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Breaking news: Section of U.S. 321 closed
Two tractor-trailer sized boulders slid onto U.S. 321 just south of Blowing Rock Friday morning, blocking both lanes of travel.
Crews are working to clear the area and hope to have the debris removed before Saturday.
Sgt. D. Dawson of the N.C. Highway Patrol recommends driving U.S. 421 south and connecting to N.C. 268 west to just north of Lenoir, or connecting to N.C. 18 south into the city limits of Lenoir. Both routes will lead motorists back to U.S. 321 to continue their planned trip.
— By Melanie Davis, staff writer
News update: Explosives on Junaluska determined to be fake
The possible explosive materials seized by the Boone Police Department on Dec. 11 have been determined to be fake.
Initially, the Boone PD obtained a search warrant after an anonymous tip indicated a house at 632 Junaluska Road, Boone, may have contained explosives and weapons. Local officers were assisted in the search by the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office Special Operations Unit bomb squad. The Boone Fire Department and Watauga Medics were also on standby during the search.
Materials and a rifle were seized from the house. The possible explosive materials were then tested. The results were announced Friday. The items have been determined to be some type of hoax device connected to a fake blasting cap.
The investigation is continuing in an effort to determine who is responsible for the rifle and making the fake device.
The owner of the property is a Hillsborough resident. Cpt. William Greene of the Boone PD said investigators do not believe the owner was aware of suspicious activity taking place on the Junaluska premises. The house has been vacant for an extended period of time.
— Melanie Davis, staff writer
Back to back
Appalachian State head football coach Jerry Moore signs J.B. Byrum’s sweatshirt after the Mountaineers returned home from Chattanooga on Saturday after winning its third national championship.
Photo by Marie Freeman |
Virginia power company reaches compromise with U.S. Forest Service
Only a couple of weeks after a public hearing and a harsh assessment by the U.S. Forest Service, a power company and regulatory agencies have compromised on a plan that would cut emissions from a proposed Wise County, Va., plant in half. Read more.
Minor injuries reported in asleep-at-the-wheel crash
Only minor injuries were reported in a Thursday morning collision on U.S. 421 near the Walls Road intersection. Read more.
Logging operation takes to the air near Watauga-Ashe border
Some locals have been scratching their heads over big noisy birds dangling logs in the sky. No, it’s not a scene from a science-fiction movie; it’s a newfangled way of logging timber. Read more.
Boone Police reports
Dec. 14 — Larceny from a motor vehicle was reported at 9:25 a.m. from a parking lot on the 100 block of West King Street. Read more.
News briefs: Investigation updates
Death of Sharon Yate — Investigators with the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation continue to examine the circumstances of the death of Sharon Yates, 50, of Blowing Rock. Officers were called to Yates’ camper home on Clarence Newton Road at 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 28. The incident report reads Yates was dead on arrival. Read more.
Bill will fight candy meth
Law enforcement agencies across the nation are now facing a sweet but deadly trend in crystal methamphetamine. Manufacturers and dealers of the drug are now marketing the illicit substance in a candy-like form. Read more.
Blowing Rock travel spending edges up
Tourism spending is up in Blowing Rock, with occupancy taxes showing an 8-percent increase for the last fiscal year. Read more.
Boone native taken captive in Peru
Having served since 2000 as a career missionary with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board (IMB) in places where extreme poverty and corruption exist, Boone native Lisa Taylor has always known there were risks. Read more.
Grandfather wind data just got better
It’s widely accepted that most everything is high atop Grandfather Mountain. And now, it’s science fact – at least as far as wind speed is concerned. Read more.
December 19, 2007
Feed & firs
Netty DiBiase feeds an alpaca, while Mary McCullie looks on. Several residents of the Blowing Rock Extended Care visited What Fir! choose-and-cut tree farm on Thursday. Photo by Marie Freeman |
Fire damages Boone home
A house fire that damaged a Boone home apparently started in a doghouse on Monday night. Boone firefighters contained the fire after a four-hour battle. The house, belonging to Richard and Denise Foutz, caught fire just before 10 p.m. To read more, please click here. Photo by Marie Freeman |
Business incubator could hatch in a month
Work on the Appalachian Enterprise Center could be wrapped up by the end of the year, with plans under way to manage what could be up to 20 new businesses in the renovated incubator space. Renovations to the 8,000-square-foot commercial space in the county’s Human Services Complex in Boone began last year. Read more.
Watauga County court reports
Driving-while-impaired district court: Dec. 3 —Andrew Jacob Carroll, 19, of Fremington Road, Huntersville, was found guilty of driving while impaired and driving while license revoked.
Read more.
Boone Police reports
Dec. 8 — Criminal damage to property was reported at 7:11 p.m. on the 100 block of Oak Street.
Read more.
Friday wreck victim released from hospital
A Vilas man involved in a Friday wreck has been released from the hospital but may face charges, authorities said. Read more.
Workforce board sees education as key to next three-year plan
The High Country Workforce Development Board is working on a three-year plan to approach the changing job market, following up on a state analysis released earlier this year. Read more.
Tennessee man charged with felony larceny
A Tennessee man faces felony charges after allegedly stealing from his employer. Donald Brett Hibberts, 27, of Mountain City, Tenn., turned himself in at the Boone Police Department on Sunday. Read more.
Group launches voluntary effort to curtail political calls
With a congressional bill creating a do-not-call registry for political calls making its second attempt at passage, a private non-profit effort is creating a voluntary version with the same intent.
Read more.
December 17, 2007
National champions
Appalachian State University coach Jerry Moore holds up the FCS national championship trophy, as Josh Jackson celebrates following the Mountaineer win over the University of Delaware’s Blue Hens Friday evening. The Mountaineers claimed their third consecutive FCS national championship title after defeating the Blue Hens 49-21 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Photo by Mark Mitchell |
Dynasty:
Mountaineers climb third title peak
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Appalachian State started the 2007 season with one of the biggest victories in college football history. Fourteen weeks later, the Mountaineers completed the season in a dominating style that one would expect of a two-time defending national champion. Few teams have come close to stopping Appalachian State’s explosive offense. Michigan, that opponent on opening day, couldn’t do it. Delaware, Appalachian State’s opponent in the Football Championship Subdivision championship game Friday night at Finley Stadium, couldn’t do it either. Appalachian State overwhelmed the Blue Hens’ defense, scoring four touchdowns in the first half and then cruising to a 49-21 victory in the FCS championship in front of a Finley Stadium record 23,010 fans, more than half of them wearing Appalachian State black and gold, at Finley Stadium. Read more.
Watauga County sheriff’s reports
Nov. 30 — Daniel Jesus Garcia, 26, of 149 Hayes St., Boone, was served with an order for arrest for two counts of failure to appear at a scheduled court date and a criminal summons for one count of issuing a worthless check. Read more.
Boone Police reports
Dec. 7 — Larceny was reported at 12:59 p.m. at a business on the 600 block of Blowing Rock Road. Read more.
Ecologist is pessimistic about hemlock’s future
Though different weapons are entering into the battle against the hemlock woolly adelgid, it appears the pest may end up winning the war. Read more.
Local tree sales mixed so far for area farmers
While the choose-and-cut industry is generally seen as booming, the growth is not consistent among all local tree growers. Read more.
Women’s fund commemorates official launch
A new High Country group has come together to serve girls and women in need. The Appalachian Women’s Fund will work with area organizations to serve women as they work toward a bright future. Read more.
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