December 14, 2018. Leadership from Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute (CCC&TI) and Appalachian State University have announced a new co-admission agreement that will create a seamless pathway for students who want to start at CCC&TI and complete their degree at Appalachian State. The Aspire Appalachian Co-Admission Program will provide students who complete a two-year associate degree at CCC&TI with a 2.25 GPA or higher with guaranteed admission to Appalachian State to finish their undergraduate degree. Joined by Appalachian State Chancellor Dr. Sheri Everts for the signing ceremony on Appalachian’s campus on Wednesday, Dec. 12, CCC&TI President Dr. Mark Poarch described the agreement as “monumental.” “I want to thank Chancellor Everts, Provost Kruger and the entire leadership team at Appalachian State University for your vision, for your leadership and for your partnership,” Poarch said. “This is a monumental day for Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. It’s great to be able to demonstrate the collaboration and strength we have in Western North Carolina.” / Read more…

December 14, 2018. Our Winter Visitor Guide and December Magazine are now available throughout the High Country. Pick yours up at a grocery store, restaurant or retail store across Watauga and Avery counties. The Winter 2019 Visitor Guide is the guide to things to do and where to go this winter. A large focus is on all the fun events happening at the ski slopes in the High Country- Sugar Mountain, Appalachian Ski Mountain and Beech Mountain. Of course it’s not all skiing. There’s also information on restaurants, shopping, snow tubing, ice skating and other fun things offered throughout the High Country. Our December 2018 Magazine keeps you up to date on what’s going on around the High Country as winter gets closer. This year, the magazine focuses on Investing in the Library, Christmas with the Sofields, Fun and Games in the High Country, It’s All About the Customers, Honoring Our High Country Veterans and Saving the Hemlocks. By Hailey Blevins / Read more…

December 14, 2018. This year, as a part of Banner Elk’s Small Town Christmas, businesses had a friendly competition for the best decorated Christmas tree. The inaugural First Annual Christmas Tree Festival was sponsored by the Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce. The following businesses had entries in the contest: Banner Elk Olive Oil & Balsamics, Best Western Mountain Lodge, Blue Ridge Village, Cultural Art Center at the Historic Banner Elk School, My Best Friend’s Barkery, Stonewalls Restaurant, The Perry House & Dunn’s Deli, and The Twisted Twig Antiques. The winners of the contest, announced December 8th following the Christmas parade, are Scott Garland and Tim Heschke, owners of Stonewalls Restaurant in downtown Banner Elk. Garland says, “One of my favorite Christmas songs is Dolly Parton’s  “Hard Candy Christmas”, and that was my inspiration for the tree. It was great seeing all the families having their photos taken beside the tree. We are very honored and grateful to have been chosen as the winner for the contest.”  / Read more…

December 14, 2018. Thousands of women and children in the High Country need our help this time of year to make sure they have at least one healthy meal a day. Winter weather has arrived and schools are about to be out for the holidays and this will put a strain on many families. The Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge (WFBR) invites the High Country community to support our neighbors by giving the gift of food. No one should go hungry and with your help we can pack the van. The WFBR is hosting a food drive called “Pack the Pantry” from December 3-17. The food drive van will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. outside of First National Bank at 2111 Blowing Rock Road in Boone. Help them pack the van with non-perishable goods such as canned fish or meat, canned soups, crackers, pastas, peanut or almond butter, baby food and formula, granola bars, juice boxes, nuts, and cereal. Home-canned goods cannot be donated. / Read more…

December 13, 2018. As snow piled up across the High Country, the local ski resorts were certainly enjoying the turnout from avid skiers and snowboarders. SugarFest at Sugar Mountain Resort on Saturday went off without a hitch according to Kim Jochl, the Vice President and Director of Marketing at Sugar Mountain. “We got 24 inches of snow and it was wonderful. The vibe and the energy was incredible and everyone was having a great time,” Jochl said. “It was perfect powder, it wasn’t real light where it blew away and the storm didn’t bring a lot of wind with it. People were happy to be testing the equipment in all the snow, the fireworks were great, it was just a great environment.” Olympic ice skater Paul Wylie put on a show for the crowd on Friday night and even stuck around to join Olympic skier Andrew Weibrecht for his skiing sessions. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 13, 2018 Numerous email bomb threats have been reported across the country, including here in Boone. According to the Boone Police Department about three hours ago, State Farm Road was closed after a bomb threat was made to the Blue Ridge Medical Offices where four medical offices currently reside: Appalachian Gastroenterology, Appalachian Rehabilitation, Blue Ridge Dentistry and Blue Ridge Ear, Nose and Throat. State Farm Road was reopened a little after 3 p.m. according to an update on the Boone PD Facebook Page. Another Facebook post around 3:15 from the Boone PD said that “e-mail bomb threats being received, locally and throughout the country, are being proved as hoaxes. Our officers have responded to a number of them in Boone. Remain vigilant and call police if you observe any suspicious persons or devices. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

TONIGHT: TAC Talk: Country Music Pioneers of Southern Appalachia

Next Wordkeepers Meeting Happening Saturday, December 15

Wilkes Playmakers Announce Auditions for BACK TO THE 80s

Three Days of Giving Blood Drive Begins December 17

Men’s Caroling Scheduled for Thursday, December 20

Beech Mountain Seeking Input on Survey Through January 15

MerleFest Adds Brandi Carlile, Dailey & Vincent, and The Brother Brothers to 2019 Lineup

Congress Completes Work on Landmark Juvenile Justice Reform Legislation

Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

December 13, 2018. Shoppes at Farmers is an eclectic emporium that combines goods from local artists and experienced retailers to create a one-stop shopping experience like no other in the High Country. Located on West King St., Shoppes at Farmers is the perfect place to shop for Christmas. In 1924, Clyde Greene and his business partners opened Farmers Hardware on King St. in Boone. Farmers Hardware closed in 2004, but the family decided to develop the building into a retail emporium where they would offer spaces for individuals and businesses to rent and sale their goods. Brandon Langdon, the owner of Shoppes at Farmers, says that the store is “kind of a mini mall, emporium type situation where the 25 vendors rent spaces from us and set up their booths, and we sell it for them.” By Hailey Blevins / Read more…

December 13, 2018. It has been a big year for Booneshine Brewing. The craft brewery moved their brewing operations to the former Highland International paint building at the industrial park off of Highway 421. Booneshine along with other local businesses including Hatchet Coffee, Center 45 and Destination by Design have all dubbed this area as “East Boone.” “We think this is the direction that the town almost has to grow. The town is going to be moving some of their offices out here, we’ve got the soccer fields right next to where we are, Rocky Knob mountain biking park, we feel great about this side of town. As it grows, we’re happy to be over here,” said Booneshine co-owner, Tim Herdklotz. Currently, Booneshine still has its tasting room at Basil’s Fresh Pasta and Deli, however that will be changing soon as Booneshine expands their location to add a restaurant and deck along with their brewing operations. They will have about 3,500 square feet for the restaurant portion of that which they plan on starting construction on soon in the hopes of having it open by late spring of 2019. The new location features a total of 9,000 square feet with about 4,500 of that being used for brewing space. Herdklotz says at the previous location next to Basil’s, they had about 1,200 square feet. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 13, 2018. Finding myself in the midst of what has been described as an “epic” snowstorm this week has given me some much-needed time to think, plan and begin to implement my Christmas decorating, baking, wrapping, etc. We were able to enjoy the Boone Christmas parade on Saturday, and   later that afternoon, a time fellowship and good food with close friends before the snow arrived. But, not before I took a big chunk out of my finger while using my newest kitchen gadget. Yes, the hoopla at Sam’s Club was correct. The mandoline slices everything well. Even so, I was looking forward to a cookie-baking, candy-making event on Monday with participants in the Watauga Relatives as Parents Program that I facilitate, but we just couldn’t make it to our destination in nearly two feet of snow. And, then, on Tuesday, we had to cancel our Avery County group’s Christmas party, since some of us are still snowed in. So, yes, I’ve had a little extra time that I have enjoyed immensely. By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

December 13, 2018. With winter storms being the third-leading cause of property damage, AAA Carolinas is urging homeowners to properly insure their homes and providing tips on what to do after a storm. “Though insurance policies can vary from property to property, it is still important to know your rights and to try to cover yourself in the best way possible for your situation,” said Tiffany Wright, AAA Carolinas spokesperson. In each claim filing event, make sure to record all damage for your record. To help mitigate further loss or damage, please be sure to keep your receipts if you need to make emergency repairs. AAA Carolinas recommends contacting your insurance agent to speak specifically about your policy and what it covers, as all coverages differ. / Read more…

December 13, 2018. Do you remember your first camping experience? It probably included activities like setting up a tent, cooking over a fire, and stargazing. Chances are experiences like these sparked curiosities and hopefully helped shape a lifelong love for the outdoors. As the High Country’s local land trust, Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) works to conserve and expand outdoor opportunities for people to enjoy the region. Whether that is protecting places like the scenic ridgeline of Grandfather Mountain, establishing access to the Watauga River on Guy Ford Road, or expanding the boundaries of Elk Knob State Park, BRC believes that recreation is an important aspect of land conservation. / Read more…

December 12, 2018. Looking to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in your neighborhood? Want to keep an eye on criminal activity in your area? Take a look at these recent incident and arrest reports from the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office and the Boone Police Department. Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

December 12, 2018. It has been over 48 hours since most of the snowfall ended in the High Country and there are a lot of people still digging out cars, cleaning off sidewalks and parking lots. Crews for the Town of Boone Public Works have been hard at work since the start of the storm and will be on into the future, that according to Boone Public Works Deputy Director Todd Moody. “We’ve had crews working day and night on 12-hour shifts. We started that on Saturday night,” said Moody. All of the snow removed in Boone eventually ends up piled in the Horn in the West parking lot. Moody estimated that right now there is close to 7,250 cubic yards of snow in the parking lot with more still to come. “That has all come out of the downtown area. It’s been a while since we have had a pile of snow like that,” Moody said. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 11, 2018. Watauga County Schools and Avery County Schools went ahead and made the decision to call off school for students on Wednesday, December 12. “Due to the number of snow and ice covered roads still across our county and district, there will be no school for students on Wednesday, December 12. It will be an Optional Teacher Workday. Teachers and staff may report on a two hour delay to ensure safe travels to work. The Holiday/ Snowday Program at Hardin Park is scheduled to open at 7:30 a.m. As a reminder, schools will be in session on Thursday, January 3 and Friday, January 4 following the holiday break. For those families that have already made plans to be away on those days, we ask that you please work with your teachers to make up any missed assignments,” said a statement from Watauga County Schools. Avery County Schools also made their decision on Tuesday evening with a Facebook post stating “the Avery County Schools will be closed on Wednesday, December 12. Although the main roads are in decent condition, many of our secondary roads remain very dangerous. Several of our bus turnarounds are still in bad shape. It will be an Optional Teacher Workday for staff. Those who opt to work may report one hour late.” / Read more…

December 11, 2018. ‘Tis the season for giving, and a local foundation has been generous with holiday gifts to make life better for people and animals in Avery County. This December, gifts from the High Country Charitable Foundation have enhanced the efforts of four Avery County based nonprofits. Food insecure individuals will receive hams for their Christmas dinner tables, through Feeding Avery Families. Needy children will find toys, educational supplies and clothing under their Christmas tree thanks to the Avery County Sheriff’s Office program of Christmas for Kids and the efforts of Reaching Avery Ministry and Avery Project Christmas. Even the dogs and cats at the Avery Humane Society will benefit from a commercial clothes washer and dryer to keep their bedding clean and fresh.  / Read more…

December 11, 2018  Election of new county officers and a delay in the preparation of the county’s 2017-18 fiscal year audit were among the action approved at the regular monthly meeting of the Avery County Board of Commissioners December 3. All commissioners-Martha Hicks; Blake Vance; Wood Hall (Woodie) Young, Jr.; Tim Phillips; and Dennis Aldridge were present. County Manager Phillip Barrier, Jr.; Assistant County Manager and Clerk to the Commissioners Cindy Turbyfill; Finance Officer Tim Greene; and County Attorney Michaelle Poore also were present. It was the first meeting for Aldridge as a commissioner. He was the high vote-getter in the November General Election, being elected to serve a four-year term. He replaces Faith (Faye) Lacey, who did not seek re-election to the Board. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

December 11, 2018. The biggest snowfall that the High Country has seen for several years was a headache to many residents and visitors. For one Todd man, he took advantage of the the powdery white stuff that fell to the ground and built one spectacular Snow Santa. Lee Cahill lives on Railroad Grade Road in Todd and took the time to create this masterpiece over the last couple of days of snowfall across the area. If you need a lift into the Christmas spirit after being snowbound for the last few days, venture out to see the Snow Santa before he melts away.   / Read more…

December 10, 2018. The snowstorm held off just long enough for Banner Elk to have their Christmas Parade Saturday night followed by some Christmas cheer in the Tate-Evans Park. Crowds gathered along Main Street for the parade procession with floats and lots of candy for the kids. Santa Claus’s float traveled to Tate-Evans Park where Santa took his place in his chair to greet kids and to listen what they wanted for Christmas. The miniature train had a large line of families waiting for a turn for a ride through the park. “Every year we try to make A Small Town Christmas a little bigger and a little better,” says organizer Jo-Ann McMurray of the Banner Elk Chamber. “It’s an old-fashioned, small-town Christmas. It reminds me of how nice Christmas was when I was growing up and how much we all looked forward to it.”  / Read more…

December 10, 2018. Snow flurries ended Monday morning after dropping another couple of inches of snow throughout the night. Skies are clearing and temperatures are rising above freezing. The main roads are in good shape this morning with back roads still very snow covered and fairly slick. Town of Boone crews were busy in Downtown Boone moving out massive piles of snow. Jim Cantore and his Weather Channel crew were packing up this morning and heading back to Atlanta.  / Read more…

December 9, 2018. Chilly temperatures and cloudy skies were on hand for Boone’s Annual Christmas Parade on Saturday. King Street was lined with parade watchers who were treated to a 40 minute parade. The parade made it on the national airways because Jim Cantore of the Weather Channel was on hand to report on the upcoming snowstorm and used the parade as a backdrop to his reporting.  / Read more…

December 8, 2018. The High Country woke up to at least a foot of snow this morning with heavy snow still coming down. Ray’s Weather Site says the forecast in right on track for another 3 to 6 inches as the day unfold. “The event is unfolding as expected. Temperatures aloft will get ever so close to freezing bringing the potential for sleet into play later today. The basic story line remains in place. Expect 15″-20″ across NW NC, with a few spots just above that 20 inch mark.” says Ray Weather at 7:00 a.m. this morning.  / Read more…

December 8, 2018. Weather Channel meteorologist and TV personality Jim Cantore and crew members were on King Street this morning broadcasting live for the Weather Channel. In between his time on the air, Cantore poised for pictures and talked wth folks on hand for the Boone Christmas Parade. The parade became a backdrop for some of Cantore’s reporting. The weather team picked Boone for their reporting location for the potential impact Boone has for total snowfall. For anyone who follows Jim Cantore on The Weather Channel, you know he’s general in the best place for the worst weather that is happening at the time!  / Read more…

December 7, 2018. With predictions of well over a foot of snow coming to the High Country this weekend, ski resorts in the area are gearing up for big crowds and having lots of snow for the upcoming holiday weekends. “Even with the cold weather we’ve been making snow 24/7 so our main trails do have a terrific base so that probably is going to allow us to move snowmaking over to the other slopes to make snow on top of the all the natural snow we’re going to get,” said Kim Jochl, the Vice President and Director of Marketing as Sugar Mountain. “We did open Gunther’s Way a couple of days ago and we opened Big Birch so we do have a lot of terrain open already.” Jochl says they will be open no matter what. “Even if we have to dig the lifts out,” she joked. With SugarFest happening this weekend, the big snow is coming at a perfect time for that event as well. There will be 10 slopes open for SugarFest this weekend in addition to Olympian Paul Wylie’s ice skating performance tonight. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 7, 2018. The Boone Tourism Development Authority has added another project to its continually growing list of ways to invest in tourism in Watauga County. The TDA recently released its Howard Knob Master Plan for redeveloping the park that stands high above downtown Boone. “This came out of the discussion that started a couple years ago about the Northern Peaks Trail, and the interest by some in the area of trying to get a new state trail designation for the Northern Peaks Trail that would ultimately connect Watauga and Ashe like a mini Appalachian Trail,” said Wright Tilley, the Executive Director of the Boone and Watauga TDA. “Howard Knob would be an anchor point of that, so that started the discussion of having a great resource up there that has not gotten a lot of attention lately and needs some cleaning up, maintenance work and refurbishing.” By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 7, 2018. The McDonald’s location at 3890 Highway 105 in the Invershield community near Sugar Mountain caught fire on Thursday. The fire is still under investigation according to Avery County Assistant Fire Marshal Paul Buchanan. Banner Elk and Linville Fire Departments responded to a possible structure fire after a caller advised that there was smoke coming from the roof of McDonald’s and it smelled like something was burning. Upon arrival, fire crews found smoke inside the building that also shares space with an Exxon gas station and convenience store. Fire crews discovered a fire in the kitchen of the McDonald’s and were able to contain the fire. / Read more…

December 7, 2018. Bob went in sleep in death unexpectedly, December 5th, 2018 at 68 years of age at Frye Regional Hospital in Hickory NC. Bob was born in Charlotte NC on September 18, 1950 to William Hunter Caldwell and Mildred Marion Perkins Caldwell. He was the youngest of three children, his sister, Mary Susan Caldwell Wilkie and brother William “Bill” Hunter Caldwell Jr. and they were grew up in a loving home in Gastonia, NC. Bob was predeceased by his parents, William and Mildred and his brother Bill. Surviving is his wife of 35 years, Sharon Schofield Caldwell of Boone, his sister Mary Susan and companion Bob Ausborne of Reidsville NC, sister-in-law Sarah Schofield Luciano & husband Ron of West Haven, CT, brothers-in-law, David Schofield and son, Songkran of Germany, Nathan Schofield of Virginia along with nephews, nieces and cousins. / Read more…

November 30, 2018. A three-time Olympian and two-time Olympic Medalist Andrew Weibrecht will take part in a special meet and greet at Ski Country Sports on Sunday, December 9. The meet and greet will happen from 4-6 p.m. Weibrecht, 32, competed in the 2010, 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics before announcing his retirement earlier this year. The Lake Placid native won the bronze in Super-G at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and followed that up with a silver in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi in the same event. “He’s going to be at Sugar for a race clinic for the weekend so we invited him over with us to do a meet and greet,” said Bill Leonard, owner of Ski Country Sports in Banner Elk. “We will have posters of him available and he’s going to autograph the posters for whoever wants one, take pictures with people and talk about skiing and ski racing and let these kids associate with the athletes that are in their sport.” By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 4, 2018. The annual SugarFest celebration at Sugar Mountain Resort is sure to be a great time for skiers and snowboarders with a special added treat this year of getting the chance to see two Olympians in action. “We’ve got a lot going on with two Olympians coming. Paul Wylie is performing Friday night at 7 p.m. and Andrew Weibrecht, a two-time Olympic medalist will be here Thursday through Monday,” said Kim Jochl, the Vice President and Director of Marketing at Sugar Mountain. Wylie will perform a show at the ice skating rink and will follow that with an ice skating clinic as well as a meet and greet session that will include getting a chance to hold his 1992 silver medal from the Olympics in France. Weibrecht was a two-time medalist, taking home the bronze in the Super-G at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and ended up winning silver at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, once again in the Super-G. He recently announced his retirement from competitive skiing after competing in the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang. He will be hosting a ski clinic on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 6, 2018. Visitors coming to Boone will not have to go far to find the new location of the Boone Tourism Development Authority. The TDA has relocated across the street from their former location to what used to be the Boone Planning and Inspections Office at 333 Queen Street. The Boone TDA had been renting office space across the road on King Street. “We moved over here in August. We had been looking for some more office space along King Street, said Wright Tilley, the Executive Director for the Boone and Watauga TDA. “After planning and inspections moved up the road to the health department building and this sat empty for a little while, we asked the county about the possibility of this space. We lease it from the county which I think is a win-win for both of us.” By Nathan Ham / Read more…

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

Featuring Crafts and Food From Around the Region, New Opportunity School for Women to Host Inaugural Holiday Market Saturday, Dec. 8

Campus Emergency Siren Test Postponed Until December 19

Rural Transportation Advisory Committee to Meet December 19

Santa’s Toy Box Seeking Donations and Volunteers

Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

December 6, 2018. It appears that the High Country is about to face a huge snow event this weekend and Monday, according to the National Weather Service and forecasts from Ray’s Weather Center. The latest forecast from Ray’s Weather says that the High Country should expect double-digit snowfall totals. They will be posting a snowfall prediction map on Saturday morning before the storm arrives Saturday evening. Snow is expected to continue it tapers off Monday afternoon. Ray’s Weather Center also shared a bit of recent historical context for some of the biggest snowfalls in Boone after the Blizzard of 1993. On January 5-7 in 1996, Boone experienced a three-day total snowfall event of 26 inches. A little over two years later on January 26, 1998, Boone experienced its highest single day snow event on record with 19 inches of snow that poured down in 24 hours. On December 18-19, 2009, Boone received 15 inches of snow in 48 hours. The most recent snowfall that measured over a foot of snow was December 12-14, 2010 when 14 inches of snow hit the ground. This was also the snowiest December ever recorded with 28.7 inches of snow falling in Boone during the month. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 6, 2018. The price you are paying at the gas pump continues to drop across North Carolina. The state average dropped to $2.34 per gallon for regular gasoline, the lowest average price so far in 2018. “Cheap crude oil prices are driving the fuel savings at the pump, as last week crude dropped to its lowest point of the year. However, this week’s Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries meeting could cause crude prices to jump if the organization decides to reduce crude production,” said Tiffany Wright, spokesperson for AAA Carolinas. Prices vary somewhat across the state with the lowest average price of $2.25 being found in the Fayetteville area and the highest average price of $2.58 being found in the Asheville region. In Boone, prices are hovering a little bit above the state average but are still below the national average of $2.46 per gallon. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

December 6, 2018. Lost Province Brewing Company is pleased to announce the company’s first can release on Thursday, December 13. Join everyone at 5 p.m. for the can release and for a special announcement regarding expansion plans. Lost Province is releasing the Lost Province IPA in 12-ounce cans and The Tubby Monk 2018 in 16-ounce cans. Lost Province IPA is a light-golden colored IPA that exhibits intense juicy and citrus notes in the aroma and on the palate. A firm hop bitterness gives this beer a dry finish, making you ready for the next sip. Lost Province IPA is available in 12-ounce can six packs. Tubby Monk 2018 is a Belgian-Style “Dark Strong Ale”. This special annual holiday and winter seasonal is only brewed once each year. The 2018 vintage is a medium-brown color with deep red highlights. / Read more…

December 6, 2018  Following yesterday’s snowfall and cold overnight temperatures, both Watauga and Avery County Schools decided to close for the day. It will be an optional teacher workday in both counties. Schools in both counties were also closed on Wednesday. In Ashe County, schools are operating on a two-hour delay with limited bus routes after being closed on Wednesday.  / Read more…