A missing Catawba County girl is home safe. 11-year-old Emily Dowdle, who attends Catawba Elementary, was last spotted leaving her school bus about 2:40 pm Tuesday. According to WSOC-TV Emily walked out of the woods behind her house around 9:30 last night.The FBI and SBI assisted the Catawba County Sheriff's Office in the search and investigation.

A Burke County woman is killed after being struck by a vehicle. The Morganton News Herald reports that 26-year-old Jackie Icard of Connelly Springs, was walking in the middle of Rhodhiss Road Wednesday morning, when she was hit by a car driven by a Granite Falls man. According to the State Highway Patrol, the driver stated that several vehicles were ahead of him and before he knew it, a female was in the roadway. The News Herald reports that no charges have been filed against the driver Wayne Freeman.

A Burke County man has pleaded guilty to multiple drug charges, breaking and entering a motor vehicle and larceny, and admitted his status as an habitual felon, Friday, during Burke County Superior Court. The Honorable William T. Pomeroy, Superior Court Judge from Lincoln County, sentenced 27-year-old Corey Alan Hamby of Morganton, to serve 6-8 years in prison. That sentence was enhanced by Hamby's habitual felon status brought on by 3 felony convictions in Burke County (May 2006, February 2009 and July 2012) for breaking or entering of a motor vehicle. Stephen Ritchie of the Burke County Sheriff's Office investigated the case. Frank Webster led the prosecution of the cases for the 25th District Attorney's Office.

Two Marion women face drug charges following a search of their residence. 22-year-old Cherish Elizabeth Gilliland has been charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession with intent to sell and deliver meth. McDowell officers have also charged 50-year-old Rebecca Gilliland Moore with maintaining a dwelling to keep a controlled substance. Reports state previous to the search, both women were on probation and therefore subject to warrantless searches. Authorities located 7.2 grams of meth and drug paraphernalia in the home.