The local and regional news page of 12403wc Hometown Christian Radio.
Friday, January 13, 2006
News & Sports For January 13th
Wilkes Soldier Now Charged With Premeditation
A Wilkes County soldier was officially charged with premeditated murder as his preliminary hearing began this week. 19-yr-old Brandon Bare faces two counts of indecent acts and one count of premeditated murder in the death of his wife, 18-yr-old Nabila Bare last July. Mrs. Bare was stabbed over 70 different times at the couple’s home in Tacoma, mostly being targeted in the head and neck. The charge of indecent acts comes due to Bare’s mutilation afterward of his wife’s remains. Bare served with the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division in Iraq and was home on leave when the murder happened, recovering from injuries sustained in battle. Bare’s case manager at Madigan Army Medical Center testified this week. Michael Collins said that Brandon had problems controlling his anger and didn’t approve of his wife going out and partying. Collins had helped Bare get enrolled into a therapy program, to help in dealing with his anger and also the stress of combat. Bare’s attorney denied the premeditation charge, saying that the murder was an act of rage with no evidence to prove his client had in fact planned it in advance.
Tip Leads To Drug Bust On Martin Road
Sheriff’s deputies responded to a tip on Martin Road this week and ended up busting another drug dealer. After obtaining a search warrant, deputies went inside and discovered 387 grams of marijuana and 151 grams of cocaine, hidden in bedroom dressers, under the sink and in several other bags throughout the home. Also inside a locked closet deputies uncovered a marijuana growing operation. $12,088 in cash was seized, along with a 1999 Dodge Durango, two handguns and several computers. 32-yr-old Shalijamon Japhet Gilchrist and 28-yr-old Warren Anthony Brown were both charged with maintaining a dwelling for the sale of drugs, manufacturing & trafficking cocaine, manufacturing marijuana, possession of drugs with intent to sell and distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Wreck On Main Street In Wilkesboro Totals Two
The wet road played a part in an accident Wednesday afternoon. The incident happened around 1:30pm on East Main Street, as a North Wilkesboro man was traveling down the highway. The vehicle in front of him was getting ready to make a right turn and had slowed down, but due to the wet pavement he couldn’t stop in time to avoid the wreck. No one was injured, but both vehicles were totaled as an estimated $6500 worth of damage was done.
Children In Wilkes Part III: School Situations
Some children here in Wilkes are struggling in school, according to a study by North Carolina's Child Advocacy Institute. The report finds that among other things, a language barrier seems to be part of the problem. 631 students here in Wilkes have a hard time speaking English. Some developmental and physical problems are also to blame, with 1175 students having at least one or more disabilities. However there are encouraging signs as well. Out of the students who speak foreign languages at home, 837 of them are able to converse in and understand English. Also out of the entire student population, only 878 have dropped out. The report finds that by supplying additional support, such as tutors to help overcome the disability and language barriers, will help the county to improve.
Graveyard Vandals Hit Millers Creek Church
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to the Wesley Outreach Center in Millers Creek on Wednesday, after church officials discovered someone had been visiting the graveyard. Five gravestones had been colored with spray paint, but no messages had been left and that was the extent of the damage. Estimated damages were placed at $200 and that investigation continues.
They Took Everything But The Kitchen Sink
A Wilkesboro woman called sheriff’s deputies after returning to her property on the Ottie Allen Road this week. The woman had let some people into the house recently as a relative had lived there and they wanted to recover a few items. Instead she came by to find over a thousand dollars worth of items stolen. Pictures had been taken, towels, bowls, tools and several other things. Names and addresses of the suspects were given to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation is ongoing.
Old Wilkes Takes People Back In Time
Coming up tomorrow, the Wilkes Heritage Museum invites people to go back in time for a “Civil War Afternoon”. The event runs from 1-4pm and will feature re-enactments, an exhibit on Confederate currency, music and a book signing by “The Secret of War” author Terrell Garren. Garren’s book deals with actual events that occurred during and just after the Civil War here in Western North Carolina. There is however a fee to attend, as people must pay regular admission price in order to get in. In addition to the Civil War events, that fee will also include tours of the Old Wilkes Jail and Robert Cleveland Log Home. For more information you can call Old Wilkes at 667-3171.
Red Cross Looking For Fundraising Help
We’ve talked a lot here on the news about the need for blood in Wilkes County. But thanks to the recent hurricanes and the cost of relocating some survivors, the local Red Cross needs help of a different kind as well. The local chapter continues to sell cookbooks, to help raise the money it needs to cover costs of daily operations, in addition to the funds used to help victims of the recent hurricanes. The cost of a cookbook is $10 and it contains recipes from chapter members along with their family and friends. For more information or to purchase one, you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.
State News
Money Offered For Information
A reward is being offered today by Winston Salem property owners for information leading to the arrest of a graffiti artist. $510 has been put up by Diversified Realty, after the word “kudzu” kept appearing on their buildings in the downtown area. The money will be handed out to anyone who can give the person’s name and address. To give out information the number is 336-391-2129.
Company Knew Beforehand About Pet Food
Over the last month we’ve kept you informed about a pet food recall going on with Diamond Foods. It appears now that the company knew about the contaminated dog food back in September, three months before it went public with the information. Diamond revealed that information during a conference this week, saying that each week in September one or two truckloads of corn was coming in infected with aflatoxin. Most of the loads were rejected but some got through the screening at Diamond’s South Carolina plant and were turned into dog food. Aflatoxin is a natural chemical found in fungus that can get into corn and then in pets once it’s converted to food. In animals the chemical causes liver damage and eventually death. The Agricultural Departments of North & South Carolina, along with the FDA are investigating the facility.
Table For Two In The Non Furry Section
People going out to the North Carolina zoo will have one less place to eat at. Junction Restaurant has been temporarily shut down while officials remove some patrons that don’t want to leave. A family of raccoons have taken up residence in the ceiling of the building, and while it’s not believed they got into the food prep area, the zoo wanted to take precautions.
Jobs Coming To Research Triangle Park
Good news for people living in the Durham area. More jobs are on the way for Research Triangle Park. Stiefel Research Institute is planning to bring in 200 new jobs over the next five years. The company, which helps to develop and manufacture skin care products, will pay an average salary of $71,750. The move comes thanks to tax breaks from North Carolina’s Job Development Incentive Grant worth $3 million. Those incentives only kick in however if the jobs are created and kept for at least 9 years.
North Carolina Firm At Work On Grizzly
A North Carolina security firm is at work designing a new type of vehicle to protect troops in combat situations. This 14-person vehicle, called the Grizzly, will be able to survive both bullets and bombs through the use of unique angles and blast shielding. Once finished, the Grizzly would help to take away one advantage of insurgents, making the roadside bombs virtually useless. Blackwater USA said that they hope to have the vehicle ready for combat by April.
Sports Headlines
High School Basketball
Coming up later tonight, three of the county teams are in action. West Wilkes goes on the road against Bishop McGuiness, while North Wilkes heads into Husky Country to take on Ashe County. 3WC will be over at East Wilkes, to broadcast the Cardinals’ game against Mt. Airy. The McDonald’s pregame show starts at 7pm and we’ll turn things over to Ken and Keith for the play by play at 7:15.
NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at last night’s college basketball scoreboard, two NC teams in action. It was High Point over Virginia Military 100-90. The win brings High Point to 10-4 on the season, good enough for second in the Big South conference. Also it was UNC Wilmington beating Drexel 66-60. The win takes Wilmington to 12-5.
Rush Out For A Month
In the NBA, the news isn’t good for Charlotte Bobcats shooting guard Kareem Rush. Rush injured the index finger on his left hand back in December and now it appears he’ll be out at least another month. Doctors now say that Rush may have torn a tendon the first time he injured it and further damaged the finger by trying to keep playing.
Panthers News & Notes
Panthers safety Marlon McCree’s wallet is a little lighter today, after he was fined by the NFL. A $5000 fine was handed down due to what the league called excessive celebrating after one of his interceptions last Sunday. In other news, four members of the team will be limping into Sunday’s game against Chicago. Fullback Brad Hoover re-injured his ankle last week, offensive guard Tutan Reyes sprained his toe and linebacker Brandon Short continues to have problems with his knee. The news means expanded roles for rookie linebacker Thomas Davis and halfback Nick Goings.
Former Panther Going Into Hall Of Fame
In other NFL news, a former member of the Carolina Panthers made the list of 15 finalists for the Hall of Fame. Voters put Reggie White into this year’s class. The Minister of Defense joins a group that includes Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman and receiver Michael Irvin, along with Redskins great Art Monk. The inductees will be announced the day before the Super Bowl, on February 4th.
NASCAR News & Notes
In NASCAR this week, the first round of testing wrapped up on Wednesday, as drivers prepare for the Daytona 500. Jeff Gordon had the fastest car out on the track, finishing with a speed of 189. 298. Jimmie Johnson was second, just a few ticks off at 189,195 and Matt Kenseth concluded the top three with a speed of 189.024. In other NASCAR news, some changes are in the works for Las Vegas Speedway. The banking will be increased from 12 to 21 degrees in all of the turns. NASCAR drivers won’t have to worry about the changes for the first part of the season, as construction won’t start until after the March 12th race. Everything is expected to be finished in time for the Truck Series to run on the new track September 23rd.
A Wilkes County soldier was officially charged with premeditated murder as his preliminary hearing began this week. 19-yr-old Brandon Bare faces two counts of indecent acts and one count of premeditated murder in the death of his wife, 18-yr-old Nabila Bare last July. Mrs. Bare was stabbed over 70 different times at the couple’s home in Tacoma, mostly being targeted in the head and neck. The charge of indecent acts comes due to Bare’s mutilation afterward of his wife’s remains. Bare served with the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division in Iraq and was home on leave when the murder happened, recovering from injuries sustained in battle. Bare’s case manager at Madigan Army Medical Center testified this week. Michael Collins said that Brandon had problems controlling his anger and didn’t approve of his wife going out and partying. Collins had helped Bare get enrolled into a therapy program, to help in dealing with his anger and also the stress of combat. Bare’s attorney denied the premeditation charge, saying that the murder was an act of rage with no evidence to prove his client had in fact planned it in advance.
Tip Leads To Drug Bust On Martin Road
Sheriff’s deputies responded to a tip on Martin Road this week and ended up busting another drug dealer. After obtaining a search warrant, deputies went inside and discovered 387 grams of marijuana and 151 grams of cocaine, hidden in bedroom dressers, under the sink and in several other bags throughout the home. Also inside a locked closet deputies uncovered a marijuana growing operation. $12,088 in cash was seized, along with a 1999 Dodge Durango, two handguns and several computers. 32-yr-old Shalijamon Japhet Gilchrist and 28-yr-old Warren Anthony Brown were both charged with maintaining a dwelling for the sale of drugs, manufacturing & trafficking cocaine, manufacturing marijuana, possession of drugs with intent to sell and distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Wreck On Main Street In Wilkesboro Totals Two
The wet road played a part in an accident Wednesday afternoon. The incident happened around 1:30pm on East Main Street, as a North Wilkesboro man was traveling down the highway. The vehicle in front of him was getting ready to make a right turn and had slowed down, but due to the wet pavement he couldn’t stop in time to avoid the wreck. No one was injured, but both vehicles were totaled as an estimated $6500 worth of damage was done.
Children In Wilkes Part III: School Situations
Some children here in Wilkes are struggling in school, according to a study by North Carolina's Child Advocacy Institute. The report finds that among other things, a language barrier seems to be part of the problem. 631 students here in Wilkes have a hard time speaking English. Some developmental and physical problems are also to blame, with 1175 students having at least one or more disabilities. However there are encouraging signs as well. Out of the students who speak foreign languages at home, 837 of them are able to converse in and understand English. Also out of the entire student population, only 878 have dropped out. The report finds that by supplying additional support, such as tutors to help overcome the disability and language barriers, will help the county to improve.
Graveyard Vandals Hit Millers Creek Church
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to the Wesley Outreach Center in Millers Creek on Wednesday, after church officials discovered someone had been visiting the graveyard. Five gravestones had been colored with spray paint, but no messages had been left and that was the extent of the damage. Estimated damages were placed at $200 and that investigation continues.
They Took Everything But The Kitchen Sink
A Wilkesboro woman called sheriff’s deputies after returning to her property on the Ottie Allen Road this week. The woman had let some people into the house recently as a relative had lived there and they wanted to recover a few items. Instead she came by to find over a thousand dollars worth of items stolen. Pictures had been taken, towels, bowls, tools and several other things. Names and addresses of the suspects were given to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation is ongoing.
Old Wilkes Takes People Back In Time
Coming up tomorrow, the Wilkes Heritage Museum invites people to go back in time for a “Civil War Afternoon”. The event runs from 1-4pm and will feature re-enactments, an exhibit on Confederate currency, music and a book signing by “The Secret of War” author Terrell Garren. Garren’s book deals with actual events that occurred during and just after the Civil War here in Western North Carolina. There is however a fee to attend, as people must pay regular admission price in order to get in. In addition to the Civil War events, that fee will also include tours of the Old Wilkes Jail and Robert Cleveland Log Home. For more information you can call Old Wilkes at 667-3171.
Red Cross Looking For Fundraising Help
We’ve talked a lot here on the news about the need for blood in Wilkes County. But thanks to the recent hurricanes and the cost of relocating some survivors, the local Red Cross needs help of a different kind as well. The local chapter continues to sell cookbooks, to help raise the money it needs to cover costs of daily operations, in addition to the funds used to help victims of the recent hurricanes. The cost of a cookbook is $10 and it contains recipes from chapter members along with their family and friends. For more information or to purchase one, you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.
State News
Money Offered For Information
A reward is being offered today by Winston Salem property owners for information leading to the arrest of a graffiti artist. $510 has been put up by Diversified Realty, after the word “kudzu” kept appearing on their buildings in the downtown area. The money will be handed out to anyone who can give the person’s name and address. To give out information the number is 336-391-2129.
Company Knew Beforehand About Pet Food
Over the last month we’ve kept you informed about a pet food recall going on with Diamond Foods. It appears now that the company knew about the contaminated dog food back in September, three months before it went public with the information. Diamond revealed that information during a conference this week, saying that each week in September one or two truckloads of corn was coming in infected with aflatoxin. Most of the loads were rejected but some got through the screening at Diamond’s South Carolina plant and were turned into dog food. Aflatoxin is a natural chemical found in fungus that can get into corn and then in pets once it’s converted to food. In animals the chemical causes liver damage and eventually death. The Agricultural Departments of North & South Carolina, along with the FDA are investigating the facility.
Table For Two In The Non Furry Section
People going out to the North Carolina zoo will have one less place to eat at. Junction Restaurant has been temporarily shut down while officials remove some patrons that don’t want to leave. A family of raccoons have taken up residence in the ceiling of the building, and while it’s not believed they got into the food prep area, the zoo wanted to take precautions.
Jobs Coming To Research Triangle Park
Good news for people living in the Durham area. More jobs are on the way for Research Triangle Park. Stiefel Research Institute is planning to bring in 200 new jobs over the next five years. The company, which helps to develop and manufacture skin care products, will pay an average salary of $71,750. The move comes thanks to tax breaks from North Carolina’s Job Development Incentive Grant worth $3 million. Those incentives only kick in however if the jobs are created and kept for at least 9 years.
North Carolina Firm At Work On Grizzly
A North Carolina security firm is at work designing a new type of vehicle to protect troops in combat situations. This 14-person vehicle, called the Grizzly, will be able to survive both bullets and bombs through the use of unique angles and blast shielding. Once finished, the Grizzly would help to take away one advantage of insurgents, making the roadside bombs virtually useless. Blackwater USA said that they hope to have the vehicle ready for combat by April.
Sports Headlines
High School Basketball
Coming up later tonight, three of the county teams are in action. West Wilkes goes on the road against Bishop McGuiness, while North Wilkes heads into Husky Country to take on Ashe County. 3WC will be over at East Wilkes, to broadcast the Cardinals’ game against Mt. Airy. The McDonald’s pregame show starts at 7pm and we’ll turn things over to Ken and Keith for the play by play at 7:15.
NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at last night’s college basketball scoreboard, two NC teams in action. It was High Point over Virginia Military 100-90. The win brings High Point to 10-4 on the season, good enough for second in the Big South conference. Also it was UNC Wilmington beating Drexel 66-60. The win takes Wilmington to 12-5.
Rush Out For A Month
In the NBA, the news isn’t good for Charlotte Bobcats shooting guard Kareem Rush. Rush injured the index finger on his left hand back in December and now it appears he’ll be out at least another month. Doctors now say that Rush may have torn a tendon the first time he injured it and further damaged the finger by trying to keep playing.
Panthers News & Notes
Panthers safety Marlon McCree’s wallet is a little lighter today, after he was fined by the NFL. A $5000 fine was handed down due to what the league called excessive celebrating after one of his interceptions last Sunday. In other news, four members of the team will be limping into Sunday’s game against Chicago. Fullback Brad Hoover re-injured his ankle last week, offensive guard Tutan Reyes sprained his toe and linebacker Brandon Short continues to have problems with his knee. The news means expanded roles for rookie linebacker Thomas Davis and halfback Nick Goings.
Former Panther Going Into Hall Of Fame
In other NFL news, a former member of the Carolina Panthers made the list of 15 finalists for the Hall of Fame. Voters put Reggie White into this year’s class. The Minister of Defense joins a group that includes Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman and receiver Michael Irvin, along with Redskins great Art Monk. The inductees will be announced the day before the Super Bowl, on February 4th.
NASCAR News & Notes
In NASCAR this week, the first round of testing wrapped up on Wednesday, as drivers prepare for the Daytona 500. Jeff Gordon had the fastest car out on the track, finishing with a speed of 189. 298. Jimmie Johnson was second, just a few ticks off at 189,195 and Matt Kenseth concluded the top three with a speed of 189.024. In other NASCAR news, some changes are in the works for Las Vegas Speedway. The banking will be increased from 12 to 21 degrees in all of the turns. NASCAR drivers won’t have to worry about the changes for the first part of the season, as construction won’t start until after the March 12th race. Everything is expected to be finished in time for the Truck Series to run on the new track September 23rd.
posted by Scott Roberts # 6:30 AM
Thursday, January 12, 2006
News & Sports For January 12th
Children In Wilkes Part II: Choices
Just over 7% of Wilkes County’s children are living in poverty, according to a study done by North Carolina’s Child Advocacy Institute. In part two of our series examining the study’s impact on local kids, we take a look at the family situation here in Wilkes. A new type of family structure is popping up, not just here in Wilkes but around the U.S. Grandparents are raising their grandkids. Here in Wilkes alone, 1084 children are living with their grandparents full time. This is due in some cases to their parents being in jail or in others they’ve simply abandoned the children and left. Also a lot of children here in the county are living in single parent homes, 6733 of them according to the study. How has this affected the kids? We’ll take a look at the numbers tomorrow in the final part of our series.
Local Woman Falls Victim To ID Theft
A local woman went to Duke Power, to get power hooked up to her house. What she found however, was that someone was already using her name to get power. In addition, the woman checked her bank account and found there was an additional purchase on it, to the tune of $170. Apparently back in December, she had left her wallet and the debit card at Food Lion in Millers Creek and the card was missing when she got back the wallet. Information was turned over to sheriff’s deputies and that investigation is ongoing.
Dog Food Recall Still A Concern
Pet owners here in Wilkes and across the state are being asked to pay close attention to a recall going on. It’s been almost a month since Diamond Pet Food issued a recall of certain brands, but already 76 dogs have been killed after eating the food. Included in the recall are all brands that were produced at the company's Gaston South Carolina facility, due to a toxic chemical that was discovered. The chemical aflatoxin, which is found in corn that's been infected with a certain type of fungus, was located in several cans of the food. It can make a pet sluggish and even in some cases cause sudden death. North Carolina's Agricultural Commissioner Steve Troxler is asking pet owners to get in touch with their local vet immediately if their pet has been weak, sluggish or just generally out of sorts. The brands involved are:
All types of Diamond Dog and Puppy Food
All types of Country Value Dog and Puppy Food
All types of Professional Dog, Puppy and Cat Food
You can determine if your brand is one of those under recall by checking to see if it has a Gaston facility production code. The South Carolina facility's codes have a capital G as either the 11th or 12th letter. Also those brands all have a sell by date of anywhere from March 1-June 1st 2007.
Video Game Thief Hits North Wilkesboro Home
A North Wilkesboro man got a surprise when he returned home on Tuesday. The door to his house was unlocked and some visitors had stopped by. Taken from inside was an N64 game system, several games and a CD radio. It’s unclear how the thieves got inside, as there was no sign of a break-in and no damage done to the door itself. That investigation continues.
Focus On Foxx
It’s a time of controversy in our nation’s capital. Questions have been raised about the president’s wiretapping plans, which some have called unconstitutional. While Democratic and Republican leaders have come out saying that they knew nothing about the program, that’s not exactly true, according to 5th District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx explains. The congresswoman will be Brian’s guest later today during Focus on the Foothills, as they’ll be talking about the wiretap controversy, going over what exactly Congress was told about the subject. Also gas prices and illegal immigration will be part of the conversation, coming up today at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.
Hungry Thieves Raid Local Man’s Popcorn
Always keep your house locked. A North Wilkesboro woman learned why that’s a good idea this week. She returned home to find that thieves had been inside. No money or any other valuables were taken, in fact the only thing missing was a Christmas popcorn tin. There are suspects in the case, as some people were seen leaving the house. That investigation is ongoing.
Blood Drive Later Today
The blood supply continues to stay at extremely critical levels, as turnouts have been less than expected. Type O negative, Type A negative and Type B negative are all under a two day supply and all blood types are desperately needed. The American Red Cross has put together an emergency drive today over at Wileks Central High School, that will last from 8:30am til 2pm. No appointments are needed, but if you want to avoid the crowd as kids change classes, you can call 838-4563. And as always you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs to give.
All The Music That’s Fit To Steal
A North Wilkesboro woman called sheriff’s deputies after discovering her missing mandolin at a local pawn shop. Apparently the thief had come in and pawned the instrument for food. The suspect’s name and information were turned over to sheriff’s deputies, but he agreed to pay for the mandolin and return it, so no charges were filed. It’s still unclear exactly how the thief got inside the home on Little Mountain Church Road to steal the instrument in the first place.
Regional News
Highway 52 In Mt Airy Shut Down
Cleanup crews worked throughout the night and on into this morning in Mt. Airy, as they took care of a propane leak. An estimated 30,000 gallons of propane leaked out yesterday afternoon from Carolane Propane and caused Highway 52 to be completely shut down. It's unclear how the propane leaked, but there were no injures to people at Carolane and no evacuations were ordered.
State News
NC Universities Violate The Constitution
North Carolina’s public universities are under attack today, for violating the constitution. The Pope Center For Higher Education, a conservative think tank, issued the accusations in a report released on Tuesday. The report said that campus speech codes are the problem, as they restrict what people can say. 13 of the state’s 16 public universities have policies that restrict free speech, including Appalachian State. ASU was cited for not allowing abusive language, insults or taunts. In addition, Fayetteville State was reprimanded for not allowing vulgar language, UNC Chapel Hill for not allowing sexually explicit jokes. The Pope Center said that such rules open up the universities for a lawsuit, one they would lose.
Troops To Be Welcomed Home Today
Some troops from Iraq will be welcomed home today. This afternoon, B Company of the 1-126th Aviation Regiment will be greeted by friends and family during a ceremony in Salisbury. The event starts at 3pm at Catawba College. The soldiers have served a year and three months in Iraq, logging 4400 flight hours in combat.
Tobacco Farmers Criticize Buyout
Now that the first payments have been sent out, some tobacco farmers in North Carolina are having second thoughts about the federal buyout plan. Some growers feel that they’ve been shortchanged as much as $60,000 and are talking to lawyers about suing the government. An estimated 181,000 producers and 380,000 tobacco quota holders are taking part in the plan, which forks out $951 million each year for the next ten years. As a result, companies can buy tobacco at cheaper prices.
Officials Raid NC State Building
SBI officials raided a building on the NC State campus yesterday. The search was prompted by an anonymous tip over the internet to the National Center for Missing Children. The SBI wouldn’t release any details, but did say that no one at the university is involved in the investigation.
NC Shell Fishing Taking A Hit
Pollution is slowly strangling North Carolina’s shell fishing business. That announcement came on Wednesday, as parts of the state’s economy continues to struggle. An estimated 2800 acres of shell fishing land has been closed down on the Newport River, thanks to contamination from pollution. State officials are blaming people who live on the waterfront, who they believe are dumping materials into the water for use as their own personal dump.
Sports Headlines
High School Basketball
Taking a look at high school basketball from last night, it was Mount Airy over North Wilkes 84-52. Despite playing at home, things didn’t exactly go too well for the North Wilkes Vikings, who gave up 45 points in the second half alone. Aaron Church led North Wilkes, the only Viking to score in double figures. With the loss, the team drops to 3-11. Meanwhile up the road in Millers Creek, it was Ashe County over West Wilkes 72-49. Micah Dancy had 14 points to lead the Blackhawks and Kurtis Lankford added 11, but it wasn’t enough as the Huskies used a 42 point second half to seal the deal. West drops to 5-10 with the loss. On the girls side of the court, it was Ashe County over West 59-50. The Lady Blackhawks got a great performance from Lauren Overton, who had 22 points, but she was about it as Meredith Wingler was the only other West Wilkes player to score in double figures, finishing with 11. West falls to 3-12 with the loss.
NCAA Scoreboard
Around the college basketball scoreboard last night, it was Winthrop over UNC Asheville 74-49, UNC Greensboro took care of Montreat 96-68, UNC Charlotte had no problems against LaSalle as the 49ers won 64-52. East Carolina lost to Memphis 77-67, Wake Forest was upset by Clemson 74-73. The Deacons got 27 from Justin Gray but it wasn’t enough as they fall to 11-4. And Duke survived another test as they took care of Maryland 76-52. J.J. Redick had 27 points to lead the Blue Devils, while Sheldon Williams added 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks. Duke stays undefeated at 15-0 with the win.
NC State Lands More Football Recruits
Some good news for NC State’s football team. Even as the Wolfpack keep losing players to the draft, there are some incoming freshmen looking to fill their shoes. High school senior Jevon Walker is the latest to sign on with the Wolfpack. As a senior at South Dade High in Florida, Walker was a safety, defensive end and also a linebacker. He racked up 104 tackles, seven sacks and 3 interceptions. In addition, the 5-11 180 lb. Walker runs a 40-yd-dash time of 4.4 seconds and turned down offers from Colorado State, Mississippi and Eastern Michigan to come to NC State.
Moore Named Coach Of The Year
If winning a national title wasn’t enough, Appalachian State football coach Jerry Moore was honored again this week. The American Football Coaches Association named Moore the Division I-AA Coach Of The Year. With 14 victories under his belt, Moore has the most wins in Southern Conference history. He’s also been invited to serve as an assistant coach in the 2006 Hula Bowl, a college version of the NFL’s Pro Bowl all star game.
NBA: Charlotte vs. Toronto
It was Toronto over a wounded Charlotte Bobcats team 95-86. Charlotte was missing five players, including rookie Sean May and last season’s rookie of the year Emeka Okafor, both out with injuries. Gerald Wallace led the Bobcats with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals, but it just wasn’t enough. The team drops to 11-24, with Milwaukee coming to town on Friday.
NASCAR Rookie Walking Wounded
One NASCAR driver hopes to be healed in time for the Daytona 500. Rookie David Stremme strained ligaments in his leg while blowing away leaves in the yard. Because of the injury, Stremme will have to wear a brace on his foot and might not be able to climb into his #39 Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing. No replacement has been named if Stremme can’t suit up.
Just over 7% of Wilkes County’s children are living in poverty, according to a study done by North Carolina’s Child Advocacy Institute. In part two of our series examining the study’s impact on local kids, we take a look at the family situation here in Wilkes. A new type of family structure is popping up, not just here in Wilkes but around the U.S. Grandparents are raising their grandkids. Here in Wilkes alone, 1084 children are living with their grandparents full time. This is due in some cases to their parents being in jail or in others they’ve simply abandoned the children and left. Also a lot of children here in the county are living in single parent homes, 6733 of them according to the study. How has this affected the kids? We’ll take a look at the numbers tomorrow in the final part of our series.
Local Woman Falls Victim To ID Theft
A local woman went to Duke Power, to get power hooked up to her house. What she found however, was that someone was already using her name to get power. In addition, the woman checked her bank account and found there was an additional purchase on it, to the tune of $170. Apparently back in December, she had left her wallet and the debit card at Food Lion in Millers Creek and the card was missing when she got back the wallet. Information was turned over to sheriff’s deputies and that investigation is ongoing.
Dog Food Recall Still A Concern
Pet owners here in Wilkes and across the state are being asked to pay close attention to a recall going on. It’s been almost a month since Diamond Pet Food issued a recall of certain brands, but already 76 dogs have been killed after eating the food. Included in the recall are all brands that were produced at the company's Gaston South Carolina facility, due to a toxic chemical that was discovered. The chemical aflatoxin, which is found in corn that's been infected with a certain type of fungus, was located in several cans of the food. It can make a pet sluggish and even in some cases cause sudden death. North Carolina's Agricultural Commissioner Steve Troxler is asking pet owners to get in touch with their local vet immediately if their pet has been weak, sluggish or just generally out of sorts. The brands involved are:
All types of Diamond Dog and Puppy Food
All types of Country Value Dog and Puppy Food
All types of Professional Dog, Puppy and Cat Food
You can determine if your brand is one of those under recall by checking to see if it has a Gaston facility production code. The South Carolina facility's codes have a capital G as either the 11th or 12th letter. Also those brands all have a sell by date of anywhere from March 1-June 1st 2007.
Video Game Thief Hits North Wilkesboro Home
A North Wilkesboro man got a surprise when he returned home on Tuesday. The door to his house was unlocked and some visitors had stopped by. Taken from inside was an N64 game system, several games and a CD radio. It’s unclear how the thieves got inside, as there was no sign of a break-in and no damage done to the door itself. That investigation continues.
Focus On Foxx
It’s a time of controversy in our nation’s capital. Questions have been raised about the president’s wiretapping plans, which some have called unconstitutional. While Democratic and Republican leaders have come out saying that they knew nothing about the program, that’s not exactly true, according to 5th District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx explains. The congresswoman will be Brian’s guest later today during Focus on the Foothills, as they’ll be talking about the wiretap controversy, going over what exactly Congress was told about the subject. Also gas prices and illegal immigration will be part of the conversation, coming up today at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.
Hungry Thieves Raid Local Man’s Popcorn
Always keep your house locked. A North Wilkesboro woman learned why that’s a good idea this week. She returned home to find that thieves had been inside. No money or any other valuables were taken, in fact the only thing missing was a Christmas popcorn tin. There are suspects in the case, as some people were seen leaving the house. That investigation is ongoing.
Blood Drive Later Today
The blood supply continues to stay at extremely critical levels, as turnouts have been less than expected. Type O negative, Type A negative and Type B negative are all under a two day supply and all blood types are desperately needed. The American Red Cross has put together an emergency drive today over at Wileks Central High School, that will last from 8:30am til 2pm. No appointments are needed, but if you want to avoid the crowd as kids change classes, you can call 838-4563. And as always you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs to give.
All The Music That’s Fit To Steal
A North Wilkesboro woman called sheriff’s deputies after discovering her missing mandolin at a local pawn shop. Apparently the thief had come in and pawned the instrument for food. The suspect’s name and information were turned over to sheriff’s deputies, but he agreed to pay for the mandolin and return it, so no charges were filed. It’s still unclear exactly how the thief got inside the home on Little Mountain Church Road to steal the instrument in the first place.
Regional News
Highway 52 In Mt Airy Shut Down
Cleanup crews worked throughout the night and on into this morning in Mt. Airy, as they took care of a propane leak. An estimated 30,000 gallons of propane leaked out yesterday afternoon from Carolane Propane and caused Highway 52 to be completely shut down. It's unclear how the propane leaked, but there were no injures to people at Carolane and no evacuations were ordered.
State News
NC Universities Violate The Constitution
North Carolina’s public universities are under attack today, for violating the constitution. The Pope Center For Higher Education, a conservative think tank, issued the accusations in a report released on Tuesday. The report said that campus speech codes are the problem, as they restrict what people can say. 13 of the state’s 16 public universities have policies that restrict free speech, including Appalachian State. ASU was cited for not allowing abusive language, insults or taunts. In addition, Fayetteville State was reprimanded for not allowing vulgar language, UNC Chapel Hill for not allowing sexually explicit jokes. The Pope Center said that such rules open up the universities for a lawsuit, one they would lose.
Troops To Be Welcomed Home Today
Some troops from Iraq will be welcomed home today. This afternoon, B Company of the 1-126th Aviation Regiment will be greeted by friends and family during a ceremony in Salisbury. The event starts at 3pm at Catawba College. The soldiers have served a year and three months in Iraq, logging 4400 flight hours in combat.
Tobacco Farmers Criticize Buyout
Now that the first payments have been sent out, some tobacco farmers in North Carolina are having second thoughts about the federal buyout plan. Some growers feel that they’ve been shortchanged as much as $60,000 and are talking to lawyers about suing the government. An estimated 181,000 producers and 380,000 tobacco quota holders are taking part in the plan, which forks out $951 million each year for the next ten years. As a result, companies can buy tobacco at cheaper prices.
Officials Raid NC State Building
SBI officials raided a building on the NC State campus yesterday. The search was prompted by an anonymous tip over the internet to the National Center for Missing Children. The SBI wouldn’t release any details, but did say that no one at the university is involved in the investigation.
NC Shell Fishing Taking A Hit
Pollution is slowly strangling North Carolina’s shell fishing business. That announcement came on Wednesday, as parts of the state’s economy continues to struggle. An estimated 2800 acres of shell fishing land has been closed down on the Newport River, thanks to contamination from pollution. State officials are blaming people who live on the waterfront, who they believe are dumping materials into the water for use as their own personal dump.
Sports Headlines
High School Basketball
Taking a look at high school basketball from last night, it was Mount Airy over North Wilkes 84-52. Despite playing at home, things didn’t exactly go too well for the North Wilkes Vikings, who gave up 45 points in the second half alone. Aaron Church led North Wilkes, the only Viking to score in double figures. With the loss, the team drops to 3-11. Meanwhile up the road in Millers Creek, it was Ashe County over West Wilkes 72-49. Micah Dancy had 14 points to lead the Blackhawks and Kurtis Lankford added 11, but it wasn’t enough as the Huskies used a 42 point second half to seal the deal. West drops to 5-10 with the loss. On the girls side of the court, it was Ashe County over West 59-50. The Lady Blackhawks got a great performance from Lauren Overton, who had 22 points, but she was about it as Meredith Wingler was the only other West Wilkes player to score in double figures, finishing with 11. West falls to 3-12 with the loss.
NCAA Scoreboard
Around the college basketball scoreboard last night, it was Winthrop over UNC Asheville 74-49, UNC Greensboro took care of Montreat 96-68, UNC Charlotte had no problems against LaSalle as the 49ers won 64-52. East Carolina lost to Memphis 77-67, Wake Forest was upset by Clemson 74-73. The Deacons got 27 from Justin Gray but it wasn’t enough as they fall to 11-4. And Duke survived another test as they took care of Maryland 76-52. J.J. Redick had 27 points to lead the Blue Devils, while Sheldon Williams added 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks. Duke stays undefeated at 15-0 with the win.
NC State Lands More Football Recruits
Some good news for NC State’s football team. Even as the Wolfpack keep losing players to the draft, there are some incoming freshmen looking to fill their shoes. High school senior Jevon Walker is the latest to sign on with the Wolfpack. As a senior at South Dade High in Florida, Walker was a safety, defensive end and also a linebacker. He racked up 104 tackles, seven sacks and 3 interceptions. In addition, the 5-11 180 lb. Walker runs a 40-yd-dash time of 4.4 seconds and turned down offers from Colorado State, Mississippi and Eastern Michigan to come to NC State.
Moore Named Coach Of The Year
If winning a national title wasn’t enough, Appalachian State football coach Jerry Moore was honored again this week. The American Football Coaches Association named Moore the Division I-AA Coach Of The Year. With 14 victories under his belt, Moore has the most wins in Southern Conference history. He’s also been invited to serve as an assistant coach in the 2006 Hula Bowl, a college version of the NFL’s Pro Bowl all star game.
NBA: Charlotte vs. Toronto
It was Toronto over a wounded Charlotte Bobcats team 95-86. Charlotte was missing five players, including rookie Sean May and last season’s rookie of the year Emeka Okafor, both out with injuries. Gerald Wallace led the Bobcats with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals, but it just wasn’t enough. The team drops to 11-24, with Milwaukee coming to town on Friday.
NASCAR Rookie Walking Wounded
One NASCAR driver hopes to be healed in time for the Daytona 500. Rookie David Stremme strained ligaments in his leg while blowing away leaves in the yard. Because of the injury, Stremme will have to wear a brace on his foot and might not be able to climb into his #39 Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing. No replacement has been named if Stremme can’t suit up.
posted by Scott Roberts # 6:35 AM
News & Sports For January 11th
Wilkes Spotlight: Over Four Thousand Kids Living In Poverty
Over four thousand children are living in poverty here in Wilkes, this according to information released from the North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute. As of last year, North Carolina considered a family making less than $19350 to be living in poverty. That balances out to a cost of $13 each a day for an average family of four. There are 34,833 children here in the county, out of which 4469 live in what the state considers poverty conditions. In addition out of that number, 1859 live in extreme poverty where the family makes 9700 or less. Tomorrow in part two of our series on Wilkes County kids, we take a look at the family situations each live in and how that compares to the rest of the state.
Wilkes County Takes People Back In Time
This Saturday, the Wilkes Heritage Museum will take people back in time for a “Civil War Afternoon”. The event runs from 1-4pm and will feature re-enactments, an exhibit on Confederate currency, music and a book signing by “The Secret of War” author Terrell Garren. Garren’s book deals with actual events that occurred during and just after the Civil War here in Western North Carolina. There is however a fee to attend, as people must pay regular admission price in order to get in. In addition to the Civil War events, that fee will also include tours of the Old Wilkes Jail and Robert Cleveland Log Home. For more information you can call Old Wilkes at 667-3171.
Missing Piggy Bank Proves Valuable
A Wilkes County man came home earlier this week to find someone had beaten him there. It seems that thieves found the spare key he had stored away and got inside the house. Once in, they stole over $800 in change. Coins dating back 70 to 80 years were taken. Deputies do however have suspects and that case is ongoing.
Focus On Foxx
It’s a time of controversy in our nation’s capital. Questions have been raised about the president’s wiretapping plans, which some have called unconstitutional. While Democratic and Republican leaders have come out saying that they knew nothing about the program, that’s not exactly true, according to 5th District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx. The congresswoman will be Brian’s guest for this week’s edition of Focus on the Foothills, as they’ll be talking about the wiretap controversy, going over what exactly Congress was told about the subject. Also gas prices and illegal immigration will be part of the conversation, coming up tomorrow at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.
Property Stolen While Owner In Hospital
Thieves waited until a Millers Creek man was in the hospital before paying a visit to his property. When the man returned home on Monday, he discovered over a thousand dollars worth of items had gone missing. It’s unclear how the thieves managed to get inside, as there was no sign of a break-in and no damage done to the property. Taken in the theft was a chainsaw, a weedeater and other tools. That investigation continues.
Recall Of Mixed Nuts
Before you pick up that bag of nuts to eat, you might want to check the date on them. A recall has been ordered of all Fisher Brand Deluxe Mixed Nuts in the 32 oz. plastic containers. The company issued a recall because some containers had peanuts inside but weren’t clearly labeled, meaning that anyone with an allergy could have serious problems. All the packages have a sell by date of November 5th 2006 and you can take them back to the store for a full refund. For more information a number has been set up for customers at 1-847-593-2300.
Car Damaged At Wilkesboro Home
A Wilkesboro woman called police after finding that someone had damaged her car. The incident happened while she was at a friend’s apartment. Walking outside, the woman found nails in two of her tires and shattered glass all around. An estimated $250 worth of damage was done to the vehicle, however there are suspects in the case as witnesses saw two people hanging around the car. That investigation continues.
State News
Jobs Lost At Charlotte Tire Plant
Over 500 people will be out of work in Charlotte this spring thanks to Continental Tire. The company announced plans on Monday to lay off 513 people at their Charlotte plant, due to manufacturing costs. Continental said they tried a compromise to keep all the workers employed but couldn’t reach an agreement. They had asked the employees to take a pay cut from $40 an hour to $26. That was shot down by the union. The first round of layoffs will begin in March.
People Arrested For Church Break-Ins
Two couples in Carroll County have been arrested and charged with breaking into area churches. Over the past month, six separate churches have been broke into with items being stolen from inside. Jerry and Donna Church and Harlen and Rosalie Workman were all charged in connection with the thefts. Apparently all four worked together as a group to gain access to the buildings. It’s unclear why churches were targeted in the crime spree.
Baseball In Charlotte Moves Forward
The dream of bringing baseball to Charlotte took a step forward this week, as city council members approved more study of the idea. The Charlotte Knights, a minor league team that actually plays in nearby Fort Mill SC, would pay for building the stadium, covering all but $5 of the $34 million total costs. That $5 million would come from the city’s tourism fund, allowing the stadium to be built in Charlotte’s Center City.
Dangerous Slime Covering Raleigh Creek
State officials are trying to determine what exactly is covering a creek in North Raleigh. Some type of slimy white goo began appearing in the creek last week. When residents tried to touch it, the slime burned their skin. It’s believed that the local water treatment plant could be at fault, as it releases water into the creek. Concerns have been raised because the creek flows into a nearby lake, where Raleigh gets part of its’ drinking water. Officials have done tests and collected samples, which they sent off for examination. Results are expected next week.
Lawyers Present NC With Legal Bill
North Carolina owes over $10 million in legal fees, according to lawyers. A 47-page document was filed in December requesting the money, which was earned through the lawyers work on the Leandro case. In that 1997 case, a judge ruled that North Carolina has a constitutional duty to give each student a good, basic education that meets minimum standards. State Board of Education officials said they weren’t exactly sure where the money would come from.
Civil Rights Icons Honored In Chapel Hill
Three civil rights icons are being honored in Chapel Hill. Rosa Parks, Claudette Colvin and Mary Louise Smith will all have memorial plaques placed on the front seat of the town’s transit buses. Colvin and Smith, while not as well known as Parks, did just as much for civil rights. They were the plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case which ended bus segregation.
Sports Headlines
High School Scoreboard
Around the high school scene last night, it was Starmount over North Wilkes 75-37. Also it went down to the wire, but East Wilkes pulled out a victory 59-55 over West Wilkes. East improves to 5-7 with the win, while West drops to 5-9. On the girls side of the ball, it was Starmount over North Wilkes 51-36 and the Lady Cardinals of East lost by the same score 51-36 to West. The lady Blackhawks get their 3rd win of the season, improving to 3-10 while East Wilkes falls to 1-10.
Elkin Football Player Commits To Liberty
Liberty University’s football program is getting a shot in the arm, thanks to one local player. Elkin High’s Terry Adams announced this week that he was committing to the school. The high school senior, a 6’1 235 lb. defensive end, recorded 69 tackles and 7 sacks this past season while helping Elkin to a state title. Adams can sign the national letter of intent on February 1st.
NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at the college scoreboard, it was Davidson over the Citadel 85-49. Also the UNC Tarheels survived another major test, as the young team took out Virginia Tech 64-61. Freshman forward Tyler Hansbrough had 20 points and 9 rebounds to lead the Heels, who improve to 10-2 on the year. NC State meanwhile had no problems taking care of Boston College 78-60. Cedric Simmons had 15 points to lead the Wolfpack, who improve to 12-2.
Wolfpack Exodus Continues
The bad news continues for the NC State Wolfpack. Two more members of the football team announced on Monday that they were planning to leave early for the NFL. Offensive tackle Derek Morris and defensive tackle John McCargo will both leave school for the draft. It could be a mistake however as McCargo is only predicted to go as a third round pick and Morris is completely off the board.
NBA: Houston at Charlotte
It took double overtime but the Charlotte Bobcats held on to win 111-106 over the Houston Rockets. Gerald Wallace led the Bobcats with 26 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 steals. Also Emeka Okafor came back from injury, in limited action he put up 21 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. The win brings Charlotte to 11-23 on the season, as they get set to play Toronto tonight.
NHL: Detroit at Carolina
The Carolina Hurricanes notched their 28th win of the season, after a 3-2 win over Detroit on Tuesday night. Eric Cole led Carolina with a goal and an assist.
Over four thousand children are living in poverty here in Wilkes, this according to information released from the North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute. As of last year, North Carolina considered a family making less than $19350 to be living in poverty. That balances out to a cost of $13 each a day for an average family of four. There are 34,833 children here in the county, out of which 4469 live in what the state considers poverty conditions. In addition out of that number, 1859 live in extreme poverty where the family makes 9700 or less. Tomorrow in part two of our series on Wilkes County kids, we take a look at the family situations each live in and how that compares to the rest of the state.
Wilkes County Takes People Back In Time
This Saturday, the Wilkes Heritage Museum will take people back in time for a “Civil War Afternoon”. The event runs from 1-4pm and will feature re-enactments, an exhibit on Confederate currency, music and a book signing by “The Secret of War” author Terrell Garren. Garren’s book deals with actual events that occurred during and just after the Civil War here in Western North Carolina. There is however a fee to attend, as people must pay regular admission price in order to get in. In addition to the Civil War events, that fee will also include tours of the Old Wilkes Jail and Robert Cleveland Log Home. For more information you can call Old Wilkes at 667-3171.
Missing Piggy Bank Proves Valuable
A Wilkes County man came home earlier this week to find someone had beaten him there. It seems that thieves found the spare key he had stored away and got inside the house. Once in, they stole over $800 in change. Coins dating back 70 to 80 years were taken. Deputies do however have suspects and that case is ongoing.
Focus On Foxx
It’s a time of controversy in our nation’s capital. Questions have been raised about the president’s wiretapping plans, which some have called unconstitutional. While Democratic and Republican leaders have come out saying that they knew nothing about the program, that’s not exactly true, according to 5th District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx. The congresswoman will be Brian’s guest for this week’s edition of Focus on the Foothills, as they’ll be talking about the wiretap controversy, going over what exactly Congress was told about the subject. Also gas prices and illegal immigration will be part of the conversation, coming up tomorrow at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.
Property Stolen While Owner In Hospital
Thieves waited until a Millers Creek man was in the hospital before paying a visit to his property. When the man returned home on Monday, he discovered over a thousand dollars worth of items had gone missing. It’s unclear how the thieves managed to get inside, as there was no sign of a break-in and no damage done to the property. Taken in the theft was a chainsaw, a weedeater and other tools. That investigation continues.
Recall Of Mixed Nuts
Before you pick up that bag of nuts to eat, you might want to check the date on them. A recall has been ordered of all Fisher Brand Deluxe Mixed Nuts in the 32 oz. plastic containers. The company issued a recall because some containers had peanuts inside but weren’t clearly labeled, meaning that anyone with an allergy could have serious problems. All the packages have a sell by date of November 5th 2006 and you can take them back to the store for a full refund. For more information a number has been set up for customers at 1-847-593-2300.
Car Damaged At Wilkesboro Home
A Wilkesboro woman called police after finding that someone had damaged her car. The incident happened while she was at a friend’s apartment. Walking outside, the woman found nails in two of her tires and shattered glass all around. An estimated $250 worth of damage was done to the vehicle, however there are suspects in the case as witnesses saw two people hanging around the car. That investigation continues.
State News
Jobs Lost At Charlotte Tire Plant
Over 500 people will be out of work in Charlotte this spring thanks to Continental Tire. The company announced plans on Monday to lay off 513 people at their Charlotte plant, due to manufacturing costs. Continental said they tried a compromise to keep all the workers employed but couldn’t reach an agreement. They had asked the employees to take a pay cut from $40 an hour to $26. That was shot down by the union. The first round of layoffs will begin in March.
People Arrested For Church Break-Ins
Two couples in Carroll County have been arrested and charged with breaking into area churches. Over the past month, six separate churches have been broke into with items being stolen from inside. Jerry and Donna Church and Harlen and Rosalie Workman were all charged in connection with the thefts. Apparently all four worked together as a group to gain access to the buildings. It’s unclear why churches were targeted in the crime spree.
Baseball In Charlotte Moves Forward
The dream of bringing baseball to Charlotte took a step forward this week, as city council members approved more study of the idea. The Charlotte Knights, a minor league team that actually plays in nearby Fort Mill SC, would pay for building the stadium, covering all but $5 of the $34 million total costs. That $5 million would come from the city’s tourism fund, allowing the stadium to be built in Charlotte’s Center City.
Dangerous Slime Covering Raleigh Creek
State officials are trying to determine what exactly is covering a creek in North Raleigh. Some type of slimy white goo began appearing in the creek last week. When residents tried to touch it, the slime burned their skin. It’s believed that the local water treatment plant could be at fault, as it releases water into the creek. Concerns have been raised because the creek flows into a nearby lake, where Raleigh gets part of its’ drinking water. Officials have done tests and collected samples, which they sent off for examination. Results are expected next week.
Lawyers Present NC With Legal Bill
North Carolina owes over $10 million in legal fees, according to lawyers. A 47-page document was filed in December requesting the money, which was earned through the lawyers work on the Leandro case. In that 1997 case, a judge ruled that North Carolina has a constitutional duty to give each student a good, basic education that meets minimum standards. State Board of Education officials said they weren’t exactly sure where the money would come from.
Civil Rights Icons Honored In Chapel Hill
Three civil rights icons are being honored in Chapel Hill. Rosa Parks, Claudette Colvin and Mary Louise Smith will all have memorial plaques placed on the front seat of the town’s transit buses. Colvin and Smith, while not as well known as Parks, did just as much for civil rights. They were the plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case which ended bus segregation.
Sports Headlines
High School Scoreboard
Around the high school scene last night, it was Starmount over North Wilkes 75-37. Also it went down to the wire, but East Wilkes pulled out a victory 59-55 over West Wilkes. East improves to 5-7 with the win, while West drops to 5-9. On the girls side of the ball, it was Starmount over North Wilkes 51-36 and the Lady Cardinals of East lost by the same score 51-36 to West. The lady Blackhawks get their 3rd win of the season, improving to 3-10 while East Wilkes falls to 1-10.
Elkin Football Player Commits To Liberty
Liberty University’s football program is getting a shot in the arm, thanks to one local player. Elkin High’s Terry Adams announced this week that he was committing to the school. The high school senior, a 6’1 235 lb. defensive end, recorded 69 tackles and 7 sacks this past season while helping Elkin to a state title. Adams can sign the national letter of intent on February 1st.
NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at the college scoreboard, it was Davidson over the Citadel 85-49. Also the UNC Tarheels survived another major test, as the young team took out Virginia Tech 64-61. Freshman forward Tyler Hansbrough had 20 points and 9 rebounds to lead the Heels, who improve to 10-2 on the year. NC State meanwhile had no problems taking care of Boston College 78-60. Cedric Simmons had 15 points to lead the Wolfpack, who improve to 12-2.
Wolfpack Exodus Continues
The bad news continues for the NC State Wolfpack. Two more members of the football team announced on Monday that they were planning to leave early for the NFL. Offensive tackle Derek Morris and defensive tackle John McCargo will both leave school for the draft. It could be a mistake however as McCargo is only predicted to go as a third round pick and Morris is completely off the board.
NBA: Houston at Charlotte
It took double overtime but the Charlotte Bobcats held on to win 111-106 over the Houston Rockets. Gerald Wallace led the Bobcats with 26 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 steals. Also Emeka Okafor came back from injury, in limited action he put up 21 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. The win brings Charlotte to 11-23 on the season, as they get set to play Toronto tonight.
NHL: Detroit at Carolina
The Carolina Hurricanes notched their 28th win of the season, after a 3-2 win over Detroit on Tuesday night. Eric Cole led Carolina with a goal and an assist.
posted by Scott Roberts # 6:33 AM
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
News & Sports For January 10th
North Carolina Safer In The Workplace
According to a recent study, Wilkes County and North Carolina as a whole are improving safety measures. The State Department of Labor released the figures, which showed that 80 people in North Carolina were killed last year in work related accidents. That’s a drop from the previous total of 83 back in 2004. Construction was listed as the most dangerous profession, totaling 34% of the deaths. Manufacturing came in second and the agricultural industry ranked third. Out of the 80 deaths, 77 were men and three were women. In Wilkes and the surrounding area, one person was crushed by falling equipment in the past year, while seven received injuries just simply listed as “other”.
High Speed Chase Lands Local Man Behind Bars
A routine stop for a revoked license soon turned into a high speed chase for Wilkesboro police. On Saturday, Officers pulled over a man for driving with a revoked license. As they approached the vehicle, he suddenly spun tires and took off down the road. The officers followed, traveling at a high rate of speed from 421 to NC 16 South, at times exceeding 90 mph. Police lost the suspect at the Alexander County line, however warrants are now being taken out for the driver, 33-yr-old Jody Lane Clonch. In addition to eluding arrest, it seems the vehicle wasn’t his, but instead belonged to his employers at Empire Chevy. Warrants have been taken out on Clonch for resisting arrest, speeding, reckless driving and larceny of a motor vehicle.
Trailer Stolen From Local Home
How does a trailer get stolen without anyone noticing? That’s what a Yadkinville man is wondering today. He called sheriff’s deputies after arriving at the house he’d been working on to find the trailer had vanished. The incident happened on the Mathis Farm Road and no one could recall hearing or seeing anything unusual in the area. That investigation is ongoing.
3WC Techwatch: Keeping An Eye On Credit
Keeping track of your credit report is a good way to avoid being a victim of ID theft. But as we explain in today’s 3WC Techwatch, you need to be careful. Now more than ever it’s important to keep up with your credit cards and make sure no one’s using your name. However free credit report scams are popping up, as hackers change with the technology. Everyone is eligible to order one free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting companies as of September of last year. But hackers have set up several dummy websites that for all intents and purposes appear to be the real thing. The only difference is that once your information is entered, you get locked out while the information is used to ruin your credit. The Federal Trade Commission has located 130 imposter sites over the last year alone. To solve the problem, you can get a free credit report by going through the Federal Trade Commission’s website at www.ftc.gov. You can follow the directions on the site to one of the three credit reporting companies and guarantee that your information is secure. Or if you’re not comfortable using the internet, then request the information over the phone by calling 1-877-322-8228. After all, it’s better to deal with this now instead of finding out later.
Frostbitten Thieves Run Off With Generator
Thieves broke into a Boomer home over the weekend, just searching for some help in keeping warm. They left with a Briggs and Straton Generator, taken from a section of the house that was being remodeled. Nothing else was taken or even touched in the theft. That investigation continues.
Vandals Leave Behind Expensive Repair Bill
A Roaring River woman called Wilkesboro police after leaving work this weekend. She discovered over $200 in damage had been done to her car. The bumper had been damaged and key marks stretched across both sides. No one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything unusual but that investigation continues.
Blood Supply Still Shrinking With Drive Today
With the blood supply at critical levels, it’s more important than ever to come out and give. However over the past few weeks, blood drives in Wilkes have seen a very small turnout, meaning that on average more blood is being used than what is coming back in. The Red Cross is holding a series of emergency drives this week to try and replenish the blood. The next one is going on today at Wilkes Senior Village, by appointment only. To call and set up a time to give, the Red Cross number is 838-4563. That drive today lasts from 1:30-4:30pm.
One Car Totaled On Hwy 268
One car was totaled after an accident on Hwy 268 West this weekend. A Wilkesboro man was driving down the highway when he says that a white vehicle suddenly swerved into his lane of traffic, forcing him to get out of the way. In doing so he slammed into a nearby guardrail. No one was hurt and the other vehicle quickly left the scene. Estimated damages to the rail and car were placed at $3000.
Thieves Ride Off With Local Woman’s Bike
Always keep things locked up when you leave. A North Wilkesboro woman learned why that’s a good idea this week, as her son’s bike was stolen. The bike, which had been left outside, was discovered missing when the family returned home from a recent trip. There are suspects in the case and that investigation continues.
Regional News
Search Over For Caldwell Woman
The search has ended for a Caldwell County woman who disappeared December 29th. The body of 48-yr-old Emily Anderson was found over the weekend in South Carolina. She was found dead, locked up in the tool box in the back of her truck. Authorities were able to track down the woman’s vehicle just west of Spartanburg on I-85. The FBI have been called in to assist in the case.
State News
Greensboro Police Chief Resigns
A few days after being locked out of his own office by the city manager, Greensboro police chief David Wray announced he was resigning. Wray sent letters to the press on Monday, declaring the end to his 2 ½ year term. The chief said that recent controversies in his department, including some race related, have hurt his ability to lead. Wray also said in the letter that he was ultimately responsible for everything that goes on and calls the decision “in the best interests of the department”.
NC Highways Ranked 4th In Nation
North Carolina is considered a good state to go driving in, according to a political watchdog group. The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety release a study each year, called the Roadmap to State Highway Laws. In this year’s roadmap, North Carolina was ranked 4th, just behind Georgia and Washington. Nevada was ranked number one. The study ranks states based on child safety, teen driving and impaired driving, among other things.
Hepatitis Outbreak In Alamance
Officials in Alamance County are working to contain a possible outbreak of Hepatitis in the area. Already five cases of Hepatitis A have been confirmed and seven more people could be infected. So far, the health department has no clue as to what could have spread the infection. Local leaders say they believe the situation has been dealt with and don’t expect anymore cases to pop up.
Myrick Attacks NC Gas Increase
Another lawmaker has come out criticizing North Carolina’s gas tax increase, this time on the federal level. Representative Sue Myrick, along with the 13 other members of North Carolina’s Congressional delegation, received letters from State Senate leader Marc Basnight and House Speaker Jim Black. The letters requested federal help with the problem. Myrick responded by suggesting that state lawmakers fix the situation by putting a halt to the one billion worth of funds that have been transferred from the Highway Trust Fund in the last five years. Funds from the gas tax are placed in the Trust Fund, for use in repairing roads. Instead, money has been taken out for pet projects of state leaders. Both Black and Basnight refused for the state to take responsibility for the problem.
Sports Headlines
High School Basketball
Around the high school scene, some scores from last night. It was East Wilkes knocking off the heavily favored Bishop McGuiness squad 71-55. The Lady Cardinals didn’t fare as well however, as they lost to Bishop McGuiness 57-19. And all four county teams are in action tonight. North Wilkes plays host to Starmount, while Wilkes Central is on the road playing Surry Central. Then in our 3WC Game of the Week, it’s going to be East Wilkes marching up to Millers Creek as they’ll take on the Blackhawks of West Wilkes. We’ll go on the air at 7pm with the pregame show and then join Ken Byrd and Keith Briand at 7:15 for the play by play.
NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at some college basketball from last night, it was East Tennessee State over Gardner-Webb 89-66. The Bulldogs fell despite 12 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks from Simon Conn, as they drop to 6-7, good enough for 6th in the Atlantic Sun conference. It was High Point over Coastal Carolina 82-62, the streaking Elon Phoenix over Chattanooga 92-74, Delaware State knocked off NC A&T 56-52 and it was Appalachian State over Western Carolina 68-53. DJ Thompson had 18 points and 5 assists to lead the Mountaineers, who improve to 6-9 on the year.
NC State Lands Basketball Recruit
In other college basketball news, NC State has already started planning for 2008 as 6'2 ft guard Chris Wright committed to the team. Wright, who plays for St. John's High In Washington DC is ranked as the 6th best high school junior in the country. He picked the Wolfpack over Duke, Villanova and Wake Forest. Scouts believe he could be a star in the NBA, with some calling him a taller version of Philadelphia guard Allen Iversion.
NC State Loses Football Coach
The news wasn't so good however for the NC State football team. Coach Chuck Amato will have to replace part of his staff before next season. Special teams coach Manny Diaz announced that he was leaving to take the defensive coordinator job at Middle Tennessee. Diaz had been with the Wolfpack for six seasons.
Smith Named Comeback Player Of The Year
With one round in the books, the Carolina Panthers were celebrating a win of another kind as wide receiver Steve Smith was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year, an award he shares with Teddy Bruschi of the New England Patriots. Votes for the two were split 50-50 down the middle, as writers didn't know which achievement to award. Smith returned from a broken leg to lead the league in catches and receiving yards, while Bruschi bounced back from a mild stroke he suffered last year.
According to a recent study, Wilkes County and North Carolina as a whole are improving safety measures. The State Department of Labor released the figures, which showed that 80 people in North Carolina were killed last year in work related accidents. That’s a drop from the previous total of 83 back in 2004. Construction was listed as the most dangerous profession, totaling 34% of the deaths. Manufacturing came in second and the agricultural industry ranked third. Out of the 80 deaths, 77 were men and three were women. In Wilkes and the surrounding area, one person was crushed by falling equipment in the past year, while seven received injuries just simply listed as “other”.
High Speed Chase Lands Local Man Behind Bars
A routine stop for a revoked license soon turned into a high speed chase for Wilkesboro police. On Saturday, Officers pulled over a man for driving with a revoked license. As they approached the vehicle, he suddenly spun tires and took off down the road. The officers followed, traveling at a high rate of speed from 421 to NC 16 South, at times exceeding 90 mph. Police lost the suspect at the Alexander County line, however warrants are now being taken out for the driver, 33-yr-old Jody Lane Clonch. In addition to eluding arrest, it seems the vehicle wasn’t his, but instead belonged to his employers at Empire Chevy. Warrants have been taken out on Clonch for resisting arrest, speeding, reckless driving and larceny of a motor vehicle.
Trailer Stolen From Local Home
How does a trailer get stolen without anyone noticing? That’s what a Yadkinville man is wondering today. He called sheriff’s deputies after arriving at the house he’d been working on to find the trailer had vanished. The incident happened on the Mathis Farm Road and no one could recall hearing or seeing anything unusual in the area. That investigation is ongoing.
3WC Techwatch: Keeping An Eye On Credit
Keeping track of your credit report is a good way to avoid being a victim of ID theft. But as we explain in today’s 3WC Techwatch, you need to be careful. Now more than ever it’s important to keep up with your credit cards and make sure no one’s using your name. However free credit report scams are popping up, as hackers change with the technology. Everyone is eligible to order one free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting companies as of September of last year. But hackers have set up several dummy websites that for all intents and purposes appear to be the real thing. The only difference is that once your information is entered, you get locked out while the information is used to ruin your credit. The Federal Trade Commission has located 130 imposter sites over the last year alone. To solve the problem, you can get a free credit report by going through the Federal Trade Commission’s website at www.ftc.gov. You can follow the directions on the site to one of the three credit reporting companies and guarantee that your information is secure. Or if you’re not comfortable using the internet, then request the information over the phone by calling 1-877-322-8228. After all, it’s better to deal with this now instead of finding out later.
Frostbitten Thieves Run Off With Generator
Thieves broke into a Boomer home over the weekend, just searching for some help in keeping warm. They left with a Briggs and Straton Generator, taken from a section of the house that was being remodeled. Nothing else was taken or even touched in the theft. That investigation continues.
Vandals Leave Behind Expensive Repair Bill
A Roaring River woman called Wilkesboro police after leaving work this weekend. She discovered over $200 in damage had been done to her car. The bumper had been damaged and key marks stretched across both sides. No one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything unusual but that investigation continues.
Blood Supply Still Shrinking With Drive Today
With the blood supply at critical levels, it’s more important than ever to come out and give. However over the past few weeks, blood drives in Wilkes have seen a very small turnout, meaning that on average more blood is being used than what is coming back in. The Red Cross is holding a series of emergency drives this week to try and replenish the blood. The next one is going on today at Wilkes Senior Village, by appointment only. To call and set up a time to give, the Red Cross number is 838-4563. That drive today lasts from 1:30-4:30pm.
One Car Totaled On Hwy 268
One car was totaled after an accident on Hwy 268 West this weekend. A Wilkesboro man was driving down the highway when he says that a white vehicle suddenly swerved into his lane of traffic, forcing him to get out of the way. In doing so he slammed into a nearby guardrail. No one was hurt and the other vehicle quickly left the scene. Estimated damages to the rail and car were placed at $3000.
Thieves Ride Off With Local Woman’s Bike
Always keep things locked up when you leave. A North Wilkesboro woman learned why that’s a good idea this week, as her son’s bike was stolen. The bike, which had been left outside, was discovered missing when the family returned home from a recent trip. There are suspects in the case and that investigation continues.
Regional News
Search Over For Caldwell Woman
The search has ended for a Caldwell County woman who disappeared December 29th. The body of 48-yr-old Emily Anderson was found over the weekend in South Carolina. She was found dead, locked up in the tool box in the back of her truck. Authorities were able to track down the woman’s vehicle just west of Spartanburg on I-85. The FBI have been called in to assist in the case.
State News
Greensboro Police Chief Resigns
A few days after being locked out of his own office by the city manager, Greensboro police chief David Wray announced he was resigning. Wray sent letters to the press on Monday, declaring the end to his 2 ½ year term. The chief said that recent controversies in his department, including some race related, have hurt his ability to lead. Wray also said in the letter that he was ultimately responsible for everything that goes on and calls the decision “in the best interests of the department”.
NC Highways Ranked 4th In Nation
North Carolina is considered a good state to go driving in, according to a political watchdog group. The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety release a study each year, called the Roadmap to State Highway Laws. In this year’s roadmap, North Carolina was ranked 4th, just behind Georgia and Washington. Nevada was ranked number one. The study ranks states based on child safety, teen driving and impaired driving, among other things.
Hepatitis Outbreak In Alamance
Officials in Alamance County are working to contain a possible outbreak of Hepatitis in the area. Already five cases of Hepatitis A have been confirmed and seven more people could be infected. So far, the health department has no clue as to what could have spread the infection. Local leaders say they believe the situation has been dealt with and don’t expect anymore cases to pop up.
Myrick Attacks NC Gas Increase
Another lawmaker has come out criticizing North Carolina’s gas tax increase, this time on the federal level. Representative Sue Myrick, along with the 13 other members of North Carolina’s Congressional delegation, received letters from State Senate leader Marc Basnight and House Speaker Jim Black. The letters requested federal help with the problem. Myrick responded by suggesting that state lawmakers fix the situation by putting a halt to the one billion worth of funds that have been transferred from the Highway Trust Fund in the last five years. Funds from the gas tax are placed in the Trust Fund, for use in repairing roads. Instead, money has been taken out for pet projects of state leaders. Both Black and Basnight refused for the state to take responsibility for the problem.
Sports Headlines
High School Basketball
Around the high school scene, some scores from last night. It was East Wilkes knocking off the heavily favored Bishop McGuiness squad 71-55. The Lady Cardinals didn’t fare as well however, as they lost to Bishop McGuiness 57-19. And all four county teams are in action tonight. North Wilkes plays host to Starmount, while Wilkes Central is on the road playing Surry Central. Then in our 3WC Game of the Week, it’s going to be East Wilkes marching up to Millers Creek as they’ll take on the Blackhawks of West Wilkes. We’ll go on the air at 7pm with the pregame show and then join Ken Byrd and Keith Briand at 7:15 for the play by play.
NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at some college basketball from last night, it was East Tennessee State over Gardner-Webb 89-66. The Bulldogs fell despite 12 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks from Simon Conn, as they drop to 6-7, good enough for 6th in the Atlantic Sun conference. It was High Point over Coastal Carolina 82-62, the streaking Elon Phoenix over Chattanooga 92-74, Delaware State knocked off NC A&T 56-52 and it was Appalachian State over Western Carolina 68-53. DJ Thompson had 18 points and 5 assists to lead the Mountaineers, who improve to 6-9 on the year.
NC State Lands Basketball Recruit
In other college basketball news, NC State has already started planning for 2008 as 6'2 ft guard Chris Wright committed to the team. Wright, who plays for St. John's High In Washington DC is ranked as the 6th best high school junior in the country. He picked the Wolfpack over Duke, Villanova and Wake Forest. Scouts believe he could be a star in the NBA, with some calling him a taller version of Philadelphia guard Allen Iversion.
NC State Loses Football Coach
The news wasn't so good however for the NC State football team. Coach Chuck Amato will have to replace part of his staff before next season. Special teams coach Manny Diaz announced that he was leaving to take the defensive coordinator job at Middle Tennessee. Diaz had been with the Wolfpack for six seasons.
Smith Named Comeback Player Of The Year
With one round in the books, the Carolina Panthers were celebrating a win of another kind as wide receiver Steve Smith was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year, an award he shares with Teddy Bruschi of the New England Patriots. Votes for the two were split 50-50 down the middle, as writers didn't know which achievement to award. Smith returned from a broken leg to lead the league in catches and receiving yards, while Bruschi bounced back from a mild stroke he suffered last year.
posted by Scott Roberts # 6:11 AM
Monday, January 09, 2006
News & Sports For January 9th
Postage Rates Increase
Bad news for anyone heading out to mail a stamp today. You’ll have to pay more to do it. The US Postal Service raised the cost of a stamp 2 cents on Sunday, to 39 cents. Also Priority Mail will cost $4.05 for one pound, that’s an increase of 20 cents. And postcards were raised one cent to 24 cents. This marks the first increase in almost four years and was necessary due to a federal law. Back in 2003, lawmakers ordered that the Postal Service have $3.1 billion on hand to put into an escrow account. That has to be done by October 1st of this year and without the increases, there wouldn’t have been enough money.
Money Goes Missing From Taco Bell
Wilkesboro police are investigating a theft at Taco Bell. Late last week, managers opened the safe and discovered that just under $500 was missing. The safe wasn’t locked at the time and it’s unclear exactly when the money was stolen. Information was turned over to police and the investigation continues.
Guns Stolen From Local Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a home on Wildwood Drive late last week, after thieves paid a visit. The homeowner had left several items inside his unlocked truck. His cellular phone and several guns were stolen, including a Marlin .22 rifle and Remington 870 Express. There are no suspects in the case but that investigation continues.
Wheels Stolen From 421 Motors
Thieves ripped off a local business late last week. Employees at 421 Motors arrived to find one of their vehicles up on stands, with the tires missing. Over a thousand dollars worth of equipment and tires was taken in the theft. That investigation continues.
Blood Drive Going On Today
Every two seconds, someone needs blood in North Carolina. But here in Wilkes County, the supply is at the lowest its' been in six months. Type O negative, Type A negative and Type B negative are all under a two days supply, short enough that one major wreck could potentially wipe it out. There have also been low turnouts at the blood drives so far, meaning that very little is coming back in for that which is used. Two drives are going on today in Wilkes County, one at the Traphill Volunteer Fire Department and the other at Glade Creek Volunteer Fire Department. Both will run from 3-7:30pm. Just remember before giving you must be at least 17 years old and 11o lbs. To call for an appointment, the Red Cross number is 838-4563.
Vandals Target Local Vehicles
Drivers on Hwy 16 South got an unwelcome surprise last week. Several cars were hit by paintballs, causing dents and damage. In each case, the suspects drove by in a white Toyota and opened fire. Information about the suspects ws turned over to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation continues.
Samaritan's Kitchen Needs Help
When people can’t afford to buy food, who do they turn to? Here in Wilkes, the Samaritan’s Kitchen lends a hand. The Kitchen, which has been in operation for over six years, is involved with several different programs throughout the week. Now however the Kitchen finds itself of major support, both with food donations and volunteer help. If you can set aside thirty minutes or three hours, whatever you can spare, please contact Elizabeth Ferguson with Samaritan’s Kitchen. The number is 838-5331.
Medication Taken From North Wilkesboro Home
A North Wilkesboro man called sheriff’s deputies late last week after finding his medication had been stolen. There was no sign of a break-in or anything else taken from the property. Deputies are continuing the investigation.
State News
Jobs Gone From Burlington
Bad news today for people in the Burlington area. Gold Toe Brands announced that it will be eliminating 20 jobs from its’ Annedeen plant. The company is looking to cut costs and will be transferring the jobs to a plant it runs in Mexico. Gold Toe said they hope to assist the terminated workers in finding new jobs.
Cars Vandalized In Clemmons
30 different car owners, including a Forsyth County Deputy Sheriff, are cleaning up today after their vehicles were damaged. The incident happened in Clemmons at a mobile home park. Vandals slashed tires, shattered windows and spray painted the cars. There are two suspects but no arrests have been made.
Deer Head In Mailbox
Several people in Hoke County got a surprise when they opened up their mailbox on Saturday. Deer parts were inside. One lady found a deer head, while others found hooves and legs. The Hoke County Sheriff’s Department investigated and discovered that a local teen had committed the crime, thinking it would be a great prank. None of the families pressed charges however as the teen agreed to replace all the boxes and apologize.
Greensboro Police Chief Locked Out
Greensboro’s police chief finds himself locked out of his office today. City Manager Mitchell Johnson announced over the weekend that he changed the locks to the office, in an effort to secure certain documents. David Wray is still the police chief, but questions have been raised about the way he runs the department. The city manager is the only one who will have access to the office until the investigation is finished.
Fort Bragg Soldier Dies
A Fort Bragg soldier was killed over the weekend during physical training. 38-yr-old Sergeant First Class Steven Cutno collapsed during training and was latter pronounced dead at the base hospital. Cutno, a 15-yr veteran, was serving with the Headquarters Company of the 82nd Airborne Division. It’s still unknown what caused him to collapse.
Sports Headlines
Boys High School Scoreboard
Around the high school scene this weekend, it was Elkin over West Wilkes 87-53. The Blackhawks never led throughout the game and couldn’t overcome Elkin’s Tyler Sanborn, who had 28 points, 25 rebounds and 8 blocks. West was ked by Kurtis Lankford, who put in 14 points, Todd Kilby was the only other Blackhawk to finish in double figures, adding 11 points. Meanwhile, it was East Surry over East Wilkes 59-48. East Wilkes was led by Cody Cook, who had 15 points in the loss, while Brent Poplin added 13. North Wilkes lost to Surry Central 74-71 despite leading for most of the first half and it was Wilkes Central over Forbush 68-61. Nathan Duncan and Caleb Hawkins each had 21 to lead the Eagles.
Girls High School Scoreboard
On the girls side of the court, it was a defensive battle as the Lady Eagles of Wilkes Central knocked off Forbush 35-28. Laura Rollins was the only Central player in double figures, as she had 18. The Lady Eagles keep marching toward the playoffs, improving to 13-1. The Lady Blackhawks of West got their second win of the season, beating Elkin 53-33. Erin Hollars finished with 15 points to lead the Lady Blackhawks, while Lauren Overton had 14. The East Wilkes Lady Cardinals fell to East Surry 71-45 and it was the Lady Vikings of North Wilkes over Surry Central 54-34. Sarah Smith had 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Lady Vikings, who recorded their first conference win of the season.
NCAA Scoreboard
Around the college basketball scene, it was Winthrop losing to Memphis 73-63, Chattanooga knocking off UNC Greensboro 78-69, Davidson beating Wofford 80-62, High Point over Charleston Southern 78-67 and East Carolina over St. Paul’s College 80-74. In other action, it was UNC Wilmington over William and Mary 63-56, UNC Asheville lost to Birmingham Southern 80-66 and UNC Charlotte over Dayton 73-65. Appalachian State was beaten by Elon 65-59. DJ Thompson led the Mountaineers with 15 points and 8 rebounds, as the team falls to 5-9. The UNC Tarheels ripped apart NC State 82-69. Freshman Tyler Hansborough had 20 points to lead the Tarheels, while Illian Evtimov had 20 points for the Wolfpack. Finally the Duke Blue Devils beat Wake Forest 82-64. J.J. redick had 32 to lead Duke, while Justin Gray had 17 for the Deacons.
Bobcats Lose To Orlando
Walking wounded into Orlando on Saturday, the Charlotte Bobcats lost to the Magic 108-92. Charlotte was playing without Emeka Okafor, Sean May, Kareem Rush or Jake Voskul, all out with injuries. The Bobcats were led by Gerald Wallace, who had 12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocks. The Bobcats may be even more shorthanded as point guard Brevin Knight left the game with back spasms. The loss drops Charlotte to 10-23 with Houston coming to town on Tuesday.
Panthers Knock Giants Out Of Playoffs
For one week, the Carolina Panthers played like a Super Bowl team, dismantling the New York Giants on the way to a 23-0 win. Deshaun Foster ran for 151 yards while the Carolina defense picked off Eli Manning for three interceptions. The Panthers will now go on the road next week to face the Chicago Bears.
Hurricanes Shut Out Islanders
In the NHL, it was the Carolina Hurricanes shutting out the New York Islanders 3-0 on Saturday. Goalie Martin Gerber had 30 saves for Carolina, as the team improves to 27-10 on the season.
Bad news for anyone heading out to mail a stamp today. You’ll have to pay more to do it. The US Postal Service raised the cost of a stamp 2 cents on Sunday, to 39 cents. Also Priority Mail will cost $4.05 for one pound, that’s an increase of 20 cents. And postcards were raised one cent to 24 cents. This marks the first increase in almost four years and was necessary due to a federal law. Back in 2003, lawmakers ordered that the Postal Service have $3.1 billion on hand to put into an escrow account. That has to be done by October 1st of this year and without the increases, there wouldn’t have been enough money.
Money Goes Missing From Taco Bell
Wilkesboro police are investigating a theft at Taco Bell. Late last week, managers opened the safe and discovered that just under $500 was missing. The safe wasn’t locked at the time and it’s unclear exactly when the money was stolen. Information was turned over to police and the investigation continues.
Guns Stolen From Local Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a home on Wildwood Drive late last week, after thieves paid a visit. The homeowner had left several items inside his unlocked truck. His cellular phone and several guns were stolen, including a Marlin .22 rifle and Remington 870 Express. There are no suspects in the case but that investigation continues.
Wheels Stolen From 421 Motors
Thieves ripped off a local business late last week. Employees at 421 Motors arrived to find one of their vehicles up on stands, with the tires missing. Over a thousand dollars worth of equipment and tires was taken in the theft. That investigation continues.
Blood Drive Going On Today
Every two seconds, someone needs blood in North Carolina. But here in Wilkes County, the supply is at the lowest its' been in six months. Type O negative, Type A negative and Type B negative are all under a two days supply, short enough that one major wreck could potentially wipe it out. There have also been low turnouts at the blood drives so far, meaning that very little is coming back in for that which is used. Two drives are going on today in Wilkes County, one at the Traphill Volunteer Fire Department and the other at Glade Creek Volunteer Fire Department. Both will run from 3-7:30pm. Just remember before giving you must be at least 17 years old and 11o lbs. To call for an appointment, the Red Cross number is 838-4563.
Vandals Target Local Vehicles
Drivers on Hwy 16 South got an unwelcome surprise last week. Several cars were hit by paintballs, causing dents and damage. In each case, the suspects drove by in a white Toyota and opened fire. Information about the suspects ws turned over to sheriff’s deputies and the investigation continues.
Samaritan's Kitchen Needs Help
When people can’t afford to buy food, who do they turn to? Here in Wilkes, the Samaritan’s Kitchen lends a hand. The Kitchen, which has been in operation for over six years, is involved with several different programs throughout the week. Now however the Kitchen finds itself of major support, both with food donations and volunteer help. If you can set aside thirty minutes or three hours, whatever you can spare, please contact Elizabeth Ferguson with Samaritan’s Kitchen. The number is 838-5331.
Medication Taken From North Wilkesboro Home
A North Wilkesboro man called sheriff’s deputies late last week after finding his medication had been stolen. There was no sign of a break-in or anything else taken from the property. Deputies are continuing the investigation.
State News
Jobs Gone From Burlington
Bad news today for people in the Burlington area. Gold Toe Brands announced that it will be eliminating 20 jobs from its’ Annedeen plant. The company is looking to cut costs and will be transferring the jobs to a plant it runs in Mexico. Gold Toe said they hope to assist the terminated workers in finding new jobs.
Cars Vandalized In Clemmons
30 different car owners, including a Forsyth County Deputy Sheriff, are cleaning up today after their vehicles were damaged. The incident happened in Clemmons at a mobile home park. Vandals slashed tires, shattered windows and spray painted the cars. There are two suspects but no arrests have been made.
Deer Head In Mailbox
Several people in Hoke County got a surprise when they opened up their mailbox on Saturday. Deer parts were inside. One lady found a deer head, while others found hooves and legs. The Hoke County Sheriff’s Department investigated and discovered that a local teen had committed the crime, thinking it would be a great prank. None of the families pressed charges however as the teen agreed to replace all the boxes and apologize.
Greensboro Police Chief Locked Out
Greensboro’s police chief finds himself locked out of his office today. City Manager Mitchell Johnson announced over the weekend that he changed the locks to the office, in an effort to secure certain documents. David Wray is still the police chief, but questions have been raised about the way he runs the department. The city manager is the only one who will have access to the office until the investigation is finished.
Fort Bragg Soldier Dies
A Fort Bragg soldier was killed over the weekend during physical training. 38-yr-old Sergeant First Class Steven Cutno collapsed during training and was latter pronounced dead at the base hospital. Cutno, a 15-yr veteran, was serving with the Headquarters Company of the 82nd Airborne Division. It’s still unknown what caused him to collapse.
Sports Headlines
Boys High School Scoreboard
Around the high school scene this weekend, it was Elkin over West Wilkes 87-53. The Blackhawks never led throughout the game and couldn’t overcome Elkin’s Tyler Sanborn, who had 28 points, 25 rebounds and 8 blocks. West was ked by Kurtis Lankford, who put in 14 points, Todd Kilby was the only other Blackhawk to finish in double figures, adding 11 points. Meanwhile, it was East Surry over East Wilkes 59-48. East Wilkes was led by Cody Cook, who had 15 points in the loss, while Brent Poplin added 13. North Wilkes lost to Surry Central 74-71 despite leading for most of the first half and it was Wilkes Central over Forbush 68-61. Nathan Duncan and Caleb Hawkins each had 21 to lead the Eagles.
Girls High School Scoreboard
On the girls side of the court, it was a defensive battle as the Lady Eagles of Wilkes Central knocked off Forbush 35-28. Laura Rollins was the only Central player in double figures, as she had 18. The Lady Eagles keep marching toward the playoffs, improving to 13-1. The Lady Blackhawks of West got their second win of the season, beating Elkin 53-33. Erin Hollars finished with 15 points to lead the Lady Blackhawks, while Lauren Overton had 14. The East Wilkes Lady Cardinals fell to East Surry 71-45 and it was the Lady Vikings of North Wilkes over Surry Central 54-34. Sarah Smith had 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Lady Vikings, who recorded their first conference win of the season.
NCAA Scoreboard
Around the college basketball scene, it was Winthrop losing to Memphis 73-63, Chattanooga knocking off UNC Greensboro 78-69, Davidson beating Wofford 80-62, High Point over Charleston Southern 78-67 and East Carolina over St. Paul’s College 80-74. In other action, it was UNC Wilmington over William and Mary 63-56, UNC Asheville lost to Birmingham Southern 80-66 and UNC Charlotte over Dayton 73-65. Appalachian State was beaten by Elon 65-59. DJ Thompson led the Mountaineers with 15 points and 8 rebounds, as the team falls to 5-9. The UNC Tarheels ripped apart NC State 82-69. Freshman Tyler Hansborough had 20 points to lead the Tarheels, while Illian Evtimov had 20 points for the Wolfpack. Finally the Duke Blue Devils beat Wake Forest 82-64. J.J. redick had 32 to lead Duke, while Justin Gray had 17 for the Deacons.
Bobcats Lose To Orlando
Walking wounded into Orlando on Saturday, the Charlotte Bobcats lost to the Magic 108-92. Charlotte was playing without Emeka Okafor, Sean May, Kareem Rush or Jake Voskul, all out with injuries. The Bobcats were led by Gerald Wallace, who had 12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocks. The Bobcats may be even more shorthanded as point guard Brevin Knight left the game with back spasms. The loss drops Charlotte to 10-23 with Houston coming to town on Tuesday.
Panthers Knock Giants Out Of Playoffs
For one week, the Carolina Panthers played like a Super Bowl team, dismantling the New York Giants on the way to a 23-0 win. Deshaun Foster ran for 151 yards while the Carolina defense picked off Eli Manning for three interceptions. The Panthers will now go on the road next week to face the Chicago Bears.
Hurricanes Shut Out Islanders
In the NHL, it was the Carolina Hurricanes shutting out the New York Islanders 3-0 on Saturday. Goalie Martin Gerber had 30 saves for Carolina, as the team improves to 27-10 on the season.
posted by Scott Roberts # 6:14 AM
Archives
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