Archived: August 25, 2006

New WHS process begins

The Watauga County commissioners moved forward on the high school project, approving preliminary work and setting up possible funding flexibility.

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In closed session: Council passes booting rules

To address the volatile issue of wheel-locking in downtown Boone, the Boone Town Council met in closed session last Thursday in an attempt to resolve the situation. Town attorney Sam Furgiuele had drafted 11 possible action items to address the matter, one of them being an outright ban of wheel-locking in town. The town council opted to approve three others, though, the first intended to create different standards for signage in residential parking lots from commerical parking lots by adding the language in bold.

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New group wants bill to protect Globe

With the fate of 231 acres of Pisgah National Forest hanging in the balance, a group calling itself “Friends of Grandfather/Blowing Rock Scenic Views” is calling on lawmakers to help them fight a proposed timber reduction and herbicide project by the U.S. Forest Service.

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Fire damages wildlife sanctuary

Genesis Wildlife Sanctuary is recovering from a fire and is seeking help as the volunteers continue their work restoring injured animals to health.

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Hickory resident is last of track layers

The last surviving man who helped lay the tracks of Tweetsie Railroad recently paid a visit to the Wild West theme park on Blowing Rock to see how his work was holding up.

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School board honors local community college

Watauga County Board of Education members honored a local community college and met the school system’s new child nutrition director at their Aug. 14 meeting.

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State wants to place tower on Rich Mountain

Watauga County Planning Director Joe Furman is not a snake expert but he knows a thing or two about VIPERS.

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Sen. Burr drops by to tour Boone water system

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) dropped by Boone Monday to test the waters.  While on recess from the Senate, Burr toured western North Carolina, his last stop for the day being Boone, where he visited town hall and chatted with several town officials.

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August 23, 2006

Suspect says he fatally shot stepfather to protect mother

An Avery County teen wanted in the slaying of his stepfather turned himself in to police early Monday morning.

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Inflatable sign measure gets some air

The Boone Town Council made short work of a long list of zoning amendments, unanimously approving them all.

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Clues may solve search for historical artist

The historic Blair House in Boone may be providing clues to the identity of a “mystery painter,” who went from house to house a century ago.

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Sheriff’s report:

Aug. 11 — A Blowing Rock woman complained of banging on her windows just after 10 p.m.  Garrett Lee Greene, 21, of 1778 Miller’s Gap Hwy., Newland, was served with an order for arrest alleging he failed to appear on a misdemeanor probation violation. His bail was set at $1,000 and a District Court hearing was scheduled for Sept. 22.

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Wounded Warrior owes success to area customers

As its 17 years in business demonstrate, Wounded Warrior’s popularity is anything but wounded.

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Real men carry purses

I wanted to deny reality. I wanted to shout: “That’s not me! I’m not like that!”

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August 21, 2006

Breaking news: Avery teen wanted in shooting case

The Avery County Sheriff’s Office issued arrest warrants for a boy they say fatally shot his stepfather on Sunday.  Police reports state Derrick Palmer, 16, allegedly shot Dana Blankenship in the Cranberry community.  Police say Palmer fled on a red mountain bicycle traveling on N.C. 19 east. Detectives said the murder weapon has been recovered and search dogs will be used to find the teen.  No motive has been released for the killing.

Town Council moves to regulate ‘big box’ retailers

Considered a large matter among members of the Boone Town Council, a town-initiated zoning text amendment to regulate large-scale retailers was approved at Thursday’s regular council meeting.

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Blue Ridge switches on Duke union

Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, which provides most of Watauga and four other counties in the region with electricity, announced a long-term partnership with Duke Energy Carolinas on Thursday.

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Sheriff’s report:

Aug. 9 — A Sugar Grove woman was getting harassing phone calls.

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Family seeks grave data on WHS site

Members of the Hartley family have been sifting through their records to determine just which ancestors might be buried in the “Hartley cemetery,” a third of an acre in the middle of the property proposed for a new Watauga High School.

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ASU planned water plant to exceed guidelines

Appalachian State University’s new water treatment plant is upstream of impending Environmental Protection Agency standards, and the university plans to exceed those regulations by far.

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Mars is staying put; Boone’s getting darker

Uh oh!  Twice in as many days I have been asked by someone if I was gearing up to observe Mars.  Hmmm… had I slipped in following what was happening in the sky?

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Adopt me at Watauga Humane Society!