MT Year in Review

Twenty-aught-eight was a year for news, not only on the national stage but in Watauga’s own backyard.

From false gunmen and rescued puppies to mixed drinks and a heated presidential election, 2008 was a year of tears and cheers for the High Country.

The following compilation is a concise look back at the news events that shaped the High Country in 2008, excerpted from the pages of The Mountain Times and The Watauga Democrat.

January

The Boone Town Council adopted two zoning measures on Jan. 17, paving the way for Appalachian State University’s new college of education building.

During the first week of January, a methamphetamine lab was discovered on Jones Drive Meat Camp. The residence had been vacant for two years and was owned by a Florida resident. Four men, Johnny Wayne Ellison, 40, of Boone, David Bruce Woodring, 40, of Boone, Randy Jack Davis, 37,of Mountain City, Tenn., and Jamey Houston Dowless, 29, of Trade, Tenn. were charged in the incident.

On Jan. 1, a new state law went into effect mandating restaurants to recycle all beverage containers in establishments holding certain Alcohol Beverage Commission permits. Failure to do so could result in the revocation of the permit.

On Jan. 9, A Seven Devils police officer shoots an alleged armed man, Walter Steele, at his residence on N.C. 105 South near the Watauga-Avery County line. The man died two weeks later. Following an investigation by the State Bureau of Investigations, the officer was cleared of any wrongdoing in the incident.

Appalachian State University and the town of Boone signed a water-use pact on Jan. 16. The agreement provides an emergency supply of water to the town, while crediting water to the university. The parties agreed to mutually fund the approximately $250,000 in costs of design, construction, maintenance and operation of the interconnection.

The Boone Town Council adopted two zoning measures on Jan. 17, paving the way for the new college of education building for ASU. The first action was an amendment to the unified development ordinance in the U-1 (university) district, which established requirements for building setbacks, building height limitations, intensity, parking and buffering. The second action was to approve a zoning change for properties on College and Howard streets and Hamby Alley from R-3 (multi-family) to U-1 (university).

The Watauga County Board of Commissioners and the school board approved a $42.7 million guaranteed maximum price tag for the new high school building and related facilities on Jan. 23.The construction price was presented by the contracting team of Barnhill Contracting Company and Vannoy Construction.

The Watauga County Commissioners transferred nearly two acres of property to the Hospitality House of Boone on January 24. The property is located in the Bamboo community and will be used to build a larger facility to house the homeless.

February

An ice storm on Feb. 1 left nearly 2,000 people without power across Watauga County. The storm averaged one half inch of ice across the area, causing fallen trees to take out power lines.

On Feb. 6 a small fire in the rear of the store caused nearly $50,000 in damages to merchandise in Big Lots, located in New Market Centre. The store closed for one day to clean-up and re-opened the following day.

A Criston Eagle small airplane crashed on the Mountain View Aviation, Boone airport on Feb. 9. The operator of the plane was attempting to land and came into contact with trees at the end of the runway. Though the plane was a complete loss, pilot Ralph Lerch, 72, of Boone, sustained only minor injuries.

During the second week of February, the speed limit of N.C. 105 from the N.C. 105 Bypass to the Poplar Grove Road intersection was dropped from 45 mph to 35 mph. The change was the result of a request made by the Boone Town Council to the N.C. Department of Transportation.

Tammy Guilford of Boone was the proud owner of a 2007 PT Cruiser as the winner of the High Country United Way car raffle, announced at Ross Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Boone on Valentine’s Day.

A fugitive in a three-year old sexual assault case was arrested on Feb. 20 in Bradford Trailer Park. The assault was reported to have occurred in May of 2005. Francisco Javier Martinez-Garcia was alleged to have eluded arrest by fleeing to his home country of Mexico. Watauga County Sheriff’s Office learned that he had returned to the area and surveillance efforts matched his description to the 2005 case.

At their annual retreat held on Feb. 22, Boone Town Council members agreed to deny a request from Watauga County to waive water availability, permitting and inspection fees for the new high school project. The total of those fees was estimated at $125,000.

March

A false police report lead to the first-ever lockdown on ASU campus. A student, Matthew Haney, reported to the Boone Police Department, he came home on March 3 to an armed gunman who ran off in the direction of the campus. Upon further interviews, Haney admitted he had fabricated the story and was charged with filing a false police report.

A fire destroyed a Deep Gap home on March 6. The home, located on V.L. Moretz Road was a complete loss despite the efforts of more than 30 firefighters and seven trucks.

On March 16, a fire destroyed one of the original buildings of the Tweetsie Railroad them park. Firefighters from Blowing Rock Fire & Rescue and Boone Fire Department arrived on scene to find the Depot Gift Shop and the Museum fully engulfed. Among the historic items lost, memorabilia and costumes from the 1960’s television cowboy Fred Kirby were destroyed.

A new voting precinct was designated by the county board of elections in late March. The new Transfer II precinct, located on ASU campus was established to ease confusion in the Boone II precinct, a heavily student-populated area.

A fire scorched an estimated 25 acres in Vilas on Stone Mountain on March 27. The fire began with a resident burning household trash and the fire escaped and spread quickly up the steep slope. More than eight fire departments responded with an estimated 50 firefighters to battle the blaze.

April

In early April, Barack Obama campaign staffers officially opened the presidential candidate’s campaign office on the corner of King St. and Straight St. in downtown Boone. The office provided yard signs and bumper stickers for Obama backers in the High Country.

The Wellness Center in Boone celebrated its 10th anniversary. Located in the building that formerly housed the Polar Palace ice rink, the gym and physical rehab center recently added a new swimming pool to its facilities.

A joint investigation between the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office and the Watauga County Animal Care and Control department resulted in the seizure of 77 dogs and three dead puppies from a home near Todd. The dogs’ owner, 18-year-old Anna Mae Warner, was later charged with 70 counts of animal cruelty as a result of the investigation. Seized were many toy dog breeds including miniature schnauzer, Maltese, Jack Russell, shih tzu, pug and other small breeds.

In April, a popular restaurant and nightspot, the Boone Saloon, suffered an interior fire during a Thursday night concert. Renovations and repairs kept the business closed for the next four months.

In the capital murder trial of Neil Matthew Sargeant, 26, accused of killing Stephen William Harrington, 19 of Boone, Sargeant was found guilty and sentenced to life behind bars with no possibility of parole. Sargeant was the second of three defendants accused of killing Harrington and disposing of his body in his own car parked on Sleepy Hollow Lane in the Foscoe community on the morning of Nov. 8, 2005.

Appalachian State saw its first player taken in the NFL Draft since 2001 when Dexter Jackson was picked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round on April 26.

The Watauga County Board of Education hired Tim Pruitt as the new football coach at Watauga High School, replacing popular and successful coach Adrian Snow who led the Pioneers to the 4-A state semifinals in 2006 and 2007.

The town of Boone held a special public hearing on the newly proposed mixed drink referendum. The hearing was marked by the presence of an unusually high number of non-Boone residents opposed to the town gaining liquor by the drink.

On April 29 former president Bill Clinton spoke at Appalachian State University on behalf of his wife, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Thousands of people turned out to hear Clinton speak at ASU’s Varsity Gym.

May

Third-grade teacher Erin Patterson of Parkway Elementary School was named Watauga County Schools Teacher of the Year for the 2007-08 school year. She was presented the award in her classroom at Parkway on Friday, May 9.

Approximately 1,700 ASU students received their degrees during ceremonies over the weekend of May 10-11.

A 19-year-old man, Seth Pickett, was fatally stabbed outside a post-prom party on Navajo Trail in Boone on May 17. After a brief investigation, police officers arrested Samuel Maurice King, 23, of Boone and charged him with murder.

A series of undercover operations by the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division led to the seizure of more than 100 grams of crystal methamphetamine and the arrests of four Boone men. Arrested in the operation were Nicholas Gray, Mark Moretz, Adam Mattox and Douglas Moretz.

A second person, Richard “Ricky” Hurt, 22, was charged in the animal cruelty case involving Anna Mae Warner of Todd. Authorities stated that Hurt resided at the same Todd household when Warner was charged with 70 counts of animal cruelty in connection with an alleged puppy breeding operation at the residence.

On Friday, May 30, Watauga High School held graduation ceremonies for 295 seniors.

June

Officers of the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office, Meat Camp Volunteer Fire Department and Watauga Medics responded to a call regarding an infant who was not breathing. Eight-month-old Octavia Miller was transported to Watauga Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. The cause of death was determined to be hyperthermia. Kayla Ernestine Ruppard, 20, of Deep Gap, was later charged with involuntary manslaughter in the case.

Green Valley Elementary School student Baron Fenwick became one of 45 finalists in the 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

Former ASU student Matthew Haney, 22, charged with filing a false police report, was sentenced on June 10 to two years unsupervised probation and 100 hours of community service. The charges stemmed from a March 3 incident in which Haney claimed a masked gunman wearing a black Pink Floyd T-shirt entered his apartment in an attempted robbery. The incident resulted in ASU’s first ever campus lockdown before Haney admitted that he had made up the story in an attempt to get out of paying for a broken door at his apartment.

On June 10 Gov. Mike Easley and the N.C. General Assembly declared it to be “Mountaineer Day” in the state in honor of the ASU Mountaineers and the team’s three consecutive 1-AA championships during the 2005-2007 seasons.

On June 17 the Boone Town Council voted to approve a mixed drink referendum for restaurants inside the city limit. The approval of the referendum paved the way for a public vote on the matter.

Anna Mae Warner and Richard Hurt entered a deferred prosecution agreement in a Watauga County courtroom to settle the more than 70 animal cruelty charges against them. The agreement included the couple’s allowing the Watauga Humane Society to take custody of more than 100 dogs seized from their Todd community residence.

Michael Wyant, formerly the director of high schools, driver’s education and athletics for the Catawba County schools, was named principal for Watauga High School. Wyant’s appointment was approved by the Watauga County Board of Education on June 17.

July

The Boone Town Council approved a water allocation that would allow the Boone Wal-Mart to expand by 28,000 square feet.

The North Carolina Superior Court overturned a Boone Board of Adjustment decision after local developer Phil Templeton challenged the town’s denial of a permit to construct a medical clinic.

Jason Bigelow and Anna Bridges, both of Vilas, were arrested after allegedly robbing the High Country Bank in Foscoe at gunpoint.

A Wilkes County bomb squad safely detonated an explosive device discovered at the front entrance of the Boone Wal-Mart.

The 6,200-acre upscale Laurelmor development’s fate grew uncertain after the Ginn Company missed a payment on a $675 million loan.

Country music star Charlie Daniels closed out the 2008 Appalachian Summer Festival with a concert at the Holmes Convocation Center.

Former presidential candidate and Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Paul made a “Campaign For Liberty” stop in Boone.

August

Hawksnest Ski & Golf Resort in Seven Devils announced it would no longer operate ski slopes but instead focus exclusively on snow tubing.

Former Boone police officer Marvin Eric Tart was charged with six counts of felony sexual exploitation of a minor. The arrest stemmed from an Internet investigation and a sting by Buncombe County and state officers.

The Boone Town Council scheduled a $25 million bond referendum to install a new water intake plant on the South Fork of the New River and about 12 miles of water line.

Despite a sluggish economy, a report showed Watauga County tourism and travel revenues rose 6.7 percent in 2007.

The State Bureau of Investigation cleared Seven Devils police officer Jonathan Harris of any wrongdoing in connection with the January fatal shooting of Walter Garland Steele.

A new Family Resource Center, housing several local non-profit agencies, opened on Birch Street in Boone.

Boone voters overwhelmingly adopted a referendum to allow mixed-drink sales in Boone.

Patrol members at Appalachian Ski Mountain earned a national award for their January rescue of a person suffering cardiac arrest.

Amber Clark Pennell gained national media coverage for being discovered and rescued five days after being trapped in an automobile accident on U.S. 321 in Caldwell County.

Makoto’s Seafood and Steakhouse of Japan served the first legal mixed drink in Boone.

September

Former U.S. Senator and vice-presidential candidate Bob Dole visited Blowing Rock to campaign for his wife, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

The town of Blowing Rock was exonerated in a civil trial resulting from a 2004 fall at Glen Burney Falls.

Rescue workers found a lost hiker on the Blue Ridge Parkway with the aid of a cell phone’s global-positioning system.

Watauga Health Department was selected for a $475,000 grant to fight childhood obesity.

James Canter of Zionville, who had been convicted with Alisha Chambers in the 2005 abduction of two children, was treated for gunshot wounds stemming from a domestic disturbance.

The Boone Town Council set its road priorities for 2011-2017, listing N.C. 105 improvements and a Boone bypass at the top.

The town of Boone announced an agreement to purchase the historic downtown post office for $1.25 million and to lease it to the United State Postal Service for 20 years.

Gas shortages in the wake of Hurricane Ike kept local motorists with one eye on the gas gauge.

A lockdown was ordered at Valle Crucis Elementary School after a man suspected of killing a Caldwell County Sheriff’s Deputy was reported in the area. The suspect, Skip Brinkley, was later found dead in Caldwell County of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

One woman and six children were transported to Watauga Medical Center, with no serious injuries suffered, after a school bus rolled off Hardin Road when the edge of the road gave way.

Dixie Cleaners of Boone closed its dry-cleaning operation after 53 years in business, selling its facility to Appalachian State University.

The Rotary Club of Boone observed its 60th anniversary.

The State of North Carolina announced plans to purchase Grandfather Mountain, paying $12 million for 2,600 acres. The park will be managed a non-profit group, with no change in operations expected.

October

Most of Grandfather Mountain was officially transferred to the state. N.C. Gov. Mike Easley and Grandfather Mountain president Crae Morton signed a sales agreement for acquisition of the 2,601 acres known as the “backcountry.” The land will become the state’s newest park. As a part of an agreement, a conservation easement will also be granted to the state for the 604 acres on which the Grandfather Mountain facilities are located. The state will not own that tract which includes the nature museum, seven wildlife habitats and the Mile-High Swinging Bridge. The easement allows events such as the Highland Games and Singing on the Mountain to continue.

On Oct. 1, it was reported that a Watauga Medical Center nurse died when a car driven by a suspected drunk driver crashed into hers. Carolyn Anne Wilson, 38, of Beckys Drive, Lenoir, was traveling north on U.S. 321 from Lenoir toward Blowing Rock when the accident occurred. Samuel Lee Townsend, 36, of Zacks Fork Road, Lenoir, was traveling southbound in a 2005 Ford truck at 5:48 p.m. Townsend lost control of the vehicle crossed the centerline and collided with the front end Wilson’s 1993 Ford passenger car.

Mabel principal Mark Hagaman was named Watauga County Schools Principal of the Year for 2008-09. He was selected for the honor by other principals of the Watauga County Schools system. “This is a surprise, and it’s a great honor to be picked by my peers for this recognition,” Hagaman said. Superintendent Marty Hemric praised the selection, saying, “The principals have made a superb choice in Mr. Hagaman. We are proud to have him serve Mabel and the Watauga County Schools.” Hagaman has been principal at Mabel since October 2005 and is himself a former student at the school.

The town of Boone looked to the future in October as citizens and officials began to develop a growth strategy leading into 2030. The town introduced a charrette process, an intensive weeklong planning and design session in which public participation is essential, with the help of the Lawrence Group consulting firm from Davidson. The public planning design charrette took place Oct. 20-24. Lawrence Group principal Craig Lewis welcomed about 70 people to the Oct. 15 presentation, saying, “This is the beginning of a highly engaged public process. The town really wants your opinions about how to chart the future over the next 22 years.”

November

Crews from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) battle two wildfires reported on Friday, Nov. 7. The first fire was reported in the Wilson Creek area of the Pisgah National Forest, near Joe White Mountain in Caldwell County. The fire damaged 22 acres, according to a U.S. Forest Service spokesperson. A second wildfire on U.S. Forest Service land was reported in the Globe community of Caldwell County. That fire, located off Globe Mountain Road, damaged 190 acres.

On Nov. 4, incumbents fared well in local elections and Democrats carried Watauga County in most state-level races, mirroring a national change of “red” to “blue.” Democrat Cullie Tarleton of Blowing Rock won his second term to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Republican challenger Dan Soucek and Libertarian Jeff Cannon of West Jefferson. Democrat Steve Goss handily turned away challenger Jerry Butler, both of Boone, to win a second term in the N.C. Senate.

For the school board, incumbents Steve Combs and Deborah Miller won four-year terms while Marsha Walpole eked out a third-place finish to earn a two-year term, defeating David Ward and Joni Horine (see page 4 for numerical details).

Republican Virginia Foxx of Banner Elk won a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Democratic challenger Roy Carter by a 57 percent to 43 percent margin, though Carter topped Foxx by 2,000 votes in Watauga. Governor-elect Beverly Perdue, a Democrat, beat Republican challenger Pat McCrory by 90 votes in Watauga, getting 50 percent of the statewide vote.

Democrat Kay Hagan handily won the county in defeating incumbent Elizabeth Dole for the U.S. Senate seat, getting 53 percent of the vote.

President-elect Barack Obama beat John McCain in Watauga County by 1,200 votes, with voter turnout at 68 percent.

Watauga was only one of two western North Carolina counties, along with Buncombe, that Obama carried, consolidating much of his victorious margin in the Piedmont. In uncontested races, Democrats Jim Deal and Tim Futrelle won four-year terms and Winston Kinsey won a two-year term.

On Nov. 14, a discussion of homelessness and related issues brought together about 200 people from the faith and non-profit communities Thursday morning. The Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, was on hand to share ideas about ministry and service. Schori and members of the Westminster-Canterbury Fellowship talked about the value of helping others, and officials with Hospitality House talked about local needs. Schori talked about her work with campus ministries and said “vigorous conversation is a good thing.”

On Nov. 24, a fire ripped through Brandies Country Cafe on East King Street. The initial call at approximately 6 p.m. reported a fire in the adjoining Kangaroo Express convenience store. A store employee noticed smoke coming into the business. Upon arrival, Boone Fire Department firefighters discovered heavy smoke in the restaurant and flames in the concealed ceiling space. The flames spread through the roof structure, causing significant damage and extending into the roof structure of the Kangaroo Express.

December

Dec. 2 marked a changing of the guard on the Watauga County Board of Commissioners, with newly elected commissioner Tim Futrelle officially taking office. Futrelle and returning commissioners Jim Deal and Winston Kinsey were sworn in by District Court Judge Greg Horn for upcoming terms before the commissioners began their regular meeting. The board also formally reappointed Rocky Nelson as county manager and Anita Fogle as clerk to the board. The law firm of di Santi Watson Capua Wilson will continue as the county’s legal counsel. Deal was reappointed as board chairman and Billy Ralph Winkler was reappointed as vice-chairman. The commissioners voted to draft a resolution thanking outgoing commissioner Mary Moretz for her service to the county.

On Dec. 6, the Appalachian State Mountaineers lost to Richmond on Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium. The 33-13 loss ended ASU’s season and the team’s quest for a fourth national championship.

On Dec. 11, Franklin Graham addressed a large crowd at the Samaritan’s Purse processing center in Boone. The center packages approximately 700,000 shoe boxes of gifts to be distributed to underprivileged children in eight countries. During his speech, Graham, the group’s founder and president, explained the beginning of Operation Christmas Child. A phone call from a man in England asked Graham to gather shoe boxes of toys and basic needs items to be distributed to children in refugee camps in Bosnia. This was 15 years ago during the Bosnian war. The project has grown steadily in the years since. In 2008, a projected 8 million shoe box gifts will be collected from 11 participating counties and hand-delivered to children in more than 110 countries.
The prime suspect in a Boone murder was arrested in Illinois on Christmas Day. John Richard Gray, 28, was arrested in Rochelle, Ill., following a standoff of several hours. Authorities believe Gray fled the Boone area after committing a Dec. 22 homicide at a local pawn shop. On Wednesday morning, police officers in Mendota, Ill., responded to a report of a man selling firearms out of a vehicle at a gas station. The suspect fled on foot and escaped. Investigators matched the identification number of the vehicle to a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck owned by Jimmy Dale Roberts, the murder victim. Gray had reportedly replaced the truck’s North Carolina license plate with an Indiana plate. Gray is the prime suspect in the murder of Roberts, a clerk at the Gold and Closeout Connection Pawn Shop in Boone. Roberts, 40, was found inside dead from a gunshot wound. Gray was believed to have been in the Boone area for a week or two before allegedly shooting Roberts in the course of a robbery, according to police.

— Compiled by Melanie Davis, Jeff Eason, Scott Nicholson and Jason Reagan