Veterans Day 2015
Burke County Veterans Services will sponsor a Veterans Day program this morning at 11, inside the Foothills Higher Education Conference Center, 2128 South Sterling Street in Morganton. VFW Post 5362 will provide a free meal immediately following the program.

Carolinas HealthCare System-Blue Ridge was awarded an 'A' grade in patient safety from hospital watchdog organization The Leapfrog Group. The Group praised the hospital for its'overall performance in keeping patients safe from preventable harm and medical errors. The 'A' grade follows recognition by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Patient Dafety Culture Survey in July showing a 6.5% increas in positive ranking. In October, more than 2500 general hospitals were assigned scores by The Leapfrog Group with 773 hospitals receiving an 'A' grade. Carolinas Health Care System has received an 'A' grade for the past 3 years.

The Grandfather Ranger District station in Nebo has been renamed the Jason Crisp Forest Service Building during a ceremony Tuesday. U.S.Forest Service Office Jason Crisp and his K-9 partner Marcos were killed on a manhunt in pursuit of a homicide suspect in Burke County in March 2014. The ceremony in Nebo included more than 80 State, County, Forest Service, Federal law enforcement officers, regional Forest Service officials, Congressional members and the widow and two sons of Jason Crisp.