Two hikers from Charlotte were found unharmed about 1 a.m. Sunday after they were separated from their hiking party around noon Saturday in the Wilson Creek area of northwestern Caldwell County.

Ryan Baltz, 25, and Thomas Gilewski, 25, were hiking with a nine-person party when they disappeared from the group in the Wilson Creek and Harper Creek area, according to officials with Caldwell County Emergency Services.

Baltz and Gilewski were reported missing by their companions around 11 p.m. Saturday. A multi-agency search party was assembled and had just begun searching for the men, when the two hikers ran into searchers about one-tenth of a mile from where they had gotten separated.

The men told officials they had gotten lost.

"In that remote and rugged area of Wilson's Creek, it's easy to get turned around," said Ken Teague, Caldwell County assistant emergency management coordinator, in a media release. Associated Press

Police: Pit bull attacked cow at York County farm

A York County woman says a pit bull attacked one of her cows last week.

The 26-year-old McConnells, S.C. woman said she was at her Chappell Road home earlier this week when she noticed a pit bull attacking one of her cows, according to a York County Sheriff's Office report. She had not seen the pit bull in the area before.

The dog left before she could catch up with him, the report said. There were no details about the dog's owner. The cow was expected to survive. (Rock Hill) Herald

Funeral director accused of keeping insurance money

A former North Carolina funeral director who left a body in a hearse for nine days has been accused of taking a woman's life insurance money after her husband's death.

The Times-News of Burlington reported that Graham police charged 57-year-old David Lawson on Friday with obtaining property by false pretense.

Authorities say a woman signed over $24,000 in life insurance policies to Lawson to pay for her husband's funeral. But Ella Troxler says Lawson never returned her the money left over after taking out more than $8,000 for funeral services.

Lawson lost his license in December for illegally selling pre-need services but lacking money to repay refund-seeking customers. AP

Man says state mistakenly emptied his bank account

A Greensboro man said the state of North Carolina drained his bank account because officials mistakenly believed he owed them $5,000 in taxes.

WGHP-TV in Greensboro reported that Tommy Marx got a letter recently saying he owed North Carolina taxes from 2008.

But Marx said he moved to Oregon in 2008 to find a job.

Marx says his bank account is completely empty. Revenue officials say that, if an auditor thinks the state is owed money, an automated garnishment can be put into place.

Marx said auditors tell him they are working to put the money back into his account. AP