October 2009 Archives

Tomorrow, Ensemble Stage is producing a staged version of the 1938 Orson Welles radio drama, War of the Worlds. All the original New Jersey references have been replaced with locations throughout the High Country and North Carolina, with the epicenter of the martian attack happening in the High Country! The cast includes a list of local celebrities such as our very own bill fisher. Be sure to check out this radio drama tomorrow night at 8pm at the Blowing Rock School Auditorium on Sunset Drive in Blowing Rock. Reservations can be made by calling 406-2884.

The 2009 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer season concluded with the Avon Walk in Charlotte this past weekend, which raised more than $2.3 million to advance access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer. The event attracted more than 1,000 participants drawn from 4 countries and 39 states.  Among the participants were 114 breast cancer survivors and 138 men, who joined together to raise lifesaving funds and awareness for breast cancer. Donations are still being accepted for the Avon Walk Charlotte. To donate, please visit avonwalk.org  or call 800-541-WALK.  For information on the Avon Foundation visit www.avonfoundation.org.

Congresswoman Virginia Foxx cosponsored a measure to ensure that the process of finalizing healthcare legislation is open to public scrutiny.  Foxx says, If there's nothing to hide, why not throw open the doors and let the public watch? This will make the House of Representatives more open and responsive to citizens by opening up their closed meetings.  Foxx said "The lawmaking process is more than just the final votes on legislation...It involves committee amendments and votes, Rules Committee hearings, and conference committees." She adds that "Taxpayers deserve to see the whole legislative sausage machine, not just the shiny, shrink-wrapped package that gets sent to the president for his signature."

The Western Youth Network will host a special ArtCrawl next weekend at the GreenHouse, which is Boone's first "green" building.  On display will be a gallery to showcase work by several children who are involved in Western Youth Network's programs. Each piece of art will be framed and sold for $15 with all the proceeds going to support 5th - 10th grade youth in the High Country. The ArtCrawl will be held on Friday, November 6, from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at 164 South Depot Street.

A 37-year-old pilot from Baxley, Georgia was able to land his plane safely on Sunday night with help from local authorities after the plane he was piloting lost its alternator. According to Watauga County Sheriff Len Hagaman, Stanley White contacted the Air Traffic Control Center in Atlanta when the 1974 single engine fixed wing plane lost its alternator and a few instruments that were not related to airspeed and altitude. Hagaman said the sheriff's office's 911 center was able to make contact with White and direct him to the Boone airport.  Because there are no lights installed at the Boone airport's runway, three fire trucks and two sheriff's office vehicles had to light the path for White to land his plane. EMS and Watauga Rescue were on hand in case the landing didn't go smoothly, but they weren't needed as White made a perfect three-point landing.

Hagaman said after the landing, White said, "By the way, where am I?"  Hagaman said apparently White had never heard of Boone.

Teen pregnancy rates hit a 30-year low statewide in 2008. Watauga County is the second lowest in the state, which Watauga Healthy Carolinians attributes to the Baby Think it Over curriculum taught to all incoming freshman at the high school. Also, In 1996, Appalachian Regional Healthcare Systems and Watauga Healthy Carolinians introduced the Baby Think it Over program at Watauga High School.

The program is now a part of the curriculum of the required healthful living course for ninth graders. Students are assigned a doll for one weekend during the school year. The dolls are equipped with a computer chip that records the "baby" care each student provides. The doll cries, requires diaper changes and feeding. "The kids come in on Monday and can't wait to give the baby back, and that's the idea," said Bryan Belcher, manager of Watauga Healthy Carolinians.

The community provides programs for teens, such as arts, sports, parks and recreation, religious activities and there is strong parental involvement. All of those factors contribute to low teen pregnancy rates.  

Newly-hired Boone Police chief Dana Crawford brings a local perspective to the position.  Crawford was born and raised in Avery County and attended Lees McRae College. Following graduation, he joined the Beech Mountain Police Department. He is familiar with the demographics, economy, climate and tourism industry in the area. Throughout the coming weeks, Crawford plans to review crime statistics with the officers at the Boone Police Department. Additional officer training is a long-term goal for Crawford. He plans to increase tactical, ethics, supervisory and leadership training for all officers of the department.  Crawford plans to utilize the in-house officers to increase training without spending town funds. In addition, he intends to seek out grants and low-cost training opportunities for officers. Crawford has an open door policy for town residents. He encourages feedback and ideas from community members. Crawford can be reached by calling the BPD at (828) 268-6900 or via email at Dana.Crawford@townofboone.net.

Boone Police arrested a 22-year-old Elk Park man on vandalism charges that stem from incidents that occurred in April. According to Sergeant Matt Stevens of the Boone P.D., Martin Charles Wentworth faces 12 counts of misdemeanor injury to real property.  Authorities believe Wentworth "tagged" several businesses on Howard and King streets with graffit. Wentworth was given a $1,500 bond and will appear in court next Thursday.

Though local and regional unemployment rates are declining, the number of people who are exhausting their unemployment benefits is accelerating. According to the High Country Workforce Development Board, 33 unemployed Watauga workers are scheduled to lose their benefits in the next 60 days. They will join the ranks of the 11 who lost their benefits in the previous 60 days. Unemployment benefits typically expire after a year, though the federal government extended benefits for an additional six months. A legislative proposal to extend benefits an additional 13 weeks is currently stalled.

In the meantime, training programs for workers are ongoing. The Employment Security Commission is offering weekly employability classes at the JobLink Career Centers. In addition, a group of unemployed professionals has begun meeting every other Tuesday at the Watauga County JobLink Career Center to share job leads, provide resume and interview critiques, and offer support. For more information about any of these resources, visit RecoveryInTheHighCountry.com or call Watauga's JobLink Career Center at 265-5385.

A "Community Visioning" Thursday night will help shape the future of the local farm economy. The meeting is from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Commissioners' Meeting Room of the Watauga County Administrative Building in Boone. It's sponsored by the Watauga County Soil and Water Conservation District and the North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. Watauga County is preparing a plan to support the growth of farming and the availability of farmland. All residents, landowners, farmers, and supporters of agriculture in Watauga County are invited to participate in this Community Visioning process to assess the current state of the agricultural economy in the county and to begin shaping a shared vision for the future. For more information, contact Brian Chatham, Watauga County Soil and Water, at (828) 264-0842.