The confluence of crime news from the pages of this week's Watauga Democrat aren't typical of what we report. Arsons, assaults, break-ins, gun thefts, a bomb threat and a tragic disappearance — all from one week and all enough to make many of ask, “What is going on in Boone, N.C.?” This week's headlines are enough to make even those with long, community memories wonder if our town is changing — and not for the better.We don't pretend that our county is perfect. We have our share of criminal activity. As does any community small or large, we have a need for an active police force, sheriff's department and district attorney.But life in Boone and Watauga County is different. For one: The number of crime stories filling our pages now is atypical for us, but common fodder for many other areas of North Carolina — even those with similar demographics.Yet the most significant difference is this: In Boone we band when tragedy strikes. Instead of “tsk, tsking” it away, we interact with the news of the day. We ask, “How can I make it better?”We saw this Friday night on King Street as our community shared the grief and pain of a local family. Because of their personal tragedy, many of the principal family members could not be present. But we were there, nonetheless.This is what is typical of Boone, and this is what we have come to rightly expect of our community.Is Boone changing? Certainly. We are part of a larger world that is in constant social, moral and economic flux.But that doesn't mean we forget what's important when it comes to community, or to taking care of one another.Now, that's a banner headline of which any town can be proud.