Burke County Commissioners decided Tuesday night, to move forward with plans to construct a solitary jail facility on Government Drive in Morganton. It is estimated that the facility could cost Burke County taxpayers nearly 1.2 million dollars, over a 20 year period. Also at the meeting Tuesday night, Commissioners passed a zoning ordinance to allow a parcel of land, located between DAV Avenue and Highway 18 South to be rezoned from a R-3 residential designation, to a General Business Use District. It is anticipated that this rezoning will allow for a Dollar General Store to be built there sometime in the near future.

Trail projects in Burke County have received grants. State officials announced this week that federal Recreational Trails Program grants have been awarded to South Mountains State Park, Visitor Center Connector of $100,000 and the Fonta Flora Loop Connector of $70,000. The Program is administered by the Division of Parks and Recreation of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.