Archived

Watauga National rolls to victory
Watauga National, the 11-12 Little League All-Star team, got a fast start in its game with West Caldwell Thursday and rolled to a 14-1 victory in the loser’s bracket of the District 7 tournament at Optimist Park.

Post 29 beats Huntersville

GRANITE FALLS - Caldwell County Post 29, which has three Watauga players on its roster, got a complete game from Cody Poarch on the mound and beat Huntersville 10-2 Thursday night at M.S. Deal Stadium. It gave Caldwell a 3-1 series victory in the first round of the Area IV playoffs.

News update: Cool July morning breaks record
Unseasonably cold weather broke the record for the daily low temperature July 3 at the official U.S. Weather Service reporting station located next to the Mile High Swinging Bridge on Grandfather Mountain. The temperature dipped to 45 degrees early in the morning, breaking the previous daily low record of 49 degrees set in 1986. The all-time lowest temperature ever recorded in July at Grandfather Mountain is 41 degrees on July 27, 1962. For more information on the 53 years of weather data from Grandfather Mountain, see the interactive weather database at www.grandfather.com.

Boone Police chief to retire

Boone Police Chief Bill Post is stepping down at the end of July after 11 years leading the Boone police force.

Red, White and Blue Day at farmers' market
The folks at the Watauga County Farmers' Market will be celebrating Red, White and Blue Day this Saturday with the music of the Produce Pickers.

'Suite Surrender' in Blowing Rock July 3-12

What do you get when you have two divas, two egos and one suite? A trifecta that makes for one wacky ride and an infinite number of laughs.

Tea Party Times Two An estimated 500 protesters organized a second "tea party" at the Golden Corral parking lot in Boone on Thursday. The group protested government spending increases, as well as government-sponsored health care. A previous party was held on April 15. Organizers said the main focus of the protest was "to remind government that we're keeping an eye on them and their spending." Photos courtesy of Peter Poranski

Deep Gap woman arrested on drug charges
An employee of Deerfield Ridge Assisted Living on Bamboo Road in Boone has been arrested on charges related to the theft of medications.

Officials: Sales tax increase will likely fuel state budget
The state government is not shutting down, despite gridlock in budget negotiations.

Bid deadline for old WHS approaches
For sale — one high school, slightly used, books not included.

Watauga sheriff’s reports:
June 22 — Larceny of a dog was reported at a residence on the 200 block of Locust Lane in Boone. A border collie dog was reported stolen.

Biofuel station to open Friday
Beginning July 3, High Country motorists will have a local fill-up station for their biodiesel vehicles.

Shoeless trek benefits WYN
A lot of people are worried about the effects of state budget cuts, but Matt Jenkins of Boone is taking his message to the streets - barefoot.

Booze and Loose It campaign

The Watauga County Sheriff?s Office will be cracking down on intoxicated drivers over the holiday weekend as part of the ?Booze it & Lose it: Operation Firecracker? campaign.

Town of Boone Fourth of July parade
The Town of Boone’s Fourth of July parade will be stepping off at 3 p.m. from Horn in the West parking lot on Saturday. This is later than previous years to allow the Watauga County Farmers Market full use of the space prior to parade line-up at 1 p.m. The parade travels down Horn Avenue then left onto King Street, through downtown and ends at the Water Street intersection. A section of Horn Avenue from the N.C. 105 access will be closed to allow participants of the Blowing Rock parade, which steps off at 2 p.m. an opportunity to join Boone’s line. Mayor Loretta Clawson said anyone wishing to participant in the parade is welcome. This year’s grand marshal will be the Watauga County Humane Society, with both a vehicle for board members and a second vehicle for animals.

Government stays in business
The state government is not shutting down, despite gridlock in budget negotiations. While lawmakers failed to adopt a budget by the start of the fiscal year on July 1, they approved a temporary spending bill to keep the government operating and paying its employees. A conference committee made up of members of the N.C. House and Senate have been debating a final budget for several weeks, facing several billion dollars in budget cuts and at odds over tax increases and cuts. N.C. Rep. Cullie Tarleton (D-Watauga) said dispute over new taxes is holding up the budget. He favors a tax overhaul but believes it should not be done in a "reactionary mode." For the new budget, he favors additional "sin" taxes on items such as cigarettes, beer and liquor. "We're a long way apart," Tarleton said. "I suspect when all the dust settles, we'll see an increase in the sales tax and a tax on some services, but not nearly as far as the Senate is proposing." The continuation budget keeps spending at 15 percent below 2008-09 levels until at least July 15, which is the new deadline for budget passage.

July 1, 2009

Look what I found! Christopher Day, 5, shows off his new truck during the High Country Hospice Bazaar recently held at the Boone National Guard Armory. Photo by Mark Mitchell

News update: Boone council member Liz Aycock resigns
Boone Town Council member Liz Aycock announced Tuesday she will be resigning from her position effective immediately.

Rash of burglaries hits Shadowline shops
For the third time this month, multiple businesses have fell victim to breaking and entering a single incident.

Slower season leads TDA to go regional
Despite a slowdown in tourism stays, the Watauga County Tourism Development Authority is blazing new trails.

Officials: Before buying fireworks, check local laws
Fireworks have become an Independence Day tradition across the nation. However, before purchasing fireworks, buyers should ensure the legality of the pyrotechnics of choice.

Bullying bill draws criticism
With the N.C. House of Representatives narrowly passing a controversial school anti-bullying bill, the bill is now set to become law.

Crimestoppers: ATV stolen from the Zionville community
Watauga County Crimestoppers requests the public’s help in identifying the person(s) responsible for the following crime: Sometime Thursday, June 25, between 6:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., someone took a black-and-silver 2002 Polaris Sportsman 700 ATV (four-wheeler) parked at a farm on N.C. 88 in the Zionville 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.

June 29, 2009

ASU wind turbine gets on the grid
The new wind turbine on the Appalachian State University campus is already contributing to the local power grid, and it promises to be a showcase for the university's research and educational efforts.

Together NC hears state budget woes
Representatives of a number of public service agencies gathered at the Watauga County Public Library last week to discuss state budget cuts that will affect their clients in the coming years.

Watauga sheriff's reports:
June 16 - Brian Randolph Wood Jr., 27, of 283 Vannoy Lane, Boone, was served with a warrant on a charge of harassing phone calls.