Sorry, your subscription does not include this content.
Please contact your publisher to upgrade your subscription.
Morganton
Hometown Walkabout invites community to experience Burke
By THE NEWS STAFF
Thea Yang, values and culture director for The Industrial
Commons, stands in front of the downtown mural that honors Burke
County’s Asian community. The woman in the center of the mural is
Thea’s mother, Mai Vue.
LISA PRICE / THE PAPER
The Industrial Commons (TIC) will host its next Hometown Walkabout Community Cohort on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The event offers community members an opportunity to experience Burke County through the people, places, and stories that have shaped the region.
Hometown Walkabout is a place-and story-based learning experience that takes participants through downtown Morganton to hear from local storytellers, visit historic sites and public art, and explore the diverse histories and lived experiences that make up the community.
The experience includes stories connected to African American, Asian American, European American, and Hispanic American communities, with each storyteller sharing their individual experience rather than representing an entire community.
“Some of the most meaningful stories in our community are right in front of us — in the people we work with, live beside, go to school with, and see every day. We can live in the same community and experience it very differently,” said Thea Yang, values and culture director at The Industrial Commons.
“Hometown Walkabout creates space to hear some of those stories firsthand,” she continued. “When we better understand what has shaped our neighbors, we have a stronger foundation for building relationships, supporting one another, and strengthening the community we share.”
Registration is offered on a sliding scale. Space is limited, and advance registration is required.
Children over the age of 10 are welcome as paid attendees with a registered parent or guardian. Parents/guardians, please note that some stories include mature topics, so please use your discretion when deciding for your child.
Community_news
Burke County Smart Start celebrates 3rd annual Smart Start month
Gov. Josh Stein has proclaimed September 2026 as Smart Start Month, honoring the vital work of the Smart Start Network on behalf of the state’s youngest children and the families and caregivers who raise them.
Burke County Smart Start, Inc. (BCSS), is proud to be one of 75 Local Partnerships statewide that together make up the Smart Start Network.
“We’re grateful Gov. Stein continues to recognize the value and strength of our network that families in every corner of this state have come to trust, rely on, and count on year after year,” said Amy Cubbage, president of the North Carolina Partnership for Children, the nonprofit that leads the network.
Smart Start is a network of 75 local nonprofit partnerships that reach every one of North Carolina’s 100 counties, all working to create better outcomes for children from birth to age 5.
Across the state, Smart Start Local Partnerships focus on three core goals: expanding access to high-quality early care and education; partnering with families to connect them with support, education, and the resources they need; and strengthening health and development outcomes for young children.
Beyond direct services, Smart Start functions as critical infrastructure for North Carolina’s early childhood system, partnering with state and federal agencies and other nonprofits to close service gaps and administer statewide programs. This includes the administration of state, federal, local, and private programs and services such as NC Pre-K, child care subsidy, Head Start, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, and more.
Smart Start Local Partnerships have the flexibility and the data to determine how to improve the health, well-being, and development of children in each community based on local needs and resources.
In Burke County, BCSS provides needed services and supports for the community such as Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, NC Pre-K, Read and Grow with Me, STEPS Part-day Preschool, Smart Start Subsidy, Provider Insurance Benefit Package, and Child Care Provider Training and Technical Assistance.
“The work we do is critical to young children, families, and the community,” said Kathy Smith, executive director of BCSS. “We collaborate and partner with other agencies to provide an extensive reach into the birth to 5-year-old population. Our mission is to develop and provide, through public and private means, early childhood education and developmental services for children ages birth to five and their families. We also aim to bring together families, churches, businesses, and government to improve the overall lives and school readiness of young children in the community.”
Research consistently shows that investments in high-quality early childhood initiatives like Smart Start pay off in the long run for children, families, and communities through increased educational attainment, higher earnings, reduced crime, and better health outcomes.
“This is the third September in a row North Carolina has stopped to recognize this work, and that consistency means something,” Cubbage said. “Our network is going to keep showing up for children and families from the mountains to the coast just like we always have.”
— JM
Community_news
Meeting Place Mission’s annual grilled cheese competition set for Oct. 4
Meeting Place Mission, a Morganton-based organization that aids homeless women and children, is hosting its 14th annual “Give Cheese a Chance” fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 4, on the Historic Morganton Courthouse Square.
According to the event flyer, all that’s needed to enter a team into the grilled cheese competition is a gas grill, your favorite ingredients, a creative grilled cheese recipe, and a desire to have fun and support a great cause. Set up starts at 9 a.m., and teams will fire up their grills and begin serving samples to guests when the competition starts at noon.
Tickets are $25 to attend the grilled cheese competition, which lasts until 2:30 p.m., and a ticket purchase includes grilled cheese samples and tomato soup. Beverages will also be available for purchase, including during a special Bloody Mary Bar hour that begins at 11 a.m., ends at 2 p.m., and is a new addition this year (the cost is $25 for two drinks).
Family tickets can also be purchased for $65, and they cover two adults and up to two children under the age of 6.
Attendees may bring a camping chair or stroller, and no pets are allowed.
An electric pizza oven and rolling cooler will also be given away, with raffle tickets for that prize combination costing $10 for one ticket, $20 for 10 tickets, and $50 for 20 tickets.
All proceeds from the Oct. 4 event will help provide housing stability to women and children in the community.
Tickets are available online at tinyurl.com/52f865hc, and they can also be purchased at the gate on event day. Call 828-432-5659 with questions.
Click and hold your mouse button on the page to select the area you wish to save or print.
You can click and drag the clipping box to move it or click and drag in the bottom right corner to resize it.
When you're happy with your selection, click the checkmark icon next to the clipping area to continue.
