Beware of the Texting Scam--Don't Call Them!

Wilkesboro Police are warning of scams by text. If you receive a text saying there is a charge on your account and you need to call immediately, Wilkesboro Police advise you--DON’T PANIC and don’t call the number in the text. Cybercriminals are using a scam to trick people into giving their personal and financial information. Scammers claim to be from Apple Pay or other account services and say thousands were charged to your account. The message threatens that another charge will happen within minutes unless you call the provided number. That urgency is part of the scam.  If you call, the scammer may pretend to be Apple Support and ask for your credit card number, email address, or other personal information. Police advise to: Never call a phone number provided in a suspicious text, Don't click links in unexpected messages, and Never provide banking or personal information to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.

assault charges

Wilkes Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a 34-year-old white male for assault with intent to kill. According to the report, the man used a shotgun to fire into an occupied dwelling. The victim was seriously injured. The shooting happened over the weekend on the Austin Little Mountain Road in Elkin. The shooter was arrested at the scene and charged with assault with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury. He was taken to the Wilkes County Jail.

information leading to the arrest

Josh Stein announced that the State is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder of 14-year-old Brion Jerome Grier, Jr.  On September 27, 2024, the Salisbury Police Department responded to a shooting. The teenager had been walking home when he was shot from an unknown vehicle. He was transported to the hospital but died from his injuries. Anyone having information concerning this case should contact the Salisbury Police Department or the State Bureau of Investigation 

State is offering a reward

Governor Josh Stein announced that the State is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder of Lyndon Massenburg, age 27.   On November 27, 2021, officers responded to a reported shooting in Greensboro, and found Massenburg suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. Anyone having information concerning this case should contact the Greensboro Police Department or the State Bureau of Investigation 

Missing Man Found Dead in Wilkes

After a man was reported missing earlier this month, the SBI were called to assist in the investigation. The missing man’s cell phone pinged near Mountain Valley Church Road, so investigators walked through that area when they saw a wrecked vehicle down an embankment. According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, troopers responded Friday to a collision on West Mountain Valley Church Road in North Wilkesboro. The missing man, 58-year-old Roger David Harris, was heading west in a Nissan pickup when it ran off the road to the left, traveled down an embankment and struck a tree. Troopers said Harris died at the scene. The cause of the collision remains under investigation. Harris had been reported missing on Friday, September 4.

local thefts

Wilkesboro Police are investigating some local thefts. One property owner reported that he accidently left his cell phone on a bench at the pickle ball courts at Cub Creek. When he returned to get it, the phone was gone. In the second incident, a local store on Oakwoods Road reported a white male entered the store and stole several items. Both investigations are ongoing.

recipients of the Adrienne Louise Necessary Scholarship

Wilkes Community College has named Isaac Curry and Zara Absher as recipients of the Adrienne Louise Necessary Scholarship. The scholarship supports Wilkes County students pursuing a career in nursing. Established at WCC in 2008 by the J.F. Cook Family, the Adrienne Louise Necessary Scholarship honors the life and legacy of Adrienne Necessary, a graduate of WCC who worked at Wilkes Regional Medical Center.

arrested former Aberdeen Police Lieutenant

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has arrested former Aberdeen Police Lieutenant Leigh Ann Brooks. In December, the Aberdeen Police Chief asked the SBI to initiate an investigation of sexual assault. As a result, Brooks has now been charged with multiple counts of Indecent Liberties with a Child and Statutory Rape. This week, former officer was taken into custody by the SBI and transported to the Hoke County Detention Center

Bennett Place State Historic Site

Bennett Place State Historic Site will host a luminary program dedicated to the stories of enslaved people on Friday, Sept. 18. This program commemorates the 331,059 who were enslaved in North Carolina and freed after the Civil War. Once the home of James and Nancy Bennett, this 189-acre farm in the North Carolina Piedmont became the location of the largest surrender of Confederate soldiers in the American Civil War. Bennett Place is administered by the Division of State Historic Sites within North Carolina.

Today, Sept. 11

Today, Sept. 11, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Billy Graham Rapid Response Team welcome emergency services personnel and guests for remembrance and prayer at the Billy Graham Library on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Will Graham, son of Franklin Graham, will offer a message of hope. Just as his grandfather, Billy Graham, did at the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance at the National Cathedral in the days following the terrorist attacks, Will Graham will call for prayer for first responders, government leaders, our nation, and for a spiritual awakening in our country.