The Burke County Board of Commissioners agreed to support the establishment of a new elementary school as a way to relieve overcrowding at Mountain Crest Elementary. In a joint meeting between the Burke County Board of Commissioners and Burke County Board of Education Monday evening, Board of Education members presented two options they believed best as means to solve overcrowding at Mountain Crest Elementary. The two options were either re-open Mountain View Elementary or build a new elementary school. The piece of property where Mountain View is located is viable and a school could be built on that property that holds up to 800 students. Commissioners said they wanted to plan long-term for future students and decided that re-opening Mountain Crest, which would cost over $2.6 million with an annual reoccuring expense, would not be cost efficient. Before adjourning, Commissioners agreed to support the Board of Education in building a new elementary school from capital funds and to continue to work together on the project.

Dr. Brett Wilson has been named principal at Walter Johnson Middle School. Since joining Burke County Schools in 2008, Wilson's duties include teacher, assistant principal and principal. He has most recently served as principal at Hildebran Elementary. Wilson will spilt his time between Hildebran and Walter Johnson for the remainder of the school year, and the search for the next principal at Hildebran will begin soon.

A search of a Marion couple's home by deputies and probation officers turns up one-half gram of heroin. The McDowell County Sheriff's Office Monday, charged 26-year-old Justin Keith Denton and 28-year-old Aimee Diane Murray, each with felony possession of heroin, felony possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin and felony maintaining a dwelling to keep a controlled substance.On April 5th, Deputy Adam Burnette and his K-9 Kessy, assisted probation officers Becky Loftis and David Ashe with a search of Denton and Murray's residence. Both of the suspects are on probation, which means they are subject to warrantless searches.

Five people were arrested on drug charges at a Hickory motel last weekend. Those arrested include a Morganton woman, 23-year-old Tracy Diane Teague, charged with one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphenalia, one misdemeanor count of resisting a public officer, and one misdemeanor count of probation violation. Teague was jailed under a $23,000 secured bond. Reports say Hickory Police received an "an attempt to locate" from the Burke Sheriff's Office, leading to multiple arrests at the Days Inn on Fairgrove Church Road. Officers also arrested Matthew Howard Roark and Mary Massey Roark of Hiddenite, along with Andrew Calloway of Granite Falls and Mickey Joe Calloway of Hickory. The four reportedly face various drug, weapon, and traffic related charges.