May 8, 2025 The Watauga Arts Council is thrilled to unveil its diverse lineup of hands-on classes and workshops designed to spark creativity, foster skill-building, and bring our arts-loving community together. WAC’s course offerings are packed with opportunities for artists of all skill levels to dive into something new or hone a beloved craft.
May 8, 2025 The Blue Ridge Energy MembersFoundation is now accepting applications for the 2025 grant cycle. Applications are accepted online at https://br.energy/grants through June 30, 2025. Grants will focus on organizations impacted by Helene or helping with recovery efforts. The Foundation will also consider grant applications that support economic and community development initiatives and programs, projects, and/or organizations that are important components of a community’s overall quality of life, emphasizing public safety, awareness, healthcare, and emergency services.
May 8, 2025 William James Sears Jr. has been appointed vice chancellor of university advancement at Appalachian State University, announced Chancellor Heather Norris on Friday, May 2. The appointment is effective July 1. The vice chancellor of university advancement reports to the chancellor and is responsible for leading and coordinating all aspects of the university’s fundraising, alumni relations and donor engagement efforts — advancing and promoting the university’s mission and vision by providing leadership; planning, developing, managing and implementing strategies to increase financial support; and cultivating relationships with alumni and donors.
May 7, 2025 After serving as a staging ground for Hurricane Helene relief, Banner Elk’s town green gets back to its regular purpose with the return of community events. The first four events to return are the popular Art on the Greene summertime two-day art shows, which take place the following weekends: May 24-25, July 5-6, Aug. 2-3 and Aug. 30-31. Some of the best artwork in the Blue Ridge Mountains can be found as 40 to 60 local and regional artists display their wares on the manicured lawn of the Historic Banner Elk School.
May 7, 2025 Boone Junior Appalachian Musicians (Boone JAM) is proud to present its Spring 2025 Semester Recital on Tuesday, May 13, at the Appalachian Theatre in downtown Boone. The performance is free and open to the public, with music beginning at 5:30 PM. This semester’s recital will showcase talented youth from 18 different classes, performing traditional Appalachian music on guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and ukulele. Boone JAM has over 80 students currently enrolled with 8 teachers sharing their talents. The event offers a heartwarming celebration of the students’ dedication and the region’s deep-rooted musical traditions.
May 6, 2025. The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland.
May 5, 2025 The Project Dance Foundation is proud to announce the launch of Camp of the Arts, a new multidisciplinary summer arts program designed to meet a growing need in the High Country. Starting June 2025, this immersive camp will offer children in grades K–12 professional instruction in dance, music, theatre, painting, and more. While Boone is home to several vibrant arts organizations, families still face limited options for comprehensive and affordable summer arts programming. Camp of the Arts aims to fill this gap by offering a structured, full-summer initiative that nurtures creativity, encourages self-expression, and fosters community among young artists.
May 5, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is set to debut its new Mindfulness and Well-being Series in July and August 2025. “The response from individual mindfulness events we’ve held in the past was outstanding,” said John Caveny, director of conservation and education for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “It was clear to us that folks got a lot out of the workshops, so we wanted to create more opportunities through a series.”
May 5, 2025 Letters to the Editor. By Craig Dudley / I’ve never been able to keep silent in the face of crimes committed in our name. I’m a birthright Quaker who is old enough to remember the affects of McCarthyism in home and school. There is an item in that sentence worth fleshing out. Quakers were the first abolitionists and have stood in support of those at the short end of the stick ever since. We were among the first to stand in support of the new state of Israel seventy some years ago when they were the oppressed.
May 5, 2025 “Thunderbolts*,” the latest offering from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, seems like awfully familiar territory. In the film, a group of assassins, criminals, and burnouts band together to form a ragtag group of do-gooders looking for redemption. There are definitely shades of the MCU’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” in play. Or how about that Sony-controlled “Sinister Six” movie that may never materialize? Actually, the real template seems to be “Suicide Squad” from the DC Extended Universe. That was the crummy team-up of also-ran villains that had the hook of Margot Robbie playing Harley Quinn. “Thunderbolts*” can’t even boast Robbie’s Harley, but it also isn’t saddled with Jared Leto’s miserable Joker, so it’s roughly a draw.
May 4, 2025 Boone wasn’t built for this many people, and it shows. Once a quiet, sleepy town, it has now been turned into a busy college community. Traffic, construction and overpopulation dominate daily life. It has become a common issue with record-high enrollment at Appalachian State University and construction taking over our streets. Locals and students alike are feeling the suffocation. According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2023, Boone, N.C.’s population was 19,811 at a size of 6.4 square miles. Watauga County experienced a population growth of 0.857% between 2022 and 2023. According to Appalachian Today, an article from Sep. 6, 2024, by Jessica Stump, App State has enrolled 21,570 students in fall 2024. Many Boone locals have mixed feelings about the town’s rapid growth, especially as student populations spike and developments reshape. By Greta Jenkins
May 4, 2025 Inside the Nth Degree Gallery on King Street in Boone, art spills across the walls with a tactile sense of history, memory and recovery. It’s not surprising once you meet the artist behind it — Ashlynd Scovato, a recent Appalachian State University graduate who turns saved materials into mixed-media works that explore human connection and the landscapes of her mountain home. Originally from Asheville, Scovato moved to Boone for its proximity to home and its cultural art and music scene. “I saw videos of the DIY music scene here and thought, ‘This is where I want to be,’” she said. “Boone just felt like art was happening everywhere.” By Greta Jenkins
May 2, 2025 TRALEIGH – NFIB’s April jobs report found that 34% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in April, down six points from March, the lowest since January 2021. “Small business owners remained open to hire and grow their workforce in April,” NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said. “While the percent of open positions decreased a bit, Main Street firms are still struggling to find qualified applicants for their plentiful open positions.”
May 1, 2025 The Town of Boone’s Planning and Inspections Department received the Local Program Award for Overcoming Challenges in Erosion and Sediment Control from the North Carolina Sedimentation Control Commission. The award was presented during the 2025 Erosion Control Local Program Workshop held on April 23 in Pittsboro, North Carolina. It recognizes the municipality that overcame the most significant challenges during the award period—in this case, Hurricane Helene.
May 1, 2025 Appalachian State University will recognize spring 2025 graduates during commencement ceremonies on Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10. Ceremonies will take place at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. each day in the Holmes Convocation Center on App State’s Boone campus. During the events, graduates will walk across the stage in Holmes Convocation Center and be professionally photographed receiving their diploma covers. App State Chancellor Heather Norris will confer degrees upon graduates at each ceremony, which will include graduates from each of App State’s academic colleges and the Hayes School of Music
April 30, 2025 Spencer Sweeting Klingeman was a soulful, vibrant, and witty young newlywed as she, her husband Derek, and her sister drove away from a day on the slopes of Steamboat Springs., CO, on Dec 21, 2018. The three were returning to the Klingeman’s home in Denver, prepared for a final day of holiday celebrating before Spencer’s sister, Megan, returned to the High Country, where Spencer and Megan had been born and raised, and Derek’s family had a home. But fate intervened, and along the route down I-70, the evening darkness had made true the term “black ice” on the road, and Derek swerved colliding with an oncoming vehicle. By Lorry Mulhern
April 30, 2025 Appalachian State University will host its second annual Aging Well Conference on May 15–16 at Levine Hall of Health Sciences, located at 1179 State Farm Road in Boone. Sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Medicare, the event will bring together caregivers, health professionals, researchers and social service providers to explore innovative strategies for healthy aging. Conference topics include disease prevention, managing anxiety and depression in older adults, balancing exercise with physical therapy and lifestyle interventions to prevent cognitive decline.
April 30, 2025 Rhode’s Motor Lodge is delighted to announce a new culinary venture in collaboration with esteemed local chef and restaurateur, Andy Long. Chef Long, formerly of the celebrated Over Yonder restaurant in Valle Crucis, will helm the lodge’s on-site dining establishment, aptly named ‘Over Yonder Boone.’ This partnership promises to bring a fresh and authentic Appalachian dining experience to both locals and visitors of Boone.
April 30, 2025 FLOYD, VA — A renowned cornerstone of Appalachian culture and music, The Floyd Country Store returns as a marquee partner for FloydFest 25~Aurora, not only as the sponsor of FloydFest’s cherished Porch Stage, but also as a lead for its programming during the latest annual offering of the Southeast’s premier summer outdoor music festival, taking place Wednesday to Sunday, July 23 to 27, 2025, at its new home, FestivalPark, located at 5826 Floyd Highway North in Check, Va. Patrons who have still not secured tickets to FloydFest 25~Aurora are encouraged to do so soon, as some non-sold-out ticket types are in short supply.
April 29, 2025 Explore Boone is excited to invite the community to the Open House of its new Visitors Center and offices on Thursday, May 8, 2025. The event will take place at 171 Grand Blvd. in downtown Boone, located behind the Jones House Cultural Center. Doors open at 3:30 PM, with a ribbon cutting at 3:45 PM. Swing by anytime before 6 PM to tour the beautifully restored historic home, meet the Explore Boone team, and enjoy tasty bites from Lost Province Brewing Co. Whether you’re a longtime local, a community partner, or just curious, we’d love to see you there!
April 29, 2025 MerleFest, presented by Window World, wrapped up its 37th annual celebration with a romp-roaring tribute to the music and community that folk icon Doc Watson championed throughout his life. Over the course of four vibrant days, nearly one hundred acts ranging from rising stars to seasoned legends graced a dozen stages across the campus of Wilkes Community College, drawing thousands to the rolling hills that canvas the region. Founded in 1988, MerleFest has grown into not only a musical cornerstone of North Carolina but also a vital economic engine for the area, fueling scholarships, capital improvements, and educational programs throughout the community. The 2025 edition continued that legacy, blending genre-defying performances with a deep sense of purpose rooted in place and people.
April 29, 2025. The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland.
April 28, 2025 March 2025 saw drier-than-normal conditions for the month on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations. The average high temperature for March 2025 was 47.47 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average low of 31.65 degrees and a mean of 39.56 degrees. The warmest temperature recorded last month was 62.1 degrees on March 12, almost 10 degrees shy of the mountain’s record March high of 72 degrees, observed March 30, 1985.
April 28, 2025 BISSELL Pet Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending pet homelessness, is once again prompting a nationwide call for adoption through its Empty the Shelters event, running May 1-15, 2025. Watauga Humane Society will participate alongside 380+ shelters across 43 states to help pets find loving homes through reduced adoption fees of $70, generously sponsored by BISSELL Pet Foundation. Watauga Humane Society will participate from May 1-15, offering $70 adoptions for cats and dogs and $0 for small critters. Visit https://bit.ly/4i01kxX to view adoptable pets and learn more.
The Blue Ridge Chapter of the NC Native Plant Society is announcing the dates for their two annual native plant sales. The sales will be held on Saturday, May 17 and Saturday June 21 at the Daniel Boone Native Gardens located at 651 Horn in the West Drive, Boone. The sales run from 8:00am to 11:00am both days. In the event of rain, the location will be moved across the street to the picnic shelter in Boone Park.