The High Country News - Boone, North Carolina

Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05

Faces in the News


Mark Shook	Len Hagaman

Watauga County Sheriff Mark Shook handily defeated Republican challenger Joe Moody in the May primary, but two wrongful termination lawsuits filed in June by female former employees of the Sheriff’s Office—one alleging sexual harassment—raised questions about Shook’s management of the department. Democratic challenger L.D. Hagaman defeated Shook in the November general election by 118 votes.


David Blust	Steve Goss

Watauga County Commissioner David Blust defeated incumbent NC State Senator John Garwood in the May primary, but lost the general election to retired minister and political newcomer Steve Goss. Throughout his last year on the county commission, Blust opposed plans to construct a new high school, maintaining that the taxpayers would be better served by renovating the current facility.


Keith Honeycutt	Mary Moretz

Retired high school teacher Mary Moretz defeated Democratic challenger Doug McGuinn in the May primary and then unseated incumbent Watauga County Commissioner Keith Honeycutt in the general election. During the campaign, Moretz was a strong supporter of the construction of a new high school and declared her intention to take strong and unwavering stands on issues.

Yosef: The Mountaineers’ mascot had a busy and exciting football season as the team won its second consecutive Division I-AA National Championship. We’ve always heard that the true identity of Yosef is a well-guarded secret, known only to a few select folks, and that’s just fine because Yosef can stand on his own—proud and big headed.

Matt Cooper: Tireless proponent of environmental sustainability, Matt Cooper had a busy year in 2006, spearheading the development of the Leola Street Community Garden, collecting food for the Hunger Coalition and advocating for green initiatives. Cooper lobbied the school board and the county commissioners to consider a high school design that would incorporate alternative energy, water capture and daylighting—all features that local officials have agreed they want to build into the new school.

Hugh Morton: North Carolina lost one its most prolific and accomplished photographers and the High Country lost one of its most tireless promoters and strongest advocates when Hugh McRae Morton died on June 2 at the age of 85. Morton’s accomplishments and awards would fill a book, and his legacy includes Grandfather Mountain, two published books of photographs, the North Carolina ridge law, a 60-year photographic portfolio in the UNC-Chapel Hill library and the Linn Cove Viaduct.

Virginia Foxx won a second term in the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Democratic challenger Roger Sharpe, but she failed to carry her home county of Watauga. Foxx’s refusal to answer questions from the floor during her listening tour last January and her refusal to introduce a bill to declare the Globe a national scenic area in September angered some local residents.