JANUARY 8, 2009 issue
2008 Numbers of the Year
January 17, 2008
13
The number of painted quilt square installed on barns and buildings in Avery County as part of the Barn Quilt Trail; ten more quilt squares are currently in production
January 24, 2008
2,253
The number of landslides in Watauga County from 1940 to the present
January 31, 2008
10%
The amount beer prices have increased because of hops and barley shortages, fuel costs and stainless steel prices
February 7, 2008
85%
High Country United Way’s progress in meeting its campaign goal of $600,000; the campaign continues through March 31
February 14, 2008
12.5 tons
The amount of construction material the Habitat for Humanity ReStore has kept out of Watauga County’s waste stream since December 17, 2007.
February 21, 2008
$1,200
The amount of the honorarium the Public Art Committee will award to each of the three artists chosen to design benches for the Boone Gateway project at the corner of Highway 421 and the Poplar Grove Connector
February 28, 2008
5
The number of snow days that Watauga County Public School students have enjoyed thus far this winter season. Students must miss 15 days before the weather begins to cut into their spring break.
March 6, 2008
$2,000
The cost to clean up the Boone Mall parking lot after a flood
March 13, 2008
$2.491 per gallon
The price of gas in the Boone area in March 2007
March 20, 2008
1957
The year the old depot building at Tweetsie Railroad, lost to fire in the early morning hours of March 16, was constructed
March 27, 2008
$1
The cost of admission to Grandfather Mountain in April for those who live and work in the High Country
April 3, 2008
$33.33
The cost of the four-DVD set, Quest for Three, a video recap of the Mountaineer Football 2007 season. The first shipment sold out in less than two hours at last week’s championship banquet; another shipment should arrive by April 15.
April 10, 2008
$28,466,623
The total direct economic impact of the childcare industry in Watauga County, according to the Watauga County Children’s Council
April 17, 2008
$45,273.56
The amount raised in last week’s Celebrity Serve to benefit the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex on Brookshire Road
April 24, 2008
$2.7 million
The amount Wal-Mart will pay the Town of Boone over 45 years for leasing the site of the Leola Street Community Garden
May 1, 2008
76,708
The number of people who attended MerleFest 2008
June 5, 2008
85
The age of Margaret Hagerty of Concord, the oldest person to have completed a marathon on each of the seven continents
June 12, 2008
$6.4 million
Blowing Rock’s budget for fiscal year 2008-09, an 8.1 percent increase over last year’s budget
June 19, 2008
$300
The fee for a new well permit as of July 1, a $75 increase over the current fee
June 26, 2008
2.8 million
The estimated number of incandescent light bulbs being used in the Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation service area
July 3, 2008
4,000
Estimated number of bears that live in the High Country
July 10, 2008
9 million
Federal Trade Commission’s estimate of the number of Americans who have their identity stolen every year
July 17, 2008
$2.75 per gallon
The amount of the increase in the Town of Boone’s water and sewer availability fees as of August 1
July 24, 2008
14
The number of farms participating in the High Country Farm Tour on August 2 and 3
July 31, 2008
2
The number of peregrine falcon chicks raised in the wild at Grandfather Mountain this summer
August 7, 2008
570
The number of vehicular accidents that occurred on Highway 105 between the 105 Bypass and Blowing Rock Road in a five-year period
August 14, 2008
0
The number of reserved-seat tickets available for Appalachian home football games
August 21, 2008
12.69 percent
Voter turnout in the Town of Boone for the mixed-beverage referendum
August 28, 2008
2 percent
The approximate percentage of the 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags used nationwide each year that are recycled
September 25, 2008
$1.25 million
The price the Town of Boone paid for the downtown Boone post office
October 2, 2008
$1.8 million
Estimated annual debt service on Boone’s proposed new raw water intake, based on a USDA loan with an interest rate of 4.63 percent
November 6, 2008
1,210
In unofficial results, the number of votes that spelled Obama’s winning margin over McCain in Watauga County
November 20, 2008
$14 million
Estimated cost of a Marriott Courtyard hotel proposed for Highway 105 across from Hampton Inn
November 27, 2008
$1
The cost to visit Grandfather Mountain in December, for people who live and/or work in the High Country
December, 4 2008
$1.25 million
The dollar equivalent of a 1 percent budget cut at Appalachian State University
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