A Connelly Springs man is arrested early this morning in connection with a 1st Degree Kidnapping in Lenoir. Just after 5:15pm Wednesday, Lenoir Police was contacted by the victim's mother in reference to a potential kidnapping of her daughter and granddaughter, who had been allegedly taken against their will with the use of a firearm in the roadway of Jason Place Lenoir. Officers learned that the suspects vehicle was located at a gas station near Mocksville. The suspect, Zachary Scott Watson 31, fled the location on foot. Officers found Tiffany Leigh Primm 31 and her 1 year old daughter safe inside the vehicle. About 12:30 this morning, Lenoir Police was notified by Mocksville Police that they had taken Watson into custody. He was transported to the Lenoir Police Department and the investigation is continuing. Anyone with information relating to this incident is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 758-8300 or Lenoir Police at 757-2100.

A Conover man is sentenced to prison on multiple offenses committed in Catawba County. 50-year-old Jonathan leslie Blackburn will spend up to seven years after pleading guilty to numerous offenses earlier this week. Reports say Blackburn pleaded to assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, kidnapping, assault by strangulation and communicting threats. The offenses occurred in April 2015 when the Catawba County Sheriff's Office responded to a stabbing incident. When officers arrived they discovered a female lying outside the residence covered in blood. She told deputies Blackburn, who was her boyfiend at the time, attacked her with a knife, cut chunks of hair from her head, beat her and strangled her. The victim was reportedly able to escape her assailant to contact 911 from a neighbor's house.

Governor Cooper announced appointments to the Community College Boards last week.
* Dr. Dan DeHart of Morganton - WPCC Board of Trustees
* Gary Stroud of Marion - MTCC Board of Trustees
* Ronald Beane of Lenoir - CCC & TI Board of Trustees
* Linda Greenwell of Terrell - CVCC Board of Trustees
* Fred Stout of Newland - Mayland CC Board of Trustees

The ribbon cutting ceremony and open house for the new Burke County Public Library & Senior Center in Hildebran will be held this morning at 9:30. The new facility is located at 101 Main Avenue West. Citizens are invited to attend.