September 8, 2023 Raleigh, N.C. — Voter registration deadlines are approaching for eligible individuals who wish to vote on Election Day in October and November municipal elections in North Carolina. The regular registration deadlines are as follows: 5 p.m. Friday, September 15 for municipal elections on October 10.; 5 p.m. Friday, October 13 for municipal elections on November 7.
September 4, 2023 The Watauga County Republican Women’s Club (WCRWC) will have its next monthly meeting on Wednesday, September 27th at the Dan’l Boone Inn in Boone, NC. The meeting will begin at noon. 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 normally meets on the last Wednesday of each month.
August 28, 2023 The Boone Town Council met on Wednesday for a brief session that focused on a potential partnership with the UNC School of Government’s Development Finance Initiative to build housing near the soccer and baseball fields on Brookshire Road. By Zack Hill
August 14, 2023 The State Board of Elections on Sunday voted to recognize the No Labels Party as an official political party in North Carolina. Recognition of No Labels means voters now have another choice of party affiliation when registering to vote or updating their registration. Voters may register with the Democratic, Green, Libertarian, No Labels, or Republican parties, or they can register as unaffiliated.
August 14, 2023 The Watauga County GOP is hosting a Lincoln/Reagan dinner August 19, at the American Legion in Blowing Rock. Meet and Greet at 5:30PM.Featured speakers are Texas Congressman Chip Roy, District 21 and Paul Newton, NC Senate Majority Leader, District 34. Tickets $40 with limited seating. Call (828) 773-8182.
July 13, 2023 Adoption of a new Economic Strategic Plan and establishing a Priority Needs List of transportation projects listwere highlights of the regular monthly meeting of the Avery County Commissioners on July 11. Commissioners present for the meeting included Vice-Chairman Tim Phillips, Dennis Aldridge, Wood Hall (Woodie) Young, Jr. and Robert Burleson. Commission Chairwoman Martha Hicks was absent due to a death in her family. By Tim Gardner
July 10, 2023 At noon on July 7, candidate filing for High Country municipal elections officially opened. Catherine “Cat” Perry was first in line. Cat announced her candidacy for Blowing Rock Town Council at a campaign launch in Blowing Rock on June 12, but filing on Friday felt different.
July 6, 2023 Raleigh, NC – The State Board of Elections on Thursday voted unanimously to approve a new voting system from Elections Systems & Software (ES&S) for use in North Carolina elections. The EVS 6.3.0.0 system now is one of several state-certified voting systems, which counties can choose from in determining the best system of casting and counting ballots for their voters.
July 6, 2023 Filing begins on Friday, July 7 at 12:00 noon for 2023 partisan and nonpartisan municipal (city, town and village) elections across the State of North Carolina. This filing period will end on Friday, July 21, at 12:00 noon and any person filing for a municipal government position must do so in person at the Board of Election Office in the county in which he or she resides. By Tim Gardner
July 5, 2023 Raleigh, N.C. — The State Board of Elections invites the public to comment on an administrative rule proposed to provide procedures for certain authorized individuals to access proprietary information for voting systems certified for use in North Carolina.
June 21, 2023 The Avery County Board of Commissioners renewed a six-month agreement for its Emergency Operations services during times of disruption of service or a disaster to highlight its June bi-monthly meeting on Monday (19). By Tim Gardner
June 19, 2023 More than 300 people marched down King Street and gathered in the parking lot behind Mast General Store and Lost Province Brewing Co. Sunday to celebrate Pride Month, dedicated nationwide to celebrating and furthering the cause of the LGBTQI+ community. Marchers started at the Watauga Health Department and headed east down King Street before crossing near First Baptist Church of Boone and circling back to Lost Province. By Zack Hill
June 19, 2023 A Wake County assistant principal is suing North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore for alienation of affection, according to a lawsuit obtained by multiple news sources Sunday. Scott Riley Lassiter, assistant principal at Connections Academy Middle School in Raleigh, alleges Moore (R-Cleveland) had an extramarital affair with Lassiter’s wife, Jamie Liles Lassiter, who is a state employee. By Zack Hill
June 19, 2023 On Tuesday the Boone Town Council passed a number of resolutions including observing Juneteenth, voter ID procedure preparations and recognition of retiring Boone public works director Rick Miller. The council voted to recognize June 19th as Juneteenth, a federally-recognized holiday since 2021 that celebrates the emancipation of the slaves. On that date in 1865, a Union commander in Galveston, Texas, informed the local slave population that they were now free. The celebration started in Galveston but has spread nationally over the years. By Zack Hill
June 13, 2023 Cat Perry was the first candidate to announce her intention to run for Blowing Rock Town Council. She publicly announced her candidacy Monday night at the Blowing Rock American Legion building. The plan was to start at 5:30 p.m., but the announcement was shared just a moment later because the capacity crowd waited as additional chairs were pulled out of the closet and set up. By Sam Garrett
May 19, 2023 Watauga County residents got a chance to sound off on the need for minimum housing standards and the proposed county budget at commissioners’ meeting Tuesday, May 16th. County officials are proposing a $94 million budget that maintains a 3.18 cent property tax rate for 2023-2024. By Zack Hillr
May 12, 2023 The Watauga County Republican Women’s Club (WCRWC) will have its next monthly meeting on Wednesday, May 31st at The Dan’l Boone Inn in Boone, NC. The meeting will begin at noon. 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 meets the last Wednesday of each month. See us on Facebook and learn more.
May 12, 2023 There was a lot of controversy before Tuesday’s vote on whether the city should bury the power lines in conjunction with the replacement of the water and sewer lines. The proposal was defeated with a 3-2 vote. High Country Press reached out to the town’s five council members for more information on why they voted as they did. All five council members were asked the same two questions. By Kris Testori
May 12, 2023 The Watauga County Board of Elections met on Tuesday, May 9, at the Watauga County Administration Building at 814 W. King Street. In attendance were board director Matthew Snyder, chairman Michael Behrent, secretary James Hill, and members Eric Eller and Matt Walpole with member Marv Williamsen attending via Zoom and county attorney Andrea Capua present at the meeting. By Zack Hill
May 11, 2023 Blowing Rock residents packed city council chambers, taking advantage of the public comments session to express their opinions on the Underground Utilities Project in Blowing Rock. The Town of Blowing Rock was considering burying the electrical and communication lines along Main Street in conjunction with the water and sewer line replacement. By Kris Testori
May 4, 2023 The Watauga County Commissioners met on Tuesday, May 2, to discuss several agenda and business items. In attendance were commissioners Todd Castle, Braxton Eggers and Ray Russell along with vice-chairman Charlie Wallin and chairman Larry Turnbow. Robert Marsh, Watauga County maintenance director, presented the commissioners with several bids for county projects. By Zack Hill
April 27, 2023 Rob Hudspeth, senior vice president for system advancement at Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, has responded to some of the concerns and controversy arising from last week’s packed county commissioners meeting where many community members voiced anger and sadness at the Broyhill Wellness Center ending memberships to community members. By Zack Hill
April 24, 2023 At its annual county convention on Saturday, the Watauga Democratic Party elected long-time activist Emily Bish as its new chair for 2023-2025. Bish has been a part of the party’s executive board as get-out-the-vote coordinator and has also served as precinct chair of the Watauga Precinct and as 2nd Vice Chair of the county party, among other roles.
April 19, 2023 As Boone continues to grow in size, population and businesses, parking has become harder and harder to come by. And though there is a necessity for enforcing parking regulations for residents and businesses alike, there is a growing consensus in the town that the practices of those parking enforcement companies who tow and boot vehicles are becoming increasingly predatory. By Zack Hill
February 27, 2023 The Boone Town Council held a regular meeting session on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 6 p.m. at the Town Council chambers at 1500 Blowing Rock Road. Eric Woolridge of Destination by Design, a local planning and development firm working with the council and county via the Imagine Watauga Initiative to create and enhance various parts of Boone’s public lands and other assets, presented several ideas and proposals ranging from work on the Greenway to creating a green space downtown above a parking deck. By Zack Hill