High Country Press

Aug. 16, 2017. The Boone Town Council will meet on Thursday, Aug. 17. The Boone Town Council will appoint and swear in an individual to serve the remaining four months of Councilwoman Jennifer Teague’s position. Teague resigned due to moving outside town limits. Those that applied include Marshall Ashcraft, Quint David and Connie Ulmer. / Read more…

Aug. 16, 2017. The Sun Belt Conference announced the 2018 and 2019 conference football schedules on Wednesday. For the first time beginning in 2018, a divisional structure will be in place as the league will have two divisions (East/West), which will consist of five teams each. Appalachian will be grouped into the East Division with Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Troy. / Read more…

Aug. 16, 2017. The Watauga NAACP Branch is hosting a “Vigil for Charlottesville” on Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Jones House on King Street in Boone. / Read more…

Aug. 16, 2017. On Monday, August 21, Lees-McRae will hold a solar eclipse viewing party open to all students, faculty, staff and the local community on the front lawn of Tate Residence Hall. From 12:30-4 p.m., with peak viewing time from 2-3 p.m., attendees can witness the first North American total solar eclipse since February 26, 1979. / Read more…

Aug. 16, 2017. The Watauga County Fair opened on Tuesday and runs through the evening of Saturday, Aug. 19 at the High Country Fairgrounds on Roby Greene Road. Presented by the Mountain View Speedway, this year’s fair features plenty of racing action and other activities around the track, a Watauga County Fair Pageant and rides for the kids. By Jesse Wood / Read more…

Aug. 16, 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 Katie Benfield

Aug. 16, 2017. On Saturday, Aug. 19, join the local faith community at Alliance Bible Fellowship to recognize four longstanding pastors who have between them served more than 180 combined years in Watauga County. The honorees include Harold Bennett, Perkinsville Baptist Church; Gary Watson, Tabernacle Baptist Church; Lynn Powers, Three Forks Baptist Church; and Ray Greene, Willow Valley Baptist Church. / Read more…

Aug. 16, 2017. The final production of Ensemble Stage’s 2017 summer season is Art of Murder by Joe DiPietro. A suspenseful comedy, this play tells the story of Jack Brooks, a renowned artist known for his painting and his eccentricity. As he awaits the arrival of his art dealer, things are not quite what they seem. This visit from his art dealer isn’t just any old visit — this time, Jack has a plan. The production begins on Aug. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and runs until Aug. 26 at the Historic Banner Elk School. By Katie Benfield / Read more…

Aug. 16, 2017. Since 1869 there have been three total solar eclipses in North Carolina: Aug. 7, 1869, May 28, 1900, and March 7, 1970. There will be three more before the end of the century: Aug. 21, 2017, May 11, 2078 and Sept. 14, 2099. The 1869 total solar eclipse covered almost all of the state. / Read more…

Aug. 16, 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…

Aug. 16, 2017. Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center located in Boone, NC, serves as a refuge for individuals diagnosed with cancer. Bettie Bond is one of those individuals who found joy and beauty in all circumstances, even breast cancer. / Read more…

Aug. 16, 2017. On Thursday, Aug. 24, Tom Earnhardt will be exploring Grandfather Mountain, as part of the Grandfather Presents lecture series. The presentation runs from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 24 in the mountain’s Nature Museum Auditorium, with refreshments served from 6 to 6:30 p.m. in the museum lobby. / 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.

Western Watauga Senior Center’s Annual Craft Sale, 8/24-8/25

The Blowing Rock Civic Association Holds Round Table Discussion, Oct. 12

Avery and Beech Mountain Chambers August “After Hours,” Aug. 17

Open Auditions for “American Idol” in Asheville, 8/27

Get Outside at Grandfather Mountain State Park, 8/19

BRAHM Presents A Weaverly Path: The Tapestry Life of Sylvia Heyden, 8/17

Watauga County Public Library Presents: A Presentation on The Great American Solar Eclipse, 8/16

Compiled by Katie Benfield

Aug. 16, 2017. Letters to the Editor. David Watson / Dear Editor, After observing actions throughout the South to remove statues of confederate generals, I feel compelled to write this treatise condemning such measures. I especially condemn the actions of those who take it upon themselves to break the law by destroying or defacing these statues. / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. The second annual Boone Film Festival is slated for next month. This year’s festival features more quality submissions, a bigger venue, a separate youth screening and a double screening on the day of the Boone Film Festival. The youth category screening is set for Sept. 28 at the Watauga High School auditorium, and on Sept. 30, Appalachian State University’s Schaefer Center will host two screenings and an awards ceremony. By Jesse Wood / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. On Monday, August 14th officials from Ashe and Watauga counties met with the Todd Volunteer Fire and Rescue (VFRD) Board of Directors to discuss issues that led to the department’s lapse in insurance and operations earlier this month. The County was notified by the USDA that Todd’s property and liability insurance was cancelled. USDA was notified as they provided the financing for the fire trucks. Additionally, the County was made aware of the potential that the worker’s comp policy was also cancelled. / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. When local public relations and advertising firm G&T Communications, Inc. began working with NOVEC, a large electric cooperative outside of Washington, D.C., both organizations called it a “powerful partnership.” G&T partnered with NOVEC in 2013 and has been the cooperative’s agency of record since, providing strategic planning, creative development and implementation of successful advertising campaigns. / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. The summer months have seemed to fly by with excessive speed, and the beginning of fall classes at Appalachian State University is approaching just as fast. With classes beginning on Aug. 22, there will be an increase in traffic over the next week as students begin to move back into dorms starting on Aug. 18. Welcome back Mountaineers! / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. Join us for the 34th Annual Valle Crucis Community Park Benefit Auction. On Saturday, Aug. 26, indulge in scrumptious breakfast fare, sip a morning beverage and bid on a variety of items donated by local businesses. From gift certificates to local restaurants, retailers and attractions to new merchandise, art and home goods, there is something for every budget. / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. The ‘poaching season’ for ginseng is in full swing until the legal harvest season opens on the first of September. Yesterday evening, the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office arrested two individuals and charged them with felony larceny of ginseng – in addition to resist, delay and obstructing an officer. By Jesse Wood / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. On Saturday, Aug. 26, from 11 a.m.
until 2 p.m., the Empty Bowls for Avery County will be taking place at the Linville Land Harbor Recreation Center in order to raise awareness of hunger in the community and raise money for Feeding Avery Families, a nonprofit that works directly toward fighting hunger throughout Avery County. People from all over can come, pick out a bowl to take home with them, donate whatever they can and then stay for a prepared and provided lunch. Along with this, there will be a silent auction and wonderful community, so don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to participate in taking a stand against hunger within the community. By Katie Benfield / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. It’s time for the High Country to get ready for some flying fiddle bows and swirling, twirling calico costumes, as Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music welcomes back Strictly Strings and the high kicking Green Grass Cloggers to present their “Fiddle Bows and Calico – Part II” concert. The show will be staged at the Blowing Rock School Auditorium this Saturday night, Aug. 19 as a part of the JSMHM Indoor Concert Series. The show begins at 7:30 p.m., with the doors opening at 7:00 p.m. / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland. Send obituary notices to [email protected] Compiled by Jesse Wood / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. On Aug. 11, 2017, the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office received information that a registered sex offender with the last known registered address of 196 Pounding Mill Road, Warrensville, NC, was possibly living at a location in Watauga County. Additional information received was that the registered sex offender had been at that Watauga County location for approximately one month. / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. The Todd Fire Department lapsed on their insurance and any calls are being routed to surrounding fire departments such as Meat Camp and Deep Gap, according to Watauga County Commissioner Billy Kennedy. “We’ve had issues with the Todd Fire Department before. This is different,” Kennedy said on Tuesday morning. By Jesse Wood / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. The archive contains 55,000 testimonies of survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust, the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda (1994), the Nanjing Massacre (1937), the Guatemalan Genocide (1978-1996), the Armenian Genocide (1915-1923) and the Cambodian Genocide (1975-1979). The testimonies were taken in 62 countries and 41 languages, and are fully indexed and searchable by the minute with 64,826 keywords, 718,940 images and 1,861,032 names. To mark the archive’s launch, a public lecture and seminar with Dr. Jared McBride of UCLA will be held 7 p.m. Aug. 28 in Belk Library and Information Commons Room 114. McBride is a Holocaust scholar specializing in the areas of Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe. He is a recipient of the USC Shoah Foundation Center for Advanced Genocide Research’s Greenberg Research Fellowship and has worked extensively with the Visual History Archive. His visit is sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies together with the USC Shoah Foundation Center for Advanced Genocide Research. / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Institute for Health and Human Services (IHHS) at Appalachian State University announced a new route for the High Country Half Marathon scheduled for Aug. 26 at 7:30 a.m. Race director Mary Sheryl Horine stated, “Our race has a fantastic following of runners but not everyone is thrilled with the uphill finish. This year we’ve changed the route slightly in order to offer a long downhill finish for the last couple of miles!” / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. The Watauga County Arts Council announces the following opportunities of particular interest to artists. Further information about all of these opportunities is available at www.watauga-arts.org, by calling the Arts Council at 828-264-1789, or by visiting the Blue Ridge ArtSpace at 377 Shadowline Drive (at the corner of Shadowline and State Farm roads). These opportunities include open exhibitions, grants for artists, free workshops, arts placement services, frame sales, regional art exhibitions and so much more. / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. 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 2017 Summer Concerts at the Jones House.  This years bluegrass showcase will feature three bands, including Never Too Late Bluegrass, Jonah Riddle and Carolina Express, and Surefire. / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. Lees-McRae Performing Arts will open its stage for fall production auditions on Wednesday, August 16, at 6:30 p.m. in Hayes Auditorium.
Students, faculty, staff and the public alike can audition for parts in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank. / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. The Watauga County Arts Council announces the following opportunities of particular interest to artists. These include exhibitions, grant opportunities for artists, workshops, craft sales and much more. / 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.

The Blowing Rock Civic Association Holds Round Table Discussion, Oct. 12

Avery and Beech Mountain Chambers August “After Hours,” Aug. 17

26th Annual Last Chance Golf Tournament, Oct. 2

26th Annual Overmountain Victory Celebration Held Sept. 14-17

CCC&TI Continues Carry Out Cuisine on Watauga Campus

Read more…
Compiled by Katie Benfield

Aug. 15, 2017. If you own mature forestland (or a nice wooded backyard) with a little slope, moist soil, and good drainage, ginseng may be a viable way to produce income from your underutilized woods. The High Country has ideal growing conditions for this valuable forest medicinal plant. / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. On Aug. 21, a solar eclipse will occur over the United States. Appalachian State University’s College of Arts and Sciences and Department of Physics and Astronomy have been working for months to share the experience with the campus and community. / Read more…

Aug. 15, 2017. Appalachian State Student, Robert Block, 20, announces his candidacy for North Carolina District 93. Mr. Block has been working diligently with the educators of this great state to craft a new and effective education plan that will raise teacher pay, increase the competency of students, and provide a more productive learning environment. / Read more…