Update:  Mike came back in and made additional comments and answers other commenter's questions and concerns.

Update II: Brother Keith in KY had a few things to say that were too unwieldy to place in the comments.  A veritable photo album, with comments is here.

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County Commissioner candidate Mike Winstead Jr. has joined the conversation in the comments section to my post about his Boone development called Mountaineer Village - (aka locally as The Great Walls of Boone).  Says Mike:

"...I think anyone sincerely interested in the project should visit the site. The picture of the beautiful barn included is not or was not on the property. We go to great lengths to preserve such structures, as well as to limit the impact on the surrounding environment of our projects...."  Read the whole thing.

He goes on to cite recognition his company has recieved for preservation .  To be clear, Blue Ridge Blog took the before and after pictures of the barn and stated at the time:

"... (The barn was) the newest victim of the Brookshire Rd. widening. The road is going to be blacktop soon and thousands of ASU students will make their way up the drive destined to live in the newest Megabuilders, Inc. (out of Greensboro, NC) megaplex of student living. I knew the road was going to be paved, I just didn't expect the barn to be sacrificed or done in such a callous and reckless manner..."

No one has accused Mega of tearing down the barn, that task probably went to the local DOT in order to improve the access road to the Great Walls. 

I do, however, take exception to Mike's contention that the Boone project - in any way -, "limit(s) the impact on the surrounding environment".  To the average set of eyes traveling to Boone, the project is visually abhorrent from US421 - no amount of 'splainin can change this.  

Correction 9/30: Winstead corrected my earlier assertion that additional phases of the project are planned.  He states in the comments below that Mega Builders is currently working on Mountaineer Village's final phase.

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Cell phones at school are becoming as ubiquitous as "lip gloss or combs" as many school districts are relaxing the rules on students having them at school according to this article in the NewYork Times (link via Drudge).

I think this development is not necessarily a good thing, but an inevitable thing as a matter of practicality and the sheer volume of kids with phones and the parents who use them as a line of communication to their kids- case in point:

On Monday my 15 year-old sophmore, Jackson, finished his behind-the-wheel requirement to move him along the path of getting his learner's permit.  So Monday night was spent getting all of the necessary documentation together in order for him to take the written test at DMV, which, of course, just had to happen the next day.  (Remember 15? The world revolved around you, too, then).

Social security card?  Check.  Application and permission form? Check  DMV release form from Grimsley saying he was passing his classes?  A visit to Grimsley at 7:30a yesterday was needed.  Certified copy of birth cerificate?  Not in the safe, so a trip to see Kathrine Payne at the Register of Deeds was required.

Figuring this process of keeping his Dad from doing any actual work was important enough to break telephone silence - Jack called me @ 7:40, 8:20, 9:30 then 11:00 - all from school in anticipation of heading over to DMV.  I finally promised him during his 11:00 call that I would call him and leave a message when his paperwork was in order and my day was completely shot - that happened around 12:30 after I handed the pile of paper over to Jinni.  She called Jack and fetched him from school.(another cell phone call) and ran him over to DMV for the written exam - for which Jack told me Monday, "no, I didn't study for it - nobody studies for it."

Last call of the day was from Jinni to me (via cell phones) after she had returned Jack to Grimsley for last period and football practice - he failed, by one question.  Damn (I want him to start driving) and hooray (I don't want him to start driving).

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