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10 Tips to Prepare for The Severe Winter Storm This Weekend

Written by: Sam Garrett BOONE, N.C. — As winter storms are arriving across the mountains of North Carolina. We will receive a mix of heavy snow, ice, high winds and rapidly changing conditions. The Governor has declared a state of emergency. Emergency managers urge everyone to prepare early and avoid unnecessary travel starting Friday, January 22 through the weekend. Below is a quick checklist of how to prepare for the weekend. 1. Monitor forecasts closely.Weather can change quickly in the High Country. Check updates from the National Weather Service, Ray’s Weather, WATA FM 96.5, High Country Press along with social media for the latest weather conditions. Pay attention to winter storm watches and warnings, which signal increasing or decreasing risk. 2. Stock up before the storm hits.Grocery stores can empty fast when snow is in the forecast. Have at least three days of food and water for everyone in your household. Choose items that don’t include cooking in case the power goes out. 3. Prepare for power outages.Heavy snow and ice often bring down trees and power lines. Keep flashlights, extra batteries, blankets and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio on hand. If you rely on medical equipment that needs electricity, …

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Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Showcases New Exhibitions at “Fizzy First Friday” on February 6

Boone, NC – The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts will host an evening of ARTtalks, a juried photography competition, hands-on artmaking, and community engagement during Fizzy First Friday on Friday, February 6 from 4-8pm. The event features the opening of new exhibitions, artist conversations, refreshments and desserts, and music by a DJ, all in celebration of the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition (AMPC). Schedule of Events: 4-8pm: Fizzy First Friday Celebration, all galleries open 4-5pm: ARTTalk with Artist John Shorb (Dieu Donné, NYC) 5-6:30pm: AMPC ARTtalk and Awards Reception 5-7:30pm: Drop-In Artmaking in Moskowitz Gallery 7-8pm: DJ Set with Ty Murray/DJ Soularia All events are FREE and open to the public. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and desserts provided with a cash bar. Exhibitions and Activities Overview: 23rd Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition and Exhibition This year’s theme, “I Know Why the Mockingbird Sings,” was chosen by juror Ty Murray, artivist and Director of Art & Communications at The Bottom, a nonprofit cultural organization in Knoxville, TN. Murray describes the inspiration behind the theme: “Joy is at the heart of my creative practice. My gears were turning for a theme that could convey the freedom that joy embodies—like the feeling of an …

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Movie Review: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Written by: Bob Garver             Audiences largely left last June’s zombie threequel “28 Years Later” thinking the same thing, “That was a good movie, but what the heck was up with that ending?” They were referring to the last-minute saving of young protagonist Spike (Alfie Williams) from a hoard of Infected by a gang of blonde-wigged, tracksuit-wearing ruffians led by long-missing earlier character Jimmy (Jack O’Connell). The tone of the sequence was one of stylized action, which clashed with the more ominous, meditative horror (short of the obvious Infected attacks) of the rest of the movie. Now, a mere seven months later, “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” provides answers as to exactly what the heck was up with that ending.             It turns out that the gang, known as The Fingers (because together they form a mighty fist), while they like to take out the Infected, aren’t much kinder to uninfected humans. They’re a cult of serial killers, all stripped of their original names and now called Jimmy, who serve a Satanic deity known as Old Nick. O’Connell’s leader, now going by the name Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal, agrees to take in Spike if he can kill a Jimmy …

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Watauga County Republican Women’s Club Announce Monthly Meeting

The Watauga County Republican Women’s Club (WCRWC) will have its next monthly meeting on Wednesday January 28 at the Watauga County  Department of Social Services, 132 Poplar Grove Connector, Boone. Meeting begins at noon, with attendees advised to bring a drink and brown-bag lunch. All interested in furthering the Republican cause in the High Country are welcome to attend and are invited to join. Call 828/832-6864 for more information. Should Watauga County Public Schools close or have remote learning, the meeting is cancelled. If schools are on delayed opening, we will proceed as scheduled.  The WCRWC usually meets the last Wednesday of the month. See us on Facebook and learn more.

Watauga County Board of Elections Successfully Completes Logic and Accuracy Testing for Voting Equipment

Provided by: Watauga County Board of Elections Boone, NC — The Watauga County Board of Elections has successfully completed Logic and Accuracy (L&A) testing for all voting equipment to be used in the upcoming election. This testing confirms that the voting systems accurately record and tabulate votes as intended.Logic and Accuracy testing is a public process required by North Carolina election law and conducted prior to each election using teams of bi-partisan election workers. During testing, election staff run predetermined test ballots through each voting device to ensure that votes for every contest and candidate are correctly counted and reported.The testing was conducted under the supervision of Watauga County Board of Elections staff in accordance with procedures established by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. No discrepancies were identified, however coding for one election day precinct had an issue which is being addressed. “The successful completion of Logic and Accuracy testing is a critical step in ensuring secure, accurate, and transparent elections in Watauga County,” said Matt Snyder, Director “Voters can be confident that our voting systems are functioning properly and that every vote will be counted accurately.”All voting equipment will remain securely stored until it is deployed for …

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Governor Stein declares a State of Emergency in advance of upcoming storm.

January 22, 2026 Boone, NC – January 22, 2026 -“A winter storm is approaching, and now is the time to prepare,” said Governor Stein. “Please get ready. Get everything you need in advance of the storm and have a plan in case your power goes out. I encourage all North Carolinians to stay home and off the roads this weekend unless absolutely necessary so first responders can do their jobs safely and effectively.”

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Week 3 for the SMARL Monday Night Ski Races It Was Cold, But the Turnout Was Great!

Three weeks down, three weeks to go for the SMARL 20th anniversary’s racing season. It was cold Monday night and the race course was a little more turnery than usual and pretty challenging, which made for some slower times. Matt Leonard said “It was cold for sure!” Team Sugar still leads the skiing division by two points over Ski Country Sports. The Lodge is dominating the snowboard division. Andrew Jochl had the fastest skiing time this week at 31.56 seconds with Matt Leonard close behind with 31.78. Erich Schmidinger was fastest for the snowboards at 37.83. Next Monday night should be an interesting race with the weekend forecast of a major snowstorm.

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SMARL’s Week Two Results Are In From Monday Night’s Race, Great Weather, Fast Times!

January 14, 2026. Week two of SMARL’s 20th Anniversary race series is in the books with Team Sugar leading the pack in the skiing division and The Lodge on top in the snowboard division. Matt Leonard said Monday night ‘s weather was just right with the race course in great shape for some fast racing. “We had a great turnout, even better than last week,” said Leonard. “The snow was really good and the course was a little straighter that made for some really fast times.”

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Filmmaker Jon Glassberg Returns to Boone for Screening of “Girl Climber” on Jan’ 31 as Fundraiser for Howard Knob Boulders

January 14, 2026. Join Blue Ridge Conservancy at the Appalachian Theatre on January 31 for a screening of “Girl Climber,” and a panel including filmmaker Jon Glassberg and BRC’s Eric Hiegl. In the exhilarating film, director Jon Glassberg, who lived and climbed in Boone in the early 2000s, chronicles professional climber Emily Harrington’s pursuit of a 24-hour ascent of Yosemite’s El Capitan. Proceeds from the evening benefit BRC’s purchase of Howard Knob for public access for hiking and climbing. After 30 years of effort, the Conservancy was able to buy the property in December of 2025, with plans to reopen the land to the public in the near future for climbing, hiking, and recreation.

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Crossnore’s Center for Trauma Resilient Communities Launches Initiative in Avery, Mitchell, and Yancey Counties to Strengthen Nonprofit Leadership and Post-Helene Resilience

January 13, 2026 Boone, NC – January 13, 2026 -Nonprofit leaders in the High Country are currently facing an unprecedented secondary trauma crisis—managing their own losses while leading organizations through a regional emergency. In rural communities like the High Country, nonprofits often serve as the primary public infrastructure supporting vulnerable individuals and families, particularly in matters of safety and wellness. As a result, these leaders are carrying not only personal and organizational strain, but also the weight of sustaining one of the few systems of care available to their communities during a time of profound need. 

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Attorney General Jackson and NCDHHS Secretary Sangvai Issue Statement on Potential Child Care Funding Freeze

January 12, 2025 Boone, NC – January 12, 2025 -“If fraud is discovered here, we will pursue it aggressively and make sure those responsible face consequences,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “That’s what our fraud prosecutors do every day. When people steal taxpayer money, they’re stealing from kids and families. We have zero tolerance for it, and we’ll use every tool we have to stop it. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has been a reliable partner in past efforts to uncover and stop fraud, and that partnership has helped us save taxpayers millions of dollars.” 

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Watauga Arts Council Adapts Arts Education Model to Expand Access and Flexibility for the Community

January 12, 2026 Boone, NC – January 12, 2026 – “We always look forward to hearing feedback from our community so we know what’s working and where we can improve,” said Krista Holt, Operations Manager at WAC. “In the past, art class planning and marketing happened on a rolling basis. This year, we’re prioritizing early setup and promotion to remove scheduling barriers and invite more people to experience the value of creating.”

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Blue Ridge Conservancy Purchases 74 Acres on Howard Knob

January 12, 2025 Boone, NC – January 12, 2025 -The property was purchased from Monte Green, who bought the land in the 1990s, eventually using one tract for his home and leaving the rest undeveloped. Through his family’s stewardship the property remained in its natural state with the recreational and ecological values intact. After several years of discussion with Green a deal was struck, and BRC sprang into action to ‘Save Howard Knob.’ 

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Boone Police Department Announces Citizens Police Academy

January 12, 2025 Boone, NC – January 12, 2025 –
Are you interested in learning more about law enforcement to include patrol officer functions, criminal investigations, K9 operations, community policing, or just want to become more familiar with the Boone Police Department in general? Now is your opportunity!

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Movie Review: “Primate”

January 12, 2026 Boone, NC – January 12, 2026 -And then the movie did something with Ben that greatly detracted from all that hard work: it made the character unnaturally smart. I’m not talking about the early scenes of the chimp functioning in the household. I’m talking about how, if the character’s homicidal tendencies are driven by rabies, then he’s a crazed, full-steam-ahead killing machine, and I’m afraid of that. But the film gives Ben the presence of mind to taunt his victims and get creative in his attacks, and it’s just not “rabid” behavior. It’s the behavior of a standard movie slasher, and by the end of the movie, I couldn’t see Ben as anything more than that.

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Sugar Mountain Adult Race League (SMARL) Celebrates It’s 20th Anniversary This Year with It’s Kick-Off Race Last Monday Night

January 8, 2026. The 20th anniversary season of the Sugar Mountain Adult Race League (SMARL) got off to a fabulous start on Monday night with perfect weather and a lot of happy faces as skiers and snowboarders were ready to race into 2026. Some 75 participants representing 11 teams will be racing over six Mondays in the annual series that began on January 6 and will conclude with an award ceremony and festivities on February 9. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years,” says Bill Leonard of Ski County Sports.

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Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Announces 2025 Watauga County Businesses of the Year

January 8, 2026 Boone, NC – January 8, 2026 -“Each of these businesses hold high the value of community partnerships,” said David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. “While their individual missions and reach are diverse, their commitment to community is their unifying trait, and nothing short of inspiring. All three have relied on the local market to build their workforce, they’ve sought unique ways to partner with local individuals and businesses to support and advance projects, and they each excel in providing a touch of High Country hospitality in how they operate. We are excited to celebrate with these businesses and showcase their successes and positive impacts on our community.”

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Avery County Chamber of Commerce Uplifts a Rebrand: To Connect, Support and Inspire

January 4, 2025 Boone, NC – January 4, 2025 -As part of this innovation engagement the chamber has partnered with Jeanine Hasty of Bramble Media & Marketing, to pursue a refreshed visual identity aligned with this evolving vision—one that reflects the momentum, growth, and commitment to better serving its members, partners, and the Avery County community as a whole.

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