News & Sports For July 13th

Property Broke Into At Mountain View Elementary
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to Mountain View Elementary on Monday, after reports came in of a break-in on the property. Thieves gained access to the school’s storage building, breaking the lock and going inside. A weedeater was stolen, along with a leaf blower, black & decker tool kit and a gas can. The thieves apparently left in a hurry as the bolt cutters they had used to get inside were still on the ground when deputies arrived. The investigation is still ongoing.

Focus On The Community
For the past ten years, the Wilkes Pregnancy Care Center has been helping people in the community. But some people still remain confused as to what the Center actually does. Associate director Susan Sturgill will be talking with Brian about the ministry on Focus on the Foothills this coming Thursday. That’s coming up Thursday July 14th at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Be Sure To Slow Down At Traffic Lights
A wreck on 421 damaged two cars and totaled one earlier this week. The accident happened Monday afternoon, as a Millers Creek man was driving down the road. He saw the light in front of him had just turned green and expected the cars to speed up and move on. However the vehicles in front of him were slow in moving and the man couldn’t slow down in time to avoid a collision. He slammed into the back of a Boone man’s car, totaling his own vehicle while causing $500 damage to the other one. Thankfully however no one was injured in the crash.

Vandals Hit Wilkes Recreation Buildings
For the second time in under a month, someone damaged the concession stands at Cub Creek Park. The incident was reported to polic on Monday, after workers found the damaged buildings. The doors had been damaged to one of the stands, allowing the vandals to get inside. However nothing was taken from the building, instead the table and bench nearby were torn apart and tipped over. On the other side of the field, vandals were unable to gain access, despite damaging portions of the building. All total over a hundred dollars worth of damage was done to the property and officers are continuing the investigation.

Stuff The Bus Continuing
The annual Stuff the Bus program is continuing around Wilkes County. Several locations have been set up around the area to take donations. Each year, Communities in Schools attempts to help needy kids around Wilkes, by providing them with the supplies they lack for class. If you want to donate supplies, there are buses at several locations including Wal-Mart, CVS, Eckerd, Staples and also between the First Baptist and First United Methodist Churches in North Wilkesboro. You can also drop off items at Dollar General, Super 10 and the Communities in Schools office. All different types of school supplies are needed, everything from paper to pens to calculators. For more information you can call Amie Blevins at Communities in Schools. Her number is 651-7830 extension #23.

Drove Off With The Trailers
How do you steal a trailer without anyone noticing? Sheriff’s deputies are trying to figure that out today, after two utility trailers were taken from a Millers Creek residence earlier this week. The homeowner returned from a trip out of town to find them missing, with the cables and locks lying on the ground. No other evidence was left at the scene and no one in the area could recall seeing someone drive off with the trailers. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Cameras Stolen From Wilson’s Market
A Ferguson business fell victim to thieves earlier this week, as deputies were called out to Watson’s Market. However nothing was taken from inside the store itself, only the security cameras that had been positioned outside the business were taken. No damage was done to any other part of the property and there are currently no suspects. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Wrecked Car Stolen From Thurmond Home
Why would someone steal a wrecked car? That’s what a Thurmond man is asking today, after returning to find his vehicle had been stolen. The car had broke down at his sister’s house, where it had been left until the man could return and get it towed. Instead he came back to find it was missing. There is a suspect in the case. His name & description were turned over to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation is ongoing.

State News

Workers Laid Off Across The Piedmont
This hasn’t been a good week for some workers in the Piedmont. Over 400 people lost their jobs on Monday as two separate companies announced layoffs. The Sears Call Center in High Point dismissed 42 workers, after the company said they were no longer needed. Sears officials said that new technology is being installed that can handle the clerical positions most of the workers held while increasing efficiency. And just up the road in Winston Salem, Sara Lee announced plans for yet another round of cuts. 400 people will be let go from the company’s Winston Salem plants, part of a larger layoff throughout the nation. Sara Lee officials said that competition with foreign imports were to blame for the layoffs as they would lose profits otherwise.

Bush To Make Trip To Charlotte
President Bush will be in North Carolina this week, as he tries to drum up support for a new trade agreement with Central America. Bush will visit Charlotte on Friday, then speak at a Gaston County textile mill to discuss the particulars of the plan. The Central America Free Trade Agreement, similar to NAFTA, is designed to create a free trade zone between the U.S. and countries such as the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Honduras. It was passed by the Senate in June and now faces a vote within the next month in the House.

Jobs Coming To Alamance County
Good news for people in Alamance County today, as Kayser-Roth Corporation announced plans to expand operations and add new jobs. An estimated 180 new jobs will be added by the apparel maker over the next three years at the site. Most of the jobs will be in manufacturing, with workers moving into a new 100,000 square foot facility that is currently being built in Burlington. The jobs were made possible due in part to a $200,000 grant from Governor Easley’s One North Carolina Fund, which helps to provide assistance to economic interests in the state.

Cigarettes Holding Up Budget
Lawmakers announced on Tuesday that most of the details for a new budget have been hammered out with only one thing standing in the way. A cigarette tax. Officials can’t agree as to how much the tax should be raised, with House members wanting it brought up to 30 cents, while the Senate has demanded it be pushed to 40. That ten cent difference is the main issue being focused on as lawmakers sit down to the bargaining table. If a deal on the cigarette issue can be reached, a new budget might be ready for a vote by as soon as this Friday.

North Carolina A Good Place For A Nap
North Carolina is apparently the place to go if you want to get some sleep, according to Men’s Health magazine. A recent study in the journal ranked four North Carolina cities in the Top 100 places where people go to get some rest. Raleigh came in 16th, Durham was right behind at 20, down the list a bit was Charlotte, which came in 34th and finally Greensboro barely squeaked in at number 89. The study took into account the people in each city who averaged 7 hrs. of sleep a night, also those who need medicine to sleep and those suffering from insomnia. The study also found the best place in the world to sleep is Honolulu Hawaii and the worst is Fresno California.

Road Closed On Tuesday After Plant Fire
Officials in Johnston County shut down the Rainsmill Road on Tuesday after a fire broke out at a local factory. The fire, which burned parts of the Barrus Construction plant before being put out, was caused by a spark in the dust filtration system. The road was closed for two hours on Tuesday afternoon as cleanup crews picked up debris from the fire.

Sports Headlines

Duke Lands An Offensive Line Prospect
The Duke football team got a shot in the arm this week, as high school senior Jarrod Holt committed to the program. Holt, a 6-6, 300 lb. rising senior from Florida, will join the Blue Devils in 2006 and will provide some much needed help to the offensive line. Last season Duke was 2-9 and heads into the coming year with four holes in the offensive line, with only one new face ready to suit up. Holt said he picked Duke over NC State because he thought he could get a better education in Durham.

Tarheels Lose Pitching Coach
Bad news for the Tarheel baseball team today, as they lost their pitching coach. Roger Williams leaves Chapel Hill to take the same position at Georgia. He’ll leave a pitching staff that was ranked 10th in the nation last season with a combined ERA of 3.17, the school’s best record in over thirteen years. Williams also helped the pitchers develop confidence, which showed in a school record seven shutouts.

McCants Signs Up With T-Wolves
Rashad McCants officially became a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, as he signed a deal with the team. The two year contract was done in time for McCants to join the other rookies at the T-Wolves minicamp this week, before taking a starting role in their summer league. McCants was picked with the 14th selection in last month’s NBA draft, the last of four Tarheels to turn pro this year.

Panthers Player Honored
In the NFL, a member of the Carolina Panthers was honored this week, as linebacker Mark Fields received the George Halas Award. The award is given out every year to a player who overcomes personal or injury related issues to excel on the field. Fields had been battling Hodgkin’s disease but as the illness went into remission, he was able to return to the field and put on a show, with 60 tackles, four sacks and one interception. That was good enough to make it to the NFL’s Pro Bowl, but now he’ll be sitting out again, as the disease has come out of remission and will require treatment.

Panthers Sign Picks
In other Panthers news, the team signed up two more players on Monday. 5th round pick Geoff Hangartner, a center out of Texas A&M agreed to terms. Hangartner was an All-Big 12 player with the Aggies, starting 36 straight games at one point. Hugo Lira was also added to the roster this week. A wide receiver in NFL Europe, Lira will compete for a spot either on the team itself or to be assigned to the practice squad.

News & Sports For July 12th

Foster To Run Again
There’s officially a race on for mayor of North Wilkesboro. Incumbent Steve Foster has filed papers to run again, choosing to go against challenger Gerald Lankford. Foster had held off on making a decision until now, as he wanted to clear up some health concerns before committing. The two faced off once before during the 2001 election. Other races are also still open for contenders as the deadline to file in August 5th at noon.

Guns Stolen From North Wilkesboro Residence
How do you break into a locked house without leaving behind any evidence? A North Wilkesboro couple is wondering that today, after returning to find that thieves had broke into both their house and also one of their cars. Two guns, a Remington .22 rifle and a Ruger . 22 were both taken in the theft, in addition to a set of Pioneer car stereo and a set of Sony speakers. All total an estimated $1350 in merchandise was stolen, despite there not being any sign of a break-in and no one seen around the property. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Blood Drive Today With Supply Still Low
One day after people gathered around the county to donate blood, another drive will take place later this afternoon in hopes of raising the local supply above the critical stage. Even as donations come in, the need continues to hover around the critical stage. One of the reasons for that is the fact blood is only good for a 42-day period. After that time is up, the blood is worthless despite there being a need. The drive today will go on at the Wilkesboro Civic Center from 2-6:30pm. As always you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs before giving blood. To donate, you can either show up at the scene or call ahead for an appointment. The Red Cross number is 838-4563.

Wreck On 421 Totals Two
A wreck over the weekend on Hwy 421 totaled two vehicles as Wilkesboro police were called out to the scene. A Wilkesboro woman had been attempting to turn off but failed to look both ways before doing so. She didn’t notice a North Wilkesboro woman coming from the other way until it was too late. No one was injured in the crash, however estimated damages were placed at just over $9000.

Just Took Off Running
During a traffic check Sunday near the Mountain View Road, sheriff’s deputies saw a vehicle pull up and then stop. The driver then jerked the wheel and pulled off the road, jumping out of the car and taking off running into the woods. Deputies pursued by were unable to catch up with the man. His car was impounded and now authorities are using the man’s license plate to track him down and find out why he was in such a hurry to leave. No drugs or any other illegal substances could be found inside the vehicle still the investigation is ongoing.

Shots Fired At Man’s Vehicle
Deputies are trying to determine who took a shot at a local man as he was pulling out of the Circle C parking lot over the weekend. The man was helping carry his passed out friend to the vehicle when he got into an argument with an employee of the business. Then as the two were driving off, the friend woke up and started yelling obscene things out the window. Seconds later the man heard a shot ring out and when he pulled over down the road to check, there was a bullet hole in his truck. Neither man could give deputies a description of who shot at the vehicle however the investigation is ongoing.

Ebenezer To Hold Benefit Tournament
The Ebenezer Christian Childrens Home is gearing up for their annual benefit golf tournament. This year the tournament will be at Oakwoods Country Club on Saturday August 13th. There will be morning and afternoon flights. The format for the tournament is 4-man's captains choice and there will be over $50,000 in prizes up for grabs. Entry fee is $75 per person and if you pay by August 1st you will automatically be eligible for a 3 day- two night vacation. To sign up or for a brochure you may call the Home at 667-5683, that's 667-LOVE.

Farmers May Be Eligible For Federal Grant
Some good news for Wilkes County farmers today, as a new federal grant could be returning money to your pockets. Under the new program, put out by North Carolina’s Department of Agriculture, a portion of certification costs would be reimbursed if the farmers met certain guidelines. This applies to any farmer who has been certified by a USDA-accredited agent between October of 2004 and September of this year. Farmers have to turn in applications in order to be reimbursed and you can do that by getting in touch with Kevin Hardison at the state Agriculture Department. His number is 919-733-7136 ext. 232.

Relief From The Heat Available For Seniors
Yesterday the sun came out and quickly brought temperatures up into the mid 80s. With the same thing being forecasted for the rest of the week, it’s important for everyone to stay cool. That’s especially important for seniors and the Wilkes Senior Citizens Council recognizes this, as they are giving fans to anyone who meets their requirements. In order to get one, you must be at least 60 years old, live in Wilkes and be served by Duke Power. In addition, your home situation must present a threat to your life without the fans. Applications are being taken from 8:30am til 5pm at the Wilkes Senior Citizens Council office, located at 910 C Street in Wilkesboro. For more information you can contact them at 651-7811.

State News

Charlotte Police Ordered To Cut Down On Overtime
Charlotte police have been ordered to cut down on the time they spend investigating crimes in the area. The reason being that the city’s police department is hoping to cut down on the amount of overtime they pay out, a decision that was first reached in May and is now having some effects on the local area. According to statistics, violent crimes are up 30% in the area from the same time a year ago. While officials had no comment, the police union is checking into if the cuts are legal.

Blame It On The Squirrel
Over ten thousand people without power, thousands of dollars spent cleaning it up and traffic jams created throughout the day. For all this, you can thank one little squirrel. In Raleigh on Monday, a squirrel climbed into a transformer breaker in the western part of the city, shorting it out and leaving 11,500 people in the dark for nearly thirty minutes. That means traffic lights malfunctioned, businesses had to shut down operations and kids at home were in the dark. Thankfully however no one was injured and no accidents were reported during the blackout.

Debate Arrives Over Dancing Bill
Does North Carolina really need an official state dance? That’s what members of the State House are asking today, after a bill was proposed that would define several dances as being linked to the state. Clogging and shagging were the two that made the final vote, 101-7 and will be turned over for a vote in the Senate. Those seven politicians, members of both parties, were outraged that during a time when the state doesn’t even have a budget in place, time would be wasted on designating an official dance. Russell Capps, a Republican from Wake County, said that the naming craze is getting out of hand, after recent votes saw an official cat and official carnivorous plant chosen. It’s currently still unknown when a new budget proposal will go before the floor for a vote.

New State Drug Plan Causes Controversy
A new plan to cut the cost of prescription drugs has some state employees up in arms today. Under the plan, state workers would have their prescription drug costs significantly lowered, but certain things have been left off the list. As a result, state employees are saying that their quality of life has been damaged along with their bank accounts. What drugs were left off? Hair regrowth formula, male dysfunction and anti-wrinkle creams. As the plan is currently, all drugs that deal with medical conditions would see prices drop.

Advisory Lifted In Time For Vacations
Anyone planning a trip to Wilmington won’t have to worry about the water anymore. The advisory against swimming in Wilmington waterways has been lifted, after bacteria levels in the area dropped off significantly during the last four days. The bacteria got into the water as a result of a sewage spill, that happened last week. A 20-inch pipe ruptured in Hewletts Creek, allowing three million gallons of sewage to pour out into the water.

Greensboro Wants Drug Treatment Center Gone
If you build it, they will come. That’s what people in an East Greensboro neighborhood are worried about today. DREAMS Treatment Center has recently moved into the old YMCA and after remodeling the building, plans to open its’ doors. DREAMS is a drug treatment center, one that would allow addicts to come in and break their habit in a clean environment. People in the area said that by bringing in drug addicts, dealers will come back with them and are hoping that the treatment center moves out soon. To fight the concerns, owners of the center have agreed to a public hearing to be set up in the near future.

Sports Headlines

Local Scoreboard
Around the Little League field last night, in the girls 12 year old softball tournament it was the Wilkes National All Stars beating the Wilkes American All Stars 6-0. And in the boys 12-yr-old division, it was the Wilkes American League All Stars beating Ashe County 12-0. Coming up later today there’ll be a boys game at 5:30 and girls softball with the first pitch at 6pm.

American Legion Scores
In American Legion ball, Lexington pulled off one of the biggest comebacks in history over the weekend, as they beat Winston Salem 11-10. Lexington was down 10-0 in the bottom of the seventh with one last chance to bat, as the ten run rule would have gone into effect. Instead of giving up, the team rallied to score eleven runs in the next three innings, pulling out the win and taking a 2-0 lead in the series.
Meanwhile, Rowan County might be out of the Legion playoffs, but that doesn’t mean their season is over. The team entered a wooden bat tournament over the weekend, taking part in one held at the University of South Carolina. The weekend proved to be a good one for Rowan County, as they ran through the tournament with a 3-0 record.

ASU Quarterback Honored
And up the road in Boone, Appalachian State’s quarterback was selected as a second team All-American. Quarterback Richie Williams received the honor from the Sports Network, who also rated his school as 28th among all Division I-AA football programs heading into this season. Williams earned the honor during a junior year that saw him set school records with 3109 passing yards and 24 touchdowns.

Minor League Scoreboard
Around the minor league scoreboard last night, it was Hickory beating the Rome Braves 4-1. After a rain delay of over an hour, the game started off with a bang, as Crawdads catcher Neil Walker hit a solo shot home run to make it 1-0. Hickory starter Julio Guerrero got his 4th win, going seven innings while only giving up one run on three hits. Up the road in Winston, the Warthogs beat Kinston 5-2. Winston starter Ryan Rodriguez got his ninth win of the season, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning before giving up a two run homer.

NASCAR News
Taking a look at some NASCAR headlines, officials are considering a plan that would ban all testing during the last 10 races of this year. No reasoning was given for the idea, as it’s still in the planning stages. Also due to the damage from last week’s tornadoes, the October 30th race set for Atlanta Motor Speedway may have to be moved. Repair work is still continuing at the site but there are concerns that it might not be finished in time for drivers to roll onto the track. A final decision has yet to be made.

Martin May Hold Off Retirement
News from the Roush Racing camp today, as Mark Martin may not be retiring at the end of the season. Jack Roush asked Martin to consider staying around for one more year, as his replacement won’t be able to take over until 2007. Jamie McMurray was signed by Roush to take over Martin’s car, but his current contract with Chip Ganassi doesn’t run out until the end of next year. Martin hasn’t commented yet, but did tell Roush he was considering it.

News & Sports For July 11th

Keeping An Eye On The Storm
Hurricane Dennis made landfall over the weekend, hitting the coast of Florida and Alabama with wind gusts of over 120 mph. That could be bad news for Wilkes and the surrounding areas, as thunderstorms are supposed to blanket the region from now until possibly Thursday. As the storm, now a Tropical Depression, continues to follow the path of Hurricane Ivan, the next 24 hours will determine what affect it will have on the western part of our state. If it turns left or stays on its’ present course, the National Weather Service said that North Carolina will get rain but nothing else. However if the storm does keep following Ivan’s trail and turns right, the remnants would hit us sometime early Wednesday morning. We’ll continue to update you on the storm’s progress as the day goes on.

School Board Approves Measure To Keep Running
With state lawmakers dragging their heels to approve a new budget, funding for several programs is starting to run out. To head off any potential problems, the Wilkes Board of Education met last week and approved a new measure that would allow the county schools to keep operating until a budget is passed. Board officials authorized the Finance Officer to continue paying salaries and covering the day to day operating costs, which would then be taken out of the new budget once funding is passed down from the state level. A decision isn’t expected from state lawmakers on a new budget in the near future.

Thurmond Man Returns To Find Home Vandalized
A Thurmond man called police after discovering that a house owned by members of his family had been vandalized. The incident happened late last week, as the man came to check on some things he had in storage at the house. What he found was over twelve thousand dollars worth of damage, done to virtually every part of the property. Windows had been shattered, doors busted and floors torn to pieces. Also some of the chairs and tables inside had been damaged as well. No one had lived at the house in over a year as it had mostly been used for simple storage. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Drugs Stolen From Traphill Home
Always lock up before you leave. A man in Hays found out why that’s a good idea late last week, after returning to his truck to discover that thieves had got inside and stolen his medication. The medicine had been kept inside the vehicle, which the man forgot to lock as he went to work. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Wilkes Honors Veterans
Wilkes County took time out to honor our veterans over the weekend and people also got to see their first glimpse of the new Heritage Museum in the process. The names of over 350 soldiers were installed as part of the Veteran’s Brick Walk, which will now lead into the Museum. Families bought bricks for $100 a piece and saw their veterans honored during a ceremony on Saturday. The event itself started at 6pm and afterwards a special concert by the NC National Guard band was held. Throughout the day people could also tour the Robert Cleveland Log Home and the Old Wilkes Jail, while getting their first look inside the Heritage Museum. The Brick Walk ceremony is scheduled to be a yearly event and anyone who buys a brick now will have their veteran honored at the ceremony next July.

Blood Supply Hits Critical Levels
Over 1500 pints of blood are used every day in this state, to perform surgeries and treat patients at local hospitals. When you combine the recent holiday along with the storms that hit the area last week, it’s a recipe for disaster. Wilkes County’s blood supply has fallen past critical levels, to the point there’s not even a full day’s worth left on hand. With the possibility of more storms coming into the area this week, it’s important to get as many people as possible out to the blood drives going on today and tomorrow. Peace Haven Baptist Church is holding a drive from 2-6:30pm and there will be one also at the Glade Creek Community from 2:30-7pm tonight. Then on Tuesday a drive will be held at the Wilkesboro Civic Center from 2-6:30pm. As always you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs before giving blood. To donate, you can either show up at the scene or call ahead for an appointment. The Red Cross number is 838-4563.

Wilkes Open Forum To Discuss Energy
Have you ever wondered what other options besides gas are available to us here in North Carolina? What would happen if we made the switch to renewable energy to power our homes and is that a viable option? In this week’s Wilkes Open Forum, Dr. Dennis Grady of Appalachian State University will be talking about the subject, providing answers as to what choices we have here in North Carolina. That’s coming up this Thursday at 6pm, at the Wilkes County Library.

Workshop Coming Up Next Week On Alzheimer’s
Alzheimers can be a scary thing for both the victim and their family as well. How can you tell if someone has the disease? What are the warning signs? This coming Thursday Villages of Wilkes is sponsoring a workshop on Alzheimers, where people can learn all the information they need to spot if a family member has the disease and also learn what they can do to help take care of that person. That workshop will take place at 7pm on July 14th, at the Peace Haven Baptist Church Family Life Center. For more information you can call Donna Shumate at Villages of Wilkes. Her number is 667-2020.

State News

State Officials Upset At INS Over Raid
Less than a week after federal agents arrested 49 illegal immigrants at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, controversy has developed over the case. But the issue isn’t anything related to national security or how the illegals got into the country. Instead, officials from the state’s Labor Department have come out criticizing the immigration agents for the way the arrest was made. They said that federal agents abused the trust of the illegals, by inviting them to a fake safety meeting and then putting them under arrest. The Labor Department also said that the arrests have made their job harder, because illegals will be less likely now to come learn about current safety measures.

Goats Infest Raleigh Prep School
Students at the School of Communication Arts in Raleigh have been noticing some new classmates over the past few weeks. Goats have started appearing at the school, eating grass on the property and running around on the sidewalks. On Saturday however one of the creatures decided that he wanted to be part of the class. A billy goat slammed into the double layered window at the student’s entrance, shattering the outer pane before just as quickly bouncing away. Animal control had attempted to remove most of the goats, but some escaped. It’s still unknown where the goats came from, as no farmers in the area would lay claim to them.

DSS Miscommunication Blamed In Boy’s Death
Miscommunications between the Social Service agencies in two North Carolina counties are being blamed for the death of an 8-yr-old boy. The boy died from heat exposure after being left in his mother’s car during the weekend of May 21st. Now an investigation has found that complaints had been filed against the mother in two separate counties, Madison and Buncombe. In Buncombe County, complaints were raised against the mother for limiting food from her son. Social workers said they could find no problems and then referred the case to Madison County, where they said the mother then lived. Madison County officials then referred the case back to Buncombe, after workers discovered the family was living in Buncombe, where the mother was being held in jail. Buncombe DSS however says that they never received any files back from Madison. In the meantime, Devin Gibson died in the trunk of his mother’s Ford Escort, where he had been kept 16 hours after she couldn’t find a babysitter. 36-yr-old Michelle Gibson has since been charged with second degree manslaughter, two counts of felony child abuse and voluntary manslaughter.

Soldiers Heading Back To Iraq
The rest didn’t last long for a battalion from Fort Bragg, as the troops have been ordered back into service less than four months after returning from Iraq. The 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment’s 1st Battalion has been called back to deploy to Afghanistan. Around 700 troops will pack up and ship overseas when the battalion leaves in two weeks. The soldiers served in Iraq for one year from 2003 to 2004, also returning to provide security during the elections earlier this year.

Traffic Stop In Randolph County Uncovers Drugs
A traffic stop over the weekend in Randolph County led to the discovery of over a hundred thousand dollars worth of drugs. Deputies at the traffic stop pulled over an Asheville man’s vehicle and searched the car after a K9 unit smelled drugs inside. 5000 doses of Ecstasy were discovered inside, along with just over $9000 in cash. Heip Hoang Pham of Asheville was charged with drug trafficking and deputies estimated the drug’s value at $110,000.

Sports Headlines

Preseason Polls Out & Local Colleges Ranked
September is still a long way off, but the preseason polls have already been released for Division I-AA football and some local teams made the top 100. Appalachian State comes in ranked 28th, with some major hurdles to overcome. After a 6-5 season, the Mountaineers have to replace wide receiver Davon Fowlkes in the lineup, as he’s now in training camp with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts. Western Carolina came in at number 55 after a 4-7 season and the Running Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb made the list at 73, looking to bounce back after a 5-6 season that saw quarterback Nick Roberts toss 17 interceptions. Furman got the number one ranking as the Paladins are coming off a 10-3 year in Division I-AA.

FSU QB Diagnosed
Last month, police took Florida State quarterback Wyatt Sexton to a hospital after he was found in the street calling himself God. At the time people believed that drug use may have had something to do with Sexton’s state, but that turns out not to be the case. Sexton has an advanced stage of Lyme disease, a virus carried by ticks and dangerous to humans. While the disease is treatable, Sexton will miss the entire 2005 football season in recovery. FSU coach Bobby Bowden plans to file with the NCAA to get a sixth year of eligibility for Sexton, so he can finish out his college career on the football field, instead of in a doctor’s office.

Duke Player Accepts invitation To US Tryouts
In college basketball, one player from here in the state accepted an invitation to play for the country. Duke’s Shelden Williams was one of 13 players who accepted invitations to try out for the U.S. team in this year’s World University Games. After the trials, which will go on from July 28th-31st, the team will be put into training camp and then head off to Turkey, where the games will be held starting August the 11th. With only 13 accepting invitations so far, only one will be cut as the team will carry 12 players.

Minor League Scoreboard
Taking a look at the minor league scoreboard this weekend, it was Winston Salem beating Kinston 8-3 in ten innings. The Warthogs snapped a three game losing streak as closer Ehren Wassermann got his fourth win of the year. Up the road in Hickory, the Crawdads broke out with a 5-3 win over the Rome Braves. First baseman Mike Hofius was the hero of the night, coming in to pinch hit before slamming a two run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning. That gave Hickory a 5-3 lead that they would never give up.

Bobcats Lock Up Draft Picks
And in the NBA, the Charlotte Bobcats locked up their draft picks as Raymond Felton and Sean May both came to terms on contracts. Both players are signed for two years guaranteed, with two additional years as a club option. Felton and May will be back on the court this week as they’re part of the Bobcats’ summer league team. They’ll be joined by a former teammate, as Jason Capel has signed on for the summer. Capel, who’s been playing in Europe since graduating from Chapel Hill, is hoping to land a spot on this year’s Bobcat team as a reserve.

NASCAR Scoreboard
For the first time this season, Dale Junior took a seat in victory lane as he won the USG Sheetrock 400. Matt Kenseth came in second, Jimmie Johnson third, Brian Vickers was fourth and last year’s winner Tony Stewart rounded out the top five. The win also helped Junior move back into the playoff hunt, as he stands in 13th now, four back of last playoff spot currently held by Kurt Busch.

News & Sports For July 8th

Wilkes Cleans Up From Cindy
The remnants of Tropical Depression Cindy swept through the area yesterday, bringing along severe thunderstorms and a lot of rain. Now in the wake of the storm people are working to clean up the damage. Reports came in throughout the afternoon yesterday of downed trees, power outages and standing water covering the roads in some places. Duke Power crews worked on into the evening hours, to restore power to all of the affected customers, which totaled in the dozens. Rainfall varied from 3 inches reported in the Traphill area to 1 ½ in Boomer. And Wilkes County residents can now brace for yet another storm on the way. Hurricane Dennis has entered the Gulf of Mexico and is heading towards Florida. If it hits Florida in the next two days, as is expected, the remnants of it could follow a similar path to Cindy and end up passing through North Carolina in the early part of next week.

Second Arrest Made In Assault & Robbery Case
Earlier this week, 3WC reported about a break-in that left a Wilkes County man in the hospital. 83-yr-old Dewitt Warren Souther was beaten and robbed Tuesday night at his home. That same day officials arrested 23-yr-old Justin Charles Haynes and charged him with the crime, noting that he didn’t act alone. Now a second arrest has been made in the case as Haynes’ 21-yr-old girlfriend has also been arrested. Angela Beth Byers was arrested late Wednesday night and charged with assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery and felony larceny.

Missing Girl Found In Charlotte
Some good news today for a local family. As 3WC reported earlier this week, police have been searching for a missing Ashe County teen after she disappeared over the weekend in Wilkesboro. She was found Wednesday night at the home of a man in Matthews North Carolina, uninjured and there of her own accord. Police were able to locate 17-yr-old Amanda Mallette due in part to a caller who saw the missing posters as he came into Wilkes County and informed officials where the girl was and who she was with. Charlotte police were contacted and they met Amanda, determining that she had been staying with the man willingly. Amanda’s father was called and told of his daughter’s whereabouts and drove down to Charlotte to pick her up.

Head Start Taking Applications
Applications are now being taken for this year’s Head Start program, a preschool plan designed to help 3 and 4 year old children with their education. The program, which is run by the BROC agency, is currently accepting new students at their three locations here in Wilkes: The Cub Creek Center, the Lomax Center and also the North Wilkesboro Center. To be eligible, children and their families have to meet certain guidelines, mainly concerning the household income. In addition, the program also accepts disabled or special needs children regardless of their family income. When you come in to apply, you must have the child’s birth certificate and also proof of your income for the last year. This year’s program will run from August until May of 2006, 8:30am til 2:30pm Monday through Thursday. For more information you can call Judi Mitchell at the BROC head office. Her number is 667-7174.

Gas Thieves Hit Before Storm
Before the rain hit Wilkes County, yet another local business fell victim to gas thieves. The Rock Creek Run-In on Elkin Highway was the site of the latest incident, as a man pulled up Wednesday night, pumped his gas and told employees he’d be back to pay in fifteen minutes. He then got into his car and drove off, failing to return as promised. A description of both him and his vehicle were turned over to sheriff’s deputies, along with his license plate number. That investigation is ongoing.

Flood Preparation
In the wake of the storms that passed through Wilkes on Thursday, the water is going down and cleanup is beginning. But after the storm is over, there are some things you need to check out. For instance, If your power was out for any extended period of time, the US Department of Agriculture suggests to keep an eye on your food. Supplies can go bad quickly once the power goes out. And if your house suffered any damage from flood waters, any carpets, mattresses or furniture that was soaked needs to be thrown away if possible. The reason being that the longer water sits in one place, you run the risk of mold or bacteria growing, which can lead to health problems. Finally be careful when walking around your house after a flood. Snakes and other creatures tend to look for dry spots to take refuge during a storm and that could include your basement or outbuilding.

Drugs Found At License Checkpoint
Sheriff’s deputies were operating a license checkpoint on Hwy 16 North earlier this week, when a man pulled up with a gun in the seat next to him. There was a temporary tag on the vehicle and no registration. After a few minutes hesitation, the man agreed to let deputies search his car. Inside they found eight grams of marijuana, some drug paraphernalia and a bottle of Xanax. 35-yr-old James Ivan Roland was arrested and charged with drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Cars Vandalized Around Wilkes
Several drivers across the county found their cars vandalized this week. A Roaring River man walked outside his home to find that during the night, someone had smashed the drivers’ side window. No one in the area heard or saw anything during the night, including the homeowner himself. The same thing happened to a North Wilkesboro woman, as she also took a walk outside to find her drivers’ side window smashed. There are suspects and deputies are continuing the investigation into both cases.

Search Warrant Leads To Drug Bust
Acting on a search warrant, sheriff’s deputies went to a residence on Boone Trail this week. After being let in, deputies discovered 32 grams of marijuana, including some that had been stuffed down into the dog’s food. In addition they also found Xanax and Lorcet bottles lying around in the living room. Deputies arrested 41-yr-old William Andrew Johnston and charged him with felony possession of marijuana, along with another charge of drug possession for the pills and maintaining a home for the sale of drugs.

Veterans Walk Dedication Tomorrow
Tomorrow afternoon people in Wilkes will gather together to honor of some of the county’s veterans. The Veteran’s Brick Walk will be unveiled in a special ceremony on Saturday at the Wilkes Heritage Museum. For anyone who bought a brick before the May 30th deadline, their veteran will be honored during the ceremony. There will also be a car show during the event, tours of the Old Wilkes Jail and Robert Cleveland Log Home and a special concert put on by the North Carolina National Guard Band. Once again that will take place tomorrow July 9th at the Old Wilkes Courthouse. The car show starts at 2pm and the ceremony itself begins at 5:30 that night.

Medicine Stolen From Wilkes Residence
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a residence on Absher Road this week, after thieves kicked down the door and had a look around. The homeowner and his wife returned to find their back door had been forced open and several bottles of prescription painkillers had been stolen from the house. Nothing else was taken from the residence and no other damage could be found. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

State News

Festival Pays Bills Two Years Later
Over two years after it took place, the Festival of Flight in Fayetteville has finished paying off creditors. Due to a lower turnout than expected, the 2003 festival racked up $263,000 in debt and organizers have spent the past two years trying to raise the money to pay. But an anonymous gift from a member of the festival’s board of directors helped the group put together enough funds to make good on their bills. The 11-day event was originally put together as a celebration of the Wright Brothers and their historic flight.

Cindy Leaves Mark Across Western North Carolina
Across North Carolina, Tropical Depression Cindy left her mark on Thursday. In Alexander, Catawba and Surry Counties, tornadoes knocked down trees and caused damage to homes while in Stokes County, a local school was flooded. Severe rain and wind beat down across the rest of the Piedmont and Catawba County also saw a sinkhole form in the parking lot of a Hickory restaurant. Lightning storms were also reported throughout the day and night in several parts of the state. Official damage estimates haven’t been finished yet but the final bill is expected to be in the millions.

Meth Lab Found And Destroyed In Conover
Police in Conover responded to a domestic disturbance this week, only to discover a meth lab in the process. A woman at the house had called police, wanting to take out assault charges on the two men inside. Police agreed and took her to the magistrate, where warrants were obtained. Once both men were in custody, they began talking about a meth lab being run out of the home by some of their friends who actually live in the home where they were arrested at. Police confirmed the lab’s existence and turned things over to the State Bureau of Investigation, whose agents began destroying it on Wednesday.

Two Men Charged With Shooting At Deputy’s Home
Officials in Catawba County have made two arrests in a case we first reported for you earlier this week. Two deputies with the Catawba County sheriff’s department had come home to find their houses had been shot at over the past week, in addition to one of the men’s patrol cars. Now 21-yr-old James Drew Ballard and 20-yr-old Adam Michael Miller have been arrested and charged with firing a weapon into an occupied property. Both men were arrested late Wednesday night, after investigators received an anonymous tip. The two had a brief struggle with officers, which resulted in them being taken to the hospital afterward for minor injuries. Now both are in jail without explaining why they took shots at the two homes. The two are also being investigated now by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Concerns Raised As Illegals Go To Trial
A federal judge raised concerns on Thursday about the case moving forward against 43 illegal immigrants that were found to be working at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Originally 49 had been arrested, but six were later released. Some of the illegals had been working for a subcontractor of the Department of Defense on the base, doing construction work. Now the judge overseeing the case has said he’s not sure that the workers understand the charges being brought against them and need to have attorneys, which they presently don’t. As a result, he ruled that all proceedings will be slow to guarantee the case is handled in the right way. The illegals got the jobs by using fake social security and green cards, which they obtained after coming across the border. INS officials called the incident a matter of national security, due to the fact that terrorists could easily use the same techniques as the illegals to gain access to the United States.

Thieves Steal From The Red Cross
The Highland chapter of the Red Cross is investigating itself today, after $20,000 was discovered to be missing. Officials believe the money was embezzled by a volunteer, who confessed when confronted. Formal criminal charges are coming as the case has been turned over to Fayetteville police. The organization is requesting both criminal charges be filed and the money repaid in full before any plea deal would be considered. Officials with the organization say that while the incident might hurt donations, they are more than willing to open up their books for any concerned donors.

Sports Headlines

Lawson May Leave Early For The Pros
UNC Tarheel fans might not want to get too attached to Tywon Lawson when he steps onto campus in 2006. During an interview this week, Lawson said that if the NBA hadn’t installed an age limit, he would have considered going straight to the pros. Lawson is currently the nation’s number one high school point guard and said that if the opportunity presents itself, he’ll do what’s best for him. If that means leaving school after one year, he’ll go if an NBA team guarantees him a spot as a lottery pick.

Former Duke Player To Make Professional Debut
A former member of the Duke Blue Devils will make their professional debut this weekend in golf. Brittany Lang, who was the ACC player of the year, left the Duke team after the season ended to pursue her dream of becoming a professional and she’ll get that chance today. Lang is part of the field at the LPGA’s Jamie Farr Owens Coming Classic, which teed off yesterday. She’s also received a sponsor exemption to play in next weekend’s BMO Financial Canadian Women’s Open in Nova Scotia.

Randolph Given Another Chance
Shavlik Randolph has another chance at making it onto an NBA roster. The 6-10 Randolph left Duke after his junior season, only to go unnoticed during last month’s NBA draft. Now the Philadelphia 76ers have extended an offer to come in and work out during the summer. If the team likes his performance, a contract could be waiting. The Sixers’ staff said they liked Randolph’s athleticism and thought he was worth taking a chance on.

NASCAR News
Good news from around the NASCAR circuit today, as fans will be making the trek out to the Lady in Black for another season. Darlington Raceway is safe for 2006 according to track owners, who allowed letters to be sent out this week for ticket renewals for the May 13th Dodge Dealers 500. Over the past few years concerns have been raised as to Darlington’s future, but the “Lady in Black” as the track has come to be known will live for another season. Officials said that the sold out race this past May convinced them to keep the track going at least for a few more years. The full schedule for next season will be released later on this summer.

Atlanta Speedway Damaged
North Carolina wasn’t the only area to fall victim to the remnants of Tropical Depression Cindy. Georgia was also hit hard, especially at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Two of the scoring towers were torn down and the Weaver grandstand was ripped to shreds, in addition to several buildings near the starting line. In addition, the Richard Petty tribute garden was wrecked, with lamp posts and flag poles tossed around the area. Estimated damages were placed at around $35 million however track officials said they would have things up and running by October 30th, when the Nextel Cup comes to town with the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500.

News & Sports For July 7th

Breaking News:Missing Girl Found In Charlotte
As 3WC reported earlier this week, police have been searching for a missing Ashe County teen after she disappeared over the weekend in Wilkesboro. She was found last night at the home of a man in Matthews North Carolina, uninjured and there of her own accord. Police were able to locate 17-yr-old Amanda Mallette due in part to a caller who saw the missing posters as he came into Wilkes County and informed officials where the girl was and who she was with. Charlotte police were contacted and they met Amanda, determining that she had been staying with the man willingly. Amanda’s father was called and told of his daughter’s whereabouts and drove down to Charlotte to pick her up.

FLOOD WATCH
FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT THIS MORNING TOLATE THURSDAY NIGHT FOR WILKES COUNTY. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN OVER THE NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS AND THE SOUTHWESTMOUNTAINS OF VIRGINIA DURING THE MORNING HOURS TODAY. PERIODS OFHEAVY RAIN WILL SPREAD NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE REST OF THEREGION BY LATE AFTERNOON. THE HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH THELOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST AND ISEXPECTED TO EXIT THE AREA IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING
ON FRIDAY. THE THREAT OF WIDESPREAD FLOODING OF CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL BE HIGH. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE LIKELY...WITH THE HEAVIEST ALONG AND EITHER SIDE OF THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY IN NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA. A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS.

Man Assaulted And Robbed At His Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a North Wilkesboro man’s home on Tuesday, after he was assaulted and left for dead. The man’s son called deputies after walking in to find his father lying on the bed with multiple injuries. The house had also been ransacked and an estimated $2700 worth of material taken, along with the man’s Plymouth Voyager. Authorities were able to track down the thief in Winston Salem, after he used the man’s credit cards. 23-yr-old Justin Haynes was arrested and charged in the assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery and felony larceny. In addition, officials are still searching for others who were also involved. The 83-yr-old victim was taken to the hospital and later transferred to Forsyth Medical Center, where he’s currently recovering. Sheriff’s deputies are asking that anyone with information regarding the case please contact them at 667-8900.

Marijuana Traced And Burned In Ronda
Sheriff’s deputies were tipped off on Monday about some marijuana being grown on Clingman Road in Ronda. After investigating they found 42 plants along the field, across from a nearby park. All the plants were pulled up and destroyed, ranging in size from two to seven inches high. It’s unknown at this time who planted the marijuana but the investigation is ongoing.

Wreck Totals Two And Driver Later Arrested
Two cars were totaled after a wreck on 421 Monday night. A Wilkesboro man was driving down the highway when another vehicle attempted to cut in front, pulling out of the local Shell Station. The two cars slammed into each other, with estimated damages placed at $8000. The second driver then jumped out of his car and took off running down the highway, only to be caught by Wilkesboro police later on that night. Carlos Rodriguez-Torres was arrested and charged with DWI and hit & run.

Wilkes Board Of Elections Meets
The Wilkes County Board of Elections held a meeting Wednesday morning to renew their municipal agreement with all the towns in the area. Representatives from each town in Wilkes signs an agreement, allowing the board to help them run elections throughout the year and those documents were renewed during the meeting on Wednesday. In addition, more candidates have put their names in for the election as Manuel Wood submitted to be a candidate for town commissioner of Ronda. So far only five total candidates have put their names in the hat for positions in the county, but as we get closer to the deadline you can expect that to change. The deadline for filing in this year’s election is August 5th at 12 noon. You can also go online to check out who has already entered the races at http://www.wilkescounty.net/. Just scroll down the left side of the page and click on the elections icon.

Games Stolen While Owner Fishes
A Roaring River man called sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday after returning from a fishing trip to find that someone had broke into his trailer. A window had been busted out and the thieves climbed through, stealing the man’s Playstation II game system. However no other damage was done to the property and nothing else was stolen from the home. There are no suspects but deputies are continuing the investigation.

Orientation Date Set For West Freshmen
Even though we’re not even halfway through with the month of July, it’s time for some kids to start thinking about the upcoming school year. West Wilkes High School has announced the date for this year’s freshman orientation. That will take place Thursday, August 11th starting at 6pm. The event will last for an hour and will be held in the gym. Parents of the incoming students are also requested to attend. To get more information about the orientation, you can call the school at 973-4503.

Focus On Charity
For every normal ordinary charity out to help people, there are usually three or four just looking to make a quick buck. But how can you tell the difference? There are several ways that fake charities can hook you in a scam, and we'll be discussing them today during Focus on the Foothills. David Dalrymple with the Better Business Bureau will be Brian's guest during the program today. They'll be discussing what makes a charity legit and how you can donate money with confidence, knowing that it won’t be lining someone’s pockets. That’s coming up later today after the midday stock report at 1:05pm.

Came In For A Look Around
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a residence on the Damascus Church Road earlier this week after reports came in of a break-in. The home’s back door frame had been broken and someone had been through the house, but didn’t take anything. Nothing was stolen and also nothing else was damaged in the residence. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Stuff The Bus Continuing
The annual Stuff the Bus program is continuing around Wilkes County. Several locations have been set up around the area to take donations. Each year, Communities in Schools attempts to help needy kids around Wilkes, by providing them with the supplies they lack for class. If you want to donate supplies, there are buses at several locations including Wal-Mart, CVS, Eckerd, Staples and also between the First Baptist and First United Methodist Churches in North Wilkesboro. You can also drop off items at Dollar General, Super 10 and the Communities in Schools office. All different types of school supplies are needed, everything from paper to pens to calculators. For more information you can call Amie Blevins at Communities in Schools. Her number is 651-7830 extension #23. And once again that program kicks off in two days on July 1st.

Ran Off With The Generator
A North Wilkesboro couple returned home earlier this week to find that someone had broke into a building on their property. Two rocking chairs had been broken and a generator was missing from the storage area. In addition, the thieves had written obscene phrases on the couples’ trash cans. Just over a hundred dollars worth of damage was done to the property and the investigation is ongoing.

State News

Bank Of America To Close Several Carolina Branches
Bad news today for some Bank of America employees, as the company announced plans to shut down 12 branches in North Carolina. Most of the banks affected are in Charlotte, including both stand alone and offices inside other stores. The move was part of a larger shut down of 100 locations across the nation, which company officials say is necessary as they examine their branch network. Mainly any employees affected will possibly just be relocated, as the company is also planning to build 100 new branches across the U.S. later this year. Any customers that would be affected by the move will be receiving a letter in the mail.

Illegal Workers Arrested At Air Force Base
A raid at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base uncovered several dozen illegal immigrants working at the site. On Wednesday, 49 people were arrested at the base in Goldsboro, all charged with violating the nation’s immigration policy. Federal agents said that the group was able to slip through immigration by using counterfeit documents. The group members had access to several sensitive areas at the base. As part of a construction crew, they worked on local homes, the infrastructure of the base itself and possibly some of the security systems. All are currently in an INS office in Cary, awaiting a federal court date.

Raw Sewage Spills In Wilmington
Officials in the Wilmington area have learned that a sewage problem is larger than they expected. Over the July 4th holiday, gallons of raw sewage spilled out into Hewletts Creek after a sewer line ruptured. All fishing & swimming has been banned in an area stretching from Wrightsville Beach to the Intracoastal Waterway near Peden Point and now comes news that cleanup might take longer than expected. Originally officials estimated the spill at one million gallons, but that number has since more than doubled. After examining records and taking samples, it’s now been placed at three million gallons, with officials concerned that the bacteria has merged with the sediment of the local waterways. What that means for locals is that all waterways are off limits until further tests can be done.

Harris Teeter To Buy Some Winn Dixie Stores
Good news today for some Winn Dixie employees, as Harris Teeter announced plans this week to buy nine of the company’s stores in North Carolina. In exchange for $16.75 million, Harris Teeter takes over each store’s lease and bought out the inventory. Overall 326 stores over a four state area are being closed by Winn Dixie if buyers can’t be found, causing a job loss for 22,000 people. In related news, the North Wilkesboro store has yet to receive an official bid, according to company officials.

US Air To Cut Out Pretzels
Still trying to find more ways of saving money, US Airways announced this week that they’ll be cutting back on some of their in flight services. As of September, the airline will no longer give out bags of pretzels to customers during the flight, a plan that will put an extra one million a year into the company’s pocket. Instead hungry passengers can buy a three ounce bag of trail mix for one dollar on domestic flights, while sandwiches are sold now on all flights over 2 ½ hours for at least $5 each. US Airways did say however that free juice and soda will still be served. Company officials said the change was made so that they could compete with lower-priced airlines.

Sports Headlines

Duke Recruiting Class Ranked Number One
It looks like this might be the year of the Blue Devils, if preseason predictions turn out to be right. Scouts from across the nation have come out and said that this year’s recruiting class for Duke is the strongest in the nation, with several players that some analysts believe could have gone in the NBA draft. Power forward Josh McRoberts was rated as the number one player in the nation, with point guard Greg Paulus right behind at number eighteen. Practice begins for the upcoming season on October 15th.

Blue Devil Possibly Pulling Double Duty
A member of the Duke basketball team will be pulling double duty this fall if some staff members have their way. Point guard Greg Paulus was also New York state’s all time passing leader in football when he finished high school this past year, wrapping up his senior season with 11,763 yards to go along with 152 touchdowns. The 6’1 Paulus is hoping to focus on basketball and fight for a starting job, but several members of Duke’s football team are trying to get him to pull double duty. As for Paulus himself, he says he’s just at the university to play basketball.

Tarheels To Face Davidson In Hoops
While a complete schedule hasn’t been announced yet, the UNC Tarheels at least know one of their opponents for next season. Davidson head coach Bob McKillop announced this week that the two schools had agreed to face each other in Chapel Hill on January 3rd 2006. The Heels aren’t the only big name school on the Davidson schedule however, as they have away games set up against Duke on Nov. 19th, Saint Joseph’s on Nov. 26th and UNC Charlotte on Nov. 30th.

Minor League Scoreboard
Around the minor league last night, it was Hickory beating Columbus 6-3. Crawdads first baseman Mike Carlin went four for four at the plate, hitting his tenth home run in the process while starter Julio Guerrero got his seventh win of the season. Guerrero went six innings, giving up three runs on eight hits. Up the road in Winston, the Warthogs took over first place in their division after a 6-5 win over Potomac. Winston took the lead for good in the eighth inning, driving in three runs while holding off a Potomac attack. Winston reliever Juan Ovalles got his third win of the season, striking out three in two innings of work.

NASCAR News
Around the Nextel Cup circuit, Carl Edwards bounced back and recorded the quickest time of any driver in the first day of testing for next month’s Brickyard 400. Edwards had a speed of 179.165 around the track, beating Jimmy Spencer, Ricky Rudd and Edwards own teammate, Kurt Busch, who finished second.

News & Sports For July 6th

News & Sports For Wednesday July 6th 2005

Teen Missing In Wilkesboro Area
The search is continuing today for an Ashe County teen who was last seen in the Wilkesboro area. 17-yr-old Amanda Mallette was supposedly dropped off at McDonalds by a family friend and was last seen near Wal-Mart in Wilkesboro. That was on Saturday and one day later, the girl’s father filed a missing person’s report. It’s believed that the girl used a pay phone at Wal-Mart to call someone, although authorities are unclear as to what happened after that. The girl’s mother, who is divorced from the father, said she received a call late Saturday night from someone whose name she can’t remember, saying that the girl was headed to the beach and wouldn’t be back for two months. 17-yr-old Amanda was last seen wearing a white tank top and blue jeans. If you have any information regarding the case, please contact Wilkesboro police at 667-7277.

Be Careful Who Has Your Information
A Wilkesboro woman called sheriff’s deputies to her apartment over the holiday, after learning why it’s not such a good idea to hand out keys to just anyone. The woman had just gotten back from a trip to visit her mother and had given out apartment keys to both her boyfriend and her neighbor. Days after she left however, the woman got a phone call saying a party was going on in her apartment and it sounded like things were getting crazy. When the woman returned, she found over $900 worth of items stolen from the place. Also it looked like someone had been living in the apartment. There are suspects in the case and the investigation is ongoing.

News From The Commissioners Meeting
Wilkes County Commissioners held their monthly meeting last night and 3WC’s own Ken Byrd opened up the proceedings, first with the invocation and then with his rendition of “The Ragged Old Flag”. Afterwards, several items were presented to the commissioners. The Animal Control Ordinance, which had been considered but put aside during the last meeting, passed with a unanimous vote. Under the new plan, complaints of animal cruelty can simply be called in & spoken instead of being put down in writing. Also, all dogs in the county would be required to have ID, some type of rabies tag, owner identification or microchip certifying who they belong to. Finally all dogs that have been labeled as dangerous in the past must be registered with the county’s Animal Control office and tracked, along with all trained guard dogs to prevent any incidents should the dog get loose. Concerns were once again raised about the preparations for this to take effect, as Wilkes doesn’t yet have any procedures in place. But animal control agreed to work on getting things set up in time for the September deadline when this would take effect. Jody Brady gave the annual forestry service report and listed the three main concerns he planned to target in the next year. Working on maintaining water quality, also replanting trees after lumber companies have been through and dealing with the growing urban population were the three main issues cited.

Always Keep Your Doors Locked
A Wilkesboro man found out why it’s a good idea to keep your car doors locked over the weekend. A small handgun had been stored in the man’s truck, but he hadn’t kept the doors locked, leaving it open for anyone to steal. And that’s apparently what happened as he returned this past weekend to find it missing. Nothing else was taken from inside the truck and no damage was done to the vehicle itself. Wilkesboro police are investigating the case.

Ebenezer To Hold Benefit Tournament
The Ebenezer Christian Childrens Home is gearing up for their annual benefit golf tournament. This year the tournament will be at Oakwoods Country Club on Saturday August 13th. There will be morning and afternoon flights. The format for the tournament is 4-man's captains choice and there will be over $50,000 in prizes up for grabs. Entry fee is $75 per person and if you pay by August 1st you will automatically be eligible for a 3 day- two night vacation. To sign up or for a brochure you may call the Home at 667-5683, that's 667-LOVE.

Gas Thieves Hit Another Wilkes Business
With the temperature rising and gas prices following suit, it’s no surprise that some people are trying to get away with not paying at the pump. The Fast Track on Hwy 421 West in Wilkesboro was the latest business to fall victim to the practice, as a man pulled up in a Jeep Cherokee and started filling up. After he was done, the man got into his vehicle and took off down the road. Employees inside the building were able to get a description of both the man and his car, along with the vehicle’s license plate number. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Vandals Break Into Former School
Wilkesboro police were called out to the former Woodward Middle School on Monday, after a burglar alarm on the building was triggered. A window on the property’s north side had been shattered and a nearby door was propped open with a rock. When deputies investigated, they found several teenagers around the building, who swore they didn’t go inside or have anything to do with the vandalism. Deputies also found a BB gun hidden in the grass near the school. Total damage done was estimated at $200. Names of the boys were taken and the investigation continues.

Wilkes To Honor Veterans This Saturday
This coming Saturday people in Wilkes will gather together in honor of some of the county’s veterans. The Veteran’s Brick Walk will be unveiled in a special ceremony this coming Saturday July 9th at the Wilkes Heritage Museum. For anyone who bought a brick before the May 30th deadline, that veteran will be honored during the ceremony. There will also be a car show during the event, tours of the Old Wilkes Jail and Robert Cleveland Log Home and a special concert put on by the NC Army National Guard Band. Once again that will take place Saturday July 9th at the Old Wilkes Courthouse. The car show starts at 2pm and the ceremony itself begins at 5:30 that night.

Focus On Charitable Donations
It seems like not a day goes by that we don’t hear from some new charity, asking for a donation. But how can you tell the good charities from the scams? And also how do all these charities get your information to call or send you something in the mail? David Dalrymple with the Better Business Buraey will be Brian's guest during Focus on the Foothills, as they’ll be talking about some of the ‘warning signs’ you can look for and how you can tell a fake charity from one who’s actually trying to help the community. That’s tomorrow at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Guns Stolen From Millers Creek Home
A Millers Creek man called sheriff’s deputies earlier this week after returning home to find the doors to his house standing wide open. Also someone had opened the windows in the residence, before walking out with two of the man’s guns. Both guns, a 16 gauge single shot and a .22 caliber rifle had been stored inside. Despite the theft, there was no sign of a break-in and also nothing else taken from the home. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

State News

4th Of July Leads To Charlotte Riot
Two days later police in Charlotte are still trying to sort out what happened during a celebration Monday night in the city. Officers were called in from across the county as chaos and a near riot broke out among some 2000 who were gathered to watch the fireworks. The incident happened after the show ended, as the people made their way out of the intersection between Trade and Tryon Street. Someone then tossed fireworks into the crowd, causing a panic that saw traffic blocked and dumpsters tossed into the street. These same unidentified people also tossed firecrackers at police as the chaos continued. No one was injured as almost 20 people were arrested in the wake of the panic. It took officials until 1am to get things back under control.

Flooding In Caldwell Leads To Repair Work
The holiday didn’t turn out so well for people in Caldwell County, as work crews are still cleaning up from this weekend’s storms. Roads along Highway 90 were flooded on Sunday night and the DOT still cleaning up in the storm’s wake. At one campground in the area, people got a surprise as a wall of water tore through the area, coming down off the mountain. Fifty campers had to be evacuated from the area and some were left behind, stranded on a bridge. Thankfully however the water subsided and no one was hurt. Still trees, limbs and water damage from the storm present DOT workers with a pretty heavy workload for the rest of the week.

Kernersville Park Gets Attention
As we celebrate America’s independence this week, one park in Kernersville is gathering national attention, but not due to any events being held there. Fourth of July Park is becoming noticed due to its’ unique name, given out almost 20 years ago when city officials took the area used for firework celebrations and turned it into a park. Now the park has also been renovated after the local Parks and Recreation Department spent a million dollars on repairs, making the area open to the public seven days a week.

Highway Patrol Cracks Down
Over 3700 citations were issued by Highway Patrol officers over the holiday weekend, according to officials on Tuesday. 700 tickets were issued for exceeding speeds of 75 mph in the five counties officers had designated as the deadliest last week. That included Johnston County, Robeson, Wake, Iredell and Cumberland. Overall speeding was the number one violation over the holiday but officers also handed out 735 equipment violations including 466 for not wearing a seatbelt.

Arsonist Burns Boy Scout Home
An Alamance County building that has served as a home for boy scouts over the past few decades is in ruins today after someone tried to burn it to the ground. During the holiday, someone set fire to a group of canoes outside the Alamance County troop’s building and the fire quickly spread to the structure itself. As the town had recently withdrawn fire insurance on the building, it’s up to the members to raise more than $30,000 to rebuild it. Law enforcement in the area are still investigating the case but so far there haven’t been any arrests. The troop is however accepting donations and you can send something to Boy Scout Troop 65, Kennette Drive, Graham North Carolina 27253.

Sports Headlines

Fastpitch Baseball Camp Coming Up
For any kids 13 and under who want to develop their baseball skills, a camp will be going on starting July 9th at the West Wilkes Middle School. There are only a few slots left for the camp, as you have to pre-register. Camp instructors will teach players how to work on their defensive skills, like how to field balls, hit their cut off man and turn a double play, while also working on their hitting technique and baserunning. Registration is $15 and to sign up, you can call Coach Summer Vogel at 927-3870 or send an email to CoachV@tristatebreakers.com

Minor League Scoreboard
Around the minor leagues, it was Hickory falling to Columbus 12-6. Crawdad reliever Dustin Craig got the loss, giving up five earned runs in less than an inning of work. It was a different story up the road in Winston however, as the Warthogs beat Kinston 8-7, wrapping up a three game sweep of the Indians. Rafael Flores got his third win of the season, giving up one run in two innings of relief. Ehren Wassermann locked up his 18th save of the year.

American Legion Action
And news today from around the American Legion fields, as one team was disqualified from competition. Hours before their game with Shelby was supposed to start, the Huntersville team was disqualified after only eight players showed up for the game. Lacking enough players, the team saw their post season come to an end without even playing one game. Burke County took Huntersville’s place, just a few days after being eliminated by Hickory in a play-in game.

Chris Paul Signs Contract
In the NBA, rookie Chris Paul officially joined the league yesterday, signing a contract with the New Orleans Hornets. Paul’s deal was for three years, with options for two more on the table. While terms were not discussed, it’s believed he’ll be making $10 million in the first three years, a number that could double if the options are picked up. Paul will now head to Las Vegas, where he’ll be starting for the Hornets’ summer league squad, playing five games over the next week.

NASCAR News
Carl Edwards will have a decision to make at the end of this year, if he wants to run in both the Busch and Nextel Cup series next season. This year pulling double duty has had some mixed results for Edwards, who currently sits in fourth place in the Busch standings. But after a string of wins and top five finishes in the Nextel Cup, he’s slipped to 12th place having come up short the past two weeks. Edwards finished 38th at Sonoma and then 33rd at Daytona last week. Also with possible rule changes coming that would penalize drivers for running both circuits, a decision on Edwards’ future will have to be made before the season starts up in February.

News & Sports For July 5th

Teen Missing In Wilkesboro Area
The search is continuing today for an Ashe County teen who was last seen in the Wilkesboro area. 17-yr-old Amanda Mallette was supposedly dropped off at McDonalds by a family friend and was last seen near Wal-Mart in Wilkesboro. That was on Saturday and one day later, the girl’s father filed a missing person’s report. It’s believed that the girl used a pay phone at Wal-Mart to call someone, although authorities are unclear as to what happened after that. The girl’s mother, who is divorced from the father, said she received a call late Saturday night from someone whose name she can’t remember, saying that the girl was headed to the beach and wouldn’t be back for two months. 17-yr-old Amanda was last seen wearing a white tank top and blue jeans. If you have any information regarding the case, please contact Wilkesboro police at 667-7277.

Jobless Rate Stayed Constant In May
The latest employment figures were released over the weekend and Wilkes stayed constant during the month of May. The county’s jobless rate of 5.6% remained the same, according to the state employment security commission. That’s still fairly ahead of the statewide average, which has fallen to 5.1%.

Stolen Check Turns Up In Wilkesboro
Wilkesboro police are investigating how a stolen check managed to turn up in the area over the weekend. A check was turned in to officers from the Run-In on Oakwoods Road, after it turned out to have been stolen back in June. The check had been taken from a car in Hickory, but made it’s way into Wilkes, where it was used over the weekend. There is a suspect in the case, as a Granite Falls teenager signed her name to the check, despite it not being her account. The investigation is ongoing.

Be Careful Where You Leave Your Car
Be careful where you leave your car. A Wilkesboro man learned why that’s important over the weekend after returning to find it had been decorated in his absence. The man had parked his car in front of his apartment before leaving for a concert with friends. When he got back, he found that some type of substance had been poured all over it, smeared on the top and middle of the car’s hood. There are no suspects but the investigation is ongoing.

Blood Supply Drained With Drive Tomorrow
Heading into the first week of July, Wilkes County is facing a blood shortage, with almost all types in less than a day’s supply. Especially needed are Type O and Type B, which are in critical condition. Over the next two weeks there will be several blood drives going on around the county. To set up an appointment for one or to volunteer, you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

Items Stolen From Britthaven Nursing Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to Britthaven Nursing Home over the weekend after an air conditioner was stolen from one of the residents. There are no suspects and no signs of a break-in, but one of the air conditioners was just missing from the window. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Money Stolen From Traphill Home
A Traphill woman called sheriff’s deputies over the weekend after discovering that someone had stolen some money from her home. There were no signs of a break-in and nothing else taken from the residence, except for $15 worth of quarters taken from the woman’s bedroom. There is however a suspect in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Workshop Coming Up Next Week On Alzheimer’s
When you hear the word Alzheimers, what do you think of? How can you tell if someone is suffering from the disease? What are the signs to look for? Next week Villages of Wilkes is helping to sponsor a workshop on the disease, where family members can learn all the information they need to help prepare. That workshop will take place at 7pm on July 14th, at the Peace Haven Baptist Church Family Life Center. For more information you can call Donna Shumate at Villages of Wilkes. Her number is 667-2020.

Local Woman Falls Victim To Fraud
A Wilkesboro woman called police over the weekend after falling victim to credit card fraud. She discovered the problem after her card was rejected for being over the limit. Having not used it in a while, the woman accessed her account and found that just over $400 had been spent on it in the past week. There is a suspect in the case and officers are continuing the investigation.

Tag Stolen From Purlear Woman’s Car
A Purlear woman noticed something strange when she returned home from a trip to the store over the weekend. Her license plate was missing, The woman had just bought the vehicle and a temporary tag had been placed on the car, which had been in place when she left for town earlier in the day. Returning home, she saw that the tag had been ripped off while she was in the store. There are no suspects but the investigation is ongoing.

State News

Home Of Deputies Shot At
Officials in Catawba County are investigating today after the homes of two sheriff’s deputies were shot at. The incidents happened over the weekend, while the deputies were away. Deputy Brian Kelly came out Sunday morning to find the holes, most likely caused by a shotgun, all over his property. Neighbors later told officials that they thought the sounds were simply fireworks being shot off. Two windows were shattered at the man’s house and holes covered the siding along the front side of the home. Just up the road in Conover, shots were fired at another deputy’s home, as well as his patrol car. Bullets tore into the man’s front porch and three hit the patrol car. The SBI has taken over the case and officials say there are suspects.

Alligator Attacks Swimmer In Wilmington
It’s always a good idea to read the signs before going swimming. A man in Wilmington learned that lesson the hard way this weekend, after being attacked by a 10-ft alligator. The 40-yr-old had decided to go swimming in Greenfield Lake, despite signs posted in the area that say not to get in the water due to alligators inside. He ignored repeated cries from people nearby and within minutes one of the local alligators clamped down on his right arm. After the gator let go, locals managed to drag the man to shore, after which he was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Jobs Leaving Guilford County
The 4th of July didn’t bring good news for people in Guilford County, as 70 people were informed over the weekend that they’ll be losing their jobs this year. DaimlerChrysler Commericial Buses announced plans to close down production of the SLF model and with the change also comes some layoffs. Employees at the company’s Guilford County plant were told that 70 of them would be let go over the next few months, with the cuts mainly coming in manufacturing and administration. All affected employees will be informed of the move later this week.

Former Green Beret Sued By NC Man
A U.S. soldier currently in an Afghan prison now finds himself facing a lawsuit from a North Carolina man. Green Beret Jonathan Idema is serving a five year term in Afghanistan after being found guilty of abusing prisoners at a makeshift prison. Now he’s being sued by a NC man who claims the soldier owes him part of a $650,000 settlement. Idema had received the money after winning a lawsuit against his property managers, who had sold equipment from a business he owned while Idema was in a U.S. jail back in the 1990s. Bill Hagler said he helped Idema win the suit, but never received payment.

Weekend Rains Cause Evacuations
Rains that poured over North Carolina this weekend caused the evacuation of an assisted living center in Kannapolis. Sunday night 60 residents and employees from the Kannapolis Village Assisted Living Center were moved out, after high water threatened to flood the area. Later on that night, the Cabarrus County Water Rescue Team was called out to retrieve people from a nearby mobile home park, who had been trapped by the high water. All total the Rescue Team managed to retrieve 73 people from the area

Man Burns House And Tries To Shoot Firefighters
Firefighters in Rowan County found themselves under attack this weekend after responding to a call in the Gold Hill community. A 57-yr-old man had set his house on fire and started shooting at firemen as they tried to put it out. Jimmy Handley held off officials for almost two hours, holding a gun and watching as the house burned down. He refused to talk to officials or allow the fire to be put out. Instead after the house had burned down, he took the gun and shot himself. No one else was hurt in the incident. Handley has been identified as a war veteran and it’s believed he was suffering from some type of post traumatic stress disorder.

Sports Headlines

High School Guard Commits To Deacons
Wake Forest landed another recruit for the 2006 basketball season, as a point guard from Central Cabarrus signed on with the Deacons. Ishmael Smith, a 5-11 guard that some say could be better than Chris Paul, turned down offers from South Carolina and Clemson to commit to Wake. During his junior season, Ishmael averaged 25 points and 10 assists for Central Cabarrus and will look to add his skills to the Deacons’ up tempo attack.

Wake Suspends Two Football Players
While the news is good on the basketball court, Wake Forest also announced this weekend that two starters from their football team have been suspended for the first game of the season. Running back Chris Barclay and cornerback Riley Swanson were suspended from all team activities after violating athletics department policy, although it wasn’t explained what exactly they did. Both players will now miss the first game against Vanderbuilt, along with the first week of practice. Wake opens up their football season on September 1st.

Possible Front Runner For Olympic Coaching Job
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski tossed his hat into the ring, to be considered as the coach for the 2008 Olympic men’s basketball team. While Coach K said he hasn’t been asked yet, he called the position a great honor and one he would love to have. US team director Jerry Colangelo said that Krzyzewski was one of 12 candidates that were being considered and a decision would be announced in the next few months.

Minor League Scoreboard
In Hickory last night, the Crawdads pulled out the 3-2 win against Columbus in front of a season high crowd of 5134. Hickory starter Kyle Pearson went 5 1/3, giving up two runs on four hits. Derek Drage got the win after shutting out Columbus over 3 and 2/3 innings of relief. Up the road in Winston, it was the Warthogs beating Kinston 9-5. Warthogs’ starter Gio Gonzalez got his first win of the year, striking out six in five innings of work.

Durham Bulls Get Callup
Up the road in Durham, two members of the minor league Bulls saw a dream come true this weekend, as they got called up to the majors. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays called up outfielder Joey Gathright and left handed pitcher Joe Beimel, looking to plug holes in their team. The team is hoping Gathright will add some pop to the lineup, as he was batting .305 for the Bulls, while Beimel will be plugged into the bullpen, after posting a 4.06 ERA in Triple A.

News & Sports For June 30th

News & Sports For Thursday June 30th 2005

Focus On Love Packages
How many Bibles are lying around your house, stacked up in a bookshelf or on a table? What about used devotionals from like several months ago, the ones you just haven’t had time to cart off to the dump? Well there is an organization that can use those old Bibles and devotionals to help spread the gospel. Love Packages, out of Illinois takes those materials and gives them out to people in other countries who don't normally have access to the gospel message. Today the organization's founder, Steve Schmitt will be Brian's guest for Focus on the Foothills. And you can hear that program later today after the midday stock report at 1:05pm.

Wilkes Residents Fall Victim To Fraud
Two more residents of Wilkes County have fallen victim to fraud over the last week. One woman called Wilkesboro police earlier this week after discovering that someone had been using her check card. Over the past month, the card has been used eight times in places that she had never been. But this wasn’t a case of theft, as the woman still had the card in her possession. Just up the road in Purlear, a woman called sheriff’s deputies after discovering that someone had charged items on her credit card 15 times in the past day. She went to get the card, only to find it missing, Apparently sometime during the last week, she misplaced the card and it got into someone else’s hands, who ran up charges until the card was maxed out. There are however suspects in the case and both investigations are continuing.

Gas Pump Damaged At Local Store
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to Fosters’ Grocery in Ronda this week, after someone damaged one of the fuel pumps at the store. An estimated $100 worth of damage was done, as witnesses said the driver pulled up, backed into the pumps and then drove away. Witnesses also said that the man was armed, as a small pistol could be seen in the vehicle as he drove off. No serious damage was done to the gas pumps and descriptions of both the man and his vehicle were turned over to deputies. That investigation is ongoing.

Deadline Today For Crop Reports
Today is the deadline for all local farmers to turn in their crop reports. Reports have to be turned in to the Wilkes Farm Service Agency, by explaining where your plot of land is and what was planted on it this season. The reasoning behind the deadline is to protect local farmers in case of a hurricane or other disaster, so that your information will already be on file in case you qualify for federal aid. One other thing to consider is that if farmers fail to turn in their reports, the agency will charge a late fee. For anyone who still needs to get that taken care of, you can call to set up an appointment at 838-3622.

Break-in With No Evidence
How do you break into a house without leaving behind any evidence? That’s what a homeowner in Moravian Falls is asking today, after returning to find over $5000 worth of materials missing. There was no sign of a break-in, no doors unlocked and virtually no way a thief could have got inside. Still, somehow a person did come in and took $4000 in cash, a watch, a laptop computer and also a ring from the home. There is a suspect in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Fly-In This Saturday
A special event will be taking place this coming Saturday at the Wilkes County Airport. The 14th annual Fly-in will be held, with classic planes, cars and fire trucks on display. The event, put on by the Mountain View Ruitan Club, will go on from 9am til 3pm with plane rides and games for any kids who want to come out. In addition, the Carolina Historic Aviation Museum will have displays on hand. Once again all of that starts at 9am Saturday morning at the Wilkes Airport.

Renters Take Everything But The Walls
A Pineville man called sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday after discovering that a house he had rented out was almost completely bare of everything. The renter had recently settled his bill and left almost a week ago, but the man hadn’t had a chance until now to check the home out. The carpet had been ripped up and taken from most of the place, also the cookstove, several screens, a piano and other items as well. All total an estimated $9195 worth of merchandise was stolen from the home and just over a thousand dollars worth of damage. The name of the renter along with the place he worked was turned over to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation continues.

Man Arrested At Traffic Checkpoint
Sheriff’s deputies were performing a traffic check at the intersection of Old 16 and Vannoy Road on Tuesday when they saw a car speed up and then come to a dead stop. The driver just sat in his car, some 200 feet from the checkpoint, refusing to move. After deputies requested him to pull up he refused but instead drove the car onto the shoulder of the road and then stopped again. The vehicle had no registration plates and there was a strong smell of alcohol coming from inside. After the driver failed a sobriety test, deputies arrested 59-yr-old Albert Ray Barker and charged him with DWI and not having registration for his car.

State News

Ten Commandments Raise Questions In NC
Questions are being raised in Nash County tonight, after the Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this week. The local courthouse in Nash has a copy of the Ten Commandments on display, one that’s stood inside for almost 100 years. Now local officials are wondering if they’ll be ordered to remove it. The display has already come under fire once, as it was covered during a recent murder trial. The defendant’s lawyers had argued that it was unconstitutional to have the words “thou shall not kill” over the jury box while they were debating the man’s guilt. County officials said they had no plans to remove the Commandments unless forced to, but the county attorney is still taking a look at the Supreme Court ruling, to make sure they’re not guilty of a potential violation.

Durham Man Arrested After Signing His Name
Durham police arrested a man on Monday in a case of identity theft after he signed his own name to a credit card purchase. The man had stolen a card three months ago from another person in the Raleigh area, using it all this time to run up over 33 purchases. The man was finally discovered after he used the card to get a room at a Durham hotel, signing his own name on the receipt. As it was different from the one on the card, a red flag was put up and police were notified. 29-yr-old Henrick Kutwa is facing 33 counts of financial identity fraud.

Easley Signs New Bill Into Law
Gov. Easley signed a bill this week that gives law enforcement officers more powers in the hunt for pedophiles on the Internet. The Child Exploitation Prevention Act makes it a felony crime to solicit anyone over the internet who is identifying themselves as a child. The bill also allows the SBI to investigate the technology and methods used by pedophiles to develop patterns of behavior that could be used to track them down. Before this bill went into effect, anyone caught online could only be charged with a misdemeanor.

Police Asking For Help In Search
Police in the Charlotte area are asking for people across North Carolina to help in the search for a man missing since Monday night. The man, Cordelro Renrecko Peoples disappeared around 8:30pm on Monday and hasn’t returned. His family is concerned not just for his disappearance but also because Peoples has a kidney problem that requires medicine. Medicine still sitting at his home on Beacon Hill Lane. The man is described as being 5’1 ft. and weighing 95 lbs., with brown eyes and black hair. Anyone with information about Cordelro Peoples is asked to call 911.

Raleigh Police Fired After Investigation
Two Raleigh policemen have been fired today after an investigation that found they had violated department procedure. Two other members of the department have resigned and two have been suspended. The officers involved told internal affairs that they routinely ignored calls, doctoring computer reporting and lying to others when asked if they had responded. So far, all the calls ignored have been minor occurrences, such as reports of trees lying in the road or complaints of loud music. The officers blamed their actions on the fact they were overworked and had to pick and choose which calls to answer. The department released a statement saying they had been tipped off by other officers and took the appropriate steps.

Sports Headlines

Fastpitch Baseball Camp Coming Up
For any kids 13 and under who want to develop their baseball skills, a camp will be going on starting July 9th at the West Wilkes Middle School. There are only a few slots left for the camp, as you have to pre-register. Camp instructors will teach players how to work on their defensive skills, like how to field balls, hit their cut off man and turn a double play, while also working on their hitting technique and baserunning. Registration is $15 and to sign up, you can call Coach Summer Vogel at 927-3870 or send an email to CoachV@tristatebreakers.com

Last Day To Sign Up For Volleyball
The deadline is today for anyone who wants to join the local volleyball league, as a second round of tournaments start in July. It’s open for anyone to take part, from middle school students all the way up to adults in separate 3 on 3 divisions.
There is a fee to register, as it costs $30 to sign up your team to play. Once again today is the last day to sign up for July’s tournament and to do that you can either call 957-7363 or shoot an email to holloways@wilkes.k12.nc.us

American Legion Notes
Some news and notes from around the local American Legion fields. With their win over Wilkes on Tuesday, Rowan County not only advanced to the second round, but also walked away with home field advantage. And one other team moved on to the second round, as Stanly County beat Mooresville 11-0, taking the series three games to one.

ACC-Big Ten Schedule Released
And for anyone who’s counting down the days until college basketball returns, the schedule has been released for this fall’s ACC-Big Ten Challenge. The event starts Nov. 28th as Virginia Tech and Ohio State match up, then one day later five games are up on the schedule, including a rematch of this year’s NCAA championship. Illinois and North Carolina will battle it out Nov. 29th, along with Wake Forest & Wisconsin, Clemson at Penn State, Purdue at Florida State and Miami, who takes on Michigan. The challenge wraps up on Nov. 30th, with Duke going against Indiana, Northwestern taking on Virginia, Maryland against Minnesota and NC State facing off against Iowa.

NASCAR News & Notes
In Nascar, a major sponsor has signed on for the fall race in Charlotte. Starting next season, the race at Lowes Motor Speedway will be known as the Bank of America 500, a title which is going to stick around for at least the next five years. And in other NASCAR news, Brian France spoke out this week during a teleconference about the diversity we’ll be seeing within NASCAR in the next few seasons. France said that doors were being opened, especially with Indy Racing rookie Danica Patrick doing so well in her first season on the track. He hinted that there could be an influx of Hispanic, African-American and female drivers making their way onto the track in the next few years.

News & Sports For June 28th

News & Sports For Tuesday June 28th 2005

Lowes Creates New Committee To Help Wilkes
Lowes Company announced on Monday that a new committee has been created to help needs in the Wilkes County area. The Wilkes County Hometown Grants Advisory Committee will help make recommendations and determine where best to give $250,000 in grants. Those grants will go out to local charitable organizations, as part of the Lowes’ Charitable and Educational Foundation. Local community leaders will be added to the committee in coming months, which is going to be chaired by Wilkesboro store manager Chuck Elledge. After the group makes recommendations, the proposal will be turned over for a final vote by the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Deputies Catch Burglar In The Act
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a North Wilkesboro residence on Sunday, responding to reports of a burglary. When deputies arrived on the scene they found the suspect coming out of the basement empty handed. When he saw deputies the man took off running, only to be tracked down minutes later. After a brief fight, 38-yr-old Jeffrey Clinton Wagoner was arrested and charged with 1st degree burglary, property damage and resisting arrest.

Pepsi Machines Vandalized At Local Store
The BP store on Statesville Road was the latest place to be hit by vandals this week. Someone tried to rip apart the drink machines, apparently hoping to gain access to the money section inside. However despite causing over $100 worth of damage to the machine, the would be thieves gave up and went home. There are no suspects in the case however deputies are continuing the investigation.

Reminder: Horses Need West Nile Vaccine
As 3WC reported yesterday, we’re in the middle of mosquito season here in North Carolina. But that doesn’t just mean bad news for humans, the bugs can cause problems for our animals as well. For horse owners here in the county, if you haven’t already, it’s time to get your animal vaccinated. Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis and the West Nile Virus are two diseases that have become a recurring problem for horse owners here in the state. Now in order to keep the horse vaccinated, owners have to give it two shots, each taken 30 days apart. These shots must be done by a local vet and won’t take effect until both have been injected. To get some more information about the diseases or where you can get a vaccine, you can contact Wilkes Animal Control at 903-7688.

Case Of ID Theft Discovered At Wal-Mart
Wilkesboro police were called out to Wal-Mart earlier this week, after a store manager uncovered a case of ID theft. Over the last few months, a man had been coming into the store and buying items, then getting cash back after writing a check. However this was news to the owner of the checks, who is some 40 years older than the man who’s been passing checks. It turns out that wasn’t the only thing fake, as the home phone number given out by the man turned out to be that of Tyson Foods. A description of the man was turned over to police and the investigation is ongoing.

Car Vandalized While Owner Shops
A Union Grove woman called sheriff’s deputies after coming back to her car to find the tires had been slashed. In addition, a man was crouched down near one of the tires and she was able to get a good look at him before he ran off. Nothing else was damaged on the vehicle and nothing was stolen from inside. Estimated damages were placed right at $175. The suspect is a former friend of the woman and his name, along with a description and address was turned over to sheriff’s deputies. The investigation is continuing.

Samaritan’s Kitchen Update
Samaritan’s Kitchen has been expanding their operations in the last few months, to the point where they now deliver meals to over 450 different families across Wilkes County. That’s just over 1600 meals that need to be prepared, loaded up and delivered each week. With that progress comes a greater need for volunteers, as the organization finds itself falling short in most categories. The man need is for drivers to transport the meals on Saturdays, however cooks, assembly line workers, greeters and other volunteers are needed as well. If you’re interested in volunteering or just want some more information, you can drop by the Kitchen anytime from 8am til 2pm during the week. They’re located just down the road on Woodland Blvd from the Wilkesboro Post Office. You can also give them a call at 838-5331.

Another Man Assaulted In His Car
For the second time in less than a week, a man was assaulted while in his car. A local man was driving down Woodland Blvd when someone jumped in front of his vehicle, yelling about a speed limit. The man ran over to the driver’s side window and grabbed at the driver’s arm, telling him he didn’t belong on that street. No one in the area could recall seeing anyone who matched the description provided. Wilkesboro police are continuing the investigation.

Make Sure Your Keys Are Put Up
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a North Wilkesboro residence over the weekend, after the homeowner returned to find someone pulling out of his driveway. Over a thousand dollars worth of damage had been done to the car that had been parked at the home, with sugar in the gas tank, busted speakers and the face plate stolen from his radio. Keys were also stolen that allowed the thief access to the man’s home, however it didn’t appear that anything had been disturbed inside. The thief was identified by the homeowner, who provided both a name and also a description for deputies. Warrants are pending in the case.

Just Came In For A Look
A Millers Creek man came home to find that someone had paid him a visit while he was out of town. The door to the house had been kicked in and a nearby window was shattered. However nothing was taken from the residence itself and no other damage could be found. The house is a half mile from the main road, so the vandals went to a lot of trouble to damage a door. Current estimates place the damage at $2000 and deputies are continuing the investigation.

State News

Landmark Burned During Monday Fire
Monday morning, fire ignited inside one of the state’s historic landmarks, burning a good portion of it to the ground. The Hotel Astor, which has stood for over eighty years in Wilmington, sustained major damage during the blaze, which officials believe could have been intentionally caused. The fire ignited just before 5am, according to local officials and it took firefighters several hours to put it all out. Based on the evidence, both SBI and ATF investigators have been assigned to the case.

First Murder In Three Years Rocks Spencer
Officials in the town of Spencer North Carolina have to do something this week for the first time in almost three years. Investigate a murder. A 53-yr-old man was found dead in his home Sunday morning. Police also found the man’s wife and son outside, covered from head to toe with scratches, bite marks and cuts. They told officials that the man had assaulted them both before heading into the house and grabbing a weapon. Police wouldn’t explain how the man died, but whatever they found at the scene was enough to throw out the idea of suicide and instead label the death as a murder. That investigation is ongoing.

Money Figures Just Don’t Add Up
Questions are being raised today at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics after the president’s salary was made public. Gerald Boarman, the school’s president makes $195,000 a year, that’s more than nine of the chancellors who run public universities here in North Carolina. Boarman hasn’t commented as to if he thinks it’s fair, saying that he believes all of this infighting could hurt the reputation of the school. It’s unknown what if any changes will be made.

Medic Wants License Back After Dead Man Wakes Up
Earlier this year, a man in Franklin County was declared dead after an accident, only to wake up before the autopsy was going to be performed. Now one of the paramedics that was at the scene is asking for his license back. Randy Kearney had his license taken away after state officials said that he didn’t do his job properly. Kearney had checked for a pulse on the man and told other paramedics according to a written statement that he thought the man was dead. Based on that statement the man was put into a body bag and carted off to the morgue. Kearney’s attorneys now say that their client was only acting as a first responder on the scene that night and that state officials don’t have the right to take away his license.

Drug Program May Go Under The Knife
As state lawmakers continue to search for ways to solve the financial problem they created, yet another government program may be cut or at least have its’ funding trimmed. Here in North Carolina, nonviolent drug offenders have the option of going through a yearlong treatment plan instead of prison. Both judges and prosecutors alike testified to the program’s success, saying that a felon who has taken part in it is significantly less likely to be arrested again. Under the proposed budget, currently in the state Senate, almost all of the plan’s funding has been cut. Lawmakers say that they believe it can run efficiently with only federal money and little state support.

Sports Headlines

Wilkes Teams Come Up Just Short In Cup Hunt
Around the local scene, high schools may have let out for the summer, but the final awards were just recently handed out by the state high school athletics association. Each year all schools with an athletic program in North Carolina try to win the Wachovia Cup. Votes are given to different schools based on the win-loss records of their programs, along with any conference or state titles they may have won during the year. While none of the Wilkes schools came close to winning the Cup itself, some did come close to taking the Conference Cup in their respective divisions. Wilkes Central finished in a tie for second place in the Mountain Valley 2A, coming up even with Hibriten. Forbush walked away with this year’s trophy, while West Wilkes came in sixth and North Wilkes finished in last place. Over in the Northwest 1A, Starmount took the conference title, with East Wilkes coming in sixth.

UNC & Wake Vying For Linebacker
In college football, a North Carolina prospect has become the focus of a recruiting battle between UNC Chapel Hill and Wake Forest. Matt Woodlief, a star linebacker at Bandys High School, is being recruited by both schools for their 2006 class but for different reasons. Wake Forest wants the 5-11 235 lb. Woodlief to come in as a linebacker, partly due to the punishing hits he’s become known for delivering on the field. The Tarheels on the other hand want him to come in as their fullback, a position which he gained 332 yards in limited action this past year. Woodlief however has yet to make up his mind, saying that wherever he goes, all he wants is lots of playing time and a chance at a good educations.

Wake Forest Player Travels To Asia
In college basketball, while most kids are either in summer school or doing a part time job, one local player is heading off to another country. Trent Strickland, a rising senior at Wake Forest, is getting ready to leave on a two week tour of East Asia. Strickland is going as part of the Athletes in Action sports ministry, which has set up the opportunity for college players to work out against squads from other countries, including China’s Olympic team, while also preaching the gospel. Strickland said that he’s excited to go, because he wants to put God first in his life and hopes this will help his spiritual growth.

NASCAR Drivers Have Issues With Tires
In NASCAR, with the playoff soon approaching tempers are heating up and accusations are being thrown out. The latest ones are against tires used by Ford and Dodge vehicles. Teams are being accused of using special valves on the tires that would release excess air pressure, keeping it constant during the race. Drivers would be affected by this due to the fact a car handles differently depending on the tire pressure. So far no violations have been found, although a recent testing did find that Dodge and Ford are ahead of GM in the tire race, with the two companies offering a better analysis program.

News & Sports For June 27th

News & Sports For Monday June 27th 2005

Wilkesboro Hosts Dance Championship
This past weekend, people from over 20 states made their way into Wilkesboro to take part in the annual Dance Machine Performing Arts Championships. 1600 competitors took part in this year’s event, which had an overall attendance of 4000 people. The competition started on Thursday in the Walker Center at Wilkes Community College and went throughout the weekend, wrapping up Sunday afternoon. Original plans called for the championships to be held this year in High Point, but organizers changed their mind after a poll showed competitors wants to come back to Wilkesboro. Local estimates suggest that the event put in just under a million dollars to the regional economy.

Armed Robbery At Pleasant Hill Residence
Sheriff’s deputies were called out over the weekend to a residence in Pleasant Hill, after a local woman was robbed. Another woman came to the house demanding money and after being turned down, pulled out a hunting knife. Only finding two dollars and some change inside, she took off out the door. Later on the suspect’s father came over and returned the woman’s money, apologizing for his daughter’s actions. The robber was later found at her family’s residence, rambling and not making any sense. She was taken to Wilkes Regional where she was committed.

Vehicle Stolen By Tow Truck
A Jonesville man called sheriff’s deputies late last week after returning home to find his car had been stolen. Now deputies are trying to determine how that exactly happened, as the vehicle’s engine was blown and it was up on blocks. No one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anyone near the property. Also along with the vehicle itself, the man had boxed up portions of his clothes and other items due to the fact he was planning to move. There are no suspects however deputies are continuing the investigation.

Four Days Away From Crop Deadline
Local farmers have less than five days left until the second of this year’s crop report deadlines, coming up this Thursday June 30th. To meet the deadline, all you have to do is go out to the Wilkes Farm Service Agency, show where your plot of land is and what you planted this season. Something else to consider is that if any farmers fail to turn in their reports, they will be charged a late fee by the agency. For any farmers who still need to get that taken care of, you can go by the Farm Service Agency today. To set up an appointment or for more information, their number is 838-3622.

Man Assaulted On Highway
A Wilkesboro man called sheriff’s deputies late last week after being assaulted while on the highway. The man had pulled off on the shoulder of 421 for a minute when something hit him in the head. Just a few seconds later, three men came up and pulled him out of the car, beating him for several minutes before just as quickly leaving. They didn’t ask for money, didn’t steal the car and didn’t say a word, just beat the man and left. Descriptions of the men were turned over to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation is ongoing.

Just Stopped By To Have A Look
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a residence on Harrold Mountain Road late last week, after thieves shattered glass in the back door and went inside. However after the homeowner checked things out, nothing was missing from the place. Also there was no damage to the area and nothing to indicate someone had been inside, except for the shattered glass and open door. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Video Game Bandits Raid Wilkesboro Home
Never leave doors unlocked at your home. A Wilkesboro woman learned that the hard way over the weekend, after thieves walked right in and started shopping. Included in the theft was a dell computer, an X-Box game system, the woman’s telephone and her answering machine, along with several hundred dollars in cash. There are no suspects but deputies are continuing the investigation.

Be Prepared For Mosquitoes
As we head into the month of July, mosquitoes are back in the county and there are some things you need to be aware of. The Centers for Disease Control have sent out an update, warning about possible viruses carried by the bugs. La Crosse is the most common mosquito-bred illness in the state. Unlike the sport of the same name, this can be a slow moving virus most often seen in children and seniors. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea and vomiting. Also the West Nile virus is the most well known disease caused by the insects. Strangely enough, 80% of people who contract West Nile in North Carolina won’t even know it for possibly several weeks. Symptoms are mostly the same as La Crosse, except you can also develop a skin rash and in rare occasions be temporarily paralyzed. Finally Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis is the most dangerous, but also the most rare. Symptoms appear to be a serious case of the flu, with a high fever and headache. Now to prevent against any of these while on your Independence Day vacation, doctors suggest putting on some mosquito repellent. DEET is the most recommended, but people can also use oil of eucalyptus or picaridin for the same results.

Roaring River Home Falls Victim To Thieves
Thieves broke into a Roaring River woman’s home late last week, causing over $500 in damage in the process. A sliding glass door at the home was shattered and thieves walked out with a tv, some jewelry and other items totaling an estimated $2700. That investigation is ongoing.

Check Road Conditions Before Leaving
With the July 4th weekend coming up, it’s important to know what the road conditions are like across Wilkes. Where the DOT is working, what sections of highway have been closed off, things like that. You can access that by visiting the state DOT website at www.ncdot.org. Also you can check out information on proposed road projects and how the holiday might affect both their schedule and your traffic conditions at www.ncdot.org/projects/wilkescounty/. There you will find information on public meetings, schedules, and area maps.

State News

Jobs Coming To Danville
Good news for people in Danville today, as 120 new jobs will be coming into the area this year. EIT, an electronic design and manufacturing service, is planning to build a manufacturing plant in the area, one that would serve as a central location for the company’s major markets. Construction is expected to begin within the month and hiring will go on later this year.

National Guard Soldiers Return Home
The city of Raleigh turned out to hold a welcome home celebration Saturday for members of the National Guard. The 30th Heavy Separate Brigade actually returned home almost six months ago, but their tour of duty was officially over on Saturday, and state officials came out to join in the celebration. Gov. Easley was on hand, as the troops returned to him the US flag he had given to the unit when they shipped out. Hootie & the Blowfish performed along with the brigade’s own band, called the Hickabillies. Members of the troop said they were glad to be home and just hoped that they were able to help the Iraqis return to normal life.

Major Drug Bust In Lincolnton
Over one thousand pounds of marijuana was seized in Lincoln County over the weekend, thanks in part to a tip from the Maiden Police Department. Members of the department, along with other officers from the Lincoln County Narcotics Task Force raided two homes in the area, finding 1114 pounds of marijuana and arresting three men. The drugs have an estimated street value of one million dollars and mark the largest bust in the area’s history.

Applications Show Widespread Damage From Storm
Last year North Carolina felt the force of Hurricanes Frances and Ivan, but the full extent of the damage wasn’t known until this weekend, when state officials got the last applications in for disaster assistance. All total, North Carolina received 4627 applications requesting aid money for damages to homes, roads or other items caused by last year’s storms. June 17th was this year’s deadline to request aid, which will come from a $247 million recovery package approved earlier this year by the legislature. The first checks will be sent out in August and continue on over a period of 18 months.

Portions Of Parkway Still Closed
Bad news today for anyone looking to take a trip on the Parkway this 4th of July weekend. You may have to take a detour or two along the way. Portions of the Parkway stretching from Mount Mitchell to NC Hwy 80 have been shut down and won’t reopen until the middle of next month. The eleven mile section of road had to be closed after rainfall in the area caused portions of the roadbed to wash away. Now work crews are trying to not only repair the road but also strengthen it so that this doesn’t happen again. Depending on the weather, work could last until August.

Sports Headlines

Wilkes Makes Playoffs, Falls To Rowan
Overcoming the odds, Wilkes County’s American Legion team made it into the playoffs, finishing just ahead of South Rowan thanks in part to a somewhat controversial ruling. Taking on Rowan County Saturday night in the first game of the series, Wilkes lost 11-6. The 6-15 Patriots had a chance to take the lead several times, but missed opportunities and errors sent Wilkes home with the loss. The best of five series will move back to Rowan County tonight with a gametime set for 7pm.

Tarheels Land Another Football Recruit
In college football news, UNC landed yet another prospect as Mount Tabor’s Ryan Taylor committed to the school. Taylor, a 6-4 215 lb. wide receiver who’s also a rising senior this year, turned down offers from Wake Forest and Vanderbilt to join the Heels. He’ll face a change of position in college however, as Tarheel coaches already said they plan to turn him into a H-back, a mix of fullback and tight end.

College Ends Early For Gardner-Webb Pitcher
For one college student, class ended a year earlier than planned, as Gardner-Webb’s Zach Ward was selected earlier this month by the Cincinnati Reds. After a few weeks of negotiating Ward officially signed with the team this weekend, leaving behind Boiling Springs for his new temporary home with the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League. Ward said he hopes to make his way quickly through the minors so that he can play with one of his heroes, outfielder Ken Griffey Jr.

Minor League Scoreboard
Around the minor leagues, the Hickory Crawdads rode an offensive explosion to take the 11-3 win over Asheville on Sunday. Crawdads starter Yoann Torrealba gave up three runs in six innings of work to pick up his second win of the season, while catcher Neal Walker helped carry the load with two home runs. And up the road in Winston, the Warthogs beat Wilmington 6-2. Warthogs starter Lance Broadway went five innings in his first game as a professional, giving up two runs while striking out three. Also Warthog Robert Valido kept his hitting streak alive as he extends it to 18 games.

Stewart Wins At Sonoma
In NASCAR, Tony Stewart took the checkered flag Sunday afternoon in the Dodge/Save Mart 350. Ricky Rudd came in second, Kurt Busch was third, Rusty Wallace was fourth and Dale Jarrett rounded out the top five. Greg Biffle took the lead in points despite a 14th place finish, as former leader Jimmie Johnson ended up 36th. Biffle now holds a 22 point lead in the standings.