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.

News & Sports For January 24th

Wilkesboro Town Commissioner Dies
A Wilkes Town Commissioner is was laid to rest yesterday, as funeral services were held for Tommy Bumgarner. The 64-yr-old Bumgarner died on Friday at Wilkes Regional Hospital and was buried in a service Monday at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church on Hwy 16 North. He was the owner and president of Falcon Insulation Technology and also a Wilkesboro Town Commissioner, having served just over 10 years. Flowers are being accepted or memorials can be sent to the Ebenezer Gardens Christian Childrens’ Home.

Wilkes Students Receive Incomplete Grades
Wilkes County students are going to be waiting a while for their report cards. Usually schools around the state send out report cards in the middle of January, but due to some changes the kids will have to wait a few more months to find out their grades. The state social services curriculum has been altered, as the end of course tests in both history and civics have been replaced. Students who took U.S. History or Civics & Economics last semester have had their tests sent off to Raleigh, where they are being analyzed. After processing the tests, the state board of education will use the scores to determine what it will take to pass in the future. For high school seniors here in Wilkes, they were granted an exemption, with the EOC test kept out of their final grade. In addition, all student athletes are currently being allowed to play based on their grades going into the fall term. Once the new report cards are released, any athletes who fall below the line will be pulled from his/her team. State officials say that they expect the analysis to be finished within a few weeks and students should get their report cards by the first of March.

Gas Thieves Hit North Wilkesboro Run-In
With the price of gas being predicted to climb, some thieves in North Wilkesboro took the opportunity to fuel up for free. A white man pulled up to the Run-In on Statesville Road over the weekend, pumped $49 worth of gas and then took off down the highway without paying. Employees inside the store were able to get both a description of the man and also the car’s license plate, which they turned over to deputies. There is now a suspect in the case and the investigation continues.

Thieves Looking To Clean Up
Who could steal two washing machines and not leave behind any evidence? That’s what a Roaring River man is wondering today. He went out this weekend to check on his two rental properties, each of which had a washer and dryer inside. There was no sign of a break-in, however the washing machines in both homes had been taken, along with the dryers. The thieves had apparently also attempted to remove the heating systems, but couldn’t disconnect them. Over $1800 in damage was done to the property and that investigation continues.

Dog Stolen From Millers Creek Home
A bulldog was stolen over the weekend from a Millers Creek home. The homeowner had tied up the animal outside and went to the grocery store. Witness reports then state that a man came to the home, grabbed the dog and drove off in a Chevy pickup. A description of the thief was turned over to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation continues.

3WC Healthwatch: Cough Syrup Can Cause Problems
The cough medicine you give your kids could actually be bad for them, as we explain in today’s 3WC Healthwatch. A study was released by the Academy of General Dentistry last week, linking cough syrup to tooth erosion. According to Dr. Carolina Covolo Da Costa, who was in charge of the study, children need to brush their teeth immediately after being given the medicine. The reason for this is due to the fact that most cough syrup is generally acidic with no fluoride or any other materials to protect teeth. Once this gets into the mouth, it can start eroding your teeth over time. 70 different samples of tooth enamel were tested and exposed to cough syrup. Those with a cough medicine that didn’t contain fluoride almost immediately showed signs of decay. The cough syrup with fluorine however barely affected the enamel at all. Scientists recommend that parents use cough syrup with fluoride in it, but if not, just have the kids brush their teeth after taking the medicine. And if you want to read the whole article it will be appearing in the February edition of General Dentistry.

Pistol Stolen From North Wilkesboro Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a house in North Wilkesboro over the weekend, after thieves ran off with the homeowner’s gun. He had left the pistol secure under a pillow earlier in the day, but came back that night to find it was gone. Information about the 9mm pistol was turned over to deputies and there is a suspect in the case.

Chainsaw Thief Looking To Stay Warm
Thieves ran off with over a thousand dollars worth of tools after breaking into a building in Purlear. The homeowner lives in Clemmons and uses the house only in the summer, but came by to check up on it over the weekend. He found that masterlocks on two of his storage buildings had been broken and all the tools inside were missing. Included in the theft was a generator, four chainsaws and two drills. There is however a suspect in the case, as locals saw a man around the property. His name and description were both turned over to deputies and the investigation continues.

Regional News

Concern Over Unemployment Leads To Prayer
Caldwell County has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, currently holding at 8%. Concern over the local economy brought together people from around the area this weekend, to hold a day of prayer. 200 people took part in the event Saturday at the local fairgrounds. Caldwell Sheriff Gary Clark was on hand, as was Congressional Representative Patrick McHenry.

Caldwell Man Dies In Fire
A fire over the weekend in Caldwell County led to the death of one man. The 78-yr-old victim was home alone when the place caught fire and neighbors called 911. By the time firefighters arrived on the scene however, flames had completely engulfed the house and the homeowner was found dead in the kitchen. The man had been home alone due to his wife being in the hospital. It’s still unclear what started the fire.

State News

Hickory Gas Station Issues Warning
A warning is being sent out to anyone who bought kerosene at a certain Hickory station in the last week. A delivery driver mistakenly filled up the kerosene container at the Hickory Citgo Fuel Center with regular gas when he came by January 15th. The store is located at the intersection of Fairgrove Church Road and Highway 70 and is asking anyone who bought kerosene since January 15th to give them a call. The number is 1-828-464-9084 and you can return the gas for a full refund.

Evidence Uncovered In Search For Lee County Woman
Officials in Cumberland County have discovered more evidence they believe could possibly lead to a missing Lee County woman, kidnapped earlier this month. 23-yr-old Michelle Bullard was visiting a friend on January 2nd when a masked man burst into the house, took a few items and grabbed her when he left. Now authorities have found a wallet belonging to Bullard’s friend, abandoned along with a ski mask, some check stubs and a pair of socks at a remote stretch of highway. Officials are offering a $10000 reward for anyone with information that leads to an arrest or Bullard’s safe return. The number to call is 1-910-323-1500.

Secret Deal Raises Questions In Morrisville
Questions are being raised today in Morrisville, about a secret meeting where $1 million in tax breaks were approved. The computer company Lenovo bought out the local IBM personal computer business last year. In return, Morrisville town commissioners held a secret meeting back in August and authorized $1 million in tax breaks for the company, a move that is legal according to state law. The secret meeting was only disclosed after the deal with Lenovo was completed. Now critics are saying that such practices erode the public trust in government. Under state law, the public isn’t allowed to listen in on discussions as to how taxpayer money will be used as incentives.

Sports Headlines

Wilkes County Boys Dominate Swim Meet
It was all Wilkes County over the weekend at the Mountain Valley Conference swim meet. In the individual races, it was Nathan Griffen and his teammate Barry Mitchell finishing 1st and 2nd in the 200 IM, separated by just 22 seconds. It was North Wilkes’ Ryan Wyatt taking first place in both the 50 and 100 meter freestyle events. Chris Bridges from Wilkes Central came in third in the 50 and finished just under four seconds behind Wyatt in the 100 meter. In the 500 meter freestyle, Barry Mitchell from Wilkes Central took 1st place, while his teammate Kyle Ray-Smith followed up in third. Ion the 100 meter backstroke, it was Dane Ricketts of Wilkes Central taking first place. In team competition, it was Wilkes Central taking the 200 medley relay over Forbush and Surry Central, then following that up with a win in the 200 free relay as well. North Wilkes came in behind at a close third. Central walked away with the overall win at the meet, having 149 points to Forbush’s 130. North Wilkes finished fourth with 42. On the girls side of the pool, it was Surry Central taking the overall win. Wilkes Central finished fourth with a score of 43 and North Wilkes came in sixth with a score of 15.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at some college basketball last night, it was Chattanooga over Davidson 65-59, it took overtime but Elon beat Furman 81-77, Birmingham Southern beat High Point 74-58, NC A&T took care of Morgan State 60-42. UNC Greensboro beat the Citadel 65-46, it was Charleston over Western Carolina 67-59 and Appalachian State knocked off Georgia Southern 90-84 in overtime. Appalachian got 33 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists from DJ Thompson as the Mountaineers improve to 8-11 on the year.

Bobcats Lose May Possibly For Season
The Bobcats got some bad news on Friday, as rookie forward Sean May went under the knife again. May had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, the second procedure done on the knee in the last four months. Team physician Dr. Glenn Perry removed some torn cartilage from the leg and believes there shouldn’t be any long term effects. However the surgery usually takes about eight weeks to recover from and the Bobcats don’t want to take any chances, so a date for his return hasn’t been set.

NHL: Montreal vs. Carolina
The Carolina Hurricanes got back to their winning ways Monday night, with a 7-3 win over Montreal. Eric Staal had one goal and two assists to lead Carolina, who improves to 33-11 with the win and maintains a nine game hold on the Southeastern Conference.

NASCAR News & Notes
Tony Stewart is ok. The reigning Nextel Cup champion told reporters that he won’t be slowed down by his crash this week, despite the cast on his right arm. Stewart wrecked while driving a Chili Bowl midget car during a race in Tulsa Oklahoma. He’s still expected to suit up and drive in the Daytona 500. Meanwhile 64-yr-old Morgan Shepherd has landed a ride for the upcoming season. Shepherd will drive the #89 Ford for Victory in Jesus Racing, a group of Christian businessmen looking to get involved in the sport.

News & Sports For January 23rd

Foxx To Visit Wilkes County
5th District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx will be stopping off in Wilkes County this morning, giving local people a chance to voice their concerns. The congresswoman is doing a listening tour throughout the 5th district this week, stopping off in each of the 12 counties. The meeting will go on in the Wilkes Public Library from 9-10am today. Local leaders will be there as well, to discuss issues affecting the 5th district as a whole and also Wilkes County.

Gun Stolen From Local Home
A local chicken farmer got a surprise this week when he walked out to his shed. The gun he had stored there was missing. The incident happened on the Happy Corner Road and after talking with neighbors, a suspect was found in the case. It seems that a neighbor’s son had taken the weapon back before Christmas and kept it hidden all this time in a fort he had built in the woods. The case was turned over to Juvenile Services, however the suspect’s name wasn’t released since he was under 18.

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 group is looking for help of any kind, from physical labor to any type of donations. If you or your church can help by volunteering or through financial means, the person to call is Jean Hodges at 262-0385.

Gas Thieves Target Local Man
Instead of hitting a convenience store, gas thieves changed tactics last week and targeted a person instead. A North Wilkesboro man walked out of his house last week to find someone near his vehicle. He used the gun in his hand to fire a shot, which sent the thief running. But the man apparently didn’t leave empty handed. Two gallons of gas and the vehicle’s gas cap were missing. A description of the thief was given to sheriff’s deputies and that investigation continues.

Confusion Over Traffic Signs Leads To Wreck
Confusion over traffic signs led to an accident last week on Hwy 421. A North Wilkesboro man was getting set to turn off into the Lowes Hardware parking lot, when his light turned green. However he didn’t notice that it was simply a green light and not the green arrow giving him the right of way and turned without looking. A Salisbury man was coming from the opposite direction and couldn’t stop in time to avoid a collision. No one was injured but $3000 worth of damage was done.

Hot To Cold Mix Actually Good For Plants
Here in Wilkes winter has been a lot warmer than usual, leaving some people concerned about how the changing weather might affect their fruit crops. Be sure and tune in to the 3WC News today, as Brian will be talking with Bill Hanlin from the Cooperative Extension about what potential issues the warmer climate could pose. Then coming up tomorrow, we’ll be talking with Matt Millin from the Cooperative Extension about how the weather change affects cattle and other animals.

Thieves Hit Millers Creek House For Some Entertainment
How could someone break in and not leave behind any evidence? That’s what a Millers Creek man is wondering today. Late last week he left home to do some errands, returning that night to find over $2000 worth of items had been stolen. Included in the theft was a DVD player, a guitar, over 100 CDsa clock radio and several other items. Despite the theft, there was no sign of a break-in and no damage done to the property. That investigation continues.

Three Cars Involved With Accident On 421
Three cars were totaled after an accident last Thursday on Hwy 421. A Millers Creek woman was turning back onto 421 from the Lowes Hardware parking lot, attempting to cross three lanes of traffic in doing so. She didn’t see a Wilkesboro woman who was in the same lane she was trying to get into. The two vehicles crashed into each other, causing the second car to spin out and hit a third. Heavy damage was done to all three and Wilkes EMS was called out to the scene, however treatment was refused. An estimated $8500 in damage was done.

Blood Drive Later Today
Each day in North Carolina, 1500 pints of blood are needed. With a shelf life of just over one month, blood either has to be used quickly or it gets tossed out. With the local blood supply at critical levels right now, the Wilkes Red Cross has organized several more emergency drives including one today. The drive will be going on from 2:30 til 7pm at Center Baptist Church. Appointments aren’t needed but if you want to plan around your schedule and set up a time to give, the number to call is 838-4563.

State News

UNC Charlotte Aiding In War On Terror
UNC Charlotte is stepping to the frontlines of the war on terror. The university is working in connection with the Georgia Institute of Technology, to design programs that can aid homeland security forces in preventing attacks. The schools are helping to build an artificial analytic reasoning system, which would allow U.S. officials to study massive amounts of information all at once.

Jobs Coming To Alamance County
Good news for people living in Alamance County. More jobs are on the way. International Designer Transitions, which has a plant in Graham announced over the weekend that plans are in the works to add 50 new workers by March. The pay rate will range from $8 to $15 an hour.

Police Searching For Impersonator In Davidson County
Officials in Davidson County are searching today for a man pretending to be a police officer. In Thomasville, police received calls telling of a man in a red Ford F-150 that would pull up behind people and start flashing a blue light. After a few minutes, the man would take off down the road. Such infractions are punishable by at least a $50 fine.

Rockingham County Searching For School Superintendent
The Rockingham County school system is on the hunt for a new leader today. Superintendent Dr. William Capehard announced over the weekend that he was resigning. School officials plan to discuss potential replacements when they meet in February. Capehard said that health concerns were one of the reasons he stepped down, but declined to name the others.

Lost Prop Leads To Bomb Squad
Late last week the bomb squad was called out in Charlotte, after a construction worker found a package near I-85. The package was found near the I-85 South exit ramp and had wires sticking out along with what appeared to be a cell phone stuck to it. Police closed down the area and the bomb squad cut it open, only to find that it was a prop, accidentally left behind by the crew filming Will Ferrell’s NASCAR movie.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
In high school basketball Friday night, it went down to the wire but the Lady Cardinals of East Surry knocked off West Wilkes 48-45. West Wilkes had a chance to tie but couldn’t make the shot as the team falls to 3-15 on the season while East Surry improves to 13-5. The Lady Eagles of Wilkes Central meanwhile improved to 16-1 with a 63-48 win over Starmount. Amy Will had 19 to lead the Lady Eagles, being helped by Sarah Brown’s 17 and 14 points from Laura Rollins. The Lady Vikings of North Wilkes had some problems in the scoring department, as no one on the team put up more than 8 points. They fell 53-30 to North Surry as the Lady Greyhounds went on a 34-15 run to finish the game. It was Alleghany over the East Wilkes Lady Cardinals 53-50. Kasi Shew had 17 to lead East and Makayla Sales put in 10. On the boys side of the court, it was a rough night for Coach Larry Sears and his West Wilkes Blackhawks. They lost 85-50 to East Surry on senior night in Millers Creek. West drops to 5-12 with the loss. Also in boys action it was North Wilkes falling to North Surry 66-47.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at the college scene, it was Radford over Coastal Carolina in overtime 70-69, Elon beat Western Carolina 50-48, Winthrop beat High Point 70-67, UNC Asheville took care of VMI 83-65, NC A&T knocked off Coppin State 78-71. In other action, it was Gardner-Webb beating North Florida 71-67, UNC Charlotte getting crushed at home by George Washington 83-69 and UNC Greensboro beat Appalachian State 62-60. DJ Thompson had 22 points for the Mountaineers, who drop to 7-11 with the loss. In the ACC, it was NC State over Wake Forest 92-82. State was led by 26 points and 2 blocks from Cameron Bennerman, while the Deacons got 19 points and 8 rebounds from Eric Williams. A major upset happened on Saturday, as the unranked Georgetown Hoyas beat the Duke Blue Devils 87-84. It was mainly the J.J. Redick show, as the shooting guard put in 41 points, but he was one of only three players on Duke to finish in double figures. Duke falls to 17-1 on the year. And it was the UNC Tarheels surviving a major test against Florida State 81-80. Reyshawn Terry hit two free throws with 23 seconds left to win the game for the Heels, who were led by Wes Miller’s 18 points. Carolina improves to 11-4.

Bobcats Fall To Bucks
The Charlotte Bobcats continue to limp on, as the lineup card gets smaller and smaller. Before the game on Saturday, the team announced leading scorer Gerald Wallace will be out 6 weeks with a sprained MCL and they needed his explosiveness badly. The Bobcats lost to Milwaukee 101-91. Charlotte was led by Primoz Breznec’s 21 points and 11 rebounds, as the team drops to 11-30.

Panthers Knocked Out By Seahawks
The season came to a close on Sunday for the Carolina Panthers, as they lost to Seattle 34-14 in the NFC Championship. Carolina came limping into the game, missing both of their top tailbacks. Then in the first quarter, Carolina lost another back when Nick Goings had to leave with a concussion. The lack of a running game hurt the Panthers, who also had to deal with 3 interceptions tossed by Jake Delhomme. The Panthers will finish the season at 11-5.

News & Sports For January 20th

Help For Heating Bills In Wilkes
People in Wilkes could be suffering from a bit of sticker shock today, after opening up their power bill. With rising prices for natural gas and oil, it can be hard at times to pay for electricity and also have enough money to put food on the table. Gov. Mike Easley has allocated an additional $4 million to be split among the counties and here in Wilkes, people can get help from Social Services. Now you can go and request assistance in paying for your heating bill anytime during the agency’s operating hours from 8:30am til 5pm, but there are some things to know beforehand. First, you can only bring in a heating bill if it’s five days or less away from being disconnected. The reason for this being that the money is given out on a need based approach and so those facing disconnection take first priority. Once again be sure to bring the bill with you when you apply. In addition, Social Services can also help those who use propane heating as long as it doesn’t involve a camper as per state regulations. You can call Social Services and schedule an appointment at 651-7400 or simply stop by their office at 304 College Street in Wilkesboro.

One Car Totaled In River Street Collision
One car was totaled after a wreck on River Street Wednesday afternoon. The incident happened just after 2:30pm, when a light turned green at the intersection with School Street. A North Wilkesboro man was sitting at the light, waiting for it to turn. When it did however, he was a little slow in pulling out. The vehicle behind him, belonging to a Wilkesboro man, only noticed the light changing and didn’t pay attention that the car in front hadn’t moved. The driver of the second vehicle put his foot on the gas, creating a domino effect. Thankfully no one was hurt, however estimated damages to that second car were placed at $3000.

All For Some Free TV
What would you do for some free tv? For thieves in the Lakeview Drive area, the answer was anything it takes. A woman returned home Tuesday night to find that her satellite dish had been stolen, the second time this has happened in the last six months. Nothing else was missing or even touched at the home. There is a suspect in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Recall Of Medical Devices
For the third time this week, 3WC has a recall to tell you about. This time the information affects all diabetes patients out there. Roche Diagnostics has recalled several thousand of its’ ACCU-CHEK Aviva Meters due to an electronic malfunction. The recall involves all of the meters with serial numbers that begin with the number 5250 through 5251, but not including those with a number of 52511 or higher. The malfunction could cause the meter to give a false result when a diabetes patient uses it. As of this week, 8 such malfunctions have been reported. For a replacement or just for more information you can call 1-800-858-8072.

Be Careful Where You Leave Your Phone
It’s never a good idea to leave your phone behind. A North Wilkesboro woman found out why on Tuesday. She had finished eating at a local restaurant and got up to leave. However before she got out of the parking lot, the woman remembered her phone was still inside. When she went back in, no one could recall seeing the phone. Information was turned over to Wilkesboro police and the investigation continues.

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 over at the Lutheran Church of the Atonement. That will go on from 2-6:30pm this afternoon and is open to everyone. To set up a time to give, you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

Painkillers Stolen From Wilkesboro Home
A Wilkesboro woman let some family members use her car but later that night, found they took more than just the keys. This happened on Monday and after the car was returned, the woman discovered some painkiller pills of hers were missing. An estimated 100 pills of Percocet were taken in the theft. There is a suspect however and that investigation continues.

Scholarship Available For Wilkes High School Seniors
Some good news today for any parent concerned on how they’ll afford tuition costs. USA Today and the Got Milk campaign are partnering together to offer the SAMMY Awards. 25 student athletes across the nation will each be given a $7500 scholarship to the college of their choice, while winning other prizes as well. The winning students will be inducted into the SAMMY Hall of Fame and be featured in a Got Milk ad in USA Today. SAMMY stands for Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year. To be considered, students have to write a short essay, describing how milk is part of both their lifestyle and training program. The deadline to apply is March 3rd and you can download an entry form by logging on to www.whymilk.com.

Trailer Causes Accident On Winkler Street
One vehicle was totaled and another damaged after a wreck Tuesday afternoon on Winkler Street. A Concord man was pulling onto the highway, dragging along a trailer behind him. A Millers Creek man was coming from the other direction and couldn’t stop in time to avoid a collision, as the trailer was taking up both lanes of the road. That second man’s car was totaled, with estimated damages placed at $3000. Thankfully no one was hurt in the crash.
State News

Charlotte Native Named To NC Supreme Court
Gov. Mike Easley has appointed the next chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. 63-yr-old Charlotte native Sarah Parker will take over when current chief justice Beverly Lake Jr. steps down January 31st. Lake’s term is over due to the fact he turns 72 on January 30th and must retire in accordance with state law. Parker, an associate justice on the court, is the only Democrat and will become only the third female chief justice in North Carolina history.

Jobs Leaving Greensboro
Bad news for people living in the Greensboro area, as the local economy took another hit this week. Officials from Konica Minolta announced plans to close down their facility in Whitsett, which currently employs 258 people. The company said there wasn’t enough of a need for film cameras to keep the facility going. The plant will be shut down permanently in March of 2007.

Major League Baseball A Possibility In Charlotte
The Queen City may have another sports team to call its’ own in the near future. Officials from the Florida Marlins are going to be paying a visit to Charlotte in March, to consider relocating. The Marlins’ lease in Miami is up in 2007 and the franchise plans to leave south Florida due to the fact a deal couldn’t be reached on a baseball only stadium. Currently they play in Pro Player Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.

NC Native Named As U.S. Representative
A North Carolina man was named this week as the US representative to the European Union. C. Boyden Gray, a Winston Salem native, was put into the post as a recess appointment by President Bush, this coming after two years of stalled votes by the House and Senate. Gray’s appointment will last until January 2008, where it will expire unless he’s confirmed by the Senate.

Kannapolis Holds Centennial Celebration Tomorrow
The town of Kannapolis is inviting people to come on Saturday and help them celebrate their 100th birthday. The Centennial Winter Fest will start at 12:30 Saturday afternoon with an opening ceremony, as items are put into a time capsule to be buried later on in the day. Also there will be ice skating, a chili supper, winter crafts, snowboarding video games, movies, storytelling and other events throughout the day. All of that will take place at the Kannapolis train station on South Main Street.

Sports Headlines

Boys Basketball Tryouts Taking Place
For any teenage boys wanting to play basketball, there’s a league being put together over in Jonesville. The Yadkin Valley 13U team will be holding tryouts tomorrow for any 13-yr-old looking to suit up and get on the court. Tryouts will be held at the Jonesville Elementary School starting at 1pm. If you want more information the number to call is 838-5339 after 5pm today.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at some college basketball from last night, it was Winthrop over Liberty 67-47, UNC Wilmington knocked off Towson 78-46, Campbell fell to North Florida 95-84, Coastal Carolina took care of Charleston Southern 63-62. Gardner-Webb beat Jacksonville 72-67, thanks in part to a 26-point performance from Brian Bender. The Running Bulldogs improve to 7-9 with the win. Finally in the ACC, it was Virginia beating the UNC Tarheels 72-68. The Heels only shot 36% from the field and only three players scored in double figures. Tyler Hansborough led UNC with 18 points and 10 rebounds as the team falls to 10-4.

Change Of Plans For UNC Charlotte Senior
UNC Charlotte’s basketball team learned this week that it’ll be one man short for the rest of the season. Senior forward E.J. Drayton will miss the rest of the year due to tendonitis in his knee. Drayton has applied for a medical hardship and doctors expect him to be back with the team in the fall.

Duke & State land Football Commitments
In the college football field, some good news this week for two ACC teams. Both NC State and Duke landed commitments that will help the offensive line. Senior Ryan Wischenfski from Melbourne Florida agreed to play for the Wolfpack. Ryan is 6’3, weighs 315 lbs and can play both the center and guard position. The Duke Blue Devils received a commitment from Marcus Lind, a 6’3 260 lb. lineman from Fort Lauderdale Florida. The high school senior helped lead St. Thomas Aquinas High School to a state 5A championship this past year.

NHL: NY Islanders vs. Carolina
On the ice last night, the Carolina Hurricanes made it nine in a row with a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders. Four different players scored for the Hurricanes, who improved to 32-10 with the win.

Jake Raising The Bar For QBs
With time ticking down til Sunday’s NFC Championship, Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme is among some truly great company. Delhomme currently has the highest playoff quarterback rating in NFL history, being ranked at 108.4 right now. That’s enough to pass 49er great Joe Montana, who was ranked at 95.6 and Bart Starr at 108.4. A victory Sunday against Seattle would also give Delhomme the most road playoff wins in NFL history. He’s currently tied with Len Dawson and Roger Staubach. Each has four.

News & Sports For January 19th

Wind Rips Through Wilkes County
The power flickered and trees fell as wind gusts reached over 25 mph in the county yesterday. There were no injuries reported due to the wind, however downed trees caused headaches for local homeowners, who were busy cleaning up their property. Wilkes appears to have got off easy, as over 8000 people were still without power yesterday in Forsyth and Randolph Counties.

Recall Of Children’s Toys
This next bit of news is for all parents of young children. A recall has been ordered by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission of just over 600,000 Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Musical Learning Chairs. Product testing has shown that children can get trapped between the seatback and side table of the chair, which could possibly lead to strangulation. So far across the country there have been three reports of children getting caught in the toy, but thankfully none that were fatal. The Laugh & Learn Musical Learning Chairs were sold from May 2005 until earlier this month and have model numbers of H4609, H47167 through H7173, H8157, H8998 and J0272 through J0275. You can find the model number on the underside of the chair’s seat. Fisher Price is offering a free repair kit that is supposed to solve the problem and you can get one by calling 1-866-552-3914.

All For A Twenty Dollar Bill
A North Wilkesboro man got a surprise Tuesday morning. He was awakened by what he thought were scratching noises, but instead found a man in his kitchen. When the two made eye contact, the thief took off running out the door. Nothing was missing from the house except the man’s wallet and a $20 bill which was inside. The thief had apparently shattered a window in the nearby utility room, then used a stepladder to climb inside. An estimated $180 worth of damage was done and a description of the thief was turned over to deputies. That investigation continues.

Traffic Stop Leads To Drug Bust
Sheriff’s deputies were driving down 421 near Lewis Fork Church Road on Monday when they clocked a driver going 72 in a 55. After pulling him over, a K9 was brought in to check the car for drugs. A smoking pipe was found wrapped up in a sock under the passengers’ seat, with marijuana residue on it. 19-yr-old Kevin Young Marsh was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Blood Drive Later Today
1500 pints of blood are used across North Carolina each day, with more being sent down to aid the Gulf Coast. With such a desperate need both here in Wilkes and around the state, a blood drive is going on today at New River Behavioral Healthcare. The drive starts at 10am this morning and lasts until 1pm this afternoon. Just remember before giving you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs. No appointments are needed but if you want to set up a time to give, the number to call is 838-4563.

Focus On The Red Cross
With the new year, a lot of changes are taking place here in Wilkes. One of those changes involves the Red Cross, as the local chapter has a new executive director. Scott Glaze is taking over the position and he'll be Brian’s guest today during Focus on the Foothills as they talk about the Red Cross, some of the misconceptions about the organization and what the goals are heading into a new year. That’s today at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Paper Rack Thieves Return To Wilkes
Deputies were called out after another paper rack went missing in North Wilkesboro. The thieves stole the rack from the Little Dipper on Hwy 18 North, grabbing it from the front of the store. That was over the weekend and then earlier this week, the rack had been dropped back off. The investigation into this and several other paper rack thefts continues.

State News

Natural Gas Rates To Drop
Some relief from high heating prices could be coming in the next few weeks. PSNC Energy announced on Tuesday that it will be cutting natural gas rates beginning in February by an average of $20 a month. The move would mean on average, natural gas customers across the state would be paying $133 a month, down from an average of $174 back in November.

Charges Dropped Against UNCG Students
UNC Greensboro announced this week that it’s dropping charges brought against two students for violating the speech code. Allison Jaynes and Robert Sinnott were charged with a violation of campus policy for helping to organize a rally November 16th. The event took place in front of the library instead of a designated “free speech zone”. Campus officials said that the free speech zones were created so that students wouldn’t be blocked from their classes during any type of rally, but they did agree to study the issue and consider changes.

Robinson Returning To Politics
Former 5th District congressional candidate Vernon Robinson is jumping back into politics. Robinson, who is also a former Winston Salem City Councilman, announced that he was entering the 12th Congressional District race against Democrat Mel Watt. He said that a formal announcement would be coming in the near future and explained that he’s needed in Congress because the country is under attack.

East Carolina Facing Problems
There are some issues facing East Carolina University, according to an audit done by the state. The report, which was released this week, found significant problems in the area of financial aid. The current situation places the school at an increased risk of errors and misuse of funds, according to the report. It was recommended that the university re-establish and strengthen control of the financial aid office.

Former Ag Commissioner Given New Position
Shortly after learning that a member of his cabinet was stepping down, Governor Mike Easley filled the post. Department of the Administration Secretary Gwynn Swinson announced this week that he was leaving later this month to take a job at Duke University. His replacement is no stranger to North Carolina politics as former agricultural commissioner Britt Cobb will serve in the position. Cobb’s new duties includes overseeing government operations such as building construction, purchasing and managing contracts and managing state vehicles among other things.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
Around the high school scene last night, it was East Wilkes over Surry Central 58-55. With a minute left in the game, the Cardinals’ Noah Johnson stepped up and hit a three pointer to win. Johnson finished with 11 points while East was led by Brent Poplin, who had 17. Cody Cook also had 10 points for the Cardinals, who improve to 6-9 on the year. On the girls side of the court, it was East Wilkes getting their second win of the year, knocking off Surry Central 47-42.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look around the college basketball scoreboard last night, it was Radford beating High Point 96-76, Elon took care of Montreat 90-76, in overtime it was SMU over East Carolina 74-70. In the ACC, Duke improved to a perfect 17-0 with a 81-68 win over NC State. J.J. Redick had 28 points and Sheldon Williams added 21 points and 9 rebounds for the Blue Devils, while Cedric Simmons led NC State with 28 points, 9 rebounds and 7 blocks. Meanwhile Wake Forest got back on track with a 86-71 win over Georgia Tech last night. Justin Gray had 25 to lead the Deacons, who improved to 12-5.

Former Wide Receiver Returns To Appalachian
A familiar face is returning to help with Appalachian State’s athletic program. Rick Beasley, who played wide receiver at the school from 1978-1980, was named this week as an associate athletics director. Beasley will be working under athletic director Charlie Cobb to help with fund raising and also lead the financial campaign for new facilities. Beasley still has the school record for most receiving yards in a season at 3124 and most 100 yard receiving games in a career with 16.

Duke Lands Football Commitments
The Duke Blue Devils landed two recruits for next year’s football team this week. Cornerback Chris Rwabukamba, a senior from Windsor Ontario agreed to play for the school. The 5-11 173 lb. Rwabukampa turned down offers from Michigan State and Illinois to come play for the Blue Devils. Also cornerback Abraham Kromah committed to play. The 6-2 ft. 200 lb. Kromah had 11 interceptions over his three years as a starter at Tottenville High in New York

NBA: Charlotte vs. Indiana
The Charlotte Bobcats gave it all they had but came up just short last night against Indiana. They lost 98-92 to the Pacers, despite getting 15 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds from Raymond Felton. Charlotte drops to 11-28 with Orlando coming to town on Friday.

Several Panthers Limping Into Sunday’s Game
The news wasn’t so good for the Panthers coming off of practice on Wednesday. Fullback Brad Hoover, center Jeff Mitchell, guard Tutan Reyes and defensive tackle Kindal Moorehead are all listed as questionable for the NFC championship. Defensive tackle Jordan Carstens and safety Mike Minter both sat out practice on Wednesday as well, Carstens because he was sick and Minter because of a wrist injury, however both of them are listed as probable for Sunday’s matchup.

Warthogs To See Changes
In minor league baseball, some changes are in store for the Winston Salem Warthogs. Gone is manager Chris Cron, who’s been promoted to Double AA Birmingham. In his place comes new coach Rafael Santana, a former shortstop with the New York Mets. This will be Santana’s first time as a manager after serving as a first base coach for the Chicago White Sox from 2003-2004.

News & Sports For January 18th

Run-In Damaged By Thieves
Thieves hit the Moravian Falls Run-In over the holiday, causing over $1000 in damages. Employees came in on Sunday to find a window had been shattered and beer stolen from inside. Nothing else was taken or even touched inside the store, as it appears the thieves simply shattered the window, grabbed the beer sitting directly behind it and left. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Car Stolen From Post Office
Be careful where you leave your vehicle. That’s the lesson a Ronda man learned this week. He had parked at the Ronda Post Office, leaving his vehicle behind while joining friends on a trip out of town. He locked the doors and had the keys in his pocket. Later that night when he returned, the vehicle was missing, with so signs of damage or any indication what happened. That investigation is ongoing.

Focus On Red Cross
With the new year, a lot of changes are taking place here in Wilkes. One of those changes involves the Red Cross, as the local chapter has a new executive director. Scott Glaze is taking over the position and he'll be talking about the job this week on Focus. Scott will be Brian’s guest as they talk about the Red Cross, some of the misconceptions about the organization and what the goals are heading into a new year. That’s tomorrow at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Always Lock Up Before You Leave
Always lock up before you leave. A woman visiting friends on Statesville Road found that out the hard way this week. She left her cell phone in her car, but didn’t lock the doors. When she came back out, the phone was gone. That investigation continues.

Gun Stolen From North Wilkesboro Home
Thieves stole a handgun from a North Wilkesboro residence earlier this week. The homeowner told deputies he had left the gun on top of his washer & dryer before leaving the building. When he returned later that day, the gun was missing. There is a suspect in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Recall Of Christmas Lights
If you went out over the last few weeks and did some shopping for next year’s Christmas decorations, it might be a good idea to wait before packing them up. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall this week of 861,000 sets of Christmas lights. All of the brands involved were sold at Target and include the “mini light” and the “chasing light” sets. Several of the packages have exposed wires and could lead to a fire next year when hung on the tree. The recall includes all 50-count multi-color, all 100 count blue and 140 count chasing light sets with “Mini Light Set” or “Chasing Light Set” written on the packaging. You can call Target for more information at 1-800-440-0680 between 7am and 6pm Monday through Friday for more information.

Wreck On 421 Totals Two
Two cars were totaled after a wreck on Hwy 421 Monday morning. The incident happened just before 11am when a Garner man was traveling through a green light. A Millers Creek woman pulled out in front of him from another direction and caused the crash. Despite serious damage to both vehicles, no one was hurt in the wreck. Estimated damages were placed at $9000.

Broke In To Steal A Washer
An Elkin man is trying to determine how someone managed to break into a building on his property without leaving any evidence behind. A pressure washer was stolen from the man’s shed, but there was no damage done to the area. There is however a suspect and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Scooter Stolen From Ronda Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a Ronda home to investigate a theft, one that occurred somewhere else. The homeowner had allowed her son to borrow her scooter and he had driven it to a friend’s house. He left it there and went back to get it earlier this week, only to find it missing. Information was turned over to deputies and that investigation continues.

State News

Supreme Court Rejects Annexation Plea
The U.S. Supreme Court won’t get involved with Fayetteville’s annexation battle. The decision was announced on Tuesday as justices refused to examine a court decision here in North Carolina on the subject. At the center of the controversy is the question do cities have the ability to annex outlying areas without their consent? The city of Fayetteville plans to annex 27 square miles of land, bringing over 40,000 people into the tax base. Citizens opposed the move, saying they were concerned about the cost of city sewage services and also increased taxes. A North Carolina court had already ruled in Fayetteville’s favor and the plans will go forward now that the Supreme Court declined to intervene.

NC Troops Find Weapons Cache
A group of North Carolina Marines made a major discovery in Ramadi. In a press release on Monday, the Marine Corps said that troops from the 1st Marine Regiment of Camp Lejeune uncovered a weapons dump while patrolling the area this weekend. Inside were 11 separate caches of weapons including 137 artillery rounds, 56 mortar rounds, 47 rockets, some armor piercing bullets and 1900 pounds of explosives.

Duke & UNC Make Record Books
Students from Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill made history on Monday, getting their names into the Guinness Book of World Records. Starting at 8am Saturday, the students wrapped up a 2 ½ day basketball game at 6pm Monday night. That was enough to get them into the record book for the longest continuous basketball game in history. The final score from the 58-hr-marathon turned out in Duke’s favor, as the Blue Devil students won 3688-3444. Both schools also raised $60,000 during the game for the Hoop Dreams Academy, a charity that helps to improve the lives of kids with potentially life threatening illnesses.

More NC Troops Heading To Middle East
Some more North Carolina soldiers shipped out this week for the Middle East. Just over 200 troops from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro were deployed on Tuesday, with some heading to Iraq and others to Afghanistan. The group, which includes air crews, pilots and ground crews will be split up and assigned to units where they’re needed as replacements. The deployment is supposed to last four months.

Sports Headlines

NC State Loses Football Recruit
Some more bad news for the NC State football team as they’ve lost a player before he even arrived on campus. High school player Gavin Smith announced this week that he’s changed his mind and would no longer honor his commitment to the Wolfpack. Smith, a defensive end at Wakefield High School, said that he changed his mind after getting more information about the school itself. Before committing, he had just checked into the football program and nothing else. The 6’4 ft. 280 lb. Smith said that he’s considering Virginia, South Carolina or possibly UNC Chapel Hill and expects to make a decision by next week.

Peppers Expects To Play
Some good news for the Carolina Panthers, as defensive end Julius Peppers says that expects to play on Sunday. Peppers had to sit out part of the second half against Chicago with a shoulder injury but he said he should be ready to go when Sunday rolls around. Coach John Fox however was more restrained, saying that the team is just taking it one day at a time.

Charlotte Knights Land New Manager
In baseball, the minor league Charlotte Knights will have a new face in the dugout come spring training. The team introduced new manager Razor Shines this week. The 49-yr-old Shines was the Southern League’s Manager of the Year in 2005, working with the Double A Birmingham Barons. He’ll inherit a team that went 57-87 last year and has only one winning season in the past five years.