News & Sports For February 24th

Wilkes County Native To Face Court Martial
A Wilkes County native will now face court martial in Washington State. Preliminary hearings wrapped up this week at Fort Lewis Washington, where Specialist Brandon Bare stands accused of the premeditated murder of his wife. 18-yr-old Nabila Bare was stabbed 71 times with knives and a meat cleaver in the couple’s house July 12th. In addition to the murder itself, Bare also faces charges of indecent acts due to the mutilation of his wife’s body after she was dead. On Wednesday of this week, Fort Lewis post commander Lt. General James Dubik handed down a decision, sending Bare’s case to a general court martial. The Wilkesboro native served with the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division in Iraq and was home on leave when the murder happened, recovering from injuries sustained in battle. No trial date has been set in the case.

Congresswoman Foxx Receives High Marks From Taxpayers
One local lawmaker received high marks from the National Taxpayer’s Union this week. Every year, the group releases a report of all lawmakers in Congress, handing out grades based on how their votes affected taxes, spending, debt and regulatory concerns for the American public. 5th District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx was given a grade of A, one of only three lawmakers in North Carolina to rank that high. The group found that 70% of the votes Foxx made benefited taxpayers not just in the 5th District but across the United States. Patrick McHenry and Sue Myrick were the other two North Carolina lawmakers to receive high marks from the Union.

Guns Taken From Wilkesboro Home
Thieves hit a residence in Wilkesboro earlier this week, running off with almost $6000 in guns. It’s unclear exactly how they managed to get inside, as no damage was done to the property and there’s no sign of a break-in. However a 9mm rifle, .45 caliber revolver, 12 gauge shotgun and several other weapons were taken, along with a laptop computer. There is a suspect in the case and that investigation continues.

Wilkes Animal Shelter Holding Event
The Wilkes Animal Shelter is opening its’ doors this Saturday for an extended period, inviting people to come and take a look around. The shelter will be open from 10:30am til 3pm February 25th, with members of the Humane Society on hand to help with adoptions. In addition, the Humane Society will have information about pet care and will be available for any questions people may have. To raise money, the society will also have several cookbooks, calendars and other things on sale. The shelter is located at 408 Call Street in Wilkesboro and you can see the pets up for adoption by logging on to www.humanesocietyofwilkes.org

Tags Ripped Off At Local Dealer
Thieves paid a visit to a car dealer here in Wilkes this week, targeting Roaring River Auto Sales. Employees came in Tuesday morning to find that a license tag had been ripped off one of their vehicles. Nothing else was missing from the business and no other cars were damaged. That investigation continues.

Recall Of Baby Formula
A recall has been announced for a certain type of baby formula today. Certain packages of GENTLEASE powdered infant formula have been contaminated with metal particles, large enough to get into the infant’s lungs. The recall affects all products of the formula with the lot number of BMJ19. They have a use by date of July 1st 2007 marked on the package as well. Just over 41000 cans of the formula have been recalled by the manufacturer Mead Johnson and it’s still unknown how the metal got inside. A hotline has been set up at 1-888-587-7275 for more information.

Tools Stolen From North Wilkesboro Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a North Wilkesboro residence on Tuesday, after thieves went on a shopping spree. It appears they broke into the house through one of the windows, using a nearby screwdriver to pry it open. Once inside, they stole several drills, a craftsman toolbox, several saws and a few extension ladders. All total over $5000 worth of tools was taken from the home. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Vandals Hit Millers Creek Area
A Millers Creek man got a surprise when he walked outside Tuesday morning. Someone had wrecked havoc on the truck sitting in his driveway, causing over $1000 worth of damage. The headlights and side mirrors were all damaged, along with the passenger side window. He had been borrowing the truck from a family member but didn’t recall hearing anything unusual during the night. That investigation is ongoing.

State News

Police Ask For Help In Possible Kidnapping
Police in Charlotte are asking for help in solving a kidnapping Tuesday night, one they’re not exactly sure even took place. A caller dialed 911 Tuesday night in a panic, explaining that both the caller and the caller’s mother had been carjacked by a man with a gun. They went on to tell officials the vehicle they were in was a black Chevy Caprice. It wasn’t clear from the phonecall what gender the caller was, however since then police have gotten several calls about Caprices in the area, including one with stolen license plates. It’s unknown if the call was for real or not, because there haven’t been any missing persons reports filed to match the caller or their mother. Police however are asking people across North & South Carolina for help in locating the car, described as a 1990s model black Chevy Caprice. It was described as being dirty and not in good condition, with a license plate of TNT-7043. Anyone with information can call the Charlotte Crimestoppers at 1-704-334-1600.

FBI Create Anti-Smuggling Hotline
In an effort to crack down on illegal immigrants being smuggled into North Carolina, the FBI has set up a toll-free hotline. The number was created so that people can report suspicious activity, as in Nash County earlier this week when a phone call from witnesses led to the breakup of a local smuggling ring. The number, which is available 24 hrs a day is 1-866-252-6850. It’s believed that in the Charlotte area alone, several hundred Hispanic women are brought in to work as prostitutes and in brothels.

Lawmaker Used Campaign Fund For Personal Use
A former North Carolina lawmaker is being investigated for his use of campaign funds. Campaign disclosure reports show that Representative Bill Culpepper, a Democrat from Edenton, took $12700 from his campaign money to pay off a credit card debt earlier this year. He claims that it was reimbursement for legitimate expenses and the money was used on travel costs, along with paying salary for his office assistant. In addition, Culpepper’s campaign took $2000 in donations from phone company BellSouth just five days after he announced plans to leave politics and become a part of the NC Utilities Commission later this year. Culpepper told reporters his campaign had been offered the money before the announcement of his departure became public and he has since told BellSouth the money will be turned over to the Democratic caucus in the NC House.

Elon Now Smoke Free
Students at Elon University can breathe easy today, thanks to a new rule. School officials announced that as of this fall, all dorms at Elon will be smoke free, the result of an 18-month study just recently finished. In the study, 82% of those polled said that they wanted smoke free dorms, including several people who identified themselves as smokers. Around the rest of campus, you can’t smoke within a 30 feet area of any administrative or classroom building.

Candidate For Sheriff Arrested In Avery County
One political contest in Avery County took a turn this week, after a candidate was arrested. Robert Taylor, who is running for the office of Avery County Sheriff was arrested and charged with altering court documents. Taylor, who has worked as the clerk of superior court in Avery for the past 22 years, didn’t deny the charges but also said he didn’t realize it was illegal. He stands accused of changing the bail bonds for detainees in the county jail without permission. Thanks to those changes, several of the inmates received an early release.

Sports Headlines

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at the college basketball scene, it was Winthrop over High Point 94-78, UNC Wilmington squeaked by Virginia Commonwealth 61-54 and Coastal Carolina knocked off Liberty 78-61. Gardner-Webb beat Mercer 77-67, as they got 12 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 blocks from Simon Conn. Brian Bender also added 11 as the Running Bulldogs improve to 16-10 on the season, good enough for third in the Atlantic Sun conference. Also Appalachian State beat UNC Greensboro 75-70. The Mountaineers got 29 points from DJ Thompson, as they improve to 12-15, good enough for fourth in the Southern Conference’s North Division.

UNC Names O-Line Coach
It didn’t take Tarheel coach John Bunting long to make changes on his staff. It was announced on Thursday that Mark Weber will take the vacant spot as offensive line coach next year. Weber comes over from Fresno State, where he worked with new Tarheels offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti. He takes the job from Hal Hunter, who left to join the NFL’s San Diego Chargers.

NC State Picks Up New Coach
The NC State football team also brought in some new personnel this week with Rick Kravitz being hired. Kravitz will become the new safeties coach and special teams coordinator, having worked as defensive coordinator the last five years at South Florida. He’ll also lend a hand in recruiting.

Coach Hits 1000 Wins
A new record was set Wednesday night when Gene Bess became the first college basketball coach to record 1000 wins in a career. Bess, the head coach of Three Rivers Community College, picked up his 1000th win Wednesday as his team beat Forest Park 77-60. At age 70, Bess has a record of 1000-258. Right behind him in second place is UNC’s Dean Smith, who has 879, the most in Division I.

Anthony Burger Passes Away

The Southern Gospel music industry is in shock today. Pianist Anthony Burger died last night after suffering an apparent heart attack. Anthony was aboard a Bill Gaither Homecoming cruise this week and it was during his stage performance of We Shall Behold Him when he suffered the heart attack. Anthony is survived by his wife LuAnn, two sons and one daughter. Burger was named Favorite Southern Gospel Pianist over 10 times during his many years with the Kingsmen Quartet. In recent years he traveled in his solo ministry, plus accompanied the Gaither Vocal Band, and sang and played on a few concerts per year with The Trio. Anthony Burger was 44.

News & Sports For February 23rd

More Candidates Enter Wilkes Races
A few more people have tossed their name in the hat for public office in Wilkes County. Barry Brown filed this week to run for the North Carolina House. The 49-yr-old Republican will be running against incumbent Tracy Walker for the 94th District seat. Brown has worked as a farmer, substitute teacher and insurance agent in Wilkes. Also Robert Crews entered the race for County Commissioner. The 21-yr-old currently serves as the chief executive officer for Wilkes Electric Motors and is a registered Republican. In addition, Karen Reeves filed for re-election to the Board of Education. She’ll be going up against newcomer Frances Tharpe.

Search Warrant Leads To Drug Bust
After receiving information about a home Shepard River Road, deputies obtained a search warrant and executed it Tuesday afternoon. What they found inside the Millers Creek residence was a combination of drugs, guns and money. 6 grams of cocaine was found in a small safe, along with a list of drug buyers that had been set up. $41 in cash was also found inside, along with a smoking pipe, baggies and other drug paraphernalia. Deputies also picked up several guns, including a .22 long rifle and a .22 long pistol. 52-yr-old Ricky Johnson Pierce was arrested and charged with drug possession with intent to sell & distribute along with possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a home for the sale of drugs.

Always Lock Your Doors
It’s always a good idea to keep the car doors locked once you leave the vehicle. An Elkin man found out why earlier this week as thieves ran off with over one thousand dollars worth of material, taken from the car. He had left the car unlocked once he arrived home, but left all the tools and other items inside. Later on he came back out to find all of it was gone. Taken in the theft was a diamond plate toolbox, a pair of boots, some rechargeable lights and other items. Information was turned over to sheriff’s deputies and that investigation continues.

Focus On The Speedway
Recent news about the North Wilkesboro Speedway has painted a dim picture about the track’s future prospects. The current owners have demanded $12 million as the lowest price for buying the property, a cost that has made would be investors wary of committing. However Save The Speedway refuses to give up and Joe VanHoose from the organization will be Brian’s guest this week for Focus on the Foothills, as they will be discussing and debunking some of the rumors around the group and also what the future holds for Save the Speedway. That’s coming up today at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Digital Thieves Break Into Moravian Falls Home
Some thieves in Moravian Falls apparently wanted to get on the information highway, as the only thing missing was a laptop computer. The incident happened Tuesday on Steele Lane, as a local man came back to his girlfriend’s house to find his laptop missing. There was no sign of a break-in and no damage done to the property itself. It’s believed the thieves used a spare key to get in, as the one left outside was also missing. That investigation continues.

Wilkes Animal Shelter Holding Event
The Wilkes Animal Shelter is opening its’ doors this Saturday for an extended period, inviting people to come and take a look around. The shelter will be open from 10:30am til 3pm February 25th, with members of the Humane Society on hand to help with adoptions. In addition, the Humane Society will have information about pet care and will be available for any questions people may have. To raise money, the society will also have several cookbooks, calendars and other things on sale. The shelter is located at 408 Call Street in Wilkesboro and you can see the pets up for adoption by logging on to www.humanesocietyofwilkes.org

Bank Of America Adjusting Profits
Some news today for Bank of America investors in Wilkes. The company announced on Wednesday that it will be restating its’ earnings all the way back to 2002. What does this mean for shareholders? Their equity in the company will be adjusted upward by $308 million. Individually, that translates to less than one percent. The changes come due to adjustments in the way derivative transactions are accounted for.

Thieves Hit Construction Site In Wilkes
Thieves broke into a construction site earlier this week, running off with almost $2000 worth of materials. The incident happened on Hwy 421 North, at a construction site belonging to Crawford Home Improvement. A padlock was cut off and stolen, allowing thieves access to a trailer on the site. Taken from inside were several framing guns, nail guns, a saw and other items. That investigation continues.

Recall Ordered For Audi Vehicles
Bad news today for some Audi owners, as the vehicle manufacturer is ordering a recall. An estimated 70,000 Audi A3 cars are part of the decision, which was made due to some malfunctions in the clutch. The affected vehicles are the 2003 and 2004 model A3, in which a clutch malfunction can cause the car to come to a stop. Not exactly the best thing to happen if you’re on the highway. Audi officials are asking customers to get in contact with their dealer to help solve the problem. The customers will have to pay for the repair, but officials said that Audi would help compensate them for the cost.

State News
North Carolina Needs To Improve Disaster Relief
State officials are calling for changes in North Carolina’s disaster relief programs. Crime Control and Public Safety Secretary Byran Beatty spoke to state lawmakers this week, explaining that North Carolina has a lot of work left in order to be prepared for a major event. Secretary Beatty said that the state’s programs for hurricane and tornado response are fine, but additional steps need to be taken to plan for the unlikely, such as a tsunami or another major storm. Beatty was speaking before a committee that’s been put together to study the state’s emergency systems and make changes as needed.

Church Celebrates 200 Years
A church in Greensboro is celebrating 200 years of ministry this week. Rehobeth United Methodist Church was started on February 19th 1806. The church’s name means "broad places" and was adopted from the Bible. The 810 members gathered together to celebrate at the church this past Sunday, which is located in Greensboro on Rehobeth Church Road.

Duke University Offering Free Graduate Degrees
Teachers in the Durham area can go back to college for free, thanks to a program from Duke University. The school announced this week that starting in August, local teachers could enter their graduate program and not have to pay for it, thanks to a new $925000 initiative. Duke officials said the program was put together to help strengthen local schools, by allowing teachers to get additional training in Spanish and other classes.

Man Jumps Off Bridge To Escape Police
A man in Charlotte went to great lengths this week to escape police. Tuesday morning, the man wrecked his car on I-277. When nearby police attempted to put him under arrest, he took off running and jumped off the East 10th Street Bridge. After crashing to the ground, the man somehow managed to get up and run to a nearby street before collapsing.

Money Donated For Doctors In NC
More money is on the way to bring doctors to the mountains and other rural areas of North Carolina. Thanks to a grant from Blue Cross & Blue Shield along with the North Carolina Medical Society Foundation, the number of doctors in rural areas is expected to climb to at least 160 over the next four years. $10 million was donated by Blue Cross to the Foundation’s fund, which helps pay off student loans for doctors working in poor and rural areas.

Sports Headlines
High School Scoreboard
Around the high school scene last night, one Wilkes County team was in action as the state playoffs continue. The Wilkes Central Lady Eagles lost to Mountain Heritage 57-53. Playing for the last time at the Eagle’s Nest, the nine Lady Eagle seniors came close but just couldn’t seal the deal as the team ends their season at 23-3. Mountain Heritage advances to the sectional finals on Friday, improving to 24-5.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at the college scene, it was UCF over East Carolina 69-49 and Charlotte knocked off Massachusetts 72-71. With the win, Charlotte improves to 17-9, staying in 2nd place in the Atlantic 10. In the ACC, it was Wake Forest pulling out a win over Clemson in overtime 74-68. Wake was led by Eric Williams’ 19 points as they improve to 14-13. UNC beat NC State 95-71. David Noel led the Tarheels with 25 points and 11 rebounds as they move a half game out of second place in the ACC. And Duke survived against Georgia Tech, winning 73-66. Shelton Williams helped carry the team with 26 points and 11 rebounds as the Blue Devils improve to 26-1.

UNC Football Coach Leaves For SC
The UNC Tarheels are looking for a replacement on the football field as defensive ends coach Brad Lawing has left the university. Lawing was hired this week as the defensive line coach for Steve Spurrier at South Carolina, ending a three year term as a member of the Tarheels. Coach John Bunting is also looking to fill a void on the offensive side of the ball, as offensive line coach Hal Hunter also left to take the same position with the NFL’s San Diego Chargers.

NBA: Charlotte vs. Portland
The Charlotte Bobcats bounced back on Wednesday, beating Portland 110-106. Gerald Wallace wasted no time in his return from injury, exploding for 15 points, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks in limited action. Wallace had been out for almost a month, recovering from a sprained knee. Kareem Rush led Charlotte with 28 points, as the Bobcats improve to 15-41.

Nelson Leaving NASCAR
Some shakeups are on the way for NASCAR as Gary Nelson announced this week that he’s leaving the circuit. Nelson was the vice president for research and development, working to design the "car of tomorrow". He’s leaving to create his own consulting company Nelson & Associates, something he said that he’s been wanting to do his entire life. The new consulting company will help several different racing series develop better safety and performance standards.

News & Sports For February 22nd

Moratorium Extended Another Six Months
The moratorium on sex based businesses was extended another six months at the Wilkes County commissioners meeting last night. Commissioners heard from county attorney Tony Triplett, who requested the extension due to some language in the proposed ordinance that needed to be examined. It was sent off to the Institute of Government at Chapel Hill and the county hasn’t heard back from them. The Institute was asked to look over the documents and make sure Wilkes County’s proposal stayed within the boundaries of the law, as Triplett explained that they designed it to be as strict as legally possible. Under North Carolina law counties can’t stop any sexually based businesses from opening, however they can be restricted as to where and when.

News From Last Night’s Commissioners’ Meeting
In other news and notes from last night’s commissioners’ meeting, more jobs could soon be coming to the area. Approval was given for the Laurelmor subdivision to start construction. The subdivision will stretch from Wilkes to Watauga County, providing about 500 jobs in the field of construction. It’s expected to open by 2009. Also the Community Child Protection Team gave their annual report to the board. Speaking on behalf of the team, Wilkes Social Services Director Donnie Bumgarner gave a brief history of the group and presented their report. There were 155 cases still open as of January 31st 2006, with 148 children being placed into foster care. Out of those 148, 103 were put into licensed homes and 45 were staying with relatives. Also 7 cases of child abuse were reported in 2005 and 4 of child neglect. The three main problems facing Wilkes, the team found, are economic stress, domestic violence and a growing problem with substance abuse in the home. Finally an expansion of the Greenway was approved, as county commissioners voted to grant an easement allowing the project to cross Lowes Park @ River’s Edge.

Information Leads To Drug Bust In Millers Creek
Sheriff’s deputies went to a home on Kent Drive in Millers Creek Monday afternoon to serve a search warrant. What they found inside was a drug distribution business. Cocaine was found in both the living room and in one of the bedrooms, along with some marijuana. In addition scales, baggies and other drug paraphernalia was located as well, along with over $1200 in cash. 24-yr-old William Saner was arrested and charged with possession with intent to sell & distribute in addition to maintaining a home for the sale of drugs.

Focus On The Speedway
Recent news about the North Wilkesboro Speedway has painted a dim picture about the track’s future prospects. The current owners have demanded $12 million as the lowest price for buying the property, a cost that has made would be investors wary of committing. However Save The Speedway refuses to give up and Joe VanHoose from the organization will be Brian’s guest this week for Focus on the Foothills, as they will be discussing and debunking some of the rumors around the group and also what the future holds for Save the Speedway. That’s coming up Thursday at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Weapon Stolen From Wilkesboro Man’s Car
Always lock your car when you leave. Two local men found out why that’s a good idea this week as they fell victim to thieves. The two had parked at a friend’s house and left the cars unlocked, later coming up to find over $800 worth of material had been stolen. Included in the theft was a .22 caliber pistol, a CD player and some car speakers, among other things. A witness saw several juveniles hanging around the vehicles and was able to identify them to deputies. After investigating, the deputies turned the information in to juvenile services. Felony charges are being filed in the case.

Blood Drive Later Today
1500 pints of blood are used each day across North Carolina. With rain and wind in the forecast, that amount could increase with the possibility of accidents on the roads. To prepare for that and also for more cold weather on the way, the local Red Cross is holding a blood drive today at Wilkes Community College. The drive will run from 9:30am til 3pm and is open to the public. Just remember before donating you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs. To call ahead and set up an appointment, the Red Cross number is 838-4563.

Locked Windows Scare Off Would Be Thieves
Some would be thieves were frightened off from their target Monday afternoon, but not before leaving evidence behind. The incident happened at an apartment complex on the Elledge Mill Road in North Wilkesboro. Damage was done at two apartments, as thieves attempted to shatter the window and climb in. However the windows of the first apartment were bolted shut. Then while shattering the windows in the second apartment, they woke up a person inside. As they escaped, one of the thieves apparently cut themselves on the glass and left behind a pool of blood. The DNA was turned over to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation continues.

3WC Eye On Safety: Heating Your Home Part 2
With Old Man Winter on the way, it's time to turn on that heater or throw a few more logs on the fire. While this will keep out the cold, it could also lead to carbon monoxide poisoning if you're not careful, as we explain in today’s 3WC Eye On Safety. Carbon monoxide is produced when items with carbon in it aren't completely burned. Here are some tips on how to prevent poisoning in your home. First have your home furnance checked to make sure the burners and vent systems are both working, with no cracks or other damage. Also make sure the water heater and furnance flue don't have any leaks or cracks especially near the joints, that can help the gas to escape. Even when it's cold outside, don't leave your car running in the basement or garage. The carbon monoxide put off by the exhaust can flow up into the rest of your house. Also if you have exhaust fans in the house, don't use them at the same time as the clothes dryer. The reason being this creates negative pressure in your house, pulling the carbon monoxide back in.

Damage Done To Wilkesboro Woman’s Car & Home
Vandals targeted a Wilkesboro woman earlier this week. On Monday afternoon, the woman came out to find her car had been damaged, as it appeared that someone had tossed a rock at the front quarter panel on the passenger side. An estimated $500 worth of damage was done. In addition, a rental property she owned on Emerald Village Park Drive was ripped apart as vandals got inside. The exterior siding was damaged, as were the walls inside and even the building’s sheetrock. An estimated cost of repairs was placed at $5000. There are however suspects in the case and that investigation continues.

Regional News

Money A Possible Reason For Caldwell Murder
Money was apparently the motive behind a recent murder in Caldwell County. On January 27th, 45-yr-old Jerry Anderson was charged in the death of his wife Emily. She had gone missing on December 29th and was the focus of a nationwide search before deputies located her body in South Carolina, riddled with gunshots and stuffed into the toolbox of her truck. In papers released this week, witnesses report on the day Emily disappeared, they saw the couple head into the woods on their farm. A few minutes later gunshots rang out and they witnessed the husband drive off down the road. It’s believed money was a motive for the crime, as Jerry Anderson had taken out an insurance policy of over $4 million on his wife.

State News

Inmate May Get New Trial Due To Mistake
In Lumberton, a man convicted of murder could be getting a new trial, due to mistakes made by the court reporter. Travis Walters is serving life in prison after being found guilty of a murder that occurred during a 1998 robbery. His attorneys have filed for appeal but the case is stuck due to unreadable transcripts from the original trial. The court reporter in the case wrote half sentences, paraphrased what was going on and left out large parts of the trial itself. As a result, the State Court of Appeals can’t hear the case and prosecutors now say holding another trial is the only answer.

Pastor Refuses To Perform Marriages
In Asheville, one pastor is refusing to perform civil marriages anymore because of what he calls discrimination. Pastor Joe Hoffman of the First Congregational Church of Christ is a supporter of gay rights and announced that because gays aren’t allowed to marry in North Carolina, he won’t perform any type of civil marriage ceremony. The pastor said it was a personal decision and he didn’t intend to speak for his church.

Citizens Ask For Removal Of Confederate Monument
A memorial to Confederate soldiers in Pitt County is at the center of controversy today. At a meeting of county commissioners Monday night, citizens called for the memorial to be removed from the Pitt County courthouse, saying that it belonged in a museum. A separate group asked that it stay in the spot it’s held since 1914, as a symbol of American history. A decision isn’t expected for at least another month.

Protest Held Against Cartoons On UNC Campus
Protests were held Monday at UNC Chapel Hill, after the campus newspaper published a cartoon pertaining to Islam. The cartoon, which was drawn by Phillip McFee, showed a man wearing a turban standing between two mosque windows. A Danish flag was drawn in one of the windows and the reflection of a burning building in the other. That set off a protest held at the newspaper office by students, who vowed to stick around until the newspaper printed an apology. The editor in chief at the paper refused, however he did say he was sorry if anyone was offended.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
As the state playoffs continue, several Wilkes County teams took the court last night. Ashe County barely squeaked by the Wilkes Central boys team 60-57. Central had a chance to tie it at the buzzer, but Tyler Gant’s three pointer missed the mark. A slow start doomed the Eagles, who only put up 10 points in the first quarter. Caleb Hawkins led Central with 17 points, Tyler Gant had 13 and Nathan Duncan put in 12 as the Eagles wrap up their season at 12-14. Ashe County meanwhile improves to 14-11, moving on to face Shelby on Thursday.
In other boys action, it was Winston Salem Prep over East Wilkes 89-64. The Cardinals kept it close throughout the first half, but Winston Salem starting pulling away in the third quarter and never looked back. Matt Garris led East with 17 points and Brent Poplin added 14, while Cody Cook and Brandon Carter each put in 12 as the only players to finish in double figures for the Cardinals. With the loss East wraps up their season at 9-14. Also Elkin saw their season come to a close last night with a 67-44 loss to East Surry. And coming up later tonight on the girls side of the court, it’ll be the Wilkes Central Lady Eagles playing host to Mountain Heritage. Tipoff will be at 7pm over in Moravian Falls and we’ll go on the air at 6:45pm with the McDonald’s pregame show.

NCAA Scoreboard
One game involving North Carolina teams in college basketball last night, as it was Western Carolina beating UNC Greensboro 67-53. With the win Western improves to 13-15, while UNCG drops to 11-16 on the season.

NCAA Top 50
Several North Carolina teams broke through into the Top 50 of college basketball this week. Duke regained their #1 ranking, followed in second place by Villanova and UCon drops down to fourth. Other North Carolina teams making the Top 25 was NC State at #17 and the UNC Tarheels moved up to #20. One other North Carolina team made it into the Top 50, as UNC Wilmington moved up to #37 on the list.

Redick And Hansbrough Honored By ACC
Two of the best players in the ACC were honored by the conference this week. Duke’s J.J. Redick was named the conference’s player of the week, after averaging 31 points a game against Wake Forest and Miami. This marks the 6th time this season Redick has been given the award. Meanwhile freshman Tyler Hansbrough of UNC was named rookie of the week, after putting up 40 points against Georgia Tech and following that up on Sunday with 17 against Wake Forest.

NBA: Charlotte vs. Denver
In the NBA, the Charlotte Bobcats opened up the second half of the season with a 100-84 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Charlotte was led by Raymond Felton, who had 14 points and 11 assists on the night. With the loss the Bobcats drop to 14-41, as they prepare to fly out to Portland for a game tonight against the Trailblazers.

News & Sports For February 21st

Wilkes Income Standard Smaller Than Most Around
Some economic problems have reared their head 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 fell 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.

Commissioners Meeting Tonight On Adult Based Business
Coming up tonight, the Wilkes County Board of Commissioners will hold a meeting to discuss several items. Among them is the moratorium currently placed on all adult based businesses that want to move into Wilkes. Comments from the public will be heard at 6:45pm and then the meeting itself will begin at 7pm in the commissioners’ room of the county office building.

Gas Thieves Hit Wyke’s Amaco
Gas thieves hit another Wilkes business earlier this week, targeting Wyke’s Amaco on Hwy 421. Sunday evening a vehicle pulled up, the driver got out and pumped $10 worth of gas before taking off down the road. A description of the car and its’ license plate was turned over to sheriff’s deputies. That investigation continues.

Thieves Steal Tires From Boone Trail Home
Who would steal some worn down tires off a car? That’s what a Moravian Falls man is wondering today. He walked outside last Friday morning to find the tires had literally been ripped off his vehicle, leaving it sitting on the ground. Despite the theft, he couldn’t recall hearing any noises during the night. An estimated $2100 worth of wheels and tires were taken in the theft and that investigation is ongoing.

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.

Two Cars Totaled On East Main Street
Two cars were totaled after a wreck in Wilkesboro over the weekend. The incident happened Friday morning on East Main Street, as a Millers Creek woman was attempting to turn onto a side road. She had the right of way however a Hays woman refused to yield and the two collided. Wilkes EMS was called out to the scene, but both refused to be taken to the hospital. Estimated damage was placed at $5000.

3WC Eye On Safety: Warnings When Heating Home
The things you don't do can be just as important when dealing with ways to heat your home. With the temps hovering around freezing, today and Wednesday we'll be going back for a look at things to be cautious of when trying to keep warm. First off, never use gasoline or starter fluid to ignite a fire in your fireplace. You'd be surprised how many people do that each year and cause a major blaze that puts the entire home at risk. Also fireplace chimneys commonly build up creosote, which is itself flammable. Be careful how much trash or paper you burn in your fireplace, as they are the number one cause of creosote buildup. Also be careful when using space heaters. They need to be kept on the floor, away from any combustible materials. Always unplug your heaters when going to bed or leaving the house and if you have a kerosene heater, never substitute gas or camp stove fuel. That could cause some serious problems you don't need.

Thieves Break In To Steal Medication
Never leave any type of medication in your car where people can see it. A Roaring Gap man found out why that’s a good idea over the weekend. He went out to get his prescription filled, then left the bag in the car once at home. The next morning he walked out to find the passenger side window to his car had been shattered and some of the medication was missing. Information was turned over to sheriff’s deputies and that investigation continues.

Recall Of Pork Barbeque
You might want to think twice before eating that pork barbeque. A recall has been ordered of all 5 pound plastic containers of Griffin’s Unskinned Pork Barbeque w/ Sauce. Griffin’s Barbeque issued the recall voluntarily after a type of bacteria was found inside some of the packages. All of the products have an establishment number of EST 07404, which can be found inside the USDA seal of inspection and also contain a sell by date of 04/10/06. The bacteria listeria was discovered inside certain packages, which can be deadly if it develops into listeriosis. The disease targets people with weakened immune systems and the elderly.

State News

Programs On The Chopping Block At NC Schools
Bad news may soon be coming to some North Carolina college students. The program you want to study may not be available for long. UNC system president Erskine Bowles has asked deans at all 15 of the state’s public universities to consider cutting programs to save money. Bowles asked that an evaluation be done and those programs the deans feel aren’t working be put under the knife. The move comes due to an extreme teacher shortage across North Carolina, as currently it’s estimated that 10000 people are needed to fill the spots open in our schools.

Missing College Student Located
Two weeks after he vanished, an NC State student was found this week. 23-yr-old Vitor Franchito was last seen at a convenience store February 5th but afterwards disappeared. Fliers were posted and searches were organized to track down the college student, who was located in Morrisville. People in the town recognized him from the fliers and brought Franchito to the local police station. He was later admitted to a local hospital, although it’s still unknown where he had been for the past two weeks.

Immigrant Smugglers Caught By Police
Police in Nash County went to investigate when witnesses reported that two men abducted a woman on I-95. Officers soon tracked down the vehicle and pulled it over, discovering the woman being held against her will. The two men told officers that they had smuggled her into the country from Mexico and then found she wouldn’t pay up, so they were planning to send her back. All three are currently being held by Immigration officials.

Shrimp Harvest Takes A Hit
The changing temperatures in 2005 didn’t just affect humans in North Carolina, but now it appears the shrimp market took a hit as well. The state’s shrimp industry hauled in the smallest catch in over 20 years, according to the numbers so far. 2.3 million pounds of shrimp were brought in, nearly a third of the usual 7 million pounds. Environmental scientists blame the weather, explaining that shrimp are sensitive to changes in temperature.

Sports Headlines

High School Basketball
The field is set and Wilkes County’s teams are preparing for basketball action. Wilkes Central’s boys team is in action tonight, playing against Ashe County. The game will tip off tonight at 7pm in Ashe County, between the #3 and #4 seeds from the Mountain Valley Conference. Then coming up tomorrow night, the Lady Eagles of Wilkes Central are in action, taking on Mountain Heritage. And we’ll be on hand over in Moravian Falls to cover the action, with the McDonald’s pregame show going on the air at 6:45pm and tipoff set for 7pm.

NCAA Scoreboard
Around the college basketball scene last night, it was NC A&T over Morgan State 56-52, High Point knocked off UNC Asheville 88-67, Coastal Carolina beat VMI 76-63 and it was Chattanooga over Appalachian State 64-50. The Mountaineers got 20 points from DJ Thompson, but he was their only player in double figures. With the loss, Appalachian drops to 11-15.

Two NC Baseball Teams Ranked
With March not far off, the first Top 25 poll of the year has been released by Baseball America and two North Carolina teams made the list. The UNC Tarheels enter this baseball season ranked #4 in the nation, behind three major league pitching prospects. NC State meanwhile came in ranked #21, thanks to two sport star Cameron Bennerman.

Wolfpack Football Team Loses Coach
Bad news for the NC State football team, as another coach is leaving. Offensive line coach Mike Barry was hired by the NFL’s Detroit Lions this week, ending a three year term as part of the Wolfpack. Barry is the second coach to leave the team since last year, as safeties coach Manny Diaz has also left to become the new defensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee State.

Gordon Is Media’s Pick To Win The Cup
With the Daytona 500 in the books, the verdict is in as to who’s the favorite to win the Nextel Cup this season. Jeff Gordon tops the media poll this year, followed in a close second by last year’s champion Tony Stewart. Jimmie Johnson comes in third in the poll, Greg Biffle is fourth and Carl Edwards round out the top five drivers. Jimmie Johnson got a head start on the rest of the field however with Sunday’s victory in the Daytona 500.

News & Sports For February 20th

Check Road Conditions Before Leaving
With Old Man Winter expected to pay a visit tomorrow night, it’s important to know what road conditions are like before you leave the house. For people here in Wilkes that can be accessed now on the internet by visiting the state DOT webpage at www.ncdot.org/traffictravel. Once there you can click on the real time travel information option and it will let you know what roads are like and how long a delay you can expect on your drive into work.

Guns Stolen From Elkin Residence
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to an Elkin residence last week, after thieves ran off with over $500 in guns. The theft happened on Edwards Cedar Lane, as the homeowner left his door unlocked when going out. He returned Thursday morning to find several weapons were missing, including a Marlin .22 Magnum, a 12 gauge shotgun and a .380 pistol. There is a suspect in the case and that investigation continues.

Vandals Hit Maple Springs Automotive
Last week, vandals hit another business here in Wilkes County, this time targeting Maple Springs Automotive on Hwy 421. The owner came in to find that several of the cars had been damaged, with windows & signal lights shattered. All total estimated damages were placed at $3500 and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Two Cars Totaled On Oakwoods Road
Two cars were totaled after an accident last Thursday on Oakwoods Road. The incident happened just before 7pm Thursday night, as a North Wilkesboro woman was merging onto Oakwoods from the Hwy 421 ramp. She was hit on the side by a Wilkesboro woman who ran the red light. Thankfully no one was injured in the wreck but estimated damages were placed at $3500.

Cheaper Way To File Taxes
Filing taxes this year could be a lot cheaper for people here in North Carolina, thanks to a new plan. The State Department of Revenue announced this week that two companies have agreed to offer free state tax returns through their website. The plan applies to anyone who makes $50,000 a year or less and can be accessed by going to www.dor.state.nc.us . That will let you link up with either TaxEngine or TaxSimple, the two companies providing the free services.

Car Stolen From North Wilkesboro Home
A North Wilkesboro woman got a surprise Thursday night. She came home, parked her car and went inside, only to find it missing minutes later. She looked outside the window to see her car being driven down the road. Information has been turned over to sheriff’s deputies and there is a suspect in the case. That investigation continues.

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. Last week here on 3WC, we told you about the recall affecting the Dakota, Durango and Raider models for a problem in the anti-lock brake system. Now additional problems have been discovered. 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.

One Car Wrecked After Accident On Main Street
A wreck Thursday afternoon on Main Street in Wilkesboro totaled one car and put another one in the shop for repairs. A Wilkesboro man had pulled out into traffic, without looking to see what was coming. He hit another vehicle, then fled the scene, leaving behind his brother in the vehicle. Estimated damage in the accident was placed at $3300 and 37-yr-old John Allen Laws was charged with obstruction & delay, in addition to driving with a revoked license.

State News

Police Pick Up License Plates
Over 5000 license plates have been confiscated by police across North Carolina over the past two months, as they enforce a new law on the books. Under a new law that went into effect last year, uninsured drivers have to hand over their license plate, preventing them from getting on the highway and possibly causing a wreck. State officials estimate that each year, uninsured drivers cost insurance companies $80 million.

Rhino Times Publishes Cartoons
A newspaper in Greensboro is adding fuel to the international fire over the cartoons of the prophet Muhammad. The Rhinoceros Times republished the cartoons, who portrays Muhammad with a bomb shaped turban and an ignited fuse. When the cartoons were first published in a Danish newspaper, they caused violent protests across the Middle East. Muslim groups around the Greensboro area are calling for a ban of the newspaper and city leaders labeled the paper’s decision as distasteful and irresponsible.

Newspaper Carrier Steals Mail
A 30-yr-old newspaper carrier in Alamance County is facing 10 counts of larceny today after stealing from people along her route. While delivering newspapers, Lorraine Dixon would open up the mailbox of her customers and take things from inside. Checks, cash and other items were stolen from the mailboxes, all found by police when they raided her home in Burlington. It’s believed that Dixon stole from 40 different people along her route.

Piedmont Triad International Evacuated
Security officials evacuated Piedmont Triad Airport this weekend after a package was found inside. Over 400 people were moved out of the airport while officials investigated a strange package that was found among passenger bags that were checked in. Some flights were also delayed, but things soon got back to normal after the package was found to be harmless.

Thieves Steal From Special Olympics
Who would steal from the Special Olympics? That’s what officials in Randolph County are wondering today. Several thousand dollars worth of sports equipment was taken over the weekend as thieves broke in. Also for whatever reason, the thieves damaged several hundred ribbons that were to be given out. Randolph officials are asking for help in restoring both the ribbons and sports equipment in time for state competitions, which begin this week.

Sports Headlines

High School Wrestling
Over the weekend, the High School 2A/1A regional tournament was held and several Wilkes County wrestlers came out ahead. Overall West Wilkes finished fourth and East Wilkes came in 25th. In the individual matches, it was Steven Branch of West Wilkes taking the 145 lb. title, beating Nathan Smith of Avery. Eric Hughes of West came in second in the 215 lb. division, losing to Butch Bridges of Pisgah. And in the consolation game of the 189 lb. weight class, Bobby Sprinkle from West Wilkes beat Larry Crawford from North Henderson.

High School Scores
Around the high school basketball scene, the Mountain Valley Conference crowned new champions over the weekend. On the girls side of the court, it was the #2 seed North Surry knocking off Surry Central 56-36. Meanwhile on the boys side, it was the #1 seed Starmount beating #2 seeded North Surry 73-58.

High School Standings
Seedings were announced over the weekend for the state playoffs and two Wilkes County teams made the list. The Wilkes Centrals girls come in as a #1 seed, getting an automatic first round bye. The Lady Eagles will take on the winner of Pisgah & Mountain Heritage on Wednesday, with the game tipping off in Moravian Falls at 7pm.
On the boys side of the court, the Wilkes Central Eagles made it into the state playoffs, taking their 12-13 record up the road to Ashe County tomorrow night. They be facing the Ashe County Huskies. The game will start Tuesday night at 7pm up in Ashe County, in a matchup of the #3 and #4 seeds from the Mountain Valley Conference.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look around the college scene, it was East Carolina over Marshall 63-59, UNC Asheville knocked off Eastern Kentucky 83-77, in an upset it was UNC Greensboro losing to St. Peters’ 80-76 in overtime. Western Carolina beat Elon 85-78, it was Gardner-Webb over Lipscomb 71-66 and UNC Charlotte beat Fordham 81-75. Charlotte got 29 points from returning starter Marcus Bennett, who hit 7 three pointers on the night. Charlotte improves to 16-9, as the 49ers take second place in the Atlantic 10 conference. In the ACC, it was NC State over Virginia Tech 70-64 as Cameron Bennerman had 26 points. State improves to 21-5 with the win. Also it was North Carolina squeaking by Wake Forest 83-72. Reyshawn Terry had 24 points to lead the Tarheels, while Justin Gray put in 20 for the Deacons. With the loss Wake Forest drops to 13-13 while UNC moves up to 17-6. Finally it was Duke blowing out Miami 92-71 in a historic night for the Blue Devil faithful. J.J. Redick scored 30 points, breaking Johnnie Dawkins’ school record for most points in a career with 2557. Shelton Williams also added 17 points and 15 rebounds for the Blue Devils, who improve to 25-1.

Daytona 500 Results
The 2006 NASCAR season started off with a bang Sunday night at the Daytona 500. Jimmie Johnson took the checkered flag, after a race that saw several crashes and penalties handed out for aggressive driving. Casey Mears was second, Ryan Newman third, Elliot Sadler fourth and Tony Stewart rounded out the top five.

News & Sports For February 17th

Decision Handed Down On Parsons
Wilkesboro police chief Gary Parsons was removed from office yesterday, but town officials stopped short of firing him. The decision was handed down during a special meeting of the town commissioners, who voted to indefinitely suspend Parsons until his case is heard in court. Parsons was taken off the police department payroll, however he will stay as a town employee until a verdict is reached on the case. In addition once the 30-day original suspension is over, Parsons will be paid his regular salary and keep his health insurance. He will however have to move out of his apartment at the Wilkesboro Fire Department and will no longer be allowed to work as a volunteer firefighter with the town. Town officials said they felt Parsons couldn’t be effective with the charges hanging over him, but due to his long history with Wilkesboro, they felt a verdict should be reached before making a final decision. In his place, captains Steve Dowell and Robert Bowlin will run the Wilkesboro police department until a permanent replacement is found. Parsons stands accused of 12 separate felony & misdemeanor counts including obtaining property by false pretense, using officers to do personal work for him while on city time, misuse of a public vehicle and embezzlement.

Child Seat Safety Check Tomorrow
Close to 90% of child safety seats across Wilkes County were not installed correctly, according to local SafeKids coordinator Kevin Bounds. While this is slightly lower than the national average, it’s still high enough for concern. Here in Wilkes a safety seat check will be going on tomorrow at Premiere Chevy. Parents can come in, learn the right way of putting in a car seat and ask questions of the SafeKids representatives on hand. That will go on from 10am til 2pm and is free to the public.

Pay Phone Stolen From Local Store
When customers pulled into a convenience store on Statesville Road this week, they got a surprise. The pay phone had gone missing. Wednesday afternoon, employees recognized that the phone had disappeared, along with $150 in change that was inside. Information was turned over to sheriff’s deputies and that investigation continues.

Scouting For Food Starts Tomorrow
The ice, snow and rain over the last few weeks has delayed Scouting For Food pickups across Wilkes County. But don’t worry, if you had some food set out that wasn’t picked up by the Scouts last week, they’ll be making the rounds this Saturday. For those areas, the Scouts ask that you have the food out ready to be picked up by 9am Saturday morning. For more information you can call the district executive Derrick Young at 927-2006.

Medicine Stolen From Local Woman
Thieves broke into a house on Chestnut Grove Road this week, running off with several hundred dollars worth of medicine. The incident happened sometime Wednesday morning, as the homeowner returned to find two bottles of pain medication missing. However there was no sign of a break-in and no damage done to the property itself. There is a suspect in the case and that investigation continues.

FAFSA Day Tomorrow For Collegebound Students
For any high school seniors and their parents, it can be confusing and frustrating at times filling out the government’s FAFSA form. That’s the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which you have to fill out before you’re able to be considered for any financial aid grants or federal scholarships. But don’t worry , some help is on the way. Throughout the day tomorrow, financial aid officers will be at 42 different places across North Carolina, helping students put down the right information and get that FAFSA filed. Several of those locations are close to Wilkes County, including one at Wake Forest University, Appalachian State, Surry Community College and Caldwell Community College. However in order to be seen, you need to pre-register and get an appointment. To do that you can go online to www.cfnc.org/fafsaday or by calling 1-866-866-CFNC.

Mailbox Vandals Strike Again
Mailbox vandals hit another home in Wilkes County, this time targeting a house on Beaumont Popular Road. Just as in a similar case recently, the vandals used a car to hit the mailbox before driving off down the road. Despite the noise, no one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything during the night. That investigation is ongoing.

3WC Techwatch: Going Phishing
A new credit scam is floating around the internet, as we explain in today’s 3WC Techwatch. In this case, the con artists aren’t trying to hook you into buying something or advising you on a purchase. Instead, they’re masquerading as a representative from the National Credit Union Administration. Here’s how it works. You check your email and find a message from the National Credit Union Administration, informing you about some changes you should be aware of and asking you to log in. Once you click on the link in the email however, it takes you to a dummy website, where everything looks the same but with one small difference. When you type in your password and account number, you’re locked out and the hackers can take control. One way to avoid falling prey to these scams is to never open a link like that in your email. It could be real, but just to make sure, always exit from your email and go to the company’s webpage on your own. It’ll take a little bit more time, but it could also save your bank account.

Paintballs Used To Decorate Hays House
A Hays woman got a surprise when she arrived home Wednesday night. Someone had decorated her house by using a paintball gun. The incident happened on Airport Road, with no serious damage done to the home except for the paint. Deputies were informed of a red Nissan truck in the area, the same vehicle whose occupants were seen shooting paintballs on Elledge Mill Road recently. That investigation continues.

State News

Government Accidentally Releases NC Farmers Data
Over a hundred thousand North Carolina tobacco farmers are having to check their credit reports today, after personal information was accidentally released by the government. The Department of Agriculture was responding to a Freedom of Information request this week, to provide more details about the tobacco buyout program. Instead of the requested information, the groups received Social Security numbers and tax numbers for the farmers involved in the project, all 350000 of them. Everyone who received the information has promised to destroy it, but farmers are still being advised to check their credit reports to make sure nothing illegal has gone on.

Cell Phones Now Illegal At Seymour Johnson
For anyone traveling in Goldsboro, you might want to turn off your cell phone while driving. That is, if you don’t want a ticket. Using a cell phone while driving is now illegal at and around Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, according to a press release sent out on Thursday. The base in Goldsboro is the second one in North Carolina to enforce such a ruling, after Pope Air Force Base did the same back in December. Base officials said the ruling was put in to prevent traffic accidents.

Jobs Coming To The Triad Area
Good news today for people living around NC State as more jobs are headed to the area. The MeadWestvaco Corporation announced plans on Wednesday to create a Packaging Innovation Center on the NC State Centennial Campus in Wake County. The move will bring in 200 new jobs and inject $14 million into the area by 2010. The Center itself will handle all of MeadWest’s research and development, along with other operations.

Red Light Cameras Cause Accidents
The latest speeding ticket craze could actually cause more problems than it solves. According to a new study done at NC A&T University, red light cameras don’t make the intersections safer, but rather the opposite. The study was done over a 5 year period, studying 303 different intersections. They found that for whatever reason, vehicle crashes actually rose at intersections were there were red light cameras.

DVD Counterfeiting Ring In Catawba Busted Up
A major DVD counterfeiting operation was busted in Catawba County Wednesday night. Deputies seized over 7000 illegally copied DVDs from two homes in the Claremount area. The deputies were working in connection with officials from the Secretary of State’s office and the Motion Picture Association of America. Evidence has been turned over to the DA and charges are expected in the coming days.

UNC Greensboro Employees Accused Of Stealing From Mail
Some students at UNC Greensboro had been wondering why they hadn’t received any mail over the last few months. It turns out the problem was in their school’s mailroom. Three employees at UNC-G have been charged with stealing from the mailroom. Officials say all three took cards, cash and gift certificates from the mail when it was delivered. One of the employees is a student at the university and has been fired from the job, but allowed to stay in school. The other two employees have been suspended, following an investigation by campus police and the Postal Service.

Sports Headlines

Baseball Registrations Being Taken
With March just a few weeks away, it’ll soon be time for baseball around Wilkes County. Today is the final day of registration for the 2006 season in t-ball, baseball and softball here in Wilkes. You can pick up a registration form at Cook’s, the Recreation Department office and also online at www.wilkescounty.net For more information you can call 651-7355.

High School Scoreboard
Taking a look at high school basketball around the area last night, it was North Surry over Ashe County 56-52 in the boys semi-final of the Mountain Valley Conference. Kent Brown had 17 points to lead North, who improves to 21-4. In the girls semi-final it was North Surry over Ashe County as well 41-33. Whitney Culler led North with 16 points. And so the field is set for tonight’s championship games. The girls game will tip off first at 6:30pm, with North Surry taking on Surry Central. Then later on at 8pm, the boys of Starmount will take on North Surry.
Meanwhile in the Northwest 1-A conference, the championship games were held on Thursday night. On the boys side, North Stokes took the crown, with a 64-47 win over Mount Airy. Tyler Wilson and Travis Lawson both had 12 points to lead North. Meanwhile in the girls game, Bishop McGuiness kept on rolling with a 68-38 win over South Stokes. Katheryn Lyons had 22 for the Lady Villains, who improve to 26-0 on the year.

NCAA Scoreboard
Around the college basketball scene last night, it was Lipscomb over Campbell 82-70 and Gardner-Webb beat Belmont 74-66. The Running Bulldogs got 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks from Simon Conn, as they improve to 14-10 on the season.

Wallace On The Way Back
Great news for the Charlotte Bobcats this week, as small forward Gerald Wallace returned to practice. Wallace has been out for the past month with a leg injury and was medically cleared by team doctors. Wallace, who is the team's leading scorer, will get back on the court next week, when the Bobcats take on the Denver Nuggets.

Gatorade Twin 125 Duel Results
Around the NASCAR circuit last night, they held qualifying races for the final available spots in the Daytona 500. 23 drivers were in the hunt for those last four spots and making the cut was Kevin LePage, Bill Elliot, Mike Wallace and Kirk Shelmerdine.

News & Sports For February 16th

Wilkes County Bridges In Need Of Repair
Wilkes County bridges could use a facelift. That’s according to AAA of the Carolinas, who released their annual list of the most dangerous bridges in the state. Wilkes County had four rank in the Top 650. The bridge over Reddies River on US 421 Business came in at #231, while the one over Mulberry Creek on Hwy 268 fell right behind at #305. The bridge over Cub Creek on State Road 1001 was also labeled as hazardous, being ranked #381 worst in the state. And finally coming in at #644 was the bridge over Bugaboo Creek on Hwy 268. In general, bridges across the state are in worse shape now than in January of 2005. Last year, 30.5% of all bridges in NC were labeled as substandard or dangerous. In 2006, that number has increased to 31.2%. Money for bridge repair comes out of the state’s highway trust fund, which has been raided in recent years by lawmakers. Money that was supposed to go for replacing roads and bridges has instead been used on pet projects, to the tune of $250 million being taken out each year.

More Candidates File For Office
Several more candidates have tossed their names into the hat during this election season. Representative Tracy Walker filed for re-election. Walker is the Representative for the 94th District of the North Carolina House, which includes Wilkes County. Currently he’s running unopposed. Also Republican John Yates joined a growing crowd of candidates for the job of Wilkes County Clerk of Court. He’ll be running against three other Republicans in Joe Byrd, Janet Handy and Geoff Farmer. Candidates can file anytime up to noon on February 28th.

Driver Flees The Scene Of Accident
Wilkesboro police were called out to the scene of an accident on Hwy 268 Tuesday night. Only one car was involved, however the driver was nowhere to be found. Witnesses told police that the driver lost control and went over the curb, before hitting a light pole. He then climbed out of the car and took off running. Estimated damage was placed at $7000 to the vehicle and there is a suspect in the case. That investigation continues.

Thieves Break In To Steal Chainsaw
Who would break in just to steal a chainsaw? That’s what a Traphill man is wondering today. He went into his garage on Tuesday, only to find the chainsaw was missing. There was no sign of a break-in and nothing else missing from the property. That investigation is ongoing.

Focus On The 45th District
Challengers and incumbents alike rushed to file this week, putting their name in the hat for the November elections. One of the races this year is for the 45th District, placing challenger David Blust in competition with incumbent Senator John Garwood. And David Blust will be Brian’s guest this week for Focus on the Foothills, as they’ll be going over the issues affecting the 45th District and some possible solutions. That’s coming up today at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Local Churches Working To Help Hurricane Victims
Two local ministries are asking for help in reaching out to a family in need. Calvary Baptist Church has been working to rebuild a home for a family in Gulfport Mississippi. Now in connection with Rescue America Baptist Missions they want to finish the job. The outside of the house is fine and a new roof has been put on, but the inside still needs work. The two ministries have been told that it will cost about $20,000 to finish the project. They are asking for any type of help possible, from volunteers to pick up a hammer to anyone looking to donate supplies or money. They need doors, sheetrock, lumber and anything else available to give. The house belongs to a couple and their two kids and if you or your church can help by volunteering or through financial means, the person to call is Jean Hodges at 262-0385.

WCC Offers Help For Small Businesses
Many people want to go into business for themselves, but face a lot of questions. How can I get started? What kind of businesses can survive in the current economy? The Small Business Center at Wilkes Community College wants to help answer those questions in a seminar tonight. The event will run from 6-9pm at the Wilkes campus and help you to develop a new business idea that will stand the test of time. The event is free and to pre-register you can call 838-6113.

Vehicle Damaged During The Night
Earlier this week, a North Wilkesboro man got a surprise when he walked outside. Someone had damaged his car during the night. An estimated $1000 in damage had been done, with scratches on the doors and tires. It also appears like the vandals tried to rip off the hubcaps but failed. The homeowner remembered hearing noises during the night but never went to check them out. That investigation continues.

Check Road Conditions Before Leaving
With winter weather in the forecast later this week, it’s important to know what road conditions are like before you leave the house. For people here in Wilkes that can be accessed now on the internet by visiting the state DOT webpage at www.ncdot.org/traffictravel. Once there you can click on the real time travel information option and it will let you know what roads are like and how long a delay you can expect on your drive into work.

State News

Officials On The Hunt For NC Bank Robber
Officials are asking for help in tracking down a bank robber. The woman has hit five separate banks over the past month leaving a trail from the North Carolina coast to Virginia. In each of the banks, she waits in line and gives no indication that she’s anything other than an ordinary customer. Then when she gets to the teller, a note is handed over saying that unless she gets a certain amount of money in 30 seconds, people will be hurt. No weapons are ever displayed and witnesses haven’t been able to provide an accurate description of the robber, only to say she drove a silver Ford sedan as a getaway car. Anyone with information is asked to call 1-919-894-2091.

Coastal Development Causing Some Fishy Problems
Bad news today for people living along the coast as increased development has damaged the shellfish population. What used to be a crop of 1.8 million bushels back in the 20th century has dropped now to 50,000 bushels a year. As fishermen scramble to survive, state officials are taking a look at the problem. It’s believed that development and the increased pollution it brings are to blame, as creeks & streams now contain fertilizer, oil, gas and other things that have been dumped. As of 2005, 56000 acres of shellfishing water here in North Carolina have been closed due to the effects of pollution. The problem doesn’t just hurt the fishing industry however, as one single oyster filters over 30 gallons of water daily, making it cleaner for us to use.

Copper Thieves Causing Problems
Over 3500 pounds of copper has been stolen from four North Carolina counties since October and officials are still trying to figure out why. The copper was taken from seven different electric substations in Burke, Catawba, Cleveland and Lincoln counties, all part of the Rutherford Electric Membership Corporation. In each case, the thieves got through the substation’s fence and then peeled off over 10 feet of copper from inside. With copper going for over $2 a pound now, officials believe they could be looking for someone who desperately needs the money.

Charlotte In Running For GOP
The city of Charlotte could be on the national stage in 2008 as it’s in the running to host the Republican National Convention that year. Charlotte is one of 31 cities who were asked to submit proposals for the event, a list of which was released on Wednesday. Other cities included are New Orleans, Miami and Nashville among others. A list of finalists is expected by this summer and the final decision will be announced by February 1st of 2007

Florida Killer Found In NC
A man wanted for murder in Florida was found by the North Carolina Highway Patrol this week. Troopers were about to issue 28-yr-old Nunding Bartell a traffic citation when they saw blood all over his arms and hands. Dried blood was also found on the side of the vehicle he’d been driving. Bartell attempted to give troopers a fake name but couldn’t show any ID and was arrested. Later on his real identity was confirmed. He’s currently being held in the Johnston County jail, awaiting extradition to Florida.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
Taking a look at high school basketball last night, two semi-final games in the Mountain Valley Conference took place. On the girls side of the court, it was Surry Central over Wilkes Central 58-57, as Wilkes saw a 5 point lead vanish within the last few seconds of the game. With the loss, the Lady Eagles drop to 23-2 and get set for next week’s state playoffs. On the boys side, it was another great game that went down to the wire, as Starmount beat Wilkes Central 46-45. Wilkes Central drops to 12-12 on the season.

NCAA Scoreboard
Around the college basketball scene, it was High Point over VMI 73-72, Winthrop beat UNC Asheville 78-65 and UNC Wilmington knocked off Hofstra 77-68. Charlotte beat Richmond 64-47 and in the ACC, NC State blew out Florida State 86-64. State got 19 points and 8 assists from Engin Astur as the Wolfpack improve to 20-5. But the game of the night was in the Dean Dome, as UNC rallied to beat Georgia Tech 82-75. Tarheel freshman Tyler Hansborough put UNC on his back and carried the team, scoring 40 points and grabbing 10 rebounds as the Heels improve to 16-6.

Additions Coming For Duke Football
The Duke football team will have some familiar faces on the sideline next season as Charles London and Scottie Montgomery will join Ted Roof’s coaching staff. Montgomery, a former wide receiver at Duke who was named the team’s MVP in 1998 and 1999, will take over as coach of his former position. London meanwhile will take over as running backs coach, replacing Fred Chatham, who left to join Steve Spurrier at South Carolina.

NBA: New Jersey vs. Charlotte
In the senior circuit of the NBA, the Charlotte Bobcats gave it all they had but fell just short, losing 95-94 to the New Jersey Nets. Charlotte was playing with only 9 players due to injury, the latest being an ankle sprain for starting center Primoz Breznec. Point guard Brevin Knight had 28 points to lead the Bobcats, who fall to 14-40 with the All-Star break on the way.

NASCAR To Limit Bump Drafting
Things could get a little bumpy for drivers during the rest of Speedweek, as NASCAR officials announced they would be enforcing “no zones”. The plan is designed to cut down on the amount of bump drafting that goes on during a race, where a driver intentionally rams another car to slide forward in the draft. NASCAR is planning to bring in more officials for the rest of this week’s races and a spokesman said they wouldn’t hesitate to enforce the zone, even if it affects the result of the race.

News & Sports For February 15th

Wilkes Takes Part In National Child Passenger Safety Week
Close to 90% of child safety seats across Wilkes County were not installed correctly, according to local SafeKids coordinator Kevin Bounds. While this is slightly lower than the national average, it’s still high enough for concern. Across the nation this is Child Passenger Safety Week and here in Wilkes a safety seat check will be going on this Saturday at Premiere Chevy. Parents can come in, learn the right and wrong ways of putting in a car seat and ask questions of the SafeKids representatives on hand. That will go on from 10am til 2pm and is free to the public.

Search Leads To Drug Bust For Deputies
A search for a suspect in another case led to a drug bust this week. Deputies were attempting to serve a warrant on a local man and went to a residence on South River Ridge Road to find him. When the homeowner told them the man wasn’t there, they asked to come inside and search. Once in the home, deputies found a glass plate with white powder, later identified as cocaine. In addition, bags of cocaine were found in the homeowner’s vehicle and inside the house. 24-yr-old Delia Marie Castorena-Garcia was arrested and charged with drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Laptop Stolen From Local Home
Deputies were called out to a home on Mulberry Mill Road Monday afternoon, after thieves dropped by. The homeowner and her son had returned home to find his laptop was missing. There was no sign of a break-in and nothing else taken from inside. Neighbors reported seeing two suspects enter and exit the house during the day and gave deputies their names and descriptions. That investigation continues.

3WC Healthwatch: Possible Test For Alzheimers
Have you ever gotten confused and been afraid that it’s the onset of Alzheimers? Well there’s some good news today about the disease in our 3WC Healthwatch, regarding a word test that doctors believe could help identify the sickness. Researchers at the University of York performed a study earlier this year involving 136 people with an average age of 77. Some had Alzheimers while others were completely healthy. Each person was asked to name as many animals and fruits in a one minute time period as they could. The study showed that people with Alzheimers and those just showing signs of the disease couldn’t name as many and had trouble remembering certain ones. Badgers, giraffes and zebras were among the animals Alzheimers’ patients couldn’t name. According to the study’s results, as Alzheimers’ develops, patients usually retain only words they learned as a young child. While this is just a first step, the doctors hope that they can use this technique to develop possible treatments to help slow the progress of the disease and possibly one day find a cure.

Kerosene Stolen From North Wilkesboro Home
Who would steal over a 100 gallons of kerosene fuel? That’s what a North Wilkesboro woman is asking today. She returned home Monday afternoon to find the fuel missing, despite there not being any signs of a break-in. Nothing else was missing or damaged inside the house and deputies are continuing that investigation.

Focus On The 45th District
Challengers and incumbents alike rushed to file this week, putting their name in the hat for the November elections. One of the races this year is for the 45th District, placing challenger David Blust in competition with incumbent Senator John Garwood. David Blust will be Brian’s guest this week for Focus on the Foothills, as they’ll be going over the issues affecting the 45th District and some possible solutions. That’s coming up tomorrow at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Damage Done At Union Grove Home
A Union Grove man got a surprise when he arrived home Monday afternoon. Someone had shattered the back window in his truck and tore up his front lawn, leaving tire tracks all over. Estimated damage was placed at $150 and there is a suspect in the case. That investigation continues.

Recall Ordered For Vehicles
Bad news today for some Ford truck owners as a recall has been issued of certain 2006 models. All 2006 Dodge Dakota, Dodge Ram and Mitsubishi Raiders are being brought back, due to a problem in the brake system. A software error has been detected in the system that could stop the ABS warning light from going off if it wasn’t working. A hotline has been set up for owners to contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. You can also take the vehicle back to the dealership and they’ll recalibrate the system for free.

Heritage Museum Once Again Taking Names For Veterans’ Walk
With Memorial Day coming up in three months, the Wilkes Heritage Museum wants to continue honoring soldiers by adding more names to their Veterans’ Walk of Honor. Bricks for the project cost $100 each, with the veteran’s name, rank, branch and date of service engraved. The deadline this year is April 28th, to guarantee that the veteran’s name will be placed on the walk in time for the ceremony. Proceeds from the walk will go to help fund the museum and other projects of Old Wilkes. To buy one, you can contact Old Wilkes at 667-3711 or stop by to pick up an application. The organization is located at 203 North Bridge Street behind the Heritage Museum in Wilkesboro. Or you can drop in at the museum itself to pick one up.

Regional News

Mistake Ruins Caldwell’s Future Board Of Elections
Some miscalculations have the Caldwell County Board of Elections searching for a new home today. Over the weekend, Caldwell firefighters used the empty Smithey building in downtown Lenoir as part of a training exercise, burning it to the ground. The plan was to clear away debris and then use the space for parking at the new county office building, which was undergoing renovations. However during the fire, one of the walls of the Smithey building collapsed, falling on what would have been the Board of Elections new office. The building, which the county paid $69,000 for, was damaged beyond repair and itself had to be torn down.

Caldwell Man Officially Indicted
Caldwell County prosecutors are still undecided if they’ll seek the death penalty against 45-yr-old Jerry Lee Anderson, who stands accused of killing his wife. 49-yr-old Emily Anderson went missing on December 29th and her body was found a little over a week later in South Carolina, stuffed into the toolbox of her truck. She had died of gunshot wounds. Jerry Anderson was officially indicted on Monday, being charged with first degree murder.

State News

Change Of Plans With Lottery Money
Critics of the state lottery were at least proved right on one point, as Gov. Mike Easley announced some changes this week to the education budget. Instead of being added to the current budget, profits from the state’s new lottery will replace already existing funding. $210 million from the lottery proceeds will be given to More at Four programs across the state and to reduce the size of elementary school classes. The money that had been in the budget for those programs is needed elsewhere, according to Gov. Easley. The governor himself offered no explanation as to where the money was going, however a spokesman said that part of the money will be spent on increasing teacher salaries.

Hege’s Son To Run For Sheriff
As filing continues for this year’s elections, a famous name has surfaced in Davidson County. Gerald Hege Jr, son of former Davidson County sheriff Gerald Hege announced plans this week to run for his father’s former office. The elder Hege stepped down in 2004 after 10 years in the job, pleading guilty to obstructing justice. Gerald Hege Jr. is one of four challengers for the job of current Davidson County sheriff David Grice.

Jobs Coming To Lexington
Less than a week after learning that PGT Industries plans to leave the area, the city of Lexington has found someone to fill the void. Kepley Frank Hardwoods has announced plans to move into an abandoned furniture plant and rebuild it as one of their factories. The company will bring 200 new jobs to Lexington over the next three years and invest $4.1 million in the area.

Rabies Scare In Orange County
Officials in Orange County are warning people to be careful with their pets, as a rabies scare has hit the area. Over the weekend a skunk tested positive for the disease, becoming the third infected animal found over the last month. Animal control is asking people to take precautions by making sure pets are up to date on their rabies vaccinations.

Sports Headlines

Baseball Registrations Being Taken
With spring around the corner, it’ll soon be time to for kids to suit up and play baseball. The Wilkes County Recreation Department is now registering kids for the 2006 season in tee-ball, baseball and softball. You can pick up a registration form at Cook’s, the Recreation Department office and also online at www.wilkescounty.net You have until this Friday, February 17th to register and for more information the number to call is 651-7355.

High School Scoreboard
Around the high school scene, we’re in the middle of the conference tournament season in basketball. Last night in the Mountain Valley Conference, it was North Surry beating North Wilkes 76-48. Coming up tonight in the girls semi-finals, it’s going to be the #1 ranked Wilkes Central Lady Eagles taking on #5 Surry Central. Tipoff is set for 6:30pm and we’ll be on the air at 6:15 with the McDonald’s pregame show.

NCAA Scoreboard
In college basketball last night, it was more of a practice run for the Duke Blue Devils, as they ran over Wake Forest 93-70. Duke was able to sit their starters for a good part of the second half, as they improve to 24-1. Wake on the other hand drops to 13-12. J.J. Reddick also set an NCAA record for most three pointers in a career. Curtis Staples had set the previous record of 413 back in 1998. On Tuesday, Reddick passed that mark and looks to add a few more before graduating this year.

Instant Replay Coming To College
Instant replay could soon be a permanent part of college football. The NCAA’s rules committee agreed this week to allow coaches one replay challenge per game, starting next season. Once that’s approved by the full NCAA board in March, that’ll go into effect for all schools and all conferences in Division I-A football.

Appalachian State Football Schedule Released
Coming off a season where they won the national championship, the road to repeat will be a little harder for the Appalachian State Mountaineers. The schedule has been released for next year, when the team will play six games at home. The season kicks off September 2nd at NC State, the first time since 1992 the two schools have played. Then one week later, App will look to continue an 18 game winning streak at Kip Brewer Stadium when they have their home opener September 9th against James Madison.

Jimmie Johnson’s Crew Chief Suspended
As drivers gear up for Sunday’s Daytona 500, some bad news for Jimmie Johnson. Johnson’s crew chief Chad Knaus has been suspended for some alternations made to the #48 Chevy. Officials found that the rear window on the car had been raised, affecting its’ aerodynamics and possibly giving a bit of an edge to the team. The change was found during the post qualifying inspections and as a result Johnson has been dropped to the back of the pack for this Thursday’s 150-mile race. NASCAR also said that more penalties against the team could be coming after the 500.

News & Sports For February 14th

Decision Delayed On Parsons
No official decision was made yesterday in the case of Wilkesboro police chief Gary Parsons. The Wilkesboro town board did release a 24-hr-notice saying that they are considering firing Chief Parsons, but a formal decision won’t be made until Thursday, when they reconvene at 7pm. After a closed session meeting yesterday, Mayor Norman Call spoke for the board, explaining that he and Town Manager Ken Noland had brought Parsons to the town attorney’s office when the charges were first released, wanting to hear his side of the story. After listening to Parsons and discussing the matter amongst themselves, the board approved the 24-hour notice, in accordance with town policy. The vote itself was unanimous, but any decision on Parsons’ continued employment was tabled until the meeting on Thursday. Chief Parsons stands accused of 12 separate felony & misdemeanor counts including obtaining property by false pretense, using officers to do personal work for him while on city time, misuse of a public vehicle and embezzlement. In addition, Parsons also is facing charges of allowing his son, who is a minor, to be on scene at official calls and be armed with a handgun, while also giving him a Wilkesboro Police Officer's uniform to wear. He’s currently on a 30-day suspension, awaiting his April 10th court date.

Armed Robbery On Shumate Mountain Road
A Hays man was injured after an armed robbery Sunday on the Shumate Mountain Road. He was walking to a friend’s house when three men pulled up in a 4-door Chevy, got out and started beating him with baseball bats. After they finished the assault, they stole $50 and some prescription medication that he was carrying. The victim was treated and released from Wilkes Regional, later providing descriptions of the men and their vehicle to sheriff’s deputies. That investigation is ongoing.

Candidates File In Wilkes County Races
The election season has started here in Wilkes County and several candidates put their names in the hat yesterday. Two seats are open this year for the County Board of Commissioners, as the terms of incumbents Zach Henderson and Luther Parks are set to expire. Both men filed for re-election on Monday, along with two challengers, Republicans David Day and Joanne Elledge. In addition, Sheriff Dane Mastin filed for re-election, as did 45th District Senator John Garwood. A three way race is also developing for Wilkes Clerk of Court, between three Republicans. Joe Byrd, Geoff Farmer and Janet Handy all filed yesterday. And Francis Tharpe filed to run for the Wilkes County Board of Education. She’ll be running for one of the two open seats on the board.

Thieves Hit Moravian Falls Run-In
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to the Moravian Falls Run-In twice over the weekend after thieves paid a visit. The alarm went off just before 2am on Sunday, bringing deputies over to discover one of the front windows had been shattered. Taken in the theft were 30 cases of beer and it seems someone had tried to break open the cash register, but failed. Estimated damage was placed at $320. Then late Sunday night, deputies were called out after the alarm went off again. The front door to the building was unlocked the safe had been opened. It appears that the thieves climbed through the air vent and then drilled out the lock to gain access to the safe. $895 was stolen from inside and this time estimated damages were placed at $750. It’s unknown if the two incidents are related, but both investigations are continuing.

WCC Offers Help For Small Businesses
Many people want to go into business for themselves, but face a lot of questions. How can I get started? What kind of businesses can survive in the current economy? The Small Business Center at Wilkes Community College wants to help answer those questions in a seminar this coming Thursday. The event will run from 6-9pm at the Wilkes campus and help you to develop a new business idea that will stand the test of time. The event is free and to pre-register you can call 838-6113.

Thieves Break Into Sleepy Ridge To Do Some Shopping
Thieves broke into one of the log cabins at Sleepy Ridge Homes over the weekend, stealing over a thousand dollars in property. They apparently had kicked down the front door and gone shopping, stealing coffee tables, chairs and even a foot stool. Information was turned over to sheriff’s deputies and that investigation continues.

Car Set On Fire In Wilkesboro
A Wilkesboro woman got a surprise when she walked out to her truck over the weekend. Parts of it were going up in flames. Smoked had filled the vehicle’s cab due to a fire that had been started on the console. The woman and her husband called sheriff’s deputies after putting out the fire, which caused $50 worth of damage to the interior. There is a suspect in the case and that investigation is ongoing.

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.

Mailbox Vandals Strike Again
Mailbox vandals hit another Wilkes County residence over the weekend, this time targeting a Wilkesboro woman’s home. The woman came outside Sunday morning to find $175 worth of damage done to the mailbox, however some evidence was left behind. It appears that the vandals were driving a car and hit the box, as the side mirror of a vehicle had been found at the scene. Despite the damage, no one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything unusual during the night. That investigation continues.

Regional News

Foxx Files For Re-Election
5th District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx made it official on Monday, filing for a second term in the U.S. House. After filing, she released a brief statement, saying that the American people have come to expect certain things and she’s determined to make it possible. Among those things were access to affordable healthcare and job security. The congresswoman also said that she was very optimistic about the future and wanted her office to be the most responsive one in the country, dealing with the issues affecting people here in the 5th District.

State News

Troops Returning From Iraq
Some good news today for military families in North Carolina as another group of Marines are returning home. The 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment made their way back to Camp Lejeune on Monday, being greeted by family and friends. The 900 members of the “Warlords”, as the troop is called, said they were glad to be home but will remember those who were lost in combat. 16 members of the unit were killed during the seven months they spent in Iraq. As soldiers return, others are on the way out. The 2nd Transportation Support Battalion is sending 130 soldiers along with the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron-269. Both groups are making final preparations to leave.

Lights Go Out In Kernersville
A drunk driver turned out the lights in Kernersville yesterday. Over 1500 businesses and people saw their power disappear after a man lost control of his car and slammed into a utility pole. No one was injured in the accident, which happened on Hwy 66 around 6:30 Monday morning. The man was taken to jail, however his name was not released. It took Duke Power almost three hours to fix the damage and turn the lights back on.

Pillowtex Finally Pays Workers
Some much needed good news for Pillowtex workers was delivered on Monday in the form of a check. The now-defunct company has reached a settlement with its’ creditors, paying off debts and also former employees. Over 7600 people were employed by Pillowtex when it shut down in 2003, most of whom are still struggling to find work. As a result of the settlement, the company plans to pay each of the workers an average of $2000.

Hearing Set For State Lottery
A state lottery here in North Carolina could be put on hold, depending on how a legal hearing goes later today. The issue is an injunction that’s been requested, to prevent any more state money from being used to get the games up and running. A group of plaintiffs has requested the injunction as part of a lawsuit to get the lottery thrown out. They believe that state lawmakers violated North Carolina’s constitution when voting on the lottery last year. Their believe that the lottery is a tax and as such, should have been debated over a three day period, as the state constitution orders for any law that will bring higher taxes.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
It’s tournament time in high school basketball and taking a look at the local scene last night it was East Surry beating the Lady Blackhawks of West Wilkes 66-37. West couldn’t overcome a first quarter where they scored just five points, as Emily Deal was the only player to finish in double figures for the Lady Blackhawks, ending up with 18. The Lady Cardinals took on an undefeated Bishop McGuiness squad but fell short as they lost 68-28. The Lady Villains took a 47-20 lead into halftime and never let up, as East Wilkes had one player to score in double figures. Kasi Shew led the Lady Cardinals with 11 points, as the team drops to 4-19 on the season, while Bishop McGuiness improves to 24-0. The Lady Vikings of North Wilkes didn’t fare any better, as they lost to North Surry 43-31. Sarah Smith led the Lady Vikings with 11 points.
On the boys side of the court, it was North Stokes over West Wilkes 89-57. Kurtis Lankford had 13 points and Chad Lankford added 12 as the only two players to score in double figures for the Blackhawks. West drops to 7-19 with the loss. Also the East Wilkes boys lost a heartbreaker to Mount Airy 62-47. The Cardinals coughed up 21 turnovers as they fall to 9-14 on the year. Coming up tonight, Wilkes Central’s boys squad will face off against Surry Central and the North Wilkes boys take on North Surry. Both teams are playing at 7pm, with the Eagles hosting Surry Central and North Wilkes going on the road against North Surry.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at the college scene last night, it was Elon over Chattanooga 69-61, Coastal Carolina knocked off UNC Asheville 88-70 and Appalachian State beat Western Carolina 83-66. The Mountaineers were led by DJ Thompson’s 17 points and 6 rebounds, as they improve to 11-14.

Duke Creates Their Own Steroid Policy
Two strikes and you’re out. That’s the situation facing all athletes at Duke University now. After a steroid scandal rocked the school’s baseball team in 2005, university officials put the final touches this week on their own steroid policy. If a student tests positive once, they have to sit out a whole year and lose that year of eligibility. A second positive test means they’re kicked off the team.

NBA: Portland vs. Charlotte
Taking a look at the senior circuit of the NBA, it was Portland beating the Charlotte Bobcats 91-83. Raymond Felton had 16 to lead Charlotte, who drops to 14-39 on the season.

NASCAR Daytona Qualifying
Around the NASCAR scene, qualifying wrapped up for the Daytona 500 as Jeff Burton took the pole. Jeff Gordon was right behind in second place and Dale Jarrett came in third. Elliot Sadler and Jimmie Johnson wrapped up the top five. Dale Earnhart Jr. came in 36th and last season’s champion Tony Stewart finished in 18th.