COVID-19 UPDATE

Catawba County added 23 new coronavirus cases yesterday bringing their

cumulative total to 2 thousand 5 hundred 50.  Of that number 1 thousand 2

hundred 60 patients have recovered and 16 are hospitalized.  Caldwell County

had 19 new cases yesterday for 1 thousand 4 hundred and 1 total cases.  7

hundred 71 have recovered and 19 patients are hospitalized.  Caldwell had an

additional case reported from Lenoir Health Care where there are now 3

employees and one resident who have tested positive for Covid-19.  In Burke

County there are one thousand 9 hundred and 77 cumulative cases as of

yesterday.  1 thousand 6 hundred 86 have recovered and 11 are hospitalized. 

McDowell County added 10 new Covid-19 cases yesterday for a total of 7 hundred

44.  5 hundred 91 patients in McDowell County are out of quarantine.

Foothills Red Status

A spike in COVID-19 cases has placed a local minimum-custody prison facility on ‘Red Status.’

Foothills Correctional Institution in Morganton reportedly has four offenders who work in a laundry facility who have tested positive for the virus.

A Charlotte news outlet reports the inmates who tested positive have continued to work at the laundry housed on the Broughton Hospital grounds, and in the kitchen at the higher-custody unit at Foothills.

A prison spokesperson says the laundry facility was thoroughly sanitized after three Broughton Laundry employees tested positive and taken off the job.

On August 14^th, reports say, the offenders from Foothills were tested for COVID-19 when the four were discovered to be positive.

Prison officials state the four were immediately separated from others, and placed in medical isolation where they remain.

Reports say news of the inmates continued work outside the prison has caused the ACLU of NC to question the state’s department of public safety in how it is caring for prisoners during the pandemic.

A hearing is set for Friday regarding a previous motion submitted by the ACLU to better protect inmates from COVID-19 while in custody.

3 Arrested for Child Abuse

A Valdese woman is charged with felony intentional child abuse inflicting serious

physical injury in connection with a Child Protective services report on the abuse

of an 11 month old male child. 39 year old Donna Faye Lingerfelt-Adams.

was taken into custody and issued a fifty thousand dollar secured bond on the

charge.. Burke County Sheriff’s Detectives continued an investigation thru a

search warrant served on the residence August 25^th, where Lingafelt Adams as

well as 47 year old Terry Allen Griffin and 54 year old Cletus Delon Stamey was

present.  Lingafelt-Adams and Griffin were found in possession of meth and

Lingafelt Adams was also found in possession of oxycodoone.  Stamey was

arrested on an outstanding failure to appear warrant.  Subsequently, Lingafelt-

Adams was charged with felony possession of meth and misdemeanor possession

of oxycodone, and Griffin was charged with felony possession of meth.  Griffin

and Lingafelt Adams were jailed under four thousand dollar bonds each and

Stamey under a $3 hundred 11 dollar cash bond.

Cawthorn Speaks at Republican Convention

11^th District Republican US Congressional candidate Madison Cawthorn told

Republican convention watchers last night that if he is elected in November, he

will be the youngest member of Congress in over 200 years.  The twenty-five year

old Henderson County native stressed that young people can change the world,

pointing out George Washington was 21 when he received his first military

commission; Abraham Lincoln was 22 when he first ran for office, and James

Madison was 25 when he signed the Declaration of Independence.  Cawthorn,

who was injured in an automobile accident at age 19, spoke from a wheelchair

until he stood in the final minutes of his speech with the aid of a walker.  “This is a

time of great adversity for our country.” Cawthorn said, “And I know something

about adversity.”  Cawthorn faces Democrat Morris Davis from Asheville in

November.

Scam Attempt

A would-be scammer impersonating a police officer visits a Rutherford College resident Tuesday.

According to a news release from the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, the female suspect knocked on the resident’s door and claimed to be a police officer.

Reports say the suspect questioned the victim about when she worked and when she would be away from her home.

The resident reportedly shut and locked the door; while the female suspect left in a green Subaru with tinted windows.

Anyone who has had a similar encounter with a person fitting this description should call the Burke County Sheriff’s Office at 438-5500.

Officials with the Burke Sheriff’s office warn citizens to not allow a stranger into their homes.

Residents are urged to speak to anyone unfamiliar through the door before opening it.

Ask for an ID to be shown through the door’s glass.

Call the company the person claims to represent to verify they are legitimate.

Always call law enforcement to report any suspicious person.

Scam Man

McDowell County Sheriff’s deputies need help in identifying a man believed to be part of a credit card scam.

Several Marion residents have reported their mail being stolen, and some have reported the suspect attempted to open credit card accounts in their names.

A photo of the suspect is on the McDowell Sheriff’s office website at mcdowell-sheriff-dot-com.

Authorities have been unable to identify him.

Anyone with information about the suspect’s identity should call Detective Watson with the McDowell Sheriff’s Office at 652-2237.