A Waynesville area boy accidentally drowns in a Morganton motel pool. Public Safety responded about 10pm Saturday, after Burke 911 received a call that a child was found under water at the indoor pool of the Comfort Inn. EMS took the boy to CHS Morganton where he was pronounced dead. A Public Safety investigation showed that the child was swimming with family and friends, when he moved along the side of the pool holding the edge, when after moving into the deeper end of the pool, his hands slipped off the edge. Visibility was poor in the pool, according to a news release from Public Safety, and after about 10 minutes the family noticed he was missing. The boy was pulled from the water and nearby adults began cpr. According to the child's father, he did not know how to swim and was told to stay near the shallow end. The family was in Morganton for local baseball games and was staying at the Comfort Inn before returning home.

The website k12.niche.com ranks Burke County Public Schools 29th on its list of 2018 Best School Districts in North Carolina. The rating is based on reviews from students and parents as well as test scores, college readiness factors and teacher quality. The website gives Burke County Public Schools As and Bs for teachers, academics, health and safety, facilities, extracurricular activities and diversity.

Caldwell County Superintendent Dr.Steve Stone will retire June 30th. This June marks 12 years of service in the Caldwell County School System and 20 years as a superintendent, which ranks Stone as the 2nd highest tenured superintendent in North Carolina. The Board of Education will hold a special meeting on September 26th at 6pm at the Education center to begin discussion on hiring a new superintendent for the Caldwell County Schools.

The Hickory Police Department is seeking the public's help in locating Joshua Alan Ruch, who was involved in the attempted robbery on last Wednesday, at about 8pm in the parking lot of Walmart, 2525 Hwy 70. Ruch is wanted on multiple outstanding warrants, and is often in the company of Erin Olivia Shell, who is also wanted on a charge of felony larceny of motor vehicle. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Joshua Ruch or Erin Shell is asked to call Hickory Police at 828-328-5551.