News For Friday June 17th 2005

National Guard Soldiers To Ship Out
Some soldiers from the Wilkes County area will be shipping out to Iraq later on this year. Company A of the National Guard’s 505th Engineering Battalion has received orders for a one year tour of duty overseas, beginning later this fall. Current plans have the unit shipping out for two months of advanced mobilization and force protection training in August. Once that’s complete the company, which includes several members from both the North Wilkesboro and Boomer areas, will be making the trip overseas. Once in Iraq, the unit will be helping to repair the Iraqi infrastructure by repairing roads, fixing bridges and building schools along with other duties.

Came In To Have A Look Around
Thieves broke into a Millers Creek man’s storage building earlier this week, but apparently didn’t find what they were looking for. After breaking the padlock outside, the would be thieves came in, looked around and left without touching anything. Nothing inside was damaged or disturbed, according to the building’s owner. There are no suspects but deputies are continuing the investigation.

Safekids Event Today
Throughout Wilkes County, around 85% of child safety seats are not installed or used properly. While this is slightly lower than the average throughout the state, it’s still high enough for concern. To help out local families, the Wilkes chapter of Safekids will be holding a safety checkpoint later today at Wal-Mart, from 2-4pm.

Wednesday Wreck Totals Two
A wreck Wednesday afternoon in Wilkesboro totaled two vehicles and caused over $3000 worth of damage. The incident happened on East Main Street, as a Roaring River teen failed to see the vehicle in front of her stop at a traffic light. Instead she plowed directly into the back of the car, causing over a thousand dollars worth of damage while totaling her own vehicle as well. No one was injured in the wreck.

Tobacco Deadline Today
Today is the last day that tobacco farmers here in the area can apply for the government’s buyout program. Under that plan, all tobacco growers will receive $3 for each pound of their crop grown from 2002-2004, then starting in 2006 payments will continue on a yearly basis. $3.9 billion has been allocated for farmers in North Carolina and as of Thursday state officials estimated that just over 90% of growers have signed up. If you are one of those 10% who still haven’t, you can do so by going to the Wilkes Farm Service Agency and filling out the paperwork today. To set up an appointment you can call the agency at 838-3622 extension #2.

Boat Stolen From North Wilkesboro Residence
Why would you only steal parts of a boat and not the whole thing? That’s what a North Wilkesboro man is asking today, after coming home this week to find that someone had stolen his sailboat. Actually the thieves had left behind the mast boom and also the rudder, but the rest of the ship had been carried off, in addition to the man’s trailer that had been used to carry it around. Despite the size of the ship, no one in the neighborhood could remember seeing it leave. The investigation is still ongoing.

Heat Relief Still Available For Wilkes Seniors
The humidity and rising temperatures have made it miserably hot over the past few days and while forecasters are calling for cooler weather this weekend, don’t expect it to stick around. With that being the case, many seniors can find themselves in an emergency situation, without air conditioning or anything else to help keep them cool in the summer months. For those seniors in need of aid, the Wilkes Senior Citizens Council is giving out fans to anyone who meets their requirements. In order to get a fan, 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.

Local Woman Charged After Break-in
Breaking up is hard to do. It’s even worse when your ex knows where valuable items are hidden and when you’ll be out of town. A Wilkes County man learned that the hard way this week after returning to find that someone had broke into his camper and stolen over a thousand dollars worth of merchandise. Included in the theft were two tvs, a .22 pistol, a gas powered air compressor and a DVD player among other things. With no damage done to the camper and no sign of forced entry, it appears the thieves managed to climb through one of the windows, which was unlocked. After some investigation, deputies charged 35-yr-old Pamela Darnell with the theft, in addition to breaking & entering.

Realtors Get Involved To Help Wilkes County
Every weekend, several yard sales go on across the county in hopes of raising money for different events. This week is no different, although one of the causes involved deals with the future of Wilkes. The Wilkes County Board of Realtors is sponsoring a yard sale to help the community. Money from the sale will go toward a billboard to be placed on the highway, encouraging people to come and check out what Wilkes County has to offer. And that fundraiser will take place this coming Saturday, June 18th at the warehouse behind Dwight Phillips Auto Sales. That’s 1031 River Road in Wilkesboro.

State News

Commissioners Canceling Trip
Across the state, commissioners from several different areas have announced their intentions to stay away from the annual National Association of Counties meeting. The weeklong event, which will be held in Hawaii this year, has an overall cost of several thousand dollars when you add in hotel and airfare costs, all of which are paid for by county tax dollars. As a result, one of Gaston County’s commissioners has canceled her trip, saying that it was a questionable decision in a tight budget year. Also Iredell, Cabarrus and Lincoln County officials said they never planned to go, in order to prevent locals from having that cost put on their shoulders. Still, for some that are planning to make the trip, they’d taken the cost out of their own pockets, including Gaston County Commissioner John Torbett, who’s using the occasion to celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary.

Former Cafeteria Worker Admits To Stealing
A Garner woman confessed this week to stealing more than $200,000 from the school where she used to work. 36-yr-old Frances Parker, who worked as a cafeteria manager at Garner Senior High, turned herself in this week and admitted to taking $217,000 from the school’s cafeteria program. The embezzlement came to light back in February when school officials discovered some things that didn’t add up. The investigation led back to Parker but until now she hadn’t admitted to doing anything wrong. It’s still unclear why she took the money, but Parker has made a deal to pay it all back.

New Budget Approved By The House
North Carolina’s House of Representatives approved a budget on Thursday, which would normally mean it could now go to the governor for his signature. The only problem is that the House and Senate have differing opinions on what should be included. In the House version, cuts that had been taken out of Medicaid were restored and overall, the two year plan would cause the state to spend $17.1 billion. That’s $154.8 million more than the one approved by the Senate. Also there were differences in how much the cigarette tax should be raised. The Senate version of the tax is raised to 40 cents, while the House version has smokers paying a tax of 30 cents. All this means that now, as the budget goes back to the Senate, it will probably be voted down and the process will have to go back to the drawing board. The new fiscal year begins July 1st.

Charlotte Douglas Airport Part Of New Security Plan
Charlotte Douglas International was one of ten airports selected to test a new type of security device called the puffer machine. When passengers are picked for a secondary screening, they will step into a walkthrough portal where air will be puffed onto them. That air is then collected and analyzed for any trace elements of explosives. The machine is expected to be in place by the end of the summer and is the same type of device that military operations & power plants throughout the world have used for several years.

Trinity Company Announces Closings
Bad news today for workers in the Trinity area, as Confluence Holdings announced plans to shut down its’ local facility come August. The organization plans to consolidate all operations into one location, in Easley South Carolina. The company, which manufactures products for water activities, said that an estimated 120 workers would be affected. A company spokesman said that consolidating everything into one location was the best way for the organization to grow.

Sports Headlines

Appalachian Reveals Basketball Schedule
Good news for anyone wanting to watch their favorite ACC team without making the trip to their home court. Some of them will be coming to a local gym for the upcoming men’s basketball season. The schedule was released this week for Appalachian State’s upcoming men’s basketball season and included on the list of opponents are some big name schools, including Wake Forest, Tennessee and NC State. Officials at the school said they wanted to upgrade the quality of their schedule, mixing in some tough opponents to help strengthen and develop their incoming players.

UNC Tarheels Lose Running Back
Some bad news coming out of Chapel Hill today, as the Tarheels will be without runningback Ronnie McGill for at least five months. McGill torn a pectoral muscle while lifting weights this week on campus. Coach John Bunting said that McGill is also considering redshirting this season to save a year of eligibility. The injury leaves UNC a little short on running backs, as Louisiana State transfer Barrington Edwards is the only one left in the backfield with any college experience.

Minor League Scoreboard
Around the minor leagues last night, the losing ways continued for the Hickory Crawdads as they fell 8-6 against Kannapolis for their 11th loss in a row. Hickory starter Kyle Pearson was saddled with the loss after a big fifth inning that saw Kannapolis score three runs. Overall Pearson gave up 7 runs in the five innings he pitched. And up the road in Winston, the Warthogs rebounded with another offensive explosion, beating the Fredrick Keys 15-4 on Thursday. Charles Haeger got the win for Winston, striking out seven in six innings of work. Winston’s Leo Daigle also continued his own offensive torrent, hitting his 23rd home run of the season.

Panthers Take To The Links
The Carolina Panthers took some time off to play golf this week, as the team held their annual players-coaches tournament. Quarterback Jake Delhomme led the winning team, which consisted of himself, center Jeff Mitchell, guard Todd Fordham and defensive line coach Sal Sunseri. The group finished at 13 under par. Other groups didn’t fair as well, with John Fox leading a team bringing up the rear at six under par. Cornerback Ken Lucas, guard Mike Wahle and receiver Keary Colbert helped Coach Fox survive the loss.

News & Sports For Thursday June 16th 2005

Focus On Life
When you hear the words Relay for Life, you might think of a charity event, something to do with running. But actually Relay for Life is a foundation put together to help raise money for cancer research through many different ways. You can hear Brian’s interview with Jo Dejournet later on today during Focus on the Foothills as we’ll be talking about the Relay organization, how you can get involved and some realities as to why it’s so important. That’s right after the midday stock report at 1:05pm.

Construction Company Falls Victim To Break-in
Members of a local construction company brought out sheriff’s deputies this week after discovering that someone had broke into one of their trailers and stole over a thousand dollars worth of tools. A trailer belonging to Vannoy & Sons Construction was broke into, after thieves apparently tossed a rock through one of the windows and walked in. They left with several thousand dollars worth of material, including a portable concrete saw, a cordless drill and a diamond blade. In addition, the thieves cut all phone lines to the trailer before making their escape. That investigation is ongoing.

Traffic Stop Leads To Weapons Charge
Running a red light is never a good idea, especially when there’s law enforcement following right behind you. A Traphill man learned it the hard way this week after speeding through a red light and then ignoring requests from the sheriff’s deputies to slow down and pull over. Eventually the driver stopped in the parking lot of McDonalds and as they approached, deputies could smell a strong odor of alcohol. The driver was clearly drunk and also, in between the seats he had a butcher knife sticking up with its’ handle extended. When deputies ran the vehicle’s tag, it came back as not having any insurance. 53-yr-old Roby Denver Simpson was arrested and charged with DWI, having alcohol in an open container, driving without insurance on the vehicle, running a red light and carrying a concealed weapon.

Broken Window Provides Opening
A North Wilkesboro man called sheriff’s deputies earlier this week after coming home to discover someone had paid him a visit while he was gone. One of the home’s windows had already been shattered but never repaired, so the thieves simply climbed through and went shopping. Included in the theft was a toaster oven, a hairdryer, a heating pad and a cassette radio. There are no suspects in the case but the investigation is ongoing.

Mailbox Vandals Hit Wilkesboro Home
Wilkesboro police were called out to a local residence earlier this week, after the homeowner returned to find he was the latest victim of mailbox vandals in the county. During the late night hours on Monday, neighbors reported hearing some kind of loud noises in the area, but neither the homeowner or anyone else went outside to check it out. The next morning the man came out to find $50 worth of damage done to his mailbox. There are no suspects however deputies are continuing the investigation.

Last Crop Report Deadline Coming Up
For local farmers, we’re less than fifteen days away from the second crop report deadline of this year. On June 30th, farmers have to report all corn, soybeans and other crops to the Wilkes Farm Service Agency. For any farmer who hasn’t yet filed their report, you can go to the Wilkes Farm Service Agency and get that taken care of today. If you’re unable to make it out to the agency, you can contact them at 838-3622.

Hit & Run In Hays
A Hays man called sheriff’s deputies after over $200 worth of damage was done to his car. The man had been driving down Traphill Road in Hays when another vehicle passed on the other side of the road and something was tossed out in his path. It turns out that someone had chunked a rock from out of the car and it hit the man’s windshield, causing several cracks and plenty of damage. This marks the latest of several similar cases in the Hays area, as locals have reported vehicles driving by and throwing rocks at oncoming cars. There are however no suspects in the case, but the investigation is ongoing.

Painkillers Stolen But No Crime Scene Found
A Millers Creek man reported a break-in and theft at his home, however deputies couldn’t find any sign of a crime scene. There was no sign of a break-in at the home, nothing damaged or taken except for a box of oxycodine painkillers. Also there was no witness to the crime, however the homeowner did have a suspect whose name and description he gave deputies. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

State News

Davie County Churches Victims Of Vandalism
Davie County officials are investigating a series of crimes at local churches today. Nine different churches in the county have been vandalized over the past three weeks, with equipment being shattered and items stolen. In each of the cases, the thief used a crowbar to come in one of the church doors, then walked around causing damage while selecting things to steal. Included in the thefts were several televisions, some musical equipment and also some of the church’s money. Officials haven’t been left empty handed however, as evidence was left behind at the scene of each crime and the detectives are following up on several leads.

Men Charged In ID Theft Case
According to Charlotte officials, two men have been arrested and charged after they were linked with over 600 cases of identity theft. 24-yr-old Ben Gadson and 26-yr-old Juan Canales gained access to credit cards through their jobs at the Outback Steakhouse in Matthews. They would copy the personal information down while swiping the customer’s card, then used the information to run up a tab of almost a million dollars. The Secret Service has gotten involved with the case and are also investigating a similar situation at a Red Lobster restaurant in Gastonia.

Man Missing In Jackson County
Sheriff’s deputies are still searching today for a man who vanished into the Tuckaseegee River on Tuesday, so they can arrest him. Search crews combed the area in homes of locating the man, who dove into the water to escape police. However there is concern that a current strengthened after days of rain could have caught him and drug him to his death. Everything started when an SUV began swerving around Hwy 74, alerting a nearby sheriff’s deputy, who attempted to pull the man over. Instead, the driver continued on and increased speed, until he was stopped by spike stripes deployed when he crossed over to Hwy 116. As the tires went flat, the man jumped out and started running towards the river, where he disappeared. A rescue team from Asheville has been called in to help with the search.

Charlotte Investigating Two Wednesday Robberies
Two stores in the Charlotte area were robbed on Wednesday and local authorities are continuing the investigation today. One of the cases happened at the BB&T Bank on South Tryon Street, as an older man in his mid to late forties came in and told employees he had a gun, although he never showed one. Instead the employees followed his instructions and turned over an undisclosed amount of money, after which he walked out into a waiting Pontiac Bonneville. Around the same time, a second robbery occurred at an Eckerd drug storeon Belhaven Boulevard. Two men came in wearing ski masks and displaying their guns. They grabbed the cash drawer and ran out, escaping from the scene on a bicycle according to witnesses.

Jobs Leaving Durham
Some bad news today for people in the Durham area, as a local pharmaceutical plant announced that it would be cutting costs by getting rid of employees. Over half of Mylan Bertek’s 370 employees will be let go in the move, which company officials say is part of a larger nationwide plan to help restructure & cut spending. It appears the cuts could just be the first part of a larger restructuring in the area, as the company said plans are in the works to shut down one of its’ plants in the area, although a timetable for the closure hasn’t been set.

Sports Headlines

Post 31 Team Beats Concord
The Wilkes Post 31 Patriots rebounded from Tuesday’s loss to beat Concord last night 12-9 in a game marked by heated emotions and several ejections. During several periods the umpires had to halt play while issuing warnings to members of the Concord team, who continued to harass and criticize the officiating. The Patriots improve to 3-7 with the win as they head into tonight’s matchup on the road with Rowan County.

Minor League Scoreboard
And around the minors last night, the Winston Salem Warthogs came back to earth as they fell to the Fredrick Keys 9-4. Warthogs starter Fraser Dizard took the loss, giving up five runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. With four games left in the season, the Warthogs currently stand a game back of first place Kinston.

Labonte Steps In For Leffler
In NASCAR, Terry Labonte got a new ride this week as it was announced he’ll be stepping into the #11 Chevy for the road course at Infineon Raceway later this month. Labonte will take over for Jason Leffler in the car for Joe Gibbs Racing. Team officials said they made the change because they wanted to make sure the car qualified for the race, something that hadn’t been guaranteed with Leffler behind the wheel. Leffler will remain the chief driver of the #11 as this is just a one race deal.

Countdown To Draft Continues
Around the NBA, the countdown continues to draft day, with rumors floating around of possible deals within the top five teams. The Charlotte Bobcats have dispelled all rumors that they planned to do a 2-1 deal, packaging the #5 and #13 picks in an attempt to move up. Meanwhile the team brought in some more players to work out, including Alabama’s Kennedy Winston and high school forward Gerald Green, both of which should be available when the Bobcats step up to the podium with the 13th pick. Several other players are scheduled for auditions in the coming weeks.

Nearly 500 lb Marlin Caught In NC
During the second day of this year’s Big Rock Blue Marlin competition, a man pulled in a 482 lb fish, good enough for second place in the tournament. The catch would have been good for third, as a 491 pounder had been grabbed earlier in the day, but the boat who caught it didn’t have a permit and so was disqualified. The current leader in the weeklong competition is the crew of the Gambler, a boat that brought in a 515 ½ lb. catch on Monday as the tournament began.

Wilkes Sends Delegate To National Convention
Wilkes County will be sending a delegate to the National Association of Counties, when that organization’s yearly conference is held next month in Hawaii. County Commissioner Luther Parks will be this year’s delegate, taking part in presentations and programs on such issues as economic development and tourism. The convention itself has come under fire in recent weeks from taxpayers across the country and as a result, delegates from several states have backed out of attendance, including commissioners from Guilford and Davidson Counties in North Carolina. The main reason for the concern is due to the cost of attendance, as taxpayers will be picking up travel fare and room accommodations for their delegates, a move that will cost several thousand dollars. The conference is held in a different place each year, bringing together local officials to share ideas about how to improve their areas.

Tips Lead To More Drug Busts
Following more tips about reported drug activity in the area, sheriff’s deputies, along with members of the Special Enforcement Team searched a home on Parks Ridge Road this week. Inside the home they found traces of cocaine and marijuana, along with several books on how to make drugs and over four thousand dollars in cash. 15 different firearms were also seized from the property. 35-yr-old Grant Eugene Cowles and 26-yr-old Gloria Marguerite Davenport were arrested and charged with manufacturing marijuana, possession with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a home for the sale of drugs.

Heat Leads To Local Break-In
For the second time in less than a week, Wilkesboro police were called out to the Cub Creek area, as yet another consession stand and the recreation office was broken into. But the joke was on the thieves, after they took the time to pull out the office air conditioner and went inside, they found there was nothing to steal. Local officials had already removed the money after weekend games and aside from that, the place was empty. Not willing to give up, the thieves then broke into a nearby consession stand, managing to steal several left over candy bars and around $50 in change. There are no suspects but the investigation is ongoing.

Gas Thieves Hit Another Wilkes Business
The Fast Track in Millers Creek was the latest victim of gas thieves in Wilkes County. Monday afternoon, a man drove up, put in $25 worth of gas and then took off without paying. Employees at the store witnessed the incident and were able to provide deputies with a description of both the man and his vehicle. That investigation is ongoing.

Tobacco Transition Payment Program
Wilkes County farmers have just two days until the deadline for this year’s Tobacco Buyout Program. Under the plan, growers would receive $3 for each pound of tobacco grown during the years 2002-2004 and then additional payments for the years following. $3.9 billion has been allocated for farmers in North Carolina and so far state officials estimate that 90% of growers have already signed up. If you are one of those 10% who still haven’t, you can do so by going to the Wilkes Farm Service Agency and filling out the paperwork today. To set up an appointment you can call the agency at 838-3622 extension #2.

Thieves Break Into Church Construction Site
Deputies were called out to the Calvary Baptist Church on Pads Road Monday morning, after thieves broke into a construction site on the property and stole over $600 worth of materials. Included in the theft were several aluminum ladder jacks, along with a 16 ft. ladder board. There was no damage done and it appears the thieves just walked in and took what they wanted. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Heat Relief Available For Elderly
The weather hit over 94 degrees in Wilkes County yesterday and many senior citizens are feeling the heat. This isn’t just a comfort problem, as the rising temperatures could lead to severe health problems. For those seniors in need of some relief, the Wilkes Senior Citizens Council is giving away fans this summer to any senior citizen that meets their requirements. In order to get a fan, 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.

Car Vandalized While Owner At Hospital
A Wilkes County woman called sheriff’s deputies earlier this week after returning home to find her car had been vandalized. The woman had been staying with her husband, who’s in the local hospital, in recent days and as such had no idea when the incident could have happened. Vandals scratched the car’s entire body while also stuffing dirt into the vehicle’s gas tank. Estimated cost of the damages were placed at just over $1000. There are suspects in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Regional News

Local Girl Killed In Accident This Week
A wreck earlier this week in Elkin claimed the life of a 16-yr-old girl, according to the Highway Patrol. 16-yr-old Sara Williams was the passenger in a vehicle heading down C.C. Camp Road when the driver lost control and crossed the centerline before hitting a utility pole. The vehicle ended up on the other side of the road and despite wearing her seatbelt, Williams was killed in the crash. The driver however, 17-yr-old Kristin Draughn survived the wreck and charges against her are currently pending.

State News

Wake County Considers Year Round Classes
For students across the state, summer school has just started. But if some Wake County officials have their way, students in that area will be having less of a vacation come next year. School board members are considering a proposal that would make five of the Wake County middle schools and 15 of the elementary schools operate year round. The idea comes as 5000 new students are expected to enter classes in the area, some for the first time, this coming year.

Jobs Coming To Asheville Business
Good news for job hunters in the Asheboro area today, as a local company has been awarded a contract to make clothes for the government. Fox Apparel is looking to hire around 60 new people as they have been given a contract to make several thousand pairs of pants for the Forestry Department. The family owned company is taking applications for the jobs and could possibly add more workers later on this year as more contracts come in.

Over A Thousand Marijuana Plants Found In Durham
While doing a flyover last week, National Guard officials in Durham discovered 1300 marijuana plants sitting in a field near the highway. They informed sheriff’s deputies, who solved the problem this week by setting the entire place on fire. The plants, which had an estimated street value of over $7 million dollars, were destroyed by the deputies. An investigation is still going on to find out who originally planted the drugs.

Portions Of The Parkway Closed After Rains
For anyone looking to drive up on the Parkway this coming weekend, you may want to reconsider or at least plan on taking another route. Portions of the Parkway that stretch between N.C. Highway 80 and Mount Mitchell State Park have been closed until further notice. After this weekend’s rainfall, it was discovered that sections of the mountain slope and the roadbed had started to crumble. If you want to visit the park however, it’s still open, drivers just have to take the long way around and come in through Asheville. Engineers estimate it could take about a month to get everything fixed at the site. In addition, parts of the Parkway stretching from just north of Spruce Pine to the Linville Falls area have also been closed down for repairs. No timetable has been set for when that section will reopen.

Childress Racing Declared Lawsuit Winner
In Charlotte, a decision was finally reached in the lawsuit filed on behalf of the late Dale Earnhart, as a judge ruled in favor of Richard Childress Racing. After a 12-day session, the judge ruled that Omaha Life failed to share documents that would have determined if life insurance benefits should have been given out after the wreck which claimed Earnhart’s life. It’s now up to a jury to decide the amount, if anything, that will be given out under the policy.

Robber Needed Some Nicotine
Sheriff’s deputies in Rockingham County are looking for a robber who has a serious craving for nicotine. Monday night, a man came into Daniel’s Thrifty Mart, located in Reidsville, and demanded money from the employee on duty. He then pulled up his shirt to show that he was carrying a gun. Changing his mind, the robber then ordered the employee to lay down while he got some cigarettes along with cash from the store. Area officials are still searching for the robber.

Sports Headlines

Post 31 Falls To Rowan
Around the local scene last night, it was the Post 31 Patriots taking a beating from Rowan County 14-3. The Patriots managed to keep things even until the late innings, when Rowan exploded for nine runs to pull ahead for good. The loss drops Wilkes to 2-7 in conference play, just a half game ahead of East Rowan for the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference. And 3WC Sports will be back on the air tonight to bring you the Patriots’ game against Concord. The first pitch will be at 7pm and we’ll go on the air with the pregame show around 6:45.

UNC Assistant Coach In Court
While most of the UNC Tarheel football team is practicing for next season, one of the coaching staff finds himself in court. Brad Lawing, who is currently serving as the school’s recruiting coordinator, faces charges that he offered money to a potential recruit and his high school coach while working at Michigan State. The coach, who is facing racketeering charges of his own, implicated Lawing as he was sentenced on Monday, saying that he was asked how much it would take to bring a local player to the Spartans. An investigation by the NCAA found nothing to back up the coach’s claims, instead the opposite was found. Lawing testified in court that the coach, Lynn Lang, demanded $200,000 to get one of his players to commit to the Spartans. Lawing refused and the team soon after stopped recruiting the player. The high school coach was sentenced to six months in prison on Monday and Lawing was cleared of all charges.

Former Wake Forest Star Moving Up
Less than a month after the draft and one local player has already gotten started on his professional career. Ryder Mathias, a catcher from Wake Forest, signed a deal this week with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and will start his climb to the majors with the Hudson Valley Renegades, the team’s affiliate in the New York-Penn League. If Ryder shows the same batting skills he did in college, Tampa Bay may be calling him up pretty quick. This season alone, he hit .316 with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs. However one thing Ryder would probably like to keep at Wake Forest is the record he set for most times hit by a pitch over a season, as he was drilled 29 times this year alone.

Minor League Scoreboard
Around the minor leagues, the losing streak continues for the Hickory Crawdads as they fell to the Rome Braves 5-3. Hickory’s streak now stands at 10 games as the team failed to drive in the winning run several times with men left stranded on the corners. The news was better however for the Winston Salem Warthogs, as they beat the Fredrick Keys by what some would say is a football score. The Warthogs pulled out the 21-12 victory over the Keys as first baseman Leo Daigle hit for the cycle. This also marks the sixth straight game that Daigle has hit a home run.

Bobcats Could Take European Trip
Barring a lockout this summer, the Charlotte Bobcats could find themselves holding training camp in a European city in the near future. The NBA announced on Tuesday that beginning next season, four teams a year will hold training camps and play preseason matchups in European countries, as a way of developing the game’s international appeal. The two year trial program, sponsored by EA Sports, will continue a tradition began in 2003, when the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs went to Paris for a preseason game. It’s not yet known what teams will be involved with the program.

Local Health Food Recall
The Wilkes Health Department announced yesterday that over 63,000 pounds of beef have been recalled after traces of bacteria were discovered. Packages of Murry’s frozen ground beef and Murry’s meatballs have been called back after portions of the meat tested positive for Esherichia (eh-shur-ree-she-uh) coil. The bacteria is potentially lethal, as it can cause bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps and sometimes can lead to kidney failure. The specific products involved are all 20-ounce packages of Murry’s Gourmet Meatballs with the item code 63101. In addition, all 10-lb boxes of Murry’s Steaks 4B Wide All Beef Patties with the codes 01357 and 01340 were included as well. North Carolina was one of several states that the infected beef was shipped to and for more information, you can call the Food & Safety Inspection Service at 1-888-674-6854.

Armed Robbery Turns Out To Be A Hoax
A North Wilkesboro man called sheriff’s deputies on Sunday, informing him that he had just been robbed at gunpoint. But that was before he changed his story and said he had been dropped off and his ride never came back. Then he told deputies it had all been a lie, confessing that he and a friend had been out to buy drugs, when the friend let him out of the vehicle and drove off with $140 of his money. The man, 32-yr-old Thomas Allen Greene was charged with filing a false report and deputies are still searching for his missing friend.

Boomer Woman Victim Of Break-In
A Boomer woman was the victim of a break-in earlier this week. After returning home, she noticed that the back door to her house had been pried open and several items had been stolen including a handgun and her prescription of painkiller pills. There is a suspect in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Concession Stands Vandalized At Cub Creek
Wilkesboro police were called out to Cub Creek Park on Sunday, after officials discovered someone had been to the concession stand after hours. Over a hundred dollars worth of damage had been done to the stands, as it appeared someone had tried to get in. They failed however, only managing to partially pry open one of the doors. Nothing was taken from inside and no other damage was done to the area. The investigation is still ongoing.

Search Warrant Yields Drug Bust
Acting on a tip, sheriff’s deputies got a search warrant and went through an apartment at Bell Court earlier this week. Inside they found cocaine residue, some marijuana, several boxes of baggies and other items of drug paraphernalia. The apartment’s occupant, 43-yr-old Fred Douglas Ferguson was arrested and charged with drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Realtors Get Involved To Help Wilkes County
Every weekend, several yard sales go on across the county in hopes of raising money for different events. This week is no different, although one of the causes involved deals with the future of Wilkes. The Wilkes County Board of Realtors is sponsoring a yard sale to help the community, as all proceeds will go toward building a billboard promoting Wilkes to local travelers. That fundraiser will take place this coming Saturday, June 18th at the warehouse behind Dwight Phillips Auto Sales in Wilkesboro. All the proceeds from this will go to the construction of the billboard itself, but there’s just one problem. A design is needed to get people’s attention and that’s where the Board is asking local people to step in. Now to suggest a creative design for the billboard you can call the Wilkes County Board of Realtors at 667-9331. If your proposal is chosen, it will be put up as the county’s billboard to any travelers passing by on their way to or from Boone. Once the money is collected from the sale and a design is accepted, the plan is to have the billboard put up possibly by the end of next month.

Return Of The Mailbox Vandals
Mailbox vandals struck again here in Wilkes, this time hitting two homes in the Millers Creek area. The homeowners returned to find while no damage had been done to their house or any other part of the property, both of the mailboxes had been smashed. Over $40 worth of damage was caused in the process. This time however there are suspects in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Drug House Discovered By Deputies
Sheriff’s deputies responded to a tip on Speedway Road over the weekend and uncovered a drug operation in the process. Members of the Special Enforcement Team accompanied the deputies as they went to the home, hoping to interrupt a drug deal in progress. The dealer was caught and the deputies searched his home, finding 61 grams of marijuana along with various items of drug paraphernalia. 17-yr-old Christopher Allen Steele was arrested and charged with drug possession, intent to sell & deliver drugs, maintaining a house for the sale of drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

State News

Lawmakers Call For Iraq Timetable
As lawmakers throughout the country call for a decision on when the troops will be coming home, several from here in North Carolina have added their voice to the mix. Republican Congressman Walter Jones has signed on as a sponsor of a new bill that would call for a timetable, detailing a plan to get our soldiers out of Iraq. Jones said that once the Iraqis are trained to fight, we should turn over control of the country to them. Jones serves the district that covers both Camp Lejeune and Cherry Point.

North Carolina Out Of The Forecasting Business
As the hurricane season picks up and other storms head our way, North Carolina finds itself partially blind, at least for the next few days. One of the buoys stationed in the Outer Banks to help predict the weather had to be taken out of service on Monday, after boats constantly failed to pay attention and ran it over. The buoy, which covered the southeastern part of the state, will have to be thrown away, due to the severe damage it sustained and the earliest a new one can be brought out by the government is mid August. That means for at least the next two months, portions of the state will be totally blind when it comes to weather detection.

Over 3000 Patients Treated With Hydraulic Fluid
Over 3000 patients of the Duke Health System were treated with hydraulic fluid over the past year, according to a recently finished investigation. The report found that medical staff at Duke Health Raleigh and Durham Regional accidentally washed their instruments in hydraulic fluid, confusing it for detergent. The mixup occurred after hydraulic fluid was drained after work on the elevators and poured into empty detergent barrels last year. Those barrels were then picked up and redistributed for use as a cleaner. Despite concerns from the medical staff about unusually slick instruments, the problem wasn’t investigated for several weeks. As a result, several dozen of the over 3000 patients that were exposed to the fluid have faced additional medical problems including fatigue, pain in their joints and some have had to go back into the hospital for treatment.

Largest Hat Collection Sold
A dream came to an end this week in Hillsborough as over 3000 hats were sold at auction. The hats had been part of what people are calling the largest hat collection in the world, owned by a local man who died in 2001. He had planned to one day open the National Hat Museum but died before that could become a reality. Now as family members continue to struggle with the debts he left behind, the hat collection was put on sale to raise enough money to pay the bills. Most of the collection was bought by a Virginia man and his son, who have a 30 thousand square foot warehouse back home loaded with their collectibles. Ironically enough after spending almost a hundred thousand dollars on the auction, the man said he had no idea what he had just bought.

Three Men Arrested In Drive By Shooting
Police in the Fayetteville area arrested three men in connection with a shooting Sunday night. The three had drove by a local home, pulled out a shotgun and fired at the two people sitting outside. Both of the victims were found by a friend and taken to a local hospital, where they’re receiving treatment. It’s not believed that any of the wounds are life-threatening. Police arrested 19-yr-old William Burkett, 27-yr-old Brian Odom and 32-yr-old Howard Hargett, charging each with attempted murder, felony conspiracy, aggravated assault and discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling. It’s still unknown what caused the trio to open fire in the first place.

Sports Headlines

Wilkes Patriots In Action Tonight
Later on tonight if the weather stays away, we’ll have some American Legion baseball for you on the radio. The Wilkes Post 31 Patriots will be at home to take on Rowan County, in a rematch that was delayed several weeks ago by rain. Gametime is set for 7pm and we’ll go on the air with the pregame show at 6:45pm. That American Legion baseball on your home for local sports, 3WC.

Local Athletes Make Conference Team
Both the Mountain Valley and Northwest 1-A released their all conference teams this week and several Wilkes County players made the list. In baseball, Todd Ballard, Drew Ward and Brandon York from West Wilkes made the squad, along with Chris Pollock from North, Robby Monday from East and a pair of teammates from Wilkes Central, Nathan Handy and Jake Johnson. On the softball field, it was Erica Call from Wilkes Central, Brittany Parsons & Casey Sheeler from West, Megan Bell & Teresa Rutledge from East and Natasha Brown, Ashley Harding & Amy Vogel from North Wilkes making the list.

Turning toward the all-conference squad in soccer, it was loaded with Wilkes County players as Katie Andreski, Tiffany Ashley, Emily Gustafson, Jessica Norris and Leslie Warren , all from Wilkes Central made the squad. Also Sarah Dengler from North Wilkes and Kassie Oiler from West. In tennis, it was David Murphy from East Wilkes, Phillip Brame Zeb Gambill, Andrew Huggins and Jay Snipes from Wilkes Central and Graylyn Byrd, JT Campbell and Matt Dave from North Wilkes making the cut. Central’s Phillip Brame was also tagged as the player of the year.
Finally on the track, it was no surprise that Wilkes had over 30 players in the all conference team. On the boys side, it was Kevin Boehum, Trey Bryant, Jesse Hanlin, Matt Smith and Andrew Wagoner from North Wilkes, along with Steven Branch, Evan McNeil, Wesley Scearcy and Matt Triplett from West and Phillip Curley from Wilkes Central. For the girls, it was Bree Tharpe and Taylor Welborn from East Wilkes, along with Kayla Branciforte from North Wilkes, Lauren Amick, Mallory Beck, Morgan Beck, Marcia Brooks, Amanda Davis, Melanie Fyre, Krista Goforth, Jessica Hendrix, Tiffany Upchurch and Emily Wright from West. And from Wilkes Central, LeighAnn Dickinson, Lindsay Groce, Melinda Lackey, Cadina McCurdy, Deidre Morrison, Amy Will and Amanda Younger all were named to the conference team. Emily Wright from West Wilkes also was named the athlete of the year in Mountain Valley 2-A soccer and her coach Mary Wright received coach of the year honors.

Winston Salem Beats Fredrick
And turning to the minor league scene, Winston Salem took care of business against the Fredrick Keys last night as they took the 12-4 blowout victory. Warthogs’ starter Daniel Haigwood his seventh win of the season while Jose Ovalles pitched the ninth for his second save.

Williams Staying A Deacon
Wake Forest fans can breathe a sigh of relief today, as one of their underclassman changed his mind about entering the draft. 6-9 Eric Williams, the Deacons’ starting center, said that he had decided to withdraw and come back for his senior year. Williams had previously said he wouldn’t stay in unless guaranteed to be a first round pick. But as it stands now, he wasn’t even on many of the draft boards as a second rounder.

Nascar To Have Name Change
Now that people have gotten used to calling it the Nextel Cup, it’s time for another change on the NASCAR series. Nextel merged with Sprint and now company execs are deciding what to call the new company and in turn, the racing series it sponsors. Nextel took over as sponsor from RJ Reynolds in 2003, ending a 31 year partnership between the racing series and the cigarette maker. A new name is expected to be announced within the next month. It’s still not clear what if any affect the switch in names and brands will have on ticket prices.

News & Sports For Monday June 13th 2005

Chicken House Catches Fire In Storm
Over the past few days, several storms have hit Wilkes County, leaving their mark with both rain and damage. Now one of those storms may be responsible for a fire that happened early Friday morning. Firefighters were called out to a blaze on the Red White & Blue Road as a chicken house had caught fire. The call went out just after 5am on Friday but before fire crews could arrive on the scene, the building had already collapsed. Roaring River and Broadway crews responded to the fire, which had apparently been burning several hours before the call went out. An exact cause hadn’t been determined but fire marshals said it was possible the weather played a part in igniting the blaze.

Counterfeit Money Found In Deposit
Wilkesboro police were called out to the Northwestern Bank on Curtis Bridge Road late last week, after some counterfeit money was discovered. A bank teller had found fake cash in a local man’s deposit, which he exchanged for the real thing. The counterfeit bill was turned over to police, as the man had no idea how it ended up in his possession. There are no suspects but the investigation is ongoing.

Tobacco Transition Payment Program
This coming Friday is the deadline to sign up for the 2005 Tobacco Buyout Program. Under the plan, growers would receive $3 for each pound of tobacco grown during 2002-2004 and then additional payments for the years following. $3.9 billion has been allocated for farmers in North Carolina and currently state officials estimate that 90% of growers have already signed up. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can do so by going to the Wilkes Farm Service Agency and filling out the paperwork today. To set up an appointment you can call the agency at 838-3622 extension #2.

Walked Off With The Air Conditioner
The hot weather has led to several break-ins over the last few days, as local people try to find ways of staying cool. Thieves broke into a Millers Creek woman’s home late last week, taking her air conditioner along with some medication. Nothing else was taken from the house and no damage was done to any part of the property. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Blood Drive Later Today
The rain and wind over the past few days hasn’t just caused problems on the roads. It’s also severely lowered turnouts at the area’s blood drives. With the blood supply in Wilkes currently at critical levels, it’s important to come out and give the gift of life if at all possible. Later today Wilkesboro Methodist Church will be holding a drive from 2-7pm. In order to schedule an appointment you can call the Wilkes Red Cross at 838-4563.

Nicotine Fix Leads To Break-In
Thieves broke into the Run-In on Hwy 421 West late last week, stealing almost $3000 worth of merchandise. A window was shattered in the back supply room, allowing thieves to come in and take over a hundred cartons of cigarettes along with some cans of snuff tobacco. The store is monitored by video camera and the thieves were caught on tape. There are suspects in the case and deputies are continuing the investigation.

Heat Relief Available For Elderly
The recent heat has caused problems for many Wilkes County citizens, but especially the elderly. As the temperature is expected to climb back into the 90s this week, it’s important for every senior in the area to be taken care of. The Wilkes Senior Citizens Council is giving away fans this summer to any senior citizen that meets their requirements. In order to get a fan, 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.

Just Broke In To Have A Look Around
A Wilkes County man called sheriff’s deputies late last week after finding over $200 worth of damage done to his car. The vehicle had been parked outside his house and during the night, the man had heard several loud noises, but didn’t go to check them out. The next morning, he came out to find someone had shattered the car’s windows. Nothing was taken from the vehicle and no other damage was done. The investigation is ongoing.

West Park To Hold Dedication Tomorrow
Tomorrow a ceremony will be held to honor American soldiers and dedicate the new American flag at West Park. The event will be held Tuesday June 14th, beginning at noon with a special performance from the Liberty Grove Baptist Church Choir, in addition to tributes from the local VFW group and the Boy Scouts, who will be raising the flag into its’ new position. Once again all of this will be held at West Park in the Health Foundation area. For more information you can contact the Foundation at 838-1949.

Local Business Falls Prey To Vandals
Wilkesboro police were called out to Dooley’s late last week after vandals caused over $600 worth of damage to the business. Someone gained access to the building and managed to empty out the propane tank, releasing over a thousand lbs. of the gas into the area. There is a suspect in the case, as a black Dodge truck had been seen just outside a few minutes before and the driver yelled that everyone in the building would get what was coming to them. Witnessed provided descriptions of both the man and his vehicle to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation is ongoing.

Regional News

Jonesville Man Killed In Head-On Collision
A Jonesville man died last week after a wreck on Center Road, according to the Highway Patrol. 53-yr-old Danny Ivan Wilkins was killed after his car crossed the median and struck another vehicle carrying a local family. All three family members were taken to Baptist Medical Center, treated and then released without serious injury. It’s unknown what caused Wilkins to cross the center line, but drugs or alcohol were not involved.

State News

Police In Concord Searching For Scam Artist
Concord police are warning people to be aware of a group of con artists operating in the area. Over the past few weeks, a man has come up to local homes, pretending to be with the power company. He then asks to look at some trees on the homeowner’s property that might need to be cut down. While the homeowner goes with him to check out the property, a second man then walks into the home and steals whatever he can carry. Usually in the scam, the second thief also cuts the home’s phone lines before leaving. The only description police have is that the first man has a scar and acne on his face and drives a four door gray truck. Anyone with information is asked to call the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Department at 704-920-3011.

Pet Snake On The Loose
Johnston County officials are asking people in the area to help them locate a pet that escaped from its’ house recently. It’s hard to miss this pet, as it’s an 8-foot long boa constrictor. The animal escaped from its’ home in Pine Level and so far, there have been no reports of sightings. Still, animal control officers warn that boas like to climb trees or hide in tall bushes and the rising temperatures could have driven it into hiding.

Series Of Armed Robberies Hit Raleigh
Three armed robberies in the Raleigh area this weekend may have been linked, according to local officials. All three robberies happened in a one hour period that stretched from late Friday night to the early morning hours on Saturday. In the first robbery, a man was robbed in a Hillsborough Street parking lot by at least two men. Then 30 minutes later, a second man was robbed and shot on Friendly Street. The bullet only grazed him and he had no serious injuries. In the final incident, a man was robbed in a parking lot on North Harrison Avenue. In all three, the men are described as being in their early to mid 20s, about 6 ft and weighing 180 lbs. Also in all three incidents, the robbers drove a silver Nisan Altima with a 30-day tag on it. Raleigh police are still investigating.

Jobs Coming To High Point
Good news for people in the High Point area today, as American Express announced plans to open a new call center in the area. The move, which was announced this weekend, will bring 300 jobs to High Point over the next two years. A five year lease was signed by the company for the Piedmont Centre, where the business will be located. This call center will focus on helping business and corporate customers make their travel arrangements. It’s expected to be open by September.

Almost 200 Yr Old Church Burns Down
A church in Nash County that had stood for almost 200 years burned down over the weekend. A fire ignited in Peachtree Baptist Church shortly before 5am Sunday morning and by the time firefighters had arrived on scene, the roof had already caved in. The church was built back in 1909 and has stood ever since. Church officials said that God knows what He’s doing and they believe He has a reason for allowing the fire. Fire investigators say while unsure what caused the fire, there’s no evidence to suggest arson. Meanwhile the church will be meeting at a local Masonic lodge.

Sports Headlines

Wilkes County Becomes Turkey Land
Wilkes County finished out this year’s turkey season as the number one destination for hunters in North Carolina. For the second straight year, there were more turkeys bagged in Wilkes than any other place in the state. 334 birds were killed this year, 14 more than second place Caswell County. Overall, 9824 turkeys were killed this season by North Carolina hunters, up from 8846 last year.

Minor League Scoreboard
Around the minor leagues this weekend, it was Winston Salem beating Wilmington 4-2. Warthogs’ starter Ryan Rodriguez got his seventh win of the year, going seven innings while giving up two runs on five hits. Relief pitcher Rafael Flores got the save by throwing two innings of shutout ball. Down the road in Georgia, the Hickory Crawdads took the 3-2 loss as they fell to the Rome Braves. The loss put Hickory’s losing streak at eight games, a streak they look to end tonight in the second game of the series.

Edwards Gets Win At Pocono
In NASCAR over the weekend, it was Carl Edwards pulling ahead of the field and taking the win at Pocono. Brian Vickers came in second, Joe Nemechek was third, Kyle Busch fourth and Michael Waltrip rounded out the top five.

Minter Signs Extension
In the NFL, some good news for Carolina Panther fans, as the team announced this weekend it had signed an extension with safety Mike Minter. Minter, who came to Charlotte in the second round of the ’97 draft, will finish out his career as a Panther under the new four year deal. Terms of the extension were not revealed, however the numbers for Minter speak for themselves. He’s the team’s all time tackle leader with 790 and last year alone, he had 94 tackles, two sacks and two fumble recoveries. Minter said he & his family had put down deep roots in Charlotte and wanted to play for the same team that had drafted him.