Fire Departments Battle Blaze On Hwy 421
Officials from the Forestry Service and two Wilkes County fire departments were out for most of the afternoon on Thursday, battling a blaze on Hwy 421. The fire started just off of West Hwy 421, as dried out timber went up in smoke. Champion & Millers Creek fire departments were called out along with the Forest Service to put out the blaze, which raged for over four hours before they got it under control.

Con Artist Attempts To Scam Wilkes Bank
Wilkesboro police are investigating an attempted scam involving the local BB&T branch today. Earlier this month a Wilkesboro man opened up an account at the bank on River Street, depositing two checks worth over $10,000. However the bank soon learned that the checks were fake, as the company listed on them doesn’t exist. In addition, the man’s social security number, address and tax information all were revealed to be fake. 21-yr-old Daniel Minton is wanted on charges of obtaining property by false pretense both here in Wilkes and in another incident in Clemmons.

Thieves Hit North Wilkesboro Residence
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to an apartment on the Elledge Mill Road Wednesday afternoon, after thieves paid a visit. The homeowner had returned to find several items missing and blood on the floor. Taken from inside were several bottles of pain medication, $6 in change and just under $200 in other merchandise. There is a suspect and that investigation continues.

Candlelight Vigil To Be Held Today
The Child Abuse Prevention Team is asking that you set aside a few minutes today, to join in remembering abused children in North Carolina. A Candlelight Vigil will be held at Our House from 11am til 9pm tonight, as the names of children killed by abuse are read and special music performed. In addition, Our House will be holding a diaper drive this Saturday to help supply the child abuse prevention team. That will go on at Cornerstone Church on Saturday from 10am til 12 noon. For more information on any of these events you can call Our House at 667-5555.

Tires Stolen From Local Business
Thieves hit a local business this week, running off with $2500 worth of tires. The incident happened at AE Myers Tire Service, on West Main Street in Wilkesboro. The owner of the business called sheriff’s deputies on Wednesday, after coming in to find that 12 tires had been taken off the wall in the garage. There was no sign of a break-in and nothing else taken from the property. There is however a possible suspect in the case and that investigation continues.

Child Advocacy Study Highlights Whats Needed
Throughout this week, we've been going over a study put out by the North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute. In today's final part, we break down the recommendations that the study suggested should be put into place. On the economic side of things, the institute believes that more financial help for parents will mean better development for their kids. Among the economic suggestions was a request to raise the minimum wage until it reaches "a living wage" and guarantee health benefits to all workers, no matter how big or small the company. Also the study called for child care to be subsidized by the state and for North Carolina to install an Earned Income Tax Credit. As far as child safety goes, the institute called for universal health care for all children, regardless of their financial situation, while also creating better health and safety education programs in the local school systems. Finally to cut down on the abuse that is seen throughout the state, the study called for a decrease in the amount of time kids spend in the foster care system and instead finding a permanent family to take the children in. As with the rest of this week's information, you can go online and check it out at www.ncchild.org.

Blood Drive Coming Up Tomorrow
Each day across North Carolina, 1500 pints of blood are needed to treat accident victims and for use in surgery. With rain in the forecast, the Wilkes Red Cross is preparing for the worst by organizing another blood drive. This next one will be held tomorrow at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church on Hwy 115 from 10am til 2:30pm. And just remember before giving, you must be at least 17 years old and weigh no less than 110 lbs. To call for an appointment, the Red Cross number is 838-4563.

Regional News

Caldwell County Joins Drug Program
Caldwell County has added their name to a growing list of areas that has signed up for a new drug discount card. The benefit, which is offered through the National Association of Counties, gives citizens an average savings of 20% on all their prescription needs. North Carolina counties involved with the benefit include Alexander, Caldwell, Catawba and Union

State News

Body Of Missing Teacher Found In Burke County
The search has ended for a missing teacher in Burke County. Steven Edge vanished nineteen days ago while out on Lake James and officials uncovered his body on Wednesday. A sonar camera was used to scan the lake and pinpointed what turned out to be Edge’s body, about 100 feet off shore. Workers from over ten separate agencies had searched for Edge since his disappearance. Bad weather is believed to be at fault in his death.

Wager Placed On Final Four
With teams from North Carolina and Maryland in the NCAA Women’s Final Four, wagers are being placed between state officials. Senator Elizabeth Dole was challenged by Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski. If the Lady Heels win, Dole gets a plate of crab cakes. If the Lady Terrapins advance, then it’s Mukulski who gets to dig into a meal of North Carolina barbeque. Senator Dole not only accepted the challenge, but made a prediction of her own, saying that she expects to have two North Carolina teams in the final game.

Union County Prosecutors Made Deal For Testimony
Officials in Union County are investigating allegations made against two former prosecutors. In Wednesday’s edition of the Charlotte Observer, Johnell Porter, a witness in a 1996 murder trial, told reporters that he had lied while on the stand. Porter said that his made up testimony was the result of a deal he made with county prosecutors. Specifically prosecutors Ken Honeycutt and Scott Brewer are being investigated, for allegedly knowing about the deal but not mentioning it to the judge in the case or defense council. Porter’s testimony helped to convict John Gregory Hoffman of the murder of a Marshville store owner. After the allegations were made public, Hoffman was granted a new trial, to begin this fall.

Sports Headlines

UNC Drops In Latest Top 25 Poll
The latest college baseball poll was released and UNC takes a tumble. The Tarheels stumbled on the field, going 3-2 over the past week. That brought their record to 20-5, good enough to be ranked 7th in the nation. NC State meanwhile moved up in the list, rising to 17th with a record of 21-8. Florida State is sitting in first place with a record of 25-2.

NCAA Skills Contest
Taking a look at the men’s side of college basketball, the NCAA held their skills competitions last night, with players vying for the 3-point and dunk title. Justin Gray of Wake Forest was in the three-point contest, but was eliminated in the first round. The news was better for the ACC in the Dunk Championship, as it was UNC’s David Noel taking the title.

Paulus Goes Under The Knife
Duke fans are at ease today, after point guard Greg Paulus successfully made it through surgery this week. He had bone chips removed from his left wrist, after playing with a brace on it during this past season. Paulus is expected to be back up and ready to go by the time Midnight Madness comes around in October.

Carolina Players Make Ladies All-American Teams
Two players from North Carolina schools made the list when the Associated Press All-American women’s basketball teams were announced this week. On the first team was Ivory Latta, the 5’6 ft. junior from the UNC Tarheels and making the second team was 6 ft. senior Monique Currie from Duke. UNC will take on Maryland and Duke will face off against LSU in the women’s Final Four this Sunday.

Former Duke Player Considering Retirement
In the senior circuit of the NBA, it looks like the end of the road for a former Duke Blue Devil. Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill is considering retirement, after learning that he may need additional surgery. Hill is attempting to rehab a sports hernia injury, in hopes of making it back to play next year. The 33-yr-old Hill is already a veteran of the operating room, having six surgeries since August of 2000.

Spencer Taking Over The No. 49 This Weekend
In NASCAR, there’s going to be a change of pace this weekend for BAM Racing. Rookie driver Brent Sherman will be replaced for one week, with Jimmy Spencer taking over behind the wheel of the No. 49 Dodge. The reason for the switch is that under the new rules, drivers aren’t allowed to test at Martinsville and being a rookie, Sherman had never raced there before.

Child Advocacy Study Raises Questions
On Wednesday, 3WC told you about a study that's been released by the NC Child Advocacy Institute. The study highlighted current facts about life here in Wilkes and how it's affecting the children of the area. Today we're taking a look at the education data the study put out. The study found that in 1990, 62.6% of local kids finished high school in four years. Now more than ten years down the road, unfortunately that number has dropped to 59.1% or roughly 541 students. Some good news however as local schools at both the 3rd and 8th grade level have seen comprehension increase for the end of grade testing in math and reading. Back in 1998 during the last study, only 65% of 3rd graders and 74% of 8th graders could understand and pass the test. Now that number has climbed to 79% for both classes. Also the dropout rate has decreased here in Wilkes. Ten years ago, 10.4% of high school students were quitting. Now that number is down to 7.9% or 251 students. That's still slightly higher than the state average of 5.2%. Coming up on tomorrow's newscast we'll take a look at what the Institute found from their study and what recommendations are being used. Also to check up on the facts yourself, you can log on to www.ncchild.org

Bank Of America Paying Customers To Stop Receiving Statements
Bank of America customers in Wilkes and across the U.S. are being asked to stop receiving their account statements. The company announced yesterday that for every person who agrees to stop getting a printed statement of their account, $1 will be donated to the Nature Conservancy. The plan is to convince people to start checking their statements over the internet and save paper, along with saving money.

Gas Thieves Hit Local Church
Gas thieves attempted to hit a church in North Wilkesboro earlier this week. Early Wednesday morning, deputies were called out to Peace Haven Church in response to someone trying to steal gas from the church van. When deputies arrived, they saw a man underneath the vehicle who immediately stood up and took off running. After a brief chase deputies caught the man and put him in custody. He had punched a hole in the tank before they arrived, managing to drain out about 5 gallons of gas. 29-yr-old Donald Scott Lewis was arrested and charged with tampering with a vehicle, attempted larceny and resisting arrest.

Focus On Ministry
When people can’t afford to buy food, who do they turn to? Here in Wilkes, Samaritan’s Christian Ministries lends a hand. The organization, which has been in operation for over six years, is reaching more people every day and director Judith Holman-Anderson will be Brian’s guest this week on Focus on the Foothills. They’ll be talking about the ministry and some ways you can get involved. That’s coming up today at 1:05pm right after the midday stock report.

Vandals Cause Damage At Local Home
An argument led to several thousand dollars worth of damage at a house on the Baptist Home Road this week. Two residents of the area got into an argument on Monday and even after they had gone their separate ways, the issue apparently wasn’t settled. One of the men came to the other’s house in the early morning hours on Tuesday, shooting at the residence with a BB gun. Windows and portions of the vinyl siding were damaged, along with the homeowner’s Chevy Silverado. Estimated damages were placed at $1350. The vandal’s name and address were given to deputies and when questioned, he admitted committing the crime. 17-yr-old Christopher Lee Foster was arrested and charged with property damage.

Blood Drive Later Today
With rain and wind in the forecast this weekend, that means there’s a good chance of an accident occurring. To prepare and make sure we have enough blood on hand, the local Red Cross is holding a drive today at Wilkes Central High School. The drive will last from 8:30am til 2pm and is open to everyone. No appointment is needed but if you want to avoid the traffic as students go to and from class, you can call and set one up at 838-4563. The Red Cross asks that would be donors eat and drink plenty of fluids before coming in.

Boomer Woman’s Car Hit By Vandals
A Boomer woman got a surprise as she was heading to Wilkesboro Tuesday afternoon. While on Hwy 16 South, someone tossed a rock at the vehicle, causing an estimated $200 in damage. However no one in the area could recall seeing anyone near the road and there are no suspects. That investigation continues.

Small Business Series Tonight At WCC
It can be hard starting up your own business, especially if you have to compete with larger companies. What business model should you follow? Can your idea even succeed in the current economic climate? Coming up tonight, the Small Business Center at Wilkes Community College will wrap up their Small Business Start Up Series. In this fifth seminar, the topic will be “Obtaining A Small Business Loan”. You can pre-register by calling WCC at 336-838-6210 or 336-838-6113. The seminar is open to everyone and there is no cost to attend.

State News

Students Walk Out In Protest
Over thirty high school students in Smithfield North Carolina decided to leave class a little early on Wednesday. The walkout was staged as a protest against current immigration bills being debated in Congress. Later in the afternoon, the students were joined by family members and other supporters, as the protest grew to an estimated 50 people. At the heart of the controversy is House Bill 4437, currently before the Senate. This bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives last December, would make it a felony to enter the U.S. illegally and also would establish a two layer fence stretching across 700 miles of the Mexican border. The students now face possible suspension for their actions.

Lottery To Start Today Despite Appeal
Tickets will go on sale today for the new North Carolina lottery, despite an appeal currently in the court system. The NC Institute of Constitutional Law announced this week that it’s already filed an appeal, attempting to get its’ case back into court. The Institute had their lawsuit tossed out last week by a Wake County judge, who said they gave no evidence to prove the new lottery was a tax as the lawsuit indicated. An estimated 5000 stores across the state will begin selling lottery tickets today, with the expected profits to reach in the millions.

Easley To Ask For More Money
Gov. Mike Easley announced this week that he plans to improve public water systems across North Carolina. To do that, Easley plans to ask lawmakers for $2.4 million, which would go to hire more employees for the Public Water Supply Section and help fund construction inspection programs. Inspections are needed for private wells, as currently only 35 counties in North Carolina have programs in place to make sure that state rules are followed during drilling. Also there is a problem throughout the state due to a lack of certified operators for water systems, leaving counties in some cases to hire people with little experience for the job.

Shootout In Thomasville Leaves One Injured
A High Point man is in the hospital today after a shootout with police. Just after 1am Wednesday morning, Thomasville police pulled over a man for drunk driving. As the driver was being arrested, his passenger suddenly jumped up, grabbed a bag and took off running. The man then went behind a nearby house and started shooting at police. The officers returned fire and chased the man, 24-yr-old Darell Garris on foot. Minutes later the chase ended as shots were fired and Garris was injured. He’s currently being treated at the local hospital and the SBI is investigating the case, as is normal procedure after a shooting. Both officers have been placed on administrative leave until the investigation is over.

Sports Headlines

UNC Charlotte Loses Coach
Some bad news today for the Charlotte 49ers, as the school will have to replace one of the top assistants for its’ men’s basketball program. Dalonte Hill announced on Tuesday that he was leaving the team to become an assistant for new coach Bob Huggins at Kansas State. During his three years on the bench, the 27-yr-old Hill worked mainly as a recruiter, helping the school to land several key players including the top junior college point guard in the nation.

Former Wolfpack Player Gets NBA Shot
A former member of the NC State Wolfpack will see his NBA dreams come true this week. Guard Anthony Grundy signed a 10-day contract with the Atlanta Hawks, coming up from the Developmental League’s Roanoke Dazzle. Since leaving the Wolfpack in 2002, Grundy has played all over the world in the CBA, the WBA, Israel and his latest stop was the Developmental League, where he averaged 23 points 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. The Hawks needed another player with Tyrone Lue struggling to return from injury.

Howard Returns To Carolina
A familiar face will be returning to the Carolina Panthers this year. Cornerback Reggie Howard agreed to a one year deal with the team this week. Howard played for the Panthers for the first three years of his career, before signing with Miami back in 2003. He’ll be returning to compete for a spot as the nickel back on defense, along with being involved with special teams.

Fields Likely Done With Football
Bad news for a former member of the Panthers, as it appears his football career is over. Linebacker Mark Fields has been battling Hodgkin’s disease for the past three years and attempted a comeback in 2004. But that was short lived, as he experienced a relapse last year. While doctors are saying that Fields is doing great physically, the stress of playing football would not be in his best interest. Fields has not yet made an official announcement about retirement.

NHL: Carolina vs. Washington
On the ice last night, it was the Washington Capitals over Carolina 5-1. The Hurricanes lost a chance to claim the Southeastern Conference title, as their magic number stands at just two points. With the loss Carolina drops to 47-19 with a game coming tomorrow against Florida.

Gordon Fined For Shoving Incident
Driver Jeff Gordon’s wallet is a little lighter today, after his actions on Sunday. Gordon was fined $10,000 for shoving Matt Kenseth after the Food City 500 in Bristol. Kenseth bumped Gordon on the final lap, causing him to spin out and finish 21st. Gordon has since apologized to NASCAR, saying that he wasn’t thinking clearly when the altercation happened.

Former North Wilkes Coach Dies
Wilkes County lost a coaching legend this week as Joe Linney past away. The 81-yr-old Linney died at his home on Woodland Blvd this past Sunday, after a life that saw him etched forever into the history of Wilkes. After graduating from Wilkesboro High School back in 1943, Linney would go on to join the Marines and serve during World War II as a gunner. He and his unit were awarded the Presidential Citation and the Captain’s Letter of Commendation for their actions during the Marshall Island campaign. After his tour of duty was over, Linney began coaching, first at Mountain View High and then later at North Wilkes, where he still holds the record for most wins. He would go on to coach at Wilkes Community College, pulling triple duty by working with the basketball, golf and tennis teams. Funeral services for Coach Linney will be held this Thursday at 2pm at Wilkesboro Baptist Church. The family will receive friends at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home Wednesday night from 6-8pm.

Cingular Strike Avoided
Customers of Cingular Wireless here in Wilkes County and across the state can breathe a sigh of relief today, as a labor deal has been finalized. The Communications Workers of America Local 3204 had planned to organize a strike beginning at midnight Monday morning, effectively cutting off all customer service for Cingular throughout a nine state area including North Carolina. However a tentative deal was reached just before the deadline. Union workers in the area serving Wilkes and the entire North Carolina region will be receiving a ballot in the mail this week, to officially vote on the labor contract.

Thieves Go Shopping For Electronics At Hays Home
Be careful who has keys to your house. A Hays woman learned why that’s a good idea this week. She had just gotten out of jail and returned home to find several items had gone missing. There was no sign of a break-in and also no damage done to the property, however there was a suspect in the case, as her boyfriend had been given a key. When deputies questioned him, the boyfriend admitted taking the two tvs, dvd player and over $2000 in jewelry from the home. 29-yr-old Steven Brookshire was arrested and charged with breaking & entering in addition to larceny.

Car Tag Stolen From Wilkesboro Apartment
A Wilkesboro woman came out of church Sunday morning to find that thieves had ripped off her car’s tag. She believes the incident happened sometime during the night before, but didn’t recall hearing or seeing anyone around the property. Information about the stolen tag was given to Wilkesboro police and the investigation continues.

Blood Drive Going On Later Today
1500 pints of blood are used each day across North Carolina and here in Wilkes, small turnouts at the recent drives have caused the local supply to drop dangerously low. To help solve the problem and prepare for bad weather in the forecast, the Wilkes Red Cross is holding a drive today at Union Baptist Church. The drive will last from 2:30 til 7pm and is open to the public. Before coming out however, the organization asks that you eat a good meal and drink plenty of fluids. If you want to make an appointment beforehand, the number to call is 838-4563.

Thieves Steal Parts From Elkin Home
An Elkin man called sheriff’s deputies after finding that thieves had ripped off parts of his go-cart. Just after 1am Monday morning, the man saw a flashlight outside his house and went to investigate. He found two white men running away, with one of them holding the engine to his go-cart. A description of both men was given to deputies and that investigation continues.

3WC Techwatch: Out With The Old
Your computer could soon be replacing your phone as a way of keeping in touch, as we explain in today’s 3WC Techwatch. With personal communication becoming big business, companies are working on new ways of carrying on a conversation. Lycos is preparing to release a new program for the Windows system, that allows a user to make free calls to outside phone lines, by using the computer’s microphone. The only catch is that in order to receive free minutes, you have to sign up for a promotional offer with one of their partner companies. Otherwise people will be charged one cent a minute with the program. In addition, the new Lycos Phone will have movie previews and video calling, so two people can talk face to face over the computer.

Small Business Seminar Today At WCC
It can be hard starting up your own business, especially if you have to compete with larger companies. What business model should you follow? Can your idea even succeed in the current economic climate? Coming up this Thursday, the Small Business Center at Wilkes Community College will wrap up their Small Business Start Up Series. In this fifth seminar, the topic will be “Obtaining A Small Business Loan”. You can pre-register by calling WCC at 336-838-6210 or 336-838-6113. The seminar is open to everyone and there is no cost to attend.

State News

Black Facing Call To Resign
As the allegations mount against State House Speaker Jim Black, he’s also facing a growing call to resign. A recent investigation by the State Board of Elections found that Black’s campaign took over $23,000 in illegal contributions from special interest groups such as the video poker industry. Criminal charges could soon be following as the Wake County district attorney’s office is examining the evidence against him. In the wake of all this, both the Charlotte Observer and Raleigh’s News & Observer have called for Black’s resignation, along with over a dozen other newspapers throughout North Carolina. Black has come out and said that his actions were legal at the time and that any laws broken would be only misdemeanors. His office also announced that Black has appointed a committee to determine if North Carolina’s ethics laws need to be updated.

Woman Facing Over 20 Counts Of Arson
A Davie County woman is in jail today, facing over 20 counts of arson. 41-yr-old Pamela Beckerman was arrested over the weekend and charged with setting fires on both her own property and that of her neighbors in Mocksville. Firefighters were called to put out the flames, which spread over 8 acres in some cases. No reason was given as to why the fires had been set.

Jobs Coming To Durham
Good news for people in the Durham area, as more jobs are on the way. United Therapeutics, a research and development company, announced plans on Monday to build a new facility in Durham. The move will generate 160 new jobs with an estimated $54 million to be invested in the area. A $175,000 grant from Gov. Easley’s One North Carolina Fund helped to put the wheels in motion.

Man Who Shot Deputy Has Charges Dismissed
A man who shot a sheriff’s deputy in Stokes County saw his charges dismissed this week. Back in December, deputies went to the home of Jerry Wilson to serve an open warrant. Wilson managed to get a gun however and shoot deputy Thurmond Hall before escaping. Hall was hit in the leg and survived the injury, while his fellow deputies spent over nine hours tracking down his assailant. Wilson had faced charges of first degree attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, but now he’s been declared unfit to stand trial. Instead of a jail cell, Wilson will now face life in John Umstead Psychiatric Hospital after being committed.

Cary Police Searching For Drug Counterfeiter
Officials in Cary are hunting a suspect today after falling victim to a counterfeit scheme. During an undercover drug bust, police officers took a package from 18-yr-old Stephen Curtis Hoyle, one they believed to have cocaine inside. Hoyle was paid $1500 as part of the deal before police had a chance to examine the drugs. Instead of cocaine, they found 2.4 ounces of Ivory soap. Hoyle now faces charges of selling a counterfeit controlled substance and possession of a counterfeit controlled substance.

Sports Headlines

High School Baseball Tonight
High school baseball is back on the radio tonight as we’ll be back over at Millers Creek. West Wilkes finds itself sitting atop the Northwest 1-A conference as Elkin comes to town tonight. A win tonight by the Blackhawks keeps them in first while a loss drops them back into a tie. The first pitch is set for 7pm and we’ll go on the air at 6:45 with the McDonald’s pregame show, all on your home for local sports, 1240 3WC.

UNC Charlotte Lands Another Recruit
While this season didn’t exactly go as planned for UNC Charlotte’s basketball team, next year could be a different story. The school has landed another commitment for the fall as high school senior David Booker agreed to play. The 6’7 ft. 200 lb. Booker was ranked as the top high school player in Mississippi this past year, putting up an average of 27 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks a game. Booker chose Charlotte over Connecticut and Northwestern.

Hatchell Named Coach Of The Year
Taking a look at college basketball, the news isn’t all bad for the UNC Tarheels. UNC Lady Heels coach Sylvia Hatchell was named Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coach’s Association on Thursday. Hatchell’s Lady Heels took both the regular season and ACC conference tournament titles on their way to a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Tarheel Switching Positions
Meanwhile on the football field, a change is in store for one Tarheel player. James Cooter Arnold, who was a tailback for UNC last season, will be going from offense to defense. The move gives Arnold a chance to earn a starting job, something that was likely not going to happen with the loaded Tarheel backfield. Coming in at 5’10 and 190 lbs., defense isn’t a foreign concept to Arnold, who suited up as a cornerback in high school. Over the last two years playing at Davie County High, he had 19 interceptions.

NASCAR Standings
And taking a look at the NASCAR standings after this weekend’s Food City 500, it’s Matt Kenseth in first place, just 8 points ahead of Kasey Kahne. Jimmie Johnson is in third place, 19 points behind Kenseth. And rounding out the top five it’s Mark Martin in fourth, 32 behind and Kyle Busch in fifth, 105 points behind the leader. Next up drivers head to Martinsville Speedway for the Direct TV 500 this Sunday.

NHL: Carolina vs. Tampa Bay
On the ice last night, the Carolina Hurricanes saw their losing streak come to an end with a 2-1 win over Tampa Bay. Mark Recchi scored his first goal since coming over in a trade with Pittsburgh, as the Hurricanes officially locked up a playoff spot with the win. The team stands at 47-18, heading into tomorrow game against Washington.

Meeting For Elementary School Parents This Week
Parents of 5th grade students at several Wilkes County schools are being invited to a meeting this week, dealing with different topics about their child’s education. The 2nd Falcon Fundamentals meeting will be held this Wednesday, with parents from Boomer-Ferguson, C.C. Wright, Moravian Falls, North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro Elementary all asked to attend. The event will be held at Central Wilkes Middle School in the cafeteria starting at 7pm. Once again that is for all parents of 5th grade students at those respective schools.

Man Killed In Sunday Accident
One man is dead today after an accident on Hwy 18. Sunday morning, 54-yr-old John Cruz Williams was driving on Hwy 18 when he lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road, slamming into a nearby embankment. Highway Patrol officers said that the accident happened near the intersection of 18 and State Road 1570 and no one else is believed to have been involved.

Thieves Try To Burn Section Of Purlear Property
A Purlear man noticed something was strange after arriving home late last week. The metal gate from his driveway was off its’ hinges and had been dented by something big enough to cause $75 worth of damage. In addition grease had been smeared on a nearby wooden fence on his property and it appeared that someone had tried to set it on fire, without success. The only thing taken was a set of tools, stolen out of a bulldozer. All total, an estimated $175 worth of damage was done and that investigation continues.

Mail Stolen From Moravian Falls Home
A Moravian Falls woman went out to get her mail last week, shortly after the postman had stopped by. However by the time she got to the mailbox, it was empty. Later in the day her mail was found, tossed out further on up the road. It’s unknown who could have taken the mail, as neighbors couldn’t recall seeing anyone near the box that day. The investigation is ongoing.

3WC Healthwatch: An Ear To Hear
Your teenager’s headphones could be causing him to go deaf, as we explain in today’s 3WC Healthwatch. A survey done by Zogby International recently found that over half of high school students polled have at least one of the symptoms of hearing loss. The reason? They have the music turned up too loud in their IPods or other digital players. While out and about, noise from traffic or other sounds can get in the way of a good song, so teens turn it up to the maximum volume. But that’s where it gets dangerous. In the new digital players, maximum volume can be as high as 120 decibels, as loud as a jet taking off from the runway. If you listen at that level for more than ten minutes at a time, doctors say, it can lead to permanent damage. Even if the results aren’t permanent, they can affect the student’s performance in the classroom. Additional research at Vanderbilt University found that students suffering from any type of hearing loss are at least 10 times more likely to fail a test or flunk a grade than those with normal hearing. But this doesn’t mean you have to toss the players in the trash. As long as the sound is kept at medium levels, there’s no damage done. Teens just have to learn that along with the on/off switch, there’s also one for volume. For more information, parents can visit the National Institute on Deafness at their website
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov.

Tools Stolen From North Wilkesboro Residence
Thieves hit a residence in North Wilkesboro last week, running off with over a hundred dollars worth of merchandise. The incident happened at a home on Newport Lane, as the homeowner returned to find someone had broke into her storage shed. The thieves had pried open a side panel and slipped in, taking several saws and a battery charger when they left. There is a suspect in the case and that investigation is ongoing.

Always Lock Your Car
It’s never a good idea to leave your car unlocked if you have valuable stuff inside. A North Wilkesboro woman found out why last week, as thieves did a little shopping inside her vehicle. She had arrived home and left the car unlocked, but came out on Friday to find her cell phone, $12 in cash and a bottle of Zanex were all missing from inside. Information was turned over to sheriff’s deputies and that investigation continues.

Be Careful Of Fire Alarms
Federal officials are warning people to be careful when using a certain brand of smoke detector. Complaints have come in from across the county about First Alert’s ONELINK smoke & carbon monoxide detectors. The problem is that the detectors drain their batteries in less than six weeks, while normal smoke detectors are supposed to work for about a year without having to switch out. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is launching an investigation, along with BRK Brands, the company who makes the detectors. In addition, Home Depot announced over the weekend that it would be pulling the device from its’ shelves until the problem is solved. Still officials are suggesting that if you have a ONELINK detector, check it at least once a week to make sure your home is protected. Home Depot

All The Wood That’s Fit To Steal
The cold weather apparently caught some people unaware, as they resorted to stealing wood last week. Thieves hit a North Wilkesboro residence, but didn’t try to break in or steal anything from the house. All that was taken from the home on Sunset Strip Drive was an estimated $50 worth of firewood that the homeowner had split and stored in his garage. Nothing was damaged and aside from the missing wood, there was no indication that anyone had been there in the first place. That investigation continues.

Thousands Of Dollars Worth Of Jewelry Taken
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a Hays residence late last week, after thieves ran off with several thousand dollars in jewelry. The incident happened at a home on the Shumate Mountain Road, as thieves took over $3500 in rings and earrings. However despite the theft, there was no sign of a break-in and no damage done to the property. That investigation is continuing.

Heritage Museum Once Again Taking Names For Veterans’ Walk
With Memorial Day coming up in three months, the Wilkes Heritage Museum wants to continue honoring soldiers by adding more names to their Veterans’ Walk of Honor. Bricks for the project cost $100 each, with the veteran’s name, rank, branch and date of service engraved. The deadline this year is April 28th, to guarantee that the veteran’s name will be placed on the walk in time for the ceremony. Proceeds from the walk will go to help fund the museum and other projects of Old Wilkes. To buy one, you can contact Old Wilkes at 667-3711 or stop by to pick up an application. The organization is located at 203 North Bridge Street behind the Heritage Museum in Wilkesboro. Or you can drop in at the museum itself to pick one up.

Regional News

Two Year Hickory Murder Solved
A murder case that’s stumped Hickory officials for two years has now been closed. 39-yr-old Derek Morris Colson was charged over the weekend with murder and attempted murder. In 2004, one woman was killed and the other badly injured in the Hickory area between March and April, a series of assaults that put the community on edge. Officials wouldn’t say what evidence led to the arrest, only that they found the 39-yr-old Colson near Asheville and he’s currently being held without bound in the Catawba County Jail.

State News

Thousands Come Out For Immigration Rally
Thousands of people filed out across North Carolina this weekend, to rallies protesting proposed crackdowns on illegal aliens. Over 7000 people turned out in Charlotte and Kernersville, carrying signs, wearing white shirts and demanding what they called “fair treatment”. During the rallies, speakers said that America can’t ignore the people who take care of their children and build their homes.

Students Build Houses
Some high school students in Yanceyville are looking to help the community and increase their grades at the same time. The high school students are building a house, under the direction of their carpentry teacher. A design class selected the color scheme, parents helped out with the wiring and the carpentry class built the building. Now the building will be up for sale this June at a public auction.

More Jobs Possibly Coming To Triad
Some good news for people living in the Triad, as more jobs could be coming to the area. Officials from Randolph and Alamance County announced that both were in negotiations with an unnamed furniture company, who is looking to move to the East Coast. The new plant would be bringing one thousand jobs to the area within the next three years. A decision is expected by July.

Student Cons UNCG Out Of Thousands
A student at UNC-Greensboro has been arrested on felony charges after defrauding the university out of nearly $10,000. Officials say that 20-yr-old Milad Ghattan bought a pre-paid credit card, then used the Internet to overpay his student account with it. Anytime a student account is overpaid, universities send a refund to the student in question. A series of refund checks totaling $9640 were sent to Ghattan before police uncovered the crime. He faces three counts of obtaining property by false pretense.

Sports Headlines

High School Baseball Results
Taking a look at high school baseball over the weekend, it was West Wilkes beating East Surry 5-0, thanks in part to a great pitching performance from starter Justin Spears. Spears struck out a career high 18 batters while going the distance and picking up the win. With the win, West takes over first place in the Northwest 1-A with a record of 8-2 overall and 5-1 in conference play.

NBA: Charlotte vs. Memphis
It was close but no cigar for the Charlotte Bobcats as they lost to Memphis last night 102-95. The Bobcats were led by Gerald Wallace, who had 25 points, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks on the day but it wasn’t enough to knock off the Grizzlies. The loss drops Charlotte to 19-51, with a game coming up Tuesday against Atlanta.

NHL: Carolina vs. Washington
A losing streak continues for the Carolina Hurricanes, as they fell against Washington 3-1 Saturday night. The loss drops Charlotte to 46-18, still in first place in the Southeastern Conference heading into tonight’s game against Tampa Bay.

NASCAR Results
Kurt Busch took the checkered flag on Sunday amid controversy in the Food city 500. He knocked aside friend Matt Kenseth to get to victory lane, a move Kenseth told reporters was a cheap shot. Kevin Harvick took second, with Kenseth falling all the way to 3rd. Carl Edwards and Bobby Labonte rounded out the top five.

Panthers Sign Keyshawn Johnson
The Carolina Panthers have a new member of the team, as wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson came to terms on a contract. The 6’4 ft Johnson agreed to a four year deal worth $19 million, which comes out to a relatively cheap $5 million per season when you add in the signing bonus. He gives Carolina a physical receiver that can take the pressure off Steve Smith, while also helping in the blocking game, something Johnson is known for. As a member of the Dallas Cowboys last season, the 34-yr-old caught 71 passes.