A father is charged with murder in the shooting death of his son.

Morganton Public Safety Officers responded just after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to a 911 call from 105 A Ross Street. Officers found 27-year-old Emanuel Forrest Odum shot in the chest. Odum was taken to CHS Morganton where he was pronounced deceased.

Charged with one count of murder was Odum's father, 49-year-old Tony Jerome Odum,Sr.

He is being held with no bond and a Burke County District Court appearance is scheduled for today.

The SBI assisted Morganton Public Safety with the investigation.

The quick actions of a seventh-grader at East Burke Middle School last Friday helped to save the life of a teacher having a heart attack.

According to a news release, Johnny Childers went unresponsive in a classroom when Dalton Frazier discovered he was having problems.

Frazier reportedly screamed and ran for help to alert school staff members of Childers’ condition.

Once someone was with the victim, he then obtained additional help from staff who secured an automated defibrillator to revive Childers.

Childers is recovering after having two stents placed in his heart, with an additional surgery scheduled next week.

School officials say the entire incident happened in less than 30 minutes – Dalton, the staff, first responders, and the AED saved Mr. Childers’ life.

This Thanksgiving will hold special meaning for these two families this year –

North Carolina’s largest dirt track is for sale.

Antioch Speedway will host its annual Thanksgiving Thunder stock car race this coming weekend, and then the track will go on the sale block.

Thanksgiving Thunder continues to be one of the biggest stock car races in the state with over one-hundred stock cars and racers coming to the annual event.

More than 78 acres along with all equipment and buildings will accompany the sale of the speedway.

Morganton father and son Danny and Jim Smith have owned the speedway for the past 20 years.

The Avery County-grown Frasier fir completed its long journey to Washington, DC Monday as it was officially presented to the President and First Lady.

The 19 and one-half foot tall tree was cut from a farm owned by Larry Smith of Newland.

Smith won the National Christmas Tree Association’s annual contest.

White House officials picked the fir during a September trip to Smith’s farm.

The annual tree delivery traditionally has been an event for White House staff or the first lady making yesterday’s appearance by the president unusual.

The tree will go on display in the Blue Room to mark the beginning of the holiday season at the executive mansion.