Morganton Man Charged with Murder 

A Morganton man has been charged with Murder. Just after 2:30 a.m.

Wednesday, Burke deputies were dispatched to Royce Drive, to a reported

shooting. Deputies located Brandon Chase Jones in the basement of the

house without a pulse. Burke County EMS arrived and pronounced Jones

as deceased. Subsequent to an investigation by Burke detectives and in consultation with the District Attorney’s Office, 56-year-old Rodney Howard

Sanders was charged with Murder. He is being held at the Burke County

Jail under no bond, with a District Court appearance scheduled for today.

The investigation is continuing. The Burke County Sheriff’s Office was

assisted by Drexel Police and Burke EMS.

COVID-19 Update  

Burke County Public Schools was informed by the Health Department

on Wednesday of a cluster of 5 positive COVID-19 cases at Ray Childers

Elementary School. According to a Public Schools press release, 37 people

are quarantined and it involves 2 different classrooms on the same

grade level.

McDowell County reported 14 new COVID cases yesterday, with 185

residents in quarantine,

Caldwell County on Wednesday reported 112 virus cases and 4 COVID

related deaths since Monday. 12 Caldwell residents are in the hospital.

Catawba County yesterday reported 304 COVID-19 cases in the past week

with 29 residents in the hospital.

Catawba Drug Search  

Two Catawba County residents are charged with Felony Trafficking

Marijuana. The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office assisted Maiden Police

with a search warrant at 8 East Holly Street. Among the drugs reportedly

found were 101 pounds of packaged Marijuana and 15 grams of Cocaine

along with two assault rifles, one pistol and about $9,000 in cash. Arrested

were 22-year-old Christian Chase Parker of Maiden and 21-year-old

Alexis Susan Lineberger of Sherrill’s Ford. The investigation is continuing

by Maiden Police with additional charges anticipated.