The Editor's Blog

Primary Concerns

It's wide open for your Primary 2008 comments — GO!

Clinton visits Watauga

At its most recent convention, the Watauga County Democratic Party picked presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama in a non-binding straw poll.

Will today's visit by Pres. Bill Clinton change any minds? What's your perspective?

Non-residents flood mixed-drink forum

The Boone special public hearing on a mixed-drink referendum was served on the rocks, and with a twist: the number of non-residents outweighed that of town residents.

Anticipating a larger crowd than usual, the Boone Town Council had scheduled the April 24 public hearing at the Watauga County Administration Building, but the boardroom capacity could hardly contain the droves of concerned community members that congregated on the sidewalks of downtown Boone.

Watauga jury finds Sargeant guilty

Although some deliberation remains, a Watauga County jury on Tuesday afternoon unanimously found Neil Sargeant, 26, guilty of first-degree murder, burning of personal property, robbery with a dangerous weapon and first-degree kidnapping in the 2005 suffocation death of an Appalachian State University student, Stephen William Harrington, 19.

Double shot of Democracy

On Friday, the Watauga Democrat published an editorial urging Boone to allow a referendum which would allow sales of mixed drinks at local restaurants. While this issue was not an easy one to tackle, I felt this was the right direction. There seems no logical reason for Boone to remain the only dry town in the area while the other municipalities sap our potential tax revenue from an activity that is illegal in any other sense and has been proved to be safer for wet towns over dry one.

For the record, I personally am not a purveyor of mixed drinks but I can't understand why any official should be allowed to make his or her personal moral beliefs into law. Imagine this scenario. What if several militant vegetarians took over the town council. Since they believe meat is immoral and not nutiritious, would it make sense for the rest of us to have to adhere to their personal philosophy? This is the same situation.

This is not even a religious battle in that many Christian denominations do not prohibit drinking alcohol as part of their creed. This issue is about choice and freedom of commerce.

Your comments on this important issue are welcome. I hope everyone will attend the April 24th public hearing at 6:30 p.m. to voice your perspective.

N.C. lawmakers endorse Obama

North Carolina Reps. Price and Watt Endorse Obama

RALEIGH, NC - North Carolina Congressmen David Price of the 4th District and Mel Watt of the 12th District, both Democratic superdelegates and former supporters of John Edwards, today endorsed Barack Obama.

Disclosure: This is abstracted from a campaign press release but confirmed independently.

Supreme Court Allows Lethal Injections

A news alert from the New York Times reads:

Supreme Court Allows Lethal Injection for Exectuion

The Supreme Court Wednesday rejected a challenge to the lethal three-drug cocktail used in most U.S. executions during the past 30 years.

While serving on a potential jury pool last week, I was surprised by how many people in a Southern county opposed the death penalty fervently. What's your take?

The Audacity of Vote

Looks like Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama is about to snag the support of two N.C. super-delegates.

The Obama campaign sent the following e-mail to the media:

TODAY: David Plouffe, Two North Carolina Superdelegates to Make Major Announcement

 

 

Raleigh, NC – Barack Obama’s National Campaign Manager David Plouffe, joined by two North Carolina superdelegates, will host a conference call with reporters to make a major announcement.

WHO:            David Plouffe, Obama National Campaign Manager

WHAT:          Conference Call with David Plouffe and Two North Carolina Superdelegates

WHEN:          TODAY:  Wednesday April 16

                         1:15 PM EST / 12:15 CST 

Pope visit attracts Carolinians

The Pope is visiting the U.S. and some North Carolinians are hoping to see him. How has the Pope's visit affected you, if at all?  Surprisingly, I heard a student at a Catholic school admit on an NPR report (sorry no link for it) that she didn't even know the Pope was visiting. What religious or spiritual leader would you like to meet, if any?

What about Watauga?

A recent survey show Wataugans have very definite ideas about the future.

According to an article by Scott Nicholson in the Wednesday edition of the Watauga Democrat, residents have told county leaders the following:

"Watauga County citizens must realize that one person’s or one community’s viewpoints regarding ‘visioning’ for the future may or will place unfair hardships on those in the future. We do not know what the future will be like. A controlled society is not a free society.”

“Problems with overdevelopment...currently no checks are in place causing tremendous loss of rural, forest land along with the loss of animal/avian/flora residents of the land”

“Watauga needs to be open to zoning and also be more diligent in enforcing current zoning laws as well as future zoning laws.”

“The county will look at more privitization options to ensure a low tax rate and continue putting money into the local educational system.”

"Leave ASU alone. They are a state-run system and the county and town should not interfere.”

"Watauga County must make it possible for people in the ETJ to vote for the people that effect the use of their land. It is UNAMERICAN that we cannot.”

“Watauga will have a variety of big-box stores so residents can shop in the county instead of day tripping nearby to shop.”

What is your vision of Watauga's future? Share it with the blogosphere.