The Paper Media

04/28/2025

Ernie Fletcher has never been addicted to a substance, but an encounter with someone who had set him on a mission to help those struggling with the insidious disease.

He told the story of that encounter and shared his broad base of knowledge on the topic during the Burke County Opioid Forum at the CoMMA (City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium) Tuesday evening.

The slender, unassuming Fletcher — whose dizzying resume includes Air Force F4 fighter jet pilot, board-certified physician, Baptist lay minister, United States Congressman, Governor of Kentucky, and aspiring professional saxophonist — was a member of congress at the time of the fateful meeting.

Kentucky’s chamber of commerce asked state leaders to live the life of a homeless person for 24 hours so they could better understand the difficulties of life on the streets.

Carrying only a blanket for protection against the cold, the Republican congressman settled down for the night near a city park.

“I met a guy by the name of Harvey,” Fletcher recounted. “Harvey was a homeless individual, and he sat down with us, and we visited that night, and we were all freezing, so we built a little fire in the city park. I guess they (the police) didn’t arrest us because they knew what we were doing.”

Harvey was a construction worker with a family, but his life had gone off the rails because of alcoholism. During Fletcher’s conversation with him, Harvey reached into his knapsack and took out two items: a Bible and a bottle of vodka.

Read the full article in The Paper.

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Former Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher spoke at the Burke County Opioid Forum on Tuesday evening at CoMMA>

04/28/2025

Should Morganton be "by the book' when it comes to helping the city grow?

04/27/2025

A Burke County businessman will be able to use a portion of his property to store equipment for his paving company despite the objections of a neighbor.

Mickey Evans of Evans Construction Company asked the board to rezone a 1.15-acre tract in Icard Township from residential to business.

Evans said his company is running out of space for its trucks and grading equipment and needs the additional parcel because his current parking area is crowded and unsafe for his 14 employees.

His neighbor, Terri Swanson, whose land is adjacent to the currently unused portion of Evans’ property, asked the commissioners to keep the residential zoning.

She said switching the property to business would open up the area to more truck traffic and wouldn’t fit in with the makeup of the neighborhood near Ashton Drive and Raintree Street, which primarily consists of private homes.

Swanson added there are numerous children who walk to and from the bus stop on those streets and worried the truck traffic might be unsafe for them.

Both Swanson and Evans addressed the board during the required public hearing. Evans presented the commissioners with a petition he said was signed by 22 members of the community who did not oppose the rezoning.

Read the full article in The Paper.

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The Burke County Board of Commissioners have approved the rezoning of a property in Icard Township.

04/27/2025

Residents in the Salem Fire District will see their fire tax rate go up after the Burke Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the hike at Monday night’s meeting.

Rates will rise from .716 cents to 1 cent per $100 of property value. For a piece of property worth $200,000, the tax bill would go up by $57 annually.

The rate increase will add $170,000 per year in revenue for Salem Fire and Rescue. Salem’s board of directors had previously unanimously voted to ask the commissioners for the rate increase.

The new rate will be contained in the fiscal year 2025-26 budget and will be official when the board approves the budget. The recommended budget will be presented to the board on May 19.

Commissioners Mike Stroud, Randy Burns, Jeff Brittain, and Phil Smith voted in favor of the measure, with Brian Barrier the lone opposing vote.

Both Smith and Burns offered heartfelt support for the Salem Fire Department, agreeing that Fire Chief Charles Autrey wouldn’t ask for anything the department didn’t need.

“I live in that district, so when I vote tonight, I’m going to be voting to raise my own taxes,” Smith said. “But everybody I’ve talked to said this man, Mr. Autrey, is not going to ask for something if he doesn’t need it.”

Read the full article in The Paper.

https://ecs.page.link/BQ74C

Residents in the Salem Fire District will see their fire tax rate go up after the Burke Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the hike at Monday night’s meeting.

04/26/2025

A celebration honoring Publisher Allen VanNoppen will be held Thursday, May 1, at 6.m. at the Burke Arts Council building, 506 S. Sterling St., Morganton.

04/26/2025

The deadline for filing income tax forms has been extended by both the state and federal governments.

04/26/2025

Five students at the North Carolina School for Science and Math developed CatchColor, an innovative app that assists the colorblind community in recognizing and differentiating between colors.

04/26/2025

Ingles in Morganton delayed reopening due to changed renovation plans invalidating building permits. New plans pending approval for store remodel.

04/26/2025

Blanch can help! Email your lifestyle / homekeeping / relationship questions to Burke County's own advice columnist to [email protected]. Blanch's column, 'Wisdom for Everyday Living,' appears on the fourth Saturday of each month in The Paper.

Dear Blanch,

04/25/2025

From office jam sessions to a successful scouting trip to Charlotte’s ShowFest, the dynamic duo behind Morganton’s TGIF Summer Concert Series has been hard at work, crafting a season full of free musical entertainment.

Kasey Goodfellow and Makenzie McGinnis promise that a fresh mix of returning favorites and exciting new discoveries will take the Historic Courthouse Square stage this year.

Goodfellow, downtown Morganton’s community events coordinator, and Main Street Manager McGinnis, recently announced the TGIF lineup, the result of many months of research and preparation.

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Planning included a January trip to ShowFest in Charlotte. The annual conference features an entertainment showcase where event organizers can sample a variety of acts. According to Goodfellow, planning the 12-show series is a year-long project.

She and McGinnis use their diverse musical tastes to find a variety of sounds to bring to Morganton. A random visit to their Downtown Morganton office may find the co-workers having a dance party as they check out possible acts for their schedule.

“We really complement each other with our different backgrounds in music,” Goodfellow said. “I make a list of different bands and play their music in the office.”

Both planners are excited about the variety of genres they’ve chosen for this year’s concert series.

Read the full article in The Paper.

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Discover the hard work and dedication of Kasey Goodfellow and Makenzie McGinnis behind Morganton’s TGIF Summer Concert Series, as they curate a diverse lineup of musical acts for the Historic

04/25/2025

The Town of Valdese has a new town manager, William “Todd” Herms. Herms will begin his new role on Thursday, May 1.

The announcement came after a specially-called, closed-door, one-hour meeting with the Valdese Town Council on Friday morning.

Valdese has hired a new town manager.

04/25/2025

Imagine a state-of-the-art learning center where kindergarten students can explore and discover in an innovative “maker space” learning lab. For Salem Elementary teacher Jamie Lynn Dale, that vision will soon be a reality.

Dale was recently named a recipient of the prestigious 2025 Career Award for STEM Teachers (CAST), an honor recognizing outstanding educators in North Carolina who demonstrate a profound commitment to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Dale is one of only five teachers across the state selected for this esteemed award, which includes a $175,000 grant distributed over five years to support professional development and enhance STEM experiences for students, schools, and communities.

Dale plans to use the grant to establish a STEM-focused maker space innovation lab at Salem Elementary. “I want that to be a hub for just great creative learning to take place where students can go outside of their classroom and can have resources available,” said Dale.

Alfred Mays, chief diversity officer and senior program officer for the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, delivered the surprise announcement. Mays praised Dale and her fellow recipients as visionary educators who are shaping the future of STEM learning. He said, “They demonstrate how a single educator can ignite a lifelong passion for STEM and open doors to future careers in STEM and innovation.”

Burke County Public Schools

Read the full article in The Paper.

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In recognition of her outstanding commitment to STEM education, kindergarten teacher Jamie Lynn Dale from Salem Elementary in North Carolina was awarded the prestigious 2025 Career Award for STEM Teachers

04/25/2025

The seventh annual Tony Causby Classic baseball tournament at Patton High School lived up to its name, as there were several classic games played during the two-day, round-robin style event. In the end, East Burke finished 3-0 to capture the crown, while Patton, Freedom, and Ashe County all posted 1-2 records.

Read more about the six games that took place over two days at the link below.

It wasn’t always pretty, but the East Burke baseball team found a way to win all three of its games during the seventh annual Tony Causby Classic at Patton High

04/24/2025

Simply Green Recycling was recognized at the Carolina Recycling Association’s (CRA) 35th annual conference and trade show for its community impact, both in its everyday operations and in its response to Hurricane Helene.

On March 26, professionals from across the recycling industry gathered in Wilmington to celebrate achievements and exchange knowledge. During the panel discussion, Isaac Crouch, owner of Simply Green, highlighted the company’s community outreach after the storm.

Simply Green collected more than 3,000 gallons of water and $6,000 in donations for supplies — including water, fuel, and fuel cans — then traveled to Asheville to assist with supply runs and recycling efforts.

“Simply Green is a pretty small fish in the big recycling pond, and I’m grateful that CRA values our perspective alongside much larger industry organizations,” Crouch said.

“This was my fourth year attending, and every year, I learn more about recycling and make new connections that help us expand our service offerings, work more effectively, and communicate better with our customers. The folks working in this industry truly care about the problems we’re all trying to solve with recycling, waste reduction, and sustainability. It was such an honor to be invited to participate and truly humbling to be recognized with the award.”

Simply Green Recycling

Read the full article in The Paper.

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Simply Green Recycling was recognized for its community impact at the Carolina Recycling Association’s 35th Annual Conference and Trade Show. Owner Isaac Crouch highlighted the company's outreach efforts in response to Hurricane Helene, collecting supplies and assisting with recycling efforts.

04/24/2025

A step back in time is coming to Morganton.

Epicurean Speakeasy, dubbed Epic, is bringing the Roaring Twenties to life with a Prohibition-era speakeasy, complete with dim lighting, vintage decor, and a secret password at the door.

Epic, on South King Street behind CoMMA, is expected to open to the public in mid-May.

Behind a large door with a small sliding window, guests will be greeted with a relaxed, stay-as-long-as-you-want ambiance, background music softly playing, and trained mixologists serving up intricate cocktails.

‘What’s the password?’
Co-owners Thomas Schmitt and Carmen Parisi, both retired, wanted to bring something fresh and eclectic to Morganton.

“We’ve covered the United States in our jobs, but we talked about this speakeasy in Milwaukee. It was such a cool idea,” Schmitt said. “You know, this town could really use something like that.”

“Something different with panache,” Parisi added.

Epic will feature six seating areas and a bar with room for 10. The feel and design draw inspiration from secret bars that operated during the U.S. Prohibition era from 1920 to 1933 when alcohol was banned and nightlife became an underground culture. True to the tradition, guests at Epic will need to know the nightly password to get in.

Read the full article in The Paper.

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A step back in time is coming to Morganton with the opening of Epicurean Speakeasy, dubbed Epic, in mid-May. This Prohibition-era speakeasy, located adjacent to the Morganton Cigar Club, will transport guests to the Roaring Twenties with dim lighting, vintage decor, and a secret password for entry.

04/23/2025

Senior guards Braelyn Stilwell (East Burke) and Peyton Caldwell (Freedom) landed on HighSchoolOT.com's all-state girls basketball team this week, and you can read about their accomplishments at the link below.

Also in the attached story...
- Former Draughn baseball star Blake McElyea plans to transfer from Queens University of Charlotte.
- Morganton native Brayden Crump will play basketball at ETSU next year after spending the past year and a half at Elon.
- Silver Creek Golf Club has crowned several tournament champions recently.
- The NCHSAA has revealed its spring championship sites.
- Signups for the Morganton Recreation Department's summer adult softball league are ongoing.

HighSchoolOT.com announced its fifth annual all-state girls basketball team this past Sunday, with two Burke County hoopsters making the cut.

04/23/2025

Combining tradition, heritage, strong market position, and technological expertise, global automotive leader Continental AG, with two plants in Morganton, has renamed its automotive business AUMOVIO, effective April 23.

A leading Morganton manufacturing facility now has a new name -- Aumovio.

04/23/2025

Longtime Drexel Alderman Terry Yount resigned his position Wednesday afternoon, effective immediately. Young cited ongoing health issues as his reason for stepping aside.

Longtime Drexel Alderman Terry Yount has resigned.