Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

|| High Country Press Newswire

LATEST REGIONAL HEADLINES:

View All Ads For This Week »

January 12, 2006 issue

Community News

Check Out NCLIVE—It’s Free

NCLIVE has been around for a while, but seven new online resources have recently been added to the free, state-supported collection of high-quality, reliable online sources reviewed and selected by library staff across the state.

What’s Going On with ASU and the Quality Inn?

It’s common knowledge that Appalachian State University purchased the Quality Inn last May for $9.8 million, but there have been some conflicting speculations about what the university actually planned to do with the building.

ASU & University of Texas Share Championship Connection

It has been almost been a month since the ASU Mountaineer football team captured the NCAA Division 1-AA National Championship with a thrilling victory over the University of Northern Iowa. Last week, an equally thrilling NCAA Division 1-A National Championship between the University of Texas and the University of Southern California played out in Pasadena, Calif., crowning the Texas Longhorns with the coveted title.

Blue Ridge Heritage Grants Awarded to Local Organizations

Several High Country counties will benefit from Blue Ridge National Heritage Area grants awarded to projects focused on preserving regional history and culture.

Cove Creek School Aiming to Integrate Experiential Learning, Agriculture and Science in New Laboratory Proposed Project

Dr. Mike Sherrill, principal of Cove Creek School, is currently in the early stages of attempting to create that ideal through a proposed agriculture-based science curriculum support laboratory for the students of his school.

WYN Looks For Mentors, New Director, Plans for 2006

It’s 2006, and the Western Youth Network (WYN) has 20 years of service on the books. Since 1985, WYN has assisted the youth of the High Country in challenging themselves, learning about others and finding their place in the community and world. WYN’s work has changed the lives of countless local young people.

It’s Time To Start Thinking About Taxes

If you’re one of those intrepid souls who does his/her own taxes, you knew this was coming: there are tax law changes in 2005 that you need to know.

Newland DMV Tag Office Experiencing Boon in Business

The two Susies—Susie Lewis and Susie Daniels—of the Newland NC Department of Motor Vehicles tag office have seen quite a bit more customer traffic since the Boone tag office closed late last summer.

The Human-Animal Link to Domestic Violence

The first documented felony cruelty to an animal case in Watauga County for 2006 occurred on January 5.

Parkway Furniture Building to Become Home Décor Center

The former Parkway Furniture store building is in the process of being transformed into a new High Country business, New River Building Supply’s Home Décor Center, scheduled to open this summer.

Events & Entertainment

Lift Ticket

A new column about skiing and snowboarding in the High Country by Sam Calhoun.

Sugar Mountain Adult Race League: Results for Monday, January 9

The party was on. From 5:30 until after 10:00 p.m., race participants made Sugar their home, taking fun runs, enjoying libations with friends they haven’t seen in awhile and, of course, racing.

Mountain Living

This week's issue of Mountain Living, Amy Cooke features a recipe for Tangerine Muffins.

The Solos Unit Brings Jazzy Hip-Hop To Saloon

Call it jazz-hop or soul-rap; call it soul-flavored improvisational lyricism with hard-hitting funk beats; call it whatever you want just as long as you don’t call it just another rap group.

North Carolina Writer Judy Goldman Speaks January 26

Novelist and poet Judy Goldman opens Appalachian State University’s Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series for the spring semester with a presentation Thursday, January 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Plemmons Student Union’s Price Lake Room.

Endowed Scholars Recital at ASU January 26

A few of the most accomplished student musicians of the Hayes School of Music will come together to present the Endowed Scholars Recital on Thursday, January 26, at 8:00 p.m. in Rosen Concert Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.

Fiddle and Banjo Workshops and Concert January 26

Master fiddler Alan Jabbour and banjoist Ken Perlman will conduct workshops and perform a free concert in Boone on Thursday, January 26.

Rhonda Vincent Rages In Wilkesboro January 27

On Friday, January 27, Vincent and her band The Rage will roll into the Walker Center on the campus of Wilkes Community College for a one-night performance that is sure to bring fans to their feet.

Taking The Plunge? Winterfest Tradition Brings Crowds And Crazies

On Saturday, January 28, the Blowing Rock Fire Department and Rescue Squad will be at Chetola Lake for what is perhaps their most enjoyable job of the entire year: supervising the bunch of merry lunatics who will be jumping into the lake during Blowing Rock’s Eighth Annual Winterfest Polar Plunge

New Book Club for 8- to 12-Year-Olds Forms at Watauga Library

Meetings will be held every Friday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., and kids don’t have to attend every week.

Psst! Wanna Read a Good Book?

Oh, it doesn’t get any better than this. You get to do one of your favorite things—reading, of course—and have a chance to win prizes such as ski tickets, restaurant dinners and book bags.

Get Tickets Now for Avery County Farm City Banquet

The annual Avery County Farm City Banquet is scheduled for Saturday, February 4, at the Crossnore Baptist Church at 6:00 p.m. The snow date is February 18.

Caldwell Offers Small Business Courses

The Watauga Continuing Education Center of Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute is offering a series of six small business courses this spring, and all of them are free.

Cancer Fundraiser to Feature Fine Wines and Food

The Colleges Against Cancer club at Appalachian State University is kicking off the Relay for Life fundraising season with an elegant evening of wine, food and jazz. The event will be held Friday, February 3, at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center.

Bundle Up and Take a Hike

While some folks can’t even imagine heading out to area trails during the winter, others know that there are few experiences quite as euphoric as heading to the woods on a bright, bracingly cold day.

Got Books? Then Trade Them!

Easy Internet Paperback Swapping Site Catches On Nationwide

Come on, ‘fess up. You’ve got tons of the things. Potboilers, Oprah books, bodice rippers, juicy beach novels, gripping bestsellers—all those impulse paperback purchases that are now gathering dust on your shelf. They’re not like the old friends, books that you will love forever and revisit often. You’ll read these books once and be done with them, and at about $7 apiece, that’s quite a bit of cash tied up and occupying valuable real estate on your bookshelf or in your basement.

Looking Ahead To MerleFest 2006

It has become a rite of spring, an annual tradition, a gathering of souls from all over the world and a musical event second to none. Indeed, a new year brings us another long and wonderful weekend of music known as MerleFest.

What About the Unity Festival?

The I Have a Dream Task Force is planning the annual unity festival; it just won’t be taking place next week. The festival will be happening in early April instead, in a partnership with Appalachian State University’s Diversity Celebration.