Filing Begins for the 2024 Primary

Filing for the 2024 Primary Election begins at noon on Monday, December 4, and continues through noon on Friday, December 15. To file, candidates must be registered to vote in Caldwell County.
The following elected offices are open for filing and can be filed for at the Caldwell County Board of Elections, 120 Hospital Avenue in Lenoir:
Caldwell County Commissioner
Three Seats, currently held by Jeff Branch, Randy Church, and Robbie Wilkie
Four-year Term
Filing Fee: $57
School Board Member
Three Seats, currently held by Chris Becker, Ann Edwards, and Darrell Pennell
Four-year Term
Filing Fee: $12
Register of Deeds
One Seat, currently held by Wayne Rash
Four-year Term
Filing Fee: $ 851.54
N.C. State Senate Districts 45 & 47
One Seat Per District, currently held by Ralph Hise and Dean Proctor
Two-Year Term
Filing Fee: $140
N.C. House of Representative District 87
One Seat, currently held by Destin Hall
Two-Year Term
Filing Fee: $140
Filing for congressional seats, District Court Judge, State Court of Appeal Judge, and Superior Court Judge takes place at the North Carolina State Board of Elections in Raleigh.
The 2024 Primary Election will be on Tuesday, March 5.
For more information about filing, call 828-757-1326 or 828-757-1342.
 
Catawba County Schools Announces Two Dynamic Additions to Directors Team NEWTON, November 27, 2023 — Catawba County Schools Superintendent Dr. Matt Stover announced the addition of two new directors—Director of Elementary Education and Director of Transportation. The school board confirmed these positions at Monday night’s regular Board of Education meeting. “We are excited that these two very talented professionals will be sharing their passion and experience with us,” explains Dr. Stover. “It’s wonderful to promote our own team members to new leadership positions within our district.” Catawba County Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of Mitzi Story as the new Director of Elementary Education. Mrs. Story, an esteemed educator with a deep-rooted history in Catawba County, succeeds Shelly Black, who will be pursuing a new opportunity in a neighboring district. Mrs. Story will assume her new role on January 1, 2023. With a comprehensive background in educational leadership, Mrs. Story has notably served as the principal of C.H. Tuttle Elementary School since 2016. Her academic credentials include a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education and a Master’s in School Administration, both from Appalachian State University, where she also distinguished herself as a member of the Mountaineers basketball team. Mrs. Story’s career in education began as a teacher at Claremont Elementary School. She subsequently ascended through various administrative roles, including Assistant Principal at both Claremont and Mill Creek Middle School and Principal of Webb A. Murray Elementary in 2013. Reflecting on her appointment, Mrs. Story expressed enthusiasm for her new role, stating, “I have been blessed to live and work in Catawba County School my entire career. I’ve had the opportunity to build lasting relationships with the families within this community and cherish my experiences at every level.”very talented professionals will be sharing their passion and experience with us,” explains Dr. Stover. “It’s wonderful to promote our own team members to new leadership positions within our district.” Catawba County Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of Mitzi Story as the new Director of Elementary Education. Mrs. Story, an esteemed educator with a deep-rooted history in Catawba County, succeeds Shelly Black, who will be pursuing a new opportunity in a neighboring district. Mrs. Story will assume her new role on January 1, 2023. With a comprehensive background in educational leadership, Mrs. Story has notably served as the principal of C.H. Tuttle Elementary School since 2016. Her academic credentials include a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education and a Master’s in School Administration, both from Appalachian State University, where she also distinguished herself as a member of the Mountaineers basketball team. Mrs. Story’s career in education began as a teacher at Claremont Elementary School. She subsequently ascended through various administrative roles, including Assistant Principal at both Claremont and Mill Creek Middle School and Principal of Webb A. Murray Elementary in 2013. Reflecting on her appointment, Mrs. Story expressed enthusiasm for her new role, stating, “I have been blessed to live and work in Catawba County School my entire career. I’ve had the opportunity to build lasting relationships with the families within this community and cherish my experiences at every level.uniquely to lead the department toward continued excellence. About Catawba County School System: Catawba County Schools System (CCS) is a district with a bold vision for today – and an eye toward our future. The largest school district in Catawba, CCS is comprised of 28 schools in five geographical attendance zones with an enrollment of approximately 15,700 students. With 16 elementary, 5 middle, and 5 high schools, as well as an early college high school and alternative high school, CCS offers diverse and intriguing choices that give students access to the amenities and activities of a large district while remaining agile and responsive to evolving needs. To learn more about Catawba County Schools, please visit www.catawbaschools.net
 

City installs electric vehicle charging stations at parks

Several City of Morganton parks have recently become home to electric vehicle charging stations.
As the United States leads to become more energy efficient, the amount of electric vehicles have increased across the country.
The city has installed two EV Level 2 (slow charging) charging stations that are currently active and one DC fast charging station. One located at Catawba Meadows across from the playground area and the second located at the Soccer Complex. The fast charging station is located at Martha’s Park. The funding for this project came in the form of a grant from the NC Volkswagen Settlement that was administrated by the state. In the future, the City will install one more DC fast charging stations at another location.
Special Projects Manager, Rob Winkler said, “The City wants to provide these charging stations for residents and visitors. These locations are visited frequently by the community and will be a great place to utilize them.”
City Manager Sally Sandy said, “This is an investment that we foresee will be a growing need in our community. We want to make Morganton a place where many can come to stay and visit and having these electric vehicle charging stations will help make that happen.”