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Today’s Email Announcements

Vineyard Site Evaluation & Design Offers First Class in Series on Grape Growing

Class/workshop will be held at the Jewel of the Blue Ridge Vineyard in Marshall NC.

Saturday, February 25, 2017 – Vineyard Site Evaluation & Design 10AM to 2 PM

Learn how to determine if your farm has the best location and slope orientation to successfully grow cold-hardy grapes in the mountains.

The 4-hour class/workshop will cost $35 and will include a catered lunch.

Call Chuck at 828-606-3130 for more information or e-mail Chuck@JeweloftheBlueRidge.com for directions. Or go to our website www.JeweloftheBlueRidge.com to register and pay in advance. You will receive directions after you register for the class/workshop.

We reserve the right to change schedule dates/places depending upon the weather.

2017 Annual cycle North Carolina “Mountains to Coast” Route Coming Up

RALEIGH, North Carolina, February 2, 2017 – Wit Tuttell, the Executive Director of Visit NC, announced the 2017 Cycle North Carolina “Mountains to Coast” Route with the help of town representatives in a pre-recorded video released at the Cycle North Carolina Route Announcement Party, held at Crank Arm Brewing in downtown Raleigh on February 1. 

 To view the video of the “Mountains to Coast” Tour announcement, visit: https://youtu.be/4ngvfbYdfMg

 The nineteenth annual ride is scheduled for a Jefferson to Swansboro route, from September 30 to October 7, 2017.  With beautiful tourist stops along scenic back roads, the “Mountains to Coast” trek is the highlight of the year for many cyclists from across the nation.

Cycle North Carolina will begin its full-service, cross-state ride on September 30th at Family Central Park in Jefferson, and will arrive Hammocks Beach State Park in Swansboro on September 7th, with 1,100 bicyclists expected to participate.  Over the course of the week, riders will bike an average of 60 miles per day.  Additional overnight stays are planned for the towns of Elkin, Oak Ridge, Chapel Hill, Knightdale, Wilson and Kinston.

The Cycle North Carolina “Mountains to Coast” Tour is the state’s only cross-state, fully-supported ride created in 1999 with the N.C. Division of Tourism, Capital Broadcasting Company, the N.C. Department of Transportation and North Carolina Amateur Sports as founding partners.  Cycle North Carolina was developed to promote North Carolina’s scenic beauty, heritage tourism, visitor attractions, historic sites, state parks, fitness, healthy lifestyles and the benefits of bicycling to individuals and our state.  During the past 18 years, Cycle North Carolina has stopped overnight in more than 100 North Carolina towns and visited nearly 700 North Carolina communities. 

 Registration brochures are available and online registration is open at www.cyclenorthcarolina.org.  Cycle North Carolina will be capping registration at 1,100 riders, so interested riders are encouraged to register early, to avoid missing out on the highlight of the year for bicycling in North Carolina.

 In addition to the “Mountains to Coast” Tour, Cycle North Carolina will host the Coastal Ride in Oriental, NC, April 28-30, 2017.  Cycle North Carolina will also host its fourth annual Mountain Ride in Bryson City, NC, August 5-6, 2017.  Registration for the Coastal Ride is sold out, but registration for the Mountain Ride is open at www.cyclenorthcarolina.org.  

 Cycle North Carolina is presented by Visit North Carolina. Partner organizations of Cycle North Carolina include: Powerade, Capitol Broadcasting Company, Lowes Foods, the N.C. Department of Transportation and Cycling Spoken Here.

Third Thursday Movie at the Public Library: “Selma”

Audience: Adults (18+)
Location: Watauga County Public Library – Meeting Room

The Watauga County Public Library’s movie group invites you to join us for a viewing of “Selma” on February 16th from 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm.

Director Ava DuVernay’s 2014 film, “Selma”, tells the unforgettable true story of the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement.

This film has an MPAA rating of PG-13 and an approximate run-time of 128 minutes.

For more information please call (828) 264-8784 ext. 2

Visit our libguide: http://arlibrary.beta.libguides.com/african_american

“The Blood of Jesus” Part 2 of the African-American History Month Film and Lecture Series at Public Library

Audience: Adults (18+)
Location: Watauga County Public Library – Meeting Room

The Watauga County Public Library would like to invite you to join the Rev. Dr. David Mielke on Tuesday, February 14th from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm for the second in a three part film and lecture series on the portrayal of African-Americans in early 20th century cinema.

In part 2 of the series, Dr. Mielke will be showing the 1941 film, “The Blood Of Jesus”. This film, a religious allegory, was written by, directed by and starred Spencer Williams, who plays Razz Jackson, an irreligious man who accidently shoots his Baptist wife Martha. When Martha succumbs to her injuries, she is brought to the crossroads where she is faced with the temptations of Satan.

Spencer Williams, an African-American director, writer and actor, was most famous for his role as Andy Brown on the equally pioneering and controversial 1950’s sitcom “The Amos ‘n Andy Show”.

This film has an MPAA rating of Unrated and an approximate run-time of 57 minutes.

For more information please call (828) 264-8784 ext. 2

Also, be sure to check out Dr. Mielke’s African-American and segregationist display at the library! It will run from 1/23/2017 –3/17/2017.

Visit our libguide: http://arlibrary.beta.libguides.com/african_american

High Country Lifelong Learners Movie to Show at Public Library: “Billy Elliot”

Audience: Adults (18+)
Location: Watauga County Public Library – Meeting Room

High Country Lifelong Learners in association with the Watauga County Public Library invite you to join us for a movie viewing of “Billy Elliot” on February 13th from 2:00 pm – 5:30 pm.

Director Stephen Daldry’s 2000 film, “Billy Elliot”, tells the story of a talented young boy who becomes torn between his unexpected love of ballet and the disintegration of his family.

Stars: Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Jean Heywood

This film has an MPAA rating of R and an approximate run-time of 110 minutes.

For more information please email: high.country.lifelong@gmail.com, Attention: Deb Gooch.

February Old Time Dance at BRAHM this Friday

Come in out of the winter and shake a leg with the fun and comradery of old-time dance: circles, squares, and lines! Absolutely NO experience is necessary and people of all ages are welcome. Dance instructions will be given by experienced callers and live music will be provided by Strictly Strings!

$5 per person, free for children 12 and under. 

For more information, please call 828-295-9099 or email info@blowingrockmuseum.org

Senior Softball Team Coming to the High Country this June

The Senior Softball team has received permission from the Banner Elk Less McRae college and Boone Rec to start up a senior softball team. They will play June 1st through Aug. 31st , every Tuesday 10:30 a.m. at Lees McRae and Thursday 1o:30 a.m. at Watauga Co Rec complex . This will not be a League . These will be “sand lot” pick up games where you can show up or not as you please to enjoy softball . The usual format is arrive half hour early for fielding and batting practice , then make up teams and play a fun game. For more info call Bert Valery  at 727 215 5560 (bertvalery1@hotmail.com) or Holly Gates (Watauga Rec) at 828 264 9511.