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Today’s Email Announcements

Blowing Rock Town Council Agenda for July 10 Meeting

Call to Order

Adoption of Agenda

Special Recognitions & Reports

  1. Resolution Honoring – Betty Pitts
  2. Resolution Honoring – Jeff Eason

Approval of Minutes

  1. June 5, 2018 Budget Public Hearing
  2. June 12, 2018 Regular Town Council Meeting
  3. June 25, 2018 Mid Year Retreat  

Speakers from the Floor  

Prior to the meeting, anyone wishing to speak shall complete an index card supplied by the Town Clerk, on which they will provide their name, address, telephone number and the topic they wish to address. In deference to all who wish to speak, each speaker will be asked to limit his or her comments to no more than three (3) minutes. Speakers for Public Hearings do not need to sign up.

Consent Agenda

  1. Annual Tax Settlement Report and Order of Tax Collection

Public Hearing  

  1. CZ 2018 -01 Conditional Rezoning (TC to CZ-TC, Town Center) – 1150 Main Street

 Old Business

  1. Old Firehouse – Presentation

New Business

  1. Sunset Drive Improvements – Proposal
  2. Town Manager Evaluation – Review Draft – Sue Sweeting   

Departmental Reports

  1. ABC Minutes
  2. BRAAC Minutes
  3. Financial Report
  4. Fire & Rescue
  5. McGill Associates
  6. Parks & Recreation
  7. Planning & Inspections
  8. Police Department
  9. Public Works
  10. Water Treatment Plant

Adjourn

Blue Ridge Chapter of the North Carolina Native Plant Society Meeting on July 11

This month’s meeting for the Blue Ridge Chapter of the North Carolina Native Plant Society will we on Wednesday, July 11 at the Daniel Boone Native Gardens, located at 651 Horn in the West Drive in Boone. The meeting will start at 7 p.m.

This outdoors event will feature and garden tour and time to check out what’s blooming and look for idea for your own backyard. Be sure to bring walking shoots and dress for the weather. Seating will be limited, so if you need a place to sit, please let Annkatrin Rose know and she will make sure they have a chair for you. You can also bring your own chairs.

There will be stations around the garden with experts available to talk and answer questions on various topics, such as medicinal plans, landscaping with native plants, bees and pollinators, plant identification, butterfly gardening and volunteer opportunities. There will be plenty of brochures, plant lists and other materials to pick up, as well as native plant seeds.

Water and snacks will be available as well.

Since the Daniel Boone Native Gardens are run solely by volunteers and donations, the group asks that you bring a $2 donation to drop into the box at the gatehouse to receive your door prize ticket for the evening. All proceeds from this will benefit the Gardens.

Parking spots will fill up quick due to the 8 p.m. show at Horn in the West. The Hickory Ridge Museum next door to the Gardens opens at 5:30 p.m. if you would like something to do prior to the 7 p.m. meeting. Tours of the garden will be available from 7 p.m. until 8 p.m. and the drawing for the door prizes is planned for around 8:15 p.m.

For more details, also see the event website (https://ncwildflower.org/ncnps/event_details/calendar-daniel-boone-native-gardens-tour) and the Daniel Boone Native Gardens website (https://www.danielboonenativegardens.org/).

What’s Happening This Week at Lost Province Brewing Company

Wednesday July 11

Trivia Night, 7 p.m.

Thursday July 12

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

7:30-10:30pm-Live Music with John Hargett. John Hargett is a graduate of the Hayes School of Music, and is known around Boone as the drummer for local jazzy jam outfit Unaka Prong. He has been writing original songs for years, but has recently delved into the world of performing solo. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, folks – don’t miss out!

Friday July 13

7:30pm-Closing Live Music: Angela Easterling and The Beguilers. Angela Easterling lives with her partner and their two young sons on the South Carolina farm that has been in her family since 1791. She is a three-time Kerrville New Folk Finalist, a Telluride Troubadour Finalist and a two-time Wildflower Performing Songwriter Finalist. The Boston Herald named her song “The Picture” “Best Political Country Song” in their Year’s best music. Her most recent release, 2015’s “Common Law Wife”, went all the way to number 1 on the Roots Music Report Americana Country Airplay Chart, and remained in the top 5 on that chart for nearly 2 months, closing the year out as #12 on the top 100 albums, and earning much praise in the press. Roger McGuinn, of the Byrds, called her “a bright shining star on the horizon!” and went on to say, “Her CD brought me back to the time the Byrds recorded “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” – tradition meets youthful exuberance.”

Saturday July 14

7:30-Closing Live Music: Never Too Late. Never Too Late is a seasoned bluegrass band with decades of music experience. Formed in 2001, Never Too Late has produced two CDs and was invited to perform a one-hour TV show on a Winston Salem PBS station. The band consists of Kent Huffman on upright bass, David Dickerson on mandolin, Brent Fain on guitar and Bruce Hill on banjo. Expert instrumentation and tight vocal harmonies have become their trademark.

Emergency Blood Shortage: Red Cross Issues Urgent Call for Blood Donors

An emergency blood shortage is prompting the American Red Cross to issue an urgent call for eligible donors of all blood types – especially type O – to give now and help save lives.

The Red Cross escalated its call for blood and platelet donors after a difficult Independence Day week for donations. More than 550 fewer blood drives were organized by businesses and other community groups last week than during a typical week as individuals across the country celebrated the holiday and enjoyed summer activities. This could equate to as many as 15,000 fewer donations than needed, causing donations to now be distributed to hospitals faster than they come in.

“Each and every day, individuals across the country depend on blood and platelet donations for lifesaving treatments and emergency care, so it’s critical that people donate now to meet these needs,” said Cliff Numark, senior vice president, Red Cross Blood Services. “Whether you’ve never donated or give a couple of times a year, you’re needed to give as soon as possible to help save patient lives. Yours may be the donation a patient is counting on.”

This need is especially critical for type O blood donors. Type O is the most in-demand blood type and often the first be depleted from hospital shelves during a shortage. Type O negative is the universal blood type and what emergency room personnel reach for when there is no time to determine the blood type of patients in the most serious situations. Type O positive is the most common blood type and can be transfused to Rh-positive patients of any blood type.

 How to help

To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross has added about 6,500 additional appointment slots at donation centers and community blood drives across the country over the next few weeks to accommodate more donors. Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to help reduce the time it takes to donate.

Who blood donations help

Because of generous donors, the Red Cross is able to provide blood products for patients like 9-month-old Krew Anderson. Krew is a happy, laid-back baby boy. His wide grin frames two tiny teeth. He likes to play with balloons and just experienced his first boat ride and fireworks show, but Krew has faced more challenges in the last four months than many people will experience in a lifetime.

In March, Krew was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a type of cancer that causes bone marrow to produce a large number of abnormal blood cells. Since then, he has gone through four rounds of chemotherapy and received 15 blood and platelet transfusions to date.

“The first time he got [a transfusion], I was just super nervous and didn’t know really what was happening,” said his mother, Stephanie Anderson. “Now, when he gets one, I’m like, ‘Yes, please, get him some blood to help him get more energy and back to normal.’”

Krew’s father, Richard Anderson, donated blood a couple of times a year prior to his son’s diagnosis, but after seeing Krew receive blood, he now plans to give as soon as he’s eligible again.

“For me, just knowing that if it happened to me, it can happen to anyone. I want to make sure there’s enough blood out there for everyone, and that there’s no shortage,” he said.

Missing Types sees encouraging increase in new donors – all donors needed now

Facing a decline of about 80,000 new Red Cross blood donors each year for the past several years, the Red Cross launched the Missing Types campaign in June to encourage new donors, and those who have not given recently, to donate blood. While the campaign has already inspired thousands of new donors to give, the Red Cross is now calling on all eligible blood and platelet donors to roll up a sleeve as soon as possible to overcome the emergency blood shortage.

Through the Missing Types campaign, which runs throughout the summer, the letters A, B and O – letters used to identify blood types – disappeared from corporate logos, celebrity social media accounts and favorite websites to illustrate the critical role every blood donor plays in ensuring blood is never missing from hospital shelves.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities July 9-31

Alleghany

Sparta

7/10/2018: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Alleghany Memorial Hospital, 233 Doctor Street

7/18/2018: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Genesis HealthCare/Rehab, 179 Combs St

7/23/2018: 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sparta United Methodist Church, 190 N. Main St.

Ashe

Jefferson

7/19/2018: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Jefferson UMC, 115 East Main Street

West Jefferson

7/16/2018: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Lowe’s Home Improvement, 158 Lowes Drive

Watauga

Blowing Rock

7/17/2018: 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church, 1218 Main Street

Boone

7/23/2018: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Wal-Mart 2496 – Watauga Village Shopping Ctr, Wal Mart, 200 Watauga Village Drive

7/25/2018: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Watauga Medical Center, 336 Deerfield Rd, PO Box 2600

7/31/2018: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Watauga Cnty Agricultural Ctr, 252 Poplar Grove Rd., Wat Cnty Agricultural Ctr

7/31/2018: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Krispy Kreme, 1641 Blowing Rock Rd.

Wilkes

North Wilkesboro

7/17/2018: 7 a.m. – 1 p.m., WFBH Wilkes Medical Center, 1370 West D Street

Ronda

7/19/2018: 2:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Temple Hill United Methodist Church, 1192 Somers Road

Wilkesboro

7/12/2018: 3 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, 239 Champion/Mt. Pleasant Rd.

7/18/2018: 3 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Sweet Frog – Wilkesboro, 1510-D Winkler Mill Road Ext.

7/19/2018: 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Union United Methodist Church, 708 Curtis Bridge Rd.

7/23/2018: 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., Wilkes Community College, 127 Executive Park Drive

North Carolina Community Foundation Awards $2,500 Grant for Digital Watauga Project

The Watauga County Historical Society (WCHS), the sponsoring organization for the Digital Watauga Project, is pleased to announce receipt of $2,500 in grant support from the Armfield and Rachel Rivers Coffey Memorial Fund, a component fund of the North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF). Funds will be used specifically for the purchase of a full-depth museum cabinet for the storage of collections held by or on loan to the Digital Watauga Project. The Watauga County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the NCCF, recommended approval of the grant.

The principal aim of the Digital Watauga Project (DWP) is the digital preservation of Watauga County, North Carolina’s historical images, documents, and other materials. By serving as a digital clearinghouse of Watauga County’s history, the DWP encourages its members and the citizens of Watauga County to make our history more accessible to the general public while also allowing the owner of historical materials digitized through the DWP to retain ownership and control over their original images, documents, and artifacts. In addition, the DWP sponsors regular public events designed to highlight components of its digital collection and educate the Watauga County community about its rich, multifaceted, and important history. Access to the online content of the Digital Watauga Project is always free.

 Started in 2014, the Digital Watauga Project currently features approximately 5,000 digitized items from 25 digital collections, nearly all of which are available for viewing by the public online. In addition, another 20 collections are presently being processed, digitized, and described. Collections range in size from a single item to more than 100,000 items per collection. Unlike many digital projects, Digital Watauga makes items available to the public as they are completed, typically working on larger collections in stages and adding new content from those larger collections as it is finished. If you are interested in sharing a collection with the Digital Watauga Project, email us at DigitalWatauga@gmail.com.

 The Digital Watauga Project, working in partnership with the Watauga County Public Library, is a project of the WCHS, a non-profit, 501 (c) 3 organization. To learn more about the Digital Watauga Project, visit http://digitalwatauga.org/ or visit our Facebook page, “Digital Watauga.” To learn more about the WCHS, visit http://www.wataugacountyhistoricalsociety.org/.

DD Adams, N.C.’s 5th District Nominee for U.S. House, Visits Communities and Farmers Markets

DD Adams, a Winston-Salem City Council member and Democratic nominee for North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District, has kicked off a summer tour of farmers markets that spans all 11 counties of the district.

Adams hopes to engage with local farmers and community members who support them by purchasing their crops.

“I want to represent everyone,” said Adams.  “Many local farmers have not been able to talk to those who represent them in Congress. I plan to change that.”

Adams, the granddaughter of farmers, understands the importance of agriculture in the 5th District and will work in the House of Representatives on policies that will preserve and protect family farms.

“I spent summers planting and harvesting crops on our family farm,” she said. “I know how hard it is to farm and I understand that farmers here in North Carolina and across the country deserve the respect and support of their elected officials.”

Locally, Adams fought to get EBT cards accepted at Winston-Salem’s Cobblestone Market to support local growers and to put fresh, nutritious food on families’ dinner tables. She also helped develop an aquaponic and hydroponic growing facility in the Kimberly Park neighborhood.

Already, she has visited farmers markets in Surry and Ashe counties. “I’ve been inspired talking to farmers in Mount Airy and West Jefferson,” she said. “I look forward to hearing from others throughout the District. I will be their voice — the voice they haven’t had — in Washington. D.C.”

Remaining stops on the Farmers Market Tour include:

  • Saturday, July 7 — Yadkin County, 9 am to 1 p.m. at 1141 Tennessee Rd., Yadkinville, NC 27055
  • Thursday, July 12 — Avery County, 4 pm to 6:30 pm at 185 Azalea Circle, Banner Elk, NC 28604
  • Saturday, July 14 — Watauga County, 8 a.m. to noon, 591 Horn in the W Dr, Boone, NC 28607
  • Wednesday, July 18 — Stokes County, 10 am to sell out, 105 Moore Road King, NC 27021
  • Saturday, July 21 — Wilkes County, 7 am to noon, Yadkin Valley Marketplace 842 CBD Loop, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659
  • Saturday, July 28 — Alexander County, 8 am to noon, 324-328 N Old North Carolina Hwy 16, Taylorsville, NC 28681
  • Saturday, August 4 — Alleghany County, 9 am to noon, NC-18, 28675 Sparta
  • Saturday, September 1 — Forsyth County, 9 am to noon, Old Salem Museum & Gardens, corner of West & Salt Streets

Cast Members Needed at Banner Elk Presbyterian Church

You and other members of your church family are invited to be in the cast of GODSPELL

Banner Elk Presbyterian Church is producing GODSPELL, the retelling of the book of Matthew.  Actors and singers are welcome to be in the show without audition.  Children welcome as well.  Staging will be adjusted for all skill levels or disabilities.  ALL are welcome! 

Godspell amazed theater goers in the early 1970s and will again this August 21, 22 and 24 at the Banner Elk Presbyterian Church.   

Contact Janet Speer for more information at speerj@lmc.edu.

Sugar Grove Developmental Day School Students Become Published Authors

Sugar Grove Developmental Day School has announced that 27 of its students have become published authors through a national student publishing program.

As part of the publishing process, students in Tweenies and Preschool planned, wrote and illustrated their own books using a free publishing kit provided by Studentreasures Publishing. The topics of these books were train adventures and a how-to guide.

The students of Tweenies and Preschool’s classes have been working hard on their books for two weeks. The idea for the Tweenies train adventures book started when the children wanted to do nothing but play with trains!

“I enjoyed every minute of helping these children create this book! They have such wonderful imaginations,” said Ms. Amanda, the Tweenies Lead Teacher.

The idea for the Preschool how-to guide started because the children in the class were always trying to explain things and how they work to the teachers. The leader of this pack goes by the name of Huck.

“You will love learning how to do things in new ways,” chuckled Ms. Britney, the Preschool Lead Teacher.

The Studentreasures publishing program provides teachers an easy way to incorporate any lesson plan – from math and science to history, art, and more – into a fun and memorable activity. Publishing a book in the classroom engages students through hands-on learning and inspires a love of reading and writing.

The best part? A classroom full of proud, smiling, young authors with a memory that lasts a lifetime, plus a full-color, deluxe hardcover book for the teacher or school library. The students’ parents also have an option to purchase copies of these unique childhood keepsakes.