News Watch

A Quick Look at News Across the Region

Compiled by Sam Calhoun

Daniel Boone’s 275th Birthday Thursday
America will celebrate the 275th birthday of Daniel Boone, the American pioneer hero and the Town of Boone’s namesake, this Thursday, October 22. Boone’s real birthday will fall on Monday, November 2, or Tuesday, November 3—depending on whom and what reference tool you ask—because Boone was born prior to the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar. To learn more about Boone, his life and his contributions, click to www.danielboonefootsteps.com or pick up a copy of Robert Morgan’s Boone: A Biography. Daniel Boone is annually celebrated in the High Country through the Daniel Boone Days Music & Culture Festival, held every Labor Day Weekend at Horn in the West. For more info, click to www.danielboonedays.com.

Wilbur Wins 32nd Running of the Worms
A woolly worm named Wilbur trained by Chapel Hill-native Noah Jens won the 32nd Running of the Worms during the Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk last weekend, granting the worm the privilege of predicting this winter's weather.

Noah and his caterpillar competed in several heats of races along a three-foot string on a stage at the festival. Because of the cold weather, trainers blew warm air on the worms to speed them up the string. The races drew approximately 1,000 caterpillar entries.

Noah won a $1,000 prize, and Wilbur proved himself the fittest worm to predict the severity of this winter for the High Country.

According to farmer folklore, each of the woolly worm’s 13 bands of fur are said to correspond to the 13 weeks of winter—the lighter a segment is, the milder the weather will be; the darker a segment is, the colder and snowier the weather will be.

For this winter in the High Country, Wilbur predicted relative cold temperatures and moderate snow, Woolly Worm Festival Founder Jim Morton said.

Week one will start with flurries, followed by cold and flurries in week two. Snow will fall in week three, and flurries in week four. Cold will reign in weeks five through seven, light flurries will fall in week eight and below-average temperatures will return in weeks nine and 10. Snow will fall in week 11, and flurries will close out the winter in weeks 12 and 13.

ASU Receives More Than $552,000 in Stimulus Funding
ASU recently received more than $552,000 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to support six projects, four of which were research projects funded through the National Science Foundation (NSF). ASU also has submitted proposals for another $6.5 million in stimulus funding for additional projects related to economic growth and stability.

The university’s funded projects range from environmental research to initiatives that support economic development in a 14-county region of North Carolina.

ASU’s funded projects and dollar amounts are:

$182,953—Research into the relationship between the growth of the ponderosa pine and Douglas fir and the rise in carbon dioxide in the Northern Rockies, by Dr. Peter T. Soulé in the Department of Geography and Planning; NSF funded.

$145,935—Research into topography and vegetation at Bent Creek Experimental Forest and Grandfather Ranger District, both located in Pisgah National Forest, by Dr. Ryan Emanuel in the Department of Geology; NSF funded.

$79,959—Research to evaluate the downstream impact of the fly ash spill from Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston, Tenn., coal-fired power plant in December 2008, and to provide data and predictions of how best to rehabilitate the site, by Dr. Roy Sidle of the Department of Geology. Drs. Chris Thaxton, Carol Babyak and Ellen Cowan are also working on this project; NSF funded.

$77,910—Creation of 43 additional work-study positions for students, at an average award of $1,800 per student.

$65,341—Hiring of additional personnel in the Appalachian-Foothills Regional Service Center of the N.C. Small Business and Technology Development Center hosted by Walker College of Business. The center supports economic development in a 14-county region of North Carolina.

$43,495—Acquisition of a cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy system for ASU’s Optical Petrography Lab to investigate mineral precipitation around plants in wetland environments and to determine whether groundwater has interacted with sediment samples prior to chemical analysis, by Drs. Sarah Carmichael and Cynthia Liutkus in the Department of Geology; NSF funded.

Appalachian also has a number of proposed projects for ARRA funding. They include the following:

-Install solar thermal systems in campus buildings
-Purchase additional instrumentation to enhance atmospheric research at the Appalachian Atmospheric Interdisciplinary Research (AppalAIR) program
-Research methane production by microorganisms in peat bogs in the southern Appalachian mountains
-Develop training curricula for families and professionals involved in early childhood intervention through Appalachian Family Innovations
-Renovate the Department of Biology’s greenhouse complex on campus
-Begin advanced use of the university’s scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM)
-Purchase a new telescope system for research and teaching at ASU’s Dark Sky Observatory (DSO) that is usable by astronomers worldwide through the Internet
ASU should receive confirmation of these proposed projects within the next three to six months, according to McCracken.

For more info, contact McCracken at mccrackensd@appstate.edu or 828-262-2130.

Perdue Reacts to Ruling That Will Shorten Life Sentences
Gov. Bev Perdue this week asked her attorneys and the N.C. Department of Justice to review all options available to the state to reverse and delay the N.C. Supreme Court ruling in the State v. Bowden case. The court’s decision in that case will force the early release of convicted murderers and rapists serving life sentences, including seven who were originally sentenced to death.

Perdue this week received a list of 20 violent offenders who will be released on Thursday, October 29, and dozens more who will be released in the next few years because of the court’s ruling. Each of the first 20 inmates who will be released have been reviewed for parole multiple times and denied. The court’s decision also prevents any additional review or recommendation by the Parole Commission, nor can these offenders be subject to any kind of monitoring or post-release supervision.

“I’m appalled that the state of North Carolina is being forced to release prisoners who have committed the most heinous of crimes, without any review of their cases,” said Perdue. “I don’t believe the General Assembly’s intent in 1974 was to let these violent offenders out of prison early. Releasing these potentially dangerous criminals is not in the best interest of the state or our citizens.”

The Department of Correction (DOC) is attempting to notify all known victims of these crimes and is working with district attorneys and victims’ advocates to locate victims for whom it does not have current contact information. Victims who have not been contacted are asked to call the DOC Office of Victim Services at 1-866-719-0108. In addition, the DOC is working to identify recommended re-entry programs for offenders due to be released, although participation cannot be required.

Watauga Receives $400,000 Grant To Pay for Housing Improvements
Rep. Cullie Tarleton (D-93) and Sen. Steve Goss (D-45) announced this week that Watauga County will receive a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant to pay for vital housing projects.

“We need to create stronger communities and better living conditions whenever we get the opportunity,” Tarleton said. “This money will help several families improve their standards of living.”

“Everyone should have the opportunity to live in a comfortable home,” Goss said. “I’m glad the state recognized this need in Watauga County and has stepped in to help.”

The grant from the N.C. Department of Commerce will be used to rehabilitate two houses, clear out two dilapidated dwellings and relocate two households. Part of the money will also be used to make emergency repairs as part of a separate project.

The Community Development Block Grant program is a federal program administered by the state. The grants are available to local municipal or county governments for projects that enhance the viability of communities by providing decent housing and suitable living environments and by expanding economic opportunities.

Tarleton Appointed To Study Student Financial Aid
Rep. Cullie Tarleton (D-93) was recently appointed by House Speaker Joe Hackney as a member of the Joint Legislative Study Committee on State Funded Student Financial Aid.
“As a representative whose district includes one of the state’s largest public universities, I’m sensitive to the need for the state to regularly assess how we can best and most efficiently help students pay for their educations,” Tarleton said. “Advanced education pays dividends for both our graduates and our communities, and I’m glad I’ll be able to help with this discussion in North Carolina.”

The legislation authorizing the 10-member committee includes both members of the House of Representatives and the Senate. It allows for study of how best to fund grants, loans and scholarships for in-state universities and those out of state, while also permitting an examination of the availability and sustainability of existing state, federal and private funding sources. The committee will begin its work immediately and has been directed to submit a final report to the 2011 General Assembly.

Hagan Announces Recommendations for U.S. District Court Judge for North Carolina’s Western District
U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) this week sent to President Obama her recommendations for U.S. District Court Judge for North Carolina’s Western District, which includes Watauga and Ashe counties.

“I am proud to recommend these three outstanding jurists for President Obama’s consideration,” said Hagan. “I will be working closely with the White House on the nomination process. I have been focused on recommending the most qualified, fair-minded candidates for each federal appointment in North Carolina, and I know the Western District will be well-served by any of these three choices.”

In this week’s letter to the President, Hagan recommended the following individuals for the Western District:

Judge Max Cogburn Jr. is currently a partner at Cogburn & Brazil P.A. in Asheville where he has focused on criminal and civil litigation since early 2006. He served as the U.S. magistrate judge for the Western District of North Carolina for nine years and as the assistant U.S. attorney for the district from 1980 to 1992. During those 12 years, he was the lead attorney in the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, as well as the chief assistant U.S. attorney.

Judge Robert Ervin has been the resident superior court judge for North Carolina in the 25-A District since January 2003. In 2008, Chief Justice Sarah Parker appointed him to serve on the Indigent Defense Services Commission. Also in 2008, the North Carolina Advocates for Justice named Ervin the “Outstanding Trial Judge of the Year.”

Judge Calvin Murphy has been a North Carolina Special Superior Court Judge since 2007. Prior to his appointment, Murphy worked in private practice for 25 years. Beginning in 1977, he was the assistant district attorney to the 26th District where he worked in the Career Criminal Unit. In addition, Murphy served as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army from 1971 to 1973.

Boone Chamber Celebrates 60th Birthday Friday
The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce will celebrate its 60th birthday this Friday, October 23, with an open house from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at its office at 208 Howard Street in Boone. The public is invited to join in the celebration and enjoy a piece of 60th anniversary cake. For more info, call 828-264-2225.