Governor Cooper on Thursday issued an Executive Order Thursday extending

North Carolina’s Stay At Home order through May 8^th. The orders extending

closure of restaurants for dine-in service and bars and closure of other close

contact businesses are also extended through May 8^th. The Stay At Home and

other orders were extended Thursday because the state has not yet seen a

downward trajectory of three metrics, testing, tracing and trends.

Members of Morganton’s Community Appearance Advisory Commission

recognized Arbor Day in North Carolina and in the U.S. by having a tree

planted at Morganton Public Safety Station 2 in early March. The City’s

Public Works Department planted the tree, and members of the advisory

commission gathered during their regular meeting on March 10^th to dedicate

the tree at the public safety station. North Carolina Arbor Day was recognized

on March 20^th, and Arbor Day in the U.S. is recognized today, April 24^th.

A Spruce Pine man faces multiple charges following a chase in two counties.

Just before midnight on March 25^th, a McDowell Sheriff’s deputy spotted

32-year-old Joshua Wayne Henline operating a motorcycle and knew that he

had a suspended driver’s license. An attempt was made to stop the mototcycle

on Lytle Mountain Road, but the driver sped up leading to a pursuit onto

Henry McCall Road to old Greenlee Road to I-40 West into Buncombe County.

The Black Mountain Police Department joined in the pursuit that was

discontinued when they reached I-26. Charges were issued at that time, but

Henline was not located until Monday, when he was taken into custody.

Caldwell County Sheriff’s detectives are looking for a missing person.

Jessie Ervin Whisnant Jr. was reported missing on Sunday by family

Members. Whisnant was last seen in the Bushtown area of Lenoir on

March 10^th. He is 41 years old, is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 165 pounds.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Morgan or Caldwell

County Communications at 758-2324.

A federal indictment charges area residents with conspiracy to traffic meth.

The indictment from a federal grand jury sitting in Charlotte, charges

Savannah LeeAnn Goins of Crouse, Marlee Dare Griffith of Cherryville,

Ryan Andrew Prescott of Lincolnton along with a Enoree, SC man

Joseph Michael Vassey, with conspiracy to traffic meth and possession

with intent to distribute meth. A fifth co-conspirator, Dakota Reese Davis

of Lincolnton pleaded guilty on Tuesday to drug trafficking conspiracy and

possession with intent to distribute meth. From at least 2019 to February 2020

the defendants were involved in a conspiracy that distributed meth in and

around Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln Counties.

Hickory City Walk contractors will continue construction work on the center

Support of the N.C. 127 pedistrian bridge on Saturday. N.C. 127 will be closed

Between First Avenue SE and First Avenue NE from 6 a.m. till 6 p.m. Detour

Routes will be established and clearly marked.