Bakersville Woman Charged With Hitting Two Pedestrians
03/07/14 11:42 AM
According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Katherine Bryant, 47 of Unicoi, and her 6-year-old grandchild were hit by a Kia Sorrento, driven by Kris Ann Waterhouse, 57 of Bakersville, Thursday in Unicoi County, TN. A Unicoi school bus was supposedly stopped on Unicoi Drive and the 6-year-old started to walk across the road to get on the bus. Waterhouse failed to stop for bus, which had all of its flashing lights on, as well as its red stop sign out. Bryant reportedly saw Waterhouse's vehicle not stop for the bus and used her body to protect her grandchild from getting hit. Both Bryant and her grandchild were taken to Johnson City Medical Center for treatment. The extent of their injuries is unknown at this time. Waterhouse was charged with one count of passing a school bus and two counts of felony reckless aggravated assault.

New Technology Center Opens Today
03/07/14 06:57 AM
Yancey County, the Economic Development Commission and Country Cablevision will host the grand opening of a new technology center in the former library building on Town Square today at 2 p.m. The new technology center will give residents a chance to use high-speed internet for free. Plans are for the center to be open from 9 a.m. till 9pm. Monday through Friday with Saturday hours in the future. Those who use the center must bring their own laptops or mobile devices to tap into the free wireless service. Country Cablevision has begun installing high speed broadband service for its residential and business customers who want the service. The company, working with county government's Broadband Task Force, was awarded a federal stimulus grant in 2010 to provide last mile fiber to more than 95 percent of homes and businesses in Yancey and Mitchell Counties. The $25 million project must be completed by early 2015 and will make Yancey the only county in North Carolina to offer broadband up to 100 megabits to all homes and businesses.

Some Mitchell Residents Receive Vehicle Property Tax Refunds
03/07/14 06:56 AM
Residents in Mitchell County who overpaid vehicle property taxes due to a system error will be getting a refund from the county. The tax office in Mitchell County has gone through the first month of eight months worth of bills, finding 389 with bad values out of 1054 bills examined so far. Refunds for the first month totaled $4,344.37. At the beginning of the year the tax office discovered a problem with the vehicle property taxes, attributing the error to their outdated computer system. The tax office has between 8000 and 9600 tax bills still to be reviewed, a process that is expected to take a couple of weeks.

Help Save Historic Penland Post Office
03/07/14 06:54 AM
A group of people are backing an effort to raise money to renovate the historic Penland Post Office building in Mitchell County. The nonprofit group has raised $50,000 so far, including a $10,000 grant, and has also had the building placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The organization is asking the public to show their support by donating their time and money and will be seeking new members at a meeting planned for 7 p.m., March 27th at the Ridgway Building on the campus of Penland School of Crafts. People interested in helping the cause can also contribute by purchasing stamps at the Penland Post Office and by shopping at the organization’s rummage stall at The Market in downtown Spruce Pine. For more information about the project visit www.penlandpostoffice.org or call 828-765-6539.

Miller Awarded Spruce Pine Town Hall Contract
03/07/14 06:50 AM
Miller Contracting and Construction Company of Spruce Pine has been awarded a contract to do renovations on the new location of the Spruce Pine Town Hall. Town Hall was moved from near downtown to the former PNC Bank building at the top of Burleson Hill on Hwy 226. Architectural plans call for a new entrance with stonework exteriors, a drive through window with a canopy and a new addition to the rear of the building for a town board meeting room. Contractors have an August 15th deadline to complete the $229,062 project. The Town Hall is the first phase of an overall plan for the property that may eventually include a separate police department, driver’s license office, magistrate’s office as well as an office for the NC Highway Patrol. 

Seven Arrested in Yancey County
03/05/14 01:54 PM
(provided by the Yancey County Sheriff's Department)
Yancey County Sheriff's Department has reported six drug related arrests and one arrest for Felony Larceny. Richard Ervin Johnson, 28 of 1156 Hardscrabble Road Burnsville, NC was arrested and charged with Felony Possession of Schedule VI (Marijuana), Felony Possession of Schedule II (Methamphetamine), Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Schedule VI (Marijuana), Manufacture of Schedule VI (Marijuana), Maintain a Dwelling to Keep a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. (more)

Possible Change to School Day
03/05/14 09:03 AM
Superintendent Tipton informed the Board that a representative from the NC Department of Public Instruction has cautioned all school systems to wait on extending the school day or making drastic changes to their school calendar until a decision is made out of Raleigh regarding forgiving school days due to inclement weather.  NC Governor Pat McCrory is discussing this option with state legislators. Dr. Tipton informed the Board that while waiting for this decision to be made, YCS is looking at the possibility of extending the school day 15 minutes at all schools to meet the required 1,025 instructional hours per school year without having to extend further into the month of June because of additional bad weather.  YCS will continue the “Saturday School Plan” for the time being but how effectively it serves students will constantly be monitored.   Parents will be notified well in advance once a decision has been finalized

Yancey Superintendent Presents Teacher Tenure Draft
03/04/14 01:15 PM
At its regular meeting on Monday Yancey County Schools Superintendent Dr. Tony Tipton presented a draft to the Board that outlines the school board’s plan as required by the General Assembly, to choose 25% of teachers in the school system for a pay increase over four years and a four-year contract in return for giving up career status. Career status simply ensures due process and is (more)

Yancey Board of Education Approves Reading Assessment Plan
03/04/14 12:52 PM
Monday night the Yancey County Schools Board of Education approved the use of a locally-developed alternate assessment plan to show reading proficiency for 3rd graders enrolled in YCS in order to meet the strict guidelines of the NC General Assembly’s Read to Achieve legislation. This is in response to the NC State Board of Education approving thirty (30) different LEA requests from around (more)

Vines Honored with Longleaf Pine Award
03/04/14 12:03 PM
Mitchell County Manager Charles E. Vines (Chuck) was presented with the prestigious Order of the Longleaf Pine Award on behalf of Gov. Pat McCrory during the Commissioners meeting Monday night. Pictured left to right: Rep. Josh Dobson, Rep. Phillip Frye, Vines and  (more)

Parkway Economic Benefit
03/04/14 07:08 AM
ASHEVILLE, NC – A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 15.2 million visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2012 spent $902 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 12,168 jobs in the local area. (more)

Broadband Rollout Open House
03/04/14 06:57 AM
Yancey County Economic Development Commission Director Wanda Proffitt has announced that Country Cablevision will make the official announcement of the rollout of the New High Speed Fiber Optic Broadband Project for Yancey County at an open house event this Friday.  The $28.3 million project will eventually include Mitchell County.  When completed High speed fiber optic broadband will be available to 100% of homes in Yancey and Mitchell County, with initial deployment to the Town of Burnsville. This project has been under construction since 2010 and funded through the Rural Utilities Service Division (RUS) of USDA.  After many hurdles and some delays, Country Cablevision has received approval to start connections to business, industry and homes. The new high speed Broadband Fiber Optic Network will be deployed in segments, first serving the Town of Burnsville area.  High speed Internet Service offered will be in 25 Mbps, 50 Mbps and 100 Mbps packages in Burnsville, as well as, Telephone and Video Services.  The Open House event will be Friday at 2pm at the Yancey County Technology Center located on Town Square (former library).

Yancey Man Arrested for Failure to Register as Sex Offender
02/28/14 12:42 PM
The Yancey County Sheriff’s Office Sex Offender unit has arrested Ivan “Van” Dario Roldan of 76 South Toe River Rd and charged him with one count of failure to register as a sex offender, which is a felony in NC. Sheriff Gary Banks says that this arrest is part of the Sheriff’s Office on-going efforts to closely monitor sex offenders in Yancey County. “If sex offenders are going to live in Yancey County, they should know that they are going to be monitored and expected to abide by the law,” said Sheriff Banks. Officers received a tip that Mr. Roldan was living in Yancey County and was a registered sex offender in Florida but had failed to register with North Carolina as required by general statute. A subsequent investigation by Sheriff Deputies revealed that Mr. Roldan had indeed been living un-registered in Yancey County for a period longer than the three days that the North Carolina Statute gives him to register. On Thursday Jan 30th 2014 Sheriff Deputies arrested Mr. Roldan without incident and he was placed in The Yancey County Jail under a $25,000 secured bond. Mr. Roldan is scheduled to appear in court on May 21st.

New Charges for Sex Offender
02/28/14 07:24 AM
The Yancey County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 63 year old John Abner Rozelle, of 55 Ruffed Grouse Lane, Apartment # 4, Burnsville. Rozelle has been charged with seven counts of Taking Indecent Liberties with a Child and one count of Felony Indecent Exposure. Responding to concerns from officers and concerned citizens, investigators from the Sheriff’s Office began looking into concerns regarding Mr. Rozelle, who is currently on the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry. During the investigation, officers identified a child victim who disclosed that Mr. Rozelle had exposed himself to the child on several occasions.  Mr. Rozelle was subsequently interviewed and charged with the crimes. Mr. Rozelle is being held in the Yancey County Jail under a $250,000 Secured Bond. 

Mitchell EDC Announces Grant From Duke Energy
02/27/14 12:20 PM
The Mitchell County Economic Development Commission is pleased to announce that the organization has been awarded a grant from Duke Energy’s Community Investment Fund in the amount of $14,400.  The specific purpose of the grant is to develop a Preliminary Engineering Report for a proposed Certified Industrial Site in the Altapass community near Spruce Pine, stated EDC Interim Director Bill Slagle.  A primary goal of the EDC is to create public/private partnership with companies like Duke Energy to help offset the cost of projects similar to the Certified Industrial Site.  Slagle said, “We have found that Duke Energy is willing to help forge a business relationship with Mitchell County and we would like to say thank you to Mr. Bill Roberts, Economic Developer for Duke Energy and Mr. John Geib, Manager of the Community Investment Fund for partnering with us on this very critical project.  This grant will allow us to satisfy a portion of the North Carolina Department of Commerce requirements for achieving a certified industrial site status”.  

Mitchell Man Charged in Deadly Accident
02/27/14 07:01 AM
A Spruce Pine man has been charged in connection in the deaths of two passengers riding in a vehicle he was operating that wrecked on Hwy. 19E in September of 2013. Twenty-six–year-old Jeremy Wayne Greene of Biggerstaff Road was driving left of center on Oak Avenue in Spruce Pine on the evening of September 17th when he  reportedly drove through a grassy area on the shoulder of Hwy 19E causing his vehicle to overturn across the highway, ejecting both of the passengers in the process. Twenty-five-year-old Jeremy Rumfelt and his 57-year-old mother Vicki Rumfelt both died as results of injuries sustained in the crash. Greene, who was not ejected in the accident, was airlifted to Mission Hospital following the wreck. He has been charged with manslaughter and is currently being held in jail under an $80,000 secured bond and a $100,000 unsecured bond. Following an investigation, police say speed was a contributing factor in the accident but found that no drugs or alcohol were involved.

First International Dark Sky Park in the Southeast U.S. Designated
02/25/14 09:21 AM
The Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina have stood as silent witnesses to the un-interrupted, nightly rain of starlight for nearly a half-billion years, but artificial light now threatens this nightly show. In honor of notable local efforts to preserve the natural nighttime landscape (more)

Suspicious Fires in Marion
02/25/14 07:05 AM
The fires in Marion that we told you about yesterday are now being called suspicious by police. The flames engulfed three homes along Tate Street near downtown Marion. The fire destroyed all three homes in less than three hours Sunday night. Authorities believe it began in the back of one home that they say has been vacant for months. Neighbors that watched the blaze say the flames appeared to spread in thin trails from one structure to another.  One witness said the fire began to move up the hill in a narrow straight line and went right to a car and then to a mobile home. There are no suspects at this time, but police say there are several people of interest in the case. 

Homes Destroyed by Fire in Marion
02/25/14 07:03 AM
Several structures were seriously damaged after a large fire broke out in Marion Sunday night. Firefighters say no one was injured, but several homes, outbuildings, and a car were damaged by fire. It broke out around 8:00pm on Tate Street, near downtown. Officials believe the fire started in the back of one home then spread uphill to the house next door, and a mobile home behind it. One person was home and was able to get out safely. Firefighters say dry, windy conditions helped the fire to spread quickly. About 50 firefighters from half a dozen different departments helped put the fire out. The cause is still under investigation.

Mitchell Schools Makes Adjustments for Snow Days
02/20/14 07:10 AM
In a response to the number of school days lost due to snow and other weather this winter the Mitchell County School System has taken measures to make sure that the county students reach the required hours set by the state. Mitchell Schools Superintendent Dr. Rick Spurling said that the school system has already missed 15 days of school so far this winter with another 22 hours lost from delays and early dismissals. Winter weather last week has caused the school system to start school on Saturday for any additional school closures from this point forward according to Spurling. Starting March 19th the school system will add 30 minutes to the end of each school day with the exception of Friday in an attempt to meet the states required 185 school days or 1,025 instructional hours. As of last Monday Mitchell County students had attended school 101 days so far this school year.

Cane Restoration Project Planned
02/20/14 07:09 AM
A project to restore the river cane to a section of the Cane River in Yancey County was announced this week. A partnership between the Cherokee Indians in North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Resource and Conservation and Development and Yancey County Government plans to restore river cane along the river bordering the county’s new Cane River Park just outside of Burnsville. The Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources initiative is designed to help the Cherokee Indians restore the traditional Cherokee balance between maintaining and using natural resources like river cane, clay and white oak used to make baskets and pottery. Archaeological evidence shows that the Cherokee at one time had dwellings in Yancey County, using the area for agriculture and hunting. Large cane breaks are hard to find in today’s modern world so the effort to establish a stand of native cane can help sustain the Cherokee artist traditions.

Field Narrows for New Mountaineer Football Coach
02/20/14 07:08 AM
Mitchell High has received more than 30 applications for the vacant head varsity football coaching position and the search has been narrowed down to 10, according to School Superintendent Dr. Rick Spurling. The search committee will now conduct interviews with the ten finalists on February 24th and 25th with final interviews taking place the same week. The Mountaineers are searching for a replacement for longtime coach Russell Barnett who resigned last month.

Electrical Storm Damage
02/19/14 02:23 PM
In an electrical storm early this morning - an apparent power surge from a transformer did extensive damage to the Terminix building in Spruce Pine and significant damage to equipment in the WTOE transmitter facility located next door.   WTOE engineers are working to make repairs.  In the meantime you will be able to continue to hear WTOE live on this website.(Listen Live button at left).   

Terminix Building Fire (more pictures)
02/19/14 08:42 AM
A Lightning storm around 7:30 am this morning created a fire at the Terminix Building on Chalk Mountain in Spruce Pine. The building has been heavily damaged. Fire departments are on the scene.

Candidates Continue to File for Office
02/19/14 05:27 AM
Candidates for upcoming local and state elections have begun filing for office in Mitchell and Yancey Counties. On the opening day of the filing period of the 2014 general election the Yancey County Board of Elections filed paperwork for Democrats Jill Austin, Johnny Riddle and Jim Edwards and Republicans Byrl Ballew, Earl Tipton and Jeanette Maddox in the County Commissioners race, Tammy McEntyre for Clerk of Court and Mike Orr, Jack Tipton, Grace Whitson and Judy Presnell for the School Board race. Democrat Dean Hicks also filed to run against Republican State Rep. Michele Presnell in the state house race. As of now the Mitchell County Board of Elections has had Janet Cook to file for Clerk of Court, Joe Street and Bill Slagle have filed for County Commissioner and Donald Street has filed to retain his post as Sherriff of Mitchell County. Republican Ralph Hise has also filed to run for his seat in the NC Senate for another term.  The Filing period ends at noon on February 28th.

Small Plane Crash
02/18/14 12:40 PM
A glider plane crash yesterday left a pilot stuck in a tree off the ground.  The glider was tethered to a plane that had taken off from Shiflet Field in Marion. It went down in Yancey County after being released.  Emergency workers and fire departments were called to the scene near Big Ridge Road in the South Toe section around 9:30am and found the glider stuck in a tee.  The pilot, 66 year old Jay Campbell of Camden South Carolina was conscious and alert after the crash and was airlifted to Johnson City. Five fire departments, an EMS unit and French Broad Electric worked to free Campbell-dangerously close to power lines using a bucket truck and a front end loader.

  Photos by David Grindstaff. (more photos)

Plane Crash at South Toe
02/18/14 11:02 AM
At this time first responders and emergency personnel are responding to a small plane crash in the South Toe area near Big Ridge Road.  One person was on board, the plane is stuck in a tree and  emergency personnel are working to stabliize the plane. Wings from Johnson City has been called to the scene.  We will have additional details when they become available.

Candidates Continue to File for Office
02/18/14 07:07 AM
Candidates for upcoming local and state elections have begun filing for office in Mitchell and Yancey Counties. On the opening day of the filing period of the 2014 general election the Yancey County Board of Elections filed paperwork for Democrats Jill Austin, Johnny Riddle and Jim Edwards and Republicans Byrl Ballew and Jeanette Maddox in the County Commissioners race, Tammy McEntyre for Clerk of Court and Mike Orr, Jack Tipton, Grace Whitson and Judy Presnell for the School Board race. Democrat Dean Hicks also filed to run against Republican State Rep. Michele Presnell in the state house race. As of now the Mitchell County Board of Elections has had Janet Cook to file for Clerk of Court, Joe Street and Bill Slagle have filed for County Commissioner and Donald Street has filed to retain his post as Sherriff of Mitchell County. Republican Ralph Hise has also filed to run for his seat in the NC Senate for another term.  The Filing period ends at noon on February 28th.

Mitchell Deputies Uncover Indoor Marijuana Operation
02/17/14 03:09 PM
(provided by the Mitchell Sheriff's Dept)
Two Mitchell County men face several felony drug charges after an indoor marijuana grow operation was uncovered. Walter Andrew Rose, age 42 and Michael Charles George, age 44, of 1547 B&B Road, Bakersville were arrested in connection with marijuana grow operation. Captain R.V. Wiseman said Sheriff Street contacted him and said a concerned citizen had stopped by the office and told (more)

South Carolina Earthquake
02/17/14 05:28 AM
The United States Geological Survey department (USGS) reported another earthquake hit South Carolina on Sunday afternoon at 3:23pm. The 3.2 magnitude earthquake’s epicenter was 7 miles west of the town of Edgefield.  This is considered to be an aftershock of the  4.1 magnitude quake on Valentine's Day.  The quake on Friday was felt in North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. Sunday’s earthquake was only felt about 35 miles from its center, while Friday’s quake was reported more than 150 miles away. Inspectors checked bridges, nuclear plants and dams in the area, but no major damage was reported after Friday’s quake.

Nathan Miller Files for District Attorney
02/14/14 03:48 PM
PRESS RELEASE:  On Monday, February 10, 2014, I filed to become your next District Attorney for the 24th Prosecutorial District including the counties of Avery, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga and Yancey.  (more)

Roof Damage
02/14/14 07:11 AM
The Canopy over the Valero Gas Pumps in Spruce Pine Collapsed from the weight of the heavy snow yesterday. A vehicle under the canopy was damaged from the collapse but no injuries reported. Power companies all around Western North Carolina were spared heavy damage as the snow storm brought a dryer more powder like snow instead of the expected heavy wet snow. Just a few scattered power outages have been reported during the storm. Schools all around the region remain closed again today.

Seth Banks Files for District Attorney
02/13/14 04:23 PM
Seth Banks officially filed his notice of candidacy to run for District Attorney for the 24th Prosecutorial District on Wednesday.  The 24th District includes Avery, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga, and Yancey counties. (more)

Shelter Opened
02/13/14 07:29 AM
The American Red Cross of the Western Carolinas opened an emergency shelter in McDowell County, to serve motorists experiencing difficulties with driving conditions on Interstate 40. The shelter location is the First Baptist Church of Old Fort, 203 S. Main Street, Marion, NC. Shelter will open at 10:00 tonight. A good indication of how widespread the winter storm is across the state is that all passenger train service in North Carolina and all connecting bus service to those passenger trains has been cancelled for today. No alternate transportation will be provided.  Most North Carolina passenger train stations will be closed.

Yancey Candidates Sign Up
02/13/14 07:23 AM
Candidates visited the Yancey County Board of Elections this past Monday on the opening day of the filing period of the 2014 general election and Yancey County's School Board election. In the County Commissioners race Democrat Commissioners Jill Austin, Johnny Riddle and Jim Edwards filed along with clerk of court Tammy McEntyre.  Filing for another term on the School Board were Mike Orr and Jack Tipton while in the state house race Democrat Dean Hicks, a retired coach and teacher, is challenging Republican State Rep. Michele Presnell. The Filing period ends at noon on February 28th.

Absentee Ballot Deadline Approaching
02/13/14 07:22 AM
Deadlines for absentee ballots and voter registration for elections in North Carolina are quickly approaching. First day absentee ballots will be mailed on March 17th while those ballots request must be received by no later than 5 p.m. on April 29th. The deadline for voter registration in the primaries is April 11th while Oct. 10th is the deadline to register for the general election.  In Mitchell County citizens will cast votes for Sheriff, Clerk of Superior Courts and three spots on the county commission. Filing for candidates began on Monday and will continue through Feb. 28th.

Mitchell EDC Looks for Permanent Director
02/13/14 07:21 AM
With a new Economic Development Commission plan now in place across North Carolina, the Mitchell County EDC is moving forward with plans to hire a new permanent director. Interim Director Bill Slagle said last week that the state's plan to focus on advanced manufacturing, mining and agriculture industries in the county mirrors long term objectives laid out by the local EDC board. He praised the state plan for calling on increased spending on infrastructure in rural areas as well as increasing support for rural industries and communities and said that the Director’s position at the Mitchell EDC is expected to be filled by the end of spring.

Crossnore School Gets $1 Million Donation
02/12/14 07:03 AM
A former Bank of America CEO and his wife have given $1 million to Crossnore School to help with the school’s campaign to raise $6.3 million to provide housing for 30 additional students and a new school building. Ken Lewis and his wife Donna of Charlotte made the contribution after taking a tour of the school last fall. Crossnore School helps provide a loving secure home for children that have suffered physical or sexual abuse or severe neglect. The funds will also go towards three new cottages that will each house ten students and a couple to serve as professional foster parents. The project, when completed, will allow Crossnore School to increase enrollment by about a third to 120 students.

Robbery Suspect Caught
02/11/14 10:55 AM
(provided by Burnsville Police Department)
Samuel Ray Noblitt, 54, of 240 Sugar Hill Road, Marion has been arrested by the Burnsville Police Department and charged with several crimes related to several larcenies throughout three counties. On Monday, January 20th officers responded to Heritage Lumber Company in reference to a larceny that had taken place at their business.  While (more)

NCDOT method in clearing roads statewide
02/11/14 08:07 AM
Raleigh --Every year about this time, when the winter weather descends upon North Carolina and blankets our state’s highways, citizens call in and ask, “I need to get to work.  When are you going to plow my road?”  As much as our crews would like to immediately respond to every caller, we have a set snow and ice removal process in place.   (more)
  

MCC Receives Loan To Support Manufacturing School Construction
02/10/14 02:29 PM
Mayland Community College is the recipient of a loan and grant funded through the USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program (REDLG) and French Broad Electric Membership Corporation (FBEMC). This $360,000, seven- year construction loan will (more)

Mitchell Schools Receive Report Card from State
02/07/14 07:03 AM
Mitchell County met adequate yearly progress in all six schools in the county according to a recently released report from the NC Department of Public Instruction for the 2012-2013 school year. Each report card issued by the state to schools shows information about the respective schools individually and as a district including student performance, attendance rate, school safety, access to technology and the quality of teachers and administrators. The report points out that Mitchell County spends less per student than the state average and that the number of students per classroom in Mitchell County Schools is below the state average at all levels K-8. The district profile shows that the number of acts of crime or violence was almost non-existent at the high school with no reported incidents at the middle or elementary schools as well. The district turnover rate for teachers was well below state levels according to the report which noted that the districts classes were taught by highly qualified teachers, while attendance rates at the county schools were on average with the state average of 95 percent. The report shows that 100 percent of classrooms within the district are connected to the internet compared to the state average of 98 percent. Information on each school’s individual score can be found online at www.ncreportcards.org.

Mitchell County Attorney Resigns
02/07/14 07:02 AM
Mitchell County Attorney Hal Harrison has resigned from his post and commissioners made a motion to appoint Lloyd Hise as his replacement. In an email to the County Manager, Harrison, who also serves as the attorney for the Mitchell County Department of Social Services, stated that with his workload that he was being stretched too thin. Commissioners say they need to appoint a replacement for Harrison immediately before any unseen legal troubles arise and that if Hise is agreeable he will be hired during the commissioners’ next meeting in March.

Town Council Works on Long Range Planning
02/07/14 07:01 AM
The Burnsville Town Council discussed the need for long range planning at a special workshop at the Town Center recently. Mayor Theresa Coletta met with council members to discuss the need to establish the position of town administrator asking that George Nero be considered as interim administrator effective April 1st. The Council also reviewed the town’s long term liabilities and cash position as well as the 2013 audit that was presented at the January meeting. Also discussed was the council’s commitment to begin contributions to post employment benefits and to provide plans on open ended projects such as the town’s responsibility to maintain sidewalks on the bypass once the road project is completed. Other items discussed included an elevator for the Town Hall, various business incentives and security services for public housing. 

Silver and Deyton Elected to Farm Service Agency County Committees
02/07/14 07:01 AM
The Mitchell Yancey Farm Service Agency have announced the results of the County Community election held in January. Producers in LAA1 elected Johnny Deyton to represent them on the committee while producers in LAA 4 selected Sam Silver as their representative. County Committee members are an important part of the operations of the Farm Service Agency and provide a link between the farming community and the Department of Agriculture. Farmers and ranchers elected to the committee help deliver Farm Service programs to the local level. Any questions concerning the Farm Service Agency programs contact the Mitchell-Yancey office at 682-0774 or 765-5049.

Dean Hicks Throws Hat into Ring
02/06/14 07:28 AM
Dean Hicks, longtime educator and former Yancey County Commissioner, announced this week that he will be filing as a candidate for the NC House of Representatives District 118 which includes Haywood, Madison and Yancey Counties.  A Democrat, Hicks is seeking to challenge Republican Michelle Presnell for her seat in the November election. Hicks, is a former Yancey County commissioner,  a retired school teacher and former coach with the Yancey County School System and is currently employed with Mount Mitchell Golf. He has four children and four grandchildren and he and his wife Judie live in the Newdale Community.

Burnsville PD Seeks Egg Throwing Vandals
02/06/14 07:26 AM
The Burnsville Police Department is investigating an egg throwing vandalism incident that took place late Saturday night. Eggs were thrown on the fronts of several businesses and vehicles and at a car lot and at a highway patrol car on North Main Street. Anyone with information about these incidents should call the Burnsville Police Department at 682-4683 or 682-2124.

Blue Ridge Regional Hospital CEO to Leave
02/06/14 07:22 AM
Blue Ridge Regional Hospital President and CEO Oscar Weinmeister is leaving his current post in Spruce Pine to accept a new position at Mission Hospital. Weinmeister will serve as Mission’s vice president of ambulatory development and will transition into his new role sometime this month. Blue Ridge Board of Directors Hoggard Green and Missions Vice President of Systems Operations Lynn Boggs will work together to select Weinmeister’s replacement as Boggs will assume temporary responsibility for Blue Ridge Operations. Weinmeister began his stint with the hospital in 2011 and during his tenure the hospital saw an increase in births as well as surgery volume. He was instrumental in raising almost 50 percent of a $1.5 million capital campaign for the construction of a new medical office building planned for the hospital complex.

A New App From The Internal Revenue Service
02/05/14 07:08 AM
The Internal Revenue Service today announced the release of IRS2Go 4.0, an update to its smartphone application featuring new added features available in both English and Spanish. (more)

Town Council Public Hearing
01/31/14 01:59 PM
The Burnsville Town Council will hold a public hearing on Thursday, February 6th at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the second floor of the Town Hall in Burnsville .One issue is an ordinance establishing a Design Review. The other hearing is to consider amendments to the Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Burnsville. Proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance include new design standards for multi-family and commercial uses in the Town’s commercial zoning districts, new administrative procedures for implementing design standards, and tattoo parlors subject to certain conditions in commercial districts. The design standards to be considered include items such as building height, materials, arrangement, and alignment, as well as site conditions such as parking, lighting, and landscaping. The procedural amendments to be considered include new provisions for granting conditional uses in commercial zoning districts and the establishment of a new C-3 commercial zoning district along portions of Main Street. Additional proposed changes include technical clarifications to ordinance definitions and other administrative provisions. A draft of the proposed zoning ordinance amendments is available for review in the office of the Town Clerk. The public is invited to attend and be heard.

Deputies'€™ Actions Deemed Justified
01/31/14 09:43 AM
The shooting of a man by a Mitchell County Sheriff’s deputy during a hostage situation in May of last year has been ruled justified by state officials. The action Deputy Chris Workman took that day in shooting John D. Hampton of Erwin, Tenn. was found to be within law enforcement standards by the district attorney’s office following a routine investigation by the SBI. Deputies were called to a hostage situation at the Wagon Master Trailer Park in Spruce Pine on May 23, 2013 where Hampton was holding Mercedes Potts, also of Erwin, at gunpoint. Hampton was shot in the face and was treated for his injuries before being taken into custody. He is currently serving 10 years in prison for his actions in the standoff that lasted for more than three hours.

DSS Names Tipton as Interim Director
01/31/14 09:42 AM
Former East Yancey Middle School Principal Ricky Tipton has been named interim director at the Yancey County Department of Social Services in Burnsville. DSS Board Chair Randy Ollis said that Tipton will begin his service on February 1st as the board conducts a search for a new director. Current director Darrell Renfro leaves the department to take a position with the NC Dept. of Human Services. 

Mitchell School Board Ask for Changes
01/31/14 09:28 AM
The Mitchell County Board OF Education has joined over 40 other school systems in the state who have voted to request the NC Legislature rescind its requirement that school systems pick out the top 25 percent of their teachers and compensate them by giving them raises to give up tenure. The resolution asks the legislature to leave a prorated portion of the funding for the program with the school systems to be used for other programs and also repeal the new law and craft another solution for teacher raises. 

Winter Weather Hurts Blood Donations
01/30/14 07:19 AM
Winter weather is also hurting the American Red Cross when it comes to keeping-up with the demand for blood.  Snow and ice is still keeping people away from the donation centers. Between Tuesday and Wednesday, a half dozen blood drives had to be canceled. That means the loss of more than 200 units of blood and platelets that had been anticipated. Red Cross officials say staff is ready to go, but winter's still having a negative effect. The next scheduled blood drive in the area is in Yancey County on Tuesday, February 11th from 1:30pm to 6pm at Higgins Memorial Methodist Church. 

NCDOT Crews Respond to Coast
01/29/14 08:00 AM
While N.C. Department of Transportation crews continue clearing snow and ice in western North Carolina, about 10 percent of the region’s resources, including personnel and equipment, are traveling to the eastern part of the state where more than a foot of snow is expected to accumulate.  Substantial forces will remain in each western North Carolina division, where some counties have been working on snow and ice removal since this weekend. Division 13 (which includes Buncombe, Burke, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford and Yancey counties). -Sent six trucks and 14 employees to Division 2, which includes Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Pamlico and Pitt counties -Retained 145 trucks and 248 employees.

Yancey Schools to Implement Saturday School Policy
01/27/14 12:27 PM
The month of January has brought with it several days of extremely cold weather and unsafe road conditions forcing schools to miss a total of 10 days thus far this month. Because of this, Yancey County Schools has decided to implement its Saturday School plan. The Policy states that any time school is closed Monday-Thursday due to bad weather, Yancey County Schools will plan on having Saturday School.  Whenever school is missed on a Friday due to bad weather, the decision to have school on that following Saturday will be decided as quickly as possible. The School System will follow traditional early dismissal hours for Saturday School – Elementary at 11:30 a.m., High School at 11:45 a.m. and Middle Schools at 12:00 noon.  This plan will begin February 3rd.  As always, parents will be notified by the school system’s phone notification system, as early as possible, when Saturday School will occur.
Yancey Schools appreciates the cooperation and support from parents and staff and want them to understand that the number one priority will always be student safety. 

Efforts to Keep PILT Funding Underway in Yancey County
01/27/14 06:47 AM
Yancey is joining with other counties to pressure Washington lawmakers to keep the Payment in Lieu of Taxes in the 2014 budget. The annual funding through the Dept. of the Interior offsets loss of tax revenue due to tax-exempt federal lands in their boundaries. Congress is considering the final fiscal year 2014 spending measure and has not yet acted to provide funds for the program. Yancey County has over 38,000 acres of national forest land in its boundaries and last year received over $82,000 from the PILT program to compensate for loss in property tax payments for that land. Mitchell County received over $46,000 for its 19,000 acres of federal land while in Madison County over 55,000 acres of federal property brought in over $119,000 through the PILT program last year. The loss of the funds has been important in helping fund aspects of law enforcement, EMS and other essential operations in many of the counties involved with the program.

Ants from Spruce Pine Part of Experiment on International Space Station
01/24/14 07:09 AM
Some 800 ants collected from Spruce Pine’s Riverside Park are on their way to the international Space Station. The “pavement ants”, a species that is found all over the world, were collected for a team of scientists from NC State University who are researching how ants deal with changes in climate. Unable to find enough ants for the project in Raleigh, researcher Clint Penick was in Spruce Pine and discovered a large colony of the heat tolerant ants on a trip to the park. He captured more than 1000 ants for his research. After Penick and his team finished their research in December the ants blasted off on January 9th on an Antares rocket as part of 3,000 pounds of supplies bound for the Space Station. The space ants will now be part of an experiment conducted by the University of Colorado Boulder to see how ants adjust their behavior with near-zero gravity conditions, to help scientists develop smarter robots. 

Mayland Community College President Receives Appointment from Governor
01/24/14 07:08 AM
Dr. John Boyd, President of Mayland Community College, was recently appointed to serve on the Western North Carolina Regional Economic Development Commission by Gov. Pat McCroy. The commission helps with economic development in 14 Western North Carolina counties including Yancey, Madison and McDowell. Boyd will hold an at-large seat on the board.  The Governor also appointed Terri King of Buncombe County to the commission with an at-large seat on the board

Altec Donates Money for Baseball Fields at New County Park
01/23/14 07:00 AM
Altec Industries has given Yancey County a $135,000 donation towards new fenced ball fields at Cane River Park to be ready for kids this spring. Yancey County Manager Nathan Bennett said that the work would take place over the next 60 days and that the project calls for installing three baseball fields and 3000 feet of six foot high chain link fence. The board approved a bid from Asheville

Inmate Captured
01/22/14 01:06 PM
An escaped Buncombe County prisoner (Anthony Riddle) was captured in Marion a short time ago. McDowell County sheriff's deputies and Marion police officers assisted DOC in the apprehension.

Escaped Inmate from Buncombe County
01/22/14 07:16 AM
Buncombe County authorities are looking for an escaped inmate. 27-year-old Anthony Riddle was discovered missing around 9 p.m. last night from the Buncombe Correctional Center. Riddle was serving two to four years for larceny and possession of a firearm by a felon. He is from McDowell County and may attempt to travel there. If you have any information concerning Riddle contact law enforcement or

Man Indicted in Boone Hotel Room Carbon Monoxide Deaths
01/20/14 07:05 AM
The man charged with involuntary manslaughter in three carbon monoxide deaths at the Boone Best Western turned himself into the Watauga County Magistrate’s Office last week. Damon Mallatere was the president of Appalachian Hospitality Management that oversaw the Best Western and other Boone hotels at the time of the deaths of Daryl and Shirley Jenkins, ages 73 and 72 of Longview Wash., who died on April 16th, and the June 8th  death of 11-year-old Jeffery Williams of Rock Hill, SC. All three died in room #225 where investigators found a high concentration of carbon monoxide.  Mallatere entered a plea of not guilty then posted a $40,000 bond and was released pending a court hearing.

Notice of Public Hearing
01/17/14 10:20 AM
The Mitchell County Board of Commissioners will meet in Special Session on January 21st to hold a public hearing on the subject of Mitchell County applying for a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant in the amount of $106,800. The Mitchell Commissioners will also be discussing their consideration of adopting a resolution requesting the NC DOT to cease the use of liquid removal for snow removal on the roads of Mitchell County. The Board will also discuss other business at the meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. in the Commissioners Conference Room in the Administrative Building in Bakersville.

Ten Arrested on Drug Charges
01/17/14 09:46 AM
(provided by the Yancey County Sheriff's Department)
The Yancey County Sheriff's Department recently arrested the following individuals: Charles David Hall, 31, of 921 Old Mine Fork Road Burnsville, NC was arrested and charged with Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Schedule VI (Marijuana), Felony Possession of Schedule VI (Marijuana), sell and deliver schedule VI (Marijuana), Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Schedule VI (Marijuana). (more)

Problems with Poles Slows Internet Project in Mitchell
01/17/14 07:20 AM
Country Cablevisions’ attempt to install high speed fiber internet is going smoothly in the north end of Mitchell County but the company is running into problems in the form of higher permit fees to string cable along Duke Energy owned poles in Spruce Pine. Mitchell County commissioners received an update last week on the $25.3 million project to bring broadband service to Yancey and Mitchell Counties. Project Manager Dean Russell told commissioners that work is underway in Bakersville and northern portions of the county along French Broad Electric poles but the company has spent more than 350 percent more on pole related issues in Spruce Pine and it is slowing down progress in the southern end of the county. Other fees demanded by Duke are also slowing down progress, meaning that Burnsville and Yancey County will be the first to come online followed by Bakersville then the Spruce Pine area. When the project is finished in early 2015 fiber access will reach 97 percent of Yancey and Mitchell County residents.

Area Hospitals Curtail Visitations
01/17/14 07:18 AM

Due to an outbreak of flu-related activity Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine has begun discouraging hospital visitations in order to prevent the spread of illness. Mission Hospital and its other WNC affiliates are limiting visitations and are asking that children under the age of 12 and people who do not feel well call patients on the phone rather than visit them. Should flu activity increase further visitation restrictions may be put in place. Public health officials say that so far there have been 21 flu-related deaths in North Carolina and that 19 of the 21 deaths were young and middle aged adults most of whom had underlying medical conditions. Only two deaths over the age of 65 have been reported due to the flu in NC so far.
 

Snow Days Built Into School Calendars
01/17/14 07:17 AM
In spite of a number of missed days of school in both Mitchell and Yancey Counties over the past few weeks due to the weather, there are currently no changes at this point that would force students to make up snow days with classes on Saturday. Both school systems have snow days built into their schedules. Mitchell County’s current school calendar shows that they still have 185 student days and 14 days to be used as snow days.  They can meet the 1025 hour requirement easily with 175 student days according to Chad Calhoun with Mitchell County Schools. Mitchell has three Teacher Work Days, one No Day (adds on to end of year) and then as a last resort 10 student days left to work with. In Yancey the snow has pushed the last day of school up to June 3rd according to the updated school calendar.

Park Visits Down
01/16/14 07:20 AM
According to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation, state parks had over 14 million visits in 2013, maintaining the record levels reached in 2012 and 2011. But out of the five parks in the westernmost part of the state, only Lake James and Gorges had slight increases in visitation, while three parks had decreases in visitors. Mount Mitchell State Park in Yancey County had the largest decrease, a 19 percent drop over the year before. The numbers reveal the important contribution parks make to the state’s tourism economy. Travelers spend an average of $23.56 a day to enjoy state parks. Most state parks do not charge admission. The only WNC Park with an entry fee is Chimney Rock State Park in Rutherford County. Over the past 25 years, the state parks system has seen a dramatic 80 percent increase in visitation. Mount Mitchell State Park had a 19 percent drop in visitors, down from nearly 300,000 in 2012 to around 243,000 last year. It can mostly be attributed to the rainy weather and a giant crack on the parkway during the busy summer season. The road failure closed the roadway between Asheville and the park for a couple of months during its busiest season. 

Unemployment Rates for November Show Some Progress
01/14/14 06:02 AM
North Carolina’s unemployment rate for November was 6.9 percent.  Locally, with the exception of Avery County in which the unemployment rate rose from 7.8 percent in October to 8.2 percent in November, unemployment rates fell modestly. In Yancey County the unemployment rate dropped from 8.1 to 8.0 percent, in Mitchell it fell from 9.0 to 8.9 percent and Madison County saw its rate drop from 5.7 to 5.3 percent. In November McDowell’s unemployment rate fell to 7.9 from 8.4 percent. Across the state, Scotland County had the highest rate at 13.5 percent and Orange County the lowest at 4.3 percent.  

Electric Vehicle Fee
01/14/14 06:01 AM
Beginning this month, approximately 1600 all-electric vehicles registered in North Carolina and newly-registered all-electrics are required to pay a $100 annual fee in addition to other required registration fees.  Vehicles fueled by gasoline pay for road upkeep through gas taxes metered at each fill-up.  All-electric vehicles are being billed because they do not otherwise pay taxes for road use and maintenance.  According to legislation passed by the N.C. General Assembly in July, owners of “a plug-in electric vehicle that is not a low-speed vehicle and that does not rely on a nonelectric source of power” are required to pay the new fee when they are titled and registered or renewing their registration. Currently, all-electric vehicles are represented by a handful of manufacturers. They are noted by an “E” fuel type listing on the vehicle’s title application. Hybrid vehicles that use a combination of gasoline and electricity are not covered under this requirement.

Update on Parkway Closure
01/10/14 04:32 PM
After several weather and contract related delays, work has now begun on a section of Blue Ridge Parkway closed from Milepost 376 at Ox Creek Road to Milepost 355, near the entrance to Mt. Mitchell State Park. This project will stabilize a failed slope just north of Tanbark Ridge Tunnel, at Milepost 374. While alternate routes are available, the detour route marked with road signs directs (more)

Yancey Schools Awarded Grant for School Safety
01/10/14 02:51 PM
Yancey County Schools has received a $22,917 grant  to hire a School-Resource Officer (SRO) at Cane River Middle School. The grant is expected to be recurring for at least two years. Using these funds, Yancey County Schools elected to hire Rick Turner, an experienced police officer who once worked for the Burnsville Police Department. Spending approximately 90% of his time at (more)

Take Advantage of 2-1-1 Call Service
01/10/14 02:35 PM
Blue Ridge Regional Hospital and the United Way of North Carolina are partnering to provide the regional 211 telephone service that connects local citizens with assistance and encourages community members to take advantage of this free service. “With frigid temperatures hitting our area over the last few weeks, many people may need assistance making it through with heat, clothing, or even (more)

Mitchell Completes Telemedicine Program
01/10/14 06:59 AM
Students in Mitchell County can now receive a doctor’s diagnosis without leaving the school grounds due to the Center for Rural Health’s implementation of a telemedicine program to schools across the county. The service connects school nurses to medical professionals using high definition video conferencing and diagnostic equipment allowing sick students to receive a medical opinion without the need to physically go to the doctor. With the adding of Gouge and Deyton Elementary, the program, which kicked off two years ago, has completed introduction into all Mitchell County schools. Parents must enroll their child into the program to receive care and families are encouraged to do so. The program is self-sustaining, operating on federal and state grants with no cost to the schools. The Center for Rural Health hopes to secure final funding to build a health center on the campus at Mitchell High School.

USDA Seeks Candidates for Local Farm Service County Committee
01/10/14 06:58 AM
The USDA has announced that from now until January 17th agricultural producers can vote for candidates to serve on their local USDA Farm Service Agency County Committee. Farm Service Agencies make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. You can learn more about how to vote for candidates by visiting the Mitchell-Yancey FSA office at 11943 South 226 Hwy in Spruce Pine or online at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.

TRAC Announces Grant Recipients
01/09/14 02:03 PM
The Asheville Area Arts Council, the Madison County Arts Council, and the Toe River Arts Council are pleased to announce the 2013/2014 Regional Artist Project Grant recipients. The Regional Artist Project Grant is an annual grant program that provides financial support to developing professionals by funding a project pivotal to the advancement of their careers as artists. The selection (more)

Spruce Pine Man Charged in DWI Accident
01/09/14 06:58 AM
53-year-old Donald Lee Willis of Spruce Pine faces charges in Marion after colliding with a pregnant woman while he was intoxicated. The December 31st accident resulted in the death of the unborn child when the car Wilson was driving left of center on Seagle Street in Marion struck head on with a vehicle being driven by 18-year-old Emily Dalton of Marion. Dalton was transported to McDowell Hospital for injuries sustained to her and her unborn child. The unborn child did not make it through the injuries.  Two other passengers in Dalton’s vehicle sustained minor injuries in the incident. Willis, who was determined to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident, was also transported to McDowell Hospital for injuries. He was treated and charged with driving while impaired and driving left of center. He was released on a $1,000 bond. Police say further charges are pending.

Mitchell County Looks at Vehicle Tax Values
01/09/14 06:57 AM
Mitchell County tax assessor Blair Hyder told County Commissioners last week that a problem with the county’s tax software had lead to an overvaluation of vehicle property taxes dating back as far as a year. The problem came to light after the Assessor’s Office received a higher than average amount of appeals last quarter. Hyder blamed the problem on the outdated computer system the county has used to determine the values. Hyder said that at this point that there is no idea of how many people have been affected but that those taxpayers who did appeal have had proper assessments assigned to them. After the issue is fixed funds will be returned to residents. The problem with the Mitchell County system in not related to the new Tag and Tax system being implemented by the State of North Carolina to collect vehicle property taxes along with registration renewals which began in mid 2013 and should be fully incorporated by the middle of this year.

Suspect in Anglin Shooting
01/09/14 06:56 AM
An autopsy report released last week showed that 69-year-old James Anglin died from multiple gunshot wounds. His body was found by Yancey County deputies at his Mine Fork home on October 13th after a neighbor became concerned that he had not seen Anglin for several days and looked into the residence where he saw him lying on the kitchen floor. Yancey Sherriff Gary Banks said that the department’s investigation has produced a timeline puts a suspect within 1000 feet of the residence within 30 minutes of the time that the autopsy shows that Anglin died. That suspect has admitted to being at the home many times. Banks said that he had met with the DA’s office and was told that his department needed more evidence if it planned on charging this suspect. Banks said that they are now waiting on analysis from the SBI lab of further forensic evidence in the case.

Yancey DSS Director Takes New State Position
01/09/14 06:55 AM
The director of Yancey County Dept. of Social Services, Darrell Renfro, will leave his job on January 30 to accept a newly created state position as Social Services Program Administrator for the NC Division of Social Services. Renfro’s new job will have him assisting all of the mountain counties with converting their systems to the computerized NCFAST program which had some problems when it was rolled out midway through last year. The Public is invited to a farewell luncheon for Renfro on Jan. 30th at noon at the DSS offices on Pensacola road. Renfro, who lives in Brevard, plans to work from his home to help all Mounties with the NCFAST Program.

Fred's in Marion Robbed
01/08/14 07:01 AM
Police are looking for the woman who robbed the Fred's store on North Main Street in Marion Tuesday. Investigators say she walked into the store and demanded money. Detectives report the female suspect approached the office area at Fred's store just after 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. She was dressed in a grey hooded sweatshirt with a tan scarf. Police say after being greeted by an employee, she handed them a note and got away with an undisclosed amount of money.   Marion Police say the woman was last seen running on the side walk toward Jim Cook Chevrolet. Employees believe she went into an apartment complex behind the store. Police say officers canvassed the area, but were unable to find the suspect. Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Marion Police or Crime Stoppers at 65-crime.

Grandfather Was Cold
01/08/14 07:00 AM
Temperatures took a nosedive Monday and Tuesday on Grandfather Mountain, reaching a low of -17 degrees early Tuesday morning. Equipment mounted at the Mile High Swinging Bridge, which records temperatures every minute and on the hour, recorded air temperatures of -17 degrees at 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. Tuesday. The bridge is located at an elevation of 5,280 feet. The lowest recorded wind chill was -58 degrees at 5 a.m. Tuesday. Grandfather Mountain did not reach its coldest temperature ever recorded, which was -32 degrees on Jan. 21, 1985.

Firefighters Respond To Chimney Fire
01/07/14 07:21 PM
With wind chills hovering near zero Monday afternoon, several area fire and rescue units responded to a report of a suspected chimney fire at a residence at 9851 Hwy. 80 South, just before 2 p.m. Upon  arrival firefighters quickly contained the situation before it got out of hand and there were no damages or injuries reported by Yancey Emergency Management during the incident.  Authorities caution residents who do burn wood to keep a close watch on their stoves and flues as they try and stay warm during these frigid temperatures. Photo by David Grindstaff

Mitchell EDC Launches Website
01/07/14 01:02 PM
Mitchell County Economic Development Commission has announced the launch of its new website: www.mitchellcountyedc.com. The new site is a virtual repository for economic development information for Mitchell County, NC, and was designed to inform and assist a variety of visitors: from the local business person, to site selection agents, to entrepreneurs, and to prospective businesses looking (more)

Yancey School Board Implements Read To Achieve Program
01/07/14 12:50 PM
At the Yancey School Board meeting on January 6th the Board was recognized for National School Board Appreciation Month. They also discussed the mandate of the NC General Assembly’s Read To Achieve legislation and the guidance of the North Carolina (more)

Yancey Schools Join Lawsuit to Keep Public Funds from Going to Private Schools
01/07/14 12:42 PM
At the January 6th school board meeting the Yancey County School Board voted unanimously to pass a resolution joining with the majority of NC school systems a class action lawsuit filed by the North Carolina School Board Association. The lawsuit filed in Wake County Superior Court challenges the constitutionality of legislation passed by the General Assembly earlier this year that creates a private school voucher program using public funds. Under the legislation, which takes effect in the 2014-15 school year, a private school can receive up to $4,200 in public funding for each eligible student that it enrolls. A copy of the complaint is posted at   www.ncsba.org/voucher. There will be no additional cost to the Yancey School System for joining this lawsuit. The Association’s Legal Assistance Fund will bear the litigation costs. This will be an ongoing issue for some time to come.

Medicaid Card Incident
01/06/14 03:43 PM
Raleigh, N.C. – Today, Department of Health and Human Services Acting Medicaid Director Sandra Terrell released the following information regarding the incident which incorrectly mailed 48,752 Medicaid cards to wrong addresses: (more)

Marion Businesswoman Sentenced
01/03/14 05:59 AM
47 year old Mimi Wyatt Clark, who ran American Booster Club Co in Marion pleaded guilty to mail fraud in U.S. District Court in Asheville. Judge Martin Reidinger sentenced Clark to 33 months in prison and ordered her to pay $136,328 in restitution to 61 victims who made claims. She also must serve three years of supervised probation after her release. Clark’s company solicited money for “spirit” products like mini-footballs and T-shirts for school sports teams. According to an indictment, during the course of the scheme, from about 2006-09, Clark and others at her direction induced about 700 victims to pay more than $1 million for the products. Rather than using donor victim funds to purchase spirit products as represented, Clark refused to fill orders and diverted over 90 percent of donor victim money to other purposes, including payments to herself and using the company checkbooks and debit cards for her own personal spending. Originally there were charges with six counts of mail fraud and two counts of wire fraud. In a deal with prosecutors, she was allowed to plead guilty to a single count of mail fraud.

Keep Pets Inside During Bad Weather
01/03/14 05:57 AM
With the severe winter weather and wind chill factors you should keep your pets inside. When you do take your pets outside, stay outside with them. When you're cold enough to go inside, they probably are too. If you absolutely must leave them outside for a significant length of time, make sure they have a warm, solid INSULATED shelter that protects against the wind with thick bedding and plenty of non-frozen water. Some animals can remain outside safely longer in the winter than others. But you must use good common sense: long-haired breeds like Huskies will do better in cold weather than short-haired breeds like Dachshunds. Your pet's health will also affect how long they can stay out. Conditions like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and hormonal imbalances can compromise a pet's ability to regulate its own body heat. Regardless of their health, though, no pets should stay outside for unlimited amounts of time in freezing cold weather. If you have specific questions about how long your pet should be out this winter, ask your veterinarian.

Mitchell Schools Hires New Officer
12/30/13 07:00 AM
To address a growing need for the presence of law enforcement in county schools to protect the kids, Mitchell County Schools has decided to hire an additional Student Resource Officer. The School Board voted to hire Bakersville Police Chief Justin Biddix as the district’s new full time Student Resources Officer.  Biddix will bring the number of School Resource Officers in the county to two with plans to station one officer at Mitchell High while the other will have an everyday presence at both Bowman and Harris Middle Schools.  Student Resource Officers are used primarily as preventative measures as they monitor schools for any disturbances and to investigate any problems brought to their attention by the school principals. In addition to their duties during school hours, the officers will also be present at the majority of sporting events.

Bakersville Clinic Offers Help to Sign Up For Affordable Care Act
12/30/13 06:58 AM
The Bakersville Medical Clinic plans to use federal grant money provided by the U.S. Health and Human Services to hire six Certified Application Counselors in addition to the six volunteers and one full time CAO already on staff to help Mitchell County residents sign up for the Affordable Care Act.  The counselor’s primary task will be to explain Medicaid and government health programs to uninsured people and see if they qualify for benefits.  The grant money will go towards leasing offices in Bakersville and Spruce Pine to serve as centers for residents to walk in and enroll or receive information about the process.  The office in Bakersville will be located in the Mitchell County Historic Courthouse and the office in Spruce Pine will on Upper Street next to Mayland Printing. Both offices should be open on January 2nd. 

Yancey County Wins State Award for Support of Extension Service
12/23/13 07:06 AM
Yancey County Government was presented with the Cooperative Extension County Government Partnership Award for going above and beyond in supporting the new aggregation center, the TRACTOR Project. TRACTOR Project helps farmers market and distribute produce as well the county 4-H and other local Extension programs. TRACTOR, which had total sales for 2013 of over $46,000, did so well in its first year that it returned $5,000 to the county coffers. The program currently has 61 growers signed up but more growers both large and small are needed to meet future demand. Ninety percent of the $450,000 TRACTOR receives from 35 different funders is spent locally according to the Yancey Extension Service which encourages growers to get involved in the program.
 

Centro de Enlace Receives Yancey Fund Grant
12/23/13 07:04 AM
The Yancey Fund, in conjunction with the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, has granted $12,965 to Centro de Enlace to help promote civic engagement in Yancey Counties Latino community. The funds will be used to encourage several civic projects that can enable Latinos to use their talents to help build a better community by taking advantage of resources, assets and networks to affect positive community change. The project seeks to build on the strong Latino community spirit and help develop skills necessary to become more involved in their communities.

Yancey Woman Faces New Charges
12/20/13 06:58 AM
The 37-year-old Yancey County woman who was apparently impaired when she was driving a county transportation van that wrecked and killed 48-year-old rider Billy Grindstaff was indicted on additional charges last week. Nora Christina Boyer was indicted on a new charge of involuntary manslaughter in addition to previous charges of second degree murder, felony death by vehicle, reckless endangerment and DWI which she already faces in the incident. The case is scheduled for administrative court on January 23rd but no trial date has yet been set.

County Gets Good Report on Finances
12/20/13 06:57 AM
Yancey County’s finances have steadily improved over the past five years according to the annual independent audit report presented to commissioners at their recent meeting. The county’s fund balance has steadily improved over the past five years from minus 8 percent to 5.6 percent on the positive side this past fiscal year. An 8 percent balance is the states benchmark so there is still some work to be done. Yancey County has set a goal of a healthy 16 percent fund balance. At the close of the fiscal year Yancey County had a combined governmental fund balance of $2,485,833 which was an increase of $96,773 over the previous year.

Burnsville Town Council Board Meeting
12/20/13 06:56 AM
Burnsville’s Town Council accepted the resignation of County Attorney Todd Bailey after meeting with the new mayor and then appointed Heather Hockaday to handle the town’s legal business. She will be paid $750 per month retainer. The planning board also is looking for a new member. The volunteer members of the commission prepare and adopt plans for the town’s growth. Also the council decided that it probably will not cut the trees in front of Town Hall as discussed, opting for some pruning instead.  In other business, the council announced that it is looking to lift the moratorium on tattoo parlors when it gets an updated ordinance.

First Degree Murder Charge
12/20/13 05:41 AM
41 year old Robyn Morrow of Yancey County has been charged with first degree murder.  Sheriff's Deputies were responding to a reported suicide around 9pm Wednesday night on Cove Mountain Road where they discovered the body of William Morrow Junior on the bedroom floor. His ex-wife Robyn Morrow confessed to detectives that she had shot him.  She is being held without bond.  Neighbors say the two had recently started living together again because William  had been helping Robyn with some medical issues. Sheriff Gary Banks says William Morrow was a retired marine and his family was very proud of his accomplishments.

Yancey County Man Shot and Killed
12/19/13 10:58 AM
The Yancey County Sheriff's Department is investigating a shooting that occurred last night that left a Yancey County man Dead.  William Morrow Jr of Horton Creek died of a gunshot wound to the head.  His ex-wife Robyn Wilson was arrested and has now been charged with murder. We will have more details as they become available from the Sheriff's Department.

Solar Jobs in Marion
12/19/13 07:03 AM
Governor Pat McCrory and North Carolina Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker announced The Solar Connection will locate its manufacturing facility in McDowell County.  The company plans to create 50 jobs and invest more than $500,000 over the next three years in Marion.  The Solar Connection will manufacture photovoltaic (PV) solar cells and related PV products. They will initially function as a wholesaler, forming local strategic partnerships with installers. The Solar Connection will also partner with local schools to train employers on solar manufacturing and installation.   The project was made possible in part by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund of up to $156,000. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state.