COVID-19 UPDATE

As the number of positive cases of COVID-19 continues to rise daily, Burke County public health says Burke is currently at 2-thousand-977 positive cases, an increase of 24 cases since Sunday. 396 cases are active, 2-thousand-508 cases are termed recovered, and 5 individuals remain hospitalized.

98 new Covid-19 cases have been reported since late Saturday in Caldwell County. 

That total marks the highest number of cases in a single report for the county.  All

together, 2 thousand 4 hundred 66 people have contracted Covid-19 in Caldwell. 

16 hundred and 7 have recovered and 19 patients are hospitalized.    The Caldwell

Health Department learned of the 31^st Covid-19 related death yesterday.  The

patient was over the age of 75 and had been hospitalized with underlying

conditions.  Catawba County reported 73 new cases of Covid-19 yesterday for a

cumulative total of 4 thousand 3 hundred and one.  32 patients are hospitalized

and 3 thousand 2 hundred and 47 patients have recovered. McDowell County reported

 26 new positive cases Monday with 128 still in quarantine.

Early Vote 

Early voters continue to go to the polls in our area during one stop voting.  Burke

County saw some two thousand additional votes cast yesterday at the 5 early

voting sites.  Burke now stands at 44 percent of the registered voters who have

cast ballots for the November 3^rd General Election.  That means 25 thousand 4

hundred 93 people have already voted.  46 thousand 9 hundred 63 people have

voted in Catawba County which represents 43.3 percent of the registered voters

in the county.  46.7 percent of Caldwell County’s voters have cast ballots for 25

thousand 3 hundred and 38 votes.  And McDowell County stands at a 37.9

percent turnout rate with 11 thousand 2 hundred and 84 votes.  Early voting

continues today through Saturday.

Federal Fugitive

A traffic stop in McDowell County leads to the arrest of a wanted federal fugitive.

A Sheriff’s deputy stopped 27-year-old Chandra Danielle McCool of Old Fort for an expired driver’s license October 13^th.

Upon checking for outstanding warrants, the officer discovered McCool was a federal probation absconder.

Once taken into custody, a search of McCool, her vehicle and belongings turned up meth, suboxone, clonazapam, marijuana, and a defaced handgun.

She now faces numerous drug related charges along with possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a gun with an altered serial number.

Conover Shooting Update

A second suspect in last week’s fatal Conover shooting is being investigated.

According to reports, the unnamed suspect has not been charged, as authorities are in consultation with the district attorney’s office to determine which charges apply to the suspect’s involvement.

A previous news release from the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office say Samuel Hernandez-Loza was discovered deceased from a gunshot on White Tail Circle in Conover October 19^th.

Tony Marshall Shook was arrested that day and charged with murder in connection with the incident.

He is being held without bond with a court appearance scheduled for November 10^th.

Authorities say charges concerning the second suspect most likely won’t be addressed until the grand jury convenes in November.