1000 x 90

Hospitality House Celebrates Receiving More Than $400,000 in Grants to Fight Homelessness in High Country

June 1, 2023 More than 60 local politicians, community advocates as well as representatives from state and federal agencies and organizations gathered at the Hospitality House in Boone on Wednesday to celebrate Hospitality House of Northwest North Carolina receiving $446,625 in grants to combat rural homelessness. The money comes from grants of more than $22 million awarded to the state from the department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD. Hospitality House of Northwest NC includes Watauga, Wilkes, Ashe, Alleghany, Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties. By Zack Hill

Read more

High Country Real Estate: Real Estate by the Numbers

June 1, 2023 We’ve all heard the saying, “The numbers don’t lie.” But at the same time, most of us have heard Mark Twain’s famous quote, “There’s lies, damn lies, and statistics.” Still, looking at data, or statistics, if you will pardon us Mr. Twain, does provide valuable insight into what is actually happening beyond headlines, opinions and suppositions. Tom Gidley, REALTOR

Read more

OASIS, Inc. to celebrate 45 years of service with Midnight at the OASIS

May 31, 2023 OASIS, Inc. the local nonprofit serving victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence, is celebrating their 45th anniversary this summer with the return of Midnight at the OASIS. Seeking a way to celebrate the impact of 25 years of service to the High Country, OASIS hosted Midnight at the OASIS for the first time in 2003. Now, 20 years later, they invite our community to join them for the first Midnight at the OASIS since 2019.

Read more

Riverkeeper Float Fest Returns on June 24, 2023

May 31, 2023 Todd, NC – Come out on Saturday, June 24, for the return of the Riverkeeper Float Fest, sponsored by Appalachian Mountain Brewery and hosted by River & Earth Adventures. This family-friendly event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at River & Earth Adventures’ New River Outpost in Todd, NC.

Read more

Avery County High School to Hold 2023 Graduation Ceremonies on June 2nd at MacDonald Stadium

May 31, 2023 Avery High’s 2023 graduation ceremonies will be held the evening of Friday, June 2nd, on the football turf at the school’s MacDonald Stadium. The school is located at 401 High School Road in Newland. Graduation will commence at 6:00 p.m.Graduates are requested to arrive at the school no later than 4:30 p.m. on June 2nd. Gates will open for families and other guests of those graduating at 5:00 p.m.  The graduates, along with high school and Avery County Board of Education officials, will sit on the turf.  All others are asked to sit in the stadium’s home side bleachers.   By Tim Gardner

Read more

Sherrie Norris Lovin’ Spoonful Cooking Column: Stretching Family Food Dollars Through the Summer


May 31, 2023 Contrary to popular belief, summer doesn’t always mean fun in the sun for all families. Some are struggling to find safe places for the kids during the school break. Work schedules, limited income and the stresses of life, in general, often prove to be challenging for a lot of families in our area. Camp registration begins filling up in the middle of winter, and not everyone has grandparents and other relatives to lend a helping hand with childcare. Also among great concerns for many families is making sure the kids receive adequate nutrition during the summer months. For those, especially, who depend on breakfast and lunches provided by school cafeterias during the academic year, it can be a daunting responsibility to have enough food in the cupboards at home to cover the extra meals.  By Sherrie Norris

Read more

Outdoor Lifestyle Store Opens on Main Street

May 31, 2023 The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce celebrated the official opening of Rooster Rock Supply Company with a ribbon cutting last week.This is the second business for owners, Toby and Hailey Oliver. They also own Oliver’s on Main in the Southmarke Center. Rooster Rock Supply Company sells clothing and outdoor lifestyle supplies. The store, located inside the former Wells Fargo Bank space at 983 Main Street, utilizes the former bank’s vault as a changing room. By Kris Testori

Read more

Ribbon Cutting & Celebration! Blowing Rock History Walk

May 31, 2023 .On Thursday, June 1, the town of Blowing Rock will celebrate Blowing Rock History Day. At this event, Mayor Charlie Sellers, along with the Blowing Rock Historical Society (BRHS) and the Village Foundation, will host the ribbon cutting for the 21 stations of the History Walk.  “Our history walk will be a tremendous new community asset,” said BRHS president Tom O’Brien.  “It is a marvelous way to bring our history to life,” he added. The ribbon cutting is at 4 p.m. in Mayview Plaza, located at the intersection of Laurel Lane and Main Street. A celebration at the American Legion building will follow. The community is invited and there will be a free open bar and appetizers. By Kris Testori

Read more

2023 Avery Memorial Day Ceremony Held to Honor and Remember Veterans Who Perished in Battle

May 31, 2023 Active military personnel, retired veterans and families of fallen soldiers, along with grateful civilians, gathered Monday afternoon in Avery County for its annual Memorial Day ceremony to remember those slain from the county and across America in a foreign war.The event is held every year on the Avery County/Newland Town Square, whichfeatures its veterans’ monument with names of all county natives who served during a military conflict and in which war.  The county/town square also highlights Armed Forces flags displays and gardens and the Fallen Officers, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Ten Commandments monuments.The ceremony is organized and conducted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Auxiliary Pat Ray Post 4286, in Newland.  Approximately 200 attended this year. By Tim Gardner

Read more

Blowing Rock Announces Interim Town Manager

May 31, 2023 The Mayor and Council would like to announce that Kevin Rothrock was chosen unanimously to serve as Interim Town Manager until a permanent Manager is selected. Mr. Rothrock has served as Planning Director since July of 2001.Mr. Rothrock is a native of Winston Salem, a ’94 graduate of Appalachian State University, and he worked for the Town of Boone for 6 years prior to coming to the Town of Blowing Rock.

Read more

Appalachian Theatre celebrates Music-Themed Films in June Jams Series

June 1, 2023 BOONE, NC – The historic Appalachian Theatre on King Street continues its themed movie offerings by highlighting music-centric films during its June Jams Film Series. The month begins with a screening of the theatre’s most requested animated feature, “The Lion King”, on Saturday, June 3 with a 2 p.m. matinee showing. Presented by Allen Wealth Management, this 1994 animated blockbuster loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet features music by Elton John and voice work by James Earl Jones and Jeremy Irons. This special showing will include captions as audience singing is encouraged!

Read more

Emmet Cohen Trio Featured at 2023 High Country Jazz Festival App Theatre Hosts “Poster Man for Contemporary Jazz” on June 10

May 30, 2023 BOONE, NC – Internationally acclaimed jazz artist Emmet Cohen and his award-winning trio take to the Appalachian Theatre stage in Boone at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 10 as a headliner event during the 2023 High Country Jazz Festival. It is one of 14 separate events in ten different locations throughout Boone and Blowing Rock that are part of the 2023 festival, which runs from June 9 through 11. Tickets for The Emmet Cohen Trio are $35 and $42.More than half of the 14 events are free of charge to the general public with tickets on sale for headliner performances via the festival website: www.highcountryjazzfestival.org

Read more

Singing in the Valle Opens 2023 Summer Concert Series at St. John’s Four Musical Groups Combine to Kick-Off 12th Anniversary Season on June 4

May 30, 2023 VALLE CRUCIS, NC – The annual Singing in the Valle music program opens the 2023 Summer Concert Series in Valle Crucis at 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 4 with the vocal and handbell choirs of Holy Cross Episcopal Church joined by singers from Banner Elk Presbyterian Church and the popular vocal trio The Holy Smokes.This concert is the first in a line-up of artists that has been announced for the popular Summer Concert Series at historic St. John’s Church in Valle Crucis with monthly events planned through August 6. A summer mission of Holy Cross Episcopal Church, the picturesque chapel, consecrated in 1862, is located in the Watauga County countryside and provides marvelous acoustics for music with its wooden walls and floors forming a natural sounding board for live performances.

Read more

Artists at Edgewood Cottage, Skip Sicker and Laurin Jennings Featured Through June 4th

May 30, 2023 Skip Sicker, photographer, and ceramic artist Laurin Jennings are sharing the Cottage from Saturday, May 27 through June 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.From his earliest memories, Skip was drawn to nature. While immersed in mountains, forests, streams and oceans, he finds himself more centered, more alive.  In this context, Skip presents his photography for your enjoyment and inspiration.  You’ve likely seen Skip’s work in CML Magazine (CML) and didn’t know it was his.

Read more

Movie Review: “The Little Mermaid”

May 30, 2023             Back in 1989, the animated version of “The Little Mermaid” ushered in what came to be known as the “Disney Renaissance,” an era of creative and commercial prosperity where the company reclaimed its position as the king of animated family entertainment. Now in 2023, the company is looking to a live-action version of “The Little Mermaid” to put it back on top of that mountain, minus the animation. Sure, the MCU is doing well, but the studio hasn’t really been connecting with younger audiences lately, at least not at the box office. The pandemic forced “Soul,” “Luca,” and “Turning Red” to go directly to streaming, “Raya and the Last Dragon” opened too soon after theaters reopened to be a blockbuster, “Encanto” didn’t perform as well as its legacy would suggest, and “Strange World” simply did not find an audience. The best performer since 2019 was last year’s critical flop “Lightyear” with $118 million domestic, a number “The Little Mermaid” is projected to nearly match or even beat by the end of the four-day Memorial Day weekend.  By Bob Garver

Read more

Musical Artists Announced for 2023 Summer Concert Series at St. John’s Valle Crucis, Banner Elk, Junaluska Choirs, and Wild Blue Yonder Celtic Band

May 26, 2023 VALLE CRUCIS, NC – There is a framed needlepoint artwork in the choir room at Holy Cross Episcopal Church that reads, “For heights and depths no words can reach, music is the soul’s own speech.” While the author of that phrase is unknown, the revered saying could well be the mantra for an upcoming series of musical concerts.The line-up of artists has been announced for the popular Summer Concert Series at historic St. John’s Church in Valle Crucis with monthly events planned from June 4 through August 6. A summer mission of Holy Cross Episcopal Church, the picturesque chapel, consecrated in 1862, is located in the Watauga County countryside and provides marvelous acoustics for music with its wooden walls and floors forming a natural sounding board for live performances.

Read more

Body Found in Winkler Creek Identified

May 25, 2023 Boone NC- On May 24th, 2023, around 3:45 p.m., a subject conducting research in Winkler Creek located a deceased individual in the creek behind the Broyhill Wellness Center, located at 232 Boone Heights Drive. Members of the Boone Police Department, Boone Fire Department, and Watauga EMS responded and confirmed the subject was deceased.Detectives of the Boone Police Department responded and identified the deceased as Christopher Lee Strickland, age 35. Strickland was last known to be camping along the bank of Winkler Creek upstream from where he was located. His next of kin have been notified of his death. 

Read more

High Country Real Estate: High Country Snapshot

May 25, 2023 The High Country is made up of seven counties, a lot of small towns, vibrant communities and an amazing amount of charm and character! It would be impossible to cover every community when looking at Real Estate in the High Country but occasionally, we like to take a look at  some of the larger communities in the area and tell you about some of the real estate that has sold in the past 90 days. Paige Carter, REALTOR, Blue Ridge Realty & Investments, LLC

Read more

National Geographic Society CEO to Speak at App State’s Appalachian Energy Summit June 7th

May 25, 2023 BOONE, N.C. — National Geographic Society CEO Jill Tiefenthaler will give the keynote address at the 2023 Appalachian Energy Summit, hosted by Appalachian State University’s Office of Sustainability on Wednesday, June 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts.The talk is free and open to the public, with reserved tickets available at the Schaefer Center box office. Attendees are encouraged to secure their tickets early. 

Read more

Avery Board of Commissioners Compile Proposed 2023-2024 County Budget Featuring No Over-all Tax Increase 

May 25, 2023 After spending months in deliberation about the 2023-2024 fiscal year budget, the Avery County Board of Commissioners, which consists of Chairwoman Martha Hicks, Vice-Chairman Tim Phillips, Dennis Aldridge, Wood Hall (Woodie) Young, Jr. and Robert Burleson, has finished a proposed 2023-2024 fiscal year budget.The proposed General Fund budget totals $37,131,691.00 and includes $2,625,210.00 in appropriated fund balance. Under its terms, the county’s tax rate will be 40 cents per $100 valuation. That includes 33.5 percent in general tax and 6.5 percent in fire tax. The proposed budget includes no over-all tax increase.  But the fire tax was increased by one cent from 5.5 cents. By Tim Gardner

Read more

Reservations are now open for “Grandfather Presents: William Mangum”

May 24, 2023 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has announced that you may now reserve your seat for the first of the Saturday presentations in its 2023 Grandfather Presents speaker series. Artist William Mangum will present “North Carolina Beautiful” on June 3.

Read more

Shilling Wins CCC&TI Academic Excellence Award

May 24, 2023 Billie Shilling began working as a housekeeper at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Boone while in high school. Her manager saw tremendous potential and encouraged her to further her career by enrolling in Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute’s Hospitality Management program on the Watauga Campus. Shilling, a first-generation college student, enrolled at CCC&TI in Fall 2020. As she learned new skills, both on the job and in the classroom, she worked her way up to the Operational Supervisor position while attending school full-time. Her success in the classroom has not only helped her professionally, it also recently earned her the highest annual honor given to a CCC&TI student.

Read more

Count Basie Orchestra Headlines 2023 High Country Jazz Festival 

May 24, 2023 BOONE, NC – “We’re bringing 88 years of classic ‘Count Basie Jazz’ directly to you,” said Scotty Barnhart, director of The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra about their Appalachian Theatre debut performance that is headlining the 2023 High Country Jazz Festival. “I’ve programmed something from every decade of the orchestra’s existence that will feature each of the 19 artists on stage, including new charts added to your program that haven’t been played in years!”

Read more

+ More Articles