September 6, 2019. Lees-McRae College in partnership with Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) will now offer guaranteed acceptance to all BRCC graduates as part of a recently signed articulation agreement between the two institutions. Called the Promise Program, the articulation agreement will enable eligible students from BRCC’s campus to complete their four-year degree at Lees-McRae. President Lee King and Laura B. Leatherwood, president of BRCC, signed the agreement on the campus of Lees-McRae on Thursday, Sept. 5 in the Dotti M. Shelton Learning Commons. Lees-McRae Vice President for Enrollment Management Erin Healey said, “Opportunity happens when people put their minds together to create positive change. We are working to remove barriers and are dedicated to making education accessible to our communities.” / Read more…

September 6, 2019. The fourth annual Fall Community Dinner and Dance Celebration will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, September 13 in the Grandfather Mountain Ballroom located in the Plemmons Student Union at Appalachian State University. Tickets are $25 for adults, who must be 18 years or older, and $10 for App State college students. Student ID is required at the door for student attendees. Dinner will be catered by the Daniel Boone Inn and served in a buffet-style setup. Purchase of a ticket includes two drinks of either beer or wine as well. Dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m. and dancing will last from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The Lucky Strikes will be performing live music during the event and pre-recorded music is on hand for attendees to keep on dancing after the concert has concluded. The Appalachian State University television channel will be present to film the events’ proceedings. By Joe Johnson / Read more…

September 5, 2019.  Highlander’s Grill & Tavern has quickly become an entertainment, food, and drink destination for the Town of Banner Elk since its initial opening in June of 2018. Highlander’s offers a wide selection of food items and beverages in an atmosphere dedicated to keeping guests entertained and happy during their visit. Highlander’s is located in the Shoppes of Tynecastle shopping center in the same location as the now-closed Nick’s restaurant that had been in operation for 32 years serving the High Country. Dave Marich, owner of Highlander’s Grill & Tavern, purchased Nick’s in 2018 and decided to renovate the property and make several major changes in order to improve the atmosphere and products offered by the establishment. By Joe Johnson / Read more…

September 6, 2019. The annual Dog Jog fund raiser for the Watauga Humane Society, sponsored by SNIPS*, will take place on Saturday, September 7th, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at Brookshire Park, 250 Brookshire Rd., in Boone.  The registration fee is $15 per dog through September 1st and $20 thereafter, including on-site registration the day of the event.  A special $10 registration fee for students is good through Sept. 7th. We interviewed Clifford P. Dolder, Jr., SNIPS’ Esteemed Honorary Fundraising Chair and Mascot, about the exciting upcoming event. Here’s what he had to say: / Read more…

September 5, 2019. Skilled workers in Appalachian State University’s Physical Plant have recreated a piece of history in Founders Plaza, just in time for Founders Day. Founders Bell Pavilion, constructed in July, is a reproduction of the characteristic roofline of Watauga Academy, the school founded in 1899 that would later become Appalachian State University. The pavilion contains the Founders Bell, a representation of the first bell that called young people to education at the school founded by brothers B.B. and D.D. Dougherty and D.D.’s wife, Lillie Shull Dougherty. The pavilion is among the latest additions to Founders Plaza, located at the campus entrance near Hardin Street. By Linda Coutant / Read more…

September 5, 2019. Ensemble Stage, a 99-seat professional theatre that has presented over 80 productions with over 300 performances at the Hahn Auditorium in Banner elk, will be showing three separate productions during their fall 2019 show season. Beginning the season’s production schedule is Sleeping Indoors, a comedy romp following a family who takes in a homeless man with exceptional hidden talent, with showings from September 13 through September 23. Next up on the Ensemble Stage schedule is War of the Worlds on October 25 and 26, based on the classic tale created by H.G. Wells in 1897 and famously broadcasted over radio airwaves in 1938 and narrated by Orson Welles. Finally, the fall season at Ensemble Stage will culminate with the fast-paced holiday musical production that has become a local tradition entitled A Banner Elk Christmas 2 supplying holiday joy to the High Country on December 6, 8, 20, 21, and 22.
By Joe Johnson / Read more…

September 5, 2019. A sure sign of how much growth any university is experiencing is evidenced by construction on its campus. Therefore, it’s obvious that Appalachian State University is continuing to grow by leaps and bounds. Appalachian State’s new four-story, 477-space parking deck opened on Aug. 14 — just in time for the start of fall classes in the 2019-2020 school year and its new $38.2 million north end zone project at Kidd Brewer Stadium is progressing. Additionally, construction is also underway on four new residence halls on campus. The new parking facility is located at the site of the former Winkler Residence Hall, with access at the lower level from the stadium parking lot and at the top via access behind Bowie and Eggers residence halls. Project leaders worked feverishly to complete the parking deck in time for the start of the fall semester and the first home football game against East Tennessee State on Aug. 31. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

September 5, 2019. For many people around the world, both those with a citizenship to some place and those without, the global crisis of increased refugees and migrants have impacted the spaces of their world in an innumerable amount of ways. According to the Global Citizen there are an estimated 25.4 million refugees worldwide and that number is growing. The UN Refugee Agency reports that of that number, over 52% are children. While these sorts of complex and disheartening issues exist on such massive scales that at times it may feel out of our reach to actually bring a change to them, local artist, Bill Brown, has sought to bring support and awareness to this crisis through his sculptures, Refugee Series, currently on display at the Turchin Center. The exhibit is foundationally based in the creative expression of craft to bring about attention and awareness to organizations that provide direct support to refugees, and Brown shares this information with collectors of the sculptures. The organizations supported include: Proactive Open Arts, UN Refugee Agency, International Refugee Committee, and two NC organizations. By Colby Gable / Read more…

September 5, 2019. Valle Crucis parents, teachers and community members, as well as elected officials, gathered for a special joint meeting between the Watauga County Commissioners and Watauga County Board of Education on Tuesday to speak their minds about the location of a new Valle Crucis School. The information session included data and comments from Watauga County Superintendent Dr. Scott Elliott and Clark Nexsen architect Chad Roberson. Following that, the public was invited to comment and share their thoughts either in support of the proposed location for the school or against it. “After lots of talk and lots of consideration, the priority was given to first make every effort to keep a school in Valle Crucis, whether that be on-site or a different site,” said Dr. Elliott. “I believe that a school is a place where children and families come, live and exist and we certainly want to continue to be a positive member of the community.” Elliott added that the school system had “no intention of building what might be described as a large institutional structure.” By Nathan Ham / Read more…

September 5, 2019. “Oh the weather outside was delightful, and the cooling AC so helpful, and since we had somewhere to go, what a show, what a show, what a show!” Christmas in August in Banner Elk and the Carolina Snowbelles rocked the house (and no, it wasn’t reindeers on rooftops). Tho, with all the decorations, excitement and holiday spirit you would have thought it was a snowy wintry day in Banner Elk, North Carolina. And yes, this extravaganza featured the Carolina Snowbelles, a beautiful precision dance troupe based here in the high country. The audience was treated to the same show the Carolina Snowbelles performed last December at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. What a treat and how lucky for those attending. The evening included a montage of extraordinary talent, including gifted singers, a hammered dulcimer duet, energetic cloggers, a surprise comical contortionist and a beautiful audience sing-a-long. Oh, and of course we were greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Claus, visiting direct from the North Pole. / Read more…

September 4, 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

September 4, 2019. The Avery County Agricultural and Horticultural Fair opens tonight and will also be held on Thursday (September 5), Friday (September 6) and Saturday (September 7). It will be hosted out of the Heritage Park property located at 661 Vale Road in Newland, approximately one-half mile behind the Ingles Markets Grocery Store. Various rides, exhibits, demonstrations and competitions ensure there’s plenty to see and do at the Avery A&H Fair. There is even a beauty pageant on Saturday. There will be various food and drink vendors set up throughout the fairgrounds to satisfy the appetites and thirsts of those attending. Gates will open by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday (September 4); 3:00 p.m. on Thursday (September 5); 5:00 p.m. on Friday (September 6); and 11:00 a.m. on Saturday (September 7). Admission at the gate is free all days of the Avery A&H Fair. Ride bracelets are: $20 for Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; and $15 on Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and $20 from 6:00 p.m. to closing at 11:00 p.m. Amusement Rides open at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

September 4, 2019. The old Charles H. Cannon, Jr. Memorial Hospital in Banner Elk has sat vacant for many years. About the only activities occurring on the blighted property since then have been ghost hunting, acts of vandalism and grass and weeds growing high in the spring and summer. Occasionally, various entities expressed interest in using the old facility and grounds to make some sort of development. But each time, nothing materialized to see that to fruition. It is visible from the road on Highway 184, has sat dormant since it closed in 1999. But the possibility of a development at the old hospital has experienced much progress during the last year after being purchased by Landsdowne Village, an LLC created by Steven Cuff of Steven Cuff Construction, headquartered in Huntersville, NC. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

September 4, 2019. It’s one of the few healthy green vegetables that even kids love to eat. Most often referred to simply as green or string beans, they’re now being harvested from local gardens and are abundant in produce stands everywhere this time of year. They are relatively easy to grow, and at their best, should be bright green without blemish. The pods should be crisp, with the best bean being slender in size. Beans may be steamed or boiled uncovered until tender. They may also be used in a variety of other ways: stir-fried as well as sautéed, in casseroles, etc. Beans are the seeded pods of the legume family; a food staple in many countries for thousands of years. Today, beans remain an important product grown by farmers the world over and are nutritious as well as good to eat. There are literally hundreds of varieties of beans, but we will focus on the “snap” bean common to our area. Here are a few ways to make the simple green bean a bit “extraordinary.” By Sherrie Norris / 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

Bakersville Galleries Art Walk Happening September 6

Grandfather Mountain hosts Junior Ranger Day September 7

Mountainside School of Mentoring and Art Launches New Community Enrichment and Homeschool Academic Courses September 10

Wilkes County Fair Begins September 10

The Walker Center presents The Texas Tenors on September 12

Blue Ridge Parkway Celebrates Brinegar Day September 14

Third Saturday Birds, Bugs and Blooms Nature Walk will be held on September 21

CCC&TI Presents Fall 2019 Performing Artist Series

Watauga County Senior Center News

Small Business Health Care Act Becomes Law

Body Discovered at Area Construction Site

Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

September 3, 2019. The next organ recital and Evensong of the season will be Sunday, Sept. 8th at St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church in Blowing Rock. Guest organist for this recital will be Kyle Ritter, Canon Organist and Choirmaster at the Cathedral of All Souls in Asheville.  This free concert begins at 3 p.m., and is immediately followed by Choral Evensong. Ritter earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from Indiana University, where he was a pupil of Robert Rayfield and Marilyn Keiser. Ritter is active in the Association of Anglican Musicians, has led conferences on church music throughout the Southeast, is an adjunct faculty member at Brevard College, and chairs the Liturgy and Music Commission of the Diocese of Western North Carolina, in addition to his duties at the Cathedral. / Read more…

September 3, 2019. This September Watauga County Public Library is joining the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries nationwide for Library Card Sign-Up Month, a time to remind parents, caregivers and students that a library card is the first step towards academic achievement and lifelong learning. A library card opens a world of infinite possibilities through resources and services that give students the tools to succeed in school and beyond. From STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) programs, daily family storytimes, to in-person technology help and or community reads, libraries transform lives through education. / Read more…

September 3, 2019. The Blowing Rock Music Festival once again welcomes a variety of talent to the event stages at the Blowing Rock Attraction in Blowing Rock, NC on Saturday, September 14. Charlie Sellers, proprietor of The Blowing Rock, said, “This year’s Festival has a few newcomers, like Larry Sparks. The others are performers that are tried and true for Blowing Rock audiences, and attendees will have an excellent range of entertainment, as always.” Headline entertainers for 2019 include the Harris Brothers, Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers, Shelby Rae Moore Band, Soul Benefactor, Jeff Little Trio, and Wayne Henderson. Other acts cover a wide range of musical genres, and include The Neighbors, Charlie Carpenter, Cecil Palmer and Gloria Coffey, & Mitch and Masten. / Read more…

September 3, 2019. In the early morning hours of Friday, Aug. 30, Avery Residence Hall at Lees-McRae College was evacuated for a suspected gas leak. The Banner Elk Volunteer Fire Department received the call at 12:29 a.m. and joined college personnel in evacuating the building. Students were moved to the Cannon Student Center for examination by the responding EMS teams. Approximately 70 students were later transported to area hospitals, where they were treated with symptoms commonly associated with exposure to carbon monoxide. By midday, all students were released by local medical personnel. During the initial evacuation and subsequent sweeps, hardwired detectors in the building, and those worn by first responders were not triggered to elevated carbon monoxide levels. All devices were tested and found to be operational. / Read more…

September 3, 2019. The general public will have a chance to learn about the potential location for the new Valle Crucis School at an information and input session set to take place at the current Valle Crucis School gymnasium on Tuesday, September 3 at 6 p.m. According to information from the Watauga County Board of education, both school board members and the Watauga County Board of Commissioners will hold this joint meeting to provide information on the proposed construction of a new school in the Valle Crucis community and hear public comment on the issue as well. Some in the Valle Crucis community have taken issue with where the proposed school will be constructed. The land, commonly known as the Hodges Property, is currently under contract by the Watauga County Schools and is a quarter of a mile from where the Valle Crucis School sits right now. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

August 30, 2019. A building that stood in downtown Boone since 1960 was recently demolished to make way for what appears to be a new construction project.  According to Eric Plaag of the Watauga County Historical Society, the building at the intersection of King Street and Water Street was originally constructed in 1960 and was home to the A&P Supermarket. At the time, A&P was the largest chain of supermarkets in the country and opened this 9,000-square-foot location downtown in September of that year. At the time, the store claimed to have nearly 5,000 different name-brand items for shoppers to purchase. In later years, a portion of the building became a bank with a drive-thru teller window located on the east side of the building. The building was also used by many restaurants throughout the years. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

August 30, 2019. This article is part of a series about the App Builds a Home project, which began with fundraising in fall 2018 and will continue through the building of the home this fall. Appalachian is partnering with Watauga County Habitat for Humanity to build a home from the ground up. Months of planning and fundraising will begin to take physical shape in September when App Builds a Home (ABAH) — Appalachian State University’s initiative with the Watauga County Habitat for Humanity (WCHH) — begins framework construction on a house in Boone’s GreenWood subdivision. Approximately 100 volunteers from Appalachian will work alongside the Habitat for Humanity Road Trip Crazies — a team of 50 Habitat enthusiasts based in Virginia who travel the country to kick-start home builds — for a two-day “blitz build” weekend Sept. 21–22. / Read more…

August 30, 2019. Some students from Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk have been transported to local hospitals this morning following a suspected gas leak. According to Lee King, Lees-McRae’s president, residence facility Avery Hall was evacuated early Friday. King said those students were transported to area hospitals for additional observation and treatment. He said some have been released while others are still getting examine by medical professionals. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

August 29, 2019. Another summer is beginning to come to a close and Tweetsie Railroad has begun its fall operating hours for the season on August 26. The park will now be open on weekends, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (as well as Labor Day Monday) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. This fall weekend schedule will allow guests to enjoy all the park has to offer throughout the fall and winter seasons. Tweetsie Railroad’s main upcoming events, Ghost Train and Tweetsie Christmas, will have different hours than the traditional park hours. Guests will still be able to enjoy all that the park has to offer including country fair rides, live entertainment, Deer Park Zoo, and a behind a historic narrow-gauge steam engine. By Joe Johnson / Read more…

August 29, 2019. At 2:00 PM on September 21, the Third Annual James H. Fisher International Grand Prix will be held at the L. M. Tate Show Grounds in the Broyhill Equestrian Preserve. The two prior events were held in Marshall, NC near Asheville. The Grand Prix is sponsored by the James H. Fisher Memorial Foundation and its chair Jack Fisher, father of the late James Fisher. The Grand Prix is moving to Blowing Rock because of the charm and appeal of this unique mountain village, the traditions of horse sports, the availability of a historic facility and the wide support the people in Blowing Rock give to many community charities. The beneficiaries of this year’s Grand Prix are two food banks: MANNA in Asheville and The Hunger & Health Coalition in Boone. / Read more…

August 29, 2019. The ever-popular Avery County Agricultural and Horticultural Fair is only one week away and preparations are on schedule for its opening on September 4, according to its Executive Director B.J. Beuttell. “All of us involved with the Avery County Fair are working feverishly to get everything ready for opening night and the three days it follows and we’re where we should be in terms of organization and having everything ready with nothing left to chance,” remarked Beuttell. The Avery A&H Fair will run Wednesday (September 4); Thursday (September 5), Friday (September 6) and Saturday (September 7). It will mark the second consecutive year that it will be hosted out of the Heritage Park property since the completion of the county’s new agriculture building on the site. Heritage Park is located at 661 Vale Road in Newland, approximately one-half mile behind the Ingles Markets Grocery Store. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

August 29, 2019. The fall 2019 Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series at Appalachian State University will feature four acclaimed authors of Appalachian literature who are “deeply committed to Appalachia,” said Mark Powell, director of the series and associate professor of creative writing at Appalachian. The 2019–20 series is dedicated to the memory of alumna Hughlene Bostian Frank ’68, for whom the series is named, and her husband, William “Bill” Frank. The Franks passed away in a home fire in Greensboro this spring. The fall portion of the series is co-presented by the university’s Appalachian Journal: A Regional Studies Review. By Jessica Stump / Read more…

August 29, 2019. Due to community feedback the NCDOT modified the Bamboo Rd. /Wilson’s Ridge project plan to include the East Boone Connector. The EBC is a proposed protected bike and pedestrian path along the project. The path will be protected by a curb and separation from the road portion (see attached diagrams.) The NCDOT will start construction on the road widening portion in 2020/21. The East Boone Connector addition would be the first planned, engineered, safe multi-modal corridor in Watauga County, for the fastest-growing part of the county. The NCDOT project is a $9 million, 3-year construction project to widen Bamboo Road and Wilson’s Ridge Rd. from Hwy. 421 to Deerfield Rd. The East Boone Connector will run parallel to the road project from Highway 421 to Wilson’s Ridge (only) and provide protected space for cyclists and pedestrians. / Read more…

August 29, 2019. The discovery of a special type of firefly on Grandfather Mountain has experts aglow with excitement. The nonprofit nature park in Linville, N.C., is officially home to Photinus carolinus, the only species of firefly in North America whose individuals can synchronize their lighting display, meaning they can flash in unison. Photinus carolinus famously resides in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where it is a major draw for visitors from late May through early June. During that time, hopeful spectators enter a lottery to win tickets to witness the phenomenon. And with only a limited number of tickets offered, the spectacle has grown ever more exclusive. And now it’s grown a mile high. / Read more…

August 28, 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

August 28, 2019. Preparation work began on Wednesday for the placing of a large 16-by-16-foot mural that will show off the new logo for the town of Boone. The mural will be located at 641 W. King Street on a brick wall and will feature the Downtown Boone “Live It Up” slogan. The logo was created by local business Destination by Design. Lane Moody, the Downtown Development Coordinator for the Town of Boone, said the idea to place the mural in its location just happened to come about at a recent meeting. “We were talking in one of our meetings and one of our board members knew who owned that building and asked to see if they were open to doing that and they were. We’re excited to get that up there,” she said. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

August 28, 2019. Boone town officials and council members will be taking part in a pair of special dedication ceremonies at the New River Water Intake facility and the brand new water treatment plant next Friday, September 6. The Boone Town Council voted to name the New River Water Intake after former town manager Greg Young and the water treatment plant will be named after current public works director Rick Miller. The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. at the water intake located off of Cranberry Springs Road in the Brownwood community. After that, everyone will travel to the water treatment plant off of Highway 421 in Boone for the second ceremony.   By Nathan Ham / Read more…

August 28, 2019. Nature takes flight this September on Grandfather Mountain, as the park celebrates the return of Hawk Watch. Throughout the entire month, visitors can grab a front-row seat to one of nature’s most stunning spectacles — raptors voyaging over the mountains and heading south toward their wintering grounds. Guests can observe the raptors from atop Grandfather Mountain at Linville Peak, which towers at 5,308 feet in elevation, during the annual Hawk Watch month. Because this site has an almost 360-degree view and provides good visibility of the northern horizon, the official counters and volunteers will be positioned there to note the number of passersby in the sky. / Read more…

August 28, 2019 Appalachian State University will host its annual Founders Day celebration with a full slate of events, including music and refreshments on Sanford Mall, presentations about the university’s history, a panel discussion with a former Chancellor and prior university administrators, the dedication of a new statue and the induction of inaugural members into the Bell Ringers Society. Appalachian faculty, staff, and students, as well as the public, are invited to attend. “Appalachian State University has a 120-year legacy of educational leadership,” Appalachian Chancellor Sheri Everts said. “What began as Watauga Academy in 1899 has flourished into Appalachian State University — the premier, public undergraduate university in North Carolina. Our graduates go on to staff critical workforce areas and develop into engaged global leaders who are shaping the world around us. I am proud of all we have accomplished and I look forward to continued innovation by our students, alumni, faculty, and staff.”  / Read more…

August 28, 2019. To help you find places to explore as summer turns to autumn, the Stephenson Center for Appalachia at Lees-McRae College will present the program, So You Say You Have Nothing To Do?: Plunging Waterfalls, Invigorating Hikes, Entertaining Beasts, and Entrancing Sights on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. in Evans Auditorium within the Cannon Student Center. Lees-McRae—the highest elevated campus east of the Mississippi River—sits in the midst of some of the most vibrant natural attractions in the country, providing students, visitors, and residents with countless opportunities for outdoor adventure, explains Director of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia Michael Joslin. / Read more…