The SBI is targeting fraudulent disability claims throughout NC. Two SBI agents have saved taxpayers more than 10.1 million dollars since they began investigating fraudulent Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid disability claims eight months ago. The two agents - one from Eastern NC and the other from the WNC area - investigated twenty questionable fraud claims last month and either closed or denied 14 of those cases resulting in a savings of nearly 1.8 million dollars in state and federal funds. Authorities say the agency has zero-tolerance for fraud. The fraud investigation program covers 33 states.

The Appalachian Regional Commission has approved a grant of over 1.3 million dollars to the City of Morganton to construct an I-40 frontage access road. The funds will be used to construct a road, about 3/10's of a mile, connecting South Sterling Street to West Parker Road located in the NW quadrant of Exit 105 of I-40. According to the City of Morganton, the new road will promote economic development in the area by providing access to new local development sites supporting tourism. It is estimated that the project will support the creation of 45 new jobs over the next 3 years and leverage $15 million in private investment in the area. The project is contingent upon securing a developer for the properties around the proposed road, according to a press release from the City of Morganton.

A man has died after a fall from Catawba Falls. News 13 reports that rescue crews extricated 22-year-old Adam Muzic from Upper Catawba Falls about 7:30 Saturday night. Muzic was flown by MAMA to Mission Hospital where he died. A friend of Muzic told News 13 that he had begun attending services at Brookside Baptist Church in Old fort.