COVID-19 UPDATE

Caldwell County Public Health reported the second highest single day cases of Covid-19 since March on Friday.  83 new cases were reported, where 2 thousand

8 hundred and 31 people have contracted the virus.  19 patients are hospitalized

in Caldwell County and 18 hundred and 64 patients have recovered.  Burke

County is reporting 3 thousand 3 hundred and 4 cases of the virus with six

patients hospitalized and 2 thousand 7 hundred and 51 people recovered. 

Catawba County reported 45 new cases of Covid-19 yesterday for a cumulative

total of 5 thousand 1 hundred and 71.  51 patients are hospitalized in Catawba

County and 4 thousand 1 hundred and 30 patients have recovered. McDowell County

reported 15 new positive cases Friday, for a total of 1-thousand-339 with 

119 McDowell residents in quarantine.

Armed Robbery Arrest

A Catawba County man accused of the theft of two vehicles and an attempted

theft of another, was arrested yesterday after a multi county chase.  Thirty-nine

year old Keith Allen Willis, Jr. was arrested after he was spotted by deputies in a

stolen vehicle, taken from a woman by knifepoint in a parking lot of a gas station

near Oxford School Road and Interstate-40.  Deputies chased Willis from Springs

Road in Hickory into Alexander County before apprehending him.  Willis is also

accused of the Friday afternoon theft of a truck from a Northeast Hickory

business, and the attempted theft of another vehicle from a gas station parking

lot in Catawba the same day.

Blue Angel Comes In Today

The City of Hickory will welcome the Hickory Aviation Museum’s latest addition to

its permanent aircraft collection, Blue Angel Number 5.  The plane is scheduled to

arrive at the Hickory Airport around 12:30 p.m. today.  The plane had originally

been scheduled to arrive on Friday, but due to the approaching Tropical Storm

Eta, the time table was moved up.  The Hickory Aviation Museum is located at the

Hickory Regional Airport and is open on Fridays from 10 a.m. till 3 p.m.; Saturdays

from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  Masks are required of

all visitors over 5 years of age.  Admission is free.  The indoor museum and gift

shop are currently closed to the public.