Eric Woolridge, AICP, was hired in the middle of March this year as the senior outdoor recreation planner for Watauga County Tourism Development Authority (WCTDA), and he has already begun the groundwork for increasing outdoor recreation opportunities in the Boone area.
“Our goal is to be one of the top recreation destinations in the East, at least,” Woolridge said.
Click here to read the complete article from the High Country Press
Diamond Creek is peacefully nestled into the Blue Ridge Mountains of Banner Elk, North Carolina where a population of fewer than 1,000 residents enjoy an elevation of over 4,000 feet providing a perfect summer climate. John L. McNeely and H. Wayne Huizenga’s idea to create a unique and unrivaled golf club in a part of the country that they have enjoyed for several years is based solely on the love for the game and an opportunity to share this coveted region with others.
Click here to visit their new website, designed by The McGinn Company
Outside magazine has named Boone one of the best U.S. small towns of 2009. In an online article, the magazine describes Boone: “While the winding country roads are still a road cyclist’s dream, that’s just part of the recreational picture: Within minutes you can be rock climbing, peak bagging, whitewater rafting, and even skiing.” By the way, “peak bagging” is described as”an activity in which hillwalkers and mountaineers attempt to reach the summit of some collection of peaks, usually those above some height in a particular region, or having a particular feature.”
After three successful years, Artisanal has relocated to Diamond Creek Golf Club and are opening tonight. This was the restaurant Bill Greene always dreamed of. Specializing in day boat fish from Hawaii to Maine, the menu focuses on seasonality and creativity. Chef Bill’s main focus is for the guest to have a great experience from start to finish and make the evening a memorable one.
Here’s a story about Greene in the 2005 Mountain Times
And here’s their website and menu
AIRE Executive Director Steve Owen stands on the roof of The Greenhouse, next to the newly installed solar panels. Photo by Owen GrayInstallation of Boone’s First Community Owned Solar Project Complete
Story by Owen Gray
AIRE Executive Director Steve Owen stands on the roof of The Greenhouse, next to the newly installed solar panels. Photo by Owen Gray
The Appalachian Institute for Renewable Energy (AIRE) has taken a step towards independence from coal-produced energy. This week the group completed installation of a 2.5-kilowatt photovoltaic solar electric system on the roof of their home office, The Greenhouse in Boone.
Graduate students from the ASU Department of Appropriate Technologies completed the installation of the system, also known as the Boone Community Solar Project.
Click here for the article in the High Country Press
The building industry is starting to pick up steam, but residential building permits are still lagging behind last year’s totals.In March, the Watauga County Planning & Inspections Department issued 55 permits with an estimated building cost of $3.94 million. That included new construction and renovations.
Click here to read the story from the Mountain Times
About 150 people signed an attendance sheet at a Citizens Informational Workshop for the proposed U.S. Highway 221 widening project. The project will widen the 16.1-mile section of road from two lanes to four lanes from the intersection with U.S. 421 south of Boone to the U.S. 221 Business/N.C. Highway 88 in Jefferson.
Current total cost estimates for the project, including right-of-way acquisition and construction, are about $98 million. Read more …
Environmentalists are still celebrating a decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week to suspend and review permits for two new mountaintop removal coal mining operations in West Virginia and Kentucky. The EPA said it also intends to review other requests for mining permits, putting between 150 to 200 coal mine permit applications on hold.
Read more …
