High Country Press

December 9, 2019. For the second year in a row, United States Olympian Andrew Weibrecht will be making an appearance in the High Country. Weibrecht will be at Ski Country Sports in Banner Elk from 4-5 p.m. on Sunday, December 15. Hopefully, the weather this year will make up for last year’s snowstorm that put a damper on the event. “He (Andrew) came up here the weekend we had that 20-inch snow, so it was hard for people to get out and about and get up here,” said Bill Leonard, owner of Ski Country Sports. Weibrecht is a three-time Olympian and a two-time medalist in the Winter Olympics. He competed in 2010, 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics before announcing his retirement last year. The Lake Placid native won the bronze in Super-G at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and followed that up with a silver in the Super-G at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 9, 2019. Sunday night, reports emerged that App State football coach Eli Drinkwitz agreed to take over at the University of Missouri after one season in Boone. Peter Thamel of Yahoo Sports confirmed the contract rumors last night, saying, “Drinkwitz replaces Odom, who was fired in the wake of a 6-6 season and a 25-25 overall record. Odom got Missouri bowl eligible in three of his four seasons but was fired by athletic director Jim Sterk immediately after this season. Sterk’s search had been underwhelming until Missouri’s contingent flew to Boone, North Carolina, on Saturday night to interview Drinkwitz. Reports named Army’s Jeff Monken, Louisiana Tech’s Skip Holtz and Arkansas State’s Blake Anderson among those under significant consideration.“ Mitchell Forde of MissouriRivals.com also confirmed the reports of Drinkwitz move, pending approval of the Board of Curators who most likely will allow the move to go forward. On the details of the search, Forde says, “Sunday, the two sides agreed on terms, though the details of the agreement have not yet been made public. Missouri will have to pay $1.7 million to buy Drinkwitz out of the remaining four years of his contract with Appalachian State. By Colby Gable / Read more…

Dec. 9, 2019 Here are some fan shots from Saturday’s 45-38 victory over Louisiana-LaFayette. The crowd was electric with enthusiasm watching their team battle for another Sun Best Championship. Photography by Debbie Carter. / Read more…

December 9, 2019. The idea of a new Valle Crucis School will be put on hold until March 2020 at the earliest after the Watauga County Board of Education decided to extend the due diligence period on the property that the county has under contract. “The board voted to extend the due diligence period on the property until March to perform some additional testing. We are still waiting for those results at the moment,” said Garrett Price, the Director of Communications for Watauga County Schools. Citizens have voiced their opinion on the potential property, known locally as the Hodges Property on Broadstone Road, a 14.4-acre parcel of land that is roughly a quarter-mile from the current Valle Crucis School. While everyone agrees that Valle Crucis needs a new school, opinions have differed greatly on where that school should be located.  By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 9, 2019. A new performance holiday tradition will begin in downtown Boone this weekend with the production of A Carolina Snowbelle Christmas. Local precision dance troupe The Carolina Snowbelles is headed to the newly renovated Appalachian Theatre to debut their holiday show on December 13 at 7:30 pm and December 14 at 3:00pm. The 22-member dance troupe has been rehearsing this 90 minute show since August – their most ambitious and comprehensive performance to date.  A Carolina Snowbelle Christmas will feature precision tap and jazz, vocal performance, and ballet, as well as spoken word and audience interaction. Throughout the performance, audience members will experience the Snowbelles’ impressive precision dance and spectacular costuming along with two brand new scenes featuring choreography by New York City Ballet alumnus, Amanda Edge and Colorado Ballet alumnus, Brad Parquette.. / Read more…

December 9, 2019. In a matter of weeks, we are set to turn our calendars to the second decade of the 21st century. Over the past twenty years, our society has become indelibly plugged-in. In the past two decades, the technology that first allowed us to make calls without being tethered to a cable between phones has supplied us with computers in our pockets and virtual assistants in our homes. In the modern world, everything from the refrigerator to the doorbell is connected, digitized and networked. But for a group of students at Watauga High School — digital natives who never lived in a pre-internet world — there is an appetite for renewing a long-familiar medium: a print newspaper. Over the past three months, journalism students at Watauga High School have worked to revitalize the school’s newspaper, The Powder Horn. The publication, whose print edition has existed in some form since Watauga High School’s foundation in 1965, has been online-only for several years. / Read more…

December 9, 2019. MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce the next round of artist additions for MerleFest 2020, which will be held April 23-26. John Prine, Billy Strings, Colin Hay, Kelsey Waldon, and Gangstagrass will be joining the annual homecoming of musicians and music fans on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Today’s lineup announcement adds five great artists to MerleFest’s already stacked lineup. / Read more…

December 9, 2019. Eliah Drinkwitz, one of college football’s fastest rising coaching stars, is leaving Appalachian State University as its head coach to take the same post at the University of Missouri, according to nationally published reports. Official announcements from both universities and Drinkwitz are expected soon. Drinkwitz, whose lone year of head coaching experience saw him take the Mountaineers to a 12-1 record with two wins over Power Five teams (South Carolina and North Carolina) and a Sun Belt Conference championship. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

December 8, 2019. Another season and another conference championship for the Appalachian State University Football Mountaineers. After Saturday’s dramatic 45-38 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette, the Mountaineers have now won at least a share of the last four Sun Belt championships. That includes the past two conference’s two championship games, which were both held at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone. This season, Appalachian State used a three-touchdown performance from game Most Valuable Player Darrynton Evans, a running game that that powered for 267 yards and a defense that forced three turnovers to produce the win. The Mountaineers (12-1) have won at least nine games in every season since 2015, and that includes at least 10 wins in four of the last five seasons. Appalachian State, which also secured the first 12-win season ever for the Sun Belt and for a major college football bowl-subdivision school from the state of North Carolina, jumped to a 21-7 lead by the end of the first period. By Tim Gardner / Photography by David C. Mayo / Read more…

December 6, 2019. It should be a busy weekend on the ski slopes with near-perfect skiing weather for the first full weekend of December. “We were really able to capitalize on this cold front and we’ve made snow the last couple of nights and it’s definitely peak season snow. We’ve got a 28-36 inch base on eight open slopes and going into the weekend, the forecast looks just about perfect for skiing and snowboarding,” says Drew Stanley, the Marketing Director at Appalachian Ski Mtn. This weekend also marks the annual anniversary weekend celebration at Appalachian Ski Mtn. Ticket prices for Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. are only $5. “The first full weekend of December we offer 1962 prices, that was our first year of skiing,” said Stanley. “We’re excited to have great conditions for all of the people coming up to celebrate our anniversary.” This year, the special $5 ticket price is available online only. Customers simply purchase their tickets in advance online to get the special anniversary pricing. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 6, 2019. Harmony Lanes is excited to announce that the East Boone Connector multi-modal path, proposed to the NCDOT in the spring of 2019, has been added to the plan for the Bamboo/Wilson’s Ridge road upgrades by the NCDOT, and will be paid for by the NCDOT.  The East Boone Connector will run on the west side of Bamboo Rd. from US 421 to the Wilson’s Ridge intersection.  The multi-modal path will be separated from traffic by a curb and grass/landscaping to protect users.  The East Boone Connector will be the first on-street protected multi-modal path in Boone.  It will allow East Boone pedestrians and cyclists to access the Boone Greenway, services like the Hospitality House and businesses like Center 45 climbing gym and Hatchet Coffee at Bamboo Rd., the future town complex at Brookshire Park, the future Grove Street connector greenway, and Rocky Knob Mountain Bike Park.   / Read more…

December 6, 2019. WHAT: Watauga County General Town Hall Meeting with NC Rep. Ray Russell. WHEN: 6-7:30 pm on Tuesday, Dec. 10. WHERE: Boone Council Chambers, 1500 Blowing Rock Rd. The 2019 legislative session was the second-longest in North Carolina history but still resulted in significant failures from the General Assembly. No comprehensive budget was passed and the legislature failed to act on the state’s Farm Bill. Education and environmental needs were significantly underfunded. There was some success, however. The Raise the Age law changed state statutes to include 16 and 17-year-olds as juveniles for many nonviolent crimes. In addition, child sexual abuse statutes and sexual assault laws were strengthened. / Read more…

December 5, 2019. Note: Each day, the High Country Press will share emails and announcements from candidates that are entering their names into the 2020 primary and general election. Today we received the following announcements from N.C. House Representative Ray Russell, Watauga County School Board candidate Ronny Holste and U.S. Representative Virginia Foxx. Hello, my name is Jason Cornett and I am asking you for your vote for Watauga County Board of Education. I am a native of Watauga County living in Vilas with my wife, Brandy, and son, Josh. Brandy serves the Business Officer for Appalachian State University Housing and has worked at ASU for almost 20 years. Josh is a senior at Watauga High School, and was recently accepted into Appalachian State University where he plans to attend next fall. I grew up in the Bethel community where I attended Bethel Elementary School and went on to graduate from Watauga High in 1994. After high school, I entered the workforce at Appalachian State University. I held positions in Food Service and office administration before seeking a career in law enforcement. I began as a security officer at App State in 1999 and attended basic law enforcement training at night while working day shift. / Read more…

December 5, 2019. As of today, six candidates have filed for county-wide government seats that will be open in Avery County in 2020. For Clerk of Court, Interim Clerk of Court Teresa Benfield has filed, along with Theresa Lewis King and Linda Webb. Benfield has served in the interim role since the retirement earlier this year of long-time Clerk of Court Lisa Daniels. All three candidates have worked in various capacities in the judicial system. For Register of Deeds, incumbent Renee DelIinger has filed for re-election as has Incumbent Wood Hall (Woodie) Young, Jr. for County Commissioner. Benfield, King, Webb, Dellinger and Young, Jr. are all Republicans. For non-partisan Board of Education, Ruth Shirley is the only candidate to file so far. Shirley is a long-time teacher and principal in the Avery School System.  By Tim Gardner / Read more…

December 5, 2019. The Jones House will be stretching its holiday festivities and Christmas parade over the course of two weekends this year. This coming weekend will include the Festive Friday and solar Christmas tree lighting events; the Christmas parade itself will be held next Saturday, December 14, at 11:00 a.m. in part to accommodate the Sun Belt Championship game at App State this Saturday. “It’s a great tradition we have,” said Mark Freed, Cultural Resources Director for the Jones House, “It’s a fun experience that you can only get when you live in a small town like Boone that has a community who likes to get out and celebrate! We always have strong support from our civic organizations, our schools, and the nonprofit organizations in the community. We’re hoping for good weather, but either way, we encourage everyone to come out and enjoy a winter afternoon with us in the mountains!” By Joe Johnson / Read more…

December 5, 2019. Overnight winds on Wednesday night and Thursday morning left several trees down and even a few power lines as crews have been working to restore power to customers. As of 1 p.m. Thursday afternoon, crews from Blue Ridge Energy are still attempting to restore power to 280 members in Watauga County, 88 members in Ashe County, 19 members in Caldwell County and 3 members in Alleghany County. Overall, nearly 6,000 customers lived in areas where winds caused damage to the electrical lines. At the time of the worst conditions around 3 a.m. Thursday morning, a total of 2,529 customers were without power, according to information provided by Blue Ridge Energy. The worst-hit county was in Ashe where 47 locations were damaged that impacted over 1,800 members in the Obids, Timber Ridge, Shatley Springs and Highway 16 areas of the county. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 5, 2019. The Appalachian State Mountaineers seeking to become the first Sun Belt Conference team and the first Football Bowl Subdivision Championship team from the state of North Carolina to win 12 games in a season when they play Louisiana-LaFayette this coming Saturday, Dec. 7. The game will be played on their home field at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone for the league crown. A win then or in their bowl game will ensure the Mountaineers of those lofty milestones. Saturday’s game will kickoff at 12:00 noon and will be televised nationally on ESPN. Needing a conference championship game win to remain in contention for the Cotton Bowl, Appalachian State’s case is also bolstered by an FBS-leading six road wins that are part of the nation’s only 6-0 road record. With road wins against the likes of bowl-eligible Appalachian State has the best road record since Western Michigan went 6-0 en route to a Cotton Bowl berth at the end of the 2016 season. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

Dec. 5, 2019. 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…

December 5, 2019. Boone’s most heartwarming fundraiser is back again, celebrating a very special occasion this year! The Mr. WHS show, a fundraiser that helps raise thousands of dollars every year for three local families in the form of a male beauty pageant is marking its 20th Annual Show! Because of the special occasion, the theme this year is “Happy Birthday Mr. WHS!”. The pageant was created in 2000 as a way to help raise money for Mr. Lan O’Loughlin, a science teacher and swim coach at Watauga High School. The first show raised $4,000 and has only grown since then. Last year’s show raised over $21,000 and this year’s goal is to raise over $25,000. Each year Mr. WHS raises money for three local families in our community. The recipients are always very close to our hearts and mean a lot to this town. / Read more…

December 5, 2019. The birth of a baby girl is always exciting, but especially so when she becomes the first of a family’s fifth generation. That’s the latest news in the Fred Vannoy family, happening when Vannoy’s great-granddaughter, Indya Moretz, gave birth to her daughter, Italya Renee, on October 23. The little girl’s birth brought smiles for several miles to the family, now spread from Todd to Marion. It was especially heart-warming to the family patriarch, Vannoy, himself, who became a great-great grandfather at the age of 93; just a few short months earlier, the death of Nancy Vannoy, his wife of 73 years, had left a painful void in all of their lives. By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

December 5, 2019. One of the best books published in many years—if not ever—about the county seat town of Avery County is Jimmie Daniels’ new release: The Story of Newland-From the Old Fields of Toe to the Highest County Seat East of The Rockies. Daniels wrote the book in collaboration with the Avery County as part of its latest Avery County Heritage Volume. First copies of the book were sold at a book signing and reception held at the museum on November 9th. Daniels is considered by many as one of the premier historians for the Town of Newland. She has written or co-written other books, but she took on, perhaps, her most ambitious work with this book-writing effort. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

December 4, 2019. Three High Country Ruritan clubs were among 65 community groups recently recognized at the WNC Communities 70th annual WNC Honors Awards Program at the Doubletree by Hilton Biltmore-Asheville in Asheville. According to Terri Wells, Director of Community and Agricultural Programs for WNC Communities, the awards program is built on a 70-year tradition of recognizing rural community development clubs for their innovative ideas and grassroots solutions. “These centers and clubs are the backbone running through our beloved mountains,” she said, adding that 250 community leaders from 13 Western North Carolina Counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians attended the November 2 awards luncheon. By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

December 4, 2019. Note: Each day, the High Country Press will share emails and announcements from candidates that are entering their names into the 2020 primary and general election. Today we received the following announcements from N.C. House Representative Ray Russell, Watauga County School Board candidate Ronny Holste and U.S. Representative Virginia Foxx. Rep. Ray Russell Files for Re-Election to N.C. House – Most people in Western North Carolina know Ray Russell as the founder and president of RaysWeather.com. But his professional experience expands across business, education, ministry, science, and government. Ray was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in November 2018. In his first run for political office, he defeated a 4-term incumbent. Since arriving in Raleigh in January 2019, Ray has sponsored or co-sponsored 125 bills in the NC House and was the first Freshman Democrat to have sponsored a bill signed into law. His legislative work has focused on the issues most frequently voiced by voters in 2018: public education, health care, clean air and water, better government, and rural economic development. / Read more…

December 4, 2019. 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 Nathan Ham

December 4, 2019. While the secular world prepares for the ‘Retail High Holidays’ with massive consumerism, the choir of St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church presents a calm center for your holiday preparations with a service of Advent Lessons and Carols on Sunday afternoon, December 8th at 2 pm. Based on the medieval vigil service in preparation for the holiest night of the Christian year, Lessons and Carols follows the story of the fall of Adam, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus, as told in short Bible readings interspersed with carols and hymns.  Sung in Anglican churches all over the world since the 1880’s, the service is a lovely part of the Advent season (the four Sundays before Christmas), the traditional season of repentance and preparation for the birth of Jesus. / Read more…

December 4, 2019. As the holidays draw nearer, SNIPS Holiday Craft Sales & “It’s a Wrap” at Boone Mall on December 6, 7, 8, 13 & 14, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., can be the your one-stop-shop for special, handmade treasures AND holiday gift wrap! Like Santa’s elves, SNIPS crafters are up at all hours of the day and night, creating beautiful ornaments and decorations to grace your home, your tree, and the people (and animals!) on your gift list. You’ll find holiday & pet-themed mugs & wine glasses, bowl & cup cozies, fairy light wine bottles, snow-measuring sticks, toaster tongs, holiday sachets, and beautiful scarves & hats for bundling up against the winter weather.   / Read more…

December 4, 2019. The Watauga Education Foundation will hold its annual pancake breakfast — the Flapjack Flip — at Watauga High School from 7:30 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. A full breakfast of delicious pancakes and other items will be served by cheerful volunteers for a ticket price of $10. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door. While you’re at the Flapjack Flip, do some holiday gift shopping at the Boone Service League’s Holiday Market, which will feature craft and product vendors. Items include pottery, home decor, beauty products, gourmet food items, candles, textiles, accessories and more. The Boone Service League will also offer gift wrapping for a small donation — bring your gifts and let Boone Service League volunteers wrap them in beautiful papers and ribbons. / Read more…

December 4, 2019. Fresh off her critically-acclaimed debut album Medicine for Living, Alexa Rose returns to the Jones House for an indoor concert on Sunday, December 15, starting at 4:00 PM in the Mazie Jones Gallery. “Those who have had the pleasure to see Alexa Rose perform already know what an incredible talent she is,” says Boone’s Cultural Resources Coordinator, Brandon Holder. “And those who haven’t had a chance to hear her live should take this opportunity before she starts filling rooms more than ten times this size.” Born and raised in the Alleghany Highlands of western Virginia, Alexa Rose’s musical roots run deep, an atavistic heritage passed down from great-grandfather. A deep connection to her mountain roots inspires both the sound and subject matter of her music. / Read more…

December 4, 2019. Carlton Gallery is currently hosting its 37th Winter Group Exhibition with Small Works which began with a Holiday Open House on Friday and Saturday, November 29th and 30th. Gallery owner/artist, Toni Carlton, gathered the community to start the season of Love and Light at the Holiday Open House to view the engaging art in paintings, glass, sculpture, glass, wood, clay and jewelry while enjoying hot cider or tea and seasonal treats. Paintings reflecting the beauty and serenity of the landscape by Freeman Beard, Egidio Antonaccio, Linda Apriletti, Kevin Beck, Connie Winters, Holly Glasscock,  Sharon Rusch Shaver, Carol Bodiford, Allison Chambers, Andrew Braitman, Eddie Kent Tallent and Ralph James, along with alcohol ink paintings by Leigh Williams are some of the many artworks on exhibit. / Read more…

December 4, 2019. The holidays are in full swing, which means family, fun and — yes, food! But, it doesn’t have to mean extra pounds. Even holiday treats can fit into a healthy eating plan with balance and moderation. To avoid holiday weight gain, balance the calories you consume with the calories you burn. Physical activity and moderate food choices will help. The following tips are gifts you can give to yourself, your family and friends to maintain a healthy lifestyle while enjoying your special occasions By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

December 3, 2019. The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland. / 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.

What’s Happening This Week at Lost Province Brewing

Get in the Holiday Spirit and Mark Your Calendar for Lees-McRae Christmas: Annual Service of Music and Lessons on Thursday, December 5

SNIPS Holiday Craft Sales & “It’s a Wrap” – December 6, 7, 8, 13, & 14 at Boone Mall! 

Appalachian Ski Mtn. Celebrating Anniversary Weekend with $5 Day Tickets December 7-8

Christmas Open House at the Wilkes Heritage Museum December 7

Second Annual New Opportunity School for Women Holiday Market Returns Saturday, December 7

Women’s Caroling Event December 8

WHS to Host Homeschool Dual Enrollment Info Session December 10

Blue Ridge Chapter Native Plant Society December Seed Swap is December 11

Rural Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting is December 18

Generous Donor Matching Habitat for Humanity Donations Through December 31

Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

December 3, 2019. Studio K Youth Ballet Company will be performing Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts (733 Rivers Street) on December 6 and 7 at 7 p.m. and on December 8 at 2 p.m. Local youth ballet company, Studio K, transforms the Schaefer Center stage into a magical world where the beloved holiday ballet, The Nutcracker, comes alive. A cast of over 350 local dancers bring Clara’s dazzling holiday fairy tale to life. Throughout the show, the stage sparkles with playful mice, a court of soldiers, guardian angels, graceful snowflakes, waltzing flowers, precious bonbons, party guests, ginger kids, and sugar plums. The show is a wonderful way for families to start off the Christmas season. From the hundreds of glamorous costumes and colorful backdrops to the amazing growing Christmas tree and enchanting snowfall, this show takes the audience on an extraordinary journey to far away lands. / Read more…

December 3, 2019. Ensemble Stage presents A Banner Elk Christmas 2 on December 6, 20, and 21 @ 7 pm and on December 8 and 22 @ 2 pm at the Historic Banner Elk School Hahn Auditorium (185 Azalea Circle SE) in Banner Elk, NC. This family friendly annual holiday variety show is patterned after the Andy Williams and Bing Crosby television Christmas specials from the 60s and 70s. A Banner Elk Christmas 2 features over 40 songs, including traditional, contemporary, secular and non-secular songs, dancing and storytelling over the course of about an hour and five minutes. “We keep the same format, but the songs always change,” said Gary Smith, Artistic Director at Ensemble Stage, “The choreography is usually a little bit different, especially with songs we haven’t done. Even though it’s called Banner Elk Christmas 2, it is not a repeat of last year’s Banner Elk Christmas.” By Joe Johnson / Read more…

December 3, 2019. The filing period for the 2020 election season officially started on Monday for candidates at the local level as well as statewide elections. Locally, three commissioner candidates, one register of deeds candidate and one school board candidate filed in Watauga County. John Welch (D) is running for re-election in the Watauga County Board of Commissioners District 2 race. Charlie Wallin (D) is also seeking re-election for District 5 and Carrington Pertalion (D) is challenging for the District 1 seat. Ronny Holste is challenging for a spot on the Watauga County Board of Education and Amy Shook (R) is running for re-election as Watauga County’s Register of Deeds. Incumbent Rep. Ray Russell filed for re-election on Monday as well for his District 93 N.C. House seat.  By Nathan Ham / Read more…