33-year-old Kayly Renee Allman of Glen Powell Avenue and 41-year-old Dustin Ray McCurry of Hawkins Drive were arrested by Burke County Sheriff’s Officers Allman is charged with felony counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine and maintaining a vehicle for controlled substance along with a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia McCurry is charged with felony counts of trafficking fentanyl and possession with intent to sell and deliver fentanyl along with a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia Burke County Sheriff’s Office deputies initiated an investigation involving a suspicious vehicle at the Clear Creek Access area of South Mountains State Park The vehicle was occupied by Kayly Renee Allman and Dustin Ray McCurry Due to suspicious behavior observed on the scene deputies established probable cause to search the vehicle and detained both individuals deputies discovered multiple items of drug paraphernalia in Allman’s possession along with approximately 13.59 grams of a crystalline substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine McCurry was also found in possession of drug paraphernalia and approximately 26.96 grams of a substance suspected to be fentanyl Both Allman and McCurry were out on pretrial release at the time of the incident They both have District Court dates May 22 Suspects wanted in connection to a stabbing are being sought 30-year-old Peter Grant Catoe of Knollwood Drive in Boone has been arrested by Boone Police… 42-year-old Christopher Scott Woody of Antioch Road in Morganton was arrested by Burke County Sheriff’s… Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMORGANTON (WBTV) - A FedEx truck driver was charged in a deadly two-vehicle Burke County rollover crash Thursday afternoon is facing charges of misdemeanor death by vehicle and failure to yield the right of way was identified as the person killed in the collision The Burke County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Powell was a longtime deputy with the sheriff’s office His last assignment with the sheriff’s office was as a part-time school resource officer (SRO) During Powell’s time with the sheriff’s office The Burke County Sheriff's Office is deeply saddened by the passing of longtime Deputy Rex “Sput” Powell The wreck happened around 1:20 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, along North Carolina 181 at Bowman Avenue in Morganton Troopers said Belcher tried to cross over Highway 181 from a stop sign and struck Powell’s car causing it to collide with a guardrail and overturn --> Also read: Explosion reported before house fire near Charlotte’s Freedom Park: What we know Reports stated Powell was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash while Belcher was rushed to an area hospital with “minor injuries.” Officials partially closed the roadway for about two hours while crews investigated 34-year-old Victor Gonzales Ramirez of Morganton was arrested Friday (May 2) by Morganton Public Safety Officers driving while license revoked and failure to reduce speed On Friday (May 2) at approximately 3:30 p.m. Officers with the Morganton Department of Public Safety responded to a report of a hit and run on South Sterling Street officers obtained identifying information about the suspect vehicle which fled the scene heading toward West Fleming Drive investigators found a vehicle matching the description in a business parking lot on West Fleming Drive Upon inspecting the vehicle and reviewing surveillance footage investigators confirmed it was the one involved in the hit and run Two individuals were seen fleeing the area on foot A canvass of the surrounding area led officers to the suspects near the railroad tracks on West Fleming Drive both were apprehended without further incident The driver was identified as Victor Gonzales Ramirez The second individual was a juvenile passenger in the vehicle at the time of the crash Ramirez had three pending driving while impaired charges including one for habitual DWI Due to his revoked license status related to a previous DWI conviction Ramirez was placed in the Burke County Jail and was not issued a bond since he was already out on pretrial release for other offenses Additional charges may be filed following consultation with the District Attorney’s Office Ramirez is scheduled to make his first court appearance June 23 33-year-old Kayly Renee Allman of Glen Powell Avenue and 41-year-old Dustin Ray McCurry of Hawkins… Queen City News MORGANTON, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A man has been charged after allegedly fleeing from the scene of a crash on Friday afternoon according to the Morganton Public Safety Department officers responded to a report of a hit-and-run at 736 South Sterling Street officers were given a description of the suspect vehicle that left the scene toward West Fleming Drive investigators found a vehicle matching the description in a parking lot on West Fleming Drive and were able to confirm that it was the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run Officials said two people were seen in the area running away near the railroad tracks 34-year-old Victor Gonzales Ramirez and a juvenile and the juvenile was a passenger in that vehicle Officials said Ramirez had three pending DWI charges at the time of his arrest and he was booked without bond because he was already out on pretrial release for other offenses Officials did not say how many vehicles were involved in the crash or if anyone was injured Ramirez is scheduled to make his first court appearance on June 23 Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area 🚨 >> Latest stories here these are the actual most popular baby names so far in 2025 Whether it’s a short vacation or they’re jetting off to begin their career show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift National Teacher Appreciation Week begins May 5 take advantage of these freebies and deals Chrissy Houlahan and CNN Political Commentators Ashley Allison and Kristen Soltis Anderson discuss Trump saying he doesn’t know if he has to uphold the Constitution as well as growing concerns over his handling of the economy — President Donald Trump is circumspect about his duties to uphold due process rights laid out in the Constitution saying in a new interview that he does not know whether U.S citizens and noncitizens alike deserve that guarantee President Donald Trump holds a document with notes about Kilmar Abrego Garcia as he speaks with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on April 18 in Washington He also said he does not think military force will be needed to make Canada the “51st state” and played down the possibility he would look to run for a third term in the White House interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press" came as the Republican president's efforts to quickly enact his agenda face sharper headwinds with Americans just as his second administration crossed the 100-day mark according to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research made clear that he is not backing away from a to-do list that he insists the American electorate broadly supported when they elected him in November Here are some of the highlights from the interview with NBC's Kristen Welker that was taped Friday at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida and aired Sunday Critics on the left have tried to make the case that Trump is chipping away at due process in the United States they cite the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia a Salvadoran man who was living in Maryland when he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador and imprisoned without communication Trump says Abrego Garcia is part of a violent transnational gang The Republican president has sought to turn deportation into a test case for his campaign against illegal immigration despite a Supreme Court order saying the administration must work to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S citizens and noncitizens both deserve due process as laid out in the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution I don’t know,” Trump said when pressed by Welker The Fifth Amendment provides “due process of law,” meaning a person has certain rights when it comes to being prosecuted for a crime the 14th Amendment says no state can “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said.” He said he was pushing to deport “some of the worst most dangerous people on Earth,” but that courts are getting in his way “I was elected to get them the hell out of here and the courts are holding me from doing it,” Trump said The president has repeatedly threatened that he intends to make Canada the “51st state.” Fareed assesses the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term with Jon Meacham Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential biographer Before his White House meeting on Tuesday with newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Trump is not backing away from the rhetoric that has angered Canadians told NBC that it was “highly unlikely” that the U.S would need to use military force to make Canada the 51st state He offered less certainty about whether his repeated calls for the U.S to take over Greenland from NATO-ally Denmark can be achieved without military action “Something could happen with Greenland,” Trump said we need that for national and international security economy is in a “transition period” but he expects it to do “fantastically” despite the economic turmoil sparked by his tariffs He offered sharp pushback when Welker noted that some Wall Street analysts now say the chances of a recession are increasing some people on Wall Street say,” Trump said Some people on Wall Street say that we’re going to have the greatest economy in history.” He also deflected blame for the 0.3% decline in the U.S “I think the good parts are the Trump economy and the bad parts are the Biden economy because he’s done a terrible job,” referring to his Democratic predecessor Trump doubled down on his recent comments at a Cabinet meeting that children might have to have two dolls instead of 30 denying that is an acknowledgment his tariffs will lead to supply shortages “I’m just saying they don’t need to have 30 dolls The president has repeatedly suggested he could seek a third term in the White House even though the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution says that “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” Trump told NBC there is considerable support for him to run for a third term “But this is not something I’m looking to do,” Trump said “I’m looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody Trump's previous comments about a third term sometimes seem more about provoking outrage on the political left The Trump Organization is even selling red caps with the words “Trump 2028.” he has suggested he was seriously looking into a third term Vice President JD Vance waves waves as he departs Charleston after touring Nucor Steel Berkeley in Huger Trump said in the interview that Vice President JD Vance is doing a “fantastic job” and is “brilliant.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio whom Trump last week tasked to simultaneously serve as acting national security adviser But Trump said it is “far too early” to begin talking about his potential successor He is confident that his "Make America Great Again" movement will flourish beyond his time in the White House The limited-edition nutcrackers titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," is seen at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman works on nutcrackers of a cowboy at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman uses hairspray to fixe the hair on a nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg manager and owner of the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory Fabrics for nutcracker costumes are stored on the shelf at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg Nutcrackers are displayed at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg The desk of the limited-edition nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," is seen at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A nutcracker commemorating the coronation of Britain's King Charles III stands alongside other nutcrackers at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A man walks on the road near the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A man works on a lathe in the carpentry of the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg Two limited-edition nutcrackers titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," are seen on a table at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman fixes a coat on a nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg An Uncle Sam nutcracker with an American flag stands between other nutcrackers at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg nutcrackers showing Britain's King Charles III Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam are displayed at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman combs the hair on a nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter Guacamole has been spared from tariffs for now and Kristen Soltis Anderson discuss Tru… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account This website is unavailable in your location It appears you are attempting to access this website from a country outside of the United States therefore access cannot be granted at this time 42-year-old Christopher Scott Woody of Antioch Road in Morganton was arrested by Burke County Sheriff’s Officers He’s charged with felony counts of possession of methamphetamine and probation violation the Burke County Sheriff’s Office assisted officers from North Carolina Probation & Parole in the apprehension of Christopher Scott Woody Woody was found at an address on NC 18/US 64 in Morganton and was taken into custody without incident authorities report that they discovered that Woody was also in possession of methamphetamine Woody was transported to the Burke County Magistrate’s Office where he was issued a $20,000 secured bond for the drug possession charge No bond was issued in connection with the absconder warrant MORGANTON, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Officers with the Morganton Department of Public Safety were dispatched to the dead-end of Rockyford Street in response to a reported disturbance Sunday Smith,” told officers that three armed individuals were chasing him The address provided by the caller was determined to be an abandoned residence previously damaged by fire Attempts by officers to gather further details from the caller were unsuccessful since he hung up the call and turned off his phone officers encountered a man walking along Rockyford Street He told them he was unaware of any disturbance and denied any involvement A follow-up investigation revealed that the phone number used to place the 911 call was registered to Ware via a social media application Ware was then relocated and questioned a second time He initially denied making the call but later admitted to doing so Further investigation revealed that Ware is the subject of an active domestic violence protection order The protected party resides in close proximity to the area from which Ware claimed to have fled from No additional suspects or weapons were identified in connection with the incident Officers obtained warrants for Ware on the following charges: Ware was transported to the Burke County Magistrate’s Office where he was held without bond due to a pretrial release status and an active domestic hold His first court appearance is scheduled for May 19 A piece of land where Morganton’s original Chick-fil-A was located at Fiddler’s Run shopping center is up for sale for nearly $1.8 million The property owner is also selling another property across the street from the shopping center Owner TL Norman Land Company LLC placed the property for sale at $1,799,900 The land company bought the majority of the parcels The property that fronts Enola Road at Fiddler’s Run Shopping Center is for sale for nearly $1.8 million TL Norman Land Company is the owner of the five parcels Chick-fil-A bought the 309 Enola Road .83-acre parcel in July 1999 for $350,000 The restaurant moved to Burkemont Avenue when the North Carolina Department of Transportation was planning to widen Enola Road from South Sterling Street to a little past the shopping center Chick-fil-A sold the property to NCDOT in September 2012 for $521,000 The building was torn down when Enola Road was widened in 2012 TL Norman Land Company bought the property at auction with a bid of $95,999 in April 2024 The parcel is currently valued at $103,750 The other four parcels that make up the rest of the total 2.75 acres are valued at a combined $48,000 The land company purchased those four parcels in December TL Norman Land Company also is selling 1.4 acres at 0 Fiddlers Run Boulevard which is across from the Chick-fil-A property thinks is feasible to put there in Morganton,” Norman said “There’s not a lot on that interchange anymore but I’m hoping I’m assembling it to encourage someone to do such.” He said he purchased the various lots to put together to sell and see what might work He said it would be a good spot for a national chain I don’t know what industry type,” Norman said Norman said he is marketing the property but there hasn’t been any rumblings yet many of the original stores that once called Fiddler’s Run home have moved out Some moved to the Morganton Heights Shopping Center The properties are listed with the Pridemore Team of Compass The property listing says the shopping center is poised to thrive again but the “exit needs your business!” Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly Email notifications are only sent once a day The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics celebrated nearly 150 graduates Friday at the school’s first ever commencement The Morganton campus of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics may double its student population according to the state Senate budget for the upcoming year which is the state Senate’s proposed 2025-2027 budget says the University of North Carolina Board of Governors and the chancellor of school of science and math may study the possibility of increasing the size of the Morganton campus develop a plan to accommodate at least twice as many students at the school and report the plan by Feb Students celebrate graduation from NCSSM-Morganton on May 24 proposes studying whether to increase the size of the Morganton campus The bill says the plan should include an analysis of the number of students with excellent academic records who apply to the school but are not accepted because of lack of physical space or other resources The study would also analyze the resources needed to accommodate more students and the cost of that expansion including improvements to physical spaces such as residence halls The Morganton school of science and math campus currently has 300 students enrolled The school had nearly 2,000 rising high school juniors apply for admission to the school in 2024 The Morganton campus opened in 2022 with 150 juniors adding another 150 students the following year House of Representatives also is expected to release its proposed two-year budget soon The deadline for bills to be introduced to be considered by the other chamber is May 8 Once the House of Representatives releases its budget the two chambers will hash out a budget and then vote on it Josh Stein released his proposed budget in mid-March A man was killed in a Burke County crash Thursday (May 1) and an individual has been charged The deceased is 67-year-old Rex Ivy Powell of Morganton the North Carolina State Highway Patrol responded to NC 181 at Bowman Avenue A 2015 FedEx delivery truck traveling east on Bowman Avenue attempted to cross over NC 181 from a stop sign and struck a northbound 2006 Nissan Frontier This collision caused the Nissan to collide with a guardrail and overturn was ejected from the vehicle and passed away from his injuries at the scene 27-year-old Talmadge James Belcher of Lenoir was transported by EMS to an area hospital with minor injuries The initial investigation does not indicate impairment or speed to be contributing factors Belcher was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle and failure to yield the right of way the roadway was partially closed in the area for approximately two hours The SUN Bucks food program is back for 2025 and is expected to provide benefits… Morganton Public Safety responded to a vehicle accident… Catawba County agencies and organizations will commemorate Juneteenth with celebrations,… Chipotle Mexican Grill will open its newest restaurant on Wednesday, April 30, along Burkemont Avenue near Interstate 40 --> Also read: Chick-fil-A giving free fries to Charlotte customers this week: Here’s how it works The restaurant will feature the brand’s signature “Chipotlane,” a drive-thru pickup lane allowing guests to grab their digital orders without leaving the car Chipotle is hiring at its Morganton location Officials said there are about 30 jobs per location with competitive benefits For information on how to apply, click here Burke United Christian Ministries will move out of the building it has called home for more than 20 years by Thursday Then it will be more than a month before members of the public can access its new home in the former Food Lion in the Summit Pointe shopping center Burke United Christian Ministries will vacate its longtime home at Burke Mission Station on West Union Street this week when it moves into its new location on East Fleming Drive BUCM sold its downtown Morganton building to Burke County Public Schools for $1.5 million The school system intends to renovate the building to house the central office the nonprofit will still serve its clients BUCM provides assistance to those in need through its soup kitchen “We are going to provide all the services outside of the building,” Horton said Horton said BUCM will still serve lunch every week day outside from 11 a.m at the new location starting Thursday and will have food pantry distributions from 11 a.m She said while there won’t be lunch served on weekends BUCM will give people experiencing homelessness extra food on Fridays to get through the weekend While it is challenging to get the new facility up and running Horton said BUCM still has the mission of meeting the needs of the populations they serve She said there are many people every day who show up needing food and we’re trying to accommodate as much as we can,” Horton said The organization’s soup kitchen serves nearly 200 people every day and 50 to 100 people from its pantry That doesn’t include people who need a shower are looking for a house or people who are meeting with a peer BUCM will not have access to its new building or its current building on West Union some staff will work on outreach and some staff will use a small rental space “So minus our daily distribution of meals and/or food pantry food is going to be displaced in some form or fashion,” Horton said Horton said she hopes employees will be in the new 44,000-square-foot building by the end of May and to open to the public in June The new building offers nearly double the space of its former 23,000-square-foot facility The larger facility will have new security systems for coming in and out of the building for the safety of staff and the people working there It also will double the number of showers for clients from two to four The new building will have big community spaces that the organization hasn’t had in the past Horton said that will allow space for other nonprofits to reach out to populations BUCM serves and we have several peer supports that work in that space and they’re going to be able to meet with more people and have more education spaces and be able to do more classes and do more groups to try to help people make some plans and make some transitions in their lives that they had intended to and maybe need more support to make that happen,” Horton said The new space will also have more food storage “It will be a really good thing for Burke County BUCM has been raising money through a campaign to help pay for the new facility BUCM has raised about $4 million of its $5 million goal The purchase of the building was about $2.9 million and the renovation of the building will cost about $3 million BUCM plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary in August Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly The concept of advertising via the mass media has mushroomed exponentially From the outset of His ministry when Satan tempted the Lord in the desert Jesus made it clear that He would not yield to theatrics for conven… Morganton City Council has created several boards and commissions Some commissions are required by North Carolina state law The boards and commissions serve in an advisory capacity to the City Council Anyone interested in serving on a board or commission can submit an application to Renee Carswell Applications are available online at morgantonnc.gov/media/8266 A Watauga County resident is charged in connection to the death of a Hickory man… Hickory Public Library will host a special ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the… The City of Newton Fire Department has started conducting routine fire hydrant flow testing throughout… (WBTV) - A Morganton man was arrested for alleged sexual assault of a child according to the Burke County Sheriff’s Office of a man who allegedly sexually assaulted a child and also gave them alcohol and tobacco Deputies said that an investigation was launched which led to warrants for the arrest of Daniel Bradley for felony indecent liberties with a child and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor Officials said that Bradley turned himself in to the sheriff’s office on Monday Two troopers investigate the scene of a fatal crash on N.C Highway 181 near Bowman Avenue on Thursday afternoon A man died Thursday afternoon in a crash on N.C was driving a Nissan Frontier pickup truck north on the highway near Bowman Avenue and Carl Freeman Avenue when a FedEx truck attempted to cross the highway from a stop sign at Bowman Avenue according to information from Trooper Chris Casey with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol Powell’s truck hit the guardrail and overturned Powell was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries He was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle and failure to yield right of way The road was partially closed for about two hours during the investigation Chrissy Murphy is a staff writer and can be reached at cmurphy@morganton.com or at 828-432-8941 Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email There was a child in the car at the time of the crash She will be required to be on the sex offender registry for 30 years once she's released from prison Highway 181 in Burke County on Thursday brought traffic down to one lane Investigators were still on the scene as of 3:30 p.m The wreck happened near Bowman Avenue near the Oak Hill area Officials have not released details of the wreck Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter The driver of the FedEx truck was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle and failure to yield right of way is going to be a big change,” Drexel Town Manager Bill Carroll said 43-year-old Travis Brandon Ford of Byrd Road and 32-year-old Tracey Diane Teague of Tom Smith Avenue Ford is charged with felony possession of cocaine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia Teague is charged with felony counts of possession of crack cocaine and maintain a vehicle for a controlled substance deputies from the Burke County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a stolen vehicle at an address on Byrd Road in Morganton deputies observed a blue Honda passenger vehicle pulling into the driveway with two occupants inside reportedly exhibiting suspicious behavior both the driver and passenger reportedly began moving frantically rock-like substance was seen in the driver’s lap were promptly removed from the vehicle and detained A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of additional contraband Ford was found in possession of a second clear plastic bag containing a similar white powdery substance Deputies also recovered multiple items of drug paraphernalia and a digital scale with white powdery residue located behind the driver’s seat Field tests conducted on both substances returned positive results for cocaine Teague and Ford were each given bonds of $5,000 secured They’re scheduled to appear in court May 12 In addition to the narcotics-related arrests deputies successfully recovered the stolen vehicle that was the subject of the original call for service 34-year-old Timvoski Ware of Morganton was arrested Sunday (May 4) by Morganton Public Safety Officers… Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInEditors note: The situation has been resolved (WBTV) - Morganton residents were urged to stay inside their homes Wednesday morning for what officials called an “armed subject” investigation in a neighborhood in the area of Causby Road and Fernwood Drive --> Latest update: ‘Situation resolved’ after armed standoff prompts soft lockdown for Morganton residents police said they were in a standoff with an armed person barricaded inside a house Burke County 911 advised all residents to lock themselves inside their homes or avoid the area until an “all-clear” was given officials said soft lockdowns for Glen Alpine Elementary and WA Young Elementary were lifted around 11:30 a.m Hillman Beer poured the last of the beer at its Morganton taproom but the brewery still has some unfinished business with the city of Morganton The brewery announced the Morganton taproom citing serious damage to the Asheville and Old Fort locations during Hurricane Helene The post said the business felt the closure was “necessary to ensure Hillman Beer remains alive and well.” Hillman Beer received a $75,000 loan from the city to build its Morganton location Funded by community development block grant money from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development half of the loan was to be forgiven after five years if the business maintained good standing on the loan and completed its original business plan Hillman fell three years shy of the five-year mark for loan forgiveness Customers mill around the Hillman Beer taproom on South Sterling Street in Morganton after its opening in 2023 public information officer for the city of Morganton said the business still owes $60,581 on the loan which said it would be up to the city to decide how to move forward Sigmon said city leaders are working with Hillman on next steps She said Hillman has continued making payments on the loan The Morganton City Council also approved Hillman for another $75,000 small business loan through its Main Street program Hillman Beer owner Greig Hillman did not return requests for comment The brewery still has taprooms in Asheville and Old Fort cmurphy@morganton.com or at 828-432-8941 it is a decision that has been made,” the Camping World vice president said expanded online pickup and delivery and remodeling the pharmacy area we were actually able to go and check elevations of where the flooding (Hurricane Helene) got to and our built elevat… By Connor LomisPublished: Mar 2025 at 2:27 PM EDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMORGANTON (WBTV) - Six people were arrested at a Morganton motel last week after police seized drugs and guns in a multi-day operation The arrests were made on Friday, March 7 at the Super 8 Motel along South Sterling Street Officials said since Hurricane Helene police had nearly 80 calls for complaints of criminal and drug activity at the motel officers carried out a three-day operation they made six arrests after finding two guns --> Also read: Police find 106 illegal gambling games at Charlotte arcade after manager shot amid robbery attempt The public safety department noted the motel is accepting FEMA vouchers for temporary housing though it wasn’t immediately clear if those arrested were using them The following suspects were arrested and charged with the following: The Morganton Department of Public Safety released the below statement regarding FEMA vouchers and the suspects arrested “This operation was conducted due to an extremely high call volume from the Super 8 during the months after the hurricane MDPS had not responded to this amount of calls since the Super 8 existence We did not personally ask individuals as they were stopped if they were there on a FEMA voucher.” A Morganton building that formerly housed Sam’s Hot Dog Stand and Hot Shots Espresso will be a plant nursery The property at 810 West Fleming Drive is owned by Christy and Eric Carswell who own Carswell’s Landscaping and Maintenance Christy Carswell said they plan to open a nursery She said her husband and his father previously ran a nursery in Tannery Square and they’d like to get back into it the Morganton City Council approved the rezoning of the property to high intensity from medium intensity to allow for the nursery Carswell said the business will mostly offer shrubbery and trees along with mulch fertilizer and other supplies to care for a yard She said there will be a few flowers and some local vendors offering crafts inside the store director of development and design for the city of Morganton said the rezoning opens the property up for additional business opportunities including outdoor sales and larger retail operations Tim Guffey lives in a Creekside home off West Union Street in Morganton He spoke against rezoning the property at the Monday meeting citing concerns that a higher density zoning would permit businesses that could change the character of the neighborhood The property is flanked by residential lots on all sides She said any non-residential or even a multi-family residential project would require buffering with either landscaping or landscaping and fencing The council approved rezoning the property unanimously some properties off Enola Road were annexed into the city requested the properties be annexed into Morganton city limits The properties bordered city limits before the annexation Madcap Adventures has registered agents Scott and Shelley McClure Council members zoned the properties as medium intensity district which allows for a range of uses including lower density residential and neighborhood-scale residential uses The properties around the newly annexed lots also are zoned for medium intensity Senate bill proposes analyzing a potential increase to the Morganton campus of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Pastor Tommy Laibwij said he doesn’t know where the congregation living at the old school will go if they are evicted He was town manager in Maiden when a new town hall opened in 2013 and a new police station opened in 2018 “So the idea of the 62,000-square-foot remodel will allow us to .. imagine a largely blank canvas to renovate the building.” Bethel Park has been closed for more than a year for a stream restoration project which was about 70% complete when Hurricane Helene hit in l… Ingles Market in Morganton won’t be reopening in March The Morganton Ingles was expected to reopen in March The store has been closed since Hurricane Helene caused flooding in late September 20 it may be April or May before the store reopens to shoppers He said there has been an issue with getting equipment The Morganton Ingles Market is one of a number of businesses in Burke County that was forced to close due to damage caused when Hurricane Helene swept through western North Carolina Several feet of water flooded the grocery store on Carbon City Road The company planned to give the store a remodel before opening Ingles Market on Carbon City Road in Morganton is currently undergoing a remodel The store will likely reopen in late spring The store was originally expected to reopen in March Flynn said the concrete floor has been cut out to run all the piping and wiring for the new freezers “It’s getting close to where it’s supposed to be,” Flynn said The pharmacy and meat departments will be about where they were before The Starbucks kiosk will be located where it was He said the produce section will extend to where aisles 3 and 4 were previously located The floral department will be to the left of the Starbucks kiosk The deli and bakery will be where the produce department was previously with tables and an eating area next to the deli The aisles will shift to the left and the frozen foods section will be near the pharmacy entrance The 230 full- and part-time employees were placed at other stores from Marion and Black Mountain to Lincolnton and Dallas “All my employees are really anxious to get back to it,” Flynn said Flynn said he expects the store will hold a job fair when ready to reopen Chunks of concrete sit to the side of Ingles Market in Morganton after it was removed to make way for new electrical wiring and piping because I expect to do more business,” Flynn said When the employees and customers come back to the remodeled store “I’m excited for when it starts and get back and get going again,” Flynn said The Morganton store is one of four across the company that was forced to close due to damage from the hurricane The business still owes more than $60,000 on the loan Investigators with the Morganton Department of Public Safety are requesting the public’s help in locating 32-year-old Shannon Elaine Bowman She is 5’3″ tall and weighs 115 pounds Her family and friends have not heard from her since March 21 Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Shannon Elaine Bowman should call Morganton Public Safety at 828-437-1211 Walmart plans to remodel stores around Hickory and other locations in North Carolina in 2025 according to a press release from the company Morganton and Taylorsville will be renovated Supercenter stores in Hickory and Granite Falls were not on the list of stores scheduled for a remodel The company will reopen the Walmart Supercenter in Lenoir on May 2 at 9 a.m The reopening celebration includes the presentation of $7,500 in grants to local organizations and the unveiling of a community-inspired mural A rendering of the front of a remodeled Walmart Supercenter Several Walmart Neighborhood Markets will be remodeled in the area “Our stores often serve as the heartbeat of the communities we operate in and these remodels are a testament to our dedication to enhancing that role,” Annie Walker A rendering of a remodeled grocery section at a Walmart with new signage The company plans to remodel 41 stores in North Carolina this year Locations in the area that are scheduled for a remodel include: the company employs over 62,000 people in North Carolina across 220 locations Walmart is the largest employer in North Carolina Walmart was the fourth largest employer in Iredell County seventh largest in McDowell County and 10th largest in Burke County Billy Chapman is a reporter with the Hickory Daily Record wchapman@hickoryrecord.com Hawks Landing in north Hickory was purchased for $27 million The Village at Catawba Ridge was purchased for $16 million Variety Wholesalers acquired 219 Big Lots stores out of bankruptcy last year “There’s not a lot to do after dinner here so we thought let’s do dinner and let’s do after here in one place.” This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The Morganton Farmers Market will officially open on Saturday until noon at 300 Beach Street (behind the SideTracked Brewery) Opening day for the Wednesday Mini Market is Wednesday The Mini Market is located at 111 North Green Street Both the Saturday Market and Wednesday Mini Market operate weekly through the end of October The Morganton Farmers Market is sponsored by Burke County Farm Bureau Insurance Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMORGANTON, N.C. (WBTV) - An armed standoff that prompted a soft lockdown for residents of a Morganton neighborhood Wednesday morning has been resolved The nearly four-hour standoff happened on Wednesday Emergency officials initially urged residents to stay inside and lock their doors until an “all-clear” was given around noon Officers said they were deployed to the area for a domestic disturbance call for either a stab or gunshot wound officers said they heard shots fired but could not determine if they were coming from inside or outside the home police said they were able to get a drone inside the house make contact with a barricaded person in a bedroom who has not been declared to be either a suspect or victim was rushed to the hospital after sustaining a stab wound and head injuries “We are looking for how those wounds happened and the person who did them,” said Public Safety Chief Jason Whisnant --> Previous: Morganton residents urged to stay inside with ‘armed subject’ in neighborhood The situation prompted a soft lockdown for residents in the neighborhood “We’re securing a search warrant at this time for the residence in an attempt to collect all the evidence,” Whisnant continued “We do have several interviews that we need to conduct to find out exactly what happened here today.” The Salvation Army’s move in Morganton was derailed by Hurricane Helene Salvation Army Development Director Andrea Beatty said the location the organization planned to move into was flooded during the storm The Salvation Army Thrift Store moved out of its Tannery Square location in July and is in negotiations for a new location in Morganton Officials with the organization say they hope to reopen in the first quarter of 2025 The Salvation Army in Morganton moved in July from 412 A.W Fleming Drive in Tannery Square because that’s where the ABC Store is moving Beatty said they are in negotiations to lease a location in Mimosa Hills shopping center on West Union Street She said The Salvation Army is hoping to reopen in the first quarter of 2025 the organization’s food pantry will be open from 10 a.m on Thursdays at First Presbyterian Church of Morganton A statement from the organization said its food pantry is fully stocked with non-perishable items thanks to a partnership with the Food Lion on East Union Street in Morganton The Salvation Army said non-perishable and dry good donations will not be accepted until the first of the year when the new thrift store location is announced “We are excited to be able to reopen the food pantry to serve the Burke County community,” Morganton Family Thrift Store Manager Paula Hitt said in a statement Proceeds from Family Thrift Stores provide financial support and services for those most vulnerable in Burke County and surrounding areas the Morganton Family Store served more than 70 families a month facing food insecurity Salvation Army Thrift Store Business Manager Rob Setliff told The News Herald in July the organization was looking for a building 7,000-10,000 square feet in size The Salvation Army said it distributed backpacks to the homeless Nov 30 thanks to the “God’s Got Your Back” Backpack grant program funded by First Presbyterian Church The water-resistant backpacks came complete with an anti-theft locking mechanism USB charging port and included a solar powered charging station Burke United Christian Ministries provided the space for distribution during their Saturday morning brunch service For financial and crisis help services, call 828-322-2535. For monetary donations, call Beatty at 828-851-0017, or visit the website www.salvationarmyhickory.org/ The organization’s main crisis help hotline for food assistance is 828-322-8061 BUCM is planning to move into its new location in June The Morganton ABC Store is moving to a new location in two weeks Officials say the store will make the move without missing one day of business The Morganton ABC Store's new location is about 10,000 square feet Renovations started last year at the new store at 412 A W The space once housed the Salvation Army thrift store The Morganton ABC Store already has the new location partially stocked The new location in Tannery Square will open Feb Gregory said shelving is in at the new location new flooring is complete and one shipment of alcohol has been delivered “So we'll have it fully stocked before we ever close the other store,” Gregory said The new Morganton ABC Store has an epoxy colored floor with abstract blues The ABE store is expected to move in on Feb The new location is double the size of the current one The store will also host a greater selection of bourbons and tequila to meet growing demand the store will offer a tasting bar with six bar stools where vendors and companies can offer tastings of their products from 4 to 7 p.m the store isn’t allowed to advertise those tastings but the vendors are allowed to Gregory said he believes the new location will be the largest liquor store A sign hangs in the window of The Salvation Army Thrift Store in Tannery Square in April announcing the space would become the new home of the Morganton ABC Store the ABC board is in the process of selling the property to Case Farms for $600,000 The Salvation Army thrift store is still looking for a home Salvation Army Development Director Andrea Beatty said the organization is still in negotiations for a potential location With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food The Morganton Chipotle Mexican Grill plans to open for lunch on Wednesday "We believe that this step is necessary to ensure Hillman Beer remains alive and well so that we can continue to grow and serve our communitie… The Morganton Department of Public Safety has recently received multiple reports of scams targeting local residents The department is urging citizens to be cautious if you receive notifications regarding jury duty or putting money on gift cards for any reason The scammers often impersonate court officials or law enforcement and may demand money or personal information Public Safety reminds citizens that no court or law enforcement official will ever call you to threaten arrest or demand payment in any form Scammers use public records to target victims and may call after hours to increase their chances Caller ID can be faked to appear local or show official-looking names/numbers If you’re concerned or believe you may have been targeted verify directly with the Morganton Department of Public Safety or your local law enforcement agency By Connor LomisPublished: Apr 2025 at 11:58 AM EDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMORGANTON (WBTV) — A man was accused of breaking into multiple cars at a Morganton dealership and stealing firefighter equipment early Monday morning was taken into custody after surveillance video captured him in the act The break-ins happened around 1 a.m. on Monday, April 21, at Everett Chevrolet off Exit 105 in Morganton Police said security cameras captured Dawson “breaking into several vehicles as officers converged on the area.“ Dawson was arrested shortly after An investigation revealed that some items Dawson allegedly stole during the break-ins belonged to Timberwoods Restaurant and Forest Service Wildland Firefighting Crews staying at the Hampton Inn Officers also reported damage to a Wilkie Construction trailer --> Also read: Teenager killed after crashing BMW into tree near Charlotte airport, police say Dawson reportedly had an active warrant for his arrest from previous break-ins around the Morganton area 37-year-old David Allen Dawson of Morganton is in jail again after security cameras captured him breaking into several vehicles in the early morning hours Monday (April 21) Morganton Public Safety Officers responded to a reported break-in at Everett Chevrolet off I-40 Security cameras captured a man breaking into several vehicles as Officers converged on the area Further investigation turned up items belonging to Timberwoods Restaurant Forest Service Wildland Firefighting Crews who were staying at the Hampton Inn and items from Rosa De Saron Church on East Fleming Drive along with damage to a Wilkie Construction Trailer Dawson also had an active warrant for his arrest for previous break-ins around Morganton Officers were able to return several items including the Firefighters’ equipment Dawson was placed in the Burke County Jail under a $22,000 bond He was scheduled to make a first appearance in District Court Monday in Morganton MORGANTON, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A 51-year-old woman is dead after an apartment fire early Sunday morning according to the Morganton Department of Public Safety crews responded to a structure fire at the Forest View Apartments at 401 Lenoir Road they saw an upstairs corner apartment with heavy smoke and an active fire Efforts to control the fire started immediately and adjacent units were evacuated to ensure resident safety crews found 51-year-old Pricilla Deeli Perez Febus dead inside the affected apartment This fire broke out less than 24 hours after a massive fire about nine miles away on Old Amherst Road in Burke County Morganton officials told Queen City News the fire was caused by an electrical issue The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation helped with the investigation and the Red Cross is helping displaced families from the surrounding apartments The public is invited to attend a special community forum on Substance Use Disorder at 5 p.m at the CoMMA Performing Arts Center in Morganton The event is free and open to all with a light reception prior to the event The forum will feature a conversation between Dr former Governor of Kentucky and founder of The Fletcher Group Kathy Colville from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A physician and national advocate for addiction recovery Fletcher established The Fletcher Group in 2017 to promote evidence-based recovery housing and support systems Colville joined U.N.C.’s School of Social Work in 2024 to lead its newly-created Office of Community Engagement & Outreach of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and as the founding director of the Healthy Communities Department at Cone Health in Greensboro Colville will moderate a discussion with Dr focusing on how communities can more effectively address substance use disorder through public policy A storage building was destroyed in a Tuesday fire in Burke County personnel from the Morganton Department of Public Safety responded to the fire at 701-1/2 East Meeting Street The resident came home to find a small fire burning in the storage building Attempts were made to extinguish the fire by the resident but were unsuccessful the storage building was fully involved in fire The fire was extinguished by approximately 5:15 p.m Firefighters remained on scene for several hours to ensure no further fire extension was possible before clearing the scene East Meeting Street was shut down from East Avenue to East Union Street Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMORGANTON, N.C. (WBTV) - A massive two-day fire burned 147 acres and over 500 cars in Burke County this weekend According to government officials, the fire began around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 22, along Old Amherst Road in Morganton The fire displaced five residents and destroyed five structures the cause of the fire remains under investigation North Carolina Forest Service officials said 147 acres were burned The acreage size varies throughout the timeline below based on what authorities reported at specific times By 5 p.m., the blaze shut down Old Amherst Road between Smokey Creek Road and Dogwood Vista and expanded the fire marshal said one structure was destroyed No mandatory evacuations were called and the fire was about 50% contained officials reported the fire was 70% contained and burned 180 acres A second structure was destroyed by this time along with several vacant mobile homes on the property and commercial vehicles “sustained heavy damage,” though no injuries were reported About 150 emergency responders helped control the fire from 25 fire departments all fire departments were cleared with the Burke County fire marshal and emergency management expected to follow suit by 11 p.m Officials advised the North Carolina Forest Service to remain at the fire overnight to monitor the area officials said another fire broke out around 3:30 a.m but was extinguished before crews were moved to yet another fire that involved several vehicles Another structure was destroyed sometime amid these breakout fires fire investigators were cleared from the scene Officials reported several other breakout fires throughout Sunday A total of five structures (four mobile homes) were destroyed with five people displaced and over 500 vehicles were burned Officials final update stated that Burke County increased to a “Very High” fire danger level “The Burke County Fire Marshal’s Office would like to remind citizens and visitors that the statewide Forest Service - National Forests (in North Carolina) burn bans remain in effect until further notice,” a spokesperson wrote A restaurant that was flooded by Hurricane Helene has hopes to reopen as soon as possible The business is getting a little help from the city of Morganton Town Tavern has been closed since the Catawba River flooded the restaurant after Hurricane Helene but work has been underway to get the restaurant reopened according to posts on Town Tavern’s Facebook page cups and dishes littered the inside of Town Tavern in Morganton in October 2024 The sports bar and restaurant was one of many businesses hit by flash floods brought on by Hurricane Helene Owners Jeff Lamont and Justin Davis were given a $75,000 small business loan to help restore the restaurant to its pre-hurricane condition “They are desperate to be back as soon as possible and we are very excited about that,” Morganton City Manager Sally Sandy said Reopening the business will create at least 10 jobs If loan payments are made on time and the restaurant completes its business plan half of the loan will be forgiven after five years While Town Tavern is still working on reopening Sandy said other businesses in the same shopping center She said the city is working with the property owners to get the spaces open The city’s boardwalk behind the shopping center but Sandy said she expects repair work to start soon She said she hopes to have bids to demolish the structure ready for the city council to approve at its March meeting Sandy said crews have already removed about 1,200 tons of silt flooding dumped on the trail She said city staff now believe as much as 2,500 tons of silt could be removed from the greenway by the time that part of the cleanup process is done the council approved a contract with a scuba diving company to finish assessing damage to the equipment at the city’s water and wastewater treatment plants director of the city’s water and wastewater departments said hurricane flooding submerged equipment and brought in debris and sediment that could have caused damage to the plants for the contracts for both the water and wastewater plants The contract for the water plant will not exceed $34,512.50 and the wastewater contract will not exceed $39,993.50 “We are still in assessment mode and we are still working at less than full capacity at everything,” Sandy said “Those are two larger projects that we’re working through the FEMA grant process right now so we’re going to be talking about this for a while.” Other Helene changes included two budget amendments moving funds to the city’s Helene Project Fund: which trails are open in the area and more local news Firefighters in Morganton responded to a structure fire early Tuesday morning (March 4) personnel from the Morganton Department of Public Safety responded to the fire at 210 East Parker Road Firefighters found a storage area containing heavy machinery all of which were fully engulfed in flames Firefighting efforts were immediately initiated and the fire was successfully extinguished after approximately 30 minutes Crews remained on-site for several additional hours to ensure the area was secure before clearing the scene East Parker Road was closed between South Sterling Street and Juniper Street during that time The cause of the fire is currently under investigation The City of Morganton reopened one section of the Morganton Greenway today (March 4) The newly reopened portion starts at the Freedom Park basketball courts and continues across the Freedom Pedestrian Bridge going over the Catawba River Users can take a left or right at the end of the bridge and the parking lot at the Soccer Complex are not open The dog park near the Soccer Complex also reopened today and the parking lot at the Greenlee Ford Road section of the Greenway is open The Morganton Greenway had been closed since Helene devastated western North Carolina in September 2024 City officials ask the public not to enter the portions of the Greenway that are still closed as repairs continue Questions should be directed to the City of Morganton Parks & Recreation Department at 828-438-5350 (WLOS) — Burke County officials have reported fire-related road closures near Morganton on March 22 Burke County and regional fire departments are responding to a large fire that has affected five structures POLK COUNTY WILDFIRES PROMPT EVACUATIONS AND AIR QUALITY ALERTS, DISASTER CENTER REOPENS Crews were first dispatched around 11:35 a.m. two North Carolina Forest Service helicopters and one scout plane were en route to the scene the release said that approximately 15 mph winds from the west are impacting the response efforts While there have been no reported injuries due to the ongoing blaze Old Amherst Road is closed between Smokey Creek Road and Dogwood Vista Officials are urging residents to avoid the area to allow emergency vehicles access and to ensure the safety of the public and responding crews EVACUATIONS IN PLACE, STRUCTURES DESTROYED AS THREE WILDFIRES BURN IN POLK COUNTY The release said the situation should not affect operations at the Foothills Regional Airport and there are no evacuation orders in place at this time the Burke County Fire Marshal reminded everyone that a statewide and local burn ban is in effect News 13 will provide updates on this story as they become available.