A BB&T Official in Winston-Salem says that the bank is looking into the matter of the sludgy run-off from the sealing operation at their Highway 105 location last Saturday, but Mary Tolbert of BB&T declined to say what action they might seek against the unnamed company.  A sudden rainstorm washed the material off the lot and into the storm drain where it entered the creek system at Hodges Creek.

There, the toxic substance killed fish, crawfish, and polluted the water supply that eventually becomes drinking water out of the New River, according to Watauga Riverkeeper Donna Lisenby, who counted dead creatures along the path of the run-off.  Her video put the problem on hundreds of computers around the area.  Boone Fire Chief Jimmy Isaacs said that his department followed the path from the discovery point back to the BB&T lot, but as the substance was water soluble, skimming and other solutions were not available.  The only solution was, in fact, more water to dilute the mess.   The potential for town action was not clear yesterday.