Sunday Motorcycle Wreck

Two people were seriously injured and taken to Baptist Hospital following a motorcycle accident yesterday. The wreck happened on Hwy 18 at the intersection of Mtn. Valley Church Road at 1:15 Sunday afternoon.  According to Trooper Holbrook, both a ’97 Camero driven by James Bumgarner and a 1990 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Alvin Lewis were traveling North on the Sparta Road.  Bumgarner was turning left onto Mtn. Valley Church Road, and Lewis failed to reduce speed causing his motorcycle to hit the side of the car.  Both Lewis and a passenger, Terry Isenhour, were ejected from the motorcycle in the crash.  Lewis was thrown about 37 feet, and Isenhour was thrown 68 feet.  Lewis was air-lifted to Baptist, and Isenhour was taken by ambulance to Baptist.  Bumgarner only suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from Wilkes Regional.  Charges are still pending in the wreck.  Trooper Holbrook said there were a couple of motorcycle wrecks Sunday including this serious one.  Ironically, the Highway Patrol is in the midst of a motorcycle safety campaign due to the increased numbers of injuries from motorcycles in North Carolina.

Parents Meeting with Wilkes County Schools

Parents of Wilkes County students are invited to an informational meeting tomorrow concerning a new reproductive health and safety education curriculum offered in Wilkes County secondary schools starting in August with the 2012-13 school year.  Wilkes County Schools and the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina (APPCNC) are teaming up on this comprehensive reproductive health and safety education curriculum.  According to their website, the APPCNC’s mission is to help North Carolina communities prevent adolescent pregnancy through advocacy, collaboration and education.  The new curriculum is aimed for 7^th through 9^th Graders.  A flyer with topics to be discussed can be found on the Wilkes County School website http://www.wilkes.k12.nc.us.  Again the meeting tomorrow from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Wilkes County Schools Central Office board room on Cherry Street, North Wilkesboro.

Marriage Amendment on the Ballot

The Primary Election in North Carolina is one week from tomorrow.  On the Ballot for state citizens to vote for or against is Amendment One or the Marriage Amendment.  Both President Obama and North Carolina Govenor Perdue have come out against the Amendment.  Signs are popping up all over the local area encouraging people to vote FOR the Amendment.  Wilkes Representative in the NC General Assembly Shirley Randleman explains the Amendment is.  AIR:   On Saturday, May 5^th at 10:00 a.m., concerned citizens of Wilkes County are taking a stand in support of the proposed amendment to the North Carolina Constitution by marching through downtown Wilkesboro starting at and returning to the vacant lot near 3WC radio station.  At approximately 12 noon, following the march, everyone is invited to listen to music and speakers including Dr. Ron Baity, Pastors Phillip Moore and Larry Phillips, and Krista LaPlante singing our National Anthem.  The organizers of the March and Rally on Saturday are hoping that Wilkes County will turn out BIG TIME for this important vote on Tuesday, May 8th.  Another North Carolinian, Franklin Graham who has a presence here in Wilkes with the North American Disaster Recovery of Samaritan’s Purse located in North Wilkesboro, is also requesting you support the Amendment.  AIR:  Again, a vote FOR the NC Marriage Amendment is a vote FOR marriage between one man and one woman.  

Local Political Forum in Wilkesboro

The Primary is a week away, but if you’re wondering about candidates running locally, then you will have an opportunity to learn at a Candidate Forum being held tomorrow night at the Old Courthouse.  The Wilkes Chapter of the Oak Initiative is sponsoring a Candidate Forum with those running for the Wilkes Board of Education, NC House District 94, and Wilkes County Commissioners.  The Wilkes County Chapter of the Oak Initiative is a non-partisan Christian organization whose goal is to inform and energize the citizens of Wilkes County to become involved in the future of Wilkes County, the State of North Carolina, and the United States.  The local Candidate Forum is Tuesday night starting at 6:30 upstairs in the Heritage Museum.  It is free and open to the public.  

Dogs and Thieves Familiar

According to the victim, whoever broke into their house must have been familiar to the family dogs.  A homeowner on Boone Trail called the Sheriff’s Department regarding a break-in and theft.  The victim returned home from work and found that someone had pried open a window to get inside their house.  An undisclosed amount of cash was stolen.  The victim told Sheriff’s Officials that the thief or thieves must have been known by their dogs to be able to get in and out of the house.  However, no suspects were given with the report.  Also, a North Wilkesboro resident reported a break-in and theft.  In this break-in, the victim reported that he went to visit a relative in the hospital in Winston-Salem.  When he returned, he saw that someone had entered his home while he was away.  Two guns were reported stolen from the house including a Marlin .22 rifle and a Ruger pistol.  Again, no suspects were listed with the report, and the Sheriff’s Department is continuing to investigate.

Own It Before You Trade It

If you’re going to do a little horse trading or wheeling and dealing, then you should own the property that you’re trading or selling.  It is, of course, illegal to trade or sell something that does not belong to you; however, in a report filed with the Wilkes Sheriff’s Department, a Wilkesboro resident reported that some suspects had traded him a 4-wheeler for his motorcycle.  The only problem is that the 4-wheeler they traded was stolen.  The Sheriff’s Department does have the names of suspects, and charges of obtaining property by false pretense are pending further investigation.

Stolen Battery

Just like some thieves steal anything metal to sell to scrap facilities for cash, other thieves steal batteries to sell to recycling companies.  Since the first of this year, the Sheriff’s Department has received several reports of stolen batteries from cars, trucks, tractors, and logging equipment.  Recently, the Sheriff’s Department received another report of a stolen battery.  This time, a Ferguson resident reported that someone took a 24-volt DieHard Battery and the AC unit from their John Deere Loader.  There are no suspects at this time; the investigation is ongoing.

Break-Ins Without

As 3WC News reported last week, there have been some reports recently of break-ins in which nothing was stolen.  We now have a few more reports to add to that rather odd list.  First, a North Wilkesboro resident reported that someone had entered their unlocked outbuilding.  The outbuilding is located near their residence.  In this case, someone had gone through the building but nothing was reported stolen and no damages were reported.  Then a homeowner in Moravian Falls came home and found that someone had forced open the front door to their residence.  Again, nothing was reported stolen, but the front door was damaged in the break-in.  As we have determined by the multiple break-ins around the area, most thieves are looking for metal to sell for cash or they’re looking for prescription drugs.  Perhaps if thieves can’t find the items on their wish list, then they simply choose to take nothing at all.  There are no suspects in these break-ins, but the Wilkes Sheriff’s Department is investigating.  

Wilkes Resident Victim of Scam

A Wilkes County resident has fallen victim to one of the oldest scams around.  A 77-year-old man called the Wilkes Sheriff’s Department this week.  The victim in this case was contacted by someone claiming that he had won money in a sweepstakes contest.  A check was sent and cashed with the monies being sent through Western Union to Jamaica.  Here’s the problem:  It’s a scam that has been ongoing for years and years and years.  Why?  Because it still works for the crooks.  Here’s the scenario:  You are contacted by someone that says you have won money in a sweepstake and all you have to do is send them money to claim your prize.  If you send the money, then you have just sent money to a crook and you will never see any prize money or sweepstakes winnings.  David Dalrymple with the Better Business Bureau says, first, you can’t win a sweepstakes you haven’t entered, and second, it’s all about you sending them money.  AIR  Dalrymple also has some advice for protecting yourself from scammers and ID theft.  AIR  For more information you may call the local chapter of the Better Business Bureau at 1-800-777-8348 or online www.nwnc.bbb.org .

Break-Ins No Theft & Theft No Break-In

Of three current investigations being conducted by the Wilkes Sheriff’s Office, two involve a break-in with no theft and one involves a theft with no break-in.  A Boone Trail homeowner contacted the Sheriff’s Department this week concerning a theft outside her home.  The heating coil of their heating and air unit was stolen.  The unit was located outside the home.  There is a suspect in that theft and charges are pending.  Then a homeowner on the Ruritan Park Road called when they returned home and discovered a break-in.  Someone had pushed a window open and had entered the residence, but nothing was reported stolen.  It is unclear if the would-be thief was looking for prescription drugs or what motivated that break-in.  And finally, a property owner on Hickerson Street said that someone had entered their unlocked storage building.  Again, it was obvious someone had been inside the building but no property was reported stolen.  No suspects were listed with the break-ins.