Wilkes County Considered Accident Prone
Well it appears that Wilkes County is slightly accident prone. That was the report taken from AAA of the Carolinas, who issued their annual list of the most dangerous counties across the state. Wilkes came in 31st in regards to total crashes during the year, recording a total of 1677 accidents. Only eight of those accidents had fatalities involved, while 1040 were injured. In general across the state, the total amount of wrecks were down .3 percent, as 230,577 were recorded. However the number of fatal crashes rose 1.4 percent, to finish out at 1574. New Hanover County was ranked as the most dangerous, with Mecklenburg coming in second. On the other side of the coin, Curriuck County was ranked as the safest, with Swain in second place.

Thieves Raid Millers Creek Home
A Millers Creek woman returned home Tuesday night to a surprise. Two tvs were missing from inside the house, along with a set of speakers and four tires. Despite the theft, there was no sign of a break-in and no damage done to the property. All total an estimated $700 worth of material was stolen from the home. Deputies are continuing the investigation.

Open House Next Week At Central Wilkes
As students get set to wrap up the first month of the new semester, Central Wilkes Middle School is inviting parents and others in the community to come in and have a look around. Central Wilkes will have a Second Semester Open House next Thursday, February 2nd. That event will go on from 1-6pm and everyone is invited to come in and tour the school.

Check For Charity Stolen From Mailbox
What kind of person steals money from a charity? That’s what a man in Ferguson is wondering today. He heard a noise on Wednesday afternoon and looked outside to find a vehicle pull up at his mailbox. The person inside opened the box, went through the mail and took an item before driving off. When the homeowner came out, he found the only thing missing was a check that had been written to the Principals Benefit Fund for $21. A description of the driver and their vehicle was turned over to deputies and that investigation continues.

Heating Oil Stolen From Roaring River
A Roaring River man got a surprise when he arrived home Wednesday afternoon. A $650 one to be exact. During the day, someone had pulled up to the oil barrel used to heat the home and poured it out, running off with 250 gallons of oil in the process. Despite the equipment such an operation would take, no one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything unusual during the day. That investigation continues.

Salvation Army Offering Help
Many families can find themselves in a time of need during the winter season. It can be hard to pay the bills and also put food on the table. The local Salvation Army is helping to solve that by taking applications for their financial assistance program. The program is open to anyone who can demonstrate a need for help paying utility or rent bills. However before going out, please remember that you can only be seen with an appointment, during either Tuesday or Thursday from 1-5pm. Also there is a limited amount of money available to help, given out on a need based approach. The Salvation Army is located in the Wilkes United Way office building, at 910 C Street in Wilkesboro. For more information or to set up an appointment you can call 651-7800.

Recall Of Pot Stickers
Before you put that Lean Cuisine dinner in the microwave tonight, you might want to hear the next bit of news. 54,690 pounds of Lean Cuisine’s Asian Style Pot Stickers have been recalled. Pot Stickers are a frozen mix of chicken & vegetable dumplings with rice. The reason for the recall is that certain packages have pieces of plastic inside due to an accident at the plant. Included in the recall are all nine-ounce packages of Stouffer’s Lean Cuisine Asian Style Pot Stickers. Each of the meals has a Best By date of before October 2006 and a package code of 5262595512. In addition, each of them have an establishment number, that you can find on the right side of the meal that is P-7991. A number has been set up to deal with any questions or concerns at 1-800-993-8625.

Red Cross Looking For Fundraising Help
We’ve talked a lot here on the news about the need for blood in Wilkes County. But thanks to last year’s hurricanes and the cost of relocating survivors, the local Red Cross needs help of a different kind as well. The local chapter continues to sell cookbooks, to help raise the money it needs to cover costs of daily operations. The cost of a cookbook is $10 and it contains recipes from chapter members along with their family and friends. For more information or to purchase one, you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

Thieves Run Off With Wilkesboro Man’s Chainsaws
Be careful who you let inside your home. A Wilkesboro man found that out the hard way this week. He had been letting two people stay with him for the last few weeks and decided they could be trusted alone in the house, so he went out of town. When he returned on Wednesday, the two people were gone and so was some of his property. Taken in the theft were two chainsaws and an 8mm handgun. Names and descriptions of the suspects were given to Wilkesboro police and the investigation continues.

State News

Blue Light Bandit Harassing Thomasville
Officials in Thomasville are still trying to track down a man pretending to be a police officer. Earlier this week on 3WC we mentioned that there have been several reports over the past two weeks of a man in a red Ford F-150 pulling up behind people and flashing a blue light. Dubbed “the blue light bandit”, the man will follow behind for a few minutes before taking off down the road. The bandit has since harassed high school students and other drivers throughout the Thomasville area. Police are now asking that anyone with information regarding the bandit please give Crimestoppers a call at 336-475-4260.

New Network Beginning For Western NC Hospitals
A new project in Western North Carolina could possibly save local hospitals millions of dollars and also cut down on medical bills for patients. As part of a new experiment, Haywood Regional Medical Center in Clyde, Angel Medical Center in Franklin, Rutherford Hospital in Rutherfordton and Transylvania Community Hospital in Brevard are being linked together by a computer network. That network will help the hospitals share test results from patients and also medical histories, while eliminating repetitive records. One file per patient will be shared for all four. The move comes thanks to $2.5 million in federal grants and if it’s deemed successful, more hospitals are expected to join by the end of this year.

BBC Broadcasting From Durham
A radio station in Durham will be the site for some history next Monday, when the BBC comes to town. The British Broadcasting Corporation will do its’ Newhour program live at Durham station WUNC, the first time their programming has been done in a non-BBC studio. An estimated 5 million people across the world listen to Newshour and Monday’s show will focus on veterans of the Iraqi war that are stationed at Fort Bragg.

Police Ask For Help In Murder Investigation
Officials in Winston Salem are asking for help in solving a recent murder. Marcus Anthony Wilson and William Chavis Miller were both found dead of gunshot wounds on January 18th. The incident happened on East First Street and now officials are asking people to help in tracking a vehicle that is tied in with the crime. The vehicle in question is a white 2006 Signature Series Lincoln Town Car with the license plate TTC-2311. It had been rented during the time of the murder. Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-336-727-2800.

12-Yr-Old To Represent US In Holland
A high school freshman from Kernersville is on his way to represent the United States. 12-yr-old Will Groce has been selected to represent the nation in the People to People Sports Ambassadors Program. Groce will travel to Holland along with 16 bowlers from other countries and compete, something he certainly has the qualifications for. He has barely missed a perfect game and has a high score of 290. The high school freshman says that he wants to keep bowling so he can earn money for college.

Sports Headlines

High School Basketball Tonight
Around the high school scene last night, it was all Surry Central all the time as they swept the East Wilkes Cardinals. In the girls varsity game, it was Surry Central over the Lady Cardinals 58-32 and the boys from East lost 60-41. Two county schools are in action tonight. West Wilkes goes on the road against Mt. Airy, while in our 3WC Game of the Week, it’s Wilkes Central playing host to North Surry. The only loss for the Lady Eagles this year was against North Surry and so a little bit of payback may be in the cards tonight. We’ll tip off our coverage at 7pm with the pregame show then join Ken and Keith at 7:15 for the play by play.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at last night’s college scoreboard, it was UNC Wilmington over James Madison 83-46. And the Duke Blue Devils got back on track, with a 80-67 win over Virginia Tech. Sheldon Williams came out in a big effort for the Blue Devils, putting up 24 points and 15 rebounds. J.J. Redick also added 24 points as Duke cruised to its’ 18th win of the season. Next up on Saturday Virginia will be making the trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Wake Forest Lands Major Recruit
The Wake Forest football team got a much needed shot in the arm this week when Josh Adams committed to the school. Adams, a tailback from Cary High School, was one of the top prospects in the nation and turned down offers from NC State, Maryland, Oklahoma and Florida State to join the Deacons. Over four years at Cary, the 6’1ft Adams rushed for 6842 yards and was named to the first team all state list by the Associated Press. Adams said that the chance to stay close to home played a part in his decision.

Tarheels Land Another Offensive Lineman
The pieces continue to fit into place for the UNC Tarheel football team. Offensive tackle Alan Pelc committed to the school this week. The 6’7ft 310 lb. Pelc is known for his quick feet and flexibility and turned down an offer from Houston to join UNC.

NHL: Hurricanes Win Another One
On the ice last night, the Carolina Hurricanes have another winning streak going, after beating Atlanta 5-1. Bret Hedican had a goal and an assist to lead the Hurricanes, who now have the NHL’s best record at 35-11. They are heading back to Raleigh on Saturday for a rematch against Atlanta.

Rusty Wallace Finds New Career
With his racing career in the rear view mirror, Rusty Wallace is starting a new job this year. Wallace will working on camera during several Indy Racing events and Sportscenter, as a trial run for 2007. That’s when coverage of NASCAR will be turned over to ABC Sports and ESPN and Wallace will be working the races as lead analyst for the tv broadcasts.

Expect Traffic Delays On Hwy 268E
The DOT will be working out in Wilkes County today and that means delays for anyone traveling on 268 East. They will be setting girders on 268 East, meaning that only one lane of traffic will be open. That starts this morning at 9am and will wrap up by 4pm this afternoon. DOT workers said to plan for delays when driving on 268 East for the rest of the day.

Wilkes County Asks For A Review Of Rules
County leaders are seeking an outside opinion when it comes to some new guidelines for sexually oriented businesses. The Institute of Government At UNC Chapel Hill has been asked to step in and go over the proposed guidelines, before it’s brought to county commissioners. Under these new rules, any sexually oriented business would have to set up at least half a mile from any church, day care center, home, park, playground, school or swimming pool. A proposal will not be brought before county commissioners until at least March 7th.

3WC Going Phishing: New Credit Card Scam
A new credit card scam could have you willingly turning over information to thieves. In this new scheme, a person calls pretending to be from the fraud department of your bank. He or she will then say that they’re checking up on some unusual purchases recently made with your debit or credit card. They’ll give you their name and also an employee ID badge number. In addition, the person will already have your information on hand, in regards to mailing address and they’ll check to see if that’s correct. Then you’ll be given an explanation as to what the unusual purchase was and after you verify that you didn’t buy the item, they’ll agree to credit your account, saying that the company who charged the account is one that’s been long suspected of fraud. Here’s where the scam takes place. The caller will then inform you that he or she is starting an internal fraud investigation and advises that if you have any questions, just call the 1-800 number given on the back of your card. Then they will ask for your card’s security number, to prove you are in possession of it. The security numbers are on the back of your card. The first four are part of the card number but the last three are what’s known as the security numbers. After receiving these, the caller will ask if you have any questions and then hang up. This can be a serious problem due to the fact if the thieves are only asking for your security number, that means they somehow have already obtained your credit or debit information. Now all they need is your security numbers to go on a spending spree. If this happens to you, do not give out those security numbers. Instead hang up and call your bank or credit card company’s fraud department, to let them know what just happened, then follow their recommendations.

Blood Drive Later Today
42 days. That’s how much time blood can be used after it’s donated. Once that time period passes, it has to be thrown out. With the local supply still at critical levels, poor turnouts at the recent drives hasn’t helped the situation. The Wilkes Red Cross is holding another emergency drive today at Temple Hill Baptist Church. The drive will go on from 3-7:30pm and no appointments are needed. Please remember before giving you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs.

Focus On Bikes
When you think of church, motorcycles and leather jackets don’t exactly come to mind. But the biker community is a mission field that we as Christians are called to. That’s where CMA comes in. Kurt and David Hefflin from the Christian Motorcycle Association will be joining Brian on today’s edition of Focus, talking about the different ministries their group is involved in. From food drives to evangelical missions, CMA is involved in a lot of places where the church otherwise doesn't reach and they’ll be sharing testimonies along with explaining how someone could join up. That's coming today at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Cheaper Drugs Coming For Blue Cross Members
Some good news is on the way if you are a member of Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The company announced this week that beginning February 1st, it will be a lot cheaper to get certain generic drugs. Blue Cross’s new co-payment waiver plan will give you the next new prescription for free. That doesn’t mean a new refill of something that you’ve been taking for a while, but rather a generic prescription you’re getting filled for the first time. The drugs covered by the plan are any that deal with chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, depression and high cholesterol. There isn’t any paperwork to do, you just present the Blue Cross ID card when getting the prescription filled. This is however just a one time waiver. When you need a refill the co-payment plan goes back into effect. Also members of the State or Federal Employee Health Plans don’t qualify, because Blue Cross doesn’t cover drug benefits in those plans.

Cheaper Way To File Taxes
Filing taxes this year could be a lot cheaper for people here in North Carolina, thanks to a new plan. The State Department of Revenue announced this week that two companies have agreed to offer free state tax returns through their website. The plan applies to anyone who makes $50,000 a year or less and can be accessed by going to www.dor.state.nc.us . That will let you link up with either TaxEngine or TaxSimple, the two companies providing the free services.

Man Arrested After Almost Hitting Patrol Car
A local man was arrested earlier this week after he almost hit a patrol car. The incident happened on Murray Road, where deputies were responding to a disturbance. While on their way over, the deputies were informed that one of the subjects had left the residence and drove off, even though he was drunk. The vehicle was soon spotted, as the driver was having problems keeping it on one side of the road. Before he was stopped, the man almost hit a patrol car head on. 52-yr-old Charles Allen Johnson was arrested and charged with DWI and reckless driving. In addition, a small brown glass tube was found on his person that was covered with a white powder, later found to be cocaine. Charges are still pending in regards to drug possession.

Regional News

Road Closed Today
For anyone planning on making the trip to Blowing Rock today, you can expect some delays. US 321 will be shut down due to road construction going on from 12 noon until 2pm. The section of highway affected reaches from Kirby Mountain Road to Blackberry Road in Caldwell County. DOT workers have set up a detour. Drivers are being rerouted from Lenoir to Wilkesboro on Hwy 18, then instructed to take US 421 North to Boone, where you can switch back over to US 321.

State News

$20 Million In Cocaine Seized In Samson County
Officials in Samson County seized 20 million dollars worth of cocaine during an operation on Monday. 27-yr-old Alejandro Moreno-Salgado and 41-yr-old Isais Mareno-Ochea were taken into custody, but officials didn’t provide many details. All they would say is that over 200 kilograms of cocaine was taken but would say where it came from or where it had been going.

Decision On Tuition Could Be Coming Soon
Some bad news today for any high school students planning to attend UNC Chapel Hill next year. Your tuition could be increasing. The UNC Board of Trustees is expected to hand down a decision today regarding next year’s tuition costs. Four separate plans are on the table, each of which would increase tuition at least $200 for in state students and $600 for out of state. An additional $5 million in revenue will be generated by the hike in cost.

Program To Help Needy Families Ripped Off In Morganton
A Morganton program designed to help needy families was itself targeted by thieves this week. The Work and Ride project takes donations of used cars from companies and people in the area, then turns around and gives them to families who would otherwise have to get rides to work. On Monday night, thieves broke into one of the cars, shattering windows and then ripping off a stereo from inside. Estimated damages were placed in the hundreds, money the program doesn’t have.

NC State Athletes Donate Money For Katrina
Student athletes from NC State did their part this week to help hurricane victims. They voted to send $15,000 from the school’s Student Athlete Opportunity Fund to athletes at Southern Mississippi, which was hit hard by hurricanes in 2005.

Gentlemen Start Your Engines
For anyone out there looking to get involved with NASCAR and the motorsports industry, Belmont Abbey can help. The college announced that beginning this fall, they would be offering a four year degree in motorsports, which would include courses in racing management, team management and motorsports fundamentals among other things. After completing the courses, internship programs will be offered at different race tracks and with several racing teams.

Sports Headlines

High School Scoreboard
In high school basketball last night, it was North Wilkes over West 63-61. The Vikings had three players score in double figures, as both Phillip Booker and Brent Whittington put up 17 points, while Stephen Booker added 15. West meanwhile was led by Kurtis Lankford’s 23 points and Chad Lankford added 17. On the girls side of the court, it was North Wilkes over West 53-45. Ashley Wilcox had a monster night for the Lady Vikings, exploding for 29 points including 13 in the fourth quarter. West was only down by one after three quarters but the Lady Vikings held the Lady Blackhawks to just 8 points in the fourth to get the win. Nicole Harris also scored in double figures for North, finishing with 11 while Erin Hollars had 18, Emily Deal had 12 and Lauren Overton had 10 for the Lady Blackhawks.

NCAA Scoreboard
Taking a look at last night’s college scoreboard, it was Gardner-Webb over Campbell 81-70. The Running Bulldogs got 24 points and 10 rebounds from Simon Conn as they improve to 10-9 on the season. In other action the University of Central Florida knocked off East Carolina 64-59, In the ACC, a major upset as 15th ranked NC State fell to Seton Hall 83-65. Tony Bethel had 15 to lead the Wolfpack, who just had no answer for Seton Hall’s Donald Copeland, who lit them up for 22 points. State also had problems beyond the arc, shooting 26% from the 3-point line. The loss drops the Wolfpack to 15-4 on the season. Also Boston College knocked off North Carolina 81-74. Tyler Hansborough had 26 points and 8 rebounds for the Heels, who drop to 11-5 with the loss.

NC State Lands Another Commitment
Good news for the NC State football team, as another high school senior committed to the squad. Wide receiver LaMarcus Bond will step onto the field for State this fall. Bond is currently ranked number seven out of all North Carolina high school prospects. The 5’10 ft. 165 lb. wide receiver runs a 4.34 in the 40 yard dash and is a multiple threat. Last season he returned five punts for touchdowns, two kickoffs, rushed for 1100 yards and also had 8 interceptions. Bond turned down Virginia to join the Wolfpack.

NBA: Charlotte vs. Houston
In the senior circuit of the NBA, it was Houston over the Charlotte Bobcats 102-78. Matt Carroll had 19 points to lead the Bobcats, who drop to 11-32 on the season. Next up will be the Miami Heat this Friday.

NHL: Carolina at Florida
Another winning streak is starting up for the Carolina Hurricanes. Last night they beat the Florida Panthers 4-3 in a game that was decided by a shootout. Eric Cole scored the game winning goal for the Hurricanes, who improve to 34-11, still nine games ahead in the Southeastern Conference.

New Toyota Teams Taking Shape
Toyota’s future as part of NASCAR is starting to take shape. Bill Davis, Michael Waltrip and the Red Bull company will all have Toyota teams in the Nextel Cup circuit in 2007. Each of the teams will have two cars on the field. For Waltrip, he’ll be operating as both an owner and driver when the project gets up and running. Dave Blaney will switch over to Toyota for Bill Davis Racing next year. Currently Blaney is driving the #22 Dodge for Davis. Red Bull officials currently don’t have a driver in place.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Regional News

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

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

State News

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

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

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

Sports Headlines

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Local Churches Working To Help Hurricane Victims
Two local ministries are asking for help in reaching out to a family in need. Calvary Baptist Church has been working to rebuild a home for a family in Gulfport Mississippi. Now in connection with Rescue America Baptist Missions they want to finish the job. The group is looking for help of any kind, from physical labor to any type of donations. If you or your church can help by volunteering or through financial means, the person to call is Jean Hodges at 262-0385.

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

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

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

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

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

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

State News

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

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

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

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

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

Sports Headlines

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

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

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

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