out the glass in their back door, too, but this time—nothing was reported stolen.  No suspects were listed with either report.

Damage at Duke Energy Substation

Duke Energy has reported damage on the property of a substation locally.  Over the weekend, officials with Duke Energy in Charlotte reported to the Sheriff’s Department that someone had cut a hole in the chain link fence surrounding the power grid on Antioch Church Road in Wilkesboro.  Damages are listed at 200 dollars.  No other damages were reported and there is no word on suspects.

The Journey and The Shoe Box

Did you know you can be a part of one of the greatest journeys without even leaving town?  Just go to “The Journey” event at Baptist Home Church this week.  You’ll gain ideas, inspiration, encouragement, and resources to support you and your group in collecting shoe boxes.  Dan Jarvis with Operation Christmas Child of Samaritan's Purse says the shoe boxes are sent to over 100 countries around the world to children in need.   Jaris says sharing the Gospel of Jesus is the main mission of the shoe boxes and that they work with the local church in these countries.  National collection week for the shoe boxes begins November 14^th.  For more information go to www.samaritanspurse.org or go to Baptist Home Church, Sparta Road, North Wilkesboro this Thursday from 6:30 til 8pm.

Symphony in Wilkesboro for Public and Students

Every year, the North Carolina Symphony presents over 45 free education performances to elementary and middle school-age students across North Carolina. The series forms the core of the most extensive education programs of any U.S. orchestra.   Conductor William Henry Curry leads the Symphony in the 2011/12 concert program in Wilkesboro when the orchestra plays for an audience of Wilkes students at The Walker Center on Friday, Oct. 7, at 10:00 a.m.  The concert features special demonstrations by the Symphony’s renowned staff of conductors and world-class musicians.  “We break down music to its fundamentals to provide students with the essential tools for understanding the total influence of orchestral music in their lives,” says North Carolina Symphony Director of Education Jessica Nalbone.  Education concerts are presented free in schools or concert halls for school groups and are closed to the public.  This performance follows a public concert at The Walker Center, Thursday, Oct. 6 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets for the Oct. 6 concert are available at www.ncsymphony.org .

NC Irene Survivor and Assistance Update

U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (NC) applauded the U.S. Department of Labor's decision to extend the deadline to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) in North Carolina counties seriously impacted by Hurricane Irene.  “While North Carolina is dedicated to a complete recovery from Hurricane Irene, many of our counties continue to face major infrastructure and communications obstacles,” Hagan said.  The extension to November 1, 2011, was granted for all 35 North Carolina counties included in the federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Irene.   DUA is meant specifically for individuals whose jobs have been lost or interrupted directly because of a major natural disaster.   In the month since Hurricane Irene struck North Carolina, nearly $1 million a day in state and federal aid has made its way to help individuals and families recover from the storm. More than $29.9 million in disaster assistance has been approved to help speed recovery across the 35 counties designated for individual assistance in the disaster declaration.  October 31 is the deadline to apply for disaster assistance.  Survivors who do not need FEMA disaster assistance or have additional needs are referred to partner agencies such as the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Small Business Administration.

Stolen Off the Top of the Frig

On top of the refrigerator isn’t the safest place in your home to keep money or medications.  A Wilkesboro man called the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Department last week with the report of a break-in at his apartment.  The break-in occurred during the day between 9:30 and 4:30 while the victim was away from home.  When the man returned to his Pads Road Apartment, he found that his door had been broken in.  The only things reported stolen were 4 bottles of medication and over a hundred dollars in cash that were on top of his refrigerator.  There are no suspects.