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High Country W.A.T.C.H. Hosts Fundraising Event at Lost Province on Oct. 1

The all-volunteer members of High Country WATCH are hosting a fundraiser on Oct. 1 at Lost Province, 130 N. Depot Street in Boone from 12 – 3 p.m. Everyone is invited to enjoy live music by the Mountain Laurels and Motivic Omni-Rock, a silent auction and a raffle. Some of the items available in the raffle and silent auction include fabulous gift baskets, art made by local artists, gift certificates and items from local businesses including Bubbles Car Wash, Alchemy Center for Healing Therapy, Jim’s Produce, Wild Craft Eatery, Speakeasy Tattoo and Envirobuild.

High Country WATCH is raising funds to help support its mission of responsible development in Watauga County. Members will also be on hand to update the public on the status of the two asphalt plant cases that have been wending their way through the courts. The Superior Court recently upheld the county in the Rainbow Trail asphalt plant case. The Maymead case regarding the proposed asphalt plant planned for the 421 Scenic Byway in Deep Gap will be heard in the North Carolina Appellate Court early next year.

“This fundraiser addresses the urgent need to raise money to protect the community from unwanted and unneeded high impact development,” said Susie Winters, a volunteer with High Country WATCH. “We continue to support the Henions in their quest for justice in the Maymead asphalt plant case and we ask that the public continue to support this family as well. We also want to thank Watauga County Commissioners Welch, Kennedy and Turnbow for voting support to this cause.”

Members of the Watch believe that with the Maymead case, the Superior Court’s ruling contains fundamental legal errors and that the Henions have solid legal grounds to appeal this ruling to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Additionally, this ruling goes against a century of common law vested rights jurisprudence in North Carolina by granting common law vested rights to two corporate entities that were neither the holder of the HILU permit issued by the County nor the owners of the land covered by the permit.

Local citizens who want to make sure there is no asphalt plant built on the 421 Scenic Byway can help by contributing to the legal fund set up for this case: https://www.gofundme.com/stopdeepgapasphalt.

About High Country WATCH:

High Country WATCH (Wataugans Against Toxins Close to Home) was formed by a group of concerned Watauga County residents who are actively advocating for responsible economic development in Watauga County. High Country WATCH, a non-partisan, non-profit chapter of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL), is composed entirely of volunteers. You can find out more about High Country WATCH at its website: www.highcountrywatch.com. Follow High Country WATCH on Facebook and on

Twitter: @H_C_WATCH.