Watauga County

Braxton Eggers, chairman of the Watauga board, says the move gives the county more control over EMS.

Geologist Kelli Baxstrom discusses the impact of Hurricane Helene on landslides in Appalachia, noting that over 2,200 landslides were mapped in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia — ten times as many logged for Huricanes Francis and Ivan combined. Baxstrom emphasizes the importance of vigilance post-landslide events, as slopes can reactivate and move again months or years after the initial weather event.

House Bill 306 would have given Boone, Blowing Rock and Watauga County Board of Education the opportunity to provide workforce housing for municipal workers and teachers.

House Bill 306 would authorize Boone, Blowing Rock and the Watauga County Board of Education to provide workplace housing for town and county staff and teachers.

Election totals are in for a variety of races in the Triad and High Country. Below are select unofficial results.

Election officials have limited the hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but expanded dates to include weekends during the early voting period, which ends November 2.

Currently, commissioners live in assigned districts but are elected at large, meaning Watauga voters can choose their commissioners whether they live in the district or not. This year, commissioners will be chosen only by residents in those individual districts under a bill approved last year.

In a message to the App State community, Interim Chancellor Heather Norris stated that a “forward focus and routine” are important as the community recovers from the devastating storm. 

The foundation has agreed to allocate $125,000 toward the cost of tuition payments for the month of October at licensed early childhood development centers throughout Watauga County.