Welcome to mcdowellnews.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

mcdowellnews.com - The McDowell News

HomeNewsEntertainmentSportsLifestylesOpinionCommunityWeather Online Tools Jobs | Real Estate | Shopping | Classified

Old Fort restaurants forced to close their doors

By Mike Conley | The McDowell News

Published: July 8, 2009

The contamination found in Old Fort's water forced the town's restaurants to shut down and a summer day care program to close on Wednesday.
Old Fort's water customers are being warned to boil their water before drinking it or instead use bottled water after fecal coliform bacteria was found in the town's water supply on Tuesday. The town of Old Fort has issued a drinking water warning. It will remain in effect for the entire water supply until the problem is corrected.
The boil water notice caused restaurants that are on the Old Fort system to close their doors. Located at 48 E. Main St, The Appalachian Artisan Society (TAAS) Gallery operates the Catawba Vale Café, which has become a popular eatery and coffee shop for locals and tourists alike. That operation had to be closed, even though the rest of the gallery remained open.
"It's bad. I just want them to get it fixed," said Bev Heldman, co-owner of the TAAS Gallery. "I am a coffee shop and I can't sell coffee."
However, the café can still sell bottled water and soft drinks.
Liz Lowery and her husband, Phil, are the co-owners of Mustard's Last Stand on Catawba River Road. They have operated the popular eatery for 40 years.
Liz Lowery said they were notified by county health inspector Steve Poteat to close their doors until the boil water notice is lifted. She said Wednesday afternoon that she hoped to reopen today.
"It really makes it hard for a restaurant because we have to prepare ahead of time," she said.
She hasn't heard any complaints from her customers. Many of her regulars have driven up only to find the doors shut and a health warning posted on the front.
All of the town's other restaurants, including the fast food eateries, were closed Wednesday.
The boil water notice forced many people to buy bottled water in Old Fort.
David Hamby, store manager of Frisbee's Galaxy on Main Street, said lots of people started coming in around 5 p.m. Tuesday to buy bottled water.
"They just poured in here and got every bit of bottled water I had," he said.
Hamby had an extra truck come in Wednesday morning, and it brought five more pallets of gallon water. The store had enough water by Wednesday evening.
The contamination also resulted in Old Fort Elementary School closing its summer day care program on Wednesday.
"We did it for the safety of the kids," said Debbie Mason, director of the before- and after-school program and summer day care.
About 20 children were affected by the closing, Mason said.