High Country Press

Oct. 23, 2017. Oh, the wind and rain. The past few hours of weather has been intense in Watauga County and beyond. Tornado warnings and watches are in effect for the High Country and the rain has been nearly non-stop.  By Jesse Wood • Video by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

Oct. 23, 2017. The Waterfront Group celebrated its grand opening of the Eagles Nest Marketplace on Friday. The event included remarks from elected officials, Banner Elk Mayor Brenda Lyerly, U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, N.C. Rep. Josh Dobson and N.C. Sen. Deanna Ballard. By Jesse Wood • Photos by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

Oct. 23, 2017. The National Weather Service has issued watches for flash flooding and tornadoes in Watauga County and beyond. The tornado watch is in effect for 34 counties in primarily Western North Carolina. These include Avery, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, Wilkes and Watauga Counties. The tornado watch also extends into Georgia and South Carolina. The tornado watch is in effect until 9 p.m. By Jesse Wood / Read more…

Oct. 23, 2017. Appalachian State senior quarterback Taylor Lamb was named the Sun Belt Conference’s Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his record-setting performance in a 37-29 victory against Coastal Carolina last Saturday. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

Oct. 23, 2017. High Country Crime Stoppers and Boone Police look to solve the following crimes: Last Thursday morning, a male took a phone and bank card from a bag at Hampton Inn and Suites in Boone. Also, police are looking for a suspect that’s tagged several locations in downtown. / Read more…

Oct. 23, 2017. On Thursday night, Oct. 19, area law enforcement agencies conducted a DWI checkpoint and multiple charges were made. Boone Police, along with ASU Police, NC ALE, and NC DMV License and Theft agents, conducted the checkpoint near the intersection of King Street and College Street. The North Carolina Department of Public Health provided a Breath Alcohol Testing (BAT) Mobile Unit, within which suspected violators were tested and processed. / Read more…

October 23, 2017. The Watauga County Arts Council will sponsor CELEBRATE SINGING! on Friday, October 27th at 7:00 pm at the Boone United Methodist Church, 471 Market Street in Boone, NC.  The event fosters the enjoyment of singing as a life-long hobby in the community and will feature a number of singing styles and groups from the High Country.  Included will be TREBLE  ATTRACTION women’s group from Appalachian State University, the 5th EDITION QUARTET,  and singers from all Watauga County elementary schools and the high school. / Read more…

Oct. 23, 2017. Aspen is the winning woolly worm of the 40th anniversary Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk. Aspen’s owner, Joshua Grosser of Apex, took home the $1,000 bounty. As tradition and folklore beckons, official festival forecaster Tommy Burleson predicted the upcoming winter’s forecast based on the color of the 13 body segments of the woolly worm.  / Read more…

October, 23, 2017. Dreaming of starting your own farm? Farm Dreams is an entry-level, day-long workshop designed to help people who are seeking practical, common-sense information on sustainable farming and how to move forward. This is a great workshop to attend if you are in the exploratory stages of starting a farm. / Read more…

October 23, 2017. Justus, Caleb and Joshua Marsh grew up in Watauga County. As brothers, they share many family traditions and connections. One is their passion for Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. All three brothers are alumni of the institution and all three of them are also now instructors on the college’s Watauga Campus in Boone. / Read more…

October 23, 2017. Shipley was chosen for the series for her eclectic range and her sense of home and hearth, said Joseph Bathanti, the series’ director and a professor of creative writing in Appalachian’s Department of English. She’s also a native of Kentucky, and her poetry holds fast to her Appalachian roots. Shipley served as the final judge for the 2017-18 Marian Coe and John Foster West scholarships in creative writing competitions at Appalachian. She is a distinguished professor of creative writing at Southern Connecticut State University and was the 2014 recipient of the Hackney Literary Award for Poetry. / Read more…

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

Blowing Rock Choir to sing in Winston-Salem, 11/5

Coffee with the Curator: “Impressions of the Land”, 10/24

The Civil War in Western North Carolina, 10/26

Spooky Crafts, 10/28

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association to announce Tri-Cities Region Will Graham Celebration, 10/26

Medicare Open Enrollment Now Underway and Runs Until December 7

The Mountain Laurel Quilt Guild Quilt Meeting, 11/2

FAFSA Day at Campuses Across North Carolina, 10/28

Join the SNIPS Committee of Watauga Humane Society & BBQ Burgers & Brews, 10/26

Karen Cleghorn of Blue Ridge Realty & Investments Recognized for Performance in Luxury Real Estate

Foxx to Host U.S. Service Academy Day for 5th District Students, 10/28

Read more…
Compiled by Kate Herman

Oct. 23, 2017. Governor Roy Cooper has signed a proclamation declaring Sunday, Oct. 22 – Saturday, Oct. 28 Financial Aid Awareness Week. During this week, students and families are encouraged to learn more about applying for financial aid. Financial Aid Awareness Week will end with FAFSA Day, on Sat. Oct. 28. FAFSA Day is a statewide, college-access event taking place at sites across North Carolina. During this free event, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon at most locations, students can get assistance filling out their FAFSA form from qualified financial aid administrators and financial aid specialists. / Read more…

Oct. 23, 2017. Here are fan shots from Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone on Saturday. Appalachian State beat Coastal Carolina 37 to 29. App State (5-2 overall) is now 4-0 in the Sun Belt Conference. Check out a recap of Saturday’s contest here.  Photos by Debbie Carter / Read more…

Oct. 23, 2017. Appalachian State used a strong second half to rally from a half-time deficit and subdue Coastal Carolina, 37-29 before 30,179 at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone last Saturday. With the victory, the Mountaineers (5-2 over-all) remain unbeaten in the Sun Belt Conference (4-0) and atop its standings. By Tim Gardner • Photo by Dave Mayo / App State Athletics / Read more…

Oct. 19, 2017. Located in the flood plain, the Boone Mall’s parking lot has been prone to flooding ever since it was built in the early ‘80s. This year, though, the flooding issues are worse, likely because of failed culverts behind Precision Printing. In April, these rusty culverts in Boone Creek collapsed and a sinkhole formed in the company’s parking lot. This occurred after nearly four inches of rain fell across several days. By Jesse Wood / Read more…

October 17, 2017. The colors, flavors, sights and sounds of the mountain harvest season all come together at the Valle Country Fair in beautiful Valle Crucis, North Carolina, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 21st. Volunteers from all over the Valle forge friendships and build community while working together for a cause greater than themselves. The job of hosting thousands of guests each fall is small sacrifice when that volunteerism results in tens of thousands of dollars being raised for High Country charities each year. / Read more…

October 18, 2017. If you’ve always wanted to go to the Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk but you’re not sure where to start, have no fear! Read on to discover everything you need to know about attending this unique High Country tradition, where winter weather predictions are handed over to the woolly worms. By Kate Herman / Read more…

Oct. 18, 2017. It will be the Sun Belt Conference’s first place team playing a team tied for last in the league standings Saturday in Kidd Brewer Stadium when Appalachian State hosts the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. The game also will be available on television on ESPN 3. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

Glenbridge Offers Instant Access to Virtual Doctors by Partnering with TeleHealth Solution

Hunger and Health Coalition 3rd Annual Masquerade Ball, 10/28

Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture Joins with The Organic Growers School to Host Fundamental Workshop, 11/11

Chapel of Rest to Host Jeff Little Trio in Fall Concert, 10/29

Wilkes Heritage Museum Candlelight Ghost Tours, 10/28

Appalachian State Men’s Basketball is Set to Compete in the 2017 Puerto Rico Tip-Off at Myrtle Beach in Conway, S.C, 11/16-17 and 11/19

Read more…
Compiled by Kate Herman

October 20, 2017. At Grandfather Mountain, Halloween isn’t scary. It’s Beary Scary. The Linville, N.C., nature preserve and attraction has mountains of tricks and treats in store for its annual Halloween festival, A Beary Scary Halloween, returning Saturday, Oct. 28. The special day features a spooky selection of nature programs, Halloween-themed crafts, a costume contest, animal enrichments and trick-or-treating through the park’s environmental wildlife habitats. All activities are included with the price of admission, and kids in costume get in for half-price.> / Read more…

Oct. 19, 2017. Where can you see people, from all walks of life, age three to ninety-three, jumping up and down and hollerin’ for caterpillars on a string? Nowhere other than the annual Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk. This year’s festival promises to be the best one yet, as it celebrates its fortieth anniversary and honors and remembers two very special people who have been instrumental in the history and success of the festival. By Jan Todd / Read more…

Oct. 19, 2017. On Wednesday, Oct. 25 between 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., everyone is welcome to F.A.R.M. (Feed All Regardless of Means) Cafe at 617 West King Street for the monthly event where a local business, groups, or organizations ‘Buys Boone Lunch’. 4 Forty Four construction of Blowing Rock is participating for the third time. They were the first business to support F.A.R.M. Cafe through this program a year ago in October of 2016. / Read more…

Oct. 19, 2017. The Waterfront Group, owner of The Lodges at Eagles Nest, is celebrating the grand opening of the Eagles Nest Marketplace, formerly known as the Sunrise Shopping Center, on Oct. 20 from 3 to 7 p.m. The Eagles Nest Marketplace is located at the base of Beech Mountain Parkway, just on the outskirts of downtown Banner Elk. This shopping center used to house establishments like Zuzda before the Waterfront Group began renovations to the 20,000-square-foot facility. By Jesse Wood / Read more…

Oct. 19, 2017. You’ve probably seen excavators and new culverts in the parking lot of Precision Printing during the past few weeks. In April, culverts in Boone Creek collapsed and a sinkhole formed in the company’s parking lot after nearly four inches of rain fell across several days. This is the second time that the Precision Printing parking lot has caved in during the past five years. By Jesse Wood • Photos by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

Oct. 19, 2017. A milestone occurs this winter in the North Carolina mountains. Beech Mountain Resort marks 50 years of skiing on the highest elevation slopes in eastern America. The resort had a new vision for Southern skiing when it debuted in the winter of 1967-68. It was the only North Carolina resort built around an alpine village, and remains that way today. / Read more…

Oct. 19, 2017. The Boone License Plate Agency office, located at 331 Queen St. behind the Watauga County Administration Building, will be closed Monday, Oct. 23, while it moves to a new location.  The office will re-open on Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 274 Winklers Creek Road. The Boone office hours will continue to be 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. / Read more…

Oct. 19, 2017. A look at the recent deed transfers in Watauga County. The information comes courtesy of the Watauga County Register of Deeds. Compiled by Debbie Carter / Read more…

Oct. 19, 2017. It’s that time again! The 15th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition is open for registrations and submissions. Amateur and professional photographers are encouraged to submit at www.appmtnphotocomp.org prior to the competition’s close at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17. The Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition offers numerous categories that will be chosen as winners with over $4,000 in cash and prizes. / Read more…

July 26, 2017. Every October, all around the world, people come together to share their old home movies with their community. Appalachian State University is hosting its own event this fall, on Sunday October 22nd, from 2pm to 4pm. Come to room 421 on the 4th floor of the library with your own home movies to see what Home Movie Day is all about. / Read more…

October 20, 2017. Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s We Can So You Can Foundation presents the Curse of Wendigo every Friday and Saturday in October. The event is located at the Horn in the West’s Daniel Boone Amphitheater. There are two events offered: The Kid Friendly Trail/Daniel Boo and the Haunted Trail.The Kid Friendly Trail/Daniel Boo is open from 6:00 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. The Haunted Trail is open from 8:00 p.m.- 11:00 p.m. By Kate Herman – Photos by Appalachian Mountain Brewery / Read more…

Oct. 18, 2017. With a recommendation from the Historic Preservation Commission and approval from the property owner, the Boone Town Council will consider designating the Linney house and the former Linney Law Office in downtown Boone as historic landmarks. By Jesse Wood / Read more…

Oct. 18, 2017. With winter approaching, Watauga County Schools would like to remind parents and families how the school system makes and communicates decisions about school closings and other changes resulting from inclement weather. / Read more…

Oct. 18, 2017. Early voting in the 2017 municipal elections begins on Thursday, Oct. 19. As it stands on Wednesday afternoon, both Watauga County and Avery County will have one early voting site for the municipal elections. Both will be located in the elections offices in the courthouses of those respective counties. By Jesse Wood / Read more…

October 18, 2017. Looking to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in your neighborhood? Want to keep an eye on criminal activity in your area? Take a look at these recent incident and arrest reports from the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office and the Boone Police Department. Read more…
Compiled by Kate Herman