Feb. 28, 2018 Letters to the Editor. BY KAREN CARTER / Dear Watauga Commissioners, You and your fellow big spender commissars certainly have a way with words in explaining your new means to finance the re-defined county ‘needs’ for schools and the recreation center.  It is also striking how you place the massive recreation center for some as a ‘need’ directly on the same level with capital improvements for county schools.  Orwell could not have done better.. Read more…

Feb. 28, 2018 Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, American ‘consumers’ don’t learn about the world or from America’s constant meddling. This is partially due to their indoctrination called education. The victors write the history books but that important detail gets lost when you’re in school, leaving students, if they even pay attention, a partial understanding of the world. You take the officials word for truth in the face of their continual proven lies. Read more…

Feb. 23, 2018. Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG FISCHER / Dear Editor, After the seventeen deaths at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida, and after the heroic advocacy of the Parkland students in the wake of that tragedy, we are finally realizing that we need common-sense gun control in the United States. We need to outlaw bump stocks. We need a renewal of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban that was in effect between 1994 and 2004. We need stronger background checks of prospective gun buyers. We should also talk about other ways to prevent school shootings and murders, and translate those ideas into constructive action. We also must hear from our North Carolina elected officials. Too many of our politicians have received huge windfalls of money from the National Rifle Association in the form of donations and support for election campaigns.   / Read more…

Feb. 22, 2018. Letters to the Editor. BY BILL MOORE / Dear Editor, There is a long and disturbing history of school shootings in the US dating back to the 19th century and continuing nearly every decade since then. So, what’s different now? We can blame the lack of gun control,  inability to deal with mental illness, the NRA, congress, and the wholesale marketing of fear but we’d be misdirected. The blame lies in our inability to look beyond these exogenous factors and look inward to what we’ve become as a society. The blame is on us for not recognizing gun violence as a public health crisis and not taking steps to treat it as such. America has normalized school shootings and congress is impotent to offer anything other than “thoughts and prayers.”   / Read more…

Feb. 6, 2018. Letters to the Editor. BY B.R.C.A Development Evaluation Committee / Dear Editor, Despite rejection of the subject development by the Blowing Rock Planning Board at its December 2017 meeting the developer will present the project to the Blowing Rock Council for approval at their Tuesday February 13, 2018 meeting that begins at 5:30 P.M. at Town Hall.  Our committee has concluded that if approved and built this development will have a major impact on downtown Blowing Rock.  The following are concerns and facts about this project that we think should be carefully considered by the council and residents:   / Read more…

Jan. 12, 2018. Letters to the Editor. BY CHRIS GENTRY / Dear Editor, Appalachian State University has a history of being a rural teacher’s college designed to educate the rural, often less economically privileged, mountain communities. The recent changes in Appalachian State’s housing approach are a shift away from that history. Across the country universities are facing an epidemic of student housing and food insecurity. The effective privatization of the Appalachian State housing system is only going to fuel further student instability and threatens every value that the university claims to hold.   / Read more…

Jan. 5, 2018 Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, Government is continuous conspiracy. ‘Our’ government recently released some classified files on JFK’s murder but there’s nothing much in them. Why would the CIA provide evidence of their coup? It’s an intentional distraction proving nothing. The ‘official’ self-righteous insistence that conspiracy theories don’t happen here denies historical evidence: watch the Zapruder film. We’re told that Conspiracy Theories are dangerous, as we’re told Russians hacked ‘our’ presidential election to get their Manchurian candidate elected. Russian Madness assumes that Putin is a genius able to decide the American election with pocket change spent at FB and simultaneously incompetent.. Read more…

Dec. 7, 2017. Letters to the Editor. Karen Carter / Dear Editor, At this time, when I am forced to pay this higher property tax bill, as we all know, this despicable, corrupt County has increased our property taxes significantly, even doubling some, in order to pay for these special interests projects that cost the taxpayers more and more for the exclusive benefit of some at the expense of all others.   / Read more…

Nov. 14, 2017. Letters to the Editor. Charlie Sellers / Dear Editor, I want to thank my fellow residents of Blowing Rock for honoring me with your vote last week. I am deeply moved by the expression of confidence from the Blowing Rock voters, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. / Read more…

Nov. 6, 2017. Letters to the Editor. Boone Town Councilman Quint David / Dear Editor, I just wanted to write a quick note of how impressed I was with all of our town council candidates at the Boone Chamber of Commerce forum last week. Our fearless Mayor, Dr Rennie Brantz, also did an excellent job as he always does. A big thank you to Mr David Jackson and the chamber for setting that event up, the Fairview Cafe for hosting, and Mr. Ken Ketchie for the wonderful high-quality video and photos.  / Read more…

November 6, 2017 Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, Your worldview rejects any evidence that contracts it. It’s the human condition. Many ‘consumers’ would rather die than be proven wrong. For countless ‘consumers’ emotion prevents reason. People almost always insist on learning the hard way. Read more…

Oct. 12, 2017. Letters to the Editor. Crae Morton / Dear Editor,About this time of year folks off the mountain ask how we locals are enjoying the colors of fall leaf season. They remind us how lucky we are to live and work surrounded by such spectacle. We are indeed fortunate, and we do appreciate all of the natural beauty of the High Country. Still, it’s all too easy for us to become distracted and desensitized. / Read more…

October 3, 2017 Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, ‘The noise and rage about ‘Russian influence’ ignores real Israeli influence in ‘our government’? Israel interferes in American politics all the time, and it’s treated as normal. It’s ironic that in the midst of a media and congressional feeding frenzy on foreign interference in America, the one country in the world that consistently leads Washington by the nose is immune from criticism. Read more…

Aug. 16, 2017. Letters to the Editor. David Watson / Dear Editor, After observing actions throughout the South to remove statues of confederate generals, I feel compelled to write this treatise condemning such measures. I especially condemn the actions of those who take it upon themselves to break the law by destroying or defacing these statues. / Read more…

July 19, 2017. Letters to the Editor. Madeline Carter / Dear Editor, I wish to ask some very serious questions and add some much-needed comments towards [those] within county and town government, ASU, and the other vocal advocates for the rec center ‘project.’  / Read more…

June 22, 2017. Letters to the Editor. Jeanne Supin / Dear Editor, Rumor has it Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will reveal the secret healthcare bill on Thursday. That’s right – the words “rumor” and “secret” best define a bill that would affect all 326,474,013 Americans, a bill that would throw 19-23 million people off insurance, a bill that would decimate essential benefits like maternity care, mental health treatment, and addiction services, a bill that would allow insurance companies to charge more for pre-existing conditions and put strict annual and lifetime limits on how much they would cover and pay for, a bill that would destroy Medicaid (a program that has been a successful cost-effective safety net for 52 years), and a bill that could cause as many as 43,956 new deaths per year. / Read more…

April 24, 2017. Letters to the Editor. Paula Finck / Dear Editor, Thanks to The Appalachian Voice for its free and informative newspaper, a publication of Appalachian Voices, a local non-profit. A good way to have celebrated Earth Day on April 22 is to read their section on how our elected official voted on the latest House and Senate bills concerning environmental issues. Thanks also to the Watauga Public Library, where individuals shared their favorite poem on Earth Day with other poetry lovers on Saturday in the Evelyn Johnson Meeting Room. / Read more…

April 13, 2017. Letters to the Editor. Melissa Selby of Community Care Clinic / Dear Editor,It was an exciting day when Bryan Johnson and Joshua Moyer from Modern Subaru of Boone appeared at the Community Care Clinic door to reveal the Share the Love Event check! A huge thank you for choosing us as the hometown charity this year. The team at Modern Subaru, along with those amazing customers who chose us as the recipient, raised over $17,000 for the Community Care Clinic! / Read more…

April 13, 2017. Letters to the Editor. By David Williams / Dear Editor, April 23 – mark the day. April 23 is the day that Congressional District 11 sends a message to Representative Mark Meadows: “The battle being fought over ‘repeal and replace’ will never be acceptable to your constituents, Congressman. We do not share that mean-spirited indifference to the needs of our neighbors.” Undoubtedly, the Affordable Care Act is not perfect, but it improved the lives of millions. / Read more…

April 6, 2017. Letters to the Editor. By Laura Clemens / Dear Editor, A historian wrote this about the people of Nevada that were downwind of the atmospheric nuclear bomb testing in the 1950’s. “Their faith and trust in their government would not allow them to even consider the possibility that the government would ever endanger their health.” / Read more…

April 6, 2017. Letters to the Editor. By High Country Recreation President Scott St. Clair / Dear Editor, The sale of the old Watauga High School site to ASU gives the county a critical piece of real estate along State Farm Road that will serve as an ideal setting for a new recreation center. That site is located centrally in the county, connected to existing infrastructure, and positioned within the “wellness district” near the new Beaver Health Sciences building and the hospital. This will allow as many of our local residents as possible to benefit from this facility. / Read more…

March 27, 2017. Letters to the Editor. By DAVID SENGEL / Dear Editor, It appears this fight could end with a whimper instead of the bang it deserves. Coming up on two years since the Maymead Corporation decided they wanted an asphalt plant on the Doc and Merle Watson Scenic Byway, the strategy of dragging it out has succeeded in diminishing public interest and wearing down the group of dedicated opponents. / Read more…

March 7, 2016. Letters to the Editor. By MAREVA McDANIEL / Dear Editor, High Country Forward, a grass roots community group, sponsored a Tea and Cookies event on King Street on Saturday that reminded me why I love living in Boone. Nearly one hundred people filled F.A.R.M. Café and patiently listened for two hours as citizens spoke with civility, passion, and concern about the issues facing the nation, state, and high country. / Read more…

Feb. 20, 2016. Letters to the Editor. By RYAN ABRAMS / Dear Editor, When I was a child going to elementary school I had a class called current events. In this class we would study resent news articles and discuss the validity of the articles and it’s relevance in our lives. Magazines like Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report and many others. But now we have a new term “Fake News.” / Read more…

Feb. 9, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY Ryan Hofmann of ASU GOP & Nick Williams of ASU Young Americans for Liberty/ Dear Editor, It seems as though the topic of free speech resurfaces continually, whether it is related to campus protests, the university chalking policy, or the rights of different organizations to hold events on campus. The recent restrictions regarding Appalachian State University’s chalking policy has brought the scrutiny of several campus organizations, who believe that the new policy restricts the First Amendment rights of university students. / Read more…

Feb. 6, 2016. Letters to the Editor.BY HOWARD CAPELLETTI / Dear Editor, As he was signing edicts hurting one group after another over the past two weeks, it was only a matter of time before Donald Trump got around to hurting animals – already the most oppressed sentient beings on earth. / Read more…

Jan. 13, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY NCDOT DIVISION 11 ENGINEER MIKE PETTYJOHN P.E. / Dear Editor, I want to express my appreciation to all of the N.C. Department of Transportation employees who worked long, tiring hours to make the roadways safe for the traveling public during the first snowstorm of 2017. They did a tremendous job under extreme conditions, including harsh temperatures that made the job more difficult than usual. / Read more…

Dec. 27, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY HARRILL SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR JENNIFER TEAGUE / Dear Editor, The Project on Aging Staff would like to give a great big thank you to everyone who helped to make this year’s second annual Holiday Heroes a success! The Holiday Heroes program is similar to the Angle Tree idea that many of us are familiar with in our area. / Read more…

Dec. 21, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY KIWANIS CLUB OF BANNER ELK PRESIDENT BRIAN RAYMOND / Dear Editor, The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk has been a longtime supporter of educational initiatives within the Avery County Schools. Over the last decade, over $250,000 has purchased Reading Is Fundamental books for pre-school and elementary students, plus funding for hundreds of classroom projects. / Read more…

Dec. 15, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY JANET PALMER / Dear Editor, As a concerned Watauga County voter, I expect you to speak against and vote against any legislation that weakens the Governor’s position. A power grab after the voters have spoken is a tawdry thing, a move that reflects badly on State Republicans. Read more…

Dec. 12, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, I dread social situations where politics arise. I try to stay silent because ‘consumers’ have assured themselves that they love everything America does, even though they complain about it constantly, and according to polls, have no trust in ‘our government’ or ‘free press’. When the wars, terrorism, corporate/financial industry issues, or environmental issues are explored, it’s obvious to me that America/Israel is the greatest architect of these huge problems. The whole subject is so far from being understood that it can’t easily be addressed in friendly discussion. America’s role in so much going on today should, and could be clear to them. Read more…

Nov. 14, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY PAM WILLIAMSON / The leadership of the Watauga County Republican Party has challenged the constitutional rights of eight Democratic and Unaffiliated Watauga County voters who cast ballots in the November 8th elections. These eight voters appeared in person during the Watauga early voting period to register and vote on the same day. The election judges at the site approved their completed state voter registration forms and their state-required documentation of proof of residency before allowing them to cast their ballots. / Read more…

Nov. 1, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY JANET PALMER / The election gives us a chance to have a Senator from North Carolina who will act in the best interest of citizens: Deborah Ross. Deborah Ross is committed to upholding the Constitution and advocating for a sustainable future for our country. / Read more…

October 27, 2016 Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, Propaganda can be used to mislead you about why something happened and/or to promote an ongoing agenda. It works well when uninformed viewers aren’t curious. America operates inside a bubble of willful ignorance of its own making. Secrecy is a religion in America. Those who violate its dogma have been punished excessively when they possess little political power or influence. The exoneration of Hillary by the FBI should be sufficient evidence to assure you that in the Empire power is determined by your wealth and your connections. This is one symptom of the cancer that is destroying our country.Read more…

October 3, 2016 Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, They lied to you about Iraq, Syria and Libya. Do you think maybe they’re lying to you about Russia? The Empire’s military intervention to ‘protect’ civilians in Benghazi was a cover for another ‘regime change’ operation. Today, we’re seeing a dangerous repetition of this pattern: demonizing Russian President Putin, destabilizing the Russian economy and pressing for ‘regime change’ in Moscow. Recently a Russian colonel was found with billions of dollars still shrink wrapped from America’s treasury: Its how the CIA pays for its ‘revolutions’. Just as Bush the second sold Iraq’s imaginary WMD as a danger to Americans and Secretary of State Clinton dishonestly called Gaddafi ‘genocidal’, American officials and pundits are depicting Putin as some new Hitler: Its ‘our government’ maintaining its job security. Read more…

Oct. 3, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG FISCHER / On the afternoon of Saturday, October 1, my wife and I put up a Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine campaign sign in our neighborhood, at the three-way stop where Highland Avenue and Poplar Hill Drive intersect in Boone. This is a common place for campaign signs—currently there are several for local Republican and Democratic candidates there. / Read more…

September 19, 2016 Letters to the Editor. BY DAVID JACKSON / Dear Editor:
On behalf of the Board of Directors, staff, and membership of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, I’d like to extend a special “thank you,” to all who assisted our community in serving as a positive host during our recent string of high volume weekends. The economic repercussions of these events will be felt for years to come. Read more…

September 1, 2016 Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, When the inmates take over the asylum, it’s a clear sign that things are pretty far gone. Corruption has destroyed ‘our’ system, sending the greediest psychopaths into power. The constitution and the founding principles of ‘our’ government have all been tossed aside by ideologues that have been steadily undermining the rule of law. ‘Our’ politicians are a reflection of who we are: Americans are to blame for blindly supporting corrupt politicians, and will have earned whatever consequences follow with our next president. Read more…

Aug. 24, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY FRANK PACKARD / Much could be said about the special council meeting on 8/22/16 where the council voted 4 to 1 to continue to move the proposed Boone Water Intake forward. I will try and be brief as possible in my comments, although it is difficult to be brief when addressing the inconsistencies and mis-information that is continuously put forth by the town council and staff. It was obvious to me that this was a pre-determined conclusion where much discussion has taken place before this meeting. / Read more…

Aug. 24, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY DEBORAH GREENE / Dear Editor, The Boone Town Council in a vote of 4 to 1, with Loretta Clawson the lone dissenting voice, approved the bids, negotiations, an additional $12 million revenue bond and use of $3.7 million of existing water/capital reserve fund to pay for Phase 1 of the Boone/USDA Raw Water Intake. WK Dickson told the USDA and Boone that Phase 1 of the project would cost $24,551,095 on September 9, 2009. / Read more…

Aug. 16, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY CAROLINE GANDY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF VALLE CRUCIS COMMUNITY PARK / Dear Editor, Early on Friday morning, Aug. 12, a catastrophic fire destroyed Valle Landing, a complex of businesses and apartments in the heart of Valle Crucis. The fire claimed five businesses, three occupied homes, and one life. Valle Crucis is small, close-knit community and we are devastated by this disaster. We all want to do whatever we can to best help those affected. There are currently several opportunities to give. / Read more…

July 27, 2016 Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, ‘Our rulers’ have perfected their methods of propaganda, creating the realities they want, forming whatever truth that will be of the greatest benefit for themselves. Whatever reality they create and circulate is quickly absorbed by ‘consumers’ eager to feed off the TV. TV/school is Mind Control. The Establishment, the corporate world and government have for years told us how and what to think, how to act, who to obey. As George Carlin said: Why do you think they call it Programming? Read more…

July 13, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY BRCA PRESIDENT GEORGE WILCOX / Dear Editor, The Blowing Rock Civic Association is grateful to North Carolina Department of Transportation Chief Engineer Mike Holder, High Country NCDOT Transportation Board Member Jim Palermo, and High Country NCDOT Division Engineer Mike Pettyjohn and their associates for speeding up completion of the Highway 321 widening project in Blowing Rock in response to a BRCA Community Meeting with them on June 30, 2015. We were particularly pleased to see traffic moving on four lanes through most of Blowing Rock by July 4. / Read more…

July 12, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY DEBORAH GREENE, NEW RIVER ADVOCATES / Dear Editor, The $20 million loan the USDA proposes to make to the town of Boone, NC for a water intake on the South Fork of the New River in Todd, NC, 12 miles outside of Boone’s limits, at the border of the Ashe/Watauga County line was approved and earmarked in September 2009. The Boone voters, which do not include Watauga County water customers (including those in Boone’s ETJ, extraterritorial jurisdiction, who are not allowed to vote in town of Boone elections), approved a $25 bond referendum for a new water intake. / Read more…

July 7, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY BRCA PRESIDENT GEORGE WILCOX / Dear Editor, The Blowing Rock Civic Association is grateful to N.C. Department of Transportation Chief Engineer Mike Holder, High Country NCDOT Transportation Board Member Jim Palermo, and High Country NCDOT Division Engineer Mike Pettyjohn and their associates for speeding up completion of the Highway 321 widening project in Blowing Rock in response to a BRCA Community Meeting with them on June 30, 2015. / Read more…

June 29, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY NCDEQ CHIEF DEPUTY SECRETARY JOHN EVANS / I recently attended a stop on the NC Competes for Jobs Tour at Appalachian State University in Boone with North Carolina Commerce Secretary John Skvarla. I was impressed by the large turnout of local elected officials, government staff, local businesses and economic development partners who came to learn and ask questions about what North Carolina is doing under Governor Pat McCrory’s leadership to create jobs and attract businesses. / Read more…

June 27, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY JANET PALMER / As a resident of Boone, I have no State Senator since Dan Soucek resigned; so I feel underrepresented at a crucial time. HB#2 I find it hard to believe that our legislature insists on continuing to cost our state business and good will. It shouldn’t be difficult to draft legislation that repeals what is now an official position: discrimination is now the official policy of North Carolina. Apparently the majority of our current legislature believes LGBTQ citizens can be fired because of their sexual orientation without recourse to State courts. Federal courts are prohibitively expensive and much less accessible.
/ Read more…

June 23, 2016 Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, America’s greatest threat is its fanatical ‘leadership’ and brainwashed ‘consumers’. Politicians have no interest in solving the disasters they’ve created. They chose to do what politicians do best: pretend that they’re solving issues, while collecting ‘campaign contributions’. Voting in national elections makes you an accomplice to a criminal enterprise by way of individual consent. National elections are obvious theatre to keep you fooled. Nothing you vote for happens.. Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY JANET PALMER / Dear Representative Jordan, Since our district had no State Senator in the discussion on this issue, it’s especially important that you represent us in this new budget. North Carolina has historically followed science and adopted setbacks and buffer zones to protect our water supply. Section 14.13 in the Senate version of HB1030, 2016 Appropriations Act allows further delay of implementing the Jordan and Falls Lake cleanup rules. / Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, You regularly hear American politicians tell us what a good friend we have in Israel, but you never hear the full story. For example; The U.S./Israel “free trade agreement” is an extension of Israel-lobby extracted American aid; $10 billion backdoor boost to the annual $3-$4 billion annual American gift. American ‘consumers’ are brainwashed to believe absurd propaganda that Israel, ­ a powerful nuclear state, funded by ‘our government’, is an innocent victim of Arabs. Read more…

May 9, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY UNC Faculty Members Jocelyn Nelson (ECU) and Ralph E. Lentz (ASU) / Dear Editor, On May 4, the US DOJ formally stated to NC and the UNC system what many of us believed in our hearts all along: that House Bill 2 (“HB2”) is discriminatory. Its violation of Title VII, Title IX, and VAWA has prompted DOJ letters to NC state officials, including UNC President Margaret Spellings. / Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY RANDY BROWN, DIRECTOR OF CAMP NEW HOPE / Dear Editor, Camp New Hope is a nonprofit, no-charge facility for children who have life-threatening illnesses or are terminally ill. We offer a one-week free vacation to each family who is selected to come to our camp. We are so proud to have Mountain View Speedway as one of our supporters. The speedway so graciously sends us $100 weekly from their profits of their weekly races. We are proud to be associated with this organization. / Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY WATAUGA CITIZENS FOR LOCAL CONTROL / Dear Editor, Today, Watauga Citizens for Local Control announced they are providing free earplugs to residents needing protection from excessive noise from the Mountain View Speedway. The program is a stop-gap solution designed to protect residents from the negative health impacts created by noise levels above 70 decibels. The free earplugs will be distributed by residents in the affected areas. Earplugs may also be requested by emailing WC4LC at peaceintheneighborhood@gmail.com. Supplies are limited so request them early! / Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY JEAN STUDEMAN / Dear Editor, On June 7th, I will vote for Virginia Foxx in the NC Congressional Primary because I know she’s a strong pro-life woman. Here’s why: Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, The Empire has become the world’s biggest terrorist-producing machine. The more people it kills there, the more the numbers who wish to retaliate grow. The pro-empire advocates say, “We’re killing them there before they come over here and kill us.” they’re coming to kill us because the Empire went there, killing them. Americans don’t realize Empire comes with costs, including the constant threat of terrorist retaliation. The Empire keeps doing what they’ve been doing expecting different results. What will it take to confront the evil and immoral interventionist policies of ‘our government’ that have encouraged the greatest terrorist producing machine in history? Read more…

April 20, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY ANNETTE REEVES / Dear Editor, The Town of Boone put the brakes on the illegal operation of Mountain View Speedway in the Town of Boone Board of Adjustments hearing Monday night. Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) and its local chapter, Watauga Citizens for Local Control (WC4LC), express our gratitude to the Town of Boone for considering the indisputable evidence presented by our attorney, Paul Capua, and ultimately reaching the conclusion that Mountain View Speedway is unlawfully operating. Furthermore, the Town of Boone has committed to legal action to stop the continuance of this racetrack. / Read more…

April 18, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY HOWARD CAPELLETTI / Dear Editor, With the 47th annual observance of Earth Day just around the corner, this is a great time to explore more effective ways of slowing climate change and conserving Earth’s natural resources for future generations. A 2010 UN report charged animal agriculture with 19 percent of man-made greenhouse gases – more than all transport – and recommended a global shift to a vegan diet. A subsequent World Watch study placed that contribution closer to 50 percent. / Read more…

April 18, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY JANET PALMER / Dear Editor, All of us depend on clean water and so will be interested to know that our State Legislature will be reviewing proposals from its Environmental Review Commission (ERC) during the upcoming short session. The ERC is composed of legislators appointed to review environmental issues between sessions and recommend legislation and further studies. Legislation recommended by the ERC would prohibit state agencies from issuing health warnings regarding a contaminant in well water or public drinking water unless it was found in excess of levels already specifically cited in federal or state drinking water standards. / Read more…

April 7, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY MIKE NETTROUR / Dear Editor, I stayed in Blowing Rock last week on Friday night. at the Meadowbrook. We went shopping in Boone on Saturday afternoon.. We fed the parking meter for several hours. We shopped at the Old World Galleries, the CD/Record shop and the boot store. / Read more…

Feb. 29, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY LAURA CLEMENS / Dear Editor, It is time to stand up for Watauga County and appeal the BOA’s rash decision to override Joe Furman’s decision to revoke the Hampton/Maymead Asphalt permit on the outer edge of Boone. It is unbelievable that 5 citizens were given the power over such a sensitive issue. / Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, A recent Gallup poll finds that “dissatisfaction with government”, not guns, or terrorism, tops the list of concerns: “guns/Gun control” was considered “the most important problem” by 2%. The Constitution doesn’t and can’t grant “rights”: it recognizes them. Government never had any rights to grant to anyone. The state can’t stop people from getting what they want. Those who ignore existing laws will ignore additional ones. We’re told by ‘our representatives’ that a majority want more gun laws, but those ‘representatives’ ignore demonstrated majorities who want weed legalized, single payer health insurance and no overseas military adventures. Read more…

Feb. 23, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY BRENT DUCHARME, Attorney-Fellow with the UNC Center for Civil Rights/ Dear Editor, As the March 15 primary approaches, recent changes in state voting law are adding an extra layer of confusion for North Carolinians navigating the path to the polls. It is vital for voters to be prepared for the election on March 15. Voters with questions or concerns can call the national Election Protection hotline at 888-OUR-VOTE (888-687-8683). The hotline is available during early voting and will be staffed by volunteer attorneys and trained UNC Law students on Election Day. / Read more…

Feb. 19, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY Frank Packard / Dear Editor, I presented the information below to the Town Council again last night since there has been no response or even an acknowledgement of my initial email to the town staff or council members. I also presented a documented list of these questions to be included in the public minutes of the meeting. Read more…

Feb. 11, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY DEBORAH GREENE / Dear Editor, When the NC Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (NCDENR) received an application for a permit to construct the proposed raw water intake on the South Fork of the New River, the reviewers asked, why the “big road”? To conceal the truth that the road was needed to fulfill an obligation to construct a private subdivision road for Larry Cooper, Randy Cooper and Amy Cooper Greer, the town of Boone and its engineers sought to involve the Watauga County Fire Marshall in a plan to disguise the design of a 20-foot wide private subdivision road as a NC State Fire Code 503.2 Fire Apparatus Access Road instead. Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY DAVID SENGEL / Dear Editor, Closing arguments in Maymead vs Watauga County in the appeal of the asphalt plant permit revocation will happen February 10 at 4:00 p.m. in the County Administration building on King St. in Boone. The Board of Adjustments will then deliberate and decide whether that permit revocation will stand. If you EVER had any feelings on this issue and still oppose two unneeded new polluting industries in totally inappropriate locations, this is the time to show up. Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY DAVID SENGEL / Dear Editor, After nine months of fighting two asphalt plants that are proposed for totally inappropriate locations in Watauga, I’ll bet you thought that fight was over. Not even close. Hearings about the Maymead permit resume Monday and Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. and will continue for even more sessions. The Rainbow Trail permit is being appealed to Superior Court. Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY DAVID FINCK / Dear Editor, The board of elections let down all local citizens at the meeting held on January 18, 2016. First there was the partisan electoral gamesmanship which only serves to diminish our democracy. I firmly believe that the more people that are involved in the democratic process, especially voting, the better off we all will be – whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent. As has been covered very thoroughly elsewhere, it is quite clear that the only rational reason for not having an early voting site at ASU is to suppress the vote, yet once again the board voted 2-1 against establishing an early voting site at ASU. Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, Corporations and governments only do two things relatively well: lying and stealing. One enables the other since ‘consumers’ don’t search for truth, but reassurance that their beliefs are true. Many blindly accept the ‘official’ tale ignoring conflicting actions and statements by political and financial ‘leaders’. ‘Our free press’ decides what’s true Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY BILL MORETZ / Dear Editor, For disclosure sake – I was always NBC for the 2016 elections. (No Bush Clinton). Its not that they lack good attributes, but rather, they represent the past. As long as there is any hope for the future -embracing the past is stagnation. Like many people I am frustrated with national establishment politics on both sides. After all since 2000 we have had a Republican president and a Republican congress and a Democrat president and a Democrat congress and neither fixed long term problems, illegal immigration, flat/fallen wages, issues of national security, universal health care, etc. Read more…

Jan. 6, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY Deborah Greene / Dear Editor, New River Advocates, Inc. has been making public record requests and it has taken an unusual amount of time to gain access to records. But, not all of the organizations have been as difficult to obtain information from as the town of Boone. The first request that ran amuck was a request made in 2014 for a 2004 engineering report, a 10-Year old engineering report. New River Advocates requested mediation; Boone refused. Finally, after a year, we were given access to correspondence. Review of that correspondence has led to requests of missing attachments, missing dialogue and challenges to redactions. We periodically meet with Boone to prioritize our requests and drop requests, a difficult decision, in an attempt to prevent bottlenecking of requests. Read more…

Jan. 6, 2016. Letters to the Editor. BY Deborah Greene / Dear Editor, New River Advocates, Inc. filed a claim with the USDA regarding the CLOMR and No-Rise Certifications that were submitted to Watauga County in securing a floodplain permit to construct the proposed intake in the South Fork of the New River. We recently obtained a copy of John Ward’s answer through a public record’s request with the USDA. Mr. Ward answers our claim, stating: Read more…

Dec. 21, 2015. On December 7, a large coalition of conservation and recreation groups issued a memorandum of understanding (MOU), in effect a statement of principles, for what they want to see come out of the forest plan revision process for the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. By Andy Hayslip – MountainTrue’s High Country Director and the Watauga Riverkeeper / Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, I find it odd that those who know that ‘our government’ and ‘our free press’ are corrupt liars will readily accept those lies, ignore the corruption, treason and act as though it’s all real. ‘Consumers’ aren’t interested in a leader who would apply sound principles in defense of the constitution, individual liberty and private property; they want to be ruled by someone they consider a suitable symbol of America’s “greatness.” Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, For over twenty years now, we’ve been told Iran will have nuclear weapons next week, with which to destroy ‘defenseless’ Israel, and attack Europe. You might wonder how many people Iran has killed in that time compared to how many Israel has killed. Read more…

Nov. 9 2015. Letters to the Editor. BY CHARLIE SELLERS / Dear Editor, First, I would like to extend my thanks to the citizens of Blowing Rock who voted for me for mayor on November 3d. Secondly, congratulations to Mayor J.B. Lawrence on his 10th term as mayor of Blowing Rock. Finally, I hope the elected officials in our fine town will focus on some or all the issues that I brought to the table during my campaign. / Read more…

Nov. 2, 2015. Letters to the Editor. BY Councilman Quint David / What an exciting two years it has been! Never in my life did I imagine that we could accomplish so much in such a short few years, even when the democratic process could be slow at times. I am so glad that I took the initiative two years ago to get involved, and I would always encourage others to do the same if they want to continue to help our community. / Read more…

Oct. 29, 2015. Letters to the Editor. BY DR. MICHAEL C. BEHRENT & DR. GREGORY RECK / Dear Editor, Faculty across the University of North Carolina system are deeply concerned about the UNC Board of Governors’ appointment of Margaret Spellings as President of the UNC system. Is the best person to run North Carolina’s world-class university system, professors wonder, really a political operative lacking any significant experience in higher education and who is, to boot, a gay-baiting culture warrior with ties to the for-profit education racket? / Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY Deborah Greene / Dear Editor, Rennie Brantz, Mayor Pro-Tem wrote the following statement at the passing of House Bill 875 on September 16, 2015: “The Town of Boone would like to express its disappointment in the Senate’s recent passing of HB 875. The Town of Boone has made significant investments in the Water Intake Project over the past 10 years, which will provide water for Boone, Blowing Rock and Watauga County. Read more…

Letters to the Editor. BY CRAIG DUDLEY / Dear Editor, American “exceptionalism” provides continuous war, economic imperialism and serves the interests of the oligarchy here at home. This quasi-secret group pulling the strings in Washington and much of America’s foreign policy is maintained by a corporatist dogma that thrives on deregulation, outsourcing, deindustrialization, and financialization. Read more…

Oct. 14, 2015. Letters to the Editor. BY DAVID SENGEL / Dear Editor, High Country W.A.T.C.H. would like to urge Watauga citizens to show up TODAY at 5:30 p.m. at the County Board of Adjustments hearing in the county administration building (across from Mellow Mushroom). This is the hearing of the appeal for permit for the proposed Rainbow Trail asphalt plant. Your presence is your voice, and numbers do matter. / Read more…