Watauga County News

When Barnardsville resident Roger Compton was laid off from his job as a machinist in January, he tried to think positively.

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.

Larceny of a dog was reported at a residence on the 200 block of Locust Lane in Boone.

Representatives of a number of public-service agencies gathered at the Watauga County Public Library on Tuesday to discuss state budget cuts that will affect their clients in the coming years.

Work on a mile-long stretch of U.S. 421 in Watauga County will begin next month under a contract awarded by the N.C. Department of Transportation, officials said yesterday.

By Melanie Marshall Cyclists from the across the country will gather in Valle Crucis this weekend for the 11th annual Blood, Sweat and Gears ride.

By Ron Fitzwater Coming armed more with statements and manifestoes than questions, residents of Ashe and Watauga counties gathered with the Ashe County Board of Commissioners and the Boone Town Council for a town hall meeting on the proposed water intake facility in Watauga County.

A fire that damaged a vacation home on Saddle Hills Road in Blowing Rock has been deemed suspicious by investigator Davis Hancock of the Watauga County Fire Marshal's Office.

'Welcoming Committee' by Rev. Leighton Ford is a giclee print on paper. Rev. Ford will attend the 20th year in business celebration at artpurveyors.com on Saturday, June 20.

Watauga County Crimestoppers requests the public's help in identifying the person responsible for the following crime : Sometime between the dates of June 14 at 4:30 p.m. and June 15 at 7:30 a.m., a white 16-foot-long enclosed rrailer was taken from a business located in the 9000 block of Highway 105 South.

Music is at the heart of the Christmas in July Festival. Recent years have seen a focus on the heritage of the music of the mountains, and this yeara s 23rd annual festival features a delight of that tradition.

On Thursday, market president for Wachovia Bank Jason Triplett, presented $10,000 to Brenda Lyerly, chair of the Hospitality House board of directors, and Lynne Mason, executive director.

The Ashe County Board of Commissioners will meet with town of Boone officials in a public meeting about a proposed water intake facility in the Brownwood area of Watauga County on Tuesday, June 23 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Westwood Elementary School in West Jefferson.

The High Country Jubilee Chorus performs selections from The Sound of Music in Banner Elk and Boone on Friday and Saturday, June 19 and 20, at 7:30 p.m. each night.

" Tuesday, Boone City Council members and Ashe County commissioners will hold a joint meeting to talk about a plan that would allow Boone to pull some 4 million gallons of water from the New River every day.

The state House gave final approval early Saturday to its $18.6 billion budget for state government next year that imposes higher taxes added by Democrats who argued they're necessary to avoid crushing spending cuts.

This Saturday morning's Watauga County Farmers' Market, and also the Wednesday evening market from 4 7, will feature sugar snaps, squash, lettuce, strawberries and onions from Zydeco Moon Farm.

"A big part of [the Watauga Green Business Plan] is respecting this wonderful area we're in and preserving the heritage of this area," said Bryan Johnson, a Plan co-coordinator. "We strongly encourage businesses to look into the program and consider being certified, and also potentially recommending the program to colleagues and community members," ...

The Ashe County Sheriff's Office announced that a traffic stop on Monday, June 1, led to the arrests of two Watauga County brothers.

Part of the Normand/Redmon garden, one of six featured properties on the 2009 Home & Garden Tour in Watauga County.