A kayaking accident led to a drowning over the weekend in the Linville Gorge.  Burke County Search and Rescue responded to the call around 7:30 p.m Saturday and spent some six hours traveling though tough terrain in the area of the Cambridge branch.  A male victim, who is thought to be from out of state, was found.  About fifty people took part in the search and rescue efforts. 

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A 25 year old Hildebran man is behind bars in Caldwell County today after the kidnapping of 3 people from a Hickory business, and the shooting of one of them shortly after 9 p.m. Friday nite.  Brendan Marshall Withers is charged with 3 counts of 1st degree kidnapping, 1 count of attempted murder, and one count of felony discharging a firearm to incite fear.  Withers allegedly took his victims to the 52 hundred block of Cannon Drive in the Sawmills community where one was shot.,  The victim was airlifted to an area trauma center with multiple gunshot wounds.  The other two kidnap victims were not injured.  Withers was able to evade officers, until  Saturday when they received a tip he was seeking medical treatment at Grace Hospital in Morganton  He as arrested there by Burke County Sheriff Deputies and turned over to Caldwell County authorities.

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A Lenoir man, who was reported missing Thursday nite was found dead Friday.  The body of Cecil Hayes was found in the Yadkin River, about 150 yards from where his car was parked in the Yadkin Shore Public Fishing Area off Highway 601..  Authorities say the cause of death was probably accidental drowning.  

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Some 1,352 ballots have already been cast in Burke County for the May 8th primary.  Of the total, 911 ballots have been cast for Republican candidates and 441 for Democrat candidates.  Early voting will continue this week from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. thru Friday and on Saturday from 8a.m. till one p.m. Voters can vote at the Board of Elections Office, the Morganton/Burke Senior Center, The Glen Alpine Town Hall, the Rutherford College Town Hall and the Hildebran Senior Center/Library.