The City of Morganton has been awarded a $230,000 building reuse grant to support the renovation of One North Square. According to a press release from Burke Development Inc, A Caring Alternative, a comprehensive care agency providing behavioral health and substance use disorder services, will expand in the 24,170-sq.ft.building and add 23 jobs. The company currently has 29 part-time and 132 full-time employees. The North Carolina Department of Commerce, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and Western Piedmont Council of Governments assisted with the project.

A determination has been made to the cause of a residential fire on Tuesday in Caldwell County. Lenoir Fire and Police responded to the fire on Sunset Street. The fire was quickly contained, but Kenneth Ray Owens was found deceased inside. The ongoing investigation determined that the cause of the fire was accidental in nature. An overloaded surge protector inside the residence was the cause of the fire, according to a news release from Lenoir Police.

Rain aided firefighters on the Coxes Creek No.7 fire in McDowell County, which was contained on Wednesday. The U.S.Forest Service news alert stated that the fire had increased to about 200 acres Tuesday before the rain. The fire was reported Monday afternoon and is burning on Forest Service land and private property in the Turkey Cove Community of 226A north of Marion. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. If you see suspicious activity in the area, please report it to the McDowell County Sheriff's Office detective line at 652-2237