The Morganton News Herald

Burke County's county government is kicking its cell-phone addiction. It's not quite going cold turkey, but many of the devices on Jan. 1 will go dark. Intervention started months ago with the board of commissioners. Full Story »

It will begin to look a lot like Christmas on Sunday afternoon when the foyer and gymnasium of the Collett Street Recreation Center is transformed into a smorgasbord of holiday sights designed by John Griffin, an event planner from Raleigh who has worked with Martha Stewart. Full Story »

A blue spruce pine tree is lit for the holidays each year on the Historic Courthouse lawn. The lights on the tree represent memories of and honors to loved ones. Full Story »

For the week of Nov. 8-14 Full Story »

The Table Rock Middle School Jazz Band has been honored with an invitation to play at this year's North Carolina Music Educators Association annual conference in Winston-Salem on Monday. Full Story »

A motorist ran off the road late Friday afternoon and into CBS Sports, 911 N. Green St. Full Story »

The man accused of running his car into the Burke County Courthouse early Friday morning said he was drinking before the incident. Full Story »

Burke County's government collects property taxes; it doesn't normally refund them. Full Story »

MORGANTON — A Walmart Supercenter for Morganton may not open until 2012, but its potential effects were felt in a decision made Thursday concerning other commercial development around the former Henredon plant. Full Story »

Almost 900 Burke County elementary school children and staff experienced opera theater in two performances of "Jack and the Beanstalk" set to selected music from six Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Full Story »

The continuing national recession hit Morganton's municipal government hard in 2008-09. Full Story »

If pancakes aren't enough to draw you to the Morganton Rotary Club's annual pancake breakfast, maybe a 5k run beforehand will wake you up. Full Story »

South Mountain Athletic Conference 3A/2A football games scheduled for Nov. 6. Full Story »

Northwestern Athletic Conference 4A/3A football games scheduled for Nov. 6. Full Story »

A man police say robbed a woman at State Employees Credit Union ATM machine in Morganton is now in the Burke County Jail. Full Story »

Firefighters from Drexel, Valdese and Triple Community fire departments responded Tuesday afternoon to a fire at the vacant Drexel Heritage plant one. Full Story »

Delivering unheard-of majorities of up to 90 percent, voters emphatically returned two incumbents and elected two political newcomers -- together known as the SWAT team -- to the Burke County Board of Education. Full Story »

The Burke County school board elections weren't the only races happening Tuesday. Voters in municipalities elected two new mayors and re-elected four mayors. Full Story »

We lost one of our biggest basketball fans from my coaching days at Salem last week when Clarence Clark passed away. Clarence took a special liking to our 1964 team as did many others, and for good reason. Full Story »

Halloween may not be a distant memory yet, but the gift-giving season is quickly approaching. Full Story »