A Wednesday afternoon wreck in McDowell County kills three. The accident about 3:30, occurred in a curvy area of 221 North near Baxter. News 13 reports that a pickup truck went left of center and hit an oncoming cargo van causing both vehicles to burst into flames. State Troopers say the truck carried a man and woman, with a man in the van. The victims have not been identified. Traffic was shut down for about four hours in a half mile stretch of 221.

The State Department of Public Instruction Transportation Services has accepted Burke into a pilot program to equip buses with seat belts. Burke will have seven new yellow buses outfitted with lap/shoulder belts by the start of the new school year. Officals said the goal of the voluntary pilot project, which includes 14 other school districts, is to help policy-makers evaluate future, widespread use of seat belts in NC public school buses. The seat belts will offer flexible seating and accommodate three small students or two large students. The Burke CountyPublic Schools Transportation Department is in the process of determining which routes the new seat-belt-equipped buses will run for the upcoming school year.

Hickory Downtown Development Association named Anthony and Margaret Jackson as Hickory's 2015 Main Street Champions. The Jacksons are founders and current chairs of The Jackson Group, Inc.,a Hickory based group of four companies providing survey services, multimedia productions, and leadership development/consulting services. The Jackson Group has 45 employees serving 289 clients in 40 states and Great Britain.

The Blue Ridge Parkway has announced opening dates for facility and visitor services along the scenic, 469-mile route. Information is available to plan a safe Parkway experience on the park's website at www.nps.gov/blri. The National Park Service is also celebrating its' 100th anniversary.