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Wilkes

Wilkes Community College Small Business Center Now Accepting Applications for The Retail Academy for September 9 through October 27

June 26 2025 Wilkesboro, NC – The Wilkes Community College Small Business Center is now accepting applications for The Retail Academy—a brand new program created to address the complexities and sometimes daunting nature of starting and operating a retail establishment. The Retail Academy will serve existing or prospective retail business owners in Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany counties. It is an application-based, six-week immersive boot camp and will run from September 9 through October 27 on Tuesdays from 6pm-8pm at the Wilkes Community College – Kendrick/Church Hall. Applications are open now and will be accepted through August 15

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North Carolina Department of Public Safety Announces Helene Disaster Assistance Extension

December 31, 2024. Raleigh, NC- At the request of the Governor, FEMA has granted North Carolina an extension for disaster survivors to apply for federal assistance until February 6, 2025. Homeowners and renters with uninsured losses from Tropical Storm Helene may be eligible to apply for FEMA assistance. Survivors who have insurance are encouraged to file a claim for disaster-caused damage with your insurance company before they apply for FEMA assistance. Survivors do not need to wait for an insurance settlement to apply for FEMA assistance. FEMA may provide financial assistance to eligible survivors who are uninsured or underinsured.

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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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Wilkes Agricultural Fair Starts Wednesday October 4th

September 7, 2023 Wilkes Agricultural Fair runs from Wednesday, Oct. 4 through Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Worth Evan Tomlinson Rotary Fairgrounds, just off U.S. 421 Business Bypass beside West Park in North Wilkesboro.The Rotary Club of North Wilkesboro will sponsor the event.

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The Walker Center Announces the 2023- 2024 Season Line Up

July 10, 2023 WILKESBORO, N.C. – The Walker Center begins individual ticket sales on Monday, July 10, at noon for the 2023-2024 season shows. This year’s lineup includesDailey & Vincent, Friday, September 8, 2023, 7:30 p.m. sponsored by Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express of WilkesboroA Charlie Brown Christmas, Thursday, December 7, 2023, 7:30 p.m. sponsored by Carolina West Wireless/DRUMLine Live, Tuesday, January 23, 2024, 7:30 p.m., sponsored by Skyline National Bank.

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Farm Fresh: Organic organization cultivates community and fresh fare from the farm

June 26, 2023 Find women doing outstanding work in their field via Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, a female-led organization dedicated to fostering a sustainable and fair food scene in the High Country. To do this, the organization bolsters local producers and creates connections among the community that contribute to knowledge and excitement of eating farm-grown food—ultimately upping the local demand and desire for local fare. By Anna Beth Adcock

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WCC Student Honored with Jon H. Poteat Scholarship from the National Technical Honor Society

June 2, 2023 WILKESBORO, N.C. – Colleen Cassell was recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS). Cassell, a member of the WCC NTHS Chapter and a member of the WCC Club of the Arts, graduated earlier this month with an associate degree in advertising and graphic design and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in graphic design at Campbell University.Cassell stated, “Wilkes Community College has given me the opportunity to find an internship position, where I am practicing and utilizing my graphic design skills. I am very honored to receive this scholarship and I look forward to furthering my education and enhancing my technical skills.”

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Wilkes Community College brings home 17 gold medals from Statewide SkillsUSA Competition

May 1, 2023 WILKESBORO, N.C. – Wilkes Community College (WCC) students were one of the leading schools in the state in overall medal counts at the 58th Annual SkillsUSA North Carolina Leadership and Skills Conference on April 18-20, 2023, with the Awards Ceremony for college held on April 19th and high school on April 20, 2023.Wilkes Community College’s 104 student competitors, including 58 Career & College Promise high school students, brought home 45 medals: 17 first-place gold medals, nine second-place silver medals, six third-place bronze medals, seven fourth-place, and six fifth-place finishes. Of the 104 WCC competitors, 45 placed in the top five, and everyone placed in the top ten in the state. WCC was named as part of the North Carolina SkillsUSA Elite 100 Club, which means WCC has had over 100 students enrolled for the last five years. 

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MerleFest Announces Additions of Trampled By Turtles, Colin Hay, The Steel Wheels And Late Night Jam Hosts and Hogslop String Band to This Year’s Lineup

January 24, 2022 MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce the next round of artist additions for MerleFest 2022, which will be held April 28-May 1, 2022. Trampled By Turtles, Colin Hay, and The Steel Wheels will join an already outstanding lineup which includes performances by Emmylou Harris, Greensky Bluegrass, Rissi Palmer, Old Crow Medicine Show, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Steep Canyon Rangers, Allison Russell, We Banjo 3, and more. MerleFest is the annual homecoming of musicians and music fans held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Hogslop String Band will be hosting this year’s late night jam. Jam guest artists will be announced in the coming weeks. Additional fan favorites announced today include Barbaro, Big Daddy Love, The Contenders, Damn Tall Buildings, David Childers and The Serpents, Desure, Eli Yacinthe, Jake Blount, Kaia Kater, Nat Myers, Shannon McNally, Shay Martin Lovette, Sister Sadie, Tenille Townes, Time Sawyer, and Tray Wellington.

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MerleFest Announces Additions of Old Crow Medicine Show, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Steep Canyon Rangers, Allison Russell, and We Banjo 3 to Music Lineup

January 10, 2022 MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce the second round of artist additions for MerleFest 2022, which will be held April 28-May 1, 2022. Old Crow Medicine Show, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Steep Canyon Rangers, Allison Russell, and We Banjo 3 will join an already impressive lineup which includes performances by Emmylou Harris, Greensky Bluegrass, Rissi Palmer, and more. MerleFest is the annual late April homecoming of musicians and music fans on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. “We are so excited to welcome music fans back to the campus of Wilkes Community College in the spring,” says MerleFest’s new Festival Director, Wes Whitson. Additional fan favorites announced today include Darrell Scott, Alison Brown, 49 Winchester, Arlo McKinley, Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, The Arcadian Wild, Caleb Caudle, and Dr. Bacon.

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MerleFest Shares Initial Lineup For 2022 Festival; Emmylou Harris, Greensky Bluegrass, Rissi Palmer, and More to Perform April 28 – May 1, 2022

December 8, 2021. MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce the first round of artists for MerleFest 2022, which will be held April 28-May 1, 2022. Emmylou Harris, Greensky Bluegrass, Rissi Palmer, and more will be joining the annual homecoming of musicians and music fans on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. 2022 marks MerleFest’s return to its traditional Spring weekend after being postponed to September in 2021. Check out Rolling Stone’s recap of the 2021 festival here. “We are very excited to welcome music fans back to the campus of Wilkes Community College in the Spring,” says MerleFest’s new Festival Director, Wes Whitson. “Endless gratitude to all artists, staff, volunteers, vendors, and fans for their patience and support for the 2021 festival. Our team has put together another great lineup for 2022 and we’re looking forward to sharing 4 days of the very best in traditional+ music with fans.” MerleFest 2022 will be Greensky Bluegrass’s first time on the bill and Emmylou Harris’s 12th appearance—highlighting the importance MerleFest places on both discovery and community within its lineups.

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MerleFest Details COVID-19 Safety Protocol for the Upcoming 2021 Festival

August 19, 2021. Festival organizers for MerleFest have announced updated safety protocol for this year’s event which takes place Sept. 16-19 in Wilkesboro, NC. MerleFest prides itself on being a safe environment for music fans to experience the joy of collectively celebrating the very best in Americana, bluegrass, folk, and roots music in a family-friendly environment. In the interest of safety for all participants—and at the recommendation of high-ranking public health officials and performing artists—all attendees to this year’s event must provide either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of entering the event. the driving factor in MerleFest’s decision to require proof of vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours of attending. “Safety first,” said festival director, Ted Hagaman. “After many conversations with public health officials, it’s clear that the smartest and safest change we can make is to require vaccinations or proof of a negative test.”

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FaithFest Outdoor Music Festival Set for August 28 in Wilkesboro

August 10, 2021. Craig Church Ministries is proud to bring FaithFest to Wilkesboro for its fifth year on Saturday, August 28. FaithFest is a one-day worship experience like no other! Through life-changing testimonies, powerful worship, and times of prayer and experiencing God’s Word, FaithFest seeks to unite the community, save the lost, and spark a revival that will transform lives far beyond Wilkesboro. FaithFest is an outdoor, family-friendly festival that includes the FaithFest mall, food vendors, ministry vendors, children’s activities, artist merchandise and autograph tents, and air-conditioned restrooms. FaithFest 2021 will take place on the campus of Wilkes Community College on August 28 from 2:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m. (gates open at 12:00 p.m.).

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MerleFest Announces Full Lineup Including JOHNNYSWIM, The Milk Carton Kids and We Banjo 3

June 7, 2021 MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce the full lineup for MerleFest 2021, which will take place September 16-19. About JOHNNYSWIM: Much like families, bands go through it all together. As a unit, they face life’s ups, downs, highs, lows, trials, tribulations, tragedies, triumphs, and everything in between. They change, learn, and grow as one. However, Los Angeles band JOHNNYSWIM doesn’t just seem like a family; it is a family. At the core, husband-and-wife Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano translate the memories, moments, and milestones on their journey into spirited, slick, and soulful anthems steeped in singer-songwriter tradition, yet amplified by alternative experimentation, rock energy, and pop ambition. JOHNNYSWIM will perform on Friday evening. About The Milk Carton Kids: Listening to The Milk Carton Kids —Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale—talk about their creative process, it’s easy to imagine them running in opposite directions even while yoked together. They dig at each other in interviews and on stage, where Ryan plays his own straight man, while Pattengale tunes his guitar.

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Wilkes County COVID-19 Positive Cases Surges to Over 240 Individuals; Tyson Foods Fresh Plant Closed for Deep Cleaning

May 11, 2020 The COVID-19 outbreak associated with the Tyson Chicken Foods plant in Wilkesboro has led to a total of 242 laboratory-confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus, according to data provided by the Wilkes County Health Department. Of those 242 cases, currently, nine of those are being hospitalized. While the exact total of positive tests from Tyson Foods Inc. employees has not been released, the company chose to close the Tyson Fresh Plant on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for deep cleaning and sanitizing. The Tyson Food Plant has remained open and working during this time. According to the Wilkes Journal-Patriot, the first round of employee testing at Tyson had 39 positive tests out of 200 total tests (19.5 percent). After that, the decision was made to test each Tyson employee. The Wilkesboro complex employs roughly 3,000 people, including 2,200 at the fresh plant and roughly 275 at the food service plant.  Nathan Ham

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Apples, Apples and More Apples: Brushy Mountain Apple Festival Happening this Saturday


October 3, 2019. The long-running Brushy Mountain Apple Festival in downtown North Wilkesboro is sure to bring a big crowd out on the street this Saturday for the 42nd straight year. The first Saturday in October always marks the special occasion each year. While the weather can be unpredictable this time of year, this weekend’s edition of the festival looks like a warm, clear day in the foothills. Events get underway on Friday evening with the “Apple Jam” music show that takes place at the corner of 10th and Main in downtown North Wilkesboro. Music starts at 6 p.m. and will continue until 9 p.m. Be sure to bring your favorite lawn chair and prepare to relax and enjoy some great music as the sun goes down. The main event fires up at 8 a.m. Saturday morning with what is considered one of the largest one-day arts and crafts festivals in the southern United States with an average of over 160,000 people coming to the festival. The event also sets up as a major fundraiser for a lot of social organizations, church groups and non-profit organizations.  By Nathan Ham

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Today’s Email Announcements

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

  • “Writing for Change” Workshop at Florence Thomas Art School, 2/24
  • Wilkes Community College Engages in a Comprehensive Strategic Planning Process

Compiled by Kate Herman

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Today’s Email Announcements

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

  • The Addams Family Performance, 10/20-10/22; 10/27-10/28
  • Amateur Radio License Test Session, 11/10
  • Western Youth Network Receives North Carolina Lock Your Meds Campaign:A Direct Response to The Current Opioid Epidemic

Compiled by Kate Herman

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