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<p>James Howell | Jefferson Post</p><p>Ryan Simms attempts to catch his balance as he walks a straight line under the supervision of officer Kevin Roark.</p>
ACHS students learn about dangers of drinking and driving
In order to discourage impaired driving this prom/graduation season, Ashe County High School held its annual “impaired driving rodeo” Wednesday morning, giving a first-hand demonstration of the effects alcohol can have on students’ driving. To accomplish this, juniors and seniors were briefly called out of class and given special goggles to wear that simulate intoxication. Students were encouraged to drive golf carts through a traffic cours...
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<p>Jefferson Post</p>
Ashe unemployment drops to 12.1 percent in March
Ashe County’s jobless rate fell to 12.1 percent in March, according to the latest figures from the N.C. Division of Employment Security. The March rate was down 0.9 percent over February, and 1.2 percent since March, 2012. The county has now registered double-digit unemployment for 51 consecutive months. Of the county’s labor force of 11,697 in March, 1,415 workers were unemployed. Ashe ranks 83rd among the counties for employment. Ne...
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Several W.J. downtown businesses planning to open Sundays
As the weather grows warmer, business owners in West Jefferson are warming up to the idea of opening their doors on Sundays hoping to attract customers who flee the county for weekend shopping trips to Boone and Blowing Rock. “I don’t relish the idea of working seven days-a-week,” said Shelley Felder, the owner of the Honey Hole in West Jefferson, “but we have an obligation to be hospitable to those who visit us.” One of Felder’s chief co...
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<p>Photo submitted | Jefferson Post</p><p>New River Soil and Water District poster contest winners are (from left to right): Alyssa Cahan and Jadyn Trivette of Westwood elementary, Emilee Williams and Karoline Keith of Mountain View Elementary, Adrian Arado of Westwood Elementary, Josh Taylor of Shadyside Home School and Chris Luna of Westwood Elementary.</p>
New River Soil and Water announces contest winners
New River Soil & Water District congratulates students who participated in this year’s annual New River Soil and Water Conservation contests. Each year, the local NRSW conservation district offers contests to third-, fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grader students to compete in the poster contest, said NRSW Education Coordinator Brenda Garland. Also an essay contest is offered to 6th-grade students only, and a speech contest offered for sevent...
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<p>James Howell | Jefferson Post</p><p>Lansing officials join new business owners Nic and Michelle Slaton and their friends for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for Phoenix Mountain Arts. People in attendance included (front row, from left to right) April Turner, Shirley Farmer, Jane Lonon, owners Nic and Michelle Slaton, Jenny Wunderlich, (back row, from left to right) Jeff Dreyer, Lansing Town Manager Bernice Prestwood, Lansing Mayor George Rembert, Lansing Alderman Dylan Lightfoot, and Steve Katz.</p>
Ribbon-cutting for Lansing's Phoenix Mountain Arts
Phoenix Mountain Arts, a mountain craft gallery located in downtown Lansing, had their opening official with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, May 1. Phoenix Mountain Arts is owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Nic and Michelle Slaton, along with their business partner Sarah Ford. “We sell everything decorative for your home, including paintings, cabinetry, furniture, and interior decorating items,” said Michelle Slaton. S...
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‘Tag and Tax’ combined bills will be delivered on revised schedule
The first combined tag and tax notices will be mailed on a revised schedule, going out for September renewals rather than for renewals due in July. The revision allows for additional time to test and certify systems provided by vendors supplying online services for vehicle dealers. The program will still be ready to implement on July 1 and that is when the DMV will begin collecting, however the first combined tag and tax notices will now be...
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Local DHHS leaders work toward better customer service
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services hosted a Work Support Strategies leadership summit for teams from local departments of social services April 22-23 in Raleigh. During the two-day summit, teams collaborated to produce action plans and updated business processes to support the rollout of North Carolina Families Accessing Services through Technology (NC FAST) across the state. The N.C. FAST system is an integrated case manage...
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Health officials continue investigation, control of statewide measles outbreak
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services public health officials and staff from local health departments are now investigating 19 cases of measles in Stokes, Orange and Polk counties as part of an outbreak that was first reported in mid-April. Since the outbreak began, state and local public health authorities have notified more than 1,000 people in Stokes, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, Polk and Chatham counties who may have been...
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<p>Photo submitted | Jefferson Post</p><p>The trio Inalare will perform &#8220;Dreams of Love,&#8221; a selection of chamber music for voice, flute and piano, at the Ashe Arts Center 7:30 p.m. Saturday. From left to right: pianist Bair Shagdaron, flutist Kay Borkowski and soprano Linda Larson.</p>
Arts Center welcomes Inalare ensemble
The Ashe County Arts Council welcomes Inalare to the Ashe Arts Center Saturday May 4 for a concert entitled “Dreams of Love.” Kay Borkowski, Linda Larson, and Bair Shagdaron join forces for this program of pieces for flute, voice, and piano. The concert starts at 7:30 pm. Soprano Linda Larson, flutist Kay Borkowski, and pianist Bair Shagdaron gave their first concert together as “Inalare” in February of 2010. The ensemble was established ...
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<p>Dylan Lightfoot | Jefferson Post</p><p>Phase two of West Jefferson&#8217;s sidewalk redesign project began in earnest today, with crews cutting and breaking up asphalt at the intersection of South Jefferson Avenue and State Street.</p>
W.J. streetscaping phase II begins
Work crews began phase two of West Jefferson’s downtown streetscaping project today, said Town Manager Brantley Price. Redesign of intersections at South Jefferson Avenue and First Street, and South Jefferson Avenue and State Street, will be patterned after the pedestrian-friendly bump-outs completed at other downtown intersections last year, he said. Price said the town was planning for work to be complete by June 1, weather permitting. ...
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<p>Dylan Lightfoot | Jefferson Post</p><p>Robin Privette of the Chamber of Commerce will be serving the public during new extended Visitor Center hours from 5-8 p.m. Fridays, and 9-8 p.m. Saturdays.</p>
Chamber extends Visitor Center business hours
The Ashe County Chamber of Commerce today announced new extended business hours for the Visitors Center to better serve tourists this season. “We’re seeing a lot more visitors to Ashe County, and several of the businesses in West Jefferson are now staying open later,” said Chamber Executive Director Cabot Hamilton. “We’re doing it because it enables us to serve more people.” The Chamber Board of Directors decided to keep the doors open un...
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<p>Dylan Lightfoot | Jefferson Post</p><p>The West Jefferson Tourism Development Authority discussed advertising strategies with High Country Host Marketing Director Candice Cook at Town Hall Thursday. Clockwise from left: Town Clerk Wesley Barker, board members Danny Jones, Vivian Miller and Josh Williams, Candice Cook, Town Manager Brantley Price and Mayor Dale Baldwin.</p>
TDA approves revised budget for 2013-14
The West Jefferson Tourism Development Authority (TDA) approved a revised budget for fiscal year 2013-14, and heard a presentation from High Country Host on co-op ad campaigns at their April meeting at Town Hall Thursday. The TDA has budgeted for a $19,300 tourism promotion campaign through a variety of media, said West Jefferson Town Manager Brantley Price. A $3,600 WBTV.com advertising package was agreed upon, with WBTV breaking the cos...
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<p>New marketing resources from the 2-1-1 service now contain simple, more colorful graphics than their previous marketing tools.</p>
2-1-1 makes a difference in Ashe County
Where do people turn during a mental health crisis, or for information about human service agencies like legal aid or child care? It’s easy. Just dial 2-1-1. Three short months ago, the 2-1-1 service, a universal telephone number for health and human services, became available for Ashe County residents. Since then, 2-1-1 has been utilized on several occasions to transfer callers to appropriate agencies to meet their human services needs. ...
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<p>Dylan Lightfoot | Jefferson Post</p><p>N.C. Department of Agriculture Livestock Marketing Specialist Ben Carpenter (left), N.C. State Cooperative Extgension Agent Travis Birdsell (center) and Piedmont Research Station Research Operations Manager Joe Hampton (right) talk cattle at the second annual High Country Regional Cattle Conference Saturday. Held at Upper Mountain Research Station, the event was sponsored by the N.C. State Cooperative Extension, with lunch provided by the Ashe County Cattlemen&#8217;s Association.</p>
Cattlemen discuss high feed, falling prices
The second annual High Country Regional Cattle Conference was held at the N.C. Department of Agriculture Upper Mountain Research Station Saturday, where Ashe County cattle farmers met to hear the latest on cattle feeds, genetics and marketing, and enjoy a little barbecue. The event is sponsored by the N.C. State Cooperative Extension to keep farmers abreast of research and developments in the cattle industry, but also for researchers to mee...
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<p>James Howell | Jefferson Post</p><p>Allison Reeves (left) talked to community organizer Jessica Baker (right) during an American Cancer Society meeting.</p>
Paint West Jefferson Purple
An event to raise awareness for the 2013 Relay for Life called “Paint the Town Purple” will line the streets of West Jefferson from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on June 21 at Mount Jefferson Presbyterian Church. “The main purpose of the event is it’s an awareness event for the Relay in July,” said Melissa Hiatt, a community organizer for the American Cancer Society. “I’m really excited. This is the first time we’ve done it in Ashe County,” said...
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Ashe County Free Clinic benefit golf tourney is a success
Cliff Clark | Jefferson Post Despite the gray skies and damp conditions, Mountain Aire Golf Club hosted a full field of duffers to participate in the 18th Annual Carl and Pearl Hagel Memorial Golf Tournament. The annual benefit for the Ashe County Free Medical Clinic was a great success with thousands of dollars raised to help provide health care to those less fortunate in Ashe County. With Mountain Aire GC co-owner Mark Hagel (left) watching...
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AsheCounty has low violent crime rates
Despite high rates of drug crimes and suicides, Ashe County continues to have a low violent crime rate, due in part to the vigilance of the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office, but also due to the area’s sparse population and lack of a true gang presence. “Our murder rate has typically been pretty low per capita,” said Ashe County Sheriff James Williams. “We average about one murder per year, if that.” According to Country Health Rankings and Ro...
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<p><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;" ><span style="font-size: 11pt;" >The fourth grade class at Westwood Elementary School recently raised </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;" ><span style="font-size: 11pt;" >$1,629.56</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;" ><span style="font-size: 11pt;" > for St. Jude Children&#8217;s Hospital. The fourth graders are shown with the results of their fundraising efforts.</span></span></p>
Westwood fourth graders are helping the children at St. Jude’s

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Westwood fourth graders are helping the children at St. Jude’s
Cara Brooks Elliott’s fourth grade class at Westwood Elementary School recently raised $1,629.56 for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. The fourth graders are shown with the results of their fundraising efforts.
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