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Catgut ‘n’ Jugs Bluegrass Show is Now on Live365.com

June 27 2025 Host Ronnie Moretz and the Catgut ‘n’ Jugs Bluegrass Show are moving from terrestrial radio to a streaming platform with a reach to over 80 million listeners. Live365.com will stream the Catgut ‘n’ Jugs Bluegrass Show each Sunday from 8–10 p.m. beginning July 6, 2025. “I have been on radio for over 17 years,” said Moretz. “This will give me the opportunity to continue to share my love for bluegrass with people in the High Country and will have the added benefit of sharing bluegrass with people from around the world.” By Sam Garrett

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BREMCO Annual Meeting: Reports Presented, Director Election Results Announced

June 27 2025 Business reports and director election results were announced at the Annual Meeting of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation held at the cooperative’s corporate office in Lenoir on Thursday, June 26. The meeting was available for members to participate by attending in person at the corporate office or members could view the live meeting online at Blue Ridge Energy’s YouTube channel. A recording of the meeting will be available soon at www.BlueRidgeEnergy.com.

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NC House Approves $700 Million in Additional Helene Disaster Relief

June 26 2025 Raleigh, NC — Today, the North Carolina House of Representatives approved a proposal to invest an additional $700 million to support Hurricane Helene recovery efforts across Western North Carolina. This latest round of funding builds upon more than $1.4 billion already allocated for disaster relief, bringing the total to over $2.1 billion.

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Gen X Hitmakers Joan Osborne and Lisa Loeb Celebrate Their 30-Year-Old Landmark Albums in Boone Concert Friday, July 11

June 26 2025 Appalachian State University’s annual summer arts celebration, An Appalachian Summer, presents Joan Osborne and Lisa Loeb, two unmistakable voices of the ’90s, for a special evening marking the 30th anniversaries of their breakthrough albums — Osborne’s Relish and Loeb’s Tails — Friday, July 11 at 7:30pm at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. Revisit the songs that shaped a generation, alongside new music and career-spanning fan favorites. Both Relish and Tails were landmark albums that transcended genres, blending folk, pop, and rock with deeply personal storytelling. Osborne’s “One of Us” and Loeb’s “Stay (I Missed You)” became defining anthems of the era, and their impact continues to resonate with longtime fans and new audiences alike. Tickets are $25-$55, with discounts for App State faculty/staff and local residents

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The King Street Farmers’ Market Will be Hosting Appalachian Day Tuesday, July 1

June 26 2025 Ready to taste some cornbread, listen to some Old-time music, and dance on the lawn? Appalachian Day at the King Street market will be the first special event of the King Street Market season, and you won’t want to miss it. Calling all cornbread enthusiasts and secret-recipe holders to enter into the Cornbread Competition. Drop off your cornbread before or during the market for all market attendees to taste! The winning recipe will receive a Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture canvas tote bag and bumper sticker, and honorable mention will be awarded, too.

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Wilkes Community College Small Business Center Now Accepting Applications for The Retail Academy for September 9 through October 27

June 26 2025 Wilkesboro, NC – The Wilkes Community College Small Business Center is now accepting applications for The Retail Academy—a brand new program created to address the complexities and sometimes daunting nature of starting and operating a retail establishment. The Retail Academy will serve existing or prospective retail business owners in Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany counties. It is an application-based, six-week immersive boot camp and will run from September 9 through October 27 on Tuesdays from 6pm-8pm at the Wilkes Community College – Kendrick/Church Hall. Applications are open now and will be accepted through August 15

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State Board Unanimously Approves Plan to Collect Missing Identification Numbers for Certain Voters

June 25 2025 Raleigh, N.C. — The State Board of Elections on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to attempt to collect missing identification numbers for voters lacking them on the state’s voter rolls. The goal of the three-part plan is to obtain driver’s license numbers (DL#) or the last four digits of Social Security numbers (SSN4) for registered North Carolina voters who lack either number in their voter records. This, state election officials believe, will bring the state into compliance with a recent N.C. Court of Appeals order, and ultimately resolve outstanding lawsuits regarding these registrations

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Town of Boone Awarded a $850,000 Grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce for the Howard Street Project

June 24, 2025 The Town of Boone has been awarded an $850,000 grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce to help fund the completion of the Howard Street Project, the largest downtown Boone street revitalization effort in modern history. This grant will specifically support the underground relocation of electrical utilities along the eastern side of Howard Street, from Appalachian Street to Depot Street. In April 2025, the Town applied for the Rural Downtown Economic Development Grant (RDEDG) program and was officially awarded the grant in late June.

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Record-Setting $13 Million Linville Ridge Estate Presents the Pinnacle of Mountain Luxury 

June 24, 2025 A landmark estate in North Carolina’s High Country, 600 Stonehedge Court, has entered the market, offered at $12,995,000. The residence is the highest-priced active listing within Linville Ridge, Avery County, and the entire High Country MLS. The extraordinary property is marketed exclusively by Natalie Earnhardt and Josh Aldridge of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s Linville Ridge Sales Team. Commanding more than 29 pristine acres atop Linville Ridge, one of the most exclusive gated communities on the East Coast, this exceptional estate is a masterstroke of design. The home was originally commissioned by Raymond L. Lutgert, the founder of Linville Ridge and The Lutgert Companies.

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LETTER: Call to Action to Help with Some Advocacy Around Hurricane Helene Relief

June 23, 2025 Letters to the Editor. By Robin Morgan / I have some potentially exciting news to share, along with a call to action for those of you willing to help with some advocacy around Hurricane Helene relief. We have a few sources that have shared that the NC Senate is starting to draft their version of a Hurricane Helene Aid package, influenced by the approved House Bill 1012. This is a SIGNIFICANT development, as this was previously going to be lumped into the passage of a State Budget, which has several negotiating hurdles to pass before it sees traction and could take a long while to see the light of day, if at all.

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Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Expands Efforts to Enhance Tourism Economy

June 23, 2025 The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has secured a three-year, $750,000 grant from the Dogwood Health Trust to support regional strategies to advance tourism and related economic development. The grant activities will benefit workers and businesses in numerous gateway communities along the Blue Ridge Parkway in  North Carolina. The Dogwood Health Trust grant will help implement economic development strategies outlined in the Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan, created with the input of hundreds of community leaders in the counties that neighbor the national park.

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Boone Pride Parade and Festival Happening June 28; Parade Steps Off at 12 Noon with the Festival to Follow from 1 pm – 6pm

June 23, 2025 Boone Pride returns to downtown Boone on Saturday June 28 for a Pride Parade and Festival. What started in 2022 as a small march on the sidewalks of King Street and a rally at The Jones House, has grown to include a parade down King Street and a half-day festival with vendors, live music, drag performances and food trucks. “I remember that first year scrambling to pull something, anything together in just two weeks,” states Boone Pride co-founder and Boone town council member Todd Carter. “It is important to me that the Town of Boone recognize and celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month so that every single person who lives, works, plays, and visits our beautiful town knows that they are welcome here.”

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LETTER: Do We Have to Have Homelessness?

June 23, 2025 Letters to the Editor. By Maryrose Carroll / Few of us are old enough to remember the heartbreak of the Great Depression, with its gaunt families living in cars, roaming in search of work, but we have seen the photos. I hope the Great Depression is not returning. But we are entering a dangerous progression. More people than ever are experiencing homelessness for the first time. Between 2019 and 2023, the number of individuals entering emergency shelters for the first time increased by more than 23 percent.

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Movie Review: “28 Days Later” Now Playing at Boone Regal

June 23, 2025 It has been 23 years (not 28, somewhat frustratingly) since British audiences were first introduced to the mind-and-body-ravaging Rage virus in “28 Days Later.” The virus turned everyone it affected into zombies, known as The Infected, obsessed not so much with feeding as with turning more people into zombies. The film’s heroes had a hard time evading The Infected, and then just when it looked like they were safe, they had to deal with the degenerate humans that had appointed themselves to power after the collapse of civilization. The Infected were still at large five years later in “28 Weeks Later” and humanity was more monstrous than ever. Nothing interesting must have happened 28 months later from the events of that film, because the series skipped right over it. Instead, it jumps to 28 years later, when older children and even adults have never known a world not affected by The Infected. 

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Green Park Inn Project Sparks Interest, Debate

June 23, 2025 The Green Park Inn construction is well underway, with site work begun, golf wing demolition completed and most of the property’s contents donated to local and regional charities to help families affected by Hurricane Helene. Many people have shared information and misinformation on social media and through traditional media over the last few weeks. We met separately with the property’s new ownership group, Blowing Rock mayor, town officials and members of town council in attempt to put to rest speculation, rumors and ignorance. Though our goal was to gain clarity, some information from town officials was inconsistent. By Sam Garrett

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Watauga County Signs Contract to Purchase Watauga Medics, INC for $1.7 Million

June 21, 2025 Watauga County has reached an agreement with Watauga Medics, Inc. for Ambulance
Services in Watauga County to become a County-Operated Service. At the June 17, 2025 regularly scheduled meeting, the Watauga County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of the assets of Watauga Medics, Inc. for $1.7 million. $1 million was for the purchase of all ambulances and equipment of Watauga Medics, and $700,000 for the purchase of Medic Base 2 located at 133 Boone NC 28607

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Highland Games Set to Return to Grandfather Mountain’s MacRae Meadows July 10 to 13

June 20, 2025 The long and storied tradition that is the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games returns to MacRae Meadows on Thursday, July 10, continuing through Sunday, July 13. This marks the 69th year for the beloved and historic celebration of Scottish ancestry and heritage, with the popular festival once again bringing a “wee bit o’ Scotland” to the High Country of North Carolina. “This year’s games are a great reason for folks to travel to the North Carolina High Country,” said Stephen Quillin, president of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.

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Voters Once Affiliated with Certain NC Political Parties to Be Moved to Unaffiliated Status

June 20, 2025 voters registered with four parties — Constitution, Justice for All, No Labels, and We the People — will be moved to unaffiliated status in the state’s voter registration database. When the 2024 general election was certified by the State Board, the Constitution, Green, Justice for All, No Labels, and We the People parties were no longer recognized as official parties in North Carolina because they failed to meet thresholds required by state law. Specifically, candidates for these political parties failed to receive at least 2% of the total vote for governor or president last November.

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High-Country Real Estate Market Report for May Shows Sales up 34% Over April Sales

June 20, 2025 The High-Country Real Estate Market, consisting of Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties, saw 138 closed sales on single-family and condo/townhouse properties in May 2025, up 34.0% compared to April 2025.   Inventory was up 26.6% compared to April 2025. The combined closing total of sales for May 2025 was over 87.9 million compared to a closing total for May 2024 of $ 86.5 million. However, the combined median sales price for all four counties was $504,998 for May 2025, up 17.9% compared to May 2024. Hopefully, this is the beginning of an upturn for the High Country Real Estate market.

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Will Easter and Midlife Trip Bring High-Energy Americana to the Jones House on June 27

June 20, 2025 The Town of Boone invites you to enjoy an evening of live music on Friday, June 27, as part of the ongoing Summer Concerts at the Jones House series in downtown Boone. Music begins at 5:30 PM with Will Easter, followed by an electric set from Midlife Trip. Raised in a porch-picking family in western North Carolina, Will Easter crafts songs that are both heartfelt and hard-hitting. His lyrics explore themes of home, memory, and emotional honesty with plainspoken depth. From rollicking dance tunes like “River Song” to soul-stirring ballads such as “Carolina Home,” Will’s performances leave a lasting impact.

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Scottish Heritage USA Celebrates 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee on July 13th

June 19, 2025 Scottish Heritage USA is holding a special 60th Anniversary Gala Dinner on July 13 at the end of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games to celebrate the organization’s Diamond Jubilee. A festive dinner, traditional Scottish music and song by Tryon, NC Master Fiddler Jamie Laval and Scottish Heritage USA minstrel Colin Grant Adams, stories of Robert Burns from the National Trust for Scotland’s Learning Manager Chris Waddell, and recognition of Scottish Heritage USA’s decades of success will make this an evening to remember for all. The event will be held at the Best Western Mountain Lodge in Banner Elk from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. The reception and dinner costs $85 per person for members and $100 per person for non-members. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to www.ScottishHeritageUSA.org

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Summer Experiences at Grandfather Mountain – Beat the Heat and Have Some Fun

June 19, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is looking forward to the summer months on the mountain filled with daily programs, special experiences and an array of events. “The summer months are such a special time on the mountain,” said Jesse Pope, president and CEO of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “Our programming offers guests unique opportunities to experience the mountain, and we are especially excited to welcome visitors back to the mountain after Hurricane Helene. The N.C. High Country is open for business and we eagerly anticipate a busy summer season.”

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Town of Boone Public Notices: Next Town Council Meeting and Town Board Openings

June 19, 2025 If anyone wishes to have an agenda item considered by the Boone Town Council at one of their upcoming regular meetings scheduled for Wednesday, July 9, 2025 at 9 a.m., and Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at 6 p.m. it must be submitted to the Town Clerk by Friday, June 27, 2025, at 5 p.m. And the Town of Boone is currently soliciting applications from people who would like to serve on the following boards: Click Here

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P.B. Scott’s Music Hall Reunion and Round-Up Taking Place at Boonerang Festival this Saturday, 6:30 at the Jones House

June 16, 2025 It’s time for another P.B. Scott’s reunion! The famous Blowing Rock music hall closed some 40 years ago, but those who experienced it during its seven years in operation still can’t stop talking about it. There have been a number of reunions over the these past 40 years and another is on its way at Jones House during this year’s Boonerang Festival, taking place this weekend, June 19th through the 22nd. The Boonerang Festival takes place in and around downtown Boone. Festival organizers added a spot on the calendar for the P.B.’s reunion and get together on Saturday June 21st at 6:30pm at the Jones House.

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