State law enforcement officials announce an initiative aimed at saving the lives of young drivers. In anticipation of spring break and the beginning of prom season, the State Highway Patrol will conduct Operation 'Drive to Live' next week. From 6am till 5pm daily, the operation is a Highway patrol initiative to reduce the number of teenage related traffic collisions and deaths. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration says young drivers are significantly over represented in fatal crashes; with one area of particular concern being distracted driving. Reports show 10-percent of all distracted driving involves drivers under 20. Troopers will be enforcing all traffic laws around the state's schools, and conducting traffic safety education at the high schools before the school year ends.

Once again, con artists claiming to be tax collectors are targeting McDowell County residents, and authorities are urging citizens to steer clear of their false claims. Local folks are receiving calls from people saying they are from the IRS, telling residents they owe money, giving them instructions on how to pay and threatening that if they don't pay, a warrant will be issued for their arrest. The IRS does business through the mail, never over the phone. If you have questions or concerns call the McDowell County Sheriff's Office at 828-652-2235.

Area governments are among those last week who were awarded grants to fund parks and recreation projects designed for children and veterans with disabilities. Governments receiving grants include:

* Granite Falls, $80,000 for the Shuford Recreation Accessibility Enhancement Project:
* Marion, $159,622 for the Marion Community Park Project:
* Shelby, $240,000 for the All Aboard Park: Unlimited Play for Everyone:

The grants are part of the $2 billion Connect NC Infrastructure Bond Program approved by voters in 2016.

A Lincoln County man is sentenced to prison following his guilty plea to sexual offenses with a minor. 41-year-old Clayton Houston Hoyle pled guilty to stautory rape, statutory sex offense, and indecent liberties with a child - landing him a prison term of at least 13 years. Reports say the offense occurred in 2014 when the 15-year-old victim was assaulted at a family member's residence. Following the incident, DNA samples were taken and resulted in a match to the defendant. Hoyle will also have to register as a sex offender and enroll in satellite-based monitoring for the remainder of his life.

A missing Alexander County teenager has been located. 19-year-old Ailyah Cline was found Wednesday in Yadkin County and is reported to be safe, according to the Alexander County Sheriff's Office.

Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, based in Morganton, is growing its staff to provide additional communications, financial and administrative support. The conservancy is seeking a full-time communications and outreach associate, a part-time staff accountant and a part-time office administrator. Descriptions and details for each position are available at foothillsconservancy.org/jobs. All will remain open until filled.

The White Creek Fire is now fully contained. Weekend rains brought much-needed relief to firefighters on the fire, which is now 100-percent contained at more than 5500 acres. The area 'closure in place' for Linville Gorge has been lifted; although visitors to the region should still use caution. Wildfires can create hazards including holes created by burnt tree stumps, along with damaged trees, and unstable rocks. The road to the Table Rock picnic area is scheduled to re-open Friday. Firefighters will continue to monitor the area and maintain fire lines. The White Creek Fire began March 16th near Shortoff Mountain.

The Alexander County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's help in locating 19-year-old Aailyah Danielle Cline of Bethlehem. She was last seen on Sunday about 4:30pm in the Heritage Farm Road area. Cline is described as a white female, 5'4" 170 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Cline is asked the call the ACSO at 828-632-2911.

A Morganton man is charged with felony hit and run. Just before 2:30am on March18th, MDPS officers responded to a hit and run collision involving a pedistrian in the PVA of the Downtown Sports Bar at 216 East Union Street. Officers found the victim, Felipe Alonza, injured in the parking lot. He was taken by Burke County EMS to CHS Morganton with serious but non-life threatening injuries. Officers arrested Julio Ricardo Mendoza-Ortiz and charged him with felony hit and run, misdemeanor hit and run(property damage), reckless driving to endanger, failure to report an accident, and safe movement violation. Bond was set at $25,000.

The intersection at Highway 127 and 1st Avenue NE in Hickory is currently closed and traffic is being rerouted. Last night an infrastructure failed resulting in a sinkhole, which opened on Highway 127, just north of the Earl G. Moser Fire Station. No injuries were sustained and no private property was damaged, according to a news release from the City of Hickory. The City will offer updates on the situation as additional information arises.

Firefighters completed burnout operations on the west side of the White Creek Fire Friday, increasing containment to 90%. The fire was estimated at 5,538 acres with no additional growth expected. The fire began March 16th near Shortoff Mountain in the Linville Gorge.

The South Caldwell High School ProStart Culinary team placed 1st at the NC ProStart Invitational held recently in Morrisville. The ProStart Invitational is a two-day secondary school competition focused on restaurant management and culinary arts. South Caldwell culinary team members included Ben Byerly, Aaron Lambert, Kailee Spake, Landon Powell, and Brandon Milam. Each student was awarded about $20,000 in scholarships and a Mercer chef's knife. As state winners, the team will move to the national level of competition next month in Charleston.

The National Recreation and Park Association is collaborating with The Walt Disney Company to revitalize parks across the U.S. for a third year. From April 1st through April 30th, Hickory residents will have the opportunity to nominate the city to receive $20,000 in grant funding to make improvements at a city park. By visiting NRPA.org/BeInspired, park supporters can nominate Hickory. At the end of April, the city with the most nominations will receive the grant funding. New this year, everyone who nominates a city will be entered into a drawing for a tablet outfitted for the outdoors.

The Asheville Police Department is seeking the public's help in finding 29-year-old Jackie Diana King of Whittier, a person of interest who is linked to several mail/package thefts and subsequent check frauds in the Skyland/Arden area. King is described as a white female 5' 8" and 115 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. King currently has one open warrant in Buncombe County for Forgery and uttering with more charges pending. Anyone who may information is urged to call Crimestoppers at 828-255-5050 or Det.Hogan at 259-5930.

The remains of a McDowell County woman who was murdered and had been missing for over a year have been recovered in East Tennessee. According to WLOS-TV, authorities interviewed Cecil Scott Byrd after he was convicted of murdering two McDowell women earlier this month. He told investigators of the location of remains of Sara "Denise" Riddle. Mitchell County deputies and SBI agents located a container consistent with Byrd's confession on Iron Mountain, according to WLOS.

A Valdese man is charged with felony being a registered sex offender on the premises of a school. On Sunday, the Burke County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division received an anonymous tip that a registered sex offender was on the property of Salem Elementary. Investigators responded to the school gym and located 31-year-old Davie Wade Shuping, who was taken into custody without incident. Bond was set at $15,000 secured with a court appearance scheduled for today.

Felony charges of solitication of child by computer to commit unlawful sex act and indecent liberties with a child are filed on a Hickory man. On Friday, the Burke County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division arrested 39-year-old Michael Shaun Worley after conducting an undercover online investigation. Worley exchanged online messages of sexual content with an individual whom he thought was a minor. Worley requested to meet the minor at Hildebran Community Park, and upon his arrival, was met by Detectives and taken into custody without incident. Bond was set at $100,000 secured with a court appearance set for today.

Foothills Conservancy of NC nd Camp Grier in Old Fort have collaborated to permanently preserve 203 acres in the Jarrett Creek watershed portion of the non-profit camp's property. Camp Grier's watershed lands are home to educational activities, trails, rustic camping and places to wade in Jarrett Creek. U.S.Forest Service lands, which adjoin two sides of the property, already protect nearly all of the creek's watershed lands upstream to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Chesterfield community members were able to voice their opinions and ask questions about how the construction of the new elementary school at Mt.View will affect them, during a community meeting on Thursday. Superintendent Dr. Larry Putnam presented on the history of Chesterfield, sharing that the building was built in 1935 and has had many changes since. According to a capital needs assessment, it was determined that Chesterfield Elementary would cost over a million dollars over the next four years in order to be operational. Chesterfield is currently operating under 47% of the building's capacity with only 187 students. Issues surrounding the older building include security, handicap accessibility, and newest parts of the building were considered only "fair." Putnam also shared some of the amenities that the new Mt.View Elementary School would have. These include a state of the art building, practice fields for sports, an ec0-friendly water reservoir for the sprinkler system as well as a theatre. Issues that were a concern for parents of kids currently enrolled at Chesterfield included the new school's location, district lines, cost in transportation and use of the building if closed.

The Burke County Republican Party will welcome Lt. Governor Dan Forest to the area Saturday evening as they hold their Annual Lincoln Dinner. The Lt. Governor will be the keynote speaker for the evening. In addition, NC Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey will be present. the dinner will be held at the Collett Street Recreation Center in Morganton beginning at 6pm. Tickets are still available and are $10 each. Call 828-430-3099 to reserv a ticket. Please leave a message if you reach the voicemail.

Firefighters completed burnout operations on the White Creek Fire burning near Shortoff Mountain in the Linville Gorge. Containment has increased to 80% with the fire estimated at 4,355 acres. Smoke may continue to impact local communities through the weekend.

A Morganton man receives a prison sentence from his involvement in a December assault and robbery. Following a guilty plea in Burke Superior Court, 44-year-old Stacy Heatley will serve up to 31 years in prison in connection with an assault and robbery at a residence on Pete Brittain Road. Heatley ple guilty to attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and robbery with a dangerous weapon. Investigators say Heatley admitted to hitting his victim with a hammer and striking him in the head with a glass object after he had been bound. Heatley was allegedly assisted by a female co-defendant. Reports state the victim was robbed of $6,500 in cash and his pickup truck. The two were later arrested at a Winston-Salem hotel after numerous reports of their whereabouts. The victim was hospitalized with life threatening injuries for more than two weeks. The co-defendant has a July court date.

Burnout operations continued Wednesday on the White Creek Fire near Shortoff Mountain at the south end of the Linville Gorge. The fire is estimated at 2,750 acres with 50% containment. Atmospheric conditions Wednesday afternoon caused smoke to lift upward before dispersing which made the smoke much more visible. Passing storms Tuesday evening provided no measurable rainfall on the fire.

Hickory City Council met Tuesday night in a regular meeting and heard a presentation of a Main Street Rehabilitation Award for the renovation of the former Lyerly Mill, now being used for different purposes and providing jobs. Council saw a short video detailing the 10 million dollar investment. City Council saw proposals for a "Leaf" display at the entrance to Hickory, with displayed designed to draw attention to motorists as they enter Hickory. A proposal to add "Hickory,NC" to the leaf display was voted on and passed by a 6-1 vote of city council.