2007: What

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This past year will long be remembered as the one that put Boone on the national map after the Appalachian State Mountaineers pulled what has been hailed as the college football upset of the century — defeating Michigan 34-32 on Sept. 1 in Ann Arbor.  The implausible win was a prelude to the Mountaineers’ third consecutive national championship. For a look back on the year that was, please read on.

January
• RedTail Mountain, a gated residential community situated 20 miles northwest of Boone, unveils its plans to the public. The community occupies land formerly known as Roan Valley Country Club Estates. The property features an 18-hole golf course and a private lake house and dock on Watauga Lake.
• A public comment period opens for proposed Department of Transportation plans to replace a bridge in the Amantha area of Watauga County. Four plans were proposed, three of which would have caused historic homes to be demolished. The comment period was announced to end January 12.

• The Watauga County Board of Commissioners secures the last two pieces of land for the construction of the new high school. The project was still in the design phase in January of 2007.
• Linda Kay Pope, 36, pleads guilty to two felony charges stemming from charges that she embezzled nearly $7,000 during her time as manager of the Watauga County License and Tag office. She was sentenced to 60 days in the Watauga County Detention Center and ordered to repay the $6,907.69 she was alleged to have stolen.
• Democrat Steve Goss is sworn in to serve the 45th North Carolina Senate District. Goss was a retired minister when he decided to run for the senatorial seat in his home area.
• The Blowing Rock home of restaurateur Leo Balestrieri is completely destroyed by fire. The Laurel Park Road home was reportedly for sale with a price of $2.2 million. Balestrieri owned Mulberry Street Trattoria.
• Representative Cullie Tarleton is sworn into office as the state representative for North Carolina's 93rd district. Tarleton was a retired broadcaster from Blowing Rock before taking office.
•Appalachian State University students participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. challenge. Students draw numbers, which assign them to a team. Each team completes community service projects throughout the High Country.
• A Boone man is arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of his brother. Dustin Clay Howell, 22, reportedly stabbed his 29-year-old brother, Gale Dean Howell, III multiple times. The stabbing was reported just before midnight on Jan. 16 and the responding officer's report indicated drugs or alcohol might have been a factor in the assault.
• Search engine giant Google Inc. announces plans for a “server farm” in nearby Lenoir. The company said the new complex would create up to 210 new jobs for the area.
• The waiting list for Section 8 vouchers, a federal housing subsidy, continues to grow. The director of the Northwest Regional Housing Authority, Ned Fowler, said funding shortages have led to a cut in local vouchers. The waiting list was comprised of 284 families during January of 2007.

February
• A Bethel couple is left homeless after a fire completely destroys their house on Lower Rush Branch Road. Firefighters reported a malfunctioning kerosene heater caused the blaze that gutted the home of L. Dean and Martha J. Ward.
• ASU requests a zoning change for several parcels of land located between College Street, Howard Street and Hamby Alley for the construction of a new college of education building. The land is currently occupied by nine apartment buildings. That request was withdrawn later in the week.
• Maverick Farms, a small family farm, agritourism endeavor and education non-profit, offers an increased number of CSA “shares.” For its third year of operation, the farm offered 25 shares. The shares allow the purchasers access to a weekly box of in-season crops for the 20-week season. The first year, only 10 shares were offered.
• Renovations on the upper level of the county courthouse lead to a water leak, damaging several pages of deed records. The water contained concrete dust and soaked deed books and land records from 1997 to 2001, which encompassed 98 books and 82 binders. The cost of replacing the books and cleaning up the mess totaled nearly $19,000 and many man-hours for the clerks. Records had to be re-copied, checked and certified as part of permanent land records.
• The Blue Ridge Parkway receives news of a budget boost of 11 percent. The budget had been $14 million. The proposed additional $1.5 million would fund 47 new seasonal jobs, 24 in the maintenance division and 14 in the interpretative program services and visitor centers.
• An Appalachian State University graduate and ex-Fayetteville Police officer, Jared Benjamin Parsek, 28, is sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for his role in a burglary ring targeting homes in Beech Mountain, Fayetteville and Raleigh.
• The Beech Mountain robberies took place in November 2003, while Parsek and four accomplices were staying at Parsek's parents’ vacation home.
• The Watauga County Board of Education and Board of Commissioners are presented with the site plans for the new high school. Sfl+a, the architectural firm, presented configurations for the new Watauga High School site. Jennifer Sisak, representative of the design firm, gave updates on site issues such as parking and available space on the 90-acre tract of land.
• Grandfather Mountain installs a new wind gauge atop the Mile High Swinging Bridge. The new anemometer was placed due to problems recording accurate wind speeds by the anemometer, which was located on the roof of the Top Shop, a gift store located on the top of the mountain.
• Hickory Ridge Homestead, a collection of 18th century cabins location next to the Horn in the West amphitheatre, is burgled. Four of the cabins were broken into and hundreds of historic items and new items from the gift shop were stolen.
• The Exxon station location at the intersection of U.S. 421 and Bamboo Road is robbed at gunpoint. The thief was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and black ski mask, described as a white male between 5'7” and 5'9” in height. He brandished a gun, possible a shotgun or rifle, and reported shouted profanity, forced the clerk to lie on the floor and ransacked the cash register.

March
• The Boone Town Council discusses a change in conditional zoning that would make Appalachian State University’s proposed college of education building feasible. The plan was later scrapped by council members.
• The Wilcox Emporium agrees to host exhibits from the displaced Appalachian Cultural Museum. Emporium co-owner Roger Wright donated 400 square feet for a miniature annex of the museum, which was forced to move from its previous home in University Hall to make room for Appalachian State University’s Institute for Health and Human Services.
• Dental records reveal that a missing woman’s location is unknown. Skeletal remains discovered at a construction site near Bristol, Tenn. were proven not to be those of Jade Chambers, who disappeared Feb. 10.
• An open letter to Boone mayor Loretta Clawson from developer Phil Templeton causes a stir at town hall. Templeton’s letter, which was read on the radio, alleged that Clawson offered to sell her Boone property at twice its value in return for Templeton withdrawing an application for a special use permit for a medic clinic on State Farm Road. Clawson adamantly denied the allegations.
• Floyd “Dipper” Garrison, owner of the Elk Motel, appears before the Boone Town Council, seeking a sewer connection to keep the motel open. The motel serves as affordable housing of sorts, with Garrison offering monthly rentals at affordable prices for those who cannot afford to live in town.
• The Watauga County Chapter of the American Red Cross celebrates its 90th anniversary.
• The N.C. Department of Transportation hosts a forum to gather citizen input on the proposed widening project for U.S. 421 from Hardin Street to N.C. 194.
• The Boone Police Department causes a stir with a memorandum from Watauga High School resource officer Bill Hartley, saying that gangs may be on the rise in Boone, due to an increase of graffiti resembling noted gang signs.
• An endangered species of bat is discovered at Grandfather Mountain. A recent exploration and survey of a cave on Grandfather revealed 55 hibernating Virginia big-eared bats, which are on the state and federal endangered species list.
• Bethel School wins fourth place at the regional Battle of the Books competition by achieving the highest score in Watauga County history at the countywide competition.

April
• Tourism officials hope it’s not an April Fool’s prank when Tweetsie Railroad announces it will remain in Blowing Rock for another four years. The lease had been set to expire after its 2006-07 season, which might have forced a move from the site where the Tweetsie whistle first blew in 1957.
• Appalachian State University receives a $1 million gift from Ron Harper of Charlotte. The gift, made in honor of Harper’s wife, Katherine, will support the flexography education program, student scholarships and other needs of the department of technology.
• Author Scott Nicholson releases his latest horror-thriller, “They Hunger,” described by the author as “Deliverance with vampires.”

• The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes outstanding customer service, offering such an award to Barb Landreth of Mast General Store, among others.
• State Sen. Joe Sam Queen (D-47) raises the ire of court and law enforcement officials by proposing to divide the 24th Judicial District in two, without first consulting them. The bill would place the northern-most counties – Watauga, Mitchell and Avery – in a newly formed District 24B, while the two to the south – Madison and Yancey – would form 24A.
• The Virginia Tech shooting, in which 32 students and faculty members had been murdered on the Blacksburg, Va. campus, affects Watauga students, though no Boone-based fatalities were reported. Appalachian State University responded to the matter by reviewing its own safety and crisis procedures. As Chancellor Ken Peacock said, “The words ‘massacre’ and ‘university’ should never be seen or used together.”
• Two members of the Boone-based 1451st Transportation Company of the National Guard are killed in Iraq. Sgt. Joshua Schmit of Willmar, Minn., and Sgt. Brandon Wallace of St. Louis, Mo., were killed April 14 in a roadside bombing.
• In the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre, Hardin Park School reacts to a domestic disturbance call at the nearby Mountaineer Village, which indirectly resulted in a brief lockdown at the school. A resident of the student-housing complex reported that she’d received an Internet message from her ex-boyfriend, saying he was “about to do a Virginia Tech thing.”
• The Watauga County Board of Commissioners adopts a notice of intent to remove graves from a proposed high school property site. The graves would later be moved to Mount Lawn Cemetery.
• Armfield Coffey, former publisher of the Watauga Democrat, dies at the age of 72 after a prolonged illness.
• In an unprecedented move, the Boone Town Council grants sewer service to the Elk Motel, on the condition that the cost of $277,864 is split in thirds by Garrison, Watauga County and the town.
• An Easter weekend freeze damages local crops, placing Watauga among 56 counties in the state included in a request by Gov. Mike Easley for a federal disaster declaration. Record low temperatures, combined with a warm, late winter that coaxed plants to bud, devastated many fruit crops in the High Country.
• Appalachian Voices begins its journey toward establishing a local Riverkeepers program for portions of the Watauga River. Rick Dove, the state’s first Riverkeeper, spoke with local officials and interested parties on the matter.

May
• In early May, U.S. Rep Virginia Foxx votes against a spending bill that sets timetables for troop withdrawals based on certain events in Iraq, calling the bill reckless. Despite Foxx’s vote, the bill passed in the House of Representatives.
• The 1441st Transportation Company of the North Carolina National Guard returns to Boone on May 6 after 15 months serving in Iraq. The soldiers were welcomed with a ceremony attended by several thousand people.
• Six Watauga County teens are charged with burglary and theft in connection with two break-ins at homes owned by Heavenly Mountain founder David Kaplan. The teens were Tristan Rattler, Kelly Stepuch, Daniel Hayes, Matthew Marsh and Christopher Bridges.
• Parkway Elementary School physical education teacher Donna Raichle is named Teacher of the Year for the 2006-07 school year. Each year, Watauga County Schools honors one teacher as Teacher of the Year for their professional excellence.
• Trash problems heap in May as the state’s escalating population growth and increased garbage production placed a strain on landfill space. Local residents looked to address the problem with initiative, such as advocating zero waste programs.
• Ashe County police injure two suspects following a chase. The two suspects, Nathaniel Rainbolt and Crystal Arnold, tried to run a police roadblock near the Avery-Watauga county line early May 12.
• Local resident Craig Dudley catches the attention of the U.S. Secret Service after an anonymous source accused him of threatening the president’s life. Two Secret Service officers visited Dudley for questioning. Dudley denied the claims and nothing came of the incident.
• The Boone Town Council denies water and sewer requests for a proposed student housing development at its May 17 meeting. The request called for the council to allocate more resources than current policy would allow.

June
•Blowing Rock Hospital joins the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System as its third member. Plans for the hospital included strengthening its financial status while continuing the facility’s sense of community health care.

• The battle against hemlock woolly adelgid continues in June as the Blue Ridge Parkway called for public input on the problem. Hemlock forests play a vital role in shading streams and making them cool enough for native mountain trout.
• U.S. News & World Report names Boone in its list of “10 Bargain Retirement Spots.” The list consults top experts on retirement and noted Boone for its rich variety of cultural activities and relatively low cost of living.
• The town of Seven Devils in a public hearing meets to discuss taking over a private golf course owned by Hawksnest Golf and Ski Resort. Proponents of the plan argued that the course has been closed for two years. The property’s owner, Leonard Cottom, resisted the proposal.
• Boone resident Dale Stephens Hayes kills his wife, Susan Pierce Hayes, and then himself in the early hours of June 12. They are survived by a son.
• The town of Boone continues plans for its Howard Street revitalization project, which would allow for increased parking and pedestrian access. The project has been given a budget of $4.5 million and may require eventual tax increases
• Severe drought grips Watauga County in mid-June as the county graduated from “moderate drought” to “severe drought,” according to the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council. The town encouraged water conservation among residents but implemented voluntary regulations regarding water use.
• An adolescent black bear causes a stir at the Boone Mall on June 20, lingering in the mall parking lot and even entering Sims Furniture and Mattress Gallery. Boone police officers corralled the bear back across Winklers Creek Road without injury to the bear or to any humans.
• The Boone Town Council approve zoning for the new Watauga High School, which will be located in the Perkinsville area. Construction of the school is planned to be completed in 2010 with doors opening that fall.
• The county board of commissioners adopt a $42.6 million budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year. They approved a one-cent increase in land tax to fund the new Watauga High School.

July
• The Town of Boone honored the 1451st Transportation Company of the National Guard during its Fourth of July ceremony.
• Watauga County reported the collection of $635,000 in the first fiscal year of its 6-percent occupancy tax.
• The Downtown Boone Development Association announced plans for street gardens and art pieces as part of a revitalization plan.
• Some areas of the county suffered flooding and hail despite other areas of the county remaining in drought, as crops in some areas continued to suffer from an Easter freeze.
• A 1990 Ford utility truck owned by a Mountain City, Tenn., man, flipped off of Hodges Gap Road and damaged units at Boone Self-Storage & Moving Center.
• Filing season opened for municipal elections, with Boone mayor Loretta Clawson being first to file, followed by incumbent Boone Town Council member Lynne Mason and planning commissioner Liz Aycock.
• Employees managed to suppress a small fire on a Tweetsie Railroad trestle, apparently caused by an ember from the steam locomotive.
• Lisa Ann Whitson of Boone was charged with identity theft and fraud, allegedly using her housecleaning business to steal personal financial information.
• The annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games brought thousands of people to the region July 12-15 to celebrate Scottish heritage.
• The Watauga County commissioners' retention of the current property tax rate bucked a statewide trend, as more than two-thirds of all state residents faced property tax hikes.
• Workers began removing graves from the new Watauga High School site, eventually relocating 34 graves to Mount Lawn Memorial Park & Gardens.
• The local cooperative High Country Biofuels offers a tank facility for its members to get biodiesel.
• Principal Mary Linda Tiffany of Bethel Elementary retired and principal Mike Sherrill of Cove Creek School left the school system for another position.
• County emergency response and law enforcement groups team up to promote the posting of house numbers in preparation for a state law.
• Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton attended a private fundraising event in Blowing Rock.
• Watauga County agreed to help subsidize controversial sewer line extension for the Elk Motel near Boone on conditions of town participation in county projects.
• The Boone Area Planning Commission examined the town's relationship with Appalachian State University and sought ways to improve communication.
• Hawksnest Golf & Ski Resort submitted a new plan to expand ski operations after an earlier request had been rejected by Seven Devils.
• Local volunteer Shirlee Gaines Edwards was honored by the county commissioners for her role in starting a number of community non-profit agencies.
• Smoky Mountain Center takes over as management entity for the New River Behavioral Healthcare service district as part of a state mental-health-system overhaul.
• An undercover sting by the Sheriff's Office nets 5.6 pounds of marijuana, 81 XENIX pills, and the arrests of Andrew Carey Hewat and Mac Barton Greer II.
• The body of Steven Randall Grubb was found near Winkler's Creek, deemed the victim of an alcohol-related drowning.
• Boone movie director Gary Wheeler premieres his new movie “The List” in Charlotte.

August
• Two teen murder suspects were apprehended in a motel parking lot on Monday morning in Linville Falls. Tabitha Messina, 18, and Carlos Christopher, 19, reportedly fled Cleveland, Ohio, Sunday afternoon after allegedly killing Tabitha’s father, Richard Messina, 50, and his girlfriend, Sandra Cover, 43.
• The Blue Ridge National heritage Area will receive more than $1 million, with some funding to promote the western North Carolina’s culture and scenic assets. The state budget adopted Saturday by the N.C. General Assembly designates $450,000 for the effort. The House of Representatives had proposed $500,000 and the Senate proposed $400,000, and the difference was split in conference budget negotiations.
• A female student at Appalachian State University reported a physical assault on Thursday, July 26. The victim was walking alone at 9:20 p.m. when a man ran up behind her in the Raley Hall parking lot near Howard Street. The suspect pulled on her clothing and fled the scene.
• The swings are in full swing and the world is a sandbox, albeit a little damp. The grand opening for the Boone Tot Lot will be held this Saturday at 10 a.m., though the county still has some work remaining to address drainage at the park. The Watauga County Board of Commissioners committed $105,000 for the new playground equipment at the site, which is located on the county recreation complex in Boone.
• Local General Assembly members hailed the state’s $20.7 billion budget that was signed into law by Gov. Mike Easley Tuesday. “I attended the signing ceremony,” said Sen. Steve Goss (D-45). “It was a long and arduous process, but I firmly believe we have a budget that speaks for the people of North Carolina.”
• When Watauga County’s students return to school on Aug. 9, they can expect to see improvements for the better in most of the schools’ cafeterias. The Meals Plus computer program has been installed in Bethel, Cove Creek, Mabel, Valle Crucis, Green Valley and Parkway schools. With the Meals Plus program, students, teachers and administrators will be assigned numbers, which they give to cafeteria workers when purchasing lunches.
• A routine traffic stop led to two drug arrests on Friday. A vehicle was stopped in reference to suspicious activity near the intersection of Wilson Ridge Road and Bamboo Road. Upon investigation, officers located straws that had white powder on them and four individually wrapped baggies containing white powder, suspected to be cocaine.
• The entire western North Carolina region lost a friend and champion with the death of Mariam Cannon Hayes. Hayes, a longtime supporter of higher education and arts throughout the state, died Saturday night at her Blowing Rock home. Her gifts to the state include $10 million for an endowment in Appalachian State University’s School of Music, which bears her name.
• Gary Wheeler’s path to Hollywood went through Boone and then back to Boone, and now Hollywood may be coming to Wheeler. The Boone movie director and producer held a premiere for his first domestic feature film last week in Charlotte, with a media screening and then a VIP showing of the film “The List.”
• An art celebration in downtown Boone saw the unveiling of two public art pieces. The Downtown Boone Development Association hosted the event Aug. 3, as part of its public art program, which seeks to beautify the town of Boone through means of art.
• While Watauga County could save up to $1.5 million in Medicaid payments in the coming year, taxpayers may pay the price on real estate sales and at the cash register. As part of the state budget adopted last week, the state ended the county’s 15 percent portion of Medicaid payments, taking away some of the shared sales tax revenue to cover the bill. However, the General Assembly included a provision that allows counties to expand the “land transfer tax” and also add another one-fourth of a cent to the local sales tax.
• A state park designation could be a natural fit for Elk Knob State Natural Area, and it may happen sooner than later. In fact, park superintendent Larry Trivette is sure of it. A state park designation would allow for more recreational use of the grounds, including camping.
• Fires ravaged the downtown area of Spruce Pine. At least six businesses and the meeting place of one church were destroyed. The first call came in the early morning hours of Saturday on Oak Street. When fire crews arrived on the scene, the Keen building was engulfed in flames.
• One could say Appalachian State University finds the North Carolina state budget most educational. In fact, ASU chief of staff Lorin Baumhover called the $20.7 billion budget “extraordinary,” as it includes a $34 million earmark for ASU’s new college of education building.
• A board of adjustment ruling could add even more uncertainty to the future of a private golf course in the resort town of Seven Devils. On Monday, the town’s board of adjustment denied a request for a special use permit that would have expanded Hawksnest Ski Resort’s slope operations. The ski slope had applied to move its snow-tubing operations onto a two-acre parcel that is part of the property used as a golf course.
• Outgoing Boone Area Chamber of Commerce chairman Dick Jones aptly compared a successful chamber or a local community with a balancing act reminiscent of the old vaudeville plate-spinners. During the Chamber’s 58th annual meeting, Jones compared the varied activities of the group and its members with the traditional showmanship of keeping many plates spinning in the air simultaneously — an appropriate metaphor when applied to the many community-service award winners of the night, as well.
• Watauga County’s bridges are in good shape, even though many of them are old and narrow, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. A DOT list of substandard bridges shows 49 of them in Watauga, many with daily traffic counts of less than 100 vehicles per day.
• Boone earned a spot on the “National Geographic Adventure Magazine as one of the “50 Top Adventure Towns,” based on scenic offerings, recreational terrain, available activities and general recreation opportunities.
• Based on concerns over athletic-fields lighting at the new high school, Boone planning commissioners recommended new regulations setting restrictions that fell in line with standards of the Illuminating Engineering Society of America.
• The record daily high temperature for Aug. 7 was broken at Grandfather Mountain’s National Weather Service reporting station, with the new high of 79 degrees.
• A local group called “People For Good Habits” launches a campaign, driven by advertising and bumper stickers, to promote kindness and courtesy in the county.
• A new political action committee called Citizens for Change supports three candidates for Boone Town Council and a town mayoral candidate, largely on their positions on pro-growth land-use regulations such as the steep-slope ordinance and water moratorium.
• Fall webworms enjoy another banner year of spinning their silky nests in area trees, particularly wild cherries, and an overabundance that biologists believe is caused partly by warmer weather.
• Lt. John Edds, 24, the son-in-law of Boone couple Ray and Rhonda Russell, is reported killed in action in Iraq.
• James Richard Tignor, 40, of Lebanon, Va., was killed when his motorcycle was struck by ASU student Andrea Nicole Crawford on US 421.
• NASCAR racing legend Junior Johnson made a pit stop in the Boone ABC store to promote his new brand of “Midnight Moon” tax-paid moonshine.
• The public school system tightened its visitor policy to make it more consistent and allowing only relatives to visit students during the school day.
• The state of North Carolina enacts a burning ban due to continued drought conditions and threat of dangerous wildfires.
• The Watauga County commissioners ask the state Department of Transportation to consider safety improvements, including an additional turn lane, at the intersection of US 221 and Broadstone Road in Valle Crucis.
• Court documents released in the civil trial of former Watauga deputy Paula Townsend’s suit against former Sheriff Mark Shook claims her firing was due to personal issues and that Shook viewed her as a political threat.
• ASU reports its 10th assault for the year in what are believed to be a series of linked cases involving an unidentified male attempting to pull down the pants of victims.
• Watauga County’s SAT scores drop a little for the year, down 21 points to 1,079, but are still above the state and national averages.
• The town of Boone declares a Stage I water shortage and encourages voluntary conservation measures, while the towns of Beech Mountain and Blowing Rock enact Stage II restrictions that place some mandatory restrictions on water users.

September
• On Sept. 1, the Appalachian State Mountaineers dive into college football history by pulling what has been called the biggest upset by defeating Michigan 34-32. The win foreshadows a season that ends with the team’s third consecutive national championship.

• At a Sept. 4 meeting, the Boone Town Council grants town manager Greg Young authority to institute a Stage II water shortage condition if recommended by the public utilities director. Young says the action will help set up a quick response in case of an emergency brought on by worsening drought conditions.
• The town council also meets to discuss several issues with Appalachian State officials including planned growth and zoning. “It’s something the university and town should have been doing years ago before any of us were sitting here,” ASU trustees board chairman Jim Deal says.
• On Sept. 5, Gary Walker, biology professor at Appalachian State University, says the late spring freeze coupled with the prolonged drought that lingers over the end of summer, could spell a quick end to the color show.
• “Eating Smart and Moving More,” an N.C. Cooperative Extension Service program, begins a partnership with Blue Ridge Pediatric and Adolescent Health of Boone with a series of workshops. The workshops focus on a program that encourages people to get more organized and set aside a time to plan for better eating habits and time for exercise.
• On Sept. 10, the first of three trials in the 2005 murder of an Appalachian State University student are scheduled to begin in superior court. The three men accused in the death of 19-year-old Stephen William Harrington have separate trials. Kyle Quentin Triplett, 21, of Boone faces charges of first-degree kidnapping, robbery with a dangerous weapon, felony burning of personal property and first-degree murder. Harrington’s body was discovered in the trunk of his car on Sleepy Hollow Lane in Foscoe on Nov. 8, 2005. Police received a 911 call from a tree-trimming crew at approximately 7:45 a.m. reporting a vehicle fire. Foscoe firefighters and Watauga Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene. They forced open the truck of the vehicle and discovered Harrington’s partially burned body. Court documents indicate Triplett has confessed to his involvement in the crime, describing the events of the night.
• An extended survey shows most western North Carolina consumers want their food grown locally. The Asheville-based Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project conducted 20 separate surveys over the past four years, and the results suggest 82 percent of people want more local food and would purchase it if it were so labeled. The 320-page report resulting from the surveys, called “Growing Local: Expanding the Western North Carolina Food and Farm Economy” also touched on the role of businesses, particularly food markets and restaurants, in growing the agricultural economy.
• On Sept. 14, it’s reported that the Watauga County Board of Commissioners and Board of Education approved a preliminary floor plan for a new county high school. The commissioners approve a recommended “Early Site Package” estimate of $7.15 million from Barnhill Contracting and J.R Vannoy & Sons Construction as the guaranteed maximum price for Phase 1 of the project.
• On Sept. 13, 10 of the 11 candidates for Boone Town Council appear in a forum hosted by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce at the Watauga County Courthouse. Mediator Ron Hester first explains the forum is not a debate, and each candidate is to be afforded the opportunity to answer the same question in a set amount of time. Questions for candidates were submitted in advance by citizens to the chamber, and the first asked what qualifications each candidate brought to the office they’re pursuing.
• On Monday, Sept. 17, Kyle Quentin Triplett, 23, dressed in khakis and a dress shirt, enters the near-empty courtroom to begin the proceedings of a murder trial. Triplett carries a Bible as he sits down next to his defense counsel. His mother, father, sister and two of his former teachers sit behind him in support. Triplett faces charges of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and robbery with a dangerous weapon and felony burning of personal property. The charges stem from the death of 19-year-old Stephen Harrington, whose body was found on Nov. 8, 2005 on Sleepy Hollow Lane in Foscoe. In January 2006, Judge James Baker of Watauga Superior Court approved the grand jury’s recommendation that the circumstances of the crime constitute a capital offense. This designation allows a possible death sentence if convicted. The three men have pleaded not guilty and will have separate trials. Baker hears pre-trial motions from both Charles Byrd, assistant district attorney and lead prosecutor for the state, and lead defense attorney Jeffrey Hedrick. Harrington’s parents and two other family members sit silently behind the prosecutors for the duration of the pre-trial proceedings. The defense makes motions concerning recent developments stemming from a Friday hearing in superior court during which co-defendant Matthew Dalrymple agreed to testify against Triplett.
• On Sept. 19, the Cove Creek Volunteer Fire Department uses booms to dam Pigeon Roost Creek to prevent gasoline from entering the Watauga River. A vehicle accident on Pigeon Roost Road causes gasoline to leak into the creek upstream. Nathan Evan Hughes, 32, of Zionville lost control of his vehicle leaving the right side of the road and coming to rest in the creek bed. The vehicle did not roll over, however, large rocks in the creek bed punctured the gas tank of the vehicle. Hughes was injured in the accident and transported to Watauga Medical Center by Watauga Medics. Shawneehaw firefighters and first responders were on scene at the accident, as well has Trooper Andrew Biddix of the N.C. Highway Patrol. Cove Creek responded to the hazardous material situation to aid Shawneehaw, due to their involvement at the accident scene.
• A check of federal court records on Sept. 21 reveals the civil suits brought by Paula Townsend, former chief deputy of the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office, against former sheriff Mark Shook and the county have been dismissed. The counter-claim made by Shook is also dismissed. Townsend filed the civil suit, naming Shook and Watauga County, in July of 2006, for wrongful termination, claiming sexual harassment, gender discrimination, retaliation, hostile work environment and disparate treatment. Shook later countersued, claiming defamation. Attorney for the county Andrea Capua confirmed the dismissals, which are not yet in written form. Judge Howell of federal district court heard motions in a final pretrial hearing on Sept. 12. Howell verbally granted the motion for summary judgment, made by defense attorneys for Shook and Watauga County.
• On Sept 20, an undercover operation leads to the arrests of 18 suspects in the King Street area of Boone. The operation takes three months and the Boone Police Department’s narcotics unit receives assistance from Ashe County Sheriff’s Office, Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, North Wilkesboro Police Department and the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office. The operation culminates in 79 charges against 18 defendants on Sept. 20. All of the defendants are charged with at least one count of sale and delivery of controlled substances. During the operation, undercover narcotics officers purchase marijuana, crack cocaine, powdered cocaine, LSD, Alphazolam, psilocybin mushrooms, Adderall, clonazepam and Xanax.
• Early, one-stop voting starts on Sept. 20 in Boone’s 2007 municipal elections. As of Sept. 24, 117 people use one-stop voting in the 2007 Boone municipal election. The 2005 municipal election saw 300 people vote using one stop. “For it to be only the third day and up to 117, that’s showing there is definitely more interest in this election than there was two years ago,” Hodges says.

October
• On Oct. 1, it is reported that retired Appalachian State professor and former Horn in the West director Ed Pilkington is recovering after being injured Sept. 28 in a bicycle accident that put him in the path of a Ford truck. Pilkington was traveling on Poplar Grove Road, near the Shulls Mill Road intersection when, according to N.C. Highway Patrol, he lost control of the bicycle. Pilkington landed in the path of oncoming traffic and was struck by a Ford Ranger. The driver of the Ranger, Donald Bentley, 46, of Lenoir, attempted to avoid Pilkington. The front of the truck did not strike Pilkington, however there was not enough time to avoid the accident. Pilkington was run over by the rear tire.

• It is reported on Oct. 3, that the Hospitality House of Boone has cleared one more hurdle in its goal to centralize operations and move out of the downtown area. The Watauga County Board of Commissioners gives tentative approval for the homeless shelter to lease property in the Bamboo area. The 1.96-acre site was originally transferred to Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute for its business center. According to county staff reports, CCC & TI is willing to transfer the property back to the county for Hospitality House use. The property is next to the county-owned Hannah Building, which previously served as the county’s health department before a new facility was built in Boone. The site is now used by the Hunger Coalition and also houses a free pharmacy and medical clinic in addition to hunger-fighting efforts.
• On Oct. 3. A civil suit challenging two Boone ordinances is withdrawn, but it will likely be re-filed within the next year. A group of local property owners file a court action challenging the Town of Boone’s adoption of steep-slope and view-shed ordinances in October 2006, but voluntarily withdraw the suit just before it was scheduled for a hearing in Watauga County Superior Court. Jeff Templeton, one of nine plaintiffs filing the action, says in light of new evidence, the parties plan to review that evidence and re-file the civil action within a year. Templeton cites a sworn affidavit presented to the court by Boone director of development services John Spear as the triggering reason for the case review. Spear’s statement, submitted to the court on Oct. 3, said Templeton had asked him to review six parcels of land owned by Templeton and determine whether they were affected by the view-shed ordinance.
• It is reported on Oct. 5 that police seize more than 6 ounces of cocaine off the market and out of the hands of Watauga High students. During a three-week undercover operation, officers with the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division reportedly made four purchases of cocaine from Lora Elizabeth Walker, 20, of 420 Winebarger Road, Deep Gap. During each transaction, Walker allegedly used juvenile accomplices from Watauga High School. Two of the juveniles were involved in the controlled substance conspiracy and are in custody.
• On Oct. 8, Jane Hodges, director of the Watauga County Board of Elections, announces that, 1,087 Boone residents had voted early – more than three times the number from the 2005 municipal election. She hopes the remainder of the 9,805 registered, active voters (there are 1,808 inactive voters) in Boone will come out vote on Election Day, Tuesday, Oct. 9. “I think there’s just a lot more interest in this election than in the last two years ago,” Hodges says. “We would like to see 100 percent of eligible people vote, and we’re disappointed whenever there’s a low turnout.”
• On Oct. 9, after a record voter turnout, the town of Boone election raises almost as many questions as it resolved. The final make-up of the next town council would likely not be known for one week and makes a November runoff likely due to the closeness of the race. Five candidates finish within 51 votes of each other, making the provisional votes and an official canvass critical in determining the town’s future. Town council candidate Stephen Phillips, a member of the town’s planning commission, is the top vote getter in unofficial returns, netting 1,062 votes. Phillips appears safe to win a four-year term runoff, barring any unusual determinations made during the canvass, but he still may face a runoff. The Board of Elections report 81 provisional votes had been cast, and little will be resolved until the elections board determines whether those votes are ruled valid. Incumbents Lynne Mason and Dempsey Wilcox finish second and third, respectively, though both may face challenges as well. Mason collects 1,038 votes and Wilcox gets 1,028 votes. Both Liz Aycock and incumbent Bunk Spann might be eligible to call for a runoff, and both say they would have to see the provisional vote totals before deciding.
• Round 2 of the Boone municipal elections begins Tuesday, Oct. 16 after an official canvass leads to a run-off declaration. The canvass features a formal complaint about an elections official, an allegation of possible voter fraud, a shift in the final vote tallies and order of candidates’ finish and the possibility of a hand-eye count–but still left a few questions unresolved about the final make-up of the Boone Town Council. It will take a Nov. 6 runoff between Liz Aycock and Dempsey Wilcox to settle the election. Bunk Spann drops out of the race, which also saves Mason from a run-off race. As fifth-place finisher, Spann was eligible to call for a runoff.
• On Oct. 20, the winning worm points to a warm winter with a cold close. Eleven-year-old Olivia King of Raleigh takes home the grand prize of $1,000 at the Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk, and her worm, Armstrong, outraces 1,400 competitors. By virtue of his win at the 30th annual festival in Banner Elk, Armstrong becomes the official folk meteorologist of the High Country. The brown and black stripes on the woolly worm are said to predict the winter weather. According to Armstrong, the first four weeks of winter will be cold and snowy. The fifth and sixth weeks will be cold, while weeks seven and eight will be cold with light snow. Armstrong’s stripes predict a mild spell during weeks 10 and 11 with a cold and snowy close to the winter in weeks 12 and 13. About 20,000 people were on hand for the annual festival. The worms compete in a series of heats to determine the eventual champion, and the festival has been ranked among the top 10 of its kind in the United States. Observing critters in the fall to predict the coming weather is an old Appalachian tradition. Over the 30 years of the festival, supporters say the woolly worm has been all or mostly correct between 57 and 87 percent of the time.

November
• The Watauga High School Pioneers win a conference championship title over A.C. Reynolds Nov. 2, sharing the title with A.C. Reynolds and East Burke. This is the first time since 1981 the Pioneer football team has won a conference championship.
• On Nov. 5, Wade Brown, former statesman and Boone mayor, turns 100. Brown founded the Boone Golf Course in 1959, before serving as mayor in the 1960s and later in the N.C. Senate and House of Representatives.
• The Watauga County Board of Elections discusses changes to its reassignment policy, which would require out-of-county students who attend county schools would have to pay a tuition equivalent to the amount of county money spent on a student.
• On Nov. 6, Boone Town Council Liz Aycock candidate defeats incumbent candidate Dempsey Wilcox in a runoff, with Aycock receiving 924 votes to Wilcox’s 808. Aycock had received 1,050 votes to Wilcox’s 1,046 in the October election, prompting the runoff call.
• The Watauga County Board of Commissioners take the “LEED” in building an energy-efficient Watauga High School, pursuing what could be the first high school in the state certified as “green.” LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
• Christmas tree experts predict a good choose-and-cut season but say the dry conditions of 2007 could damage the current crop of seedlings, should such weather persist.
• Sugar Mountain Ski Resort beats its colleagues to the punch by opening Wednesday, Nov. 7, its earliest opening date ever. The snow guns were fired up the previous morning to prepare for Wednesday.
• Watauga County Schools continues its tradition of academic excellence in the N.C. School Report Cards for the 2006-07 school year. The results indicate higher percentages of students in grades three through eight performing at or above grade level in math and reading.
• The Pioneer football team defeats Alexander Central 42-14 in the first round of the State 4-A playoffs, advancing to face Central Cabarrus.
• Watauga County Schools superintendent Bobbie Short announces intentions to retire by the end of the school year. Short said she came by her decision from spending 35 years in the education and wanting to spend more time with her husband and daughter. Short has served as superintendent for five years, succeeding Dick Jones, who also served five years. Assistant superintendent Mark Hurst also announces his retirement for Feb. 1.
• The Boone Town Council approves a zoning change that would see a mixed-use development develop on the western side of downtown. The change would affect the old Coleman Tobacco warehouse, which developer Oscar Longer intends to replace with 20 units of multi-family housing, as well as office, retail and dining space.
• The Pioneers defeat Central Cabarrus 52-36, with Watauga running back Eric Breitenstein gaining 316 yards and scoring six touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the Mountaineers defeat Chattanooga 37-17 at Kidd Brewer Stadium, making the playoffs as an at-large team to face James Madison University the next Saturday.
Roger Wright, co-owner of the Wilcox Emporium, announces the historic building will close by year’s end for renovation. Upon reopening, the historic space will feature luxury apartments and retail.
• Blue Ridge Electric Membership Cooperative awards more than $6,000 in Bright Ideas Grants to eight educators from Watauga and Avery counties. Bright Ideas is an academic grants program that supports educators and funds projects that enhance traditional academic learning, for which funds would otherwise not be available.
• A three-vehicle collision kills one and injures four on Nov. 23, when a 2000 Ford Explorer, driven by DWI suspect Juan Manuel Juarez Reyes, crashes into the rear of a Lexus SUV driven by Sallie Newell, as she and her family return to Boone from Thanksgiving dinner. Sallie and Jacqueline Newell were treated for injuries and released; Brian Newell was airlifted to Johnson City, Tenn., and Andrew “Drew” Newell, 22, died from his injuries. Reyes’ passenger, Helen Oberlies, was treated and released. Reyes, an undocumented resident of Watauga and citizen of Mexico, was uninjured and charged with driving while impaired, driving without a license and there counts of felonious serious injury by vehicle. He was later charged with second-degree murder.
• The Pioneers defeat Purnell Swett 25-14, scoring touchdowns on back-to-back plays and gaining a three-touchdown lead to clinch their victory. The Pioneers would next take on Mount Tabor in the Western Regional finals.
• The Mountaineers barely inch by James Madison University, defeating the Dukes 28-27, in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs. A late touchdown from quarterback Armanti Edwards, followed by a JMU fumble, results in the close win by the Mountaineers.
• The Appalachian Twin Theater closes on Nov. 29, one year short of its 70th anniversary. A downtown landmark, the theater was closed by Carmike Cinemas, which cited its reason for closing the theater as, “It’s just not economically feasible for us to operate.” The theater opened on Nov. 24, 1938, with the film, “Breaking the Ice,” starring Bobby Breen.

December
• The Mountaineers move one step closer to a championship by defeating Eastern Washington 38-35 and entering the semifinals of the FCS playoffs. ASU would next face Richmond.
• Mount Tabor brings Watauga’s record-breaking season to a close, with the Spartans defeating the Pioneers 36-14. This is the second straight season Watauga has made it to the semifinals, only to be rebuffed.
• John and Faye Cooper, owners of Mast General Store, are named philanthropists of the year by the Watauga County Community Foundation, a charitable foundation that provides services to individuals and organizations that wish to establish charitable endowment and scholarship funds.
• The Mountaineers defeat Richmond 55-35 at Kidd Brewer in front of 24,140 fans, securing a third straight trip to the FCS finals in Chattanooga, where they would face the Delaware Blue Hens.
• The Appalachian State University Board of Trustees approves a tuition hike and fee increase for the 2008-09 academic year. For in-state students, fees will be increased by $245, totaling $7,630. Tuition was increased by $42, bringing tuition costs to $2,263 per year for in-state students. With combined fees and tuition, in-state students can expect to pay $9,893 for 2008-09. The general fee increase will go, in part, toward a general athletic fee.
• Area conservation groups file an appeal to the U.S. Forest Service’s decision to log portions of the Globe area of forest near Blowing Rock. Months earlier, the Forest Service approved a scaled-down version of its original proposal, divided into 17 smaller “partial harvest units,” averaging 11 acres apiece in size.
• The Mountaineers gain their third straight championship win in a row, defeating the Delaware Blue Hens 49-21 in Chattanooga and earning the title of FCS National Champions. ASU had started its season with one of the biggest victories in college football history by defeating Michigan and ended it with another addition to the books by becoming the first team in the history of Division I-AA/FCS playoffs to win three national championships in a row.
• Watauga standout running back Eric Breitenstein earns a trip to the Shrine Bowl, becoming the first Pioneer to play in the event since 1980. Breitenstein gained 2,625 yards rushing and scored 30 touchdowns rushing and receiving during the Pioneers’ 11-4 season.
• Liz Aycock and Stephen Phillips are sworn into office for the Boone Town Council, along with incumbent council member Lynne Mason and incumbent mayor Loretta Clawson. Aycock and Phillips unseated incumbents Dempsey Wilcox and Bunk Spann, respectively, in the 2007 municipal election.