Effective 5:00 p.m. June 30, 2021, Catawba County Board of Commissioners Chair Randy Isenhower officially ended the countywide State of Emergency which was declared in Catawba County March 18, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to end the State of Emergency was made by and with the consent of all municipalities within Catawba… View More
June 2021
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Catawba County government offices and libraries will be closed Monday, July 5, 2021 in observance of the Independence Day holiday. The Blackburn Landfill will also be closed. The Catawba County Park System (Bakers Mountain, Riverbend and St. Stephens parks) will be open Monday. Government facilities that have closed for the holiday will reopen Tuesday, July 6, following their usual… View More
If you’re participating in the Catawba County Library’s Summer Learning program – and you’ve hit the halfway mark of the reading challenge – you can claim a big reward for your efforts! Kid and teen readers who have logged at least 300 minutes in the Beanstack app (or submitted their paper reading logs at the library) can come to any branch to get a voucher for the… View More
If you’re trying to improve your health naturally, you’ve probably heard about ‘superfoods,’ those items that contain a high concentration of health-promoting nutrients. What you may not know is how they work and how they can boost overall well-being. If you’d like to learn more, the Catawba County Library is hosting a virtual program outlining the value of superfoods at 11 am on Monday, June 28. To register… View More
Planning for a career and conducting a job search can be enormous tasks, and the process of gathering all the right information and putting the pieces together can seem overwhelming at times. Thankfully, the folks at NCWorks are a terrific resource. Focused on workforce development, they support both job-seekers and employers, so they’re well-versed in the best ways to help you make progress in your career and get where you want to… View More
The Catawba County Board of Commissioners approved a Fiscal Year 2021/22 county budget of $308.4 million at their June 21, 2021 scheduled meeting. The approved budget, which goes into effect July 1, 2021, is now available online at https://catawbacountync.gov/county-services/budget-management/2021-22-budget/. The budget was increased by $4.5… View More
Do you count on nature to calm you when you’re frazzled? Are you eager to get outside after a long week of work and family obligations? The library is partnering with Dr. George Place, director of the Cooperative Extension and a certified personal trainer and tai chi instructor. Twice-monthly, he’s inviting people to join him at one of the county’s parks for a two-part session of gentle… View More
The library’s community garden is a natural offshoot of the programs and work the library coordinates as a whole. It offers space to relax, produces vegetables for The Corner Table Soup Kitchen, and drives home the importance of hands-on garden classes. Helping in the garden is a wonderful way to connect and give back. If you enjoy being outside and working in the soil, we’d be happy to… View More
LIBRARY PROGRAMS 828.465.8665 Seed Library: Donate & Borrow Ongoing We're building a seed library, where the community can exchange seeds for free! We now accept viable seeds at all locations during their standard business hours, and heirlooms are especially welcome. Please package and label any donations you drop off. Seeds may also be borrowed… View More
(Pictured L-R) Catawba County Sheriff Don Brown, Commissioners Kitty Barnes, Austin Allran, Sherry Butler and Barbara Beatty, and County Manager Mick Berry gathered at the Catawba County Detention Facility in Newton June 22, 2021, to commemorate the completion of the facility’s expansion project. Planning for the project began in 2016. The expansion was planned to coincide with the recent closure of the Burke Catawba District… View More
Seniors Morning Out sites are re-opening on Tuesday, July 6th. Participants will enjoy a variety of activities in July including craft and cooking classes. Any resident of Catawba County who is 60 or older is invited to join Seniors Morning Out, which is held between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday at five convenient locations. A hot, balanced lunch is served each day. Programs are free to participants, who may pick… View More
Parents, do your kids know how important owls were to Native American tribes? Could they name the four most common owls in North Carolina? If you’d like for them to discover more about these fascinating nocturnal creatures, join the Catawba County Library for two upcoming Summer Learning programs. The interactive Zoom sessions are family-friendly and child-appropriate. The first takes place at 11 am on Tuesday, June… View More
Title: Building Services Supervisor, Plan Review Department: Utilities & Engineering How long have you worked with the county? 6 years What does your job involve? Please describe what you do. I supervise a unit of building inspectors whose main responsibility is Plan Review, and one employee specializes in safety and… View More
Teens, are you a fan of K Pop and J Pop? Do you love anime and manga? How about bulgogi and sushi? If you’re intrigued by all things Asian, the Catawba County Library encourages you to participate in a virtual discussion to share what you’re into and what you’d like to learn more about. The ‘Passport to Asian Cultures’ program takes place at 6 pm on Tuesday, June 22; register at… View More
Do your kids long for a puppy? Do they constantly float the idea of getting a dog as a childhood companion? If you’d like to give them a chance to interact with dogs and get a feel for different dog personalities, join us for our upcoming Kennel Club Meet & Greet. The fun, informative session takes place at 9:30 am on Saturday, June 19 in the community garden of the Main Library in Newton. Kennel Club… View More
The Library to Go, the Catawba County Library’s mobile library, is partnering with Smyrna Church for twice-monthly stopovers in the Town of Catawba. These Summer @ Smyrna visits take place outdoors on the second and fourth Fridays of each month at 6770 Sherrills Ford Road, Catawba, NC. The next gathering is slated for Friday, June 25 from 5-7 pm. At the relaxed outings, you can enjoy stories,… View More
Summertime brings all kinds of incredible produce to local farmers markets, not to mention home-grown honey, cut flowers, prepared foods, and other seasonal goodness. Luckily, Catawba County has a wide variety of market options available to residents throughout the week. The Library to Go is a frequent partner at these popular events, adding another appealing element to the mix. While you shop for fresh, flavorful items to feed the… View More
LIBRARY PROGRAMS 828.465.8665 Contribute to Our Seed Library Ongoing We're building a seed library, where the community can exchange seeds for free! We now accept viable seeds at all locations during their standard business hours, and heirlooms are especially welcome. Please package and label any donations you drop off. Seeds may also be borrowed from… View More
According to the American Heart Association (AHA),” Cardiac arrest is the abrupt loss of heart function in a person who may or may not have been diagnosed with heart disease." What that says to me is that a cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time. The average age of cardiac arrest in Catawba County is 65. It is not uncommon for cardiac arrests to occur in younger people as well. That's why it's so important that all of us know… View More
Beginning June 22, the COVID-19 vaccine clinic is moving to Public Health from the Hickory Metro Convention Center. Vaccinations will be offered Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome. Also beginning that date, individuals will be asked to bring their insurance card when they come to get their vaccine. Health insurance is not required to receive the vaccine and there is no out-of-pocket expense for individuals with or… View More
By Dr. Billy Price Dr. Billy Price is a pharmacist and physician serving Catawba County for many years. He is the medical consultant for the Adult Health programs, Immunizations, Communicable Disease and Tuberculosis programs at Catawba County Public Health. Now that COVID-19 vaccine is readily available in our community, we have the ability to vaccinate more people than ever before. Despite it being more… View More
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day takes place June 15, 2021. The purpose of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is to raise awareness and promote a better understanding of the abuse, neglect and exploitation of older adults in communities worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), elder abuse is an intentional or negligent act by a caretaker or another person that causes harm or creates a risk of harm to… View More
Let’s get moving! To complement its virtual learning programs this summer, the Catawba County Library is offering a series of movement classes with Stretch-n-Grow of the Foothills. The certified instructors will encourage kids to find the fun in fitness and set up good habits from an early age. The sessions are scheduled for Wednesdays at 10 am, June 16 & 30 and July 14 &… View More
Did you know that North Carolina is home to some 470 species of birds? It’s little surprise, then, that birding – the practice of observing birds in their natural habitats – is such a popular pastime. If you’d like to know more about how to enjoy local birds, the Catawba County Library will be offering a virtual program featuring birding enthusiast Jean McAnulty at 12 noon on Thursday, June 17. She’ll be… View More
It’s time for our second, outdoor, family-friendly party! The first event was incredibly popular – more than 100 people attended! – and we hope you’ll come out for even more in-person fun! This one takes place at 6:30 pm on Thursday, June 17 in the community garden at the Newton Library and will immerse visitors in the two main features of this year’s Summer Learning theme: animals and… View More
Weekly storytime sessions are a library mainstay, bringing families together for early literacy programs and fun engagement activities. Kids are invited to talk, move, and follow along with easy-to-understand narratives and diverse characters. Storytime leaders add lots of entertainment, holding the kids’ attention and involving them in the spirit of participation and learning. This week, in conjunction with Summer Learning, we’re… View More
We’ll wrap up our four-part Healthy, Happy & Wise series this week with a fascinating session about the science of happiness. Trying to discover the secrets of contentment can be an elusive task or cause confusion about what really makes us happy. Throughout this wellness series, certified personal trainer Dr. George Place has helped us identify ways to look after our long-term physical health through smart strategies. In this… View More
LIBRARY PROGRAMS 828.465.8665 Contribute to Our Seed Library Ongoing We're building a seed library, where the community can exchange seeds for free! We now accept viable seeds at all locations during their standard business hours, and heirlooms are especially welcome. Please package and label any donations you drop off. Seeds may also be borrowed from… View More
Kids, have you ever found a wild animal that was injured and didn’t know what to do about it? If you’d like to learn the best practices for helping an animal in distress get the care it needs, join the Catawba County Library for a virtual program with the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Banner Elk, NC. Representatives from the facility on the campus of Lees-McRae College will provide expert guidance and also introduce a… View More
Are you a budding writer working on a novel? Do you have questions about building a narrative and bringing your characters to life? The Catawba County Library is pleased to be hosting a virtual workshop featuring North Carolina writer Heather Frese to help you hone your craft. It takes place at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, June 8; to register, visit… View More
This month, the library is participating in Leap Into Science Week! The annual observation explores concepts and principles related to the natural world and was created by The Franklin Institute, a science museum in Philadelphia, PA. This week, we’ll be investigating the relationship between light and shadow in our everyday environment by playing with the strength of light, the shape of shadows, and much more! The STEAM… View More
Are you interested in increasing your physical fitness but have limitations regarding what you can do? Consider our chair yoga series, which offers the benefits of movement but without the intensity some exercises demand. You can do everything required while you remain seated in a chair without arms. We’ll focus especially on stretching in a variety of ways and using different techniques. As you limber up, you should be able to make… View More
Who doesn’t want to write to a dragon?! Can you imagine all the fun things you’d talk about? If your child would like the opportunity to share their thoughts with the library’s pet dragon – and get answers to lots of questions they might have – let them know that the Conover Branch will be hosting a dragon for its writer-in-residence this summer. All the child has to do is write a letter to the dragon and drop it off… View More
LIBRARY PROGRAMS 828.465.8665 Contribute to Our Seed Library Ongoing We're building a seed library, where the community can exchange seeds for free! We now accept viable seeds at all locations during their standard business hours, and heirlooms are especially welcome. Please package and label any donations you drop off. Seeds may also be borrowed from… View More
The Catawba County Board of Commissioners today appointed former Catawba County Deputy Attorney Jodi Stewart to serve as Catawba County Attorney. Stewart brings more than 15 years of local government representation to the role of county attorney, including serving Catawba County for the past nine years. After representing local governments in private practice, Stewart joined Catawba County in 2012 as assistant attorney and was… View More
Catawba County Manager Mick Berry has recommended a budget of $303.9M for Fiscal Year 2021/22. The recommendation maintains the current property tax rate of $0.575 per $100 of valuation, which remains the second-lowest tax rate among 11 neighboring counties. The full budget recommendation may be viewed online at… View More