News & Sports For May 19th

Seniors May Not Have To Pay Penalty
Good news for any Wilkes County seniors who haven’t signed up yet for the new Medicare plan. You may not be penalized for it after all. Members of the House and Senate are getting set to debate a new bill, which would possibly wipe out the penalty involved with signing up after the deadline. Seniors had until midnight on Monday of this week to sign up for a Medicare drug plan, which was guaranteed to be no more than $250 a month for the highest rate. Under the proposal, people who signed up after the deadline wouldn’t be able to receive benefits until mid November with a penalty of $2.50 tacked on for every month they wait. Now lawmakers are reconsidering their stance, as an estimated 6 million eligible citizens still haven’t signed up for the drug plan. Several Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Congress are calling for a complete removal of the penalties, saying it doesn’t make sense to charge seniors more when they’re just trying to make the right choice. A vote on the matter could come as early as this June.

Sex Offenders Leaving List
People here in Wilkes and across the state are concerned about a recent move involving sexual offenders. Under the current law, sex offenders have to be registered for a 10-yr-period and then their names are taken off the list. For those offenders who were registered in 1996, that means they’re no longer in the system as of this year. That however doesn’t apply to repeat offenders or violent predators, who have to stay registered for life. In Wilkes County, there are currently 99 registered sex offenders living in areas stretching from North Wilkesboro to Boomer. Across North Carolina, there are over 9000 people registered as sex offenders. Now members of the State House are wanting to re-examine the law and make changes, to possibly keep all offenders registered for life.

Warning Issued For Antibiotic
A warning has been issued for anyone using the antibiotic Tequin (tee-quinn) , as it can lead to life threatening side effects according to a recent study. The study, which will be released in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that elderly people who used the drug were 17 times more likely to develop side effects such as diabetes or low blood sugar than those who used other medicines. Tequin, or gatifloxacin (Ga-ti-flow-axin) as its’ generic form is known, is used to treat bacterial infections in the lungs, sinuses, skin and urinary tract. The FDA has not made any official decision regarding the drug, but a warning label has been attached advising patients with diabetes not to take it.

Break-In Nets Everything But The Kitchen Sink
An Elkin man called sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday after coming home to find thieves had paid a visit. The thieves had used a spare key to open up a rear door at the house, then walked out with over a thousand dollars in merchandise. Taken from inside was a DVD player, a set of diamond earrings, a digital camera, a computer and several other items. That investigation continues.

Foxx Office Open Today
As we’re knee deep in the political season, people have issues for their elected representatives. This being the third week of May, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx will have her office in Wilkes County open. On the first and third Friday of the month, the congresswoman has representatives available at the Wilkes County office building from 2-4pm. 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.

Vision Screening Going On Today
For anyone struggling with their vision, some help could be on the way today. The North Wilkesboro Lions Club is sponsoring a free vision screening for most of the day. The event will go on at the Wilkesboro Wal-Mart parking lot from 9am til 4pm. The Lions Club Vision Van will be on hand, no appointments are needed, just show up and they’ll take you as soon as possible. Once again that’s free to the public from 9am til 4pm at the Wilkesboro Wal-Mart.

3WC Healthwatch: Stress Kills
This next bit of news is for all the men in their 20s and 30s. Your job could literally be killing you, as we explain in today’s 3WC Healthwatch. A study released by researchers in Finland has discovered that stress at work leads to problems in men’s arteries. Just over one thousand people were tested for the study, which found that men with high stress levels usually showed signs of artery disease. That’s where the artery narrows, preventing blood from getting through and leading to a heart attack or stroke. The same study found however, that the problem was unique to men and that women of the same age didn’t suffer the same way, although it was unclear why. The best way to prevent the arteries from narrowing, according to the study, is to make yourself take a day or two off from work at least every two months. That way you can relax and the strain won’t continue to build.

Smart Start Rodeo Next Two Days
Over the next two days, the rodeo will be in Wilkes County to support a good cause. Smart Start is holding the Mid-Atlantic Sanctioned Championship Pro Rodeo beginning tonight and continuing on Saturday, as a fundraiser for the organization. There will be bull and bronco riding, also a calf roping competition and free pony rides plus face painting and some other events. The rodeo is being held at the Rotary Fairgrounds at Worth Tomlinson Park, starting at 8pm tonight and Saturday. Gates open at 7pm each night and it’s $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 5-12. Kids under 5 will get in free.

All For A Case Of Beer
Wilkesboro police were called out Tuesday night after reports of a break-in at the Fast Track on Hwy 421. When they arrived, the suspects were already gone, having run off with two cases of beer from the business. Officers were given a description of both the getaway vehicle and those inside, which they used to track down the suspects at the Glen Hill Apartments on 268. After a brief chase officers were able to arrest two of the suspects and placed them in the patrol car, while they went searching for the third. After cornering him, they learned the other two had somehow rolled down the patrol car window and climbed out. All three were eventually tracked down and placed under arrest. 17-yr-old Robert Manuel Gonzalez, 19-yr-old Tomas Miguel Gonzalez and 18-yr-old Victor Emanuel Diodato (die-oh-da-toe) were all charged with misdemeanor larceny and resisting arrest.

Regional News

Inmate Killed While Working On I-40
An inmate was killed Thursday morning in Iredell County, while working on a section of I-40. The incident happened just before noon near the Cool Spring Road exit, as the man was picking up trash. As the man was walking along the road, a Ford Expedition swerved off the highway and hit him. Highway Patrol officers are continuing the investigation.

State News

9 People Arrested In Connection With Wildfires
Over the past three months in the southern part of North Carolina, ten different wildfires have been ignited by arson. Now several teenagers are facing charges after being accused of setting them. 17-yr-old Eric Daniel, 16-yr-old Jessie Vazquez and 16-yr-old Katy Lynn Arnold, all of Hope Mills have been charged along with an unnamed 15-yr-old boy. Each faces two counts of felonious burning of woodlands. The charges stem from wildfires set in Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett, Moore and Sampson counties.

Bleak Picture Painted For NC Textiles
A recent study done of North Carolina Community Colleges paints a bleak picture for the state’s textile industry. Over the past six years, the number of workers who had to go back to college more than doubled from 40,000 to just over 109,000. The transition is harder for some textile workers, as 58 of the state’s community colleges have to hold remedial math, reading and writing classes to bring former employees up to current levels.

NASCAR Festival Coming Up On Saturday
Any NASCAR fans who can’t make it out to the All Star Challenge this Saturday have another option. From 10am til 2pm on Saturday, the Hickory Museum of Art will be holding a NASCAR Festival. Artists from across the state will have their works on display, all of which were inspired in some way by racing. The festival is free to the public and for more information you can call 1-828-327-8576.

9 Year Old Publishes Book
A new book has hit the stands in North Carolina, but its’ author is getting more attention than it is. The book “The Adventures of Symbols” was written by 9-yr-old High Point boy Thomas Little, who some scholars have labeled as a child prodigy. Little can memorize World Almanacs, had learned to play the piano by age four and when he was six, was able to get an A in the exams his father gave to college seniors in his classes. Currently Little’s novel is ranked 557,363 on Amazon and the author is already hard at work at his follow up novel “The Symbols versus the Numbers”.

Zoo Asks For More Money
You can add the North Carolina Zoo to the list of groups wanting more money from the state. Zoo officials have asked for $6 million from North Carolina, in addition to the $1.5 million set aside in the state budget. The extra money would be used to build a Children’s Discovery Center at the zoo, an interactive place for kids to learn about zoo animals and other wildlife information. Also the zoo wants to build the Plains Barns, a place to house African wildlife, as it seeks to double the current herd to over 100 animals.

Arsonist Strikes Again In Charlotte
Officials in Charlotte continue to track down an arsonist that’s loose in the Dilworth community today. Thursday morning the criminal left a calling card at a home on Olmstead Park Place, causing $5000 in damage. That’s in addition to over $800,000 in damage he or she has caused within the last two months. Charlotte officials are working on a short description, which lists the person as being small with blonde or light brown hair. However they don’t know if it’s a man or woman.

Sports Headlines

West Set To Play Chatham Central
As the state playoffs continue in high school baseball, West Wilkes now has an opponent for tonight’s game. Chatham Central beat North Moore on Tuesday night, bringing their 21-6 record to the second round to face the 24-4 West Wilkes Blackhawks. Gametime is set for 7pm tonight and we’ll go on the air with the McDonald’s pregame show around 6:45pm.

Wilkes Central Girls Soccer Set For Saturday Game
Wilkes Central’s girls soccer team is on their way to the next round of the playoffs as well, after beating Polk County 4-1 Wednesday night. The 23-2 Lady Eagles will be facing off against Shelby at 7pm Saturday night at Wilkes Central.

Local Man Hits Hole In One
In other local sports, a golfing trip turned into a once in a lifetime moment for one local man in Dobson this week. 95-yr-old Stone Cooper was playing golf with three others at Beaver Creek Golf Club when he got a hole in one. The shot came on the No. 3 hole at the course on Wednesday, marking the second time Cooper has aced a hole at the course. The last time was four years ago.

ACC Baseball To Play At Fenway
In college baseball, members of ACC teams will be playing in a historic ballpark for their conference tournament in 2009. The ACC’s baseball tournament will be held for the first time in Boston’s Fenway Park, giving a bit of a hometown advantage to Boston College. For the next three years, teams will play the tournament in Jacksonville, which has hosted the ACC since 2005. But after 2009 the tournament will be fair game once again, with Greensboro and Tampa Bay both expected to make major pushes.

Brother Of Wake Forest Star Picks Wilmington
One year after graduating high school, Montez Downey has selected a college to attend. Montez, the brother of Wake Forest star Taron Downey, graduated from Bishop McGuiness High in 2005 but never committed to a university. Instead he took the fall semester off and attended junior college in Miami this spring. Now the 6’6 ft. Downey has signed on to play next year at UNC Wilmington, looking to bring the team an added scoring threat with the 23 points, 3 assists and 4 rebounds he averaged as a high school senior.

Labbe Starts Suspension
Around the NASCAR circuit, Dale Jarrett’s team will have to do without their crew chief this week, as Richard Labbe’s suspension kicked in. Labbe had appealed the punishment, but it was rejected by NASCAR’s appeal panel, which said the penalty was in line with current policy. Jarrett also lost 25 points in the Chase for the Cup as part of the penalty and Labbe was fined $25,000. Drivers head down to Lowes Motor Speedway this weekend for the All Star Challenge.

News & Sports For May 18th

Testimony Continues As Trial Gets Set To Wrap Up
Another day of testimony was heard in the case of a Wilkes County soldier accused of murdering his wife. Investigators provided details from the scene last July, describing something that would fit in a horror movie. 18-yr-old Nabila Bare was stabbed over 70 times with seven knives, as the military jury was told. They also heard testimony about messages Brandon Bare left in the kitchen where the body was found. Written on the refrigerator were the words “Satan said she deserved it”, along with a note on the victim’s body that said “Til death do us part”. While prosecutors have portrayed the killing as premeditated, defense attorneys are trying to present it as a crime of passion. According to the defense, Nabila Bare was having an affair with another soldier on the base and was in fact talking to that other man through email just before the murder. Brandon Bare’s attorney said that his client had asked Nabila to stay and work out their problems in the marriage, before losing control and grabbing a nearby meat cleaver. But the suspect’s own words appear to conflict with the defense’s story, as Bare explained to military officials right after the killing the reason behind his gory tactics. He claimed to be imitating the style of famous serial killer Richard Ramirez, better known as the Southern California Night Stalker back in the 1980s. Bare’s trial is expected to wrap up in the next two days, with a verdict possibly by Friday.

Local Woman Falls Prey To Check Thieves
A Moravian Falls woman called sheriff’s deputies this week after getting some unpleasant news from her bank. It seems that someone had been writing checks in her name, with $70 being deducted from her account. It appears that someone stole the checks from her pocketbook, while she had sat it down, but the woman couldn’t provide any information as to when that was or who could have done it. Information about the checks was turned over to deputies and that investigation is ongoing.

No Tax Increase For Wilkes County
Good news today for Wilkes County property owners, as your taxes will remain the same next year. The county’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year is set at $68.3 million, increasing just over 2% from the current term. However those concerned about the cost of property taxes can rest easy, as it’s set to remain the same. Under the new budget, property taxes in Wilkes would stay at 61 cents for every $100 in assessed value, marking the fourth year it’s remained constant. For those wanting to voice their opinions on the budget, a public hearing is set for 6pm on June 6th in the commissioners’ room of the county office building.

Hearing Also Set For School Project
In other news from this week’s commissioners’ meeting, a date and time has been set for a public hearing to deal with the school improvement project. Currently the estimated cost for the project will be $35.9 million, up slightly from the original price of $31 million that was given last April. Under the current plan, the cost of improving all four county high schools would be split between the school system and the county. Bids have since been turned over to county commissioners and comments from the public will be heard during the hearing June 6th at 6pm.

Focus On Schools
As we approach the end of May, changes are going on throughout the school system, with some kids graduating and others moving up to another level. Communities in Schools is also going through some changes, which will be the topic of this week's Focus on the Foothills. Glendora Chipman and Amy Whitley from the organization will be Brian's guests, as they’ll be talking about the changes Communities in Schools has gone through and also the organization’s need for assistance. That’s coming up today at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Mailbox Thieves Hit Moravian Falls Residence
Deputies were called out to a home in Moravian Falls on Tuesday, after thieves ran off with the owner’s mail. The homeowner had been expecting a package from FedEx and called to find out what the delay was. FedEx informed him that the package had been dropped off just before 10am on Tuesday morning, some three hours earlier. That investigation continues.

Wreck Monday Night In Ronda Claims Life
One girl was killed Monday night in an accident just outside of Ronda. Three teenagers were traveling on Popular Springs Road when an animal ran out in front of their car. The driver swerved to avoid it, but lost control and went off the road, slamming into a group of trees. 18-yr-old Tiffany Michelle Rhodes was killed in the crash, while the other passenger 19-yr-old Chantel Darnell was taken to Baptist Medical Center, where she remains in good condition. 18-yr-old Jeremy Nathaniel Barnes, who was driving the car, refused treatment. Highway Patrol officers had Barnes perform a test and found that his blood alcohol content was at 0.05, which was under the limit but still illegal as he was underage.

Saw Stolen From Millers Creek Home
A Millers Creek woman got a surprise this week as thieves ran off with some of her tools. A Miter saw was taken from where it had been laying behind the residence, as work was being done on the property. None of the other tools were taken and nothing else was damaged or even bothered at the residence. Also none of the neighbors could recall hearing or seeing anyone near the house. That investigation continues.

Regional News

Alleghany Considers School Bond
People in Alleghany County might have to make a choice at the polls this November and decide how they want to pay for new schools. County commissioners have agreed to start considering a bond referendum as a way of funding the new middle school that’s set to be built. First the Local Government Commission in Alleghany has to approve the idea. Once that happens, it will go before voters on this year’s ballot.

Officials Working To Find Burke County Girl
A teenager that disappeared last week in Burke County may have been kidnapped, according to officials. 17-yr-old Olivia Nichole Seals vanished after leaving a friend’s house in Morganton on May 7th. Police have used dogs to search an area around the girl’s house this week but found nothing to lead them to the missing teen. In addition, officials said that they have proof several supposed witnesses have lied about where they saw Olivia and their involvement with the case, which has led to a person of interest being questioned. Olivia Seals is described as a Caucasian girl standing 5’7 ft. and weighing 140 lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information is asked to call the Burke County Sheriff’s Department Criminal Investigations Division at 1-828-438-5506.

State News

Ceremony Held To Honor NC Racing
State and local dignitaries were on hand Wednesday morning in Charlotte as North Carolina paid tribute to its’ racing heritage. A historical marker was unveiled at the Old Charlotte Speedway, honoring the first NASCAR race held here in the state, back on June 19th 1949 as part of the Strictly Stock circuit.

Guilford County Schools Owed Over One Million
The city of High Point is facing a $1.5 million debt that has to be paid, according to the State Court of Appeals. Until last year, the city had used cameras at all intersections, targeting those who ran red lights or were caught speeding. But the state ruled that the money generated from those fines should have gone to the school system, instead of to the town. High Point officials are expected to present their case to the State Supreme Court, in hopes of getting the ruling overturned.

NC Lawmaker Arrested In Washington
A North Carolina lawmaker was one of seven people arrested on Wednesday in Washington. Representative Mel Watt and six other members of the Congressional Black Caucus were protesting outside the Embassy of Sudan, blocking the entrance while saying they won’t tolerate genocide. All seven were escorted off the property by the Secret Service and released from jail only after each paid a $50 fine. An estimated 180,000 people have been killed in the three year civil war raging in Sudan.

Sports Headlines

Sign Up For Sertoma Football
Football season is still a few months away, but for kids here in Wilkes County, the signups begins next week. The Wilkes Central Sertoma Football League is holding signups next Tuesday for any rising 3rd through 8th grade boys and girls, in football and cheerleading. The signups will start at Central Wilkes Middle School beginning at 6pm May 24th.

West Set To Play Chatham Central
As the state playoffs continue in high school baseball, West Wilkes now has an opponent for Friday’s game. Chatham Central beat North Moore on Tuesday night, bringing their 21-6 record to the second round to face the 24-4 West Wilkes Blackhawks. Gametime is set for 7pm tomorrow and we’ll go on the air with the McDonald’s pregame show around 6:45pm.

Brackman Lost For Year
Bad news for the NC State Wolfpack in both baseball and basketball. Andrew Brackman will be out for the rest of the baseball season with an injured hip, a problem he’s apparently been dealing with for the past two months. Back in early March team officials said that Brackman mentioned he was having problems with his left hip, but wanted to try and tough it out. Now it turns out he’s been playing with a stress fracture, which helped contribute to the 6’10 ft. sophomore’s horrible numbers this season. In his second season as a member of the baseball team, Brackman went 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA.

Rivers Gets Official Nod
Switching gears to the NFL, a former member of the Wolfpack will be on the field for the first time as a starter this year. San Diego Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers has officially been given the starting job, after an offseason where the team let former starter Drew Brees sign a deal with the New Orleans Saints. In the past two years since coming out of college, Rivers has played a grand total of four games with just one touchdown pass.

NASCAR Holds Contest For Fans
If you’re a NASCAR fan, one lucky guess could win $25,000. The circuit is holding a contest for fans to guess who will get the pole for the Coca Cola 600. For the fan who guesses right and comes closest to the winning time as well, they’ll walk away with the cash. Any U.S. resident 21 and older can play, all you have to do is pick up an entry form at a Circle K or CT Communications store in the Charlotte area and then follow instructions on how to turn it in before qualifying on May 25th. The winner will be announced later that night.

News & Sports For May 17th

Wilkes Catches Break With Rabies
Another virus is on its’ way back to North Carolina, as several counties are reporting more cases of rabies than normal. In fact, things have gotten so serious in Wake County that residents are being advised to immediately seek treatment after coming into contact with any animal. But Wilkes County seems to have been spared so far, with Animal Control reporting only 7 rabies cases this year. Most people recognize that raccoons carry the virus, but what they may not know is that so do bats. In fact, bats have accounted for over 80% of the human deaths from rabies in the past eight years. Here in North Carolina there hasn’t been a human to die from the virus since 1953, but this week in Texas a 16-yr-old boy died after a rabid bat flew into his room and bit him while he was sleeping. Animal Control suggests to solve the problem, make sure that both you and your pets all have current rabies vaccinations.

Beware Of Medicare Scams
Even as we’ve passed the deadline for people to sign up for the Medicare drug benefit, that doesn’t mean con artists have disappeared. People here in North Carolina and across the nation are getting phone calls from con artists pretending to represent a private health insurance company. They say that their company has been allowed to extend the deadline, take your information over the phone and set you up for a plan. Please be warned, no legit health insurance representative would ask for your personal information over the phone. As part of the new benefit, providers are not allowed to market their plans by going door to door or through your email. The only information they can obtain over the phone is your mailing address, to which a copy of their plan can be sent. And even with the deadline passing, you can still sign up with a penalty attached. To do so or to see if the provider that called you was legit, call the toll free Medicare hotline at 1-800-633-4227. It's available to be used 24 hours a day.

Focus On Schools
As we approach the end of May, changes are going on throughout the school system, with some kids graduating and others moving up to another level. Communities in Schools is also going through some changes and coming up on tomorrow's Focus on the Foothills, Brian will be talking with Glendora Chipman about the organization. They'll be discussing both the changes and also assistance from the community that the group finds themselves in need of. That’s coming up tomorrow at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Batteries Taken From Local Home
Thieves tried and failed to run off with several batteries from a McGrady man’s property on Monday. The incident happened at a residence just off of Hwy 18 in McGrady, as the owner was driving home and saw two people coming out of his storage shed and carrying batteries. When they saw the homeowner they dropped the batteries and took off into the woods. Information about both suspects was given to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation continues.

Gas Thieves Hit Uncle Kenny’s
The high price of gas was apparently too much for one man to pay. On Monday, a person in a pickup truck pulled in to Uncle Kenny’s, pumped $40 in gas and then took off down the road without paying. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

3WC Techwatch: New Credit Card Scam
A new credit card scam could have you willingly turning over information to thieves. In this new scheme, a person calls pretending to be from the fraud department of your bank. He or she will then say that they’re checking up on some unusual purchases recently made with your debit or credit card. They’ll give you their name and also an employee ID badge number. In addition, the person will already have your information on hand, in regards to mailing address and they’ll check to see if that’s correct. Then you’ll be given an explanation as to what the unusual purchase was and after you verify that you didn’t buy the item, they’ll agree to credit your account, saying that the company who charged the account is one that’s been long suspected of fraud. Here’s where the scam takes place. The caller will then inform you that he or she is starting an internal fraud investigation and advises that if you have any questions, just call the 1-800 number given on the back of your card. Then they will ask for your card’s security number, to prove you are in possession of it. The security numbers are on the back of your card. The first four are part of the card number but the last three are what’s known as the security numbers. After receiving these, the caller will ask if you have any questions and then hang up. This can be a serious problem due to the fact if the thieves are only asking for your security number, that means they somehow have already obtained your credit or debit information. Now all they need is your security numbers to go on a spending spree. If this happens to you, do not give out those security numbers. Instead hang up and call your bank or credit card company’s fraud department, to let them know what just happened, then follow their recommendations.

Recall Of Chrysler Vehicles
Bad news today for some Chrysler owners, as several thousand 2006 models are being recalled. The recall affects all 2006 models of the Jeep Commander, Jeep Liberty, Dodge Durango, Dodge Dakota and Mitsuibishi Raider. In the Jeep Commander, the bracket mounting for third row seat belts may come lose and cause the belt to give way in a crash. Also on the Liberty, certain models are having issues with the left oxygen sensor wiring harness. It’s coming into contact with the exhaust pipe and has caused the vehicle to go up in flames. Finally for those 2006 Durango, Dakota and Raider models, a problem in the wiring can lead to turn signals, headlights and windshield wipers to malfunction, something most definitely not needed during wintertime. All of these problems can be corrected, by taking it back to the dealership where you bought the car. Also a hotline remains up for anyone who wants more information first at 1-800-853-1403.

Red Cross Looking For Fundraising Help
We’ve talked a lot here on the news about the need for blood in Wilkes County. But thanks to last year’s hurricanes and the cost of relocating survivors, the local Red Cross needs help of a different kind as well. The local chapter continues to sell cookbooks, to help raise the money it needs to cover costs of daily operations. The cost of a cookbook is $10 and it contains recipes from chapter members along with their family and friends. For more information or to purchase one, you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

Regional News

Alleghany County Joins Zoning Group
Alleghany County is no longer out of the ordinary, when it comes to zoning practices. The county’s commissioners approved a plan on Monday to regulate any new businesses that come into the area, by adopting a zoning ordinance. All single family homes and farming property would be exempt from the plan, in addition to any business already in the county.

Raise Coming For Caldwell Teachers
Some teachers in Caldwell County will be getting a raise next year, if a current plan goes through. The Caldwell County School System has put forth a proposal which would give all teachers at Valmead Elementary, Whitnel Elementary and West Lenoir School of Technology a 2% salary supplement. All three of the schools fall under the federal government’s definition of high poverty areas, as over 90% of the students are eligible for free or reduced school lunches. Some teachers at the schools even help families pay for food and new clothes for the kids. The goal, school officials said, was to use the bonus money to help recruit the best and brightest to those areas which need them most.

State News

NC FBI Has New Leader
North Carolina’s FBI Division has a new boss, as Nathan Gray was appointed to the post this week. Gray, a former patrol officer in Kansas City, was named to the position on Monday by FBI Director Robert Mueller. Gray takes over as Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Charlotte office, which has jurisdiction over all of North Carolina. In his 16 years as an FBI agent, Gray worked as part of the Organized Crime Section and also served as part of a taskforce investigating drug trafficking in Asia.

Cannon To Be Displayed For An Hour
For a moment later today, people in North Carolina will be able to see a piece of the past. Archaeologists are set to raise a cannon up from a ship off the coast of North Carolina that many believe to be the Queen Anne’s Revenge, captained by the legendary pirate Blackbeard. From noon til 1pm, the cannon will be on display at Fort Macon State Park, before being wrapped up and sent away to QAR Conservation Lab in Greenville. There the cannon will be preserved through a three year cleaning and protection process.

A New Hospital Set To Open Up In Kernersville
It’s been called the Fastest Growing City Without A Hospital. Now Kernersville will be loosing that title, as plans are in the works to build a treatment center there. A 50 bed hospital is set to be built as an extension of the Forsyth Medical Center system. All that’s needed now is for the state to approve the plan, which was given to North Carolina leaders on Monday. If construction begins soon, the hospital should be taking patients by the summer of 2009.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
Taking a look around the high school scene, the state playoffs have started in baseball and two Wilkes County teams were in on the action. Wilkes Central fell to East Rutherford 6-4 in first round action. With the loss, the Eagles end their season at 10-16. West Wilkes meanwhile advanced to the second round, beating Albemarle 6-3 in front of an energized crowd in Blackhawk County. Josh Zumbrook hit his 7th home run of the year as West moves on to face the winner of the game between North Moore and Chatham Central. That second round game will be held at West Friday night starting around 7pm.

Rule Change Coming For NCAA
A change could be coming in the rules for college basketball. If approved, the rule change would make it illegal for a player to call timeout when falling out of bounds. Players can still call timeouts if they’re on the ground, but just not when sailing in the area. There’s still one last hurdle to climb, as the change has to be approved later this month by the NCAA Rules Oversight Panel.

Lowe Adds Another Piece To State Puzzle
New NC State head coach Sidney Lowe has added another piece to his coaching staff, bringing in former Coastal Carolina coach Pete Strickland as an assistant. Strickland joins a staff that includes Monte Towe, Larry Harris and new director of basketball operations Quentin Jackson. Under Lowe’s management, all three assistants will have an equal share in the duties, game planning, scouting, recruiting and working with players in practice.

Elon Suiting Up To Play A Loaded Schedule
In college football, Elon University is looking to step up the level of competition they face. The school released its’ nonconference schedule for both 2007 and 2008 this week, with several big name teams on the list. The first game of 2007 will see the Elon Phoenix at Wake Forest, taking on the Demon Deacons. Also in 2007 Elon will take on Liberty and Stoney Brook. Then in 2008 the Phoenix will play William & Mary and Richmond, before facing Liberty and Stoney Brook again.

Johnson Signs Extension
Around the NASCAR circuit, Jimmie Johnson has found a home for at least the next four years. Johnson signed an extension this week that will keep him with Hendrick Motorsports through 2010. The 30 –yr-old Johnson has won more races than anyone else on the circuit over the last four years, while driving the #48 Chevy.

News & Sports For May 16th

Trial Starts For Wilkes County Soldier
On Monday opening statements were heard in the court martial of a Wilkes County soldier accused of murdering his wife. Specialist Brandon Bare was arrested last July after the body of his wife Nabila Bare was found at their home on base at Fort Lewis Washington. She had been stabbed over 70 times with knives and a meat cleaver, which along with other evidence prosecutors argue proves that the crime was premeditated. Defense attorneys meanwhile have said that Bare had been going through an intensive therapy program to deal with anger management issues and appears to have suddenly snapped. Bare had returned from combat in Iraq when the murder happened, recovering from injuries he sustained in a grenade attack. Those injuries, including some to his head, caused him to be awarded the Purple Heart. Attorneys say that Bare quickly grew angry with his 18-yr-old wife’s partying and three months after his return, her body was found in their house. Bare’s trial is expected to last the rest of this week and wrap up with a decision on Friday.

Battling The Mumps Part II: How To Protect
The Mumps virus has made its’ return to North Carolinas, with reported cases in Mecklenburg, Forsyth and Guilford Counties. Be sure and tune in today as 3WC News continues its' series on mumps, as Brian will be talking with Wilkes County Health Director Beth Lovette.

Desperate Race Fans Hit Local Home
Apparently some NASCAR fans in Wilkes County were desperate to get tickets to the All Star race in Charlotte, as they broke into a local man’s home to do just that. The incident happened at a home on NC Hwy 18 South and there is a suspect in the case, as a woman had been staying with the man and his wife. When she moved out, so did the tickets. In addition, the suspect admitted to a friend that she had stolen the tickets. A criminal summons was issued for Jennifer Lynn Foster and she was picked up on a charge of larceny.

Blood Drive Later Today
With the recent string of accidents on local roads and poor turnout at recent drives, the blood supply in Wilkes remains near critical levels. To help solve the problem, the Red Cross is asking everyone who is available to please come out and give blood today at the Ronda Community Center. The blood drive will run from 2-6:30pm and is open to the public. As always you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs to give blood. The number to call to set up an appointment is 838-4563.

Gas Thieves Hit Local Business
Gas thieves hit another business in Wilkes County over the weekend, this time targeting Foster’s Grocery in Ronda. On Saturday morning, a man pulled up in a Green Explorer, pumped $40 in gas and then drove off down the road, squealing tires as he left. Information about both the vehicle and driver were turned over to sheriff’s deputies and that investigation continues.

Thieves Hit North Wilkesboro Home
A North Wilkesboro man got a surprise when he returned home over the weekend, as thieves had paid a visit. Someone had got onto the property, cutting the locks and chains off the man’s horse gate and horse trailer. The thieves then took both the horse and trailer. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Permanent Recall Ordered For Eye Solution
A certain brand of contact solution has been permanently taken off the market, after being linked to an eye infection. As 3WC News told you back in April, the Bausch & Lomb company’s newest eye cleaner ReNu with MouistureLoc was linked to over 100 cases of a fungal eye infection that can cause blindness. Now that the number of cases has reached 122, the company is completely pulling the item from store shelves and suggesting that anyone using the cleaner toss it in the trash. The CDC is still attempting to determine the specific cause of the infection, which is believed to be tied in with the unique disinfecting agent used in the cleaner.

Mailbox Vandals Hit North Wilkesboro Home
Mailbox vandals hit yet another Wilkes County residence over the weekend, with a North Wilkesboro man falling victim this time. The incident happened at a home on Statesville Road, as the man came out Saturday morning to get his mail, only to find the box had been damaged during the night. Despite the damage, no one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything during the night. That investigation continues.

Just Wanted To Have A Look Around
Someone broke into a Purlear man’s home, apparently just to have a look around. The rear window of the home on Boone Trail was shattered, but nothing was missing from inside and there was no other sign of damage in the residence. An estimated $300 worth of damage was done and deputies are continuing that investigation.

Regional News

Caldwell County To Ask State For Aid
Caldwell County doesn’t plan on spending money for Medicaid this next year, instead wanting the state to pay for it. County commissioners are expected to draft a proposal in tonight’s meeting, requesting that North Carolina cover the $4.5 million that constitutes Caldwell’s share. Under state law, counties have to share the cost of Medicaid with both the state and federal government

State News

NC In Hurricanes’ Path This Year
North Carolina could be in the path of a hurricane this year, according to the AccuWeather forecasting service. The service issued a report on Monday, detailing their predictions for the upcoming season. All total, 5 hurricanes are expected to hit the U.S., with a different state at risk at different times. In June & early July, Texas and the Gulf Coast are the most at risk. Then in late July and stretching on through August and into early September, the threat is expected to shift to North and South Carolina. Then in September til the end of the season, the focus will shift yet again, this time targeting the Northeast and south Florida.

North Carolina Not In Favor Of Bush
A new survey shows that North Carolina isn’t happy with the job being done by President Bush. The latest poll from Survey USA shows that only 35% of North Carolina residents support the president, while 63% disapprove and 3% weren’t sure. The poll was taken before President Bush spoke to the nation last night and has a error rate of plus or minus four percent.

Man Burns Down House After Snuffing Cigarette
A man in Denver North Carolina is picking up the pieces today after burning his house down with one cigarette. The man had set a bowl of paint thinner on his coffee table, before going back to work. Later on that night he came in and forget the liquid was paint thinner, attempting to put out his cigarette with it. Instead, that ignited a fire, which quickly caught some nearby papers and spread to the rest of the house. The man and his wife barely had time to get out before the entire place went up in flames. Firefighters believe that the entire place burned to the ground in less than 15 minutes.

Troutman Man Charged With Murder
A Troutman man is facing murder charges in Iredell County today. 56-yr-old Savannah Lee Campbell has been charged with second degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon and driving while impaired after a weekend wreck that claimed the life of a Statesville boy and injured another. The two boys were walking on a Statesville sidewalk Sunday night when Campbell lost control of his vehicle and it jumped the curb, hitting both boys. More charges are pending in the case.

Sports Headlines

High School Baseball Tonight
The state playoffs are in full swing and the 3WC Sports Team will be in the thick of things tonight. The West Wilkes varsity baseball team not only won the Northwest 1-A regular season title, but topped things off by claiming the conference tournament crown as well. They’ll host Albemarle tonight in round one of the state playoffs, with the first pitch set for 7pm. We’ll go on the air with the McDonald’s pregame show around 6:45pm.

Duke To Meet Gonzaga For The First Time
In college basketball, two of the top programs in the nation will meet for the first time next December. As the schedules are being released for next season, Duke and Gonzaga will match up on December 21st in Madison Square Garden. Since the year 2000, the two teams are the only ones in the nation to have won 80% of their games. Gonzaga will have a bit of an edge coming into the contest,a s they’re 7-1 against the ACC while Duke is working to replace their two top scorers in J.J. Redick and Shelton Williams.

UNC To Play In Charlotte
Some more news from college basketball, as the Preseason NIT brackets have been released. Three schools with Carolina ties are in the field, including Winthrop, UNC Wilmington and the UNC Tarheels. The Heels will open up with a game in Bobcats Arena Nov. 14th playing against Sacred Heart. Winthrop will be in the building that same night, playing against Iona. Wilmington meanwhile will be playing at the Nashville Tennessee site against Belmont in the opening round. And for all the Carolina fans who can’t make it out to the Nov. 14th game, the next night’s matchup between the first round winners will be televised.

Brackman Looking To Change
A member of the NC State Wolfpack is going on the road and looking to go through some changes this summer. Andrew Brackman, the 6-10 ft. 240 lb. basketball and baseball player, is heading out to the Cape Cod League after the season is over. Cape Cod is the top summer league for high school and college baseball players, who have a legitimate shot at the major leagues. Brackman is working to drop about 20 lbs. from the 240 he’s at now, in order to gain more mobility on the basketball court and also improve his mechanics on the mound.

NASCAR Wanting To Expand
Some more changes could be coming in the NASCAR schedule if the organization has its’ way. Officials want to hold races in each of the Top ten U.S. markets within the next few years, which could mean bad news for the smaller venues on the circuit. New York, Boston, Miami and Chicago are the among the cities that NASCAR wants to have on the schedule in the near future, along with places out of the country such as Mexico City and possibly Montreal Canada. However in each of the areas, things aren’t going as smooth as expected. In New York, the committee in charge of putting together the track has been restructured, with members leaving and others coming in. In Montreal, NASCAR is having to negotiate a deal with Formula One, to buy out the local track’s contract.

News & Sports For May 15th

Medicare Deadline Is Here
The deadline is here for senior citizens who want to enroll in Medicare. An estimated 43 million Americans qualify for the program, 13 million of which are senior citizens with little or no income. Out of that number, slightly less than 10% still haven't signed up. But if you are in that 10% and don't sign up today, there will be complications if you change your mind down the road.
For each day that you wait, a penalty will be added to your premium, one that will stay with you as long as you’re on the Medicare plan. The longer you wait, the higher the penalty gets. As it stands now, no Medicare plan can have a deductible higher than $250 this year. But beginning tomorrow May 16th, penalties will start to be added to that. Also if you wait to sign up, it will take longer for your coverage to take effect. To sign up or for more information about what plans are available, you can log on to www.medicare.gov or talk to someone at 1-800-MEDICAR.

Wilkes Woman Part Of Investigation
Highway Patrol officers are trying to determine what role a Wilkes County woman played in a fatal accident late Friday night in Lewisville. The incident happened before 9:40pm on Highway 421, as an SUV slammed into the back of a motorcycle, causing it to flip over a nearby guardrail and fall down the embankment. One passenger on the bike was killed in the crash and another was wounded, taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center where he remains in critical condition. When the Highway Patrol arrived on scene, they noticed the right front corner of the Mercury Mountaineer had been damaged and smoke was pouring from the hood. However the driver appeared to have fled the scene, as the keys were missing and no body could be found near the vehicle. Troopers have since tracked the vehicle's registration to a Wilkes County woman although it's still unknown if she was in fact behind the wheel.

Hundreds Come Out For Dedication Ceremony
The first ever Greenway Day was held in Wilkes County this past Saturday, with several hundred people making the trip. The event started with a trail dedication at the Tyson Trailhead 10am Saturday morning, with 5th District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx and current State Senator John Garwood in attendence. The new section of the trail, as executive director Bill Clifton explained in this week's Focus on the Foothills, completes the first phase of the Greenway Project which now stands at approximately 1.9 miles long. Work crews will begin Phase Two in July, adding an additional 1.9 miles to the Greenway stretching from the YMCA to Moravian Creek.

Wilkes Part Of Large Problem For NC Schools
Here in Wilkes and across North Carolina, the student population is increasing. With that increase comes a need for new schools or renovations to ones already standing, something that will cost the state an estimated $10 billion over the next five years. That figure comes from a survey released this week by the State Board of Education, detailing education projects in all 100 counties. North Carolina school enrollment is expected to hit 1.5 million students within the next eight years, straining already crowded classrooms. Right now over 7000 trailers are being used to house students across the state, as counties search for the money to build new facilities. Here in Wilkes, the local board has a $33 million renovation deal on the table for high schools, to help at least temporarily solve the problem. Still, state leaders from the Board of Education are calling for a change, not in personnel but in thinking. Members are calling on county leaders to help fund repairs and renovations, both of current schoos and those being built so that North Carolina wouldn’t be in this situation again.

Battling The Mumps Part I: What Is It?
Wilkes County could be facing a serious problem in the coming months, as an old illness has made its' return to the area. Mumps is going around the United States and already there are reported cases in Mecklenburg, Forsyth and Guilford Counties. But what is the virus and how can we protect against it? Tune in to the 3WC News today for part one of Brian's interview with Beth Lovette, Wilkes County Health Director. That's at 12 noon, 5 & 7pm.

Save The Speedway Returns
Plans are moving forward to save the North Wilkesboro Speedway. After their attempt to bring in investors to buy the speedway failed, the group Save the Speedway faded into the background. Now after months of restructuring, the group has returned with a new plan of attack. Their goal is to raise part of the needed funds through online auctions, which begin this week. The first auction will be of an original painting of Dale Earnhardt Sr. done by Tennessee painter Bryan Haren and signed by Richard Childress. In the weeks to come other paintings signed by current NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Dale Jarett and Kevin Harvick will be up for auction, all of which you can view by logging on to www.savethespeedway.net.

3WC Healthwatch: The Problem With Beef
Before you fire up the grill this summer, you might want to make some changes to the menu, as we explain in today’s 3WC Healthwatch. A study done by the American Association for Cancer Research found that a compound that can be formed when barbequing meat actually raises the risk of prostate cancer. The compound, called PhIP, is created when meat is cooked at very high temperatures, until it’s charred. Once ingested, that charred meat can act as an ignition switch, possibly leading to prostrate cancer. Now that doesn’t mean you have to toss out the grill, just be careful when cooking your meat. The Association recommends that you marinade meat before cooking, using about 4 fluid ounces of marinade for every 1 lb. of meat. That cuts down on the amount of carcinogens inside, possibly up to 90%. And while using the marinade, be sure and turn the food over from time to time, to make sure all areas are covered. Also another way to protect against cancer is to cut the fat off meat before ooking it and then also cutting off any charred or burned pieces before you start eating. It might mean a few extra minutes before supper is ready, but that could also be the difference between a clean bill of health and a trip to the hospital for cancer treatments.

Regional News

Road Construction May Delay Travel
For anyone traveling through portions of Caldwell County over the next few weeks, it could take longer than expected. Work crews are repaving sections of the road stretching between Lenoir and Blowing Rock, as part of a project to expand it to a four lane highway. The project is expected to continue for at least two weeks, meaning that anyone traveling U.S. 321 should expect delays as traffic is down to one lane.

State News

Severe Weather Hits North Carolina
North Carolina was hit by severe thunderstorms on Sunday, with several thousand dollars in damage done. A tornado is believed to have touched down in Cabarrus County, tossing trees across the road and downing power lines. In addition, hail fell in Catawba and Lincoln counties, with the National Weather Service reporting tangerine sized hail shattering windshields in Catawba County near Maiden. In Mooresville, police officials said that so much hail fell, it looked like a layer of snow covering the ground.

Sara Lee Workers On Unemployment
Bad news for workers in the Eden North Carolina area, as over 100 of them are finding themselves on the unemployment line today. On Saturday, Sara Lee Textiles shut down its' Eden plant, as part of an ongoing effort to restructure the company. Most of the workers had already been terminated, with 180 of them released after their shift on May 1st. Now the final group of workers are on the unemployment line as the company said changes were needed thanks to cheaper products coming from overseas competitors.

Winson Man Arrested For Selling Social Security Cards
Officials in Winston Salem uncovered a forgery operation over the weekend. Information from the Gang Inelligence Unit led to a home on Hutton Street, where they found blank ID cards and forged social security cards. Jose Garcia Flores has been arrested as the investigation continues. Flores had been making the cards and selling them to illegal immigrants.

Carrboro Official Wants Noncitizens To Vote
Officials in Carrboro want noncitizens to be allowed to vote. The issue was brought up on Friday at a meeting of the Board of Aldermen, where officials asked that state lawmakers amend the constitution. If approved, legal residents of the state, along with those who are filing for U.S. citizenship, would be allowed to cast ballots in the local election. State Senator Ellie Kinnaird and Representatives Verla Insko and Joe Hackney have said that they plan to bring up the idea before the entire General Assembly when the long session begins after the November elections.

Sports Headlines

Wilkes Central Advances To Third Round
Over the weekend in high school soccer, the second round of the state playoffs was held and Wilkes Central advanced. Central beat South Stokes 12-0, moving on to round three. They'll face off against the winner of tonight's Smokey Mountain and Polk High School game, which starts at 6pm.

Girls Track Results
Around the high school track scene, it was a busy weekend for East and West Wilkes athletes. On the girls side, it was Amanda Davis for West Wilkes placing third in the 200 with a time of 26.90 and then taking first place in the 400, with a time of 1:00:30. In the 800, Leah Treadaway from West Wilkes took fourth place with a time of 2:39:00. Meredith Staley from West Wilkes took second in the 1600 with Anna Hayes from East Wilkes coming in third. East Wilkes runners also took second and third in the 3200, with Anna Hayes placing second and Amanda Williams coming in third. In other track action, it was Melanie Frye from West placing first in the 100 Hurdles, also she took first in the Pole Vault and the Long Jump, while placing third in the High Jump. In the Triple Jump, West Wilkes' Amanda Davis came in fourth, while Meredith Wingler from West was third in the Discus. In team events, West Wilkes girls placed 2nd in the 4x400 while in the 4x800, East Wilkes was third and Wilkes came in fourth.

Boys Track Results
On the boys side, it was Trey Bryan from West taking first place in the 400 with a time of 51.70. Nathan Jordan from East came in third with a time of 52.60. Steven Branch from West took first place in the pole vault, while his teammate Wesley Scercy got first in the Triple Jump. East Wilkes' Landon Walker placed third in both the discus and shot put, while the East Wilkes boys took second place in the 4X800.

Biffle Wins At Darlington
Around the NASCAR circuit, it was Greg Biffle conquering the Lady in Black, as he took the checkered flag in this weekend's Dodge Charger 500. Biffle held off Jeff Gordon to get the win, as #24 came in second. Matt Kenseth was third, Jimmie Johnson fourth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounded out the top five.

Jarrett Joining Waltrip
Next year will bring a change for at least one driver on the NASCAR circuit. Dale Jarrett announced this weekend that he'll be leaving Robert Yates Racing at the end of the season to join up with Michael Waltrip's new Toyota operation. The 49-yr-old Jarrett and Waltrip will be teammates, with possibly another car being added to the garage in the near future, according to Waltrip. Jarrett said it was a difficult decision, but he liked the opportunities that Waltrip offered, such as the possibility of managing a team after he retired or becoming a part owner.

News & Sports For May 12th

Medicare Deadline Approaching
Time is ticking down for senior citizens who want to enroll in Medicare. An estimated 43 million Americans qualify for the program, 90% of whom have already signed up for a drug benefit plan. However if you are in that final 10%, there are some things you might want to know. First of all if you don’t sign up by Monday and decide to change your mind later on, there will be complications. For each day that you wait, a penalty will be added to your premium, one that will stay with you as long as you’re on the Medicare plan. The longer you wait, the higher the penalty gets. As it stands now, no Medicare plan can have a deductible higher than $250 this year. But beginning May 16th, penalties will start to be added to that. Also if you wait to sign up, it will take longer for your coverage to take effect. To sign up or for more information about what plans are available, you can log on to www.medicare.gov or talk to someone at 1-800-MEDICAR.

John Wishon Named To The Top Five
The list of Top Five Finalists have been released for the Singing News Fan Awards and our own John Wishon made the list for Favorite Small Market DJ of the Year. Ballots for the final round of voting will be released in the July issue of the Singing News magazine. Then the winner for Small Market DJ and the other categories will be announced during the National Quartet Convention in Louisville Kentucky September 14th.

Thieves Break Into McGrady Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a McGrady home this week, after thieves paid a visit. The incident happened at a home on the North Ridge Road, as thieves broke in through a side door and caused over $2000 worth of damage. Walls were dented, doors were broken and almost $300 in material was stolen from the home, including a ceiling fan and the home’s water heater. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Recall Ordered For More Volvo Cars
Bad news for some Volvo owners out there, as another recall has been ordered. Volvo is calling back all of its’ XC90 cars from the 2003 to the 2006 model. The problem is that poor manufacturing on some of the SUVs can lead to a deformity in the outer tie rod ball joint. If too much weight is applied, over time the deformity can grow into a fracture for the joint, making it hard to maneuver with the vehicle. Owners can bring back the vehicle for a free repair to the dealer they got it from. Also you can call the Volvo company with any questions at 1-800-458-1552.

Vandals Target Boomer Residence
Vandals hit a home in the Boomer community this week, causing an estimated $100 in damage. The incident happened at a residence on the High Rock Road Wednesday afternoon, as deputies found someone had shattered a window and broke into his storage building. Nothing was taken in the theft and that investigation continues.

Bikes Stolen From Local Shed
Thieves broke into some property on the Hamby Mtn. Road earlier this week, running off with two mountain bikes when they left. The bikes had been stored in a shed on the property, but it hadn’t been locked up. No one in the area could recall seeing or hearing anyone near the shed on Wednesday, when the theft was noticed. That investigation continues.

Blood Drive Going On Later Today
Over the past week wrecks and injuries have depleted the county’s blood supply, dropping it down near critical levels. To help solve the problem, a blood drive is going on today at the New River Behavioral Healthcare Center from 9:30am til 12:30pm. The only way to give is by appointment for this drive, so if you want to set up a time, the number to call is 838-4563. The Wilkes Red Cross asks that all donors eat well and drink plenty of fluids before coming and be sure to bring a picture ID with you.

Deer Takes Out Local Woman’s Van
A local woman’s van was totaled after an accident Wednesday night on Hwy 18 North. The incident happened at the Woodfield intersection, as a deer came running out of the woods and directly in her path. She couldn’t slow down in time and slammed into the animal, causing an estimated $1500 worth of damage. Thankfully the woman walked away without any injuries.

State News

Hunt Continues For Escaped Inmate
The hunt is on for an escaped Haywood County inmate. Michael Glen Trivette was arrested and charged on Sunday with six different offenses, including breaking & entering, assaulting an officer and possession of a stolen car. However due to a cut the man had on his arm, he was taken to the hospital, where his handcuffs were removed for the X-ray machine. When Trivette didn’t come out of the room deputies went in, only to find he had disappeared.

More Changes Requested In Lottery Spending
Groups are coming out of the woodwork to request money from the state’s new education lottery. In addition to public schools, officials from charter schools around the state are asking for a share of the proceeds. Currently there are 97 charter schools in North Carolina, all of which are controlled by independent groups instead of school districts. Under the current guidelines, each of these schools get state funding on a per student basis, but they want that to change with the lottery money coming in.

Jobs And Money On The Way To Burlington
Some good news for workers at one Burlington plant. While in most parts of the state, textiles are suffering, Special I Hosiery Mills has just landed a major contract. The company signed a deal this week with the Department of Defense worth an estimated $7 million, to provide the troops with special socks and boots that can protect against microbacteria.

North Rowan Teacher Resigns
Charges are pending against a North Rowan High School teacher, as he stands accused of supplying alcohol to teens after the prom. Paul Edgar, a social studies teacher at the school, was arrested for driving while impaired on Sunday, with a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit. According to parents, several teens were invited over to Edgar’s home after the prom, where he supplied the alcohol. Edgar has resigned this week as the investigation was made public. Salisbury police say they expect to have charges brought in the next few days.

TB Found In Mecklenburg County
Officials in Mecklenburg County are dealing with a case of tuberculosis today, after the local health department confirmed that a student had the disease. One of the students at Mountain Island Elementary has tested positive for TB, causing the county to order testing on all the school’s students. That’s set to go on next Tuesday and in the meantime parents are being asked to keep a close eye on the kids for any symptoms.

Minutemen Have To Cancel Rally
The Minuteman Project had to cancel their rally on Wednesday night, which was set to be held in Greensboro. The reason was they couldn’t find a location that would allow them to come in. The group, which organizes patrols at the Mexican border to keep out illegal immigrants, wanted to start a North Carolina chapter. If and when the rally is rescheduled, some protestors are already guaranteeing to be there. The western North Carolina chapter of the International Socialist Organization has announced plans to protest, saying they want the Minutemen to know the people don’t want them here.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
Around the high school scene, a new conference champion was crowned last night in varsity baseball. West Wilkes beat East Surry 8-4 in the Northwest 1-A conference championship. Blackhawk pitchers kept East Surry off balance all night, only giving up 5 hits in route to the win. With the win, West wraps up this part of the season with a 21-4 record, heading into the state playoffs.

Changes Coming For High Schools
In other high school sports, some changes will be coming next season in the way playoff teams are decided. North Carolina’s High School Athletic Association approved some changes we first told you about last month on the Sportsdesk. In their meeting last week, the association agreed to expand the playoff brackets in baseball, basketball and softball along with volleyball. Also there will be a change in the way wildcard teams are selected, as it will be based on just the team’s conference record, and not their overall schedule. All of these changes will take effect in the fall.

Sidney Lowe Filling Out His Staff
Taking a look at the college scene, new NC State men’s basketball coach Sidney Lowe is wasting no time in putting together his staff. Lowe welcomed back assistant coach Larry Harris, who had been part of Herb Sendek’s staff for the past ten years. In addition, Quentin Jackson, a former point guard for the Wolfpack, will take over as director of basketball operations. Since ending his playing career with the Harlem Globetrotters, Jackson has worked as a coach for Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh and also the Raleigh Elite AAU team.

Appalachian Football Team Honored
Switching to college football, members of the Appalachian State football team were honored this week by North Carolina lawmakers. The House & Senate invited the team to come out for a special joint session, where they passed a resolution in honor of Applachian’s first ever national championship.

Date And Time Set For Car Care Bowl
The date and time has been set for at least one of the postseason bowl games. The Meineke Car Care Bowl, which is played here in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, will be held this year on Saturday December 30th. Thanks to recent sellouts the bowl is gaining attention, as it’s averaged just under 64,000 people the last four years. This year ESPN will be on hand as well, broadcasting the event. Until this season, the lower watched ESPN2 had been the station covering the matchup. Kickoff will be a little later in the day as well, scheduled for 1pm.

Another NC Football Player Signs With NFL Team
Around the NFL, another football player with ties to North Carolina has signed a free agent deal. NC A&T offensive lineman Walter Stith went undrafted in April, but has come to terms on a contract with the Cleveland Browns. Stith impressed team officials during their first minicamp last week after a college season that saw him ranked in the top 15% at his position. The 6’8 ft. 320 lb. Stith will fight for a spot in the starting lineup when training camp begins later this summer.

News & Sports For May 11th

Families Struggling To Pay Living Expenses
Despite what politicians may say, things aren't looking good for families both here in Wilkes and across North Carolina. According to a study released by the N.C. Budget and Tax Center, almost half of the families with children here in the state can't afford to pay for basic living expenses with what they earn from their paychecks. That includes being able to pay for child care, food, healthcare, housing, transportation and taxes. Research showed that it would take earnings of $44,256 for a two parent, two child family to survive without assistance in a city. That number was reduced to $39,264 when dealing with rural areas such as here in Wilkes County. For single parent families, it would take $33,072 to survive on their own in a city and $27732 in a rural area. 49.1% of families here in the state are given some form of assistance because their earnings don't meet those levels.

Local Man Arrested After Assault
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to an Elkin residence on Tuesday, with reports of a disturbance. When they arrived at the home on Byrd Curve Road, a shouting match could be heard and looking inside a window, saw a man holding a knife to the throat of a woman. The deputies entered the house with weapons drawn and ordered the man to give up the knife and get down on the floor, which he did. 47-yr-old Randall Smoot was then arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.

Foxx Bill Passes House
A bill sponsored by 5th District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx may soon make planning for life after the military easier for our troops. The Heroes Earned Retirement Opportunities Act, HR 1499, changes the IRS code to allow soldiers to put some of their hazard pay into IRA accounts. Previously because hazard pay isn’t taxed income, troops didn’t make enough to qualify for most IRA plans. Under the new bill, combat pay earned in 2004 and 2005 will also be eligible to be put into IRA accounts.

Affects Of The Drought Part II
Yesterday 3WC News aired a conversation with Matt Millen from the Wilkes Cooperative Extension, discussing effects Wilkes County has suffered from the drought. But the news isn’t all bad, as it turns out the dry weather has actually helped in one circumstance. Wilkes and the surrounding counties should be almost mosquito free for the next month, according to officials from the American Mosquito Control Association. The western part of North Carolina is harassed each year by 25 different types of mosquitos, but without standing water puddles to breed in, the bug population is lower than normal. And you can expect it to stay that way, according to Association officials. They say that even if Wilkes has several inches of rain over the next month, the ground won’t be wet enough for the bugs to return.

3WC Techwatch: Keeping An Eye On Credit
Keeping track of your credit report is a good way to avoid being a victim of ID theft. But as we explain in today’s 3WC Techwatch, you need to be careful. Now more than ever it’s important to keep up with your credit cards and make sure no one’s using your name. However free credit report scams are popping up, as hackers change with the technology. Everyone is eligible to order one free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting companies as of September of last year. But hackers have set up several dummy websites that for all intents and purposes appear to be the real thing. The only difference is that once your information is entered, you get locked out while the information is used to ruin your credit. The Federal Trade Commission has located 130 imposter sites over the last year alone. To solve the problem, you can get a free credit report by going through the Federal Trade Commission’s website at www.ftc.gov. You can follow the directions on the site to one of the three credit reporting companies and guarantee that your information is secure. Or if you’re not comfortable using the internet, then request the information over the phone by calling 1-877-322-8228. After all, it’s better to deal with this now instead of finding out later.

Salvation Army Offering Help
Many families can find themselves in a time of need as it can be hard to pay the bills and also put food on the table. The local Salvation Army is helping to solve that by taking applications for their financial assistance program. The program is open to anyone who can demonstrate a need for help paying utility or rent bills. However before going out, please remember that you can only be seen with an appointment, during either Tuesday or Thursday from 1-5pm. Also there is a limited amount of money available to help, given out on a need based approach. The Salvation Army is located in the Wilkes United Way office building, at 910 C Street in Wilkesboro. For more information or to set up an appointment you can call 651-7800.

Regional News

Body Found In Alleghany County
Alleghany County authorities are trying to piece together what happened to a man found dead on a local road over the weekend. A person living in the area just off of Chevy Lane near Sparta found the body after trying to discover the source of a strange smell. Officials still don’t know how the man died, as the body was severely decomposed and the sheriff’s department believe it had been in the area for at least a month.

State News

Fight Over State Budget Begins
Less than two days after the state budget was released and already members of both parties have introduced bills to spend part of the money. Two bills have been introduced in the General Assembly, one which would create an amendment to the state constitution, guaranteeing that profits from the lottery would go directly to state school systems. The second bill would redirect some of that money, making it so that larger school districts would get a bigger piece of the pie. In addition, House Speaker Jim Black said that Gov. Easley’s proposed sales tax cut was a possibly, but not something that he wanted to commit to. The sales tax was raised to 7% as a temporary move back in 2001, in order to help cover deficits in the state budget.

Jobs Coming To Rockingham County
Good news for people job hunting in Rockingham County, as another company is set to relocate there. Bridgestone Aircraft Tire announced plans this week to build a new plant in Mayodan, bringing 95 jobs to a struggling economy. In addition, the company will be investing $13.5 million over the next three years, as it moves operations from its’ current plant in Miami. Officials say they want to have all of the 95 positions filled by the end of
2007.

New Gas Plan Could Soon Be In Place
If a North Carolina congressman has his way, gas prices could soon be a lot cheaper. 8th District Congressman Robin Hayes has introduced a bill known as the E-85 Investment Act of 2006. The bill is named after E-85 gas, an alternative fuel developed from 85% ethanol and only 15% gasoline. It’s cheaper to produce than regular gas and is also safer for the environment. In the bill, any company who makes E-85 available would receive a 75% tax credit up to $30,000.

DMV Office In Marion Shut Down
North Carolina has one less DMV office today, after state officials shut down the license tag office in Marion. SBI agents have also been brought in to investigate a case of embezzlement at the office, to the tune of $134,000. A Department of Transportation spokesman said that it’s believed the money was stolen over the last three years, beginning in November of 2003 and the office manager was not involved.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
Around the high school scene, conference tournaments are in full swing. Wilkes Central lost a heartbreaker in the Mountain Valley Conference semifinals, being beat by North Surry 14-7. The news was better however for the West Wilkes Blackhawks, as they pulled off the 3-2 victory over Bishop McGuiness. Down 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh, Corey Taylor hit a bases clearing double to win the game for the Blackhawks. If the weather cooperates, they'll play in the conference championship at 7pm.

Tarheel Baseball Team Sets A Record
Switching gears to talk college baseball, a record was set this week by the UNC Tarheels. The Heels baseball team beat Campbell on Tuesday night 6-3, recording their 40th win on the season. With the victory, the Heels become the first team in the nation to get 40 wins and also set a school record, as this marks 5 straight years the UNC team has gotten 40 wins or more.

Possible Problems For MLB Baseball
In the major leagues, a hidden clause in the labor contract could make all of these steroid allegations pointless. According to the deal, which expires after this season, if a new contract hasn’t been reached by August 1st, the players’ union has the option of terminating the drug testing policy. If that happens, next season drug testing would be done under the old rules. The news has caught the attention of the House Government Reform Committee, which sent a letter this week to baseball commissioner Bud Selig and union president Donald Fehr, saying that it raised concerns. Negotiations are continuing with the deal set to expire on December 19th.

Chris Paul Named Rookie Of The Year
A former ACC player was named Rookie of the Year by the NBA this week. On Wednesday, the league announced that Chris Paul had won almost unanimously, with all but one vote, marking the largest margin of victory in 16 years. After leaving Wake Forest for the New Orleans Hornets, Chris Paul led all rookies in scoring with 16 points a game, assists with 7.8, steals with 2.2 a game and minutes played at 36.4 a night. Deron Williams from Utah received the only other vote in the balloting.

NHL PLayoffs: Hurricanes Take Game Three
On the ice last night, the Carolina Hurricanes won Game Three of the Eastern Conference semifinals 3-2 over the New Jersey Devils. Hurricanes forward Rod Brind'Amor scored the game winning goal, as Carolina goes up in the series 3 games to 0. Game Four is set for Friday night.

News & Sports For Wednesday May 10th 2006

Wilkes Income Standard Smaller Than Most Around

More economic problems for Wilkes, as new reports find the county on the lower end of the financial spectrum. The North Carolina Budget and Tax Center has released a report, detailing the income standard for each of the state's 100 counties. In 2005, the income standard here in Wilkes was $25,404, that's good enough to rank 57th in the state. Also Wilkes falls short in the immediate area, as only three out of the eight counties that surround it have a lower income. Those counties are Alleghany, Ashe and Surry, all with standards of $25,068. Watauga is the highest in the region, with an income standard of $30,876. Alexander and Caldwell County both come in just slightly above at $26,664, while Iredell has a standard of $28,704 and Yadkin is at $30,012. Overall across the state, Orange County has the highest income standard at $37,512 while Edgecombe County is dead last at $24,804. Coming up tomorrow in the news we take a look at other information released by the Budget and Tax Center, including how the county ranks in regards to fighting poverty.

3WC Healthwatch: Weight Watchers

There’s a new reason for people to watch their weight, as we explain in today’s 3WC Healthwatch. A study has been released from the University of California at San Francisco, which found that there’s a major link between obesity and kidney failure. The study found that even moderately overweight people have a higher risk of kidney failure, but for those seriously overweight, the risk was 700% higher. The study, which was done over a period of 26 years, used over 300,000 people of different sizes. Out of that number, 1471 suffered kidney failure. The only tested and proven way researchers found to try and ward off kidney failure for anyone in the same situation is to work at losing the weight.

Thieves Target Paper Racks For Spare Change

Several more newspaper racks have been stolen over the last three days at local businesses. Thieves hit both the Little Market Basket on Hwy 268 and Mike’s Bait & Tackle, in each case running off with the paper rack outside. Nothing else was taken or even disturbed at the businesses and that investigation continues.

Newest Protection Against Fraud

With summer on the way, this is a busy time of year for thieves, both the usual kind and those who travel on the internet. Credit cards, social security numbers and other personal information is a major target. But people here in North Carolina can take steps to protect themselves against ID Theft. The Identity Theft Protection Act, a new law that went into effect last December allows you to block access to your credit records, preventing any would be thieves from gaining access and ruining your finances. You will be able to do that thanks to a security freeze. However confusion has sprung up over the last four months, due to some technical details in the program. While thieves won't be able to use your credit to purchase things, neither can you. Once the freeze is placed on, no company or business can check up on your credit history until its' lifted. If you do want to fill out an application for a credit freeze or just want more information, you can log on to the state Department of Justice website at www.ncdoj.com/idtheft.

Officials Launch Truck Safety Program

It’s going to be a little more expensive to drive a truck and not wear your seat belt, thanks to the Highway Patrol. A new “Buckle Up In Your Truck” program has been created, kicking off this past Monday and continuing until May 21^st. According to the National Highway Safety Administration, 71% of those killed in pickup truck crashes in the Southeast weren’t wearing seat belts. In North Carolina alone, 62% of those killed had left their seat belt off.

Checkpoints are going to be set up over the next two weeks across Wilkes and the rest of North Carolina, in hopes of getting people to wear their seat belts.

Thieves Hit Local Business

The high price of gas apparently caused a break-in at a local business this week. When employees came in to open up at Cars “R” Us Monday morning, they found several items missing. Taken in the theft was 40 gallons of gas and 2 car batteries, however there was no damage done and no indication as to how the thieves got inside. There is however a suspect in the case and that investigation continues.

Regional News

National Guard Holds Appreciation Day

Spouses of National Guard troops are being honored today in Winston Salem. From 8am til 5pm today at the JC Penny Salon, wives of National Guardsmen from anywhere in the state will be given their choice of a free facial, shampoo or a manicure & pedicure. That’s taking place at the JC Penny Salon in Hanes Mall, at 3320 Silas Creek Parkway in Winston Salem. JC Penny officials said they wanted to hold a day expressing their appreciation for everything the wives do for their families and communities.

State News

Easley Unveils Budget Plans

Gov. Mike Easley presented his plans for the state’s new budget on Tuesday, setting forth $18.9 billion in spending. Under the proposal, teachers would see an 8% raise in pay to help bring them above the national average by 2008. In addition, state employees would also see a 4% raise and spending in general would increase for the public school system to the tune of an extra $864 million. That’s in addition to $425 million expected to be given to schools from the lottery. Extra money will also be set aside to cover the cost of an gas increases for school buses, with $37 million put in for that. Easley also wants to lower the sales tax by ¼ of a cent, which will drop it down from 7% to 6.75%, costing the state $200 million a year in revenue. Easley also wants the state’s gas tax capped at 29.9 cents per gallon, guaranteeing that it can’t be increased in the future. Minimum wage workers will see a bonus in the new budget as well, with their salary increasing from $5.15 to $6 an hour. There is however one department that will see a drop in salary due to the budget. The Department of Health and Human Services will have a budget $55 million lower than the one already approved.

Complaints Already Out For Easley Budget

Groups are already coming out to attack Gov. Easley’s budget, in disagreements that amount to little more than a few percentage points. In the new budget, Easley had set aside money for a 4% pay raise for state employees, but apparently that’s not good enough. Officials from the State Employees Association are calling for a veto of the budget, unless they get a 5% increase, saying they believe that’s what’s fair. Also some state Republicans are calling for a deeper cut in the sales tax, requesting that a half cent be trimmed off instead of the ¼ currently proposed. Meanwhile state Democrats are also attacking the governor’s plan, because there was no income tax reduction for the top bracket, for the wealthiest citizens of North Carolina.

Wake County Teacher Under Investigation

Officials in Wake County are investigating a middle school teacher today. Reports have come in from parents of the students that one of the teachers, Christine Wolfe, has been hitting an autistic student. According to the parents, this wasn’t a one time thing and the 13-yr-old has been hit several times during the semester at Carnage Middle School. However as of Tuesday night, no charges have been filed in the case.

Catawba County Employee Arrested For Embezzlement

One former North Carolina resident is in jail today, facing charges of embezzlement. Officials in Newton have arrested 40-yr-old Iris Riddle, a former Catawba County employee who stands accused of stealing over $15,000 from her job. Riddle worked as an administrative assistant in the county’s planning department for several years, before an audit discovered that $15,361 had gone missing. The missing money was traced to a county credit card that Riddle had access to.

Sports Headlines

NC State Recruit Wants Meeting

Some good news could be on the way for the NC State Wolfpack, who have seen recruits leave and questions be raised as they searched for a head coach. Now that Sidney Lowe has taken the job, at least one of the State’s commitments is changing his mind about leaving. 6’7 ft. Dennis Horner, a forward from Holy Spirit High School in New Jersey, had considered turning down his scholarship offer to State, but now says that he wants to meet with new coach Sidney Lowe before making any decision. Horner was recruited by State for his great three-point shooting ability and skills to handle the ball, which remind some people of former State star Julius Hodge.

State Player Given Extension

The news was also good for another member of the Wolfpack, who gets to stay in the country at least temporarily. Immigration officials had accused NC State player Gavin Grant of entering the country illegally back in 1994 at the age of 9. The 21-yr-old Grant was given an extension of six weeks by an immigration judge, allowing his legal team to track down documents proving he immigrated legally. As a sophomore for State this season, the 6’7 ft. Grant averaged 8 points and 4 rebounds.

Gerald Wallace In Top Ten For Defense

Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons walked away with the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award this week, but another Wallace also made the list. Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace was one of the top ten vote getters, finishing 9^th in the balloting after a season where he averaged 2 blocks and 2 steals a game, the only player in the league to do that.

Hurricanes In Running For Awards

As the Carolina Hurricanes get set for the playoff semifinals, two members of the team are in the running for some awards. Center Rod Brind’Amour is of the top three finalists for the Selke Trophy, handed out each year to the best defensive forward in the NHL. The Hurricanes’ coach, Peter Laviolette is in the hunt for coach of the year honors. The nominations mark the first time in three years that a member of the Carolina team has been in the running for an award.

New Baseball League In The Works

For any baseball fans out there, a new league is in the works for 2007. Several former major league players have helped to design the Continental Baseball League, which is set to begin in May of next year. Under the rules of the new league, there’s virtually no chance of a blowout. In the seventh inning, if the losing team hits a home run, it’s worth double the points. For example if the player hits a grand slam, it’ll automatically be worth eight points instead of four. An estimated 10 teams are expected to be part of the league, in towns across the Southeast. No official deals have been reached as of yet.

Jarrett Crew Chief Suspended

Taking a look a the NASCAR scene, Dale Jarrett’s team will be going through changes over the next few weeks. Crew chief Richard Slugger Labbe has been suspended for four races by NASCAR, after officials found some violations on the No. 88 Ford. The violations were discovered right before the Crown Royal 400 on Saturday. Officials said that Labbe used car parts, components and/or equipment that didn’t conform to NASCAR rules. Jarett was also hit with a penalty, losing 25 points in the Chase for the Cup. Yates Racing said they plan to appeal.

News & Sports For Tuesday May 9th 2006

Preparing For The Bird Flu

Every day we hear more talk about the bird flu and how the United States isn’t prepared for it to spread this way. However what some people may not know is that a strain of the bird flu has already been in North Carolina before and members of the State Cooperation Extension are working on measures to protect against infection. For anyone wanting more information about the bird flu and how it could affect North Carolina, a special public hearing will be going on May 18^th at the Kulynych Family Life Center here in Wilkesboro. That’s located just across from the new county courthouse. The program starts at 3pm and continues until 5pm but you must come before 3pm to register.

Wilkes County Loses Beloved Doctor

A doctor loved throughout Wilkes County has passed away. Dr. Nicholas Cirillo died Saturday at his home, due to heart problems. The family will hold a receiving at Reins Sturdivant Friday night from 5pm until. Funeral services will be this coming Saturday at 11am at St. John’s Catholic Church. Dr. Cirillo was 46.

Gas Thieves Hit Neighbors’ Store

Gas thieves hit another business in the Wilkes County area over the weekend, targeting Neighbors’ Store in Elkin. An older man pulled up to the store Friday afternoon in a yellow Nissan Maxima, pumped $15 worth of gas and then took off down the road. Employees inside were able to give sheriff’s deputies a description of both the man and his vehicle and that investigation continues.

Insurance Rates To Drop

Some good news for all car owners in Wilkes County. Your insurance bill soon won’t cost as much. North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Jim Long issued an order earlier this year requiring all companies in the state to drop their private passenger auto rates by 2.5%. In addition, all motorcycle liability rates must be dropped by 6%. Long said that after taking a look at current numbers, not only did he decline the insurance bureau’s request for an increase, but he felt that the rates should go down. All total, this will save North Carolina car owners an estimated $404 million in premiums. Each year on February 1^st, the Insurance Commissioner sets premium rates for the next 365 days. This new decrease will take effect next Monday May 15^th.

Tag Stolen From North Wilkesboro Car

Over the weekend, a North Wilkesboro woman parked her car at the Clingman Pitstop and carpooled with friends out of town. When she returned to the vehicle late Saturday night, the car’s tag had been ripped off. Nothing else was damaged or missing from the vehicle and that investigation continues.

Mailbox Vandals Strike Again

Yet another homeowner in Wilkes fell victim to mailbox vandals over the weekend. The latest incident happened at a residence on Hollygreen Drive, as a man came outside Friday night to find damage had been done. An estimated $40 worth of damage was caused, as it appeared the boxes had been hit with some type of vehicle. No one in the area however could recall hearing or seeing anyone pull up during the day. Deputies are continuing that investigation.

Recall Ordered Of Chrysler Vehicles

Bad news for owners of some Chrysler vehicles out there, as the car manufacturer has ordered a recall. An estimated 44,000 cars are being called back, including all 2006 models of the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Magnum. The reason is due to a potential malfunction in the brake system. In some of the vehicles, the brake tube wasn’t built far enough away from the exhaust recirculation tube. After an extended period, the two can make contact, causing a leak in the brake fluid and potentially a fire in the engine. Owners can return the vehicles for a free repair and if you have questions a hotline has been set up at 1-800-853-1403.

One Car Totaled After Wreck On 421

Two cars were damaged and one was totaled after an accident Sunday on Hwy 421. A Virginia woman was at the intersection of 421 and Addison Avenue, getting set to turn left. However at the last minute she changed her mind and also changed direction, attempting to swerve into another lane. What she didn’t see however was the car in that other lane, driven by a North Wilkesboro woman. The two cars collided, causing an estimated $1600 in damage and totaling the North Wilkesboro woman’s vehicle. Thankfully however no one was injured in the crash.

State News

Gov. Easley Puts Forth Money For Spending Gaps

Gov. Easley has requested that state lawmakers add another $47.7 million to this year’s budget, in order to cover spending gaps currently in place. Easley pointed the finger at Washington, saying that federal lawmakers were taking away money needed to protect North Carolina. As an example he cited $2.9 million in federal funds that has been given out each year to states, for use in upgrading security measures. That money is set to expire this June. As part of his new budget, which will be unveiled later today, Easley called for $1.9 million to upgrade the state’s fingerprint monitoring system, $5.1 million to hire 90 assistant D.A. to lighten the caseloads across North Carolina and $13.1 million to upgrade the state’s computer system, including adding a GPS or global positioning device to the state’s sex offender tracking system.

Students Get One Final Wake Up Call Before Exams

Students preparing for finals at UNC Charlotte got a surprise Sunday night, as smoke started filling the air and fire alarms went off. The Cypress Hall dormitory was evacuated late Sunday night and firefighters were called to the scene, to deal with what turned out to be a prank gone wrong. Someone had set a fire in one of the dorm’s trash cans, which spread and started filling the area with smoke. No one was injured and smoke damage was minimal.

Asheville Planning To Send In The Bugs

Who do you call for a bug problem? Instead of pest control, the city of Asheville is bringing in some four legged fighters of their own. City officials are spending $10,000 to buy some specially bred predator beetles, which will help eliminate the woolly adelgid (A-dell-gid). The woolly bugs eat the sap produced from hemlock needles and can destroy an entire forest within ten years. 5000 predator bugs have already been released to deal with the problem.

Civil War Cemetery Vandalized

Officials in the Charlotte community are investigating a case of graveyard vandalism today. Over the weekend, someone broke into the history Elmwood-Pinewood Cemetery, one of the oldest in the state. Heads were knocked off some of the statues and grave markers were turned over in some of the oldest parts of the area, where Confederate soldiers and some even predating the Civil War are laid to rest. The cemetery has been the focus of vandals recently, with over $300 worth of damage done this year alone.

Sports Headlines

Duke Lands Late Recruit

We’re less than six months away from the beginning of college basketball season, but the Duke Blue Devils have landed another recruit. High school senior Lance Thomas, ranked as the 16^th best player in the nation, has announced he is going to Duke. The 6’8 ft. 200 lb. Thomas turned down offers from Louisville, Florida and his hometown university of Rutgers to join the Blue Devils, where he’ll be part of a freshman class that has three other players in the nation’s Top 50. Thomas joins 15^th ranked guard Gerald Henderson, 20^th ranked guard Jon Scheyer and 38^th ranked Brian Zoubek, a 7’2 ft. center.

Changes Coming For NCAA Division II

The next two years are shaping up to be a time of change for college athletics, at least for schools in NCAA Division II. The NCAA has put together a plan breaking all Division II schools into eight regions. As for the teams’ nonconference schedule, they’ll only be allowed to play games against teams in their region. For example if Lenior Rhyne wanted to schedule a game against Colorado College, they wouldn’t be able to under the new agreement. NCAA officials said the change was designed to help schools cut travel costs and keep students from missing classes while on the road for games.

NHL Playoffs: Hurricanes vs. Devils

NASCAR Standings

Taking a look at the NASCAR standings after this weekend’s race, it’s Jimmie Johnson in first place, 55 points ahead of Tony Stewart. Matt Kenseth sits in third place, 99 points behind Johnson while Mark Martin has fallen 176 points behind, good enough for fourth place. Rounding out the top five is Kevin Harvick, 208 points behind the leader.

US Gearing Up For 2016

America’s quest to bring back the Olympic Games got another shot in the arm this week. Members of the U.S. Olympic Committee are planning to look at several locations including Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago, LA and San Francisco over the next two weeks, to select a finalist to bid for the 2016 Olympic Games. Around the world, it’s believed that America will have the best chance to claim the 2016 Games, as most of the other contenders in South America and Africa don’t expect to be ready for presentation until the next go around in 2020.

Ebenezer Share-a-Thon on 3WC

It was an exciting, Spirit-filled, fun weekend at 3WC. April 28th and 29th was the bi-annual Share-a-Thon for the Ebenezer Christian Children's Home. 87 volunteers came together to make the event possible. Over $36,000 was raised during the two day event. If you don't believe that anything can happen during the Share-a-Thon, check out the pictures. That's 3WC's morning show man, John Wishon.