FEBRUARY 4, 2010 ISSUE
News Watch
A Quick Look at News Across the Region
Watauga County Awarded $25,442 in Aid
This week, Watauga County was awarded $25,442 through the Emergency Food and Shelter National Program, a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and entrusted through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, to supplement and to expand ongoing efforts to provide shelter, food and supportive services for the county’s hungry, homeless and for people in economic crisis.
Local service agencies in Watauga County can apply for a portion of the funding with a letter of request to: Linda Slade, High Country United Way, PO Box 247, Boone, NC 28607. Eligible local agencies must (1) be private, voluntary nonprofits or units of government, (2) have an accounting system, (3) practice non-discrimination, (4) have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs and (5), if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board.
Letters of request to apply for funding should address the above points and must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 15. A meeting of the local board to determine the distribution of funds takes place on Friday, February 19. For more information, call Slade, executive director of High Country United Way, at 828-265-2111.
Watauga Musicians Sweep 2010 Charlotte Symphony Young Artists Competition
Watauga musicians Baron Fenwick, Ledah Finck and Maura Shawn Scanlin competed in the 2010 Charlotte Symphony Young Artists Competition on the campus of Queens University on January 23, and all came home with top awards.
Fenwick won the Senior Division Grand Prize playing the first movement of Prokovfiev's “Concerto No. 3 in C Major” for piano. Finck won the Senior Division Best String Player award performing the first movement of Mozart's “Concerto No. 4 in D Major” for violin, and Scanlin won the Junior Division Grand Prize performing Bruch's “Concerto No. 1 in G Minor” for violin. All three musicians have studied music for more than 10 years with local teachers and faculty at ASU, including Bair Shagdaron, Nancy Bargerstock and Eric Koontz. Finck and Scanlin started their musical education with Nan Strickland from Banner Elk and also participated in ASU’s Community Music Program. Shagdaron accompanied Fenwick in his performance.
Fenwick, 15, attends the North Carolina School of the Arts; Finck, 15, attends Watauga High School; and Scanlin, 14, attends Mountain Pathways. For winning the Senior Division Grand Prize, Fenwick will get to perform as a soloist with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday, February 24, in Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte. Scanlin will perform as a soloist with the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra on Sunday, May 16, at Halton Theatre in Charlotte for winning the Junior Division Grand Prize.
Pierce Appointed Watauga County Finance Director
Filling the position left vacant by Doris Isaacs, who served as Watauga County finance director for 25 years and retired on February 1, Margaret Pierce began her duties as the new county finance director on February 1. The Watauga County Board of Commissioners appointed Pierce to the position during its January 19 regular meeting. Also during the meeting on January 19, Isaacs was presented with an official proclamation celebrating her 25 years of service to the citizens of Watauga County.
Pierce’s salary was set at $70,000 annually.
Boone Council Assigns Directives to Parking Task Force
At a special meeting February 1, the Boone Town Council approved specific tasks and procedures for the newly formed Downtown Parking Task Force. The task force is directed to utilize input gathered at a December 2009 parking charrette to develop recommendations and evaluate the pros and cons, effectiveness and cost estimates of any potential solutions and explore options that were not mentioned at the charrette.
The task force is also charged with developing recommendations for immediate solutions that can be implemented by July 1, 2010. The task force will likely meet twice a month.
Boone Council Holds Hearing on Zoning of Brookshire Park Property
The Boone Town Council held a public hearing on the zoning of a parcel on Brookshire Road owned by Watauga County that is approved for annexation into the town limits on June 30. The property is the site of soccer fields and recreation facilities used by the county, ASU and the High Country Soccer Association.
The council must choose whether to zone the 31-acre parcel as R-1 Single Family Residential or R-A Residential Agriculture. R-1 allows for higher density but more restricted uses; R-A requires less density but allows for more uses, including mobile homes and two-family units such as duplexes and homes with accessory apartments.
The property is also located in a special flood hazard area.
Jeff Boss, owner of Jeff’s Plumbing & Heating on Brookshire Road, was the only speaker at the hearing. Boss indicated he would favor an R-1 zoning of the property, stating he preferred zoning that was most restrictive on what could be developed. Boss also expressed doubts about the county’s intentions to build affordable housing on an adjacent parcel.
“I don’t see a lot of area left open for development outside of recreation fields, parking areas or things along those lines,” he said.
POLITICS: Goss Will Run for Reelection for N.C. Senate Seat
Last week, Sen. Steve Goss (D-45) announced his decision to stand for reelection to the North Carolina Senate serving the 45th District, which includes Alexander, Ashe, Watauga and Wilkes counties.
“After much thought, I have decided to stand for reelection. Our nation, state and our local communities are experiencing very difficult economic times. There is no shortcut out of our present difficulties. Decisions we face from the nation’s capital, the state house, to the courthouse and our neighborhoods are going to be difficult, will require hard choices and will often be painful. However, as we look ahead, the spirit of our people and good sense will prevail. I believe that my experience and knowledge of the counties and how Raleigh works can serve our region well. Therefore I offer my services to the people of the 45th District for the coming term,” said Goss in a press release.
Goss continued, “My overarching mission is to work full time to address the challenges of economic development and job creation in the region. As the unemployment rate has reached historic levels, there is no issue more important. Based on my experience with the state budget and programs, I have concluded that there is no state program, policy or spending or taxing decision which does not have implications for the economic security of our families.”
Shaped by this commitment, Goss identified his program for the coming term as:
1. Providing continued full-time person-to-person constituent service. Goss said he would continue to hold office hours and town hall meetings in local communities throughout the district.
2. Aggressively pushing for greater accountability throughout state government. Goss noted that recent increases in the collection of income tax from out of state corporations were a direct result of legislative hearings in which he participated.
3. Supporting more aggressive enforcement of eligibility rules for various state programs.
4. Raising the ethical standards in government. Goss is currently working with the governor’s office on a new law to tighten rules for ethical behavior in state government.
5. Pushing hard for a fair and equitable treatment of the region in all facets of state government.
In his second term, Goss is senate chair of the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee, senate chair of Transportation Appropriations and senate chair of the Joint Legislative Transportation Committee. For more information, call 919-733-5742 or click to www.senatorstevegoss.com.
POLITICS: Tarleton Will Run for Reelection to N.C. House
Rep. Cullie Tarleton, (D-93) announced this week that he intends to file for reelection to the North Carolina House of Representatives and pledged to continue working for North Carolina’s families by working to create new jobs, support small businesses, ensure a quality education for children, making healthcare available to all, support ASU and continue to make constituent service a hallmark of his office. The 93rd District includes Watauga and Ashe counties.
“We still have work left to do in Raleigh to get our state back on track. We can’t turn our 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 I am fighting for. We have an obligation to our children to make sure they get a good education from qualified and well-paid teachers that we work to keep in the state. We need to do more for our small businesses who are really responsible for keeping our economic wheels turning. I will continue to work hard every day to keep our state financially secure,” said Tarleton.
“I believe every North Carolinian who wants to work should be able to work and that’s why I favor investing in technical education and workforce retraining programs,” he continued. “I also plan on playing a large role in developing new ethics legislation which is needed to close gaps in current law. Serving you is a public trust I take very seriously.”
Tarleton is seeking a third two-year term in the N.C. House. He is currently chair of the Water Resources and Infrastructure Committee and vice chair of the Appropriations Committee on Education and the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. He also serves on the full Appropriations and Education Committee, Commerce and Small Business, Education Sub-Committee on Universities, Agriculture, Energy and Energy Efficiency committees and the House Select Committee on Economic Recovery.
Watauga Commissioners Appoint Project on Aging as Lead Agency for H&CCBG, Appoint Advisory Committee
On February 1, the Watauga County Board of Commissioners appointed the Watauga County Project on Aging as the lead agency for administering the county’s allocation of Home and Community Care Block Grant (H&CCBG) funds through 2011.
Each year, the board is required to appoint a lead agency and advisory committee to make recommendations on how to best expend the funds. The advisory committee appointments approved by the board include Tim Futrelle, commissioner; Anita Davie, director of High Country Council of Governments; Jim Atkinson, director of Watauga County Department of Social Services; Linda Bretz, registered nurse with Appalachian Regional Healthcare System and Watauga Medical Center Home Health; Gail Hawkinson, service management director of New River Behavioral Healthcare; David Lopp, independent living rehabilitation counselor; Margie Mansure, N.C. Cooperative Extension family and consumer education agent; Christy Pruess, Smoky Mountain Center northern region director; Pam Rush, public health nurse with Appalachian District Health Department; Sara Shoemaker, medical social worker; Barbara Adams, senior citizen; Pat Coley, senior citizen; Becky Councill, senior citizen; Anna Meyers, senior citizen; Dick Oehser, senior citizen; Dr. Bunk Spann, senior citizen; and Betty Wise, senior citizen.
Low-Cost Fitness Tests Offered at ASU
The Human Performance Laboratory in ASU’s Department of Health, Leisure and Exercise Science is now offering low-cost, research level fitness tests for university faculty, staff, students and individuals from the community.
The tests include an EKG-Treadmill test ($75 community, $50 faculty/staff, $25 students), a Resting Metabolic Rate test ($25 community, $20 faculty/staff, $10 students), Underwater or Skinfold Body Fat tests ($15 community, $10 faculty/staff, $8 students) and DEXA Body Fat tests ($25 community, $20 faculty/staff, $15 students). Community members and university students, faculty and staff can also undergo all tests for $100 for community members, $70 for faculty/staff and $35 for students.
All tests will be conducted using sophisticated, research-grade equipment and trained technicians. Fitness testing is performed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. To make an appointment, call 828-262-3142.
Grants Available from High Country Water Media Society
High Country Water Media Society, a member of the Watauga County Community Foundation, announced this week that applications are being accepted for grants from the society’s endowment. Proposals are sought from organizations and other nonprofit agencies that support the visual arts in the High Country. The total amount available for 2010 is $500.
Grant proposals are due on or before Monday, March 15. Grant recipients will be informed of the decision by Thursday, April 15. For more information and/or to download an application form, click to www.highcountrywatermediasociety.com.
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