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Movie Review: “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”

July 31, 2025 The “First Steps” part of the title of the new “Fantastic Four” movie is misleading. We don’t see the superhero quartet take their first steps, not as changed individuals and not as a team. The movie takes place four years after a space anomaly altered the DNA of astronauts Reed “Mister Fantastic” Richards (Pedro Pascal), Ben “Thing” Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Johnny “Human Torch” Storm (Joseph Quinn) and his sister, Sue “Invisible Woman” Storm (Vanessa Kirby). Fortunately, the alterations turned out to be mostly positive, and the team uses their newfound gifts to better the planet of Earth-828. 

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Town of Boone Council Chambers Undergoing Renovations

July 31, 2025 Town of Boone, North Carolina— Beginning today, July 28th, 2025, the Town of Boone Council Chambers, located at 1500 Blowing Rock Road, will be undergoing necessary renovations. Once completed, Council Chambers will become more accessible and usable for both Town of Boone boards, as well as community groups who utilize the space for meetings. Council Chambers will be closed to the public from July 28th, 2025 to October 2025, with a reopening date set for November 2025.

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N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Board Elects New Leadership

July 28, 2025 At its business meeting this week, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) elected Mark Craig, of Guilford County, to serve as chairman and Landon G. Zimmer, of New Hanover County, was elected vice chairman.
Craig, an at-large appointee by Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, has been on the Commission since 2013 serving for the past two years as vice chairman. He is President of R.H. Barringer Distributing Company and lives in Greensboro with his wife, Teresa. Craig is a strong proponent of utilizing a science-based approach to advocate for sustainable recommendations in wildlife management.

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Local Artists David and Julie Davis to Exhibit at Jones House in August

July 28, 2025 The Jones House is proud to present a month-long exhibition featuring the dynamic works of local artists Julie Davis and David Davis. Opening August 1 and running through August 31, the exhibit will showcase an inspiring collection of mixed media works that reflect the artists’ decades-long dedication to craft, creativity, and the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains that they call home.

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Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Announces Winners of the39th Annual Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition

July 22, 2025 BOONE, NC— The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts is pleased to announce the award winners of the 39th Annual Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition, one of the region’s most prestigious and long-running sculpture programs. This year’s selections were juried by artist, educator, and curator Joseph Bigley, who brought his extensive knowledge and insight to the review and selection process.

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LETTER: Confusion

July 22, 2025 Written by: Craig Dudley. ‘Shut up racist’ is a refusal to engage or answer questions. Perhaps we should abolish whiteness.  Most all white people do it seems is insult and misuse other races, but especially African Americans. It’s time to have that conversation. I don’t do generalizations, generally. Stereotypes are based on a portion of the population so identified but are certainly not applicable to all of that group. Stereotypes are earned, not given and black victimization is the default setting.  Some people don’t grow up learning personal responsibility.

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Movie Review: “I Know What You Did Last Summer”

July 22, 2025 I’ve never seen 1997’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer” all the way through. 11-year-old me was too young to see the R-rated slasher in theaters, which was just as well because I did see a trailer and lost many nights’ sleep over the killer’s deadly fishing hook. I eventually got caught up via highlights and recaps, to the point where I feel like watching the movie now would just be a redundant bore. This is all to say that I don’t have much loyalty to the original, outside of a begrudging respect for its ability to give me nightmares with something sharp. Once again, this is probably for the best, since without loyalty to the original, I don’t have to worry about betrayal on the part of the same-titled reboot. 

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Grandfather Mountain’s annual Junior Naturalist Day to take place on August 9

July 22, 2025 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will host its annual Junior Naturalist Day on Saturday, Aug. 9. Activities, included with admission, will be provided specifically for children ages 5 to 12 — though all ages are welcome — to explore their environment and experience all that Grandfather has to offer. Programming takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature birding with a naturalist, nature journaling, looking for lichen and more.

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App State’s Corinne Smith honored as 2025 national GEAR UP Professional Leader of the Year

July 22, 2025 BOONE, N.C. — Corinne Smith, director of Appalachian State University’s GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) and deputy director of College Access Partnerships, has received the 2025 GEAR UP Professional Leader of the Year award. She was honored July 14, during the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships/GEAR UP Annual Conference in San Francisco.

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BeanStalk Community Theatre Welcomes You to a World of Pure Imagination with Willy Wonka

July 16, 2025 BOONE, NC – BeanStalk Community Theatre invites you to unwrap a world of pure imagination with its upcoming production of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, presented by Andrea McDonough State Farm Insurance and sponsored by Mast General Store. This musical adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory promises a sweet time for the whole family. Performances will take place at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, July 24–26, 2025.

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Boone Sunrise Rotary Club Kicks Off its 40th Year of Service

July 16, 2025 Boone, NC July 1, 2025 – On July 1, 2025 Boone Sunrise Rotary began what will be a year long celebration of its 40th year of service to the Boone community, the High Country and beyond with a sold out breakfast meeting.  The club presented its seventh annual Lifetime Community Service Award to Reba Moretz in the presence of numerous members of her family.  The award was in recognition of her leadership in establishing Appalachian Ski Mountain, Appalachian Summer Festival, and her many donations to numerous causes.  The club also inducted her as a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow by donating $1,000 to the Rotary International Foundation in her honor.  The Foundation has been a leader in the elimination of polio worldwide.

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Daniel Sherrill and The New Quintet Perform at the Jones House on July 18

July 16, 2025 BOONE, NC – The Summer Concerts at the Jones House series continues on Friday, July 18, with an evening of acoustic artistry and progressive roots traditions from two standout regional acts. The show begins at 5:30 PM on the Jones House lawn in downtown Boone and is free and open to the public. Opening the evening is Daniel Sherrill, a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter newly based in North Carolina. Performing on clawhammer banjo, guitar, and vocals, Sherrill brings a blend of rhythmic precision and melodic warmth to the stage. Winner of the 2025 App State Banjo Competition, Daniel is known for his intricate fretwork and lyrical, meditative style. His albums From A Heritage Tree (2022) and Back to P.A. (2023) have both appeared on multiple Official Spotify Playlists and received praise for their calming, “zen-like” atmosphere.

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Kendra Danzer named overall winner in women’s heavy athletics at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

July 16, 2025 Kendra Danzer finished first in four of the seven women’s heavy athletic events during the 2025 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, thereby claiming the top spot overall for the competition. This is Danzer’s first time competing at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.
The 41-year-old clinical social worker for suicide prevention who resides in Fayetteville, N.C., has been competing in heavy athletics for nearly six years. She has competed in multiple states including Virginia, South Carolina, Florida and California.

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Grandfather Mountain Highland Games names track and field outstanding men’s and women’s athletes

July 16, 2025 LINVILLE, N.C. – At the 69th-annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in 2025, two track and field athletes secured the Outstanding Men’s Athlete and Outstanding Women’s Athlete honors. Nick Goard from Aberdeen, N.C., and Veronica Cheechov from West End, N.C., earned the respective titles. Both athletes run for Sandhills Classical Christian School’s track and cross country teams, and they hope to return next year.

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Blue Ridge Conservancy Announces Hiring of Sara Crouch as Director of Development

July 15, 2025 Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) is pleased to announce the hiring of Sara Crouch as Director of Development. Crouch comes to BRC after several years serving the state and community in violence prevention and education with North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and OASIS, Inc. In these roles she coordinated grants, led strategy on fundraising, and built relationships with a diverse, multi-sector group of community partners, businesses, and individuals. Crouch holds a Master of Public Administration in Not-for-Profit Management from Appalachian State University and an undergraduate degree in English from the University of Kentucky. 

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BOONE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNOUNCES BOARD LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS AND STAFF PROMOTIONS

July 15, 2025 BOONE, NC – The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce several leadership transitions to its Board of Directors and staff as it begins its 2025-26 fiscal year.
Tara Brossa, General Manager of the Hampton Inn & Suites of Boone and the Courtyard by Marriott of Boone, begins her appointment as Chair of the Board of Directors. Originally joining the Chamber board in 2022, Brossa currently serves as Chair of the organization’s Workforce Development Committee and has been a key link between the Chamber and the hospitality industry during her tenure. She is Vice Chair of the High-Country Workforce Development Board and serves as an adjunct professor for Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute. Brossa was named as an NC Trailblazer in 2024 by Business NC Magizine, recognizing emerging leaders in the State’s rural communities.

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“Superman” Movie Review

July 15, 2025 With Zack Snyder’s version of the DC Universe having officially fizzled out, Warner Bros. is trying a hard reboot of the multi-faceted superhero franchise under the direction of James Gunn. First up for Gunn is “Superman,” with actor David Corenswet stepping into the role of space alien Kal-El/mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent/blue-suited metahuman Superman. Corenswet is a good fit for the role, as he unflinchingly nails the character’s strength and stoicism, as well as his unrelenting moral dedication and occasionally-naïve optimism. His mere casting is the first good decision by Gunn, getting the movie (and thus, the series) off on the right foot.

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Tribute Concert to Rock History Comes to Boone – A Night of Music, Community, and Conservation

July 15, 2025 BOONE, NC – July 26, 2025 – Music lovers and river stewards alike are invited to Appalachian Mountain Brewery for “A Watkins Glen Summer Jam Tribute Concert,” a one-night celebration of one of the most legendary rock festivals in history. The tribute honors the iconic 1973 Summer Jam at Watkins Glen, a historic gathering that drew an estimated 600,000 fans to see The Band, The Allman Brothers Band, and The Grateful Dead—a concert that held the Guinness World Record for the largest audience at a pop festival for decades.

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