The new Burke County Public Library and Senior Center in Hildebran will officially open in less than three weeks. The public is invited to the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30am Thursday August 31st, followed by an open house with activities for children and adults. The official opening is Friday September 1st at 8:00am at the new facility at 101 Main Avenue West. The current CB Hildebrand Public Library will remain open through August 28th with limited services, programs, and collections. In preparation for the move into the new facility, the East Burke Senior Center will permanently close its current site at the Hildebran United Methodist Church this Friday at 5pm. The East Burke Senior Center will re-open in conjuction with the new library on September 1st. The Meals on Wheels program will continue regular operations during the transition period. A news release states the new library and senior center will be much larger than the current facilities, with more room for library and senior programs, and dedicated areas for children, teens and adults.

Lenior-Rhyne's Business Council honored Eddie Edwards, President and Chief Executive Officer of CommScope, as the 35th Business Leader of the Year. The award was given August 8th at a luncheon at Moretz Mills. Edwards has served in his current role since January 2011. CommScope employs about 1,900 people in the state and more than 20,000 people around the world.

A Lenoir grandfather who loves crosswords has won a $150,000 lottery prize. The NC Education Lottery says that Samuel Swanson's good luck occurred after buying a Silver & Gold Crossword scratch-off ticket at the Scotchman Store on Hickory Boulevard in Hudson. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $104,253. Swanson plans to use some of the money to take his three grandchildren on a cruise to the Caribbean.