Stolen from Driveway

They stole over 1500 dollars in property from his driveway.  A McGrady resident called the Wilkes Sheriff's Office this week regarding a theft at his home.  The victim stated that someone took wheels and tires off his Blazer that was parked in his driveway.  The thieves also stole 2 bird feeders.  Again, stolen property totaled over 1500 dollars; there are no suspects.  The Wilkes Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate.

New WCC President Approved

He was approved by the Wilkes Community College Board but needed State approval. In a recent meeting, the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges approved Dr. Jeffrey A. Cox as the next and fifth president of Wilkes Community. Dr. Cox is the superintendent of schools for Alleghany County and is scheduled to begin as President of WCC on July 1. Plans were put in motion to find a new President after Dr. Gordon Burns announced in December that he would be retiring after serving as president at WCC for 18 years.  Burns' retirement is effective June 1 and Dr. Cox doesn't get to WCC until July 1, so WCC Chief Financial Officer Morgan Francis will be the acting president during the interim period. 

Comments Invited on Block Grant

The public is invited to comment on how federal funds in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Block Grant will be spent in state fiscal year 2014-2015. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides heating, crisis, and weatherization assistance. States are given broad latitude under block grant funding to design and operate their own programs under certain restrictions. Last year, 207,642 North Carolina households were assisted using funds from this grant. This year's block grant amount is estimated to be $113 million. Anyone interested may review the LIHEAP Block Grant during the week of May 5 - May 9, 2014, at their local county Department of Social Service.

Black Bear Found Dead at NC State

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and N.C. State University Police Department are investigating a dead black bear found on campus this morning.  Investigators said the carcass had been deliberately placed on a bench at University Plaza near Hillsborough Street — an area commonly known as “The Brickyard.”  The male bear appeared to have been in good health at the time of death. Investigators were not releasing a cause of death or estimated time of death, pending further examination by the Wildlife Commission. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Wildlife Commission hotline at 1-800-662-7137.  Black bear sightings throughout North Carolina are becoming more common as the bear population increases and bears expand their home range. While black bears are not inherently dangerous and are rarely aggressive toward people, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission advises caution to reduce potential conflicts.  In spring, juvenile bears from 1-2 years old disperse beyond their previous home range, while adult bears can roam extensively searching for food and mates. This can include roaming into residential areas. If left alone, most transient bears will find their way quickly out of town and back to natural habitat. People are urged not to approach or follow bears, or put themselves between bears and possible escape routes.

Sen Hagan on Minimum Wage Vote

U.S. Senator Kay Hagan released the following statement this week after members of the Senate blocked legislation to gradually raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour:  “The people I talk to in North Carolina are working harder than ever only to fall further behind. What’s more, two out of every three minimum wage earners are women. As women are more and more often becoming primary household earners or co-earners, it is more important than ever that we close the wage gap and ensure women are earning a wage that allows them to support their families."  According to statistics released by Sen Hagan's office, in North Carolina, raising the minimum wage would:  Increase wages for 1.1 million workers by an average of nearly $1600 per year – money that would go right back into our state’s economy.  Lift nearly 220,000 North Carolinians out of poverty.

Apple Picking in Wilkes

Yes, Apples can be picked in 15 minutes or less.  According to National Statistics, the theft of iPhones has become such an increasing problem that it is known as "Apple Picking."  Wilkes County also has such apple pickers in the area, and the local pickers or thieves can work quickly.  A victim on the Fairplains Road reported that his wife left their cell phone in the car in the driveway of their home.  When they went back to get the phone about 15 minutes later it was already stolen from the car.  The stolen phone is described as a Apple iPhone S.  There is a suspect and an arrest is expected.  In another Apple Picking case in Wilkes, an employee at Tyson called Wilkesboro Police to report that his Apple iPhone 4 was stolen out of his locker.  There are no suspects in that theft; the stolen phone and case were valued at 700 dollars.

IRS Tax Fraud and a Wilkes Victim

They filed their taxes, but the IRS said they had already filed.  As we have reported already, Identity Theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. An identity thief, for example, can use your Social Security number to file a tax return to receive your refund. If you are eligible for a refund, a thief could file a tax return before you do and get your refund. Then, when you do file, the IRS will think you already received your refund. Such was the case for a resident on the Bethany Ford Road.  They filed their taxes and were then contacted by the IRS that someone had already used their Social Security to file a return.  The victim contacted the Wilkes Sheriff's Office and is working with the IRS to resolve this case of fraud. The IRS has security measures in place to verify the accuracy of tax returns and the validity of social security numbers submitted.  If you receive a notice from the IRS that leads you to believe someone may have used your social security number fraudulently, please notify the IRS immediately by responding to the name and number printed on the notice or letter.  The IRS will NOT contact you by phone or email.  If anyone calls or sends an email claiming to be from the IRS and requesting personal information, this is also a scam.  The IRS will respond by mail or you may call them. You can also contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Identity Theft Hotline toll-free at 877-438-4338 if you suspect someone else is using your social security number, or to secure information on how to prevent identity theft.

County Commissioners' Meeting Agenda for Tuesday

The next scheduled meeting for the Wilkes County Commissioners is Tuesday, May 5 at 10am.  On the agenda, is a public hearing on road name requests and the Interflex Economic Investment Agreement.  The meeting will immediately follow the public hearings at 10.  Commissioners will then take action on the InterFlex Economic Agreement, on the Airport Right-of-Way Agreement, the Acquisition  of Equipment for the Sheriff's Dept, and the Wilkes County 2014-2015 Proposed Budget.  Again the County Commissioners' meeting begins Tuesday at 10 am in the County Office Building.

More Rocking Chairs Stolen

After two people were arrested last week for theft including stealing rocking chairs from a front porch, another Wilkes resident called to report a chair theft thinking the same thieves might be to blame.  A property owner on the Mountain View Road told Wilkes Sheriff's Investigators that two rocking chairs were stolen from his front porch.  The two chairs are valued at 200 dollars.  The investigation is still underway and charges have been filed at this time.

Wilkes Seamless Summer Option for Youth

Wilkes County Schools Child Nutrition Department will once again sponsor the Seamless Summer Option during the summer of 2014. The Seamless Summer Option (SSO) , provided by USDA through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, is a system of meal service whereby a Child Nutrition department provides summer meals for children (through age 18) free of charge. The SSO in Wilkes will operate from Monday, June 16th to Friday, August 8th, 2014.  The Child Nutrition department is currently seeking site sponsors for summer feeding. Sponsors can be a community, school or church group or an organization such as a library, summer recreation league or sports camp. Upcoming SSO Training Sessions will be held on May 19, 22, and 29. More information about the Seamless Summer Option for Wilkes County can be located on the Wilkes County Schools website (wilkescountyschool.org) under the Child Nutrition link. Adults interested in sponsoring a site should contact Dr. Vickie Hugger, Child Nutrition Director at (336) 651-4005.