11th District Congressman Mark Meadows came to Morganton Wednesday and bused tables, waited tables, and mingled with constituents at Abele's Family Restaurant. Meadows put on an apron and took a few minutes from busing tables to speak with the group gathered for the event. He said it is time to fulfill the promises made to our veterans and this country must do a better job serving our veterans, making sure they get the benefits to which they are entitled. The lunch with the Congressman event was informal, and Meadows spent time moving among those attending and greeting them. He told WMNC News after the event that he tries to do similar events thoughout the 11th District and work with those who do the real work. Among attendees at Abele's on Wednesday were county commissioners, county manager, county attorney, state senator, chief of police, other police officers, and a number of people active in the Burke Republican Party.

Morganton Public Safety is continuing efforts to decrease the number of collisions involving cyclists and pedestrians. Watch For Me NC is part of a statewide initiative endorsed by the NC Governor's Highway Safety Program. Morganton is seeing improvement overall when it comes to a decrease in these types of accidents, but police say one of the biggest issues involve distracted drivers. Motorists are not watching for pedestrians in the crosswalks. Police say previous DOT studies listed our region as having the highest crash rate for these types of incidents. In an effort to change that, officers are focusing on educating motorists, pedestrians and cyclists, as well as enforcing the laws through verbal warnings and citations. Over the next couple of weeks, officers will be in areas where pedestrians can legally cross, handing out literature and issuing warnings and citations for violators. For more information on Watch For Me NC, contact Officer Kim Davis, Morganton Public Safety at (828) 437-1211.

An employee is caught stealing from a Morganton business. 59-year-old Ramona Suzette Westbrooks has been charged by authorities with felony larceny by an employee. Morganton Public Safety reports state Westbrooks had been employed as a stocker at Walmart Neighborhood Market on North Green Street. Officers obtained surveillance footage that showed Westbrooks using the self-check out isle in the store; but not scanning all the items that she took from the store. She was taken to the Burke Catawba Confinement Facility and issued a $10,000 secured bond.