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Temporary homes needed for animals
Watauga County Friends for Life, the Humane Society and Animal Care and Control are making an urgent plea to residents to assist with renovations of the Animal Control facility from Sept. 5 to 15 by fostering animals currently residing in the building.

Bogus electronics sales reported to sheriff’s office
The Watauga County Sheriff's Office has issued a report of suspected bogus electronics sales in the area.

Mixed drinks pouring into Boone following referendum’s approval
Applications for mixed-drink sales in Boone will be pouring out over the next couple of weeks, with one business planning service for as early as this week.

Natural gas pipes up in Boone
While the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce’s latest Lunch & Learn didn’t exactly give diners gas, it did offer plenty information on the subject.

Economy is putting the pinch on families
If you’re feeling the pinch of the sluggish economy, you’re not alone, and you might need to pinch pennies for a while longer.

Daniel Boone Hill now coming up as Strawberry Hill
Strawberries will always be in season, as far as Boone’s newest arboretum is concerned.

Hitting the water? You now need to wear a life vest
In North Carolina, having a life vest for everyone onboard a canoe or kayak is recommended as standard operating procedure, and now it’s the law.

ASU researches converting algae to biodiesel fuel
Appalachian State University is “going green” in the water, developing a research project to convert algae to biodiesel fuel.

ASU may be forced to reduce water usage under new drought legislation
Appalachian State University could be forced to reduce its water use by 10 percent under the new drought legislation adopted by the General Assembly.

Boone adopts bond order for $25 million toward new waer intake
The Boone Town Council adopted a bond order for $25 million toward its new water intake near the Watauga and Ashe county line.

Ashe County to again furnish official White House Christmas tree
For the second year in a row and the sixth time in U.S. history, an Ashe County Christmas tree will be the centerpiece of the White House’s holiday decorations.



Woman rescued five days after vehicle wrecks in ravine
The search is over for a missing woman in Caldwell County after she was found Tuesday — a victim of an auto wreck.

Skaters complain about rule changes
Advocates for the Appalachian Skatepark Council turned out in force to address rules changes that they said limited use of the park, and the commissioners gave them one final chance to follow safety rules under expanded hours.

Sidewalks will lead to new WHS
Road improvements near the new Watauga County high school should be complete a year before the school’s expected opening.

Crimestoppers seek help to identify suspect in theft
Watauga County Crimestoppers is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a potential suspect in a theft at Foggy Mountain Gem Mine on N.C. 105 South.

Town council hears planning cases
Following the Boone Town Council’s denial of an Appalachian State University rezoning request, little action was in store for the remaining items from the town’s Aug. 14 quarterly public hearing.

Naturalists rally at Roan Mtn.
A local ecological treasure will be the site of an annual nature celebration next month.
The 46th annual Fall Naturalists’ Rally will be held at Roan Mountain, Tenn., taking place Sept. 5-7.

Higher costs derail some county roads progress
The Watauga County Board of Commissioners received a list of $3.1 million worth of improvements to state roads Monday night.

Inspection stickers phasing out
Window inspection stickers will soon be an item of the past. As of Oct. 1, vehicle inspections will be electronically linked to a vehicle’s registration. A statement issued by the N.C. Department of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles says the N.C. General Assembly passed the legislation to increase inspection compliance statewide and further benefit the state’s air quality and highway safety.

Cove Creek VFD receives $18,000 grant
The Cove Creek Volunteer Fire Department will be purchasing new turnout gear and jumpsuits for each of the department’s 32 members with the help of BB&T Insurance Services and the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company.

WHS students score above state, nation in SAT
Watauga High School students achieved an average combined score of 1,102 on the math and critical reading sections of the SAT in 2008, 95 points higher than the state average of 1,007 and 85 points above the national average of 1,017. A perfect combined score on these two sections of the SAT is 1,600.

Spin City It was time to go for a spin at Tweetsie Railroad for, from left, Mataya Fiedler, Chuck Finley, Hannah Boone and Trent Holiday, as the foursome enjoys Homecoming Days. The special event on Saturday and Sunday offered half-price admission for local residents and was sponsored by Mountain Times Publications. Photo by Mark Mitchell

Lifesavers lauded: App Ski Mountain patrol members win national award
Patrol members at Appalachian Ski Mountain have been recognized at the national level for a life-saving event in January 2008.

Watauga sheriff’s reports:
August 12 — Curtis Len Moore, 41, of 337 Junaluska Road, Boone, was served with an order for arrest on charges of probation violation, and two counts of failure to appear at a scheduled court date.

Obama supporters re-open Boone HQ
The headquarters of the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama presidential campaign for Watauga, Ashe and Alleghany counties opened Friday with local supporters rejoicing in the new office space on the corner of King and Straight streets.

Part two: N.C. House candidates discuss diverse issues
Candidates for the N.C. District 93 House of Representatives seat squared off at the Broyhill Inn & Conference Center in Boone at a Tuesday debate hosted by the Boone Kiwanis Club.

Giving Hope a Hand campaign
The Hospitality House of Boone kicked off its combined capital campaign, aptly titled “Giving Hope a Hand,” during its annual luncheon at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center Thursday.

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Crimestoppers needs the public's help
Watauga County Crimestoppers requests the public's help in identifying the person(s) responsible for the following crime(s): Sometime between last Thursday evening, Aug. 21, and Friday morning, Aug. 22, approximately $2,000 worth of power tools were taken from a trailer at a construction site on Big Hill Road in the Todd community. Anyone with information on this crime or any other crime is asked to call Crimestoppers at 828-268-6959. All information will be kept confidential. Crimestoppers pays rewards for information, which leads to arrests; recovery of stolen property; seizure of drugs; and the location of wanted persons.