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Email Announcements We Are Receiving Today: See What’s Going On Around The Community

1) Heritage Apple Trees Featured in Community Plant Sale June 14

The Watauga County Annual Community Plant Sale, held on Saturday, June 14, will feature a number of mountain heritage apple trees that were specially grafted last year for this event at Big Horse Creek Farm in Ashe County. The Sweet Dixon, the Jarrett and the Lewis Green apples were all discovered in Watauga County and have been grafted from scions of known survivors, many collected by the late Inadeen Hampton. These apple varieties are unique to Watauga County and extremely hard to find for sale anywhere else. The Plant Sale will get underway at 7 a.m. at 375 Old 421 S., home out Aunt Pymm’s Table Antiques. All the private gardens at Aunt Pymm’s Table will be open to the public that day. The sale is hosted and sponsored by the Watauga County Democratic Party. Also featured in the Plant Sale will be a large number of nursery-grown, native perennial flowers and shrubs, many hard to find on the market. Kentucky wisteria, New York ironweed, the “Henry Eilers coneflower, penstemon “Huckster Red,” “Jacob Cline” red bee bald, “Major Wheeler” honeysuckle and the rosemallow that Thomas Jefferson grew at Monticello are among the unusual natives that will be available. “We’ll have everything, from trees to houseplants,” said Pam Williamson, owner of Aunt Pymm’s Table and an organizer of the sale. “Even a few vegetables, plus many container plantings, miniature gardens, rare vines and a huge selection of named dahlias, oriental and Asiatic lilies and other hard-to-find garden plants.” “Everything will be sold that day,” said Williamson. “About 7,000 plants and they’ll be sold at bargain prices, as you probably know.” Coffee and breakfast muffins will also be available at the sale.

2) Ashe County Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention Held Aug. 1-2

The Ashe County Arts Council is the new sponsor of the 45th annual Ashe County Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention taking place Aug. 1-2. The convention will be held on Friday from 5-11 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. at Ashe County Park in Jefferson. This is a bluegrass and old time music competition for adults and youth with categories including ballads, guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dobro, bass, folk songs, dulcimer and dance. Admission is $10 for one night or $15 for a weekend pass. Camping and concessions are available on site. For more information call 336-846-2787.

3) Writing Workshop Held June 27

On Friday, June 27, A writing workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Agricultural Conference Center located at 252 Poplar Grove Rd. in Boone. Cost is $30 including breakfast and lunch. Join us for a hands-on writing seminar with authors Jim Minick & Pamela Schoenewaldt, learn about the future of books and publishing with a book seller, Clayton Thompson, and get tips from noted Publicist Lynda Bouchard.

4) Festival of the Book Held June 28

The annual High Country Festival of the Book will be held at the Watauga County Library and the Jones House on Saturday, June 28 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The event is completely free and open to the public. Present will be NY Times Best Selling authors, children’s authors, mystery writers, history, genealogy, biographies, romance, local history, sports, graphic novels, thrillers, cooking, something for everyone. There will be vendors, music, food, children’s activities and crafts.

5) Poole Named Dean of ASU’s Graduate School

Following a national search, Dr. Max. C. Poole has been named dean of the Cratis D. Williams Graduate School of Appalachian State University. He will begin his work at Appalachian in August. Pool replaces Dr. Edelma Huntley who has served as dean of the graduate school since 2005 and is retiring at the end of June. Poole has been senior associate dean of graduate studies in the College of Graduate Studies at the University of Central Florida since 2005. He was also associate dean of East Carolina University’s Graduate School from 1998-2005 and assistant dean from 1994-98. He held a joint faculty appointment in UCF’s College of Heath and Public Affairs, College of Medicine and was a member of ECU’s Brody School of Medicine. Poole will be responsible for administering graduate education at Appalachian, including oversight of graduate program review, analysis of curricula and monitoring of national trends in graduate education. He will also facilitate other activities associated directly with graduate students including recruitment, advising, commencement, student orientation, professional development, graduate teaching assistant training, faculty development, financial support for graduate students and scholarly activities.