The City of Morganton announces closings due to concern about the

spread of COVID-19 in the community. Details on closures include:

 1. All City of Morganton indoor recreation facilities are closed until

April 17^th, with all City athletic programs also cancelled. This will

affect both the Collett Street and Mountian View Rec Centers as well

as the Aquatic Center. All scheduled activities held at these facilities

are canceled for the next 30 days.

 2. City of Morganton outdoor parks will remain open, but restrooms at

City parks will be closed.

 3. The City of Morganton Parks and Recreation Spring Break Camp

scheduled for April 13-17 at Mountain View Recreation Center, and

the Easter Egg Hunt scheduled for April 4^th at Catawba Meadows Park

are both canceled. Planned Senior Trips to The Cove on March 26^th and

Old Salem on April 16^th are canceled.

 4. All events and meetings at the Morganton Community House have been

canceled for the next 30 days.

 5. CoMMA has canceled the remainder of its 34^th season.

 6. The City of Morganton is suspending late fees and disconnection of

utility services for nonpayment for the next 30 days. Customers can still

pay their bills online at morgantonnc.gov, by using drop boxes located at

the front entrance and back parking lot, or by using the drive-thru at

City Hall.

 7. At this time, City officers will remain open for business, and garage

collection will operate on a normal schedule. Utilities, Streets, Public

Safety, and Sanitation departments all continue to operate as normal.

 8.The City of Morganton still plans to hold the Morganton City Council

meeting on April 6^th.

 9. The City of Morganton respectfully asks anyone who is ill or sick to

stay home. Customers are encouraged to practice social distancing and

conduct any business with the City by phone by calling 437-8863.

Burke County Public Schools has opened seven grad-and-go feeding

locations, The schools that will be open for food distribution through the

car rider lines from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday are:

 1. Table Rock Middle

 2. Liberty Middle

 3. Mountain View Elementary

 4. Valdese Elementary

 5. East Burke Middle

 6. Ray Childers Elementary

 7. George Hildebrand Elementary

On Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the meals will be

available through the car rider lines of East Burke Middle, Valdese

Elementary, Mountain View Elementary and Table Rock Middle,

The American Red Cross now faces a severe blood shortage due to an

unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations in response to the

Coronavirus outbreak. In the Greater Carolinas region, 116 blood drives

have been cancelled, resulting in nearly 4,000 fewer blood donations.

Healthy individuals are needed now to donate, by visiting

RedCrossBlood.org, using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, calling

1-800-RED-CROSS or use the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Morganton Public Safety is warning of a SCAM Alert. If the number

1-888-226-0078 calls you, claiming they are Duke Power or City of

Morganton Electric, it is a false number. They will try to ask you for

payment over the phone and they may threaten disconnection for a past

or late bill, but this is a SCAM.