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Email Announcements Received Today:

1) AngioScreen Available at Watauga Medical Center

On Tuesday, February 24th, Watauga Medical Center (WMC) will offer AngioScreen® – a simple, non-invasive vascular screening designed to provide men and women with information about heart rhythm, neck and leg artery blockage, blood pressure, and body mass index in addition to an overall fitness assessment. The cost of the screening is $20 and vouchers may be purchased by calling (828) 268-8960. A limited number of appointments are available for the one-day screening on Feb. 24. Patients with abnormal screening results may be referred to a specialized physician in cardiology or vascular disease, if needed. Vascular disease may occur when calcium deposits or fats build up in the arteries. This build up narrows the vessels to the point where blood can no longer pass through. The screening reveals information about the patient’s circulation health and may help determine their risk for heart attack or stroke. “Our goal is to provide our patients with the best cardiovascular services available at a location close to home,” said Lesley Hastings, Director of Cardiovascular Services at Appalachian Regional Healthcare System. Watauga Medical Center recently added a peripheral vascular lab to complement the existing cardiovascular services. The lab allows Watauga Medical Center to treat patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) via angioplasty, stents and atherectomy procedures. To schedule an AngioScreen® vascular screening appointment, call 828-268-8960. To learn more about Cardiac Services at Watauga Medical Center visit www.apprhs.org.

2) BCBSNC Holds Open Enrollment Events for Boone Health Insurance Shoppers

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) is hosting a series of open enrollment events to provide the community with information about the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The events are open to the public and will give residents an opportunity to ask questions, seek advice, learn about subsidy eligibility and enroll in a health insurance plan for 2015. All residents with questions about the ACA or re-enrolling in a health insurance plan are encouraged to attend. The event will be held Feb. 15 from 2-7 p.m. at Daniel Boon Optimist Clubhouse.

3) CCC&TI Announces Upcoming Continuing Ed Career Courses

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute’s Corporate and Continuing Education Department has announced several upcoming courses.

Craft Brewing 101

The Corporate and Continuing Education Department at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute will offer Craft Brewing 101 with instructor and local brewer Jason Howard beginning Tuesday, March 3. The class will meet as follows: Tuesday, March 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Caldwell Campus of CCC&TI; Saturday, March 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Howard Brewing Company in Lenoir; Thursday, March 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at CCC&TI; Thursday, April 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Howard Brewing. Cost of the course is $125 and includes brewing kit and ingredients. The course will be offered again with a start date of April 28. For more information on either section of the course or to register, call 726-2242. Must be 21 or older to take this course.

Conversational Spanish

The Corporate and Continuing Education Department at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute will offer Conversational Spanish from Feb. 16 to May 4. The class will meet on Mondays from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Caldwell Campus in Hudson. No prior language experience is required. Cost for the course is $71. For more information or to register for this course, call 726-2242.

Spanish for Healthcare Professionals

The Corporate and Continuing Education Department at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute will offer Spanish for Healthcare Professionals from Feb. 17 to May 5. The class will meet on Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Caldwell Campus in Hudson. No prior language experience is required. Cost for the course is $71. For more information or to register, call 726-2242.

Conversational French

The Corporate and Continuing Education Department at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute will offer Conversational French from Feb. 18 to May 6. The class will meet on Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Caldwell Campus in Hudson. No prior language experience is required. Cost for the course is $71. For more information or to register, call 726-2242.

Intro to Audio Engineering Techniques

The Corporate and Continuing Education Department at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute will offer Intro to Audio Engineering Techniques from Feb. 23 to April 6. The class will meet on Mondays from 6 to 9 p.m. on the Caldwell Campus in Hudson. This course is designed for students who want to start or perfect their live sound audio engineering techniques. The topics covered include basic overview of digital and analog equipment, mixing console, hardware, speakers and monitors, amplifiers, headphones, microphones (wired and wireless), compressors, equalization,  mixing, effects and much more. Cost of the course is $95. For more information or to register, call 726-2242.

Intro to Home Studio Recording Techniques

The Corporate and Continuing Education Department at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute will offer Intro to Home Studio Recording Techniques from Feb. 24 to April 7. The class will meet on Tuesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. on the Caldwell Campus in Hudson. The topics covered include history of audio recording, basic overview of computer recording software (Pro Tools, Cubase, Cakewalk, etc.) and hardware, recording interface, speakers, amplifiers, headphones, microphones, equalization, mixing, effects, mastering and much more. Cost of the course is $95. For more information or to register, call 726-2242.

Fly Fishing – Caldwell and Watauga Campus

The Corporate and Continuing Education Department at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute will offer Intro to Fly Fishing on both the Caldwell and Watauga Campuses. On the Caldwell Campus in Hudson, the course will begin on March 2 and meet on Mondays from 6 to 8 p.m. The class will conclude with a fishing/field day on Saturday, March 28. On the Watauga Campus in Boone, the course will begin on March 3 and meet on Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. The class will conclude with a fishing/field day on Sunday, March 29. The cost for the course is $101 and includes college insurance. For more information or to register for the course, call 726-2242 in Caldwell or 297-3811 in Watauga.

Mixology/Bartending

The Corporate and Continuing Education Department at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute will offer Mixology – The Study of Mixing Beverages on the Caldwell Campus in Hudson from Feb. 23 to April 6. The class will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. Students will learn the art and craft of mixing drinks, how to make a variety of mixed drinks, from the classics to the more exotic, and many other tricks of the trade. You will also learn how to serve alcoholic drinks responsibly and the North Carolina Alcohol laws from the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (NCALE). Cost of the course is $126. You must be 21 or older to take this course. For more information or to register, call 726-2242.

Massage Therapy

The Corporate and Continuing Education Department at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute will offer Massage Therapy on both the Caldwell and Watauga Campuses. On the Caldwell Campus, class begins on April 6 and meets Monday – Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. On the Watauga Campus, class begins on April 2 and meets Monday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. Cost includes a $125 fee for the Career Pathways prerequisite course and a $181 registration fee. Approximate overall cost including supplies and textbooks is $1,335. For more information or to register for the course on either campus, contact Program Director Patrick Benson at 828-726-2261 or email pbenson@cccti.edu.

CDL Class B – Watauga

The NC Works Career Planning and Placement Center is offering Class B Commercial Driver License training in Watauga County. The class runs from April 6 to May 1 and meets Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A Class B Commercial Drivers License allows the driver to operate a commercial vehicle with a total weight up to 26,001 pounds, such as straight trucks, delivery vans, dump trucks, garbage/recycling trucks, cement mixers, buses, tow trucks, small tank trucks and food service trucks. CDL Class B also allows for the operation of a commercial vehicle pulling a separate trailer, so long as the combined weight is under 26,001 pounds and the trailer weighs no more than 10,000 pounds. Cost of this course is $700. For more information or to register for the class, call the NC Works Career Planning and Placement Center at 828-759-4680 in Caldwell or 828-265-5385 in Watauga.

4) Ashe County Organic Farming Course Begins Feb. 26

Have you heard about expanding sales opportunities for Organic farmers? Local and regional distributors seek more growers to supply organic produce to their customers. At farmers markets in the region, buyers actively seek organic local produce. But what does it take to grow and sell vegetables and fruits that can be properly described and legally sold as “Organic?” Whether you want to learn more about organic in a desire to grow the most nutrient-dense food possible, or you feel that your farm is too small to break into the conventional commercial vegetable market, Organic production could be an opportunity worth exploring. Do you have some land that has been idle for a few years, and now are looking to put it into potentially profitable production? Do you want to farm more sustainably? Answering yes to any of these questions may mean that the upcoming class on Organic farming taught by NC Cooperative Extension will be of interest. The class will cover all aspects of producing fruit and vegetable crops organically, from soil testing to harvest and sales. Whether you eventually choose to become a Certified Organic producer or not, the class will be filled with information on proven techniques for growing crops using only natural fertilizers and organic pest controls. This class is geared primarily toward growers who are already set-up to begin commercial-scale production, with an acre of tillable land or more and the desire to grow crops for sale to retail or wholesale customers. Smaller-scale growers are also welcome, but all class participants should know that sections of the class will cover how to produce according to USDA Organic standards and enter the expanding Certified Organic Market. Topics covered will include soils & fertility, disease identification & control, insect identification & control, weed management, post-harvest handling, certification & record-keeping, and selling to wholesale and retail markets. The class will meet on Thursdays, from 6:00-8:30 PM, at the Crops Building of the Upper Mountain Research Station (UMRS) in Laurel Springs, NC. UMRS is located at 8004 NC Highway. 88 E., Laurel Springs, NC  28644-8631. Participating growers will receive resource CD’s with information on organic soil fertility, weed management, disease identification, and organic pest control, plus the rules for organi c certification. To register and hold a place, e-mail Area Agent for Agriculture Richard Boylan at richard_boylan@ncsu.edu

5) APPropos! Takes the Stage Feb. 17 at Appalachian

The Hayes School of Music faculty vocal quintet APPropos! will present a recital Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. in Broyhill Music Center’s Rosen Concert Hall at Appalachian State University. Admission is free and the public is invited. The ensemble is composed of Julia Pedigo, soprano, Priscilla Porterfield, mezzo-soprano, Mary Gayle Greene, mezzo-soprano, John Fowler, tenor and Joseph Amaya, baritone. Rodney Reynerson will provide piano accompaniment. The program opens with “Sigh No More, Ladies” from “Sir John in Love” by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Selections from Francis Poulenc’s “Banalités” will follow. They are “Chanson d’Orkenise,” “Hôtel Voyage à Paris” and “Sanglots.” The quintet also will perform “The Daisies, Op. 2, No. 1,” “With rue my heart is laden, Op. 2, No.2” and “St. Ita’s Vision from Hermit Songs, Op. 29” by Samuel Barber. Also on the program are selections from “Chansons de Bilitis” by Claude Debussy. They are “La Flûte de Pan,” “La Chevelure” and “Le Tombeau des Naïades.” The singers will perform works by Eric H. Thiman, Johannes Brahms and Frédérick Chopin before concluding the program with William G. Harbinson’s “Songs of Matrimony” and selections from Georges Bizet’s “Carmen.”

6) 17th Annual Polar Plunge Held Feb. 19 at ASU

Take a dip in the duck pond at Appalachian State University for a great cause. The 17th annual Polar Plunge will begin with on-site registration from 3-4 p.m. with the event to follow. The annual event raises money for Special Olympics athletes in Watauga County. It is sponsored by Watauga County law enforcement agencies and Watauga County Parks and Recreation. Last year’s event raised just over $8,000 in less than an hour, with the ROTC program on campus raising $1,520, and a BBQ fundraiser netted $1,381.69. Other student groups raised nearly $1,500 and corporate donations added another $3,660. Registration for this year’s event is $25 per person or $20 per person for groups of five or more. Prizes will be award for the most extreme costume (male and female), and to the top fundraising group and individual. All participants will receive a Polar Plunge beach towel. For more information, contact Keron Poteat at Watauga County Parks and Recreation at 828-264-9511 or keron.poteat@watgov.org.

7) NCDOT Launches New WalkBikeNC Website Featuring Online Mapping Tool

The N.C. Department of Transportation has launched a new website for Walk Bike NC, a statewide plan for improving pedestrian and bicycle mobility. WalkBikeNC.com provides many features, including digital information from the plan and a new online mapping tool showcasing thousands of miles of signed bicycle routes in North Carolina. The website’s online map shows NCDOT-designated, on-road bicycle routes, first developed and signed in the 1970s and 1980s. In the past, route information had only been available via paper map order through the NCDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian DivisionWalkBikeNC.com allows cyclists to create turn-by-turn directions and check elevation profiles for the state’s bicycle routes. These online features will make bicycle tour planning easier for visitors and residents and compliment other online mapping services. NCDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Division Director Lauren Blackburn explains, “Our state’s cycling and walking routes and greenways are an economic asset. These networks connect visitors and residents to job centers, schools, open space, historic sites, small towns and other important destinations.” Walk Bike NC was adopted by NCDOT in 2013 and is built around five key pillars: mobility, safety, economy, health and environment. The plan provides tools and recommendations for making bicycle and pedestrian networks more accessible and safer.

8) Mt. Vernon Baptist Church Hosts GriefShare Sunday Afternoons

Mount Vernon Baptist Church hosts GriefShare, a grief support group on Sunday afternoons from 4-6 p.m. with the spring 2015 session starting Feb. 8. New members are welcome and may join at anytime. MVBC Minister of Education and Administration, Rev. Bud Russell, a seasoned GriefShare facilitator, leads this group.

9) BRWIA Now Accepting 2015 Farm Tour Applications

Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture (BRWIA) is now accepting farmer applications for the 2015 High Country Farm Tour in Ashe and Watauga counties. The tour will feature Ashe County farms on Saturday, June 27, and Watauga County farms on Saturday, July 18. Applications are due on Feb. 28. Applications can be found online at farmtour.brwia.org. The High Country Farm Tour is a great opportunity for farmers to connect with customers and the community, while educating the public about their land and growing practices. The tour allows consumers to see where their food comes from and demonstrates the importance of sustainable agriculture. Furthermore, it increases farm revenue through on-farm sales and advertising. Last year, the High Country Farm Tour featured 20 participating farms in Ashe and Watauga and attracted more than 500 farm visitors. Interested farms can learn more online at the High Country Farm Tour website (farmtour.brwia.org) or by contacting Corrie Malone, BRWIA intern, at intern_ft@brwia.org . Applications can also be found online and should be submitted by February 28. BRWIA will be announcing the 2015 High Country Farm Tour farms by April 1. Go to http://farmtour.brwia.org/ to learn more and apply for the 2015 High Country Farm Tour.

10) Weekly Events at Lost Province Brewing Company

Tuesday, Feb. 10

Cheap date night at Lost Province. Dinner + A Movie only $25 6-10 p.m. Movie starts at 7 p.m. No charge to come and watch the movie. Movie feature this week is “Roxanne”.

Thursday, Feb. 12

$3.00 Thursday-$3.00 pints on all Lost Province brewed beers (except high gravity)

8:00 p.m.-Closing Live Music: Danny Whittington and Friends. Jonathan Priest, Mike Runyon and Douglas James join Danny for some tasty R&B, and seriously groovin’ funk. Join us this Thursday for guaranteed good times (Optional Cover).

Friday, Feb. 13

Freakin’ Ferkin Friday at Five continues with the release of a firkin with black currants in our black saison (Saison de Nuit).

8-11 p.m. Live Music: Klee and Mike Show. Your Friday the 13th bad luck just got a lot better! Come on down for the one and only Klee and Mike show. Klee plays guitar and sings. Michael plays percussion and sings. Songs you know. Songs you don’t know. Songs you may have heard but aren’t convinced you know. Some other songs, too. (Optional Cover).

Saturday, Feb. 14

College Basketball on the Big Screen

Valentine’s Day Special: Special Reserve Beer: Chocolate Cherry Porter available starting at 5 p.m.

8 p.m.-Closing Live Music: Maureen Renihan & Friends will be performing for a special Valentine’s Day performance this Saturday Lost Province Brewing Co! Evoking the charm of a bygone era, Maureen is a vocalist influenced by some of the greatest singers: Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. She covers everything from jazz and blues to contemporary popular music and show tunes. Maureen Renihan (vocals), Gary Schwartz (keys), Ben McPherron (bass) & Jonathan Priest (drums). (Optional Cover).

Sunday, Feb. 15

College Basketball on the Big Screen

Lost Province Sunday: Residents of “The Lost Province” (Watauga, Ashe, Avery and Alleghany) receive 10 percent off food with verification of residency.

Tuesday, Feb. 17

Cheap date night at Lost Province. Dinner + A Movie only $25 6-10 p.m. Movie starts at 7 p.m. No charge to come and watch the movie. Movie feature this week is “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”.

11) Tastes of the Town Tours Single Bites Edition

Tastes of the Town Tours is set to host a special tour for non-traditional couples and the unattached on Tuesday, Feb. 17 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Participants ride a chartered trolley to each of 5 stops for small tastes highlighting each establishment’s food and drink. Tickets are now available online for the food tour. “I was inspired to do a special edition of the tour after chatting with single friends who often don’t have events geared towards them,” says tour organizer Sara Cardinale. “Even if you’re not single, but want to attend, this is a great event for anyone who enjoys food and meeting new folks in the community.” Stops for the Single Bites tour include: Heartwood, JJs Restaurant & Sports Bar, Toni’s Hawaiian Tacos, Wolf Hills Brewery and The Tavern, all located in Abingdon. This tour is limited to 25 participants, and is expected to sell out. Tastes of the Town Tours features restaurants that are part of the Rooted in Appalachia campaign, a local food branding initiative collaboratively launched in 2012 by the Abingdon Convention and Visitors Bureau and Appalachian Sustainable Development. Establishments identified as Rooted in Appalachia partners are dedicated to featuring locally purchased food in their menus, serving local wine or beer and making a good faith effort to purchase local food year round. Cardinale explains that “at each stop diners will get the chance to hear directly from the chef or owners about what efforts they are making to utilize local products, as well as get a taste of their specialties made with these items.”The tickets for the tour are $38 each, and can be purchased online or by phone. Participants should meet at the Municipal Lot in Abingdon at 5:30 p.m. For more information about this event, please visitwww.tastesofthetowntours.com or call 276-274-5483. 

12) Hayes School of Music String Faculty and Friends to Perform Feb. 19

The Hayes School of Music string faculty and Andrea Cheeseman, clarinet faculty, will perform a program on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 6 p.m. in Broyhill Music Center’s Recital Hall at Appalachian State University. Admission is free and the public is invited. Members of the string trio are Eric Koontz, viola, Nancy Bargerstock, violin, and Kenneth Lurie, cello. Joining the faculty are Margaret Bragg, violin, Audrey Sutton, viola, and Nora Naughton, cello. The program consists of W. A. Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet, K. 581, featuring Cheeseman, and Arnold Schoenberg’s String Sextet, opus 4, “Verklarte Nacht” (Transfigured Night.) James Toub, a member of the Department of Art faculty in Appalachian’s College of Fine and Applied Arts, will provide a slide projection of turn-of-the-century art work to accompany Schoenberg’s pivotal masterpiece of 1899. The work is heavily influenced by late 19th-century Romantic tendencies, while it foreshadows experimental trends of the early 20th century. Written when he was 25, the string sextet is Schoenberg’s best-known work. The composition is based on a poem of the same name written by Richard Dehmel in 1896.