Tuesday was Election Day in four central Burke municipalities – Valdese, Drexel, Morganton and Glen Alpine  – but apparently a lot of registered voters never got the memo. Turnout was …

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7. Veterans Day is Saturday, Nov. 11. It is fitting that the two dates fall so close to each other, for one would not be possible without the other. The millions of men and women who have served our country in the Armed Forces, in times of war and of peace, have made it possible for us to vote.

Not since 1980 has the Town of Valdese been embroiled in the sort of election-related tension, division, and speculation that are rampant today as a result of the looming municipal vote. If there was …

The term “game-changer” probably gets thrown around a little more loosely than it should in the media. But a couple of events that occurred in Burke County last week truly do meet the dictionary …

Barring improbable circumstances, the Confederate monument on the Historic Courthouse Square is not going to be moved. Our five Burke County Commissioners have made it plain they have zero interest …

Six municipalities across Burke County will be selecting leaders in the upcoming “off-year” elections – Glen Alpine, Morganton, Drexel, Valdese, Connelly Springs, and Rhodhiss. The  …

The Confederate Monument, located on the north side of the Historic Courthouse Square, quite literally dominates downtown Morganton. The soldier who stands atop that monument looks down on every …

Whether you love or hate the annual Historic Morganton Festival, you’ll have to admit that the event comes together with military-like precision each September on our downtown streets. Drive …

A lot of folks have been showering The Paper with thanks and praise lately for spurring the U.S. Postal Service into finally taking action to repair the yawning sinkhole that has been growing next to …

Yes, we know the morning commute has been mighty easy for the past 10 weeks or so. None of those slow-moving, frequently-stopping big yellow school buses to clog up the highways. No young drivers …

Walk the Point Lookout Trail between Old Fort and Ridgecrest and the views range from fantastic to unbelievable. A neat aspect of the 3.75-mile trail is that it closely parallels the Southern Railway …

There are reasons – too many reasons – why cancer is often referred to as “The Big C.” Despite all the advances in research, in prevention, and in treatment that have been made over the past …

Remember all those things you vowed back around Memorial Day that you were going to do this summer? Well, it’s about time to get busy and do them. Unless you want to wait until the summer of 2024. …

As you’ve already seen from looking at the front page of today’s edition, we have once again given prominent placement to another story and a photo highlighting the ongoing danger posed to our …

According to The Cambridge English Dictionary, the meaning of “soon” is: “in or within a short time; before long; quickly.” Well, apparently the United States Postal Service has never read …

Just a little reminder of what it is we’ll be celebrating on July 4… our Declaration of Independence: When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the …

Serving as a county commissioner, especially in Burke County, is no job for the faint of heart. Commissioners represent local government at its most basic level – will the water come on when the …

One of the great things about being a weekly newspaper is the extra time it gives our news staff to go beyond surface reporting and take a closer look at issues that are having a great impact on our community.

This series is about the fentanyl epidemic in Burke County.

In graduation ceremonies around the county this weekend, a little more than 800 young people will be receiving their high school diplomas. We congratulate each of them and we acknowledge just what a …

At its best, a newspaper is all about community. Educating its community. Uplifting its community. Telling the many and varied stories of its community. Being, in many ways, the heart of its …

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this weekend is going to be a major washout, weatherwise. Today will be cloudy, chilly, rainy, and windy. Ugh. Ditto for Sunday. Double ditto for Monday. But …

The controversy over the Burke County Public Schools’ “Pig Rig” isn’t just about ham. It’s also about hype.   As a pediatrician in North Carolina, I have practical concerns about the …

Whaddya say we take a moment and chew the fat about the Pig Rig? Not familiar? The Pig Rig is the gas smoker/cooker which the Burke County Public Schools purchased earlier this year. The Pig Rig is …

Hamilton vs. Burr. Montagues vs. Capulets. Hatfields vs. McCoys. Burke County Commissioners vs. Burke County Board of Education. OK. Perhaps we exaggerate. But only slightly so. For about as long as …

On the surface, it didn’t seem like a big deal: A proposed change to Morganton’s zoning ordinance that would have made it an infraction to put up vinyl-coated chain-link fencing in the front …