January 2010 Archives

Representative Cullie Tarleton also announced that he plans to file for reelection for a third term in the N.C. House of Representatives. Tarleton said he pledges to work to create new jobs, support small business, ensure quality education for children, work to make healthcare available to all, and support Appalachian State University. Tarleton said he won't turn his back on North Carolinians who work hard every day but are afraid of losing their jobs, their savings and their healthcare. These are the people he is fighting for.

State Senator Steve Goss will seek a third term in office in November's election. He said there is no shortcut out of our present difficulties, however, as we look ahead, the spirit of our people and good sense will prevail and he believes that his experience and knowledge of the counties will serve our region well. Goss is the incumbent NC Senator for the state's 45th District, which includes Alexander, Ashe, Watauga, and Wilkes counties.

Officials are now estimating that the number of perished earthquake victims in Haiti could rise well above 150,000 people. Samaritan's Purse relation's coordinator Melissa Strickland said survivors are living in extremely desperate conditions where everyone is sleeping outside and many of them on streets with no shelter. Members of the Samaritan's Purse Incident Management Team are continuing relief efforts.

There are now 81 team members from Samaritan's Purse on the ground in Haiti including Soldier's from North Carolina's 82nd Airborne. International health kits have arrived at the compound with enough medicine and equipment to care for 30,000 people for one month. The response team has also set up a base of operations about five miles from the epicenter of the earthquake. Samaritan's Purse officials are still asking for everyone's prayers as they continue to move forward with the relief effort in Haiti.  You can find out how to donate online at SamaritansPurse.org.

Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation is monitoring the looming winter storm and employees are prepared to implement the cooperative's emergency power restoration plan if the storm should cause widespread outages. Public relations coordinator Renee Whitener said line technicians are topping off fuel supplies, checking safety equipment, chains for trucks, and items like chain saws that are used to remove downed tree limbs. Whitener said BREMCO employees are monitoring weather conditions as well as power load to ensure safe and rapid response. If you're a BREMCO customer and your power goes out, you should call the outage line at 1-800-448-2383.

The Watauga High School Softball Team is sponsoring a benefit spaghetti dinner for Ashlyn Pope. The dinner at the Greenway Baptist Church gym on February 13^th from 5 to 8 pm. Ashlyn Pope is a student a Hibriten High School in Lenoir and a member of the school softball team. She was riding in a car that was hit by a drunk driver in 2009. The Watauga High School Softball Team is putting on the spaghetti dinner to raise money to assist with Ashlyn's medical expenses. The dinner is free - donations will be accepted. For more information, call 264-3877.

The North Carolina D.A.R.E. Officers' Association named Sergeant Patrick Baker of the Watauga County Sheriff's Office the North Carolina D.A.R.E. Officer of the Year. Watauga County Sheriff Len Hagaman made a special announcement at this month's Watauga County Commissioners' meeting honoring Sergeant Baker's accomplishment. Baker instructs D.A.R.E. classes at six elementary schools in Watauga County and currently serves on the NC D.A.R.E. Officers' Association's Western Region Executive Board.