Yancey
Approves Budget
06/30/2004
Yancey Commissioners met
last night to approve the county’s 2004-2005 budgets Tuesday. Budget Total:
$11,949,500.12. The tax rate remains at 50 cents per $100 assessed
valuation. County employees will receive a 3% pay increase and the county
increased its contribution to employee’s insurance coverage. Burnsville’s
public hearing on their proposed budget is this evening at 5:30 and Spruce
Pine will adopt their 2004-2005 budgets at 6:15 pm.
Developing
Ideas
06/30/2004
Mitchell County
continues to move toward developing ideas for marketing the county as “The
Home of the Perfect Christmas Tree.” Patti Jenson, is with the Mitchell
Chamber of Commerce says although the book has a Christmas theme, there are
many possibilities to promote this area year round. Gloria Houston, the
Author of “The Home of the Perfect Christmas Tree,” has given Mitchell
County and Spruce Pine permission to incorporate her book into an economic
plan to promote the county through tourism, industry and Christmas tree
sales.
SP To Vote
on 2004–2005 Budget Wednesday
06/29/2004
Spruce Pine Council met
last night for a public hearing on the 2004–2005 proposed budgets. After
hearing a fund request from the Spruce Pine Public Library, the board wanted
more time to look at the numbers.Yancey County will hold its budget
public hearing tonight at 6, and Burnsville will hold its public hearing
tomorrow at 5:30.
Burnsville
Man Arrested After Assault
06/29/2004
A Burnsville man,
Gregory Alan Boone, age 41, of Bill Allen Road, is charged with a number of
offenses including domestic assault, communicating threats, assault with a
deadly weapon and marijuana possession. According to information from the
Sheriff’s Department, Deputies Letterman and Braswell were called to the
Boone residence at 10:30 pm, Saturday night to investigate an alleged
assault. When the deputies arrived, they found Boone to be very intoxicated
and disruptive. An investigation revealed Boone had allegedly assaulted a
male and two females who were at his residence. Deputies also seized a
quantity of marijuana and drug paraphernalia at his home. Deputies believe
alcohol and marijuana consumption contributed to the incident. Boone is
scheduled to appear in Yancey District Court on August 13th.
Celebrating
Our Independence
06/28/2004
Burnsville & Yancey County
will celebrate Independence with a day of TRAC activities on Saturday, July 3rd,
on Town Square. Crafts, music, games and food, topped off with fireworks at
dark. Spruce Pine will celebrate fireworks on Sunday, July 4th at
dark. Spruce Pine Fire Department will sell barbeque, at the fire station at
Town Hall, beginning at 3:00 pm.
Education
is Paramount
06/25/2004
Gina Martin, an economist
with Wachovia Securities says unemployment rates make it clear how important it
is to complete high school and even college. Without a high school education
unemployment is over 8%, but with a college degree, unemployment is under 3%.
She says today’s job place is requiring a higher degree of learning and without
education; you are putting yourself at a great disadvantage. Martin spoke Monday
in Burnsville, at a meeting sponsored by Yancey County's 21st Century
Communities Steering Committee.
Title 1 and
Assistant Principals Named
06/25/2004
Scott Jenkins is the new
“Title 1” director for the Mitchell County Schools. The School Board vote was
3-2, Monday, to hire Jenkins, with Board Chairman Larry Fortner and Board Member
Danny Hall casting the “no votes.” They said they felt the money could be spent
better elsewhere. The Title 1 Director oversees the English as-a-second Language
Network & Migrant education programs. School Superintendent Bill Sears said
Jenkins’ speaking & organizational skills will be a real asset when it comes to
getting grants for the system. At a meeting, Thursday morning, the board
accepted Mitchell High Principal Jack Brooks’ recommendations for assistant
principals. Mark Woody, who was head of the math dept at the High School &
Morgan Houchard, who was assistant principal & language arts teacher at Bowman,
will become full-time assistant principals at the high school. And, the board
named Angie Burleson as the new principal at Bowman; she had been an assistant
principal at the high school for 4 years.
Randolph is
Tops in West
06/24/2004
Yancey Schools
Superintendent Dr Ivan Randolph has been named the west region “Superintendent
of the Year,” and he’s one of 8 nominees for the state “Superintendent of the
Year.” Randolph has been Superintendent of Yancey County Schools for 5 years,
his wife Pam Randolph is an English Teacher at Mountain Heritage High School. Dr
Randolph will be recognized during an awards ceremony at the fall leadership
conference, on September 26th, in Boone.
Good Marks
for Spruce Pine Water
06/24/2004
Spruce Pine’s water quality
report for 2003 will be in the mail soon Spruce Pine Town Manager Richard Canipe
says the report, required by the EPA, gives the town passing marks in all
testing areas. No tests were failed and no violations were indicated. The report
should be in the mail to all water customers by next week.
Child Abuse and
Rape Charges
06/24/2004
Yancey County Deputies have
charged a 28 year old Burnsville woman with 4-counts of statutory rape of a
minor child, a 15 year old male. She’s currently in jail under $200 thousand
secured bond. And deputies have charged the minor child’s mother with felony
child abuse for allowing her son to engage in sexual acts with a 28 year old
woman. She’s out of jail after posting a $12,500 bond. Because of our policy of
withholding sexual victim’s names, we are not using any names with this news
report. According to a news release, Lt Tom Farmer, said the arrests are the
result of a joint investigation by Yancey Deputies and the Child Protection
Division of Social Services.
Yancey
Arrests
06/23/2004
Yancey Deputies have made
several drug arrests. Charged with possession, intent to sell cocaine and
maintaining a vehicle to keep and store drugs is Scarlett Elizabeth Bumgarner,
age 36, of Rolling Ridge Loop, in Burnsville. She was released from jail after
posting a $10 thousand secured bond. Deputies have also charged Clifton Edward
Bowden Jr., age 46, of Rolling Ridge Loop with a number of drug offenses, a
weapons violation, felony restraint and assault on a female, he’s currently in
jail under an $18 thousand secured bond. According to a news release, Deputies
responded to the Double Island Community after calls stating that a man was
driving down the road with a female inside his vehicle; reportedly she was
screaming and trying to get out of the vehicle while it was moving. Callers said
the woman was hanging out of the vehicle. Deputies found Bowden and an unnamed
female in a wooded area off Baccus Siding Road. Deputies’ report the woman had
been assaulted, she was taken to a hospital where she was treated and released.
Mitchell
Approves 04’-05’ Budget
06/23/2004
Mitchell Commissioners met
in special session Tuesday morning. County Manager Ryan Whitson said the
2004-2005 budget ordinance was adopted. The nearly $14 million budget includes a
$16 thousand funding request from the EnergyXchange The tax rate remains
at 53 cents per $100 valuation.
Take
Advantage of Natural Beauty
06/22/2004
A full house at Burnsville’s
Town Hall, Monday night, heard an economist say the area should take advantage
of its natural beauty: Gina Martin, with Wachovia Securities, said a starting
point to stimulate the regions economy is to promote tourism.
Spurling Is
Approved
06/18/2004
The
Mitchell Board of Education has approved the appointment of Rick Spurling as
Assistant Superintendent, but they delayed action on appointing Scott Jenkins to
the position of “Title 1” Director. System Superintendent Bill Sears says the
duties of the Title 1 Director are become more and more complex each year and if
the Board doesn’t hire a Title 1 Director, those duties will fall to Spurling
and Sears was concerned about overwhelming his staff with work.
Yancey 21st
Century Meeting
06/18/2004
Over the past four years,
Yancey County has seen over half of its
manufacturing jobs disappear. Gwen Harris, Director of the county’s Economic &
development Commissions says Yancey must develop a strong diversified economy,
of course we must have industry, but the county needs to examine the role of
agriculture, entrepreneurship, the opportunities in arts & crafts and tourism,
if the county is to survive. This Monday, June 21st, at 5:30 pm, the
first in a series of meetings on this subject will be held in the Burnsville
Town Hall Boardroom. Harris says she hopes a lot of people will attend this
meeting sponsored by Yancey County’s 21st Century
Communities Steering Committee. Guest speaker will be Gina Martin, economist
with Wachovia Securities.
Creating
Businesses
06/17/2004
The EnergyXchange, at the
Mitchell-Yancey Landfill, is helping to create businesses for this region. Jon Ellenbogen
says rural America must grow their own businesses. More than two-thirds of the
economic growth comes from small businesses with less than 5 employees. By
growing native plants and using the landfill gases to heat greenhouses, the
EnergyXchange can help businesses to grow. For information, call 675-5541.
Celebrating on
the 3rd
06/17/2004
Burnsville & Yancey County
will celebrate the 4th on the 3rd!! Burnsville Mayor,
David Grindstaff invites everyone to town square for a day TRAC activities and
fireworks at night—that Saturday, July 3rd!!
Break In at
Burnsville Dollar General
06/16/2004
Burnsville Police officers
are is investigating a break in at the Dollar General Store, in the Yancey Commons Shopping Center.
According to Chief Rick Turner, $800 was taken; he says there are no leads,
other than this appears to be a pattern targeting “Dollar General Stores,” in
WNC. Similar break-ins have occurred at Dollar Generals in Canton and
Waynesville. This is the 2nd time in the past year this store has
been broken into. Each time the thief pried open the back door and knew the
exact place to drill into the safe so it would open. Anyone with information is
asked to Burnsville Police at 682-4683.
Spruce Pine
Detectives Solves Year Old Crime
06/16/2004
Catching the armed robbers,
who took some $12 hundred from the Burger King in Grassy Creek, has led Spruce
Pine Police Detectives to solve a robbery that occurred a year ago. Spruce Pine
Detective Van Williams says Billy Ray Garner, 31, of Burnsville has been charged
with robbing a Burger King Employee who was making a night deposit, June 3, 2003.
House
Approves, Now To the Senate
06/15/2004
The NC House approved a $15.8 billion budget for
the 2004-2005 fiscal year and it now goes to the senate for consideration.
Highlights of the house budget affecting this region; some 50 new jobs will
result from house action authorizing Mountain View Correctional Facility to
increase cell bedding to house 2 inmates per cell, increasing capacity to 336
beds. The current plan is to complete hiring and equipment installation by
February 5th. The house also waived bidding requirements so that
Yancey County can proceed with
its public-private partnership to build a health and human services campus. The
complex is designed to be a “one-stop shopping” location for medical and human
services.
2 Hickory
Springs Workers Injured
06/15/2004
Yancey Emergency personal
responded to a 911 call Friday evening from the Hickory Springs plant, in
Micaville. The caller reported two workers had suffered injuries to their head
and body after a compressed bale section of spring bedding exploded, striking
the two men , causing them to fall. Junior McIntyre, Yancey County Emergency
Management Coordinator identified the victims as Roger Lee Ledford, and Ted
Moss, both of Burnsville. Ledford was flown to Mission Hospital in Asheville and
Moss was flown to Johnson City Medical Center. No condition report on either man
was available.
Busted
06/15/2004
A Madison High School
teacher has been busted for allegedly growing marijuana. Authorities say 42 year
old William Wilde was caught with 39 pot plants. He was released on $5 thousand
bond. He is scheduled to appear in court July 16th.
Yancey’s
Jail Expansion
06/14/2004
Yancey County’s Jail
expansion & renovation project is underway. At competition of phase 1 of the
expansion and renovation project, the jail will have 34 cells, 7 holding cells &
1 medical cell.
Weekend Traffic
Fatality
06/14/2004
A weekend traffic wreck took
the life of a Yancey County man. 85 year old Doss Tipton was killed Saturday
morning on Highway 19E when a vehicle, driven by 38 year old Markette McIntosh,
of Burnsville, was traveling east when she crossed the centerline hitting Doss’
car head-on. Troopers say excessive is to blame. McIntosh was hospitalized;
details of her condition have not been released. The District Attorney will
determine any charges against McIntosh. Funeral services for Mr. Tipton will be
tomorrow at 11am, at Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home, in Burnsville.
5 Charged
With Burger King Robbery
06/10/2004
5 people have been arrested
in connection with the May 26th armed robbery of the Burger King, on
Highway 226 in Grassy Creek. Charged are Billy Ray Garner, age 31, Highway 197
North, in Burnsville, Tammy Mae Elkins, age 26, Route 2, Burnsville, John
Fitzgerald Mally Jr, age 20, of Smith Johnson Rd in Green Mountain, Thomas
Yates McMahan Jr, 37 yrs old, of Woodland Circle, in Burnsville, and Anita Lynn
Petrie, age 30, Mitchell Branch Road, in Burnsville. Spruce Pine Detective Van
Williams said they first thought between $12 hundred and $25 hundred dollars was
taken, they now say about $24 hundred was stolen. None of the money was
recovered.
New
Contracts for Taylor Togs
06/10/2004
Taylor Togs, in Micaville,
had some good news this week—new contracts with Levi Strauss. Plant officials
say nothing is for sure, but the new contracts should extend through May of next
year. And they say in addition to maintaining their current job force, some
additional jobs will be added as a result of the new contracts.
McDowell
Man Is Killed
06/10/2004
An accident kills a McDowell
man; Authorities say 80 year old Ernest Smith was run over by a mower Wednesday
afternoon. He was doing yard work at the mobile home park, he owned in Old Fort.
Emergency workers said Smith died at the scene.
Phone
Service Out
06/09/2004
Up to 16-hundred Bell South
customers in Mitchell County were without phone service most of Tuesday and into
the early hours this morning. The outage was caused when a dump truck, with its
bed raised, hit phone lines across 19E and then overturned near Forest Fisher
Road. The driver of the truck, RJ McClellan was taken to the hospital, his
injuries were not life threatening. Levoy Spooner with Bell South said service
was restored around 4:00 am this morning.
Mitchell
Funding Request
06/08/2004
Mitchell Commissioners
held a public hearing on the county’s proposed 2004-2005 budgets Monday
night. The budget, just under $13 & ½ million does not include funding for
non-profits, or increases in funding for the Dept of Social Services and the
Board of Education. Commissioners heard a request for extra subsistence
from the Dept of Social Services, and members of the EnergyXchange, a
non-profit organization, operating at the Mitchell-Yancey Landfill, made a
presentation to the board requesting funding. Jon Ellenbogen, EnergyXchange
board president requested a total of $50-thouasand from Avery, Mitchell and
Yancey Counties, to be divided equally
and to be used for administrative expenses. Mitchell Commissioners responded
favorably to the presentation, Avery has approved the request and Yancey
will consider their proposal at their June meeting tonight.
Arrests in
Yancey for Selling Tobacco to Minors
06/07/2004
Store clerks in Yancey County are among those charged
with selling tobacco to minors. Web Corthell, with NC Alcohol Law
Enforcement says 12 retail businesses were check in Burnsville & Micaville,
clerks at 4 businesses sold to a minor. Selling to a minor is a misdemeanor
offense.
Bikers Ride
for American Cancer Society
06/04/2004
The 3rd annual
Relay for Life Motorcycle ride held this past weekend was a big success. Ride
organizer, Ken Waldroup reports 147 bikers raised $2,600 for the American Cancer
society. Mitchell County’s Relay for Life is scheduled for July 16th
at Mitchell High School. For relay
information, call 766-1799 or 688-2183, ext 22.
More computers
for Burnsville’s Police Cruisers
06/04/2004
Burnsville Police Chief,
Rick Turner says a grant from the governor’s crime commission will allow the
police department to buy 2 more computers bringing to 6 the total number of
mobile data terminals in the town’s police vehicles.
Marshall Clerks Charged With
Assault
06/04/2004
Two clerks in the town of
Marshall are charged with assaulting a customer over a tax bill. A woman says
the Marshall Town Clerk and her female assistant pulled at her arms. The two
clerks say they were simply trying to remove the woman from town hall because
she had become belligerent. Both clerks are charged with misdemeanor assault and
remain at work. The town attorney says Alderman are investigating and will take
action once they figure out exactly what happened.
No
Shortcuts Here
06/03/2004
It happens all the time,
motorists taking shortcuts. Well, residents along Carolina Avenue, in Marion,
say too many workers use their road as a shortcut to the major roads and the
state highways. They say these motorists are driving too fast and are putting
their kids at risk. They want NC DOT to put up signs warning drivers, kids are
in the area, and that no “thru traffic” is allowed.
View
Budgets
06/01/2003
A copy Spruce Pine’s proposed 2004-2005
budgets will be available at Town Hall, for public viewing, beginning today. A
public hearing will be June 28th, at 5:30 pm.
A copy Burnsville’s proposed 2004-2005
budgets will be available at Town Hall for public viewing June 18th,
the public hearing and budget approval will be June 28th, at 5:30 pm.
P.O. Box 744
