5:47 p.m. - Wilkes County received a $615,000 grant from the U.S. Commerce Department to make improvements to its airpark.

Monte Mitchell of the Winston Salem Journal reports the money will be used to extend water service to the east side of the airport, where racing airplanes are built.

Chairman of the board for the Wilkes County airpark told the Journal that the grant has given the airpark help with the infrastructure to develop the east side of the park.

The airpark is expected to eventually add 80 jobs and create $6.5 million in private investment.