Who will pick the winning winter weather worm this year? The 36th annual Woolly Worm Festival, scheduled for Oct. 18-19 in Banner Elk, is coming up quick! Since 1978, the residents of beautiful, scenic Banner Elk have celebrated the coming of winter with the highly-anticipated event that always takes place on the third weekend of October.
BY MADISON FISLER LEWIS
The Town of Banner Elk, the Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce and Lowe’s Home Improvement have teamed up to paint and repair the band shelter in Tate-Evans Park. Lowe’s Home Improvement generously donated paint, caulking, siding and labor to help improve the band shelter. The shelter gets a lot of use each summer as hundreds of people come to see concerts in the park. It is also used throughout the year for town celebrations, Tai Chi classes and even Santa! Photo by Liz Lanham
Last night, the Avery County Chamber Staff along with the Board of Directors and State and Local Representatives held the Avery County Chamber’s 5th annual Open House at 5 p.m. More than 100 people attended this year’s event, making it the largest open house yet. by Madison V. Fisler – Photo by Ken Ketchie
Oct. 31, 2012. Due to the cold and snowy weather, some Halloween events have been cancelled or postponed, however, many events are still happening tonight on Halloween.
BY JESSE WOOD
Oct. 3, 2012. The High Country experienced over-the-year drops. Watauga County unemployment dropped .7 percent to 8.3 percent. Ashe County unemployment dropped .3 percent to 11 percent, and Avery County unemployment dropped .1 percent to 10.4 percent.
Aug. 23, 2012. Join the Avery County Chamber for their After Hours Networking Event and Avery County YMCA Hugh Chapman Center ribbon cutting today from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 436 Hospital Drive, Linville. Both the After Hours event and the ribbon cutting are open to the public.
BY REBECCA GITLEN
Aug. 21, 2012. Mountain Electric Cooperative (MEC) selected the route for its planned 69,000 volt (69 kV) transmission line amidst Sugar Mountain in Avery County.
BY JESSE WOOD
Aug. 16, 2012. The Festival of Gnarnia came to a close last Sunday, Aug. 12, and many Beech Mountain residents breathed a sigh of relief. The festival-goers have cleared out and Beech Mountain Resort is still there. Now check out some incredible photos from the festival that was like nothing Beech Mountain had ever witnessed before. See photo gallery…
Photo by Shaun Hollingsworth
Aug. 10, 2012. “It’s been interesting – to say the least.” Referring to The Festival of Gnarnia taking place until Sunday morning, that phrase is recurring among locals atop Beech Mountain. With an influx of 5,000 people, many of them tour kids from out of state who are following the festival circuit, Beech is experiencing a bit of a culture shock.
BY JESSE WOOD
July 20, 2012. Beautiful day? Nothing to do? Dreary day? Need something to chase away the blahs? Whatever the circumstance, be uplifted by an art tour of the gorgeous Avery and Watauga Counties countryside.
July 16, 2012. Meth labs are on the rise again. If the current trend continues, this year will be another record-setting year.
BY JESSE WOOD
June 25, 2012. The United States has more than 556 National Wildlife Refuges, and now the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing one more – the Southern Appalachian Mountain Bogs National Wildlife Refuge, which would encompass 23,000 acres scattered across 30 bog sites in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee – including ten sites in the High Country.
BY JESSE WOOD
May 8, 2012. RALEIGH — N.C. Department of Transportation Secretary Gene Conti has awarded a $9.6 million design-build contract to replace two bridges each in Watauga and Ashe counties, four in Avery County, one in Caldwell County and six in Wilkes County.
Avery County Obituaries – Compiled May 1, 2012 Joe Benfield, D. April 25, 2012. Joe Allen Benfield, 72, of Morganton, died April 25, 2012 at the Hospice House in Valdese, NC. Born April 18, 1940 in Avery County, the son of the late Waits C. Benfield and Rachel Deaton Benfield. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Mark Allen Benfield who died in 2007. Joe is survived by his wife, Stella Benfield; sisters, Virginia Brewer and Bobbie Leigh of Shelby, NC; daughter, Melissa Singleton of Hendersonville, NC; four grandchildren, Mark Allen Benfield, II, Brad Singleton, Jonathan Singleton, and Logan Singleton; step daughter, Sherry Cole; step son, David Miller; nine great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. Graveside services will be held on Saturday, April 28, at the Benfield Cemetery on Buck Hill in Altamont, NC. Condolences and memories may be shared at www.rsfh.net. Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home of Newland is serving the Benfield family. Listing of Avery County Funeral Homes: Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home in Newland: 296 Ash Street P.O. Box 215 Newland, NC 28657 828-733-2121 www.rsfh.net/
Ashe County Obituaries – Compiled April 25, 2012 Thomas Baxter Cox, D. April 24, 2012 Mr. Thomas Baxter Cox, better known as “Tom”, age 68, of Lenoir passed away Tuesday morning, April 24, 2012 at Margate Health & Rehab Center. Graveside service will be held Friday, April 27, 2012 at 2:00pm at the Lewis-Sturgill Cemetery with Rev. Wayne Roark officiating. Mr. Cox was born Caldwell County, North Carolina on Wednesday, May 5, 1943 to the late Clarence and Virginia Crane Cox. He is survived by two sons; David Cox and wife Amanda of Creston, and Mark Cox of Laurel Springs; two daughters; Carolyn Jael Cox of Fleetwood, and Virgina Spears of Lenoir; five grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews also survive. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to: Boone Family Funeral Home, PO Box 786, West Jefferson, NC 29694. Mary Huffman Viers, D. April 23, 2012 Mrs. Mary Huffman Viers, age 71, of Laurel Springs, passed away Monday morning, April 23, 2012 at her home. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 12:00pm at Boone Family Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Roger Blevins, Rev. Lonnie Pruitt and Rev. David Greer officiating. Burial will follow …
Ralph Beam, D. April 15, 2012 Ralph Beam, age 67, of Jonas Ridge passed away on Sunday April 15, 2012 at St. Joseph Hospital in Asheville. He was born August 19, 1944 a son of the late Frances and Thelma Franklin Beam, Jr. Ralph was a member of Jonas Ridge Baptist Church where he served as Deacon for several years. He had retired from the NCDOT and enjoyed hunting and fishing. Ralph was known to always give a helping hand to anyone in need and enjoyed witnessing to everyone about the Lord. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Leslie Dawn Beam. A very loving husband, father and paw-paw, Ralph has left to cherish his memory his: wife, Ann Beam of the home; daughter, Lisa Daniels and fiance Ned Guinn of Linville Falls; and the light of his world, his very special granddaughter, Rylie Dawn Daniels; two sisters, Kathleen Clark and husband Wesley of Jonas Ridge, Juanita Poteat and husband Dean of Morganton; two brothers, Donald Leroy Beam and wife Cindy of Jonas Ridge, Joe Beam and wife Ethel of Nebo; granddaughter, several nieces and nephews; and a very special friends, Dr. Michael J. Messino and family. Funeral services for …
The new Avery County Adoption and Humane Education Center was blessed last night in a ceremony by Kathy Campbell. The new 21,000 square foot center is located on land provided by the Avery County Commissioners. The facility was designed by David Patrick Moses, Architects and built by David E. Looper and Company at a cost of approximately $3.7 million. Check out our video and photo gallery!
Photo by Ken Ketchie
April 3, 2012. All three High Country counties – Ashe, Avery and Watauga – have recently endorsed the Marriage Protection Amendment, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
BY JESSE WOOD
Janice Wise, D. April 3 Janice Wise, D. April 3, 2012. On Tuesday April 3, 2012, Jesus called and Janice Beam Wise answered. She was born December 28, 1949 a daughter of the late Ray and Retha Clark Beam. Janice was a member of Jonas Ridge Baptist Church and enjoyed fishing, camping, being in the outdoors and watching wildlife.long with her parents, Janice was preceded in death by her son, Kenneth Freeman. loving Wife, Mother, Mamaw and Nanny, she has left to cherish her memory: her husband, Rick Wise of the home; daughter, Misty Shane and husband Adam of Hickory; son, Dean Freeman and wife LeAnne of Jonas Ridge; sisters, Chloe Hudson, Estelle Carswell and husband Luther all of Jonas Ridge; grandchildren, Brittany, Zachary and Brooke.uneral services for Janice Beam Wise will be conducted on Thursday, April 5th at 8:00 PM at the Grandfather Chapel with Rev. Donald Gragg and Rev. Ron Greene officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until the service hour. Family, friends and pallbearers are asked to meet at the funeral home on Friday, April 6th at 12:00 p.m. to go in procession to the Jonas Ridge Cemetery for interment services. Pallbearers are: David …
Recent obituaries in Avery County compiled on March 27, 2012.
Recent obituaries in Avery County compiled on March 20, 2012.
March 12, 2012. Includes Extensive List! Check here to see if you – or any of your friends or relatives – have any unclaimed cash accumulating dust and interest in the vaults of the North Carolina State Department and Treasurer.