The City of Morganton’s newest road is now open to traffic

Officially named Albert Tron Boulevard the road connects South Sterling Street to West Parker Road.

Following several months of construction, the road opened last Friday.

Construction was funded primarily by a 2017 Appalachian Regional Transportation Grant of just over 1-point-3 million dollars with more than 173-thousand dollars in additional funds approved by the Morganton City Council.

Morganton officials report a hotel developer has purchased land along Albert Tron for a future hotel to be built behind Sonic.

Some four acres remain available for purchase and development along the new road.

Longhorn Steakhouse is the first business in the newly developed area and construction on the restaurant is close to completion.

Two Morganton residents are among those arrested Saturday in a break-in and theft from a Lincolnton home.

37-year-old Ann Marie Smith of Antioch Avenue and 36-year-old Randy Clayton Owens of Duckworth Avenue were each charged with felony breaking and entering, preparation to commit burglary or house break-ins, and larceny after breaking and entering among several other theft related charges.

40-year-old Natasha Leanne Sigmon of Newton was also arrested and faces the same charges.

Reports say the Lincolnton home was unoccupied at the time of the break-in.

Officers arrived to find two of the suspects outside the house, while a third person was sitting in a pickup truck that had been loaded with items and covered with a tarp.

The suspects told deputies they demolished and cleaned foreclosed and seized properties however, they did not have permission to be on the property.

Stolen items including antiques valued at more than 24-hundred dollars were recovered.

Smith, Owens and Sigmon were all three jailed under a 23-thousand-500 dollar secured bond each.

A Marion man is charged with car theft in connection with an incident that occurred last September.

Daniel Thrall of Nebo had reported someone sole his 2004 Ford Crown Victoria from the parking lot of Dollar General in Nebo.

A handgun and two crossbows were inside the stolen auto.

An investigation led authorities to arrest 26-year-old David Lee Cyburn of Lentz Road on February 12^th.

Along with vehicle larceny charges, Clyburn was charged with larceny of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm.

Reports say the vehicle and some of the stolen property inside the vehicle was recovered.

A Hickory woman is charged with assault during an altercation among neighbors in a mobile home park in Lincoln County over the weekend.

Tina Marie McDaris was transported to a local hospital where tests revealed she had a skull fracture.

Reports say 51-year-old Carolyn Renee Leatherman struck McDaris multiple times with a baseball bat.

Officers charged Leatherman with one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

She was placed in custody under a 20-thousand dollar secured bond.

Meanwhile, the landlord for the properties 60-year-old Ricky Toney was charged with felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

He was jailed under a 10-thousand dollar secured bond.