Morganton Public Safety firefighters responded to a residential fire Sunday morning at 304 Roper Street.

First arriving units reported heavy fire and smoke from the residence. All occupants and the family dog were out of the structure upon arrival of fire crews.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The American Red Cross responded to assist the occupants of the home with clothing and lodging.

A Lincoln County man was arrested Thursday following a domestic dispute with his girlfriend.

Deputies responded after the woman sought help. 49-year-old Robert Lee Waldroup of Vale statrted an argument when she came home.

She told deputies that Waldroup struck her a number of times and attempted to choker her. He allegedly pointed a pistol at her and discharged the gun into the wall of the living room.

Waldroup was placed in custody under a secured bond of $200,000, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. 

NC Health officials report 16 people have died from the flu throughout the state so far in the 2018-19 season; with three additional deaths than the previous week.

Experts are saying the flu is currently widespread across the Southeast, including NC, but peak flu activity has not been reached yet.

It was January when the number of flu deaths began to soar in 2018.

At the end of last flu season, NC charted 391 flu deaths.- that’s the highest number since the state began tracking adult flu deaths in 2009.

Officials still encourage people to get their flu vaccine before the peak arrives.

They report it takes about two weeks for the flu vaccine to truly take effect.