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Email Announcements Received Today:

1) Caldwell, Watauga Small Business Centers Host December Workshops

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute’s Small Business Center offers free workshops, one-on-one assistance and many more services to help local small businesses. To reserve your seat at one of the workshops, call 828-726-2242 (Caldwell), or 828-297-3811 (Watauga) or visit www.cccti.edu/smallbusiness to register. Here is a list of upcoming free workshops in Caldwell and Watauga counties: Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute’s Watauga Small Business Center will offer a free workshop titled “Making a Splash Without Much Cash: Low/No-Cost Marketing and Promotions for Small Business” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4 at the Appalachian Enterprise Center in Boone. The presenter will be Russ Seagle. Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute’s Watauga Small Business Center will offer a free workshop titled “ABC’s of Starting a Small Business” from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at the Appalachian Enterprise Center in Boone. Mike Collins, president of The Perfect Workday Company, will be the presenter. Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute’s Caldwell Small Business Center will offer a free workshop titled “Record Keeping and Taxes” from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11 at the JE Broyhill Civic Center in Lenoir. The speaker will be Arlene Childers and the workshop will cover financial records, tax reporting and business decision-making. Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute’s Watauga Small Business Center will offer a free workshop titled “Guerilla Marketing for Small Business” from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18 at the Appalachian Enterprise Center in Boone. The presenter will be Mike Collins, president of The Perfect Workday Company. For more information on CCC&TI’s Small Business Centers in Caldwell and Watauga counties, call 828-265-5385, ext. 214 or visit www.cccti.edu/smallbusiness.

2) Commencement Ceremonies Held Dec. 13 at Appalachian

Nearly 1,400 students will receive degrees during Appalachian State University’s commencement Dec. 13 in the Holmes Convocation Center on campus. Graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Reich College of Education will receive degrees at 10 a.m. The ceremony for graduates from the College of Fine and Applied Arts, College of Health Sciences, Walker College of Business and Hayes School of Music will begin at 2 p.m. Graduate students will be honored during the ceremony for their degree-granting college or school. The December ceremonies will feature remarks from graduating students. Elementary education major Shannon E. Richardson and geography graduate major Michael S. Flanagan will speak at the 10 a.m. ceremony. Recreation management major Diane C. Creamer and exercise science graduate student Olumide O. Awelewa will deliver remarks during the 2 p.m. ceremony. A total of 1,394 graduate and undergraduate students have applied to receive their degree during the December ceremonies.

3) Watauga Education Foundation Hosts Flapjack Flip Dec. 6

The Watauga Education Foundation will host a Flapjack Flip on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 7:30-11 a.m. at Watauga High School. Pancakes, local sausage, country ham and homemade blueberry syrup will be served. Featuring Santa Claus, musicians, holiday shopping and raffle packages.

4) Special Winter Hikes at Grandfather Mountain State Park

  • Christmas Hike: A Christmas hike will be held on Thursday, Dec. 25, at 1 p.m. Meet at the Boone Fork Parking Lot. Join a park ranger for a Christmas Day hike on the Nuwati Trail! This is the perfect chance to experience an outside adventure on a winter’s day. The three mile hike should bring you back to your vehicles by 4 p.m. Dress for the weather and bring water and snacks. If you have ice traction for your feet, bring it. This will be a fairly easy hike, taken at a slow pace; appropriate for hikers of all ages.
  • First Day Hike: The First Day Hike will be held on Thursday, Jan. 1 on New Years Day at 11:30 a.m. at the Profile Trail Parking Lot. Join Ranger Sicard to hike the first mile of the Profile Trail. During the hike, participants will be using sights, sounds, and touch for a unique hiking experience. The hike will last for 2.5 hours and may include walking off of the trail. Please dress appropriately for the weather conditions.