Candidates Filing  

The Burke County Board of Elections Office was busy yesterday as five people

filed for School Board, one person for Morganton City Council, three people for

Valdese Mayor and three people for Valdese Council Seats.  Buddy Armour of

Morganton has filed to retain his seat on the School Board’s Central District. 

Leslie Ritchie Taylor of Connelly Springs has filed for the Eastern District Seat, and

incumbent Seth Hunt, Jr, Aaron Kyle Johnson, and Jane Marie Sohovich, all of

Morganton, filed for the Western District Seat on the Board.  Charles Wesley

Watts, Jimmy Ray Jacumin and Annemarie Baker have filed for the Mayor of

Valdese.  Joseph Andrew Thompson has filed for Ward One of the Valdese Town

Council with Paul Douglas Mears filing for Ward Two.  Rexanna Pennell Lowman

has filed for Ward 3 of the Valdese Town Council.  In Morganton, Christopher

Hawkins has filed for District 3.  Filing continues until noon on August 13^th.

HPD Investigating Shooting  

The Hickory Police Department is investigating a shooting that was the result of a

domestic dispute on July 23^rd.  Officers were called to the Argule Place

Apartments on 16^th Street Northwest in Hickory after a 911 call from a bystander

reporting the shooting of a male.  Officers found 31 year old Randall Anthony

Brolsma deceased at the scene with a single gunshot wound to the upper chest. 

Reports from Hickory Police indicate Brolsma was involved in a physical

altercation with his girlfriend in the parking lot of the apartments around 9:50

p.m.  Reports say Brolsma was in possession of a handgun.  When friends

attempted to assist Brolsma’s girlfriend, he was fatally shot.  No charges have

been filed at this time, and police are asking for anyone with information to

contact the Hickory Police Department.

Two Arrested on Child Sex Charges in Burke  

Two South Drive Morganton residents have been arrested and charged with

felony child sex offenses.  19 year old Clint Holden Lane and 18 year old Dancy

Arianna Issable Porter were arrested on July 24^th without incident after Burke

County officials were alerted by Caldwell County Sheriff’s Officers regarding

allegations of possible indecent liberties with a child that occurred in Burke

County.  The two were each charged with felony statutory sexual offense with a

child by an adult, felony indecent liberties with children and felony first degree

sexual exploitation of a minor. Both were issued two hundred fifty thousand

dollars secured bonds and placed in the Burke County Jail.

Marion Woman Charged

A Marion woman now faces numerous charges following a reported domestic dispute.

On July 13^th, McDowell County deputies were called to Wildberry Drive where they discovered 27-year-old Miranda Gatewood had assaulted a male at the home, hit him with her car, and then left the area with her two children.

Reports say officers learned that Gatewood was impaired and had wrecked her car on Sugar Hill Road.

She and the children were transported to an area hospital for treatment.

Gatewood is charged with two counts of serious injury by vehicle, assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of child abuse, and simple assault.

Wanted Man

Authorities in WNC and Tennessee are searching for a man wanted on multiple charges.

Reports with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office say Larry Wayne Hipps of Greenville Tennessee is accused of assaulting a Mars Hill Police officer early Saturday morning and fleeing in a stolen vehicle during an attempted arrest.

The officer who was assaulted was taken to Mission Hospital in Asheville, treated, and released.

Deputies have since recovered the stolen vehicle Hipps was driving, but the search including numerous agencies and K9 units continues.

Lawmen report Hipps is known for car theft and running from law enforcement.

Officials advise those who see Hipps to call 911, and to avoid approaching him as he should be considered armed and dangerous.