By Holly Hodges
In local news, Watauga County Schools held a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday for the new Valle Crucis school. According to the Watauga Democrat, the new school will be located about a third of a mile away from the current building. Conversations about a new school first started over six years ago. Superintendent Scott Elliot attended the event, thanking everyone for showing up adding “I am so proud to have worked alongside the school board, county commissioners and so many others to give the students and teachers in Valle Crucis the school building that they deserve.”
In North Carolina news, a Reidsville man who plead guilty for his role in storming the capitol on January 6, 2021 was granted leniency earlier this week. According to FOX 8, a U.S. District Court judge sentenced Mathew Mark Wood to three years of probation including 12 months of home detention, 100 hours of community service, and a 2,000 dollar restitution. Wood initially pleaded guilty in late May. In their memo, prosecutors requested for Wood to be sentenced to 57 months of incarceration. Wood requested for no jail time earlier this month stating that he was influenced by former president Donald Trump’s claims of the 2020 election being stolen. Wood expressed remorse for his actions, citing that he was “sincerely and terribly sorry for what I have done and the disgrace that I have brought.”
In U.S. news, a woman believed to be a victim of a kidnapping from 1971 has been reunited with her family in Fort Worth. According to the Associated Press, Melissa Highsmith was 22-months-old when she was abducted by her purported babysitter. Highsmith continued to live most of her life in Fort Worth as Melanie Brown. She was unaware that she had been kidnapped until her biological father, Jeffrie Highsmith, submitted his DNA to 23andMe. He discovered that he was a match to Brown’s children. He worked with a genealogist to interpret the results and search through public records to find Melissa. Melissa and her biological family were reunited this past weekend after 50 years.
Today’s weather is brought to you by Ray’s Weather Center at Booneweather.com. This morning you can expect to see rain showers which will unfortunately continue throughout the day. Today’s high is 53 degrees and the low is 23 so bring a jacket and an umbrella if you plan to head out today.
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