News & Sports For November 22nd

Money Stolen From Koto's Restaurant
Thieves broke into Koto's restaurant over the weekend, taking off with several thousand dollars in cash. The owner of the business came in early Sunday morning to find his safe had gone missing. Included inside was just over $8000 in cash. Nothing was stolen from the office or the rest of the building and it's unclear how they gained access to the property. They did however leave behind a motorola walkie-talkie while escaping and apparently didn't notice the security cameras in the area. Footage of both thieves were turned over to Wilkesboro police and that investigation continues.

Local Man Arrested After Chase
Deputies manning a DWI checkpoint ran across a wanted man earlier this week. On Sunday, sheriff's deputies and Wilkesboro police were performing a DWI checkpoint on Hwy 421. A man came through and after running the license plate with the com center, deputies discovered he had warrants out for his arrest. Before they could arrest him however, the man drove off down the road, being followed by both sheriff's deputies and police. They tracked the suspect from Hwy 421, onto 268 West and then onto Browns Ford Road. After several more minutes, spike stripes were deployed when the chase got back onto Hwy 421 and the suspect was soon placed into custody. 47-yr-old Timothy James Frye was charged with fleeing to elude arrest, reckless driving, driving to endanger, resisting a public officer and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Christmas In Wilkes Has Angel Trees Out
With the holidays coming up, it can be hard for parents to afford both the bills and also a gift under the tree. Several organizations here in Wilkes are stepping in to help solve that problem. One of them is Christmas in Wilkes. For more information about sponsoring a child with the program or the organization itself, you can call Christmas in Wilkes at 927-2969.

Watch Out When Driving In Rain
A wreck earlier this week on Hwy 421 totaled two vehicles. The incident happened Sunday afternoon, as a Wilkesboro woman slowed down due to heavy traffic on the highway. A Boomer man was driving behind her, but couldn't slow down in time to avoid a collision. Estimated damages were placed at $3100. Thankfully however no one was injured in the crash.

Salvation Army Offering Aid
Many families can find themselves in a time of need as the holidays approach. It can be hard to pay the bills and also put food on the table. The local Salvation Army is taking applications for their financial assistance program. The program is open to anyone who can demonstrate a need for help paying utility or rent bills. The Salvation Army is located in the Wilkes United Way office building, at 910 C Street in Wilkesboro. For more information or to set up an appointment you can call 651-7800.

Personal ID Stolen At YMCA
A North Wilkesboro man had information and cash stolen while he was at the local YMCA this past weekend. The man had left his personal belongings in the locker room and went to work out. When he returned about an hour later, all $330 in cash was taken from his wallet, along with his debit card. Information was given over to Wilkesboro police and that investigation continues.

Empire Chrysler Working To Cure Diabetes
November is National Diabetes Month and one local car dealership is doing its' part to help cure the disease. From now until the end of the year, Empire Chrysler is donating one dollar from ever vehicle sold to the Iacocca Foundation. Proceeds will go to help raise money for diabetes research. Each year in the U.S., over 200,000 people die from diabetes with others losing limbs and suffering blindness. The Iacocca Foundation has worked with scientists to potentially discover a cure for the disease. However now they need to raise money for clinical testing of the treatment, of which they're halfway to the goal. In lab studies with mice, the treatment completely cured all traces of the type 1 portion of the disease, but it's still unclear how it could affect humans. In addition to Empire Chrysler, if you want more information about the Foundation itself, you can log on to www.iacoccafoundation.org

Thieves Break Into Cars At Queen's Garage
Wilkesboro police were called out to Queen's Garage over the weekend, after thieves broke into some of the cars at the business. The owner of the garage, along with a customer, both had radio/CD players ripped out of their vehicles while they were gone. An estimated $320 in electronics was taken by the thieves. Information was turned over to Wilkesboro police and that investigation is ongoing.

Regional News

Paw Paws Employee Killed Over Weekend On Hwy 16
An employee of Paw Paws' Restaurant was killed over the weekend in what police are now calling a homicide. 30-yr-old Timothy Dwayne Shatley was found by Ashe County EMS sitting dead in the driver's seat of his van. The case had originally been treated as an accident, as officials found the van smashed into a construction site. But a closer inspection revealed a bullet hole in the driver's side door. That investigation is ongoing.

State News

Unemployment Falls Across State In October
Some good news across the state as unemployment fell to 5.3% by the end of October. That's a drop of .2% from the end of September when it was 5.5% and marks the fourth straight month that jobs have been created. 1200 manufacturing jobs were added in October, along with 600 in professional services and 500 in entertainment and hospitality.

North Carolina Cities Safe For the Most Part
It's safe to life in North Carolina cities. That was the idea put out by Morgan Press over the weekend, as the annual Safest Cities in the Nation rankings were released. The town of Cary came in at number 10, while Raleigh also made the list at 151. On the other side of the coin, Durham was listed as the 77th most dangerous city in America, while Fayetteville was tagged as thr 105th worst. Several factors, including traffic accidents and murders were taken into account when putting together the list.

Caldwell County To Explore Methane Gas
Caldwell County is exploring a new way to generate electricity, by going through the landfill. Methane gas is produced in large quantities by most landfills here in the state and is used on a test basis by some to heat nearby greenhouses and help keep a glass blowing furnance running. In Caldwell, several test wells would be installed in the Lick Mountain landfill to determine if it would be a financially feasible project to begin mass production of methane into energy.

Soldiers Return From Deployment
3am on a Monday isn't a time you'd expect to see smiles and happy faces, but all those who turned out in Charlotte Monday morning were grinning from ear to ear. They were out to welcome back over 600 National Guard troops, who were deployed to the Gulf Coast to help with the recovery efforts and provide security. The first convoy got into Charlotte around 3am, while the second one finished unloading troops at 6pm. Troops from Boone, Fayetteville, Kinston and Goldsboro all made it home.

Charlotte-Douglas Proves To Be Cash Cow
Charlotte Douglas International has generated both jobs and money for the people of Mecklenburg over the past eight years. This according to a new study put out by UNC Charlotte and the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. $6 billion dollars and 28000 jobs have been created thanks to the airport, which in turn pumped $5 billion into the local economy. Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory called the airport "the region's most important economic development tool."

Spore Causing Problems In Onslow
Farmers on the eastern part of the state are facing some potential problems today. It appears that storms coming over from Asia have brought with them soybean rust spores, tiny little bacteria that can destroy a crop. Farmers near Jacksonville learned that the spore is now in their crop fields, after a test by NC State's Plant Disease and Insect Clinic. The only way to treat the spore is through the use of fungicides and monitoring your crops.

Sports Headlines

High School Basketball Tonight
High school basketball got underway last night here in Wilkes and up at North Wilkes, it was Alleghany over the Lady Vikings 46-35. Also as Coach Tommy Johnson made his debut for North, the Vikings steamrolled over Alleghany 50-32. And our hoops coverage will tipoff tonight with a game between West Wilkes and North. Coach Tommy Johnson and the Vikings will play host to the Blackhawks, as both teams look to explode out of the gate in the new season. The McDonald's pregame show goes on the air at 6:45 as Brian will be talking with Coach Randy Joines from the Lady Vikings. Then we'll have the wrapup of the JV game and turn things over to Ken Byrd and Keith Briand at 7pm.

NCAA Scoreboard
Around the college circuit last night it was Jacksonville State over Coastal Carolina 82-71, High Point blowing out Southeastern College 110-57, Georgia Tech knocking off Elon 81-69 and Appalachian State beating Virginia Commonwealth 51-47. The Mountaineers were led by D.J. Thompson, who put in 24 points in the win as Appalachian improves to 2-0. Meanwhile in the ACC, it was Wake Forest beating UNC Asheville 79-63. Justin Gray led the Deacons with 16 points and three rebounds.

Bad News For Tarheel Football
Some bad news for the Tarheel football team, heading into Saturday's game with Virginia Tech. Wide receiever Wallace Wright is out for the year after fracturing his left ankle last week. Wright, who also was a captain of the special teams, will be replaced by a combination of three recievers. Trimane Goddard and James Arnold will take over his kick returning duties, while Brooks Foster will come in at receiever and also work on the punt coverage. The game, which will be televised on ESPN is a do or die situation for Carolina. They have to win in order to be eligible for the postseason.

A&T Says Goodbye To Football Coach
After a 3-8 season, NC A&T said goodbye on Monday to its' football coach, firing George Small and his staff. Small is just two years removed from being named Coach of the Year in the MEAC Conference. The school will begin looking into replacements after Thanksgiving.

Morgan Walking Wounded
If Sunday's 13-3 loss to Chicago wasn't bad enough, the Carolina Panthers got some more bad news after the game. Dan Morgan, who's already playing with a seperated shoulder, injured his ankle early in the first half. X-rays showed that the ankle wasn't broken, but more tests are needed this week to determine what exactly is wrong. This will make the fifth time in Morgan's five NFL seasons that he's been out with an injury.

Final Standings In Points
With Tony Stewart taking the championship on Sunday, the Nextel Chase for the Cup ends with few surprises. Jimmie Johnson wrecked during Sunday's race and it dropped him all the way to 5th place, where he'll end the year. Moving up to second is Greg Biffle, while Carl Edwards is in third and Mark Martin finishes fourth. Rusty Wallace, who raced in his last Nextel Cup competition Sunday before retirement, finished his career with an 8th place in the points race.

Canadian Plans Continue
NASCAR's expansion plans are continuing and now there might be a date attached. Officials say that a Canadian track could be included in the Nextel Cup circuit as soon as 2007, if all goes as planned. The only holdup is between Nextel and track officials on where to hold the race. NASCAR wants a new track to be built, while several Indy owners want to use a current one and save money. If Nextel gets their way, the race could be held on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, where an oval track would be built.

News & Sports For November 21st

Scholarship Being Offered To Children Of Vets
As we head toward the holiday season, deadlines are creeping up on high school students who want to apply for college scholarships. Here in Wilkes, a special scholarship is being offered by the Veteran's Service Office. You can tune in to the news today as Veterans Service Officer Ralph Broyhill explains the details on how high school kids can apply.

Time Ticking Down To Apply For Disaster Relief Aid
There's only nine days left if you want to apply for disaster relief aid this year. Governor Easley declared 50 counties throughout the state, including Wilkes as disaster areas after last year's swarm of hurricanes. Now over 15 months later, if you are still struggling to put the pieces back together because of the storms, you can apply for assistance. The state of North Carolina will give limited help in paying off any Small Business Administration home loans that you received from the government. People in Wilkes and the surrounding areas have until December 1st to apply, which you can do by contacting Belinda Jones with the NC Redevelopment Center at 919-733-1566 or by mail at 102 North Salisbury Street 20325 Mail Service Center Raleigh NC 27699.

Mission Trip Upcoming For Wings of Eagle
People here in Wilkes County sent down food, clothes and blood to the victims of Gulf Coast hurricanes earlier this year and now one group is heading out to another part of the world to help a need. Wings of Eagle Ministry, run by Dr. Charles Cain, is preparing to leave on a mission trip to India in March of 2006. To help support the ministry, you can call Dr. Cain at 921-2764 or send prayers/donations to Wings of Eagle Ministry, at 444 Bud West Road, Boomer NC 28606.

Thieves Break Into Home On Sawmill Road
Sheriff's deputies were called out late last week to a home on Sawmill Road after thieves paid a visit. The homeowner returned to find two men sitting in a car in his backyard, before they took off. After going inside the house, he found that the glass door in the back of the home had been shattered and the residence itself had been trashed. Clothes were scattered across the floor, boxes and other items were thrown around. Despite all the damage however, only one thing appeared to be missing, a 12 gauge shotgun. Information on the two suspects was turned over to sheriff's deputies and that investigation continues.

Cornerstone Church Invites Community To Thanksgiving
For anyone still trying to figure out what to do for Thanksgiving, Cornerstone Church has an idea. Come have dinner with them. The church is inviting the entire community to a Thanksgiving dinner set for 2pm on Thursday. The meal is free to anyone who comes by and includes Turkey w/ all the trimmings. The church is hoping to make this an annual event, but are needing help with the finishing touches. If anyone in the community would like to donate time to clean up afterwards, cook or serve the meals, the church would welcome the help. For anyone interested in helping, you can call the church at 838-8542.

Traffic Stop Leads To Drug Bust
A traffic stop on Hwy 268 East led to a drug bust for sheriff's deputies last week. Deputies pulled up behind a driver whose tail lights were busted, so they pulled him over. He told deputies he had a license, but didn't have it with him. When they ran his name, Com Center informed them that he had 6 felony warrants out. 23-yr-old Michael Joseph Billings was arrested and in doing so, deputies found a crack pipe and some cocaine residue, along with a pistol he had concealed in his waistband. Billings was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Disturbance Due To Marijuana
Sheriff's deputies were called out to HIS AutoSales last week, after reports came in of an intoxicated man walking down the road. Deputies tried to ask the man's name, but he ignored them and kept walking, stopping only to ask people for a ride. When deputies stopped him and did a weapons check, they found .28 grams of marijuana on his person. 20-yr-old Javier Mendoza Castelan was arrested and charged with drug possession and intoxicated & disruptive behavior.

Tag Stolen From Vehicle
Why would someone steal a temporary car tag? That's what people at the Boone Trail AutoHaus are wondering today, after discovering that one of their cars had a tag stolen. The incident apparently happened as employees were taking the car to an auto auction. Somehow during the trip, thieves gained access to the vehicle and ripped off the temporary tag, which was set to expire within the next two weeks. Information was turned over to sheriff's deputies and that investigation continues.

State News

NC Man Faces Charges Over Iraq
A North Carolina man is facing federal charges today, after allegations that he accepted bribes while working in Iraq. Robert Stein Jr. from Fayetteville, who worked with the Coalition Provisional Authority, is accused of taking over $600,000 to award building contracts to specific companies. Stein and his wife then took the money and used it to buy cars, jewelry and real estate, according to investigators. More charges are pending in the case.

Jobs Leaving Sanford
Some bad news for people in Sanford North Carolina, as more jobs are leaving the area. The GKN PLC company announced that they’ll be closing down the Sanford plant in 2007, meaning that almost 300 people will be out of work. The plant builds drive shaft components for cars and work from the plant will be transferred to a new one being built in Mexico.

Gunshot Rings Out At Franklinville School
Officials in Franklinville are investigating today after a gunshot last week at a local elementary school. Almost 100 students were out on the playground at Grays Chapel Elementary when a shot rang out nearby. Officials immediately closed down the playground, ballfield and basketball courts and some parents have decided to keep their kids out of school while the investigation continues.

No Children Allowed
A petition is gaining support throughout North Carolina today, one that calls for a ban on children in certain high class restaurants. If successful, the petition would force restaurants to create special child free areas where adults could go. Over 400 people have signed it so far and it’s even gotten national attention in some New York papers, however everyone isn’t happy. Restaurant owners are against the petition, fearing that it could run off business. To see the petition, you can log on to www.petitiononline.com/childfree/petition.html

Concerns Being Raised About ASU Safety
Concerns are being raised about the safety of students at Appalachian State University, after a series of recent events. 3WC News told you about a student’s murder earlier this month, now comes reports that Appalachian has the highest rate of drug problems of any school in the UNC system. A meeting will be held later today between interim chancellor Cindy Wallace and local authorities to determine what can be done about the problems.

Sports Headlines

Wilkes Central Wins State Championship
Around the high school scene, Wilkes Central is coming home with a championship. The Eagles’ men’s soccer team came from behind to beat Cardinal Gibbons 4-3 to win the state’s 2A championship. Trailing 2-1 coming out of halftime, Central scored the final two goals of the game on Saturday, receiving the first soccer championship in school history. Central will finish the year with a 19-2-1 record, having snapped a 22 game winning streak for Gibbons.

High School Football Scoreboard
In high school football, it was the end of the road last night for East Wilkes, as the Cardinals fell in second round action 27-7 to the Cherokee Braves. Meanwhile Elkin cruised to the next level, running over Hobbton 52-0.

NCAA Football Scoreboard
Around the college football scene, it was East Carolina beating Marshall 34-29, Wofford knocking off Gardner-Webb 56-42, Charleston Southern beating Coastal Carolina 34-27, South Carolina State defeating NC A&T 43-27 and Appalachian State wrapping up their regular season by winning the Southern Conference title with a 52-14 defeat of Elon. In ACC action, NC State kept its’ playoff hopes alive with a 24-3 win over Middle Tennessee State and North Carolina drove down to score in the final minutes and pull out a hard fought win over the Duke Blue Devils 24-21. Carolina needs to win next week against Virginia Tech in order to be eligible for the postseason.

NCAA Basketball Scoreboard
Taking a look at the college basketball scoreboard this weekend it was Winthrop over Marquette 71-64, High Point beat Maine 70-67. In ACC action, Duke took care of Davidson 84-55. J.J. Redick led the Blue Devils with 29 points, while Shelden Williams added 20 points, 10 rebounds and 9 blocks for the team. Up the road in Chapel Hill, there was almost a major upset as the Tarheels barely escaped with an 83-80 win over the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs. With less than two seconds left, David Noel hit a three pointer to win the game for Carolina, while freshman Ricky McPhee had 21 to lead the Bulldogs. Finally NC State won the Hispanic College Fund Classic on Sunday, after beating Delaware 73-57. Cedric Simmons and Gavin Grant both had 22 points for the Wolfpack.

Bobcats Fall Against Timberwolves
In the NBA, it was a rough weekend for the Charlotte Bobcats. They lost to Minnesota 102-89, falling to 3-8 on the year. Charlotte was led by Raymond Felton, who had 15 points and 5 assists. On the other side, playing for the Timberwolves, Rashad McCants had 11 points, 4 rebounds, two steals and a block.

Panthers Lose To Bears
The Carolina Panthers took a hit in their quest to return to the Super Bowl. They lost Sunday 13-3 to the Chicago Bears, but the story of the day was a horrible performance by the offensive line. They allowed eight sacks and most of quarterback Jake Delhomme’s completions were done while on the run for his life. The team falls to 7-3 with Buffalo on the schedule next week.

NASCAR Results
Tony Stewart took the Nextel Cup Championship after Sunday's Ford 400. It marks the second championship of his career, after a crazy race that saw him finish 15th and his closest competitor in the Chase wreck. Greg Biffle took the checkered flag on Sunday, giving his team some momentum heading into next season. Mark Martin was second and Matt Kenseth came in third.

News & Sports For November 18th

Wilkes County Gets Tourism Grant
Gov. Easley handed out $130,000 in grants this week to counties here in North Carolina, with some of that money coming to Wilkes. The governor gave out the grants to 29 different programs, each designed to increase tourism in their area. $2800 was given over to the Chamber of Commerce here in Wilkes, which will be used to create new print ads focusing on the county's history and the beauty of the area. The grant will also be matched by local funds, giving a total of $5600 for the project.

Last Day For Energy Applications
With the economy still struggling here in the area, it can be hard at times for people to afford to pay their heating bill. But there is help, if you qualify. Social Service here in Wilkes has been taking applications for their Low Income Energy Assistance Program. This is the final day for people to come in and apply, which you can do at the Social Service office, located on College Street in Wilkesboro. Applications will be taken from 8:30am til 5pm. This will be a one time credit to help in paying for your heating costs this winter.You can call Social Services for more information at 651-7400.

Deputies Arrest Man After Vandalism At Bojangles
Sheriff's deputies were called out to Bojangles on Hwy 16 North early Thursday morning, after reports came in of a suspicious person in the area. The man was seen parking his car and then walking over to the restaurant, where minutes later a loud crash was heard. Deputies arrived on the scene and saw the man run to his car and prevented him from leaving. The restaurant's drive through window had been shattered with a rock, however there was no damage done or anything taken from inside. 23-yr-old Kurtis Michael Zollman admitted to causing the damage, although he didn't explain why. He was arrested and charged with attempted breaking & entering, property damage and driving with a revoked license.

Wilkes Art Gallery Opens Christmas Show Tonight
Coming up tonight, the Wilkes Art Gallery will begin its’ Annual Christmas Show and Sale. The event runs from tonight til Christmas Eve. As a kickoff to the event, a reception will be held from 6-8pm at the Gallery, to coincide with the annual Light-Up Downtown celebration going on throughout the night. Over 50 different artists from here in the region will have their work on display during the show.

Mailbox Vandals Return For The Holidays
Mailbox vandals hit another home in the North Wilkesboro area this week, this time going after something other than just the box itself. A man came back from an out of town trip on Tuesday, only to see his mailbox, a small ornament nearby and a sign indicating his business all destroyed. Neighbors told deputies that they heard noises at the house around 2am the night before. Estimated damage was placed at over $100 and the investigation continues.

Blood Drive Later Today
With Thanksgiving less than a week away, the Red Cross is stepping up its' blood drives, to try and guarantee that we have as much supply on hand as possible for the holiday. A drive is going on today at East Wilkes High School from 8:30 this morning til 2pm this afternoon. No appointments are needed, but if you don't want to deal with waiting in line or kids going to and from class, you can call the Wilkes Red Cross and set up a time to give. Their number is 838-4563.

Wreck Wednesday On Wilkesboro Blvd
Two cars were totaled after a wreck Wednesday morning on Wilkesboro Blvd. With the rain coming down, two drivers had slowed down due to the traffic in front of them. A third driver, a Purlear woman, couldn't stop in time and created a domino effect, hitting the car driven by a Hays man, who in turn slammed into the vehicle in front of him, driven by a man from North Wilkesboro. Estimated damage to the first two vehicles was placed at $5000, while the third escaped unharmed. Thankfully no one was injured in the accident.

Christmas In Wilkes
With the holidays coming up, it can be hard for parents to afford both the bills and also a gift under the tree. Several organizations here in Wilkes are stepping in to help solve that problem. One of them is Christmas in Wilkes. For more information about sponsoring a child or the organization itself, you can call Christmas in Wilkes at 927-2969.

Regional News

Crafts Fair Today In High Point
For anyone looking to do some early Christmas shopping, a crafts fair is going on today in High Point. The 5th Annual Roy's Folks Crafts Fair, put on in part by WGHP Fox 8, will have over 40 different vendors. There will be items ranging from homemade yo-yos to log furniture and several other different gifts. It's going on at Providence Place, 1727 Westchester Drive in High Point and will go on from 6am this morning til 6pm tonight. Admission is $3, but senior citizens can get in for $1.

State News

Winston Salem Wants People To Buy Local
Buy from local stores this Christmas. That's the message the Winston Salem Chamber of Commerce is putting out by issuing CertifiChecks. These are gift certificates, that local businesses in the Winston area will accept instead of money. That includes retail stores, restaurants and even grocery stores. Officials said they came up with the idea to keep people from spending their dollars in other cities when shopping for Christmas gifts. The certificates can be picked up by logging on to www.winstonsalem.com or at the chamber's offices at 601 West Fourth Street in Winston.

Wreck On Charlotte Involves School Bus
A school bus driver was injured Thursday morning after a crash in Charlotte. The driver had been picking up kids to drop off at Oakhurst Elementary, when he was involved in an accident. A mini-van pulled in front of a tanker truck and swerved right into the school bus's path, as it was in a turn lane. Thankfully none of the children were hurt and only two injuries reported, from the driver of the bus and mini-van. Both were taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

Great American Smokeout Kicked Off Thursday
Across the state, research shows that more college age adults are either continuing or beginning to smoke. As a result, the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund has put together a program, working with over 30 different universities and community colleges here in the state. Working in connection with the American Cancer Society, people are being asking to stay tobacco-free for 24 hours. Also at college campuses, information will be sent out discussing the dangers of tobacco, both chewed and smoked. This marks the first time anyone has targeted college-age adults specifically with a campaign.

Police Search For Elderly Robber In Charlotte
Charlotte officials are on the hunt for an elderly man in the eastern part of the city today. The man walked into the Eckerd Drugs near Sharon Amity Road Thursday morning, announced that he had a gun and demanded money. After receiving the cash, the man took off out the door. He's described as being a black male in his 70s, about 5'7ft and weighing around 170 lbs. He was last spotted running toward Sharon Amity Road wearing a green cap, green jacket and green sweatshirt. Police are asking those with information to call Crimestoppers at 1-704-334-1600.

No Football For Wilmington
Football fans in Wilmington will have to wait at least one more year before college ball comes to their town. School officials turned down a proposal this week to create a football program, because there's not enough money available to field a team. The reason being that under a 1972 law called Title IX, a girl's athletic team of some kind would have to be added, in addition to the football program, to make things fair. And with the latest round of budget cuts, there's not enough left for both. Athletic officials said that they're trying to work things out, but it could be a few years before anyone sees a kickoff by the sea.

Sports Headlines

Friday Night Football
There's still some football left to be played around the high school scene and one Wilkes County team is in the mix. Later on tonight the East Wilkes Cardinals will head up the road to Cherokee for the second round of the state playoffs. The 3WC Sports Team will be making the trip as well and we'll kick off our coverage tonight at 7:15 for the McDonald's pregame show. Then at 7:30 it's over to the field to hear from Ken Byrd and Keith Briand. All this on your home for local sports, 1240 3WC.

Wake Forest Falls Against Florida
Around the college scene last night, Wake Forest was upset by the unranked Florida Gators 77-72. Eric Williams led the Deacons with 20 points and 7 rebounds. Wake falls to 2-1 with the loss, as they advance to the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic tournament later tonight.

Bethel To Play In Tonight's Opener
In other college hoops news, a familiar face will be suiting up tonight for the Wolfpack. Senior guard Tony Bethel is back with NC State, recovered from a groin injury that's kept him out for the entire preseason. Bethel's seen limited time in practice this week and coach Herb Sendek said that he'll be playing, but probably won't be seeing any starter's minutes for the near future. State plays Stetson tonight in the first of three games in three days.

Panthers Walking Wounded Into Chicago
Heading into Sunday's game at Chicago, the Carolina Panthers recieved some good news and bad from the practice field. The good news is that the cast on defensive end Julius Peppers' right hand is about ready to come off. Peppers broke his hand in the game against Detroit, but it hasn't slowed him down any. He's got four sacks in the last two games. On the other hand however, there are some players that could be sitting out this Sunday. Tight end Kris Mangum continues to recover from his knee injury, while center Jeff Mitchell was held out due to some problems with his hip.

NY Rangers vs. Carolina
In the NHL last night, the Carolina Hurriacnes got win number 14 as they rolled over the New York Rangers 5-1. Kevyn Adams had three goals for the Canes, who improve to 14-3 with the win and extend their first place lead in the Southeastern Conference to five games over second place Tampa Bay.

JR Motorsports To Begin Operations
A new team will be taking the field this Sunday in the Busch Series finale. JR Motorsports will be making their debut, with driver Mark McFarland behind the wheel. The team, owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., wasn't content to wait until next season. Their No. 88 Chevy will be taking the field as part of the Ford 300 at Homestead Speedway. McFarland, who's moving up from the Pro Cup Series, will bring his crew chief along with him as Jefferson Hodges takes over in that position.

News & Sports For November 17th

Flu Vaccine A Little Short
As we head toward the beginning of December, that means winter is right around the corner. And winter usually brings with it the flu season. However, despite having advance warning and preparing, it seems that portions of the country are going through a temporary shortage of the flu vaccine. The reason being that one of the company producing the vaccine is putting it out in smaller quantities than expected, although no there is currently no explanationa s to why. With that being the case, the Centers for Disease Control have asked county health departments to coordinate with local doctors and make sure that those at high risk of the virus are given the vaccine. Here in Wilkes, the Health Department is coordinating efforts with the healthcare community to distribute the supply they currently have on hand. The Senior Center here in the county will be holding an appointment only flu clinic for later this month, for which you can call now and secure a time. If you can't get in touch with the Senior Center, contact your doctor to see about the best way to get a flu shot. Now is the best time if you want to protect against the virus, as peak flu season isn't expected to hit until at least January.

Be Careful Who You Give Out Information To
It's always a good idea to be careful who has your personal information. A Roaring River man found that out the hard way this week, after a trip to his bank. While checking his account, he discovered that there were several debits for purchases he never made. After getting information from a teller, the man discovered that his debit card had been used all across Statesville over the last few days. The information was turned over to sheriff's deputies and there is a suspect in the case.

Fox Bill Set To Pass House & Senate
A bill created by 5th district Congresswoman Virginia Fox is set to pass both the House and Senate this week, providing help to military families. The plan would allow soldiers in combat zones to be able to take their money and put it in a tax deferred savings plan. Currently troops can't put their combat earnings into IRAs because the law doesn't allow tax free money to be put into a savings account without paying some form of tax on it. The only thing left to be sorted out before the bill goes for a final vote is when it will take effect. The House version would start retroactively on December 31st of 2004, allowing troops to put in earnings from this tax year. The Senate went even further back, installing a date of December 31st 2003. The Foxx Bill, called the HEROs Act has support from all corners and once a date is determined, would immediately be approved and go to the President for his signature.

Money Stolen From Thurmond Home
Sheriff's deputies were called out to a home in Thurmond earlier this week, after thieves ran off witha local man's money. The man had cashed his check and stored most of it in a box inside the house. But after the man went out, neighbors reported that another family member came by the home, appearing to be carrying something on the way out. When the homeowner returned, all $1400 in cash was missing from his bedroom. There is a suspect in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Muzz's Gym To Help Support St. Jude's Hospital
Coming up this Saturday, working out at Muzz’s Gym can also help a good cause. The gym is holding a weightlifting competition on Saturday, November 19th to benefit St. Jude Children’s hospital. A bench press contest will be going on, with divisions for women, teen men, adult men and men over 40. Money raised from the contest will go to help St. Jude’s work to treat children dealing with cancer and other life threatening diseases. To sign up for the contest or to make a donation you an call 838-4345.

Guns Taken From Elkin Home
Sheriff's deputies were called out to a home on the Austin Traphill Road this week to investigate a case of theft. One that happened over two months ago. In September, thieves had broke into the house of a local woman, stealing her 9mm Beretta and .22 pistol. However she thought a family member that was out of town had taken them and failed to report it. But when that family member returned with no clue what had happened, the woman called sheriff's deputies. That investigation continues.

Winter Booze It And Lose It Program Begins
The Highway Patrol will be out in force over the next few weeks, as the annual Winter Booze It & Lose It campaign kicks off today. A special ceremony is going on this morning in Kitty Hawk at the Wright Brothers National Memorial to begin the event. A second ceremony will be held tomorrow in Boone. During the holiday season last year, 47 people in the state died due to alcohol related accidents. Checkpoints will be out in full force and troopers will be patroling over the next month to prevent any more fatalities.

Cars Stolen From Salvage On New Browns Ford Road
Thieves drove off with several cars from a salvage yard on New Brown's Ford Road. The owner returned to find his property intact, with no signs of a break-in or any damage. However 9 cars were missing from the salvage yard, totaling over $4000 in value. That investigation is ongoing.

Counterfeit Money Orders Entering Wilkes
Sheriff's deputies are investigating after a North Wilkesboro man fell victim to counterfeit money orders this week. The man had contacted a potential buyer for some of his property over the internet. Instead of the agreed amount, the buyer sent just over $6000 and asked that the extra cash be sent to an address in Africa. The victim agreed and sent the money to Africa, after which his bank informed him that the money order had been counterfeit and he was now out $4000, the amount he sent out. All the information was turned over to sheriff's deputies and that investigation is ongoing.

Focus On Kids
As we head toward the holiday season, several different groups are working to help the less fortunate kids here in the county. Christmas for Kids is one of those groups and Rebecca Johnson from the organization will be Brian's guest today for Focus on the Foothills. They'll be explaining what the organization does and how locals can get involved. That's coming up today at 1:05pm, right after the midday stock report.

State News

Columbine Style Attack Foiled In Charlotte
Two students at a Christian school in Charlotte have been arrested and charged for planning what police are calling a Columbine style attack. Recently officers were called out to Bible Baptist School, after a student told teachers that two classmates were planning to kill kids and members of the staff. The two 15-yr-old boys have now been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, after a police investigation, however due to their ages, names were not released. Officials refused to go into detail about the threat, only to say it had been prevented and the boys are now in a juvenile detention center.

NC Baptist Convention Adopts Policy On Homosexuals
One item has already been approved at this week's Baptist State Convention. North Carolina's state convention voted on and approved a policy condemning churches that allow homosexuals to be members. Such churches, the convention said, are "not considered friendly". Delegates also agreed that no church would be kicked out of the convention for supporting homosexuality, but such a stance would mean they're basically members in name only.

13-Yr-Old Thief Hunted In Shelby
A 13-yr-old car thief is being hunted by police in Cleveland County today. The boy first stole a van in Kings Mountain and made it into Shelby, where he ditched the vehicle and took an SUV from a local car dealership. After reports came in of the second theft, the vehicle was seen by a Shelby police officer and a high speed chase began, which at times reached above 80 mph. 15 minutes later, the boy crashed just outside of Boiling Springs and took off running. As he left the scene, the SUV rolled back and pinned the officers, preventing them from catching the suspect.

Wake County Employee Charged With Embezzlement
A teacher's assistant in Wake County is out of a job today, after being charged with embezzlement. Judy Dilahunt stands accused of stealing over $8500 from the county's Teacher Assistant's Association. Dilahunt worked at Rand Road Elementary in the Garner community, but was terminated once the charges came to light. It's unclear why she took the money or how she gained access to it, according to local officials.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
No good deed goes unpunished, as the saying goes. A man in Alamance County stopped to help a stranded driver and ended up in the hospital. He had pulled over on the side of Hwy 49 after a white female stood in the road, pleading for aid. As soon as the man stopped and got out of the car, the girl and two Hispanic boys pulled out knives and started attacking him. Before he escaped, the man was stabbed several times in the arm, neck and back. He rolled out from the car and watched as the thieves drove off down the road. Locals called police and EMS, getting him to the Alamance Regional Medical Center, where he's undergoing treatment. 16-yr-old Ashley Anema has been charged with assault and attempted murder, while the two boys, ages 13 & 16 were also later arrested, although their names have not been released.

Sports Headlines

Wake Signs 7 ft. Prospect
In other college hoops news, the calvary is coming in a big way for Wake Forest next year. The Demon Deacons added a 7 ft. center to their 2006 class as Chas McFarland committed to the team. McFarland joined this week as part of the NCAA's early signing period and gave up offers from Boston College, Pittsburgh and Marquette to join Wake. He averaged 16 points, 14 rebounds and 7 blocks as a high school junior last year.

UNC Tarheels Add Another Quarterback
With starter Matt Baker wrapping up his senior season, the Tarheels are facing an open competition next year at quarterback. And as of this week, another name was added to the list. B.J. Phillips, a 6-6 232 high school senior from South Carolina committed to the team this week. Phillips turned down offers from Kentucky and Vanderbuilt to play for the Heels. Scouts say that he's got a strong arm and can run the ball as well.

NC Central To Join Division I
In other college sports, another North Carolina team is making the move to Division I. NC Central University had the idea approved yesterday at a school meeting, ending their long association with Division II and the CIAA. The school so far hasn't made a final decision as to where they'l be playing, weighing options from the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference and the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Now NC Central will submit an official application to the NCAA and should start the five year process fairly soon.

Everham Makes Changes
Some more changes are coming for one garage on the Nextel Cup circuit, plans that will alter the very way their teams operate. Owner Ray Everham announced on Tuesday that he was changing things by getting rid of the crew chief on all of his cars. Instead, a three person group will take over the responsibilities, including a team director, car director and engineer for each crew. The move will take effect this Sunday, for the Ford 400.

News & Sports For November 16th

Unemployment Checks Not Finding Their Owners
Here in Wilkes and across the state, people dependent on unemployment are wondering where their checks are. Several thousand people have been affected throughout North Carolina, as some of the nearly $40 million in benefits have disappeared. At the local Employment Security Commission here in Wilkes, the phones have been ringing off the hook over the last 48 hrs. as people call in asking when the checks will arrive. However if you have been waiting, it won't be much longer. The checks, all 23000 of them, were found on Tuesday, hidden under some equipment at the Raleigh post office where they had been dropped off. In Wilkes County alone, there are currently 1729 people unemployed with over $1 million in benefits at stake. Officials from the local Employment Security Commission said that the checks should be arriving within the next few days, now that they've been located.

Wilkes County Turns Out For Heritage Opening
The ribbon was cut and pictures taken as Wilkes County's Heritage Museum opened for business Tuesday morning. County commissioners, town officials and the media were all welcomed inside the old courthouse, as doors opened into the history of Wilkes. Inside seats from the North Wilkesboro speedway were found, along with some of the first radios in the county, dating back to the 1930s. Also you could read about the first settlers here in Wilkes, discover what the post office looked like back some 200 years ago and see what doctors used to treat patients back in the 1800s. The museum is open for tours and you can set one up by giving them a call at 667-3171. Or you can drop by, as the Museum is located at 202 Bridge Street here in Wilkesboro.

Three Involved In Wreck On 421
Wilkesboro police were called out after an accident Monday afternoon on Hwy 421 Business. The drivers of two cars both saw green lights at the same time and atempted to turn, thinking the other one would stop. Instead, both collided, with one spinning out and into a third vehicle waiting for his light to turn. The driver of the first vehicle, a North Wilkesboro woman, was taken by EMS to Wilkes Regional. Everyone else walked away from the accident. Estimated damage was placed at $6100.

Focus On Kids
As we head toward the holiday season, several different groups are working to help the less fortunate kids here in the county. Christmas for Kids is one of those groups and Rebecca Johnson from the organization will be Brian's guest this week for Focus on the Foothills. They'll be discussing the program, what's involved and how you can help to sponsor a child. That's coming up tomorrow at 1:05pm, right after the midday stock report.

Tools Stolen From Millers Creek Home
Apparently some thieves in Millers Creek just needed to borrow a few tools. A man had parked his car at home and walked inside, but soon heard voices and the car door open. He looked out to see two people running off and his tool box was wide open. Over $400 worth of items were taken in the theft, including a socket set and hunting knife. That investigation continues.

Blood Drive Coming Up Today
While we need the rain, showers can also bring with them accidents on the highways. And with the blood supply still hovering around critical levels, one major wreck could possibly wipe it out here in Wilkes. With that being said, a blood drive is going on today at West Wilkes High School from 9am til 2pm. Before giving blood, please remember that you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs, for your own health's sake. No appointment is needed but if you don't want to wait in line, you can set up a time to come by calling the Wilkes Red Cross at 838-4563.

Wreck On Hwy 18 North Causes Traffic Delays
That accident on Hwy 18 Monday morning caused some more delays for drivers yesterday, as cleanup continued. A dump truck had been traveling up the mountain when the driver lost control and wrecked, with his cargo spilling out over the road. The cargo was cleaned up and removed on Monday, but that took so long officials had to wait until it got light on Tuesday morning to move the truck itself. That effort got started at 9am and stretched until 2:30pm, with both lanes of Hwy 18 North and South shut down.

Money Stolen From North Wilkesboro Home
A North Wilkesboro woman returned home this week to a strange sight. Her air conditioner unit had been pushed in, leaving the window wide open. Despite the damage, hardly anything was missing from inside, with the exception of $600 from a lockbox. No other damage was done to the property, however there is a suspect and that investigation continues.

State News

Former Judge Calls For Legalization
A former member of the North Carolina Supreme Court is calling for the legalization of drugs. Burley Mitchell, who served as chief justice on the court until 1999, said that the war on drugs has failed. His solution is to make all drugs legal, as he believes that would eradicate the industry of dealers and suppliers. Mitchell also said he believed that once legal, the demand would go down and we would see less crime on the streets. He told this to a group in Raleigh on Monday, while speaking on prison reform.

Man Appears In Spring Lake Without a Clue
A 21-yr-old man from Lumber Bridge is in the hospital today, after an incident near Fort Bragg. Christopher Murray was found by locals on a dead end road near the base, on the edge of the woods. His car had apparently been wrecked, altrhough there was no sign of another vehicle and no other damage, indicating that it had hit a tree or anything else. Murray is still in critical condition and police are investigating how the man ended up on a one way road and what he was doing there. He's currently undergoing treatment at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill.

Missing Boy Found Safe After Father's Arrest
A 2-yr-old boy is safe in police custody today, while authorities still hunt for his father in Smithfield North Carolina. A search had been going on for Pablo Garcia, who had been living with his father in the area. However last week, his father, Pablo Silverio was charged with killing another man and disappeared, along with the boy. Police however found the boy, thankfully safe and unharmed, at a babysitter's house where the father had apparently dropped him off. The 29-yr-old Silverio is still on the run.

Bank Robbery In Durham
Officials in Durham are tracking two men after a robbery Tuesday morning. The Mutual Community Savings Bank on Fayetteville Street was robbed by two men wearing yellow gloves, hats and bandanas. One of them pulled out a gun and ordered the teller to hand over some money, although it's still not clear exactly how much they escaped with. The men are believed to be driving an older model gold Honda Accord. Rewards are being offered by both Crimestoppers and the NC Bankers Association totaling up to $6200 for information leading to an arrest in the case. To give out information you can call the NC Bankers Association hotline at 1-800-209-2293 or the FBI at 1-704-377-9200.

Search On For Missing Woman In Cumberland
Officials in Cumberland County are searching for a missing woman who vanished late Monday night. 27-yr-old Shannon Parker left her family's home in the Grays Creek area of the county and hasn't been seen since. Parker is a schizophrenic and is described as a white woman about 5'6ft with glasses. Family members have no clue how she left as normally Parker doesn't leave the house without someone coming with her. The Highway Patrol and local law enforcement are aiding in the search.

Sports Headlines

AP College Poll Released
In college basketball, the latest AP Top 25 Poll has been released, with two North Carolina teams making the list. Duke stays at #1, while Wake Forest drops one position to #19. Meanwhile NC State is ranked #34th, UNC Charlotte comes in at 33rd and the defending champion UNC Tarheels fall all the way to 34th place on the latest poll.

NCAA Scoreboard
In college basketball last night, it was UNC Wilmington beating Northwestern 56-48, UNC Greensboro beating Texas Arlington 61-49 and UNC Charlotte dropping to 0-2 on the year with an 87-78 loss against Wyoming.

Charlotte at Orlando
In the senior circuit of the NBA, it was the Charlotte Bobcats losing to the Orlando Magic 85-77. The Bobcats were playing for the second straight game without leading scorer Gerald Wallace, out with a fractured wrist. Keith Bogans led the Bobcats with 18 points and Sean May came off the bench to add 15 points and 10 rebounds.

NHL: Carolina at Ottawa
The Carolina Hurricanes started another winning streak on Tuesday, recording their 13th win of the season as they beat Ottawa 2-1. With the win, Carolina improves to 13-3 and stays atop the Southeastern Conference.

Kenny Wallace Taking Over For Busch
With driver Kurt Busch suspended for the rest of the season, Kenny Wallace will step behind the wheel for Sunday's Ford 400. Officials from Rousch Racing said that they were impressed with Wallace's performance this past weekend, where he started at the back of the pack but finished in 16th. Meanwhile Kurt Busch has been issued a criminal citation for the incident this past weekend with law enforcement near Phoenix.

News & Sports For November 15th

Wilkes Heritage Museum Opens Today
The courthouse doors will open today and the Wilkes Heritage Museum will officially be in business. The 1902 courthouse has been completely restored and remodeled, with pieces of the county's history dating to the early 1800s and before. Junior Johnson's race car, World War II material and Civil War flags all lie inside, along with dozens of other exhibits and information. The Museum is open for tours or field trips for any organization or school group. You can also simply walk right in and have a look. The official ribbon cutting takes place this morning at 9:30am and for more information you can call Old Wilkes at 667-3712.

Dump Truck Overturns On Hwy 18
Traffic was backed up for several hours on Monday after a dump truck wrecked on Hwy 18 North. The truck had been heading up the mountain but the driver lost control and crashed, spilling his cargo across the road. Crews took a good portion of the afternoon to clean it all up.

Money Stolen From Local Restaurant
Wilkesboro police are investigating a break-in at Hardees over the weekend. Thieves somehow gained access to the building's safe, got inside and stole $1222 in cash. No damage was done to the property and there was no sign of a break-in. Officers have suspects and the case is still open.

Kerosine Tanks Damaged At Rock Creek BP
One driver was apparently lucky to walk away with their life earlier this week, after causing some damage at the Rock Creek BP station. Employees came in on Sunday to find the kerosine dispenser had been damaged, with evidence left behind from what was most likely a vehicle. Despite the damage, which was estimated at $200, there was no sign of who caused the problem and no witnesses to the event itself. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Prank Calls Lead To Car Damage
An Elm City woman called Wilkesboro police earlier this week, after her car's tires were slashed. She had been staying at the Holiday Inn Express and recieving strange prank phone calls each night, where the caller would simply hang up minutes after she picked up the phone. All this despite the fact that she hadn't given out her number. Then walking out earlier this week she found her car's tires had been slashed. There are two suspects in the case and that investigation is ongoing.

Break-In At Wal-Mart Parking Lot
Thieves broke into a Warrensville man's car while he was shopping earlier this week. As the man was inside Wal-Mart, thieves pried open the passenger side window's weather stripping and got inside. They stole 100 music CDs, along with a pair of sunglasses, a palm pilot and several other items. Wilkesboro police are continuing the investigation.

Traffic Stop Leads To Drug Bust
A routine traffic stop by sheriff's deputies led to a drug bust earlier this week. Deputies got behind a vehicle on Hwy 421 that was having problems staying on their side of the road. After pulling over the car, deputies found that the driver had no license, as his had been revoked. In addition, electronic scales and marijuana were both found inside the vehicle. 21-yr-old Daniel McNeil II was arrested and charged with drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving erratically and driving with a revoked license.

State News

Theft One Of The Largest In Surry County History
Eight people are facing charges in what law enforcement are calling one of the largest thefts in Surry County history. $2 million worth of material was stolen from Bassett Furniture this past April, at the company's Mt. Airy complex. The day after the break-in, pieces started to be recovered, later totaling over 300 items. Eight employees of Bassett Furniture have now been charged with the crime, each given seven counts of conspiracy to commit embezzlement. All eight, who had worked in management at the plant, were fired as charges were brought. They are 62-yr-old John Ronald Jarrett of Morehead, 46-yr-old Gary Moser of Pilot Mountain, 51-yr-old Randall Alex Lawless of Stuart VA and 47-yr-old Lisa Marie Martin, 44-yr-old Michael Wayne Pennington, 35-yr-old David Ray Slate, 55-yr-old Jerry Conrad Tolbert and 30-yr-old Michael Slate all of Mt. Airy. Officials are still trying to track down the other pieces of furniture, which were sold to organizations and groups in the area. Deputies are asking anyone who bought a piece from one of these eight to give them a call at 336-401-8900.

Officials Hold Conference To Stop Meth Use
With meth use still a problem across North Carolina, officials from around the state are holding a meeting this Wednesday at Western Carolina University. The object of the meeting will be to curb the growing problem, which wasn't destroyed the way attorney general Roy Cooper believed it would be when his office banned certain cough medicines containing pseudoephedrine unless the person had a prescription. The drug is a key component of meth and as of November, 289 labs had been destroyed here in the state. That's almost on par with last year's total, which stood at 322.

UNC Colleges Cut Funding
Less than a week after announcing that all university chancellors would be getting a raise, the effects are becoming clear. With more money being diverted to staff pay, several schools made cuts in their student programs. UNC Chapel Hill announced that due to budget problems, 46 classes were eliminated, while at NC State 60 were erased. All total, an estimated $31 million in school programs and needed equipment was cut from the budgets of UNC campuses to help fund the staff raises. The only way to prevent the cuts, officials said, was to raise tuition, which has been capped by the board of directors to allow no more than a 10% increase.

Forensic Institute To Open In Greensboro
Some people have been behind bars for years, serving time for crimes they didn't commit. A new project will hopefully change all that, as a forensic institute will soon be open in Greensboro. The America Judicature Society is scheduled to open their doors in January and, working with Elon University's new law school, plan to work on ways of preventing innocent people from seeing the inside of a jail cell. Outdated forensic practices are a major problem here in the state, as currently 400 untested rape kits are waiting to be processed, kits that could help solve hundreds of open cases.

Edwards Apologizes For Mistake
Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards has come out with an apology, both for people here in the state and our troops overseas. Edwards wrote an essay, which was published by the Washington Post, in which he apologized for supporting the Iraqi war. He said the decision was a mistake and was sorry that people here at home, especially soldiers, had to pay for it. However Edwards doesn't believe that we should pull out now, but rather figure out a way to succeed and leave Iraq a better place than when we arrived. He also called on other countries to lend a hand, as the stability of Iraq affects their lives, not just our own.

Drug Bust In Mount Holly Nets Three
Three men are in jail after an undercover operation in Mount Holly. Officers were able to break up a smuggling ring that was transporting methamphetamines into North Carolina from Florida. Just over 3 pounds of the drug was found in an old car battery, worth over $280,000. Police in Gaston County are still unraveling leads, but it's believed the three arrested could be part of a bigger network operating out of the Florida area.

Sports Headlines

NCAA Basketball Scoreboard
College basketball season has officially tipped off and several North Carolina teams were in action last night. It was the number one ranked Duke Blue Devils beating Boston University 64-47 in the first round of the Preseason NIT. J.J. Redick led Duke with 19 points. Meanwhile it was UNC Wilmington beating Wyoming 62-59, UNC Greensboro beating Morgan State 62-49 and UNC Charlotte falling against Northwestern 61-47. Charlotte was led by Curtis Withers, who had 12 points and 7 rebounds.

Appalachian Adds To Next Year's Recruiting Class
In other college basketball news, Appalachian State continues to load up for next season. Their 2006 recruiting class got two more names over the weekend, as Ibrahim Graiba and Juan Pablo Montas committed to join. The 6-9 Graiba averaged 28 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks while playing for a club team in London while the 6-7 Montas put up 21 points and 11 rebounds while playing for his high school in the Dominican Republic.

Duke Football Lands Another Recruit
While the current Duke football team is struggling, help is on the way for next season. The Blue Devils received a commitment from offensive lineman Jeffrey Cowart, a high school senior from Georgia. The 6-6 Cowart can run the 40-yd dash in 5.28 seconds and helped Mary Parsons High School get into the state playoffs with an 8-3 record this season. Cowart turned down offers from Georgia Tech, Louisville and Memphis to join the Blue Devils.

Chase For The Cup Standings
Taking a look at the NASCAR standings, Tony Stewart stays atop the Chase For the Cup, 52 points ahead of second place Jimmie Johnson. Carl Edwards is third, 87 points behind while Greg Biffle comes in fourth, 102 behind Stewart. Mark Martin rounds out the top five, 162 points behind in the Chase. Next Sunday drivers head to Homestead Miami Speedway for the Ford 400.

France Begins His Restructuring Of NASCAR
Bill France announced over the weekend what some of the changes are going to be on the Nextel Cup Series next season. Owners can't have more than four cars in their garage and for those that already do, some compensation will be sorted out. Also as part of the new policy, drivers can only test cars at six of the Nextel Cup tracks. That includes Charlotte, Daytona, Homestead, Indianapolis, Las Vegas and Richmond.

News & Sports For November 14th

Fire At Rendezvous Mountain Spread From Exercise
A fire late last week at Rendezvous Mountain turns out to be the result of a training exercise that got out of hand. 38 acres of the forest burned before firefighters were able to get it under control on Thursday, with crews from both Millers Creek and Wilbar responding. Strong winds that blew through the area are apparently at fault, as they fanned the flames that had been created as part of a controlled burn. The mini-fire had been started for training exercises in the area, but soon grew out of control thanks to the wind.

Last Week For Energy Applications
With the economy still struggling here in the area, it can be hard at times for people to afford to pay their heating bill. But there is help, if you qualify. Social Service here in Wilkes has been taking applications for their Low Income Energy Assistance Program. This is the final week for people to come in and apply, which you can do at the Social Service office, located on College Street in Wilkesboro. Applications will be taken from today until this coming Friday anytime from 8:30am til 5pm. Also this Wednesday you can apply at the Clingman Family Resource Center. This will be a one time credit to help in paying for your heating costs this winter.You can call Social Services for more information at 651-7400.

Thieves Break Into Home On Dowridge Lane
Sheriff's deputies were called out to a home on DowRidge Lane last week, after thieves paid a visit to the residence. It appears the thieves climbed through a window to get inside, shattering the double pained glass and ripping out the screen. All total an estimated $175 worth of damage was done to the property. Once inside, they took $200 in loose change, a watch and three packs of Marlboro cigarettes. There is a suspect in the case and that investigation continues.

Blood Drive Today At Pilgrim Baptist
Throughout the last week, several blood drives have been going on here in Wilkes County and we've been telling you about the need as supplies hang around critical levels. What you may not know is the fact that blood taken from drives here in the county isn't used just for Wilkes, but also Alleghany and the surrounding area. As those parts of the state are also struggling to keep a day's supply, blood has to be sent out to lend a hand. To do that and also provide more supplies for Wilkes, a drive is going on today at Pilgrim Baptist Church from 2:30-7pm. You can either make an appointment by calling the Red Cross at 838-4563 or simply show up and they'll take you as soon as possible.

Thieves Run Off With Wilkesboro Man's License Plate
Who would steal a license plate? That's what a Wilkesboro man is wondering today, after stepping outside this weekend to find his had been taken. The man had parked his car at home and was going inside when he noticed the license plate was missing. There wasn't any damage done to the vehicle and nothing taken from inside, virtually no indications that a thief had been around. Sheriff's deputies were called out and the investigation is ongoing.

Muzz's Gym To Help Support St. Jude's Hospital
Coming up this Saturday, working out at Muzz’s Gym can also help a good cause. The gym is holding a weightlifting competition on Saturday, November 19th to benefit St. Jude Children’s hospital. A bench press contest will be going on, with divisions for women, teen men, adult men and men over 40. Money raised from the contest will go to help St. Jude’s work to treat children dealing with cancer and other life threatening diseases. To sign up for the contest or to make a donation you an call 838-4345.

Wilkes Art Gallery Opens Christmas Show This Friday
Coming up this Friday, the Wilkes Art Gallery will begin its’ Annual Christmas Show and Sale. The event runs from Friday Nvember 18th til Christmas Eve. As a kickoff to the event, a reception will be held from 6-8pm at the Gallery this Friday, to coincide with the annual Light-Up Downtown celebration going on throughout the night. Over 50 different artists from here in the region will have their work on display during the show.

3WC Healthwatch: Sleep Or Fail
The amount of sleep a student gets could determine if they pass or fail, as we explain in today’s 3WC Healthwatch. A study was finished at Brown Medical School last week that took 74 kids, ages ranging from 6 to 12 years old and deprived them of sleep, letting them stay up as late as they wanted over a three week period. What they found wasn’t so much that the kids were tired, but rather their memory didn’t perform as well and also those who were deprived of sleep weren’t as creative as those who had gotten their rest. So how much sleep do kids need? According to specialists, 10 hours a night is suggested for elementary school students, while teenagers need at least 8.

State News

Raises Could Mean Problems For College Students
Some bad news today for students at colleges in the UNC system. The extra money put forth by the state isn’t going to help buy books or rebuild facilities. Instead, raises of anywhere from 8-16% have been approved for all of the university chancellors. This is in addition to a 2% raise given out to the chancellors already this year, along with all other state workers. Money for the move came from a special fund set aside by state lawmakers for that purpose.

Rewards Being Offered In Greensboro Investigation
Police in Greensboro are looking for help in solving a case of arson that went on over the weekend. A home on Park Avenue was torched with massive damage done. There were holes left in the roof and most of the rooms were gutted. Rewards are being offered for any information that can be given to Greensboro police. The number to call is 1-800-334-3000.

Skeleton Found In Harnett County
Boys investigating an abandoned house in Harnett County got a surprise this weekend. After climbing up into the collapsed ceiling of the home, they found a skeleton. The home caught fire more than a year ago, in December of 2003 and according to police had been abandoned for some time. But now it appears someone could have been caught in that fire or possibly left there later on. An investigation into the discovery is ongoing.

Parts Of History Up For Sale
In Albermarle, pieces of history are going up for sale this week. A news report from 1800, the original Gettysburg Address as printed in the New York Tribune and the first published photos of the Wright Brothers’ successful flight are all up for auction among other things, as a local collector tries to help a needy charity. Richard and Phyllis Davis have collected all these things over their lifetime, but are giving all proceeds away to Hopeline, a womens’ shelter in the area that needs a new home. It’s the only shelter for victims of domestic abuse in a six county area around Albermarle.

Water Restrictions Continue In Raleigh
While the mountain counties have experienced a slight bit of rain over the last few days, certain portions of the state still remain near drought status. To help keep the water running, Raleigh’s City Council has approved new restrictions that would hit offenders hard in the wallet. From now one, first time violators will have to pay $1000 for each offense, that’s up from the original target of $50. Lawns in the area can only be watered twice a week and if officials catch repeat offenders, those people will run the risk of having their water shut off. The reason for the increased restrictions is that the local water supply in Raleigh is down 8 feet from its’ regular levels.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
The playoffs kicked off in high school football this weekend and two Wilkes County teams were in the running. For West Wilkes, the season came to an end on a heartbreaking note, as they lost to Mount Airy 14-10. West had the Bears pinned down deep in their own territory, but Josh Johnson tossed a 65 yard touchdown bomb to give Mt. Airy the win. Meanwhile East Wilkes played at home against North Stokes and completely dominated, winning 27-12. The number seven ranked Cardinals will head up the road to Cherokee this Friday for a second round game.

ACC Scoreboard
In ACC football action, it was NC State falling to Boston College 30-10. State will have to win both of their remaining games to have a shot at the postseason. The UNC Tarheels find themselves in a similar position, after a 33-30 loss at home against Maryland. At 4-5, the Heels will have to beat both Duke and Virginia Tech to be eligible for a bowl bid. The news wasn’t any better for Wake Forest, who was blown out by Miami 47-17.

NCAA Scoreboard
Around the rest of the NCAA, it was Tulsa beating East Carolina 45-13, Elon losing to the Citadel 21-0, Gardner-Webb beating Savannah State 31-21 and Appalachian State won the Battle for the Mountain Jug as they beat Western Carolina 35-7. Quarterback Richie Williams tossed for two touchdowns as the Mountaineers improve to 7-3 on the year.

Panthers Run Over Jets At Home
The Carolina Panthers made it six straight wins on Sunday, as they ran over the New York Jets by a score of 30-3. Stephen Davis ran for 81 yards and set a new team record with his 12th rushing touchdown of the season, as the Panthers improve to 7-2 on the year. Next week Carolina will head on the road to take on the Chicago Bears.

Hurricanes See Streak End
In the NHL, the Carolina Hurricanes saw their winning streak come to an end, as they fell to the Atlanta Thrashers 9-0. The loss drops Carolina to 12-3 but they still stay in first place in the Southeast Conference.

Bobcats Lose In Miami
In the NBA, the Charlotte Bobcats gave it their best shot but came up just short against Miami. The Bobcats lost 108-99, dropping to 2-5 on the year despite Sean May’s best game of the season. The rookie from UNC had a team high 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals and a block. Next up is Orlando tomorrow night.

NASCAR Results
Around the Nextel Cup circuit, Kyle Busch took the checkered flag Sunday at Phoenix International Speedway. Greg Biffle came in second, Jeff Gordon third, Tony Stewart was fourth and Bobby Labonte rounded out the top five. But while the younger Busch brother was in victory lane, the older one saw his chance at a championship vanish as Kurt Busch was suspended for the rest of the season. Roush Racing pulled the plug on Busch after a run-in with police on Friday. When Busch was pulled over, officers said that he smelled like alcohol and was harassing them. Heading into Sunday’s race, Busch was eighth in the Chase for the Cup.

News & Sports For November 10th

Focus On The Darkness
A new campaign is starting across the nation, helping to raise support for all Pregnancy Care Centers in the Country. Called Lighting The Darkness, it's an idea that was put together by a group including the project's national director, Rick Gathman. Rick will be Brian's guest this week for Focus on the Foothills, as they'll be discussing the campaign and how people can get involved if they want to do that. It's coming up today at 1:05pm, right after the midday stock report.

Trailer Stolen From Local Business
Wilkesboro police were called out to the Hartzog Implement Company on Tuesday, after several landscaping trailers went missing. An employee was doing inventory Tuesday afternoon and discovered the missing trailers, estimated at $775. That investigation is ongoing.

Big Plans Coming For Wilkes Habitat
In the coming weeks, the Wilkes Habitat for Humanity offices will be a little easier to find. They're going to be moving into the old Woodward Middle School, which is owned now by the Brushy Mountain Baptist Convention. A date for the moving hasn't been set yet, although when it does come, volunteers will be needed to help with the cleanup. In addition to their office, Habitat will also be opening a retail store in the Woodward building in the coming months. Salvaged and donated building supplies will be for sale, with all the proceeds going to help fund upcoming Habitat worksites.

Be Careful Where You Put Your Wallet
Be careful where you lay your wallet. That's the lesson a Wilkesboro man learned this week. He was leaving a local restaurant when he put the wallet on the top of his car, then drove off down the road. When he realized where he had left it, the wallet was gone and there was no sign of it on the road. Included inside were several credit cards, his driver's license, social securiy card and other items, totaling just under one thousand dollars in value. There are no suspects in the case but that investigation continues.

Red Cross Looking For Fundraising Help
The Red Cross finds itself in need of help as we enter the month of November. The local chapter continues to sell cookbooks, to help raise the money it needs to cover costs of daily operations, in addition to the funds used to help victims of the recent hurricanes. 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.

Just Came In To Have A Look Around
A Wilkesboro business was damaged by some would be thieves earlier this week. Thieves pried open the front door at the Tax Professionals office, also knocking some windows off track before unlocking and leaving through the back door. However despite the damage, nothing was taken or touched inside the business. A witness at the scene described two men who were hanging around near the back door and gave their information over to Wilkesboro police. That investigation continues.

Training Session For Pregnancy Center Coming Up
As we start the month of November, the Wilkes Pregnancy Care Center finds itself in need of help. The Center is looking for volunteers, however before someone can begin helping, they need to go through a training session. Starting today, there will be a three day training session that will last through this Saturday November 12th. The sessions last for 2 ½ hours tonight and Friday, then wrap up with a three hour session on Saturday. For more information about what training involves or if you want to sign up, you can call the Center at 838-9272.

Elizabeth Dole Dealing With Wilkes Issues
A representative from Senator Elizabeth Dole will be in Wilkes today, answering questions and listening to the concerns of local people. That will go on from 10-11am this morning at the Commissioners' Room in the Wilkes County office building. You don't have to make an appointment of any kind, just simply show up to ask questions or talk about anything from issues before Congress to concerns with federal agencies. Once again that's from 10-11am today at the Commissioners' Room in the Wilkes County office building.

Wilkes Open Forum Tonight
There can be a lot of questions when dealing with how we want to be treated at the end of our lives. As we saw in the Terry Shivo case, it's important to know your rights and have them documented. But how can you do that and what's involved? Coming up tonight, the Wilkes Open Forum will hold a panel discussion put on by Hospice and Home Health of Wilkes. The discussion will be free to the public and questions will be answered, dealing with Living Wills and what exactly a Healthcare Power of Attorney is, among other things. That's tonight at 6pm, in the Wilkes County Library.

State News

Three Charged In Appalachian State Murder
On Tuesday morning, officials in Watauga County found a grusome sight when they discovered the body of an Appalachian State student lying in the trunk of his car. 19-yr-old Stephen Harrington had been a sophomore at the college and was found after authorities noticed smoke coming from the trunk. Harrington had been burned to death. The boy's car was found in Foscoe, a small community just outside of Boone. Now less than two days later, three suspects are in custody. 20-yr-old Matthew Dalrymple, 21-yr-old Kyle Triplett and 24-yr-old Neil Sargeant are all facing criminal charges. All three have been charged with first degree murder and while local officials believe they now know why Harrington was killed, the sheriff's department said they didn't want to publically discuss it.

Dole Breaks Ground On Future
Wednesday morning, the Dole Company broke ground on their new production plant in Gaston County. Located in Bessemer City, the salad production plant will employ 525 people over the next three years, before expanding to 900 over the next decade. The workers will be taking fresh vegetables and sorting them out into bags to ship across the southeastern part of the country. Hiring is expected to begin possibly mid to late 2006.

Monroe Police Chief Quits
The town of Monroe got a surprise along with their election results Wednesday morning. The chief of police, David Slusser announced he was resigning, effective immediately. It's unknown why Slusser stepped down, as he had just been hired for the job in June of this year. An interim chief will be named next week but until then, assistant chief Lane Richardson is taking over the post.

$100 Million Cocaine Ring Busted
A 14-month investigation has come to a head in Alamance County, after over a cocaine ring was broken up. The ring, which operated in Alamance, Durham and Guilford counties, was responsible for bringing in over $100 million worth of cocaine into North Carolina over the last two years. The suspects, all of which lived in Alamance County, ranged in age from 21 to 49. Justice Department officials said that a significant organization had been disrupted by the bust.

Only One Student On Corolla School Bus
Officials and parents are colliding today over the use of a school bus in the Outer Banks town of Corolla. Students from Corolla make the trip each day across the Outer Banks to a school in Currituck County, but now some people are questioning if the bus rides should stop. It costs $21,000 each school year to make the trip, which currently has only one rider. School officials have assured the rider's parents and others in the community that as long as one student needs the assistance, they'll have a bus ready to pick him up. All this will change hopefully by next fall, as a dock is still being built for a ferry to take the Corolla kids across the water. That would be a 45 minute ride, as opposed to the 2 1/2 hour bus trip.

Textile Jobs Returning With Imports Slowed
Some good news today for the North Carolina textile industry. A new trade agreement with China has re-established quota limits on how many imported items can be shipped in. Local plants have already seen improvements, according to officials. They said that once quotas were reached, customers started coming back to buy American products and that's led to several laid off workers being offered their old jobs back. The only problem is this is a temporary solution, as the deal runs out in 2008.

Sports Headlines

East Carolina Player Kicked Out Thanks To The NFL
Around the college scene, a member of East Carolina's football team will have to watch the rest of the season from the bench, but not because of the coaching staff. Kicker Robert Grant had been on the roster of an NFL Europe team some six years ago in 1999. He returned to college and asked to be re-instated for football. The NCAA refused this week, saying that while he never actually played a professional game, he did sign a contract and in doing so, lost his eligibility.

Two Blue Devils Named All Americans
Two members of the Duke basketball team were named as All Americans this week by the Associated Press. It's only the fifth time in the preseason list's history that a pair of teammates have made it on the squad, as J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams both were named to the team. For Redick this is his second time on the list, while it marks Williams' only trip to the first team list. The only other two Duke players to make the list as teammates were Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill.

Panthers' Steve Smith Gets Another Award
In the NFL, Steve Smith already has started to pick up awards this year. Now he can add another to the trophy case. Smith recieved the Ed Block Courage Award this week, during a ceremony at Bank of America Stadium on Tuesday. A winner is selected from each team in the NFL, one that shows courage by overcoming challenges on and off the field. The award is voted on by the players, who pick one of their teammates each year. This has certainly been a decent return for Smith, who leads the league with 55 catches for 903 yards and nine touchdowns. All this after sitting out the 2004 season with a broken leg. Smith said the experience helped him to develop a closer relationship with his family and made him love the sport he plays even more.

Bobcats Fall To Spurs
In the NBA, the Charlotte Bobcats gave it their best shot but fell just short against the San Antonio Spurs, losing 94-86. Gerald Wallace, who was playing despite suffering a concussion in Monday's game against Utah, led the team with 15 points, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Charlotte will play host to Dallas tomorrow night.

Carolina Hurricanes Continue Winning Ways
Taking a look around the NHL, the Carolina Hurricanes kept their winning streak alive, beating Buffalo 5-3. The Hurricanes, who improve to 11-2 with the win, haven't lost a game since October 8th.

Rudd Calling It Quits
The checkered flag is being waved by Ricky Rudd, who announced this week that he's retiring after the season. Rudd, who's been in NASCAR for 31 seasons, said that it was the perfect time to step away, since his contract with the Wood Brothers ends after 2005. The 49-yr-old Rudd will end a streak of 786 consecutive starts when he leaves the sport, a mark that no one else is even close to. Taking his place in the Wood Brothers garage is expected to be Kenny Schrader, but there hasn't been an official comment.

News & Sports For November 9th

Election Results
Wilkes County underwent some changes last night as election results came in. The town of North Wilkesboro has a new mayor, as 53% of voters turned out to support Democrat George Church. Incumbent Steve Foster finished with 47% of the ballots, ending his term. On the North Wilkesboro commissioners' race, the top two vote getters were Debbie Ferguson with 45% of the vote and Robert L. Johnson, who came out with 32% of the vote. Laura Welborn finished just short, with 23% of the ballots going her way. In Wilkesboro, James Hartley and Mike Inscore ran unoposed, but that didn't stop people from writing in their own preference for candidates. 2% of the vote in the Wilkesboro town commissioners' race went to write-in candidates. Finally in Ronda, Manuel Wood, Holly Duplisea and Wanda Blackburn were all elected. Wood finished with 22% of the vote, while Blackburn came in second with 18% and Dupliseas finished third with 15%. Less than two percent seperated most of the eight candidates.

Teen Pregnancy Rates Raise Questions In Wilkes
Good news for Wilkes, as a recent study shows that teen pregnancy has declined here in the county. The rate of teen pregnancy here in Wilkes fell by 8.9% over the last year, however there is some disturbing information to go along with the good news. According to the study, 82 abortions were performed here in Wilkes over the last year, with 20 of them done by girls between the ages of 15 and 19. And despite the overall decrease, 96 babies were born to teenage mothers age 15-19 here in 2004. Overall out of the 828 babies born in Wilkes over the past year, 228 of them were to unwed mothers and over half of them were under the age of 24. The study was done by North Carolina's Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Coalition

Wreck On Winkler Mill Road Totals One
One car was totaled and another seriously damaged after a wreck Monday afternoon on the Winkler Mill road. a Millers Creek man was turning onto the road from the Wal-Mart parking lot, but didn't notice the oncoming traffic. He slammed into a North Wilkesboro man that had been trying to turn into the parking lot himself. Estimated damage in the wreck was placed at just under $3000. Thankfully however there were no injuries in the crash.

Pills Stolen From North Wilkesboro Home
Sheriff's deputies were called out to a North Wilkesboro residence earlier this week after thieves broke in and took several bottles of medicine. It's unclear exactly how the thieves got inside however, as the homeowner returned to find that the doors were still locked and nothing had been damaged or disturbed on the property. There is a suspect in the case and that investigation continues.

Veterans' Celebration This Friday
America is still standing today thanks to the sacrifices of the brave soldiers in our armed forces. They gave up families and lives here at home to go wherever needed and fight for their country. Coming up this Friday, the people of Wilkes will have a way to say thank you as a Veterans' Day Memorial Service will be held in North Wilkesboro. The event will go on at the corner of 9th Street and D Street in North Wilkesboro, with special guest speaker Fred Norman, a local World War II vet who served under General Patton. There will be performances by the Wilkes Central Madrigal Singers and also the band from North High, while Dr. Nelson Granade, pastor of First Baptist Church in North Wilkesboro will be giving the invocation and benediction. The event will begin at 11am this Friday, November 11th.

Wreck On Hwy 268 Totals Two
It's always a good idea to keep your eyes on the road. A North Wilkesboro man found that out the hard way this week, after being involved in a wreck on Hwy 268 West. The incident happened late Monday night, as he turned away from the road to look at something. The man's car swerved to the right and hit another vehicle, causing an estimated $3500 in damage. No one was injured in the wreck.

Focus On The Darkness
A new campaign is starting across the nation, helping to raise support for all Pregnancy Care Centers in the Country. The campaign's national director, Rick Gathman will be Brian's guest this week for Focus on the Foothills, as they'll be discussing the campaign and how people can get involved if they want to do that. It's coming up tomorrow at 1:05pm, right after the midday stock report.

Thieves Take Speakers From Ferguson Man's Car
A Ferguson man got off work at Wal-Mart Monday night and got in his car to head home. However he noticed something was different about his ride. Someone had ripped out the car's stereo speakers, along with the amp. All total, over a thousand dollars worth of material was taken from the vehicle, Wilkesboro police are trying to get video camera footage of the area, to possibly identify some suspects. That investigation continues.

3WC Techwatch: New Way To Protect Against ID Theft
ID theft is one of the most frustrating side effects of logging on to the internet. If you're not careful, someone can take your personal information and go on a shopping spree. But as we explain in today's 3WC Techwatch, a new way of doing business could help to make ID theft a thing of the past. Businesses around the country are trying out a new form of biotechnology, where instead of swiping a debit card, all you need is your thumb. Using the same fingerprint technology as law enforcement, banks and businesses can verify someone's ID and allow them to purchase items with the swipe of a finger. Since every fingerprint is different, no one is able to steal your identity and even if they grab your credit card, they won't be able to use it. Called Quicktouch, it's already been adopted by several Lowe's Foods stores across the nation, with more to follow by the end of this year. There is one Lowes Foods in the area that's a part of this program and that's the store in Hickory

Broke In For A Laptop
Never leave your doors unlocked when you leave home. A Millers Creek man learned why that's a good idea recently after thieves let themselves in. After the man left for the store, thieves came in and took his laptop computer. Nothing else was missing or disturbed when he arrived home. There is however a suspect in the case and the investigation is ongoing.

State News

Black Flag Hung On Power Plant Leads To Concerns
Officials in Wake County are investigating today after someone placed a large black flag on a portion of the local nuclear power plant. At the Shearon Harris plant, a flag was stuck on top of one of the communications towers, although officials don't know why or who's responsible. The flag was originally discovered over the weekend and while no threats have been made against the plant, FBI agents were called in to help with the investigation.

PETA Goes After Elizabeth City Farmer
A farmer in Chowan County finds himself under attack by PETA today. He's been told to feed his cows more or face possible charges of animal cruelty, after PETA released photos taken of animals on the man's farm. 30 nearly emaciated cows were photographed by PETA members, who snuck onto the property. However no charges are set to be filed against the PETA members, who feel that enough isn't being done to solve the problem. They've requested that each animal be examined by a vet and have their weight loss or gain monitored. An investigation by local officials is ongoing.

Plans Going Forward To Transform Catawba River
The Catawba River will be undergoing a change over the next few months, as plans move forward to transform it into something different. Concrete trenches are being poured and other work is being done to turn it into an artificial recirculating river, which will be included as part of the new National Whitewater Center. Conveyor belts will take would be rafters to the top, after which they'll be released into the water, with 560000 gallons pouring in every minute. An idea for the design came from a similar course, which was built to use in the Austrailian Olympics back in 2000. Officials hope to have everything up and running by mid 2006.

Family Drives Off With Bulldozer
Raleigh officials have arrested a man and his stepson for driving off with a bulldozer. The two had stolen the dozer from a work site near I-540 on Monday. As they drove by, an off duty sheriff's deputy noticed the truck pulling a bulldozer stacked up on a trailer. It's unknown why 35-yr-old Wayne Maroon and 27-yr-old Christopher Rochelle stole the vehicle, but both are now in the Wake County jail awaiting their hearing.

Five NC Counties Declared Disaster Areas
Portions of the North Carolina coast were delcared disaster areas this week, allowing federal aid to be sent in to help with rebuilding. Five counties were included in the declaration: Carterer, Craven, Jones, Onslow and Pamlico. The U.S. Small Business Association is offering homeowners in the affected areas a chance to apply for loans, to repair what was damaged and replace what can't be fixed.

Western Carolina Professor Explains What Needs To Be Done
A professor from here in Western North Carolina is spoke before members of Congress yesterday, discussing what should be done to protect against another hurricane such as Rita or Katrina. Rob Young teaches as part of the geoscience division at Western Carolina University and talked about the need to expand our coastal barriers and the supports they require to withstand the weather.

13th Annual Gingerbread House Competition Held
On Monday night, bakers from across the country gathered together in Asheville for the 13th Annual National Gingerbread House Competition. The event, which is held each year in the Grove Park Inn, had over 200 entries, with everything from a pirate ship, to a giant acorn w/ gingerbreaad squirrels and a gold gingerbread castle with a dragon serving as a watchdog. The grand prize winner, Bobbie Jinright of Troy Alabama and several other winners will show off their talents on ABC's "Good Morning America" program Dec. 23rd.

Sports Headlines

High School Football Playoffs This Friday
While the regular season has come to a close, there's still some football left to be played in Wilkes County. Two of the local high schools have teams in the playoffs, which kick off this Friday. East Wilkes stays at home for a game against North Stokes on Friday, while the Blackhawks of West Wilkes head up the road to Mt. Airy for their first round game. Kickoff is set for 7:30pm in both games and we'll be over at East Wilkes with the McDonald's pregame show starting at 7:15.

Appalachian Setting Attendence Records
Appalachian State is on its' way to setting new attendence records as the football season winds down. With one home game left, the Mountaineers have been averaging 22,364 people. That's good enough for 5th in North Carolina, just behind East Carolina, NC State, the UNC Tarheels and Wake Forest. The previous record for attendence was set back in 1992, with an average of 18638.

Duke Ranked Number One
The preseason poll is out for college basketball and that's good news for Duke fans. The Blue Devils are the hands down favorite this year, coming in at number one in the AP poll. Last year's champion, the UNC Tarheels however, took a huge fall as they dropped completely out of the Top 25. Also surprising was the fact that Kansas and NC State were left out of the Top 25 as well. The only other North Carolina team in the poll was Wake Forest, who is in at number 18.

Good News For Tarheel & Blue Devil Fans
The news wasn't all bad for UNC basketball fans, as college scouts ranked their recruiting class as the best in the nation. Next year's Tarheel squad will have three of the top eight high school seniors in the nation coming in. 6-9 forward Brandon Wright is ranked 4th in the nation, while 6-5 shooting guard Wayne Ellington comes in 6th place and point guard Tywon Lawson is 8th in the nation. Meanwhile the Duke Blue Devils are right behind with the number 12 ranked recruiting class. Brian Zoubek, a 7-1 center is ranked 21st in the nation and Jon Scheyer could be a replacement for J.J. Reddick when the senior graduates this spring.

Changes Coming Up In NASCAR
Once the NASCAR season wraps up, there will be a lot of changes going on in some of the major teams. Jamie McMurray was released from his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing this week, allowing him to take over Kurt Busch's car at Rousch Racing. Meanwhile Busch will move over to the Penske team, to take the place of retiring Rusty Wallace. Ganassi won't be naming a new driver to replace McMurray because he's dropping the number of cars in his team from four to three for 2006.

News & Sports For November 8th

Election Day Arrives In Wilkes
November 8th is here and once again it's time to head out to the voting booth and cast your ballot. There are four races here in the county this year, beginning with the race for Mayor of North Wilkesboro. Incumbent Steve Foster will be going up against Democratic challenger George Church. Also in the North Wilkesboro Town Commissioners' race, two out of the three candidates will be picked for office. Debbie Ferguson, Robert L. Johnson and Laura Welborn are all running for the two positions. Over in Wilkesboro, James S. Hartlet and Mike Inscore are running unopposed for the two town commissioners' spots and finally in Ronda, eight candidates are running for the three seats on the town board. Wanda Blackburn, Brison Combs, Ricky Cothren, Holly Wood Duplisea, Patricia Houck Hawkins, Helen T. Porter and Manuel Wood are all in the running. Throughout the area, polling places open this morning at 6:30am and will stay that way til 7:30pm tonight. Keep in mind when going to vote, if your polling place is a school, class is in session today so it might be a good idea to avoid the drop off and pick up times, when so much traffic is in the area.

Hit & Run In Wal-Mart Parking Lot
Wilkesboro police are searching for a hit & run driver today, after a wreck in the Wal-Mart parking lot this weekend. A Wilkesboro woman returned to her vehicle, only to find it had been severely damaged while she was inside the store. Witnesses at the scene gave police a description of the hit & run suspect's vehicle, described as a white SUV. Estimated damages were placed at $2000 in the crash and that investigation continues.

Applications Being Taken For Energy Assistance Program
With the economy still struggling here in the area, it can be hard at times for people to afford to pay their heating bill. Social Services here in Wilkes County is taking applications now for their low income Energy Assistance Program. People can come in and apply from now until Friday November 18th at the Wilkes Social Services office, located on College Street in Wilkesboro from 8:30am til 5pm. Also applications will be taken on two days at the Clingman Family Resource Center, on Wednesday November 9th and Wednesday November 16th. This will be a one time credit to help in paying for your heating costs this winter.You can call Social Services for more information at 651-7400.

Gas Thieves Hit Another Wilkes Business
On Sunday of this week, sheriff's deputies were called out after another case of gas theft here in Wilkes. This time thieves hit Uncle Kenny's on the Yellow Banks Road in Hays. A man drove up in a white 1980s model truck, pumped his gas and then took off down the road without paying. Employees inside the store were able to get a description of the man and his vehicle, which were turned over to deputies. That investigation is ongoing.

Blood Drive Later Today
1500 pints of blood. That's how much is used each day by doctors across the state, dealing with traffic accidents and surgeries. With the blood supply still low here in the county, a drive is going on this afternoon at the Wilkesboro Civic Center, from 2-6:30pm. To schedule an appointment you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563. Or if you want to just walk in, they'll take you on a first come, first serve basis.

Thieves Steal Prescriptions From North Wilkesboro Home
Prescription drugs were the target for thieves at a North Wilkesboro home earlier this week. Sunday afternoon a man returned to his house on Miller Lane and found that the back door had been pried open. Stolen from inside were several hundred dollars worth of prescription drug medication. Nothing else was damaged or missing from the home and that investigation continues.

Training Session For Pregnancy Center Coming Up
As we start the month of November, the Wilkes Pregnancy Care Center finds itself in need of help. The Center is looking for volunteers, however before someone can begin helping, they need to go through a training session. Coming up later this week, there will be a three day session beginning Thursday November 10th and finishing Saturday November 12th. The sessions last for 2 ½ hours on Thursday and Friday, then wrap up with a three hour session on Saturday. For more information about what training involves or if you want to sign up, you can call the Center at 838-9272.

Thieves Leave Damage Behind For Wilkesboro Woman
A Wilkesboro woman got a surprise when she returned to her car over the weekend. She had left it to go into a local store and came back to find the CD player had been ripped out and damage had been done to several of the seats. An estimated $700 in damage was done to the seats and other parts of the car. That investigation is ongoing.

Rescue Squad Celebrating 50th Anniversary This Saturday
This Saturday Wilkes will take time out to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the County's Rescue Squad. There will be free food on hand over at Smoot Park, along with prizes, tours of the rescue truck and ambulance and blood pressure checks. Also during the event you can take time out to meet the current members of the Wilkes Rescue Squad. It will go on from 11am til 3pm this Saturday November 12th.

State News

Charlotte Police Hunting Robbery Suspects
Officials in Charlotte are searching for some robbery suspects in the University City area today. Five men and one woman are all wanted for questioning, after a break-in at the Wexford Meadows apartments this weekend. Somehow the robbers broke in, evading security and robbed several homeowners in the area. Police are asking for help as they don't have any information except that five men and a woman were involved and all were armed. This incident happened just off NC 49, north of I-485 near University City.

Holiday Jobs Coming Early
Some good news for job hunters out there, as holiday and part time work is being offered a little early this year. According to careerbuilder.com and several other online sites, employers here in North Carolina are already starting to put out help wanted ads for seasonal work. Overall this holiday season people here in the U.S. are projected to spend over $453 million dollars and that has some stores scrambling to find workers. Postings from Wilkes and the surrounding counties are on careerbuilder and monster.com. You can also visit the local employment security commission's website to check out who's hiring in the area.

High Point To Pay Parking Tickets
As a show of thanks for coming out to their furniture show, officials in High Point are paying customers' parking tickets. Several hundred dollars worth of them. All the customers who parked illegally to get inside last month's Home Furnishings Market will have their ticket paid by the city of High Point. Officials decided to pay the tickets as a way of keeping customers coming to their trade show, now that some competition has sprung up in Las Vegas.

People Come Out To Celebrate Ham Day
In the Caldwell County town of Sawmills, people came out over the weekend to celebrate Ham Day. Over 2000 pounds of ham was eaten at the 16th annual event, put on by the local fire department. The all day event acts both as a community get together and also a fundraiser for the local fire department, who uses the proceeds to buy equipment, make renovations and help finish other needed projects in the area. This year a portion of the funds has been given to the annual Sawmalls Christmas party for special needs kids in the area, in addition to buying treat bags and smoke alarms for senior citizens in the community. $100 in free gas was also given out as part of a raffle that was held later on.

Florida Company Helps Revive Lenoir
Some of those unemployed in Lenoir after last week's plant closings by Broyhill might find work in a familar place. Broyhill's Harper plant has already been sold to a Florida company, who plans to come in and take over production. Woodsmiths, a company that makes furnishings for the hospitality industry, will instantly be hiring 30 workers, with possibly to follow. Operations are expected to be up and running before Thanksgiving.

Database Launched To Help Lawmakers
A new database was launched on Monday to help state lawmakers determine the needs of families across North Carolina. The North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute complied facts on family size, income and child care needs based on information from all of the state's 170 districts. The goal is to show lawmakers that there are problems with families in each county and district, issues that need to be dealt with, instead of pushed to the back burner, according to institute officials.

Sports Headlines

Brown Named Offensive Player Of The Week
It's been a good week for NC State football. First the team knocks off Florida State and now freshman runningback Andre Brown has been named the Division I-A Offensive Player of the Week. Brown ran for 179 yards in Saturday's 20-15 win and is already being compared to Dallas Cowboys tailback Herschel Walker.

Appalachian Players Make Awards Lists
Two players from Appalachian State have made it on the list for this year's Division I-AA football awards. This will mark the 19th year that the Walter Payton Award has been given out, as it is each season to the best player in DIvision I-AA. Quarterback Richie Williams from Appalachian is one of the 16 semi-finalists for the award. So far this year Williams has thrown for 1845 yards, 10 touchdowns and only three interceptions, while running the ball for 117 yards and four touchdowns. Also defensive end Marques Murrell from Apalachian is in the running for this year's Buchanan Battle Award, handed out for the past 11 years to the best defensive player in Division 1-AA. The winners will be announced on Thursday December 15th at the I-AA College Football Awards in Chattanooga Tennessee.

Bobcats Fall In OT To Jazz
In the NBA, the Charlotte Bobcats lost a heartbreaker to the Utah Jazz last night, falling in overtime 95-91. Charlotte drops to 2-2 with the loss, however Raymond Felton and Sean May had their best game since joining the team. Felton had 7 points and 10 assists, while May put up 13 points, 8 rebounds and 1 block. Next up the San Antonio Spurs come to town on Wednesday.

One More To The Panther Wounded List
Unfortunately, while the Panthers won going away on Sunday, there was one casualty. Tight end Kris Mangum had to leave in the first quarter after injuring his knee. After doctors examined the injury it was determined that Mangum has a sprained knee. It's unclear exactly how much time he could miss, but Mike Siedman and Michael Gaines will take over in his absence. Carolina will come home this Sunday to take on the Jets.

Nextel Cup Chase Heats Up
As drivers get set to march into Phoenix for this Sunday's race, the Chase for the Cup has gotten a little closer. Tony Stewart is still hanging on to his lead, but is just 38 points in front of second place Jimmie Johnson. Carl Edwards is third, just 77 points back and seperated by just one point are Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth. Martin is fourth, 122 points back while Kenseth rounds out the top five, 123 back of the leader.