Kenneth Reece

BOONE — Four staff members from the High Country Council of Governments have graduated from the NC Rural Center's Homegrown Leaders program, a competitive leadership development initiative designed to build capacity in rural North Carolina communities. The graduates are Caroline Briggs, Tammy Nelson, Debra Foxx, and Victoria Oxentine — all members of the HCCOG team, …

Lenoir, North Carolina (July 7, 2026) — Five local high school students participating in Blue Ridge Energy’s Leadership Track program recently earned the opportunity to spend an all-expense-paid week in Washington, D.C., representing their electric cooperative on the national Washington Youth Tour. Blue Ridge Energy students joined more than 1,800 other students from across America …

Lenoir, North Carolina (July 7 2026) – Blue Ridge Energy has announced the official appointment of Mike High as Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of the cooperative. High previously served as Director of Engineering Services at Blue Ridge Energy for the past 22 years. He has a total of 37 years of electric …

BOONE, N.C. — On Thursday, July 2, 2026, at approximately 1:55 PM, Boone Police Department and Watauga County Sheriff's Office units were notified of a Flock Safety automated license plate reader (ALPR) alert involving a vehicle entering the Town of Boone. The alert was associated with an individual who had an outstanding arrest warrant from …

RALEIGH — North Carolina's AI Leadership Council released a comprehensive statewide artificial intelligence strategic roadmap Tuesday, laying out 17 goals around three core priorities that could reshape how state government, universities, and workers engage with rapidly evolving technology. The roadmap, built around the principles of Protect, Prepare, and Transform, was developed by the council established …

BOONE — The Boone Town Council holds its regular monthly meeting Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in the Town Council Chambers at 1500 Blowing Rock Road. The agenda includes several substantive items. The council is scheduled to present a resolution of appreciation to Dr. Elizabeth “Bettie” Bond, who has served on the town's …

At just after 1:00 p.m. on July 4th, Watauga County Communications received a text to 911 message that a hiker on the Hebron Falls Trail was suffering from a serious allergic reaction requiring medical attention. Communications requested that the hiker stay in place to wait for responders to arrive. Responding to the scene were Foscoe …

North Carolina's drought worsened this week after several weeks of improvement. Exceptional Drought (D4) ticked up from 8 to 9 counties with the addition of Brunswick County. Extreme Drought (D3) expanded from 41 to 46 counties. In the High Country, Alleghany County moved back to Extreme Drought (D3) after briefly improving to D2 last month. …

North Carolina drivers will no longer receive license plate renewal stickers or paper vehicle registration cards under a change tucked into the state's new $34.4 billion budget signed by Governor Josh Stein on July 7. The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles is directed to transition to an all-electronic registration system by October 1, 2026. …

AVERY COUNTY, N.C. — Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) and The Conservation Fund (TCF) have announced the purchase of a critical 1-acre inholding on Grandmother Mountain near Linville, completing the protection of the mountain's north-facing slope. The property is located within the boundary of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is managed by the National Park Service. …