The Caldwell County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's help in locating 21-year-old Austin Lee Barnette. He is wanted in connection with a Burglary and Breaking and Enterings in the Hudson area that occurred early Monday morning. His last known address was on Kistler Lane in Granite Falls, but recently stayed at a residence off Legion Road in Hudson. Anyone with information about Barnette is asked to contact the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office at 758-2324 or if you wish to remain anonymous call Caldwell County Crimestoppers at 758-8300.

Two McDowell County men face charges in separate incidents. McDowell County Sheriff's Officers responding to an assault call led to the arrest of a man on drug charges. The report released Wednesday, stated that 37-year-old Joshua Nathaniel Honeycutt of Nebo was spotted driving away from the assault scene as a suspect. As Honeycutt was apprehended, officers discovered a small amount of methamphetamine in his vehicle and he was charged with felony possession of meth. Meanwhile, a former McDowell County employee has been charged with felony attempting to obtain property by false pretense. 49-year-old Gary Wyatt Earp of Marion reportedly turned in a claim for county reimbursement for damage done to his vehicle. Officers state Earp altered the receipt to show the county owed him a higher amount than it actually did. Earp was formerly employed at McDowell County Public Works.

Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park reopened Wednesday, three days earlier than anticipated after it was originally closed this week to allow new power lines to run through the Park to the top of the mountain. The elevator is still not operating and there is no timeframe for when it will reopen, but the Park will post updates at chimneyrockpark.com.