November 6, 2019. Believe it or not, it’s time to start thinking about your holiday menus. Most of us “seasoned” cooks have already been doing that for days, now, at least in our minds, but when the Food Channel and other media begin featuring holiday baking contests and the center aisles of grocery stores are laden with spices, pumpkin pie fillings and chocolates, you know it’s time to kick into gear. I don’t like to rush from one holiday to another, but, as a food columnist, by not doing so, I don’t always get in all of the related tips and recipes that I like to share. Yes, it is unbelievable that we are already breezing toward the middle of November and Thanksgiving is just a few days away. It is wise to plan ahead, as I have discovered through the years — not only to be prepared (without those last-minute feelings of frustration when things don’t always turn out the way we plan), but to take advantage of the sales and exposure to new recipes and ideas. I love to cook for the holidays and begin buying up standard ingredients when I see them discounted this time of year — the sugars, flours, butter, oils, candy coatings, and the list goes on. My pantry begins to look like its own bake shop come November. Hopefully, this will spur you toward your own stockpile, so you can whip up one of your holiday specialties quickly for the family, guests, neighbors or the office. By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

November 6, 2019. Voters in Avery County Townships turned out in strong force Tuesday for their respective municipal elections. Twenty-six candidates were running to fill either Mayor or Town Council seats in eight city, township and village municipal government seats in the county, including: Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, Crossnore, Elk Park, Grandfather Village, Newland, Seven Devils and Sugar Mountain.   By Tim Gardner / Read more…

November 5, 2019. Votes have been tallied and the unofficial elections results have been shared by the Watauga County Board of Elections. In Boone, town council incumbent Loretta Clawson retained her seat in a very tight race with 821 votes. Dustin Hicks picked up a seat on the council with 810 votes and Virginia Roseman got the third and final seat with 800 votes. Nancy LaPlaca unofficially fell six votes short of a council seat with 794 votes. There were 56 write-in votes for the town council.   By Nathan Ham / Read more…

November 6, 2019. During the regular monthly meeting of the Avery Commissioners on November 4, it was revealed that the county has received a highly-positive audit for the 2018-19 fiscal year. Sharon Gillespie of the Young, Miller & Gillespie Public Accountants Company in Spruce Pine addressed the commissioners about the past fiscal year’s county audit report that the accounting firm conducted. Gillespie said the county received excellent ratings in its audit, running from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. According to Barrier, Jr., the county has a Total Governmental Fund Balance of $23,864,197.00. He noted that not all that money is available as pre-paid assets and restricted funds are taken from that amount. He said the total amount available to the county in the General Fund’s Unrestricted Fund Balance is $9,782,526.00.   By Tim Gardner / Read more…

November 5, 2019. The Watauga County Board of Education could find out as soon as this week what the Watauga County Superior Court will rule on the lawsuit filed by the Mast Farm Inn. The pre-trial hearing took place last Friday and according to Garrett Price, the Director of Communications for Watauga County Schools, the final opinion of the court hasn’t yet been filed, but “we expect it to be completed sometime this week.” The lawsuit was filed on October 10 in Watauga County Superior Court and lists the plaintiffs as The Mast Farm Inn and owners Henri Deschamps, Marie-Henriette Deschamps and Danielle Deschamps as well as Deschamps Holdings, LLC and Deschamps Enterprises, LLC. Defendants in the cast are the Watauga County Board of Education, board chairman Ron Henries, vice-chair Brenda Reese, and board members Dr. Gary Childers, Steve Combs and Dr. Jay Fenwick.  By Nathan Ham / Read more…

November 5, 2019. New River Light and Power is currently under contract with Blue Ridge Energy, who in turn receives their electricity wholesale from Duke Energy. Starting in 2022, NRLP will be starting a new contract with NTE Carolinas LLC, joining other municipalities in the Carolinas who have already switched their energy provider to NTE. NTE is a company that prides itself on its natural gas-fired plants and its moves into the solar energy business. The company has been on a mission to outbid Duke Energy on its current wholesale energy contracts in the Carolinas; the strategy has worked with 12 out of 12 municipalities approached thus far. NRLP has decided to make the switch to NTE as their energy provider for two main reasons: the deal with NTE will ultimately save customers money on their energy bills and the deal allows NRLP to provide their customers with the power of choice. “We will be seeing substantial savings with our wholesale cost under the NTE contract,” said Ed Miller, General Manager of NRLP, “The range was anywhere between 10% and 14%; those wholesale savings will be passed on to our customers.” By Joe Johnson / 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.

What’s Happening This Week at Lost Province Brewing

Campus Emergency Siren Test to be Conducted November 6

North Carolina Native Plant Society Blue Ridge Chapter Meeting is November 13

App State-Georgia State On Nov. 16 To Air at 7:30 on ESPNU

Watauga Amateur Radio Club to Hold License Test Session on November 16

Rural Transportation Coordinating Committee to Meet November 20

Mountainside Lutheran Church Announces New Organist

Foxx Introduces Affordable Housing Bill

Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

November 5, 2019. On Friday, November 8, WAMY Community Action, Inc and The Williams YMCA’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers Programs will join the 20th annual Lights On Afterschool, a nationwide series of rallies for afterschool organized by the Afterschool Alliance. This special event will be held at Avery County’s Old Rock Gymnasium, located at 185 Shady Street in Newland. The program will commence eat 5:00 p.m. and last until 8:30 p.m. The Lights On Afterschool rally will feature Sheriff Kevin Frye, County Manager Phillip Barrier, and North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Dr. Chris Vecchione, as well as local business leaders, educators and other officials. Event partners include WAMY Community Action, Inc., the YMCA, Avery County Sheriff’s Department, and local churches. Hundreds of parents, educators and community members are expected to attend.  Also, Avery County Manager Phillip Barrier will be issuing a Presentation of Proclamation for Lights On Afterschool that evening. Last year, approximately one million people participated in more than 8,000 Lights On Afterschool events.  / Read more…

November 4, 2019. At Mabel School, sixth-graders in Benjamin Brown’s agriculture class are stationed in the school’s vegetable patch. The field that plays host to the small garden shares duty as a playground for Mabel’s younger students, but the sprinting group of seven-year-olds in the distance are no distraction to Brown’s middle-schoolers, who are hard at work harvesting dried green beans to be replanted in the Spring. The students are among the first groups at Mabel and Cove Creek schools to take advantage of agriculture classes at the middle school level, which until this school year, were only available at Watauga High School. While WHS has a long tradition of strong agricultural education and one of the most successful FFA programs in the state, it’s Brown’s hope that by expanding the program to students in middle school, Watauga County Schools can improve ag education across the district and further connect younger students to their world. / Read more…

November 4, 2019. Early voting for municipal elections in Watauga County came to an end last Friday with a total of 896 early votes counted at the Watauga County Administration Building and the Plemmons Student Union at Appalachian State. Looking at the voting breakdown, 647 of the votes were counted at the student union while 249 votes were counted at the administration building. The vast majority of votes were for the municipality of Boone with 832 votes counted. In Blowing Rock, 38 early votes were counted while 15 votes were counted in Beech Mountain and 11 votes were counted in Seven Devils. Precinct polls open at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday and will close at 7:30 p.m. for the four municipal elections happening in Boone, Blowing Rock, Beech Mountain and Seven Devils.  By Nathan Ham / Read more…

November 4, 2019 On Wednesday November 6th between 11am and 2pm, everyone is welcome to Feed All Regardless of Means (F.A.R.M.) Cafe at 617 West King Street for another ‘Buy Boone Lunch’ event. Just like each day at F.A.R.M Cafe, guests can donate what they are able to for a great lunch featuring locally sourced ingredients. On this day, Beech Mountain Resort will cover the cost of the meal through a generous donation. Each and every additional donation will be utilized by the cafe in its mission to fight food insecurity in the High Country. Beech Mountain Resort opened for skiing in the 1967/68 season. In addition to hosting some of the most adventurous winter activities in the High Country, they also offer scenic chairlift rides, a concert series, and mountain biking in the summer months. Learn about all Beech Mountain Resort and its many offerings during the Buy Boone Lunch event on November 6th. Staff will be on-site volunteering during meal service and available to provide lots of info about the upcoming events at Beech Mountain Resort. Join us to welcome winter and enjoy a great meal with our Real.Good.Community / Read more…

November 4, 2019 Note: Blowing Rock Mayor Charlie Sellers will be providing the High Country Press with news and updates on projects in Blowing Rock. This week, Mayor Sellers shared updates on the Sunset Drive Project, Bass Lake Sidewalk Project, Valley Boulevard landscape plantings and money collected through the Blowing Rock TDA Occupancy Tax. Sunset Drive Project: Next week (11/4-11/8) the remaining sections of concrete work will be completed. This work will conclude the sidewalks, curbing, and gutter. On Tuesday the sod will be delivered for the landscaping areas and later in the week, weather permitting, the trees and plantings will be delivered. Street signs are scheduled to be installed throughout the week along with some additional smoothing and filling in work. Maymead is scheduled to begin milling the week of November 11th, with paving to begin immediately following the week of November the 18th. We continue to work on schedule and within project completion dates.   / Read more…

November 4, 2019. After the completion of their grueling, rigorous, eight-hour “Grand-Daddy” hike as the final trek of “The Grandfather Challenge,” hike series, middle and high school students from all over Western North Carolina are always excited to arrive at Bella’s Italian Restaurant in Banner Elk, NC for their coveted Awards Dinner! This celebratory event at this wonderful venue is always full of excitement, celebration, and outstanding food! Since the inception of this program in 2015, Bella’s has graciously hosted these celebrations in their intimate Banquet Room and has fully supported and accommodated these school groups that come from Avery, Catawba, Caldwell, Lincoln, and Gaston County Schools. As our local community knows, Bella’s is the ultimate “go-to” place for the very best, superb Italian food, including pizzas, lasagna, and other delectable Italian dishes. Our hiking program kids always love having a fine meal and celebrating at Bella’s, and consider this to be a very special occasion that they cherish, and will long remember!!  Our deepest thanks and appreciation goes out to owners Craig and Nicole Simmons, as well as employees Liz Terra, Tony Broyles, Christine Cornett, Jordin, and Tee, all of whom have provided an attractive venue and wonderful food and service for these kids! By James L. Nipper / Read more…

November 4, 2019. After Moving up from 21st place to 13th, Lees-McRae earned a top spot in the AORE Campus Challenge that encourages colleges across the U.S. to get outdoors and active. The ranking meant that not only did the college become the highest-ranked school among peer institutions in North Carolina, but also the smallest school in the Division 1 top 15. The AORE, or The Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education, is a premier organization made for serving the needs of recreation and education professionals among non-profit settings. Through AORE, members have a way to connect with and impact decisions made by public land managers as well as the human powered outdoor recreation industry. Their mission as stated, “is to provide opportunities for professionals and students in the field of outdoor recreation and education to exchange information, promote the preservation and conservation of the natural environment, and address issues common to college, university, community, military, and other not-for-profit outdoor recreation and education programs.” By Colby Gable / Read more…

November 4, 2019
North Carolina remains without a State Budget. Four months ago Gov. Cooper and legislative Democrats offered a counter proposal to legislative leaders but they have simply rejected it and refused to negotiate further. Legislative leaders have now moved “mini-budget” bills through the General Assembly. Some of these bills are non-controversial and have passed into law with bipartisan support. Unfortunately, others continue the policy of advancing corporate tax cuts rather than investing in teacher and public employee compensation. To add insult to injury, the House and Senate adjourned on Thursday without a state budget in place and won’t return to the legislature until Nov. 13. Even then, legislative leadership is limiting the bills we will be able to consider. For this body to adjourn four months into the fiscal year without a budget in place is unconscionable. It means that the General Assembly is failing at its most fundamental job.  / Read more…

Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, Anna Paquin, Bobby Cannavale and Harvey Keitel round out the cast in Martin Scorsese’s most recent film. Netflix has released its final trailer for Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, highlighting how Robert De Niro’s Frank Sheeran ended up as a hitman and his strained relationship with his family. Sheeran is first shown at a funeral, with a voiceover saying, “It’s over. They’re all gone,” and then cuts to two detectives trying to Read more…

November 1, 2019. The annual open enrollment period to sign up for health insurance through HealthCare.gov started on Friday for residents in the High Country that need to secure their health insurance for 2020. Over 11 million Americans signed up for health insurance last year through the Affordable Care Act, more commonly called “Obamacare.” According to the Department of Health and Humane Services, 90 percent of people that purchased their insurance through the marketplace qualified for financial assistance to make the premium prices cheaper. The data also shows that premium prices will decrease by four percent on average from 2019 to 2020 and people will have three to four different company plans to choose from instead of previous years where they had just one or two choices. Locally, there are several ways for residents in the High Country to find an insurance agent or what is called a “marketplace assister” that will guide you through the process. High Country Community Health is one of the most popular locations for help in Boone.  By Nathan Ham / Read more…

November 1, 2019. Rarely do you see a day begin with temperatures in the mid-60s and end up below freezing with snowflakes and 50 MPH wind gusts, but that was what the High Country saw on Thursday. A weather front moved through the area yesterday, bringing nearly an inch and a half of rain, a tornado watch and a high wind warning to Boone during the day, followed with a low temperature that dropped below freezing and wind gusts that routinely peaked over 40 MPH. The high temperature in Boone on Thursday was recorded at 66.5 degrees at 1:36 p.m. The low dropped all the way to 31.6 degrees at 11:51 p.m., according to data provided by Ray’s Weather Center. The biggest wind gust in Boone was recorded at 44 MPH and the town officially received 1.46 inches of rain in the 24-hour span. Another interesting piece of data for Boone during the month of October was that the difference between the warmest temperature (84.1 degrees on October 3) to the coldest temperature (30.9 degrees on October 24) was 53.2 degrees. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

November 1, 2019. It’s that time of year again to set your watches and clocks back one hour and snag an extra hour of sleep with the end of Daylight Saving Time in the United States. Daylight Saving Time (DST) officially ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, November 3. While the popularity of Daylight Saving Time has started to drop over the years, 48 of the 50 states in America still participate in springing an hour forward and falling one our back each year at the start and end of DST. Hawaii and Arizona no longer participate in Daylight Saving Time, neither do the United States territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You will notice that with the time change, it will get darker much earlier during the late fall and winter months. On Sunday, the sun will rise at 6:51 a.m. and set at 5:28 p.m. In total, the day length will be 10 hours, 37 minutes and 26 seconds. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

October 31, 2019. Temperatures dropped more than 30 degrees from mid-afternoon until the end of the game, but that didn’t stop the fans from coming out in their favorite Halloween costumes and all bundled up to watch Appalachian State take on Georgia Southern Thursday night. Fans dealt with steady rainfall, gusty winds and then some light snowfall throughout the night. The scoreboard might not have gone App State’s way, but a lot of fans still made the most of a rough weather night for football in the High Country. Here are some of the best fan shots from Thursday night’s game.  Photos by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

October 31, 2019.  Experience the classic comedy that is The Good Doctor as Lees-McRae Theatre Arts takes to the stage to perform the award-winning Broadway play Nov. 14–17. The Good Doctor was a hit when it debuted on Broadway in 1973 and has continued to delight and captivate audiences through the years. The play consists of 10 short scenes adapted from and inspired by the short stories of 19th-century Russian author and playwright Anton Chekhov. “Audiences can expect absurdity, wordplay, and lots of fun,” Joshua Yoder, show director and assistant professor of Theatre Arts, said. “It’s sort of a mash-up,” Yoder said. “Simon wrote it as an homage to Chekhov, and the play combines Simon’s wit and silliness with Chekhov’s depth and humanity.” The play begins with an unnamed writer alone on stage, surprised to find his work interrupted by an auditorium full of spectators. He proceeds to narrate his stories to the audience, becoming more and more animated as the comic sketches spring to life around him. / Read more…

October 31, 2019. The annual Boone Boo! Halloween event might have had some rough weather to deal with, but don’t tell that to the many children and adults dressed in their favorite costumes that packed King Street and the Jones House on Wednesday evening. “It was amazing and I loved seeing how awesome our community is. We’re enthusiastic and we are weather resistant. I don’t think we were waterproof but we were definitely weather resistant,” laughed Lane Moody, the Downtown Development Coordinator for the Town of Boone. “It was one of those evenings that makes your heart full for how much fun it was downtown and having that sense of community. It was wonderful.” Appalachian State University student-athletes, Student Government Association (SGA) members, Town of Boone employees and many others were on hand giving out candy and providing plenty of scares inside the haunted Jones House. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

October 31, 2019. In Our State Magazine’s Annual Mountain Issue released in October this year, a variety of highlighted areas used to show the wide-ranging beauty and diversity of North Carolina’s mountains were spots around the High Country and Watauga County in general. Natural scenery, history, and how the two fall hand-in-hand, are shown throughout the issue in a way that connects the grandiose nature of physical space in the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the past and the people who have made a life among them. Perhaps some of the most important scenery, photography, and overall aesthetic capturing of the High Country in this Mountain Issue came from the town of Linville as the primary focus, including the “Grand Canyon of the East,” the Linville Gorge. The issue features a beautiful six-shot panorama from the top of Hawksbill mountain displaying the almost entirety of the 12,000-acre expanse with cartographed depiction by illustrator Dan Williams. The piece goes on to mention the “natural wonder” of the gorge itself as it has geological shifts in the topography to thank for its formation. By Cobly Gable / Read more…

October 31, 2019. A special forum will be taking place on Friday that will include information sharing and discussion about the worrisome issue of election security, particularly in North Carolina. The forum will take place from 3-5 p.m. at the Gordon Gathering Hall inside the Reich College of Education Building, located at 151 College Street. The event is co-sponsored by Appalachian State’s Department of Computer Science and the Department of Government and Justice Studies. 99 percent of the votes tallied across the country will be done either on computers or by using the paper ballot-scanning machines, meaning that making sure these computer systems are modern and secure. According to information provided by Dr. Ray Russell, who will moderate the forum, the federal government recently allocated $250 million to make these systems secure. There will be three speakers at the forum who have a vast amount of knowledge of the subject of elections and election security. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

October 30, 2019. “Let our family take care of your family.” Boone will soon have a new family practice in town. AppFamily Medicine, a practice of Appalachian Regional Medical Associates will open on November 4, 2019. AppFamily Medicine will be a true “family practice” that will provide comprehensive care for all ages, from infants to adults. AppFamily’s primary care providers will be your family’s healthcare partner. In addition to providing general care for the entire family, AppFamily Medicine will also provide treatment for a wide range of medical issues including complicated chronic disease management, acute illnesses, care of children, depression and anxiety, as well as both prenatal and routine gynecological care. Same-day acute care (sick or injured) appointments are available for established patients only.   / Read more…

October 30, 2019. For the ninth consecutive year the High Country Turkey Trot 5K, presented by Mast General Store, will take place Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 28, on the Boone Greenway Trail at the Clawson-Burnley Park entrance. Coach John Weaver, retired Director of Track, Field and Cross Country for Appalachian State University, and Big Kahuna Timing will be assisting with the event, utilizing fully automatic chip timing for the 5K Race. The race will kick off at 9:00 a.m. with the Fun Run / Walk, for casual runners, joggers and walkers following fifteen minutes later. Named a Top Ten Holiday 5K race by Our State magazine back in 2016, this destination race attracted over 1,100 participants from twenty-five different states and over fifty North Carolina cities and towns last year. “We are looking forward to another successful event,” stated Hospitality House director of development Todd Carter. “Boone is such a beautiful place to run a 5K on Thanksgiving Day. It is our privilege to offer this opportunity for runners from all over the United States to experience Boone and the High Country at the beginning of the holiday season.” / Read more…

October 30, 2019. 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

October 30, 2019. Recess Skate and Snow celebrated their tenth anniversary on Friday, October 25 at The Beacon with a 10-Year video premiere party that also served as a fundraiser for Boone Greenway Skatepark. Over 200 people attended the free event and enjoyed watching snowboarding films, indulged in refreshments, and participated in a raffle to raise funds for the highly-anticipated skatepark. Recess has been a staple in the Boone community since it was established in 2009; every year, the skate and snowboard shop releases a short film consisting of footage from the shop’s sponsored riders. This year’s film was unique because it served as the 10th anniversary benchmark for the ride shop. The popular snowboarder movie “Everybody” was also shown during the event’s proceedings. By Joe Johnson / Read more…

October 30, 2019. I was gathering my apples and all the other ingredients needed to make Brenda Gragg’s apple pie filling at about the same time I learned she was nearing life’s end earlier this week. I put the project on hold and decided, instead, to spend a few moments with the Gragg family as they lovingly stood vigil by her bedside. They had been “called in” as so often happens when medical professionals deem it time for the last goodbyes, the final hugs, the last possible declarations of love and devotion — and the release, as painful as it is. The Graggs never failed their loved one, neither during her journey nor as she slipped peacefully from this earth on Tuesday into what they know in their hearts to be her eternal resting place in heaven. There’s just some things you know to be true. Brenda Gragg knew. Her family knew — and all of us who knew her knew. Yes, I know this is a cooking column, and yes, it’s often served as a place to honor special people, whether as a living tribute or as a memorial. Brenda Gragg deserves her place in my column. I am saddened by her departure today as I write these words.
By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

October 30, 2019. It’s been 50 years since Avery County High School opened. Celebrating such a milestone at any school with old classmates is profound, deeply bonding, almost tribal. And that certainly was prophetic at the Avery County High School 50th Year Reunion last Saturday afternoon, which was held in the school’s gymnasium on High School Road in Newland. Approximately 50 attended. The reunion’s chief organizer, Danica Goodman, a graduate of the school’s 2001 class was happy with how the reunion went off. She commented: “There was much excitement and everyone was engrossed in conversation as they shared memories. We had an amazing time and I would like to thank everyone who helped me organize the event, as well as all of those who attended, for making it such a special occasion.” By Tim Gardner / Read more…

October 29, 2019. Ten students from Lincoln Charter School in Denver, NC recently completed “The Grandfather Challenge” hiking program at Grandfather Mountain in Linville.  “The Grandfather Challenge” program is sponsored by The Jason Project, Inc., which was formed by the parents of Jason Matthew Nipper, who passed away in June of 2014 at age 26. This private foundation was formed to host this unique hiking program, which is designed to build self-confidence in struggling youth, as well as trust and positive rapport with adult mentors. Because of Jason’s abiding love of the outdoors and mountain hiking, James & Cheryl have established “The Grandfather Challenge,” through which students navigate all of the rigorous hiking trails at Grandfather Mountain.  This program seeks to assist any special students who are struggling with personal adversities, including family, school, or other personal problems or challenges, including some students suffering from mental problems and/or drug addictions. / 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.

What’s Happening This Week at Lost Province Brewing

TODAY: Caldwell Hospice’s Coffee, Grief, & Hope to Be Held October 29

Watauga County Republican Women’s Club to Meet October 30

SNIPS of Watauga Humane Society: Three Days, Three Fundraisers

Bakersville Galleries Art Walk Happening November 1

St. Mary of the Hills Evensong Commemorates All Souls on November 3

Mt. Vernon Baptist Church’s Fall Fest Rescheduled for November 5

The Walker Center Presents Mutts Gone Nuts on November 8

Veterans Day Commemoration at Boone Mall Happening November 11

Juvenile Crime Prevention Council PSA

High Country Soccer Association 2019-20 Indoor Winter Soccer Camp

Appalachian State University is Building a Habitat Home

Seasoned Museum Director, Carson Sailor to Helm the Appalachian Heritage Museum

House Committee Approves DOT Funding to Cover Cash-flow Issue

Blue Ridge Mountain Club Announces Addition of Sommelier Joshua Purdy

Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

October 29, 2019. On Saturday, Oct. 26, the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation held its 3rd annual 5k walk/run, where over 500 people participated in the event at the American Legion in Blowing Rock. Adults and teenagers, as well as children, could all be seen making the 5k trek, both celebrating and supporting breast cancer survivors and fighters. Locals and residents were present, but some came up from out of town, such as a group of former Appalachian State students supporting their friends. Many were wearing pink, the breast cancer ribbon color, and some were wearing the pink tutus the Foundation is known for. In addition to the race, a variety of activities were held earlier, including face painting, stilt walking, hula-hoop contests, and a raffle ticket sale for the raffle held at the end of the race. By Adam Estabrook / Read more…

October 29, 2019. The Town of Boone has been successful over the past five years at adding hundreds of trees to Town-owned property along the Greenway, in Jimmy Smith Park, in the Queen Street Parking Lot, in the streetscape along King Street, at the Greg Young Water Intake and at the Jimmy Smith Waste Water Treatment Plant. At multiple events, the Town of Boone has provided tree seedlings for citizens to take home and plant on their property. In addition to adding new trees, the Town of Boone is committed to the preservation of our historic tree canopy. Beginning this week, Historic Tree Care head arborist, Guy Meilleur (may-er’) and Town of Boone staff will be preforming selective pruning, installing structural supports and preforming other healthcare services involving the maples on the Jones House yard. Head arborist Guy Meilleur has been providing commercial tree care since 1965, and consulting, testifying, and writing about arboriculture since 1982. Mr. Meilleur is the author of over 50 peer-reviewed articles that focus on good tree care with good arborists. / Read more…

October 29, 2019. The Board of Directors of Linville Resorts, Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Dan DuBreuil as the new general manager of The Eseeola Lodge and Linville Golf Club beginning November 1, 2019. Mr. DuBreuil began his career in the private club industry in 2000 as general manager of the Country Club of Hilton Head. Since that time, he has served as general manager for Brier Creek Country Club in Raleigh; The Country Club of Sapphire Valley in Cashiers, North Carolina; and Spring Island in Okatie, South Carolina. Most recently, DuBreuil served as general manager of Cabo Del Sol and Cove Club in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. DuBreuil, who is a graduate of Appalachian State University, says returning to the area and overseeing the operation of The Eseeola Lodge and Linville Golf Club is a dream come true. “Linville sets the standard for excellence among mountain clubs. The club’s reputation, history, and the role it plays in the community not only make it unique but are the qualities that attracted me to the position,” says DuBreuil. / Read more…