6:37 a.m. - The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Authority awarded $500,000 to Watauga County on Friday to move forward with the construction of Rocky Knob Park.

Watauga County Parks and Recreation Director Stephen Poulos said the grant is a matching program put up by the state of North Carolina.

County officials plan to build the mountain bike park on Highway 421 near the county landfill.  Watauga County officials are also looking at acquiring 45.6 acres of land adjacent to the landfill.  Deputy County Manager Deron Geouque said if the county can purchase that land, it would open up access to 120 – 130 acres of land that the county already owns.