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

|| High Country Press Newswire

November 13, 2008 Issue

NEWS update: weigh in with YOUr thoughts on how best to brand the High Country AT www.highcountrypress.com/tourism.

Tough Talk On Tourism—High Country Host Announces County Town Hall Meetings, Asks For Community Input

High Country Press Blog Allows Input For Developing High Country Brand

“Let us now move forward with the politics of multiplication, not the politics of division,” said Barack Obama, the president-elect of the United States, during his acceptance speech on Tuesday, November 4.

Obama was speaking to the entire country but his statement also sums up the momentum developed at the High Country Tourism Summit. The mission of the High Country Tourism Summit was to collaborate marketing efforts to sustain tourism in the High Country during the country’s economic downturn, and the High Country Host Executive Board met on November 6 to discuss what to do next. Read More »

Watauga Weighs In With Childhood Obesity Prevention Project—County Receives $380,000 Grant To Help Kids and Parents Slim Down

There’s simply no skirting around the issue: childhood obesity is reaching epidemic levels in North Carolina and across the nation. According to Appalachian District Health Department Director Danny Staley, who spoke at the Childhood Obesity Prevention Kickoff on October 29 at Watauga Medical Center, one-third of kids in North Carolina are overweight or obese. Staley also said that 27 percent are below healthy levels of physical activity and 74 percent aren’t getting proper amounts of fruits and vegetables.

“For the first time in decades, longevity is diminishing,” said Staley. “We as a community have a call to action about obesity and to do something about it.” Read More »

The View Stories

The Blue Ridge Descendents Come Full Circle—Band Reunites for Special Hayes Center Performance This Sunday

Spoiler Alert: Bob Harman happily revealed the grand finale for Sunday’s special reunion concert by Blue Ridge Descendents at the Hayes Performing Arts Center. Waxing about the importance of this region’s indigenous roots music and the role it continues to play in the High Country, the weaver, dulcimer player and former Blowing Rock resident said his recently reformed group would round out the show with the timeless “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?” Read More »

Shelter Stories

Counts Wins Spirit of Farm-City Award at 53rd Annual Farm-City Banquet

Sue Counts, who recently stepped down as the director of the Watauga County office of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, was honored with the Sprit of Farm-City Award during the 53rd Annual Farm-City Banquet on Thursday, November 6, at Boone United Methodist Church. Even though she was only on her fourth day of retirement, organizers joked that her retiring meant that she would have more time to volunteer in the community.

Twenty-two other local farmers, residents and businesses received awards at the function that was catered by Reid’s Catering. Reid’s staff prepared locally raised beef and locally grown vegetables for the meal. Boone Area Chamber of Commerce President Dan Meyer acted as the master of ceremonies. Read More »