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Grandfather Mountain March 2025 Weather Report; Drier-Than-Normal Conditions

April 28, 2025 March 2025 saw drier-than-normal conditions for the month on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations. The average high temperature for March 2025 was 47.47 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average low of 31.65 degrees and a mean of 39.56 degrees. The warmest temperature recorded last month was 62.1 degrees on March 12, almost 10 degrees shy of the mountain’s record March high of 72 degrees, observed March 30, 1985.

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Watauga Humane Society Joins BISSELL Pet Foundation to Offer Reduced Adoption Fees During Spring Empty the Shelters Event May 1 – 15

April 28, 2025 BISSELL Pet Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending pet homelessness, is once again prompting a nationwide call for adoption through its Empty the Shelters event, running May 1-15, 2025. Watauga Humane Society will participate alongside 380+ shelters across 43 states to help pets find loving homes through reduced adoption fees of $70, generously sponsored by BISSELL Pet Foundation. Watauga Humane Society will participate from May 1-15, offering $70 adoptions for cats and dogs and $0 for small critters. Visit https://bit.ly/4i01kxX to view adoptable pets and learn more.

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NC Native Plant Society Announces Two Native Plant Sales in Boone May 17 and June 21

The Blue Ridge Chapter of the NC Native Plant Society is announcing the dates for their two annual native plant sales.  The sales will be held on Saturday, May 17 and Saturday June 21 at the  Daniel Boone Native Gardens located at 651 Horn in the West Drive, Boone. The sales run from 8:00am to 11:00am both days.  In the event of rain, the location will be moved across the street to the picnic shelter in Boone Park.

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UNC Health Appalachian Announces Local Chapter of “Walk with a Doc” in Boone

April 28, 2025 UNC Health Appalachian is proud to announce the launch of a local chapter of Walk with a Doc, a monthly walking program led by our Family Medicine residents designed to promote wellness and build community – one step at a time. Starting on Saturday, May 3rd, the Boone community is invited to join a monthly physician-led walk that begins with a short health talk followed by a casual walk. The program is free and open to all ages and fitness levels. Whether you’re managing a chronic condition, looking for a reason to get outside, or simply interested in connecting with local healthcare providers in a relaxed setting, this is a great opportunity to take charge of your health.

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Movie Review: “The Accountant” Now Playing at Boone Regal

April 28, 2025 “The Accountant” was a midsized hit from 2016 that until recently had a reputation as a wannabe franchise-starter that never got a follow-up. I watched the first movie for research last weekend, and I would have guessed that the reason the film went so long without a sequel was that the key players knew that they had made a lousy movie and wanted to do better things with their careers. But apparently there was enough interest to bring about “The Accountant 2,” a film popular enough to make for one of the most crowded screenings I’ve attended in recent memory. I can’t say that I really see the appeal – either before or after the screening. 

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Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Awarded $5 Million Grant for Regional Tourism

April 25, 2025 The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has secured  a three-year, $5.13 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to support regional strategies to advance cultural and recreational tourism. The grant activities will benefit dozens of Appalachian gateway communities along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina that host millions of visitors each year. “By investing in infrastructure improvements, regional business growth, and tourism workforce development, Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s ARISE grant stands to have a robust economic impact on Appalachian North Carolina and Southwest Virginia,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin.

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Key to the City: Boone Town Council Recognizes Trenton D’Agostino for His Success at the Special Olympics World Winter Games

April 25, 2025 During the April 23, 2025 Boone Town Council meeting, the Boone Town Council unanimously approved a resolution to award a “Key to the City” to Special Olympian, Trenton D’Agostino. D’Agostino was also given a plaque that detailed the Town Council’s appreciation for his achievements. An accomplished athlete, D’Agostino won two gold medals, one in the intermediate giant slalom snowboarding competition and another in the intermediate super G in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy. As a Watauga County native, and as a graduate of Hardin Park Elementary School and Watauga High School, the Boone Town Council wanted to recognize these achievements with a tangible reminder of how proud D’Agostino’s community is of his journey.

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Grandfather Mountain Announces Grandfather Glows Firefly Viewing Lottery Details

April 25, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has announced the initial details related to this year’s Grandfather Glows firefly viewing events. Research on Grandfather Mountain has confirmed the presence of 10 species of fireflies or illumining insects, including synchronous fireflies (Photinus carolinus), blue ghost fireflies (Phausis reticulata) and glowworms (Orfelia fultoni). Synchronous fireflies are habitat specialists and thrive in northern hardwood forests, such as those found at Grandfather Mountain. These glowing wonders only appear for a few weeks each year

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Volunteer Registration Open for 2025 Special Olympics North Carolina Summer Games

April 24, 2025 Volunteer registration is now open for the 2025 Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC) Summer Games, to be held May 30 – June 1 in the Raleigh area.  More than 1,000 volunteer opportunities are available for individuals as well as groups. The SONC Summer Games will feature more than 1,500 Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners, individuals without intellectual disabilities, from across the state competing in athletics, basketball, bowling, gymnastics, powerlifting, swimming and volleyball at venues in Raleigh, Cary and Holly Springs for SONC’s largest state-level competition.

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Educator Workshop Series Returns to Grandfather Mountain in 2025 Beginning June 13

April 24, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has announced its educator workshops for 2025. These workshops, provided specifically to environmental educators in various professions, offer opportunities for career growth and professional development by using the wonders of Grandfather Mountain to further participants’ expertise.

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Movie Review: “Sinners” Now Playing at Boone Regal

April 23, 2025 If “A Minecraft Movie” is the commercial hit that 2025 needed, then “Sinners” is the creative hit it needed. Writer/director Ryan Coogler has delivered a film that starts off as a compelling-enough 1930’s period piece before wildly shifting into supernatural territory. But the later developments don’t devalue the efforts made in the setup, they simply put the well-established characters on a path they didn’t anticipate. Speaking of anticipation, I’m going to be vague with story developments so readers can go into this movie anticipating little more than an unspecified good time.

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Armed Robbery in Vilas Results in Shootout with Johnson County Deputies in Tennessee

April 23, 2025 On April 22, 2025 the Watauga County 911 Communication Center received a call for an armed robbery at the Quality Plus in Vilas. The suspect left the Quality Plus in dark SUV, heading north on US Hwy 421 towards TN. Watauga County Deputies began immediately searching for the suspect. A Deputy spotted the suspect vehicle crossing into TN and Communications made Johnson County aware. Johnson County Deputies located the vehicle near the state line and the suspect attempted to flee. Johnson County Deputies pursued the suspect vehicle to the Maymead plant at 5045 Hwy 421 S Mtn. City, TN. The suspect exited his vehicle and began shooting at Deputies, hitting one Johnson County Deputy.

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Construction on Howard Street Set to Begin the Week of April 21 at the South Depot

April 18, 2025 On April 14, 2025, the Town of Boone hosted the official groundbreaking for the Howard Street Revitalization project. Due to the upcoming Easterholiday, official construction for this project will begin the week of April 21, 2025. The first construction phase for the Howard Street Revitalization project will occur at the South Depot Street/Howard Street intersection to replace underground infrastructure, a required start for this project. All roads leading to the South Depot Street/Howard Street intersection will be closed at the intersection. No vehicular traffic is permitted to access this intersection until this phase of the construction is complete.

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GROUNDHOG COFFEE CO. OPENS IN BOONE

April 16, 2025 Last weekend, Boone welcomed its newest local spot: Groundhog Coffee, now open next to Bella’s Italian. Founded by 19-year-old independent owner Conor Lowrey, the café has been a dream in the making since 2022. Conor has poured passion and precision into every detail—from the clean yet inviting space to the student baristas, expertly trained by renowned North Carolina coffee educator Destiny Law.

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4th Annual Boonerang Music & Arts Festival Kicks Off with Local Talent Showcase June 19

April 16, 2025 The Town of Boone is excited to announce the 2025 Boonerang Music & Arts Festival kicks off with the all-ages, talent show Boone’s Got Talent. The event showcases some of the High Country’s best local performers at the historic Appalachian Theatre in downtown Boone. A wide array of acts with a connection to the town will take to the Doc Watson Stage on Thursday, June 19, 2025, starting at 7:30 PM. In collaboration with the Appalachian Theatre and Mountain Home Music, the official Thursday night kick-off event for the 2025 festival features the second annual Boone’s Got Talent showcase after a successful debut in 2024.

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Town of Boone’s Historic Preservation Commission Boone Cemetery Interpretative Panels Unveiling Ceremony on May 2

April 16, 2025 The Town of Boone Town Council and Historic Preservation Commission cordially invite the public to attend the unveiling ceremony of the Boone Cemetery Interpretative Panels on May 2, 2025, at 5 PM. The ceremony will be held at Boone Cemetery, located at 678 Howard Street, near Appalachian State University’s Howard Street Hall and Student Union Center. This event is scheduled in conjunction with the First Friday festivities hosted by the Downtown Boone Development Association with the Watauga County Arts Council. The ceremony will feature opening remarks, followed by a cemetery tour in collaboration with the Watauga County Historical Society.

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Helping Hands Concert Series Brings Big Names to Banner Elk at Hayes Auditorium

April 16, 2025 Stars from across the music spectrum will perform three benefit concerts this summer at Hayes Auditorium on the campus of Lees-McRae College. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Oates of Hall & Oates, Country Music Hall of Famer Jimmy Fortune of The Statler Brothers, and two-time Grammy winning singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale are among the star-studded lineup. All artists are donating their time to raise money for Hurricane Helene victims in the greater Banner Elk area.

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Sherrie Norris Lovin’ Spoonful Cooking Column: Holy Week Leading Us To Easter


April 15, 2025 We are in the midst of Holy Week, leading up  to Easter, which, for Christians around the world, is the most significant day of our faith. Preparing our hearts and minds began several weeks ago, and while I have failed miserably during this season of Lent, I am looking forward to a time of renewal with Easter season reminding me of important truths. Between now and the weekend, there will be numerous events to help us commemorate Easter, which, in addition to church services will include family gatherings, brunches, lunches, Easter Egg  hunts and more fun things for the kids. But, please don’t let the Easter Bunny take away from the true meaning of the observance recognizing the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I am not ashamed to proclaim my faith and I hope that others will join me at this sacred time of celebration By Sherrie Norris

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The High-Country Real Estate Market Report Shows Sales Down 18% from Last March

April 15, 2025 The High-Country Real Estate Market, which consists of Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties saw sales down in March 2025 by 18.0% compared to March 2024, with inventory up 11.0% compared to March 2024. In March 2025, there were 109 closed sales on single-family and condo/townhouse properties. The combined closing total of sales for March 2025 was over $71 million compared to a closing total for March 2024 of $66.7 million. However, the combined median sales price for all four counties was $505,000 for March 2025, up 16.8% compared to March 2024. The weather is still a deciding factor in our market currently.

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Next Weekend, April 24-27, Begins MerleFest’s 37th Festival; Tickets Still Available

April 15, 2025 Wilkesboro, NC – The final countdown is here! In just one week, MerleFest, presented by Window World, will enter its 37th year, inviting music lovers from all backgrounds to enjoy a world-class lineup amidst the beautiful foothills in Wilkesboro, NC. The energy is undeniable as staff and volunteers put the finishing touches on this year’s event. MerleFest veterans and newcomers alike are scouring over stage schedules, downloading the official MerleFest Mobile App, and perfecting their plans for a stellar, jam-packed weekend. Next weekend, April 24-27, begins MerleFest’s 37th festival, and this year’s lineup features a bounty of all-star acts and jams. With headliners like Bonnie Raitt, The Avett Brothers, Watchhouse, and The Steeldrivers.

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Movie Review: “A Minecraft Movie” Now Playing at Boone Regal

April 15, 2025 After a mere two weekends, “A Minecraft Movie” has claimed the top spot of the 2025 domestic box office. It’s not shocking that this franchise piece beat out January fare, but since then we’ve had an MCU entry and this movie just blew right past it. And I have to ask: Why? Okay, I know why. It’s because the video game is popular. But bad movies based on popular video games flop all the time, why is this one in particular bucking the trend? Does the video game just have that big of a fanbase that they can turn it into a hit where so many similar attempts have failed? Or did fans and non-fans alike see the advertising for this movie and think that there might be a good movie here? I’m inclined to believe it’s the former, because I did not see any version of the advertising that made the movie seem like anything more than the hackery that it is. 

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Ensemble Stage Professional Theater Announce Their 2025 Summer Season Line-Up

April 14, 2025 The Ensemble Stage Professional Theater has announce their 2025 summer season line-up of shows along with ticket information. There will be four productions at the 99 seat Summer MainStage located in Banner Elk. Season tickets go on sale April 14 and single tickets will be available beginning April 28. Season tickets are available only by calling 828-414-1844 or stopping by the box office at 185 Azalea Circle located at the Historic Banner Elk School.

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