Stolen Here But Recovered There

It was stolen in Wilkes County and recovered in Locust, North Carolina.  The Locust Police Department contacted a Wilkes resident this week regarding a gun they had recovered.  According to the Wilkes Sheriff's Department, Locust Police called a property owner in Wilkes when they recovered a gun in a traffic stop.  A trace on the gun revealed that it belonged to someone from our area.  The victim had reported a home break-in last year to the Wilkes Sheriff's Office, but they did not realize the gun was also stolen from their home at that time.

IRS Exception for Education

While most can now file their taxes, there are exceptions.  The Internal Revenue Service has announced that processing of tax returns claiming education credits will begin by the middle of February. Taxpayers using Form 8863, Education Credits, can begin filing their tax returns after the IRS updates its processing systems. Form 8863 is used to claim two higher education credits -- the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit.  The IRS emphasized that the delayed start will have no impact on taxpayers claiming other education-related tax benefits, such as the tuition and fees deduction and the student loan interest deduction. People otherwise were able to file and claiming these benefits as of January 30.  For information on filing taxes or downloading forms, go to IRS.gov.

NC Pathways Project for Prisoners

The Vera Institute of Justice has announced that North Carolina has been selected to participate in the Pathways from Prison to Postsecondary Education Project (Pathways Project). This five-year initiative, directed by Vera, provides funding and technical assistance to selected states to develop a continuum of postsecondary education services for offenders during the two years prior to their release from prison and up to two years after release.  North Carolina will receive $1 million in incentive funding to pilot educational programming and reentry support services for male and female adult offenders. North Carolina was one of six states invited to apply for this competitive program. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) will lead North Carolina’s efforts, in partnership with five community colleges . A substantial body of evidence shows that increased educational attainment is a critical factor in keeping people out of prison and helping formerly incarcerated individuals become contributing members of families and communities. 

Our State Show Wins Awards

Our State, the UNC-TV series inspired by Our State magazine, received three Emmy® awards from the Midsouth Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Science at a ceremony in Nashville January 26, 2012. The Our State television series has received 10 Emmy awards since its inception in 2004. Inspired by the pages of Our State magazine, UNC-TV's half-hour series takes viewers down home in North Carolina for an in-depth look at the intriguing people and memorable places of the Old North State. Our State airs Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. 

Hwy 268 East Blocked for Hours Last Night

Hwy 268 between North Wilkesboro and Elkin was blocked for several hours last night due to an overturned tractor-trailer.  According to Trooper Holbrook of the NC Hwy Patrol, Ronnie Jones was driving a Freightliner truck for Western Express.  He was traveling from LP Roaring River to Elkin.  Trooper Holbrook said Jones dropped a couple of wheels off the side of the road, lost control, and overturned.  Jones was not injured in the wreck but was charged with a lane control violation.  It took several hours to remove the truck and clean up the load of particle board.  The American Red Cross volunteers from Wilkes County responded this tractor trailer accident on Highway 268 between Roaring River and Ronda.  They provided 30 meals, water, and Gatorade to the firemen at the scene.  Ironically, the truck wreck occurred almost in the same place as another wreck yesterday afternoon.  Just about 2 hours before the truck overturning, a car in the Westbound lane of Hwy 268 also went off the road and overturned.  Again, it was a one-vehicle accident and no one was injured.  Both accidents happened just east of the landfill on Hwy 268.  

Stole Property But Replaced the Lock

And who said there is no honor among thieves?  There is a report in Wilkes of a thief who replaced a lock he or she cut off.  They did steal some property, but at least, they replaced the damaged lock.  According to the Wilkes Sheriff's Office, a property owner in Millers Creek called to report the theft.  The victim had a gate with a lock at the end of their driveway.  When the homeowner came back, they found a different lock on their gate.  Their old lock had been cut off.  Someone had entered the property and had stolen some metal and other items.  The thief or thieves then replaced the lock they damaged before they left the scene.  The victim is still trying to determine how much property was taken.  There is no word on the identity of the lock cutting/lock replacing thief.  The Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate.

Vehicle Break-In and Theft

A Wilkesboro victim called the Wilkes Sheriff's Office this week to report a vehicle break-in.  According to that report, the victim had parked his work truck at his residence on McGlamery Road.  A thief stole cigarettes, gas, and some leather gloves from the vehicle.  The truck was left unlocked while it was parked in the victim's driveway.  Again there are no currently no suspects in this theft, but the investigation by the Sheriff's Office is continuing.

Wilkes Missing Person Found

A 73-year-old woman from Wilkes County who was reported missing this week has now been found in another state.  According to the Wilkes Sheriff's Office, Wilma Edssel of Moravian Falls left her residence at about 5 PM on Monday and went to a visit a family member on Jess Walsh Road.  She left there at about 7 PM.  When Mrs. Edssel not return home, her husband called to report her missing, and the Wilkes Sheriff's Office issued a nationwide Silver Alert. Mr. Edssel reported that his wife had trouble remembering things and possibly had dementia.  3WC NEWS received word yesterday from the Wilkes Sheriff's Department that Wilma Edsel had been found.  She was located in Sullivan County, Tennessee, where she had been involved in a motor vehicle accident.   She was transported to Bristol Hospital.  There is no word on her condition at this time. 

Bank Robber in Jail

It took only a short time Tuesday afternoon for Wilkesboro Police to nab a bank robber.  The Wilkesboro Police were called to Yadkin Valley Bank on Main Street about 4pm Tuesday.  Reportedly, a black male entered the bank, implied that he had a gun and handed a Teller a note.  The Teller handed him 23 100-dollar bills, and the robber left the scene on a moped.  Witnesses outside the bank told Police that the robber was last seen going down the hill toward the Dept of Social Services.  Police began canvassing the area and quickly determined the name of a suspect.  The suspect, James Edward Porter of Wilkesboro, was found a short time later.  The money was found in his pocket.  The moped and robbery note were found at his Wilkesboro apartment.  Porter was arrested and charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and taken to jail with a 75,000 dollar bond.  Porter is to appear in District Court in April.

Stolen From Weekend Home

Remember that old saying:  When the cat is away....the mice will play.  Well, here in Wilkes when the homeowner is away from their weekend home the thieves will play.  A property owner in Millers Creek has a weekend house at an Old NC 16 location.  While the homeowner was away, someone broke into the house by pushing an air conditioning unit through a window.  Nothing was reported stolen from the house.  The thief also broke into an outbuilding on the property and stole a garden tiller valued at 600 dollars.  There is no word on suspects at this time.  The Wilkes County Sheriff's Office is investigating.