The Burke County Sheriff's Office would like to thank citizens who assisted in their "Summer Campaign to Serve Warrants". Between June 20th and August 10th, the Sheriff's Office served 477 warrants with 640 charges on 269 individuals. These warrants were in addition to, and does not include, the normal warrants served by patrol deputies and investigators while answering calls for service and investigating crimes.

Governor Pat McCrory announced Thursday that the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority approved 19 grant and loan requests totaling $5,153,475. Among the 19 in WNC:

Vacant Building Category

Caldwell County - A $500,000 grant to support the reuse of a vacant building that will house an expansion by Exela in Lenoir. The pharmaceutical manufacturer will create 40 new jobs.

Catawba County - A $253,750 grant to support the reuse of a vacant building by Temprano Techvestors in Newton. The start-up company, which provides marketing and technology services, will create 21 jobs.

Caldwell County - A $125,000 grant to support the reuse of a vacant building by 80 Acres Investments in Granite Falls. The company will create 8 jobs.

McDowell County - A $25,000 grant for reuse of a vacant building that will house Fat Boy's Burritos in Marion. The start-up eatery will create 5 jobs.

Existing Business Building Category

Alexander County: A $300,000 grant to support the renovation of a vacant building in Taylorsville that will facilitate a 30-job expansion at Craftmaster Furniture. 

Mitchell County: A $46,850 grant to support the reuse of a building in Spruce Pine to support New Buck Corporation's 5 job expansion.

A Marion man has been charged with stealing from his nephew. McDowell County Sheriff's deputies charged 37-year-old Joel William Robinette, Jr. with breaking and entering after allegedly forcing his way into his nephew's residence. Reports say Robinette stole a shadow box containing military service medals and other military-related items. The victim was at home at the time of the break-in and immediately notified authorities. Marion police located the suspect shortly thereafter, and Robinette was taken into custody. He was also served with an outstanding warrant for possession of a weapon by a prisoner in which detention officers found a piece of sharpened metal in Robinette's cell during a previous confinement.