Archived

News update: Road work to begin on King Street
The contractor for the U.S. 421/King Street widening plans to begin work on Monday, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation. With utility crews already working to remove or replace lines, contractors will be placing orange construction signs. This will be followed by the demolition of the buildings on the south side of 421. The initial work will have minimal, if any, impact on traffic flow, according to NCDOT. The work is expected to cost $15 million and be complete by the end of 2011.

Wooden theme added to downtown Boone street art The timeless theme of a child and her first dog has been captured in wood and is the latest outdoor sculpture of the Downtown Boone Development Association’s public-art program. Photo by Jason Reagan

News update: Ashe buys skate park equipment

In an unexpected move in support of Ashe County Parks and Recreation (ACPR), the Ashe County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of the much-maligned Appalachian Skate Park (ASP) from the ASP Committee in Boone for the sum of $32,600.

Watauga County Farmers’ Market offering up summer’s bounty

This Saturday at the Watauga County Farmers' Market, the Foglikely Farm will have Roma green beans, young collards at their best, and Yellowstone carrots.

Into the air Avery Finkel guides Highlands Bridget Jones over a jump during the Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show now under way. Photo by Mark Mitchell

Ousted Watauga County library director considers legal action
Two weeks after Watauga County head librarian John Blake said he was forced to resign, he is still searching for answers, as are some local library supporters.

Four charged in child abuse case
Four people were arrested after an incident Sunday evening involving assault on a child.

Report: Obesity busting programs show success
Obesity prevention efforts led to more physical activity among school-aged children last year, according to data compiled by a non-profit organization.

Watauga sheriff’s reports
July 13 — Evelyn Colleen Sparks, 35, of 5841 Charlie Little Road, Granite Falls, was served with an order for arrest for failure to appear in district court on a school attendance law violation.

Rummage sale to benefit Humane Society
The National Guard Armory in Boone will be filled this weekend with good deals for a good cause with the 27th annual rummage sale to benefit the Watauga County Humane Society.

Boone Police reports
July 17 — Breaking and entering was reported at 3:08 a.m. at an apartment on the 300 block of Howard Street.

Sign ordinance goes to public hearing
The Watauga County Board of Commissioners and Planning Commission held a joint meeting Tuesday night to discuss the future of local billboards. The joint session grew out of a proposed revision to the sign ordinance to address digital or changeable-message electronic billboards. The commissioners declared a moratorium in 2008 on such billboards and asked the planning commission to revise the ordinance. During deliberations, the planning commission ultimately recommended an overhaul of the sign ordinance to effectively ban all new billboards in the county. As proposed, existing billboards may be replaced with electronic signs as long as they otherwise conform to the ordinance. The ordinance also regulates brightness and limits the amount of white used in the sign to 25 percent of the total area. The commissioners took no action on the ordiance but scheduled a public hearing for Aug. 18 at 6 p.m. The ordinance revisions will be posted at www.wataugacounty.org beginning July 22.

Duo charged in LSD sting
Two people have been charged with the sale of $10,000 worth of hallucinogenic acid. Watauga Sheriff’s Office Capt. Dee Dee Rominger said the duo sold 1,000 units of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) following an undercover purchase attempt by the WCSO special operation division. Officers arrested Joseph Brandon Michael, 26, of 15 Pine Grove Avenue, Asheville, and Patricia Elizabeth Diaz-Verson, 23, of 155 Apt No. 4, Campus Ridge Road, Boone, and charged both with three counts each of trafficking LSD and one count of conspiracy to traffic LSD. Both are being held under a $60,000 bond. Rominger said more arrests are expected.

Officers search for runaway teen
The Watauga County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) received a report concerning a missing teen on Tuesday, July 21, at 11:54 p.m.

Minor injuries sustained in Tuesday evening wreck An Iron Station man has been charged with driving while impaired and driving left of center after an accident on U.S. 321 Tuesday evening. Photo by Melanie Marshall

July 22, 2009
Daily low temperature record tied and broken twice
For the second day in a row, the daily low temperature record was broken Monday at Grandfather Mountain. A low of 49 degrees broke the previous record for July 20 of 52 degrees set in 1971. The low temperature reading of 47 degrees on July 19 broke the daily record of 49 degrees set in 1958. A chilly 47 degrees recorded on July 18 tied the daily low temperature record set in 1958. The all- time lowest temperature ever recorded in July at the official U.S. Weather Service reporting station located next to the Mile High Swinging Bridge on Grandfather Mountain is 41 degrees recorded 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

Fore! Trey Hudson, 6, keeps a close eye on his shot as he plays a little golf with his grandfather, Richard Hudson, at the Watauga Parks and Recreation Complex in Boone. Photo by Mark Mitchell

Remembering that ‘ONE SMALL STEP’ Monday marked the 40th anniversary of the first manned landing on the moon.

23 full-time teaching assistant positions axed
Watauga County Schools will be operating with about 15 percent fewer personnel this year after the latest round of job cuts.

DOT launches two projects
Two significant road projects will soon get under way that will affect most local motorists at one time or another.

County hopes to retain contract for state license plate office
Watauga County now has two years’ experience on its resume, which it hopes will help it keep the state contract to issue license plates.

Local housing starts tick upward
With the national housing-construction market picking up, Watauga County is seeing an increase in residential building permits.

Former student resource officer convicted in sex crime investigation
A former Beech Mountain police officer, who also served as an Avery County School Resource Officer, Michael Bruce Darcy, 45, of Boone, was convicted Tuesday in federal court in Asheville on charges of transporting an individual across state lines with the intent of engaging in sexual activity.

Former deputy files second civil suit
Former Watauga County sheriff’s chief deputy Paula Townsend filed a suit in district civil court on Tuesday against former sheriff Mark Shook and Western Surety Company.

100 tasty years Victor Bell Walston, 5, enjoys an ice cream cone during the Mast Store Annex’s celebration of 100 years in business. As part of the celebration, which took place  July 16-18, the business offered $1 small ice cream cones on Thursday. Photo by Mark Mitchell