An oil and gas production platform exploded today after a well that was connected to the platform caught fire roughly 100 miles off the central coast of Louisiana. The flames engulfed the entire vessel, forcing 13 people overboard. Luckily, all 13 people were found and rescued, and despite earlier reports claiming one person was injured, no one was hurt in the explosion. Earlier reports also said that the fire was started after an explosion, but according to officials the fire started at one of the seven wells connected to the platform, then causing the explosion. According to various reports, the platform remains on fire at this moment, but helicopters and cutters from the Coast Guard are on the way to put out the blaze. According to the owner of the platform, Houston-based Mariner Energy Inc., there was no chemical spill, but new reports have surfaced that an oil "sheen" more than a mile long can now be seen. This recent explosion comes more than four months after the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded on April 20th, killing 11 people and causing one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history.
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An oil and gas production platform exploded today after a well that was connected to the platform caught fire roughly 100 miles off the central coast of Louisiana. The flames engulfed the entire vessel, forcing 13 people overboard. Luckily, all 13 people were found and rescued, and despite earlier reports claiming one person was injured, no one was hurt in the explosion. Earlier reports also said that the fire was started after an explosion, but according to officials the fire started at one of the seven wells connected to the platform, then causing the explosion. According to various reports, the platform remains on fire at this moment, but helicopters and cutters from the Coast Guard are on the way to put out the blaze. According to the owner of the platform, Houston-based Mariner Energy Inc., there was no chemical spill, but new reports have surfaced that an oil "sheen" more than a mile long can now be seen. This recent explosion comes more than four months after the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded on April 20th, killing 11 people and causing one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history.
Here's some much-needed news for U.S. citizens, the number of unemployment claims fell for the second consecutive week last week, according to a weekly government report released Thursday. First-time unemployment claims fell from 478,000 down to 472,000 in the week ending on August 28th, according to the Labor Department's weekly report. By comparison, economists were expecting 475,000 new claims. Unemployment rates in the country also dropped 23,000 to 4.456 million in the week ending on August 21st.
After weeks of back and forth opinions on whether or not Watauga County should adopt a quarter-cent sales tax increase, the decision has been made. Watauga County citizens voted heavily against the tax hike as 4,428 citizens voted against the tax referendum, and 2,705 voted for it. Only about 18 percent of Watauga County voters went to the polls, but of those, approximately 62 percent voted against the tax increase. That total included early voting ballots in which 1,599 were against and 988 were for the quarter-cent sales tax increase for an indoor recreation center and community center. The tax referendum would have accrued about $1.9 million in annual revenue and would have put sales tax for the most retail goods at 8 percent. Before the sales tax referendum was defeated, seven of the last nine local county sales-tax increases in North Carolina had passed. Well, even after the sales tax increase was defeated, county officials say that they are still leaving the possibility of a new indoor recreation center on the table. According to Watauga County manager Rocky Nelson, the plans to build a new recreation facility were contingent on the sales tax increase being adopted,and while there isn't a current backup plan, officials will still keep it in future considerations. While nothing has been discussed extensively, commissioners are allotted as many sales-tax votes as they want as long as its not within a 30-day window of a regular or primary election, and some counties within the state have held as many as four sales-tax referendums before passing them into law.
Blue Ridge EMC is happy to announce that in July, North Carolina lawmakers expanded the state's 'move over law' to include electric utility vehicles restoring power on the sides of roadways. The 'move over law' requires motorists to slow down and cautiously approach emergency vehicles with flashing lights, moving over one lane when possible. Beginning in December, the law will encompass electric utility vehicles that are stopped, with amber lights flashing, on roadway shoulders. The expanded law protects electric utility workers as they work to maintain power lines or restore power in local communities and along North Carolina's highways. Director of public relations Renee Whitener, says that this inclusion of electrical workers into the law will keep Blue Ridge EMC employees safe, because much like me and you, they have families that they want to return home to safely as well. Although the law does not take effect until December 1, residents are encouraged to begin the practice of moving over and slowing down if they see an electric utility vehicle. This will help protect the safety of not only the workers, but also the drivers. Since Blue Ridge Electric's service area is typically in areas that experience severe winter weather, moving over will help drivers become accustomed to "thinking safety" and moving over for line workers well before ice or snow typically arrive and the new law takes effect.
Authorities are vowing to prosecute anyone who attempts to damage or remove any political signs related to the sales tax vote or any other. The response comes after District Attorney Jerry Wilson said that a Burke County group has reportedly planned to remove all political signs from Watauga County this election season. According to the press release sent by Wilson, anyone who doesn't obey this policy will be prosecuted in a "very serious manner." Now, the policy doesn't apply to the owner of the signs or anyone working for Wilson, the law enforcement, the Department of Transportation, or private property owners who did not authorize the signs to be placed. To date, only a few signs opposing the sales tax increase have been stolen according to Boone Police.
As the August 31st voting deadline is just one day away, numbers from the early voting for the sales tax referendum are in, and are pretty impressive. According to election officials, 2,566 people placed an early ballot during the early voting period of the roughly 40,000 registered voters in Watauga County. Since the voting deadline for the quarter-cent sales tax increase is not during the general election and is not a primary, the turnout is expected to be low, but county officials have to be impressed by the strong turnout in the early voting. Whether you support the tax hike or are opposed, make sure to get out and vote tomorrow. The polls will be open from 6:30am to 7:30pm, and to find polling places near you, just visit www.wataugacounty.org.
The North Carolina Employment Security Commission has released their latest county-by-county unemployment, and the High Country saw some more progress as Watauga, Avery, and Ashe all saw unemployment rates drop in the month of July. Watauga had the biggest drop in the High Country, with unemployment falling from 7.6 percent in June to 7.4 percent in July. Meanwhile, Avery and Ashe County each fell one-tenth of a percent with Ashe's unemployment rate falling under 11 percent to 10.9 percent, and Avery's dropping to 8 percent. Overall, 86 of the 100 counties in North Carolina saw a decrease in their unemployment rates, and the state of North Carolina's unemployment rate fell to 9.9 percent in the month of July. Still, state officials say the state continues to struggle with unemployment, as six counties saw unemployment increase and eight counties saw it remain the same. State officials also added that over half of North Carolina's counties have unemployment rates over 10 percent, so while progress is being made, there's still a long ways to go.
The Town of Beech Mountain has eased up on the current water restrictions, reducing the water sanctions from Stage 3, Mandatory Water Reduction II to Stage 2, Mandatory Water Reduction I status. While conditions for water supply have improved, the current water supply for the town is still well-below the average for this time of the year. Under the lowered water restrictions, consumers must still cut their water usage by 10 percent, and they must obey a series of restrictions including: irrigation is limited to a half inch per week between 8PM and 8AM; you can only wash full loads in clothes and dishwashers; you must prevent water waste and runoff; you can only use spring-loaded nozzles on garden hoses; you must identify and repair all water leaks, outdoor use of drinking water for washing impervious surfaces is prohibited; and all testing and training purposes requiring drinking water (e.g. fire protection) will be limited. Violators will be given a warning on their first violation, they will be issued a $250 fine on their second offense, and their third offense will result in their water being cut off. If you see someone violating the new restrictions, the Town of Beech Mountain asks that you call 828-387-2342. The Town would also like to thank its customers for their conservation efforts thus far, as well as their continued efforts while Beech Mountain remains in mandatory restriction status.
Have you seen this guy? His name is Alain Robert, and he is a French skyscraper climber that climbs with nothing but his bare hands and climbing shoes. Nicknamed "Spiderman," Robert took his latest climbing skills to a 57-story building in Sydney, but after finishing his climb he was promptly arrested. Robert is known for climbing some of the world's tallest and most famous buildings. The 48-year-old claims he has climbed over 70 skyscrapers around the world, including the Empire State Building, the Sears Tower and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. But today he was arrested after his latest attempt to climb the Lumiere building in downtown Sydney. But arrests are nothing new for Robert, as many of his previous climbs have resulted in arrests and fines. He has not yet been charged yet, but last year, Robert was fined 750 Australian dollars, or $676 U.S., for climbing the 41-story Royal Bank of Scotland building in Sydney. Now, of course not wanting to see his efforts go unnoticed, Robert has his own website, complete with photos, videos, and more at www.alainrobert.com. 
America's Most Wanted will be focusing their attention on a High Country town this week. The national TV program will be investigating the suspicious death of 40-year-old Deana Elizabeth Schermerhorn in Seven Devils. Schermerhorn was found dead in a shallow grave in the woods near her Seven Devils home on December 15th, 2009. After conducting an autopsy on her body, the cause of death was ruled to be blunt force trauma of the head due to beating. Family members had seen Schermerhorn alive over a month earlier at her home, but who killed her remains a mystery. Police are still looking for her husband, Christopher Warren Meade, who was last seen by relatives in Bristol, Virginia about four days after Schmerhorn was reported missing. Authorities are looking for Meade for questioning as a person of interest, and he is also wanted by police for felony financial card theft. The show will air on Fox on Saturday at 9pm. Police are still asking anyone with information about the case or Meade's whereabouts to contact the Seven Devils Police Department at 828-963-6760, "America's Most Wanted" at (800)CRIME-TV, or Watauga County Crimestoppers at 828-268-6959.
