High Country Press

August 17, 2018. Nearly 3,500 students in the Beaver College of Health Sciences will have a new building for a lot of their classwork. The Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences is scheduled to be ready for the first day of classes for App State students on Tuesday. Calls to confirm the building being open for the first day of classes were not returned, however no announcements have been posted by the university to suggest otherwise. The 203,000-square-foot building is located adjacent to the Watauga Medical Center on a 9.2-acre piece of land that was donated to the university by the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System. The new building will be home to 14 of the 16 undergraduate and graduate degree programs within the Beaver College of Health Sciences. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

August 17, 2018. The Rosen Sculpture Competition and Exhibition has announced the 2018 winners on their website. Established in 1987 by Martin and Doris Rosen, this is the 32nd year of the competition and exhibition. Twelve sculptures were selected for the competition this year. These sculptures can be viewed on the Rosen Sculpture’s website, http://www.rosensculpture.org/. Cash prizes were awarded to three artists whose work was chosen by the juror. The three winners were announced at the annual sculpture walk in July. By Hailey Blevins / Read more…

August 15, 2018. Godspell, an upbeat rendition of the life and death of Jesus Christ, will be performed at the Banner Elk Presbyterian Church on August 21, 23, and 24. This wonderful show was originally written by Stephen Schwartz, who went on to compose Wicked, Pocahontas, and Pippin, among others. It features, as many of his productions do,  a wide variety of music including folk, pop, jazz, vaudeville, and quintessential “broadway.”  By Elly Murray / Read more…

August 17, 2018. North Carolina Representative Virginia Foxx was presented with the Spirit of Enterprise Award by the United States Chamber of Commerce on Thursday night at the annual State of the Town event in Blowing Rock. Clark Jackson, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Manager of the Southeast Regional Office was on hand to present Foxx with the award. “Each year the U.S. Chamber polls the American business community and we ask our members what is it that you need from members of Congress to make you successful and then we rank members of Congress on how they vote on those issues,” Jackson said. “Those members of Congress who vote with the business community 70 percent or greater receive the U.S. Chamber’s Spirit of Enterprise Award.” By Nathan Ham / Read more…

August 17, 2018. Come share the excitement at the Watauga County Farmers’ Market this Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon at Daniel Boone Park, Horn in the West parking lot in Boone. It’s nearly the weekend! That means it’s time to get your shopping list together for Saturday morning at the Watauga County Farmers Market. Did you know that while shopping with local farms benefits small local businesses and our economy, it also benefits your social life? While people have an average of one to two social interactions at a grocery store, farmers market shoppers have an average of 15-20 social interactions when shopping. We can all build relationships with our farmers as well as other community members. / Read more…

Aug. 16, 2018. 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…

August 16, 2018. Known as “The Hard Half,” the High Country Half Marathon is accepting registrations for those who are up for the challenge! Scheduled for August 25, starting at 7:30am, the race will cover 13.1 miles from Boone to Blowing Rock. Presented by ZAP Fitness and sponsored by The Blue Cross of NC Institute for Health and Human Services (IHHS) at Appalachian State University, runners will enjoy some of the most spectacular views of any race in the state. Race director Mary Sheryl Horine stated, “Our race has a fantastic following of runners and they keep coming back to enjoy the views and camaraderie along the race course!” / Read more…

August 16, 2018. It was a rough week and a half for the residents at The Cottages of Boone that were hanging around the High Country for the summer. The residents were without water for almost 10 days as both water pumps on the property had failed and water was lost on August 2. “We had an unfortunate failure of both pumps at the community over the past 10 days. We worked as quick as possible to restore full working water in the community by installing an emergency pump, which was complete this past weekend. We apologize for any inconvenience this caused our valued residents,” said Cardinal Group’s Chief Operating Office, Alex O’Brien, in a statement. Cardinal Group owns and operates the complex. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

August 15, 2018. Peg Carino is an interesting person and a personable one. She’s also an accomplished acrylic painter, splashing colors with the help of brushes in a certain way to create distinctive, bold and vibrant paintings that have been seen by many across the North Carolina Mountains, including on the cover of several December High Country magazines. One particular painting Carino went to work on is what she named “Knock Knock Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.” The 36” x 36” painting was created for and donated to the Avery Humane Society to honor Marti Huizenga, who passed away in 2017. A dedication of the painting took place at the humane society building in Newland on July 17 in memory of Huizenga and her support of the shelter. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

August 16, 2018. Approximately 2,200 students will head back to classes in Avery County Schools on Monday, August 20, to open the 2018-19 academic year. That first day of school will run the entire day. “I’m anticipating a very productive school year from the students and staff of our entire school system,” said new Schools Superintendent Dr. Bryan Taylor, who was hired to the post by the Avery Board of Education earlier this year. Public schools in Avery County include: Avery High; Avery Middle and Cranberry Middle; Blue Ridge Academy Alternative School; and Riverside, Banner Elk, Crossnore, Freedom Trail and Newland Elementary schools. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

August 15, 2018. Incoming freshmen as well as the rest of the student body at Appalachian State will be returning to Boone this weekend as classes are set to begin on Tuesday, August 21. App State has numerous events scheduled this weekend with several of them aimed at the new incoming freshman class. As students come back to the High Country for classes, along with that will come increased traffic congestion, both in cars, on foot and on bicycles through town. Drivers should be aware of their surroundings while on the road and pedestrians should follow all crosswalk and safety rules while walking around town getting used to their new home for the next nine months of classes and college life. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

August 15, 2018. The illustrious town of Seven Devils will host their “Celebration of Art” this Saturday, August 18th, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. It will be a spectacular gathering to support the artists of Seven Devils. By Elly Murray / Read more…

August 15, 2018. Ensemble Stage presents its final show of the summer, Weekend Comedy, beginning this Friday, August 17th. This show is a classic clash of the boomer and millennial generations, and with Ensemble Stage’s astounding cast, it promises to be a hoot and a half. Written by Jeanne and Sam Brobrik, Weekend Comedy is a comedy centering on a couple in their fifties who decide to go on vacation. While on the vacation, they encounter a couple in their twenties, who they share a one-bedroom cabin with for the weekend. By Elly Murray / Read more…

August 15, 2018. A video produced by the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, Inc. (ATHC) is in the running for a $25,000 award from First Horizon Foundation, the charitable foundation of Capital Bank and First Tennessee Bank, as part of their “25 Years of Giving” video contest. The competition celebrates the Foundation’s 25th anniversary of supporting the communities in which they are based. For the past quarter-century, the foundation has distributed more than $80 million to meet community needs. The video contest will invest an additional $250,000 to winning organizations with a top prize of $25,000. / Read more…

August 15, 2018. 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

August 15, 2018. Anyone Can Dance!, a pay-what-you-can dance program, offers ballet and tap classes to all children regardless of financial ability. Started in January 2018, the program held its first recital with 30 dancers on April 28th, 2018. This fall, Anyone Can Dance! is bringing a new program to the High Country – Heart of Dance. Heart of Dance is a team of 10-12 dancers ages 6-12 who meet once a week for a rehearsal. By Emily Sharpe / Read more…

August 15, 2018. Summer break is almost over for students across the High Country. School busses will be rolling on Monday morning, as Watauga County students will head back to their classrooms for the start of the 2018-19. Watauga County teachers were welcomed back with the annual convocation ceremony at the high school with over 700 faculty and staff members in attendance. The event featured three speakers that included Watauga County Board of Education Chairman Ron Henries, Principal of the Year Phil Norman from Green Valley and Blowing Rock School teacher Terri Hodges, who was named as the Watauga County Teacher of the Year. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

August 15, 2018 Letters to the Editor. BY PAULA FINCK / I am writing to encourage your readers to attend “Go Granny D,” a unique one-woman performance by noted actress Barbara Bates Smith at the Watuagua County Public Library thisSaturday, August 18, at 3:00 p.m. “Go Granny D” tells the story of the Doris “Granny D” Haddock, the woman who sparked a national conversation about big money and politics in 1999 by embarking on a 3,200 mile protest walk — at the age of 89 — from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C.  This all-but-forgotten woman is credited with stirring up a wave of outrage leading to the McCain-Feingold Act, national legislation against “soft” campaign contributions by big donors. Read more…

August 15, 2018. Join us for the 35th Annual Valle Crucis Community Park Benefit Auction on Saturday, August 25, at the Apple Barn at the Valle Crucis Conference Center. Indulge in scrumptious breakfast fare, sip a morning beverage, and raise your hand for the Park! This year, we welcome auctioneers Jesse Miller and Anne Rasheed to kick off the live bidding. The action will be dynamic, and we always encourage friendly competition! In case you’re shy about raising your hand, we are adding a silent auction to the mix this year, so you can make your bids quietly (but still competitively!). / Read more…

August 15, 2018. The Avery County Habitat for Humanity will host an open house and ribbon cutting for the newest home it’s constructed on Wednesday, August 15. The ceremony for the new home will start at 6:00 p.m. on its site at 91 Church Farm Lane in Newland. The GPS location for the new home is: 1250 Trice Fork Mountain Road, Newland, NC 28657. All who want to come are welcome at the ceremony and barbecue and refreshments will be offered to those who attend, compliments of the Avery HFH. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

August 15, 2018. In its verb form, the word relish means to enjoy or take great pleasure in an experience. As a noun, it is a spiced side dish or accompaniment to food. This time of year, it’s very easy to combine both meanings into one. I remember my mother and grandmother making relish, which, to me wasn’t very appealing — chopped vegetables marinating in a tangy juice, poured into jars and stored on the pantry shelf between pickles and kraut. It was something the grown-ups ate with pinto beans, and I just didn’t “get it.” Things sure have changed through the years! For those of you fortunate enough this year to have a few garden goods left hanging around to “relish,” perhaps these recipes will come in handy. By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

August 14, 2018. Residents in the town of Boone will have a new recycling program coming up at the end of August. The smaller, 18-gallon blue bins will be replaced by 96-gallon roll-out carts from August 27-31 with all single-family residences having these newer, bigger recycling bins by the official program start date of September 1. According to Marsha Owens, Boone’s Sanitation and Recycling Coordinator, the additional corrugated cardboard from residences made this change in the recycling program an important one. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

August 14, 2018. For 35 years, towns across America have participated in National Night Out, an event that is designed to bring communities together with their local police departments, sheriff’s departments and other emergency personnel. On August 7, Banner Elk hosted a special event at the Banner Elk School with games, hotdogs, ice cream and music provided by DJ Alan. Residents across the High Country got a chance to meet and greet local law enforcement officials from both Avery County and Watauga County. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

August 14, 2018. On New Year’s Day in 1999, Doris “Granny D” Haddock began a 3,200 miles march across the country at age 89 as a call for campaign finance reform. Her march across the United States started in Pasadena, California and ended on the steps of the Capital in Washington 14 months later. Barbara Bates Smith, an Off-Broadway actress, and musician Jeff Sebens will be reenacting Granny’s D’s journey for bipartisan reform efforts in countrywide voter registration drives. The performance will take place in the Evelyn Johnson Room at the Watauga County Public Library. This free, can’t miss reenactment is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 18th. / Read more…

August 14, 2018. The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland. / Read more…

August 14, 2018. One of the most exciting, entertaining and educational days of the summer for local children and youth is just days away. On Saturday, Aug. 25, the High Country Chapter of Hunters Helping Kids will host its annual kid’s field day at Appalachian Ski Mountain, which promises to be a day to remember for all involved. For youngsters ages 5-15, the outdoor world comes alive through instruction and hands-on opportunities in various aspects of outdoor life and sporting events. Dozens of adult volunteers will be on hand to help teach youngsters safety skills through a wide range of fun activities including fishing, archery, rifle and fire safety. The daylong event also includes meals and snacks at no cost to participating families. By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

August 14, 2018. As Watauga County Schools prepares to welcome back students on Monday, Aug. 20, teachers and staff came together to celebrate the system’s annual convocation ceremony. Held at Watauga High School, convocation gives new and returning teachers a chance to meet and connect with community partners, attend health screenings and a benefits fair and prepare to start the new school year together. The ceremony was host to three speakers who addressed the theme of empowerment, Watauga County Board of Education Chairman Ron Henries, Principal of the Year Phil Norman from Green Valley and WCS Teacher of the Year Terri Hodges from Blowing Rock.  / Read more…

Aug. 14, 2018  Early on in “The Meg”, it occurred to me that sharks just aren’t very scary. I don’t mean this movie’s shark (although some unconvincing CGI doesn’t help), but all sharks. Their teeth are always so small in proportion to the rest of their mouths that they don’t register the way they’re supposed to, and their eyes and faces perpetually have this expression that tells me they’re just minding their own business. Even definitive scary shark movie “Jaws” knew to keep actual shots of the creature to a minimum or else people would stop taking it seriously (and the legendary deficiency of the mechanical shark certainly didn’t help). So this movie is already hurt by being a monster movie with a nonthreatening monster. By Bob Garver. / Read more…

August 14, 2018. Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music is excited to announce the return of Jeff Little and his Trio on Saturday, August 18th for a concert at the Harvest House at 7:30 PM. Little, a Boone native, has developed a distinctive piano style all his own – influenced by bluegrass, blues, honky-tonk, jazz, and rock-n-roll music. Little is one of a kind, that’s why he’s called “The Piano Man of the Blue Ridge”.  / 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 Town Council Meeting is Tuesday, August 14

What’s Happening This Week at Lost Province Brewing Company

Boone Town Council Regular Meeting is August 16

Bestselling Author Amy Greene to Present at Grandfather Mountain August 16

Rep. Foxx to Host Veterans Information Session on August 17

September Ginseng Workshops at Watauga Cooperative Extension

Upcoming Events Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Fall Watauga Carry Out Cuisine Dates and New Chef’s Table Dining Experience Announced

CCC&TI Announces Fall Caldwell Cuisine Schedule

Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

August 13, 2018. This year will be the 7th annual G.O. (Get Outdoors) Grandfather Day at Grandfather Mountain State Park. The event will be filled with fun learning opportunities for families. Events will begin at the Profile Trail Parking Area. Each year, a theme is adopted for G.O. Grandfather Day, and this year the theme is fish. Learning opportunities will include ranger led hikes, a fisherman knot-tying workshop, discussions of mountain stream ecology, a lesson on how to cast a fishing rod and a demonstration on electrofishing by the Wildlife Commission. Be sure to see the presentations from the different groups attending as well. By Hailey Blevins / Read more…

August 13, 2018. Bluegrass fans will have the opportunity to hear some of the region’s finest bluegrass music this Friday in downtown Boone as the Town’s Cultural Resources Department continues the 2018 Summer Concerts at the Jones House. This years bluegrass showcase will feature three bands, including Cane Mill Road, The Dollar Brothers, and Surefire.  / Read more…

August 13, 2018. The fall session of Boone JAMS (Junior Appalachian Musicians) resumes on August 30 at the Jones House, featuring group music lessons in fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, ukulele, and harmony singing taught by local musicians steeped in regional old-time and bluegrass styles. Lessons are open to students ages seven through adults, from beginning through intermediate levels. The Boone JAMS program, formerly Watauga JAM, started in fall 2004, with a TAPS (Traditional Arts Programming for Students) grant from the North Carolina Arts Council.  Boone JAM is one of several other JAM programs in the region, including Alleghany JAM, which was the first program in the 1990s. Today, there are dozens of programs across four states with a regional organization that affiliates the satellite programs, like Boone JAMS.  / Read more…

August 13, 2018. A local wife and mother has discovered a unique way of combining her love for her family and others with a longtime hobby and passion for baking. Teesa Klear, who lives in Boone with her husband Bill and four children, Sam (11), Carolina (10), Hudson (7) and Tyndale (2), quickly made a name for herself as a great cookie maker soon after moving to the area a decade ago. Today, thanks to the encouragement of friends, her small home-based cookie business, Nomad Cookie Company, is quickly gaining momentum.
Anyone who has been lucky enough to run across Teesa’s cookies at the Boone Winter Market or through the High Country Food Hub — or learned about the online ordering opportunities — has certainly become a return customer, time and time again. Offering eight different flavors of cookies — and all available in gluten free form upon request, Teesa’s Nomad Cookie Company has also recently expanded to include brownies. “Not those dense, cake-like brownies, but huge, fudgy brownies that people really love.” By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

August 13, 2018. On July 19, the Boone Town Council voted to disband the town’s Affordable Housing Task Force. The Task Force had just wrapped up a study on population and housing demographics when it asked the Town Council for further direction, which led to a conversation about its viability. Joe Furman, a founding member of the Task Force, said early this summer that the Task Force has always had “no staff and no money, so there’s little possibility of success in building [affordable] housing.” Over the past few years what little power it did have has dwindled. Many people on its all-volunteer team have lost interest; many recent meetings have been canceled due to failure to meet quorum. “I wish it hadn’t come to this conclusion,” said Lynne Mason, another founding member of the Task Force and Town Council member. However, she continued saying, “affordable housing is not dead, just on hold for now.” By Joe Wiswell / Read more…