June 26, 2019. It’s almost time once again to celebrate America’s birthday, and whether some people like to think so or not, we’re still “One nation under God.” Since claiming our independence from Britain on July 4, 1776, thousands have left their native homelands headed to the “land of the free and the home of the brave,” so they, too, can realize the American Dream. I’m afraid that many of us who were blessed to be born on American soil so often take for granted our heritage, as well as our freedom. It is my hope that during this special time of celebration that each of us will reflect upon our good fortune to be called a native of this great nation —and to think about the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom. Each year on July 4, Americans celebrate that freedom and independence with barbecues, picnics, and family gatherings. I hope the ideas found in this week’s column will help with your celebration as we prepare to pay tribute to our country. / Read more…

June 26, 2019. On June 21, just days after the 25th anniversary of Relay for Life in Watauga County — an event he helped establish and one that he dearly loved — Hugh Tilson of Boone passed away at the age of 89. The dedicated community volunteer, truly with a servant’s heart, had experienced various health concerns in the recent past, but succumbed after suffering a stroke. Tilson was well-known in the area, a highly respected gentleman who always put the needs of others before his own. Perhaps he was best known for his efforts in assisting his wife, Sue Tilson, in organizing the Watauga Unit of the American Cancer Society in 1980. That interest subsequently led to the couple introducing Relay for Life to the area several years later. By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

June 25, 2019. June 30 will definitely be a bittersweet day for Ashe County Arts Council Executive Director Jane Lonon. Lonon will retire from her position at the end of this week after serving as executive director since 1988. “It’s just been the best job in the whole world. I’ve been privileged to be a part of an organization that cares so much about the community that it serves and works so hard to use the arts to affect change, from downtown beautification and revitalization to quality programming that we’re able to pass on to the next generation,” Lonon said. “It’s just been a busy, active, positive effort by lots of people and I have been fortunate enough to get to be a part of it.” Lonon moved to Ashe County in 1981 and initially began serving the Ashe County Arts Council as a volunteer and a board member before accepting the executive director position in 1988. All in all, Jane has dedicated 38 years of her life to promoting arts in the community with the Ashe County Arts Council. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

June 25, 2019. The newly-opened Horton Hotel gathered its staff along with friends, family, and special guest Rep. Ray Russell for a ribbon cutting and grand opening celebration on Sunday. The Horton Hotel has been open since February and has had a ton of support from the community and guests have experienced a great stay at the downtown Boone hotel. Fulton and Denise Lovin purchased the 9,000-square-foot building and construction for the Horton Hotel started in May of 2017. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

June 24, 2019. The Boone Tourism Development Authority unanimously passed its 2019-20 budget last Wednesday at their annual budget meeting. The total budget approved for the Boone TDA was $1,565,958, an increase of $35,558 from the 2018-19 budget year that will come to an end on June 30. According to the budget details, the Boone TDA is expecting to bring in $1,475,000 in occupancy tax from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020. To balance out the budget, the remaining income is projected to be $87,958 allocated from the General Fund Balance and $3,000 in interest earned. Projected expenditures for the year include $635,000 in marketing and advertising costs, $491,667 spent on tourism-related items for the Town of Boone, $344,291 in contract fees to the Watauga County Tourism Development Authority, $55,000 in legacy event sponsorships and other TDA board priorities, $20,000 in sports tourism, $15,000 in public relations services and $5,000 in professional services. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

June 24, 2019. In the heart of the parking opportunities that is downtown Boone, the gravel lot adjacent to Vidalia is now open for parking for Vidalia customers. “In the past, we’ve had use of the parking lot in the evenings. With a little negotiation with our landlord we were able to secure a majority of the spots for some daytime use as well.” said Vidalia coproprietor Alyce Ratchford, “Everybody knows what the parking situation is like downtown, and how quickly it can fill. Our landlord was open to us being able to have those spaces in a more full-time capacity. So that’s how it all kinda came about.” By Tzar Wilkerson / Read more…

June 21, 2019. The Gamekeeper Restaurant are celebrating the grand opening of their new outdoor patio, a scenic spot that will be available to diners on a first-come-first-serve basis. Locals and regular guests are invited to sip on some wine while trying out a few appetizers that the restaurant will be considering for their outdoor menu. Wren’s Nest Landscaping built the outdoor patio in a “quick and clean manner” and now, the Gamekeeper has invited guests to experience the space and take advantage of the Boone summer weather. The patio hosts 8 tables, with the possibility of a new bar and a chef’s table on the way. Ken and Wendy Gordon bought the Gamekeeper in 2000. Since then, their appreciation for cooking has remained evident in every aspect of preparation and presentation. By Gianna Holiday / Read more…

June 21, 2019. The much-anticipated Boone Greenway Skatepark is closer to becoming a reality after Recess Skate and Snow owner JP Pardy updated the project at Tuesday’s Boone Town Council meeting. A GoFundMe to bring in donations from the community has also been set up to make fundraising efforts for the skatepark much easier. “With all the support the skatepark has received from the town council and the community, we decided to reach out to some of our friends in the skate park building industry and get some feedback on what we are working with,” said Pardy. Andy Duck with Artisan Skateparks based out of Kitty Hawk met with Pardy, Boone Town Manager John Ward and Boone Public Works Deputy Director Todd Moody at the site of the future skatepark to get an idea of what the construction needs would be. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

June 20, 2019. A new real estate venture has opened in Banner Elk that will add in a special benefit to the community it serves. License partners James J. Ward and Tricia Ward Holloway along with managing broker Jami Prince will lead the newly established Engel & Volkers Banner Elk. “Banner Elk is an ideal expansion market for Engel & Volkers,” said Anthony Hitt, president and CEO of Engel & Volkers Americas. “Our growth has always been dictated by our clients, where they are coming from and where they want to be. Banner Elk joins our growing network inclusive of many desirable resort destinations and the markets that feed into them, and we’re thrilled to have James, Tricia and Jami leading the charge. Collectively, they bring a new level of industry prowess, expertise and luxury client service to the area.” By Nathan Ham / Read more…

June 20, 2019. Charles H. Cannon, Jr. Memorial Hospital in Linville has broken ground for new facility additions to its inpatient behavioral health unit. The project, which has been in the works for a long time, will expand the facility’s ability to meet behavioral health needs. The project will include two new facilities in which 27 behavioral health beds will be added to the existing 10 beds at the Critical Access Hospital. In 2018, the facility could only admit approximately 500 patients and had to turn away around 4,500, according to Hospital President Carmen Lacey. She noted that the need for behavioral beds runs in contrast to the hospital’s declining medical beds use. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

June 20, 2019. A total of 343 graduating seniors from Watauga High School were honored last Friday night at the Holmes Convocation Center on Appalachian State’s campus. The 2019 senior class included 313 tradition graduates and 30 early graduates. These seniors accounted for over $4 million in college scholarship money and have already earned 667 college credits. A total of 29 graduates have already earned a community college degree along with their high school diplomas.  / Read more…

June 20, 2019. Friday, June 21 will mark the longest day of 2019, as the Summer Solstice will begin at 11:54 a.m. The sunrise will be at 6:09 a.m. tomorrow morning and sunset will be at 8:47 p.m., giving everyone in the High Country 14 hours, 37 minutes and 36 seconds of daylight, making it the longest day of the year. Days will slowly begin to get shorter, only by a few seconds of course. The Summer Solstice is also four hours and 56 minutes longer than the Winter Solstice will be in December. While it is the longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice is not necessarily the day of the year with the earliest sunrise and latest sunset. June 10 through June 16 saw the sun come up at 6:08 a.m. June 27 through July 1 will have the latest sunsets happening at 8:48 p.m. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

June 19, 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

June 18, 2019. The Avery County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution concerning financing the high school construction and renovations project during their bi-monthly meeting on June 17.   By a 4-0 vote, the Commissioners adopted a resolution as required by the North Carolina Local Government Commission (LGC), which is responsible for monitoring and ensuring the fiscal health of local entities and whose approval is mandated for certain types of financial agreements, including many involving capital assets. The resolution authorizes the execution and delivery of an installment financing agreement, a Deed of Trust, an Escrow Agreement, a third party custodian agreement, an amended and restated lease agreement and a construction agreement with the Avery County Board of Education and related documents in connection with installment financing for school improvements. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

June 19, 2019. By looking in most refrigerators these days, one would think that every month is “dairy month,” but according to the National Dairy Council, we are in the midst of National Dairy Month. The month of June became a time to promote drinking milk in 1937 and for many years was known simply as National Milk Month. That all changed a few years ago when the NDC stepped in to promote the cause and expanded the focus, giving June the new name of “Dairy Month.” From calcium to potassium, dairy products — including milk — contain at least nine essential nutrients, which may help to better manage weight, reduce the risk for high blood pressure, osteoporosis and certain cancers. Whether it’s protein to help build and repair the muscle tissue of active bodies or Vitamin A to help maintain healthy skin, dairy products serve as a natural nutrient powerhouse. Those are just a few of the reasons to celebrate dairy, not just in June, but all year long. / Read more…

June 19, 2019. Vulcan Materials, the nation’s largest producer of construction aggregates with a local office in Boone, N.C., has given over $61,000 to the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences at Appalachian State University, supporting the department in many ways for decades. “They have truly donated thousands of dollars in personnel and equipment time to make projects and growth become a reality at Appalachian,” said Dr. Andrew Heckert, a professor in the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences. In 2018-19, the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences at Appalachian reached over 5,000 school children through outreach events at over 34 schools and organizations with assistance from over 50 undergraduate students. The department has been awarded five outreach-specific grants ranging from $1500 – $62,000 with a predicted total of $100,000 for the year. Faculty and students from the department are committed to helping strengthen K-12 science education by fostering partnerships with schools, training teachers, involving students, highlighting faculty’s research and advertising program offerings.  / Read more…

June 18, 2019. During the evening hours of Thursday, June 13, 2019, a team of local law enforcement agencies ended an ongoing investigation into a significantly large source of methamphetamine for western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Two arrests were made, and a large amount of methamphetamine was seized by police. “We are very pleased about the cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the county. Unfortunately, meth is still the number one drug of choice in our county and our joint efforts with the Bonne Police Department and other law enforcement partners is making a vast improvement in the safety of our community.”– L.D. Hagaman, Watauga County Sheriff.  / Read more…

June 18, 2019. The 2019 Power of the Purse Luncheon and silent auction, a fundraiser by the Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge, will welcome author Elizabeth Smart as their guest speaker to discuss her latest book. The event will take place Thursday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Holmes Convocation Center on Appalachian State University’s campus, with tickets having been $100 per person. However, the event quickly sold out with 450 people expected to attend. Where There’s Hope: Healing, Moving Forward, and Never Giving Up follows up on her #1 New York Times bestseller, My Story, about being held in captivity as a teenager. She will go on to talk about how she managed to survive with a powerful and inspiring book regarding what it takes to overcome trauma, find the strength to move on, and reclaim her life. By Gianna Holiday / Read more…

June 18, 2019. Mark your calendars for the 16th Annual Safety Fest BBQ Dinner in Seven Devils on Saturday, July 6. The event will also include a raffle, craft show, silent auction and lots of fun and games for the young and young at heart. Everyone is invited to eat in at Town Hall or stop by and grab a dinner to go. Dinners will include pork barbecue, roll, baked beans, cole slaw, drink and dessert. Adult dinners are $10, children 12 and under are $5. Meals will be served from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The craft show will start at 10 a.m. and will continue until 3 p.m. Silent auction items will be on display at Seven Devils Town Hall beginning on Monday, July 1. Silent auction bids will conclude at 2:30 p.m. on July 6. Grass County Line will be on hand playing some of their favorite tunes throughout the day so please bring a chair or a blanket and stay a while to enjoy the music!   / 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.

Call for Artists – Toe River Arts Juried Exhibit

Announcing 2019 Summer Events at Shady Grove Gardens

Susan Larson to Present During Lees-McRae College Stephenson Center for Appalachia Lecture June 19

Watauga County Public Library Announces Two Free Musical Concerts, Upcoming on Saturdays in July

BRAHM Presents Summer Concert Series: Andrew “Finn the Fiddler” Magill

Meetings with Board of Trustees of Appalachian State University

Read more…
Compiled by Hailey Blevins

June 18, 2019. On Thursday, February 7, 2019, at 3:10 am, the Boone Police Department and Boone Fire Department responded to the Super 8 Motel on Hwy 105 in Boone. Officers and fire officials quickly determined that the fire was set intentionally. An unknown suspect had attempted to set fires in three different locations, causing serious damage in one area on the hotel. There were many occupants sleeping in the hotel that night. An investigative team was assembled from the Boone Fire Department, Watauga County Sheriff’s Office and the Boone Police Department and the team began investigating the incident. A suspect was developed from the interviews of the hotel occupants. The suspect was identified as Ronnie Bumgarner. He was on-scene at the time of this fire. An investigator interviewed him at that time. Bumgarner, 23, denied setting the fire.  / Read more…

June 17, 2019. After resigning as Avery County Schools Superintendent, it didn’t take Bryan Taylor long to find a new job as he was hired by another school system only two days later. Taylor has been named Assistant Superintendent of Stokes County, NC Schools, according to a press release from that school system dated June 13. Taylor’s start date with Stokes County Schools has not been established, the press release noted. He will replace Tony George in the post. The Stokes County School System is headquartered in Danbury, NC, approximately 20 miles North of Winston-Salem. Taylor told the Avery County Board of Education members of his intent to step down as Superintendent during a closed session of its meeting on June 11. Taylor had said that the exact date of his resignation was not set and that he would be available to help the transitional process with the hiring of a new Superintendent. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

June 17, 2019. The music lineup for the 2019 Christmas in July Festival in downtown West Jefferson has been confirmed with many favorites once again returning to perform at the annual event, as well as some new performers making their festival debut this year. The festival has once again lined up a great variety of local and regional musical acts featuring a great mix ranging from traditional bluegrass to “newgrass,” country to classic rock hits, and a few other surprises sprinkled in which will surely entertain people of all ages. Live music is scheduled to begin during the afternoon of Friday, July 5 at 3 p.m. until 10 p.m. during the festival kick-off event of music, food vendors, farmers market & street dance. Music will continue all day on Saturday.   / Read more…

June 17, 2019. They bought tablespaces and they donated gently used treasures.  Then they came to the giant Banner Elk Community Yard Sale on June 15—all to support the Historic Banner Elk School. Sponsored jointly by the Rotary Club of Avery County and the Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce, supporters were up with the birds in pursuit of high sales and special bargains. “Many items ranging from household goods to furniture were donated by town businesses, groups and individuals to help raise money for the Historic Banner Elk School,” according to the chamber’s Allen Bolick. Bolick noted that visitors also had the opportunity to tour the school “to see all the renovations that have been made to the school.”  The Book Exchange, Ensemble Stage, the BE Artists Gallery, and a variety of small businesses occupy the building.  Mayland Community College also provides programming in several renovated classrooms.  / Read more…

June 14, 2019. A total of 11 town council seats and one mayoral seat in four Watauga County towns will be up for grabs in November as the filing period for candidates will begin at noon on July 5 and will last through noon on July 19. “In order to file for these seats, candidates must live within the town limits of which they are applying,” said Donna Houck, Watauga County Board of Elections Deputy Director. The Boone Town Council will have three seats up for election, currently filled by Marshall Ashcraft, Lynne Mason and Loretta Clawson. In Blowing Rock, two town council seats held by Albert Yount and Jim Steele will be up for election as well as the mayoral seat currently held by Charlie Sellers. Blowing Rock’s mayoral seat is up for election every two years while Boone’s mayoral seat is up every four years. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

June 14, 2019. A day in the North Carolina mountains can be so magical you never want it to end – and the year’s longest day is just around the corner. Blue Ridge Mountain Club is thrilled to help families and fans of the High Country celebrate the occasion with Summer Soulstice 2019. Once each year, the BRMC community in Blowing Rock opens its gates to the public for a day of camaraderie and community – and next Saturday, June 22, is that day. Summer Soulstice will offer a host of exciting activities for guests of all ages, and it’s sure to be a memorable way to kick off the season. Best of all, the day-long event benefits the Boone Hospitality House, a non-profit agency devoted to helping those in crisis, poverty and homelessness rebuild their lives. For the adventurous, a full view of the property’s 6000+ acres and gorgeous mountain views can be enjoyed via guided UTV trail rides, and the new Lamborghini Urus SUV will be available on-site.  / Read more…

June 14, 2019. The proposed 2019-2020 budget has been presented to the Boone Town Council and will be discussed at a public hearing Tuesday, June 18 followed by a meeting on Thursday to adopt the new $28,749,600 budget. The budget was put together by Finance Director Amy Davis and will be presented by Town Manager John Ward. The budget will maintain the current tax rate of $0.41 but there will be an overall 1.18 percent tax increase for the Town of Boone of 1.82 percent from $5,713,950 to $5,782,321 for the Boone. The general fund totals $17,071,448 – a 2.3 percent increase above the current year budgets. With that comes many other increases, such as the Narcotics Department which will increase $5,600 (from $27,000 to $32,600). Water and Sewer will rise $920,730 (from $7,074,900 to $7,995,630). By Laura Boaggio / Read more…

June 14, 2019. Avery County Schools Superintendent Bryan Taylor has formally announced his resignation. Taylor told the Avery County Board of Education members of his intent to step down from the post during a closed session of the Avery County Board of Education’s meeting on Tuesday, June 11. Taylor sent an email throughout the Avery School System the next day (June 12) to announce the resignation. The email reads: “After much thought and prayerful consideration, I have decided to resign as Superintendent of Avery County Schools. The unexpected death of my father and unexpected health issues have led me to reevaluate various aspects of my life. I am very proud of the achievements we accomplished during my tenure. Thank you for all you do for the young people of Avery County. I wish you the best moving forward.” By Tim Gardner / Read more…

June 13, 2019. Boone, North Carolina drone pioneer Nelson Aerial Productions has taken home first place in the Second Annual Engineering Drone Video of the Year contest held at AUVSI Xponential in Chicago, IL. The video titled “The Big Boom” documents 10 separate building implosions across the United States. Of the 10 implosions, eight were for Greensboro, NC based D.H. Griffin Wrecking Company and two were for explosives demolition company, Pettigrew Inc., based out of Swedesboro, NJ. Jordan Nelson of Nelson Aerial Pros was in attendance to receive the award. “Most people will never get to experience the raw power of an implosion. I love the challenge of telling the story from every angle,” said Nelson.  / Read more…

June 13, 2019. At Tuesday’s Blowing Rock Town Council meeting, a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the hotly discussed Rainey Lodge was approved by a 3-1 vote. Doug Matheson, Jim Steele and Virginia Powell voted to support the permit while Albert Yount voted against it and Sue Sweeting was recused from voting. Rainey Lodge is a proposed 40-room hotel that will be constructed in downtown Blowing Rock on less than one full acre of land near Rainey Street, Morningside Drive and U.S. Highway 221. The project has drawn the ire of elected officials and residents in Blowing Rock with complaints ranging from traffic impacts, the height of the building and property valuation. “This has been a very tough situation for all of us, council and citizens,” said Blowing Rock Mayor Charlie Sellers prior to the council’s vote on Tuesday. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

June 13, 2019. Avery County High School held its annual commencement and graduation ceremony on June 7th in the school’s gymnasium, sending off the latest group of graduates into the next journey of their lives. There were 134 in the 2019 graduating class, which marks the 50th in the school’s history. The ceremony had to be moved indoors from the school’s MacDonald Stadium due to heavy rain. According to Avery Schools Superintendent Bryan Taylor, the 2019 graduating class received a half million dollars ($500,000.00) in scholarship awards to attend colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning. The Avery High Band and chorus were featured during graduation as “Pomp and Circumstance” was played as the graduates marched into the gymnasium in front of a capacity crowd of family, friends, special guests, teachers and school system officials.  By Tim Gardner / Read more…

June 13, 2019. The beginning date for replacing the bridge that crosses the Watauga River on Highway 105 will be March of 2020, according to North Carolina Department of Transportation Division 11 Project Manager Ramie Shaw. “Our letting schedule is March 17, 2020, for this project,” Shaw said Wednesday afternoon. Construction will begin soon thereafter and will include both daytime and nighttime construction and there will not be any required detours for travelers. “We will not be closing the bridge so there will be no detours. We will be doing staged construction, building one lane of the bridge at a time keeping one lane open to traffic,” Shaw said. There will also be some blasting needed at times for this project, however, Shaw said that the blasting will not be done during peak travel times. Lane closures during blasting are expected to be around 30 minutes. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

June 13, 2019. Virginia “Ginny” Stevens – a woman whose respect for Blowing Rock’s history was so sincere that she spent the last 3 decades of her life ensuring its preservation – will be leaving one more indelible mark on the town’s rich history. At 4 pm this Sunday, June 16th, the Friends of Ginny Stevens will commence the dedication of the street formerly known as Chestnut Street. As of Sunday, it will be known as Ginny Stevens Lane. Ever since she arrived in town with her husband David in 1985, Ginny Stevens had made her love for the town of Blowing Rock clear. In addition to co-founding the Blowing Rock Historical Society and leading its important work for many years, Ginny Stevens worked at the 1888 Museum (housed in the last remaining cottage of the historic Watauga Hotel), was active in Preservation North Carolina (in which role she helped to preserve many historically relevant buildings in Raleigh), and made herself heard often at Blowing Rock Town Council meetings. By Tzar Wilkerson / Read more…

June 12, 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

June 12, 2019. Chetola Resort and artist/curator Brenda Councill have created an event filled weekend featuring renowned national artists, celebrities and star entertainment, including imaginative, family-friendly activities. August 9-11 from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. each night features continuous engaging entertainment for the entire family. Chetola Resort’s lakeside setting provides the outdoor venue that has achieved landmark status among travelers to the High Country. The lake provides a dramatic backdrop for juried exhibition of over 50 nationally renowned sculptors traveling from the west coast, the southeast and midwest. Monumental scale and mid-scale works of art curated by Ms. Councill will be temporarily installed along the path around the lake. / Read more…