Archived
October 27, 2006
Bountiful harvest
Sixteen years ago, Linda and Gary Critcher cultivated a meager harvest of pumpkins and flowers in their yard on Blackberry Road in the Aho area — a lone pumpkin, a couple of chrysanthemums and maybe a bale of hay decorated their front lawn. But the years have been good to the Critchers and their autumn art continues to expand. At least 10 separate displays featuring subjects such as a family in prayer at the dinner table and cats chasing mice in the hay entertain folks passing by. There’s a friendly scarecrow sitting upon an old hay baler, while gourds, bright flowers and pumpkins surround the antique. A colorful sign in the yard reads, “A Millenium Harvest.” Linda said she ordered the sign made in 2000 when she went all out and displayed tons of decorations. But local fame is not the Critchers’ main motive. “I do it because it is colorful and I can,” she said. Photo by Marie Freeman |
Latest report: Cause of fire undetermined
Watauga County’s fire marshal said an investigation has failed to determine the cause of a Sept. 14 fire that killed three elementary school-age sisters and displaced more than 20 occupants of a Clyde Townsend Road apartment complex.
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Registered Republicans outpace Democrats
Republicans continue to gain on Democrats in local registration totals, though unaffiliated voters remain the fastest-growing group in Watauga County.
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Sheriff and police reports:
Sheriff’s reports: Oct. 12 — A dark blue GMC slider type, 10-inch compound miter saw was stolen off the front porch of a Summit Woods Drive apartment in Blowing Rock, sometime on Oct. 6 between 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
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Taiwanese official stops by Boone for a visit
Taiwanese consulate R.C. Wu’s first visit to Boone was accompanied by snow flurries, but he brought a message of warmth and optimism about his country’s American relations.
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DBDA paints a Boone future with public art
Picture a downtown “artscape.” The Downtown Boone Development Association, along with local government agencies and business owners, is helping to paint this picture of an urban artscape project.
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Halloween spending gets a spooky boost
Halloween is not only a time of spooks and sweets and tricks or treats, it’s a season of spending. The National Retail Federation said the average consumer will spend $59 on Halloween, a jump of $11 over last year. Halloween is the second-largest home decoration holiday and ranks sixth in holiday season spending, behind Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
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Watauga ranks high for fewer obese residents
Watauga County residents are eating healthy foods and are more active than most other people in the state, though a behavioral survey showed more than half are overweight or obese.
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October 25, 2006
Garcia lives: Fuzzy Deadhead
predicts mild winter
Katie Berry of Boone (center) and her good-luck charms, Lauren and Meghann Scoutsworth, of Greensboro, pose with Mr. Woolly Worm (Roy Krege) after capturing first place in the woolly worm races at the 29th annual Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk on Saturday. Berry’s caterpillar, Jerry Garcia, held off the challenges of 1,455 other woolly worms to take home the $1,000 first prize and earn the right to make the winter forecast. Garcia predicted that the winter would start with four weeks of seasonable snow and cold weather, followed by eight weeks of seasonable to slightly milder than seasonable weather. Jerry predicts that the winter of 2006-07 will go out like a lion, with one last week of colder and snowier weather than normal. Photo courtesy of Jim Morton/information courtesy of Catherine Morton
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Internet predator case: Man sentenced
A federal judge sentenced George Clayton Trivette to five years in prison, Monday, 11 months after the Watauga County man admitted using the Internet in an effort to set up a sexual rendezvous with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl.
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Boone water: Allocation remains high
With 2006 winding down, the town of Boone’s yearly allotment for water allocations remains strong. Under Ordinance 05-01, the council appropriated 25,000 gallons per day for 2006 for allocation to customers, but, this time last year, the Boone Town Council had allocated 16,441 gpd from the 2006 allotment for several developments.
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Burnley, Jestes to be honored at Farm-City
This year’s Farm-City Banquet will pay tribute to two long-time Watauga County farming advocates. Former Boone Mayor Velma Burnley and Ned Jestes will be honored for innovation concerning the “farm-city” concept. Farm-City officials cited both as having served as valuable resources to enhance the quality of life in their respective neighborhoods and the county.
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Swarms of ladybugs drop by for a visit
William Purcell’s house was crawling. It wasn’t so much a matter of “where to,” when Purcell returned from work last Wednesday to find his home caught in a veritable cloud of ladybugs.
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October 23, 2006
Dedication in the valle
Hugh Bennett stirs a copper pot filled with apple butter at the Valle Country Fair Saturday morning. Bennett and other members of the “Apple Butter” gang awakened at 5 a.m. to prepare the signature dish. Photo by Marie Freeman |
Old Navy leads mall growth
Old Navy dropped anchor in Boone last Thursday. The popular casual clothing store is one of many up and coming additions to Boone Mall, which was purchased by a Pittsburgh corporation in June.
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Council approves zero waste
Boone may become a zero-waste community, after the Boone Town Council unanimously adopted a resolution to move in such a direction Council members Lynne Mason and Rennie Brantz worked with Jasmine ShoShanna, founder of the High Country’s Gardens for Humanity and Zero Waste program, on the resolution.
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Alternative transit plan gets taken for a fresh walk
A grant from the N.C. Department of Transportation could help update the town of Boone’s alternative transportation plan. The Boone Greenway Alternative Transportation Committee’s pedestrian program subcommittee recommended the current Boone and Blowing Rock Alternative Transportation Plan be updated, council member Lynne Mason reported at last Thursday’s regular meeting of the Boone Town Council.
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Adopt me at Watauga Humane Society!
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