News & Sports For August 11th

Wreck On Hwy 16 Shuts Down Traffic
Highway 16 Mountain was closed down for portions of the afternoon and into the evening hours yesterday, after a tractor trailer wrecked. It’s unclear how many other vehicles were involved, although one person was airlifted by chopper and another was taken by ambulance to the hospital. The incident happened around 2:40pm at the Ashe County/Wilkes County line. DOT workers shut down the road for most of the day as they cleaned up the wreckage.

Fox Meets With Local Vets
5th District Congresswoman Virginia Fox was in Wilkes County on Wednesday, holding a meeting with local war veterans. The meeting took place in the county commissioners’ room, with Fox promising the vets that she would stay on top of issues that affected them. She also asked for any concerns they had, dealing with problems she could help with. They cited a lack of veterans’ clinics in the area, with the closest one being in Winston Salem. Also the question of health benefits was brought up, namely how can all veterans get the coverage they need? The congresswoman promised to look into all of the subjects brought up at the meeting and said she hopes to have conferences like this several times a year at least.

Local Man Falls Victim To ID Fraud
A North Wilkesboro man found himself the victim of identity theft this week, after his card was declined at a local store. He soon discovered that someone had been using his name and social security number to get a credit card and run up debt. The name of the suspect was turned over to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation is ongoing.

Focus On Schools
With the new school year fast approaching, it’s time to start getting ready for class. But for students in the local high schools, it may also be time soon to move into a new building. Today on Focus on the Foothills, Brian will be talkign with Dr. Steve Laws, superintendent for Wilkes COunty Public Schools. They'll be discussing the renovations planned, also dealing with the ABC testing results and talking about where Wilkes County stands as a public school system. That’s coming up at 1:05pm, right after the midday stock report.

Gas Theft At Run-In
Another Wilkes County business fell victim to gas thieves this week. A man pulled up to the Run-In store in North Wilkesboro, pumped $59 worth of gas into his vehicle and then drove away. A description of both the man and the vehicle were turned over to sheriff’s deputies. That investigation is ongoing.

Orientation Tonight At Local Schools
The countdown to the first day of school continues tonight, as orientation sessions are being held across the county. C.B. Eller, C.C. Wright, Moravian Falls, Mulberry, Roaring River, Traphill and Wilkesboro Elementary will all hold orientation sessions tonight. Also the four high schools will all hold freshman orientation, beginning for each one at 6pm.

Always Keep Your Windows Locked
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a Hays residence on Wednesday, after reports of a break-in. The homeowner had returned to find that someone had broke in through an unlocked window. There was no damage done to the property and the only things taken in the theft were several bottles of pills from the woman’s medicine cabinet. There are no suspects but the investigation continues.

Golf Tournament This Saturday
The Ebenezer Christian Children’s Home is gearing up for their annual benefit golf tournament, which will be held this coming Saturday, August 13th at Oakwoods Country Club. The format will be four man captain’s choice, with over $50,000 in prizes up for grabs. There are still a few spots open for the afternoon flight and to sign up or for a brochure you may call the Home at 667-5683.

Ran Off With The Steak
The Food Lion in Wilkesboro was the victim of thieves this week, as someone tried to run out the door with a pack of steaks. The man had come inside holding a large black bag, which he used to pick up three family packs of steaks and walk out the door. He then went across to Wilkes Family Pharmacy and tried to sell the steaks to employees. They turned him down and helped provide a description of the suspect. All total $50 in food was stolen and the investigation is ongoing.

Health Department Offering Car Seat Help
85% of child safety seats across Wilkes County were not installed correctly, according to the local SafeKids organization. While this is slightly lower than the national average, it’s still high enough for concern. However if you’re still trying to figure out what the right way to install one is, you don’t have to wait until the next safety check. The Wilkes Health Department is partnering with SafeKids to help show parents the right way to install the seats. To set up an appointment, you can call Jean Edwards at the Health Department. Her number is 651-7478.

State News

So Close To A Budget
North Carolina apparently doesn’t have a budget. While the details behind one were announced this week and lawmakers appeared ready to vote it in, Governor Easley has sent everyone back to the drawing board. Easley has said that he’ll veto the budget if raises for state employees aren’t taken out. The reason for the challenge is that Easley assigned a spending cap to the budget and with the employee raises, it crosses over his limit by a few thousand to finish at $17.2 billion. However some Republicans are coming out in support of the governor’s veto, because they feel that there are too many pork barrel projects in the budget. Several projects have been slipped in from different senators and representatives, all benefiting their districts. The added projects exceed $100 million dollars, according to Senate Republicans. More meetings are scheduled for the rest of this week as lawmakers try to cut down the number to one that Easley agrees to sign.

Highway In Hickory Shut Down
Portions of Highway 70 in Hickory had to be shut down late Tuesday night, after a nearby sinkhole flooded and spilled over into the road. The sinkhole at Buffalo’s Southwestern Café filled with water due to constant rain in the area. The water soon began to pool up and spill into the nearby highway, creating a dangerous situation for drivers. The road has since been reopened, however as nothing has been done about the sinkhole, local DOT officials said to expect the same problem when it rains again. A decision has not yet been made as to what to do with the sinkhole and more important for some making that choice, who’s going to pay for it.

Street Racing Leads To Power Failure
The lights went out in Charlotte on Tuesday night, thanks in part to some nighttime racers. Several street racers were driving on Independence Boulevard when they lost control and hit a power pole. That in turn created a domino effect, breaking a nearby underground water main and tearing down several power lines in the area. Duke Power crews spent all Tuesday night and part of Wednesday morning repairing the damage, which caused two lanes of Independence Boulevard to be shut down. Officials are still searching for the drivers involved.

Police Know Who Abducted Thomasville Woman
The search is on today for a Thomasville woman, however police believe they now know who took her. 23-yr-old Kimberly Tripp went missing on Saturday after calling her mother to tell her goodbye. She also said that her ex-boyfriend was planning to send her home in a body bag. That was the last time anyone saw the woman. Her ex, 23-yr-old Anthony Duncan is now wanted for questioning in her abduction.

Inmates Brought Back To Prison
Two inmates are heading back to prison today in Granville County, after being discovered late on Tuesday. 19-yr-old Noel Waff and 17-yr-old Kristen Whitaker were both picked up by officials on the side of the road, after they saw them walking along Highway 15 South. No details have been released as to how exactly the two managed to escape early Tuesday morning. Waff was in jail on second degree burglary and larceny charges, while Whitaker had been arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle.

North Carolina Sued By Asheville
The state of North Carolina finds itself in legal trouble today, after papers were filed by the city of Asheville. Asheville officials are suing North Carolina, after a dispute with Buncombe County. In June of this year, state lawmakers made it illegal for Asheville to charge different water rates to residents outside city limits. They also made it illegal to spend money set aside for water maintenance on anything else. Now city officials are calling the laws unconstitutional, saying that the state is attempting to regulate trade and is denying Asheville equal protection under the law. It’s unknown when a hearing on the subject will go forward.

Sports Headlines

Student Chooses College Over Pros
For most student athletes, the promise of dollar signs far outweighs the chance at a degree. But one Black Mountain student turned down a major league team to pursue his education this week. Steven Hensley was drafted in the 44th round of this year’s Major League Baseball draft by the Washington Nationals. But instead of signing on the dotted line and getting his career started, Hensley announced that he’s enrolling at Elon University. The Black Mountain Owen grad says that he wants to develop his pitching arm and get a degree, while also helping Elon reach the regional NCAA tournament. When he does decide to enter the draft, there won’t be a lack of interest. Hensley has great control over his arm and throws in the early 90s, recording a Western North Carolina record of 153 strikeouts this past season.

North Carolina Players Shine In World Championships
Several players from around North Carolina are turning heads in the Under 21 World Games this year. Duke shooting guard J.J. Redick scored 22 points in the U.S. team’s win over Nigeria 113-78 this week. Redick tied a tournament record by hitting six three pointers in the game. Wake Forest guard Justin Gray also got in on the action, putting in 11 points.

Minor League Scoreboard
In the minors last night, it was Winston Salem falling against Wilmington 10-5.
Warthogs’ starter Wes Whisler was roughed up in the loss, giving up nine runs in just 3 1/3 innings of work.

Bobcats Sign Three
From the NBA, the roster continues to fill up for the Charlotte Bobcats. The agent for point guard Brevin Knight said that his client and the team have come to terms on a deal, however it won’t be finalized until the first of next week. Also the team signed deals with two of its’ summer league players, Antonio Meeking of Louisiana Tech and Alan Anderson from Michigan State.

One Hurricane Sticking Around
Despite all the turnover and trades in the NHL, one Carolina Hurricane will be coming back for another season. Kevyn Adams signed a new deal with the team, locking him up for at least the next two years. The 30-yr-old Adams says that he wants to finish out his career in Raleigh and hopefully bring the Stanley Cup to the Carolinas.

NASCAR News
In NASCAR, Ryan Newman became the latest driver to sign a new deal this week. Newman agreed to stay with Penske Racing, signing a three year extension with the team. Currently Newman is seventh in the points hunt with five races left before the playoffs.

News & Sports For August 10th

Theft At Foothills Grocery
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to Foothills Grocery on Monday, after thieves broke into the business. Glass in the front door had been shattered, allowing the thieves access into the building. Nothing was stolen from inside except for 30 packs of Marlboro cigarettes. Estimated damages were placed at $300. There is a suspect in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

ABC Pt.3: High Schools
With new buildings in the works, Wilkes County’s high schools are at a crossroads. For the most part, the results from this year’s ABC testing showed that they’re headed in the right direction. East & West High were both named as Schools of Distinction, meaning that scores grew as expected and at least 80% of students passed the tests. At East Wilkes the number was 82%, while at West it was 85.6%. West Wilkes was also named a school of high growth, meaning that their scores this year exceeded expectations from the state. As for the other two area schools, Wilkes Central finished as a School of Progress, coming in at 79%. The same was true for North High, who finished at 79% as well.

Pull Over Before Lighting Up
A North Wilkesboro woman learned why it’s a good idea to pull over before lighting up a cigarette. She was driving down Edgewood Road in Wilkesboro when she attempted to light her cigarette. Taking her eyes off the road for a few minutes, she glanced up to see her vehicle was headed off the road. The woman slammed into a guardrail and was knocked unconscious. 911 was alerted to a wreck in the area and help soon arrived. The woman was taken to Wilkes Regional, where she received treatment. The vehicle was totaled with estimated damages placed at $8500.

Health Department Offering Car Seat Help
85% of child safety seats across Wilkes County were not installed correctly, according to the local SafeKids organization. While this is slightly lower than the national average, it’s still high enough for concern. However if you’re still trying to figure out what the right way to install one is, you don’t have to wait until the next safety check. The Wilkes Health Department is partnering with SafeKids to help show parents the right way to install the seats. To set up an appointment, you can call Jean Edwards at the Health Department. Her number is 651-7478.

Guns And Cash Stolen From Local Residence
A Roaring River man returned home earlier this week to find thieves had paid him a visit. Missing from the house were several hundred dollars worth of antique coins and money, along with a 9mm handgun and a red bike. After returning home however, he received a call letting him know where some of the stolen property was. The man alerted sheriff’s deputies, who went to the home and found the stolen merchandise. 21-yr-old Wayne Everette Combs and 19-yr-old Bobby Ray Blackburn Jr. were both arrested and charged with felony break-in and felony larceny.

Blood Drives Continue
Earlier this week 3WC News told you about the continuing need for blood here in Wilkes. That need is still a problem today, with the supply at critical levels less than a week before school. As school starts, there also comes the possibility for wrecks and other injuries in the classroom. To help make sure there’s enough blood for all needs, a drive will be going on today at Wal-Mart from 1-5:30pm. However you can only take part in it by appointment. To set up a time to give, you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

Chemicals Tossed At Local House
A Wilkesboro couple heard a noise outside their house on Monday and went out to investigate. They found a bottle lying a few feet from the home, with smoke pouring out. Some sort of clear liquid was also inside. They called sheriff’s deputies, who soon discovered the compound was a mixture of flammable chemicals that could have caught fire. There is a suspect in the case, as local teens saw someone running from the property and got their license plate. The investigation is ongoing.

Money And Other Items Stolen From Car
A Moravian Falls woman came outside on Monday to find that someone had broke into her car during the night. Crowbars had been used on the vehicle, to rip open the trunk and also to shatter a window. Over $400 in merchandise was missing from the car, along with $80 in cash. Total damages were placed at $450. In addition, the woman’s work permit and social security card were both taken. Despite all the damage however, nothing was heard or seen by the woman or anyone else in the neighborhood. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

State News

Bank Robbery In Charlotte
Police are investigating a bank robbery that happened Tuesday morning in Charlotte. The RBC Centura Bank on John Delaney Drive was robbed around 9:15am, when a man came in with a gun and demanded money. After bank tellers handed over the cash, he then took off running out the door. The man is described as wearing a long blonde wig, a gray hat, a blue blazer and blue khakis. Local officials are asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at 704-334-1600.

Thief Makes Slippery Getaway
Deputies are looking for a would be thief today in Rowan County, one that made a slippery getaway. Officials were called out to the Blue Bay restaurant in Tuesday morning, after reports of a break-in. From evidence at the scene, it appears the thief gained access to the building by climbing down through the fryer vent in the roof. However things didn’t go as planned once he got inside. The man apparently fell into a vat of hot grease, stumbling out and slamming into a nearby wall. After that sudden impact set off the alarm, the man limped out the front door, leaving behind foot and handprints that investigators are using to track him down.

Atkinson Gets Vote Of Confidence
June Atkinson came one step closer to being named the state superintendent of public schools on Tuesday. A report was turned over to the legislative committee put in charge of settling the dispute, stating that Atkinson won the race and should be allowed to assume her post. The 10-member committee will now hold a vote and make a recommendation of their own to the full General Assembly later this week. After that lawmakers will hold a joint session and vote to appoint a winner in the race. Atkinson beat her opponent, Republican Bill Fletcher by 8535 votes in last November’s election. Fletcher however refused to concede the race, saying that 11,000 people cast their provisional ballots illegally. A final decision could come by the end of the month.

Billy Graham To Call It Quits
One of the most beloved ministers in our time is calling it quits. The Rev. Billy Graham is officially ending his crusade ministry, according to daughter Anne Graham Lotz. Lotz said that her father was at total peace with his retirement and would only come out to possibly speak at one of his son Franklin Graham’s festivals.

Judge Rules In Favor Of Patients
A judge in Durham has opened the door for lawsuits against a local company. Earlier this year it was announced that surgical instruments at Durham Regional and Duke Health Hospital were cleaned with hydraulic fluid instead of soap. That led to some complications for patients recovering from surgery and others in the hospital. Attorneys for the companies involved said that it was an accident and their clients didn’t mean to hurt anyone, so due to that fact they requested that punitive damages be dropped. The judge refused, instead saying that the victims can in fact sue both Cardinal Health and Automatic Elevator Company for pain and suffering.

Sports Headlines

Surprise Entry Into UNC Camp
The Tarheels got a surprise addition to camp this week, after freshman Mark Paschal showed up ready to play. Paschal had been sent home by Coach Bunting after being charged with assault, resisting arrest and drunk & disruptive behavior. The freshman is still expected in court on August 15th but has been cleared to play until further notice.

Duke Lands More Recruits
Up the road in Durham, some good news today for the Duke football program as Jeremy Ringfield committed to the team. Ringfield is a 6-5 wide receiver from Georgia who was named last year to the all-state team in 4-A. During his senior season, Ringfield will also be learning how to play cornerback, preparing for possibly a dual role on the Duke team in 2006. By committing to Duke, Ringfield turned down offers from Maryland and Louisville, saying that he liked the combination of academics and athletics found in Durham.

Minor League Scoreboard
Taking a look around the minor leagues, it was Winston Salem beating Wilmington 8-2. Warthogs’ starter Ray Liotta got his third win of the season, giving up one run in five innings of work. Leo Daigle also hit his league leading 27th home run for Winston, one of the Warthogs’ 11 hits on the day. Over in Hickory, the Crawdads beat Delmarva 4-2. Crawdads starter Yoann Torrealba got his fifth win after going seven innings and giving up two runs. With the win, Hickory moves three and a half games back of Delmarva in the race for the Northern Division title.

Injuries Continue To Plague Panthers
Injuries continue to plague the Carolina Panthers as they get set to wrap up training camp. Linebacker Chris Draft is still receiving treatment for asthma, after suffering a series of attacks during practice. Draft said that he hoped to be back on the field later this week, although doctors still don’t know what triggered the attacks. Meanwhile rookie Thomas Davis had to be held out of practice after a bout with what could possibly be the flu, although team doctors aren’t sure.

Leffler Fired By Gibbs Racing
In NASCAR, Jason Leffler is looking for a new ride today, after being fired by Joe Gibbs Racing. Leffler, who drove the #11 Chevy, will be replaced by a series of fill-ins for the rest of the year. J.D. Gibbs said that the decision was made due to the fact the car and driver failed to meet expectations. Currently Leffler is 35th in the points race. This week Terry Labonte will take over, with several Busch drivers on tap for the rest of the year.

Busch To Swap Rides
A major shakeup in the Nextel Cup circuit, as Kurt Busch announced he’ll be leaving Roush Racing. Busch has signed a deal with Penske Racing South, beginning in 2007, however he’s asked Roush to let him go a year early from his contract, so that he can possibly take over for Rusty Wallace next season driving the #2 Dodge. Roush officials said they haven’t made a decision on Busch’s request and would take an indefinite amount of time to do so.

News & Sports For August 9th

ABC School Report Part 2: Middle Schools
With the State’s ABC results out for this year, Wilkes County schools have a grade to show for their end of course testing. Today we’re taking a look at the middle schools and how they measured up to the state requirements. All but one of the schools met or exceeded expectations, with that one exception being North Wilkes Middle. On the other side of the county, East Wilkes Middle was named an Honor School of Excellence, meaning that at least 90% of the students scored high on the testing and met the state’s requirements. Central Wilkes and West Wilkes Middle were both named as Schools of Distinction, which means that at least 80% of students met or exceeded state requirements. Those three schools, Central, East and West also all made high growth projections, exceeding the results from last year while continuing to develop. Tomorrow we’ll examine where the local high schools stand in all of this.

Reports of Forgery In North Wilkesboro
A North Wilkesboro man got a surprise over the weekend, when he received a call from his bank. It seems that several checks written to the man’s account had bounced, despite the fact he had never actually written them. All total, 25 checks had been taken from his home, along with $1600 in cash and $1500 in silver coins. It’s unclear exactly how the items were taken, as there hadn’t been any sign of a break-in during recent weeks and the man had just now noticed the items were gone. There is however a suspect in the case, as officials were identified of someone trying to cash one of the checks at a local store. The investigation is ongoing.

Open House At Different Schools This Week
With the first day of school less than a week away, it’s open house time around the county. Things get started tonight as North Wilkes Middle School holds orientation starting at 5:15 for rising 6th graders. Then later on at 7:15, it will be open house time for 7th and 8th graders. Also 7th & 8th graders at West Wilkes Middle can go by tonight starting at 3pm and pick up their schedules. For the other schools in the area, Thursday and Friday are the dates for this year’s orientation sessions. C.B. Eller, C.C. Wright, Moravian Falls, Mulberry, Roaring River, Traphill and Wilkesboro Elementary will all hold orientation sessions on Thursday night. Also the four high schools will all hold freshman orientation on Thursday, beginning for each one at 6pm. Mountain View Elementary will be holding their open house one day later, on Friday the 12th, as will East Wilkes Middle and Boomer Ferguson will hold a special orientation Friday night for Pre K and Kindergarten students, so they can meet the teacher. The final three schools are holding open house next week, beginning with Central Wilkes Middle School on the 14th, Mount Pleasant Elementary on the 18th and Millers Creek Elementary on the 25th.

Gas Thieves Hit Another Wilkes Business
Gas thieves hit another business in Wilkes this weekend, targeting the Grocery Bag on Boone Trail. A man pulled up in his vehicle, pumped just over $12 worth of gas into the car and then drove off without paying. A description of both the man and his ride were turned over to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation is ongoing.

Farmers At Risk Of Losing Benefits As Deadline Extended
Some farmers here in Wilkes County could be at risk of losing state aid dollars unless a mistake is corrected. The aid money is scheduled to be sent out to any farmer who suffered crop losses or had to rebuild from last year’s hurricanes. However when filing out their information sheet, several hundred farmers throughout North Carolina refused to allow the state to share their information with federal agencies. This causes a problem because the Department of Agriculture is the one in charge of sending out the aid money & without that consent form, they don’t know who to send it to. The deadline to turn in a form is September 9th and you can pick one up at the Cooperative Extension office. To call for more information, their number is 651-7331.

Wreck On 421 Totals Two
Wilkesboro police were called out to a wreck on 421 over the weekend, after a driver ran a red light. A Wilkesboro woman was trying to turn left onto Hwy 421 when another driver ran the red light and slammed into her. That second vehicle, driven by a Boone man was totaled with damages placed at $4000. Meanwhile the woman’s car was also totaled, with estimated damages placed at $5000. Thankfully no one was hurt in the crash however 22-yr-old Robert William Bates was charged with a stop light violation.

Pregnancy Center To Hold Event This Month
The Wilkes Pregnancy Care Center has been helping people deal with unplanned pregnancies for the last 10 years. They also counsel women who are either considering abortion or have already gone through with one. Coming up next week, the Center is putting together a program to help minister to those who are struggling to come to terms with an abortion in their past. That will go on once again August 20th starting at 9am in the morning. For more information you can call the Pregnancy Care Center at 838-9272.

Tires Slashed While At A Business
A Wilkesboro woman called police over the weekend after coming out of the store to find her car had been vandalized. All four tires had been slashed, that along with other damage was estimated at a total cost of $500. There are suspects in the case, as employees inside the store witnessed two men doing something to the vehicle, but they couldn’t tell what. Names and a description of both men were turned over to police and the investigation is ongoing.

Head Start Orientation
As we get closer to the start of school, we’re also approaching the beginning of this year’s Head Start program. With that in mind, orientation for Head Start will take place at all three Wilkes County Centers this Friday. You and your child can come in anytime from 8am til 8pm, with officials on hand to answer your questions and show you around. Once again that will be held this Friday, August 12th at the Cub Creek, Lomax and North Wilkesboro Head Start Centers. For more information you can call Judi Mitchell at the BROC head office. Her number is 667-7174.

State News

Elderly Man Saves Soldier’s Life
A man in Fayetteville North Carolina saved the light of a soldier over the weekend. The soldier apparently had a seizure according to officials and lost control of his vehicle, which crashed into a gas pump. The car then burst into flames as the soldier’s wife and daughter were able to get out of the vehicle, however he was still pinned inside. 62-yr-old Richard Raynor heard the wife calling for help and managed to pull her husband, Adam Umland out of the car before it exploded. Umland sustained third degree burns across parts of his body and is currently being treated at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill.

Pardons Come Slow For Freed Inmates
Problems are stemming up in North Carolina’s prison system, even after the inmates are freed. Recent evidence has led to freedom for at least four men in the state, however their permanent record still labels them as criminals. 54-yr-old Silvester Smith was wrongfully accused of being a child molester, however even after his release from prison, he has to register as a known sex offender. His case was thrown out of court due to testimony that proved he didn’t commit the crimes. With the offender tag, he’s been unable to find a job, despite his innocence. And several other similar cases are coming to light, all involving innocent men who still are labeled as criminals. Despite the problem however, Gov. Easley’s office hasn’t handed out any pardons. It’s not that he has refused, but his office says they’re reviewing the cases in question and there could possibly be a pardon issued by the end of this term.

Jobs Leaving High Point
Bad news today for people in the High Point area, as more jobs are heading out of town. Less than a week after the president signed the CAFTA bill into law, Henredon Upholstery announced plans to shut down their plant in the area. 45 jobs will be lost in the move as the company hopes to raise profits by combining the plant’s operations with another one in the area. Company officials said it was simply a plan to get better production from their factories.

North Carolina Man Breaks Drum Record
What does it take to be the world’s fastest drummer? A North Carolina man can tell you, as Cary resident Eric Okamoto broke the world record. Okamoto, a music teacher in the area, hit 1559 drumstrokes a minute, which broken down, means 26 strokes a second. The competition he took part in is called Extreme Sport Drumming, an event in which over 10,000 people have tried to break the previous record. The event is held twice a year and winners get their name entered into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Police Searching For Assault Suspect At NC State
Police around the NC State campus are searching for a suspect today, after he assaulted a student at the school. Over the weekend, a woman was walking on campus when she was grabbed from behind and tossed to the ground. She managed to escape and got a good look at her attacker, which a description was turned over to police. The man is believed to be in his 20s, around 5’7ft with brown hair and a strange body odor. Officials are asking anyone with information to call the local Crimestoppers before he strikes again.

Sports Headlines

Minor League Scoreboard
Taking a look at the minor league scoreboard from Monday, it was Delmarva beating the Hickory Crawdads 10-4. The game was called halfway through the eighth inning due to rain, as Crawdads starter Julio Guerrero got saddled with the loss. Guerrero gave up eight runs over four innings of work as Hickory falls four and a half games behind Delmarva in the hunt for the Northern Division title. Up the road in Winston the news was the same as the Warthogs lost to Wilmington 5-4. It took eleven innings to seal the deal as Warthogs reliever Juan Ovalles gave up the final run.

Kasay Unleashes Kicks
Fans who came out to the Carolina Panthers’ practice got some excitement earlier this week. Kicker John Kasay nailed several field goals beyond the fifty yard marker, hitting them from 59, 55 and 50 yards. So far, Kasay ranks third in league history in field goals made from beyond fifty yards, something that he attributes to God. He told reporters that it’s only by God’s grace that he can still maneuver and perform at such a high level.

Bobcats Schedule Revealed
The Charlotte Bobcats are still growing and developing into an NBA team, this being their second year in the league. Now at least they’ll know who to prepare for, as the schedules were released yesterday for the upcoming season. Tarheel fans will get their first chance to see the new Bobcats, Raymond Felton and Sean May on Saturday November 5th, when the team opens up the new arena against the Boston Celtics. Before that Charlotte starts off with two games on the road. First in Chicago on the 2nd and then in Philadelphia on the 4th.

Hurricanes Sign Another Player
In the NHL, the Carolina Hurricanes added another piece to the puzzle by signing Ray Whitney. Whitney, who had played the last four years with the Florida Panthers, agreed to a two year deal with the team. The 33-yr-old will help revive a struggling Hurricane offense, which only converted 10% of its’ power plays in 2003.

Kahne Signs Extension
In NASCAR, Kasey Kahne has his future locked up, after coming to terms on a contract with Everham Motorsports. With Kahne gone from the free agent market, rumors are now flying around the DEI is going after a big name driver to race in the #15 next season. Michael Waltrip will vacate the driver’s seat as he’s announced plans to leave DEI after this year is over. The mystery driver is under 30, according to Earnhart officials and ran a good time in this week’s practice sessions. An official announcement isn’t expected for several weeks on the hire.

News & Sports For August 8th

North Wilkesboro To Hold Public Hearing
The way elections are held may be changing in North Wilkesboro. A public hearing will go on September 13th to determine if the town will continue holding partisan elections or primaries. Currently North Wilkesboro is one of only seven across North Carolina to have such elections, but that may change if Mayor Steve Foster has his way. Foster received approval last week from the town board to hear what the public has to say about the proposal. If it passes, the move would save thousands of dollars, as primaries routinely cost around two to three thousand dollars. Instead all candidates would move forward to the general election, where people could vote for whoever they choose, regardless of party affiliation.

Shots Fired At Wilkesboro Residence
Deputies are investigating a shooting that took place in Wilkesboro over the weekend. A local man was sleeping in his living room when he heard gunshots outside. Then seconds later a second round of gunfire ripped through his home, hitting him on the left side. The man was taken to Wilkes Regional, where he was reported to be in good condition. Deputies went to his home and found eleven shell casings outside the home and several more within, They were able to match the bullets to a 9mm weapon and are continuing the investigation.

Counterfeit Money Found In Wilkesboro
Wilkesboro police were called out to the Lovette Company late last week, after $20 in counterfeit money was discovered. Company officials told police that they had no idea how they got the cash, which was found when they made a deposit at the bank. This marks the second time in under a month that counterfeit money has been turned in by a local business and the investigation is ongoing.

Blood Drives Across County
1500 pints of blood are used in hospitals and emergency rooms every day to treat accident victims, deal with disease and perform surgery. With accidents and other injuries constantly in the news, Wilkes County’s blood supply continues to hover around the critical level. In order to help solve the problem, the Red Cross has organized two more blood drives in our area. The first will be this afternoon from 2-6:30pm at the Lovette Company. Then one hour later Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church will host a drive, from 3-7pm. Before donating, just remember that you must be at least 17 years old, weigh no less than 110 lbs and be in good health. To set up an appointment you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

Attack Of The Video Game Bandits
A North Wilkesboro man called out sheriff’s deputies late last week, after thieves broke in. He had returned from work to find several hundred dollars worth of merchandise gone from the home, including a Playstation 2 and nine games. There was no damage done to the property and no sign of a break-in however. There is a suspect in the case, as the man believes the thief had a key to the house. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Local Businesses Fall Victim To Break-in
Two businesses in Wilkesboro fell victim to thieves late last week. Someone had busted through part of the cinder block wall in both locations, making a hole just big enough to get through. In Bestway, the thieves stole two Dell laptop computers and some employee files. An estimated $1500 worth of damage was done. Less than a few feet away, the thieves struck again at Go Wireless, busting in and causing $2450 in damage. However unlike in Bestway, nothing was taken from the store. Wilkesboro police are continuing the investigation.

Always Keep Your Car Doors Locked
It’s never a good idea to leave your car doors unlocked. A Millers Creek woman learned that the hard way after several thousand dollars worth of money & merchandise was stolen from inside. The woman returned from a local store to find that thieves had been inside and stolen her wallet, $3800 and seven credit cards. There are no suspects but Wilkesboro police are continuing the investigation.

ABCs of School
Late last week, the results were released for this year’s ABC testing program. The grades of each school were made public by the state Department of Public Instruction and here in Wilkes, there was both good and bad. Today we’re taking a look at the elementary schools throughout the county. Eight of the thirteen elementary schools met state expectations and several even exceeded them. Four county elementary schools were named as Schools of Distinction. CC Wright, Mulberry, Ronda Clingman and Wilkesboro. CC Wright also made the list of schools making higher than expected growth, joining Traphill, Mulberry, Ronda Clingman and Boomer Ferguson. Two schools in the county were named as Honor Schools of Excellence, Traphill and Mountain View while Boomer Ferguson and Moravian Falls were both named Schools of Progress. Tomorrow we’ll go over the middle schools, explaining which ones made the cut and which ones didn’t.

State News

One North Carolina School Keeps Indian Name
Seventeen universities across North Carolina will be looking for a new mascot this year, after being told to make a change. The NCAA announced that all schools with an Indian mascot would have to find a new one, however there was one exception. UNC Pembroke gets to keep its’ name, a decision that has several groups up in arms. The NCAA said the exception was given because Pembroke was exclusively an American Indian school for 67 years and so was given preferential treatment. The change was ordered in the first place because groups have complained that the use of a Native American mascot is scary and intimidating to some, while seeming to be hostile to others.

Missing Greensboro Man Found
The search is over today for a missing Greensboro man. 84-yr-old Frank Rasche was found just a few miles from his home, dead in the woods. A teenager came across the body while looking for a missing cat. Deputies said that it appeared the man died of natural causes, but an autopsy has been ordered just to be sure. The 84-yr-old went missing during the last week of July when it’s believed he wandered away from home.

Search Is On For Hit & Run Driver
The search is on today for a hit & run driver in Winston Salem. A local man was walking near Bowman Gray Stadium when he was hit by a van speeding through the intersection. The man, Randall Lee Beougher died at Baptist Hospital. Officials have obtained a description of the van, labeled as a light colored vehicle with damage to the right front section. Police are asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at 336-727-2800.

Jobs Coming To Winston
Good news for people in the Winston area, as some jobs will be coming in over the next three years. AGL Logistics announced plans this weekend to lease a warehouse near the new Dell plant, providing supplies for the plant as needed. 50 workers will be hired to run the warehouse, dealing with shipping and other issues as needed. The jobs will be open to anyone, as the company is posting employment information on its’ website www.apllogistics.com.

Budget Agreement Will Be Announced Today
Finally after several months of debate and discussion, a state budget will be officially unveiled later today. The two year plan comes as both parties have agreed to compromise. The cigarette tax will be increased to 30 cents on September 1st, then by this time next year it will increase five more cents. State employees will also get an $850 increase in pay, while teachers’ pay will be raised 2.4 percent.

Sports Headlines

Heels Lose Member Of Their Team
Up the road in Chapel Hill, the news wasn’t good for the Tarheels, who saw a member of their offense leave. However Vince Wilson decided to leave all on his own. Wilson, a 5-9 sophomore, announced that he was transferring from the school because he felt he wasn’t being used enough by the team. He sat down and talked with Coach John Bunting through the week before finally coming to the decision. The move however leaves North Carolina with a very inexperienced backfield. None of their halfbacks have ever carried the ball during a college game. Barrington Edwards, who transferred in last year from LSU, becomes the starter with freshmen James Arnold and Richie Rich backing him up

Duke Loses Kicker
Up the road in Durham, Duke’s football team is rushing to find a kicker today, after Alex Feinberg announced he would miss this upcoming season. Duke coach Ted Roof said that Feinberg told him the decision was made for personal reasons. Now with the season less than a month away, freshman Joe Surgan will take over kicking duties. As a high school senior, Surgan was ranked number four in the nation.

Minor League Scoreboard
Taking a look at the minor league scoreboard, it was Hickory falling against Delmarva 7-6. Despite having the tying run less than 90 feet away at third base, the Crawdads couldn’t drive him in during the ninth inning. The news was better however for the Winston Salem Warthogs, as they beat the Fredrick Keys 12-3. Warthogs reliever Fraser Dizard got his fourth win of the year, giving up one run in three innings of work.

Jones Retires From Panthers
For the second year in a row, a free agent of the Panthers has retired without playing a down. Tight end Freddie Jones retired on Sunday, saying that it was in the best interests of his family. He also said that he looked forward to whatever God has planned for him during his retirement. With Jones gone, the Panthers have three tight ends on the roster. Veterans Kris Mangum, Mike Seidman and second year player Michael Gaines.

NASCAR Results
Tony Stewart took the checkered flag at yesterday’s Allstate 400. Kasey Kahne was second, Brian Vickers third, Jeremey Mayfield fourth and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five. With the win, Stewart takes over the lead in points, 75 in front of Jimmie Johnson and 111 ahead of Greg Biffle.

News & Sports For August 5th

Schools Drop As Test Results Released
More bad news today for some parents of Wilkes County students. The state released final results from this year’s ABC’s of Public Education program, holding schools accountable for student performances in all of the end of grade testing and other plans. Here in Wilkes, six schools failed to meet expectations for the year. They were CB Eller Elementary, Millers Creek Elementary, Mount Pleasant Elementary, Roaring River Elementary and North Wilkesboro Elementary, in addition to North Wilkes Middle School. All others met state expectations, while some in fact exceeded them. We’ll go over this more in detail starting on Monday, breaking down each individual school by examining their scores from the state.

Be Careful Who Has Your Information
Be careful who you give out personal information to. That’s what a local man learned this week. Some of his personal information, along with one of his credit cards had ended up in the hands of his girlfriend without his permission. Checking his account, the man soon found that $30 had been spent in the last day alone. Because he hadn’t given permission, the man took out a warrant for the girl’s arrest. But that wasn’t all that deputies found when they brought her in. Inside her purse was her boyfriend’s credit card along with two others that he hadn’t noticed missing yet, in addition to a capital one card apparently stolen from her grandfather. 22-yr-old Amanda Marie Wyatt was arrested and charged with two counts of larceny and financial card fraud.

Wreck On Curtis Bridge Road Totals Two
A wreck on Curtis Bridge Road damaged two vehicles this week. A Moravian Falls woman was trying to merge from a side road but failed to see the oncoming traffic. She slammed into a Wilkesboro woman who couldn’t get out of the way in time. Both vehicles were totaled, with estimated damages placed at $3600. However after giving out her information, the first driver took off down the road. Jennifer Ann Rathburn was charged with hit & run, along with failure to yield the right of way.

Maple Hill Grocery Falls Victim To Vandals
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to the Maple Hill Grocery on Wednesday, after employees came in to find that damage had been done to the place overnight. The building’s front window was shattered, with estimated damages placed at $300. There is however a suspect in the case, as a man in a white Chevy truck was seen in the parking lot doing donuts during the night. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Deadline Today For Filing
Today’s the final day for anyone who wants to put their name in the election race this year. The deadline is today at noon, after that the nominees are locked in and we start progressing toward the primaries for those races who need one. One of those will be for the Republican nomination for mayor of North Wilkesboro. Incumbent Steve Foster is running again as is his opponent from the last time around, Gerald Lankford. A primary date will be set and then the winner of that vote will go on to face Democrat George G. Church in the November election. One more name was added to the race for Ronda commissioner this week, as Patricia Hawkins entered the race. She’ll join incumbents Brison Combs and Ricky Cothren, along with Manuel Wood, Helen Porter, Wanda Blackburn and Holly Duplisea. Over the bridge in Wilkesboro, incumbents Mike Inscore and James Hartley will be running unopposed for their town commissioner seats, while in North Wilkesboro, Billy Joe “Crow” Church, Robert L. Johnson, Debbie Ferguson, Faye Cox and Eric Williams will all be vying for the two Democratic seats up for grabs.

Items Stolen From Forest Service
The local branch of the Forest Service found itself the victim of a break-in this week as thieves walked out with over $1500 worth of material. There was no sign of a break-in at the property and no damage done, however several boxes of tools were missing. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

3WC Healthwatch: A Stalk A Day Keeps The Cancer Away
This next bit of news is for everyone out there who doesn’t like eating vegetables. You might want to reconsider. In today’s 3WC Healthwatch, scientists from the Institute of Food Technologists have found that eating broccoli could help prevent bladder cancer or possibly slow its’ spread if you’ve already contracted the disease. Doctors told the Reuters news service that compounds in broccoli called isothiocynates aggressively go after cancer cells in the bladder, dramatically slowing their spread. While this is by no means a miracle cure, it can help patients slow the spread of their disease in some cases and for others who are cancer free, broccoli sprouts can help you stay that way. One thing to consider however is that this research is still in the early stages and it’s not yet clear how much broccoli you’d need to eat before seeing results.

Radio Stolen From Car
A Millers Creek woman returned from a trip to find that thieves had paid a visit to her house. The radio was ripped out of her car, however no other damage was done to the vehicle and nothing else was bothered on the property. There is however a suspect in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Relay For Life Later Today
When we hear the word cancer, the first thing we think of is death. But it’s not always a life-ending disease and with more research, it’s possible we could see a cure in our lifetime. To do that however, money has to be raised for the research, more than just the government can spare. One organization built to do just that is Relay For Life and this year’s Relay for Life event will be held at Wilkes Community College later on today. The event will begin at 6pm and continue on until 10am Saturday morning. For more information you can call Jo Dejournet at 838-3973.

State News

State Wanting Improvement In Failing Schools
The latest round of tests haven’t done much to improve North Carolina’s scores or standing in regards to education. With that being the case, Gov. Easley announced this week that he wants special teams to be sent into the 44 high schools that had low performance scores. These teams would be put together with workers from the state’s Department of Public Instruction and as a trial run, will start their program in 10 Charlotte-Mecklenburg high schools. Each team will record data from the schools’ students and teachers, analyzing it while also taking a look at how schools in the area spent the money they were given. Then they’ll present goals for each school and recommendations on how to improve.

Minimum Wage Might Be Raised
Good news for people making minimum wage today, as your paychecks could be increasing. North Carolina’s House Finance Committee approved a bill Thursday morning that would raise the minimum wage here in the state to $6 per hour. That was part of a larger bill, creating a tax credit for all small businesses that give their employees health insurance. The bill will now go to the full House for a vote, after passing the committee 22-10. Opponents of the increase say that in order to keep increasing profits, companies would begin laying off workers to make up the difference. A similar bill failed to pass the House in June.

Reward Offered For Missing Guilford County Man
One week after a Guilford County man wandered off from his home and there’s still no sign of him. Officials used dogs over the weekend to track him and ended up at the Adams Farm shopping center, where the animals lost the scent. Now family members of 84-yr-old Frank Rasche are asking the public for help and have put out a $5000 reward for information. Residents living around the Guilford County area are being asked to search around any wooded areas near their homes, the most likely place for the man to be, according to county officials.

Missing Radiation In North Carolina
Residents of Charlotte were warned yesterday of a possible health risk, as a device holding radioactive materials went missing. North Carolina’s Radiation Protection Section said that the device in question was a gauge, used to measure the amount of radiation in the area. It disappeared from a construction site where it was being used near Highway 74. According to officials, if not handled correctly, the gauge can cause both health and safety problems, so they’re asking people to stay at least 15 feet away if they spot it. Anyone who does locate the device is asked to call the NC Radiation Protection Section at 919-571-4141.

Bragg Deserter Arrested
An Army soldier from Fort Bragg has been arrested in New Hampshire, after deserting from his post. 40-yr-old Gerald Remacle had been missing for over a year when officials found him living in New Hampshire. He was arrested and charged with desertion, in addition to driving with a suspended license. He’s currently in custody awaiting extradition back to North Carolina.

Wachovia Trimming Jobs From Carolina Cities
Bad news today for Wachovia employees, as the company announced it plans to cut an estimated 150 jobs over the next few months. The cuts were made so that Wachovia can outsource the jobs to another company, Chicago-based Hewitt Associates in order to save money. Most of the affected positions here in North Carolina will be in Charlotte branches, but company officials said they haven’t made a final decision as to who will be terminated.

Sports Headlines

NC State Lands Transfer
NC State will have some help coming in the linebacker position, if they can just wait a year for him to get here. Pat Bedics decided to transfer from Penn State, giving up his eligibility this season in accordance with NCAA rules. The reason the 6 ft. 230 lb. Bedics chose State doesn’t have to do with football as much as it does family. His brother John is a defensive tackle for the Wolfpack, currently planning to redshirt his freshman year.

Shelden Williams Named To U.S. Team
Duke’s Shelden Williams finds himself keeping busy over the summer months. He was named this week to the U.S. team for this year’s World University Games, joining fellow NCAA players such as West Virginia’s Mike Gansy and Eric Hicks of Cincinnati. This year’s games will be held starting on August 12 and going through the 22nd in Turkey.

Minor League Scoreboard
Taking a look at the minor leagues last night, it was Hickory blowing out the Lakewood Blueclaws 12-1. Crawdads starter Yoann Torrealba got his fourth win after giving up one run in seven innings of work. Meanwhile Hickory left fielder Anthony Bocchino led the offense with two home runs and six RBIs. Up the road in Winston however the news wasn’t as good, as the Fredrick Keys beat the Warthogs 9-4.

Former Hornet Takes Coaching Job
It’s been several years since the Charlotte Hornets packed up and moved to New Orleans, but locals still hold up some of their former players as icons. Many of those retired players have taken jobs within the new Charlotte Bobcats organization and one is stepping onto the court this year for the first time as a head coach. Muggsy Bogues was announced this week as the new head coach of the WNBA’s Charlotte Sting. The Sting, who have the worst record in the league at 3-21, found themselves in need of a coach after general manager Trudi Lacey stepped down from the position. Bogues says he wants to instill a strong defensive attitude and an up tempo style of attack, to bring the team out of last place.

Jarrett Testing Out New Ford Car
Dale Jarrett was out on the racetrack this week, testing out a new car. But Jarrett won’t be driving this car on a permanent basis, unless he switches teams. The Wood Brothers asked Jarrett to test Ford’s newest racing model car, the Fusion. Before signing on with Robert Yates, Jarrett had drove for the Wood Brothers and agreed to help them test out the latest product. If all goes according to plan, the Fusion could be out on the track by possibly next season.

Hurricanes Sign Second Free Agent
In the NHL, the Carolina Hurricanes signed their second free agent in three days, locking up Oleg Tverdovsky. The 29-yr-old defenseman will help anchor a Carolina defense that is just getting to know each other and compete for a spot on the roster. The team restructured the defense after it fell flat during the 2003 season, helping them come to a last place finish.

News & Sports For August 4th

County Unemployment Numbers Released
Bad news today for Wilkes County residents, as the latest unemployment numbers were released. According to the State ESC, unemployment here in Wilkes skyrocketed in June, bouncing back up to 6%. That’s an increase of over 4%, as we finished out the month of May at 5.6%. As it stands now, Wilkes has a labor force of 32,566 people. Out of that number, 30,596 are employed with 1970 looking for work. Once again we’re over the state average, which was 5.3% at the end of June.

Thieves Run Off With Diaper Bag From Ferguson Home
On Tuesday a Ferguson woman called sheriff’s deputies after her car was broke into. Due to the heat outside, she had left the windows down while going into a local store. When she returned however, several items were missing. The thieves took a diaper bag, bottles and baby formula, along with bank checks and some personal papers that had been inside. There are no suspects but deputies are continuing the investigation.

Focus On Adoption
Over a thousand kids are currently in the custody of Social Services here in North Carolina, with eight hundred in need of foster parents. DSS can’t handle them all, so other agencies have popped up to help carry the burden. Today at 1:05pm we’ll have the rest of my interview with Ladonna during Focus on the Foothills. That’s coming up right after the midday stock report.

Lawnmower Stolen From Wilkesboro Residence
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a Wilkesboro man’s home on Monday, after thieves rode off with his lawnmower. The man returned to find that someone had literally busted open the doors to a nearby storage building, removing the riding lawn mower in addition to a push mower and a gas tank. Estimated damages were placed at $500. There is a suspect in the case and the investigation is ongoing.

Blood Drive Later Today
The blood supply in the county continues to fall in the critical category, despite repeated blood drives over the last few weeks. Poor turnout at many of the drives has kept the blood at its’ current level, with again a desperate need for Type O and Type B, both of which are under a day’s supply. Wilkes Regional Medical Center is holding a blood drive going on throughout the day. It starts at 7am and continues on til 11:30am this morning. Then after a short break it starts back up this afternoon at 1pm, stretching until 5:30pm. Before donating, just remember that you must be at least 17 years old, weigh no less than 110 lbs and be in good health. To set up an appointment you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

Thieves Run Off With Gas
A Wilkesboro man returned home this week to find that someone had been driving through his yard while he was away. Also it appeared that thieves had paid him a visit, as several items from the home were missing. A gas can and a miter saw were both stolen, despite there not being any damage done to the home itself and nothing else taken from the property. There is however a suspect in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

So Where Did The Car Go?
A North Wilkesboro man came walking up to sheriff’s deputies to report a stolen vehicle. Apparently he was out at Foster’s Grocery earlier this week buying gas when the vehicle was taken. According to him, while he was inside, someone got into the blazer and drove off down the road. He then walked all the way from Ronda to report the crime. Deputies noticed that he smelled of alcohol but began an investigation. Portions of the vehicle’s bumper were found in Moravian falls, where it looks like the blazer had struck the bank. However there was no sign of the vehicle itself. Video footage is coming in from Foster’s Grocery and the investigation is ongoing.

BROC Head Start Continues
Applications are still being taken for this year’s Head Start program, a preschool plan designed to help 3 and 4 year old children with their education. The program, which is run by the BROC agency, is currently accepting new students at their three locations here in Wilkes: The Cub Creek Center, the Lomax Center and also the North Wilkesboro Center. To be eligible, children and their families have to meet certain guidelines, mainly concerning the household income. In addition, the program also accepts disabled or special needs children regardless of their family income. In order to be eligible, the child has to turn three years old by October 16th of this year. The program itself will run from August until May of 2006, 8:30am until 2:30pm Monday through Thursday. For more information you can call Judi Mitchell at the BROC head office. Her number is 667-7174.

Be Careful Who You Let Inside
A Millers Creek man learned why it’s a good idea to be careful who you let inside your home. Earlier in the week he had let in several acquaintances to his girlfriend’s house, leaving them alone for several minutes while dealing with some other issues. When he returned all three of them left the house, however several items from the home left with them. When the girlfriend returned later in the night, she found that over a thousand dollars worth of jewelry was missing from the house. The names of the two friends were turned over to sheriff’s deputies and an investigation is ongoing.

State News

Jobs Coming To Gaston County
Good news today for workers in Gaston County, as over 500 jobs are headed to the area. Dole Foods announced that a plant will be built in Bessemer City, to possibly open up within the next year. The plant, which will be located near NC 274 in the SouthRidge Business Park, will process vegetables for the company and employ 525 people by 2008. When the plant is up to full speed, three thousand workers will have jobs there.

US Air Jet Lands In Durham
A US Air jet had to land in Durham on Wednesday after strange odors began filling up the cabin. The flight had just taken off from Charlotte when the pilot said he began smelling a strange odor in the room. Minutes later the smoke alarms went off as well and the pilot redirected the flight to Durham. All 66 passengers on board were fine and there were no incidents with the landing. However officials still don’t know what caused the smell, as the smoke had evaporated by the time the plane reached Durham.

Lexington Schools Consider A Merger
Looking to help ease the tax burden on citizens, Lexington officials are considering a merger in their school system. The current proposal would have the entire city school system merge with Davidson County, but it has both supporters and critics. Supporters claim the move would help lower the taxes currently imposed on city schools, however opponents say that it would also cause the city to lose several million dollars in funding from the federal government. In particular the Lexington School Board has opposed the plan, saying that the current setup has allowed them to guide and raise the performance of students, so there’s no reason to change.

No Budget In Sight
With only a day before the current stopgap runs out, it doesn’t appear that lawmakers are any closer to a budget. In fact, House Speaker Jim Black came out on Wednesday, telling reporters not to expect any announcements regarding the budget, because negotiations have stalled. The main issues deal with the proposed cigarette tax increase and possible pay raises for state employees. With that being the case, yet another stopgap measure will be voted on and installed, so that the state can continue to pay employees. Black said that it was possible a deal could be reached by next Friday.

More Money Coming To Elizabeth City Schools
Some good news today for schools in the Elizabeth City area, as a judge has turned over $34,000 to the school system. Back in April, officers discovered the money stored in the back of the department’s evidence locker, gathered from arrests stemming back as far as 1989. After presenting the cash before a court, the judge in the case ruled they could use it to buy new evidence tracking software, among other things. Now however that same judge has reversed his decision, ordering police to turn over the money to the school system some three months later. The reason, said Judge J. Richard Parker, is because North Carolina’s constitution orders that all penalties and forfeitures have to go to the public schools. It’s unknown if the department plans to appeal or if they have already spent the money.

Lawmakers Give Two Million To Study Bridge Building
While lawmakers can’t come to terms on a new budget, they did find time however to award two million dollars for a study at East Carolina University. The study is designed to determine if it would be possible to build a 10-mile bridge over Currituck Sound. Such a move was deemed necessary due to heavy traffic near the southern end of the county, however opponents say the traffic won’t get lighter, as easy access will entice more people to move into the area. Overall the project would currently cost one hundred million if it actually goes forward, financed with taxpayer bonds. The study will begin this coming fall.

Sports Headlines

Wide Receiver Chooses UNC
The number is now 19 for Tarheel football coach John Bunting. Yet another high school recruit has committed to the Heels, this one from just down the road in Charlotte. Hakeem Nicks, a junior wide receiver at Independence High, announced that he’ll suit up for the Heels in 2006. The 6-2 Nicks said he never considered any other school besides UNC.

Minor League Scoreboard
Taking a look at the minor league scoreboard, it was Winston beating Salem 4-2 on Wednesday as Warthogs starter Ray Liotta got his second win of the season. Liotta only gave up one run in 6 2/3 innings of work. With the win, the Warthogs move into a tie with Salem for first place in the Carolina League’s Southern Division. Up the road in Hickory, the Crawdads blew away the Lakewood Blueclaws 9-1. Crawdads starter Julio Guerrero gave up three runs in six innings to record his sixth win of the year.

Panthers Hit With Injury Bug Again
Some bad news for the Carolina Panthers, as they couldn’t make it out of camp without getting hit by the injury bug. Now linebackers Brandon Short and Chris Draft are nursing injuries. Draft had to be held out of camp on Monday after experiencing some problems with asthma, while Short is having pain in his knee. Also backup center Siitupe Peko’s out with a knee sprain. The only good news out of all this is that the injuries give some of the team’s free agents and draft picks a chance to develop with more playing time.

Rush To Re-Sign With Bobcats
Kareem Rush will become the first Bobcats free agent to re-sign with the team, his agent announced on Wednesday. His agent said that Rush had talked with Denver and New Jersey, but committed to Charlotte after those deals fell through. Charlotte traded with the Lakers to get Rush during last season, as the team needed an explosive scorer.

Hurricanes Sign Free Agent
In the NHL, the Carolina Hurricanes continued to restructure their lineup this week, coming to terms with free agent Cory Stillman. Stillman will take over for departed Jeff O’Neil, who was traded earlier this week. In 2003 playing for Tampa Bay, he put up 80 points. The Hurricanes are looking to revive a struggling offense that scored only 172 goals over the entire 2003 season, good enough for last in the NHL.

News & Sports For August 3rd

News And Notes From Commissioners Meeting
Wilkes County Commissioners held their monthly meeting last night and approved several items on the agenda. The commissioners approved a request that Rawhide Road be added to the state system, so that it can be maintained by the DOT. The road, near Oak Grove Church, needed to be added also so that some legal issues dealing with the right of way could be cleared up. That request will now go to the state for a final decision. Alex Hamilton was also appointed to another four year term as tax administrator. He gave commissioners an update on how collections went this year. Wilkes improved from last year’s totals, with 96.41% of taxes collected from citizens. That’s up from 96.08% at this time last year. Mr. Hamilton also mentioned that probably a year from now, he’ll present property values to the commissioners and allow them to decide if there should be any change in the property tax rate. In addition, Elizabeth Forester and Karen Clifton were both appointed to serve on the Public Library Board, with Joyce Anderson and William Warden Jr. being appointed to the regional library board. Faye Byrd also requested that before future hearings, consideration be made to do away with appointments and instead allow people to apply for the roles. And commissioners appointed chairman Zach Henderson as the Wilkes delegate to the North Carolina Association of Counties meeting.

More Enter The Races As Time Ticks Down
With three days left until this year’s filing deadline, more candidates are adding their names to the races for public office here in Wilkes. Democrat George G Church entered into the hotly contested race for mayor of North Wilkesboro, joining a campaign field that includes the incumbent mayor Steve Foster and his opponent, fellow Republican Gerald Lankford. Over the bridge in Wilkesboro, incumbents Mike Inscore and James Hartley still run unopposed for their town commissioner seats. However in Ronda, two more people joined the race for town commissioner. Helen Porter and Wanda Blackburn, both of which are running a non-partisan campaign, filed to run. They’ll join a crowded field of incumbents Brison Combs and Ricky Cothren, along with fellow challengers Manuel Wood and Holly Duplisea. The deadline for filing in this year’s race is Friday August 5th at noon.

Break-In At Local Business
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a Millers Creek business this week after thieves came by to pay a visit. A vehicle near the business was damaged when thieves tossed a rock through the windshield, going inside but only stealing a cell phone. A crowbar was also stolen from the business, however nothing else was taken and no other damage was done on the property. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Two Cars Totaled In Wreck On 421
It always helps to look before you leap. A North Wilkesboro man found out this week that the same is true when driving. The man tried to merge into a lane on Hwy 421, despite the presence of oncoming traffic. He failed to make it, slamming into a vehicle driven by a North Wilkesboro woman. Both vehicles were totaled in the crash, with estimated damages placed at $6000. Thankfully however no one was injured in the wreck.

Lowes Hands Out Grants To Wilkes Businesses
Lowes Company announced this week that several grants have been awarded to local groups here in Wilkes, courtesy of its’ Charitable and Educational Foundation. Four groups benefited from the grants, including the Thankful Community Club, which was given $11,000 to repair and upgrade community facilities in order to expand their after school programs. Wilkes Community College received $1600 to digitize their slides dealing with local history, Relay for Life was given $1000 to support cancer research and the Senior Center got $4000 to purchase a quilting machine. These are the first set of Hometown grants handed out by the new committee, which was formed earlier this year. If your organization wants to apply for a grant, you can visit www.lowes.com/community and fill out an application.

Damage Done To Rivers Edge Skate Park
Wilkesboro police were called out on Monday to Rivers Edge Skate Park, after several incidents of vandalism were discovered. Vandals had apparently pried open two locked doors at the park, then later breaking the front cover of a coke machine in the area. Nothing was taken and no other damage was done. Estimated damages were placed at around $800. There are no suspects but the investigation is ongoing.

Air Compressor Stolen From Roaring River Home
A man in Roaring River called sheriff’s deputies on Monday after thieves broke into his barn, stealing an air compressor. It’s not exactly clear how the thieves got inside, as no locks were broken and nothing else was damaged. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Relay For Life This Friday
When we hear the word cancer, the first thing we think of is death. But it’s not always a life-ending disease and with more research, it’s possible we could see a cure in our lifetime. To do that however, money has to be raised for the research, more than just the government can spare. One organization built to do just that is Relay For Life and this year’s Relay for Life event will be held at Wilkes Community College on Friday, August 5th. The event will begin at 6pm and continue on until 10am Saturday morning. For more information you can call Jo Dejournet at 838-3973.

Stuff The Bus Program Continues
The annual Stuff The Bus program is underway, helping to provide needy kids with the supplies they lack for school. There are several locations around the Wilkes County area for you to drop off supplies this year. Buses are stationed at Wal-Mart, CVS, Eckerd, Staples and also between the First Baptist and First United Methodist Churches in North Wilkesboro. You can also drop off supplies at Dollar General, Super 10 and the Communities in Schools office. All different types of school supplies are needed, everything from paper to pens to calculators. For more information you can call Amie Blevins at Communities in Schools. Her number is 651-7830 extension #23.

State News

Portions Of NC-18 In Catawba County Closed
Portions of NC-18 in Catawba County were closed throughout the afternoon on Tuesday as crews cleaned up a gasoline spill. Over 200 gallons of gas spilled onto the highway around 10am yesterday morning, as the tank flipped. The driver wasn’t injured and no one else was hurt in the incident, however several nearby homes had to be evacuated as DOT workers cleaned up the spill. It was reopened just after 4pm for drivers.

Two Killed In Amtrak Wreck
An Amtrak train derailed just after noon on Tuesday, slamming into a nearby dump truck. Both people inside the truck were killed, however the 180 passengers on the train survived without any serious injuries. The #80 train, coming in from Charlotte, was on its’ way to New York when the incident happened. It’s still unclear what exactly happened to cause the collision. Officials spent most of the afternoon at the scene cleaning up and trying to determine what went wrong.

Jobs Leaving Charlotte Area
Bad news for workers at Charlotte Douglas Airport, as the Transportation Security Administration announced it would be laying off security screeners. 54 workers are expected to be let go by the TVA as it continues to restructure personnel at the airport. More part time screeners will be hired to make up the difference, although company officials never explained why they wouldn’t let the already hired workers simply take a reduction in hours. The layoffs are expected to begin in the next few weeks.

Armed Robbery Under Investigation In Charlotte
Charlotte police are looking for help after an armed robbery at North Tryon Street Monday night. A man walked up to the counter of the Petro Express around 1am, pulled out a gun and demanded money. After getting almost $100, he took off running out the door. Police are going over the store’s surveillance tape but so far have no suspects. They’re asking anyone with information to contact Crimestoppers at 704-334-1600.

Rowan County Manager Fired After Public Outcry
Last week, Rowan County citizens learned that their tax dollars had been used to pay a detective agency to investigate a letter writing campaign. Now that decision has cost one employee his job as county manager Tim Russell was fired this week. Russell had served as the county manager for 21 years but commissioners decided they had no choice but to let him go. $23,000 was paid out to a detective agency by the county, who asked them to discover who was behind the letter writing campaign attacking the financial decisions that had been made.

North Carolina Group Accused Of Violating Religious Freedom
A Bible study course taught by a North Carolina company violates religious freedom, according to a group in Texas. The Texas Freedom Network came out this week against the course, which is taught in high schools across 37 states. The group said it was full of errors because it taught the Bible was inspired by God and that creationism is in fact a viable theory. The course, which was created by the North Carolina based National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, is an elective which students can choose to take, but aren’t forced to. Pastor Ragan Courtney spoke out in defense of the Texas Freedom Network, saying that no student should have a religious belief forced on them.

Sports Headlines

North Carolina Lands Another Recruit
The recruits keep piling in for UNC Chapel Hill, as yet another high school player committed to play football as a Tarheel. Tony Elzy, a running back from Ohio, declared his commitment to the Heels this week, becoming the 18th member of next year’s freshman recruits. The 5-10 Elzy ran for 2511 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, twice running for 400 yards in a single game.

Former Wake Star Signs With Patriots
A former Demon Deacon came one step closer to NFL stardom this week, as Jason Anderson signed with the New England Patriots. Anderson, who was a receiver at Wake Forest until graduating last year, was cut last week by the Tennessee Titans. Facing some potential holes in their receiving corps, the Patriots signed him to a deal and he’ll now have the chance to make the team during training camp.

Minor League Scoreboard
Taking a look around the minor league scoreboard, it was Winston Salem losing against the Salem Avalanche 6-3 Tuesday night. With the loss, Winston drops one game back in the race for the Carolina League’s Southern Division title. Warthogs’ relief pitcher Fraser Dizard got the loss, giving up five runs in only 2/3 of an inning. Up the road in Hickory, the Crawdads lost a heartbreaker 1-0 against the Lakewood Blueclaws.

Donnalley Takes Over New Team
Former Carolina Panther guard Kevin Donnalley opened up the first week of his new job on Monday, when practice began for high school players. Donnalley, who retired from the Panthers in 2004, took over this spring as head coach of Charlotte Christian School. Records were set during the first day, as 75 players came to try out for the team. Donnalley will have his work cut out for him however, as he takes over a squad that finished 0-10 last year.

New Drivers Coming Into Nascar
Bill France promised that new drivers would be entering the NASCAR circuit in the next few years and that is starting to take place. Paul Tracy, a racing star from up in Canada, will be testing out a Richard Childress car at Michigan International Speedway this coming week, with plans of entering the Nextel Cup race on August 21st. The 36-yr-old Tracy said he wanted to test out the car first before making an official entry into the race. If he comes in, Tracy will be racing for Childress.

Former DEI Chief Leaves For Everham
As the game of musical chairs continues at DEI, one employee has left for a competitor. Pete Rondeau, the former crew chief for Dale Jr., announced that he’s leaving DEI and switching over to Everham Motorsports, where he’ll be the director of research and development. Rondeau was removed halfway through the season from his job as crew chief, with Steve Hmiel taking over for the rest of this season.

News & Sports For August 2nd

3WC Ranks In Top Five
The first round of voting is over and the Top Five Finalists were announced on Monday for this year’s Southern Gospel Music Awards. 3WC made the list as one of the top five radio stations, joining Joy FM, WJBZ, WDJC and KKGM on the list. Over one hundred thousand people from over 70 countries cast their vote for their favorites in each category. Now the second round of voting begins and you can cast a ballot even if you did so the first time. Same as before, you just have to log on to www.thesoutherngospel.com , click on Southern Gospel Music Awards 2005 and cast your vote. All it takes is a working email address to be able to make your voice heard. Then the winners of this year’s awards will be revealed on October 29th during a ceremony at the LJVM Coliseum in Winston Salem.

Car Theft Turns Into Arson
A Thurmond woman called sheriff’s deputies over the weekend after her truck was stolen. The vehicle had been at the woman’s home when she went to bed, but the next morning it was gone. Deputies located the vehicle a few miles down the road, completely burned on the inside. The remains of a few matches were found inside, along with other evidence causing deputies to determine this was a case of arson. There is a suspect in the case while both sheriff’s deputies and the fire marshal’s office are investigating.

Wreck On 421 Totals One
A wreck on 421 over the weekend totaled one car and damaged another. A Wilkesboro woman was driving down the highway when the vehicle in front of her suddenly came to a stop. She couldn’t stop in time to avoid hitting the car, slamming into the left rear fender before going off the road and into the nearby cables. The driver of the second car said she had stopped because of a bedliner lying in the highway. Estimated damages were placed at $5000, thankfully however no one was injured.

Blood Drives Later Today
The Wilkes chapter of the Red Cross continues to stage blood drives as we head into the home stretch of the summer months. All blood types are needed, but especially type O and Type B. There will be two drives going on today. One is at Gardner Glass, starting at 11am and going on til 3:30pm this afternoon. The next will be at the VFW Post 1142 Hall, next to the Department of Transportation on Hwy 115. That’s from 2-6:30pm. Before donating, just remember that you must be at least 17 years old, weigh no less than 110 lbs and be in good health. To set up an appointment you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

Clothes Ignited At Local Business
Deputies were called out to Chip’s Bargin Barn over the weekend along with the Mulberry Fire Department. The reason was that someone had gained access to the store and decided to set the clothes on fire. Some of the women’s clothes hanging on a rack were in flames as firefighters arrived on scene. All total over $200 worth of damage was done. It’s unclear how the vandals got inside, there is however a suspect in the case and the investigation is ongoing.

Heatwave Leads To Theft In North Wilkesboro
A North Wilkesboro man returned over the weekend to find a house he was renting out had its’ air conditioner stolen. Deputies were called out and the renter was questioned, eventually admitting to stealing the unit and later pawning it. It also turns out that immediately after pawning it, the renter had reported it stolen. 21-yr-old Kevin Marlow was arrested and charged with larceny, in addition to filing a false report. The air conditioner was tracked down and returned to its’ owner.

Pregnancy Center To Hold Event This Month
The Wilkes Pregnancy Care Center has been helping people deal with unplanned pregnancies for the last 10 years. They also counsel women who are either considering abortion or have already gone through with one. Coming up later this month, the Center is putting together a program to help minister to those who are struggling to come to terms with an abortion in their past. That will go on August 20th starting at 9am in the morning. For more information you can call the Pregnancy Care Center at 838-9272.

Never Leave Cash In Your Car
A Taylorsville woman discovered why it’s not such a good idea to leave money in your car over the weekend. Parked her car at Tyson and went to work inside. However during the day, someone opened the car door and took her wallet from inside, stealing her driver’s license, credit cards and an estimated $61 in cash. There are no suspects but deputies are continuing the investigation.

Woman Arrested At Jerseys’ For Drug Use
Deputies responded to a call at Jerseys’ over the weekend, in regards to some possible drug use. Once there the manager pointed out a girl who had been seen snorting cocaine in the bathroom. Deputies searched the woman and found a pen that had been hollowed out and had cocaine residue inside. Also the woman had ½ of a hydrocodine pill in her pocket, along with several other pills and a smoking pipe. 35-yr-old Laura Danette Hodges was arrested and charged with drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

State News

Lawmakers Continue To Battle Over Budget
North Carolina still doesn’t have a budget, over a month after the new fiscal year began. Stopgap measures have been voted in to keep the state running, as lawmakers continue to disagree over taxes. Originally the main problem was the fact Republicans and Democrats are ten cents apart on the cigarette tax increase. However now those differences span healthcare and money for education, along with taxes. Lawmakers have til Friday to come to an agreement, as the latest stopgap measure ends Friday night.

Reason For Derailment Possibly Discovered
Officials in Davidson County think they may have found out what caused a train to derail last week, spilling ground glass and limestone in the Tuckertown Reservoir. They believe the heat was to blame, as a manager from the Winston Salem Southbound Railway took a look at the site this weekend. The manager said that high heat caused the tracks to bend, which in turn led to the derailment. Cleanup is still continuing from the wreck.

Parts Of UNC Chapel Hill Catch Fire
Firefighters were called out early Monday morning to a blaze on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill. The Phillips Hall Annex was in flames, as a fire had started between the second floor ceiling and the roof. Damages to the building were placed at $50,000 while one firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion and released. It’s unknown what exactly caused the blaze at this time, although heat could be a factor.

Missing: One Bald Eagle
People in Charlotte are on the hunt today, looking for a creature that escaped over the weekend. Garibaldi the eagle flew the coop this weekend after a thunderstorm damaged its’ habitat at the Carolina Raptor Center. The bird has been sited several times, most recently on Sunday, but officials haven’t been able to catch him. The bird needs to be found quickly because he has a wing injury that prevents him from soaring through the air and will only last two weeks without the proper food and treatment.

New Evidence Could Help Solve Case
Good news today for the police department in Rich Square, as new evidence could help solve a five year old murder. Joe White, the former police chief in Rich Square, was killed during a traffic stop in 2000. A man has been arrested and charged with his murder, but no trial date has been set as the locals continue to put together evidence. Now something investigators found over the weekend may help solve the case, according to local officials. They wouldn’t go into detail, but the district attorney has requested the death penalty for Jason Herbert, who stands accused of White’s murder.

Sports Headlines

Gray To Get First Shot
With Chris Paul gone to the NBA, Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser finds himself with a hole at the point guard position. Prosser has come out now this week and said that rising senior Justin Gray would have the first shot at taking over the position this year. If he fails, incoming freshmen Harvey Hale and Shamaine Dukes will both get a shot.

Duke Class Ranked Number One
While last season saw the Blue Devils fall a bit short in the NCAA tournament, this year’s class gets rave reviews from college scouts. The new freshman class for Duke was ranked number one in the nation and Coach Krzyzewski said that with the talent in this group, one or more of the freshmen could break into the starting lineup. 6-10 forwards Josh McRoberts and Eric Baoteng will vie for time at the power forward and center position, with the loser backing up returning senior Eric Williams. Also guards Greg Paulus and Martynas Pocius will look to win the point guard spot. Regardless, Coach Krzyzewski said that he wanted this year’s team to use more of an uptempo fast break style of play while looking to limit turnovers. Whoever fits the definition the best will start, regardless if they’re a senior or freshman.

Minor League Scoreboard
Around the minor leagues last night, it was Winston Salem beating Salem 2-1. It took ten innings, but the Warthogs moved into a tie for first place in the Carolina League’s southern division with the win. Fabio Castro got his fourth win of the season after pitching two innings of scoreless relief.

Mills Uniform To Be Retired
The Carolina Panthers announced on Monday that they’ll be retiring the jersey of Sam Mills this season. Mills, who was both a player and later a coach for the team, died from intestinal cancer at age 45 earlier this year. The team will honor Mills during a ceremony at halftime of their preseason game August 13th. In other team news, the Panthers announced that linebacker Mark Fields is undergoing treatments for Hodgkins’ Disease and so far is progressing well.

Hurricanes Trade Star Player
In the NHL, the Carolina Hurricanes didn’t waste any time making deals now that it’s open season. The team traded Jeff O’Neil to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a pick in next year’s draft. O’Neil was one of the team’s original players, helping them make it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002. However due to the new salary cap, O’Neil’s contract requests couldn’t fit with other players still left to sign. O’Neil had asked that if he was traded, he’d like to end up back home in Toronto and the team granted his request.

News & Sports For August 1st

Armed Robbery In Elkin
Police in Elkin are investigating an armed robbery that happened Friday afternoon. A man entered the Wachovia Branch on North Bridge Street in Elkin around 1pm, pulled out a handgun and demanded money. After receiving the cash he walked out into a minivan that was in the bank’s parking lot. Witnesses said the man wore a green ski mask, blue jeans, a blue shirt and hiking boots. Police are now viewing the bank’s security cameras, which caught the man as he pulled in & out of the lot. If anyone has information regarding the robbery, officials are asking that you call the Elkin Police Department at 835-9822.

Soldiers Honored During Sunday Ceremony
Wilkes County said goodbye to its’ National Guard troops on Sunday, as they prepared to leave for Iraq. A ceremony was held at the Walker Center at 10am Sunday morning, as family and friends stood and cheered in support. In attendance were the mayors of both Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro, Norman Call and Steve Foster. Senator John Garwood and Representative Tracey Walker were on hand, along with Wilkesboro commissioner Gary Blevins, North Wilkesboro commissioner Robert Johnson and county commissioners Zach Henderson, Charlie Sink, Faye Byrd and Keith Elmore. Lieutenant Colonel Matt Rosseau spoke to the troops, calling for dedication and asking them to be prepared, while Lil Ingram, wife of Major General Ingram, spoke to the families abut the burden put on them while the soldiers are away. Finally both the commander of the 505th, Captain Mark MacMahon and Major General Ingram both spoke, thanking people for the support given and reminding those in attendance that we are a nation at war. The 505th Engineering Battalion, along with 30 members of the 823rd Detachment’s Quarry Team from Elkin will leave this week for extended training, then will pack up and ship off for at least a year in Iraq.

Drug Bust At Ferguson Home
Sheriff’s deputies went to a Ferguson home over the weekend, responding to a tip about possible drugs being sold inside. The homeowner told them they could come in and search, after which deputies found smoking pipes, crack cocaine, marijuana, and other drug paraphernalia. In addition, an eighteen year old girl was found inside, clearly drunk. She informed deputies that the smoking pipes were hers. 31-yr-old Jerry Ray Bowman was arrested and charged with drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a home for the sale of drugs. Also 18-yr-old Jamie Evone Whitley was charged with underage drinking, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Break-In At Wilkes Honda
Wilkesboro police were called out to investigate a break-in at Wilkes Honda late last week. Someone tossed concrete through one of the front windows at the business, walking right in. Stolen from inside was a red & black Honda dirt bike. There are no suspects, however estimated damages to the business were placed at $750. Officers are continuing the investigation.

Never Leave Your Keys Inside
A Traphill man learned last week why it’s not a good idea to leave your keys in the car. After parking his car, he left the keys inside while going into his house. The next morning, the man walked out to find the vehicle was missing. There weren’t any noises during the night or anything else to indicate someone was near the house. Two days later, the car was found in a nearby hay field, abandoned but without any damage done. The only things missing from inside was a pair of sunglasses and some CDs. Neighbors told deputies they didn’t see or hear anything unusual, despite the presence of the car inside the hay field. The investigation is ongoing.

Wilkesboro Woman Falls Victim To ID Theft
A Wilkesboro woman got a surprise when she checked her bank account online last week. Someone had withdrawn $159, which went over the limit as she didn’t have that much money inside. Apparently thieves had used her information to obtain four VISA credit cards, taking the money from the account. There are no suspects at this time.

Fox To Have Wilkes County Office
5th District Congresswoman Virginia Fox wants people of the area to know that she’s available to help whenever possible. With that in mind, the Congresswoman will be opening an office here in Wilkes County that will be in operation portions of the week. On the first and third Friday of each month, the Congresswoman will have representatives available at the Wilkes County office building from 2 til 4pm. If you’re not able to make it out during those hours, you can also send your comments or concerns to the congresswoman via her website, which is located at www.fox.house.gov.

Schools Set Open House Dates
With school just around the corner, it’s time for students to get their schedules and attend orientation. At East Wilkes High School, incoming 9th graders will have orientation on August 11th from 6 to 8pm. During that time students can check out the classrooms, talk to teachers and get information about different activities offered at East Wilkes. Then at West Wilkes Middle School, 7th and 8th graders can pick up their schedules next Tuesday, August 9th from 3 to 6pm. Orientation for incoming 6th graders will be held two days later on August 11th at three different times. Students can come in at either 3pm, 4 or 5pm.

Upcoming Teacher’s Conference
For teachers in Wilkes, summer is a time to relax and recover from the grueling demands of the other ten months in the year. In place to help meet those demands is a group called RESA, the Regional Educational Service Alliance. RESA helps teachers work on building the educational credits they’re required by the state to receive. Coming up tomorrow here in Wilkes, a conference will be going on that can help teachers do just that, before all the chaos of the classroom sets in. From August 2nd through the 4th, RESA will host “Focus on Diversity” a conference dedicated to helping teachers work with students of all educational, social and ethnic backgrounds. To register for the conference, teachers can call the RESA office here in Wilkes. Their number is 667-2191 or you can drop by their office, located just above the Wilkes Sheriff’s Department on Curtis Bridge Road.

State News

Errors Found At Randolph Community College
Federal officials have finished an investigation of Randolph Community College, uncovering several financial and administrative mistakes at the school. Letters had been sent out to several students who received too much money from the federal Pell Grant, ordering them to repay the school. Federal investigators said that was inappropriate and also blamed the school for not properly determining how much money the students should receive. As a result, the excess money may have to be repaid out of the school’s own funds.

Greensboro Police Searching For Man
Police in Greensboro are hunting today for a local man who vanished over the weekend. 84-yr-old Frank Rasche disappeared from his home early Sunday morning and hasn’t got in touch with any family or friends since. He appears to be wandering around on foot and officials were able to track him down near the Adams Farm Shopping Center, before the dogs they were using got tired and lost the scent. The only distinctive marking on the man is a six pointed star tattooed on his left arm. If anyone notices the man, officials ask that you call 911.

Durham Concert Cancelled After Wreck
The Christian group Newsong was scheduled to perform in Durham on Sunday, but that event had to be cancelled after an accident early in the morning. The details weren’t released, however it has been confirmed that no one in the group was hurt. Still the incident was severe enough for them to miss the concert, which was to be held at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, before a USA baseball game. The game went on as scheduled at 5pm.

Attempted Robbery In Greensboro
A Dry Cleaners store in Greensboro was almost robbed over the weekend with a toy gun. A man walked in, pulled out a gun and ordered the manager to give him some money. After the manager opened up the register, she realized the gun was fake and tried to wrestle him to the ground. He was able to escape and take off running, however officials were able to retrieve the toy gun and are examining it for fingerprints.

Church Plans To Picket Marine Funeral
On Tuesday, 32-yr-old Marine Sgt. Bryan Opskar will be laid to rest in the Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead. However aside from friends and family, the man’s funeral will also play host to a group of picketers. Members from the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas plans to protest at the funeral, because they believe the Marine’s death is linked to the gay agenda here in America. Sgt. Opskar died after an explosion in Iraq, however the church believes that the bomb was similar to one that was detonated at its’ compound in the early 90s, proof they say of a national attempt to stop the anti-gay movement. Police will be on hand to provide security at the funeral, in case of any conflict that breaks out.

Sports Headlines

Appalachian QB Receives Preseason Award
The season hasn’t even started yet and Richie Williams is already getting awards. Williams, the starting quarterback for Appalachian State, was named as the Southern Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The award is voted on before each season by the conference coaches. Williams is coming off a year where he tossed 24 touchdowns and threw for 3109 yards. He was also named starting quarterback of the first team in all conference selections. Appalachian will kick off their season September 3rd on the road against Eastern Kentucky.

North Carolina Players Cut
Two players from North Carolina schools saw their NFL dreams take a hit this week, as Davon Fowlkes and TA McLendon were both cut. Fowlkes, who had been working out with the Indianapolis Colts, was released by the team this week so that they could fill his spot with another running back. Fumbles were the main problem for McLendon however, as he couldn’t hold on to the ball. Local media reported that he had fumbled constantly during the last two days of practice. Left untouched in the draft, McLendon had got on with the Falcons and received an invite to training camp. However that fumbling problem was apparently not something that Coach Jim Mora Jr. wanted to deal with, so he released the former NC State star.

Minor League Scoreboard
Around the minor leagues last night, it was Hickory falling against Charleston 8-6. The loss was the Crawdads’ third in four games as starter Derek Hankins only went three innings, giving up five runs on three hits. The news wasn’t any better for the Winston Salem Warthogs, as they fell against Potomac 6-4. Warthogs starter Wes Whisler gave up six runs in 2 2/3 innings of work, for his sixth loss of the season.

Durham On Sportscenter
North Carolina will take the spotlight on ESPN later today, as Sportscenter continues its’ 50 States in 50 Days tour. Today Sportscenter makes a stop in Durham, at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The show will be broadcast live from the field before the Durham Bulls minor league game at 7pm, against the Charlotte Knights.

Hurricanes Pick On Defense
After a yearlong labor dispute, the NHL came one step closer to getting back on the ice this weekend, holding their annual amateur draft. The Carolina Hurricanes had the third pick and selected defenseman Jack Johnson, who experts think could be a potential franchise player.

Kahne Wins Court Battle
In NASCAR, Kasey Kahne won his court battle against Ford this week. Kahne had been sued by the automaker, who said that he violated their sponsor agreement when he went to race in the Nextel Cup circuit for Everham Motorsports. A federal judge heard the case this week and ruled in favor of Kahne, unable to find a foundation for the case. The 25-yr-old will look to get back into the Chase for the Cup when the Nextel circuit resumes with the Allstate 400 on August 7th.

News & Sports For July 29th

Troops To Be Honored This Weekend
This weekend, people in Wilkes and the surrounding areas will be turning out to honor our troops before they ship out. The 505th Engineering Battalion of North Carolina’s National Guard have received their orders and will depart for Iraq in the fall of this year. Before that however, the troops have to go to another base out of the area for training. They’ll leave for that extended training session after the ceremonies, which will take place in separate parts this weekend. The battalion is made up of several different units from all over the area, some of which have been broken up with the skills of some soldiers required elsewhere. A ceremony for the Lexington, Mocksville and Mount Airy units will be held at 10am Saturday morning at the Vance Auditorium in Lexington. Later on in the day, the Kings Mountain unit, along with portions of the Elkin group will hold their send off. That will take place at 2pm at Kings Mountain High School. Here in Wilkes a ceremony will be held Sunday at 10am honoring the North Wilkesboro unit at the Walker Center. Finally at 2pm Sunday afternoon, portions of the Elkin group will join with the Gastonia unit at the First Baptist Church in Gastonia for the final send off. It’s not been defined as to how long the troop is expected to be overseas, although estimates are placed at around one year.

More Counterfeit Money Comes Into Wilkes
Counterfeit money continues to flow into Wilkes County, the latest incident taking place at the Northwestern Bank in Millers Creek. While bringing in the deposits on Wednesday, bank employees noticed that several of the bills were in fact fake. A $1 and a $5 were proved to be counterfeit, although there’s no way of knowing who made the deposit. The evidence was turned over the sheriff’s deputies, who are continuing the investigation.

Voting Nearing An End For Gospel Awards
There’s only three days left if you want to cast a ballot for this year’s Southern Gospel Music Awards. The awards are put out by online magazine TheSouthernGospel.com and the Top Five Finalists in each category will be announced this coming Monday, August 1st. 3WC is in the running for Favorite Radio Station and morning show DJ John Wishon was named as one of the Favorite Radio Personalities, in addition to making the list of Favorite Concert MCs. If you want to get involved and vote, you can log on to www.thesoutherngospel.com , click on Southern Gospel Music Awards 2005 and cast your ballot. All it takes is a working email address to be able to make your voice heard. Then the winners of this year’s awards will be revealed on October 29th during a ceremony at the LJVM Coliseum in Winston Salem.

Gas Theft In Traphill
With the temperatures skyrocketing this week, it’s no surprise that drivers have been burning more gas than normal, keeping the air conditioner going in their cars. A couple in Traphill however decided they shouldn’t have to pay for it. A car pulled up to the Pleasant Hill Grocery in Traphill, the driver pumped $27 worth of gas and then took off without paying. Store employees were able to get a description of both people in the car as well as the vehicle itself and turned all the information over to deputies. That investigation is ongoing.

How To Beat The Heat Part Four: In The Kitchen
Now that the temperatures have dropped and we have a small break from the recent heatwave, it might be a good idea to starting thinking about taking precautions for the next one. In today’s fourth segment of our Summer Series, we take a look at some problems with food in the heat. Something to think about when putting food in the refrigerator, keep the temperature too hot or too cold and either way you can end up spreading bacteria. The Department of Health says that cold foods should be kept at a minimum of 45 degrees. Any higher and you risk bacteria setting in. Also be sure to wash your hands with hot soapy water before and after handling food. While it might not seem like a big deal, bacteria can grow into a virus causing you some problems later on. Also when cooking, be sure to turn the temperature up to at least 140 degrees if using the stove, or the high setting on your microwave. That will guarantee that any bacteria on the food will be killed. Finally never eat anything that’s been left out for more than one hour, if the temperature climbs above 90 degrees. While it might not smell or taste funny, that bacteria can quickly get into your body and wreck havok.

Mailbox Vandals Hit Again
For the second time in less than a week, mailbox vandals hit a home in the Wilkes County area. Except this time it appears they were trying to keep the homeowner out, not get in. Deputies were called out to a Wilkesboro residence on Wednesday, after the woman came home to find someone had put a masterlock on her mailbox, sealing it shut. There was no damage done to the box and nothing else disturbed on the property. Also no one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anyone come by the home while the owner was gone. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Drove Off With The Mower
A Ronda man called sheriff’s deputies on Wednesday after discovering that his riding mower had been stolen. The vehicle had been parked near the side of the house the night before, but when the homeowner woke up, he found it was missing. There is a suspect in the case, as people in the area saw a local man at the house the night before. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

BROC Head Start Continues
Applications are still being taken for this year’s Head Start program, a preschool plan designed to help 3 and 4 year old children with their education. The program, which is run by the BROC agency, is currently accepting new students at their three locations here in Wilkes: The Cub Creek Center, the Lomax Center and also the North Wilkesboro Center. To be eligible, children and their families have to meet certain guidelines, mainly concerning the household income. In addition, the program also accepts disabled or special needs children regardless of their family income. In order to be eligible, the child has to turn three years old by October 16th of this year. The program itself will run from August until May of 2006, 8:30am until 2:30pm Monday through Thursday. For more information you can call Judi Mitchell at the BROC head office. Her number is 667-7174.

Never Leave Your Home Unlocked
It’s always a good idea to lock up before you leave. A Millers Creek family found that out this week, after returning to discover that thieves had paid them a visit. While the family was out, thieves came in and took a stereo from the home, in addition to $4200 in cash that had been hidden away in an envelope. Nothing else was missing and there was no damage done. The doors hadn’t been locked however, so the thieves just walked right in and took what they wanted. Neighbors however couldn’t recall seeing or hearing anyone near the home. The investigation is ongoing.

State News

Pender County Athletes Won’t Pay
Some good news today for student athletes in Pender County, as the board of commissioners shot down a proposal that would have forced them to pay in order to play. County officials had presented a plan earlier this month that would have forced students to pay a fee of at least $15 if they wanted to take part in school athletic programs. That idea was conceived after the local school system found itself with a $500,000 shortfall in the budget. So instead, now officials are planning to cut the funding for the library in half and chop $170,000 from the school materials and supplies budget.

Firefighter Charged With Arson
Officials in Union County have arrested a junior member of the Lanes Creek Fire Department, charging him with arson. 17-yr-old Matthew Oates is suspected by detectives of setting fire to two empty houses in the area along with a storage building and a mailbox. The teenager is currently being held in the Union County Jail after the arson spree, which detectives believe started last year. Oates didn’t provide detectives with any idea why he committed the crimes.

Woman Robbed While Jogging
Be careful what you wear when out jogging. That’s the lesson a Charlotte woman learned Wednesday night after being robbed while out on a run. A man came walking up to the woman and demanded that she hand over $1500 worth of jewelry that she was wearing. After handing over the jewelry, the woman watched as the man walked off, getting into a nearby Toyota Camry and driving off.

Jobs Leaving Pleasant Garden
Opponents of the CAFTA agreement were in shock as the bill passed through Congress this week, despite severe arguments against it by several members of the House, including 5th District Congresswoman Virginia Fox. Now opponents of the bill are concerned that their argument has been proven true, as layoffs were announced at yet another manufacturing plant in North Carolina. 280 people will be out of work this fall as Hooker Furniture announced that they will be shutting down their plant in Pleasant Garden this coming October. Company officials said that they couldn’t compete with overseas labor and would rely more on imported goods for their customers.

Cleanup Continues At Train Derailment
Cleanup continues today at the site of a train derailment at the Davidson/Rowan County line. Several rail cars jumped the tracks and fell into a nearby reservoir, where the limestone cargo started leaking out. In addition, another of the cars held ground up glass, which also spilled into the water. It’s unclear exactly how the derailment happened, but thankfully none of the crew was injured. However local authorities estimate that it could take days to clean up the area. While the limestone won’t hurt the environment, it could be dangerous to animals that come to drink at the reservoir.

Chemical Spill In Forsyth
Portions of U.S. 52 were shut down in Forsyth County on Thursday after a chemical spill. The incident happened Thursday morning, when a tractor-trailer flipped, spilling its’ 50 gallon cargo of hydrocide. The chemical, which is sprayed on buildings to help repel water, covered parts of the area, causing one lane of the highway to be shut down while cleanup crews came in. No one was hurt in the accident.

Sports Headlines

UNC Locks Up Another Prospect
The UNC Tarheels added another piece to their football puzzle this week, after Morgan Randall committed to the school. Randall, a 6’6 245 offensive lineman, from Greenville Rose High School said that he picked Carolina in part because of a great combination of athletics and academics that the school offers, but also because of the family ties he has in the area. Every member of his family that had gone to college graduated as a Tarheel and he wanted to continue that tradition. The move marks the 16th commitment UNC has for 2006.

Randolph Will Sign NBA Deal
It seemed like Shavlik Randolph made a mistake, giving up his senior season at Duke to enter the NBA draft. It looked like more of one after he went undrafted. Now however Randolph will get a chance at proving himself after signing a free agent contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. The 6-10 Randolph will be at summer camp with the rest of the team when they meet next week.

Bobcats Trade With Phoenix
The Charlotte Bobcats made a trade yesterday, sending a second round draft pick to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for 27-yr-old center Jake Voskuhl. Voskuhl, who served as the backup to Amare Stoudemire, will add some depth to a Bobcat team coming into just their second season in the league. The team plans to use him as a backup to starting center Primoz Brezec.

Minor League Scoreboard
In the minor leagues last night, it was Winston Salem falling against Potomac 8-6. Warthogs’ starter Ryan Rodriguez got a no-decision, despite striking out seven and only giving up four runs in six innings. Rodriguez left in the sixth with a 6-3 lead, but Winston relievers got shelled by the Potomac attack. Javier Ortiz got his first loss of the season.

Panthers Trade For One, Sign Another
This was a busy week for the Carolina Panthers, as team officials were wheeling and dealing. They traded a conditional draft pick to the Washington Redskins, in exchange for former Clemson wide receiver Rod Gardner. The 27-yr-old Gardner was no longer in the Redskins’ plans, despite a reputation as a physical playmaker like former Panther Mushsin Muhammad. In addition, the Panthers came to a deal with fourth round pick Stefan Lefors. Lefors signed a four year deal with the team and will compete to be Jake Delhomme’s backup this season.