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Archived
‘Outrageous’ customer service
It was an outstanding luncheon for outrageous customer service.
Members of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce gathered Tuesday to enthusiastically praise those who work the frontlines of business. Those workers offer smiles, and the chamber offered customer service awards. To read more, please click here.
Photo by Frank Ruggiero |
Officials predict tourism will see another boom year
Tourism continues to be a strong sector of the local and state economy, with 2006 data suggesting another boom year. The North Carolina Employment Security Commission released figures from Gov. Mike Easley’s office that said visitors spent more than $15 billion in the state last year, an increase of 8.3 percent over the previous year.
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Sex case faces appeal
A Gastonia man, convicted last February of sexual battery against an Appalachian State student, has filed an appeal of his case with the North Carolina State Court of Appeals. Amos Patrick Kelso, now 29, was a freshman communications major at ASU when he was arrested Dec. 11, 2004 and charged with the first-degree rape of a 21-year-old coed.
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What goes down must go back up
There is plenty happening underfoot at the historic Mast General Store in Valle Crucis, but most visitors to the flagship store won’t see much evidence of the delicate maintenance being done to shore up the building’s foundation.
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Part II: Residents voice opposition to proposed medical facility
Neighborhood residents delivered public comment during the latter half of last Thursday’s five-hour Boone Board of Adjustment meeting. Most expressed opposition towards developer Phil Templeton’s proposed 10,010-square-foot medical clinic at 315 State Farm Rd., located in an R-1 (single-family residential) zone, which is permitted by the town’s Unified Development Ordinance.
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Topsy-turvy weather
Once it was said one should squirrel away items for winter. Well, this squirrel says enough of winter and he’s ready for spring. Winter made a brief reappearance this past Saturday, as more than 7 inches of snow fell on areas of the High Country. The snow did not linger long, as Sunday brought above-freezing temperatures. The National Weather Service is saying that warmer temperatures are on their way, and the service is calling for a chance of rain today, with sun and clouds on Thursday, and more sunshine on Friday.
Photo by Marie Freeman |
Police are looking for suspect in armed robbery at area restaurant
Boone police are looking for a man who pointed a gun at two diners and demanded money at a local restaurant Saturday night. The gunman reportedly threatened two customers at the Hunan Restaurant in Boone just before 10 p.m. Read more.
Student death ruled as methadone overdose
An Appalachian State student whose sudden death last December initially raised suspicions he may have succumbed to alcohol poisoning, died instead of a methadone overdose, according to a report released by the state’s office of the chief medical examiner. Read more.
Trial delayed for suspect in mutilation of disabled man
The trial of a Zionville man accused of mutilating the genitals of a disabled man under his care at a Deep Gap group care home last May was delayed at least five months at a Superior Court hearing on Monday.
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Conservation efforts look to future and more funding outlets
Conservation continues to get a push from land trusts and state government, but supporters say a critical window of opportunity lies ahead in the coming years. Land For Tomorrow, a conservation advocacy group, released a report outlining more than $22 million worth of conservation efforts in Watauga County over the last decade, most notably in the purchase of the Elk Knob State Natural Area near the Meat Camp community. Read more.
Unemployment rate sees slight increase in Watauga County
Watauga County’s unemployment rate jumped in January, following suit with nearly all North Carolina counties. Read more.
Adjustment board still undecided on permit for medical clinic
Despite more than five hours of testimony and deliberation, the Boone Board of Adjustment has not yet reached a decision on a special use permit for the proposed Templeton Medical Clinic. Read more.
A flurry of fun
Karen and Quinn Derby enjoy an Easter weekend sled ride down a slope near the intersection of the Blue Ridge Parkway and U.S. 221 in Blowing Rock. Many forecasters were predicting snow flurries to an inch of snow in the region; however, Saturday brought up to 7 inches of snow in various sections of Watauga County. But Sunday’s above-freezing temperatures ushered in Easter and helped to melt the accumulation from Saturday.
Photo by Marie Freeman |
ASU receives $1 million gift
Appalachian State University Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock has announced that the Appalachian State University Foundation has received a $1 million gift from Ron Harper of Charlotte. Read more.
Sheriff’s reports:
March 24 — Joshua Jay Sands, 33, of 134 Clyde Ray Road, Deep Gap, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor communicating threats and assault inflicting serious injury. He was placed under a $40,000 bond and scheduled to appear April 27 in District Court. Read more.
School board: Action includes hiring a third nurse for system
The Watauga County Board of Education saluted county students for their scientific pursuits when the board recently met for its monthly meeting. At the meeting, the board recognized students for a variety of accomplishments, heard a presentation on Watauga High School’s Teacher Cadet Program and approved several points of action. Read more.
‘They Hunger’: Author Scott Nicholson releases his newest horror-thriller
On a rafting trip through an isolated region of the Appalachian mountains, the twang of a banjo can be most unwelcome. Then again, so can winged vampires. Read more.
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