Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke to an estimated crowd of 1500 Monday at PE Monroe Auditorium on the Lenoir-Rhyne campus in Hickory. New Jersey Governor and former presidential candidate Chris Christie introduced Trump and moderated yesterday's forum. Topics discussed included, trade, education, Obamacare, Veteran's affairs, the military, the Iran deal, ISIS, and wall construction to prevent illegal immigration. Trump stated that the country's infrastructure needs rebuilding-under budget and on time. The rally was interrupted three times by individual protesters who were escorted from the building by authorities.

Prosecutors for the State will seek the death penalty in the murder case against a Burke County man. 19 year old Justin Sullivan is charged with murder in connection with the December 2014 death of 74 year old John Bailey Clark. Prosecutors announced in Burke County Superior Court Monday, that they intend to treat Sullivan's as a capital matter. Sullivan also faces federal charges that allege that he attempted to provide material aid to the terrorist group ISIL. The Burke County Sheriff's Office and the SBI continue to investigate the murder case with assistance from the FBI. Sullivan is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Center on the federal charges without bond.

McDowell County authorities continue to investigate the cause of a Sunday morning house fire that killed two in the Glenwood Community. Firefighters responded about 8am to a house on Glenwood Drive, to find the back portion of the residence engulfed in flames. After the fire was extinguished, authorities found the remains of two people inside. The bodies are scheduled for an autopsy today in Winston-Salem. The cause of the fire is under investigation with the McDowell County Sheriff's Office, SBI, and McDowell Emergency Management examining the case.