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Today’s Email Announcements

Lees-McRae Men’s Basketball Helps Feed Avery County Families

The Lees-McRae College men’s basketball team worked with Feeding Avery Families to help those in need in Avery County on Friday, September 21.

Feeding Avery Families provides food for approximately 1,100 people in Avery County, who are hungry and in need.  Each month the program distributes approximately 25,000 pounds of food, and yet, is serving only approximately one third of those in need in Avery County.  

The program’s executive director Dick Larson spoke highly of the Bobcat student-athletes that came to assist his program: “Today was a great day. The young men you brought today were polite, respectful, and unbelievably energetic!  Kudos to the coaching staff, because that kind of performance clearly reflects the leadership to which those young men have been exposed.  I hope they appreciate how meaningful their efforts will be. They are helping over a thousand people who are hungry and in need.”

Head Coach Steve Hardin also spoke on what the experience meant for his team: “Today was a great opportunity for our guys, to get out in the community and physically help others. We appreciate Mr. Larson for allowing us to help out. It was a great experience for our program to continue building relationships around the high country and making a difference in people’s lives.”

For more information of Lees-McRae Athletics, follow us on our social media sites on Twitter (@LMCBobcats), Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics) and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).

Campus Emergency Siren Test to be Conducted October 3

Appalachian State University will test its campus siren warning system at 11:55 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 3.

Examples of the tones that are used in an emergency or during tests can be heard online at https://emergency.appstate.edu/siren-warning-system.

Appalachian uses the hi/low tone for emergencies, discontinuous air horn for tests of the system and the alert tone for all-clear signal.

For more information about the university’s AppState ALERT voice/text/email notification system, visit https://emergency.appstate.edu.

Campus siren tests are normally conducted on the first Wednesday of each month. Scheduled dates for Appalachian’s upcoming tests are Nov. 7 and Dec. 5.

Riders in the Sky to Play at Heritage Hall on October 6

America’s Favorite Cowboys: For more than thirty years Riders In The Sky have been keepers of the flame passed on by The Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers, reviving and revitalizing the genre. And while remaining true to the integrity of Western music, they have themselves become modern-day icons by branding the genre with their own legendary wacky humor and way-out Western wit, and all along encouraging buckaroos to live life “The Cowboy Way!”

Riders In The Sky are exceptional not just in the sense that their music is of superlative standards (they are the ONLY exclusively Western artist to have won a Grammy, and Riders have won two), but by the fact that their accomplishments are an exception to the rule as well.

Ultimately, exceptional careers do not go unnoticed, and throughout theirs, Riders In The Sky have been honored regularly with several awards including: being inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, the Western Music Association’s Hall of Fame, the Country Music Foundation’s Walkway of Stars, and the Walk of Western Stars, the Western Music Associaton’s “Entertainers Of the Year” seven times and won “Traditional Group of the Year” and “Traditional Album of the Year” multiple times, ”Western Music Group of the Year” twice in 5 years, etc. http://www.ridersinthesky.com/bio. Sponsored by Farmers State Bank, Grace Springs Farm, Mountain View Nursery & Landscaping, & Amedysis Home Health Care. Adv $25/Door $28/Youth

For tickets, reservations, group or youth pricing, call 423-727-7444 and leave a message. The Box Office opens on Tuesday – Friday, 12 – 2 pm, 126 College Street. For more information: heritagehalltheatre.org.

Torch Club to Meet Monday, October 8

The monthly meeting of Torch: A Forum for Reasoned Discourse will be Monday, October 8 at the Sagebrush Restaurant in Boone. Those arriving at 11:30 a.m. may choose from a $10 menu and enjoy the presentation at noon. 

The topic this month is an update on Russian leader V. Putin by Peter Petschauer, retired ASU professor of history. 

Guests are welcome. For more information call 828-264-4275.

Calling All Floridians: Info Session on Upcoming 12 Proposed Constitutional Amendments is October 9

Elected officials come and go, but constitutional amendments are carved in stone. Too many voters find themselves puzzled, confused, and unsure of how to cast a vote. Citizens need to be fully informed when they cast their votes on amendments, so the Book Exchange has arranged for a non-advocacy pro/con presentation by the League of Women Voters of Florida for Avery County’s seasonal residents from Florida.

Florida voters will find twelve amendments to the state constitution on their ballots, amendments which will affect the state for years to come. Repealing an amendment, once passed, requires  60% of the voters to take effect.

Scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 8, at the Historic Banner Elk School, the presentation will cover

– Two citizen-generated amendments, dealing with casino gambling and restoration of civil rights;

– Three amendments by the state legislature, all of which deal with property taxes;

– And eight amendments generated by the Constitutional Revision Commission which packaged 20 different changes to state law into eight amendments, one of which was struck from the ballot by the Supreme Court. 

– The information session will be conducted by Pat Southward, League of Women Voters former state board member.

 Vote by Mail ballots in Florida must be requested by October 31 and returned to the county Supervisor of Elections by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Attention Landscape Contractors, Pesticide Applicators and Certified Arborists

Don’t wait until next spring when you are busy, to earn your recertification hours for the 2018-19 cycle.

Watauga Cooperative Extension will provide an opportunity to earn all seven required NC Landscape Contractors License recertification credits for the cycle ending July 31, 2019. Two required hours of business classes are included. In addition, you will be able to earn three hours of pesticide recertification in the L, N, D, X categories. Three hours of continuing education credit for ISA Certified Arborists will also be offered. We have a great group of speakers lined up that will provide you invaluable information for making your landscape business more successful. You will want to stay for the whole day as our last speaker will have you outdoors for hands on demonstration of proper pruning and tree felling techniques. If you are unable to attend all day you may attend for only the classes you need.

The event will be on Thursday October 11 from 8:15 a.m. – 5 p.m., at the Watauga County Agriculture Conference Center located at 252 Poplar Grove Rd. There will be various vendors who sell landscaping supplies and equipment that you can visit with during lunch, as well as the NC Agrisafe nurse that will provide health screenings. Lunch will be provided. There is a $10 charge that can be paid at the door which helps offset costs of lunch other associated costs of the event. To help with planning, please register by calling the Watauga County Cooperative Extension office at 828-264-3061. To register online go https://watauga.ces.ncsu.edu , click on the article under “news” and within the article there is a link that will take you to online registration.

Watauga County Board of Commissioners Holding Public Hearing on October 16

The Watauga County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, October 16, 2018, at 5:30 P.M. in the Commissioners’ Boardroom located in the Watauga County Administration Building at 814 West King Street, Boone, North Carolina.

The purpose of the public hearing is to allow citizen comment on the following new and changed road names: BEAVER DAM: New Mountain Road; BLOWING ROCK: Autumn Blaze Trail,* Fireside Lane,* High Hemlock Trail,* Lentz Lane,* Lolas Lane, Starfire Path,* Starry Night Trail,* and Trinity Fields; BLUE RIDGE: Horton Creek Trail;* BRUSHY FORK: Solomons Way; ELK: Horton Creek Trail;* NEW RIVER: Daisys Meadow Lane* and Leon Homestead Road; STONY FORK: Doe Creek Trail;* WATAUGA: Change Homestead Drive to New Homestead Drive.* (*Indicates roads named in a recorded subdivision.)

Interested parties are encouraged to attend.

For information or questions, please call 828-265-8000.

Grace Academy Hires New Headmaster

The Grace Academy Board is excited to announce that Dr. Roy Andrews has accepted the role of Grace Academy Headmaster. Dr. Andrews comes to this role with a strong education and pastoral background, having served most recently as Executive Pastor with Alliance Bible Fellowship right here in Boone. Before coming to Boone, Dr. Andrews served as Academic Dean of the School of Biblical and Theological Studies at Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon. Throughout the years, Dr. Andrews has occupied various roles including teacher and coach in both Junior and Senior high school settings. Additionally, Dr. Andrews has served the Kingdom in both Senior and Associate pastor roles.

Dr. Andrews holds a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana; a Master of Arts in Church Administration from Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, Ohio; and a PhD in Educational Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL.

In Roy’s own words, this role as Headmaster with Grace Academy allows him to, “use my leadership, administrative, educational, and pastoral skills to influence the community with truth, hope, excellence and opportunity. I am a lifelong educator who sees the position of Headmaster at Grace as a wonderful opportunity to impact the hearts and minds of children, youth and families by serving their teachers and staff.”

Board Chairman Melvin Cline stated, “We confidently believe that Dr. Andrews will be an instrument in God’s hands to grow and serve Grace Academy both in the upcoming year, and for many years to come.”

Grace Academy is a classical Christian school located in Boone, North Carolina, serving students in grades K-8. Further information may be obtained from the website at www.graceacademyboone.com.

Artist Submissions Wanted For 2019 Gallery Season

The Town of Boone Cultural Resources Department requests artist submissions for the 2019 gallery season at the Jones House Cultural and Community Center. The Jones House, a historic house located in downtown Boone, serves as the Town of Boone’s community and cultural hub, which includes a rotating art gallery and historic galleries about Boone and the house itself.

Built in 1908, the Jones House was the home and office of local physician Dr. John Walter Jones, his wife, Mattie Blackburn Jones, and their two children, John Walter Jones, Jr. and Mazie Jean Jones Levenson. Mazie inherited the home upon the death of her parents and sold the Jones House to the Town of Boone in 1983, with the stipulation that the house and surrounding green space be used as a cultural and community center. In honor of Mazie and her gift to the community, the downstairs gallery was named the Mazie Jones Gallery.

The Mazie Jones Gallery serves as a rotating art gallery at the Jones House with a new exhibit every month. Each year, the Department of Cultural Resources seeks talented local artists and community groups to fill the gallery with their work for the enrichment of the local arts scene.

The Jones House invites artists from all background to submit their work for consideration for the 2019 gallery season. The Jones House seeks candidates whose art teaches lessons, encourages growth, and embraces imagination. Over the years, the Jones House has proudly exhibited a wide variety of art from artists and community groups of all ages and experience levels.

To be considered for the 2019 gallery season, please submit an artist application, which can be found on the Jones House website at joneshouse.org, or stop by the Jones House at 604 W. King St. in downtown Boone.

For more information about the Jones House activities and art gallery please visit www.joneshouse.org or contact the Town of Boone’s Cultural Resources Department at 828-268-6280.