Watauga, Avery Obituaries – February 24, 2026
February 24, 2026 The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland
The Blowing Rock Historical Society And the Town of Blowing Rock Invites You to a Celebration of Blowing Rock’s 137th Birthday!
The Blowing Rock Historical Society and the Town of Blowing Rock are pleased to have Mr. Randell Jones as our speaker for the event, an award-winning writer on the pioneer era and the Revolutionary War in the South, and especially on North Carolina history. Randell Jones will be speaking on Daniel Boone, his travels, and his adventures, as he heroically began the first westward movement by marking a trail into the wilds of Kentucky in 1775, 250 years ago. The presentation promises to be both entertaining and educational! When: March 11, 2026 Time: 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Where: American Legion, 333 Wallingford Street Light refreshments will be served.
WAMY Community Action Announces Exclusive Murder Mystery Fundraiser at The Embers Hotel of Blowing Rock, NC
February 24, 2026 Boone, NC – February 24, 2026 -The evening centers around a murder mystery production written and produced by Shane Lee Miller and directed by Corey Babay. The performance features a cast of local favorites, including Steven and Jocelyn Lacey, Yolanda Robertson, Thomas Bruns, Kat Eller, Tyler Holden, Stacey Gibson, Kevin Coffey, Reggie Lafuria, and Kris Testori.
App State’s inaugural Conway Scholars: 42 students shaping the future of health care
February 24, 2026 Boone, NC – February 24, 2026 -“Empowered by this scholarship, our inaugural Conway Scholars are poised to achieve their professional goals and make a lasting difference in communities across North Carolina — through the care they will provide to countless patients and families at health systems, physician practices, care facilities and community-based clinics,” said Dr. Marie Huff, dean of the Beaver College of Health Sciences.
High Country Radio’s “HIGHWAY 106.1 & 102.3” Announces Major Lineup Changes — Bill Fisher Returns to Morning Drive; New Country-Connected Host to Power the Drive Home
February 24, 2026 Boone, NC – February 24, 2026 -“We’re thrilled to bring Bill Fisher back to mornings, on one of our stations again,” said Erica Lackey, GM at High Country Radio. “Bill is a local institution — he knows our community, our stories, and how to start the day with warmth, wit, and authenticity. His return reinforces our commitment to hometown personality-driven radio, so you can keep listening local, even while he’s in sunny semi-retirement. As Bill says: ‘Fish is back – sort of’.”
MOVIE REVIEW: I Can Only Imagine 2
February 24, 2026 Boone, NC – February 24, 2026 -The film did well because it had stamina and passionate support. Now sequel “I Can Only Imagine 2” has also debuted in the #3 position, behind the second weekends of both “Wuthering Heights” and “GOAT.” Will it have the stamina and support to pull off a similarly impressive showing? Probably not, but only time will tell.
Boone Docs Film Festival Turns 5!
February 24, 2026 Boone, NC – February 24, 2026 -“We are proud and happy to see the growth of Boone Docs over these last five years,” said Krystal Carter, Boone Docs organizer and an Appalachian Studies scholar.
NC Community Foundation awards $9M in grants for long-term recovery from Helene
February 23, 2026 Boone, NC – February 23, 2026 NCCF accepted grant applications for long-term recovery in the fall. More than 300 applications were received, requesting over $25 million to address needs in the region. Grant applications were reviewed by a group of over 30 people from western North Carolina, who provided feedback on the requests. “The scope and scale of requests highlight the significant challenges still facing western North Carolina,” said Jennifer Tolle Whiteside, president & CEO of the North Carolina Community Foundation.
Celebrating 20 Years of SMARL with Five Folks Who Have Raced In All 20 Seasons, Plus 100’s of Pictures From Many Previous Years
February 18, 2026 In the Fall of 2005 Bill Leonard of Ski Country Sports dreamed up the idea of organizing a High Country race series for local adult skiers. The point of the series was to have fun, as well as to enjoy some good natured competition. Bill pitched his idea to Gunther Jochl, owner of Sugar Mountain Resort, and the Sugar Mountain Adult Race League was born with the first series of races commencing with the 2006 ski season. That first year the league filled up its 100 person limit and the series has been going strong ever since.
SMARL Wraps Up Its 20th Anniversary Season with the Awards Party on Monday Night
February 17, 2026 Sugar Mountain Adult Ski League SMARL ended its 20th Anniversary 2026 racing season with a bang as perfect conditions for racing and an exciting Awards Night of celebrating in the Sugar Mountain Lodge unfolded. Up on the slope, our reporter on the scene for the six Monday night races, Matt Leonard, said the vibe on the course felt Olympic as racers pushed to improve their end of the season points tally for an opportunity to earn a gold, silver or bronze medal for the 2026 season. “Once again the conditions were perfect, just like the last two weeks with this week being the faster yet,” said Leonard. “They made it quite a challenging course for the last race!”
Watauga, Avery Obituaries – February 17, 2026
February 17, 2026 The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland
MOVIE REVIEW: “Wuthering Heights”
February 17, 2026 Boone, NC – February 17, 2026 – “Wuthering Heights” is based on a classic novel by Emily Brontë. I’ve never read the novel, which is probably for the best. Reports of the movie differing from the novel are actually quite relieving to me. They’re relieving in the sense that I do not have to lose respect for people who like the novel, which I would do if this movie were any indication of its quality. I’m fine with not judging a book by its movie, especially when the movie is this terrible.
Grandfather Mountain Announces 2026 Nature Photography Weekend Presenters
February 17, 2026 Boone, NC – February 17, 2026 -Nature Photography Weekend will return to the mountain June 5-7 with online registration set to begin on April 9. Activities begin on Friday afternoon and conclude midday on Sunday.
Want to level up your WALK without adding time or intensity
February 17, 2026 Boone, NC – February 17, 2026 -First, posture and balance. When the load is evenly distributed across the torso, your body instinctively organizes itself. You stand taller. Your core engages more naturally. Your gait becomes more intentional. Walking the rolling hills of the High Country — even just around the neighborhood — becomes subtle balance training. Over time, that improves stability and proprioception, two things that become increasingly important as we age.
Mountainfilm on Tour returns to Lees-McRae for High Country Film and Speaker Series 2025–26
February 17, 2026 Boone, NC – February 17, 2026 -This year’s Mountainfilm on Tour event will be held on Saturday, Feb. 21 in Hayes Auditorium on the college’s North Campus. Live music will begin at 6:15 p.m. with performances by Annie and Ellie Davis, students in the Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music program at East Tennessee State University. The film screenings will follow at 7 p.m.
App State’s Department of Government and Justice Studies to host Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop April 9
February 17, 2026 Boone, NC – February 17, 2026 -Under the theme “The Future-Proof Nonprofit: AI-Driven Storytelling and Strategic Governance,” participants will explore how to navigate an era in which funding landscapes shift rapidly and digital tools are redefining engagement. By converging artificial intelligence with storytelling and pairing it with robust governance strategies, the workshop aims to offer a roadmap for organizations to not just survive the next decade, but to lead in community impact.
Western Youth Network’s (WYN) mentoring program rolled strikes at its bowling party at High Country Lanes on February 9, 2026!
February 17, 2026 Boone, NC – February 17, 2026 -Angela McMann, WYN Director of Mentoring, called the event “A beautiful opportunity to share with the community what mentoring is all about. This brought together so many aspects of the mentoring relationships. We are hopeful that some of the perspective volunteers will be able to pair up with some of the youth that were in attendance. This event was a tremendous success.”
Blowing Rock Chamber Scholarship Supports Students Attending NCSSM’s 2026 Summer Accelerator Program
February 17, 2026 Boone, NC – February 17, 2026 -NCSSM’s Summer Accelerator Program offers rigorous academic exploration, hands-on STEM activities, and collaborative project-based learning for motivated middle school students.
‘Local Love’ Lineup Revealed for FloydFest 26~Daydream (July 22-26, 2026)
February 12, 2026 CHECK, VA – February 12, 2026 — At the heart of FloydFest’s annual purposeful programming, Across-the-Way Productions, Inc. and Blue Cow Arts Foundation, Inc. showcase their love and admiration for the remarkable local music scene by offering patrons a taste of regional talent via the ‘Local Love’ lineup. Across-the-Way Productions and Blue Cow Arts Foundation welcome 13 bands as 2026’s ‘Local Loves’
It Was a Classic Night of Racing at Monday Night’s SMARL Event With Awesome Conditions
February 11, 2026 Matt Leonard reported it was a classic night of racing on the slopes of Sugar Mountain Monday night with some of best conditions in a couple of years. The course was super fast with scores dipping down into the high twenty second range with faster than usual times for everyone. This was the fifth race before next week’s final race and award ceremony where we will find out which teams and individuals will be crowned as the fastest for the SMARL’s 20th Anniversary season.
Watauga, Avery Obituaries – February 10, 2026
February 10, 2026 The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland
SMARL Was Back Out on the Slopes on Monday after Missing Last Week’s Weather Delayed Race
February 4, 2026 After missing last week’s race do to the brutal weather conditions, SMARL was back out on the slopes this pass Monday for their 4th race of the season. Out on the slopes it was cold just like it’s suppose to be this time of year said Matt Leonard. “Good course, good snow and we probably had a 75% turnout for this one,” said Leonard. “Good fast course which is the way most of us like it!” It has been announced that the series will be extended a week to make up for the missed January 26th race making the final awards night race fall on February 16th. Team Sugar leads the series by 2 points with Ski Country Sports close behind. On the snowboard side The Lodge is out there all by itself with 65 points.
Watauga, Avery Obituaries – February 3, 2026
February 3, 2026 The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland
All Appalachian Regional Library Locations will be Closed Today
Due to the inclement weather, all Appalachian Regional Library locations will be closed on Monday, February 2. Check your libraries website to check on their hours of operation the rest of the week.
MOVIE: Send Help
By Bob Garver Did you know that getting stranded on a deserted island has a way of shaking up social hierarchies? I suppose that was a big part of the plot for recent Best Picture Oscar nominee “Triangle of Sadness.” As well as the literary classic “Lord of the Flies.” And it’s represented on television in everything from “Survivor” to “Lost” to “Gilligan’s Island.” And it was at the center of a play I did in high school called “The Admirable Crichton,” where I played a rich snob who gets taken down several pegs. Director Sam Raimi is hoping you’ve somehow avoided all of these precursors, plus others I’m sure I’m forgetting, because only then can you find originality in “Send Help.” Rachel McAdams stars as Linda Liddle, a doormat of an employee in the strategy and planning department of a financial consulting firm. She does great work, but she doesn’t have the best social skills, and her bro-y male colleagues take her work for granted while overlooking her as a person. This is especially true of her boss Bradley (Dylan O’Brien), who gives a college buddy a promotion over her and is ready to boot her from …