News & Sports For February 8th

News From Last Night’s Commissioners’ Meeting
Wilkes County Commissioners held their monthly meeting last night, with several issues addressed. Commissioner Luther Parks opened the meeting up by asking for 10 seconds of silence, in memory of Tommy Bumgarner. A new road was put forth to be added to the DOT’s system. Morrison Road in Moravian Falls was approved and will be sent to the DOT to be added to their records. Also Graylin Carlton spoke to the commissioners on behalf of Samaritan’s Kitchen. He mentioned that the organization has changed its’ name to Samaritan Christian Ministries of Wilkes, due to the fact they’ve expanded into different programs aside from just preparing meals. The ministry asked commissioners if the county would donate a 5 acre piece of land, so they can move operations. Currently the organization serves 1600 meals each Saturday and throughout the week, gives food to an average of 20 people. All total, their clientele is up 64% from this time last season and there’s not enough space at their current location. The commissioners agreed to examine the proposal and take it back up at their next meeting. In other news, plans were approved for the sheriff’s department to buy a bomb suit. Most of the money for the purchase will come from grants obtained by the department, with the remainder coming from the department’s budget. The bomb suit will help protect deputies while disposing of hazardous material. The Wilkes Bomb Squad has been approved as a regional team by the FBI, meaning the 6 members of the squad travel to several different counties to aid in hazardous situations.

New Economic Director Voted In
Wilkes County Commissioners approved a new director for the Economic Development Board last night. Don Alexander will take over the position, vacated last year by Kelly Pipes. Alexander has 10 years of experience in the field and is a certified grants administrator, along with being a certified economic director. Most of that experience comes in dealing with small rural communities such as Wilkes. He turned down two other offers to come to Wilkes and will begin his new job February 27th.

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

Wreck On 421 Totals Two
One person was taken to the hospital after a wreck on Hwy 421 Monday afternoon. The incident happened around 3:30pm, as a Ferguson woman was attempting to merge back onto the highway from the Pa Pa Johns parking lot. She didn’t notice a Hays man traveling in her direction and he couldn’t stop in time to avoid a collision. Over $7500 worth of damage was done to the vehicles and the woman was taken to Wilkes Regional for treatment.

BROC Head Start Has Openings
For any parent who wants to get their child started early on an education, Head Start has some available spots left. There are currently several slots open for children ages 3 and 4 years old at the Lomax Center in Roaring River. Also applications are being taken for the Cub Creek and North Wilkesboro sites. Classes started in August of 2005 for this year’s program and will run until May. Students can enroll at any time up until March of this year. After that they’ll have to wait until the next term. The classes run from 8:30am until 2:30pm Monday through Thursday. The students are admitted based on their family income, as those in the lesser income bracket get taken first. For more information or to enroll your child, you can call Judy Mitchell at the Head Start office. Her number is 667-7174.

Medicine Stolen From Vehicle In Moravian Falls
Be careful what you leave behind in the car. A Moravian Falls woman found out why that’s a good idea on Monday. She had left some prescription medication in the vehicle with the doors unlocked Sunday night. Come Monday morning, the medicine was gone. Deputies are continuing that investigation.

Warning Issued For Bronchitis Medicine
If you’re fighting bronchitis, there are some things you need to know before reaching for that bottle of medicine. Federal regulators are checking into the drug telithromycin, commonly known as Ketek. It’s a prescription drug that is used to fight bronchitis, sinusitis and pneumonia. A recent series of deaths and heath problems could be linked to the drug, officials say. One patient at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte died after taking the drug, while another developed hepatitis. There is no evidence proving that Ketek was responsible for the problems, however the FDA is asking anyone who is taking Ketek to immediately call their doctor if any signs of liver problems start to occur.

Samaritan’s Kitchen Needs Help
It’s hard at times to put food on the table and also pay your bills. Here in Wilkes, several organizations reach out and help people who are struggling through hard times, including Samaritan’s Kitchen. Now however the Kitchen finds itself needing some help of its’ own. So many people have been by in recent weeks that the shelves are almost empty and there aren’t enough workers to prepare meals on the weekends. If you can set aside thirty minutes or three hours, whatever you can spare, please give the Kitchen a call at 838-5331.

Lyrical Thieves Break Into Elkin Residence
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to an Elkin residence on Monday after thieves paid a visit. Over $300 worth of damage was done to the property, as the storm doors and windows had been shattered. Once inside, the thieves stole 575 record albums, worth an estimated $1300. In addition, a tanning bed that had been kept on the property was taken. There is a suspect in the case and that investigation continues.

State News

North Carolina Called To Restructure Tax System
North Carolina needs to rethink it’s current tax system. That was the message handed down during the annual Emerging Issues Forum, held Monday at NC State. Former Gov. Jim Hunt hosted the event and listened as economists and other tax experts detailed some potential problems in the state’s future. According to the forum, if changes don’t come soon, North Carolina won’t be able to pay for public schools or healthcare. Currently over half of the tax money comes from personal income tax, with most of the rest coming from sales and use tax. 40% of the state budget is used on schools alone right now. But due to a growing population, the forum said it’s time to restructure the tax system. They suggested broadening the sales tax to include all services and not just the retail market.

Fayetteville Man Charged With Bomb Making
A Vietnam War veteran is facing charges of bomb making today in Fayetteville. 64-yr-old Roger Stephen Nice was arrested on Monday by the FBI, however officials wouldn’t say what exactly he built or why. The only information released was that he had been building and stockpiling explosive devices at his house. The arrest on Monday was the end result of a four month long investigation of the Fayetteville man.

New Chief Justice Sworn In
Sarah Parker made North Carolina history on Monday, when she was sworn in as the new chief justice for the State Supreme Court. Parker, who took the oath of office on Monday, becomes just the third woman in state history to serve as chief justice. Parker was sworn in because Beverly Lake Jr. retired at the end of January. In order to keep the position a full term, she’ll have to be elected in November.

Police Are Searching For Winston Man
Officials in the Winston area are asking for help in locating a local man. 22-yr-old Theodore Motlow disappeared from a care facility Sunday night and hasn’t been seen since. Police believe that he may be trying to walk to Lexington. Motlow has a medical problem that must be monitored. He’s described as wearing a light blue jacket, beige pants and has a blue backpack. If anyone sees Motlow, they’re asked to call Winston police at 336-773-7700.

Investigation Launched Into Synthron Accident
An investigation has been launched into last week’s accident at the Synthron plant in Morganton. The US Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board announced their decision this week and started collecting data on Tuesday. One person died and thirteen others were injured when the plant exploded January 31st. A preliminary investigation has already showed that there was a rise in pressure at the plant’s chemical reactor, however the cause remains unknown. Workers at the plant say that just before the explosion there was a loud hissing noise throughout the area.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
In high school basketball last night, Wilkes Central sent the seniors out in style, as they blew out Surry Central 86-52. With the win Central improves to 12-11 and keeps their hopes of a playoff spot alive. On the girls side of the court, Wilkes Central locked up the regular season title with a 67-55 win over Surry Central. With the win, the Lady Eagles improve to 22-1 on the year and get set for next Wednesday’s conference tournament.

NCAA Scoreboard
In college basketball Appalachian State lost to Furman 76-64. With the loss, the Mountaineers drop to 9-14 on the season. And in the ACC, Duke kept on rolling with an 87-83 win over North Carolina. J.J. Redick led the Blue Devils with 35 points while Reyshawn Terry had 17 to lead the Heels. Duke improves to 22-1 while UNC drops to 14-6.

New Top 25 Has Three NC Teams
The new Top 25 poll for college basketball has been released with three North Carolina teams making the cut. Duke stays in second place, with Connecticut holding on to the #1 spot. Memphis rounds out the top three. Also UNC Chapel Hill climbs back into the mix at #23 and NC State was the only other North Carolina school on the list, coming in at #16

Bobcats Getting Healthier By The Day
Good news for the Charlotte Bobcats, as the team continues to get players back from injury. The latest to rejoin the team is shooting guard Keith Bogans, who may be able to suit up tonight against Philadelphia. Bogans has been on the disabled list for the past eight games with a sprained knee. If he does return, it’ll mark the first time in five weeks that the team has had a full 12 player roster.

Carolina Hurricane Players Added To USA Roster
Several members of the Carolina Hurricanes are on their way to the Winter Olympics. Defenseman Bret Hedican was selected this week to replace Aaron Miller of the LA Kings, who had to pull out with an injury. He’ll be joined by Carolina forward Matt Cullen, who was selected to the taxi squad, a group of three players that will be used if someone is injured during the tournament.

News & Sports For February 7th

TOP STORY:
Wilkesboro Police Chief Arrested
Gary Parsons, police chief for the town of Wilkesboro was indicted Monday on 12 seperate charges including embezzlement. Parsons, who has served on the Wilkesboro police force since 1980, was indicted by a grand jury, bringing to an end an investigation that began last September. He stands accused of five felony counts of obtaining property by false pretense, using officers to do personal work for him while on city time, misuse of a public vehicle and embezzlement. In addition, Parsons also is facing charges of allowing his son, who is a minor, to be on scene at official calls and be armed with a handgun, while also giving him a Wilkesboro Police Officer's uniform to wear. The SBI has been investigating Parsons since last fall, when officers within his own department reported his actions. Parsons is suspended without pay while the town determines what course of action to take. His supension will either last for 30 days or until a decision is reached. Captains Steve Dowell and Robert Bowlin have taken over Parsons' duties in the department and the commissioners will meet and make a decision February 13th.

Tip Leads To Drug Bust On Elkin Highway
The Special Enforcement Team of the sheriff’s department received a tip over the weekend that a woman was dealing drugs from her home on the Elkin Hwy. Deputies went to the house and were allowed inside by the homeowner. They found several types of pain medication, none of which she had a prescription for. Over 200 pills of methadone, oxycodone and oxycontin were confiscated from the house, along with a .22 caliber pistol and $595 in cash. 52-yr-old Addie Victoria McGrady was arrested and charged with trafficking prescription drugs and maintaining a dwelling for the sale of drugs.

Elkin Man Falls Prey To Credit Card Fraud
An Elkin man accessed his bank account over the weekend to find money taken out for purchases he had never made. It turns out that earlier in the week, someone had stolen his ATM card and he had just never replaced it. $608 was taken from the account before the problem was discovered. There is a suspect in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Recall Issued Of Portable Propane Heaters
This next bit of news is very important for anyone who has a propane heater. A recall has been ordered of several thousand DESA Portable Propane Heaters. The units involved are all heaters from 40-80,000 BTUs, an estimated 54500 all total. They are the Reddy Heater with model number RCP80VC, All-Pro Heater with SPC-80CC, the Master Heater with TC80VC, the Universal Heater with 80-CC and the Dayton Heater with a number of 6BY73 on it. The reason for the recall is due to a defect in the burner tube. Instead of generating fire out of the end, it ignites inside the burner tube itself. That means any combustible material under or around the heater could go up in flames. 40 separate reports have been received about homes being damaged due to the defect. Anyone who bought one of these heaters can bring them back for a free replacement or a refund. A hotline has also been set up if you have any questions at 1-866-279-3225.

Tools Stolen From Wilkesboro Home
Thieves somehow gained access to a Wilkesboro man’s home over the weekend. Despite not leaving behind any signs of a break-in, the thieves walked out with a gold necklace and a Black & Decker tool case. In addition, it appears they had tried to break into the homeowner’s gun safe but failed. There is a suspect in the case and the investigation is ongoing.

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

Thieves Run Off With Iron Wheels
Who would break in just to steal some wheels? That’s what a Darby woman is wondering today. Thieves gained access to a building on her property and ran off with several iron wheels off some old farm equipment. The incident happened on the Elk Creek Darby Road and despite the theft, there was no sign of a break-in and nothing else missing. An estimated $800 worth of items were stolen from inside. Deputies have a suspect and that investigation continues.

Blood Drive Later Today
Poor turnouts have plagued the recent blood drives here in Wilkes County, to the point that more are needed just to keep the supply out of critical levels. A drive is going on today at the VFW Post 1142 and will last from 2-6:30pm. No appointments are needed, but remember you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs to donate.

Mailbox Vandals Hit Another Wilkes Home
A Millers Creek woman fell victim to mailbox vandals over the weekend. She walked outside Sunday morning to find that the mailbox had been smashed during the night. Despite the damage, no one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything unusual. That investigation continues.

State News

James Brothers Linked To NC
North Carolina may have ties to a pair of famous outlaws, according to some new information. Documents and other bits of information from the 1870s link Frank & Jesse James to a series of crimes in Alamance and Caswell County. The information was brought to light by Alamance County historian Jay Shouse, who along with some amateur historians also found that Frank James hid out in North Carolina while on the run in the 1880s, bringing along his wife and 4 year old son. All this was part of a documentary on Jesse James released on UNC-TV Monday night.

Blue Light Bandit Arrested
The Blue Light Bandit was finally caught over the weekend after a run-in with police. In Concord, the bandit pulled behind a woman and turned on his lights, ordering her to pull over. She not only refused, but called 911 and told them where she was. Police responded and soon caught the suspect just off of Highway 73. Inside his vehicle were the blue lights and a switch he used to turn them on. 19-yr-old Nandan Patel gave no reason as to why he used the blue lights. He was released from prison on a $5500 bond.

Police Searching For NC Fugitive
A North Carolina man is the subject of a manhunt in Wyoming today. 26-yr-old William Holbert was pulled over as part of a traffic stop Sunday night, as the Jeep he was driving had been stolen. Then officers ran his name and learned that he’s wanted for fraud in Wilmington. Holbert managed to break free from police and go off road in his Jeep, losing the police. He later crashed the Jeep and fled on foot with a female passenger. The manhunt continues as officials believe Holbert is attempting to make his way across the state line into Montana.

Things Are Improving In Iraq
Things are getting better. That was the message sent by Major General Stephen Johnson, commander of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force. Major General Johnson recently returned from Iraq and said that things are slowly being turned over to Iraqi troops. He also said that Iraq’s economy should soon improve, bringing more jobs and less support for the insurgents. Johnson preached patience, saying that the job isn’t over yet and may take some time.

Two People Arrested As Body Parts Are Found
Johnston County officials continue to put the pieces together regarding a gruesome discovery Sunday night. Dismembered human remains were found in a farmhouse near Selma, North Carolina. It’s believed the bodies of several people are inside the farmhouse on Lizzie Mill Road. Police have charged 34-yr-old Robert Bruce Pollard with first degree murder and his wife, 34-yr-old Cecillia Louise Pollard has been named an accessory after the fact. Police continued to sift through the chaos Monday night, bringing out more remains to be identified.

Sports Headlines

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

High School Basketball Tonight
All four county high schools are in action tonight, with East Wilkes playing at home against East Surry. Also North Wilkes is on the road against Starmount, West Wilkes plays host to Elkin and Wilkes Central will close out the regular season at home against Surry Central. We’ll go on the air at 7pm with the McDonald’s pregame show and then turn things over to Ken Byrd and Keith Briand at 7:15 for the play by play.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look around the college basketball scene last night, it was Coastal Carolina over High Point 78-60. Also Elon cruised over Charleston 76-69, Georgia Southern knocked off Western Carolina 72-67 and it took overtime but UNC Asheville beat Liberty 83-81.

NBA: Sonics vs. Bobcats
In the NBA, it was two in a row for the Charlotte Bobcats as they beat Seattle 119-106. Raymond Felton led Charlotte with 24 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds as the team improves to 13-36 on the season. Next up they’ll face Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Former UNC Player Makes NFL History
A former UNC Tarheel got his name into the record books Sunday. During the Super Bowl, Pittsburgh tailback Willie Parker broke free for a 75 yard run and a touchdown. That was good enough to get Parker into the record books for the longest run in Super Bowl history, barely beating Marcus Allen’s 74-yd-run in Super Bowl 18. Parker, an undrafted free agent out of Carolina, was signed by Pittsburgh and took over as the starting runningback after injuries decimated the team.

News & Sports For February 6th

Mixed Unemployment Figures As 2005 Ends
Some mixed results for Wilkes County’s economic scene as 2005 came to a close. The good news was that unemployment fell in the county to a 12-month low of 5%. Unfortunately how the number fell is the problem, as more people are leaving Wilkes. In January of 2005, there were 32134 people in the county’s workforce. By the end of December, that number had fallen to 31893, meaning Wilkes suffered a net loss of 241 people over the last year. The news wasn’t all bad however, as more jobs came into the county. In January of 2005, there were 30149 jobs in Wilkes. That number increased by the end of the year to 30306, meaning that 157 jobs were added during the year.

Money & Drugs Seized At Boomer Residence
Sheriff’s deputies found drugs and money when they searched a house in Boomer last week. On Thursday deputies used a search warrant to go inside a home on Boomer Road, where they found three handguns, crack cocaine, marijuana and over $3400 in cash. Also outside the house deputies searched a drink machine on the property and located cocaine in several bottles along with some other drug paraphernalia. All total 28 grams of cocaine and 7 grams of marijuana was found. 57-yr-old Arlie Gwyn Bullis was arrested and charged with drug trafficking, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of drugs, possession of a firearm by a felon, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. Once he was transported to the jail, Bullis gave deputies a full written confession.

Flu Shots Available At Wilkes Health Department
With winter weather expected over the next few weeks, it’s important to make sure you’re prepared for the flu. The Wilkes County Health Department still has 60 doses of the vaccine available, on a first come first serve basis. Medical officials are predicting that we’re about three weeks away from peak season of the flu and if you want to plan ahead now’s the time. It takes the human body about two weeks to build immunity after getting the vaccine and time’s ticking down. To call and set up an appointment, the Health Department’s number is 651-7450. They’re located at 306 College Street in Wilkesboro and for more information you can also visit their website at http://www.wilkeshealth.com/

Counterfeit Money Order Turns Up At Local Store
Wilkesboro police were called out to the Fast Track on River Street last Thursday after a money order came back as counterfeit. Back in January, a customer had come in and written a money order for $95. However it was returned by the bank and store employees were alerted to the problem. The customer’s name and address were given to Wilkesboro police and that investigation continues.

Upcoming Workshop For Collegebound Students
For any high school seniors and their parents, it can be confusing and frustrating at times filling out the government’s FAFSA form. That’s the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which you have to fill out before you’re able to be considered for any financial aid grants or federal scholarships. But don’t worry , some help is on the way. Coming up Saturday February 18th, financial aid officers will be at 42 different places across North Carolina, helping students put down the right information and get that FAFSA filed. Several of those locations are close to Wilkes County, including one at Wake Forest University, Appalachian State, Surry Community College and Caldwell Community College. To register for one of the events, you can go online to www.cfnc.org/fafsaday or by calling 1-866-866-CFNC

Thieves Discover They Stole A Damaged Car
Last week, a car was stolen from a residence on Elkin Hwy 268. But as it turns out, the joke was on the thieves. The vehicle, while easy to steal, also had a bad clutch and broke down just a few miles from where they took it. Deputies soon located the vehicle a few hours after it was stolen, with nothing taken from inside and no damage done to it. The investigation as to who took it continues.

Recall Of Volvo Trucks
Bad news today for some truck owners here in Wilkes. Volvo Trucks has issued a recall of 42,000 VN and VHD trucks that were produced between 2002 and 2006. The problem is in the vehicle’s D12D engine. Some of the models have faulty equipment that will cause the pipes running from their exhaust gas recirculation valve to crack. If that happens, the air cleaner unit and inner fender could catch fire. Two reports of such an incident have already occurred and Volvo is asking people to bring the trucks back to the dealer for a free repair. The company plans to install a protective heat shield to prevent any fires from igniting and also replace any defective parts.

Blood Drive Coming Up Later Today
Each day 1500 pints of blood are needed across North Carolina. With that being the case, not all the blood taken in local drives can go to the county’s blood supply as there are more immediate needs. To help build the supply back up and lend a hand to other counties, two drives are going on today. The first is taking place at the Elks Lodge from 1:30-6pm and the second is at the Millers Creek United Methodist Church from 2-7pm. To call for an appointment the number is 838-4563.

Regional News

New Jobs Coming To Lenoir
Good news for anyone looking for work in the Lenoir area. More jobs are on the way. Consumer Specialties, a group of local businessmen, have bought out one of the old Broyhill Furniture plants. Within a few months they plan to hire 30 workers and have the plant fully operational with 60 by the end of 2006. The company will build dog beds, pillows and children’s furniture at the plant.

State News

Four NC Cities Make Top 50 List
North Carolina has four of the best places to operate a business, according to Expansion Management. The magazine released its’ annual list of America’s “Top 50 Cities”, citing which ones were best to expand or run a business. Charlotte was ranked #6, while Raleigh came in at 16. Winston Salem made the list at #34 and Greensboro made it at 47. The magazine took into account things like manufacturing costs and business climate in the respective areas.

NC Company To Help Provide Alibi
Forget to buy your loved one a Valentine’ Day present? Or maybe you come home late from a ballgame? A new web based business here in North Carolina wants to help youout. Called AlibiNetwork.com, the company will help provide you with an alibi for a small fee. The rates for an alibi range from $10 to $55, with additional costs coming from the site’s yearly membership fee of $35. The only thing the company won’t do however is provide alibis for illegal activity, according to a disclaimer on the website.

PTA President Charged With Embezzling
In Walnut Cove North Carolina, officials are charging the former president of the PTA with embezzlement. Jolene Utt, who was until last Monday President of the Walnut Cove Elementary School PTA, stands accused of taking $4400 from the school over a period of seven months. According to investigators, Utt would get checks from the school, reimbursing her for equipment and other items she never actually bought.

Wife Of Earl Scruggs Dies
Louise Scruggs passed away late last week. The wife and manager of North Carolina native Earl Scruggs, she had been suffering from a respiratory disease before dying on Thursday. Mrs. Scruggs is known as the first professional manager in country music, in addition to being the first woman in the role. She worked as a manager for her husband after he formed the band Flatt & Scruggs with singer Lester Flatt. Louise Scruggs was 78.

World News

Mastermind Behind Cole Bombing Escapes
In world news today, the man believed to have masterminded the bombing of the USS Cole is on the run after escaping from a jail in Yemen. Jamal Ahmed Badawi escaped from the prison on Friday along with 23 others, 13 of which were convicted al-Qaida terrorists. Very few details have been released as to how the group escaped, as Yemeni officials would only say they got out through a tunnel dug out of the prison. Badawi stands accused of plotting the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, a plan which killed 17 people.

Sports Headlines

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

High School Swimming
In high school sports, the 1A/2A state swimming championships were held over the weekend. Wilkes County had two schools ranked on the boys side, as Wilkes Central finished tied for 28th place with 17 points. Also North Wilkes finished 33rd with 12 points.

High School Scoreboard
Taking a look at high school basketball Friday night, it was Forbush beating Wilkes Central 64-60. With the loss the Eagles drop to 11-11 on the season, while Forbush improves to 4-17. West Wilkes meanwhile had no problems taking care of Alleghany 76-59. East Wilkes lost to North Stokes 55-47, despite 21 points from Brent Poplin. With the loss, the Cardinals drop to 9-12 on the season. On the girls’ side of the court, it was Surry Central over North Wilkes 40-33. The East Wilkes Lady Cardinals won in overtime 51-47, improving to 3-17 on the season. Also in a heartbreaker, the Lady Blackhawks of West lost to Alleghany 60-58 in a game that went into overtime. Finally the Wilkes Central Lady Eagles improve to 22-1 on the season after a 54-38 win over Forbush. With the win, Central secures at least a partial share of the regular season title.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at the college scene, it was Charleston Southern over High Point 86-66, in their homecoming game it was UNC Charlotte over Dayton 62-49. Curtis Withers had 23 points and a career high 21 rebounds as the 49ers improve to 13-8. In other action it was Coastal Carolina over Winthrop 64-50, Western Carolina beat Davidson 77-70, Houston knocked off East Carolina in overtime 64-60 and another win for Matt Doughtry’s Florida Atlantic squad as they beat Gardner-Webb 77-63. In the ACC, it was Virginia over Wake Forest 75-73. Justin Gray had 18 points to lead the Deacons, who fall to 12-10 on the season. North Carolina handled Clemson, 76-61, thanks in part to 19 points and 11 rebounds from Reyswan Terry. It was NC State over Maryland 62-58. And Duke survived a close one, beating Florida State in overtime 97-96. J.J. Redick had 36 for the Blue Devils, who get set for Tuesday’s game against the Tarheels.

NHL: Carolina vs. New Jersey
On the ice yesterday, it was Carolina over New Jersey 4-3 in a game that was decided by a shootout. Newly aquired Doug Weight scored the game winning goal for Carolina, who improves to a league best 38-12 with the win.

Bobcats Beat Lakers
In the NBA, the Charlotte Bobcats took care of business at home, blowing out the LA Lakers 112-102. Jumaine Jones led Charlotte with 31 points and 9 rebounds, as the team improves to 12-36 on the season.

News & Sports For February 3rd

Look For A Change In The Weather
Wilkes County can expect a change in the weather, according to local forecasters. While January was unusually warm, things are expected to get back to normal as we go farther into February. Across North Carolina, forecasters are predicting that a low pressure system is going to make its’ way into the area, bringing colder temperatures and possibly some white stuff along with it. As to why January was so warm? Blame the weather system known as La Nina. La Nina has cooled off the Pacific Ocean waters, which in turn triggers changes in the weather patterns across the globe. However if you’re expecting La Nina to completely disappear you might be disappointed. Forecasters say that the system will stick around in some form until possibly the early summer.

Gas Thieves Hit Another Wilkes Business
Gas thieves hit another business in Wilkes this week, targeting the Junction on White Plains Road. A man pulled up in his Chevy Camero, pumped $34 worth of gas and then drove off down the highway. Employees inside the store got a description of both the man and his vehicle, along with a license plate tag. After investigating the case, deputies were able to get in touch with the suspect’s family, who paid for the gas. No charges were brought in the case.

CD Player Stolen With No Clue How
A local woman came out of class at Mulberry School to find the CD player in her car had been stolen. Nothing else was bothered inside the vehicle and there was no sign of a break-in and no damage done to the car itself. However the woman insists that she locked the car before going inside. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

The Taxman Cometh Part V: Married & Divorced
For most people, getting married can be the best day of their life. But if they’re not careful, newlyweds can end up costing each other a lot of money come tax time, as we explain in the final part of our tax prep series. For any newlyweds filing for the first time as a couple, it’s important that the names on the tax forms match those on file with the Social Security Administration. Problems can arise if a bride takes her husband’s name but doesn’t let Social Security know about it. When the couple files their joint return, the IRS won’t be able to match up the name with a Social Security number. It’s a similar situation for anyone who’s recently been divorced. If a woman changed to her ex-husband’s last name and has now switched back to her maiden one, she has to let Social Services know. Otherwise in both cases the penalty can vary from an increased tax bill to a smaller amount on the refund check. You can let Social Services know of a name change by going to your local office and filing out Form SS-5. Or you can go online to www.ssa.gov and download the form there as well. Once filled out, the form usually takes two weeks to verify. And as always, you can call for more information at 1-800-829-3676 or go online to www.IRS.gov.

Vandals Hit Wilkesboro Apartment Complex
Wilkesboro police were called out on Wednesday to the Glenn Hill Appartments after vandals hit the area. Three separate people walked outside Wednesday morning to find all four of their tires had been slashed, causing a total of $600 worth of damage. There are no suspects at this time and it’s unclear why the three were targeted. That investigation continues.

WalkAmerica Kickoff This Afternoon
For anyone wanting to get involved with the March of Dimes, now’s your chance. The organization is holding their WalkAmerica Kickoff Luncheon today at the Wilkesboro Elks Lodge. Churches, businesses and anyone who wants to get involved are invited to attend the lunch, which starts at 12 noon. Volunteers from the March of Dimes will be on hand to explain how people can take part in the WalkAmerica campaign. The walk itself will be held May 6th with a target goal this year of $35,000. Proceeds from the walk will go towards the study and hopefully a cure for birth defects and premature infant deaths. For more information you can call 1-704-873-2554.

Wilkes County Talent Show
The Community Health Connection wants people to see what their kids are capable of and are inviting everyone out to the First Baptist Church in North Wilkesboro Saturday night for a talent show. Tickets are $20 at the door and the show will feature students from all four of the county’s high schools. The event itself starts at 6pm with dinner beforehand and for more information you can call the Connection at 651-7837.

Traffic Stop Leads To Arrest
A routine traffic stop for sheriff’s deputies led to an arrest on gun charges this week. Deputies watched as a vehicle passed by, with the passenger not wearing a seatbelt. They pulled the car over near the CVS on Hwy 18 North. It was soon discovered that the passenger, 25-yr-old Troy Clayton Braxley had outstanding warrants for his arrest. In addition, deputies found a .40 caliber pistol hidden under his seat. Braxley was arrested on the outstanding warrants in addition to being charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Blood Drive This Weekend
Despite the recent blood drives here in Wilkes, the local supply is still around critical levels due to several serious wrecks and other injuries. With winter weather in the forecast later this month, the Red Cross will be holding another drive tomorrow at Bethel Baptist Church in Ronda. The drive will last from 10am til 2:30pm and for an appointment you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

State News

NC Troops On The Way Home
Good news for some military families across North Carolina. Over 200 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division are coming home. The soldiers, who are part of the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment made their way home on Thursday. Over 600 more troops from the unit are expected back in the next few weeks. The 504th had been working to train Iraqi troops, guard a maximum security prison and hold combat patrols across northern Iraq.

Greensboro Groundhog Says More Winter Coming
Expect a few more weeks of winter, at least according to the groundhogs. From Punxsutawney Phil to Greensboro’s own Woody, the furry forecasters saw their shadow. So according to tradition, we can expect six more weeks of winter weather. Groundhog Day itself is taken from a German legend and is now a global event, with people from other countries getting involved.

Easley Faces Criticism Over Gas Tax
Governor Mike Easley is getting hammered by federal lawmakers over North Carolina’s gas tax. The grief comes after Easley wrote a letter asking President Bush to investigate oil companies, citing record profits this past year. Republican chairman Ken Mehlman responded by accusing Easley of deflecting criticism and placing blame where it shouldn’t be. 77 members of North Carolina’s Republican party have requested for a special session of the legislature to be held dealing with energy taxes. Governor Easley is against the idea, saying that the money being taken in is needed for road construction.

Federal Government Giving Money To NC
North Carolina is going to be on the receiving end of federal aid dollars as lawmakers pledge $15 million to the Triad. The money is supposed to help local economies recover from the massive manufacturing layoffs that have occurred and get the unemployed workers retrained for new jobs. $5 million will be handed out each year from the Labor Department, to go along with a one time contribution of $850,000 by private and public donors.

Prison Inmate Accidentally Released
Due to an error in the prison system, an alleged child molester was released from prison in Lillington North Carolina. This was back in October of last year and four months later state officials recognized their mistake. Devan Black was supposed to serve a six month sentence, but had only completed three when he was released. Black then went to Vermont, where he met up with a probation officer and got a job. On Thursday, the Department of Corrections admitted their mistake and went before a judge, who ordered Black to return and finish his sentence.

Sports Headlines

High School Basketball Tonight
The end is near for the regular season and all four county schools are in action tonight. East Wilkes plays host to North Stokes, while North Wilkes is away tonight against Surry Central. West Wilkes is also away, as the Blackhawks are traveling to Alleghany. And in a bonus edition of our 3WC Game of the Week, it’s Wilkes Central playing at home against Forbush. We’ll tip off our coverage with the McDonald’s pregame show starting at 7pm then turn things over to Ken Byrd and Keith Briand at 7:15 for the play by play.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at the college basketball scene, it was UNC Wilmington over Drexel 65-58, Matt Doherty’s Florida Atlantic team beat Campbell 95-90 and Wofford knocked off Appalachian State 60-59. DJ Thompson had 18 to lead the Mountaineers, who drop to 9-13 on the season. In the ACC, it was all North Carolina all the time as the Tarheels cruised to a 77-62 win over Maryland. Reyshawn Terry led all scorers with 20 points and 9 rebounds as the Heels improve to 13-5 on the season.

NC State Lands Another Recruit
It’s been a great week for NC State football. The team landed one more recruit, their 18th of the year as signing day came and went. Rashad Phillips, a senior from Virginia Beach committed to the school. The 6’4 ft 210 lb. Phillips was a jack of all trades at Landstown High, working as a tight end, H-back and linebacker. He had 23 sacks. 306 yards receiving and runs a 4.6 in the 40. In addition, Phillips plays basketball, averaging 12 points and 8 rebounds a game and could possibly join State as a two sport athlete. He turned down offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Maryland and Kent State to sign with the Wolfpack.

Greensboro Football Team Has Name & Coach
The new Greensboro football team has a name and now a coach. Mark Saunders was introduced this week as head coach of the Greensboro Revolution, the new team set to debut in the Indoor Football League. The 45-yr-old Saunders is a Winston Salem native and former assistant coach at Winston Salem State. One of Saunders’ assistants will be James Clyburn, a former player with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. The team kicks off its’ season Match 25th.

News & Sports For February 2nd

Foxx Responds To State Of The Union
After the President’s State of the Union address, several North Carolina lawmakers made themselves available to the press. 5th District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx spoke out about the speech. The congresswoman said “President Bush gave a great speech and laid out a clear roadmap for our country’s future. As the President said, we are living in historic times and are facing historic challenges. We are winning the War on Terror, decreasing our dependency on foreign oil so we can lower our energy costs and we are addressing other critical issues such as health care and cutting the size of the Federal Government. As a Member of Congress, I am energized, focused and ready to work on the issues that matter to the American people.” And coming up next week on 3WC News, Congresswoman Foxx will be talking with Brian about the ways North Carolina can put the president's speech into practice right now.

The Taxman Cometh Part IV: What To Keep
So it’s the beginning of February and you’re staring at a pile of receipts almost as high as the ceiling. Don’t panic. In part four of our tax prep series, we take a look at what the IRS wants you to keep and what you can toss away. First of all, the IRS recommends that you keep receipts for three years, just in case your return is one picked to examine. However don’t be so quick to toss stuff out after three years. Things like a record of your stock transactions, IRA information and anything related to buying or selling a home should be kept longer, usually about seven years. Aside from that, you only need to keep the bills or other records if you’re going to use them as itemized deductions. If you do plan to itemize, the IRS asks that you keep all bills, credit cards, invoices, cancelled checks or other proof of payment. In addition, they also request that you hold on to any other items that will prove the deductions you claim on your tax form. If you don’t plan to itemize, feel free to take those credit card receipts and toss them in the trash. Now coming up in the final part of our series tomorrow, what do you do if you just recently got married or divorced? And how could either one make your tax bill higher? That’s coming up on the news tomorrow morning beginning at 6am. And as always if you have a question or want more information you can call 1-800-829-3676 or visit the IRS website at IRS.gov.

Thieves Hit Local Home & Steal Weapons
Thieves took advantage of a local woman’s good deed this week. The incident happened Tuesday on J.A. Russell Drive, as the woman was taking her grandson home from school. When they arrived at the house, there was a car already in the driveway and it’s owner was climbing back in. The woman asked what the man was doing there and he told her his car was out of gas. She gave the man a ride to Neighbor’s Store, where he bought some gas and then took off. Later that night when the homeowner returned, she found that a 9mm pistol was missing from inside along with several clips of ammunition. The suspect’s name and a description of his car were turned over to sheriff’s deputies. That investigation continues.

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

Open House Today At Central Wilkes
As students get set to wrap up the first month of the new semester, Central Wilkes Middle School is inviting parents and others in the community to come in and have a look around. Central Wilkes is having a Second Semester Open House coming up later this afternoon. That event will go on from 1-6pm and everyone is invited to come in and tour the school.

Focus On Smart Start
For most parents, between work and other commitments it can be hard at times to get all the information you need before your child enters school. But here in Wilkes Smart Start is there to help with the details. Janessa Byrd and Melinda Swafford from Smart Start will be Brian’s guests for this week’s edition of Focus on the Foothills. They’ll be discussing the different programs available and how parents can take advantage of them. That’s coming up tomorrow at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Thieves Hit Millers Creek House
A Millers Creek man got a surprise when he went out to his storage shed on Tuesday. Someone had broke in and cleaned the place out. It’s unclear exactly when the incident happened, as the homeowner hadn’t been out to the shed in over a month. During that time however, no one had been caught around it and nothing seemed out of place. All total 15 different items including both parts and tools were taken. That investigation continues.

3WC Techwatch: Beware The Worm
A new virus could make February 3rd a day you’ll remember for a long time, as we explain in today’s 3WC Techwatch. Computer hackers have created a new virus, set to detonate on February 3rd. The first time any infected computer is turned on tomorrow, the virus will recognize the date and start deleting files, ranging from MP3s to any Word documents you still have stored. Across the world it’s already infected 300,000 computers via emails labeled “Hot movie” or “Give Me A Kiss”. The problem is that once it infects computers it accesses the person’s email address, so you think you’re opening an attachment from a friend. As to how do you stop the virus? All the major anti-virus software have updates that can recognize and clean it out, so just be sure that your software is completely up to date. And as always, just be careful when opening up an attachment in your email.

Blood Drive Going On Today
As we’ve mentioned before here on 3WC, Wilkes County’s blood supply is at critical levels. While the situation has improved in the past two weeks, blood is still desperately needed. To help solve the problem, a drive is going on throughout the day at Wilkes Regional Medical Center. It starts this morning at 7am and runs til 11:30am, after which there will be a short break. The drive will resume at 1pm and last til 5:30pm this evening. Please remember before giving you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs. To make an appointment you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

State News

New Law May Be Repealed
Coming up in today’s Focus on the Foothills, Brian will be talking with Melinda Swafford from Smart Start about a new law affecting all children heading to kindergarten this year. As it stands, all kindergartners would have to have a comprehensive eye exam before they could begin the school year. However if some state Democrats have their way, that law will be a thing of the past. Democrats came out this week and criticized the new law, saying that it put added costs on parents. $2 million of state money was set aside to help parents pay for the exams, which supporters say would cut down on the number of kids who go through school untreated for vision problems.

Morganton Plant Has History Of Problems
Yesterday, 3WC told you about past problems at the Morganton chemical plant which exploded on Tuesday. Now comes word that the violations were more serious than previously thought. According to information from the state’s Division of Waste Management, Synthron Inc has been fined $87,600 since 2001 to due hazardous waste violations. The plant was cited for not providing appropriate training for their workers, keeping faulty records and not properly storing the waste. However state inspectors say that the plant was in compliance when last checked back in 2003.

Seven Arrested In Wake Of Protest
Seven people have been charged in Greensboro after a protest got out of hand during the President’s State of the Union Address. The group “World Can’t Wait” brought out 130 people for what they planned to be a peaceful protest. But things turned for the worse after protestors saw plain clothes officers taking pictures of both them and their vehicles’ license plates. Five of the protestors began assaulting the officer taking the pictures, leading to additional police being called in. All total seven protestors were arrested and later charged, five of them for assaulting a government official. The other two for creating a public disturbance.

State Opens Investigation Into Long Term Care Facility
An investigation has been opened into Careamerica, a long term adult care facility operating out of Leland North Carolina. The state’s Industrial Commission is trying to determine why the company isn’t paying its’ workers on time and if it’s been operating without workers’ compensation insurance coverage. Not having the insurance opens the company up to lawsuits from employees and also a fine of up to $100 by the state for each day they weren’t covered. Company co-owner Michael Elliot said that he had been promised by the insurer the policy had been renewed. Careamerica has 650 employees across North Carolina, taking care of almost 10000 elderly and mentally ill adults.

More Jobs Coming To Winston
Good news for people living in the Winston Salem area. US Airways is looking for workers. Company officials say they plan to add at least 100 new jobs at the Winston Salem reservations center as soon as possible. The reason for the increase? Officials said that outsourcing the jobs created more problems than it solved, as people couldn’t understand what the workers were saying. As a result, calls were taking 30 minutes or longer.

Sports Headlines

NC Football Teams Reload On Signing Day
Wednesday was signing day across the U.S., when high school players could officially commit to the school of their choice. Several North Carolina football teams were among those who reloaded with new talent. Wide receiver Jarvis Williams from Orlando Florida committed to play for NC State. Williams, who stands 6’4 ft. and weighs 200 lbs., caught 53 passes last season in addition to working as his high school’s punter and a defense back. Williams turned down offers from Wake Forest, Cincinnati and East Carolina to join the Wolfpack. In addition, Appalachian State got some help for their offensive line. Center Mario Acitelli committed to the school on Wednesday. The 6’2 ft. 270 lb. Acitelli was an All-State selection at Charlotte Catholic.

NCAA Scoreboard
Around the college scene, it was Birmingham Southern over UNC Asheville 75-61, High Point knocked off Radford 76-62, Marshall beat East Carolina 72-66 and UNC Charlotte took care of St. Bonaventure 76-60. Curtis Withers led Charlotte with 20 points and 15 rebounds as the 49ers improve to 12-8. In the ACC last night, NC State beat Virginia 66-64. Tony Bethel had 16 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists to lead the Wolfpack, who improve to 17-4. And the Duke Blue Devils got a win over Boston College 83-81. The Blue Devils got the benefit of a questionable call with time running out, as it appeared Sheldon Williams had hit Boston College guard Tyrese Rice but there was no foul. J.J. Redick had 28 for the Devils, who improve to 20-1 on the season.

NBA: Atlanta at Charlotte
The injury list continues to grow for the Charlotte Bobcats, who lost last night to Atlanta 102-92. Small forward Bernard Robinson walked off the court after just five minutes of play with a sprained ankle, joining four other Bobcats on the bench. Raymond Felton led Charlotte with 20 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists as the team drops to 11-36 on the season.

Orioles 2nd Baseman Picks Up Hot Stove Award
Taking a look at major league baseball, every year the Raleigh Hot Stove League gives out its’ Will Wynne Award. The trophy is handed to a North Carolinian who has the biggest impact on the major leagues and is named after William Avery Wynne, the first Wake County native to play for the big leagues. Players such as Catfish Hunter, Grady Little and former Marlins manager Jack McKeon have all won the award in previous years. This season it went to Baltimore Orioles 2nd baseman Brian Roberts. This past season the 28-yr-old Roberts made his first All Star team, hit .314 and knocked out 18 home runs for the Orioles, before tearing a ligament in his elbow. Roberts is the son of former UNC Tarheel baseball coach Mike Roberts.

Air Force Pilot Playing Hockey
With injuries piling up, Fayetteville’s minor league hockey team knew just who to call for recruits. The U.S. Air Force. Fayetteville coach Derek Booth got a phone call from the Air Force coach, suggesting that he check out one of his former players. After reading his stats and giving him a tryout, 1st Lt. Scott Zwiers was signed up for a five game contract as a center for the Fayetteville FireAntz. In his day job, Zwiers flies the cargo planes that drop off troops and supplies for Fort Bragg and tonight he’ll start off a second job under the lights.

Eclectic Group Of Olympians Pack For Turin
With seven days left til the Winter Olympics, the U.S. announced its’ roster for the games. Included is a very eclectic list of people. The oldest competitor is 54-yr-old Scott Baird, a curler from Minnesota, while the youngest is 16-yr-old figure skater Kimmie Meissner from Maryland. Also included is Sarah Konrad from California. She becomes the first U.S. female athlete in history to qualify for two events in the Winter Olmpics. Konrad will be taking part in both the biathlon and cross country skiing.

News & Sports For February 1st

The Taxman Cometh Part III: Should You Itemize?
Every year about this time, we pull out those boxes of receipts, preparing to itemize them on our taxes. But is it really worth the effort? In most cases the answer is no. In order for your itemized deductions to be used on your tax form, they have to add up to more than the standard deduction. To translate that, the federal government has a standard deduction for each person that varies based on their situation. A person who files as single has a standard deduction of $5000. In order to be used, his or her itemized deductions have to be more than that. For a married couple filing jointly, the standard deduction is $10,000. If you’re married and filing separate, the deduction is $5000. And finally if you file as the head of the household, the standard deduction is $7300. And for more information, you can call the IRS hotline at 1-800-829-1040 or visit their website at IRS.gov. Coming up tomorrow in part four of our series, now that you’ve decided if you want to itemize or not, what documents do you need to keep and what can be tossed away? We’ll explain what exactly the IRS is expecting you to have starting on the news tomorrow at 6am.

Vehicle Stolen From Ferguson Residence
A Ferguson man is looking for his car today, after it was stolen earlier this week. The man had left it behind at a friend’s house, with the key still in the ignition. When he came back to pick it up on Sunday, it was missing. The vehicle is a white 1989 Toyota Truck. There is a suspect in the case and that investigation continues.

Thieves Hit Home In Ronda
Always make sure that your doors and windows are locked. A Ronda man found that out the hard way on Monday. He returned home to find over $1400 worth of materials missing from inside. Thieves had gained access to the property by climbing in through an unlocked window near the porch. Then once inside, they unlocked the front door and pulled a vehicle up to the porch, loading up before taking off. Included in the theft was a watch, a box of CDs, a digital camera and several other items. That investigation continues.

Wreck On Hwy 16 Caused By Rain
The rain and wind outside was partially at fault for an accident Monday morning on Hwy 16/18. A 16-yr-old Wilkesboro boy was turning from Westwood Lane onto Hwy 16 North but he didn’t see the oncoming traffic. Attempting to avoid an accident, he accelerated and hit some wet pavement, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle. He then hit the embankment and the car flipped over. EMS, Wilkes Rescue Squad, Wilkesboro Fire Department and Wilkesboro First Responders were all called out to the scene. The boy was taken by EMS to Wilkes Regional and estimated damage to the car was placed at $2500.

WCC To Help Small Businesses
Small businesses can sometimes find themselves up against a wall, fighting to compete with large companies. One of the problems facing such a business is they don’t know where or how to get supplies at a cheap rate like the retail stores do. Wilkes Community College is hoping to solve the problem by holding a seminar tonight called “Where Are The Wholesalers?” The program will run from 6-9pm at the Wilkes Campus and help local companies learn where they can buy the same materials but at cheaper prices. You can pre-register by calling WCC at 336-838-6210 or 336-838-6113. The seminar is open to everyone and there is no cost to attend.

Baby Teethers Recalled
Before you give that teether to your baby, there’s some news you need to hear. A recall has been ordered of five different styles of teethers, put out by The First Years Inc. 500,000 of the teethers have been called back due to a possible contamination of bacteria inside. The company has learned that in several liquid filled teethers, the bacterias aeruginosa and putida can be found. If somehow the teether gets punctured and a baby ingests the liquid, that can cause serious illness. The recall involves all Disney Days of Hunny Soft Cool Ring Teethers, all Disney Soft Cool Ring Teethers, the Sesame Beginnings Chill and Chew Teether, the First Years Cool Animal Teether and the First Years Floating Friends Teether. A hotline has been set up to get more information at 1-866-725-4407. You can also get information from the company’s website at www.thefirstyears.com.

Thieves Hit Residence On Windy Gap Road
A local man returned home from work on Monday, only to find that thieves had paid him a visit. The incident happened on the Windy Gap Road, as someone had pried open the garage door and gained access to the house. Stolen from inside was a jar of change, worth an estimated $700. All total, damage to the house was placed at $100 and this marks the third time the place has been broke into. That investigation continues.

Traffic Stop Leads To Drug Bust
A routine traffic stop in Elkin led to a drug bust for sheriff’s deputies. The incident happened Sunday night on Elk Spur Street. After getting permission to search the car, deputies discovered 60 grams of marijuana and slightly under an ounce of both roxicodone and cocaine, all of which was concealed in a makeup bag. In addition, used needles and other drug paraphernalia was found inside the bag. 23-yr-old Carla Renee Speaks was arrested and charged with drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Gospel News

Gold City Drummer Killed In Accident
Doug Riley, the drummer and songwriter for the gospel group Gold City was killed yesterday in a traffic accident. The 35-yr-old Riley was on his way to the recording studio when he suddenly lost control of his car, around 12:40 Tuesday morning. The vehicle went off the road and hit a utility pole before coming to a stop. Riley was the youngest son of Gold City founder Tim Riley and leaves behind a wife and two children. The family will hold visitation tonight from 5-8pm at Crosspoint Community Church in Gadsden Alabama and the funeral will be held on Thursday at 11am in the same venue. Sympathy cards can be sent care of Gold City PO Box 2100 Gadsden AL 35903.

State News

Explosion Rocks Chemical Plant In Morganton
At least six people were injured yesterday when a chemical plant exploded in Morganton. The incident happened shortly after 11am at Synthron Incorporated. Local people report hearing a loud explosion and then seeing a mushroom cloud rise from the area. Two people were airlifted to the local hospital with serious injuries. This isn’t the first time Synthron has found itself in the news. The company was fined $7000 back in 2002 for safety violations by the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources.

Wages Down As Unemployment Drops
It’s a case of good news/bad news for people across North Carolina. The state’s unemployment rate fell to 4.9% at the end of December, the lowest it’s been since 2001. However most of the new jobs are causing some people to complain. Instead of high paying manufacturing jobs, people are coming off the unemployment line to the lower paying retail market. State officials say however that the new jobs should be welcomed as a way off of unemployment and back into the workforce.

Fourth Graders Going To Middle School
A new plan for school kids at Pittsboro Elementary has some parents up in arms today. Beginning in 2007, all fourth grade classes would be switched to Horton Middle School on a permanent basis under the arrangement. Parents raised questions about sending their 4th graders to a school designed for teenagers, saying they weren’t sure if the kids would be ready for that environment. School officials said that the plan was just one of several put forth to help solve overcrowding at the elementary school. Currently there are 530 students at Pittsboro with more on the way as the town’s population is expected to triple by 2008.

NC Group Wants People To Start Planning A Vacation In Space
So where are you planning your next vacation? A Raleigh based company would like you to consider taking a trip into outer space. The World Space Center kicked off their marketing campaign this week, including an event at the Exploris Museum in Raleigh and a website. Center officials say they want to give people an idea of what life is like in outer space and to encourage space travel as a new vacation spot. Estimated costs for a spaceflight are in the $100,000 range and people can get information by visiting the website www.worldspacecenter.org

Salisbury Man In Jail After Bomb Threat
Officials in Salisbury have a suspect in jail after a bank robbery on Monday. The man, Tony Eugene Chor reportedly went into the Wachovia Bank On Innes Street and handed a message to one of the tellers. The note informed her that he had two bombs outside the building and requested $100,000 in cash. After taking the money, Chor attempted to flee before local police ran him down and arrested him. Chor is in the Rowan County Detention Center, facing charges of armed robbery, possession of a weapon of mass destruction and possession of a firearm by a felon. Police were not able to locate any bombs or other destructive devices around the building.

More NC Troops Departing For Iraq
More North Carolina troops are on the way over to Iraq as members of the 1451st Transportation Unit are leaving on Thursday. The group, which has its’ headquarters in Boone with additional detachments in Marion and Morganton, is expected to leave just after 6am Thursday morning. This will be the group’s first deployment in the Iraqi conflict and they will be used to operate the Army’s ground transport vehicles and other tactical units. 177 soldiers will be involved in the deployment.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
Taking a look around the high school scene last night, it was South Stokes over West Wilkes 61-57. Also East Wilkes beat Bishop McGuiness 71-69. Meanwhile Wilkes Central knocked off North Wilkes 69-43. Central improves to 11-10 while North drops to 4-16.
On the girls side of the court, it was South Stokes over West Wilkes 60-41. The Lady Blackhawks drop to 3-19 with the loss. The Lady Cardinals of East fell to the undefeated Bishop McGuiness team 53-34. The Lady Eagles of Wilkes Central improve to 21-1 on the season with a 53-38 victory over North Wilkes. With the loss, the Lady Vikings drop to 6-13.

NCAA Scoreboard
Wake Forest fell apart in the second half as they lost to Miami 78-69. Justin Gray had 20 to lead the Deacons, who fall to 12-9 on the season.

UNC Women Make History
In college basketball, the North Carolina women’s team made history on Tuesday. For the first time since they joined the NCAA, the Lady Tarheels are ranked as #1 in the country. The climb comes two days after UNC knocked off the #2 ranked Duke Blue Devils in Durham. The Lady Tarheels are now the only unbeaten team in Division I basketball at 20-0.

NHL: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Montreal
The Carolina Hurricanes kept the best record in the NHL with an 8-2 win over Montreal. Carolina got 3 goals and an assist from Eric Cole as the team improves to 37-11.

Hurricanes Make Trade
Before last night’s game against Montreal, the Carolina Hurricanes restructured their roster in a trade with the St. Louis Blues. Carolina picked up 35-yr-old center Doug Weight, a 4-time All Star and member of the U.S. Olympic team. Weight had 33 assists and 44 points with the Blues this season. In return, the team gave up right winger Jesse Boulerice, center Mike Zigomanis and the rights to draft pick Magnus Kahnberg, along with three draft picks. Carolina officials said they made the deal to strengthen the team and prove they were serious about making a run for the Stanley Cup.

Bobcats Walking Wounded
The Charlotte Bobcats may be back to full strength by the end of February. This week, team officials said that power forward Emeka Okafor will miss about 5 to 7 more weeks, while shooting guard Keith Bogans and small forward Gerald Wallace should be back in two to four weeks. First round pick Sean May still remains out recovering from his second knee surgery and is expected to miss the rest of the year.

News & Sports For January 31st

The Taxman Cometh Part II: Which Form To Use
With tax time here again, it can be confusing at times to sort through all the paperwork. What’s the difference between a 1040A and a 1040EZ and which should you use? In the second part of our tax prep series, we’re taking a look at which forms to use. First of all, the IRS recommends that you use the simplest form possible, to avoid any chance of an error or mistake. For single people or those who are married and filing jointly, the simplest form is the 1040EZ. Other qualifications for the 1040EZ are that your income must be below $100,000 and you must be 64 years or younger. In addition, those filing with the 1040EZ cannot claim any dependents. By comparison, anyone can use a 1040A regardless of how you file. The only catch is that your income must be below $100,000 and you must be eligible for tax credits or deductions. If you don’t qualify for either of those, the only one available to use is a 1040. That applies to anyone whose income is $100,000 or more and reports income from a sale of property or self-employment. And once again if you have questions or concerns, the IRS hotline is available by calling 1-800-829-3676 or visiting their website at IRS.gov. Coming up tomorrow in part three of our series, we examine if it’s a good idea to itemize deductions.

Never Leave Your Credit Cards Behind
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a Wilkesboro residence over the weekend, investigating a case of fraud. A local man had discovered several purchases made on his gas card, in places he had never been. It turns out that sometime in the past month the card had been stolen from his vehicle, with the thief using it occasionally to fill up his own car. There is a suspect in the case and the investigation continues.

Thieves Break Into House On Hwy 421 West
Be careful where you keep your money. That was the lesson a Wilkesboro man learned over the weekend. He returned home Friday night to discover that thieves had broke into his home, stealing over $7000 in cash and coins. They had gained access to the house through a window in the basement, which had been shattered. After that, the thieves went through the house discovering money stored in several locations. There are suspects in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Thieves Raid Camper In Purlear
A Salisbury man returned over the weekend to a camper he had left behind on the Walsh Road before Thanksgiving. What he found however was that thieves had arrived first. Over $100 worth of CDs had been stolen from the camper, along with some shotgun shells and a few tools. All total an estimated $540 worth of items was taken. That investigation is ongoing.

Blood Drive Later Today
1500 pints of blood are used each day across North Carolina in emergency rooms and other trauma centers. But while the blood supply here in Wilkes has improved, it’s still right at critical levels. The Red Cross has set up a drive today at the Alleghany Memorial Hospital, which will last from 11am til 3pm. Even though the drive itself is in Alleghany, that county shares its’ blood supply with Wilkes so you’ll be contributing to the needs of the local community. If you’re in the area and want to give, no appointments are needed. However if you do want to set up a time and avoid waiting, the number to call is 838-4563.

Guns Stolen From Roaring River Home
A Roaring River man came home over the weekend to find that someone had paid him a visit. Thieves forced open the door to his house, then ran off with over $3000 worth of weapons. Taken in the theft was a 9mm Barell pistol, a .44 caliber double action revolver, a .38 cailber Smith & Wesson along with several other guns. There is a suspect in the case and that investigation is ongoing.

Open House This Thursday At Central Wilkes
As students get set to wrap up the first month of the new semester, Central Wilkes Middle School is inviting parents and others in the community to come in and have a look around. Central Wilkes will have a Second Semester Open House next Thursday, February 2nd. That event will go on from 1-6pm and everyone is invited to come in and tour the school.

Musical Thieves Hit State Road
Sheriff’s deputies were called out over the weekend to a home in State Road, after thieves paid a visit. The incident happened on Parks Farm Road, where a man had left an amp and sub-woofer in his truck. The vehicle was unlocked and thieves apparently walked right up and took the items. All total an estimated $600 worth of material was taken. That investigation continues.

Recall Ordered Of Recent Model Cadillacs
Some bad news today for Cadillac owners out there. General Motors has issued a recall of all 2005 and 2006 Cadillac CTS and STS series cars. The recall occurred due to a problem with the fuel system, where after a certain point gas will no longer be pumped into the engine. In addition, the low fuel indicator won’t come on. GM advises that you keep at least ¼ of a tank of gas in your car to prevent this situation from occurring. As for fixing the problem, you can take back the car for a free repair beginning March 1st. For more information a hotline has been set up at 1-866-982-2339.

Mailbox Vandals Strike In North Wilkesboro
Mailbox vandals hit another home in North Wilkesboro over the weekend. A woman on Windy Ridge Road walked out of her house to find that someone had tossed a rock at the mailbox and damaged it. No one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything unusual but that investigation continues.

State News

The Lights Go Out In Raleigh
Works crews finally were able to turn the power back on in Raleigh Monday afternoon. The main campus of NC State University was in the dark for most of Sunday night and on into Monday morning, for reasons that are still unknown. The power was restored and classes went on as scheduled Monday, but officials are still investigating what caused the problem.

Onslow Sheriff Want People Out Of Jail
The Onslow County sheriff’s department has some people up in arms after several prisoners were released from jail. The department’s new policy states that jail is reserved only for those criminals deemed a serious threat. Everyone else is to be released from custody on unsecured bond after being charged. Sheriff Ed Brown said lack of space was the reason for his decision as the jail was holding almost twice its’ official capacity. The Onslow jail was built to hold 118 people but as of last week had 226.

NC Central Professor Missing
Officials in the Durham area are asking for help in finding a missing college professor. 36-yr-old Seong Hee Oak disappeared from her job at NC Central University on January 21st and hasn’t been seen since. Oak stand 5 ft., weighs 110 lbs and drives a 2005 Toyota Camry with the NC license plate SZH3296. Anyone with information is asked to call Durham Crimestoppers at 1-919-683-1200.

Stokes County Plant NC’s Dirtiest
The federal government has released information about North Carolina’s power plants and it seems that Stokes County has a problem. 6800 tons of toxic air pollutants were released from the Belwes Creek Steam Station in 2004, making it the dirtiest in the state. Duke Power has promised to cut down on toxins by installing new equipment, but that won’t be up and running for another two years.

NC Goes To Court
The state of North Carolina is filing a lawsuit to protect against pollution. State Attorney General Roy Cooper filed the suit on Monday, claiming that the Tennessee Valley Authority is damaging North Carolina’s health thanks to its’ coal-burning plants. Cooper cited the plants in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama as all having a negative effect on both North Carolina’s economy and its’ collective health.

Sports Headlines

High School Basketball Tonight
Time is ticking down til the end of the regular season and all four county schools are in action tonight. West Wilkes plays host to South Stokes, while East Wilkes heads up the road to face Bishop McGuiness. And in our 3WC Game of the Week, it’s Wilkes Central going into the House of Blue to face the North Wilkes Vikings. In the girls varsity game, the Lady Eagles are looking to solidify their place atop the Mountain Valley Conference. A win tonight and a loss by North Surry would go a long way towards locking up the regular season title for Central. And in the boys game, Coach Tommy Johnson welcomes his former team to North Wilkes in a rematch of their January 3rd meeting. The pregame show gets started at 7pm and we’ll join Ken Byrd and Keith Briand at 7:15 for the play by play.

NCAA Scoreboard
It was Georgia Southern over Elon 63-45, in double overtime it was Wofford over UNC Greensboro 84-78, Western Carolina knocked off Furman 85-76 and Gardner-Webb beat North Florida 69-68. Brian Bender led the Running Bulldogs with 22 points and 8 rebounds, as the team improves to 11-9 on the season. Finally it was Charleston over Appalachian State 64-53. The Mountaineers got 14 points from DJ Thompson, one of only two players to score in double figures. With the loss Appalachian falls to 9-11.

NBA: Cleveland vs. Charlotte
In the senior circuit of the NBA last night, it was Cleveland over Charlotte 103-91. The banged up Bobcats were led by Alan Anderson’s 14 points as the team drops to 11-35.

Panthers Lose Member Of The Team
The Carolina Panthers will be one man short when they take the field next year. Special teams assistant coach Paul Ferraro announced this week that he was leaving to join the Minnesota Vikings. Ferraro will be the special teams coach with the Vikings, serving under first year coach Brad Childress. Last season was Ferraro’s first in the NFL, after 23 years working in the college ranks

Mark Martin’s Son Joining The Family Profession
Another racing family is getting set to turn thing over to the second generation. Matt Martin, the son of Mark Martin will be racing a limited schedule this year in the American Speed Association’s Southern series, while also driving in the FASCAR pro truck series. The 14-yr-old Martin has already won a race in the FASCAR series this year, picking up the win January 8th at New Smyrna.

News & Sports For January 30th

Fugitive Picked Up During Investigation
A theft investigation led to a fugitive being arrested last week. The incident happened on Buck Mountain, where the homeowner told deputies that someone had broke into his shed and stole an air conditioning unit along with a flat screen tv. He then reported seeing the air conditioning unit in the trunk of a car passing by. Deputies went to the man’s neighbors to ask some questions. Once inside, they found 26-yr-old Robert Bobby Pena, who is currently wanted in New Mexico on drug charges. After getting permission, deputies then searched the homeowner’s car, where the missing AC unit was located. The neighbor, 19-yr-old Tomas Miguel Gonzalez was arrested and charged with breaking & entering along with harboring a fugitive. His sister, who also lived in the home, 21-yr-old Rebecca Clara Gonzalez was also charged with breaking & entering

WCC To Help Small Businesses
Small businesses can sometimes find themselves up against a wall, fighting to compete with large companies. One of the problems facing such a business is they don’t know where or how to get supplies at a cheap rate like the retail stores do. Wilkes Community College is hoping to solve the problem by holding a seminar this Wednesday called “Where Are The Wholesalers?” The program will run from 6-9pm at the Wilkes Campus and help local companies learn where they can buy the same materials but at cheaper prices. You can pre-register by calling WCC at 336-838-6210 or 336-838-6113. The seminar is open to everyone and there is no cost to attend.

Purlear Woman Falls Victim To ID Theft
A Purlear woman fell victim to ID theft last week. She received a bill from Cingular Wireless, informing her payment was due on her account. The only problem was that she didn’t have an account with the company. It turns out that someone had gained access to the woman’s personal information and used it to take out a cell phone in her name. There is a suspect in the case and information has been turned over to Cingular’s fraud department.

The Taxman Cometh Part I: How To File
Well here we are at the end of January and you know what that means. It’s time to file income taxes. Unfortunately each year thousands of people file their taxes incorrectly, making it harder to process and delaying that refund check. Your federal tax filing status is based around two things, your family situation and martial status but that’s where people get confused. According to the IRS, one major problem in tax filing happens when people file based on their situation right now. For example if two people are divorced now, but were married on the last day of 2005, they have to file based on their status December 31st instead of today. The same goes with your family situation. All total there are five choices that you can file under. Now of course those who are unmarried, divorced or legally separated can file as single. Married taxpayers meanwhile have the option of filing together or separately. That includes widows or widowers whose spouse died last year, they can still file a married joint return with that spouse for 2005. A fourth option is available for unmarried people, who can file as head of the household. That applies if you paid more than half the cost of living for both yourself and another qualifying person such as a parent, sibling or child. Finally you can file as a qualifying widow or widower with a dependent child. If your spouse died during 2003 or 2004 and there are still dependent children living at home, you can file this way. And for more information, you can call the IRS hotline at 1-800-829-1040 or visit their website at IRS.gov.

Tools Stolen From North Wilkesboro Home
A North Wilkesboro man got a surprise last week when he got to work. Over $500 worth of material had been stolen from his business on Sparta Road. Thieves had busted down the front door and helped themselves to the tools inside, taking several chainsaws, several wrenches and other materials. Despite the damage no one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything unusual. That investigation is ongoing.

Certain Kids Clothes Recalled
Parents with kids younger than 12 years old might want to think twice before giving out that jacket to wear today. A recall has been ordered of several hundred thousand jackets, pullovers and sweaters put out by Steve and Barry’s University Sportswear. The clothes are being called back due to a choking hazard with the drawstrings. Each of the items have a drawstring on them and unfortunately accidents across the U.S. have proven that small children and drawstrings don’t mix. The specific items being recalled all have separate style numbers on them, which you can find either on the collar or a side label. They are 15178, 16105, 16168, 16230, 16231, 16257, 16509, 17197, 17285 or 18346. The company has set up a toll-free number to call for more information at 1-877-866-7776. Or you can log on to www.steveandbarrys.com

Would Be Thieves Scared Away By Deputies
Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call on Jim McCarter Road last Thursday, after a woman reported that someone was breaking into her home. When deputies arrived, it appeared the place was empty, until they discovered the homeowner, who had locked herself in her bedroom. She explained that prior to their arrival, someone had started to open her back door and that’s why she had locked herself in. This is the latest in a series of attempted break-ins that have occurred over the past few months. Nothing however was taken or damaged from the home. That investigation is ongoing.

BROC Head Start Has Openings
For any parent who wants to get their child started early on an education, Head Start has some available spots left. There are currently several slots open for children ages 3 and 4 years old at the Lomax Center in Roaring River. Also applications are being taken for the Cub Creek and North Wilkesboro sites. Classes started in August of 2005 for this year’s program and will run until May. Students can enroll at any time up until March of this year. After that they’ll have to wait until the next term. The classes run from 8:30am until 2:30pm Monday through Thursday. The students are admitted based on their family income, as those in the lesser income bracket get taken first. For more information or to enroll your child, you can call Judy Mitchell at the Head Start office. Her number is 667-7174.

Driver Blacks Out And Wrecks On 352 Drive
One car was totaled last week on 352 Drive when a Wilkesboro man blacked out at the wheel. The man and his daughter were in the car when his eyes rolled back in his head and his leg hit the gas pedal. The daughter was able to grab the wheel and manage to steer the car away from a nearby house and then a light pole before slamming into a tree. No one was injured in the crash and the father came to after the crash. An estimated $6500 worth of damage was done in the wreck.

Regional News

Lenoir Man Arrested For Wife’s Murder
Twenty three days after the body of a Lenoir woman was found, authorities have a suspect in custody. Emily Anderson disappeared December 29th while out running errands, causing a statewide search. On January 7th, an anonymous tip led police to Duncan South Carolina, where the woman’s body was found stuffed in the toolbox of her pickup truck. Now police have arrested Emily’s husband, Jerry Anderson and charged him with the crime. Officials wouldn’t discuss any possible motive for the crime. Jerry Anderson is set to appear in court later today.

State News

More Jobs Leaving The Greensboro Area
One of the country’s oldest furniture companies will soon be closing its’ doors in the Triad. Nichols and Stone announced plans over the weekend to shut down their factory in Rural Hall. The move will put 100 people out of work effective May 1st. Company officials said that the move was partly due to labor costs and a market flooded with cheaper goods from overseas.

North Carolina Diocese Calls For End To Death Penalty
North Carolina should put an end to the death penalty. That was the decision handed down by the Central Carolina Episcopal Diocese this weekend. The group of over 600 delegates approved a resolution calling on state lawmakers to commute all those already sentenced to life in prison. Officials from the Diocese said that the death penalty goes against the concept of forgiveness.

Doctor Who Served In Iraq Honored At Camp Lejeune
A doctor who worked to save lives in Iraq is being honored today at Camp Lejeune. Dr. Richard Jadick (Jay-dick) is to be given the Bronze Star due to his heroic actions during the main battle to take Fallujah. Dr. Jadick risked his life to save seven badly injured Marines, dodging bullets and rocket propelled grenades to do so. A special ceremony will be held later this afternoon where the doctor will be presented with the Bronze Star.

Sports Headlines

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

High School Scoreboard
Around the high school scene, it was North Surry over Wilkes Central 64-62 in a game that went down to the final seconds. The Greyhounds escape with a win, as a last second shot rimmed out for the Eagles. Wilkes Central drops to 10-9 with the loss. East Wilkes beat the North Wilkes Vikings 69-47. Matt Garris had 17 and Brent Poplin added 14 for the Cardinals, who improve to 8-11. North was led by Dylan Johnson’s 10 points, as he was the only player to score in double figures. North drops to 4-15 with the loss. Also it was Mount Airy over West Wilkes 85-35 in a game that saw West give up 53 points by halftime. No Blackhawk player scored higher than Curtis Lankford’s 9 points, as the team drops to 5-16.
On the girls’ side of the court, it was Wilkes Central over North Surry 56-46. The Lady Eagles improve to 20-1 with the win, one step closer to the regular season conference title. Amy Will had 20 points for Wilkes Central and Sarah Brown added 14. Also the Lady Vikings beat East Wilkes 65-59. North Wilkes had two girls score in double digits, with Blake Shumate putting up 29 and Ashley Wilcox adding 20. East meanwhile was led by Kasi Shaw and Tiffany Smith, both of which had 20 points on the day.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at the college scene, it was Coastal Carolina over Liberty 72-60, East Carolina beat Tulsa 59-45, Gardner-Webb took care of Jacksonville 77-73 and Appalachian State beat the Citadel 66-65. The Mountaineers were led by DJ Thompson’s 21 points, improving to 9-11 on the season. In other action, Georgia Southern beat UNC Greensboro 86-78, it was High Point over UNC Asheville 64-45, UNC Wilmington beat Northeastern 46-44 and Richmond knocked off UNC Charlotte 63-56. In ACC action, it was Duke crushing Virginia 82-63. J.J. Redick had 40 for the Blue Devils, who improve to 19-1. Meanwhile it was the UNC Tarheels blowing out Arizona 86-69. Freshman Tyler Hansborough had another big game for the Heels, putting up 21 points and 11 rebounds as North Carolina improves to 12-5. Virginia Tech beat Wake Forest 76-70 and it took double overtime but NC State beat Clemson 94-85.

Bobcats Fall To Wizards
Injuries continue to plague the Charlotte Bobcats. With only nine players able to suit up, Charlotte lost to the Washington Wizards 107-97. Primoz Breznec led the Bobcats with 27 points and 12 rebounds, while Raymond Felton had one of his best games as a pro, with 18 points and 13 assists. With the loss, Charlotte drops to 11-34 on the season.

Hurricanes Put Away Another Win
On the ice, it was Carolina beating Atlanta 4-1 on Saturday night. Kevin Adams led the Hurricanes with a goal and an assist as the Hurricanes improve to 36-11, the best record in the NHL.

News & Sports For January 27th

Wilkes County Considered Accident Prone
Well it appears that Wilkes County is slightly accident prone. That was the report taken from AAA of the Carolinas, who issued their annual list of the most dangerous counties across the state. Wilkes came in 31st in regards to total crashes during the year, recording a total of 1677 accidents. Only eight of those accidents had fatalities involved, while 1040 were injured. In general across the state, the total amount of wrecks were down .3 percent, as 230,577 were recorded. However the number of fatal crashes rose 1.4 percent, to finish out at 1574. New Hanover County was ranked as the most dangerous, with Mecklenburg coming in second. On the other side of the coin, Curriuck County was ranked as the safest, with Swain in second place.

Thieves Raid Millers Creek Home
A Millers Creek woman returned home Tuesday night to a surprise. Two tvs were missing from inside the house, along with a set of speakers and four tires. Despite the theft, there was no sign of a break-in and no damage done to the property. All total an estimated $700 worth of material was stolen from the home. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Open House Next Week At Central Wilkes
As students get set to wrap up the first month of the new semester, Central Wilkes Middle School is inviting parents and others in the community to come in and have a look around. Central Wilkes will have a Second Semester Open House next Thursday, February 2nd. That event will go on from 1-6pm and everyone is invited to come in and tour the school.

Check For Charity Stolen From Mailbox
What kind of person steals money from a charity? That’s what a man in Ferguson is wondering today. He heard a noise on Wednesday afternoon and looked outside to find a vehicle pull up at his mailbox. The person inside opened the box, went through the mail and took an item before driving off. When the homeowner came out, he found the only thing missing was a check that had been written to the Principals Benefit Fund for $21. A description of the driver and their vehicle was turned over to deputies and that investigation continues.

Heating Oil Stolen From Roaring River
A Roaring River man got a surprise when he arrived home Wednesday afternoon. A $650 one to be exact. During the day, someone had pulled up to the oil barrel used to heat the home and poured it out, running off with 250 gallons of oil in the process. Despite the equipment such an operation would take, no one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything unusual during the day. That investigation continues.

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

Recall Of Pot Stickers
Before you put that Lean Cuisine dinner in the microwave tonight, you might want to hear the next bit of news. 54,690 pounds of Lean Cuisine’s Asian Style Pot Stickers have been recalled. Pot Stickers are a frozen mix of chicken & vegetable dumplings with rice. The reason for the recall is that certain packages have pieces of plastic inside due to an accident at the plant. Included in the recall are all nine-ounce packages of Stouffer’s Lean Cuisine Asian Style Pot Stickers. Each of the meals has a Best By date of before October 2006 and a package code of 5262595512. In addition, each of them have an establishment number, that you can find on the right side of the meal that is P-7991. A number has been set up to deal with any questions or concerns at 1-800-993-8625.

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

Thieves Run Off With Wilkesboro Man’s Chainsaws
Be careful who you let inside your home. A Wilkesboro man found that out the hard way this week. He had been letting two people stay with him for the last few weeks and decided they could be trusted alone in the house, so he went out of town. When he returned on Wednesday, the two people were gone and so was some of his property. Taken in the theft were two chainsaws and an 8mm handgun. Names and descriptions of the suspects were given to Wilkesboro police and the investigation continues.

State News

Blue Light Bandit Harassing Thomasville
Officials in Thomasville are still trying to track down a man pretending to be a police officer. Earlier this week on 3WC we mentioned that there have been several reports over the past two weeks of a man in a red Ford F-150 pulling up behind people and flashing a blue light. Dubbed “the blue light bandit”, the man will follow behind for a few minutes before taking off down the road. The bandit has since harassed high school students and other drivers throughout the Thomasville area. Police are now asking that anyone with information regarding the bandit please give Crimestoppers a call at 336-475-4260.

New Network Beginning For Western NC Hospitals
A new project in Western North Carolina could possibly save local hospitals millions of dollars and also cut down on medical bills for patients. As part of a new experiment, Haywood Regional Medical Center in Clyde, Angel Medical Center in Franklin, Rutherford Hospital in Rutherfordton and Transylvania Community Hospital in Brevard are being linked together by a computer network. That network will help the hospitals share test results from patients and also medical histories, while eliminating repetitive records. One file per patient will be shared for all four. The move comes thanks to $2.5 million in federal grants and if it’s deemed successful, more hospitals are expected to join by the end of this year.

BBC Broadcasting From Durham
A radio station in Durham will be the site for some history next Monday, when the BBC comes to town. The British Broadcasting Corporation will do its’ Newhour program live at Durham station WUNC, the first time their programming has been done in a non-BBC studio. An estimated 5 million people across the world listen to Newshour and Monday’s show will focus on veterans of the Iraqi war that are stationed at Fort Bragg.

Police Ask For Help In Murder Investigation
Officials in Winston Salem are asking for help in solving a recent murder. Marcus Anthony Wilson and William Chavis Miller were both found dead of gunshot wounds on January 18th. The incident happened on East First Street and now officials are asking people to help in tracking a vehicle that is tied in with the crime. The vehicle in question is a white 2006 Signature Series Lincoln Town Car with the license plate TTC-2311. It had been rented during the time of the murder. Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-336-727-2800.

12-Yr-Old To Represent US In Holland
A high school freshman from Kernersville is on his way to represent the United States. 12-yr-old Will Groce has been selected to represent the nation in the People to People Sports Ambassadors Program. Groce will travel to Holland along with 16 bowlers from other countries and compete, something he certainly has the qualifications for. He has barely missed a perfect game and has a high score of 290. The high school freshman says that he wants to keep bowling so he can earn money for college.

Sports Headlines

High School Basketball Tonight
Around the high school scene last night, it was all Surry Central all the time as they swept the East Wilkes Cardinals. In the girls varsity game, it was Surry Central over the Lady Cardinals 58-32 and the boys from East lost 60-41. Two county schools are in action tonight. West Wilkes goes on the road against Mt. Airy, while in our 3WC Game of the Week, it’s Wilkes Central playing host to North Surry. The only loss for the Lady Eagles this year was against North Surry and so a little bit of payback may be in the cards tonight. We’ll tip off our coverage at 7pm with the pregame show then join Ken and Keith at 7:15 for the play by play.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at last night’s college scoreboard, it was UNC Wilmington over James Madison 83-46. And the Duke Blue Devils got back on track, with a 80-67 win over Virginia Tech. Sheldon Williams came out in a big effort for the Blue Devils, putting up 24 points and 15 rebounds. J.J. Redick also added 24 points as Duke cruised to its’ 18th win of the season. Next up on Saturday Virginia will be making the trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Wake Forest Lands Major Recruit
The Wake Forest football team got a much needed shot in the arm this week when Josh Adams committed to the school. Adams, a tailback from Cary High School, was one of the top prospects in the nation and turned down offers from NC State, Maryland, Oklahoma and Florida State to join the Deacons. Over four years at Cary, the 6’1ft Adams rushed for 6842 yards and was named to the first team all state list by the Associated Press. Adams said that the chance to stay close to home played a part in his decision.

Tarheels Land Another Offensive Lineman
The pieces continue to fit into place for the UNC Tarheel football team. Offensive tackle Alan Pelc committed to the school this week. The 6’7ft 310 lb. Pelc is known for his quick feet and flexibility and turned down an offer from Houston to join UNC.

NHL: Hurricanes Win Another One
On the ice last night, the Carolina Hurricanes have another winning streak going, after beating Atlanta 5-1. Bret Hedican had a goal and an assist to lead the Hurricanes, who now have the NHL’s best record at 35-11. They are heading back to Raleigh on Saturday for a rematch against Atlanta.

Rusty Wallace Finds New Career
With his racing career in the rear view mirror, Rusty Wallace is starting a new job this year. Wallace will working on camera during several Indy Racing events and Sportscenter, as a trial run for 2007. That’s when coverage of NASCAR will be turned over to ABC Sports and ESPN and Wallace will be working the races as lead analyst for the tv broadcasts.

News & Sports For January 26th

Expect Traffic Delays On Hwy 268E
The DOT will be working out in Wilkes County today and that means delays for anyone traveling on 268 East. They will be setting girders on 268 East, meaning that only one lane of traffic will be open. That starts this morning at 9am and will wrap up by 4pm this afternoon. DOT workers said to plan for delays when driving on 268 East for the rest of the day.

Wilkes County Asks For A Review Of Rules
County leaders are seeking an outside opinion when it comes to some new guidelines for sexually oriented businesses. The Institute of Government At UNC Chapel Hill has been asked to step in and go over the proposed guidelines, before it’s brought to county commissioners. Under these new rules, any sexually oriented business would have to set up at least half a mile from any church, day care center, home, park, playground, school or swimming pool. A proposal will not be brought before county commissioners until at least March 7th.

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

Blood Drive Later Today
42 days. That’s how much time blood can be used after it’s donated. Once that time period passes, it has to be thrown out. With the local supply still at critical levels, poor turnouts at the recent drives hasn’t helped the situation. The Wilkes Red Cross is holding another emergency drive today at Temple Hill Baptist Church. The drive will go on from 3-7:30pm and no appointments are needed. Please remember before giving you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs.

Focus On Bikes
When you think of church, motorcycles and leather jackets don’t exactly come to mind. But the biker community is a mission field that we as Christians are called to. That’s where CMA comes in. Kurt and David Hefflin from the Christian Motorcycle Association will be joining Brian on today’s edition of Focus, talking about the different ministries their group is involved in. From food drives to evangelical missions, CMA is involved in a lot of places where the church otherwise doesn't reach and they’ll be sharing testimonies along with explaining how someone could join up. That's coming today at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Cheaper Drugs Coming For Blue Cross Members
Some good news is on the way if you are a member of Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The company announced this week that beginning February 1st, it will be a lot cheaper to get certain generic drugs. Blue Cross’s new co-payment waiver plan will give you the next new prescription for free. That doesn’t mean a new refill of something that you’ve been taking for a while, but rather a generic prescription you’re getting filled for the first time. The drugs covered by the plan are any that deal with chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, depression and high cholesterol. There isn’t any paperwork to do, you just present the Blue Cross ID card when getting the prescription filled. This is however just a one time waiver. When you need a refill the co-payment plan goes back into effect. Also members of the State or Federal Employee Health Plans don’t qualify, because Blue Cross doesn’t cover drug benefits in those plans.

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

Man Arrested After Almost Hitting Patrol Car
A local man was arrested earlier this week after he almost hit a patrol car. The incident happened on Murray Road, where deputies were responding to a disturbance. While on their way over, the deputies were informed that one of the subjects had left the residence and drove off, even though he was drunk. The vehicle was soon spotted, as the driver was having problems keeping it on one side of the road. Before he was stopped, the man almost hit a patrol car head on. 52-yr-old Charles Allen Johnson was arrested and charged with DWI and reckless driving. In addition, a small brown glass tube was found on his person that was covered with a white powder, later found to be cocaine. Charges are still pending in regards to drug possession.

Regional News

Road Closed Today
For anyone planning on making the trip to Blowing Rock today, you can expect some delays. US 321 will be shut down due to road construction going on from 12 noon until 2pm. The section of highway affected reaches from Kirby Mountain Road to Blackberry Road in Caldwell County. DOT workers have set up a detour. Drivers are being rerouted from Lenoir to Wilkesboro on Hwy 18, then instructed to take US 421 North to Boone, where you can switch back over to US 321.

State News

$20 Million In Cocaine Seized In Samson County
Officials in Samson County seized 20 million dollars worth of cocaine during an operation on Monday. 27-yr-old Alejandro Moreno-Salgado and 41-yr-old Isais Mareno-Ochea were taken into custody, but officials didn’t provide many details. All they would say is that over 200 kilograms of cocaine was taken but would say where it came from or where it had been going.

Decision On Tuition Could Be Coming Soon
Some bad news today for any high school students planning to attend UNC Chapel Hill next year. Your tuition could be increasing. The UNC Board of Trustees is expected to hand down a decision today regarding next year’s tuition costs. Four separate plans are on the table, each of which would increase tuition at least $200 for in state students and $600 for out of state. An additional $5 million in revenue will be generated by the hike in cost.

Program To Help Needy Families Ripped Off In Morganton
A Morganton program designed to help needy families was itself targeted by thieves this week. The Work and Ride project takes donations of used cars from companies and people in the area, then turns around and gives them to families who would otherwise have to get rides to work. On Monday night, thieves broke into one of the cars, shattering windows and then ripping off a stereo from inside. Estimated damages were placed in the hundreds, money the program doesn’t have.

NC State Athletes Donate Money For Katrina
Student athletes from NC State did their part this week to help hurricane victims. They voted to send $15,000 from the school’s Student Athlete Opportunity Fund to athletes at Southern Mississippi, which was hit hard by hurricanes in 2005.

Gentlemen Start Your Engines
For anyone out there looking to get involved with NASCAR and the motorsports industry, Belmont Abbey can help. The college announced that beginning this fall, they would be offering a four year degree in motorsports, which would include courses in racing management, team management and motorsports fundamentals among other things. After completing the courses, internship programs will be offered at different race tracks and with several racing teams.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
In high school basketball last night, it was North Wilkes over West 63-61. The Vikings had three players score in double figures, as both Phillip Booker and Brent Whittington put up 17 points, while Stephen Booker added 15. West meanwhile was led by Kurtis Lankford’s 23 points and Chad Lankford added 17. On the girls side of the court, it was North Wilkes over West 53-45. Ashley Wilcox had a monster night for the Lady Vikings, exploding for 29 points including 13 in the fourth quarter. West was only down by one after three quarters but the Lady Vikings held the Lady Blackhawks to just 8 points in the fourth to get the win. Nicole Harris also scored in double figures for North, finishing with 11 while Erin Hollars had 18, Emily Deal had 12 and Lauren Overton had 10 for the Lady Blackhawks.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at last night’s college scoreboard, it was Gardner-Webb over Campbell 81-70. The Running Bulldogs got 24 points and 10 rebounds from Simon Conn as they improve to 10-9 on the season. In other action the University of Central Florida knocked off East Carolina 64-59, In the ACC, a major upset as 15th ranked NC State fell to Seton Hall 83-65. Tony Bethel had 15 to lead the Wolfpack, who just had no answer for Seton Hall’s Donald Copeland, who lit them up for 22 points. State also had problems beyond the arc, shooting 26% from the 3-point line. The loss drops the Wolfpack to 15-4 on the season. Also Boston College knocked off North Carolina 81-74. Tyler Hansborough had 26 points and 8 rebounds for the Heels, who drop to 11-5 with the loss.

NC State Lands Another Commitment
Good news for the NC State football team, as another high school senior committed to the squad. Wide receiver LaMarcus Bond will step onto the field for State this fall. Bond is currently ranked number seven out of all North Carolina high school prospects. The 5’10 ft. 165 lb. wide receiver runs a 4.34 in the 40 yard dash and is a multiple threat. Last season he returned five punts for touchdowns, two kickoffs, rushed for 1100 yards and also had 8 interceptions. Bond turned down Virginia to join the Wolfpack.

NBA: Charlotte vs. Houston
In the senior circuit of the NBA, it was Houston over the Charlotte Bobcats 102-78. Matt Carroll had 19 points to lead the Bobcats, who drop to 11-32 on the season. Next up will be the Miami Heat this Friday.

NHL: Carolina at Florida
Another winning streak is starting up for the Carolina Hurricanes. Last night they beat the Florida Panthers 4-3 in a game that was decided by a shootout. Eric Cole scored the game winning goal for the Hurricanes, who improve to 34-11, still nine games ahead in the Southeastern Conference.

New Toyota Teams Taking Shape
Toyota’s future as part of NASCAR is starting to take shape. Bill Davis, Michael Waltrip and the Red Bull company will all have Toyota teams in the Nextel Cup circuit in 2007. Each of the teams will have two cars on the field. For Waltrip, he’ll be operating as both an owner and driver when the project gets up and running. Dave Blaney will switch over to Toyota for Bill Davis Racing next year. Currently Blaney is driving the #22 Dodge for Davis. Red Bull officials currently don’t have a driver in place.