Public Hearings Held On Budget & Schools
Wilkes County commissioners met last night and dealt with several items on the agenda. A public hearing was held, for anyone who wanted to share their opinions on the new school improvements project. No one stepped forward to voice an opinion and so the commissioners moved on to discuss the county budget. As it stands, the budget for the next fiscal year is $68,448, 303. Donnie Bumgarner spoke up during the public hearing and explained that Social Services needs at least one more employee, which there isn’t enough money in the current budget to provide for. Also JoAnn Elledge questioned why commissioners had approved a possible increase in salaries for county employees when unemployment is still a problem here in Wilkes. County Manager Gary Page countered that unemployment is actually down significantly in the county. In May, that number was 4.4%.

Merlefest Goes Over Budget
Other news from last night’s commissioners’ meeting, as the board approved a transfer of money to cover additional expenses of Merlefest. The festival went over the projected budget this season, which had been placed at $31,250. To cover the additional fees, $7153 was transferred over from the general fund. Those fees included an additional $1635 for maintenance and repair of the grounds.

Pastor Turns Himself In On Sex Charges
Charges of sexual abuse from residents of two counties including Wilkes have caused a Statesville pastor to give himself up to police. 64-yr-old Carl Edward Nixon has served as pastor of Believers Faith Center for over 20 years, also actively involved with the church’s Christian academy for kids ages . He now faces charges of sexually assaulting three of the children that attended his church, once in 1989, with a second and third incident happening in 1991 and 1995. One of the girls, who is now 18, is a native of Wilkes County and was the first to come forward back in May. Then soon after, the other two girls, who are now 29 and 24 respectively, told police what happened to them. All three said that they were hesitant in discussing the event because they didn’t think anyone would believe it. Nixon was arrested on Monday and then released on $25,000 bond.

Wilkes SAFE Organization Receives Money From Governor
One Wilkes County organization is getting some much needed support from the governor. In a decision announced on Tuesday, Governor Mike Easley has handed out $21.96 million to programs across the state, as part of the Governor’s Crime Commission. That money is earmarked for programs that will help to improve community safety and assist the victims of crimes, domestic or otherwise. Wilkes County’s SAFE Inc. received $146,785.30, to go toward improving their victim services programs. The grants are handed out each year, as the commission determines from the applications turned in which areas need money the most.

One Car Totaled In College Street Accident
One car was totaled and another damaged in an accident on Collegiate Drive Monday morning. A Wilkesboro woman was traveling down the highway when she was hit by another car. That second vehicle, driven by a Boomer man, had been trying to merge onto the road from a parking lot at Wilkes Community College. No one was injured in the crash but estimated damages were placed at $2000.

All For Some Free TV
Thieves targeted a Moravian Falls home on Monday, breaking in & going shopping. Two cable boxes were unhooked and carried out of the home, along with two tvs from the residence. In addition, $1500 in cash was stolen from the homeowner’s bedroom. The home on Hwy 16 South had no signs of a break-in and no damage done to the property however that investigation continues.

Tools Stolen From Moravian Falls Home
Several hundred dollars worth of tools were taken this week from a Moravian Falls home. The incident happened sometime Monday afternoon at a residence on East Meadows Road. The homeowner got a phonecall from a relative, who informed him that some men had been by the property and were seen running off from a storage building. Witnesses later told deputies that two white men pulled up in a Toyota Camry and tried to break into the house. When that failed, they walked around and broke into a storage building instead. A drill, three chainsaws, a couple of drop cords and other items were taken from inside, an estimated $570 worth of merchandise. Descriptions of the suspects and their car were given to deputies and that investigation is ongoing.

Thieves Hit Local Business
Wilkesboro police were called out to a local business on Monday after thieves paid a visit. An air compressor was stolen from Oasis Tanning, although it’s unclear how it was taken. There was no sign of a break-in and no damage done to the property. The theft was discovered by store employees when they arrived early Monday morning, as the compressor had been unhooked from the building. That investigation continues.

Thieves Go On Shopping Spree At Local Home
Deputies were called out to a home on Industrial Drive Monday morning after $1300 worth of merchandise went missing. Someone had broke into a storage building on the property and ran off with a chainsaw, a wrench, several drills and other tools. There is however a suspect in the case, as locals witnessed a man walking around the area that morning. A description of the man was given to deputies and they’re continuing the investigation.

Regional News

Caldwell County Approves “Something”Construction plans are moving forward for a new project in Caldwell County, but citizens and town officials are left in the dark. Caldwell commissioners gave approval on Monday to sell part of the land at Foothills Regional Airport, where they were told “something” would be coming in the next few months. Airport Authority members told the commissioners that they had been working on the deal for almost six months but couldn’t provide any details as to the name of the company or what it would entail. Officials did say however that an announcement about the project could come sometime in the next 30 days.

State News

NC Marine Group Shipping Out
For the fourth time in five years, members of North Carolina’s Marine unit are shipping out overseas. The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit will start loading up today and plan to be on their way by Friday of this week. 2200 Marines will be in the group, to go along with an infantry battalion from the 8th Marine Regiment, Medium Helicopter Squadron 365 and a support group.

Duke To Spend $2 Billion In Upgrades
State officials are now considering an application from Duke Energy, as the company has asked for permission to upgrade one of its’ plants. If approved, $2 billion in upgrades would be done to the facility that straddles the county line between Cleveland and Rutherford. Two new coal-fired energy units would be installed, replacing the older, less efficient ones under the plan, which wouldn’t be finished until 2011.

Teacher Under Investigation In Rowan County
Officials in Rowan County are investigating a teacher in the area today. 47-yr-old Joe David Cress has been placed on suspension with pay while local law enforcement continue their investigation. It’s still unknown what exactly the agriculture teacher stands accused of doing, as both and school officials refuse to say. What they did say however is that a student is involved in the investigation.

Teenagers Behind String Of Robberies In Greensboro
It turns out that a group of teenagers were behind a recent string of bank robberies in the Greensboro area. Officials have arrested six people in connection to the three crimes, four of which were teens and two were juveniles. The group is believed responsible for bank robberies in Cabarrus, Chatham and Davidson counties that occurred during the months of March and April. Police arrested the group before they could carry out plans to rob banks in Albemarle and Stanly counties. The group now faces charges of conspiracy, bank robbery with a deadly weapon and attempted bank robbery. Officials are still looking for two members of the group, who are on the loose.

Bears Making Their Presence Known
People in Alexander and Burke County are growing concerned about some furry friends that are making their presence known this summer. Bears have started to come out into local neighborhoods, walking right through the front lawns and even in some cases on the road. A black bear sighting in the Maiden area over the weekend was the fourth in the past week. During that time black bears have popped up in Morganton, Bethlehem and Maiden. One black was seen walking into the football stadium at Freedom High School, while another was making his way to Judge’s Riverside Restaurant in Morganton. Wildlife officials are saying there’s nothing to be concerned about, that the bears are just coming out to hunt for food and tend to leave humans alone.

Sports Headlines

Post 31 Baseball Results
It was a rough night for the Wilkes Post 31 Patriots. They lost in American Legion action to Rowan County 23-0 at Wilkes Central High School. Wilkes pitchers gave up five runs in the first two innings and never recovered, as head coach Randy Ashley had to use most of his available pitching staff to finish the game. With the loss, Wilkes drops to 0-10 on the season.

NC Pitchers Top Tuesday’s Draft
Several North Carolina pitchers made it to the top of the list for Major League Baseball’s amateur draft on Tuesday. UNC’s Andrew Miller was the first North Carolina player taken, as he went to the Detroit Tigers with the 6th pick. The 6’6 ft. Miller went 12-2 in the regular season, to help UNC make it to the postseason. A Demon Deacon was the next North Carolina product in the draft, as the San Diego Padres took Wake Forest third baseman Matthew Antonelli with the 17th pick. The 6’1 ft. Antonelli can hit with power and also has decent speed. Scouts project that he could play virtually any position on the field. Boston also got into the Tarheel craze, selecting UNC pitcher Daniel Bard with the 28th pick. The 6’4 ft. righthander has one of the best arms in the draft, with a fastball that hits 97 mph at times however he’s had a problem with control. The draft wraps up later today.

Panthers Sign UNC Player
On the football field, another new face was introduced as a member of the Carolina Panthers Tuesday afternoon. Kyle Ralph, a rookie offensive lineman from UNC Chapel Hill was signed to a free agent contract. The 6’4 303 lb. Ralph had originally caught on with the Seattle Seahawks after the draft as an unsigned free agent. But the team had too many linemen and not enough jobs, so he was waived. Ralph will be one of 16 linemen in Carolina’s training camp competing for 12 spots on the roster.

Elliot Suiting Up For Red Bull
A familiar face will be back behind the wheel later this year in NASCAR. Team Red Bull won’t officially enter the series until 2007, when their two cars will run on the circuit full time. But to test out their current product and get the team ready, Red Bull announced this week that Bill Elliot will drive a car for them in three races this season. Elliot will drive in the Bank of America 500 at Lowes Motor Speedway & the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta, then turn around and race at the Dickies 500 at Texas.

Wilkes County Says Goodbye To Former Police Officer
This afternoon, Wilkes County will say goodbye to one of its’ favorite sons, as Dennis Eller is laid to rest. The 41-yr-old Eller, a former lieutenant in the Wilkesboro Police Department, left his job to work as a security guard in the Iraqi city of Basra in 2004. He returned home last year to a different kind of fight, battling against stomach cancer. Eller lost that fight on Saturday and will be laid to rest today at Lewis Fork Baptist Church. The funeral will be held at 2pm with Pastor Sherrill Wellborn presiding.

Major County Meeting Coming Up Tonight
Later on tonight, a major meeting is being held in Wilkes County. A public hearing is going on at 6pm tonight in the county office building, dealing with both the school system and the county budget. The new school improvements project, which would affect all four county high schools, is up for discussion. In addition, citizens will be able to give their opinion on the county’s budget for the next year. That’s going on tonight beginning at 6pm in the commissioners’ room of the county office building.

Some National Guard Troops Affected By Theft
It turns out that Wilkes County vets weren’t the only locals affected by a break-in at the Veterans Administration offices. Over the weekend, the VA released information that an estimated 50,000 active duty soldiers in the National Guard and Navy also had their personal information stolen. Veterans Affairs officials in Virginia still aren’t sure how much information was taken, as their investigation continues. As with the vets, VA officials are asking that National Guard troops check their bank statements when possible, to make sure they don’t fall victim to ID theft.

Blood Drive Going On Today
Summer can pose a problem to the Red Cross, as people go on vacation and the number of blood donors drops way down. Despite the lowered blood supply, the need is as strong as ever. To help solve the problem, the Wilkes Red Cross is holding a drive today at the local VFW Hall from 2-6:30pm. To add some more incentive, donors can enter their name in to win a $1500 gas card from Citgo, which will be awarded later this month. To sign up and donate, you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

More GM Vehicles Recalled
Bad news for more GM owners, this time involving your trucks. An estimated 400,000 GM trucks have been recalled, to to a malfunction in the brake light system. All 2004, 2005 and 2006 models of the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon are included in the recall, along with the 2006 models of the Isuzu I-280 and I-350. The problem comes from a malfunction in the brake lights, due to faulty installation. After an extended period, the brake lights in the truck may go out completely or stay on permanently. Also as a result of the malfunction, cruise control on the vehicles will become inoperative. Owners can take the vehicle back to the dealer they bought it from for a free repair.

Just Came In To Have A Look Around
A man on Reynolds Avenue got a surprise when returning home last Friday. The back door to his house was standing wide open and it was clear someone had been inside. The glass portion of the door had been shattered and it appears the vandals just walked right in. However once inside the vandals didn’t touch anything, as there was no damage done and nothing disturbed in the residence. That investigation continues.

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.

SCM Needs Help
It’s hard at times to put food on the table and also pay your bills. Here in Wilkes, several organizations reach out and help people who are struggling through hard times, including Samaritan’s Christian Ministry. Now however the Kitchen finds itself needing some help of its’ own. So many people have been by in recent weeks that the shelves are almost empty and there aren’t enough workers to prepare meals on the weekends. If you can set aside thirty minutes or three hours, whatever you can spare, please give the ministry a call at 838-5331.

State News

Number Of NC Meth Labs Falling
Good news across North Carolina, as the number of meth labs in the state are falling. Attorney General Roy Cooper made that announcement over the weekend, explaining that state officials only found 11 labs in May. That’s a drop of over 60% from this same time last year and Attorney General Cooper attributes a new state law for the change. Late last year, state lawmakers made it illegal to obtain any cold medicine that contained pseudoephedrine without a prescription. In addition people have to sign a log when they buy the medicine and show a picture ID.

Send In The Clowns
Officials in Charlotte are trying to track down a clown today. On Monday morning, a local branch of the First Citizens Bank was robbed by a man dressed up in a clown suit. Just before 9:30am, a man came walking in, dressed in what witnesses say was a hobo type clown suit. He walked up to the teller and demanded money before escaping into a black Ford Explorer that was waiting nearby. The suspect is described as a black male in his late 20s, about 5’10 ft. and around 140 lbs. Police are asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at 1-704-334-1600.

Missing Man Found In Burke County
A man who had been missing for over two days was found in Burke County on Monday. 68-yr-old Harvey Huffman had gone for a walk near Lake Rhodhiss on Saturday, but never came back. After covering a 5-mile area around the lake with dogs, helicopters and boats, officials found Mr. Huffman on Monday afternoon. He had apparently gotten disoriented when out for his walk and just walked over to a nearby shack, where he waited for someone to find him.

Body Identified In Burke County
A body that was discovered last week in Moore County has now been identified. Last Thursday, some locals found the body of 53-yr-old William Bost in an abandoned tobacco barn. The discovery put to rest a nearly two month long search for the attorney, who vanished from his home back in April. There didn’t appear to be any evidence of foul play and officials are writing off the death as suicide.

Sports Headlines

Post 31 Baseball Tonight
The Wilkes Post 31 Patriots are back in Wilkes County tonight, playing their 5th game in the last 5 days. Rowan County is in town and the action will start at 7pm with the first pitch. Ken Byrd will be on hand at the field to bring you the play by play and we’ll get things started with the McDonald’s pregame show at 6:45pm.

Appalachian Wins Conference Awards
On the college scene, Appalachian State walked away with several trophies last week. The Mountaineers were awarded both the Commissioner’s Cup and the German Cup, handed out each year by the Southern Conference for the best men’s & women’s athletic department. This marks the sixth time Appalachian has won both awards at the same time.

Panthers Release Cornerback
The Carolina Panthers released a member of their roster this week, cutting cornerback Garnell Wilds. Wilds had been recently involved in a motor scooter accident in Florida, injuring his knee. Team officials had asked all players to stay away from dangerous activities, especially with training camp competition coming up. Last year Wilds split time between the team’s practice squad and regular roster. The cut leaves Carolina with 91 players in the mix for jobs. That number has to be dropped down to 53 by the end of training camp in September.

NC Runner Offered Football Contract
A world famous track runner from North Carolina has been offered a football contract. Justin Gatlin, co-owner of the 100-meter world record, has been invited to training camp by the Philadelphia Eagles. If he had agreed, the team planned to use Gatlin as a punt and kickoff returner. However Gatlin said that he has just one goal, to organize a race between the top two runners in the world, to finally crown the world’s fastest man.

Chip Ganassi Looking To Make A Change
A new face will be behind the wheel for Chip Ganassi Racing on June 25th. The No. 40 Dodge, usually driven by rookie David Stremme, will instead be piloted by road racing specialist Scott Pruett. Ganassi officials gave no reason for the change, but said that Stremme would be back behind the wheel the next week at Daytona.

Wilkes Unemployment Dramatically Drops
The unemployment rate here in Wilkes is dropping rapidly as we enter the month of June. At the beginning of May, Wilkes had a 4.4% unemployment rate, the lowest it’s been since the year 2000. There were 277 new jobs created and 71 people added to the total workforce. The numbers show a continuation of growth that was started back in February, as the county’s unemployment rate has been on a steady decline ever since. Wilkes is mere percentage points above the state unemployment average, which stands at 4.1%. All of those numbers were taken from the latest monthly report released from the North Carolina Employment Security Commission.

Medication Stolen From North Wilkesboro Woman
Thieves ran off with some medication from a North Wilkesboro home late last week. The incident happened early Thursday morning, as the homeowner had invited a friend inside. Minutes after coming in, that friend somehow found their way to the medicine cabinet and started stealing some of the painkillers inside. However when the homeowner walked up and saw what she was doing, the would be thief downed the evidence, over 15 painkillers in one mouthful. Amazingly, she didn’t suffer any serious medical problems, but her name was given over to deputies by the homeowner, who wanted her charged for stealing the medication. That investigation continues.

Price Of Cigarettes May Remain For Another Year
There’s some potentially good news for cigarette smokers in Wilkes County, as a planned tax hike could be put off. Last July, state lawmakers agreed to increase the cigarette tax to 30 cents but agreed to temporarily delay it. Now lawmakers want to put off implementing the tax once again, as studies are showing higher cigarette prices would hurt sales in counties close to the South Carolina and Tennessee border. The idea was proposed in a new bill last week, looking to compete with South Carolina, whose lawmakers did the exact same thing earlier this year. If the bill passes, the cigarette tax won’t go up until July 1st of 2007.

Just Wanted Some Help Cutting Grass
Some thieves in the Ferguson area apparently just wanted some help cutting grass, as they broke into a home late last week. The homeowner came back on Thursday to discover the theft, which happened at a log cabin on the Casper Hawkins Road. A storage shed on the property was broke into, as thieves cut the lock and walked inside. Taken from the building, was a Toro riding mower, a generator and a Buckmaster bow. That investigation is ongoing.

Just Came In To Have A Look Around
A Hayes man went to check on some family property late last week, but found that someone had beaten him there. The front door had been pried open, but despite the damage nothing was missing or even touched inside the home. In fact besides the open door, there was no evidence that anyone had been near the house. That investigation is ongoing.

Blood Drive Later Today
Summer is traditionally a time of need for the Red Cross, as vacations and other commitments severely deplete the attendance at blood drives. With the local supply nearing critical levels, the Wilkes chapter of the Red Cross is holding a drive today at Millers Creek United Methodist Church. The drive runs from 2-7pm and all donors who come out will be entered into a drawing for a free $1500 gas card from Citgo. The drawing will be held later this month and to sign up, you can call the Red Cross at 838-4563.

Mailbox Vandals Hit Local Home
Last week, mailbox vandals targeted a home on the Johnson Road. A local woman came outside to find her mailbox broken. Both the box itself and the post it had been on were smashed and lying on the ground. However despite the noise such an event would cause, no one in the area could recall hearing or seeing anything the night before. Estimated damage was placed at $20 and that investigation continues.

Regional News

Jonesville On America’s Most Wanted
The town of Jonesville got some national attention over the weekend after it was featured on America’s Most Wanted. The tv show dedicated a segment to a case that’s gone unsolved for almost 10 years. Back on October 5th 1996, police officer Gregory Keith Martin was shot while performing a routine traffic stop on I-77. In the time since then, sketches have been released of the three men believed to be involved, but officials haven’t been able to get any leads.

State News

North Carolina Now Has Alternative Fuel Station
There’s a new option for people tired of paying an arm and a leg at the pump. A gas station in Southern Pines has now become North Carolina’s first place to sell only alternative fuel. Two types of ethanol can be bought at the business, along with an alternative biodiesel mix for truckers. Here in North Carolina, there are 5500 state vehicles that run on ethanol or natural gas.

North Carolina Says Goodbye To Hugh Morton
Hundreds of North Carolinians said goodbye to an old friend this weekend, as Hugh Morton was laid to rest. Morton was the owner of Grandfather Mountain and was known across the state for his efforts to preserve the natural beauty and the wildlife that live in the North Carolina mountains. Sunday night people came together at Grandfather Mountain to pay tribute to the man in a memorial service set up in his honor. Morton died last week after a long struggle with cancer. Hugh Morton was 85.

Vandals Target Another Church
Yet another North Carolina church fell prey to vandals over the weekend, this time in Gastonia. Officials at Saint Michael’s Catholic Church came in over the weekend to find that someone had done some redecorating. Pentagrams were carved in the church’s floors and walls, both in and outside of the sanctuary in addition to sections of profanity. The carpet was damaged, fire extinguishers were painted and even some of the children’s toys from the nursery were affected. Estimated damage at St. Michaels was placed at $10,000 and police in the area are continuing the investigation.

School Students Rushed To Hospital In Eden
Class was dismissed Friday at a high school in Eden North Carolina, after someone released pepper spray in the building. Early Friday morning, a student came in and started spraying portions of a hallway. Within a few minutes, the spray had drifted into several classrooms, affecting both students and teachers. Several students had to be rushed to the hospital after having problems breathing and the school itself was evacuated. The culprit has since been discovered and now officials are considering what if any punishment he’ll face.

Sports Headlines

Tarheel Recruit Ranked High
Some good news for the UNC Tarheels on the recruiting front, as a future member of the football team is ranked in the nation’s Top 100. Wide receiver Dwight Jones, who currently attends Burlington Cummings High School was given a five star ranking by high school website Rivals.com. That’s the highest grade possible for high school players and it comes after a season where the 6’5 ft. 210 lb. Jones caught 49 passes for 952 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Tarheel Expected To Be First Pick
In other Tarheel sports news, one of UNC’s starting pitchers is expected to be taken with the first pick in today’s Major League Baseball draft. 6’6 ft. Andrew Miller won 11 games this year during the regular season, picking up 102 strikeouts along the way to being named the ACC’s pitcher of the year. He’s the consensus pick for the Kansas City Royals, who choose first in the draft, to be held this afternoon. Also expected to go in the first round is UNC Charlotte starter Daniel Bard.

Williams Lands Another Award
Former Appalachian State quarterback Richie Williams was honored last week as the Southern Conference Male Athlete of the Year. The announcement was made Wednesday night during the conference awards dinner at Hilton Head. Last year Williams led Appalachian to their first ever NCAA national title in Division I-AA, tossing for 2809 yards and 20 TDs while rushing for 936 yards. The now graduated senior also holds the Southern Conference record for total offense, finishing with 9370 yards in his college career. Williams has since signed a contract with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger Cats, playing along former teammate Davon Fowlkes. Preseason for the CFL starts this weekend.

Panthers Coach Gets Promotion
Panthers Coach John Fox also announced a slight change in his coaching staff last week. Running backs coach Jim Skipper was promoted to assistant head coach. The 57-yr-old Skipper, in addition to working with the team’s running backs, has been involved in game management for several years, watching the clock, keeping track of timeouts and penalties. Coach Fox said the promotion was to give Skipper recognition for the jobs he already does.

Former Blue Devil Getting Back On Court
In the NBA, a former member of the Duke Blue Devils is attempting to get back on the court. Point guard Jason Williams saw his NBA career come to a halt back in 2003, after a motorcycle crash tore ligaments in his knee and damaged nerves in one of his legs. Now after almost three years of rehab, Williams wants to get back on an NBA court and is working out for the Toronto Raptors, who as it turns out are in the market for a point guard.

Kenseth Wins At Dover
On the Nextel Cup circuit, it was Matt Kenseth on Sunday taking the checkered flag in the Neighborhood Excellence 400. Kenseth passed Jamie McMurray with time running out to get the win at Dover. McMurray finished second, Kevin Harvick came in third, Jeff Burton was fourth and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five. Next up drivers head to Pocono this coming Sunday for the Pocono 500.