COVID-19 UPDATE

Catawba County added 17 new Covid 19 cases yesterday for a total of 842 cases. 

416 patients have recovered in Catawba and 12 are hospitalized.  12 new cases

were added in Caldwell County yesterday bringing the total to 424.  There, 416

have recovered.  16 patients are hospitalized.  And in McDowell County, six new

Covid 19 cases were recorded yesterday.  The McDowell total is now 224.  143

patients are out of quarantine in McDowell County. Burke County reported 22

additional positive cases, bringing Burke's total to 1,048. 223 cases remain active

and six individuals are currently hospitalized.

Meth Trafficking Ring Broken

14 individuals, 11 from Catawba County, have been charged in federal court in

drug conspiracy and related charges in connection with a methamphetamine

trafficking ring.  36 year old Ruth Marie Duggar, 55 year old Kimberly Deann

Bumgarner, both of Claremont, 34 year old Cynthia Roxanne Shook of Catawba,

32 year old Lowell Thomas Messer of Sherrills Ford, 26 year old Samantha Jean

Taylor and 37 year old Jason Keith Reichard of Newton, 29 year old Aaron Douglas

Goodson of Maiden and 33 year old Priscilla Chapman Lambert of Hickory all face

charges.  38 year old James Kristoffer Cantly, a Catawba County resident, now

incarcerated in Georgia, 40 year old Brian Duane Martz, a Catawba County

resident now incarcerated in Georgia, and 34 year old Michael James Notheisen, a

Catawba County resident incarcerated in North Carolina also faces charges.  34

year old Thomas Dewayne Simmons, Jr of Snellville, Georgia,  31 year old

Jonathan Corey Daniel incarcerated in Georgia, 33 year old Tiffany Christmas

Hirani, incarcerated in Georgia, also face charges.

City Recycling Center to Close

The City’s recycling convenience center, located in Shuey Park at 101 Golf Course

Road, will permanently close by July 15^th.  The City has offered recycling services

to its citizens at its convenience center since 1992.  Closing the center was

approved by City Council during the June 15^th meeting.  There are still recycling

sites provided by Burke County which are paid for, staffed and maintained by

taxpayer dollars.

New Scam

A new phone scam has landed in McDowell County.

The McDowell Sheriff’s Office says the scammer is impersonating a sheriff’s deputy who states he has a warrant for the person he’s speaking with because they failed to appear for jury duty.

The caller then reportedly states the person should send money or gift cards in order to get rid of the warrant.

Officers urge residents to avoid giving money or personal information to strangers.

Obtain a name and number and verify that the caller works where he says he does.

For additional information, call the McDowell Sheriff’s Office at 652-2235.

Porn Charges

A Marion man faces numerous child pornography charges. 

45-year-old Jacob Daylen Ross of Landis Road is charged with 12 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

McDowell detectives, reports say, had received information that Ross was having inappropriate sexual contact with children.

During an investigation, authorities recovered numerous electronic files containing child pornography involving victims three-years-old and younger.

The McDowell Sheriff’s Office states in a news release that the case remains under investigation as officials continue to go through the electronic files.

Should you have questions or concerns, call Detective Manis at 652-2237.