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Lenoir Google facility will expand
The Internet giant Google is expanding its data center in Lenoir.

Democrats county commissioners make new gains statewide
The post-election make-up of North Carolina county commissions is creating changes

Council questions need for downtown committee
The Boone Town Council avoided the clutter of another subcommittee

Secure your home before traveling during the holidays travel
It is a homeowner’s worst nightmare: Returning home from a happy visit with family or vacation getaway

Frontier Natural Gas seeks rate reduction from state
Frontier Natural Gas announces a regulatory rate reduction filing for natural gas.

School system drives home new school-bus routes
Some Watauga County schools’ bus routes will be reduced beginning the
second week of January due to declining student ridership.

Last plea in ASU-student murder case
Dalrymple pleads guilty to accessory charge

Drop-out grants will focus on at-risk students
Watauga County is getting a total of $220,000 for drop-out prevention programs, including a first-time grant to help assess at-risk students.

AppalCART rolls up another record
AppalCART, the local public transportation authority, reported a systemwide ridership of 125,083 passenger trips for November 2008, which set a record for the month of November.

Rainfall eases drought conditions
While rainfall has been rarely heavy, the persistent precipitation of the last month has been enough to ease drought conditions.

Watauga schools applauded for implementing positive behavior support for students
Three Watauga County schools were recognized by the N.C. department of Public Instruction

Holiday shopping sales mixed locally
With the recession lingering and national retailers expecting a modest holiday shopping season, the local retail scene is similar to last year’s.

New road projects pave governmental council plan
The High Country Council of Governments Rural Transportation Advisory Committee

Dental office helps fill needs for area families
Dr. Michael Mayhew and other members of his dental office in Boone elected to forego an office Christmas party and shop for several needy families.

Alumnus looks for ways to make recycling convenient
When Jen Maxwell sees an overflowing trash can on the Appalachian State University campus, she quickly thinks of the potential for minimizing campus waste through reduction and recycling

Industrial design students stretch their creativity
Can a washer and dryer look like art and not lose function? Industrial design students in a senior product design studio at Appalachian State University think so, and they proved their point during a presentation to designers from Bosch and Siemens (BSH) Home Appliances in New Bern.

Home for the Holidays
Couple finds new hope amid animal-cruelty case