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Today’s Email Announcements

Bethel School Scarecrow Sprint and Fall Festival Oct. 29

Wear your best costume and enjoy a fun 1.5 mile walk/run around Bethel Park! Adult run begins at 10 a.m. and the kids run will begin after. Candy will be given out . There will be inflatables and games for the kids to enjoy and lots of family fun for everyone. Participate in the walk/run for $10, a cake walk for $1 and get tickets for games and inflatables at four for $1. Unlimited inflatable bands are $10. All proceeds will support Bethel School’s PTSO.

The park is located adjacent to the school on Bethel Road in Sugar Grove.

Merlefest Accepting Entries for Christ Austin Songwriting Contest

WILKESBORO, N.C. (September 20, 2016) – MerleFest, presented by Window World, has begun accepting entries for the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest this month and will continue until February 2017. The Chris Austin Songwriting Contest is one of the most acclaimed songwriting contests in roots and Americana music and has a reputation for launching careers and discovering important new talent.

Aspiring songwriters may submit entries to the contest using the online entry form (www.merlefest.org/ChrisAustinSongwritingContest/) or by mailing entries to MerleFest/CASC, PO Box 120, Wilkesboro, NC 28697.The deadline to enter will be February 1, 2017.

Early birds take note: During the month of October and November, all entries for the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (CASC) will receive anearly entry discount price of $25 per entry. Submissions received in December and January will require a $30 fee per entry.

Applicants should make note that all lyrics must be written in English and no instrumentals will be accepted. To read more about the contest rules and how to enter, visit http://merlefest.org/casc#tab-4.

Now in its 25th year, the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest is an extraordinary opportunity for songwriters to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale. MerleFest, slated for April 27-April 30, 2017, is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans that takes place on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, N.C.

The first round of the CASC competition takes place in Nashville, Tenn., and is narrowed down to 12 finalists representing four categories: bluegrass, country, general and gospel/inspirational. Finalists are then invited to the final round of the competition, which takes place Friday, April 28, during MerleFest.

The first place winners will receive $500 cash from MerleFest and will perform on MerleFest’s Cabin Stage on Friday night.

“We are extremely proud of the career successes achieved by many CASC alumni. Among these are Gillian Welch (1993), David Via (1997, 2001), Johnny Williams (1998, 1999), Tift Merritt (2000), Becky Buller (2001), Michael Reno Harrell (2003), Adrienne Young (2003), Martha Scanlan (2003), Sam Quinn (2006) and Jeanette Williams (2007),” said Lee K. Cornett, coordinator of MerleFest’s CASC. “More recent alumni include Lara Lynn (2011) and Gary Alan Ferguson (2014). Lera Lynn has appeared on Garrison Keillor’s ‘A Prairie Home Companion,’ performed on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’ and now lends her musical talents to the critically-acclaimed HBO series ‘True Detective.’ Other recent discoveries from the contest are Melody Walker of Front Country and Joseph Terrell of Mipso. I encourage all songwriters to put the final touches on your masterpiece and submit it to the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest!”

Net proceeds from the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest support theWilkes Community College Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship. Since its inception the scholarship has awarded over $41,000 to deserving students. To learn more details about the contest, visitwww.MerleFest.org/CASC.

MerleFest, considered one of the premier music festivals in the country, is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the son of the late American music legend Doc Watson, renowned guitarist Eddy Merle Watson. MerleFest is a celebration of “traditional plus” music, a unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including old-time, classic country, bluegrass, folk and gospel and blues, and expanded to include Americana, classic rock and many other styles. The festival hosts a diverse mix of artists on its 13 stages during the course of the four-day event. MerleFest has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Endowment Corporation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.

About Chris Austin
Chris Austin, from Boone, North Carolina, worked as a sideman for Ricky Skaggs for three years, singing and playing guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. During that time, he was discovered by executives at Warner Bros. Nashville, who offered him a recording contract. While releasing singles including “Blues Stay Away from Me,” “I Know There’s a Heart in There Somewhere” and “Out of Step,” Austin also developed his songwriting skills, as evidenced in “Same Ol’ Love,” recorded by Skaggs in 1991. On March 16, 1991, Austin’s life was cut tragically short when the private plane carrying him and six other members of Reba McEntire’s band, as well as her tour manager, crashed in the mountains near San Diego. Pete Fisher, then of Warnersongs and currently general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, and Kari Estrin, then MerleFest consultant and “Pickin’ for Merle” video associate producer, initiated the songwriting contest to honor Austin’s memory.

About Window World
Window World, headquartered in North Wilkesboro, N.C., is America’s largest replacement window and exterior remodeling company, with more than 200 locally owned offices nationwide. Founded in 1995, the company sells and installs windows, siding, doors and other exterior products, with a total of over 13 million windows sold to date. Window World is an ENERGY STAR partner, and its window products have earned the Good Housekeeping Seal for nine consecutive years. Additionally, through its charitable foundation Window World Cares, the Window World family provides funding for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where it was named New Corporate Partner of the Year in 2010. Since its inception in 2008, the foundation has raised over $7 million for St. Jude. Window World Inc. also supports the Veterans Airlift Command, a non-profit organization that facilitates free air transportation to wounded veterans and their families. For more information about Window World, visitwww.WindowWorld.com or call 1-800 NEXT WINDOW. For home improvement and energy efficiency tips, décor ideas and more, follow Window World on Facebook and Twitter.

Soil and Water Board to Meet Oct. 26

The Watauga Soil and Water Conservation District Board will hold its regular Board meeting Wednesday October 26, 2016 at 8:00 am at the Soil & Water Office located at 971 West King Street, Boone NC 28607.The public is invited to attend.

Farmland Preservation Program Advisory Board to Meet Nov. 7

The Farmland Preservation Program Advisory Board will hold its regular meeting on Monday November 7, 2016 at 8:00 am in the Soil and Water District Office located at 971 West King Street Boone, NC 28607. The Public is invited to attend.

Job Fair at WCC on Tuesday, October 25

Wilkesboro, N.C. – Wilkes Community College will host a Job Fair on Tuesday, October 25, from 2-4 p.m. at the John A. Walker Community Center located on the Wilkes Campus. The fair is a collaborative effort of workforce and economic development partners including Wilkes Community College, NCWorks, Goodwill Career Connections, Wilkes Economic Development Corporation, Wilkes Chamber of Commerce and the High Country Workforce Development Board.

More than 20 employers will be available to speak with potential employees for administrative, general labor and manufacturing positions. Attendees are encouraged to dress appropriately and bring an up-to-date resume. Veterans are encouraged to attend.

An example of employers participating and the positions for which they are recruiting include:

·         Speedway Inc. – part-time, full-time, management, and entry-level positions

·         High Meadows Golf & Country Club – culinary food and beverage positions; hospitality management; marketing/membership/social media manager

·         Workforce Unlimited – industrial, clerical, and professional positions, including production; office administrators; machine operators; van drivers; inspectors; service writers; janitors; warehouse workers

·         Avanté at Wilkesboro – certified nursing assistants; nurses; dining services aides; housekeepers

·         Prism Medical Inc. – customer service, data entry, and administrative assistant positions

·         Colonial Life – sales representatives

·         N.C. Dept. of Public Safety – correctional officers I, II, III; registered nurses; food services; maintenance; case manager; psychologist

·         Vannoy Construction – CDL truck drivers; equipment operators; project managers; superintendents; assistant superintendents; project engineers; laborers; and more

·         Home Instead Senior Care – certified nursing assistants and personal care assistants, uncertified

·         InfusionPoints – IT professionals

·         Bernhardt Furniture – upholsters; sewers; fabric cutters

·         Craftmaster Furniture – sewers; upholsters; framers; maintenance; spring up; shipping

·         Mary Kay Cosmetics – sales representatives

·         Pittsburgh Glass Works – maintenance technician; machine operator; supervisor; forklift operator; packer/inspector

·         Tyson Foods Inc. – CDL drivers; maintenance; refrigeration

·         Dr. Pepper Bottling Plant – sales; clerical; laborers

·         AEV (American Emergency Vehicles) – manufacturing

·         Bayada Home Health Care – certified nursing assistants; licensed practical nurses; registered nurses

·         Westwood Hills Nursing and Rehabilitation Center – registered nurses; licensed practical nurses; certified nursing assistants; housekeepers; laundry; kitchen aids

·         Sunstates Security – security officers

·         Screen Specialty Shop – screen printer, graphic artist

·         Lowes Companies – centralized installed sales coordinator; project coordinator for CPO; Contact Center supervisor

·         Wilkes Community College (Walker Center) – part-time positions for food services, dining services, custodial and maintenance

·         Budd Group – janitorial day porter; janitorial general cleaners; janitorial floor techs

·         Western Southern Life Insurance – sales representatives

·         Ridge Care (Forrest Ridge Assistant Living) – certified nursing assistants

·         United Chemi-con

·         NCWorks Career Center

·         Goodwill Career Center

·         Vocational Rehabilitation

Wilkes Community College, a member of the North Carolina Community College System, is a public, two-year, open-door institution serving the people of Wilkes, Ashe and Alleghany counties and beyond. Established in 1965, WCC continues to build on a strong history of meeting the educational needs and cultural interests of our students, community and workforce. WCC prepares learners for success in a dynamic world.