COVID-19 UPDATE

Burke County’s Covid-19 number climbed to 969 yesterday.  Statistics on the

Burke County Health Department facebook page indicate 675 of that number

have recovered.  5 patients are currently in the hospital.  In Catawba County, 30

new cases were added yesterday for a total of 669.  303 patients have recovered

in Catawba and 12 are hospitalized.  Caldwell County has 14 new covid-19

patients as of yesterday bringing the total there to 342.  13 patients are

hospitalized.  Brockford Inn Assisted Living Facility had six new  Covid-19 positive

tests yesterday bringing the total at that facility to 8.  And in McDowell County,

there were two new cases yesterday for a total of 196.  106 patients have

recovered in McDowell County.

NC Mask Controversy  

At 5 p.m. today , North Carolinians age 11 and older will be required to

wear masks, as required by Governor Roy Cooper, but the enforcement of that

edict is not at all clear.  A growing number of Sheriff’s in North Carolina say they

won’t be enforcing the mask policy, some in our area.  Already the Iredell County

Sheriff and Catawba County Sheriff say the mask order is non-enforceable. 

Catawba County Sheriff Don Brown says the Sheriff’s Department encourages all

citizens to take the precautions they feel necessary to protect their families and

themselves, but his office will not be criminally enforcing the mask order.  In

Burke County, Sheriff Steve Whisnant says the Executive Order issued does not

authorize law enforcement personnel to criminally enforce the face covering

requirements against individual workers, customers or patrons.  However, they

will be enforcing trespassing laws, if someone refuses to wear a mask on the

premises of a business and refuse to leave.  North Carolina is one of three

Southern states requiring masks due to Covid-19.

COVID Hospitalizations

North Carolina had 891 Covid-19 patients hospitalized yesterday.  In Wednesday’s

address Governor Roy Cooper said hospitalizations had been increasing over the

past 30 days.  The North Carolina Hospital Association says the State’s hospitals

can flex up to 3,514 licensed ICU beds across the state.

Bojangles Video  

A Facebook video has resulted in the firing of some workers and an apology from

Bojangles.  The video shows workers spitting in the kitchen at a Bojangles on 302

Blowing Rock Road in Lenoir.  Bojangles management says the workers have been

fired and they are sorry for anyone offended by the video.

Meth Charge 

McDowell County Sheriff deputies have arrested a Paxton Creek Road resident

after a search of her home turned up meth.  25 year old Alisha Danielle Pitt’s

residence was searched by sheriff’s deputies and probation and parole officers.  1

gram of meth was found.  She was charged with possession of meth and

possession of drug paraphernalia.

Food Truck

During a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday at the Olive Hill Resource Center, members of the Burke County Board of Education, along with officials from Blue Ridge Healthcare and Carolinas Healthcare declared the new Burke County Public Schools Food truck open for service.

The state of the art professional grade food truck will begin rolling into neighborhoods July 7^th to feed local students.

Aside from the summer feeding program, the truck will be utilized during the regular school year for field days, sporting events, and other special school events.

A news release says it can also serve as a classroom on wheels for high school culinary students.

Beginning July 7^th, the new food truck will be delivering meals to children 18 and younger on Tuesdays and Fridays at three Morganton locations.

The truck is scheduled both days at Hillcrest Elementary at 11am, at PPG Paint store at 11:45, and Walker Road Baptist Church at 12:30.