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Pause to Give Life at Watauga Medical Center April 3rd at 8:01 a.m. for Flag Raising

March 28, 2024 UNC Health Appalachian is among dozens of hospitals that will partner with HonorBridge to simultaneously host a statewide Donate Life Flag-raising ceremony and moment of silence. This event promotes the mission of organ, eye, and tissue donation and honors donors, donor families, recipients, and those waiting for a life-saving transplant in North Carolina.The Pause to Give Life event kicks off the start of National Donate Life Month and will be held Wednesday, April 3, at 8:01 a.m. at the Watauga Medical Center Campus outside of the Heart and Vascular Center by the flagpole. The event is open to the public with parking available in the main hospital parking lot.

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Sherrie Norris Lovin Spoonful Cooking Column: Easter Goodies Beyond the Chocolate Bunnies


March 27, 2024 The store shelves have been screaming “Easter” since the last of the Valentine’s Day hearts and flowers disappeared mid-February at deeply slashed discount prices. The Spring-like colorful décor, the peanut butter eggs and chocolate bunnies have been leaving their display aisles at rapid pace, especially in the last week. And they will continue do so right up to Easter Sunday. By Sherrie Norris

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16th Annual Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Held on March 23rd

March 27, 2024 The Wilkes Heritage Museum hosted the 16th Annual Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, March 23, 2024.  The musical history of the inducted icons was celebrated throughout the event.  Cindy Baucom served as emcee and set the pace for the evening. The Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame house band, Virginialina, performed throughout the night with inductees or to honor inductees.  Virginialina is composed of David Johnson, Eric Ellis, Scott Freeman, and Scott Gentry.  Their musical talent and versatility was most evident with each set they played.

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Avery County Officially Opens New Department of Social Services Complex

March 27, 2024 The new headquarters of the Avery County Department of Social Services (DSS) was officially opened with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting on Friday, March 22. Four of the five Avery County Commissioners were present. Chairman and DSS Board of Directors member Tim Phillips welcomed the approximately 30 in attendance. Commission Vice-Chairman Dennis Aldridge offered the prayer and dedication of the new facility. By Tim Gardner

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The Spring Appalachian Dance Ensemble in the Valborg Theatre: Department of Theatre and Dance Showcase Runs April 3 – 7, 2024

March 26, 2024 The Department of Theatre and Dance (T&D) at Appalachian State University proudly presents the 2024 Spring Appalachian Dance Ensemble (SADE). The production takes place in the Valborg Theatre on the university campus at 7 p.m. from Wednesday, April 3 through Saturday, April 6 with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, April 7, 2024. All seats are general admission with ticket prices of $17 for adults, $15 for faculty and staff, and $10 for students

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The Town of Boone Adopts the Boone Community Climate Action Plan

March 26, 2024 On March 13th, 2024 the Boone Town Council adopted the Boone Community Climate Action Plan (Boone CCAP). This plan will guide the Town of Boone regarding climate initiatives for years to come. The following goals are laid out within the Boone CCAP for the Town of Boone’s elected officials, Town of Boone staff, and the community at large.

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The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will open approximately 1,000 miles of Hatchery Supported Trout Waters at 7 a.m. on April 6

March 26, 2024 The Wildlife Commission has posted the full Hatchery Supported Trout Waters stocking schedule on its website to give trout anglers opportunities to plan fishing trips in advance. The schedule is searchable by county and month and provides information on what days each water is being stocked.Hatchery Supported Trout Waters, which are marked by green-and-white signs, have been closed since Feb. 28 for stocking. Most trout are stocked April through June, with a few streams selectively stocked in July.

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Watauga County Farmers’ Market Announces Opening Day of 50th Anniversary Year on April 6

March 26, 2024 The 51st season of the Watauga County Farmers’ Market will kick-off on Saturday, April 6th from 8am until 12pm at the Daniel Boone Park parking lot located at 591 Horn in the West Dr in Boone. Watauga County Farmers’ Market has been “Boone’s Town Square” since 1974 and celebrates 50 years of providing our community with the unique opportunity to source local foods and artisan goods directly from the growers and makers who produce them. Each Saturday morning during the season, over 60 vendors offer quality local products in one of the largest and liveliest markets in western North Carolina. Come and visit from April through November to experience the sounds, smells, tastes, and friendly atmosphere of the High Country

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NASCAR Hall of Famer and Mitchell County Legend Waddell Wilson to appear on April 6 at Southern Ridge Café in Bakersville and Western Sizzlin’ Steak House in Spruce Pine

March 25, 2024 Meet-and-greet visits with NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) Hall of Famer and Mitchell County native and legend Waddell Wilson will be held in Bakersville and Spruce Pine on Saturday, April 6. Wilson will be at the Southern Ridge Cafe next to the old Mitchell County Court House in Bakersville from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. and then at the Western Sizzlin’ Steak House, off NC South 226 Highway in the Grassy Creek Community in Spruce Pine from 2:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Wilson grew up on a farm on McKinney Cove Road, just off Cane Creek Road, in Bakersville. He is a graduate of old Bowman High School. Wilson also is a former resident of the Crossnore School & Children’s Home in Avery County.  He currently lives in Denver, North Carolina. By Tim Gardner

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Movie Review: “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” Now Playing at Boone Regal

March 25, 2024 What has happened to the “Ghostbusters” movie franchise? For over a quarter century Hollywood resisted the temptation to spoil the one-two punch of the 1984 comedy classic and its decent-enough 1989 sequel. Then there came the 2016 reboot, which was controversial for its female cast, and the controversy is all anyone remembers. The 2021 legacy sequel didn’t always nail its humor, but there were some charming new characters and a nice kick of nostalgia at the end. But now with “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” this once-mighty property has officially become, well, a ghost of its former self. After the bold decision to set the last movie in Oklahoma, this movie finds the Spengler family living in New York City busting ghosts in an urban metropolis.

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Lees-McRae College New Opportunity School for Women Accepting Applications for Three Week Summer 2024 Session this June

March 25, 2024 The Lees-McRae College New Opportunity School for Women (NOSW) is now accepting applications for the program’s 20th annual summer session. This year’s session is held Sunday, June 2−Saturday, June 22. NOSW is seeking 14 women to take part in this year’s session. The three-week residential program is free for participants, and assistance with travel and childcare costs are available. Throughout the session participants explore career options, set educational goals, and develop leadership skills, all while enjoying the college’s historic campus and the beautiful mountains that surround it.

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High Country Real Estate: To Improve or Not to Improve, That Is the Question

March 25, 2024 The calendar has declared the beginning of Spring though the weather seems to still be trying to decide if it’s fully committed or not, which is not really unusual for this time of year. Spring brings lots of things, blooming trees, beautiful flowers, allergies, and a vibrant real estate selling season! By Jeanne Robinson , REALTOR

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Mountaineers Fall to Demon Deacons 87-76 in NIT First-Round Playoff Game Wednesday Night

March 21, 2024 Despite cutting a 13-point first-half lead to just one point in the early stages of the second half, the App State Mountaineers fell in their NIT first-round meeting with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 87-76 on Wednesday, cutting a historic season short. App State (27-7) broke numerous program records in 2023-24, setting the all-time wins record with 27, shattering the Holmes Center regular-season attendance record and winning the outright regular-season conference championship for the first time in 45 years. The Mountaineers suffered just five regular-season losses, marking the fewest in program history. 
 

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Eleemosynary: Blue Ridge Community Theatre Brings Three-Woman Play to Life March 22-24

March 21, 2024 El·ee·mos·y·nar·y (adjective) relating to or dependent on charity; charitable. The word may be uncommon, but that’s OK because Blue Ridge Community Theatre is bringing it to life, presenting Eleemosynary, March 22-24 at Appalachian Theatre in downtown Boone.  Written by Lee Blessing in 1985, Eleemosynary “examines the very delicate relationship of three women: a grandmother, Dorothea, who has sought to exert her independence through strong willed eccentric behavior, Artie, her daughter, who has run from her overpowering mother, and Echo, Artie’s daughter, who is incredibly smart and equally sensitive.”

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WAMY Community Action Unveils New Logo to Celebrate 60th Anniversary

March 21, 2024 In a significant milestone that marks six decades of service to the High Country in Watauga, Avery, Mitchell, and Yancey counties, WAMY Community Action proudly announces the launch of its new logo. This refreshed brand identity not only commemorates the organization’s 60 years of unwavering commitment to breaking the cycle of poverty but also reinforces its vision for the future. The new logo symbolizes not only a fresh visual identity but also reinforces its 60-year-long partnership with National Community Action, capturing the enduring alliance that has tirelessly worked towards empowering communities and alleviating poverty across the nation.

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Watauga County Republican Women’s Club Next Monthly Meeting on Tuesday, March 26

March 21, 2024 The Watauga County Republican Women’s Club (WCRWC) will have its next monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 26 at The Dan’l Boone Inn, 130 Hardin Street, Boone, NC. Dinner at 5:00PM for $14.00, with meeting to follow. All interested in furthering the Republican cause in The High Country are welcome to attend and are invited to join. Call 828-832-6864 for more information. The WCRWC usually meets the last Wednesday of each month. See us on Facebook and learn more. 

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Sherrie Norris Lovin’ Spoonful Cooking Column: Recipes from Pyatte’s New Community Cookbook


March 20, 2024 . I am always excited to lay claim to a new cookbook and was delighted  to receive a relatively new regional recipe collection for my recent birthday. My sister, Gail, shares my love for all things “kitcheney” and gifted me with the Pyatte Community Cookbook, which  was published to help raise funds for the playground renovation at the Pyatte Community Center in Avery County. This book contains recipes from some of the area’s best cooks and honors the memory of others who have passed on before us. Seeing the names of those special women – and men — who have contributed greatly to the quaint neighborhood through the years brought back a lot of memories for me. I was raised a few miles away, but have enjoyed time spent in Pyatte through the years, where family members and friends and have called home and several continue to reside there today. So to honor this very special community and its people, I have randomly selected a few recipes from their cookbook to help keep the heritage alive in Pyatte, NC By Sherrie Norris

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An Appalachian Summer Festival Announces Lineup for 40th Anniversary Season

March 20, 2024 Appalachian State University’s annual summer arts celebration, An Appalachian Summer Festival (AASF), celebrates 40 years June 29-July 27 with an exceptional lineup of music, dance, theatre, visual arts, and film programming. Artists from all genres — alternative rock, blues, soul, country and Broadway, to bluegrass, chamber, classical crossover, dance and more — will perform on and around the campus of App State. Tickets go on sale to the public Wednesday, April 17 at 10am; tickets for country star Brad Paisley are on sale now.

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Avery County Sheriff Mike Henley Graduated from the Sheriffs’ Leadership Institute and Earned a Diploma for the Achievement

March 20, 2024 This week, the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association hosted sheriffs newly elected in November, 2022 for the fourth and final week of the Sheriffs’ Leadership Institute in Chapel Hill. Sheriffs from across the state including Avery County Sheriff Mike Henley attended. The Sheriffs’ Leadership Institute is held at the Rizzo Center of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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App State’s “Frontline to Farm” Upcoming Training in Boone to be Held June 24-28 for New Trainees and June 27-28 for Training Alums

March 20, 2024 Frontline to Farm, a program of Appalachian State’s College of Fine and Applied Arts, is planning its 2024 farmer veteran and beginning farmer training to be held Monday, June 24-28, for new trainees and June 27-28 for training alums. The training focuses on sustainable farming in the region and is intended to support veterans transitioning into farming as a livelihood and is supported by a USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development program grant. This is the fourth year the training will be offered and the third year it is being offered in person here in the High Country. Classroom training will be held on the campus of Appalachian State University, and farm visits will include cattle and crop farms in and around Boone.

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 Celebrate National Library Week April 7-13

March 20, 2024 Watauga County Public Library encourages all community members to visit the library during National Library Week, April 7-13. On Monday, April 8, beginning at 1:53 pm, we’ll have activities for kids, light snacks and a livestream of the eclipse in the meeting room. Maximum coverage will be around 3:11 pm. Thanks to the Friends for their support. For adults, we have Chair Tai Chi on Monday, April 8 at 10 am; the High Country Writers will host Joseph Bathanti, local author and former NC Poet Laureate as their guest speaker on Thursday, April 11 at 10 am and Oliva Burke returns to talk about the history of the Blue Ridge Parkway at 5:30 pm.

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Local Artist, Nysie Hurst, Heads to Spain to Conquer the Camino de Santiago This Month

March 20, 2024 Many people travel to the High Country seeking mountain adventures. Likewise, the people who call Boone and the surrounding areas home leave our mountains in search of adventures beyond Western North Carolina. One of those adventurous neighbors is Nysie Hurst, a longtime resident of Boone and local artist. This March, Nysie takes to the air to realize a 30-year-old dream of landing in Spain to join others from around the world taking part in a 3- month-long pilgrimage across Spain and France on the famous Camino de Santiago.

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High Country Caregivers 3rd Annual Golf Invitational with Coach Jerry Moore Will Be Held May 19th and 20th

March 20, 2024 The third annual Coaches Invitational organized by High Country Caregivers (HCC), is expanding its reach to two distinguished locations—the Blowing Rock Country Club and the Elk River Golf Course. HCC Executive Director Jacob Willis expresses gratitude, noting, “When Coach Jerry Moore joined the Board of High Country Caregivers, he said, ‘We had a saying at Appalachian State when I was coaching football: ‘Always do more than is expected.’ That is what Margaret and I want to do for these children.'” 

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AMOREM Will Offer “Good Mourning Children’s Grief Camp” for Grieving Children This Spring

March 19, 2024 It’s hard to recognize a child’s grief because they tend to express their emotions differently than adults. When children experience death, they may think that they are the only ones in the world who have lost a mother, father, grandparent or other loved one. At Good Mourning Children’s Grief Camp, children will learn that they are not alone, their feelings are normal and it is okay to remember and honor their loved ones. For more than 20 years, children ages 6 through 12 who are grieving the loss of a loved one have been invited to spend a day devoted to remembering and healing through grief-related activities. Through age-appropriate activities, children will gain a better understanding of loss and grief.

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