COVID-19 UPDATE 

Burke County has been notified of the 47^th Covid related death.  The individual

was in their 50’s and was hospitalized, but died from Covid-19 related

complications.  Burke now has 2 thousand 4 hundred and 15 cumulative Covid-19

cases with 2 thousand and 66 recovered.  7 patients are hospitalized.  Catawba

County reported 13 new cases of Covid-19 yesterday for a total of 3 thousand 1

hundred 74 cumulative cases.  Of that number 2 thousand 7 hundred 50 have

recovered and 14 are hospitalized.  McDowell County reported 9 new cases of

Covid yesterday for a cumulative total of 9 hundred 40.  8 hundred 17 patients are

out of quarantine.  And Caldwell County reported 7 new cases of Covid yesterday

for a cumulative total of 1 thousand 6 hundred 91.  1 thousand 65 patients have

recovered and 23 are hospitalized.

App Student Dies from Covid

An App student has died with Covid 19.    19 year old Chad Dorrill, a sophomore

exercise science major, died Monday night at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston

Salem. The campus was notified on Tuesday afternoon of Dorrill’s death by the

Chancellor.    Dorrill lived off campus and all of his classes were online.  He was

diagnosed earlier this month with Covid-19 and suffered from later complications.

 

Caldwell Schools Will Go to Plan “A”  

The Caldwell County Board of Education has approved the state’s Plan “A”

reopening format for elementary schools grades K-5.  The Board decided in a

special session held yesterday to allow elementary schools to reopen on Monday,

October 19^th, the first day of the 2^nd 9 week grading period.  Elementary schools

will still require health screenings, face coverings, frequent hand washing and

social distancing as often as feasibly possible.  Students may continue to opt for

full remote learning through Caldwell Connect.

The Hickory City School Board voted 4-3 to remain on hybrid learning at least until

January of 2021.  The elementary schools will continue with two day a week in

class instruction instead of possibly four or five days.  A survey of 1 thousand 3

hundred and 21 parents indicated 61 percent wished their children to return to

schools five days a week, but faculty and staff stressed the importance of safety.

Catawba County Schools will allow 2^nd and 3^rd graders to return to four day a

week in class instruction beginning October 20^th, and 4^th and 5^th grade students to

return to class four days a week on November 30^th.  Friday will be a remote

learning day for both groups of students.  A survey in Catawba County of parents

showed 81 percent wanted their students to return on Plan “A” in grades 2 thru 5. 

52% of the staff also supported the return to Plan “A”.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered in Lincoln County

Lincoln County deputies recovered a vehicle stolen from Gastonia while

responding to a call around 4:30 a.m. yesterday.   Deputies had responded to a

breaking into motor vehicles call on Shiloh Run Lane when they encountered a

Mazda CX5.  A neighbor, leaving for work, gave officers a description of a male

and female who were standing with the vehicle and officers located them a short

time later.  18 year old Calvin Alexander Fair of Gastonia was charged with one

felony count of breaking and entering a motor vehicle and one misdemeanor

count of attempted breaking and entering a motor vehicle.  He was placed in jail

under a ten thousand dollar secured bond.  The woman was not charged.