Watauga Democrat
 Friday, April 17, 2009


Archived

FRIDAY: Blaze guts Deep Gap home

A fire heavily damaged a house on Pine Run Road early Friday morning in Deep Gap.

Boone Tea Party bags new taxes
Several hundred people rallied around messages like “” and “Give Me Liberty, Not Debt” during a Tax Day Tea Party rally Wednesday in Boone. Photo by Scott Nicholson

Sen. Hagan tours App State campus
U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan talked about energy and jobs during a Boone visit, saying the two were intertwined.

Police seek credit card theft suspects
Investigators with the Boone Police Department are seeking information regarding two people suspected of using a stolen credit card.

Watauga sheriff’s reports
April 6 —Larceny was reported at a residence on the 2000 block of George Hayes Road in Boone. The victim reported a person breaking the front door of the home and stealing a yellow folder containing personal documents and folders containing legal and real estates documents.

Seven LMC faculty members see contracts terminated after long careers
The contracts of seven faculty members at a Banner Elk private college were terminated recently, leaving some of the jobless instructors scratching their heads over the reasons.

Week celebrates emergency telecommunicators locally
“911. What is the address of your emergency?”

Miller house placed on historic register
It’s more than a century old but it’s still providing family comfort.

High Country Conservancy obtains new easement
Another prominent ridge has been protected after being placed under a conservation easement.

They clean up with a little help from their Friends
The Blue Ridge Parkway got an assist from local college students on a clean-up project that had been neglected due to a tight budget.

April 15, 2009
Pedestrian killed on U.S. 421

A pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle Friday evening on U.S. 421.

Commission says hunter shot in self-defense
A wildlife officer who fatally shot a hunter on Saturday did so in self-defense, according to officials.

N.C. Senate passes state budget lower than governor’s
The North Carolina Senate has adopted its version of a state budget that’s nearly a billion dollars lower than the one submitted three weeks ago by new Gov. Beverly Perdue.

Children involved in high speed chase; Sugar Grove man arrested
A Sugar Grove man was arrested after allegedly leading a Watauga County Sheriff’s Officer on a high-speed, triple-digit chase while two children rode in the suspect’s vehicle.

Boone Police reports
April 2 — Criminal damage to property by vandalism was reported at 4:17 a.m. on the 800 block of West King Street.

Bowls? Empty no more
Through their Empty Bowls fundraiser, Watauga High School art students raised $6,600 for the Hunger and Health Coalition, a sum coalition executive director Compton Fortuna said will buy about 150,000 pounds of food. In fact, art instructor and coordinator Whit Whitaker said the students raised a record amount of money in the program’s local history. Pictured are (not in order): Ashleigh Miller, Jordan Pineda, Max Ruble, Molly Ruble, Caleb Townsend, Marisa Hoover, Maggie Hunter, Victoria Wright, Keiver Hunter, Chloe de Camara, Molly Clay, Alex Barringer, Katie Griffith, Amanda Gonzalez., Colton Watson, Keita Tsutsumi, Alexis Fluchel, Margan Gibbard, Meade Richter, Jessica Presnell, Murray Nickel and Cam Haas.

Photo by Frank Ruggiero


KING STREET CLOSURE
East King Street from Hardin Street (U.S. 321) to the N.C. 105 Extension intersection will be closed for through traffic Monday through Thursday to allow crews to begin clearing vegetation and trees for the relocation of utilities. For more details, please see story below.

April 13, 2009


Report: Ambulance service needs more staff
Demand for ambulance service could lead to more county costs in a challenging budget year.

Jobless benefits account for 1.1 percent of wage base in Watauga 
In what could be considered counterintuitive logic, unemployment has in some ways benefited local economies.

Watauga County court reports
March 19 — Douglas Lee Bailey, 20, of 1645 Fawn Lane, Greedmoor, pleaded guilty to possession of alcohol by an underage person. A prayer for judgment continued was granted.

Modern Automotive Network acquires Boone Toyota dealership
The Modern Automotive Network recently acquired its second Toyota franchise, located at 665 East King St. in Boone.