Morganton Public Safety Officers battle a house fire Friday afternoon on Valley View Street. David Keller called 911 and reported a smell of smoke and the sound of a fire alarm just after 2 o'clock. The first responding PSO reported seeing thick, heavy smoke coming from the basement and main level of the house. Firefighters, PSO's and EMS were on the scene for about 5 hours. The residence suffered significant smoke and water damage estimated at $80,000. The cause of the fire is believed to be electrical. Mutual aid was provided from Oak Hill Fire and Rescue, Chesterfield Fire Department, Burke County EMS, the Burke County Rescue Squad, and the Burke County Chapter of the American Red Cross.

On July 8th, the Burke County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division received several reports of Breaking and Entering of Motor Vehicles across Burke County. An investigation led to the identification of 26-year-old Jesse Joe Potter of Drexel and 35-year-old Rebecca Allendria  McCloud of Hickory as the suspects responsible for the B&E's and stolen property. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Potter and McCloud should call (828) 764-9505 or (828) 438-5500.

An arrest has been made after a robbery Friday morning at Loves Truck Stop in Marion. Officers arrived just 11am Friday and found Karen Naomi Riddle of Norfolk lying in the roadway. Riddle was traveling to visit family in Buncombe County when she stopped to refuel. While refueling, she was confronted by a male in a pickup truck. At some point during the conversation, witnesses say the male grabbed Riddle's purse and began to drive away. She was hanging on to the purse and vehicle before falling to the ground, when the truck over her legs before exiting the parking lot. Riddle was taken to Mission Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The arrest was made Saturday of Samuel Edmondson, who was charged with Common Law Robbery and Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury. He was placed in the McDowell County Jail under a $75,000 bond with a court appearance scheduled for today.

The prison term of a Lenoir man was extended, Wednesday, when he was found guilty during a bench trial in Caldwell County Superior Court. The Honorable Hugh B.Lewis, Superior Court Judge from Mecklenburg County, found 29-year-old Travis Xavier Thomas, guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon, and Thomas admitted his status as an habitual felon, enhancing the prison sentence imposed by the judge. Judge Lewis sentenced Thomas to 8 to 10 years in custody. He is already serving consecutive sentences of 8 to 12 years total for Caldwell County convictions in February and April. Sgt.Erle Davis investigated the case for the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office. Andrew Jennings was the prosecutor fo the 25th District Attorney's Office.