February 3, 2006
Shipping out
Friends and family of the members of the 1451st National Guard unit gathered near the armory in Boone to wave goodbye to the soldiers on Thursday morning as they left for Indiana and, eventually, to Iraq or other Middle East nations as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo by Marie Freeman |
Saying goodbye
Robert Johnson holds his daughter, Sarah, before boarding the bus in Boone taking the 1451st Transportation Company to Indiana. Photo by Marie Freeman
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Suspect claims 'Lord’ told him to ‘shoot them all’
Chief District Court Judge Alexander Lyerly has appointed a forensic psychologist to evaluate the mental fitness of alleged trailer-park shooter Gary Steve Powers at the request of his defense attorney.
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Neighbors saw a standoff coming
The Norrises weren’t quite sure what was happening, but it sounded for all the world like someone was throwing rocks at their door.
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News brief: Fire claims Hound Ears home
Foscoe firefighters and rescue personnel responded to a house fire in the Hound Ears community early Thursday morning, only to find the home had nearly burned to the ground by the time they arrived.
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Blowing Rock Water system garners EPA award
Blowing Rock may be looking for a new water source, but it’s doing pretty well with the system it already has. The town recently learned it was selected for a national award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its water system. Blowing Rock won the 2005 Consumer Confidence Report Award in the “Small surface water system” category from the EPA. The award will be given at the next town council meeting on Feb. 14.
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Watauga tax burden fell in 2004
Watauga County slid down the ranks of counties in the average tax burden per resident in 2004, but its tax burden still grew at above the statewide average.
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Boone: Few problems with proposed gun range
A proposed extension of the multi-family development moratorium headlines the agenda for the town of Boone winter quarter public hearing.
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February 1, 2006
They’re a bit jumpy
Ashley Gallagher, right, and an unidentified friend dive into Lake Chetola during the Polar Plunge, the “watermark” event of Blowing Rock’s annual Winter Fest. Although temperatures creeped into the 50s, the festival drew thousands and included ice sculptures, a chili cookoff, wine auction and several other activities. Photo by Marie Freeman |
Suspect officially accused of wounding deputy
Gary Steven Powers, the man accused of shooting a Watauga County Sheriff’s deputy and shooting up his neighborhood Sunday night, had his first hearing inside the county jail Monday morning.
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Boone urges water conservation
Every drop counts. Though the town of Boone doesn’t want residents to actually count every single drop, town officials do want them to learn the importance of water conservation.
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Sister to the rescue: Saving little Lily Brown
Twelve-year-old Rachel Tilghman of Boone recently earned the highest mark from a babysitting class: She saved the life of her little sister.
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Be bacteria-alert to fight colds
With the flu season possibly poised to begin in earnest, some of the biggest disease threats may be right at your fingertips.
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Winds shatter record and windows at Grandfather
Just a week and a half after winds reached 181 mph on Grandfather Mountain, the fifth-highest wind recorded there, Mother Nature dealt a heavy blow to the mountaintop. Wind gusting at least 200 mph hammered the Swinging Bridge Visitor’s Center in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Jan. 25, breaking the mountain’s wind-speed record and damaging several areas of the building.
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Watauga records state’s lowest jobless rate
Watauga County boasted the state’s lowest unemployment rate for December 2005. Coming in at 3 percent, down .2 percent from November, Watauga County could be forming its own track record, as the county had the lowest rate in the state (3.4 percent) in 2004, as well.
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January 30, 2006
Troops prepare to depart
As the national anthem plays, soldiers from the 1451st Transportation Company salute during the activation ceremony for Operation Iraqi Freedom held Sunday at Watauga High School. For more on the departure ceremony, please link with the article below. Photo by Mark Mitchell
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Deputy shot during three-hour standoff
A Watauga County Sheriff’s deputy was wounded and dozens of law-enforcement officers summoned when a Boone man barricaded himself inside his home at a East Boone trailer park Sunday night.
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Supporters see 1451st off to Iraqi deployment
About 800 people showed up for a ceremony Sunday for the troops of the National Guard 1451st Transportation Company. The company will leaving this week for Indiana, before being deployed to active duty in Iraq and Kuwait.
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Guard: Preparing to leave
The local National Guard unit is shipping out for active duty again, and soldiers spent part of last week preparing at the National Guard Armory in Boone.
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Murder suspects will face possible death penalty
Three men accused of kidnapping, murdering, and burning the body of an Appalachian State University student late last year will face a possible death penalty if convicted.
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News briefs: Brush fires snarl up Friday traffic
A series of five brushfires blocked traffic on Old U.S. 421 east of Boone Friday afternoon. The fires burned a total area of an acre of grassland on the same side of the road. Debris from a truck may have been the cause, though fire officials are still investigating.
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Blust, Garwood make Senate races official
Two candidates have made their official statements regarding their decision to run for the state Senate.
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Elections board pledges new machine money
Counties were assured more assistance in funding new voting machines under a state Board of Elections (BOE) decision Thursday.
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Foxx listening tour draws fire from some
Rep. Virginia Foxx’s (R-5) listening tour was intended to allow local government and community leaders the chance to voice their concerns and legislative requests for the upcoming year.
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