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<p>Dylan Lightfoot | Jefferson Post</p><p>A tanker truck pumped contaminated water out of a rain-flooded cell at the Ashe County Landfill Wednesday. Due to persistent rain, a few hundred thousand gallons of leachate had to be trucked out of the county this week.</p>
Heavy rains cost county $118,000
Persistent rain in the High Country this week caused a build-up of contaminated water at the Ashe County landfill. “It’s beginning to recede,” said Ashe County Environmental Services (ACES) Director Scott Hurley. “We’re hauling six tanker truck loads per day.” Hurley said the rain has been a problem this year because a new rubber-lined cell at the landfill had not yet been filled with garbage, and was instead filling with water. “We had s...
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<p>James Howell | Jefferson Post</p><p>Dianne Eldreth (left) and Vickie Herman (right) spoke to the board of commissioners on behalf of Project Graduation during Monday&#8217;s BOC meeting.</p>
County commissioners allocate $8,000 to Project Graduation
The Ashe County Board of Commissioners unanimously agreed to give $8,000 to help fund the 2012 Project Graduation after hearing a request from Dianne Eldreth and Vickie Herman. “We’re here again to ask your help one more time with project graduation,” said Eldreth. “We had an enormous rainstorm on Friday (the day of Project Graduation’s fundraiser), and we’re a little bit behind.” Eldreth said her group managed to raise about $12,000 duri...
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<p>James Howell | Jefferson Post</p><p>BOC Chair Larry Rhodes (right) voiced his opinion that public assistance fraud needs a solution, but drug testing isn&#8217;t the best tool to solve the problem, during the board&#8217;s working session Monday afternoon. Ashe County Manager Dr. Pat Mitchell listened while Rhodes offered his opinion.</p>
BOC tables vote for public assistance drug testing
A vote to support a resolution to request legislation for mandatory drug tests for public assistance programs was tabled by the Ashe County Board of Commissioners on Monday. “I would like to see a fail-safe answer, but I don’t think this is it, but I think we need to keep looking at it because there is an awswer out there,” said BOC Chair Larry Rhodes. The resolution would have sent a message to N.C. Legislators that Ashe County supports ...
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Legislative update: House passes abortion bill
This week in the General Assembly, the House passed a bill prohibiting selective sex abortions, a House committee considered legislation requiring parental consent for teen abortions and birth control, and a bill requiring schools to keep emergency allergy medication on hand passed the House unanimously. Meanwhile, a discharge petition was circulated in the Senate this week to pull a minimum wage increase bill from committee, where it has b...
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<p>Photo submitted | Jefferson Post</p><p>Ashe County Schools Superintendent Donnie Johnson (right) visited Westwood Elementary Friday to honor Dr. Mandy Taylor (left) as Ashe County Schools Teacher of the Year for 2013-14.</p>
ACS awards Taylor Teacher of the Year
Ashe County Schools is pleased to announce the 2012-13 Teacher of the Year Dr. Mandy Taylor, and Teacher Assistant of the Year Sandra Simms. Ashe County Schools Central Office Staff visited Westwood Elementary School May 3 to honor Dr. Mandy Taylor, academically gifted (AIG) specialist, as Ashe County Schools Teacher of the Year for 2013-2014 school year. Each spring, schools select a Teacher of the Year to represent faculty and staff durin...
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<p>James Howell | Jefferson Post</p><p>The winners of the Governor&#8217;s Award were commemorated with a picture after receiving their awards. Recipients from the Praise Brigade include (front row, left to right:) Emma Goodman, Allyson Greer, Kayla Bare, Deidra Winebarger, Sydney Greer, Tori Prichard, Jadyn Trivett, Ashley Dollar, Allison Brown, Ashley Hardin, Mattlyn Bledsoe, Mallory Bledsoe, Maddie Hudler, Lydia Edmisten, Katie Welch, and Paige Anderson (Not pictured: Addison Dollar, Ava Prichard, Kylea Bledose and Abbei Bledsoe.) The adults who received Governor&#8217;s Awards were also honored, and include (back row, from left to right:) Hewey Testerman, Jennifer Richardson from High Country Home Health Care Hospice, Bernadette Zimmerman from New beginnings, Angie Taylor from HCHHC Hospice, and Corey Halsey, Trent Pruitt and Tanya Halsey from the Fletcher Memorial Baptist Church youth group.</p>
Volunteers save Ashe $8 million per year
Several volunteers gathered at Boondocks Brewing Monday morning to receive Governor’s Awards for Excellence to honor their committee to outstanding volunteerism. “We’re so fortunate and blessed in this county to have the people we do have involved in volunteerism,” said Ashe County Board Commissioner William Sands. Recognition for volunteers is well deserved; volunteers spend time at Ashe Memorial Hospital, Ashe Service for Aging, hospice...
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<p>Cliff Clark | Jefferson Post</p><p>West Jefferson Aldermen (from left) Stephen Shoemaker, Lester Mullis, Dr. Brett Summey, W.J. Mayor Dale Baldwin and Alderman Calvin Green listen as ABC Board Chairman Haskell McGuire presents the quarterly ABC Store report. Alderman Tom Hartman arrived at the meeting after McGuire&#8217;s presentation.</p>
W.J. Aldermen approve capital improvement projects
The West Jefferson Aldermen met Monday night and approved two capital projects and were presented the quarterly report from the ABC store. The two capital projects the aldermen approved were for the continued expansion of the sewer line extension in the area of Ashe County Ford and for a sidewalk improvement project on Main Street. West Jefferson Town Manager Brantley Price reported to the aldermen their approval was needed for a budget a...
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ACS superintendent search continues
The search for a new Ashe County Schools (ACS) superintendent continues, with the Board of Education narrowing its list of candidates. The board is scheduled to announce its decision in a little over three weeks. Ashe County Schools posted a job listing mid-January seeking to fill the superintendent position vacated by Dr. Travis Reeves. The board received 47 complete applications, mostly from in-state applicants, said Assistant Superintend...
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Truck accident halts traffic on N.C. 88
James Howell | Jefferson Post Nobody was injured after a truck drove off N.C. 88 and into a ravine while heading west towards Jefferson Wednesday afternoon. According to Trooper W.P. Miller, from the N.C. Highway Patrol, the accident happened shortly before 1 p.m. Even though no one was injured, traffic was halted for over an hour as wreckers worked to remove the truck from the ravine.
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High Country Local First accepting new members for 2013
High Country Local First (HCLF) is accepting new business, farm and community organization members. It is an exciting time for this organization as it gears up for its second annual LOCAL FIRST! REWARDS CARD and first annual Directory of Independent Businesses, both to be released in June. The LOCAL FIRST! REWARDS CARD will provide the cardholder with ongoing discounts throughout the year to participating independent businesses. The goal ...
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Keep Ashe Beautiful receives $500 grant
Keep Ashe Beautiful was one of 10 affiliate chapters of Keep N.C. Beautiful to be awarded a community improvement grant of $500 as of April 24. In order to receive the grant, which was offered by N.C. Coca-Cola Bottlers Council, Keep Ashe Beautiful competed against other affiliate programs. “This is our second grant since we became an affiliate chapter,” said Executive Director Elaine Graham. “To get the grant, we told them what we had al...
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John Tyler Harms
Local man charged with child rape
A Warrensville man was charged with first degree sexual offense, rape of a child and disseminating obscenity to a minor under the age of 13, according to a report from the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office. John Tyler Harms, 20, allegedly raped an 11-year-old child, according to Ashe County Sherff’s Capt. Carolyn Gentry. An investigation revealed the child had met Harms in West Jefferson and became friends. According to the ACSO, on the nigh...
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Big Horse Creek flooded Lansing Creeper Trail Park Monday.
Steady rains soak Ashe County
Dylan Lightfoot | Jefferson Post Big Horse Creek flooded Lansing Creeper Trail Park Monday. Photo submitted | Jefferson Post Water from the New River flooded West Sugar Tree Road near Warrensville on Monday. Emergency Management Coordinator Patty Gambill said several low-lying bridges in Ashe County were under water Monday morning. James Howell | Jefferson Post Heavy rains caused the creek in Candlelight Park in Jefferson to overflow. Photo...
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NCDA&CS challenges restaurants to highlight local food this summer
A new program from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is encouraging chefs to dig into locally grown products this summer. The Dig into Local – 90 Day Challenge aims to promote the bounty of N.C. agricultural products available during the growing season by challenging chefs from across the state to create new menu options in their restaurants. “This 90-day challenge is a great opportunity for local chefs to connect...
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Students donate $450 to sharing center
James Howell | Jefferson Post Students from the Mountain View Elementary School student council donated $450 for the Ashe County Sharing Center. Polly Jones (far left) accept the donation on Wednesday, and explained the importance to the sharing center to the students. The students included (front row, left to right) Cierra Burgess, Kenadie Hudler, Emily Williams, Emma Calloway, (middle row, left to right) Autumn Blackburn, Sarah Corley, Hunt...
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<p>Image submitted | Jefferson Post</p><p>The gray area of this map shows where the Christmas in July festival will take place this year. The festival will stretch through most of the backstreet and also up West Main Street.</p>
Volunteers preparing for 27th Annual Christmas in July
With the 27th annual Christmas in July only two months away, the annual festival’s volunteer committee is making final tune-ups preparing for the event. Christmas in July is a one full-day, and Friday night free-admission event featuring the very best in traditional mountain music and handmade crafts from throughout the mountains of North Carolina. “The planning process for this festival starts a month after it’s over,” said Jane Lonon, t...
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<p>Open source image | Jefferson Post</p><p>Local N.C. Cooperative Extension agent reminds local gardners to read the labels of the pesticides they may be applying this spring on their gardens; many are harmful to beneficial insects like local honey bees.</p><p>Jefferson Post</p><p>Home gardeners can achieve safe, minimal application of pesticides by practicing integrated pest management.</p>
Extension agent: controlling pesticide use starts at home
This year, home gardeners in the U.S. will apply tens of millions of pounds of pesticides to their vegetable patches, flower beds and lawns. Travis Birdsell of the N.C. State Cooperative Extension would like gardeners in Ashe County to be conscientious about it. “Just the other day I saw somebody spraying their apple tree, which was in bloom,” he said. Applying pesticides when trees and plants are blooming kills not only pests, but also...
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<p>Doug Goss</p>
Local volunteer receives national award
The USDA Forest Service honored bicycle patrolman Doug Goss with the 2012 National Trails Volunteer of the Year Award for outstanding service on the Virginia Creeper Trail in southwest Virginia. This prestigious award is presented nationally to one volunteer each year. Goss received the award during a ceremony along the Virginia Creeper Trail on Saturday, May 4, at Green Cove Station in Damascus, Va. Residing in Ashe County, Goss began vo...
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Four new 'idols' in Ashe County
Photo submitted | Jefferson Post The winners of the 4th Annual Ashe County Idol Competition pose with their trophies on Tuesday, April 23. The winners included K-third grade winner Noah Farmer (front, left), fourth-sixth grade winner Nick Chamberlain (front, right), seventh-ninth grade winner Abby Manley (back, left) and 10th-12th grade winner Heather Travers.
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