Here’s a check of the latest from WataugaOnline.com. for Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
A quick note on last week’s issues: a technical glitch caused some “Read the full story” links in Thursday’s and Friday’s newsletters to point to the wrong page. We’ve corrected those links and added a safeguard to catch this before it happens again. Thanks for bearing with us.
Multi-Agency Crews Rescue Injured Hiker on Lost Cove Trail
Crews from nine agencies worked together Saturday afternoon to rescue a hiker injured on the Lost Cove Trail in Avery County, carrying the patient out over rugged terrain that included multiple river crossings. According to Linville-Central Rescue Squad, Avery County 911 Communications notified the squad shortly after 2 p.m. of a hiker who had been injured while on the trail. Personnel from EMS Avery, Linville Volunteer Fire Department, Banner Elk Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Crossnore Volunteer Fire Department, NC Mountain Rescue Team 1, Avery County Emergency Management, Collettsville Fire & Rescue, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Avery County Drone team all responded to assist. After initial medical treatment on scene, the hiker was packaged in a stokes basket and carried out to a waiting ambulance. The carry-out required crews to cross the river more than once along the way.
Mountaineers Roll Over Maine in 2026 Football Opener
App State Football opened the 2026 season with a dominant home win over Maine, recording a 55-3 victory in front of a sold-out crowd of 33,664 at Kidd Brewer Stadium on Saturday. Beginning their second season under head coach Dowell Loggains, with 73 newcomers on the roster, the Mountaineers posted the program’s largest margin of victory since a 72-7 win against Gardner-Webb in 2018. App State shut out Maine until the final minute of the third quarter, building a 38-0 lead as quarterback Malachi Singleton completed 22 of 24 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns in less than three full quarters of work. App State’s defense limited Maine to 12 first downs and 250 yards of offense, compared to 34 first downs and 647 yards from the Mountaineers, who finished with 299 rushing yards and 348 passing yards from three quarterbacks. Caleb Sandstrom recorded App State’s first sack of the season, and Caleb Pitts and Colton Phares each added interceptions. The Mountaineers play at East Carolina next weekend in a noon game on ESPNU.
Boone Town Council Meeting Wednesday Morning — Workforce Housing Program, Hellbender Mural Expansion on the Agenda
The Boone Town Council meets at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, in the Town Council Chambers at 1500 Blowing Rock Road. It’s a short agenda: council will hear from Downtown Development Director Lane Moody, consider an expansion of the downtown hellbender mural, discuss a state workforce housing program, and make an appointment to the Historic Preservation Commission. Note the earlier start time — council’s Aug. 26 meeting began at 5 p.m., but this one is a morning meeting. The hellbender mural expansion is on the consent agenda with no further detail provided; the existing mural, painted by artist Josh Johnston, was unveiled on Howard Street in August 2024 as part of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Endangered Species Mural Project. On planning matters, council will discuss the Renew NC Workforce Housing for Ownership Program, which the state announced Aug. 25 through the Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Revitalization. The program makes $53.38 million in federal funds available for for-sale housing serving households earning up to 80% of area median income across 16 western North Carolina counties affected by Hurricane Helene, including Watauga. Awards range from $2 million to $5 million per project, and the application window runs through Dec. 13. Public comment is on the agenda, and the full agenda is posted on the town’s online portal.
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WEATHER
Check the current Hazardous Weather Outlook, live weather radar, and forecast for Watauga, Ashe, and Alleghany counties on our Weather page. Forecast courtesy of the National Weather Service.
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— WataugaOnline