Police Chases
Police chases seemed almost the order of the day this weekend, as two criminals tried to get away from officers or deputies.

The first chase happened Friday morning. It started in Alexander County, after a 2001 Buick LeSabre was reported stolen. The driver led Alexander county deputies on a chase, and as the car approached Wilkes County, local deputies joined in. The woman ran a Wilkes sheriff detective off the side of Treadway Road, damaging his county car. She kept on trying to get away, and the remaining deputy pursued her to Moore Mountain Road, where she ran into the ditch and stopped.

But it wasn’t over.

The woman threw the car into reverse and rammed the deputy’s crusier, then took off again. This time, an Alexander county deputy led the pursuit, with the Wilkes county deputy right behind. Again, the woman pulled over and the deputies stopped. Again, she rammed the Wilkes patrol car. For good measure, she tried to run again, but found she was boxed in by the deputies. So she slammed into the Wilkes patrol car a third time. Deputies were finally able to pull her from the car and subdue her.

The 30-year old woman, who was not identified by Wilkes county authorities, is charged locally with assault using a deadly weapon and damage to county property. She’s charged in Alexander County with the original car theft, fleeing to avoid arrest, and assault on law officers. Damage to the Wilkes County patrol car is valued at 600-dollars. All the woman ever hit was the pusher bumper on the front of the cruiser.

The second chase was much shorter, only a couple of miles. It happened first thing yesterday morning. Wilkesboro police received a report of a stolen 1988 GMC Jimmy. John Eller Junior said a man approached him at the Citgo station at Highway 421 and 16, asking for a ride up 16. Eller refused, and went inside, leaving the Jimmy running outside. The man followed him inside, asked again, and when he was refused again, he went outside, climbed in the running S-U-V, and sped off.

A short time later, sheriff deputies saw the S-U-V and gave chase. A deputy clocked the driver at 65 miles an hour in a 35 zone, as the driver sped up Highway 16 North. The deputy also says the driver swerved across the center line several times during the chase.

It came to an end at Canterbury Estates, where the driver was arrested without incident. Police officers arrested 19-year old Anthony Wayne Sheppard of Moravian Falls and charged him with stealing the Jimmy, along with damage to personal property. That’s because he drover the Jimmy so hard that when Eller was taken to pick it up, it wouldn’t start because the engine was seized.

Jail Jumpsuit for Halloween?
From the stupid criminals file: it was bad enough that a jail inmate chose to take a couple of jumpsuits when he was released. Then he had to go and wear them out to the Fast Track in Miller’s Creek Saturday morning, where he walked up to a deputy. The story goes downhill from there.

The quick-thinking thief admitted where he’d gotten the jumpsuit pants when the deputy asked. When questioned further, Adam Nichols told the deputy the jail had lost the clothes staff members had taken when Nichols was arrested for another crime, so they told him he could keep the jumpsuits until Monday.

After being arrested for stealing the jumpsuit, Nichol’s story changed. He admitted taking the jumpsuit because he planned to wear it trick-or-treating on Halloween. Best guess is, he won’t be doing much trick-or-treating this year.

Identity Theft
As we reported yesterday on 3WC News, identity theft is one of the fastest-growing areas of crime in Wilkes. A local woman filed an identity theft report Friday, so her bank would reimburse her the 35-hundred dollars she lost. She says the thief got her account information, and used it to write themselves a check via her online bill-pay service. The suspect is in Seattle, Washington.

Excavator Wiring Harness Cut Out
A North Wilkesboro business found out the hard way this weekend that it’s a good idea to make sure equipment on a job site is secure. Sheriff Deputies say someone cut the wiring harness out of an excavator belonging to Holly Mountain Hauling, which was on a job site in rural Wilkes County. The site is in a wooded area, far enough from the road that the equipment can’t be seen by passing traffic. The incident, which happened sometime Thursday night or early Friday, will set Holly Mountain back about two thousand dollars, much of the expense due to the fact that someone has to come to the job site to make the repair.

Friday Shooting
Gang ties are blamed for a shooting incident in Wilkes County late Friday. Julio Cabrera says three men from a New York gang shot up his house, a car and a pickup, but fortunately didn’t hit any people. One of the shots fired penetrated the walls of the mobile home, crossed a hallway, and lodged in a child’s closet wall. Another lodged in an unoccupied room. Cabrera tells sheriff deputies the men were from a New York gang, and were looking for his cousin. He told deputies the names of the men, but so far there have been no arrests.

Forsyth County Earthquake
Residents of Forsyth County woke up today to an earthquake. It was a 2-point-6 quake on the Richter scale, according to the U-S Geological Survey. That fits in the category of a “micro” quake – one weak enough that it’s unlikely to have caused any significant damage, and no injuries have been reported. Heavy sleepers might not even have noticed, as the quake happened about 5 a-m. The epicenter is calculated to be three miles east-northeast of Winston-Salem.

Egg Salad Recall
If you have a container of Ballard’s Farm egg salad, authorities say you should get rid of it or return it to where you bought it. Listeria contamination was found in a container of the egg salad tested recently at a Wal-mart in Wake county, prompting state and federal health officials to issue a recall notice. The egg salad of concern is sold at Wal-mart and other retailers, and has a “Best if used by 11/07/06” label on it.

While listeria causes flu-like symptoms in healthy adults, the bacterium can cause fatal illness in children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.

Operation Stop Arm
Officials with the North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety announced today a crackdown on those who don’t stop for school busses unloading children. Operation Stop Arm will be conducted across the state this week. Troopers plan extra patrols in school zones, and other troopers will follow school busses. They will use both marked and unmarked cars along with motorcycles.

The Stop Arm law was tightened just over a year ago, taking away much of the leniency judges had been showing those written tickets for stop arm violations. No longer can a judge dismiss a valid ticket.

Came Home, Found Break-In
The couple that travels together, sometimes returns home to find a break-in. That’s what happened to a Wilkes woman recently. Penny Walker of Hays came home from a business trip with her husband to find someone had broken the latch on a shed attached to her house, and stolen several items worth more than six thousand dollars. The stolen items include a variety of tools and accessories, including a Makita route and bits, an 18-volt DeWalt drill and saw combo, two chain saws, window air conditioner, and a six thousand watt generator. The list runs to nearly a full handwritten page. Sheriff Deputies say there are currently no suspects, and that it could have happened any time between September 25th and October 2nd. Mrs. Walker waited ten days to file the report.

Fuel Oil Drained
It happened sometime in the past month. That’s all a disabled Wilkesboro woman was able to tell sheriff deputies, after discovering someone had stolen 200-dollars worth of fuel oil. Mary Frances Cardwell reported the theft late last week, saying she had paid to have the tank filled around September 15th. In preparation for the cold snap that arrived late last week, Cardwell says she checked the fuel level in the tank to find it almost empty. Deputies are continuing their investigation.

President to Visit
President Bush is scheduled to visit Greensboro on Wednesday. It will be his third visit to North Carolina this year.

Children will take center stage during Bush's visit as he travels to an elementary school in Greensboro and, later, the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman. He will also attend a reception and, later, a fundraiser in a private home.

Wilkes Man Honored by SGMA
A Wilkes resident now has an honor from the Southern Gospel Music Association that he’s been politely declining for a number of years. Maurice Templeton was honored at the SGMA annual meeting last week at Dollywood. According to an SGMA news release, Mr. Templeton was instrumental in the formation of the SGMA Hall of Fame. He has been nominated for the Hall of Fame multiple times, but each time, he asked to be removed from the nomination list.

This year, though, the Board of Directors voted to enshrine Mr. Templeton without his knowledge. He joins ten other inductees to the Hall this year.

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.

Four Area Stores Cited for Underage Sales
Four area stores were among the 23 cited last month for selling tobacco to underage children. North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement agents checked 99 stores in Wilkes, Forsyth and Catawba County last month, and in each of the 23 cases cited, a clerk sold cigarettes to someone younger than 18. The four stores cited locally for underage cigarette sales are: FastTrack, 19-41 Statesville Road in North Wilkesboro, Walgreens in North Wilkesboro, Porters Grocery in Roaring River, and Neighbors in Elkin. Fifteen other Wilkes stores were checked, and none of them sold cigarettes when the buyer was underage.

Welcome Dove Air
A new business specializing in used airplanes is expanding in Wilkes County. Dove Air Incorporated is adding to its presence at Wilkes County Airport. Dove Air specializes in Cessna Citations. The company’s website says owner Joe Duncan has been selling airplanes since 1971. He has owned more Citations than anyone in the world, says the company, and has had over 1 Billion dollars worth of Business ranging from the sale of Single Engine Planes to Private Jets.

505th Welcome Home Event
A series of official welcome home events are being held over the weekend for the members of the 505th Engineer Battalion, an Army National Guard unit with numerous Wilkes county members that recently returned form a year in Iraq. The 505th Engineer Battalion was mobilized in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom Aug. 2005. The Soldiers conducted combat engineer operations, road clearing, and repairing and force protection construction. This deployment is part of a long history of serving North Carolina, recent mobilizations include; response to ice storms, construction projects across the state and homeland defense missions at Ft. Meade during Operation Noble Eagle, in 2002. Each company of the unit is hosting their own official welcome back ceremonies. “A” Company’s celebration is at the Walker Center at 10 Sunday morning.

Tyson Donates to Local Food Banks
Tyson Foods has donated more than 18 tons of food to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina.

The donation will help reach an estimated 134,000 people served through emergency food assistance agencies.

Tyson delivered the truckload to the food bank and then moved on to deliver about 2,000 pounds of frozen food to Celebration Baptist Church on Monday afternoon. This food will go to for Samaritan Christian Ministries, Blue Ridge Opportunity Commission and Wilkes Cares.

The donation is part of a three-year commitment from Tyson Foods to America's Second Harvest. As part of the initiative, Tyson has pledged at least 10 million pounds of protein to the nationwide food bank network and charitable domestic hunger-relief organization. Second Harvest Food Bank Deputy Director Nan Griswald says perishable donations account for about 40 percent of product donated to the food bank.

More Than Enough Flu Shots This Year
Health officials say there will be plenty of flu vaccine to go around this year. State Health Director Dr. Leah Devlin says the Centers for Disease Control estimates a record 100 million doses of the vaccine will be distributed across the country. That’s about 20-percent more than has ever been used in a single year.

"There will be plenty of vaccine for everyone," she said. "We should even have a little cushion."

About 75 percent of the vaccine shots should be in health care facilities by the end of the month, Devlin said. Officials hoped to vaccinate 80 percent of the state's health care workers. Nationwide, only 40 percent are vaccinated.

Flu season begins in October, though flu is most active in late December and January in North Carolina.

Break-In Discovered
A Miller’s Creek woman realized a number of items had been stolen from her home, when sheriff deputies contacted her in relation to another theft case. Melissa Johnson says about 750-dollars worth of video games, cash, poker chips, knives and other items were taken from her house sometime between September 23rd and late last week. She realized the items had been stolen, after a neighbor’s son admitted receiving some of the property from Daniel Richter, who was arrested late last week for a series of other Wilkes break-ins.

State Officals: Three Wilkes High Schools Make AYP
State education officials say one of Wilkes County’s high schools has exceeded expected student achievement scores last school year. West Wilkes High School students showed an average growth of .23, according to results of the ABCs of Public Education scoring system. Wilkes Central earned the second-highest distinction, the “Met Expected” rating, with an average growth of .04. The other two high schools did not meet the higher expectations implemented last hear.

However, three of the four high schools did meet the No Child Left Behind Act’s definition of adequate yearly progress. Only East Wilkes missed that mark.

Teachers at West Wilkes and Wilkes Central will receive bonuses based on the status of their schools, according to state officials.

Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson says the results can't be compared to previous years because the state has adopted new formulas that measure test results.

According to Atkinson, the new standards are higher and reflect expectations North Carolina schools should have this century.

The 2005-2006 test results for elementary and middle school students will be released next month.

29th Apple Festival This Weekend
Just two more days remain until the 29th Annual Brushy Mountain Apple Festival, one of the largest tourist events of the year in North Wilkesboro. The “Apple Jam” live music event, which has been held the evening before the festival for the past five years, starts at 6pm tomorrow at the Festival Park, which is at 10th and Main in North Wilkesboro.

Saturday, the streets of North Wilkesboro will come alive with over 350 crafts, 75 food booths, and music playing on four stages. It gets underway with opening ceremonies at 9am. The annual event is sponsored by the Brushy Mountain Ruritan Club. Parking is available at West Park Medical Park on Business 421, with regular shuttle service to the festival.

Task Force Stops Drug Traffic
Recent efforts of the Wilkes County Sheriff’s office and deputies from neighboring counties, plus the federal government, have resulted in numerous drug-related arrests and charges. During September, intensified patrol efforts along I-77 and US-421 have resulted in the seizure of eight pounds of cocaine, a mobile marijuana growing operation, 63-thousand dollars in cash and several autos. Seven people are facing numerous felony charges in connection with the cases, each of which started as a routine traffic stop along one of the two highways. A news release form Wilkes County Sheriff Dane Mastin says the efforts to curb drug trafficking along the US-421 and I-77 corridors will continue.

Two Wilkes Women Assaulted
Sheriff Deputies arrested a Millers Creek man early yesterday and charged him with assaulting his wife. The woman called 9-1-1 about 2 a-m yesterday and told dispatchers she had been hit in the face and her husband had clawed at her chest during an argument. When deputies arrived they arrested 40-year old Everett Tilley after his wife showed them the marks from the alleged assault. He said the two had been arguing, but he denied hitting her.

A Wilkes man is on the lam, while his girlfriend went to the SAFE Shelter, after she reported being punched in the right temple. The fight happened just after midnight yesterday morning, at a home in Traphill. Although the woman suffered visible injury to her head and said she’d been kicked in the side, she refused medical help. The victim said she and the man had been “sort of” dating. Deputies said he was gone when they arrived. Charges are pending against the man, who has not been found yet.

Mower Theft...and This One Isn't Cheap!
Mowers have been stolen regularly this summer across Wilkes County, but few of the reports have involved mowers this valuable. A North Wilkesboro man called 9-1-1 about 7:30 Tuesday evening, after discovering someone had stolen a nearly-new Cub Cadet riding mower and bagging attachment valued at a total of two thousand dollars. Johnathan Shaw told deputies the mower had disappeared sometime between Saturday morning and Tuesday evening, and that whoever had taken it from an out building at his home had to push the mower up a pretty steep hill. Further investigation showed the mower may have been loaded on a pickup truck. When that fact surfaced, Shaw remembered he had seen an older Ford pickup in the neighborhood a few days before. Later that evening, a neighbor gave Shaw the name of a possible suspect, which he passed on to the investigators. So far, that man has not been arrested.

Four Wheeler Seat Slashed, Victim Blames Hunters
A Millers Creek woman blames hunters using land leased next door to her may be responsible for slashing the seat of her Honda four-wheeler. JoAnn Terrell found the damage Tuesday afternoon. She said her son sometimes rides the four-wheeler in the nearby woods, and apparently had a confrontation with some hunters recently, because he was riding in an area that adjoined the land where they were hunting. Mrs. Terrell told deputies she had talked to the land owner, who was going to talk to the hunters. The investigating deputy told Mrs. Terrell that if she felt she was being harassed by hunters, she could also take the matter to North Carolina Wildlife officials. So far, no charges have been filed in the case.

Business' Truck Peppered by Pellet Gun
A Wilkes business was apparently the victim of a bit more malicious form of hunting. The Welding Company reported someone used a pellet rifle to shoot out a window on the passenger side of one of their trucks sometime Tuesday or early yesterday. The shooter apparently took two other shots at the truck, as well. There are no suspects.