Fire Displaces Family
A house fire overnight has displaced 8 Wilkes residents. The house near Brushy Mountain Road and Sleepy Hollow was reported on fire in the wee hours of the morning, and firefighters from Broadway, Moravian Falls, and Boomer were called to get it under control. Broadway firefighters remained on scene past 7am to check for hot spots. It will be some time before a determination is made as to cause. Later in the day, we hope to find out the name of the family, and what help they might need in the way of clothes and so forth.

Coats for Kids 2006 had Great Response
The final numbers are in, and the Child Abuse Prevention Team says donations were up tremendously for this year’s Coats for Kids drive. 552 coats were donated during this year’s drive, an increase of 26-percent over 2005. Coats have already been distributed through Christmas in Wilkes, the community’s annual holiday assistance program. Families selected winter garments as they signed up for Christmas in Wilkes September 25-October 5 at the Rotary Fairgrounds in North Wilkesboro.
Garments received after October 5th are being be made available to the county’s foster children.
The coats were donated by local churches, civic organizations and individuals.

Child Abuse Prevention Team executive director Sharry Mabry said in a news release, “Wilkes County came through in a big way to help keep our kids warm this winter, and we are very thankful.”

The campaign’s top donor was Hexie Minton of Moravian Falls. The retired school cafeteria worker crocheted 100 toboggans for the 2006 “Coats for Kids” campaign. Mrs. Minton is already crocheting caps for the 2007 drive.

WRMC Battle Rages On
The infighting among North Wilkesboro Town Board members over what will happen with management of Wilkes Regional Medical Center appears to be continuing. Commissioner Debbie Ferguson, who was the swing vote in the decision a week ago to let the current hospital operating board keep managing WRMC, was removed the next day from the group negotiating a 30-year lease with the board. According to Ferguson, Mayor George Church told her just before a negotiating meeting last Wednesday she was off the committee and Dr. Leo Baugham, who proposed both failed votes to award the contract to other entities, was on. Church supported Community Health Systems, which would have paid the city 51-million dollars up front, and made no annual payment for the 30-year lease.

Soldier Celebration Slated
A local church is planning an early December celebration to honor local guardsmen. Tom Bartlett, pastor of Celebration Baptist Church, says they’ve been planning the celebration for more than a year, ever since members of the 505th Engineer Battalion were called up for duty in Iraq. The church is seeking donations of money or items that can be given away in drawings that night. Call 838-11-40 for more information.

This is the Weekend to Enjoy Fall Color
When we live so close, it can be hard to remember that some people travel long distances to come see the fall color. Experts say this should be the peak weekend for fall color western North Carolina.

Crae Morton, the president of Grandfather Mountain, says visitors would see some particularly vibrant yellows and rich maroons. He calls it a ``real pretty leaf season.''

Appalachian State University biology professor Gary Walker says a cold and dry spell in September helped create particularly good colors. He says that's because it stresses the trees to shut down early before all the sugars are transported out of the leaves.

Walker says cool weather now will help lock in the colors while pushing those leaves that are still green to move into their colors. He says it's the best fall leaf colors he's seen in years.


Wilkes Firefighters Receive Grant
Wilkesboro firefighters will receive part of more than 91-million dollars in federal grants issued this week through the Department of Homeland Security. 860 departments nationwide received the grants, which are funded through the department’s 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. This is one phase of the program, which will result in about five thousand fire departments and first responder organizations receiving a total of 485-million dollars. Wilkesboro Fire Department was one of 29 departments statewide to receive grants in this round. The 43-thousand dollar grant will be used for operations and safety items.

Since 2001, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program has provided 2.4 billion dollars in grants to fire departments and first responder organizations for response equipment, personal protective equipment, vehicles and fire prevention activities. The program awards grants to firefighters, emergency response personnel and first responders throughout the country to enhance response capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of first responders and citizens in their communities. AFG grants provide resources for training, first responder health and safety programs, and response equipment and vehicles.

Duke Energy Wants to Raise Rates
The electric utility that serves most of Wilkes wants to raise rates to cover the risk of building new nuclear plants. The hikes would ratepayers even if the plants aren't built.

Duke Energy has asked state regulators to let it boost rates on its 1.6 million customers in North Carolina. The plan is to recover the more than 87 million dollars it expects to spend in laying the groundwork for two new reactors in South Carolina.

Duke Energy customers in South Carolina also could see a rate hike because the proposed nuclear plant in North Carolina's Cherokee County would provide electricity to customers in both states.

Voter Registration Deadline Looms
If you’re new to Wilkes County, or you have moved within the county since the last election, your opportunity to get registered to vote next month is about over. Registration books close at the end of the day Friday, and new registrations will not be taken until after the November election.

New registrations are needed for anyone who is new to the county, who has changed address, changed name, or wishes to change party affiliation. According to a news release from the Wilkes County Board of Elections, mail-in forms are available at the public library, and forms can be filled out at the Board office in the county office building. If you are renewing your driver’s license you can also register to vote at that time.

Forms have to be received or postmarked by Friday.

Cold Air on the Way
It's time to get those fall and winter clothes out of the attic, if you haven't done so already. A real autumn cold air mass is headed toward the Carolinas and will arrive in time for the weekend.

Mild weather is expected to continue today and Thursday across the region, although a weak cold front will move through the area later today. The stronger of the two cold fronts will sweep across the region overnight Thursday.

Friday highs will be only in the middle 60s, despite bright sunshine.

Frost is likely in some parts of the region Friday night and early Saturday. Sub-freezing temperatures are forecast in the mountains, where a hard freeze could take place.

Will Low Gas Prices Stay?
Gas prices have been dropping over the past few months, but energy analysts say motorists shouldn’t get our hopes up that things are going to stay that way.

Prices at the pump have fallen about 90 cents since the beginning of August -- some North Carolina stations are offering regular unleaded at less than $2 a gallon -- but experts are unsure what to expect this winter. An extraordinarily cold winter or a decision by OPEC to cut oil production could drive prices back up.

Graffiti "Artists" Strike Wilkes Businesses
Two Wilkesboro businesses tell police they’ve been the victim of graffiti writers recently. Both incidents were reported Tuesday.

A Dumpster at Wilkesboro Laundromat was tagged Monday night, according to the employee who reported it Tuesday morning. According to police, the graffiti was spray-painted not only all over the Dumpster, but down the side of the building. The police report does not describe the graffiti.

Also Tuesday morning, the owner of Advantage Mini Storage reported finding graffiti on the front door of his business. In yellow, 12-inch letters, the vandal wrote the number 2 and the letters M-E-X. The same letters were also painted on a sign at the business. Other graffiti was spray-painted on a Pennzoil billboard on the property. Lee Black told officers he had seen similar markings painted on the garage doors at the Old Mulberry Fire Station.

So far, police have no suspects in either case.

Wilkes Businessman Accused of Scam
A homeowner believes he’s the victim of a scam at the hands of a Wilkes business, and sheriff’s deputies agree. Thomas Pratt, a retired Jonesville man, told deputies he paid Larry Dwayne Smith, who does business as Affordable Roofing, 18-hundred-50 dollars to re-roof his house. But he hasn’t heard from Smith since. According to the investigative report, Smith has faced similar charges several times. He has been served with a warrant charging him with failure to work after pay.

Law enforcement officers issue reminders several times a year, not to pay the whole bill for construction work before it’s done. Taking the money and not doing the work is a common scam worked by unscrupulous contractors. Usually, your only way of being sure the work is done is to pay the full bill only after the job is complete to your satisfaction. Of course, dealing with contractors you know also helps you to be assured the job will be completed.

Man, Woman Assaulted
A rural North Wilkesboro man and woman were beaten up after three men burst into their house Sunday night. Sheriff Deputies didn’t release the report on the assault until yesterday. 27-year old Louis Carver the Second suffered facial fractures, according to Sevina Greene, the 21-year old woman who called 9-1-1 after the men left. Carver told deputies the three men came to his house, and kicked in the front door, which was unlocked, after they knocked and he didn’t answer. According to Greene, the men were accusing Carver of breaking into their home. Deputies have names of the suspects, but have made no arrests yet.

The Horseshoe Pit is the Other Way!
A burglar used an odd implement to break into a car outside a Wilkes home this week. Rida Huffman tells sheriff deputies she heard a loud crash early Tuesday morning, and looked outside to see a man walking away from her pickup, which belongs to Tommy Call. The man had used a horseshoe to break out the window, then reached in and grabbed a toolbox from inside. Deputies arrested 46-year old Douglas Mark Wyatt later in the day and charged him with the break-in and theft.

Man Dies, Drugs Found
Sheriff Deputies are investigating the death of a man whose body was found yesterday afternoon. A Neighbor told deputies 48-year old Gregory Dean Dancy had been sick for about a day. When the neighbor went to check on him, he had to break into the house, and found Dancy dead. Deputies found marijuana, a roach clip and rolling papers in the house, but it won’t be clear what role the drugs may have played in Dancy’s death until the result of an autopsy are back. The autopsy was scheduled for today, but drug test results take several weeks. The death is presently listed as suspicious.

Car Wrecks, Rolls into Moravian Creek
Two people were taken to the hospital Monday evening after a roll-over accident at Highway 268 and School Street. Wilkesboro police say the car was westbound on 268 and lost control, striking a utility pole guide wire and rolling down the embankment into the Moravian Creek. The car nearly flipped over as it rolled down the slope, and firefighters had to peel back the roof of the car to get the people inside out of the wreckage. 53-year old Phyllis Foster and 33-year old Nora Johnson, both of North Wilkesboro, were taken to Wilkes Regional Medical Center by Wilkes EMS. A six-year old boy in the car was not injured.

Jeep Stolen While Man is in Hospital
A Wilkes man came home from the hospital yesterday to find his Jeep had been stolen. Kenneth Spears told deputies early Monday afternoon he returned from a five-day stay in the hospital to find someone had taken his 1996 Jeep Cherokee Laredo. He admitted that he’d left the jeep unlocked, and it had a spare ignition key hidden inside it. Deputies say the jeep is red and silver. Spears also said a wood stove that was being kept in a storage building on his property had been stolen. It’s valued at 400-dollars. No suspects have been identified.

Shooting: Accidental?
Sheriff Deputies are looking for a Moravian Falls man who showed up at Wilkes Surgical Offices Monday with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. A nurse practitioner at the facility told deputies James Hawn had been shot in the palm of his left hand, with the bullet exiting through the back of his hand. He told the medical staff he was loading the 22-caliber gun to put it away and accidentally shot himself with a hollow-point round. He was treated and released. So far, deputies have been unable to find Hawn to verify the account, and in fact they’ve found his house padlocked front and back from the outside, both times they’ve visited since the shooting was reported Monday morning. The case is listed as still under investigation.

Dole Staffer to Visit
If you have concerns to share with U-S Senator Elizabeth Dole, your opportunity to do so is coming up soon. A member of Dole’s staff will be at the North Wilkesboro Town Hall a week from Friday. A news release from Dole’s office says the time is meant for individual meetings with constituents to discuss their concerns with federal agencies, case work, or issues pending before Congress. Appointments are not needed. The staffer will be in town only one hour, from 9 to 10 am next Friday, October 20th.

The Break-in Cost More than the Stolen Stuff
A rural North Wilkesboro man says someone broke into his basement wile he was at work Monday. Turns out the damage to the basement door and a screen door was worth more than what was taken. Keith Cheshire reported the break-in about 6:30 Monday night. Damage to the doors was estimated at 500-dollars, while the value of the 25–inch TV and two bath faucet sets that were stolen is listed as totaling about 135-dollars. The property was taken from the living room and an upstairs bedroom. Deputies say there are no suspects at this time.

More Charges in Check Copying Case
Two more people have been charged in relation to a forged check from the court system last month. 33-year old Christopher Landrum has admitted he took the check in question and made a computer copy of it using his scanner. Then he and 30-year old Matthew Triplett took the check to Traphill Grocery and cashed it. Two other men were charged earlier, after the duplicate check turned up at another Wilkes business.

Might Want to Find a Better Storage Place
The side pocket of a recliner is probably not the most secure place to store a handgun. A Wilkes man found that out the hard way over the weekend. 49-year old William Jeffery Shaw tells sheriff deputies that sometime between Friday and Monday, the gun disappeared from the recliner side pocket. No suspects have been identified.

Miller's Creek Home Broken Into
A Miller’s Creek woman was the victim of a break-in Sunday morning. Teresa Smithey reported
the burglary about 1:30 yesterday afternoon, when she came home to find the back door pried open. She says someone stole about 12-hundred dollars worth of jewelry. The thief walked into the master bedroom and picked up a jewelry box, leaving several other valuables behind. The missing jewelry includes 20 sets of 14-karat gold earrings, three bracelets, several necklaces and pendants, and a gold Bulova ladies’ watch.

A neighbor told sheriff deputies they’d heard a motorcycle in the area while Smithey was gone, and there appeared to be motorcycle tracks in the yard. Other than the neighbor who heard the motorcycle, no one heard or saw anything out of place. Deputies are continuing their investigation.

Another Sunday Jewelry Theft
A rural Wilkesboro woman reports a thief broke into her house this weekend and stole 600-dollars worth of jewelry. Nicolette Barber tells sheriff deputies she came home late Sunday afternoon and found her door kicked open. Once inside, the burglar had stolen a 300-dollar value gold necklace and two bracelets, one worth 200-dollars, the other one worth 100-dollars. Barber says she has no idea who might have broken in between early Sunday and late in the afternoon. Damage to the door and frame was valued at 300-dollars. The case remains under investigation.

After Short Chase, Suspect Vanishes
A car stop on Friday afternoon led to a short foot chase, but ended with a sheriff deputy losing track of both suspects. A deputy on routine patrol stopped a 1995 Jeep Wrangler on Zion Hill Road just before 5 Friday afternoon, because the tag on the Jeep was registered to a 1991 Chevrolet pickup. When the deputy walked up to the Jeep, he recognized the driver and his passenger, and knew the passenger was wanted on a felony theft warrant. When the deputy went around the car to arrest David Spears, the man took off running. The deputy gave chase, until he lost Spears in the woods near Zion Hill church. In the meantime, the driver, Jessie Spears, had taken off in the jeep.

Later, the Jeep was found at a house on Suncrest Orchard Road. The deput seized it and charged Jessie Spears with driving on a revoked license, displaying the wrong tag, and driving without insurance. David Spears has not been seen since.

Tools Stolen This Weekend
Sheriff Deputies are investigating two thefts of tools over the weekend.

The first was reported Friday morning by Randall Johnson. He came out of the house to go to work Friday, and found the side door of his work van standing open slightly. He called deputies after looking through the van and finding two bags of tools were missing. According to Johnson, one of the bags was black, and contained tools worth about 600 dollars. The second one was brown, and the tools inside it were worth about 500 dollars. Johnson says he didn’t hear or sea anything strange during the night, but his wife said she thought she heard a door slam about 2 a-m. She didn’t think anything of it because she assumed it was the neighbors.

The second tool theft was reported Saturday morning. Danny Bell says sometime within the last month, an assortment of tools was stolen from his auto repair business on Mountain View Road. He’s still going through his remaining tools to find out what’s missing. Deputies say there were no signs of forced entry.

Minor Injuries from US 421 Wreck
Two people suffered minor injuries in a two-car collision at US-421 and Winkler Mill Road. Wilkesboro Police say it isn’t clear who caused the wreck Saturday afternoon. 84-year old Warren Brown was westbound on Highway 421 in the center lane, and had the green light. 18-year old Brooke Mallory says she had the green light, as she turned off Winkler Mill Extension onto Westbound 421. She hit Brown’s car in the driver’s side, just in front of the front door. Although both Brown and Mallory were hurt in the crash, both declined treatment by Wilkes County EMS paramedics.

Gas Drive-Off at Uncle Kenny's
A Hays convenience store clerk says two men in a Cadillac with out-of-state plates drove off without paying for gas this weekend. The clerk at Uncle Kenny’s Gas and Grill described one of the men as white, in his 30’s, with graying hair. She did not get a good look at the other one. She said the white four-door Cadillac had either a Florida or a Georgia tag, but when deputies ran the number she gave, the tag was not found in either Florida or Georgia. According to the clerk, the men stopped, asked for directions to North Wilkesboro, and then left without paying for about 25-dollars in gas.

Regenerative Medicine Institute Receives Grant
A ground-breaking effort to grow new organs and limbs using cells from a person’s own body got a financial shot in the arm recently, with the help of 5th District Representative Virginia Foxx. A grant worth one-million dollars is on the way to the Institute for Regenerative Medicine. The grant is part of the Defense Department budget recently approved by Congress. In an exclusive interview with 3WC News, Representative Foxx said not only is the Institute one of the leaders in research into organ regeneration, they are doing work now that helps U-S soldiers who lose extremities.

Medical experts say the most exciting thing about organ and limb regeneration is that because the replacement body part comes from the person it’s being transplanted into, issues of organ rejection vanish.

505th Eng Bn: Welcome Home!
The 505th Engineer Battalion has returned home after a 14-month deployment which included nearly a year stay in Iraq.

The soldiers returned home recently, and an official home coming ceremony was held for one of the units in Wilkesboro yesterday.

The battalion spent their year in Iraq attempting to rebuild the warn-torn country. Although for many, the most important measure of their success is that they all came home
Despite its role as an engineering unit, the 505th saw plenty of action.

“We had 62 IED detonations during the tour and well over a hundred other engagements,” said Captain Christopher Blais. Five members of the battalion were seriously injured during their tour of duty in Iraq, but all made it home.

United Way Campaign Sponsors Noted
A number of Wilkes businesses and individuals are on board as Sponsors of the annual United Way Campaign this year. A news release from United Way says to earn sponsor status a business or person must pledge at least 500-dollars more to United Way this year than they have in past years.

Each of the sponsors are recognized on the t-shirts given out to pledge-makers during the drive: Adam Minton of American Drew; Lea, Arnold and Becky Lakey of Associated Heating and Air Conditioning; B B & T; Bank of Granite, Brushy Mountain Smokehouse and Creamery; Carolina West Wireless; Cassie Stone Photography; Cubic Engineering and Construction; Duke Energy; Edward Jones Investments; Embarq; Fred & Jean Ellen Graf of James River Equipment; L P Building Products; Lowes Home Improvement Warehouse; P C Source; PFS Distribution; Screen Printers Unlimited; Tyson; Wachovia; WalMart; Wilkes Regional Medical Center and Wilkes Telecommunications.

Foxx On Immigration
Fifth-district representative Virginia Foxx says a recently-passed border security bill she co-sponsored addresses one of the top issues in her district:

In an exclusive interview with 3WC, 5th District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx said recent passage of the Secure Fences Act is one step toward getting one of the key issues in her district resolved.

The Secure Fences Act requires building of a 700-mile, two-layer fence on the southern U-S Border, and gives border patrol agents the legal authority to chase fleeing suspects…something they haven’t been able to do so far. Still, Foxx says, it’s only part of the solution to the overall issue of illegal immigration.

Foxx and all members of the House will stand for re-election in November.