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December 26-28, 2007

BLOG THIS: Does Boone need downtown surveillance cams?

Archived

Breaking news: Deadly Thursday accident

Two Boone residents killed in head-on collision
A head-on collision claimed the lives of two motorists on U.S. 321 Thursday afternoon. The accident occurred approximately one mile south of Boone at 3:50 p.m.

To read more, please click here. Photo by Melanie Davis (Posted at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 28)

Going up
The onset of winter means the local ski scene will once again heat up (or freeze down) across the High County. Photo by Mark Mitchell

State grant will allow Boone Police to mount video cameras
A Boone Police Department grant request broached the topic of civil liberties at the December meeting of the Boone Town Council. Chief Bill Post presented the request at the Dec. 20 meeting, saying a grant of $16,987.50 through the N.C. Governors Crime Commission with a 25 percent match from the town would fund the purchase of three surveillance cameras and signaling equipment. Post said the cameras would be mounted in various areas throughout town, initially in the downtown area, in response to increased vandalism, graffiti and car break-ins. An area of particular concern, he said, is the alley behind the Boone Fire Department. Read more.

Regional poll: Edwards leads race in western North Carolina
If western North Carolina elected presidents, John Edwards would be the current shoo-in — assuming he won the Democratic primary, of course. A recent poll by Public Policy Polling of Raleigh showed some interesting opinions on electability, with the favorites for each party’s nomination deemed less likely to win the state if they appeared on the General Election ballot. Read more.

Teacher talk: What does ‘board certified’ mean?
North Carolina leads the nation in its number of National Board Certified teachers and administrators, and Watauga County plays a part in that achievement. Annually, more and more area teachers and administrators achieve this certification. Read more.

Celebrate New Year’s
Some people like to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home in their pajamas, waiting to watch the clock tick away on the year on television. Other people like to go out for a scrumptious dinner at a restaurant. Still others like to party like it’s 1999…or 2007 or 2008, and revel with their friends way past the midnight hour. Read more.

New WHS gets good report
The Watauga County Board of Education and the Board of Commissioners received a positive progress report and moved forward on the second of three major bids for the new high school. The boards received a guaranteed maximum price for the second stage of construction, which also includes contingencies and contractor management, for the foundation and steel for the project in the Perkinsville area of Boone. Read more.

Reviewing the rules on Christmas regifting
After-holidays lines at customer service desks may be a little less hectic in 2008. No, everyone didn’t get exactly what they wanted for Christmas, and in the right color and size; instead, it’s becoming more acceptable to stash away the unwanted item and give it to someone else next year. While practically everyone has at one time or another received gifts that were later shuffled off to thrift shops, where fondue sets proliferate, “regifting” is now out of the closet and actually becoming a cottage industry, spawning a Web site, marketing surveys, and even its own “day.” Read more.

Senate lauds ASU Mountaineers
It’s about football. The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution praising Appalachian State University’s third-straight national championship. The resolution was introduced by Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) and Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) and was unanimously adopted Tuesday. Read more.

Town Council honors water treatment chief
The Boone Town Council bid farewell to Jack Austin, superintendent of the town’s water treatment plant, at its regular meeting Thursday, Dec. 20. After 32 years of service to the town of Boone, Austin will retire on Jan. 1. Read more.

Parkway receives largest budget increase
The Blue Ridge Parkway welcomes its largest budget increase in years with approval of a $1.9 million boost in the federal budget. Phil Francis, parkway superintendent, said, “It’s the biggest increase in the national park budget I’ve seen, and I’ve been with the park service 35 years. There are obviously a lot of different opinions on how to spend tax dollars, but we’re just delighted we were deemed a priority.” Read more.

Tower move improves local emergency service
Fire departments and the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office now have improved communication on the western side of the county. A repeater tower for firefighter communication was moved last week from the location on Tater Hill to a new home on Buckeye Mountain. Read more.

December 24, 2007

A merry Christmas to one and all

The staff and management of the Watauga Democrat and Mountain Times Publications wish their many viewers, readers and patrons a very happy and safe holiday season. Photo by Rob Moore

Council sets up hearing on ASU education building
The Boone Town Council took a step toward improving the relationship between the town of Boone and Appalachian State University at its regular meeting Dec. 20. The council unanimously approved the scheduling of a Jan. 10, 2008 special public hearing for a zoning text amendment and rezoning petition from Appalachian. The amendment concerns university land use, and the petition involves a change in zoning for property on Howard Street for the proposed Reich College of Education. Read more.

Town pushes 105 safety changes
The Boone Town Council took action to make sure drivers stay alive on 105. At the council’s regular meeting Dec. 20, council member Lynne Mason pushed for a resolution that would see the mayor urge the N.C. Department of Transportation to increase safety on the often perilous N.C. 105.

Read more.

Boone Town Council swears in newcomers, incumbent
A bittersweet night for the Boone Town Council saw two members part and two join.
Dempsey Wilcox and Bunk Spann stepped down from their positions as council members, allowing newcomers Liz Aycock and Stephen Phillips to pick up where they left off. Read more.

Habitat for Humanity completes, dedicates second house in month
There’s nothing slow about the volunteers who work tirelessly with Watauga County Habitat for Humanity. In fact, within a month’s time, these individuals have put the finishing touches on two new homes, assisted in the homes’ dedication ceremonies and turned over the keys to the new home owners, who, too, have given their fair share of time and talent (a.k.a. “sweat equity,”) during the process.