Jule Hubbard

Wilkesboro

Editor at Wilkes Journal-Patriot

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Articles

Four high school commencements Friday

1 week ago | journalpatriot.com | Jule Hubbard

Editor’s Note: The Wilkes Journal-Patriot’s annual high school graduation section will be in the June 12 issue. Diplomas will be awarded to graduating seniors at four Wilkes County high schools on Friday, May 30. With 208 seniors at Wilkes Central, 158 at West Wilkes, 153 at North Wilkes and 109 at East Wilkes graduating Friday combined with 64 seniors who graduated from Wilkes Early College High School on May 22, the Wilkes public high school class of 2025 is 692 strong.
Town incumbents' plans mixed; filing in July

1 week ago | journalpatriot.com | Jule Hubbard

The filing period for North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro elected offices on ballots this fall opens at 8:30 a.m., July 7, and closes at noon, July 18. On the ballots are mayor and two of the five commissioner seats in North Wilkesboro and two of the four town council seats in Wilkesboro. Each is a four-year term. Marc Hauser said on May 22 that he will seek reelection as North Wilkesboro mayor. Hauser is in his first term as mayor.
39-cent NW tax rate, higher pay hike ok'd

1 week ago | journalpatriot.com | Jule Hubbard

The majority of North Wilkesboro’s commissioners indicated support for setting the tax rate at 39 cents per $100 of property valuation in the draft fiscal 2025-26 budget when they worked on the budget Tuesday night. It was stated in the meeting that 39 cents or 40 cents would be a “revenue-neutral” tax rate, meaning it would generate about the same revenue collected the year before the 2025 revaluation of Wilkes property upped North Wilkesboro’s overall property values by 75-80%.
Post 1142 target of VFW investigation

1 week ago | journalpatriot.com | Jule Hubbard

Annie Cummings, commander of the Department of North Carolina of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said Tuesday that she has suspended Blue Ridge Mountain VFW Post 1142 in North Wilkesboro. Cummings said she filed paperwork Tuesday notifying the national VFW office of her decision to suspend the post. She said this 90-day administrative action was taken as part of an investigation of Post 1142 potentially violating the VFW National Bylaws and Manual of Procedure.
Fire station design contract approved

1 week ago | journalpatriot.com | Jule Hubbard

The North Wilkesboro commissioners on May 22 unanimously approved a contract with Goldsboro-based Jackson Builders for design of the town’s new fire station, to be built on the former North Wilkesboro Elks Lodge property near the intersection of Finley Avenue and Second Street. The cost of design work, pre-construction work, architecture and site plan, all included in the contract, is $302,000, said Town Manager Dylan Blankley. He added that Victoria Brooks, town attorney, approved the contract.
Cicadas could be a culinary treat

2 weeks ago | journalpatriot.com | Jule Hubbard

Depending on where you live in Wilkes County, you might be getting tired of the weird, alien movie-like sound of cicadas much of every day by now. You could even be nervous about being smacked in the face by these navigation-challenged insects. Perhaps you should try looking at the current invasion as a culinary opportunity. In other parts of the world, people eat cicadas. Young cicadas (called “tenerals”) are best, but mature females supposedly also will do.
Revised county budget apparently ready

2 weeks ago | journalpatriot.com | Jule Hubbard

The Wilkes County commissioners on Tuesday night agreed to cancel a third budget work session scheduled for May 28, indicating that they’re ready to approve a fiscal 2025-26 budget with a tax rate of 42 cents per $100 of property valuation. The revised budget includes numerous changes in the draft presented in early May by County Manager John Yates, while holding spending within the initial parameters. Approval of the new budget is expected at the board’s June 3 meeting.
Board ponders fire tax rates not 'revenue-neutral'

2 weeks ago | journalpatriot.com | Jule Hubbard

The Wilkes County commissioners unanimously approved fire district tax rates that are higher than “revenue-neutral” for the Brushy Mountain, Little Brushy Mountain, Shepherds Crossroads and Mulberry-Fairplains fire districts during a work session for the 2025-26 budget Monday night. The commissioners approved rates of 6 cents per $100 of property valuation for Brushy Mountain, 8 cents for Mulberry-Fairplains and 6.25 cents for Shepherds Crossroads, which is what those departments as requested.
Over 600 in WCC's 2025 graduating class

2 weeks ago | journalpatriot.com | Jule Hubbard

Wilkes Community College’s class of 2025 was described as the embodiment of resilience, courage and transformation during the 59th annual commencement exercises on May 14 at the John A. Walker Community Center. “You’ve juggled jobs, families, responsibilities and in many cases, unimaginable challenges—and you’ve not only endured but triumphed,” added Dr. Mike Rodgers, WCC president.
$1.76M OKed for Jenkins/tannery site cleanup

3 weeks ago | journalpatriot.com | Jule Hubbard

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday that it has awarded North Wilkesboro a $1.76 million Brownfields Grant for cleaning up the three-acre Jenkins Wholesale/Smoot Tannery property at 127 Maple Street. The EPA said North Wilkesboro is one of 51 communities nationwide selected to receive grants totaling $88.2 million for removing contaminants from sites owned by the recipients.