When Randall Williams left incarceration, all he had was the white uniform they released him in. If it hadn’t been for a group of men at a local church, Williams said he would have ended up back behind bars.

The 12-minute timer ended. The host announced “Time’s up!” and most of the Reentry Simulation participants dejectedly returned to the area of the room partitioned as the “Jail.” For many, it wasn’t the first time sitting in the section, and definitely wouldn’t be the last before the event finished.

Officers with the Morganton Department of Public Safety arrested a car jacker who attempted to take a family vehicle by force last month on Tuesday, earning him more than two dozen charges and a hefty bond.

On Tuesday morning, former Patton High School Exceptional Children teacher Christopher Bailey entered the Burke County Courthouse in a black and white striped jumpsuit, the chains on his handcuffs jingling quietly as he took a seat next to his attorney.