Berry Chapel Graves Desecrated

10/31/2007 

Members of Berry Chapel Baptist Church in Spruce Pine are shocked after vandals desecrated their cemetery. It happened sometime Saturday night. Tuesday church members, friends, and families of those with overturned headstones, gathered to repair 40 markers dedicated to the memory of loved ones. Church members say this goes far beyond a Halloween prank. Spruce Pine police say they have no suspects in the graveyard attack. They're asking anyone with information to call them about the vandals or anything suspicious they may have seen at the cemetery Saturday night.

Hearing Continued

10/31/2007 

A court hearing for a former manager of the Yancey County Animal Shelter was continued in a Yancey Court on Tuesday. Yancey Deputies charged Brandy Atkins with felony breaking & entering and drug violations. According to arrest information the alleged offenses occurred in early August of this year. Her hearing was continued until November 16th.

Some Wells and Streams are Going Dry

10/30/2007 

Wells and streams are going dry in some mountain communities, and that has homeowners scrambling to find water. One Madison County spring that has provided water for almost 30 years went dry last month. That forced the homeowner to use a second spring below her house, but with a smaller flow, to keep water in the reservoir. And fixing the problem permanently will require a new water system. In the meantime, the homeowner is hauling water in bottles from her neighbor's home. Some mountain towns remain under mandatory water restrictions. The list includes Andrews, Cherokee, Marshall, Robbinsville & Woodfin. Meanwhile Bakersville, Burnsville, Marion, Newland and Spruce Pine have asked their citizens to practice voluntary water conservation measures. Statewide, Governor Easley has asked all citizens to cut water use by 50% through tomorrow. Spruce Pine Manager Richard Canipe comments. (click audio button above)

Pedestrian Hit on Minpro By-Pass

10/29/2007 

A pedestrian was hit by a car this morning (Monday) on the Minpro by-pass as she attempted to cross 226N after her car had broken down in the north bound lane. She had almost reached the other side of the southbound lane when she was struck by a vehicle headed toward Spruce Pine. It was still rather dark at the time. According to police reports the victim was conscience and alert when she was airlifted to an Asheville Hospital. The accident was near the intersection of 226 and the Meadows on the Spruce Pine side of the bridge. No other details were available

Gearing Up To Fight Flu

10/29/2007 

Last year a major flu outbreak forced Yancey County Schools to close for one week…250 kids and around 50 staff members got the flu. One year later, health officials and families are preparing to fight another one, if it should occur, and they hope the lessons of last year will prevent another outbreak. Linda Kinnane of the Yancey County Health Department says "she hopes people learned a lot last year from all of the education that the health department did about washing your hands frequently and keeping a reasonable distance between people that are sneezing and coughing." She said many are already getting flu shots and next month, the school system will provide free vaccinations to all teachers and staff.

Helping Victims in California Fires

10/26/2007 

A local Red Cross volunteer , Mark Thomas from Bakersville and seven other volunteers from the Asheville-Mountain Area of the American Red Cross have been deployed to California to join other volunteers from across the country in response to the fires that are devastating the area. Theses trained volunteers will help victims of the California wildfires with their immediate needs and will help determine the needs of each individual and family as they begin to recover. All Red Cross disaster assistance is free, you can help the victims by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. To find out more about how you can help now, visit our websites WKYK.COM or WTOE.COM and click on the link on our home page.
(Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to the Asheville-Mountain Area Chapter, 100 Edgewood Road, Asheville, NC 28804 (or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Or call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish)

Mars Hill College to Conserve Water

10/26/2007 

Mars Hill College is doing its part to save the town of Mars Hill much needed water. College officials have instructed students to take shorter showers and wash their clothes only when they have a full load. The school itself is also taking steps to conserve. The fountain on campus remains empty and even the cafeteria will only wash full loads of dishes and has eliminated trays altogether saving them from washing about 1,000 trays per day.

Referendum on taxes Possible

10/25/2007 

North Carolina will gradually take over the cost of Medicaid from the state’s 100 counties, but in return the state will take one-half cent of the county’s sales tax. NC State Representative Phillip Frye and Mitchell County Manager Chuck Vines comment. (click audio button above)

Teens Charged In Police Department Break-In

10/25/2007 

Two Madison County teenage girls have been charged in connection with a break-in at the Mars Hill Police Department earlier this month. 16-year-old Ashley Hensley and 16-year-old Ashley Devane face a number of felony charges. Deputies say the girls were being interviewed about another case, when some of their answers led investigators to file charges in this case. Hensley is in the Buncombe County jail on $6,500 bond. Devane has been released. Deputies recovered some of the items taken in the break-in, but they are still looking for some drugs. They also say a counterfeit $100 bill was passed at a local convenience store.

Asphalt Plant Location is Questioned

10/24/2007 

A public hearing on the proposed location of a hot mix asphalt plant on Chalk Mountain in Spruce Pine was held last night at Harris Middle School. About 200 people came to the hearing and some 40 speakers made comments before a member of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Air Quality. Speaker after speaker talk of the potential for health problems if the asphalt plant was permitted for this site. They said with three schools, a daycare center and a nursing home so close to the proposed location, the risk is too great. Most said they were not against an asphalt plant, just the location. Members of the community, the Mitchell County Board of Education, members of Spruce Pine’s Town Council and two County Commissioners all spoke in opposition to the proposed plant location. Division of Air Quality representatives said a decision on an application usually comes within 30 days of the public hearing.

Pandemic Preparedness

10/24/2007 

Yancey County is getting prepared in the event of an outbreak of pandemic influenza. Yancey Commission Chairman John Renfro comments (click audio button above)

Asphalt Plant Public Hearing Tonight

10/23/2007 

Following complaints and questions about the proposed location of a hot mix asphalt plant at 680 Chalk Mountain, Mine Road, in Spruce Pine, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Air Quality will hold a public hearing tonight at 6 pm at Harris Middle School in Spruce Pine. According to Brendan Davey, an environmental engineer with the division of air quality, the application by Young & McQueen, as proposed, complies with the state of North Carolina air quality rules. He said the emission controls and what they are doing are very similar to almost every other asphalt plant in the state. Although, the proposal complies with state air quality rules, the application has not been approved. Opponents of the plant location have put together an advertising campaign to voice their opposition. To get more information from the NC Department of environment and Natural Resources, Division of Air Quality, call Christopher Scott, Project Engineer at 828-296-4500, written comments can be presented at the public hearing. If you wish to speak at the hearing, comments should be 3 minutes or less. That’s tonight at 6, at Harris Middle School in Spruce Pine.

One of Mitchell’s “10 most Wanted” Captured

10/23/2007 

Mitchell County Sheriff’s Deputies have arrested a Spruce Pine man described as one the “ten-most wanted” in Mitchell County. Frankie Tolley is being held in the Rutherford County Jail under a $135 thousand bond. Tolley was arrested at a mobile home on Burleson Hill, in Spruce Pine on a tip given to probation and parole officers. Mitchell Sheriff’s officers, Spruce Pine Police and pardon and parole officers surrounded the mobile home, someone knocked on the door, and the suspect answered and tried to escape. No one was injured in the operation. Lt. Kip Aldridge of the Mitchell Sheriff’s Department said most of his recent offenses are related to probation and parole violations, but he has had numerous breaking and entering charges including breaking and entering of at residential home’s and business involving larceny of copper phone lines and power lines and these types of materials. Aldridge said McDowell County has warrants on him for possession of burglary tools. Tolley, a habitual felon, has a court date of November 14th.

B&E on 19W

10/23/2007 

Yancey County Sheriff Deputies have arrested Vincent Nicholas Pedro 17, of Beauty Spot Cove Road, Mars Hill, and charged him with several breaking and entering and larceny charges. Lt. Tom Farmer of the Sheriff’s Department said that Pedro and a 15 year old juvenile male are responsible for breaking and entering into a store on highway 19W, after hours and stealing food items and tobacco products. The two are also responsible for breaking into a residence on 19W and stealing food items and tools. And Farmer said they are responsible for breaking into two motor vehicles parked along 19W and stealing miscellaneous property from inside the vehicles. Pedro was taken before a Yancey County Magistrate and released from the Yancey County Jail after posting a $ 15,000.00 secured bond. Lt. Farmer said Juvenile Petitions have been filed against the 15 year old juvenile who assisted Pedro in the stealing offenses.

Parolee Back in Jail

10/22/2007 

Parolee George Raeford Williamson Jr. age 44, of an Indian Trail Drive, Burnsville address, is back in jail under no bond. Williamson was arrested on October 13th on a charge of felony assault inflecting serious injury. He posted bond at that time and was released. According to Lt. Tom Farmer of the Yancey County Sheriff’s Department, Williamson struck a female resulting in multiple bone fractures to her head, eye, jaw and mouth. Williamson was on parole for a murder he committed in 1982. He was paroled under the fair felons’ punishment provision in 2006. Following his assault charge he was placed back into secure custody at the Yancey County Jail on October 18th after the North Carolina Parole Commission issued an Order for his arrest. Williamson will remain in jail pending further Parole Commission hearings.

Governor’s Awards of Excellence

10/22/2007 

Gov. Mike Easley, on Thursday named recipients of the Governor's Awards for Excellence in Workforce Development for 2007. He said “competing in the global economy requires knowledge, talent and skill and these individuals have demonstrated they are dedicated to success.”

Aren Doolin of Spruce Pine has been awarded Outstanding Younger Youth Participant. As a teenager, Aren assisted with raising his brothers and sister, while setting his own goals and working to help support the family. He set an example for his siblings and friends around him by graduating from high school and attending college. Using the resources of the Workforce Investment Act, Aren has reached many of his goals, he has an excellent position as a network administrator at Blue Ridge Regional Hospital, supports the family he loves, and has a house of his own. He will graduate with an associate degree in computer programming in May 2008 from Mayland Community College. The Governor’s Awards of excellence honor individuals and businesses for outstanding accomplishments and contributions in helping North Carolina achieve its workforce development goals.

SP Awards Facade Grants

10/19/2007 

Spruce Pine Council has recently awarded several facade grants to town businesses. Spruce Pine Town Manager Richard Canipe comments. (click audio button above)

Mandatory Water Restrictions in Some WNC Towns

10/18/2007 

Marshall has joined Woodfin, Robbinsville, Andrews, Tryon and Cherokee in putting residents under mandatory water restrictions. That means no car washing or watering lawns at home and conserving water at work. In Marshall, the levels in the town's two reservoirs are one-third below normal and getting worse daily. Town officials say as long as the mandatory restrictions are in place, residents can face fines as high as $150 if they are caught wasting water. Meanwhile, Bakersville, Burnsville, Marion, Newland and Spruce Pine have asked citizens to practice voluntary water conservation measures. Richard Canipe, Spruce Pine Town Manager comments. (click audio button above)

Still a Priority

10/18/2007 

With the closing of Taylor Togs in Micaville, some have said the East Yancey Sewer project should be put on the back burner. Yancey Commission Chairman John Renfro says, the county is very saddened by the Taylor Togs closing, but the sewer project is necessary and will continue. (click audio button above)

Stolen Weapon Found

10/17/2007 

The investigation continues into the October 3rd incident, in Mitchell County, when three men allegedly gained entrance to a home on Hwy 226S, held a gun on the victim and then took some $3 thousand in valuables including a gun, prescription medication, a cell phone and cash. One of the men, Larry Alfred Story, age 23, of Spruce Pine has been arrested, the other two are still at large, they’re identified as Tobias Cope, age 30 of McDowell County and Michael Eugene Webb, of Burke County, his age was given as between 37-38. The three have been indicted on first degree burglary and robbery with a dangerous weapon. The weapon, stolen in the robbery was found Saturday night when Mitchell Deputy Josh Biddix stopped a vehicle in the parking lot of a Spruce Pine Business after it was determined the tag on the Chevy Blazer, was the wrong license plate. The vehicle was driven by Christopher Shawn Murphy, age 37, of Marion. During the stop, the gun was found up under the drivers seat, also found was a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Later in the evening, Detective Josh Sparks, the lead investigator in the case, charged Murphy with possession of stolen property, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of illegal drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. And on Monday, Murphy was charged with accessory after the fact of first degree burglary and robbery with a dangerous weapon. He remains in jail under a $ 19-thousand bond.

Parolee Charged With Felonious Assault

10/17/2007 

Yancey County Sheriff's Deputies have arrested George Raeford Williamson Jr. 44, of 304 Indian Trail Drive, Burnsville, and charged him with one count of Felonious Assault Inflicting Serious Injury. Williamson is a parolee on a conviction of murder in 1982. According to Lt. Tom Farmer of the Yancey Sheriff’s Department; in the early morning hours of Saturday October 13th, Natasha Dawn Mosley arrived at Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine suffering from multiple facial fractures. She was treated there briefly and then sent to Mission Hospitals in Asheville where medical specialist treated for multiple bone fractures to the head, eye, jaw and mouth. A criminal investigation into the cause of her injuries revealed that at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Friday October 12th, Mosley was present at Williamson’s apartment as were others. While there she and Williamson got into a verbal dispute that led to a physical altercation between the two. Williamson was taken before a Yancey County Magistrate and released from Jail after posting a $ 10,000.00 secured bond. Williamson is scheduled to appear in Yancey County District Court on October 30th. In 1982, Williamson, and the late Richard Hamilton were sentenced to Life in Prison for First Degree Murder in the shooting of Jim Hensley. He was shot in the back of the head with a shotgun while sitting on a couch inside his mobile home off Mitchell Branch Road. Williamson and Hamilton were on the outside of the mobile home and shot Hensley through the window. Williamson was the shooter.

Under the Fair Felons Punishment Provision, Williamson was released on parole from the North Carolina Department of Corrections on May 21, 2006, and before this charge was filed court records show no other charges since his release.

Former McDowell Deputy Involved in another Fatal Crash

Two Sought for Robbing Home

10/11/2007 

Three men posing as law enforcement agents gained entrance to an apartment on Hwy 226S between 3 & 4 am on Wednesday Oct 3rd. Once in they held a gun on the victim and robbed the home. Mitchell Sheriff Ken Fox says about $3 thousand in valuables including a gun, prescription medication, a cell phone, videos and cash were taken. Deputies have made one arrest, Larry Alfred Story, age 23, of an old NC226, Spruce Pine address, he was charged with first degree burglary and robbery with a dangerous weapon. AS of Wednesday afternoon none of the stolen property has been recovered Detectives said the other two suspects are still at large. No one was hurt during the incident.

Information Sought About Live Grenade In Hot Springs

10/11/2007 

Madison County authorities want to know who placed a live grenade on or near the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks at the Hot Springs Campground. The device was detonated by a bomb squad from the Asheville Police Department Saturday night, after campers and other nearby people were evacuated. Madison Sheriff John Ledford says the grenade could have killed someone. It took several tries to get the device to explode and that caused people at the nearby Hot Springs Spa to fear the worst. Guests said they heard two blasts while they were soaking in the tubs. Sheriff Ledford said he hopes someone will come forward with information about how the grenade got there. They’ve also contacted ATF agents about the case.

AP Scholars

10/10/2007 

Eight students at Mountain Heritage High School and seven students at Mitchell High School have earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) Exams. Students took AP Exams in May 2007 after completing challenging college-level courses at their high schools. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performance on AP Exams.
 

At Heritage High School:
Two students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are Tadayoshi Littleton and Samuel McKay.
Two students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are Sonya Laws and Evan Mitchell.
Four students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams, with grades of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are Ashley Bennett, Ashleigh Bennett, Michael Letterman and Amber Woodby.
 

At Mitchell High School:
Three students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are Sarah Brooks, Maria Walker, and Lauren Wilson. Four students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams, with grades of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are Emily Carpenter, Amelia Green, Mitchell Joslin, and Stephen Pritchard.
 

The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program offers students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school, and to receive college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the more than 1.4 million high school students in 16,000 secondary schools worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to merit the recognition of AP Scholar.

Madison Okays New Jail

10/10/2007 

Leaders in Madison County have given the go-ahead for plans to build a new jail. The current jail in Marshall is more than a hundred years old and is the oldest jail still in use in the state. The new facility will cost about nine million dollars, and will house the jail, Sheriff's Department and Magistrate's office. It will be located on county-owned property beside the health center on Hwy 213.

Commissioners Pleased with Lease Agreement

10/09/2007 

As we have reported, Mitchell Commissioners have approved a lease agreement with the Mitchell County Historic Courthouse Foundation to take control and operate the historic building in Bakersville. The foundation is in the process of seeking non-profit status. This will allow the foundation to apply for grants to help in the renovation project. There have been many ideas about what will be in the building but the one that keeps getting Commissioners excited is the possibility of getting a satellite campus of Mayland Community College in that end of the county. It’s estimated the cost of the renovation project will be around $1 million. Chuck Vines, Mitchell County Manager comments. (click audio button above)

New Town Attorney

10/09/2007 

The Town of Burnsville has a new attorney, Mayor Danny McIntosh comments. (click audio button above)

Bee Log Gets National Honor

10/08/2007 

Yancey County’s Bee Log Elementary has been recognized as one of three schools’ in North Carolina to be named “No Child Left Behind” blue ribbon schools. The award comes from the U.S. Department of Education and spotlights some of the country’s most successful schools. The other schools in Western North Carolina were Hendersonville Elementary in Henderson County and Tryon Elementary in Polk County. 237 public and 50 private schools were recognized as helping students in achieving very high levels and for making significant progress in closing the achievement gap. Honors are nothing new at Bee Log Elementary; the school has twice been recognized as a North Carolina school of excellence and qualified as an “honors school of excellence” in the state in the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 school years.

Missing Madison Woman Found

10/05/2007 

Madison County Rescue workers have found an elderly woman in a rugged section of Bluff Mountain near Hot Springs. Deputies say Dennis Eldridge and his 82 year old mother, Hazel, got lost Wednesday on the back roads of Bluff Mountain and along Upper Shut In Road. They say their car ran out of gas, and the son went for help, leaving his mother near the car. Thursday morning rescue workers found the car, but no trace of the woman. Finally, Thursday afternoon, some hunters spotted a pair of shoes beside the road, and Hazel's pocketbook. When they looked over the bank, they spotted Hazel about 75 feet off the bank. Using an ATV, rescuers carried her out by ambulance and paramedics took her to Mission Hospitals by helicopter. Deputies say Hazel is in good condition with scratches and bruises. Hazel's son, Dennis Eldridge, is under observation at a Knoxville hospital.

Old Fort Teen Arrested for Child Molestation

10/04/2007 

McDowell authorities have arrested 18-year-old Dustin Dalton of Old Fort, for allegedly molesting two young children. Dalton, a senior at McDowell High School, was charged with 6 counts of indecent liberties with a child and 2 counts of sexual offense with a child. Deputies say the victims are ages 5 and 7, and the alleged molestations happened between March and September of this year, deputies say both of the children knew Dalton. The teenager's family and friends are in shock over the charges. They describe Dalton as a quiet, hard-working student with many friends. His mother says he was planning to marry his girlfriend. Dalton is being held on $200,000 bond in the McDowell County Jail.

Larceny of Livestock & Stolen Property

10/04/2007 

Yancey County Sheriff Deputies have arrested Lonnie Dee Parker 24, of a Lincoln Park Road, Burnsville address and charged him with numerous Larceny of Livestock and stolen property offenses. Parker is currently in the Yancey County Jai, under a $ 12,500.00 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in Yancey County District Court on October 15, 2007. According to Lt. Tom Farmer, of the Sheriff’s Department, other suspects are responsible for stealing a number of horses, horse trailers and other items of value in Yancey County as well as Mitchell, Avery and Watauga Counties. At this time all livestock and property stolen has been located and officers from multiple jurisdictions are in the process of retrieving the stolen property. Parker is facing felony charges in Mitchell County, Avery County and Watauga County as a result of his offenses. Several stolen horses have been recovered from Carter County Tennessee as the investigation of the case continues.

Taylor Togs Closing

10/03/2007 

Some 125 workers will be losing their jobs as another mountain plant is shutting down. Taylor Togs, in Micaville has announced they will close effective October 30th. Glenda Stewart, Vice President of Manufacturing, at Taylor Togs said in a written release their problems started in 2004 when Levis Strauss shifted its basic production out of the country. This pulled 75% of production work from Taylor Togs. It was at this time they were forced to close their Bakersville plant which resulted in 100 jobs lost. The company has tried to keep a minimal staff but has continually lost money. She said “when we finally saw the struggle to make it was not going to be profitable a final decision to close was made.” Sandy Buchanan with the Employment Security Commission comments. (click audio button above)

Lease Agreement Approved

10/03/2007 

Mitchell Commissioners have approved a lease agreement with the Mitchell County Historic Courthouse Foundation to take control and operate the historic building in Bakersville. The lease agreement is for 99 years at $1 per year. The foundation is currently seeking non-profit status which will allow them to seek grant funding for the Courthouse Project. Barron said the renovation project will cost around one Million dollars. Daniel Barron with the Foundation comments. (click audio button above)

Representative Comments on State Takeover of Medicaid

10/02/2007 

A North Carolina state representative comments on the state taking over Medicaid. Phillip Frye is a republican representing the 84th district which covers Avery, portions of Caldwell, Mitchell & Yancey Counties. (click audio button above)

SPCH Gets a New Name

10/01/2007 

Spruce Pine Community Hospital officially changes its name today to Blue Ridge Regional Hospital. Hospital president and CEO, Keith Holtsclaw, says the new name is a reflection of the hospital's growing scope of services that are meeting the healthcare needs of people throughout Mitchell, Yancey and surrounding counties. He pointed to statistics showing that in 2006, 51 percent of the hospital's patients came from Mitchell County, 42 percent from Yancey County, and most of the remainder from Avery and McDowell counties. The hospital's employee base also reflects a widening geographic scope, with just over half of employees living in Mitchell County and almost 37 percent residing in Yancey County. The renaming of the hospital will also apply to its facilities in Burnsville, Mayland & Spruce Pine. The hospital expansion, the largest in its history, is schedule for completion later this year. The $22.6 million expansion and renovation project will add 38 all new private patient rooms, four new labor and delivery rooms, and new and expanded Emergency and Radiology Departments.

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This page was last updated on Wednesday, 02 January 2008 02:55 PM