Archived

May 5, 2006

PRIMARY 2006: Blust downs Garwood; Shook gets GOP nod

Races in Tuesday’s primary elections were runaways for the most part, as winners got broad support across the county despite low voter turnout.

Read More...

SBI seizes items from composting site

Though no charges have been filed, the state has seized equipment and records from a controversial compost operation.

Read More...

Project Graduation begins May 5

Norman Cheek is doing his part to help keep High Country high school seniors safe on graduation night.  The Toyota of Boone owner will host a fundraiser for Watauga High School’s Project Graduation Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 5, 6 and 7, at his dealership.

Read More...

Day of Immigration doesn’t show up in Watauga

A “Day of Immigration” passed with little fanfare in Watauga County, though some local immigrants traveled to participate in events elsewhere.

Read More...

E-mail torrent supports Boone steep-slope plans

Last week’s public input session with the town of Boone’s Steep Slope and Multi-Family Development Task force yielded plenty of feedback, which task force members deemed quite helpful.

Read More...

Burglary trial ends in acquittal

A Watauga County Superior Court jury on Tuesday acquitted a Boone man of a charge of possession of burglary tools after a trial lasting a little less than four hours.

Read More...

May 3, 2006

PRIMARY 2006

Blust beats incumbent

Watauga County Commissioner David Blust has beaten out incumbent state Sen. John Garwood in the District 45 Republican Primary 4,841-3,922, according to unofficial results. Blust won Garwood's home county of Wilkes, 2,521-2,177. In Ashe County, Blust also led 1,513-1,042; Alexander County, 807-703.

Election officials reported a very low turnout Tuesday --- about 3,500 in Watauga County.

Raw data results are as follows for Watauga County...

State Senate, District 45 (Republican)

John Garwood    900
Winner: David Blust   2,695 (will face Democrat Steve Goss in the Nov. election).

State House, District 93 (Republican)

Winner: Gene Wilson 1,846 (will face Democrat Cullie Tarleton in November).
Dan Hense  448

House results are total rather than countywide (Watauga  and Ashe).

Sheriff

Winner: Shook 2,966 (will face Democrat Len Hagaman in November).
Moody 710

U.S. Congress, District 5  (Democratic)

Winner: Sharpe 929 (will face Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx in November).

Holmes 315
Kirkman 200
Glen 187

County Commissioner, District 1  (Democratic)

Winner: Mary Moretz 1,675
Doug McGuinn 300

School Board  (Non-Partisan) lowest vote getter will not advance to general election.

Younce 3,150

Henries 2,583
Warren 2,539

Utter 1,767

Trivette 1,664
Wheeler 1,635
Smalling 1,499 will not advance

Bird flu? No need to panic

While the avian flu, or “bird flu” as it’s commonly called, has dominated headlines, the actual threat posed by the disease doesn’t match the headlines.

Read More...

Vilas man killed in Saturday accident

A Vilas man is dead and a Boone woman is in serious condition following a Saturday morning head-on collision on N.C. 105 just south of Boone.

Read More...

Assault case closed after three years

A Watauga County man pleaded guilty Monday to beating up his girlfriend and threatening to kill her when she refused to return his wallet to him nearly three years ago.

Read More...

Finding mountain hotspots

As Larry Griffin sits in the Higher Grounds Coffee shop, he sips espresso while perusing a proposal he will soon email to a potential client.  Griffin is one of many High Country residents who prefer the cafe’ environment in which to surf the Web connected via a high speed wireless (Wi-Fi). And free Wi-Fi hotspots are cropping up in the area.

Read More...

 

May 1, 2006

Fire engulfs Best Cellar Blowing Rock firefighters attempted to extinguish a fire early Monday morning that destroyed the Best Cellar restaurant on Little Springs Road in Blowing Rock. A spokesman for the Blowing Rock Fire Department said the first call came in about 6:30 a.m. when a soft drink distributor making deliveries at the Food Lion store near the restaurant, noticed a small fire on a porch outside the building. The fire spread rapidly from there and had fully engulfed the restaurant by the time the first firefighters arrived, said the spokesman. The fire was brought under control just after 8.  A half dozen Boone firefighters joined 17 Blowing Rock personnel in the effort to save the restaurant. A small cottage behind the main building was spared. Investigators are looking into the cause of the fire. Best Cellar was established in 1975 and the owners are Rob Dyer and Lisa Stripling. Photo by Jerry Sena

Early primary turnout light

Watauga County voters will go to the polls Tuesday to narrow down the list of candidates for school board, choose a county commissioner and sheriff’s candidate, and help decide primaries in two General Assembly races and a Congressional race. A number of statewide judicial races are on both party’s ballots as well.

Read More...

Sheriff’s reports: 

April 13 — Jordan Lee Pickett, 18, of 492 Willard Johnson Dr., Vilas, was arrested and charged with one misdemeanor count of financial card fraud and one felony count of obtaining property under false pretense. He was placed under a  $2,000 secured bond and scheduled to appear in the New Hanover County District Court in Wilmington on May 4.

Read More...

Midpoint census shows slight drop for Watauga

Though concerns over traffic, water supply, developmental pressures and affordable housing continue to dominate government decision-making, Watauga County’s population is actually declining.

Read More...

New tourism board expects to gain $300K

Watauga County is expected to collect nearly $300,000 in occupancy taxes in the first year under a new tax.

Read More...

Committee focuses on sediment runoff

When people think of water quality issues, they often think first of industrial pollution and wastewater spills.

Read More...

County mulls new animal rules

Watauga County’s updated animal control ordinance is still a long way from complete as planners seek more information before submitting the ordinance for a public hearing.

Read More...

Junk car ordinance leads to arrest

A Blowing Rock man was arrested Thursday when a Watauga County Planning and Inspections officer accused him of assault.

Read More...