Four suspects have been arrested in connection with a residential break-in last week in Marion. Kaitlin Sierra Smith, 22, and Cody Tyler Woodars, 21, both of Marion, have been arrested and charged with breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, possession of stolen goods and injury to real property. Also taken into custody Tuesday, were Gilbert Moore, 39, and Diamond Noles, 18, both of Marion. Reports with the McDowell County Sheriff's Office say the four broke into a residence on Haven Heights Drive during the early morning hours of February 7th, taking items valued at $1,000.

More than 1,000 people were without electricity Tuesday morning after a vehicle struck a power pole in Morganton. The mishap occurred about 7:30, when a truck veered off the right side of West Union Street and hit the pole near Riverside Drive, said Lt. Massey of the Morganton Department of Public Safety. The pole broke, causing a power outage for about 30 minutes, said Brooks Kirby, the city's electric services director. Massey said stop lights were out downtown due to the crash. The driver of the truck was charged in the crash, but nobody was hurt, according to Lt. Massey.

The Hickory Police Department will host a community forum on homelessness, its' effects, and possible community strategies that can be implemented to address some of the issues by establishing a collaborative community effort. The discussion will be held in Grace Chapel on the Lenoir-Rhyne campus Monday March 5th from 2-5pm. Forum goals include getting accurate information to the public on the real facts about homelessness in Hickory, providing information about services that exist, and discussing the homelessness issue in a productive way. The public is invited.