Front Page

October 23, 2024 . I doubt there is anyone who would disagree that these days in which we are living are anything but “normal.” Our world, as we knew it here in these beautiful mountains, has been turned upside down and inside out, as have many of our lives in the process.At the same time, we’re all searching for that “happy place” again, something that helps us hang on to what we knew and loved, and upon which we could depend. The options are limited, for many.  By Sherrie Norris

Read more

October 16, 2024 . There’s likely nothing I could say that hasn’t already been said. I’ve tried hard to process and relay, but for some reason, I’ve had such a hard time expressing my thoughts in recent days. I feel sure that I’m not alone. The devastation and desperation our High Country has experienced since Hurricane Helene passed through three weeks ago is beyond anything any of us could have imagined, let alone something for which we could have adequately prepared.  By Sherrie Norris

Read more

October 6, 2024 Crews are making much progress as they continue 24/7 power restoration efforts: outages are down to 11,683 as of Sunday, 10 am after a high of 63,000 when Hurricane Helene left behind catastrophic damage last Friday. “We appreciate the support from members and communities,” said Renee Walker, director public relations. “Crews are working in extremely dangerous,” Walker said, explaining as one example the nature of tree removal from power lines.

Read more

Lenoir, North Carolina (Saturday, 2:30 pm – October 5, 2024) – Work continues this Saturday, as over 500 line technicians, along with tree and grading contractors, continue 24/7 power restoration efforts to some 14,000 Blue Ridge Energy members after Hurricane Helene left behind catastrophic damage to western North Carolina.

Read more

Lenoir, North Carolina (Friday, 2:30 pm – October 4, 2024) – An army of over 500 line technicians, along with tree and grading contractors, continue 24/7 power restoration efforts to some 18,000 Blue Ridge Energy members after Hurricane Helene left behind historic damage to western North Carolina. Crews have made progress since last Friday when 63,000 members were without power at the height of the most damaging storm to hit western North Carolina in recent history.

Read more

It is with pure heartbreak that I bring you the official decision that the 47th Annual Woolly Worm Festival has been cancelled. The main goal for this year’s festival was to connect our entire community to showcase how wonderfully unique Avery County truly is. We wanted so badly to be able to share our magic with you all but we simply can’t do that justice when so many of our locals are suffering. I suppose the irony in this horrific circumstance is that we are indeed showcasing the county to the world, maybe not with racing worms and funnel cakes, but with the strength and resilience that our people have. Mountain folks are truly built differently, they take care of one another regardless of circumstance. I experienced it first hand as my neighbors sheltered and fed us as our property was destroyed before our eyes. Everywhere I look, I see examples of selflessness, determination and tenacity. From our county and town leaders to our first responders, line men and local business owners, everyone has jumped in to help. We are simply blessed to call this place home and I know we will build back stronger than ever.

Read more

Lenoir, North Carolina (Thursday, 5:30 pm – October 3, 2024) – An army of over 500 line technician crews, along with tree and grading contractors, are working 24/7 restoring power to Blue Ridge Energy members after Hurricane Helene left behind historic damage to western North Carolina. “Over 80 percent of our 8,500 miles of line, power poles and substations were destroyed or severely damaged—it’s a herculean effort to rebuild a system that originally took years to construct, said Renee Walker, director of public relations.

Read more

October 1, 2024. The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland.

Read more

Watauga County Schools will be closed for students and teachers all next week: September 30th – October 4th. Additional information will be sent out at the end of the week once services are restored. Please feel free to share this information to those who may be experiencing outages. Thank you, and please be safe.

Read more

The Town of Boone and its partners are working diligently to provide access and safety to all residents. We want to thank our first responders for their around-the-clock work in providing safety and security to Town of Boone residents. We also want to thank Blue Ridge Energy, New River Light and Power, and other utility providers for their continued efforts. Furthermore, we want to thank the Governor’s Office, Congresswoman Foxx’s Office, House Representative Pickett, and Senator Hise for their support.

Read more

Watauga County Emergency Services would like to inform the public of the system in place for debris removal from Hurricane Helene. Beginning today, September 29th, members of the public will see trucks labeled “SDR” driving through Watauga County and its municipalities. SDR is a debris removal company that specializes in disaster debris removal, and has contracted its service to Watauga County and the Town of Boone to asist with cleanup.

Read more

Boone and Hickory campuses, Adverse Weather Condition 3 (Closure) is in effect through 5 p.m. Friday, October 4. Residence halls, dining facilities and campus medical facilities remain operational for on-campus students. Non-mandatory employees should not report to work or come to campus until Condition 3 is lifted. This includes faculty. Read the full message sent to campus earlier today.

Read more

September 18, 2024 . Fall has begun to make its grand entrance. The leaves are beginning to change color at a fast pace, it seems, the temps are cooler and there’s still much to do before we move the lawn furniture in for its winter nap and clear away all evidence of summer. The grill stays on the porch at my house year-round, so if the power goes out in the middle of January, we can still savor a hot meal. Hope that doesn’t happen, but we’ll be ready, just in case. Let’s not jump too far ahead — it will be here soon enough. There are many fall favorites to enjoy, in the meantime, so let’s explore a few ideas to start the transition. Happy Fall, ya’ll! There’s good food and fun ahead By Sherrie Norris

Read more