Monday News

Event To Raise Funds for Foster Animals

The 3rd Annual Sit, Stay, Drink charity event wi8ll be held at Silver Fork

Winery in Morganton on Friday from 5-8pm. The event offers food, wine

and fun while raising money for foster animals searching for homes.  

Attendees are welcome to bring their dogs on a leash and volunteers will

be present with adoptable dogs according to the event organizer.  Along

with food and wine, there will also be a photo booth for owners and their

pets to take photos, along with a pet portrait artist.  The goal of the

fundraiser is to raise $5,000.00 or more.  Tickets can be purchased at the

event and are $30 for adults..this covers a plate of food, a glass of wine

and dessert and $15 for children.  For more information on this event visit

www.a better life animal rescue .com


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Meth Bust

Morganton Public Safety Officers make one of the largest Meth Busts in the

City of Morganton over the weekend

Early Saturday Morning, Morganton Public Safety Officers

conducted a license checking station at the intersection of Sanford Drive

and Tate Street where officers encountered 24 year old Justin Dean Ray

who was operating a Honda passenger car.  Ray told officers his license

was revoked and further investigation led Officer SJ Huffman and her K-9

Partner Shrek to conduct a K-9 sniff of the vehicle in which Shrek alerted to

the presence of narcotics.  According to officers, the back seat passengers,

42 year old Shelly Lynn Ray and 30 year old Garry Dean Sanders began

acting nervous and Sanders told officers he had a syringe in his pocket.  18

year old Emily Christian McCall handed officers a marijuana smoking pipe

and additional investigation led to officers discovering over 300 small clear

baggies containing almost 2 pounds a substance which field tested positive

for methamphetamine.  

Sanders was arrested and charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine and

placed in jail under a $125,000.00 secured bond, he is scheduled to be in

court today.  This makes the 3rd time Sanders has been charged with

trafficking meth within 3 months.  On June 9th, Sanders was charged with

in Caldwell County and once again on July 11th in Burke according to a

news release from Public Safety.  The news release also stated this is one

of the largest seizures of methamphetamine in the City of Morganton.

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Trails Closed and Traffic Alert

The Pisgah Ranger District has temporarily closed some trails and roads in

the South Mills River area on the Pisgah National Forest due to

maintenance activities involving the use of heavy equipment.  Intersections

along the The Bradley Creek Trail and Riverside Trail will reopen once

operations have been completed.  The public is urged to use caution while

traveling on Yellow Gap Road due to the possible interaction with trucks

hauling gravel in the area.  For more information, call the Pisgah Ranger

District Office.

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Valdese Town Council Meeting

At a recent Council Meeting, The Town of Valdese approved funding for a

new park to be located across the street from the town’s recreation center.  

The park will include a splash pad, playground equipment, fencing, a picnic

shelter and a 3,000 square foot building.  The cost of the park is projected

to be be a little over a million dollars with the town borrowing 469,000 from

the U.S. Department of Agriculture over 40 years at 2.75 percent according

to Town Manager Seth Eckard.  Also, the town plans to use funds

previously contributed to the Narcotics Task Force.  In

addition to town funding, Valdese has received a quarter million in

donations and over $408,000 in grants.  Valdese also approved the

purchase of a new Fire Department Ladder Truck.
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Women for Trump Event

The “Trump Train” made a whistle stop in Morganton and was given a

warm welcome. While the greater portion of time was for meeting, greeting,

photo sessions and signing Trump posters and campaign materials, brief

remarks were made by Lara Trump and members of her team. She

introduced herself as daughter-in-law of Donald J. Trump. She is wife of

Trump’s Son Eric. She told the group that she is a fellow North Carolinian, a

native of Wilmington. She opened her remarks with the statement that “our

country is at a turning point” and noted that Donald Trump is the one to

spearhead the necessary changes. She thanked her fellow North Carolinians

for all they are doing for the Donald Trump campaign. … Burke County

Republican Chairman Richard Epley said it is amazing that the Trump team

members made a stop in Morganton but they did it because they WANTED

to come to North Carolina. Epley said he has seen more enthusiasm for the

Trump Campaign than he has seen in his 25 years in the political arena.

Other notable figures in attendance Friday morning

included Burke County Commissioner Wayne Abele, NC Senator Warren

Daniel and Mrs. Daniel, and a number of other GOP and campaign

participants.