Area COVID

The latest figures released by the Burke County Health Department shows Burke with a total of 10-thousand-356 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started.

Currently, 122 cases remain active, and 5 Burke residents are in the hospital.

Caldwell County reported 15 new cases Thursday for a total of 9-thousand-581.

4 in Caldwell are hospitalized.

Catawba County reports 10 additional cases of the virus with 11 remaining in the hospital.

Catawba’s total now stands at 19-thousand-360.

McDowell County saw four new cases yesterday for a total of 5-thousand-173.

9 people in McDowell are in quarantine.

Burke’s community drive-thru COVID vaccination clinic today from 9 to 11 am at Valdese Weavers.

First and second doses of the Moderna vaccine will be administered.

Walk-ins are welcome.

Budget Meeting

The Morganton City Council will hold a special meeting Monday evening in order to hold a public hearing concerning the city’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2021/2022, and to vote on the adoption of the budget.

The meeting will take place in council chambers at Morganton City Hall at 305 East Union Street at 6 pm.

Newton Wreck

A multi-vehicle crash in Newton Thursday sends four motorists to area hospitals – three of those reported to have been critical.

The accident happened at the intersection of West 7^th Street and Northwest Boulevard.

Investigators reported two people were transported to Winston Salem; one to Wake Forest Baptist Med Center, and the other to Brenner’s Children’s Hospital.

The victim taken to Brenner’s, reports say, was one of three people in a driver’s education vehicle affiliated with Catawba County Schools.

The other two injured victims were transported to Catawba Valley Medical Center.

No word on current conditions of those involved.

Newton Police, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the State Highway Patrol, Newton Fire, and Catawba County EMS responded to the scene.

Suspicious Vehicle and Drugs

The investigation of a suspicious vehicle by McDowell deputies results in the discovery of drugs.

Officers responded to the parking lot of the Tate Street Welcome Center just before 5 am on May 30th.

Reports say they found 52-year-old Robert Luther Dover Junior of Jacktown Road in Marion to be the car’s driver, and at his feet in the vehicle’s floorboard a bag of a white crystal substance.

Further investigation of the substance revealed it to be methamphetamine.

Dover was charged with meth possession.