A German company will bring 102 new jobs to Burke County. A leader in vinyl window production, Veka Inc. will locate a new facility in Burke, and invest $18 million dollars over the next 4 years. Vela is one of North Carolina's most respected suppliers of vinyl window and door profiles. They will receive a $500,000 performance-based grant from the 'One North Carolina Fund' which provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Burke County and the City of Morganton have approved local incentives matching 50% of the new taxable investment for 7 years. Vela will occupy the former Caterpillar plant on Ceramic Tile Drive with operations slated to begin early next week. Burke's facility will mark Veka's fourth American location.

Fifteen schools in the Burke County Public Schools district will receive funding to add or update outdoor activity spaces for student as well as community use. A grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust for $555,169 will fund the projects. On November 27th, Burke County Public Schools provided a $61,686 match for a grant award. The following schools will benefit with the funds going for athletic equipment, tracks, courts, playground equipment, a football field restroom and a kids fitness course.
Elementary Schools:
Forest Hill, Oak Hill, Ray Childers, Drexel, George Hildebrand, Glen Alpine, Hildebran, Icard, Mull, Valdese, WA Young, Hillcrest as well as North Liberty.

The Fonta Flora State Trail grand opening scheduled for tomorrow, has been changed to a soft opening due to construction constraints and adverse weather conditions. County staff will be onsite, 5311 NC 126 in Morganton (intersection of Fish Hatchery Road & NC 126), from 9:30-10:30am tomorrow with hot chocolate to answer questions about the trail and future projects. Grand opening festivities will be held in the spring.