Burke County Public Schools recently received a donation of a refrigerated truck from Case Farms in Morganton.

A news release says child nutrition staff has had an increased need for places to keep meals frozen during the student meal distribution program.

Director of child nutrition Daniel Wall says the refrigerated truck will be able to freeze up to 26-thousand meals.

Wall states the truck was a very big need that was met for our community and students.

Packaging Corp of America has also been donating cardboard boxes to package and store the individual meals.

Schools superintendent Dr. Larry Putnam says donations like these and others that Burke County Public Schools has received are what keep us going in helping to support our students and staff.

Burke County Public Health reported Sunday the sixth COVID-19 associated

in the county. The individual in their late 80’s was hospitalized and later died

from complications associated with his underlying conditions. Also on

Sunday Burke County health officials reported 71 positive cases of COVID-19.

McDowell County reported 21 cases, Caldwell County 23 and Catawba 43.

Statewide 6,493 residents have tested positive with 172 deaths.

Some area communities have been approved for grant requests. Under the

 State’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account program, the Town

of Drexel was given a $647,100 grant to help the Town in its redevelopment

of a 70-acre site that was the home of the former Drexel Heritage plant. In 

the Vacant Building Category, the City of Hickory received a $75,000

grant to support the reuse of an 11,372-square-foot building, where a

company, Aritax, LLC, will invest almost $1.3 million dollars and is

expected to create 11 jobs. In the Existing Business Building Category,

the City of Lenoir was given a $200,000 to support the renovation of a

216,137 square-foot building that is occupied by Woodgrain Millwork,Inc.

which expects to add 33 jobs and invest over $200,000. In the Rural Health

Category, the Town of Granite Falls received a grant of $210,000 to

support the construction of a 57,188-square-foot building. Tullock

Management, a senior healthcare provider, will expand its operations with a

new 60-bed facility at this location. The company is expected to create 21 jobs

and invest over $1.6 million dollars.  The NC Rural Infrastructure Authority

approved 17 grant requests across the state totaling more than $6.5 million.

The seizure of a stolen car with drugs inside leads Burke deputies to arrest a Morganton man.

A news release states officers were on routine patrol Wednesday near the intersection of Zion Road and Amherst Road whenever they observed a vehicle with an expired tag.

Upon investigation, officers stopped the vehicle and identified the driver as 31-year-old Matthew English of 3305 Junior Fox Road.

Reports say English had a suspended driver’s license and the car had been reported as stolen.

A search of the vehicle turned up a substantial amount of meth.

He was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, possession of meth, maintaining a vehicle or dwelling place for a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

English was held at the Burke County jail under a 20-thousand dollar secured bond.